Goa! For me, it's more than just a neighboring state of Maharashtra. It's more than beaches, new year parties and all the fun & frolic. I have some cherished childhood memories of Goa.We used to have our annual pilgrimage to Goa. Pilgrimage and to Goa? My college friends used to laugh at me. "Oh yeah, beaches and feni?" - They would tease me! No! No! I am talking about Shri Mangeshi and Shri Shantadurga Temples. The kuldevta deities that we visited every year. With my entire family - parents, all four grandparents, my brothers, sometimes aunts/uncles and cousins would join too. We used to stay at the temple premises. Can't tell you, how many fun memories I have of this beautiful state - Goa.
But I haven't been there in ages now. Our annual ritual suddenly stopped after my grandmother passed away. Nobody was in a mood to go there for next few years. Then life got busier. Classes, Exams, Colleges, jobs - Life went on. But still, when I just think of Goa, I remember those beautiful days we spent there. Beautiful temples, Cashew nut trees (Oh, how I hate that smell of the ripe cashews!), Bakul flowers, Aboli flowers and that blessed childhood.....All that is Goa to me.
I have been planning to go to Goa for several years now. But I guess all the right stars need to be lined up for my grand visit! Every time, we go to India, I decide to go to Goa with my husband and Gudiya. But the time flies so fast when we visit India, that it always remains a wishful thinking. Hopefully, next time, I may get luckier. There is always a next time!
One of my paternal aunts makes this Goan daal. I have slurped this daal with plain rice and red papad roasted with a touch of coconut oil, many times at her home.
Toor Daal Ross (Serves 4 - 6)
Ingredients
1 cup Toor daal
7 Tirphals/teppals
salt to taste
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp jaggery (optional)
Grind to a fine paste
2 tbsp fresh coconut
2-4 kashmiri chilies or 1 tsp paprika
1 tsp tamarind pulp
Method
1. Pressure cook toor daal. Mash it and keep it aside.
2. Grind masala adding little water.
3. Remove the seeds of Tirphals/teppal. Soak tirphals/teppal in 2 tbsp warm water for about 30 minutes.
4. Add daal, ground masala, tirphal/teppal with water in a saucepan. Add another 1 cup of water.
5. Add salt to taste. Mix well. Bring it to boil.
6. Simmer for about 9 minutes. Drizzle coconut oil.
7. Serve hot with plain rice and red papad.
Note -
1. Some people add sugar or jaggery to above daal. I do not like to mix any sweetner with Tirphal/teppal curries.
2. The seeds of Tirphal/teppal are not meant to be eaten. Just throw them in a soil, and Tirphal/teppal plant will sprout up. Read here.
3. Tirphal/teppals in the curry are used just for flavor. Do not eat them.
For some authentic Goan recipes, visit these lovely blogs -
Mahek's Kitchen
A Goan's Kitchen
I think I am already late for sending this entry to Linda for her Toordaal event. Actually, I wanted to try a few more recipes for this much loved daal, but I just couldn't! Anyway,
I am sending this post to Linda (of out of the garden) for JFI: Toordaal.
