Stuffed Baby Brinjal (Gulla Puddi Sagle)

In Konkani cuisine, we make two kinds of dishes with 'Sagle' masala. In my household, Ma makes Okra (Bhendaa) Sagle and Gulla Puddi Sagle. I love the flavor of Sagle masala/ masolu, though the approach and method to Bhendaa Sagle is little different from Gulla Sagle. Sagle masala is made of Urad Dal and Coriander seeds (Urad Kothambiri). Everyone in my family loves this dish, especially my father.

Traditionally, for Brinjal Sagle, a typical variety of Brinjal is used, also known as Udupi Mattu Gulla in Konkani. It is a tiny, oblong, shiny seasonal variety of Brinjal and available only during particular times of the year. Upon cooking, its soft and succulent with tiny little seeds staring at you in the face. I used tiny green hued baby Brinjals for this dish which are easily available in Indian grocery stores in US between Fall and Winter time. The masala is ground to a coarse paste, the Brinjals are rinsed with double gashes added on the stem side. Once cooked, the tender Brinjals soak in the divine smelling coconut paste and taste uber delicious! The dish goes well for tender Brinjals, especially the pale green skinned ones.

~ Gulla Puddi Sagle ~
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10-12 minutes
Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:
Baby Brinjal ~ Gulla (stem trimmed and double gashed) - 6
Salt

For Seasoning -
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Oil

For Masala -
Grated Coconut - 3/4 cup
Urad Dal - 2 tbsp
Coriander seeds - 1 and 1/2 tbsp
Red Chillies (Byadgi preferred) - 7-10
Jaggery - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Getting the Brinjal ready - Rinse the Brinjals and trim off the stem. Make double gashes on the stem side of the trimmed Brinjal. Throw them in a bowl of cold water. Leave it aside.
Masala - Roast red chillies, coriander seeds, urad dal on a low flame with few tsp of oil. Once done turn off the flame, add the grated coconut and let the coconut wilt for a while in the hot pan. Add salt, jaggery, turmeric powder and grind this to a coarse paste with very little water. The paste should be stiff, thick and not runny (sukke). Stuff this paste in the gashes added in the Brinjal. Finally, cap each of the Brinjal with the remaining ground paste. Rinse the blender and save the water for cooking Brinjals.
Cooking the stuffed Brinjals - In a deep bottomed pan, heat few spoons of oil and season with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Place the stuffed Brinjals side by side with the stem side up, pour the remaining masala by the side of the Brinjals. Add the rinsed water from the blender and bring to a boil, simmer on low flame for 5-8 minutes with the lid on. The Brinjals turn a shade lighter and should be completely cooked. Use a toothpick and run it through the centre core of the Brinjal, if it comes out clean, the cooking is done. Turn off the flame and serve warm as a side dish.

Step-by-Step Pictures:
1. Trim the cap off the stem and add double gashes and immerse in cold water. This enables the gashes to open up and make the masala stuffing process easy.

2. Add the seasoning and pour the rinsed water, arrange the Brinjals side by side and bring to boil and cook on simmer.

Temple Saar (Devasthan Saaru)

Devasthan is temple in GSB Konkani. Saar or Saaru is a soupy version of spices, herbs and vegetables cooked in vegetable stock/plain water. While I was growing up, this was the version of Saaru available during festivities and celebrations with mass lunches and dinners served in temples, thus was coined the name - Devasthan Saaru. There are many different variations which are practiced. The taste of this Saaru is superb and very spicy. Certainly not for the faint hearted and meant for those who enjoy a spicier version of Saaru. Some versions add the seasoning some don't, either ways the broth tastes awesome with cooked white rice.

~ Temple Saaru ~
Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:
Coriander leaves (chopped) - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/3 tsp
Warm filtered water
Oil/Ghee
Salt

Saaru masala -
Coriander seeds - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Red Chillies (Byadgi) - 4-5
Grated Coconut (fresh or frozen) - 3 tbsp
Asafoetida (edible gum) - one small lump
Curry leaves - 5-6

For seasoning -
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 3-4
Oil/Ghee

Method:
In a frying pan, heat few spoons of oil and roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida. Allow to cool. Set aside. Grind to a smooth paste with grated coconut and warm water to form a paste. Bring the ground paste to a bubbly boil, add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt as per taste. Once cooked, cover with a lid. In the same pan used previously, heat few spoons of oil and season with curry leaves and mustard seeds. Pour this seasoning on the cooked broth. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Mix before serving and serve with cooked white rice.

Note: Use whole spices for good taste and flavour. Do not use powdered asafoetida, use the edible gum which is lumpy and strong flavoured. Add seasoning or omit seasoning as per choice. Cooked Toor Dal and Tomato can also be added to bring about volume and lessen the spice level.

