Desi Chori Beans Soupy Curry (Bagde Saar Upkari/ Bagde Saaru)

Desi Chori Beans or Bagdo is a delicious bean and is packed with nutrition. In Konkani, we know this bean as Bagdo or Bagado and in US they are available in Indian grocery stores as Desi Chori Beans or Whole Cow Beans. More often than not, they are used in my home in sprouted form for Desi Chori Beans in Coconut and Cashew curry. This is a tasty dish and is relished by my family.

Recently, I stumbled upon the idea of Saaru or Saaru-Upkari version of Desi Chori Beans. This recipe is good for days when you want wholesome side dish but at the same time wish to eliminate coconut from the diet. This recipe is called Saaru-Upkari because the soup of the bean (Saaru) serves as a complimentary dish for the rice and the beans serve as Upkari on the side. Some call this Saaru-Upkari or Saaru as it was addressed in my home. The cooking process is very simple. Just soak desired quantity of Beans in water for few hours, pressure cook them and season them with Garlic-Oil or Curry leaves-Mustard seeds-Oil; your choice of seasoning gives the unique flavour for the dish. I found three sized varieties of Desi Chori Beans, some which I got from India. I use small and medium sized beans for Saaru and the larger sized ones for the Coconut based curry with Cashew.

Preparation time: 300 minutes (including soaking time)

Cooking time: 30 minutes (includes pressure cooking time)

Ingredients:

Desi Chori Beans or Bagado or Whole Cow Beans - 3/4 cup

Green Chillies (sliced) - 2

Salt

Oil

Seasoning:

Garlic - 4-5 pods

Red Chillies (Byadgi) - 1

Oil

Method:

Wash the beans and soak them in water for 4-6 hours. The beans will be swollen and increase in size. Pressure cook them for 4 whistles or pan-cook them till they are completely done. If using Pressure Cooker, allow to cool and transfer to another pot and bring to boil. Mash the beans lightly to enhance the flavours. Add enough water to soak the beans completely. Simmer on low flame for 5-8 minutes till they are completely done. Turn off the flame.

In a separate frying pan, heat oil, add red chillies and garlic. Fry Garlic till they are charred. Turn off flame and pour this seasoning on the beans consistency. Cover with a lid. Mix while serving and serve with warm rice.

Note: Remove the chillies before serving if desired. Retain the skin on Garlic while adding for seasoning, this certainly enhances the flavours and oils embedded in the herb.

Drumstick (Mashingaa Saang/ Maska Saang/ Shevgyaa chya Shengaa) - An Essay

Drumstick - a delicious vegetable is in season now. The tree belongs to 'Moringa' family. During summer time, the Drumstick flowers are in full bloom and the local markets are adorned with the slender, long stems; some markets even sell the leaves and the edible flowers which can be used for various culinary treats. The Drumstick stem, leaves and flowers are abundatly used in my home for various delicious dishes.

The Drumstick tree grows to a tall 10-15 metre height. The branches of the tree are spread out and the leaves are tiny, greenish with a very strong aroma upon plucking. The tree is primarily well known for the green pods popularly known as Drumstick (English), Shevgyaa chya Shengaa (Marathi), Nuggekayee (Kannada), Maskaa Saang/ Mashingaa Saang (Amchi GSB Konkani).

The tall, slender green pods of the fruit of Drumstick have a soft, slimy pulp which is very tasty. The Drumstick pods taste good when they are tender. The Drumstick can be chopped and used for various curries, sambhar or simply fritters as per choice. The green skin of the drumstick has to be lightly chopped off to expose the light green surface area of the pod. They cook very easily and change color to dark green upon cooking. The leaves are also used for various dishes ranging from Subji's to curries. The flower of the tree (Phool in Konkani) can also be tweaked and used as per taste. Only the white flowers and white buds are used for edible use. The tree is widely cultivated and harvested for edible use in various pockets of Central America, Africa and Asian countries like India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia et al.

The nutrition value of the Drumstick cannot be undermined. The bark, green pods, leaves and flowers have ample curative properties including being rich source of Iron, Potassium, Beta Carotene and Vitamin C. Special mention needs to be given to the Drumstick leaves which is a storehouse of nutrition and is endowed with lot of curative elements.

