Sprouted Mung Bean Curry with Cashew Nuts - Goan Style (Mung Gaathi with Biyo)

Sprouted Mung Gaathi with warm Phulkas

HAPPY DIWALI TO ALL MY READERS!! MAY THERE BE LIGHT AND PEACE IN YOUR LIVES...

I am just back from India vacation and its taking a lot of effort on my part to get back to the daily routine. Ma pampered me a lot and now I have to force and drag my homesick self to the kitchen. Given a chance she will gladly cook for me day and night (I kid you not!) but this time I put my foot down and said NO. Many times we had home style lunches and dinners and we also went out often and met most of my family members and relatives. I am glad that Ma got some break due to the outings. Sometimes I get very annoyed seeing her in the kitchen all the time. I also realize that my parents have grown old and do not have the same energy levels as before. I was delighted to spend my time with my parents and together we had a gala time. We enjoyed out time together and chatted till our jaws ached. Now, back home its not an ideal situation but I am learning to move along though I'm feeling homesick yet again.

While in India, I got to know about Sandy and the mayhem she caused everywhere on East Coast of USA. I spent long hours watching CNN and the destruction left me teary eyed. My area has been badly affected as a result of Sandy. I see rebuilding and reconstruction effort everywhere and it makes me sad to see nature's fury which sometimes lies beyond the human realm of control. Things are getting better and slowly, bit by bit every effort is being made to ensure things are back to normal. For now, I don't have access to Indian groceries and I am managing with what I can procure from my local stores.

One of my favorite ingredients to cook with is sprouted Mung Beans. There is a different sort of deja vu when you soak the seeds, see them germinate and then the beautiful sprouts peeking out of the seeds - such a tiny experiential joy yet, so nurturing and nourishing. Ma often reminds me to eat them because of the cooling properties of Mung Beans especially the sprouted ones. 

Back home, Ma makes two varieties of sprouted Mung Beans - Muga Ghashi - Konkani style and Mung Gaathi - Goan style. Goan cuisine is close to my heart and part of my heritage as much as GSB Konkani food which is also a domineering part of my ethnic origin.

Mung Gaathi is often prepared on days when vegetarian diet is followed in Hindu homes which is on Monday and Thursday. My Maushi in Goa strictly follows the routine even to this day and by any chance if you reach home for lunch, you are sure to have a hearty thali served with one green vegetable, one bean/lentil/sprouts based dish, a small piece of stuffed Mango pickle (Bharlele Tor) and a shallow fried item. I had earlier posted a short-cut version here which I resort to when I don't have time. This recipe which I have posted today is a bit long drawn but made during festivals with cashew nuts. Typically, its paired with Puri/ Vade (made with Wheat flour and tad bit Rice flour). I have a small community of friends and family in Goa and everytime I visit them, they fondly remember my favorite dishes and make them for me without fail. Aren't they sweet? 

Today, years later when I tell my Aunts about my interpretation of their recipes, they gush and feel happy and nice. Gaathi as its called popularly in Goa has a thick, non-runny consistency and is often made with added Cashew Nuts/ Biyo or the tender version of these nuts available mostly during Yugadi/ Gudi Padva time in the market. They are also known as as Bibbo/ Bibbe/ Biyo. 

~ Mung Gaathi with Biyo ~

Prep Time - 8-12 hours of soak time

Cook Time - 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Mung Beans/ Green Grams (sprouted) - 3-4 cups

Jaggery - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 2 pinches

Salt

For Gaathi Masala -

Coriander seeds - 1 tsp

Black Pepper corns (whole) - 4-6

Grated coconut (fresh or frozen) - 1/2 cup

Green Chillies - 2

Red Chilli (Byadgi variety) - 1

For Seasoning -

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 4-5

Coconut Oil

Method:

Sprouting the beans - Soak the Mung Beans  in water overnight. Rinse the beans on day 2 and cover with a wet cheese cloth. On Day 3, tiny sprouts will spurt from the beans.

Par-cook the beans in hot water with turmeric powder, jaggery and salt. In a small frying pan, heat coconut oil and sear the green chillies. Make sure you slit the chillies else the seeds burst owing to high pressure built inside. Transfer to a plate and allow to cool. In the same pan, roast coriander seeds, red chilli and whole black pepper corns. No need to add extra oil. Roast for 2 minutes and allow to cool. Grind all of the above to a smooth and thick paste. Add this paste to the cooked sprouts and bring to boil. Simmer with lid on 5-10 minutes.

For seasoning, in a small frying pan, heat oil and season with mustard seeds once hot. Once they splutter, add curry leaves and turn off flame. Pour this seasoning on the curry and mix well. Serve hot with Puris/ Phulkas/ Vade.

Prawn Rice with Coconut Milk | Goan Kolambi Bhaat

Recently, at our local grocery, I found small Prawns in the seafood section. Its a rare discovery considering that the usually sell the slightly bigger, plump ones which I don't fancy. I made Goan version of Prawn Rice with Coconut Milk. The taste was awesome and I relished it to the core. In US, Prawns are popularly referred to as Shrimps and they sell different varieties - the shelled ones, cooked ones, semi-seasoned ones, de-veined and peeled ones.

I grew up in a community of a seafood lovers and was probably the only vegetarian amongst my friends for the longest time. Shrimps are expensive in India (atleast while I was growing up) and for every birthday party there was Shrimp Rice with Peas. Since I was the only vegetarian I had limited choices but I often wondered why my friends were crazy after Shrimp Rice. They would perpetually haggle and argue over who got more shrimps on their plate. I now know why they did that.  :-)

In GSB Konkani, Shrimps are known as Sungat and Kolambi in Marathi. Few of my favorite Shrimp recipes are Sungta Phanna Upkari (a spicy broth of shrimps cooked in onions and red chillies, Prawn Balchao (a spicy Goan pickle made with Shrimps in a vinegar based sauce), Prawn Koliwada (deep fried spicy Prawns cooked Koliwada style), Shrimp Dangar (a Goan shallow fried cutlet made with Shrimps) and Kolambi Bhaat (Prawn Rice cooked in coconut milk).

One can substitute coconut milk with water, but the taste is a distant departure from the original one. This recipe is from my Maushi from Mapusa, Goa. The days you find a bunch of big Prawns from the fish market, fret not. Just chop them up once cooked. In addition, she adds Tomatoes and Peas which I avoided. A dash of Goan Garam Masala gives the red color. If you omit it, you will get a pale jade like green shade for the rice.

