Keerla Neeli Sukkhe(Tender Bamboo shoots masala),Monsoon special

June 25, 2013 in Konkani 2 Comments

Keerla or Keerlu means bamboo shoots.Keerla neeli means tender bamboo shoots.It is widely used in the GSB cuisine during the season.It is available only during the Monsoon season.Ladies in the GSB household preserve it in the special pot called Barni or a kind of clay pot by adding rock salt for months together.Now it is easily available in the markets, packed nicely,so people are lucky in many ways.You may also preserve it in a sterilized plastic bottle also.Many dishes are prepared with keerlu like Keerla neeli sukkhe,Keerlu ani ambade nonche(pickle),Keerla neeli pola(spicy pancakes),fries etc.It is slightly bitter in taste if it is not used well.Only the tender bamboo shoots are used and the outer coverings and the over ripe parts are discarded.It is grown in forests especially in mountainous regions or ghats.
Whenever we travel by road during the season,we buy it in surplus where the locals sell in the roadside.It is often seen in Sakleshpur ghats.Earlier when we were kids, my aunt used to send a whole lot of it from Shimoga in their bus.
If one uses the preserved keerlu,it should be soaked and washed 2-3 days before in advance to remove the saltiness and the bitterness.

Ingredients:
Keerla neeli(tender bamboo shoots)-2 cups,chopped finely
Jackfruit seeds-1 cup,smashed and chopped(Bikand)
Jaggery-3 tbsp
Salt- to taste
Ingredients for the masala:
Grated coconut-1 cup
Roasted short red chillies-2
Roasted long red chillies-2
Urad dal(Split black gram dal)-1 tsp
Oil-1/2 tsp
Tamarind-A pinch
Ingredients to season:
Coconut oil-2 tsp
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Curry leaves-2 sprigs

Method:

Soak the chopped bamboo shoots for 2-3 nights in lots of water,changing water every night and adding fresh water.
The above procedure is done to remove the bitterness of the bamboo shoots.
Add a cup of water to the bamboo shoots or till it soaks in the cooker,add salt to taste,jaggery,jackfruit seeds and take 2 whistles and cook it and keep it aside.
Reserve the water if any.
Roast the urad dal in oil until brown in colour.
Grind the ingredients mentioned in the list except urad dal to a fine masala.
Lastly add roasted urad dal and grind it further.
Take a kadai,heat oil,spultter mustard seeds,add curry leaves and cooked bamboo shoots.
Use the same water reserved while cooking the bamboo shoots and jackfruit seeds.
Mix it well,close the lid,and keep it in simmer for 10-12 minutes.
Serve it with the main course.