વાળુ- Vadu – is what dinner is called in Kathiawar. Once the families return home after a hard day’s work on the farms they get busy cooking dinner that is always minimal, but nourishing and filling. After all, who has the time and energy to cook a spread after a tiring day on the farm.
Shaak -Bhakhri/rotla and milk or Khichri and milk are the most favoured foods for dinner for the agrarian communities. Sev -Tameta nu Shaak or Gathiya nu Shaak remains an all-time favourite. Did you know the deeply admired Sev-Tameta nu Shaak is actually an evolved version of Gathiya nu Shaak? 50-60 years ago tomatoes were not part of Gujarati food scape. Rural areas never had this kind of produce. Potatoes or aubergines took time to cook so gathiya came to rescue. It took a mere 5 minutes to make and serve steaming hot gathiya shaak. Tired homemakers needed that kind of quick fix. In fact, I call Gathiya Shaak a 2-minute recipe ( it has the potential to give those instant noodles a run for their money). Once tomatoes entered the scene and a highway restaurant in Saurashtra introduced it a few decades ago, Sev Tameta subzi continues to be a hero of Kathiyawari cuisine.
However, my Kathiyawari Bhabhi introduced us to this very rustic version of making Sev-Tameta nu Shaak wherein the freshly kneaded besan/chickpea flour dough is rolled through into the bubbling garlic-infused tomato jhol/thin gravy. Once cooked, the Gathiya float to the top. Why do this, why not just add the store bought gathiya? I had inquired when I first tasted it more than two decades ago. “Most of the times the lone shop selling Gathiya/sev would be closed in the evening and this version came to rescue. The must have accompaniments to the meal are ghee-gor/jaggery, freshly ponded garlic chutney and warm milk. The legendary crispy Bhakhri of Kathiyawar needs a special post. Will do it for sure.
After I posted this picture and story on Instagram, the discussion generated made it evident how much we love our Sev-tameta nu shaak. A very dear virtual friend, Shwetal Bhatt shared that her mother had learnt this subzi from her great – grand mother made and it actually had a name. It is called Kali-Tameta (kali as in bud) nu shaak. The dough was passed through a slotted spoon in to the bubbling tomato shaak. The tomatoes need a special mention here as those were the desi or the heirloom tomato which were sweet and tangy with the character to integrate completely in the gravy. The dough when passed through slotted spoon does not have the long strand but forms slender drop shape.
Once in Ahmedabad I will do a video of this subzi making process using both the sev maker as well as slotted spoon. For now, I am off to enjoy this meal I made following my Bhabhiji’s instructions.
Sev Tameta
Ingredients
- 2 cups tomatoes, diced
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon lal mirch/red chilli powder
- 1/4 teaspoon haldir/turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon rai/mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon dhania-jeera/coriander and cumin seeds powder
- 1-2 teaspoons jaggery
- a pinch of hing/asafoetida
- 2 tablespoons oil
- salt to taste
- coriander to garnish
- for the sev
- 1/2 cup besan/chickpea flour
- 1 teaspoon oil
- a pinch of carom seeds/ajwain
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
- salt to taste
Instructions
First pound the garlic and chilli powder together to a coarse paste. Take out the paste from the mortar and keep aside.
Prepare the dough for the gathiya. Take a gathiya/large holed disc. Place the dough in the sev making machine.
Place a kadhai on medium flame. Add the oil.
Once the oil heats up add the mustard seeds and hing. Once the mustard seeds pop add the pounded garlic paste and sauce for 30-40 seconds.
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for couple of minutes. Add the turmeric powder, coriander and cumin powder, salt, jaggery. Cook for 1-2 minutes. The tomatoes should have become all mushy by now.
Add 1.5 to 2 cups water. Bring the water to a roaring boil.
While the shaak is boiling, bring the sev machine over the kadai and begin twisting it so that the gathiya fall directly in the boiling shaak. Keep your hand moving in circular motion. The water should be boiling all the time. If the temperature drops and the water isn't boiling stop. Continue once the water is boiling. You may gently make space for the Gathiya to spread and cook evenly. Once the Gathiya float to the top, consider it done. Cook for couple of minutes, add chopped coriander if you want.
Serve hot with flat bread of your choice.
Notes
When in season you may use green tomatoes with the red ones. I have used 1 cup each.
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