[Picture courtesy credit - Wikipedia for Drumstick Flower - (as stated in the Creative Commons Contract)]

Drumstick Leaves Mini Dosa (Shengaa Palle Sanna Pole/ Maska Saange Palle Sanna Pole)

The best part about Konkani cuisine is that we have so much of fresh seasonal produce and vegetables which are abundantly used in cooking that the mere taste of these Vegetables, Gourds, Leaves are a delight; Getting to use them to the optimum level when they are available during the season time is another joy for a Foodie's soul.

Drumstick tree or Shengaa or Maska Saange tree is one such tree which you will find in some Konkani homes if not at all homes. We were lucky since wherever we stayed, we had one tall, huge tree right outside the nose of our house. I have fond memories of all cousins and siblings going Drumstick leaf picking during summer only to get home by noon. The thrill of the activity was synonymous with all of us winning a big victorious battle fighting the demons and monsters of the natural world and then we are back home with giggles and laughter. Our dirty, scrawny knees, faces dabbed with mud and a cherubic smile just to please the lady of the house - my mother. Not to mention plenty of hugs would be the order of the day followed by a lunch delightfully waited for, after a tiring toil of labor and hard work.

The huge bunch of leaves which are picked are always a blend of few tarney paan (konkani term for young leaves which are light green in color) and joon paan (konkani term for older leaves which are dark green in color). Mom always insisted on fresh, light green younger leaves because they add a fresh, cripy aroma to the Sanna Pole. Shengaa or Drumsticks were used to make Drumstick Kolmbo, Drumstick Fritters et al. Drumstick leaves if added too much render a bitter flavour. So one needs to be watchful of the quantity required to be used. Drumstick flowers or Shengaa Phool which are white, tiny buds are also used to make these tiny Mini Dosa's in my house. Since, I did not have Drumstick leaves handy I used Fenugreek leaves or Methi leaves to make the Mini Dosa's. The picture above is a tiny sapling which my Pacchi had planted; this tiny baby sapling had grown to a short height earlier and now I hear that she would be bearing Drumsticks and flowers soon. Yay! Plants and vegetables patches offer me a unique joy which cannot be compared to anything in the world! I hope to see this sprawling canopy of green leaves laden with fruits and flowers when I see her next.

Cooking time ~ 15 minutes
Preparation time ~ 240 minutes (includes soaking time)
Yield ~ 6-7 Mini Dosa's

Ingredients:
Drumstick leaves (chopped into tiny bits) - 3 cups
Dosa Rice (Sona Masoori variety) - 1/2 cup
Red Chillies (Byadgi variety preferred) - 5-6
Tamarind pulp - 1 teaspoon
Salt - As per taste
Grated coconut (fresh or frozen) - 2-3 tablespoons
Turmeric powder - Just a pinch
Oil/Ghee

Method:
Wash rice till clear and pre-soak rice in water for 4-5 hours. Roast red chillies in a teaspoon of oil and mildly sweat them in oil till they are partially roasted for 2-3 minutes. Allow to cool. Grind along with Rice, Red Chillies, Tamarind, Turmeric powder, Salt and grated coconut to a coarse paste with very little water.

Mix the batter with chopped Drumstick leaves bits. Too many leaves render a bitter taste, so be watchful. Adjust salt and spice levels. Heat a shallow frying pan, take a spoonful of the batter mix and spread on the pan. Spread mini dosa batter as per capacity. Drizzle oil on the sides. Once cooked on sides, flip them over to other side and fry evenly on both the sides. The dosa's taste better if crunchy and little bit charred. Serve hot as a side dish along with rice and curry of choice.

Cabbage Mini Dosa (Cabbage Sanna Polo/ Cabbage Sanna Pole)

Sanna Polo or Sanna Pole is a Konkani delicacy made with many different approaches and vegetables of choice. There are different varieties of Sanna Polo, each with its own unique flavour and taste. This is a very simple recipe, packs in the taste of vegetables and adds lot of richness.
The trick to this dish is the quantity of Cabbage and Batter. If you add more Cabbage, they would cling to the pan and not come out as an even circular shape. If you add less Cabbage, the batter taste would be overpowering. So use your discretion accordingly.

Preparation time: 240 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
Cabbage (chopped into tiny bits) - 3 cups
Dosa Rice (Sona Masoori variety) - 1/2 cup
Red Chillies (Byadgi variety preferred) - 5-6
Tamarind pulp - 1 teaspoon
Salt - As per taste
Grated coconut (fresh or frozen) - 2-3 tablespoons
Turmeric powder - Just a pinch
Oil - For frying

Method:
Wash rice till clear and pre-soak rice in water for 4-5 hours. Roast red chillies in a teaspoon of oil and mildly sweat them in oil till they are partially roasted for 2-3 minutes. Allow to cool. Grind along with Rice, Red Chillies, Tamarind, Turmeric powder, Salt and grated coconut to a coarse paste with very little water.

