Bimbul or Bimbli chutney or gojju is a Mangalorean coconut chutney, flavored with a light green fruit called bimbli, commonly found all over coastal Karnataka in South India. Bimbul (in Konkani) is a small cucumber like fruit akin to carambola with a sour, tart taste.
When we were growing up in Mangalore, Karnataka, there was a huge tree in my maternal grandparents house, with bunches of this amazing fruit hanging all over the trunk of this tree. We used to enjoy picking and eating them with a mix of red chilli powder and salt!!!
This particular batch of bimbli, I was able to procure from my Aunt’s house in Salem, Tamilnadu, where they have 2 huge trees (in addition to jackfruit, mangoes, gooseberries etc.!). We never fail to pick a huge sack of these yummy fruits on every trip to Salem to make a variety of pickles, chutneys (gojjus) or use it in place of tamarind in our dishes. If I have plenty leftover, I normally boil it for a few minutes and store it in the refrigerator for use in various dishes.
You will love this tangy, slightly sour red colored coconut chutney and enjoy it with dosas, idlis, rice, pulaos, chapatis or even as a spread for bread!!
Bimbul or Bimbli chutney or gojju is a coconut chutney, flavored with a light green fruit called bimbli, commonly found all over coastal Karnataka in South India. Bimbul (in Konkani) is a small cucumber like fruit akin to carambola with a sour, tart taste.
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 bimbli or bimbul
- ¾ cup of grated coconut
- 8 to 10 dry red chillies
- 6 to 8 cloves of garlic
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Wash and cut the bimbul into chunks.
- Roast the red chillies in a small pan for a few seconds.
- In a blender or mixer, add the coconut, red chillies, bimbul, garlic and required salt.
- Add some water and make a fine paste.
- Transfer to a bowl, dilute it to the consistency you want, stir in a teaspoon of coconut oil.
- Serve immediately with rice, chapattis, rotis, as a bread spread or even dosas and idlis etc.
- I have served it with Ven Pongal and my family love it!!
- It goes well with jhatpat pulao also along with raitha.
Notes
Adjust the quantity of garlic and red chillies to the level of spiciness you prefer. Some people prefer to fry the garlic in a little oil as they do not like the raw smell. We prefer it the traditional way, raw.
You can add more bimbul if you want to make the gojju or chutney more sour.
If you do not have coconut oil, you can use any oil you have; but coconut oil gives it a distinct coastal flavor!!
This chutney can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Step-by-step method:
- Wash and cut the bimbul into chunks.
- Roast the red chillies in a small pan for a few seconds.
- Peel and cut the garlic cloves.
- In a blender or mixer, add the coconut, red chillies, bimbul, garlic and required salt.
- Add some water and make a fine paste.
- Transfer to a bowl, dilute it to the consistency you want, stir in a teaspoon of coconut oil.
- Serve immediately with rice, chapattis, rotis, as a bread spread or even dosas and idlis etc.
- I have served it with Ven Pongal and my family love it!!
- It goes well with jhatpat pulao also along with raitha.
Note:
- Adjust the quantity of garlic and red chillies to the level of spiciness you prefer. Some people prefer to fry the garlic in a little oil as they do not like the raw smell. We prefer it the traditional way, raw.
- You can add more bimbul if you want to make the gojju or chutney more sour.
- If you do not have coconut oil, you can use any oil you have; but coconut oil gives it a distinct coastal flavor!!
- This chutney can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
[…] of tamarind, I have used bimbul or bimbli (which I had lots of leftover after using some for my bimbul/bimbli chutney) and had preserved it by boiling it for a few minutes with some salt, cooling and refrigerating […]