Khubbya Randayi - Clams Curry

It's funny how I refer to the same ingredient by various different names based on the recipe that I am following. When I am making my maternal grandmother's South Canara style curry, I refer to clams as Khubbe. When I am making my paternal grandmother's Malvani style curry, I refer to the same clams as Tisrya. :-)

 

Today let's visit my South Canara heritage and relish Khubbya randayi or Manglore style Clams Curry. This recipe is exactly similar to Sungta Hinga udaak. But for some unknown reason, when making this curry with clams, it's always referred to as Khubbya Randayi and not Khubbya Hinga Udaak.

 

Khubbya Randayi

Ingredients

1 packet Costco little neck clams

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

 

Salt to taste (Adjust)

 

Grind to a fine paste

1 cup freshly scraped coconut

12-15 byadgi chilies, roasted in few drops of coconut oil

2 tsp tamarind pulp

 

Garnish

1 tsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp asafetida

 

Method

1. Scrub and clean the clams.

2. Place them in a heavy bottomed big container. Add 1/2 cup water and turmeric powder.

3. Cook till the shells are open. Switch off the gas. Cover

4. Let them cool down till they are easy to handle. Take out the flesh.

5. Drain the clam juice. Set aside.

6. Meanwhile, roast byadgi chilies using few drops of coconut oil. Grind to a very fine paste adding coconut and tamarind pulp. Add water as needed for grinding.

7. Place cooked clams, clam juice in the saucepan.

8. Add ground masala and enough water to get the desired consistency.

9. Adjust salt.

10. As the curry comes to a rapid boil, switch the gas to low.

11. Let it simmer.

12. Drizzle coconut oil and asafetida over the curry.

13. Let it simmer for at least 10 minutes.

14. Switch off the gas. Cover.

15. Serve with plain rice.

 

Note -

1. Clams may have salt content. Adjust salt accordingly.

2. Clams are covered with lots of sand. Scrub carefully, making sure that they are sand free before cooking.

3. Drain the clam juice to avoid any sand particles.

4. After initial cooking, discard any clams that don't open up.
5. When in season, add peeled, raw mango pieces to this curry. If using, add them along with ground masala paste. Adjust tamarind accordingly.

6. Many home cooks in Mumbai use a knife or viLi to crack the clams and then use them in the curry. In my family, we boil the clams first, and let the clams open the shells instead of using knife.