Boldhu Kajipu/ Saasime
Ingredients
For the curry
- 500 g ash gourd
- About 1 cup grated coconut, or half a coconut
- 2–4 green chillies, to suit heat preference
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- A marble-sized ball of tamarind
- Salt to taste
- Water, as needed for boiling and grinding
- ½ cup yogurt (optional; see serving instructions)
For the tadka/nesal
- 2 tsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1 sprig curry leaves
Instructions
Method
- Peel and chop the ash gourd. Boil it with a little salt and water until softened, taking care not to overcook it.
- Grind the coconut, mustard seeds, tamarind and green chillies to a smooth paste, adding water as needed.
- Add the paste to the cooked ash gourd. Bring to a boil, then simmer for a few minutes. Check and adjust the seasoning.
- For the nesal, heat the coconut oil in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds. Once they begin popping, add the urad dal, followed by the curry leaves. Pour over the cooked curry.
- Mix and serve with warm rice.
- If adding yogurt, wait around 5 minutes after switching off the heat. Whisk room-temperature yogurt and mix it separately into the portion being served. Avoid reheating that portion after the yogurt is added.
Notes
- Mum’s version, which I follow, is made without yogurt. It is optional and can be added to individual portions.
- Bottle gourd or ridge gourd can be used in place of ash gourd.
- Adjust the green chillies within the stated range to suit preference.
- Half a coconut is an approximate equivalent; use about 1 cup grated coconut for the measured version.