TENDER PALAK LEAVES ALVATI

Alvati is a Konkani delicacy made originally with tender Colocasia leaves or Therya pan/Taro leaves during rainy season.Alwathi is a tradtonal Konkani recipe made on Ganesh Chaturthi and on Sreekrishna Janmastami festival.During rainy season we get soft and tender Colocasia leaves which has less or no itching sensation.So we prepare this delicious Curry using tender Colocasia leaves/Taro leaves.Konkani Alvatti or Aluvati can be prepared in different ways.We can prepare Alwati with tender Palak leaves called Palak Alvati.The recipe is very simple which melts in your mouth.Seasoning in Coconut oil makes the Palak leaves Alvati more tasty. You can give Garlic seasoning instead of Mustard seasoning in this recipe if you love garlic flavour.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare  Tender Palak Leaves Alvati.

Ingredients :-

Palak leaves.     - 4 bunch (tender)
Green gram.      -1/2cup or Groundnut. -1/2 cup
Ginger.              - a small piece chopped
Green chillies.   -3
Star fruits.         -2 or Hog plum.-1 crushed
Salt.                   - to taste

For grinding Coconut Masala paste:-

Grated Coconut.   - cup
Dry Red Chillies. -5
Tamarind.             -a small marble size.

For seasoning:-

Coconut oil.     -1tbsp
Mustard seeds. -1tsp
Cumin seeds.    -1/2tsp
Curry leaves.    -1spring.

Instructions:-

Wash and finely chop tender Palak leaves and keep aside.

Soak Green gram or raw Ground nut for 8 hours.

Pressure cook the soaked Green gram or raw Ground nut along with Ginger and finely chopped Palak leaves for 3 whistles.Keep aside.

Half slit the Green chillies lengthwise and keep aside.

Soak  a small piece of Tamarind in little warm water and then extract Tamarind pulp.

Wash and chop Star fruits into thin lengthy pieces and keep aside.Or you can add 1crushed Hog plum [Ambado] into the curry

Grind grated Coconut along with dry Red chillies and extracted Tamarind pulp to a smooth paste adding very little Water. Keep aside the ground Coconut  masala paste..

Method :-

In a cooking vessel add the pressure cooked Palak leaves and Green gram or Groundnut.Add half slit Green chillies, chopped 2 Star fruits [or 1 crushed Hog plum /Ambado] and required Salt.Boil and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the ground Coconut masala paste into the cooking vessel and mix with the cooked Palak leaves.Boil for 2 minutes on low flame.Switch off the flame.

Heat Coconut oil in a pan on low flame for seasoning.Splutter Mustard seeds and Cumin seeds and saute well.Add Curry leaves and fry for a second.Then switch off the flame.

Pour the above seasoning into the Alvati in the cooking vessel.

A very tasty and delicious Mustard seasoning  Tender Palak Leaves Alvati is ready to serve with hot steaming Rice.

Note:-

If using Garlic Seasoning in the Tender Palak Leaves Alvati instead of using Mustard Seasoning:-

Heat 1tsp Coconut oil in a pan for Garlic seasoning on low flame.Add 10 crushed Garlic flakes with skin into the hot oil and fry well till golden colour.Pour this Garlic seasoning into the tender Palak Leaves Alvati in the cooking vessel.A very tasty garlic flavour Tender Palak Leaes Alvati is ready to serve with steamed Rice.