Valval is also is another delicacy among GSB Konkani dishes. It is one of the side dishes prepared during upanayanam, wedding, festival seasons for Vrathas as well as for Ekadasis. Unlike Dhavae humman it does not have seasoning, addition of carmbal or bitter gourd, and not even curd. The rest of the procedure is similar to the preparation of Dhavae humman. Now Olan prepared by Keralites is also similar to Valval but Keralities do not use the same vegetable combination as we use. More on Olan you can see my future posts. The speciality of valval is that the proportion of cut vegetables should be equal not only that but also the way you cut them should also be similar. Now to enrich valval you can add cashew nuts as well along with cooking the vegetables. Some recipes even garnish valval with curry leaves.
Ingredients
You need
- ½ cup of thinly sliced pumpkin (ripe or half ripe) (When you prepare valval with half ripe pumpkin you need not have to remove the skin).
- ½ cup of thinly sliced ash gourd
- ½ cup of sliced Colcasia roots (‘Sopur mandae’ in Konkani)
- 2 to 3 green chillies (or as per your spiciness level)
- 1/4th cup of sliced potatoes (Optional some recipes add both mandae and potato, some add either of them. Mandae and potatoes are added to give a thickness to the gravy)
- 3 to 4 tbsps of grated coconut for extraction of coconut milk (Raw coconut preferred)
For garnishing
- A pinch of asafoetida
- 1 tspn fresh coconut oil
Method
Extraction of coconut milk
For this you may please refer my post on Vegetable Stew. I have used only second and first coconut milk in the preparation of the dish. You can even use third coconut milk also. Then cook the vegetables in the third coconut milk, then second and then first.
Peel, wash and cut the vegetables. Pumpkins and ash gourd cut into thin slices of similar shape and size. Colcasia roots into thin semicircular or circular slices. Slit the green chilies.
Transfer all the cut vegetables into a vessel and cook them on a medium to low flame in second coconut milk. Salt you have to add in the end or else the coconut milk will curdle fast if you add salt in the beginning.
Once cooked add the first coconut milk and simmer the flame to low. Once you see bubbles starting to arise from the sides then switch off the flame.
Add salt. Garnish with asafoetida and fresh coconut oil.
Your valval is ready to be served along with rice and Dhali thoy.
Tips
While boiling the vegetables on stove in coconut milk see that you add salt in the end or else the coconut milk will curdle fast if you add salt in the beginning.
Once you add first coconut milk simmer the flame.
You can even add cashew nut along with vegetables to increase the richness and taste of the dish.