~ Kolambi Bhaat ~

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Shrimp (peeled, deveined and cleaned) - 15-20

Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Lime juice - 1/2 tsp

Sea Salt/ Rock Salt

*** Marinate the cleaned Shrimp in all of the above and set

aside for an hour *** 

Rice (Long grain Basmati) - 1 cup

Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup

Coconut Milk - 1 and 1/2 cup

Red Onion (finely chopped) - 1 cup

Peas (cooked) [optional] - 1/2 cup

Tomato (finely chopped) [optional] - 1/2 cup

Cinnamon - 1" stick

Cloves - 3

Star Anise - 1

Goan Garam Masala - 1 tsp

Ginger paste - 1 tsp

Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Green Chillies paste - 1 tsp

Coconut oil 

Salt

 

Method:

Wash and rinse the Basmati rice. Soak in filtered water for 1/2 hour. Peel, devein and clean the Shrimps with sea salt to get rid of the smell. Pat dry and transfer to a zip lock bag. Add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and lime juice. Refrigerate for an hour.

In a non-stick pan, heat few spoons of coconut oil. Season with whole spices of Cinnamon, Cloves and Star Anise. Add very finely chopped onions and saute them till they turn reddish pink and wilt down. Add grated coconut now and roast it well. This process takes around 10 minutes. The flame should be on low-to-medium.

Add the ginger paste, green chilli paste and garlic paste now and saute till the raw flavor goes off. Add a hint of Turmeric powder for a golden glow. Add Goan Garam Masala powder and mix well. Add Peas and Tomatoes now and saute well. Fry this paste till the oil oozes off and it becomes semi-dry. Add the marinated shrimps now and toss to have an even coating of masala on the shrimp. Add Rice and toast it well, till you get a nutty aroma. Add 1/2 cup of water to coconut milk and mix well. Add this to rice and masala, mix well. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes, till completely done. Fluff it gently with a fork and leave undisturbed with lid on for 5-8 minutes. Serve warm with Raita.

Note - Sprinkle sea salt on shrimps, mix well and rinse them thoroughly with water. This helps to get rid of the sea smell and you can proceed with cooking thereafter.

Black Beans Goan Style Curry (Black Beans Tonak)

The peculiar tasting daily curry made in many Goan Hindu homes - Tonak is a personal favorite. I usually make Tonak with Goan Garam Masala. The masala is very potent and flavors curries and gravies perfectly. This curry is popular in Goan homes for breakfast, lunch or dinner and goes well with Goan Pao, pillow-soft freshly baked and sold by the local Poder at the crack of dawn, hence the dear dish every Goan adores to bits - Pao Tonak.

Cooked Black Beans

Different vegetables used for Tonak are Adsaney, Mushroom (monsoon special umbrella variety) and Yellow Peas. For some reasons unknown, the quality of Yellow Peas I get at my Indian grocery is very bad and part of the reason why I never make this dish often. Recently, I got my hands on Black Beans and I was sold to the idea of making Tonak with these shiny, black jewels.

The Black beans are a staple and regular part of many Mexican dishes like Mexican Black Bean Rice, Burritos stuffed with bean rice and Tortillas stuffing. I am smitten by the creamy flavor of the beans. Pair them with some fresh homemade Phulkas and your senses are sure to be vowed.

~ Black Beans Tonak ~

Prep Time: 8-10 hours

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

Black Beans (soaked overnight, pressure cooked) - 2 cups

Red Onion (finely chopped) - 1 and 1/2 cup

Grated Coconut - 1 cup

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Goan Garam Masala - 1 tsp

Salt

Coconut Oil

For Garnish -

Coriander leaves (chopped) - 2 tbsp

Method:

Soak the Black Beans overnight. The next day pressure cook them for couple of whistles with little salt. Drain and keep aside. 

In a Kadhai, heat few spoons of oil and saute chopped onions. Get them to a reddish pink color. Add grated coconut and roast this mixture together on a low-to-medium flame. Once the onions have wilted and are cooked down and the coconut gets a toasty texture, turn off flame and allow to cool completely. Save 1/4 cup of the onion-coconut mixture and keep it aside. Grind this to a paste with Turmeric powder and little water. Save the rinsed water to be added later to the curry.

In the same Kadhai, heat a tsp of coconut oil and lightly warm the 1/4 cup of onion-coconut mixture. Add the ground paste now and add enough rinsed water to make a broth. Add Goan Garam Masala, little Salt and cooked Black Beans and bring to a boil. Simmer on low flame for 5-8 minutes. Turn off flame and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with Pao/ Phulkas.

Note - Use any Garam Masala of your choice if you don't have Goan Garam Masala. 

Chicken Xacuti | Chicken Shaguti

Chicken Shaguti is the version cooked in Hindu Brahmin homes in Goa. This dish is also known as Chicken Xacuti and has its roots influenced by Portuguese cuisine. One thing which stands out is the manner in which this dish is made by Goan Hindus vs Goan Christians. The jury is still out on that and I think the biggest differentiating factor is the use of Lime vs Vinegar and local chillies for e.g Bicholim Chillies vs Kashmiri Chillies. If you visit any home in Goa for a Shaguti lunch, you will hear this comment coming often. This recipe is from a very close friend's Mum who hails from Siolim, Goa. My favorite Chicken recipes are Chicken Shaguti, Chicken Cafreal and Kori Rotti.

The color of Chicken Shaguti curry is greenish brown and is thicker than fish curry but very rich, intense and spicy. The meat is first dunked in a marinade with turmeric powder, large knobs of crushed ginger and loads of herbs. The quantity might seem a lot, but it is what the recipe requires and hence the masala is 'zhanzhaneet' as my friend informed me. In Goa, we usually eat this with Pao, Katri, Unno, Tandlachi Bhakri or white rice. Since this is a curry with a very strong gravy base, Rotis prove to be meek and cannot withstand the strong intense aroma of this curry. The base of the gravy can be used to cook Prawns and Clams. The vegetarians need not lose heart. You could use the same gravy with Paneer, Soya Chunks, Potato or Beans of different kinds. I enjoyed this style of chicken cooked in a spicy gravy.

