SWEET SARAVLE: A TRADITIONAL KOKANI MUSLIM PASTA RECIPE

SARAVLE or ring shaped wheat pasta served for breakfast, is a much followed food tradition in the Kokani Muslim households.
Saravle are cooked both ways - in the savoury style with mutton or chicken and in the sweet style almost always laden with eggs. But, it is the sweet version that is relished more in the community. The sweet dish prepared with this pasta is also christened saravle and is enjoyed as a hearty breakfast topped with whole eggs and if the one is not content eating it only once a day then even around snack time it can be indulged in.
The Arab or rather middle eastern culinary influence in the tradition of saravle is evident in the way the recipes entail use of eggs.
So here is how the recipe or sweet saravle goes:

Serves: 2

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
Rest/ Standing Time: 5-7 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup Saravle (85 gm)
⅓ cup Sugar (50 gm)
1 tbsp Ghee
1 cup Water
1 Green cardamom pod
1 Cinnamon stick (1"piece)
A pinch of salt
1 Whole egg
Almond slivers & khuskhus (poppy seeds) for garnishing

Method:
1. Heat a 6" diameter cooking pot on medium flame and once it's hot add the Saravle and roast for 5-7 minutes till a heady aroma and intense colour emerges.
2. Add the whole spices, ghee and fry further for 2-3 minutes till the ghee has evenly coated the Saravle and makes the Saravle a shade darker than the previous stage.
3. Add water, cover with lid and simmer for 5-7 minutes till Saravle reach al dente (firm to bite) and not squishy consistency. Also enough water needs to remain to just coat the Saravle at this stage. If all the water has dried up, then add a little just enough to coat the Saravle cause you will need it to dissolve the sugar.
4. Add sugar, salt and mix with a light hand so as to not break the shape of the now tender Saravle.
5. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes on absolute low flame till the water absorbs, sugar dissolves and the Saravle go soft. Before covering add a whole egg on top in a sunny side up manner. (Traditionally the dish has eggs but if you are vegetarian or suffer from egg-related allergies it can be avoided altogether)
6. Remove the pot from flame and let it stand covered for 5-7 minutes.
7. Remove the Saravle from the pot and serve hot garnished with almond slivers and khuskhus.

So, do try out the recipe and let me know how it turned out.

Till then, Happy Cooking.