Vijay Mallya in his Kingfisher Airlines gourmet menu calls it vegetable stew. Travellers who have tasted it would find it closely resembling our very own Val-Val ( sans Ammale Preeti of course). Incidentally, Dr H Padmanabh Gadiyar, husband of Shalini-maai, our Saraswat Cuisine Expert,  used to claim that this dish is French cuisine adapted by GSB’s as per local ingredients and taste. This dish stands out as without normal ‘Massolu’ which is mandatory in other dishes and cooked with Coconut Milk.

After a mouthful of trivia. Here is the Recipe from Mrs. Shalini Gadiyar and its Nutritional value courtesy Ms. Sanjana Nayak.

** Calories Analysis  by Sanjana Nayak – NutriHealth.in

Method

1. Peel the skin from the ash-gourd,Red Pumpkin and potato.Cut all the vegetables in big pieces . Clean the french beans and Chavli (remove the fine thread) and cut them into halves. Remove the peas and Tori from their pods. Put all these vegetables, drum sticks and Cashews in a deep pan and cook along with 2 cups water. Take care to add the peas first, next the french beans and top with a layer of the ashgourd pieces.

2. While the vegetables are being cooked, add green chillies (split vertically), salt.

1. Coconut milk: Grind the grated coconut with little water. Extract coconut milk (juice) by squeezing the ground coconut mixture . This process can be repeated 3 times for the same coconut mixture, so as to extract maximum coconut milk.

2. Keep aside the first extract. In the remaining extract, mix the rice flour and add this solution to the cooked vegetables. Let this mixture now cook for atleast 5 to 7 more min. Occasionally, stir the mixture.

3. In the end, add the first extract of coconut milk and just let it boil once. Switch off the gas.(fire).

4. Prepare seasoning: heat the coconut oil, add mustard seeds, Jeera and asafoetida. When the seeds crackle, add the curry leaves. Pour this seasoning over the vegetable mixture and the dish is ready to be served.(Optional can add a small pinch of turmeric powder in the seasoning.)

Serves 6-8 persons

Nutrition Watch – ValVal by Sanjana Nayak

Total calories are 1352 kCal. Total calories per serving out of 8 servings are 169 calories. The delicacy is enriched with vegetables which are rich in fibre and they negate the effects of the saturated fats coming from coconut milk although it is not too much as this dish does not have the “massolu”. Cashew nuts provide monounsaturated fats and the toori and green peas provide protein. The tempering added to this dish is very good for digestion and gives the dish an aromatic effect. An overall nutritious dish in the amchigel cuisine. To make it more healthier, combine it with ukde sheetha and dahya( curds) and you have one good nutritious meal.