VATAANE ANANASAA SHAAK (SWEET AND SOUR WHITE PEAS AND PINEAPPLE CURRY VEGETABLE)

The Safed Vataane Ananasaa Shaak is another gem from the NKGSB cuisine of Karwar. This cuisine makes a lot of use of seasonal fruits like raw mangoes, ripe mangoes, ambade, pineapple, jackfruit, it’s seeds etc. in the daily cooking. Also, coconuts, corriander seeds and dry red Bedgi chillies make an important part of the base of this community’s cooking.

One such delicious gravy from the NKGSB cuisine is the Sweet And Sour White Peas And Pineapple Curry Vegetable. Safed Vataane refer to dried white peas and ananas means pineapple.

Pineapple are tropical fruit that are rich in vitamins, enzymes and antioxidants. They help build the immune system, build strong bones and aid digestion. In addition to all this, pineapples are low in calories too! The benefits of pineapples are many!

Dried peas are rich in soluble fiber, potassium which helps reduce blood pressure, important vitamins and have virtually no fat. They help in lowering cholesterol too!

A delicious combination of these healthy foods with still more nutritious coconut and jaggery makes this vegetable high on the health quotient!

Here are some more NKGSB dishes which you can give a try to……

1) Bharilli Vaangi In NKGSB Style

2) Baangdyaa Huggae

3) Tival

4) Tisrya Vade

5) Teppala Kadhi

Here’s the recipe for Safed Vataane Ananasaa Shaak from my grandmother’s kitchen ……

INGREDIENTS :

• 3/4 Sour Pineapple (Ananas) …… Chopped into chunks after discarding the middle portion and the tiny thorns that appear on the sides.
• 1 cup Soaked White Peas (Safed Vataane, 1/2 cup white peas will yield approximate 1 cup after soaking)
• 1 Large Onion ….. Chopped finely
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 1/2 tbs Jaggery…… To be adjusted
• Salt to taste

To be ground to a paste :

• 1 1/2 tbs Corriander seeds
• 4 Bedgi Dry Red Chillies
• 1/2 tsp Oil
• 3/4 cup Fresh Grated Coconut

For the tempering :

2 tbs Oil

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

METHOD :

1. To make the Ananasaa Shaak, first soak the white peas overnight in sufficient water. Next morning wash them thoroughly and cook them in a pressure pan for 3 whistles and for about 2-3 minutes on low flame, adding sufficient water upto the peas level.
2. In the meantime, heat a small kadhai and add 1/2 tsp oil to it. Add the corriander seeds and the Bedgi chillies and roast them on low flame till you notice a slight change in colour.
3. Cool them and grind together with the grated coconut using sufficient water, to get a smooth paste and keep aside till further use.
4. Heat a thick bottomed pan and add the oil for tempering to it.
5. When the oil heats up, add the mustard seeds. As soon as they splutter, add the asafoetida.
6. Immediately add the chopped onions and saute till they turn translucent.
7. Add the turmeric powder and the pineapple chunks and mix well. Add quite a little amount of water for the pineapple to cook.
8. Cover the pan and cook stirring occasionally.
9. When the pineapple chunks are soft and fully cooked, add the cooked white peas and the ground coconut paste and give it a good stir.
10. Add sufficient water so as to get a slightly thick gravy, the jaggery and salt to taste.
11. Bring to a boil, and reduce the heat. Simmer on low flame for a few more minutes for the coconut to cook fully.
12. Add more water in the end if required to adjust the consistency of the gravy. Check seasoning and adjust if required.
13. Switch off the flame and transfer to a serving bowl.
14. Serve this delicious and healthy Safed Vataane Ananasaa Shaak with hot steaming ghee rice.

NOTE :

It is necessary to buy a slightly sour pineapple here as this gravy gets it’s main flavour from the sourness of the pineapple and sweetness of jaggery.