Seasoned Beaten Rice With Potato & Onion (Kanda Batat Pohe)

One of the breakfast items which is quite banal and adored so to say - Kanda Batat Pohe. Kanda = Onions, Batat = Potatoes and Pohe = Beaten Rice. Mom made this for our school lunchbox and morning breakfast. Pohe is easy to make and quick to finish dish. This is the savoury recipe for many a Maharashtrian households and a pop item if you have quick and unexpected guests at home and also if the bridegroom is visiting home to see/meet a prospective match and their family. There is another version of Pohe, which is Dadpe Pohe which is also easy. Beaten rice is washed, seasoned with salt and turmeric and covered with a lid, which is called as Dadapney in Marathi, hence Dadpey Pohe. I like both the versions and they pack a world of nutrition in them. In Kannada, they are known as Avalakki. These apart, there are many styles and varieties of Pohe. I choose Thick Poha available at Indian grocery.

For festive occasions especially in Marathi families, an offering of different types of Pohe are made to God. The festive platter made during Diwali is known as Faraal; apart from being heartily enjoyed and rejoiced by family members we made these at home and Mom sent Faraalachey Taat to be shared with our neighbours and friends. Dudh Pohe, Gul Pohe, Tikhat Pohe to name a few. Dudh Pohe is one of my favorite snack made during Diwali. One of my dear aunt, fondly called as Maushi, prepared this every year for me during Diwali. At the crack of dawn , she would give a pompous shout and plead to my Mom to have me summoned at her place to enjoy the grand Diwali brunch. Sadly, she passed away many years back but the memories are close to my heart. The popular belief drilled in us as kids was eating Pohe on Diwali morning supposedly brought good luck and prosperity for the family. So every year during Diwali, we had a Pohe overdose. :)

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Yield: 2

Ingredients:

Beaten Rice - 1 cup

Onions (sliced) - 1 cup

Potato (thinly sliced) - 1/2 cup

Coriander leaves (finely chopped) - 1/3 cup

Grated Coconut - 2 tablespoon

Salt

Turmeric powder - 1/3 teaspoon

Red Chilli powder - 1/3 teaspoon

Lime juice - 2 tablespoon

For Seasoning -

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafoetida - just a pinch

Oil/Ghee

Method:

Wash the beaten rice in water for couple of times to get rid of the starch. Allow the water to drain completely. Add salt and turmeric powder and leave aside for 10 minutes.

In a separate deep dish vessel, heat few spoons of oil/ghee. Add mustard seeds, once they splutter, add curry leaves and asafoetida. Add the onions and potatoes now and allow to sweat. Add a cup of water and slow cook with a lid on. Add Turmeric powder if desired. Once both cooked, add the beaten rice and give a good gentle mix. Adjust salt if required. Once done, garnish with grated coconut, coriander leaves and a drizzle of fresh lime juice. Serve hot with Tea or Coffee.

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.

Orange Dwarf Coconut (Gendale)

Orange Dwarf Coconut, is a beautiful yellow and orange colored variety of Coconut commonly grown in Konkan region of India. In Konkani, this variety is known as Gendale. Many of my family members who own farmlands and ancestral fields take great pride in harvesting this variety of Coconut.

I have vivid memories of sipping farm fresh coconut water drawn from freshly plucked Coconuts from my Grandfather's farmlands. In those days, Coconuts were an easily available commodity and paying for a bunch of them was certainly unheard of.

The Orange Dwarf coconut tree grows to about 10-15 metres in height as opposed to conventional Coconut trees which shoot anywhere from 20 to 50 metres in height depending on the soil, climate and type of nutrition provided to the tree. When I was a child this variety was a common one. However now with less forest regions and dwindling green fields and farmlands this Coconut is becoming a very rare and precious variety. A chilled glass of this coconut water is by and far the best and tastiest one I've ever had. Many agro and horticulture based initiatives are currently being undertaken to propagate and multiply this rare and precious variety of Coconut.

Mixed Vegetable Curry (Gajbaje)

In my ancestral place, any Ganesh Chaturthi celebration is incomplete without the staple dish - Gajbaje. It's a simple, nutritious dish with all the possible vegetables which you can think of. Primarily the vegetables which crop up in early September are used in abundance, hence more of gourds and pumpkins. This dish is also made in Goa, sometimes cooked with Sichuan Pepper (Teppal or Tirphal) or without it and is known as Khatkhate. In GSB Konkani parlance, its known as Gajbaje. This is a one pot dish and is quite easy to make.

Gajbaje is also making an appearance in wedding menus, important celebrations and family festive events. My Dad asked me if I am planning to make Gajbaje for Ganpati lunch, hence the idea struck me. This is his favorite dish and he enjoys the one made by my Mom for obvious reasons. Mom makes use of atleast 5 vegetables to make this dish - Ridge Gourd, Pumpkin, Raw Plantain, Potato, Yam, Radish, Ladies Finger, Bottle Gourd, etc. I made use of all Fall vegetables - Butternut Squash, Yellow Squash, Corn on the cob and Bottle Gourd. The buttery flavour of Butternut Squash bowled me over. I like to munch on this nutritious dish just on its own slurping it hot from a big bowl. I plan on making on many such One Pot dishes during winter like Valval, Undhiyo, Khatkhate (with Tirfhal).