Mix the batter with chopped Cabbage pieces. Adjust salt and spice levels. Heat a shallow frying pan, take a spoonful of the batter mix and spread on the pan. Spread mini dosa batter as per capacity. Drizzle oil on the sides. Once cooked on sides, flip them over to other side and fry evenly on both the sides. The dosa's taste better if crunchy and little bit charred. Serve hot as a side dish along with rice and curry.

Some other varieties of Sanna Polo -

Fenugreek or Methi leaves Sanna Polo

Onion or Piyava Sanna Polo

Cabbage Vegetable Side Dish (Cabbage Upkari/ Kobi chi Bhaaji)

Cabbage is a vegetable loved by some, hated by some. I for one have a peaceful relation with Cabbage and of late have grown to love the different varieties which we can make at home using a simple crispy green bundle.

Cabbage Upkari can be a simple delicious meal for afternoon lunches or quick evening dinners. They are easy, quick to cook. The cooked Cabbage has a delicate, subtle flavour. The flip side of Cabbage is, it belongs to the Gas inducing family so individuals with high sensitivity to Gas, could sample smaller helpings or much better if they avoid if they have a sensitive palate.

Cooking time ~ 10 minutes
Preparation time ~ 10 minutes

Ingredients:
Cabbage (finely chopped) - 3-4 cups
Green Chillies (slit lengthwise) - 2
Grated Coconut - 3-4 tablespoon
Turmeric powder (optional) - 1/3 teaspoon
Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt
Water

For seasoning -
Curry leaves - 4-5 leaves
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Ghee/Oil

Method:
In a deep frying pan, heat few teaspoons of Ghee. Once the pan is hot, add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Allow the leaves to fry and the mustard seeds to pop completely. Stir gently and add the green chillies.
Add the chopped Cabbage pieces. Mix in with the seasoning. Adjust salt as per taste, add very less water, just enough for the Cabbage to soak in. Bring to boil and once the consistency reaches the boiling point, simmer on low flame till the water gets evaporated, cover with a lid if possible. Cook till the cabbage gets completely cooked. Turn off the flame once done and garnish with grated coconut. Serve warm as a Side Dish.

Suggestion: Cabbage with Grated coconut has a low shelf life so consume within a day or two, if not refrigerate. Cabbage cooks a lot faster than other vegetables. So, use your discretion while cooking. Cabbage does not require lot of water while cooking. The vegetable cooks on its own self-induced steam after the lid is closed.

Ivy Gourd Vegetable Side Dish (Tendle Upkari/ Tondli chi Bhaaji)

Ivy Gourd or Tendli or Tondli is an adored vegetable in my home. The mere taste, sight and smell of this vegetable takes me back home, my city and all the umpteen memories just flash by in a jiffy. Tendle Upkari or Ivy Gourd Vegetable Side Dish or Tondli chi Bhaaji is a comfort food for me and most of my family members.

The younger and tender the vegetable, the better is the taste of the dish. I am specially documenting this recipe for the newbie Konkani food lovers and individuals learning to cook Konkani dishes. Upkari's are a great way to begin your cooking journey. They are simple, easy to follow and require very less preparation.

Cooking time ~ 20 minutes

Preparation time ~ 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Ivy Gourd (thin tall sliced) - 4 cups

Green Chillies (slit lengthwise) - 2

Grated Coconut - 3-4 tablespoon

Turmeric powder (optional) - 1/3 teaspoon

Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon

Salt

Ghee

Water

For seasoning -

Curry leaves - 4-5 leaves

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Method:

In a deep frying pan, heat few teaspoons of Ghee. Once the pan is hot, add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Allow the leaves to fry and the mustard seeds to pop completely. Stir gently and add the green chillies. Be careful as the chilly seeds could dance around causing potential injury to the eyes. Saute gently.

Add the pre-washed, chopped Ivy Gourd pieces. Mix along with the seasoning. Adjust salt as per taste, add enough water for the vegetables to soak in. Bring to boil and once the consistency reaches the boiling point, simmer on low flame till the water gets evaporated, cover with a lid if possible. Cook till the vegetables get completely cooked. Turn off the flame once done and garnish with grated coconut. Serve warm as a Side Dish.