~ Chicken Shaguti ~
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
Chicken (Dark Boneless Meat) - 3 lbs.
Goan Garam Masala - 1 tbsp
Indian Bay Leaf - 2
Coconut milk - 1/3 cup
Turmeric powder - 3 tbsp

Onion (medium, sliced finely) - 5
Garlic cloves (peeled and slit into two) - 10-12
Grated Coconut (fresh or frozen) - 1/3 cup

Green Masala/ Harvo Masalo -
Ginger (peeled and cut into large chops) - a large knob of 2" piece
Green Chillies - 3
Coriander leaves - 5-6 strands
Lime juice - half of a lime

Shaguti Masala -
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Black Pepper (whole) - 10-12
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp
Cloves - 6
Cinnamon (broken into pieces) - 2" piece
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Red Chillies - 2
Tamarind (optional) - 1 tbsp

Oil
Salt

For Garnish -
Coriander leaves (finely chopped) - 2-3 strands

Contraptions required -
Blender
Coffee Grinder

Method:
Chicken in Marinade - Clean and trim the chicken of any excess fat. Wash and pat dry. Cut each piece to 2" chunks and add to a mixing bowl. Crush ginger and green chillies roughly and add to the chicken. Do not make a mushy paste just crush them roughly. Make a smooth paste of coriander leaves with little water and add to the chicken. Mix well and add turmeric powder and Goan Garam Masala powder along with salt and lime juice. Leave the chicken in marinade for atleast 4 hours.
Shaguti Masala - In a wide mouthed frying pan, heat a tsp. of oil and roast all the spices in masala except Poppy seeds. Add the ingredients one by one and toast lightly on low flame. Add the Poppy seeds toward the end and allow to cool. Grind this to a powder and keep aside. You could also make this in advance to save time.
Onion-Coconut-Garlic Paste - In the same pan used before, heat few spoons of oil and saute onions, coconut and garlic. Fry them well till they turn reddish brown. It takes around 15-20 minutes to get the right color of browning. Once done, turn off the flame and allow to cool completely. Once done, blend to a paste with little water. Save the water rinsed to add to the gravy at a later stage.
Assembly - In a large deep-bottomed wide mouthed vessel, heat few spoons of oil/ghee, add bay leaves and add the chicken with marinade side by side. Increase the heat and let the chicken brown on both the sides. The chicken will turn couple of shades darker, will be part cooked and turn opaque. Add the water from the rinsed marinade (about a cup of hot water), add additional water (1/2 cup of hot water). Cover with the lid on and let the chicken cook. This process takes about 30-40 minutes. Check if chicken is done, if done add the onion-coconut-garlic fried paste and the Shaguti Masala. Mix well, adjust salt and seasoning and bring to a medium boil and cook for 5-8 minutes. Once done, turn off flame and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. I served with cooked white rice.

Note - I made the Shaguti masala separately in my coffee grinder. If you wish, you could grind them together to a paste after separately frying. This recipe is spicy and hot, reduce the proportion if the need be. If you do not have Goan Garam Masala, use your own brand of Garam Masala.

Cannellini Beans Usal ~ Goan style

Usal and Pao is a staple adored in many homes in Konkan region especially Goa and Mumbai. Pair the fiery rich curry with Roti or the humble Pao sourced from the local Poder, either ways its a match in heaven. I like the buttery texture of Cannellini Beans available in US grocery aisle. The taste of these beans comes pretty close to Tingalore or Northern Beans. The curry flavour comes close to a typical Goan dish made out of beans called as Feijoada, a dish which finds its roots in Portugal and some parts of Brazil. It is a staple and commoner amongst Goan meals. To me, this is a short cut version to eat vegetarian Feijoada version, especially when one does not have the time to grind the masala from scratch. The original dish of Feijoada, is made with Pork and Beans cooked together in a coconut masala gravy. Its relished and paired with Pao and is opined to be the national dish of Brazil.

Cannellini Beans worked well as they do not fall apart easily and hold their shape well when cooked, plus are a rich source of protein. They are very popular part of Tuscany and Italian cuisine and also blend well for stews made with beans and meat.

~ Cannellini Beans Usal ~
Preparation time: 12 hours (soaking time)
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
Cooked Beans (water drained) - 1 and 1/2 cup

Grated Coconut (fresh or frozen) - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 2 pods
Green Chillies - 1
Grind all of this to a smooth paste with little water

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp
Jaggery/ Brown Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Oil
Salt

Garnish - Coriander leaves (chopped)

Method:

Soak the beans overnight and pressure cook next day upto 4 whistles and cool. Grind the coconut, garlic, green chillies to a smooth paste. Bring the ground masala to a boil with the cooked beans. Add Jaggery, Turmeric powder and Garam Masala powder. Adjust salt as per taste. You could add 1/2 cup of hot water if gravy is desired or choose to have it semi-dry. Cook with lid on after bringing to a rolling boil, simmer on low flame for 5-8 minutes. Turn off once done and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Pairs well with Roti/ Phulka/ Pao.

Radish Fritters (Mulya chi Kaap/ Mulyaa Phodi)

A simple fritter made out of Radish/ Mooli which tastes amazing and goes well with cooked white/brown rice. This is very popular in Goa, India and is made during the days when one follows a vegetarian diet i.e Monday and Thursday. I was anti Radish growing up and these tender, succulent fritters converted me to be a Radish lover. Radish is also high in Folic acid, Ascorbic acid and Potassium content. Here in US, they are available as Daikon Radish and are relatively larger, firm and robust in size.

~ Mulya chi Kaap ~
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
Radish (peeled and cut into 1/4" discs) - 3-8
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Rice Rava - 3 tbsp
Salt
Oil

Method:

Peel the skin off Radish and cut them into 1/4" discs, rinse well in multiple changes of water and pat dry with paper towel. Allow little moisture to be present on the vegetable. Apply salt, red chilli and turmeric powder. Leave aside for 30 minutes. Heat a frying pan and dredge the radish discs one by one in rice rava. Once the pan is hot enough, shallow fry all of them. Drizzle oil on sides of the vegetable; flip them over and fry on both the sides till they get a nice golden brown crust. Alternately, one could sprinkle a handful of water and cook with a lid on and flip them till both sides are done (to avoid oil). Serve hot with cooked white rice and Shengya cho Ros.

