Horsegram Side Dish - Konkani style (Kulith Upkari)

Horsegram also known as Kulith in Konkani is a popularly used pulse. I've earlier blogged about Kulith Saaru, a family favorite and Kulith Koddel, which is another personal favorite dish. Once cooked, Kulith beans pack a powerhouse of energy and are equally high in Calcium and Protein. In India, its also popularly cooked and offered to cows as cattle feed.

Kulith Upkari, a side dish made in many Konkani homes pairs well with Rotis. Strangely, it was not the most sought after dish in my parents home nor in my grandparents home. Guess, the default option was always a Koddel because it was a one pot meal and fed many mouths. Much respite and easier day for the home cook!

Kulith Upkari 
A Konkani style side dish made with Horsegram

Prep Time: 6-10 hours
Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
Horsegram (soaked, pressure cooked) - 3/4  cup

For Seasoning -
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red Chillies (split into two) - 2
Green Chillies (slit lengthwise) - 1
Curry leaves - a sprig
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Coconut oil

For Garnish -
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp

Method:
Clean the beans and remove any grime and dirt. Wash and rinse in multiple changes of water. Soak for 8-10 hours. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles. Allow to cool. Save the stock of cooked beans for  making Kulith Saaru.
In a deep bottomed vessel, heat a few spoons of coconut oil. Once the oil is hot enough, season with mustard seeds. Once the seeds splutter, add the curry leaves and broken red chillies. Add the asafoetida now and give a good stir. Transfer the cooked beans to the seasoning, give a good mix. Season with salt, sprinkle 1/2 cup of warm water and cover with a lid. Cook for 5-10 minutes by bringing to boil and then simmer away. Once done, garnish with grated coconut. Fish out the chillies if required before serving. Serve with Rotis or as a side dish.

Fenugreek Leaves Saar (Methi Palle Saaru)

Ma makes a soupy broth (Saaru) out of almost any leafy green vegetable available in the season and it tastes sublime yet delicious. On a whim of being experimental, I tried this recipe inspired by that idea and it turned out great. I enjoy bitter flavor, found prominently in Fenugreek leaves and Bittergourds, so did not find it overwhelming. If you are not used to bitter flavor, then you could pass off this recipe. 

Fenugreek leaves are found in abundance and the best lot arrives during cold and crispy winters. From a culinary standpoint, the leaves get along fabulously with garlic. Use Ghee for seasoning, it adds a good, soothing and subtle flavor. The tangy tamarind extract camouflages the bitter flavor of the leaves and once cooked, the tangy and bitter flavors balance each other out. Add a little more extract than you would normally add for this broth.

~ Fenugreek Leaves Saar ~
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:
Fenugreek Leaves (tightly packed) - 5 cups
Green Chillies (slit inserted) - 2
Turmeric powder - just a pinch

Coconut (fresh or frozen) - 2 tbsp
Tamarind pulp extract - 1/2 cup
Jaggery - 1/2 tsp
Salt

For Seasoning -
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Garlic (crushed) - 4 flakes
Red Chillies (split into two) - 2
Ghee

Method:

Wash and rinse the leafy greens. Clean and pick only the fresh and tender leaves and leave out the stem. Chop the leafy greens in large shreds and keep aside. In a skillet, heat a tsp of ghee and lightly sear the green chillies. Add a small slit to allow the pressure to escape. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate. Add the leaves now, add a pinch of turmeric powder and allow them to sweat. The leaves will wilt in size leaving a bitter aroma. Turn off the flame and transfer to a plate, allow to cool. Once cooled partially, grind to a smooth paste with seared green chillies and coconut. Add little water to bring about a good consistency. Bring this paste to boil in an iron kadhai. Add the jaggery, once it melts and mellows, add the tamarind extract and add water if required. Adjust salt as per taste. Cover with lid on and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Once done, in a small frying pan, heat tad bit ghee and once hot enough, season with mustard seeds. Once the seeds splutter, add curry leaves, red chillies followed by garlic. Pour this seasoning on the cooked broth and cover with a tight lid. Serve warm with rice.

Red Chori Beans Curry in Coconut with Raw Green Jackfruit - Konkani Style (Bagdo Kadgi Koddel)

Koddel is a Konkani preparation commonly made in all Konkani homes. When Garlic is used for the seasoning, some also call it Bendi. I like to pair the beans with seasonal vegetables like Chinese Potato (Kooka), Raw Green Jackfruit (Kadgi) or Plantain Stem (Gabbo). Since Raw Green Jackfruit  (the canned variety) is easily available here, I use it often.

The beans used for this recipe is Red Chori Beans, known as Bagdo in Konkani. The beans are easily available in Indian stores all over US. I paired them with Phulkas and Salad.

~ Bagdo Kadgi Koddel ~

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Red Chori Beans/ Cow Beans/ Bagdo - 1 cup

Raw Green Jackfruit (semi-cooked, cleaned) - 14 oz. 

Salt

Koddel Masala -

Grated Coconut - 3/4 cup

Tamarind pulp - 1 tbsp

Red Chillies (Byadgi variety) - 3-5

Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

For Seasoning -

Garlic pods (peeled and crushed) - 3-5

Coconut Oil 

Method:

Clean, rinse and soak the beans overnight or for 8-10 hours. In a small frying pan, heat a few spoons of coconut oil and roast red chillies. Grind to a smooth paste along with grated coconut, turmeric powder and tamarind with little water. Pressure cook the beans with tad bit salt for couple of whistles. Allow to cool.

In a deep bottomed vessel, bring the masala to boil. Add water as per consistency required and add the Jackfruit pieces. Simmer on low flame for 5-8 minutes till completely cooked. In the same frying pan used before, heat a few spoons of coconut oil and saute crushed garlic pods. Once light brown, pour the seasoning over the cooked curry and cover with a lid. Mix before serving. Pair with steamed white rice or Phulkas/ Rotis.

Note: The seeds are very delicate and tender once pressure cooked. Do not stir a lot, else they turn mushy.

White Pigeon Peas in Coconut - Konkani Style (Dhavi Tori Ghashi)

Come winters, beans, lentils and legumes of different sorts gain the center stage in my kitchen. Sometimes, out of necessity and more often out of need. Its easier to fix up dinner with a bag of beans than run to do groceries in chilly weather where fighting windchill, getting a frostbite on your hands and ears are more scarier than managing with what you have in the kitchen. For one, I choose to go with latter. I am also glad that  I have the choices which folks belonging to my generation happily use and choose. For instance - frozen meals, canned food (BPA free variety if you are very picky), frozen package of individual or mixed vegetables, prepared foods if you are too sick to cook which make your life a bit easier. If everything else fails, there are plenty of restaurants/ pizzerias which will gladly deliver food at your doorstep.

