Kokam Kadhi / Sola Kadi

Kokam (Garcinia indica) is a round dark coloured sour fruit which looks similar to a plum.  Its dry skin is used for making Sol Kadhi.  Dry Kokum skin, called as Aamsol or Sol or Birindasol is also used as a substitute for tamarind in coconut curries.  I am not sure about its English name Purple Mangosteen.

Ingredients:

Kokam/Aamsol - about 8 pieces

Grated Coconut - about 1 1/2 cups

Green Chillies - 2

Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - few sprigs

Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Curry Leaves - about 5 leaves

Asafoetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp

Oil preferably Coconut Oil

Salt

How to make Sol Kadi:

• Soak dry kokam in about 2 cups of water for about 2 hours.  For more sourness, either use more kokam pieces or soak for a longer time.  Discard the kokam when you get the desired sourness.  Below is a picture of dry kokam.



• Use about 1/2 cup of this kokam water (do not add kokam pieces) for grinding coconut to a very fine paste.  Use a strainer/sieve to get the coconut milk from the ground paste.  Blend/Grind the coconut collected in the sieve once or twice again and strain the coconut milk using the remaining 1 1/2 cups water.
• You can use store bought coconut milk as well.
• Add salt, medium chopped green chillies, finely chopped cilantro leaves to the coconut milk and mix well.  Sol Kadi is generally thinner in consistency, add more water if required.
• For tempering/tadka/phanna, heat about 1 tsp oil in a pan.  Add mustard seeds, asafetida and curry leaves.  When mustard seeds pop, turn off the heat.  Pour this tempering over the coconut milk and mix.  This tempering is optional.

Serve Sol Kadhi with meals or as a refreshing summer drink.