MERGOLE-SWEET POTATO PAYASU: GUEST POST BY SHOBHA KAMATH

MERGOLE-SWEET POTATO PAYASU: GUEST POST BY SHOBHA KAMATH

I am grateful to my friend, Shobha Kamath for this Guest Post in which she shares her recipe for Mergole, which is the Konkani name for this payasu made of Sweet Potato. Reflecting her diverse interests, Shobha has a blog imaginatively called, "Ladle, Brush & Spade" 

Shobha says that though traditionally the skin is not removed from the sweet potato (Kanang in Konkani, Genasu in Kannada, Shakarakanda in Hindi) , she has done it this time. She also advises that it is better to dissolve the powdered jaggery in water and strain it so as to remove any insoluble impurities.

Here is her recipe:-

Ingredients:

• Sweet Potato ( small ), 1
• Coconut Milk, 150 ml ( 1 and 1/2 cup)
• Jaggery Powder, 3 tbsp, or as per taste
• Salt, a pinch
• Cardamom Powder, 1 tsp
• Cashews* halved & roasted in ghee, 6 whole  *optional
• Raisins *, roasted in ghee, 8-10 * optional

Method:

Wash and skin the sweet potato. Cut it into small cubes.

Steam the cubed bits in a steamer or boil them in a little water till soft. This should take about 20 minutes

Add salt, jaggery powder and the coconut milk to the boiled sweet potato bits and bring it to a boil

Finally add the roasted cashews, raisins and cardamom powder.

Mix well and remove from flame.

Serve hot or cold as per your choice.