White Pigeon Peas - Raw and Soaked

I used this particular type of bean found in Southern India. Its known as Pigeon Peas in English. In Konkani cuisine, the beans are known as Tori and there are two different varieties of this bean - white one (Dhavi Tori) and black one (Kali Tori). I had earlier posted a recipe on the black variety of this bean here. The bean is very tasty, has a tad bit nutty and creamy flavor and the skin has a tough texture, but packs quite a punch when used in curries and gravies.

Ghashi is a particular variety of Konkani curry which has the regular masala of coconut, red chillies and tamarind. The finish is provided with a seasoning of mustard seeds, curry leaves and cumin seeds. My Ma and Grandma avoided the use of Cumin seeds for the seasoning, I follow the same practise. I have used Yam (Suran) as a complementary vegetable in the curry.

~ Dhavi Tori Ghashi with Suran ~

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30-45 minutes

Ingredients:

White Pigeon Peas / Tori (Dhavi Tori) - 1 cup

Yam (Suran) [Fresh or frozen] - 1 cup

Coconut Oil

Salt

Ghashi Masala -

Grated Coconut - 3/4 cup

Tamarind pulp - 2 tbsp

Red Chillies (Byadgi variety) - 3-5

Turmeric powder - a pinch

For Seasoning -

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

Clean and soak the beans overnight and pressure cook them for couple of whistles along with Yam if you are using the fresh variety. Save the stock for Saaru. 

Heat a spoon of oil in a small frying pan and roast the red chillies on low flame. Allow to cool. Grind to a smooth paste along with grated coconut and tamarind. Bring the beans to a boil, adjust salt and add the ground masala and Turmeric powder. If you are adding frozen Yam, add it at this stage. Once thoroughly cooked, turn off the flame. This process takes around 15-20 minutes.

In the same frying pan used before, heat a few spoons of coconut oil and season with mustard seeds. Once they begin to pop, add curry leaves and red chillies. Pour this seasoning over the cooked curry, cover with a tight lid. Mix before serving with Rotis/ Steamed Basmati Rice.

Curry Leaves Rasam (Karibeva Saaru)

Few days back, I happened to buy two packets of Curry Leaves from Indian grocery by mistake. Curry leaves are known as Karibeva Pallo in Konkani. The problem is the leaves dry very soon in the crisper of my fridge and the potency is lost in the bargain. Ma suggested a Rasam (Saaru) she has been making using these leaves and she uses this recipe when she has a huge bunch of these leaves. The recipe is very similar to Lemon Saaru recipe, but I tweaked it a bit. The taste is spicy and tangy, a bit unique for my palate.

Few of my friends get roughly powdered  curry leaf powder (home made) which sees them for a few weeks after they arrive to US. Some even oven roast, dry and crush the dry leaves to a powder and store for long term use.

Curry leaves bright and green

Curry Leaves have the following health benefits -
- They help is eye sight and hair growth.
- They aid in weight loss.
- Its also believed to be useful for memory growth and enhancing better cognitive abilities.

In India, everyone owns a Curry Leaf sapling or a shrub (if they are lucky) in their backyard. Its easier to distribute amongst your friends and family which is invariably how my mother ends up with a huge loot of these leaves. In US, no such luck. Whenever I buy those small plastic packets stuffed with the bright green leaves for $ 0.50 at Indian grocery, I feel a bit sad. Its like hapless splurge! In hindsight, I better not grumble as some of my closest friends have to drive for good 15 miles to reach Indian grocery and get their groceries for the week. A sense of self-imposed optimism always works well they say. I envision that some day when I own a backyard of my own, I will plant a Curry Leaf sapling first.

~ Curry Leaves Rasam ~
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
Curry Leaves - 4-5 sprig
Grated Coconut (fresh or frozen) - 1/2 cup
Green Chillies (make a tiny slit in the centre of each of the chilli) - 2
Tamarind pulp - 1/3 cup
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt
Ghee/ Oil

For Seasoning -
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red Chillies (split into two) - 1

Method:
In a small frying pan, heat a tsp of ghee/ oil, sear the green chillies gently. Be careful and make sure to make a slit else sometimes due to pressure built in, the chilli seeds fly everywhere. Once blisters are formed on the skin, keep them aside and allow to cool.
In the same pan, roast curry leaves and allow to cool. Grind the roasted green chillies, curry leaves, coconut (grated) to a smooth paste with salt and a pinch of turmeric powder. Bring this paste to a gentle boil, add little water, turmeric pulp and adjust consistency and salt as required and cook till the raw flavor of curry leaves goes off. The reduction allows flavors to concentrate.
In the same frying pan used before, heat a tsp of ghee/ oil. Once the ghee/ oil is hot enough, season with mustard seeds. Once they begin to splutter, add cumin seeds and curry leaves. Pour this seasoning on the cooked broth, cover with a lid. Serve hot with cooked white rice.

Cucumber Idli - Kadamb (Taushe Idli)

Do not know if I have ever confessed but I love one salad vegetable a lot - Cucumbers. This all began when Ma would insist that we eat one salad item as kids (which we hated at that time). I began with Cucumbers and Baby Onions. Few times, I would use Small Baby Onions and slather them in lime juice and salt (the ones we get in South Canara). They are available in the local markets as Bundled Onions (Ghonche Piyav) and are usually sold as a cluster of 20-30 onions. We always had 2-3 of the bundles as reserve stock in my Ammama's (Grandma) pantry comprising of vegetables, lentils, pulses, spices and flours. All the grand kids would compete on who would jump higher to grab the onions from the bundle. She would tie them with Plantain threads (Vayu) and suspend them to an iron rod which was hung between the wooden beams. We had traditional wood ceiling in our grandparents home. She would stock up Chinese Cucumber (Magge) and Ash Gourd (Kuvale) in this fashion.

My Ma made Cucumber Cake in the traditional Aluminum oven with sand at the bottom during our summer vacations. The cake was baked on the gas stove on very low flame cooked for a long period of time. The cake was so big that we would never be able to finish all of it. Some of the portions went to our extended family and friends. She also occasionally makes Cucumber Dosa (Taushe Bhakri) which turns out very tasty. A special variety of Cucumber which are pale light green skinned are best for this variety of Dosa. This is usually available during monsoon season in India. Another item Ma frequently makes is Cucumber Idli. Its also known as Taushe Kadamb. I wanted to steam these Idlis at home on many occasions but the lack of essential ingredient - Turmeric leaves (Haldi Paan) held me back. This time, I had a good stock of them and used the fresh leaves for the Idli. My Ma uses dried Curry leaves stem (Shigir in Konkani) to stitch the Idli containers made from Jackfruit leaves also known as Khotto. I used our good old toothpick to stitch the leaves together. The aroma wafting in the kitchen when the Idlis are steaming is simply awesome. It takes me right back to my parents home. 

