Replacing meat in traditional dishes: Manglorean Sukkha/Adjadina style

I come from a coastal community called Bunts, and our cuisine largely involve meat, fish and a vast array of exotic vegetable dishes. The great part is that almost all the vegetarian dishes are vegan! Ghee as an addition to some of these recipes is a recent phenomena. Like all regions the food evolved around ingredients that grew locally based on local climate conditions. Where coconut oil was used earlier, today unhealthy and greasy ghee has replaced it, killing milder flavors and adding a layer of fat on the food.

Really apart from the fact that ghee is cholesterol laden, ghee and cheese sometimes just seem to be a mask for tasteless food. The lightness and flavors of fresh pressed oils can add so much to the same dish.

This is an old favorite and very popular traditional dish usually made with chicken/meat. Aadjadina, is the *Tulu word for Sukkha, which means a dry dish, made with spices and fresh grated coconut.  I use soya chunks instead, and it takes half the cooking time meat would. :)

Its wholesome, spicy and is best had with dal and brown rice. Please visit us on recipes.ourfoodprint.com, for these recipes and many more!

Soya Manglorean Sukkha

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups Soy chunks, boiled and drained
• 2 Potatoes cut into big cubes
• 2 Onions
• 2 sprigs Curry leaves
• 2 Red chillies
• ¾ cups grated Coconut
• 1 tsp Jeera
• 2 cloves Garlic
• Coconut oil

Masala

• 7 – 8 Red Chillies
• 1 ½ tsp Cummin Seeds
• 3 tbsp Coriander Seeds
• Pinch of Turmeric
• 4-5" Tamarind
• 5-6 Cloves of Garlic
• ½ bunch Coriander leaves and 3-4 Pudina leaves (optional)
• 4-5 pieces Tamarind soaked in water

Preparation

Roast the masala ingredients, and grind to a fine paste, take it out and keep aside. (Add the leaves and tamarind after the spices arr ground fine, so it doesn't get gooey.) 

Add the grated coconut with the cummin and garlic to the same mixer and grind coarsely.

In a pressure cooker, heat 1 tsp of oil, and add ½ an onion.

Fry till pink and add the soy chunks and potatoes. Stir fry for 3 minutes.

Add the masala and salt with half cup water. Cover the cooker and let it cook for about 3-4 whistles.
Open cooker and simmer on medium heat till the gravy starts thickening.

Add the semi ground coconut mixture, mix and cook on a medium/slow flame till it's dry.

For seasoning, heat1 ½ tsp of oil in a separate kadhai and fry the onions, red chillies, and curry leaves.

Add seasoning, mix and serve hot

Serves 4

*Tulu: regional language of people in and around Mangalore, where the Bunt community originates from.