Pundi Basale Gassi

Ingredients

• 1 medium bunch of Malabar spinach with stems, washed and shredded
• ¾ cup short grain rice, soaked for 30 minutes and drained
• ½ cup scraped fresh coconut
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil + for greasing
• ½ tablespoon mustard seeds
• ½ tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 5-6 dried red chillies
• 7-8 garlic cloves
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1½ tablespoons chopped jaggery
• 2 tablespoons tamarind paste

Method 

1. Put rice in a grinder jar, add coconut, 1 cup water and salt and grind to fine paste.
2. Heat a non-stick pan, add the ground paste, ½ cup water and salt, mix well and cook on low heat till the mixture thickens and forms a dough.
3. Transfer into a parat, cover with a moist muslin cloth and set aside to cool down to room temperature.
4. Heat coconut oil in a non-stick pan, add mustard seeds and once they start to splutter, add cumin seeds, coriander seeds, dried red chillies, garlic and onion, mix and sauté till onion turns translucent. Take the pan off the heat and set aside to cool down.
5. Grease your palms with coconut oil, divide the dough into small portions and roll into balls.
6. Transfer the sauteed onion mixture into a grinder jar and grind coarsely. Add ½ cup water and grind to fine paste.
7. Boil 3 cups water in a deep non-stick pan, add salt, turmeric powder and Malabar spinach, mix, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes.
8. Add rice balls, jaggery and ground paste. Rinse the grinder jar with ½ cup water and add and mix well. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes.
9. Add tamarind paste and mix well.
10. Transfer into a serving bowl and serve hot.