Veg Surti Khawsa (Surat-Style Coconut Noodle Bowl)
A vegetarian Surat-style khawsa bowl built in layers—papdi crunch, noodles, spring onion, fried garlic and onion, chaat masala, lemon, and a thin coconut broth poured at the table. Fiery garlic chutney ties it together.
Ingredients
For the coconut broth
- 1 medium fresh coconut or 400 ml canned coconut milk, see notes; meat scooped and chopped
- About 3 cups cool water, divided, if extracting fresh milk
- 2 extra cups water if using canned milk to thin to a soup-like pour
- 1 tbsp besan gram flour
- 1 medium onion roughly chopped
- 8 to 10 whole cashews soaked 15 minutes in hot water
- 1 tbsp magaz melon seeds; soaked with cashews
- 1 inch ginger peeled
- 6 large garlic cloves
- 1 to 2 green chilies per heat preference
- 2 tbsp neutral oil or peanut oil
- Hot water, as needed, to loosen the soup while simmering
- Salt, to taste
For the garlic chutney
- 1/4 cup raw peanuts skin on is fine
- 1/4 cup peeled garlic cloves about one small head
- 1 tbsp hot red chili powder Kashmiri type can replace half for color
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 to 3 tbsp water to grind
- 2 tbsp peanut or neutral oil
- Salt, to taste
- A pinch of sugar
- Juice of half a lemon
For the crispy toppings
- 2 medium onions sliced into thin half moons
- 1/4 cup garlic cloves roughly chopped
- Oil for shallow frying, as needed
- Store-bought papdi, samosa patti cut into strips, or thin leftover roti pieces, as needed for crunch
For the bowl (assembly)
- 200 to 250 g dried wheat noodles boiled until al dente, drained, tossed with a few drops of oil
- 1 bunch spring onions whites and greens separated, greens sliced on the bias
- Chaat masala, to sprinkle
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
Build the coconut broth
- If using fresh coconut, blend the chopped meat with about 1 cup water until smooth. Strain through a sieve lined with muslin, squeezing firmly. Return the pulp to the jar with another 1 to 1.5 cups water, blend again, and strain. Combine both extractions in one pot. You want a thin, drinkable milk, not a thick curry base. If using canned coconut milk, whisk it with 2 to 2.5 cups water until the color looks like toned milk rather than malai.
- In a small bowl, whisk besan with a ladleful of the coconut liquid until completely smooth. Stir that slurry back into the main pot. This helps keep the broth from breaking when it heats.
- Grind onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies, drained cashews, and melon seeds to a fine paste with a splash of water.
- Heat oil in a kadai on medium. Cook the paste 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until it looks drier and smells sweet rather than raw.
- Lower the heat. Pour in the coconut mixture while stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle simmer only; aggressive boiling can still split plant milk. If it thickens too much, add hot water in splashes. Season with salt. Hold on lowest heat until assembly, or cool and reheat gently.
Make the garlic chutney
- Blend peanuts, garlic, both chili powders, cumin, and a little water to a smooth, spoonable paste.
- Heat oil in a small pan. Fry the paste on medium heat, stirring often, until oil begins to fleck the edges and the raw garlic edge is gone.
- Season with salt, add sugar and lemon juice, stir, and cool slightly. Taste: it should be sharp, salty, and very garlicky.
Fry the toppings
- Shallow-fry sliced onions in batches until they are only pale gold, then lift them out immediately; they will darken from residual heat. Drain well and fluff with a fork once cool.
- Fry chopped garlic until golden and crisp, drain on paper towels.
- Fry papdi, samosa strips, or roti shards until crisp. Drain.
Assemble each bowl
- Crush some papdi into a deep bowl. Add noodles, spring onion greens, fried onion, and fried garlic.
- Sprinkle chaat masala, add a generous spoon of garlic chutney, and squeeze lemon.
- Pour hot coconut broth around and over the top. Finish with more greens, a little extra fried garlic, and a final sprinkle of crushed papdi for crunch.
Notes
If the broth ever looks grainy, take it off the heat, cool 2 minutes, and buzz with an immersion blender on low, then strain if needed. The besan slurry prevents most splits, but gentle heat matters more than speed.
For a vegan line-up, confirm your noodles contain no egg and use oil you are happy with; the rest is plant-based as written.
Soup and chutney can be made earlier in the day; store separately. Fry toppings just before serving when possible so they stay audibly crisp.
Boiled noodles clump if left naked; a teaspoon of oil and a quick toss keeps them separate until assembly.
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