The Idli is supposed to be eaten with fresh home made butter (Loni) and is best enjoyed when eaten straight out of the steamer when its piping hot. The essence of Turmeric leaves seeps in the Idli thereby taking it a few notches higher in terms of flavor and uniqueness of this Idli. I have also tried to steam the Idlis in pressure cooker (without the whistle) and they turned out fine. Take your pick for choice of steamer. Either ways, the result should be the same. The preparation is a bit labor intensive but the taste compensates for all the hard work.

~ Taushe Idli - Kadamb ~

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4-6 Idlis

Ingredients:

Cucumber (Grated, seeds removed) - 1 and 1/4 cup

Idli Rava - 1 and 1/4 cup

Grated Coconut (fresh or frozen) - 1/4 cup

Salt

For Steaming -

Turmeric leaves - 4

Toothpick 

For Garnish -

Home made Butter cubes

Contraption -
Idli moulds - 6

Method:

Lightly rinse the Turmeric leaves. Cut a tiny portion from the tip and the bottom of the leaf. Dab the leaves with a kitchen towel to absorb any excess moisture. Allow to dry on a mat.
Peel the cucumbers and remove the seeds. Grate it using the biggest holes on the box grater (I use a box grater which has many options for grating). Collect the cucumber water as well and do not discard it.

Once done, measure the amount of grated coconut. Add equal amount of Idli Rava. Add salt and keep it aside. The water from cucumber is absorbed by Idli Rava. Keep aside for 30 minutes. Heat water in an Idli steamer. Lightly grease the Idli moulds with Oil. Once the water in the Idli steamer is hot enough, mix the grated coconut to the previously mixed batter.
Place the leaves inside the Idli mould and pour the batter inside the mould lined with turmeric leaves. Bring the edges together and stitch it with a toothpick. Steam with the lid on for 15-20 minutes.
Check if done using a knife. Leave aside for couple of minutes and unmould by running the knife across the circumference of the mould. Serve hot with a cube of butter.

Step-by-Step Illustration -
1. Rinse the Turmeric leaves, dab the extra moisture with a towel and dry them out in a cool place.

2. Grease the Idli mould with oil, add the turmeric leaves one at time in each mould as shown.

3. Add the batter over the lined turmeric leaves and stitch the two ends of the leaf with a toothpick.
Steam for 15-20 minutes in an Idli steamer.

Pumpkin Side Dish - Konkani Style | Pumpkin Sukke (Duddya Sukke)

Pumpkin is the flavor of the season. I see Pumpkins in all shapes and sizes appearing at the local grocery store. Lucky me, our local grocery store sells slices of Pumpkin. They are individually cling wrapped and packed which makes grub-for-two a snap.

Ma makes use of Pumpkin (Duddi in GSB Konkani) for Gajbaje, Duddya Sukke, Duddya Phodi. Recently, I was craving for the sweet and spicy flavor of Sukke. Sukke is a quintessential Konkani dish and typically has a semi-dry to dry texture. More often than not, its served as a side dish. The highlight of this dish is the finish, which is garlic seasoning aided with coconut oil. It certainly offers a different layer of flavor to the dish. Since its made with Coconut, I prefer to pair it with a lighter dish like Tomato Rasam (Saaru) etc. One could also pair it with Phulkas/ Rotis. If you like the marriage of sweet and spicy, then you are ought to love this simple dish.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING ALL!!

~ Duddya Sukke ~
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
Yellow Pumpkin (skin peeled, diced into chunks) - 3 cups
Jaggery - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Coconut Oil

For Sukke Masala -
Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
Urad Dal - 1 tbsp
Red Chillies - 3-4
Grated Coconut (fresh or frozen) - 3/4 cup

For Seasoning -
Garlic cloves - 5-6
Coconut Oil

Method:

Wash the Pumpkin and trim the tough skin from the surface. This can be a bit difficult considering that the skin is a tough one. Dice the Pumpkin into chunks of 1/2" each and set aside.

In a pan, heat a teaspoon of oil and roast Coriander seeds, Urad dal, Red chillies on low-to-medium flame. Allow to cool completely. Grind to a smooth paste with grated coconut and little water. Save the rinsed water as reserve to be added later.

In the same pan, heat the ground paste and add the Pumpkin pieces now. Mix gently so that the masala coats all the pieces evenly. Bring to a boil, add the reserved water, add salt, jaggery and cover with a lid. Let it simmer and cook till completely done and the nature of this dish is semi-dry to dry.

In a small frying pan, heat few teaspoons of Coconut oil. Crush the garlic cloves lightly and add to the hot oil. Allow the garlic to sear and brown lightly. Pour this seasoning all over cooked Pumpkin in masala. Mix gently and cover with a lid. Serve hot and pair with Tomato Rasam and cooked rice of choice or Phulkas.

Bansi Rava Upma | Broken Wheat Upma (Bansi Rava Rulav)

Any self-confessed Konkani would wax eloquent on his love or hatred for the most common breakfast item - Rulav or Upma. There are different variations followed by most homes, but the conventional Rulav recipe remains the same. You can either love it hate it, but the dish is here to stay. I am a self-confessed Rulav lover. Rulav is a Konkani version of Upma and is usually made with Ghee aided seasoning and bits of Cashew Nuts. In my home, we rarely use onions and vegetables for Upma hence by default the Upma always ended up being a sweeter version.

A specific type of Rava is used for this dish which is the darling of many Konkani homes - Bansi Rava. The rava is essentially broken wheat and upon cooking renders itself to a soft, smooth and chewy sago like texture but very pleasing for the palate. The tiny broken grains proliferate in size once they come in contact with hot water and since the broken pieces cook very fast, its become a very popular go-to breakfast dish. The tiny wheat granules are made from broken wheat and is a healthy and low-calorie alternative to high-carbohydrate items. The rava can also be used to make Masala Upma, Peas Upma, etc. The dish is very portable and holds well for lunchbox as well.

I am extremely fond of this Rava and could not find a similar tasting brand in US, so the only option for me was to lug a small bag and enjoy hot Rulav in chilly winter mornings for breakfast.

