Andhra Pradesh Homestyle Thaali ~ Panasa Pottu Koora / Raw Jackfruit Curry

This must be my first 'Thaali' post ever on my blog. I cook 2 to 3 side dishes almost on a daily basis to serve with rice besides the pickle / chutney and yogurt. However I am not adventurous enough to serve a thaali for my family on either a festival day or for blogging purposes. It seems suicidal to me, especially when you don't have a helping hand and you are staring at two sinks full of dirty dishes after the cooking and clicking part. However this time when the thaali theme was announced, it clicked that I don't need to cook everything on the same day and I can cook a mini thaali. And so, this thaali happened and I stuck to my home state of Andhra Pradesh for the first post to skip the 'exploring recipes' part. 

This homestyle or a simple festive thaali (sans onion and garlic) consists of 
Annam (Rice)
Gongura Pachadi (Sorrel leaves Chutney)
Cabbage - Pesarapappu Koora (Cabbage & Moongdal Curry)
Panasa Pottu Koora (Raw Jackfruit Curry)
Muddha Pappu (Lentils seasoned with just salt)
Majjiga Pulusu (Spicy yogurt based gravy)
Palakoora Pappu (Spicy Lentils cooked with Spinach)
Chaaru / Rasam (Spicy Lentil Broth)
Pulihora (Tamarind Rice)
Payasam (Kheer / Indian Pudding)
Garelu (Whole Black Bean Fritters)
Perugu (Yogurt)
Appadam (Papad) & Neyyi (Ghee)

Most of the preparations here are eaten along with rice and a dollop of ghee. The first course would be rice mixed with gongura pachadi and a tsp. of ghee. Followed by kooras / the vegetable preparations eaten in a similar fashion as above. Then pulihora and the lentil preparations again eaten with rice along with the appadam or the toasted lentil wafers . In Andhra, majjiga pulusu (a kadhi, if loosely translated) is always eaten with rice along with the muddha pappu / plain dal. Then the garelu / fritters and payasam. (My fritters are dark here because I used the whole black gram with out removing the skin.) The meal is rounded off with yogurt rice. 

I chose to post the recipe for panasa pottu koora from the above thaali for today. Vegetable preparations using panasa pottu or the shredded raw jack fruit is a common feature in the northern coastal areas of Andhra. Panasa pottu is readily available in markets there though a can of raw jack fruit in lieu of it would as well serve the purpose. My version today is one of the simple yet delicious preparations using panasa pottu.

Ingredients:
1.5 cups shredded raw jackfruit
1.5 to 2 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. split chickpeas / chana dal
1 tsp. skinned black gram / urad dal
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
3 to 4 dried red chillies, broken into bits
A stalk of curry leaves
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
2 pinches of asafoetida powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp. tamarind extract or 1 tsp. lemon juice
1 - 2 tsp. powdered jaggery

Method:
* If using canned raw jackfruit, drain and rinse thoroughly. Drain again and dry if needed. Shred the jackfruit pieces pulsing through a food processor as shown in the above picture.
* Heat oil in a pan and add split chickpeas, black gram, mustard seeds and cumin seeds in that order. When the split chickpeas and black gram starts turning brownish, add red chiilies, curry leaves, turmeric and asafoetida. saute for few seconds and then add the shreeded raw jackfruit and salt.
* Mix well and cover the pan. Cook on low flame until jackfruit is done. Add jaggery and tamarind extract to the cooked curry and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Cook for a couple of minutes more and turn off the stove.

This goes to Blogging marathon #70, under the theme 'Thaali Recipes'. Check here to find out what the other marathoners are cooking as part of the BM.

Comments