Mango Sheera

Today is my Ammama's birthday. Although she is very old, frail and ailing octogenarian, she is very active with her wit, humor and one-liners. When fit and in good health, she fed almost anyone who dropped by our door step. Ammama's favorite fruit is Mango especially the ripe ones which is as sweet as sugar. Her most relished ones being Mundappa and Kalapaadi. Ammama's favorite dish is a konkani one called as Ambe Upkari. Its a dish with ripe mangoes simmered in a spicy tangy sauce cooked on low flame. She loved waiting for the first bout of showers which would mean our vegetable vendor Koraapol would come with the most juiciest mangoes harvested from the nearby villages. Even if it was a small produce she would make sure all of them were sent to her sons and daughters. She has the highest regard for those who cook and share with their loved ones. That being said she has trained both her sons and daughters to cook a decent meal with the aim of making them self-sufficient.

Mom made Sheera for us on festive occasions. All of us like sheera made with fruits so she made Pineapple sheera, Mango sheera and Banana (Nendra Baale) sheera. All of them taste good with the subtle flavour of fruits found in the Semolina underbelly. Sheera being a Marathi/ Goan dish is a common one reserved for warm summer evenings with friends and a hearty jabber session thrown in.

Ammama's love for mangoes makes me nostalgic. I thought of making Mango Sheera keeping her in my thoughts. I only wish USPS could do a express air delivery of my sheera for Ammama. That being a wishful thinking here's wishing my dear Ammama a very Happy Birthday. Its been a privilege to be her grand daughter!

~ Mango Sheera ~

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
Roasted Upma Sooji/ Semolina - 1 cup
Mango pulp - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 and 1/2 cup
Warm whole milk - 1 and 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/3 tsp
Cashew nuts (chopped) - 2 tbsp
Golden yellow raisin - 2 tbsp
Ghee/ Unsalted butter (melted) - 1/4 cup

Method:
Heat ghee in an non-reactive non-stick deep bottomed pan. Once hot, add the cashew nuts and raisins and saute till they are plump and crisp. Transfer to another dish and add the roasted upma sooji. Stir well till you get a nutty aroma and the mixture becomes crumbly. Add milk and mango pulp now. You will feel the mixture is too pasty, but don't worry. Keep stirring to avoid the mixture sticking to the bottom of vessel. Add the fried dry fruits now and stir well. Once mixture is not raw and cooked, add sugar and keep stirring. The mass will be very pasty, adjust sweet taste as desired. Turn off once completely cooked. Garnish with ground cardamom. Smear ghee on a cookie tray. Spread the mixture while hot and level and cut into squares. Remove and transfer to an air tight container once cooled off.

Note - Replace with different fruits to make variety of Sheera. Add sugar only after mixture gets cooked in milk and pulp. There is a particular variety of semolina available as Roasted Upma Sooji. This one gave me the desired results v/s other brands with no good results.

Mung Beans Curry With Coconut Masala ~ Goan Style (Mugachi Gaathi)

I had earlier blogged about Muga Ghashi, a typical Konkani way of making a slurpy delicious curry with Mung Bean sprouts. There is another version which is commonly made at my home in India by Mom which is Mugachi Gaathi, a creamy coconut based curry commonly made in Goa especially on days when one partakes/ observes a vegetarian meal. This curry is made with green chillies instead of Byadgi Chillies and a tad bit of Garam Masala, hence the alluring green color of the curry. I added Turmeric powder hence missed on the green color. This rich slurpy broth pairs fabulously with Puris and Rotis.

This is a Goan style of preparation and is commonly made during Ganesh Chaturthi season in Goa, a tiny picturesque state in located in South of India.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Soak time: 18 hours
Cooking time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:
Green Gram (Sprouted Mung Beans) - 4 cups
Onion (chopped) - 2 cups
Grated coconut (fresh or frozen) - 2 cups
Green Chillies - 2
Garam Masala powder - 1 teaspoon

For Seasoning -
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 3-4
Oil/Ghee

Method:
Soak the Green Gram (Mung beans) atleast 3 days before to get the desired level of sprouts ready to be used on 3rd day. Remove the green husk and separate the sprouts. In a pan, heat few spoons of oil and saute chopped onions along with grated coconut. Do not fry till they are brown, just a little wilting for the mixture is good enough. Divide the mixture into two portions. Grind the first portion with little water and green chillies. Bring this ground paste to gentle boil, adjust salt as desired. Add the next portion of coconut and onion to the boiling broth. Once the paste is partially cooked, add the sprouts. Bring to boil and simmer on low flame for 10 minutes or till cooked completely.

In a separate pan, heat few spoons of ghee/oil, once the oil is hot enough, add mustard seeds, once they splutter add curry leaves. Turn off the flame and pour this seasoning on the curry. Cover with a lid and mix while serving. Goes well with Rotis and Chapatis.

Karanji/ Nevri (Baked): A Popular Festival Sweet

Nevri or Karanji is a popular festival sweet made during Ganesh Chaturthi festival. This is a must-have sweet snack while offering prasad to Ganpathi Bappa. This recipe belongs to my Foster Aunt also called as Maushi. She makes the best Nevri and knows many a varieties of it like Jaggery based, Copra based and this one which is Semolina based. Maushi is a dextrous woman who can multi-skill and make 10-12 dishes on Chaturthi day all by herself within 2-3 hours.

She taught me the essential skills required to make the yummiest Modak and Karanji. In her opinion, the Saaran is the essence of a good Nevri. This Nevri is a small way remembering her kindness and generous spirit which has fed many a friends and family members of mine. I got my culinary lessons from her during my teenage days and would always thank her for the lovely meals she dished out for me. I made the baked version of it and we loved it a lot. The stuffing added in the Nevri is known as Saaran. I also used a dough cutter cum carver which I got from India. You can also find this at any Indian grocery & essentials store. The Nevri's were crisp with a nutty and sweet stuffing.

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi To One & All!! Ganpati Bappa Moriya....Pudchya Varshi Laukar Yaa...

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Yield: 10-12 Nevri's

Ingredients:

Nevri outer shell -

All Purpose Flour - 3 cups

Milk - 1/2 cup

Baking Powder - 1/3 teaspoon

Salt

Sugar - 1 teaspoon

Ghee (melted) - 1 tablespoon

Nevri Stuffing or Saaran -

Semolina (thin variety) - 1 cup

Poppy seeds or Khus-Khus - 1 tablespoon

Coconut powder or Copra - 5 tablespoon

Raisins - 1/4 cup

Cashew Nut - 1/2 cup

Almonds (slivered) - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Split Dalia/ Putaani/ Futaani/ Split Chana - 1/2 cup

Baking Essentials & Contraptions - Parchment Paper, Dough Cutter and Baking Tray

Method:

Saaran: Toast the Semolina on low flame till its fragrant and little brown. Transfer to a tray and allow to cool. Toast the Cashew Nuts and Almonds separately, transfer to a tray and allow to cool. Toast Putaani, Khus-Khus and Coconut Powder together and allow to cool. Grind the Coconut powder and Putaani together. Add all the rest of the ingredients, except Cashew and Almonds and grind to a coarse powder without any water. Set aside. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Nevri: Knead a soft and pliable dough of Maida, Milk, Sugar, Salt and little baking powder. Cover with a wet muslin cloth and leave aside for 1/2 hour. Once 1/2 hour passes, pinch a lemon sized ball and roll out a medium sized Puri. Place a spoon full of the Saaran on one half of the Puri. Slather some water on the other half, meet the ends to form a semi-circle as shown in the picture. Run the edge with a Dough Carver. Add suitable design with a fork.