~ Bansi Rava Rulav ~

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

Bansi Rava - 1/2 cup

Sugar

Salt 

Ghee

For Seasoning -

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Green Chillies (split lengthwise) - 2

Red Chilli (split into two) - 1 

Urad Dal (split) - 1/2 tsp

Chana Dal - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - small pinch

Cashew Nuts (chopped) - 2 tbsp

Hot water - 1:3 (for any standard measurement)

1 part of Rava with 3 parts of hot water

For Garnish -

Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

Method:

In a deep dish, lightly toast the chopped Cashew Nut  pieces in little ghee. Once lightly browned, transfer to a separate dish. In a separate vessel, bring hot water to boil, add desired amount of salt and sugar in it and stir well. 

Add a bit of Ghee in the same pan used before for toasting Cashew Nuts and season with Mustard seeds. Once they begin to pop, add curry leaves and Green chillies along with one red chilli. Give a good shake and add the rava now. Toast it well on low heat till nutty aroma oozes from the rava and the color turns a shade darker. This process takes around 2-4 minutes.

Once the rava is toasty enough, add the hot water, give a gentle stir and cover with a lid. The rava cooks very fast in less than 7 minutes. Once water's evaporated, open the lid and garnish with grated coconut. Mix well and serve warm with Sev.

Jackfruit Chips (Ghare Karo)

Jackfruit Chips are one of my childhood favorite snack items. These chips are made from a special variety of unripe Jackfruit kernels which yield good, tasty chips. The kernel of Jackfruit from which the chips are made are known as Gharo (in Konkani), Karo implies chips hence Ghare Karo. 

Growing up, my grandparents' sprawling backyard had few of my favorite trees easily touching 50 metres in height. We had a massive Jackfruit Tree which was used for Ghare Karo, a large Mango tree which bore tangy-sweet Kairi, a sweet smelling Champa tree (Champe) which blossomed with divine smelling Champa flowers of light orange shade, followed by a medium high Guava tree which yielded  pink, ripe Guava (Peru or Pear) during summer season. Needless to say, our favorite summer activity was to raid the trees. My Grandfather (Ajja) was the only one who supervised the tree and chose the Jackfruits to be used for these chips. He loved the tree and guarded it like a pot of gold. The tree was in demand just for the chips and a source of joy for all of us. With the onset of summer, all cousins and relatives would call us to book for a Jackfruit from the tree. Later my Grandparents moved from that home and the tree was chopped off, only to retain the trunk. Everytime I visit India, I make a point to visit the old home. Large buildings have mushroomed, but the tree stands tall with the trunk sans the foliage, a silent testimonial to an era gone by.

The chips were made by all the family members as a joint activity. Three, strong red and crimson Laterite bricks held a wide mouthed Iron Kadhai which was used once a year, specially lugged and hauled from the family attic, cleaned and sun-dried. The entire cooking was done in the backyard. The flames went high and the heat left us teary eyed all the time. All the kids had paper cones ready to enjoy the fresh batch of these fried chips. We squealed with joy when the salt water was added to the oil, the sound only indicating that we would be enjoying the chips soon.

The biggest chore in making these chips is separating the kernel from the bark of Jackfruit which is a super labor intensive activity. The entire family participated in the activity by oiling their hands and pulling out the kernels, de-seeding them and then slicing them for the chips. Once done, the chips have to be stored in an airtight container. The chips remain fresh and crisp for 2 weeks if stored well.

~ Ghare Karo ~

Prep Time: 60 minutes

Cook Time: 10-15 minutes for each batch

Ingredients:

Jackfruit Kernel (Gharo) (sliced into thin strips) - 4 cups

Oil

Salt Water Concentrate -

Water - 1 cup

Salt - as per taste

Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp

*** Mix everything to form a solution ***

Method:

1. Slice the kernels into thin strips and keep aside. If they are wet, air-dry them by spreading them on a paper towel.

2. Mix all the ingredients of salt water concentrate to form a salty yellow solution. If the salt is less, the chips will not catch the salty taste. Adjust salt as per taste.

3. Heat oil in a big Kadhai and let the oil be smoking hot. Pour a handful of sliced pieces of Jackfruit and stir occasionally to prevent them from sticking to each other. Once they are done (they will get a reddish-orange color and will become crispy), add 2-3 tbsp. of the salt water concentrate. Give a good stir and pull them off heat and transfer to a paper towel to absorb excess oil. 

4. Store in airtight container and enjoy.

Note: The chips are made from unripe Jackfruit kernels. Not all unripe Jackfruit kernels are suited for making these chips.

Brinjal-Drumstick Sambhar (Gulla Maskasange Kolmbo)

Brinjals/ Eggplant are in season these days. Ironically, whenever I found a nice plump Eggplant, the freshly plucked Drumsticks were out of sight and vice-versa and that prevented me from making this Sambhar for the longest time. Finally, the day dawned and I found them both at the local Indian store and I was darn happy. This is a variety of Sambhar I grew up eating. Incidentally, this is my Dad's favorite dish and he enjoys this Sambhar served with cooked white rice along with Papad and Vodi.

In India, my parents use a special variety of Brinjal known as Gulla which is available only for a short time during particular months of the year in Udupi/ Mangalore region and surrounding areas. Since I can't find them here, I use the purple skinned Brinjal also known as Japanese Eggplant. Gulla is Eggplant, Maskansang is Drumstick hence Gulla Maskasange Kolmbo.

Another interesting thing about this dish is the vegetables cook quickly, all you need is boiled Toor Dal to put everything together. This in turn helps me save a lot of time and on a busy day it matters quite a lot. 

~ Gulla Maskasange Kolmbo ~

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Eggplant (diced into big chunky cubes of 2") - 5 cups
Boiled split Pigeon Peas/ Toor Dal - 2 and 1/2 -3 cups

Sambhar Powder/ Kolmbo Pitti - 2 tbsp

Drumstick (peeled and cut into 3" sticks) - 2 cups

Asafoetida - 1/5 tsp

Tamarind pulp - 1/2 tsp

Salt

For Seasoning - 

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry Leaves - 1 sprig

Ghee/ Oil

For Garnish -

Coriander leaves (finely chopped) - 3-4 tbsp

Method:

Rinse the vegetables, trim off the tip and stem of eggplant. Dice them into large chunks of 2" pieces. Peel the Drumstick with a peeler to get rid of the thick green fiber and cut them into sticks which are 3" long. Cook the vegetables with lightly watered down boiled Toor Dal. Bring to boil and simmer on low flame, covered with lid on till par-cooked.  This takes around 5-8 minutes.

