This Rajasthani Lasoda subzi with Green Mango or kairi is very delicious and authentic to region. Lasoda also known as Gunda is a great way to enjoy lasoda when in season. Other than lasoda or Gunda pickles, this Rajasthani style spicy Lasoada subzi is sure to tantalize taste buds, which made it my favorite way to enjoy Lasodas.
What is Lasoda?
Lasoda is known with different names in different region. Lisoda, Gunda, Naruvili, Sabestan Plum, fragrant manjack, glue berry, bird lime, Indian cherry are some popular names. Various parts of the Lasoda tree are used both internally and externally in Ayurveda for medical purposes. The botanical name of Lasoda is Cordia Dichotoma and native to Tropical Asia. However, it can also be found in tropical and subtropical region of America, Africa and Australia.
When fruit is unripe and still green, it is mucilaginous, astringent and demulcent in texture and nature. It has a very sticky single hard seed in the middle. Unripe fruit is what used for making pickle and subzi. After ripening, fruit turns yellow and pulp transparent.
Lasoda is available for a very limited time over here in USA, where I live. I have only spotted Lasoda during the month of June just for a week or two. Though in India Lasodas are available in vegetable market from march to June. So, If I am lucky and encounter fresh young green lasoda in the Indian grocery store, I cannot resist my temptation. I would buy these Lasoda in a first sight, to enjoy them for few weeks.
How to Prepare Lasoda?
Green young Lasoda has a very sticky seed with astringent flavor. It is not advised to consume an unripe Lasoda, if you accidently bite into an unripe Lasoda you will experience a drying and puckering feeling on your tongue and in your oral cavity which is known as ‘Kaselapan’ in Hindi. To remove this astringency Lasoda needs to be cooked properly. Furthermore, right amount of salt and tartness also help to reduce this astringency from Lasodas.
First, Lasoda needs to be steamed or blanched, which helps in removing the seed from the Lasodas. At the same time lasodas get half cooked as well, which reduces the overall sautéing time. Then Lasoda needs to be sautéed with spices enough to achieve the best flavor and tasting subzi.
While making this lasoda subzi, I added almost a cup of grated green mango, but this batch of green mango wasn’t enough tart so I end up adding dry mango powder as well. The quantity of green mango needed in the recipe will change as per their tartness. If you lucky to have really tart green mango then small quantity would be suffice to bring out the right tartness of subzi.
How to Store this Lasoda Subzi?
This Rajasthani style Lasoda Subzi has a really good shelf life, which makes it perfect for travels. Since this subzi doesn’t require the amount of oil you would need for pickles but taste almost like a pickle, good for lunch packs as well without worrying of seeping oil out of lunch box.
This can be stored in fridge for two weeks in an air tight glass container. Always use a clean and dry spoon to scoop out the subzi when you want to have some and place the closed container back in fridge immediately. This is also freezer friendly and froze perfectly without any change in texture upon thawing. Can be froze for 6 months, while freezing freeze in a small portion so that you don’t end up thawing the whole batch.
Perfect Option for Sattvic Meal
This no onion no garlic Rajasthani Lasoda subzi makes a perfect choice for any saatvic meal. Since there is no use of onion and garlic in this recipe and neither Lasoda nor green mango is tuber therefore also great for Jain meal.
Lasoda Subzi Ingredients
Produce
- Lasoda – 1 lb.
- Green Mango (Kairi)- 1 cup grated
- Green Thai Chilies (Hari Mirch)- 7-8, splitted into halves
- Cilantro (Hara Dhaniya) – ¼ cup chopped
Pantry
- Oil – 3-4 tbsp (Mustard oil if possible, otherwise any oil could be used)
Spices
- Asafoetida (Hing)– 1/4 Teaspoon
- Cumin seeds (Jeera) – 1 Teaspoon
- Carom seeds (Ajwain) – 1 Teaspoon
- Mustard seeds (Rai)– 1 Teaspoon
- Fennel Seeds (Saunf)– 1 Teaspoon
- Fenugreek Seeds (Methi Dana) – ½ Teaspoon
- Salt (Namak) – 1 Teaspoon (adjust to taste)
- Coriander powder (Dhaniya powder) – 2 Tablespoon
- Red chilly powder (Lal mirch powder) – ½ Teaspoon
- Turmeric powder (Haldi) – ½ Teaspoon
- Fennel crushed (Saunf)– 1 Tablespoon
- Garam Masala – ½ Teaspoon
- Dry Mango powder (Amchur) – ½ Tablespoon
Lasoda Subzi Method
- Remove the stalks and rinse all the lasodas thoroughly with water.
- Add 1 cup of water in the Instant Pot stainless steel inner pot then place a steamer basket and transfer rinsed lasodas in the steamer.
- Steam lasodas for ‘0’minute on low pressure setting, NPR.
- Let the pressure pin pop down, remove the lid and carefully take out the steamer from the inner pot as it will be very hot. Let the lasodas cool down for a while.
- Once manageable and cold enough to hold start removing the caps and seeds from the lasodas by splitting into half with the help of paring knife.
- Spread out all the halved lasodas on a wide plate.
- Mix all the spices in a separate bowl and prepare masala mixture.
