Sweet with a touch of eye-squinting sour – this tangy curry is a classic Goan delight!
I am back to writing after a long break. I believe long is an understatement; it has been almost two years since I last penned down a recipe! Am I allowed to say ‘life got in the way’ yet? 😀
It is customary here in Goa to distribute fresh produce that is surplus, to family members and well-wishers. On a similar note, months back, my aunt sent over some bimbla. Bimbla are small, sour fruits that are used to make pickles, curries, and are basically used as a souring agent.
I remember when I was little, my cousins and I would sneak into our neighbour’s backyard and pick out these green fruits from their bimbla tree. Thrilled with our little adventure, we would rush home into the kitchen, wash the bimbla, cut them, sprinkle salt on them, and sit back to relish them. Fast forward to the next morning – we would be down with a scratchy throat. No wonder our aunts and granny would scold us the moment they learnt of our bimbla indulgence!
In today’s blog post, I will be sharing the recipe of bimblache sansav, which is a sweet, coconut-based Goan curry that is often relished on our veg days. Now, let’s get cooking!
Goan Bimblache Sansav
Ingredients
- 10-12 bimbla
- 2-3 handfuls of grated coconut
- hing (asafetida)
- 4 dry red chillies
- 1 Bedgi chilli (optional)
- 1/4 tsp rice flour
- 5-6 tbsps of jaggery
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- salt to taste
Directions
- Wash bimbla, cut them into pieces of 2 or 4.
- Apply little bit of salt and set the bimbla aside,
- For the curry, take 2 handfuls of grated coconut, 4 dried red chillies, 1 bedgi chilli, pinch of hing, 1/4 teaspoon of rice flour, and grind to a paste by adding 4 tablespoons of water. Add more water if required.
- For the seasoning, in a heated vessel, add 1 tbsp of oil. Once the oil is hot enough, add in 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds and a pinch of hing.
- Add in the cut and salted pieces of bimbla.
- Add some water and cook on medium flame.
- Add in 5-6 tbsps of jaggery. Add more if required.
- Once the bimbla are cooked, add in the ground paste and mix well.
- Adjust consistency by either adding water or skipping it. The gravy should be slightly thick and not watery.
- Make final salt and jaggery adjustments. Your bimblache sansav is ready to be served hot.
Ankita's Kitchen 