Once par-cooked, add salt, add Sambhar powder, and tamarind pulp in little warm water. Mix well to get a smooth paste, add this paste to the boiled vegetable-daal broth - adjust salt, spice level, add asafoetida and adjust consistency as desired. Simmer for few minutes till completely cooked. Turn off flame and set aside.
In a small frying pan, heat few spoons of oil, season with mustard seeds and once they splutter  add curry leaves. Pour this seasoning over the freshly made Sambhar and garnish with chopped Coriander leaves. Mix few minutes before serving, goes well with cooked Basmati Rice.

Malabar Spinach Side Dish - Konkani style (Vaali Upkari)

Currently, the month of Shravan is going on. It also means lot of fresh vegetables and greens available in the market. 

For vegetarians it does not make a difference but strict non-vegetarians pine for the month to end to begin meat eating once again. I recently made Malabar Spinach side dish which is very tasty and simple to make. I make use of both leaves (Paan) and tender stem (Tarne Dentu) for this dish. This vegetable side dish is commonly made in many Konkani homes and finally garnished with grated coconut. A dash of red chilli powder is added to camouflage the bland taste of vegetable. The taste of this vegetable dish is an acquired one and it takes time to get acquainted to like it or for that matter hate it. I also enjoy Malabar Spinach Ambat with Papaya (Vaali Papayi Ambat).

~ Vaali Upkari ~

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Malabar Spinach | Vaali - 4-5 cups

Red Chilli powder - 1/3 tsp

Salt

 

For Seasoning -

Garlic pods (crushed) - 2 

Red Chillies (split into two) - 2 

Coconut oil 

For Garnish -

Grated Coconut (fresh or frozen) - 1/4 tbsp

Method:

Wash and rinse the spinach leaves and separate the tender stem from non-tender ones. Use the tender ones for this side dish. In a deep bottomed vessel, heat few spoons of coconut oil, once the oil is hot enough, season with crushed garlic and red chillies. Add the spinach leaves and tender stem now and adjust salt and add a dash of red chilli powder. Sprinkle a little water and bring to boil. The leaves wilt to 1/4 of the size once they cook. Simmer with lid on low flame till completely cooked. Garnish with grated coconut just before serving and serve warm as a side dish.

Mixed Vegetable Pickle (without Oil) - Konkani style

Mixed Vegetable Pickle is a popular Konkani pickle prepared with all winter fresh vegetables you can find. This is the way Ma makes it for us when the fresh bounty of winter vegetables surfaced in the markets. Of late, she has stopped making large batches of pickle because both of them cannot finish the batch and then it just gets wasted. The pickle Ma made was without oil and had lot of pickle liquor (nonche kholu). If there is one item which I refuse to buy from store then its got to be Pickle. I feel the flavor of home made pickle is a sure shot winner and you can also control the amount of sodium and oil content that goes in.

Every time I tell her I making a batch of pickle at home, she reminds me to sun dry the jars or sanitize them crisp and dry in the dishwasher. She even goes the extra mile by storing them in special pickle jars (Bharani) and covers the porcelain jars with tight cheesecloth on top to be used only during the rainy season, next year around. The husband is not a big fan of pickle, so I made a small batch just for me over the weekend. I did not add water so the pickle has a semi-dry consistency. Soon after the jar is ready, I store it in refrigerator after two days. The shelf life of this pickle is 1-2 months and goes well with Dosa, Idli, Paej and Parathas. Check here for elaborate notes on different types of Konkani pickles.

~ Mixed Vegetable Pickle (without Oil) - Konkani style ~

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Processing time: 5 minutes

The measurements are good for 4 cups of vegetables (approx.)

Ingredients:

Cauliflower (chopped into tiny florets) - 2 cups

Ivy Gourd [Tendle] (chopped into thin strips) - 1 cup

Carrot (chopped into thin strips)  - 3/4 cup

Ginger (peeled and chopped into tiny bits) - 1/4 cup

Lime (juiced and chopped into tiny bits) - 1/4 cup

Lime juice - 2 medium Limes

Salt

For Pickle Masala -

Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp

Red Chillies (Byadgi) - 10

Red Chillies (Harekala/ Guddi Mirsang) - 5

Asafoetida - 1/5 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Chop the vegetables and wash them well. Air dry on a cheesecloth or a paper napkin till the water content is gone. Add salt and lime juice, give a good toss and set aside for 2 hours.

2. In a mixer, add the red chillies and grind to a fine powder, add asafoetida now and turmeric powder and blitz for a while to mix it all up. Now, add mustard seeds and run the mixer once to crush it all up to a fine powder. Spread this powder on a plate and allow to cool completely. Once cooled off, mix the powder to the chopped vegetables and adjust salt as per taste (leave for 2 hours undisturbed). 

3. In a dry non-reactive jar, transfer the pickle. After 2 days, refrigerate for further use. Finish within 1-2 months. 

Note: If you live in tropical/ hot terrains, heat 1/3 cup of neutral oil (Vegetable or Canola oil). Allow to cool and pour over the pickle stored to prevent from any bacteria/ fungi attack and store in a cool place. Any kind of moisture ruins the pickle, so store it well.

Idli Sambhar

My all time favorite breakfast item is Idli-Sambhar. The Idlis made by Ma are pearl white, fine edged and spongy. While in school, Ma made this for us early morning on weekdays for which she woke up at the crack of dawn. For me, Idli is a sunny bright symbol of a happy childhood and growing up years. For the longest time, I presumed making a batch of Idlis got to be the simplest thing in the world. Well in my case, the story was little different.

I began cooking many years ago and my dishes since then have been quick and simple. I like my food but do not believe in spending long hours in the kitchen unless I am exceptionally motivated. So Idli was always pushed to the bottom of my list. Coming to the US, I spent many many months testing, trying, cooking Idlis which resulted in hard, stone like Idlis. A few times I chose to give up because the effort disappointed me to a great extent. Determined to master the recipe, I took the bull by the horns and took tiny baby steps. With every attempt I changed the recipe here and there, altered the fermentation approach, sometimes the ingredients and finally made it. This is a work-in-progress post, so will update with more notes as I move ahead with the blog. I stick to my mother's recipe finally because its given me best results. I also enjoy Idli Roast, Idli Usli from leftover Idlis from the previous day. I got to confess, sometimes Idlis are made in our house just to enjoy Idli Roast. :)

We both like Idlis which are a bit coarse and non-pasty (Raval in Marathi). I grind the Urad Dal and add Idli Rava (washed). The mould I use results in about 1" thick Idlis. Idli is super healthy, steamed, nutritious food, a complete meal when paired with Sambhar and good source of protein and carbohydrates. Ma garnishes Sambhar with chopped Coriander leaves which adds a unique aroma to the broth. Try different permutations and combinations (if you live outside India and in cold terrains) and eventually you will succeed.

