A Goan dish inspired by Portuguese cuisine. This is a simple vegetable curry. My version of this Goan Caldeen is a yellow coloured mildly spiced coconut-based curry/stew made with loads of vegetables. I have just added a few vegetables, you can go crazy with any vegetable you like.
Ingredients
- 1 Onion, Chopped
- 1 Tomato, Chopped
- 1 Carrot, Cubbed
- 1 Potato, Cubbed
- 1/2 Cup French Beans
- 2 Green Slit
- Coriander to Garnish
- For the Coconut Milk
- 1 Whole Fresh Coconut
- 1 Tsp Tamarind Pulp
- 6 Black Peppercorns
- 1 Tsp Coriander Seeds
- 1 Tsp Corn flour
- 1-Inch Raw Turmeric
Preparation
Prep: 20 minutes
Cooking: 60 minutes
- Let’s first prepare the coconut milk. Take a dry pan and roast black peppercorns and coriander seeds until they release their aroma. In a mixer grind these dry ingredients into a powder. (Tip: you can use the powder directly, but fresh grounding your ingredients give out better flavor and aroma).
- Cut the fresh coconut into small pieces. Get a blender and put in all the ingredients, coconut pieces, tamarind pulp, the masala powder created initially, raw turmeric and the corn flour. Blend this continuously until the coconut releases its milk. (Tip: Don’t overwork your machine. Make a few intervals in between) You can add little water while blending. But do not add a lot of water.
- Get a fine sieve or muslin cloth and a bowl underneath it. Strain this mix and try to get maximum milk out. (This is the real flavor of the dish).
- Now let’s start with the curry. Get a pot and switch on the heat. Add some oil to it. When the oil is heated up add in the onions and let the onions brown.
- When the onions have turned brown, add in the tomatoes and sauté them nicely. Mash the tomatoes with your ladle while they are cooking. They will become mushy and start to separate the oil.
- Now add in the potatoes and stir. After a minute add in the carrots. Again, stir this mix and later add in your French beans and green chili. Let the veggies cook. (Tip: If anything is sticking to the bottom then add in a little water at a time and scrape the bits that are stuck)
- Once the veggies have reached 80% doneness lower the heat and add in the coconut milk prepared earlier. We lower the heat so the milk does not split. (Tip: Whisk the milk before adding, the corn flour might have settled in the bottom)
- Bring this mix to a boil and let it simmer till the veggies are cooked and the curry is at the desired consistency. We want the veggies to be cooked but not mushy. So, don’t overcook the veggies.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice.
