Drakshi Saasive/Fresh Grapes in Coconut & Mustard Sauce

        

So, I got  this pack of fresh green grapes from the store over the weekend. I was actually picking up some grapes after over a year.... While Aadi was an infant, his ped had asked us to keep him away from grapes for a  little while so he wouldn't catch any cold and cough. And now that he's a year old, I thought it would be a good idea to introduce them to him. But to my disappointment, the grapes were so sour that they weren't good for even juices :(

My mother in law  is great with innovative recipes and  using up left overs. So I picked up the phone and called her up to see if she could suggest something with the sour grapes that I had in hand.  She  suggested I make Saasive- an instant Mangalorean dish that needs no cooking on the stove top and takes very few ingredients. With just red chilies and mustard as spices, it was amazing how flavorful the dish had turned out! Definitely worth  a try and its just right for when you need a change from the usual .

Ingredients:

1 cup  Fresh grapes (I used the green ones, you could use the black variety as well)

1/2 cup Grated coconut, fresh/frozen

3-4 Dry red chilies, low-medium spiced

1/4 tsp Tamarind paste (optional)

1/2 tsp Jaggery (optional)

1.5 tsp Mustard

2 tsp Oil

1 strand Curry leaves

A pinch of Hing

Salt as per taste

 

Method:

1. Wash and slit each grape in the center and keep aside.
2. Grind coconut, red chilies , tamarind, jaggery and salt to a smooth paste with some water; Towards the end, add half a tsp of mustard and pulse a couple of times.
3. Add the ground masala paste to the grapes and mix well; Add water to get the desired consistency; Adjust ingredients according to taste.
4. Temper with mustard, hing and curry leaves; Serve immediately with hot steamed rice and relish!

Tip:

• While grinding mustard with the other masalas, keep in mind that adding too much mustard will make your dish bitter; So add just a little of it towards the end.
• If your grapes are really sour, you might wanna do away with tamarind altogether, like I did with mine this time; Or if your grapes are sweet, you might wanna let go of jaggery!

Variation: Instead of grapes, you could also use cucumbers,pineapple or  mangoes.

Prep Time: About 10-15 mins;

Serves: About 2-3 people;