~ Idli Sambhar ~

Prep Time: 8-10 hours (fermentation time)

Cook Time: 20 minutes + 15 minutes (to get the steamer to a rolling boil)

Idli 

Yield - 20 Idlis

Ingredients:

Idli Rice or Idli Rava - 2 cups

Urad Dal - 1 cup

Salt

Oil
Contraption needed - Idli Steamer/ Pressure cooker and Idli Mould

Method:

Wash the Urad Dal just couple of times and soak in filtered water (atleast 8 hours soak time required). Grind the Urad Dal till you get a soft batter which is thick (do not add too much water and if possible add some of the soaked water). Wash Idli Rava in water for few times and add this to the batter. Transfer the batter to a steel deep-bottomed vessel and cover with a loose fitting lid. Throw salt on top and keep a sheet pan below the vessel to prevent any spills. Leave the pilot light of the oven on all through the fermentation process.

The next morning, the batter volume will double up. Give a good mix and set aside. Grease Idli moulds with oil and add boil water in the Idli steamer (takes around 15 minutes). Add batter to fill half of the mould and place in the steamer side by side. Cover the lid tightly and steam on medium flame for 15-20 minutes. Once time has elapsed, check with a knife. It should come put clean. Unmould using a butter knife or a sharp pairing knife. Serve with Sambhar.

Notes:

1. Do not wash the Urad Dal a lot. The starch in Dal is essential for aiding fermentation.

2. Check if its a warm day. A warm day encourages wild yeast presence in air and supports fermentation.

3. Use Gota Ural Dal (whole) for softer Idlis. Second preference would be for split Urad Dal.

4. Once batter is ready, mix it well with your hands. The warmth from the body kick starts fermentation. Do it twice during the fermentation process for speeding up the process.

5. Do not cover the lid of the batter vessel tightly. Use stainless steel vessel for storing batter.

6. Use a little quantity of soaked water for grinding Urad Dal. 

7. Unmould the Idli as soon as you transfer from the steamer.

8. If the Idli rises in volume after adding in mould, its a good sign of complete fermentation.
9. If you live in a colder region, heat up the oven a little during winter time and avoid opening the oven door frequently once you put the batter in.

Sambhar

Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

Mixed Vegetables (finely chopped) - 4 cups

[Beans, Carrot, Cauliflower, Potato, Ivy Gourd, Onion]

Boiled Toor Dal - 1 cup

Sambhar powder - 2 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/5 tsp

Salt

For Seasoning -

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Oil/ Ghee

For Garnish -

Coriander leaves (chopped) - 3 tbsp

Method:

Rinse and chop the vegetables. In a deep bottomed vessel, boil the vegetables with little salt, turmeric powder and hot water (2 cups). Once par cooked, add the boiled Toor Dal, Asafoetida and Sambhar powder. Add enough water as per consistency desired. Bring to a boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes till completely cooked. Turn off the flame. In a separate seasoning pan, heat few tsp. of oil/ghee, season with mustard seeds and once they splutter, add curry leaves. Pour this seasoning on the soupy curry and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Cover with a lid and serve hot.

Poha Chutney ~ Konkani Style (Phova Chutney/ Phanna Phova)

Poha Chutney or Phova Chutney is a GSB Konkani breakfast staple made in many homes I know. It is also one of the breakfast/ tiffin items made during religious/ celebratory ceremonies like Weddings, Thread Ceremony etc. 

The chutney in question for this dish is very spicy, works well with thin beaten rice (Paatal Phovu). This is my Ma's recipe and she has been making this since we were kids. They are different variations in this recipe practiced by families based on culinary traditions followed. This recipe makes use of Sambar powder (Kolmbo Pitti) and is usually paired with Sev/ Upma or any mild tiffin item. This is a spicy dish, adjust the spice level as per choice.**

~ Phova Chutney ~

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Processing time: 10 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

Beaten Rice (Poha) - 3/4 cup

Red Chillies (Byadgi) - 2

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Grated coconut (fresh) - 2 tbsp

Konkani Sambar powder (Kolmbo Pitti) - 1 tsp **

Jaggery (optional) - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Rinse the Poha with little water. Squeeze out all the water and leave aside (traditionally, this is not done, but I find the flakes going dry if not rinsed earlier, so I rinse in little water and pat dry).

2. In a small pan, heat a tsp. of oil and saute two red chillies. Allow it to crisp well, then season with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Allow all of it to crisp without burning. Turn off the flame and allow to cool.

3. In a mixing bowl, add the seasoning items and crush lightly with your hand. Add the jaggery, sambar powder and grated coconut and mix well to make a collective coarse textured chutney. This is the Chutney for the Poha.

4. Add the Poha (wet) to the chutney and mix well. If it turns dry, sprinkle little water. Serve immediately with Sev/ Upma along with Tea/ Coffee.

Note: If you don't have jaggery, increase the amount of sugar. If you like the Poha with a little dry texture, skip the Poha rinsing step.

Seasoned Wheat Noodles (Govaa Shevya Usli/ Govaa Shevayi Phanna))

Last weekend was probably one of the best one we've had in a long time. For a change, it was great to be pampered with home style Konkani food and immerse ourselves in Konkani culture, talent shows, intellectual discussions and talks on heritage and the road ahead for preservation. Past weekend saw us attending Konkani Sammelan held at Edison, NJ. We had booked the tickets few months ago and were eagerly waiting to attend the event.

The Konkani Sammelan is a flagship event for the Konkanis in North America. The event was amazing with three days of fun fare and great food. I also got to taste some dishes which I had tried years ago at my Ammama's (Grandma's) place. Couple of pictures from Konkani Foodie were added in the slide show showcased at the Sammelan. For next few months, I will be preparing few dishes inspired by the Sammelan menu. Those eager to know the menu can access it from here.

Pre-made Wheat Noodles

Konkani Foodie also got featured in the Sammelan souvenir published, with a poem written by me on Konkani obsession with food dedicated to my dear mother. In addition, I got a chance opportunity to attend Creative Writing workshop which was graced by Shobhan Bantwal, one of my favorite commercial fiction writers. In addition, they had an interview with famous Iron Chef Floyd Cardoz who also spoke in detail about his love for home cooked food, his inspiration and selected few recipes which were judged my him for various categories as part of a cooking contest held during the Sammelan. I regret that I could not send my recipes for the contest, but a busy school year has kept me away from many things I love doing. One interesting thing said by Mr. Cardoz was - Know your food first before you go and explore a different cuisine. I ruminated on that thought for quite a bit. Few other dignitaries who attended the event were TV Mohandas Pai, Amrita Rao, Shyam Benegal and Kalpana Lajmi.

