Romeo and Juliet. Laurel and Hardy. Idli and Sambar. Rajma and Chawal (Rice).
Some of these unions are made in heaven. Some are made on stage. Others are made in the kitchen. One such heavenly kitchen combos are Hunase (Tamarind) Gojju and Pongal. The Hunase (Tamarind in Kannada) Gojju exists purely to complement the aromatic ghee-infused Pongal.
I first ate this dish at my cousin Janaki‘s home in Madras (erstwhile Chennai). I was still living in India at that time. When time came to depart to the United States, I started writing down some basic survival skills. Mostly culinary basics for when I would be without my mom in tow. One of the top of the lists task was writing down recipes for staple foods. How to make rice, sambar, rasam, dry and wet curries. And of course, I had to call Janaki to get her Pongal and Hunase Gojju recipes!
Every time I make Pongal or Kichidi (the North Indian version of Pongal), having Hunase Gojju is mandatory. There are no two ways about it. Once you make this gojju, I assure you that you will agree with me wholeheartedly.
This gojju comes together in all of 15 minutes. It is that seriously simple. Made with pantry and fridge items, it is an epitome of how simplicity can be so complex.
Recipes from Namma Karnataka
I am featuring a few of my favorite recipes from the state of my origin – Karnataka. I hope you will give some (or all) of them a whirl.
- Bisi Bele Bath
- Moolangi (Daikon Radish) Raita
- No Ferment Cabbage-Onion Dosa (Sanna Pollo)
- Sprouted Moong-Cucumber Kosambari Salad
- Delicious Carrot-Cucumber Kosumbari Salad
- Doddapatre Tambuli
- Raw Tomato (Hasi Tomato) Chutney
- Zero-Waste Butternut Squash Sippae (Peel) Chutney
- Spicy, Sweet, Tangy Pineapple Gojju
- Green Beans Matwadi | Maatodi | Matvadi Palya
- Snake Gourd (Padavalayi Palya) Recipe
- Bitter Gourd (Karela) Curry / Hagalakayi Gojju (Menasakai)
- Curd (Yogurt) Rice – Vaggarne Mosaranna
- Masala Majjige | Spiced Buttermilk | Chaas
The onion is indeed humble. But, it is loaded with antioxidants and compounds to fight inflammation, high blood pressure and blood clots. If you want to decrease triglycerides and reduce cholesterol levels, adding onions to your diet may help. Tamarind is a rich source of magnesium and calcium. This dish has it all: Healthy and Tasty!
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Hunase (Tamarind) Gojju For Pongal
Ingredients
- 1 Teaspoon Coconut Oil
- 1/2 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 1 Teaspoon Chana Dal
- 1/4 Teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
- 3 Sprigs Curry Leaves
- 2 Cups Onion - Finely chopped
- 1 Green Chili Pepper - Slit lengthwise; add more to taste
- 1/2 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt - Or to taste
- 2 Tablespoon Tamarind - Raw
Instructions
- Soak tamarind in 1 cup hot water for about 5 minutes or until soft.
- Extract the juice from the tamarind and compost the pulp after you have squeezed out all the juice.
- Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds. Add fenugreek seeds, chana dal and curry leaves. Sauté until they are lightly browned.
- Add chopped green chili and onions.
- Sauté until onions are translucent.
- Add tamarind juice and salt. Add water, depending on your preferred consistency. I like the gojju on the thicker side.
- Allow it to come to a rolling boil and turn off the heat. Serve with Pongal, Brown Rice Khichdi or Vegetable Kichidi. Ta-da! It is that easy!
