GSBs (Gaud Saraswat Brahmins) are comparatively a small community (approximately 3 lakhs). The GSBs originally lived on the banks of the river Saraswati. The name Sarawat is derived from either the river Saraswati or from their spiritual leader, the sage Saraswat Muni who used to live on the banks of Saraswati. The Saraswat Brahmins have migrated to a variety of locations and are found mostly in Western coast of India. Their mother tongue is Konkani.

In the GSB recipes coconut, coconut oil, curry leaves and tamarind is primarily used. The GSB recipes are to great extent influenced by south Indian cuisine. Two recipes which are mentioned here are the most common ones. Most GSBs are grown eating toi and also batatyache song.

Batata Song and Daali toi 

Recipe Description: 

Potatoes cooked in stir fried onions and tomatoes mixture. This dish goes especially well with Daali Toi served over plain boiled rice.

Ingredients:  

2 medium size onions, chop them finely.
Two medium size tomatoes, chop them too finely.
4 medium size potatoes well boiled and cut into proper cubes.
Whole red chilies 10-12 (Bedagi chilies recommended)
Small seedless tamarind ball
Oil (coconut oil recommended for authentic taste)
Asafetida (hing) powder – half teaspoon
Turmeric (haldi) powder – quarter teaspoon
Salt for taste

Instructions: 

Fry red chilies in three teaspoons of coconut oil. Remove them after they are stir fried.   In the same oil stir fry chopped onions and tomatoes.  Add asafetida powder and haldi powder to the cooked mixture. In a mixture grind the stir fried red chilies, little portion of stir fried onion-tomatoes mixture and tamarind – make paste by adding little water while grinding.

Once onions and tomatoes are softened in the pan, add the ground chilly, onion-tomato and tamarind paste, salt and potatoes. Add enough water to bring it the consistency of a semi-dry curry. Bring to a boil. Batata song is ready to serve.

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Daali toi

Recipe description: Daali toi is a classic GSB daal style made with cooked toor dal tempered with seasoning of mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Ingredients:

1 cup toor dal
2 green chilies
1 inch piece ginger
quarter teaspoon of turmeric powder
quarter teaspoon of asafetida powder
1.5 teaspoon of coconut oil for seasoning
1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
1 red chilli
8-10 Curry leaves
Salt

1.5 teaspoon of ghee

Instructions:

Boil toor daal in pressure cooker with turmeric powder, asafoetida powder, green chilies, and finely chopped ginger.  Transfer the cooked daal (mashed well) to a sauce pan by adding little more water to it and bring it to a boil. Add salt to it as per your taste. For seasoning heat coconut oil, add mustard seed and curry leaves and red chili to it, when they splutter add it to the daal. Pour ghee on to the cooked dal for its aroma. Mix the daal.  Dalitoy can be cooked thick or thin as per taste.

Preparation time:  20min

Both daali toi and batata song go very well with plain cooked rice.