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Ghonghi
घोंघी (ghonghi): Tharu-style snails in a spicy, linseed-thickened curry, made with clean farmed snails
When the monsoon fills the rice paddies of the western and central Terai, Tharu families gather ghonghi, the little freshwater snails, and cook them in a dark, fiery curry thickened with ground roasted linseed; the tip of each shell is snipped so the meat can be sucked out at the table, and the dish is loved as both a treat and a monsoon tonic, eaten with rice or dhikri. Wild freshwater snails can carry parasites such as rat lungworm and liver flukes, so never use snails you have collected from ponds, ditches or paddies yourself. At home use only cleaned, purged farmed snails in their shells from a specialist supplier, or cooked, frozen farmed escargots, or live periwinkles from a good fishmonger as a stand-in, and boil them hard before they go into the curry. The usual error is skimping on the boiling, which is both unsafe and leaves the snails rubbery; they need a rolling boil and then a long simmer. Chef's tip: roast the linseed until it pops before grinding, for the nutty, dark Tharu flavour.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the snails
- 1 tsp ground turmericdivided
- 2 tsp saltdivided
- 8 ¼ cups waterfor boiling
For the curry
- 3 tbsp linseed (flaxseed)
- 5 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 /2 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 8 cloves garliccrushed
- 4 cm piece fresh gingergrated
- 4 green chillieschopped
- 2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tomatoeschopped
- 2 cups hot water
- 3 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Rinse 2 ¼ lb cleaned, purged farmed snails in the shell (or live periwinkles) in several changes of cold water, discarding any with broken shells, any that smell bad and, for live periwinkles, any that do not retract when touched. Soak in fresh salted water for 10 minutes and rinse again.
10 minStep 2: With sturdy kitchen scissors or pliers, snip off the pointed tip of each shell so the meat can be sucked out later (skip this for shelled escargots).
5 minStep 3: Bring 8 ¼ cups water to a rolling boil with ½ tsp ground turmeric and ⅝ tsp salt, add the snails, return to a rolling boil and boil hard for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse.
15 minStep 4: Dry-roast 3 tbsp linseed (flaxseed) in a small pan over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes until it pops and smells nutty, then grind to a powder and mix with a little water to a paste.
4 minStep 5: Heat 5 tbsp mustard oil in a karai over a high heat until it smokes, lower the heat to medium and fry 1 /2 tsp fenugreek seeds for 20 seconds until dark.
2 minStep 6: Add 2 onions and fry for 6–8 minutes until golden, then add 8 cloves garlic, 4 cm piece fresh ginger and 4 green chillies and fry for 2 minutes.
8 minStep 7: Add 2 tsp red chilli powder, 1 ½ tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, the remaining ½ tsp ground turmeric and 2 tomatoes and cook for 4–5 minutes until the tomato breaks down and the oil separates.
5 minStep 8: Add the boiled snails, the linseed paste, 2 cups hot water and the remaining 1 ⅜ tsp salt. Cover and simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring now and then, until the curry is thick and dark and the snail meat is tender and piping hot.
25 minStep 9: Scatter with 3 tbsp fresh coriander and serve hot with rice, sucking the meat out from the snipped end or picking it out with a toothpick.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ghonghi take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of fenugreek seeds?
- Leave them out, or add a little extra mustard seed (you lose the slightly bitter, maple-like note).
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