What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of any Konkani wedding or thread ceremony lunch? It is obviously Airaawat (No, I am not talking about the white elephant ‘Airaawat’, Indra’s Chariot). It is a dish mostly prepared only for such functions. I haven’t seen people preparing it for day to day meals. But still, this is a must in the functions and absolutely loved by all. This dish has sour, sweet and spicy taste to it.
People have a lot of different recipes for this. This one is the version I got from a professional cook who cooked food during the Satyanarayan Pooja at our home. The airaawat was absolutely fantastic.
Airaawat
An essential condiment in many Konkani weddings and functions. A sweetish spicy chutney
Ingredients
- Tamarind 1/4 cup or use 2 tea spns of tamarind extract
- Dates Kharjoor 8-10
- Jaggery Sugar 1 tea spn
- Red chillies 5-6
- Coriander leaves 4-5 strands
- Ginger 1" piece
- Salt
Instructions
- Grind all the ingredients to a smooth paste, add very little water if required. It should be of chutney consistency.
Hi Shilpa,
Nice nivedhyam recipe.
Vineela
this one is my favourite dish ..
reminds me of many marriage parties in my native.
what do U eat this with???!!!
It is a chutney.
Thanks Vineela.
Vitz, it took me a long time to post this, because I was searching for date. everytime I went to market, i forgot to buy it :D.
D, its served as a side dish with rice in the Konkani functions.
The malayalis make their “puli inji” which is somewhat similar but they add finely chopped fresh ginger, onion, green chilliescoriander leaves and then temper this with mustard, curry leaves and red chilles. My mom learnt this from one of her malayali friends and always made this with simple vegetable pulao on a Sunday…yummmmmmmmmm!!
in re: Tamarind
I’ve only ever used the dried fruit, free of its husky skin, all wadded up – strings, seeds, and all – and sold by the kilo. But there is also this thick, smooth tamarind extract available in the U.S. When I made airaawat in my KSB mother-in-law’s house, we soaked the tamarind in warm water and then worked the two fruits together by squeezing them and squishing them by hand. This working them is what caused them to thicken up so nicely. I’m not sure, then, what you mean by a 1/4 cup of tamarind. Is the 2 tsps of extract this very thick paste that is now sold?
Shilpa: Yes. Traditionally the tamarind fruit is used and ground to a fine paste. So about 1/4 cup is used. You can just use 1-2 tea spns of thick extract.
Hi
How do I make tamarind Extract? please help
Or can I use the Tamarind that is available in Grocery Store in India?
Thanks in advance.
Yes you can use tamarind
Thanks for the reply.
This turned out same as the one served in wedding functions 🙂
Namaste,
Glad to find your website n recipes. Thanks.
Please add few pictures to this recipe. It just makes it colourful and inspiring. 🙂
The seasonal dish ( I dont know the name in Konkani) but with Mango fruit peeled and added with pulp n seed + pepper + jaggery… what is that called ? kindly add a recipe of that dish.
Appreciate your efforts.
From Smt. Savitha
Yes, I will add picture soon. I am not sure about the mango dish you are asking. Is it humaNe?
Looks like you mean Aambe Saasam