In the last blog of this series, let’s enter our own kitchen at Paisley and look at a rather spicy, fun, and rustic recipe - chinchecha saar (tamarind curry). If you are from any other part of India, this might sound absolutely crazy to you, but trust me, this recipe is a treat for your tongue.
The magic formula
Ingredients-
Fresh tamarind paste
Roughly chopped onions
Chilies
Coriander
A pinch of salt
Jaggery
Turmeric powder
Pachkalshi masala
Cooking-
To make this tangy deliciousness, start by crushing all the chopped-up ingredients together. Then add the seasonings and fry all the ingredients until the onions no longer taste/smell completely raw. Add the tamarind paste and mix it well with the cooked ingredients. Add jaggery and dilute it with some chilled water. Serve the chilled curry with rice! The perfect coolant for hot summer afternoons in Alibaug.
Of course, every house has a very different recipe for this, but this is the simplest version of the recipe you can find. It’s super easy to make and goes perfectly with some rice and fish- both staples of Alibaug.
The recipe in itself is extremely simple and uses the most basic ingredients available in almost all Indian households. The preparation takes hardly any time and the entire dish can be made in a single utensil. This simplicity paired with a solid kick of flavors makes for the perfect traditional Pachkalshi cuisine. This recipe is just an example, but if you look at other dishes that make up the Pachkalshi cuisine, you will find similar rustic preparations, and simple, unrefined techniques of cooking!
If you try this recipe, don’t forget to tag us on your stories and posts! We’d love to see all your chinchecha saar trials!