One of the days for breakfast, we had Shevya Usli which is a typical Konkani breakfast item. My palate was pleased and I remembered the dish so dearly. I have given my mother a lot of heartache over this breakfast staple which I lament and I'm certainly apologetic about. As a kid, for some weird reasons, I hated this dish and Ma constantly reminds me of the trouble I caused her. Shevayi is pre-made wheat noodles and Usli is seasoning, Govu means Wheat kernels. This dish is also known as Shevayi Phanna. These days, in specialty grocery stores in India, one gets variety of these noodles (Rice, Wheat, Ragi, Rulaav are the popular varieties available) which require a soak time of 20-30 minutes and can be cooked immediately for a super quick breakfast/ supper.

This spring, the husband's Uncle and Aunty visited us for an evening spend. One of the goodies they got for us were pre-made Wheat Noodles also known as Gova Shevayi. These noodles are not the commercially available kinds but are mostly hand-made and sold. It takes a bit of effort, but the taste of these noodles are a far cry from the popular semiya/ vermicelli brands. Back from Sammelan, I used the Shevayi immediately and felt transported to India. This Usli is neither sweet nor salty and the seasoning adds the extra kick. Instead of adding salt and sugar directly, I follow my Ma's approach - Add a solution of sugar and salt mixed and sprinkle it on the Shevayi. My Ma makes this Usli on special days when she observes Fast (Upvaas) or when she wants a special Saatvik diet.

~ Shevya Usli/ Shevayi Phanna ~

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Wheat Noodles (Govaa Shevayi) - 4 cups

Salt (1/2 tsp) + Sugar (1/2 tsp) mixed in 3 tbsp. water 

Coconut Oil

For Seasoning -

Urad Dal (split) - 1 tsp

Chana Dal  - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Green Chillies (sliced lengthwise) - 2

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

For Garnish -

Grated coconut (fresh or frozen) - 4 tbsp

Method:

1. Check the noodles if they dry enough, if they have moisture content in them, dry them in the sun till they are evenly dry.

2. Soak them in water for 20-30 minutes (regular room temperature water is fine but I soak them in hot water). Once done, they will proliferate in size and become a bit tender. Drain off the water and lightly crush them with your hands to break them gently.

3. Heat a deep dish pan and once hot enough, add coconut oil and season with mustard seeds and green chillies. Once they splutter, add curry leaves, Chana Dal and Urad Dal. Reduce the flame to medium and saute lightly for a minute till the Dal turns light brown. Add the soaked noodles now and mix well. Add the salt and sugar mixed in water now and give the noodles a good toss. Toss for 2-3 minutes till the noodles form a homogeneous mixture. Taste for spice and flavor. Turn off the flame and garnish with grated coconut.

Note - The pre-made noodles need to be stored well in a dry place away from moisture. The noodles turn bad as soon as they come in contact with moisture. Sun-dry or lightly toast in oven on low temperature for few minutes if they have absorbed moisture.

Potato Saung (Batate Saung/ Batate Song)

Potato Saung is a popular Konkani dish and has a great spicy kick to it. Yes, that's the actual name of a dish. But certainly a song of a different kind. The nomenclature of the dish never fails to amuse me.

Growing up, we had 5-6 Konkani families as friends and all of us loved to head out on Sundays for family picnics. Together, we explored all the lakes, beaches, temples, creeks, mountains, hills and brooks you could think of. That also explains my love for nature clad, scenic places especially the silent, calming solitude found on a seashore. The best part is since the decision of Picnic was always last minute, the food was prepared either the previous day or early morning on Sunday. Ma was responsible for one dish - Potato Saung which was typically paired with Shevai - Konkani Rice Noodles, served with a splash of coconut oil. Soon, she became an expert and I've never tasted a better one. The plain taste of Shevai goes well with the spicy fiery hot flavor of Potato Saung. The secret of a great tasting Potato Saung is in the usage of Coconut oil.

I like to pair Potato Song with Chapati/ Roti/ Paratha. The base of the Song Masala can be used to make other varieties like Chinese Potato Saung (Kooka Song), Mushroom Saung, etc. Beware, this dish has a fiery edge to it and is certainly not meant for the faint hearted. A day old Saung tastes even better.

~ Potato Saung ~

Preparation time: 30 minutes (includes pressure cooking for Potatoes)

Cooking time: 20-30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

Potatoes (peeled, boiled and cubed) - 4 cups

Onions (peeled and quartered) - 2 cups
Coconut oil
Salt

For Saung/ Song Masala -

Red Chillies (Byadgi variety [6] + Harekala [2] variety) - 8

Coriander seeds -  1 tbsp.

Chana Dal (optional) - 1 tsp.

Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp.

Tamarind - 1 tsp.

Method:

Boil Potatoes in the pressure cooker and peel, cube them and set aside. In a frying pan, heat a teaspoon of coconut oil and roast Red chillies along with Coriander seeds and Chana Dal. Dry roast for couple of minutes and allow to cool. Grind to a paste with little water, tamarind and coconut. 

In a deep bottomed dish, heat coconut oil and fry onions till they are translucent and lightly brown. Once the onions are cooked and browned, add the boiled potatoes and the ground masala, adjust salt as per taste, add water for more gravy and cook on medium flame for few minutes. Let it simmer for 5-8 minutes till the raw aroma goes off. Once cooked completely, turn off the flame and serve hot. This dish goes well with Roti or Rice-Dalithoi. 

Note - Coconut is added for consistency alone. Do not add a lot of it. Brown the onions lightly, this is a crucial step to get the right taste for the dish.

Raw Green Plantain Side Dish (Randayi Kele Talasaani)

Talasaani is a popular Konkani style of making side dish by searing vegetables. The method is just like Batate Talasaani/ Batate Bhajjunu Upkari but tasty nevertheless. On a rare day, I had two Raw Green Plantains (Randayi Kele in Konkani) which needed my attention. I made Randayi Kele Talasaani, the taste was delicious. This can also be a good substitute if you like deep fried/ shallow fried version of a vegetable. This preparation takes less oil, you could roast and add more oil to make it more tasty.

If you further conscious, use squirts of Pam Cooking spray instead of adding oil with a spoon. In last few years, my parents have made lot of changes to their diet and I have begun right away. Replacing regular flour with whole, adding salad/ fibre component to diet, eating fresh fruits and vegetables whenever possible instead of binge eating, portion control, checking on meat consumption, lots of water intake and including some form of exercise in your daily routine and last but not the least positive thinking rewards lot of benefits. Believe me, in the long run it does make a difference to your overall health and well being. I like to pair this dish with Dalithoi and cooked rice. 

~ Randayi Kele Talasaani ~

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Raw Green Plantain (cut into 1/4" strips) - 2 cups

Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.

