GULLA PUDDI SAGLE

 GULLA PUDDI SAGLE 

Today's recipe is from our own GSB Konkani cuisine and is called Gulla Puddi Sagle. It is a side dish generally served with our traditional meal of rice and dal. It also goes well with rotis.

For this dish, I have used Matti Gulla which is a special type of brinjal available in the Udupi area of my Home State of Karnataka. Tradition has it that the first crop of Matti Gulla ( named after a place called Matti, near Udupi) is offered at the Udupi Sri Krishna Temple.

What is called aubergine or eggplant abroad, is more commonly called brinjal in India. Call it what you will, we make much use of it in our Indian cuisine.

Brinjals  are strong in antioxidants and Vitamin A and C and have numerous health benefits.  They are available in different sizes and forms, ranging from the cute baby brinjal to the voluminous balloon brinjal.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for different dishes made with brinjals, such as:-

• Bharli Vaangi : made with baby brinjals
• Roasted Brinjal Chutney: made with large balloon brinjals 
• Kathirikai Rasavangi : made with the regular brinjals  
• Matti Gula Podi: made with a special type of brinjal available in the Udupi area of Karnataka
• Matti Gulla Huli 

We love this dish and I hope you will make and enjoy it too! 

Ingredients:- 

• Matti Gullas, 2-3
• Medium-sized Onions, 2
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1 cup
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 7-8
• Tamarind, size of a small marble
• Coriander Seeds, 1 and 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek (Methi) Seeds, 1/4 tsp 
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves, a few 
• Coconut Oil, 2 tbsp
• Salt, to taste 

Method:-

Wash the gulla, remove the stalk, and cut into bite-size pieces

Keep them immersed in water to avoid discolouration 

Peel and chop the onions

Add a little coconut oil in a kadhai and roast the Byadgi Red Chillies till they become crisp and keep aside
Next roast the coriander seeds and the fenugreek seeds till they turn golden. Keep aside.

In a mixer, grind together the fresh coconut gratings along with the roasted ingredients:  red chillies, coriander seeds, and fenugreek seeds, and tamarind, to form a coarse paste adding just the required amount of water.  Keep aside

Heat oil in the kadhai and on medium heat add the mustard seeds
When they splutter add the curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds

To this, add the chopped onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes till they become translucent

Next add the gulla pieces and salt to taste. Mix well

Cover and cook on medium heat till the gullas are almost half cooked

Add the freshly prepared ground paste and mix well

Cook on medium/low flame till the excess water evaporates and the gullas get well blended with the masala 

Check for salt and add only if required 
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve Gulla Puddi Sagle hot as a side dish with rice and dal