Baking: Line the tray with Parchment Paper. Arrange the Nevri's side by side. Bake on one side for 15 minutes on 375 degrees, turn over after 15 minutes, bake for 20-25 minutes more till they are light brown and crispy. Transfer to a cooling rack and consume after 2 hours.

Note -

All ingredients should be at room temperature. The Ghee should be in molten state. Do not over-stuff the stuffing in the Nevri. Store in air-tight container and consume within a week. Use dry fruits of your choice.

Cumin Spiced Lentils ~ Goan Style - Varan & Plagiarism

A simple comfort meal - Varan Bhaat. Sampling morsels of food and taking in portions of this pliable dish transports me to a different planet. There are many versions available of this dish. The Marathi version of Varan does not have coconut added hence very subtle flavours. The Goan version of Varan, also known as Varna in Goa, has a liberal helping of coconut and spice paste added. If a lunch menu is on the cards specially for a bright summer afternoon, then Varan Bhaat takes a default presence on the menu. I love the yellow, creamy texture of the lentils. My preference is scoops of cooked white rice, ladle full of Varan, some freshly squeezed lime juice and a spoon of ghee to finish the serve. No wonder its a complete comfort meal for many a foodie's around the globe.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Toor Dal - 3/4 cup

Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Green Chillies - 2

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafoetida - 2-3 pinches

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon

Lime Juice

Oil/Ghee

Salt

Method:

Pressure cook Toor Dal with Turmeric powder and Asafoetida. Allow to cool. Mash the mushy paste and keep aside. Grind grated coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds (1 tsp) to a fine paste with little water. Add this paste to the cooked Daal and bring to boil. For seasoning, heat ghee in a separate pan, and heat a teaspoon of ghee, add cumin seeds and once they pop, pour this seasoning on the Daal. Serve hot with warm rice, some lime juice and ghee (optional).

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PLAGIARISM

A friend of mine sent me a link of a fellow blogger who has picked a picture from my blog for one of the recipes posted on the concerned website. I have e-mailed the concerned individual involved. It is a disappointing event when pictures, text are copied word to word from your blog and posted elsewhere without a note of credit or gratitude. All this certainly saps off the fun of blogging. I hope the concerned individual makes a note of it and takes off the picture from the blog site. I for one, take plagiarism seriously especially when its your hard work which is being used without passing through appropriate channels of permission.

Drumstick In Spicy Coconut Paste ~ Goan style (Shengya cho Ros)

Drumstick Ros or Shengya cho Ros is a Goan style dish. I got this recipe from one of my dear friend from Goa. Later, I tried experimenting this recipe with different vegetables each time and the result was pleasing. If you ask me the taste is a cross between Marathi style Amti and Konkani style Ghashi (konkani style masolu based curry). If the flavour appeals you, you could experiment the same gravy with different vegetables - Drumstick, Radish, Potato, etc. The gravy is simple and the most common one, however owing to vegetables cooked in gravy, the outcome is flavourful and tasty. This is a frequently made curry at my home and we all love the flavour with different vegetables soaked in this gravy.

As my friend mentions -

"The Ros version of curry is a coconut based one with seasoning of curry leaves and mustard. One can be liberal with the choice of vegetables and experiment with vegetables such as Radish, Drumstick, Potato. This is a preferred way of cooking a side dish especially during summer time for lunch menus in my home.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Drumstick - 10-15 pieces

Coconut grated (fresh) - 3/4 cup

Red Chillies - 4-5

Tamarind pulp - 1 teaspoon

Coriander seeds - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/3 teaspoon

Salt

Water

For seasoning -

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 4-5

Oil/ Ghee

Method:

Clean, wash and remove one layer of Drumstick skin. Pressure cook the sticks to 3-4 whistles. In a separate pan, heat oil and saute the Red chillies and Coriander seeds. Turn off flame and allow to cool. Grind along with grated coconut, turmeric powder and salt. Add this paste to the cooked Drumstick and bring to boil. Simmer on low flame, adjust salt and water, once completely cooked turn off the flame. In a frying pan, heat oil/ghee, add mustard seeds once they begin popping, and add curry leaves towards the end. Pour this seasoning on the curry and cover with a lid. Mix while serving along with warm rice along with a teaspoon of ghee dunked on top.

Tip: This gravy goes well with different vegetables - substitute the vegetables of choice as per taste and preference. Use fresh Drumstick as much as possible; I tried one version with frozen and the taste was not that great. Fresh ones available at ethnic grocery stores are very apt for this recipe.

Fish Fry in Red Paste ~ Goan Style

Fish Fry is a one of the prefered ways of cooking fish especially in western region of India where Fish is a significant part of any staple non-vegeterian diet. Coat them with Sooji or Semolina of choice with herbs and spices. Serve with a dash of lime juice and enjoy the delicate fillet melting in your mouth. This is my own interpretation of the Fish Fry in Red Paste I'd tasted long back. Unlike the conventional recipes, this one takes the longer route. Here, spices are ground, applied in abundance as a spice rub to the fish and pan-fried to the extent required.

Yield: 15-18 pieces from 3 fillets
Preparation time: 60 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients:
Fish fillet of choice ~ Tilapia - 3 fillets ~ approx. 15-18 bites
Red Chillies (Byadgi variety) - 3-5
Ginger (minced) - 1 teaspoon
Garlic (minced) - 1 teaspoon
Red Chilli powder (optional) - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Black Pepper corn (whole) - 1/2 teaspoon
Brinda or Kokum shells or Sol/ Tamarind juice - 2-3 shells or 1 teaspoon
Sooji or Semolina - For coating the fish - 3-5 tablespoon
Oil - For frying

Method:
Lightly roast red chillies, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and pepper corns with few teaspoons of oil. Allow to cool, grind to a fine paste, add ginger-garlic as well; grind with little or no water to a fine, smooth paste. End result would be a red paste, add red chilli powder if desired. Add salt and Kokum shells or Sol to the marinade. Soak the fish fillet, chopped into bite-sized pieces in this marinade and leave for 60 minutes.
Once done, coat the Fish pieces in Sooji and pan-fry using a frying pan with oil drizzled on sides for 10-15 minutes. Fish cooks faster so once done, poke a toothpick to check for doneness. Serve with lime wedges garnished on the side.

