PANIFAL (Water-chestnut)

Ingredients

• 900 g (approx. 1 seer) Water chestnuts (panifal), peeled (Fresh or canned water chestnuts; if canned, drain and rinse well. 1 seer ≈ approximately 900 g.)
• 340 g (approx. 1½ powa) Potato, peeled and cut into medium pieces (1 powa ≈ approximately 230 g, so 1½ powa ≈ 340 g. Use waxy or all-purpose potatoes.)
• 1 whole coconut (kernel only) Ripe coconut, kernel only, cut into small pieces (Use half the kernel cut into small pieces as specified. Fresh coconut preferred; desiccated is not a substitute here.)
• 1 handful (approx. 40–50 g) Whole dried grams (chickpeas or dried whole green gram), moistened (Soak in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking so they are 'moistened'. Whole dried chickpeas or whole dried green gram work well.)
• 60 g (approx. 1 chhatak) Bori (sun-dried lentil dumplings) (1 chhatak ≈ approximately 60 g. Bori are small sun-dried lentil dumplings available at Indian grocery stores. They must be browned in ghee before adding to the curry (see step 3).)
• 115 g (approx. ½ powa) Ghee (clarified butter) (½ powa ≈ approximately 115 g. Used in two stages: for browning the vegetables and for the final tempering.)
• 12 g (approx. 1 tola) Coriander, ground to a powder (1 tola ≈ approximately 12 g. Grind whole coriander seeds if possible for best flavour.)
• 12 g (approx. 1 tola) Salt (1 tola ≈ approximately 12 g. Adjust to taste.)
• 3 g (approx. ¼ tola) Turmeric, ground to a powder (¼ tola ≈ approximately 3 g.)
• 3 g (approx. ¼ tola) Black pepper, ground to a powder (¼ tola ≈ approximately 3 g.)
• 3 g (approx. ¼ tola) Cumin, ground to a powder (¼ tola ≈ approximately 3 g.)
• 3 g (approx. ¼ tola) Garam masala, ground to a powder (¼ tola ≈ approximately 3 g. Added at the very end of cooking.)
• 4 leaves (a few) Cassia leaves (Indian bay leaves / tej patta) (Used whole for the tempering. Cassia leaves (tej patta) are different from Mediterranean bay leaves; use Indian bay leaves if available.)
• 1 pinch Sugar (Just a small pinch to balance the spices.)
• 230 ml (approx. 1 powa) Water (1 powa ≈ approximately 230 ml.)
• 2 tablespoons (a little) Milk (Whole milk preferred. Added later in cooking.)
• 6 seeds (from approx. 3–4 pods) Cardamom seeds (Seeds only, not the pods. Used in the final tempering with the cassia leaves.)

Instructions

1. 1Begin by soaking the dried grams (chickpeas or whole green gram) in a bowl of cold water for at least 30 minutes so they are well moistened. While they soak, peel the water chestnuts and potatoes. Cut the potatoes into medium-sized pieces (roughly 3–4 cm chunks). Crack open the ripe coconut and use only half of the white kernel; cut that half into small pieces (roughly 1–2 cm). Set all prepared ingredients aside in separate bowls.
2. 2Place a large, heavy-bottomed pot or kadai over medium heat. Add approximately half of the ghee (reserve the rest for the final tempering in step 4). Once the ghee is hot and shimmering, add the peeled water chestnuts, potato pieces, coconut pieces, and the drained moistened grams. Stir and cook, turning occasionally, until they are lightly and evenly browned on the outside — this should take about 8–10 minutes. Do not rush this step; a light golden colour adds depth of flavour. Once browned, pour in the water (approximately 230 ml). Add the powdered turmeric, powdered coriander, powdered black pepper, powdered cumin, and salt. Stir well to combine, ensuring the spice powders are evenly distributed. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and let it simmer.
3. 3While the curry is simmering, heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Add a small knob of the reserved ghee and, once hot, add the bori (sun-dried lentil dumplings). Stir and fry them until they are evenly browned and crisp — about 3–4 minutes. Remove from the heat. After the curry has simmered for about 10 minutes and the vegetables have begun to soften, add the browned bori to the pot. Also add a little milk (about 2 tablespoons) and a small pinch of sugar. Stir gently and continue to simmer uncovered until the broth thickens and the vegetables are fully cooked through.
4. 4Once the curry is boiling and nearly at the right consistency, prepare the tempering. In a small pan, heat the remaining reserved ghee over medium heat until it is hot and fragrant. Add the cassia leaves (Indian bay leaves) and the cardamom seeds. Let them sizzle in the ghee for about 30 seconds until aromatic — be careful not to burn them. Immediately pour this fragrant ghee, along with the leaves and seeds, over the simmering curry. Stir gently to incorporate the tempering throughout the dish. This step seasons and perfumes the curry.
5. 5Sprinkle the powdered garam masala evenly over the curry and stir gently to combine. Continue to cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the soup (broth) has thickened to a gravy-like consistency — it should coat the back of a spoon lightly. Once thickened, remove the pot from the heat. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Serve hot.