Basella/Malabar spinach/ Basale or vine spinach is a leafy vegetable found in tropical Asia and Africa. It is a creeper and grows in full sunlight and humid weather. In Konkani, Basella is known as Vali. It is used in quite a few dishes. Vali Bendi is a coconut-based gravy tempered with crushed garlic. This is usually eaten with rice. Vali /Basella is used in various Konkani recipes. Spinach/Palak in “dal palak” can be replaced with Basella thus making it which is a tasty variation to the dish.
Ingredients
1 cup finely chopped Malabar spinach / Vali / BasaLe soppu
Salt to taste
For the masala:
1 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
4-5 red chillies roasted in little oil
little tamarind
Grind these into a fine paste and keep aside
For the tempering:
8-10 garlic cloves crushed
4 tsp oil
Procedure
Wash and cook chopped Malabar spinach in cooker with 1/2 cup water
Transfer it to a vessel, add salt to taste and masala
Add water and adjust the consistency (semi-liquid)
Let it boil for 5-10 mins
Switch off the gas. Heat oil in a pan and add the crushed garlic cloves, fry till they turn brown and crisp
Add this tempering to the prepared curry
Serve hot with rice.
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