Saturday 7 October 2017

GAJBAJE - Kochi GSB Konkani style Recipe

GAJBAJE  is a Konkani delicacy made with  Threya Paan,stems and roots. Therya paan is the Konkani word for Colocasia leaves.Colocasia leaves are cheap and commonly available abundantly in Kerala and Karnataka.

We can make many dishes with the Colocasia leaves.It is also called Taro Leaves.Taro leaves are good for healthy skin and vision and is rich in vitamin A and B though these leaves can cause slight itching sensation in the throat while eating uncooked. If the leaves are cooked properly, itching wouldn't be there and would taste delicious too.

You need to add some sour agent in any dish made with Colocasia leaves.After consuming the dish,they gave an itching feeling to the throat. Souring agents like Tamarind ,sour Hog plum, Star fruits,Malabar Tamarind,Kokkum etc. removes that itching feeling.So after adding one of this sovering  agent makes the Colocasia leaves Curry more delicious.

GAJBAJE is a Konkani  dish  which doesn't have any itching sensation if used as per the recipe below. This  is a Kochi GSB Konkani  Style Gajbaje recipe.
Gajbaje is normally prepared in all homes in Kochi on  Sreekrishna Janmastami  day.-a  relegious festival.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare this delicious Gajbaje.
                                                       
Ingredients:-


Colocasia Leaves.                     - 10
Colocasia Stem.                        - 10
Colocasia Root/Mande           - 5
Green long beans/Chavli       - 5
Star fruit-5/Tamarind pulp.  - 2 tbsp
Greenchilly.                               - 4
Water.                                         - 1 cup

Salt.                                             -to taste


For grinding the Coconut Masala Paste:-

Grated Coconut.                  - 1 medium size
Dry Red chilly.                     - 5
Turmeric powder.               - 1/4 tsp
Hingpowder.
                        - 1 tsp


For Seasoning:-


Coconut Oil.                         - 2 tsp
Urad dal.                               -1 tsp
Mustard seeds.                    -1 tsp
Jeera/Cumin seeds             -1 tsp
CurryLeaves.                        -2 Spring


Instuctions:-

Take 10 Tharya Paan [ Colocasia Leaves].Choose tender Leaves.Wash, clean and deveined.[Remove the thick stems,main nerves and sub nerves on the back side of the Colocasia Leaves with a kinfe.] Roll the deveined Colocasia leaves length wise and knot both the ends together resumbling a small ball. Or you can finely chop the deveined Colocasia leaves.Keep aside.

Peel the skin of 10 Vantie ( Colocasia stems).Wash and chop into 1 inch iength pieces. Keep aside.

Clean and peel the skin of 5 small Mandae [ Colocasia Root]. Wash and chope them into square pieces.Keep aside.

Chop 5 Jeeve Chawli( green Long beans) into 1 inch pieces.Keep aside.

Chop 5 big Karmbal (Star fruits) length wise.Or you can use 2 tbsp Tamrind pulp.Keep aside.

Half slit 4 Green chillies lengthwise.Keep aside.



Method:-

In a vessel boil 1 cup Water.Add the Colocasia Leaves, chopped Stems and chopped Colocasia Roots together.

Close the vessel with a lid and cook till soft and mushy. [You can pressure cook them together for 1 or 2 whistle.]

Cook till the chopped Colocasia Roots / Mandae, Colocasia leaves and Colocasia stems cooked well and become mushy.

Add chopped green Long beans [ chawli] and cook well.


Add slit Green chillies ,required Salt and chopped Star Fruits .Mix, boil and cook well.

Grind 1 medium size Coconut grated, 5 dry Red chillies and 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder to a smooth paste.

Add this ground  Coconut Masala paste into the cooked Curry in the vessel and boil for 3 minutes.

Add 1 tsp Hing powder and mix well.


Cover the vessel with a lid and cook for 1 minute.

Actually the consistency of the curry is semi thick paste.So you can adjust by adding Water.
Switch of the flame.

Heat 2 tbsp Coconut Oil in a pan add 1tsp Udid dal, splutter 1tsp Mustsrd seeds, 1tsp Jeera and 2 spring Curry leaves.Saute well.Switch off the flame.

Add this seasoning into the Curry in the vessel and immediately close the vessel with the lid not to go out the aroma of the seasoning from the Curry.

A tasty yummy Gajbaje is ready to serve with Rice especially on the Sreekrishna Janmashtami day.


Try the recipe and enjoy the dish.

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