Grated Coconut Sweet (Coconut Vadi/ Naarlachi Vadi/ Soye Khadi)

Coconut Vadi is a sweet very popular in Western part of India. This easy-to-make recipe finds lot of importance in festival food preparation which is called as Falaar. Falaar is a combination of various sweets, snacks and appetisers made during Diwali or any important occasion like weddings, birth ceremony, etc finding lot of prominence in Marathi and Goan homes. Once prepared, different combinations of these are gifted to family, friends and relatives. Most of the dishes are home made and made from scratch.

Coconut Vadi or Naarlachi Vadi (Naaral = Coconut in Marathi, Vadi = square cut shaped eatable). Excess coconut in my house is used abundantly for the Vadi's. Its a little tricky dish because your sugar syrup consistency plays a vital role in deciding the taste, texture and firmness of the Vadi. I also love Tomato Khadi which I'll save for another post. I cut them with a lame hand owing to which the shape was not perfect, but lessons learnt. :) So I decided to share the recipe only if I found it blog worthy with a successful attempt. I did not add food color; prefer to keep it natural and organic, these tasted yummy!

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Yield: 10-12 pieces

Ingredients:

Coconut (grated) fresh or frozen - 1 cup

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Skinless Cashew Nut (coarse powder) - 6-10 nuts

Water - For the sugar syrup

Cardamom powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Food color of choice (optional) - 2-3 drops

Sliced Almonds/ Slivered Almonds - 2 tablespoon

Method:

Heat sugar and just enough water to cover sugar completely. Allow to caramelise into syrup. You will notice bubbles coming up and the sugar melting. Stir occasionally playing between low-to-medium flame. Once the sugar syrup reaches a one-thread consistency, add grated coconut and food color and keep stirring till the coconut gets collected and water evaporates completely. The best test would be take a drop of the syrup and stretch between thumb and index finger for one thread consistency. Take care not to burn your fingers. This whole process takes around 30-40 minutes.

On the side, grease a pan or a pyrex glass cake tray with ghee on the bottom surface and on the sides. Once the grated coconut is cooked completely, turn off flame. It will appear as a single lumpy consistency. Add Cardamom powder and give a stir. Spread on the pan and pat to get a flattened surface. Garnish with sliced almonds or silvered almonds. Once spread, cut into desired shapes and leave to cool. Remove after couple of hours. Store in air-tight containers.

Suggestion: These Vadi's do not contain milk. They have a shelf life of upto 1-1/2 week. Preferably store in refrigerator if dwelling in hot terrains or store them in air tight containers at room temperature. No need for refrigeration as well. Store them in air-tight containers for better taste and freshness.

Chana Dal In Jaggery Sweet Dish (Chana Dal & Kaju Madgane/ Mangane)

Ugadi or Gudi Padwa or Sanvsaar Paadvo is an auspicious occasion for all Hindus. In my home, we refer to this day as Sanvsaar Paadvo or Yugadi. Yugadi implies = Yug (era) + Aadi (beginning) = Beginning of an era [Source - Wiki]. For us, there is huge amount of preparation for this festival day. The previous day the entire house is cleaned, prepared and decked up for the festival.

The important contraptions in the house are cleaned, tied with Paddy stalks (called as Navve Bandoochey in Konkani). This signifies the harvest which is reaped and the joy of embracing the produce and giving it, its due importance in the household. Most of the time, we used to source the Paddy stalks from the local farmers. Previous day, Mom used to incessantly sit and finish stitching the containers for Khotte, made from Jackfruit leaves and stitched together with dried curry leaves stem. Essentially, breakfast comprised of Khotte-Chutney. I recall from early morning, Mom used to slog in the kitchen, while I used to pitch in with some help here and there. Before breaking the fast, we used to treat ourselves with Bella-Bevu: Neem Leaves known as Bevu in Kannada language and Jaggery known as Bella in Kannada. Luckily, we had a Neem sapling in our house garden. Mom used to saute the Neem leaves in ghee and we all used to eat chunks of Jaggery and crunchy Neem leaves before breakfast. As much as I hated it as a kid, now I understand the religious sanctity of these rituals.

Lunch would typically comprise of Rice (Sheet), Lentils (Daalithoi), Side dish (Tendle-Bibbe Upkari), Salad (Toushey Hullal), Curry (Tendle-Bibbe Daali Aambat), Fritters (Phodi of choice - Breadfruit, Bitter Gourd, Kantola) and the final icing on the cake - sweet dish or dessert - Madgane which is Chana Daal cooked with Jaggery and Cashew nuts. The entire day diet is observed with No Garlic and Onion rule.

Apart from all the regular Yugadi dishes, I made Madgane because its a traditional sweet dish which we make at home on the occasion of Yugadi. In Goa, this dish is known as Mangane. This was my sweet little way to connect to our traditions in a far away land. These are little things which connect you to your roots, keep you more grounded, in sync with your past. Needless to say, we enjoyed the festival food.

On a separate note, my first ever guest post made an appearance on Deepa's food site: www.foodlyrics.com

You can check my guest post on a Konkani recipe on: South Canara GSB Konkani ~ A Daily Vegeterian Meal. Click here for the essay which explores the nuts and bolts of a daily vegeterian meal followed by a recipe on Raw Jackfruit Fry - Kadgee Phodi. Thanks Deepa for giving me an opportunity to write on an essay on a cuisine which is so dear to me and my family. I really appreciate the gesture of goodwill. What better way than have lots of Food loving individuals bonding over a healthy chatter of food, produce, spices and stories related to food.

Happy Gudi Padva/ Yugadi to all!!

