A wonderful South Indian delicacy that is normally served at weddings and festive occasions in the state of Karnataka, can be made easily at home. It can be made with either canned or fresh (my preference) fruit.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Keyword gojju, karnataka, menaskayi, pineapple gojju, pineapple menaskai, pineapple, spices, South Indian
Special Diet Gluten Free, Grain Free, No Added Sugar, Nut Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
2CupsPineappleCut into 1" cubes (or use unsweetened fruit in BPA free cans)
1/2TeaspoonSea SaltOr to taste
1TeaspoonJaggeryOr to taste (skip if the pineapple is very sweet)
For Roasting & Grinding
3TeaspoonSesame SeedsI prefer black; you can use white
2TeaspoonUrad Dal
2TeaspoonChana Dal
1Dry Red ChiliOr to taste
1/4TeaspoonFenugreek Seeds
10Curry Leaves
2TablespoonGrated Coconut
For Tempering
1TeaspoonCoconut Oil
1/4TeaspoonMustard Seeds
1Dry Red ChiliOr to taste
1PinchAsafoetida (Hing)
6Curry Leaves
Instructions
In a thick bottom pan, add pineapple cubes, salt and jaggery and cook on low-medium heat until the fruit is firmly cooked.
While the pineapple is cooking, in a separate pan, dry roast sesame seeds until they start to slightly splutter. Set aside.
In the same pan, dry roast chana dal, urad dal, dry red chili and fenugreek seeds. As they are browning, add curry leaves and dry roast until it wilts. Set aside.
In the same pan, dry roast the grated coconut until it turns slightly brown. Set aside. You can use the same pan for tempering (see below)
Blend all the ingredients that were dry roasted with a little bit of water or the liquid from the pineapple.
Add the blended masala to the cooked pineapple, and simmer for a few minutes.
For tempering, heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds, add asafatida (hing), dry red chili and curry leaves.
Add tempering to the pineapple gojju, mix well and serve
Video
Notes
Traditionally, this dish is eaten with rasam (saaru in Kannada) or dal. However, this will be a perfect accompaniment to plain rice or roti as well. Check out the recipe here on YouTube.*Use organic ingredients wherever possible