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
Vegetables (assorted) - 5-7 cups
** Primarily early Fall veggies - Corn, Butternut Squash,
Yellow Squash, Corn on the cob, Yam, Bottle Gourd, etc***
Grated coconut - 3 cups
Red Chillies (Byadgi) - 5-10
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Jaggery - 1 teaspoon
Tamarind pulp - 1 teaspoon
Salt

For Seasoning:
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 6-7
Oil/Ghee

Method:
Chop all the vegetables into 1/2" bite sized pieces. Bring them to boil in a huge pot with water good enough to immerse the vegetables, add little salt. Bring to boil and simmer on low flame. Cover with a lid and cook till partially done. On the side, roast red chillies in little oil separately for 2 minutes. Allow to cool. Grind to a coarse paste with grated coconut and tamarind. Add this paste to the cooked vegetables. Allow the gravy to cook along with the vegetables and cover with a lid. Adjust salt, add jaggery and water as desired. Cook till done and turn off flame. In a separate pan, heat ghee/oil, add mustard seeds and once they begin to pop, add curry leaves. Pour this seasoning on the curry, mix gently and cover with a lid. Serve hot as a side dish.

Note - Do not peel the skin of the vegetables. Retain some skin, otherwise vegetables will dissolve and disintegrate in the curry even before consumption. This curry is semi-dry but not too dry, hence do not make it too watery. I made a huge batch, reduce the quantity by half for a smaller batch.

Yam Curry (Surna Tambudi)

Suran or Sooran is also known as Yam. Popularly available in South India, it belongs to the tube root or root family and grows in abundance and to a fairly bigger size. Some varieties of Suran leave an itchy feeling in throat so one needs to ensure that the Suran pieces are carefully cooked.

Surna Tambudi is a choicest and tasty coconut gravy based dish. Some people often complain about being unable to eat this dish owing to the itchy sensation it leaves on hands while cooking and throat post consumption. Unlike other 'Tambli' based dishes, this one is not cold and needs to be boiled and seasoned with spices.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20-30 minutes

Yield: 3-4 servings

Ingredients:
Suran/ Yam - 3 cups (Frozen or fresh)

Coriander seeds - 2 tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder - 1/10 teaspoon
Grated coconut (optional) - 1 cup
Red Chillies (Byadgi chillies) - 3-5
Methi seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Water - For curry consistency

Salt - as per taste

For seasoning -

Oil - For frying
Curry leaves - 3-6 leaves

Method:
1. Defrost Suran and allow to thaw, keep aside for 1/2 hour at room temperature. If using fresh ones, chop off the thick skin and chop into bite sized pieces. Use kitchen gloves to prevent itchy sensation on hands. Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.

2. Heat 2 spoons of oil in a kadhai and temper with coriander seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric powder, red chillies. Take care to fry these ingredients on a low flame since the masalas could easily get burnt. Saute for around 5 minutes and towards the end while putting off the flame add grated coconut. This is optional however if added gives a great flavour to the dish. Once cooled, grind the masala to a paste.
3. In a saucepan, boil the Suran pieces and add the ground gravy. Bring it to a boil for around 10 minutes and simmer on low flame till the Yam pieces are completely cooked. Temper with a seasoning of Mustard seeds and Curry leaves tempered in heated oil. Serve hot with rice.

Potato Gojju (Bataatey Gojju)

Of late its been p0uring cats and dogs in Bangalore. Sometimes I wonder if Mother Earth is heading to dooms day. The weather cycle is getting displaced at an erratic pace. Today when I woke up it was bright Saturday noon and suddenly it was followed by a heavy deluge. Potato Gojju and Paej seemed to be the perfect combination for this day. Paej is a Brown Rice Soup, this rice is available in abundance at Mangalore stores in and around Bangalore. I always like combining Gojju’s with Paej. The combination is yummy and simply delicious.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Processing time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2-3 Individuals

Ingredients:
Potatoes – boiled and mashed - 3 cups
Green Chillies – 2
Grated Coconut – 1/2 cup
Asafoetida – Just a pinch or two
Room temperature water – 2-3 cups
Salt – As per taste

Tempering:
Coconut oil – 2 teaspoon
Curry leaves – 10-15 leaves
Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon

Method:
In a mixing bowl, crush the chillies alongwith grated coconut, chillies and salt. Crush vigorously till an even paste is formed and the ingredients blend well with each other. Now add the mashed potatoes to this mixture. In a pot, heat coconut oil on medium flame. Add curry leaves and mustard seeds and allow the seeds to pop. Temper the ingredients with the curry leaves, coconut oil and mustard seeds. Add Asafoetida powder and mix with water to form a good consistency which is not too brothy. Serve with hot Paej.Enjoy your meal.

Mom’s Special Tip – The consistency and taste of Gojju depends on the taste and flavour of coconut used. Suggested usage of Jeevo Narlu(Raw Coconut) brings about a good flavour. This should not be mistaken for Tender coconut. Jeevo Narlu in Konkanis is the one which has plenty of water in it and has ample of fresh kernel which is super white.