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
Chana Daal or Split Dalia - 1 1/2 cups
Jaggery (molten or broken into pieces) - 1 cup
Cardamom powder - 6-8 pods
Rice flour - 2 tablespoon
Coconut thick milk - 1 cup
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Coconut thin milk - 1 cup
Water - as per consistency


Method:
Grind grated coconut with water and extract coconut milk. The first extract is thick and known as thick milk, the second and third extracts are thin milk. Set aside.
Soak Chana Dal and Cashew nuts in water overnight for 8-10 hours. Next day pressure cook them for 4-5 whistles. In a deep dish pan, cook Chana Daal with Jaggery. Once jaggery melts completely and the mixture is an even consistency, add the thin milk and stir gently. Take care to ensure the mixture does not stick the bottom of saucepan.
Bring to boil, and add thick coconut milk towards the end. Adjust the taste and consistency of water as per requirement. Bring to a complete boil, check if cooked and turn off the flame. Garnish with lot of cardamom powder. It enables in balancing the sweet texture of jaggery with a little spicy flavour. Serve hot or chilled as per choice.

Kokum/ Brinda Kadhi (Sol Kadhi with Coconut)

Something which I miss a lot in US. Words cannot explain the nostalgic association I have with Sol Kadhi. This pinkish soulful Kadhi has been the witness of many a timeless conversations, bazaar visits, nostalgic moments shared on elaborate lunches with family and friends. A favorite with my Mother and me. I wish there was some source of constant Sol Kadhi supply here in US. I can only wish ! :)

For me Sol Kadhi is an epitome of Goa, the Viva Goa spirit, the assimilating bon vivant culture of Goa, the unique diversity prevailing, easy-going and happy-go-lucky sense of self, the ability to pack a punch with tang, spice and some salt. Nothing to beat a glass of Sol Kadhi during a hot summer afternoon for a quiet lunch with family.

Some of my friends from Goa who travel abroad, carry the Kokum syrup which is already packed for long distance travel. The taste is never the same though. Best bet would be to carry Sol or Kokum as they can be used and stored for longer duration and have a good shelf life depending on the quality of Kokum and the harvest time it was reaped.

There are different styles of making this Kadhi in Goa. Some like it thin, with less coconut juice, some like it thick, with more coconut juice. Some prefer it with cumin seeds and some like it with garlic.

Preparation time ~ 20 minutes

Soak time ~ 2-3 hours

Ingredients:

Kokum shells/ Sol - 4-6

Garlic flakes - 2-3

Salt - As per taste

Green Chillies (chopped) - 2

Grated Coconut - 2 cups

Method:

Soak kokum shells in water for 2-3 hours. Grind coconut (grated) with garlic flakes. Extract the juice out of it. You could use the same ground mix to extract the juice atleast 3 times. Add this juice to the soaked kokum juice. Add salt and slit chillies. Discard the Kokum or retain if you want more sourness. I prefer retaining the shells for deep sour taste.

Kokum/ Brinda Fruit Drink (Sol Kadhi without Coconut or Footi Kadhi)

As temperatures soar in India, what is one thing you want to reach out to? A nice chilled drink. I reach out to my humble all-time satiating soulful drink - Footi Kadhi or Sol Kadhi. As a child I used to be a hard core addict to Footi Kadhi. So much so that Mom stopped making this fearing that I might develop excessive affinity towards this addictive drink. :)


Sol Kadhi is made from Kokum (as they are called in Goa) or Brinda (as they are called in Mangalore). Kokum is a dark purple colored fruit grown in abundance in Konkan region. One of our family friend owned a expansive lush green farm in Goa; we used to love hopping around in her Farm during summer eating cashewnuts, kokum, hog plums with salt. There are times when we even got beatings from Mom's for excessive indulgence. :)

When we had been to Goa last time around, my friend A had gifted us with a huge batch of Kokum. She got these from her Farm, got them sun-dried with Aaghol treatment and got them neatly packed in a huge jar for annual usage. Thanks A, will always remember you for this sweet gesture. The Kokum shells are treated with special creamy extract alongwith salt taken from the Kokum seeds called as Aaghol in Goan Konkani. The Aaghol is applied to the shells and they are sun-dried for days together till you get dark blackish purple shells ready for use. Mom uses Sol practically for most of her cooking. For all the Upkaris, Colombo's we have atleast 2-3 of them happily thrown in.

Kokum tree has multiple benefits. The leaves, roots, bark and even the fruits, seeds, shells all hold a medicinal value. All my friends from Goa drink Sol Kadhi for lunch. Its a good substitute for butter milk, considering that butter milk is not supplemented so much in the Goan diet. I picked the habit of drinking Sol Kadhi from my Goan friends. It is a good pacifer for the tummy and an excellent aid for digestive ailments.

The low-fat version which originates from Goa, is called Footi Kadhi which is simply Kokum shells thrown in with water and spiced up with Asafoetida, sugar, salt and green chillies. The next version is Sol Kadhi with Coconut milk and Garlic ground to perfection. Juice of this added to the Kadhi and partaken during lunch as a beverage. Rest of the ingredients remain the same. The coconut milk version is suitable as a supplement with rice. I prefer drinking Footi Kadhi just like that. Mom refrigerates the Kadhi to get a chilled flavour.

Preparation time ~ 10 minutes

Soaking time ~ 2-4 hours

Ingredients:

Kokum - 5-7 shells

Salt - As per taste

Sugar - As per taste

Asafoetida - 1/3 teaspoon

Green Chillies (chopped) - 2

Method:

Soak the Kokum is water for 3-4 hours alongwith salt to release color and juice. Once ready to be consumed, squeeze and drain out the Kokum. Add sugar, asafoetida and green chillies. Stir well. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Suggestions: The Kokum which my Mom had stocked were old hence required more soaking time. If the Kokum are young and more fresh, you could soak the shells for an hour or two and consume them immediately once rest of the ingredients are added. The younger the Kokum shells, the more colorful and tastier would be the drink.

Potato Bhaaji (Goan-style Batatyachi Paatal Bhaaji)

One dish which I grew up eating and simply love the taste. Potato Bhaaji is a very simple dish yet very tasty suiting the coastal taste buds. You will find this is most of the Goan houses in North Goa - Panjim, Mapusa, Bicholim et al. It goes well with Chapathi or Goan Laadi Pao. It is called Batatyachi Paatal Bhaaji owing to the liquid consistency of the curry, Paatal in Goan Konkani stands for liquid. This dish is available in most of the retaurants in Goa and is a delight to eat owing to the subtle flavours of Potatoes and Tomatoes. One could also garnish with grated coconut, I simply omitted it.

