Clams in dry masala (Kalva/Tisre/Khubbe sud sud sukke)

Now that’s a funny name!!!. Sud-sud (or sad-sad as some people say) in Konkani means loose and it looks very weird when I am writing it in English :). Sukke is a dry dish which usually has coconut. Kalva, Tisre, Khubbe are 3 different types of clams.
There are some people in your life, with whom you get attached/attracted very fast. One such person whom I totally adore is V’s maternal grandmother. She is 80+ years old, but she is so full of energy that I always get lots of inspiration from her. She was a great cook, but don’t cook these days because she cannot walk so much. But she still loves to learn new dishes, talk about them, give me new dishes. She knows I love to cook, so whenever we call her, she has one or the other recipe ready for me. She even collects them from newspapers to give to me.
This time when we were in Bangalore, we went to meet her. She wanted to give me so many recipes - some new, some age old. (I think V was very jealous because I was getting more attention than him
). This recipe is one age-old recipe she gave to me.
I cooked this while I was in India. This was the first time I cleaned clams on my own. I left one shell with the clams to give it a “restaurant style food” look. You can discard both the shells or use one as I did. Anyway while eating, the shell is discarded, but according to me, it’s a lot of fun to eat the clams with shells (only some clam fans will understand what I am saying). I simply loved this dish.
This is my entry to Sig’s JFI tamarind. Thanks Sig for extending the deadline, I was having a brain block thinking what to send. I just realized today, this may be the best entry from me.
Ingredients:
5 cups clams-with-shells or about 1 cup without-shell-clams
1/2 cup onion
1/2 cup fresh/frozen coconut
A pinch turmeric
1 tea spn chilli powder
1/4 tea spn tamarind extract or 2-3 pieces of tamarind soaked in water
Oil
Salt
Method:
Heat oil and fry onion till they are translucent.
Add coconut and fry for a min. Now add the clams, cook for 2-3mins.
In a bowl, mix chilli powder, turmeric, tamarind, salt. Add this to the clams mixture. Cook till clams are done. Serve hot.
Serves : 2-3
Preparation time : 15mins

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Usually my mom makes it like a curry… at least that’s how most catholics do. Will definately try this like a side dish.. I’m sure it will taste great with daali thoi . thanks for sharing.
July 2nd, 2008 at 7:32 pmWow, just excellent Shilpa !! I can completely understand what u mean by eating the clam with the shell on, thats what we do too..You are lucky to get the recipes from V’s grandma, that generation has a whole khazaana of recipes and techniques.. Your masala looks so good…
July 2nd, 2008 at 7:59 pmcan understand,..nice recipe,..traditional one..
July 2nd, 2008 at 9:12 pmIsn’t it great to prepare and enjoy such lovely recipes handed over by Grandmas! I totally love her enthusiasm and her passion about food!
July 2nd, 2008 at 9:43 pmHey Shilpa, extending the deadline was totally worth it for this entry…
Thanks to you and V’s grandma… I am definitely trying this one soon! I hate cleaning clams, so I have to buy them when Siv is in the mood
July 2nd, 2008 at 9:55 pmI love clams, and I totally get what you are saying about cooking it in the shell… it is sooo much more fun that way
hey shilpa,
check my blog! theres something in store for you!
http://iyengarskitchen.blogspot.com/
best regards,
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:00 pmVeda
Mouthwatering dish from clams, I always had it western style but I think I will love this one more better.Oh i am so touched by the love ur maternal Gma shares with u.
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:01 amYumm my mom makes this too and we all just love it. Theres always a mountain of licked clean shells at the end of the meal…
July 3rd, 2008 at 2:04 amLooks wonderful! Wish my family would be open to the idea of eating more seafood. Every time we go to beach, there are so many seafood restaurants around with so many dishes, we don’t go there at all! I know we are idiots!:D
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:18 amHello Shilpa,
You are lucky to get hold of Clamps. Here we do see them on television where Chefs keep showing you recipies with clamps and encouraging you to get some but I have been searching for fresh clamps for the past 4 years but am yet to find them.
The only ones that I have seen are in a bottle and pickled without the shell.
In Goa there is a similar recipie called Tisre Dhab Dhabe.
Your recipie looks very delicious.
Thanks for Sharing.
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:22 amShilpa: Sheetal, I had cooked these in India. Here in US, I am yet to try this. I have seen clams in Chinese stores and also in Costco here. Not sure if it is available in UK :(. Check out big supermarkets. You can use kalva too if you can find them there.
Oh,mouth watering,Hope i would get this for my dinner
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:56 amYou are right Shipla,Its a real fun eating and cooking clams with shells..
We call it as Chippekallu(in kannada) at my native Gokarna
Hey I know what you mean by shell on Shilpa,remember ekshimpi,im yet to try sud sud sukke…nice name too..:)
July 3rd, 2008 at 11:08 amHi shilpa,
July 3rd, 2008 at 11:33 amname is so funny……. Looks so delicious.
This is my FAVRRETTT dish ever. Every time I go back to Mumbai I make my mom make it. Sometimes - just for variation, she puts coriander leaves and also bits of kairee when the season allows. yummmmmmm….
July 3rd, 2008 at 3:21 pmSud-sud eh? Reminds me of when I take the band out of my hair!
I’ve loved clams since I was a child; back then it was hard to buy them with their shells, but nowadays the bigger supermarkets always have them. So will try! And I also love having clams, mussels, scallops, oysters WITH the shell…cuz I usually save ‘em!
July 5th, 2008 at 8:11 amhi shilpa
In kannada TISRE is called as
CHIPPEKALLU
YUMMM.
GEETA
July 5th, 2008 at 2:09 pmHi, This is so beautiful, and to learn it from your grandmother is the best part!
July 6th, 2008 at 2:33 amOH WOW!!! My mouth is watering!!! This looks amazing!
July 6th, 2008 at 12:15 pm[...] Clams in dry masala (Kalva/Tisre/Khubbe sud sud sukke) [...]
July 7th, 2008 at 12:15 amHey Shilpa,
This looks deliciously yummy. Cannot resist the flavor of the clam dish
Thanks for sharing the recipe.
July 7th, 2008 at 8:40 amAnitha
hey shilpa..interesting post
July 8th, 2008 at 10:36 amAnd btw u have got sumthng good for u waiting on my site,so kindly check it out
Does the traditional recipe use Kokum here in place of tamarind ?
Shilpa: No, for this one we use tamarind.
July 9th, 2008 at 6:57 pmek number chi dish.jar ya barobar tandalachi bhakri bhetli na tar kahi hi nako
October 17th, 2008 at 12:19 pmThis recipe is very similar to the Goan recipe my family follows. And actually leaving one shell is quite common too - “ek-shipi”. We add kokam in stead of tamrind. Ah… my mouth is watering at the thought of this suke and hot rice. Need to look for some clams (uncooked).
October 21st, 2008 at 3:50 pmAnita