Khatkhate is a traditional and authentic Goan mix vegetable curry or stew. Khatkhate is compulsarily prepared for Ganesh Chaturthi and served along with other delicacies as an offering to God. Since it is a no onion no garlic recipe, it is made frequently during festivals, weddings and other religious ceremonies. It is a very healthy and nutritious curry as it has loads of vegetables in it.
Which vegetables are used in Khatkhate?
There is no fixed list of vegetables needed to make this delicious recipe. You can add any vegetables as per your choice and availability. The most commonly used veggies are carrots, pumpkin, ivy gourd, ridge gourd, cowpea pods, radish lady fingers, raw banana, hog plums, sweet potatoes, arbi, bottle gourd, cucumber, corn, french beans, drumstick. The Ganesh Chaturthi festival falls during the monsoon season. The local markets in Goa are flooded with a variety of fresh local produce. And this is what makes the khatkhatem made during Ganesh chaturthi the most tasty and finger licking awesome.
Other ingredients for Khatkhate
Khatkhate uses basic spices like turmeric and chilli powder found in every Indian home. The gravy comprises of dried white peas, toor dal and coconut. Khatkhate is also a total oil free recipe. Not a single drop of oil is used while preparing this dish. The main flavouring ingredient of the dish is ‘tirphal’ or ‘teppal’. These are also referred to as ‘tefla’ or ‘tefal’ in Konkani. Tirphal has a unique aroma and taste of its own. Tirphal is found and used mostly only in Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka. It is very difficult or nearly impossible to find tirphal in other places in India or outside. Tirphal is one ingredient on my must buy list during every visit to India.
In most Goan homes, khatkhate is served as a side dish with rice/dal. But it can also be eaten as a curry/gravy with white rice or roti.
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup dried white peas (soaked for 8 hours)
- ⅛ cup toor dal (soaked for 3 hours)
- ½ raw banana
- 2 sweet potato
- 1 carrot
- 6 ivy gourd
- 1 cucumber
- ½ ridge gourd
- 3 lady fingers
- 3 cowpea pods
- 3 hog plums
- ½ slice of pumpkin
- 2 mundlyo (arbi)
- 40 Tirphal (Tefla or Teppal)
- 2 cup fresh grated coconut
- ⅛ cup jaggery (grated)
- small ball of tamarind
- 1 Tsp turmeric powder
- 1 Tbsp red chilli powder
- salt as per taste
Instructions
- Add the soaked white peas, toor dal and water to a pressure cooker. Cook for 2 whistles.
- In a mixer jar, add coconut, turmeric powder, chilli powder, tamarind and water. Grind to a smooth fine paste. Keep it aside.
- Add the tirphal to a mortar. Pound the tirphal with a pestle to release its flavour.
- Wash and cut all the vegetables into big pieces.
- Take a big utensil and add the pressure cooked toor dal and vatana to it. Add vegetables which take more time to cook(carrots, ivy gourd, cowpea pods).
- Add water till all vegetables are dipped in water. Cook on high heat till vegetables are 70% done. Stir in between so that the vegetables do not stick to the utensil.
- Add all the remaining vegetables. Cover and cook till all the vegetables are cooked.
- Add the coconut paste, triphal, jaggery and salt. Stir well. Add water to adjust consistency of gravy as desired.
- Bring it to a boil. Boil for 3 – 4 minutes and switch off the flame.
Tips & Tricks
- You can use any vegetables as per your choice or availability to make khatkhate.
- The vegetables for khatkhate are always cut into big pieces. If you cut them small then they will get overcooked and the dish would be nothing like the traditional khatkhate.
- Add vegetables which take longer time to cook first. Add vegetables which take less time to cook later. In this way all vegetables will be perfectly cooked for khatkhate.
- I have used fresh tirphal while making this recipe. If you are using dry tirphal then you would need to adjust the quantity of tirphal according to its aroma.