Sukke in konkani means dry. Basically, a coconut based semi dry dish with vegetable/seafood is called sukke. Almost any vegetable can be used to make sukke. But,we like the sukke masala different for differenet vegetables. There are different combinations for sukke of onion coconut coriander masol (masala), coconut teppal kokum masol, coconut garlic masol, coconut hinga masol are some of the combinations. Where some vegetable sukke can go well with all masols, some doesn’t go well.
Many of the side dishes are a combination for lunch / dinner for konkanis. Because the sukke as masol in it, it tastes best with just rice & dal/saaru/rasam. Even with a simple curd rice. We even like it with chapatis/rotis.
As we always love to include varieties and also try not to waste any part of the vegetable, we tried Gobi dente sukke. While we all like cauliflower and use its florets for variety of dishes. Some of us would discard the stem and leafy shoots of gobi. Why? Why would anybody throw the most juicy part of the cauliflower! We have tried to use them in many dishes like sambar, aloo gobi sabzi, gobi upkari(amshe tikshe), and now this is a deadly combo of gobi dente,batate and teppal masol!
So here it is,a simple recipe of cauliflower stem[gobi dente] in semi dry coconut teppal masol. Not just tastes great but, they contain more fiber, vitamin C, and calcium than the florets.
Cauliflower Stem Dry | Gobi Dente Teppla Sukke | गोभी के डंठल की सब्जी
Ingredients
- Cauliflower - 1 whole
- Szechuan Pepper / Teppal - 10 to 12 (discard seeds)
- Dry kokum pieces - 3
- Coconut - 1/2
- Dry red chillies - 4 to 6 as per hotness preferred
- Turmeric powder - 1/4th tsp
- Coconut Oil (preferred)
- Potatoes(optional)
Instructions
Firstly, cut cauliflower florets and keep them aside.
then take the remains of the cauliflower.. its stem, its side leafy shoots and cut them into pieces.
If they look fibrous, just remove its outer skin with a peeler and use the inner part. See Pics for reference.
Then wash them to remove any dirt and keep aside.
Separate any seeds from teppal. Add little water and slightly crush Teppal / Szechuan Pepper with a stone & soak in water.
Soak kokum in water and keep aside.
Take a mixer grinder jar, add grated coconut
Dry red chilies 
and a little turmeric powder
Grind without water at first. then add little by little water, grind and make a thick coarse paste.[Do not add much water] 
Now, take a heavy-bottomed kadai. Put a Tbsp of coconut oil. 
When the oil is hot, add cut pieces of cauliflower stems, few cauliflower florets, and some potato pieces. Fry them nicely in oil for 2 minutes.
Then add soaked kokum and teppal with its water. Close and cook till the veggies are half cooked. 
Open and add the ground paste. Wash mixer with very little water and add the water.
Mix everything evenly close and cook till the gobi, potatoes are cooked & the masala is dry.
Open and check after 5 minutes. If there is still some water. Keep the flame on medium-high and cook for 2 minutes. 
Check if the gobi pieces are cooked
Switch off the flame and close and keep for 5 minutes before serving.
Sukke is a dry side dish that can be served with rice & any saaru / rasam , any roti / chapati.
This dish can be prepared with many vegetable like bhindi(okra), Drumsticks, potatoes, mushroom, peas, pumpkin and so on.
Notes
- Be careful while adding water to cook veggies / while making masala paste. Too much water in the dish can make it soggy and watery that is not sukke!
- Do not overcook the veggies. otherwise it won't taste good.