SOYI BAJJILE GHASHI WITH CHANNA & YAM

SOYI BAJJILE GHASHI WITH CHANNA & YAM

Today's dish is a popular Konkani dish called "Soyi Bajjile Ghashi" in which coconut gratings, red chillies, urad dal and coriander seeds are roasted to make a masala. The roasting of these ingredients gives off a nice aroma. The name of the dish is derived from this process, with "Soyi" meaning Coconut Gratings and "Bajjile" meaning roasted in Konkani.

Earlier I have posted Soyi Bajjile Ghashi made with potatoes and drumsticks. Today's variation is with Kabuli Chana, (which we call "Channo" and Yam which we call "Surnu"). As you know, Yam is called Suran in Hindi, and Suvarna Gadde in Kannada.

Ingredients:

• Kabuli Chana, 1 cup
• Yam, 100-150 gms
• Coconut Gratings, 1 cup
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 10-12, or to taste
• Urad Dal, 1 tbsp.
• Coriander Seeds, 1 tbsp.
• Tamarind, marble sized ball
• Cooked and Mashed Tur Dal, 1/4 cup
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, as required. 

Method:

Wash and soak the Kabuli Chana for 8-10 hours or overnight.
Pressure cook the Kabuli Chana in sufficient, fresh water with a little salt, for 3-4 whistles or till done. Once the cooker cools, remove the cooked chana and keep aside. The water in which the chana is cooked can be kept aside for later use. 

Peel and wash the yam. Cut them into bite- size cubes
Cook the yam cubes in adequate water till they are done and keep aside.
In a little oil, roast red chillies, urad dal and coriander seeds separately till the red chillies become crisp, the urad dal changes colour to a light brown; and the coriander seeds turn golden brown. Keep aside.
Next roast the coconut gratings to a golden brown, stirring continuously to prevent it from getting burnt. Allow it to cool
In a mixer, grind together roasted coconut gratings, roasted red chillies, roasted urad dal, and roasted coriander seeds along with the tamarind, adding the required amount of water, to a smooth paste. (Here, you can use the water collected earlier when the chana was cooked). 
In a vessel, mix the cooked Kabuli Chana and the yam with the ground masala to get a curry like consistency, adding water only if necessary.
Add salt, and the cooked and mashed tur dal, mix well and bring to a boil stirring from time to time Reduce the flame and allow it to simmer for a few minutes stirring from time to time

Switch off the gas and transfer to a serving bowl 
Serve the Soyi Bajjile Ghashi as a side dish with the main meal