Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Pineapple Menaskai (Pineapple in sesame coconut sauce)

Menaskai(Curry) is a real treat to your taste buds. For those who love the combination of sour, sweet & spice.., this is the perfect dish. Everytime I eat this , i feel rejuvenated.


This is again a Udupi cuisine. During the weddings, naming ceremony or any festivities, this dish is again one of the must in the innumerable items prepared & served. There is pineapple gojju(gravy/curry) also prepared during Karnataka weddings (Mysore/Bangalore side). I do not know if both menaskai & gojju use the same ingredients. Will check with my grandmom during my next visit to India & update here.

Ingredients: (Recipe source: Mom-in-law)
Chopped pineapple: 1 cup
Tamarind: 1 medium lemon sized ball (adjust according to the sourness of the pineapple)
Jaggery: 1 medium lemon sized ball or 1.5 tsp (adjust according to the sourness of the pineapple)
Water: 1 to 1.5 cups
Salt: According to taste

 
For the spice paste/masala paste:
Grated dry coconut: 1 cup
Sesame seeds: 1.5 tbsp (I use white sesame)
Dry red chilli: 6-8nos (adjust according to your family needs)

 
For tempering:
Oil: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 4-6 nos
Dry red chilli: 1 broken
Asafetida: a pinch

Method:
  • Soak the tamarind in warm water(about 1/4th cup water)  for 10mins. Extract the thick juice from the tamarind & discard the pulp.
  • Boil the pineapple in 1/2 cup of water. When pineapple is half cooked, add tamarind extract, jaggery, salt to the pineapple & cook again until soft.
  • Meantime, dry roast the sesame seeds & red chilli seperately. Allow them to cool.
  • Make a fine paste of coconut, sesame seeds & red chilli.
  • Pour the paste to the pineapple mixture, 1/4th cup water & cook it on a low heat for another 5-7mins.
  • Prepare the tempering. Add oil to a small pan, when oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves, red chilli & saute for 5-8secs. Finally add the asafoetida & turn off the heat.
  • Pour this tempering to the prepared pineapple menaskayi/curry.
  • Serve it hot/warm as a side dish to rice.

Tips:
  • The dish is usually made using fresh coconut. I replace it with dry coconut because that way I can preserve it for 3-5days in my refrigirator. If you are sure to use this in a day or two, feel free to add fresh coconut.
  • Pineapple could be replaced with mango, bittergourd, ambade/amtekayi(Thanks to Shilpa of Aayisrecipe for this picture) or capsicum.
  • This dish tastes better the next day. Donot forget to boil this once a day, cool it & then store it in the refrigirator.

19 comments:

  1. I make this too. Only difference is I also add jeera and methi along with ellu. Looks so good I want to go make it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. pineapple in sesame coconut sauce sounds and looks delicious..will love to try it

    ReplyDelete
  3. sounds interesting ,must be really nice with the sweet and spicy combo

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thats a tempting dish, very new for me..

    ReplyDelete
  5. wow!!!! looks so creamy and yummy!!..perfect with rice ..loved it

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow... yummilicious...From your recipe the only difference between gojju-menasinakai is probably use of tamarind and fresh coconut in menasinakai and no tamarind-dry coconut-channa dal-urad dal-dhania in the gojju.. I am not too sure though..will wait for your Grandma's verdict :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Very new to me and the first picture is so gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Super curry. Nice click too. Goes very well with rice. Love the colour too.
    There are some awards waiting for you in my blog.Pls collect it from
    http://mysingaporekitchen.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  9. This looks yummy...thanks for visiting my blog and leaving comments...following you

    ReplyDelete
  10. Looks so gud..never had this...tempting

    ReplyDelete
  11. good one..thanks for sharing a nice recipe..

    ReplyDelete
  12. Nice clicks.. looks so yummy yummy....

    ReplyDelete
  13. looks deliciuos..new recipe to me

    ReplyDelete
  14. Bookmarked!! Love the spices and flavors in this curry! Can it be made with any other veggie or than pineapples?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow..nice click!!!
    Menasukaayi is my alltime favourite:)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Yummy. It was soooooooo gooooood.

    ReplyDelete
  17. It was great .it was very much nice. ...................................................
    ....



    ReplyDelete
  18. I felt very much happy. It was yummy..............

    ReplyDelete

Hi,

Thanks for visiting 'Savi-Ruchi'. I would try my best to update the blog with new & interesting recipes.
Hope you had nice time in my blog & feel free to share your comments.
Visit Again!!

Featured Post

Noodles and Vegetables with Honey Ginger Sauce

Am I the only one who crave for noodles when sick with cold and sore throat? I love this noodles with honey-ginger sauce and it is perfe...