Here is another way of cooking Ivy Gourd -

Seared Ivy Gourd - Tendley Talasaani

Tomato Vegetarian Omelette

Tomato Vegetarian Omelette - An easy breakfast Dosa recipe which works wonders on the taste buds with the crispness, mild mish-mash of vegetables - Tomatoes and Onions with the occasional bits of Coriander leaves.

My mom made this Dosa for breakfast when we were kids and I was whole heartedly led to believe that I am eating an Omelette. Later, as I grew up I came to the understanding that this Dosa is indeed Eggless and is a Vegetarian Omelette. Hence the name, Tomato Vegetarian Omelette. The crunch with the subtle flavours of Tomatoes is what I like about this recipe. Kids in my family love this Dosa and its a nice way to pick on the fun element of the 'Vegetarian' concept of Omelette. Especially with the tiny tots, it is fun to create a surprise dish and ask them to spot the ingredients. This also enables to enhance the kids to improve their cognitive and thinking abilities. My nephew calls this Dosa 'Amoeba Dosa'. :) This recipe was a sure shot formula for my Mother to have the kids wake up early and be decked with the Plate, Fork and Spoon begging for their favorite Dosa. This recipe has fed mighty number of kids, cousins, nephews and nieces in my family and left many a tiny ones with loads of smiles and laughter.

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful Mom's in the world!!

I also liked Nupur's version of Tomato Omelette which you can check here.

Cooking time ~ 5 minutes

Preparation time ~ 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Maida or All Purpose Flour - 1 cup

Besan or Gram Flour 1/4 cup

Onions (very finely chopped) - 1/4 cup

Tomatoes (very finely chopped) - 1/2 cup

Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

Green Chillies (chopped) - 1

Red Chilli powder - 1/3 teaspoon

Salt

Water

Oil-Ghee

Method:

Mix in the Tomatoes, Onions, Coriander leaves, Green Chillies and crush them lightly. Add the Gram Flour and All Purpose Flour. Mix in to remove any lumps and to get a collective smooth consistency. Adjust the water as per consistency required. The batter should not be too thick nor thin. Add salt as per taste.

Heat a frying pan, add a ladle full of batter and spread like a Dosa. Slather Ghee on sides. Flip them once cooked on the other side. Cook completely and serve hot with dollop of Butter.

Suggestion: This Dosa can be a difficult one especially to achieve the exact circular shape owing to the vegetables. So, do not bother much, just slather the batter and enjoy the Dosa.

Potato Patties (Aloo Tikki)

A fairly simple recipe for a very easy ~ Aloo Tikki. A bag of Potatoes needed immediate attention. I vehemently decided to make Tikki's out of them. Easy to make Starter, tastes better when fried in Ghee. A few details got me thinking. Potato's composition includes 92% carbohydrates and is a rich source of Manganese, Potassium and Vitamin B6. Good to satiate the Carbohydrate cravings when your diet needs one. In North India, Aloo Tikki is a very popular festival food and is made during Vrat or Upaas e.g Karva Chauth. My friend from Delhi adores when the Tikki's come pipping hot on a platter as an offering partaken by the individual who has fasted for a long day, symbolising the end of fast.

I found a heap of simple and nutritious Potato based recipes on NY Times, click here to view them. This misconstrued vegetable can be used in many a dishes for thickness, taste and variety.

Preparation time ~ 20 minutes

Cooking time ~ 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Potatoes (boiled and mashed) - 3 cups

Corn Flour - 2 tablespoon

White bread chunks (eliminate the brown sides) - 1/3 cup

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Garam Masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Green Chillies (optional) - 1 teaspoon

Salt

Oil/ Ghee

Suggested Garnish: Mint Chutney or Tamarind Chutney

Method:

Boil and mash Potatoes. In a frying pan, heat few teaspoons of Ghee, fry the chopped green chillies. Add the Potato mixture, Corn Flour, White Bread chunks and Spice powders. Mix well and make palm sized Tikki's. In the same frying pan, fry the Tikki's with Ghee till the surface area of the Tikki's get a mild browned look and are completely cooked. Serve hot or warm as a snack. Garnish with Tamarind Chutney or Mint Chutney.

