Koduve Pathal Bhaji (Kochi GSB Konkani Recipe)

Koduve Pathal Bhaji is a very healthy and tasty Kochi GSB Konkani style gravy dish made with Koduvi leaves cooked in ground coconut paste and goes well with rice.Koduve or Koduwe or Koduvi (Kaippa cheera in Malayalam) is a very small and slightly bitter green leafy vegetable usually grown in paddy fields and are available during winter season in Kochi, Kerala.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Koduve Pathal Bhaji.

Ingredients:-

Koduvi leaves. - 2 cup tightly packed
Green chillies.   -3
Tamarind.          - a marble size
Hing powder.     - 3/4 tsp
Salt.                    - to taste
Coconut oil.        - 2 tbsp

For grinding Coconut paste:-

Grated coconut.   - 1 cup
Turmeric powder. - 1/4 tsp

Instructions:-

1). Clean and seperate the koduvi leaves from its small stems and roots.Discard the stems and roots.Wash the cleaned koduvi leaves thoroughly in water 2 to 3 times to remove the dust and mud.Drain water completely and finely chop the kuduvi leaves and keep aside.

2). Wash and half slit green chillies and keep aside.

3). Divide a small marble size tamarind piece into small small balls and keep aside.

4). Grind grated coconut along with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder to a smooth paste adding very little water. Keep aside the ground coconut paste.

Method:-

1). In a wide bottom pan add the ground coconut paste, half slit green chillies, small small tamarind balls, required salt and 1 and 1/2 cup of water and mix well. Boil and cook for 5 minutes on low flame to remove the rawness of the coconut paste.

2). Add 2 tbsp coconut oil and hing powder into the coconut gravy in the pan.

3). Add chopped koduvi leaves into the pan. Press the chopped koduvi leaves into the hot gravy in the pan with a flat spatula and do not stir the mixture.

4). Cover the pan with a lid. Switch off the flame and keep the pan covered for 20 minutes.The koduvi leaves will soften and cook very fast in the steaming gravy.

5). Open the lid and transfer the Koduvi leaves gravy to a serving bowl.

A very tasty and healthy Koduve  Pathal Bhaji is ready to serve with rice.