Gluten-Free adaptable.

I CANNOT believe summer break is almost over. Kids camps, guests, some really, really hot days, some days when we were on top of each other and life felt like living in a matchbox, and other days nary a kid in sight, some heartbreak, some joy, and cooking, felt like I was feeding an army. 

I CANNOT believe summer break is almost over. Kids camps, guests, some really, really hot days, some days when we were on top of each other and life felt like living in a matchbox, and other days nary a kid in sight, some heartbreak, some joy, and cooking, felt like I was feeding an army. 

Yes I did cook! Although it feels like ages since I posted something. Sharing the Makai Paka recipe.

A simple East African corn on the cob curry in a delicious but simple coconut sauce. You may have heard of the Kuku Paka or Macchi Paka (chicken or fish in coconut sauce) this is their vegan sister! Made this a few weeks back as I try to enjoy the sweet summer harvest while I can. 

My MaaIL cooked this as a one pot meal, maybe the only way I have changed it is that I sauté the tomato- onion paste and then add the corn and coconut sauce. 

Unlike the Gujarati makai nu shaak, the Makai Paka requires no tempering or chickpea flour and uses a handful of ingredients.

The only rule to follow is making sure there is a sweet, salty, spicy and sour, balance to the sauce. And nothing screams coastal foods like lime with coconut. 

In Gujarati households we sort of swish the corn in the sauce, suck the sauce, bite off the kernels and swish some more, then instead of discarding the cob, we use it to mop up the rest of the sauce, no utensils required!  But if you know, you know what I mean, of course a side of hot puris or fluffy mandazis won’t hurt either. 

Ingredients:

• 5 sweetcorn shucked and each cut into three pieces
• 1/2 red tomato not too ripe
• 1/2 onion
• 1-2 Serrano/ Hot Thai or Jalapeño peppers
• 1/4 piece of ginger (1 tsp ginger paste)
• 2-3 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon Neutral oil
• 1 cup  water
• 1 400 ml tin of coconut milk, reserve half of the top heavy cream (add another half can if you want more sauce)
• Juice of 1/2 lime or lemon or more to taste
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro 
  
  Instructions:

1. In a large pot add corn pieces, 1 tsp salt, turmeric powder and boil for 10 minutes/ or cook in an Instant Pot for manual pressure 2 minutes.
   
2. Blend tomato, onion, hot peppers and ginger 
   
3. In oil in a saucepan, add the tomato onion paste and and cook for 5 minutes, add boiled corn cobs and stir to coat.
   
4. Add the coconut milk, salt and turmeric powder and stir well, and let everything simmer for 8-10 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly (add water as necessary to but no more then 1/2 cup at a time) 
   
5. Add the lime or lemon juice and the remaining coconut cream stir and cook for another 1 minute, garnish with cilantro before serving.
   

Note:

If your gravy is very runny- mix 2 tablespoons of chickpea flour (GF) or All Purpose Flour (Not for GF) with some water, make a slurry and add it to the gravy to thicken it up.