Bottle Gourd With Lentils (Lauki Daal)

Bottle Gourd or Lauki is a vegetable loaded with health properties and nutrients. I was thinking of ways and means of combining this vegetable into our daily diet. Personally, I love combining vegetables with Daal hence the recipe for a dinner meal ~ Lauki Daal. The combination provides healthy options for daily meals and the vegetables and is a great way to have an inclusive, healthy and nutritious option available at affordable price straight from the grocery store. This dish is good for quick dinner meals when you have less time and need the dinner ready in less than 30 minutes.


Thanks Indira from Mahanandi for this delicious recipe. I love her simple, tasty and earthy collection of recipes. The taste was subtle and wholesome. I made few changes to the seasoning ingredients since I wanted to elevate the taste and add some more heat.

Recipe adapted from Mahanandi
Cooking time ~ 10 minute
Preparation time ~ 15 minutes

Ingredients:
Bottle Gourd or Lauki (chopped) - 1 and 1/2 cup
Toor Dal - 1 cup
Onions (chopped) - 1/2 cup
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/3 teaspoon
Salt - As per taste

For seasoning -
Ghee - For frying
Garlic (chopped) - 1 teaspoon
Red Chillies - split into two (Byadgi variety) - 2
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 3-4

Method:
Wash Lauki and remove the hard skin. Chop them into pieces. Wash Toor Daal and add the chopped Lauki pieces along with Red Chilli powder, Turmeric powder and chopped Onions. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles or till the Daal gets mushy and soft. Allow to cool. Mash the concoction with a Masher to a smooth paste. If you prefer non-mushy consistency, do not mash and leave the concoction as is.

In a separate pan, heat Ghee. Once heated up, add Mustard seeds and Cumin seeds. Once they begin to pop, add Red Chillies and Curry leaves and chopped Garlic. Saute till Garlic is lightly browned. Turn off the flame and pour this seasoning onto the Daal. Close the lid. Mix Daal with seasoning while serving with warm Rice and a teaspoon of Ghee. Serve with Vodee/ Vadams on the side.

Set Dosa (Mushti Polo)

Its strange how two different breakfast items eaten at different places coincide, only to be realised years later as almost similar tasting breakfast items. When I was a child, I loved eating Mushti Polo and Mom ensured she made this often because I loved it a lot. Years later I discover the same Dosa at various Sukh Sagar joints in Bangalore. In Bangalore, these Dosa's are termed as Set Dosa. Confused I recall asking my mother about this strange confusion and she informed that its the same recipe used for both, albeit the nomenclature is different and the recipe remains the same.

In Bangalore, if you frequent any Sukhsagar or Darshini joints, an order of Set Dosa would fetch you a set of 3 Dosa's nicely fried and done in Ghee, served with dollops of Chutney and Vegetable Kurma on the side. These joints are very popular with the working population and open up for public at the crack of dawn.


Mushti is a Konkani word signifying 'a closed fist'. This recipe calls for one Mushti of Urad Dal for a cup of Rice hence the name Mushti Polo. The taste is very delicious and the Dosa tastes even better with Red Chillies Coconut Chutney ~ Byadgi Mirsaangi Chutney. I prefer making the dosa in summer since the batter very rarely ferments to the perfect and optimum level required during cold winters. This time around, since it was a hot summer day, the batter fermented well and the outcome was good. The Dosa's are soft, spongy and taste best when cooked on 'one side only' and served with spicy Chutney.

Preparation time ~ 24 hours (including soaking time)
Cooking time ~ 5 minutes

Ingredients:
Urad Dal - 1/2 cup
Rice (Dosa Rice or Sona Masoori variety) - 2 cups
Fenugreek seeds - 1 teaspoon
Flattened Rice or Thick Poha - 3/4 cup
Salt - as per taste
Oil/ Ghee - For frying
Water - For batter consistency

Method:
Wash Urad Dal and Rice in ample of water till water is clear. Soak Urad Dal, Rice and Fenugreek seeds in water for 4-6 hours. Grind to a fine paste along with Flattened Rice after washing the Flattened Rice thoroughly with water. Blend to a smooth paste which is neither too thick nor thin. Do not add salt at this stage. Allow to ferment in a warm oven or a cool dry place. Upon fermentation, there would be bubbles formed on the surface area of the batter and the batter quantity would double.
Once fermented, add enough salt and adjust consistency. Heat a Dosa frying pan. Take a ladle full of batter, spread the batter evenly and slather Ghee on sides. Fry the Dosa only on one side which means one need flip the Dosa to fry on the other side. I fried on both sides since my husband prefers them crispy. Serve hot with Chutney of choice.