Salt

Coconut Oil

For Seasoning -

Red Chillies (Byadgi) - 2

Garlic Jumbo pods (crushed lightly) - 2

Method:

Wash and rinse the raw green plantain and peel off the skin (just one layer). Cut them into thin strips of 1" size and keep aside. In a frying pan, heat at least 3 tbsp. of oil and season with crushed garlic. Once garlic turns light brown, add the red chillies split into two. Lower the flame and add the plantain strips, add turmeric and red chilli powder. Increase the flame to medium now and roast the vegetable. Add little oil if the vegetables are going dry. Sprinkle water couple of times, the vegetables cook quickly (I sprinkled two times with a gap of 5 minutes). Toward the end once the vegetable is cooked, add little oil and roast well. Turn off flame. Serve with warm cooked rice and Dalithoi.

Note - Chop the vegetables into 1/4" narrow strips, so that they cook faster and evenly. For best results, use Coconut oil.
 

Rosematta Rice Dosa (Ukhdo Tandla Bhakri)

After contemplating for several months, I finally bought a 20 lbs. bag of Rosematta rice last year. Rosematta Rice also known as Kerala Red Rice/ Matta Rice/ Palakkadan Rice is easily available in few Indian groceries and is very nutritious as compared to its counterpart, Basmati or Sona Masoori Rice which is a part of our regular diet. Eating it frequently needs a certain acquired taste which comes with time. Since the bag is huge in quantity I wanted to be completely sure before I buy it. For so long, my Red Rice stash from India came to my rescue and it dwindled very fast. I like Soupy Red Rice (Ukhde Paej) and Cooked Red Rice (Ukhde Sheet).

Ma also made this tasty, crispy Bhakri out of Red Rice for breakfast. Do not mix this with its familiar counterpart - Akki Roti or Tandla chi Bhakri, both are different from this Bhakri. At one point as a kid, I went through a phase of only-Bhakri-for-breakfast, so much to my Ma's chagrin that she had to pull all the stops to make me eat something else. In my home, both of us like the taste of this Dosa - its soft, has the nutty taste of Rosematta rice and is very filling for breakfast. Best part the whole process is fermentation free. My Dad loves eating the Bhakri with fresh home churned butter, Loni which Ma makes everyday without fail. On few days, he also prefers honey and he promptly tells me his sugar level is low. Dad still loves the Bhakri with a dollop of butter dunked on top. Come to think of it, my late Grandma often told me that her MIL never made Chutney and the entire family had Dosa paired with Honey or Butter. A very odd combination for me but I certainly see why they like it. The diffident me stays away from butter and enjoys plain Bhakri paired with spicy Pitti Chutney powder.

~ Ukhdo Tandla Bhakri ~

Preparation time: 8-10 hours

Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Yield: 12-15

Ingredients:

Rosematta Red Rice - 1 cup

Grated Coconut (fresh or frozen) - little less than 1/2 cup

Salt

Oil/ Ghee for frying

Contraption: Cast Iron Pan if possible

Method:

1. Wash and rinse the rice in multiple changes of water to get rid of grime and dirt. Once the water is clear enough, soak the rice in 3 times the quantity of water overnight.

2. Next day, blend the rice along with grated coconut to a stiff paste with little water which is thick and non-runny but easily spreadable. Adjust salt as required.

3. Heat a cast iron pan. Ladle a tablespoon of the batter (just to the size of a pancake) and drizzle oil/ghee on the sides. Flip them after 5 minutes and fry on the other side. Once crisp and light brown on surface, serve hot with a dollop of butter or with Pitti Chutney powder.

Note - The balance of grated coconut and rice is crucial for Dosa. If coconut is more, the dosa would be crumbly and fall apart, if coconut is less, the dosa sticks and is difficult to flip over. The shelf life of batter is only 2 days since coconut is added. Use cast iron pan for best results.

Sol Kadi with Ajwain (Owya chi Sol Kadi/ Ove Sol Kadi)

I relish Sol Kadi and enjoy the soothing beverage during warm summer days.

I like adding Ajwain in my daily cooking, so more often than not, it gets limited to Pakoras which I don't make very often. Ajwain is known as Bishop's weed or Carom seeds. It is known as Owa in Marathi and Ovo in GSB Konkani. Recently, I was on a pantry clean-up spree and I found a jar of Ajwain lying in the far dark corner of my kitchen shelf. I knew I had to use it immediately and found this recipe scribbled in my recipe journal.

I made this Sol Kadi with Ajwain and Pepper Corns, it turned out delicious. My Ma makes this on days when she observes special diet for e.g no onions and garlic or a fast for Sankashti/ Vinayaki. One of my Pachi (Aunt) who hails from Goa also makes this version at home. My Ma learned the approach from her. I enjoy this Kadi for the tangy flavor rendered by Kokum shells which mingles beautifully with mildly pungent taste of Ajwain. In GSB Konkani, Ajwain is known as Ovo, hence Ove Sol Kadi.

Carom Seeds | Ajwain

Ajwain/ Carom seeds/ Bishop's weed packs quite a lot of health benefits:

- Ajwain is effective due to its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-spasmodic properties.

- It is effective for stomach infection, stomach ache and flatulence (gas).

- It is helpful for tooth ache, ear ache and relaxes muscle pain.

- It is effective for stomach pain when eaten with a little salt. 

~ Ove Sol Kadi ~

Preparation time: 60 minutes (includes soaking time)

Processing time: 10 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

Kokum Shells - 5-8

Thick Coconut Milk (Canned or freshly extracted) - 1 cup

Green Chillies (slit lengthwise) - 2

Salt

Ground to a fine paste -

Grated coconut (fresh or frozen) - 2 tbsp.

Green Chilli (seared in oil) - 1

Ajwain (Carom seeds) - 1/2 tsp

Whole Black Pepper Corns - 5-7

For Garnish (optional) - freshly chopped Coriander leaves bits - 1 tsp.

Method:

1. Soak Kokum shells in approx. 3/4 cup of cool water along with two slit green chillies.

2. In a small frying pan, sear a green chilli in very little oil. Be careful as the chilli bursts due to pressure with seeds flying in all directions. Allow to cool.

3. Grind the seared green chilli, ajwain and whole black pepper corns to a paste along with fresh grated coconut. Add little water just enough to get a smooth paste.

3. Extract thick coconut milk out of one fresh coconut (approx. one cup). One can substitute with canned Coconut Milk. Add this to the Kokum water along withe ground paste. Adjust salt as per taste. Mix well. Discard or retain  green chillies and Kokum as per choice. Serve with warm rice.