Kokum Kadhi

Ingredients

• 1 cup Jaggery (Originally 0.5 seer. Adjust quantity to taste for desired sweetness.)
• 1/2 cup Dried Kokum (Originally 0.25 seer. Dried mangosteen rind.)
• 2 medium Onions (Originally 0.25 seer. Finely chopped.)
• 4 tablespoons Ghee (Originally 1 navtank.)
• 1 tablespoon Rice flour (Originally 1 dessertspoon. Used for thickening.)
• 1 teaspoon Coriander-Cumin Powder (Dhana-Jeera) (Heaping teaspoon.)
• 1 teaspoon Salt (Heaping teaspoon, or to taste.)
• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Coarsely crushed/ground. Heaping teaspoon.)
• 1 teaspoon Black pepper (Ground. Flat teaspoon.)
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Flat teaspoon.)
• 1 teaspoon Ginger (Crushed or paste. Originally 5 val.)
• 1 teaspoon Garlic (Crushed or paste. Originally 5 val.)
• 1 cup Fresh Cilantro (Leaves only, finely chopped. Originally 'leaves of 3 bunches'.)
• 2 large Green chilies (Finely chopped.)
• 2 cups Water (Cold water. Originally 0.5 seer.)
• 3 tablespoons Fresh Coconut (Optional. Finely ground. Originally 3 tolas.)

Instructions

1. 1Clean the kokum and crush it slightly in a mortar. Wash it once with cold water. Soak the kokum in 2 cups (0.5 seer) of cold water in an earthenware or glass bowl for 45 minutes. After soaking, mash the kokum well with clean hands to extract all the essence, then discard the skins.
2. 2Crush the jaggery and dissolve it completely into the prepared kokum water. Strain the mixture through a coarse cloth to remove any impurities.
3. 3Peel and crush the ginger and garlic. Wash the cilantro leaves and green chilies, then chop them finely. Peel the onions and chop them very finely.
4. 4In a tinned pot (or stainless steel saucepan), heat the ghee. Add the finely chopped onions and fry until they turn a pale red color. Add the crushed ginger and garlic and sauté briefly. (Optional: If using fresh coconut, add the ground coconut here and fry along with the onions).
5. 5Add the rice flour, coriander-cumin powder, crushed cumin, black pepper, turmeric, chopped cilantro, and green chilies to the pot. Stir and fry the mixture for a minute to cook the flour and release the aroma of the spices.
6. 6Pour in the prepared jaggery-kokum liquid and add the salt. Mix well. Keep the pot uncovered on a low flame. Bring the mixture to a single boil (one bubble/simmer) and immediately remove from heat. Do not overboil.