A recipe of Gauda Saraswat Brahmin

Goud (also spelt as Gaud or Gawd) Saraswat Brahmins are a Hindu Brahmin community in India and a part of the larger Saraswat Brahmin community. They are popularly referred to as GSBs. They are Konkani people and primarily speak Konkani as their mother tongue. They are the first Rigvedic Brahmins.

They claim their origin to the Brahmins who lived on the banks of the now-extinct river Saraswati of Pakistan Punjab or Kashmir. They derived their name from either the river Saraswati or from their spiritual leader, the sage Saraswat Muni(sage) who lived on the banks of Saraswati. These Brahmins were one of the Pancha Gawda Brahmin groups who lived north of the Vindhyas. They belonged to Smarta tradition and primarily worshiped the five deities: Shiva, Vishnu, Devi, Surya and Ganesha. Throughout the course of history, the Saraswat Brahmins have migrated to a variety of locations and are found mostly in Western coast of India).(wikipedia)

Normally, the brahmins are pure-vegetarians.  But, may be because of the area-the coastal- where they are living, many gauda saraswat brahmins are pesco-vegetarians. That means, in their diet, they will include the sea food.  (But, they will not eat any other meat).

And, in vegetables, mostly all the leaf, they will include in their recipes - leaf of colocasia, bitter gourd, indian borage etc. etc. 

Today we can see, their two easy recipes, with a leaf - i.e. indian borage/patta ajavayin.

Bajji and Pakoda.  

Panikoorka / Indian Borage / Patta Ajavayin 

BAJJI

Ingredients :

Panikoorka Ila/Patta Ajavayin	10 Nos.
Bengal Gram Flour – Besan	¾ Cup
Chili Powder	1 Tea Spoon
Asafetida Powder	1 Tea Spoon
Salt	To taste
Sunflower Oil	1 Cup

  

Method:

·         Wash and keep the panikoorka ila/patta ajavayin.

·         Mix the Bengal gram flour, chili powder, asafetida powder and salt.

·         Add sufficient water to make a thick batter.

·         Heat oil in a wok.

·         Dip the panikoorka ila in the batter and fry.

PAKODA

Ingredients :

Panikoorka Ila/Pata Ajavayin	5 Nos.
Onion	1 Medium size
Green chili	4 Nos.
Bengal gram flour	1 Cup
Salt	To taste
Sunflower Oil	1 Cup

Method :

·         Wash and finely chop the leaves, onion and green chilies.

·         Mix the Bengal gram flour and salt and add sufficient water

to make a thick batter.

·         Add the chopped ingredients to the batter.  Mix well.

·         Heat oil in a wok.

·         Take and drop one table spoon of batter mix into the oil and fry.

·         Use with tomato sauce or ketchup.

Benefits :