~ Bataatyachi Paatal Bhaaji - Goan style ~

Preparation time ~ 15 minutes minutes
Cooking time ~ 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Potatoes (boiled and mashed) - 2 cups

Tomatoes (Chopped, diced and blanched) [optional] - 1 cup

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urad dal - 1/2 tsp

Green Chillies (chopped) - 2

Grated coconut - 4 teaspoons

Coriander leaves (chopped) - 6-7 sprigs

Oil

Salt

Method:

Heat oil in a deep dish sauce. The pan should be thick bottomed. Once oil heats up, add cumin seeds, they would pop up in size. Saute green chillies, mustard seeds and urad dal. Once they are sauted well, add diced and lightly mashed potatoes. Saute well and add tomatoes. Add enough water to bring about a semi-liquid consistency. Adjust the salt and simmer on a low flame for 10-15 minutes. Once completely cooked, turn off the flame and garnish with coconut (grated) and coriander leaves. Serve hot with Pao, Poori or Chapathi.

Masoor Daal in Cumin (Masoorichey Varan)

I have to confess I have never eaten split Red Lentils before. Sounds very odd, but for some reasons were never cooked in my house. I still fail to understand why. After coming here, one day I was touring through the Indian Grocery section and found a bunch of Lentils which I've never eaten before. I decided to buy this and make Masoorichey Varan (based on Shilpa's Recipe of Aayisrecipes fame). The taste was simply awesome. My Pune friend's Mom always says that Lentils taste good when they are Pahilyaa Vaafechey which means from the first steam. I just followed this adage and after the first steam in pressure cooker I put it off. Red Lentils cook in 10-12 minutes flat with pressure.

There is something about Varan Bhaat that is so soulful. You can keep enjoying the bites and every morsel of your food and be dwelling in the taste.

We both loved the flavour of this dish and taste was awesome. P relished the Daal and he could not believe his eyes as it looked very similar to Toor Daal. Lime adds that extra dash which you would want for your Varan.

Thanks Shilpa - The taste was awesome and just like Marathi Varan Bhaat. We all loved the flavour!

Varan Bhaat, Tupp, Limbu = I am elevated to cloud nine.

Recipe Source ~ Shilpa of Aayisrecipes

Preparation time ~ 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Red Lentils (Red colored, skinless, hulled split lentils) - 1 cup

Green Chillies (sliced) - 2

Turmeric powder - Just a pinch

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Ghee/Unsalted butter - As per taste

Pepper powder - 1/3 teaspoon

Water - For Boiling consistency

Salt - As per taste

Lime Juice - 2 tablespoons

Method:

Boil the Daal after multiple rounds of wash for 10 minutes or till first whistle. Take off the stove, add little water and bring to boil. Add salt, turmeric powder and pepper powder. Bring to boil and check if its properly cooked and not raw. Give a gentle stir. The Daal will be thick and not too watery in consistency. Pour a seasoning of cumin seeds popped in ghee. Serve hot with lime juice and devour this heavenly tasting Daal.

Potato Fritters (Batatyaa Phodi/ Batatyachi Kaapaa)

This is a staple dish in Goa, India especially during the days when Vegetarian food is eaten which is Monday and Thursday. I have grown up eating this delightful spiced up Fritters. They are thin, crispy Potato Fritters fried to perfection in Rice powder, spices and oil. The vegetarian meal is called as Shivraag in my home. Non-Vegetarian meal is called as Bhairaag. Many of my Goan friends used to sigh on Mondays, it implies that they get to eat only vegetarian food that day. My dear friend N, used to sulk and say, "Ash - Its Varan Bhaat and Batatyachi Kaapa today". I used to giggle at her attachment to Fish and Seafood dishes.

There are few details about Goan meals which I wish to highlight. My neighbour whom we used to call as Bhaabhi used to cook greens like Drumstick leaves Bhaaji, Radish leaves Bhaaji, Sol Kadi, Varan, Ambadhyachee Udda Methi, Chavalichi Bhaaji on Mondays and Thursdays. I owe a lot of cooking and learning from Goa region to Bhaabhi who used to feed us with all sumptuous Goan meals and practices. Another observation is that she used to always offer warm water during Vegetarian meals. I used to find this amusing. Upon further research I began to understand that warm water supports digestion while eating food unlike cold water which converts the food into slush and is extremely bad for the stomach gut and lining as well for the whole digestive system. She also taught my mother this quintessenial Goan way of making fritters called Batatyachi Kaapa.

I loved this dish so much, that I told Mom to make it at our place. The peculiar thing is the manner in which the Potato is sliced which is vertical slices not more than 3-4 mm thick. From that day onwards, all our meals with Potato fried were Batatyachi Kaapa styled.

Serves ~ 2 individuals
Preparation time ~ 30 minutes

Ingredients:
Potato slices - 6-10
Rice Flour - 4-5 tablespoons
Red Chilli powder - 1/3 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/5 teaspoon
Oil - For frying
Salt - As per taste

Method:
Slice 2 Potatoes and wash them in water for few minutes till the starch completely goes off. Drain off water, apply the marinade of salt and turmeric powder. Keep aside.

Roll the florets into Rice flour and Red Chilli powder mixture. Shallow fry in a deep dish frying pan, turn them over after they get fried on one side. Sprinkle water and cover with a lid. This ensures they get cooked appropriately. Turn off the flame once they are evenly fried and crispy, golden colored. Serve hot with Rice and Curry.

White Peas Coconut Curry (Dhave Vataaney Usal - Goan style)

When we were kids, I used to love going to Satyanarayana pooja's. The simple reason being the amazing aura of sublime taste of Vataana Usal which was served as the prasad. I was scratching my head on the dinner menu. Mom suggested this recipe. I could not believe, the taste was exactly the same. One of my Maushi taught my mother and she is an expert now is making this Usal, I can say I can make a decent dish out of the Usal recipe now.

Recipe Source: Mom

Serves: 4 individuals

Ingredients:

Whole White peas (also called as White Vataana) - 1 cup

Grated coconut ( or coconut powder) - 1/2 cup

Cumin powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/10 teaspoon

Salt - as per taste

Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon

Water - for curry consistency

Method:

Pre-soak Vataana in water for 5-6 hours post washing them. Boil in a pressure cooker for 1/2 hour and mash them gently once or twice.

In a saucepan, add the mashed peas and rest of the ingredients. Bring to a semi-running curry consistency. I used coconut powder instead of coconut (grated), the taste is the same. Serve hot with Chapathis.