There are a lot of varieties of Gharis prepared at Konkani Temples and homes. Surna Ghari is one such type of Ghari that is prepared in temples or during religious functions, especially when the use of lentils is not permitted as part of the rituals/season. This also doubles up as very tasty evening snack and can be prepared within a short time. Quite handy to prepare when you have an unannounced guest visiting your home. I got this recipe from my Father’s Sister who is an excellent cook 💓💓
You can find other Ghari recipes here : Udida Ghari ; Gabbya Ghari
Ingredients :-
- Surnu / Elephant Foot Yam – 2 cups chopped / 1 cup mashed
- Red Chilli Powder – ½ tsp
- Black Pepper Powder – 1 tsp
- Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp
- Jeera – 1 tsp
- Hing / Asafoetida Powder – ¾ tsp or as per taste
- Curry Leaves – 2 Sprigs chopped in to small pieces
- Salt – as per taste
- Oil – For deep frying
Method :-
- Clean and chop the Surnu into small pieces. Boil some water in a vessel. Once boiled, add the Surnu and cook for 15-20 minutes or till done. The pieces of Surnu should be firm (not mashed) after cooking.
- Drain the water and keep it aside to cool off. Take a mixie jar and grind the cooled off Surnu into a not so smooth paste. Please make sure there are no lumps in the ground Surnu.
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Transfer the Surnu paste into a bowl; add all the other ingredients except oil. Mix well. Check for the taste and adjust salt / hing / chilli powder / black pepper based on your family’s taste-buds.
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Heat the oil for deep frying in a kadai. Keep a little water in a small bowl nearby
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When the oil is hot enough, apply a little water on to your palms (for the purpose of detaching the precooked gharis from the palm while they are being dropped into the oil), take a small amount of Surnu mix, prepare small round shaped balls out of it using your palms and drop them into the oil.
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Prepare some more Surnu mix balls and then drop them into the oil.
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Deep fry the gharis by turning the sides until they turn golden brown in color.
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Take out the gharis and transfer them to a tissue paper to drain off the oil.
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Keep doing the same until the dough is finished.
Enjoy the Surna gharis along with hot Tea / Coffee
Notes :-
- Usually the gharis prepared in temples or during the religious functions don’t have a round shape as they are made in bulk.
- Please make sure the flames are at medium high when you add the gharis into oil. Then, turn the heat to low flame till the gharis are cooked to ensure the insides are properly cooked.
- Please avoid adding water to the Surnu mixture as the Surnu mix balls may splutter once dropped into the oil and will not hold their shape.
- Applying water to your palms is optional. This is to avoid stickiness and to ensure we get nice, round shaped gharis.
- I had used half the size of a medium sized yam, enough to fill 2 cups when chopped. This will reduce to one cup, once mashed.
- Instead of Red chilli powder, you can use green chillies too to prepare Gharis
Konkani Khann Anik Jevan 
Nostalgic snack
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Thank you !
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Yummy recipe. Can we shallow fry the ghari mayi?
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Thank you !..you may ..but will have to compromise on taste 😊
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