Brocolli and Cheese Soup

Today the weather is quite funny! Its raining when it was just bright and sunny yesterday.
Cannot seem to understand the weather here, nevertheless what better thing than a warm bowl of soup and some farmer bread which is warm and all bathed in butter.

Today I prepared Brocolli and Cheese soup. The dish is simple and gets ready in almost half an hour. We got some produce of Brocolli this weekend. The stem is quite fresh and very cute, I could just devour it all raw!!


Serves: 2-3 individuals
Source: Self


Ingredients:
Brocolli florets - 2 C
Cheese slice - 1
Salt - As per taste
Water - 4 to 6 C
Onion - 1/2 c (chopped finely)
Maggi cube - 1 buillion (vegeterian)



Method:
Boil Brocolli florests in water alongwith salt. Food cooks faster if boiled with water. Add Maggi buillion, if not available one can add local Maggi cubes the one which is available in plenty in any Indian local kirana store or super markets like Food World.

Bring the ingredients to gentle stir and boil and add cheese slice. Once cooked, add onions which is pre-fried and translucent.


Serve hot with Naan or Farmer's bread.

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.

Cashewnut Side dish (Tendley Bibbe Upkari)

Festivals are times we look forward to the good old moments we spent with our loved ones especially if you are a far away land like in my case. Today is Gudi Padwa. It reminds me of sweet moments when Mom used to wake me up from a deep slumber and force me to eat Kadoo Limba Patra and Good (Neem Leaves fried in oil) after brushing my teeth. I used to detest the taste much to the bitter flavour of Neem Leaves. Lunch is a big affair with a lavish spread on Samsaar Padwaa (Gudi Padwa as known in Konkani). We had Khotto, Madganey, Patrodo, Bibbe Upkari (king of all dishes), Phodis, Saasam. Today I cannot help but sigh in nostalgia as I am terribly missing home be it the love and affection of mom and dad, the early morning calls wishing Happy Gudi Padwa or simply the feeling of being with your loved ones. The hope of a new beginning. The hope of a better life.

Here's some info I got when I googled Gudi Padwa, which is quite an interesting read:

"Gudhi Padwa (Devnagari: गुढीपाडवा {often mis-pronounced as guDi padwa because ढी sounds like डी while speaking}) is celebrated on the first day of the Chaitra month, and is celebrated as New Year's Day by Maharashtrians and Hindu Konkanis ( called as Samvatsar ( Sausar ) Padvo or Yugadi by Konkanis ). It is the same day on which great king Shalivahana defeated Sakas in battle.
This is also first day of Marathi Calendar. This festival is supposed to mark the beginning of Vasant (spring). According to the Gregorian calendar this would fall sometime at the end of March and the beginning of April. According to the Brahma Purana, this is the day on which Brahma created the world after the deluge and time began to tick from this day forth. This is one of the 3 and a half days in the Indian Lunar calendar called "Sade-Teen Muhurt", whose every moment is considered auspicious in general to start a new activity.
While the people of Maharashtra use the term Gudhi Padwa for this festival and the Konkanis use Sanvsar Padvo (sanvsar derived from samvatsar meaning year) the people of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka term the same festival, observed on the same day, Ugadi. The Sindhi festival of Cheti Chand is celebrated same day."

Today I prepared Bibbe Upkari (Raw Cashewnut Fries). Amongst Konkanis, its holy to eat Cashewnuts on this auspicious day. For generations to come, this dish is quite symbolic and on Gudi Padwaa day, we make Bibbe Daali Aambat. I decided to make Tendley Bibbe Upkari. Since, I had less Ivy Gourd, I added boiled Potatoes for added flavour and to increase the quantity as well. Take your pick on the vegetables accordingly.

Tendley Bibbe Upkari

Serves: 6 servings

Cooking time: 45 minutes hour (excluding the preparation time)

Ingredients:
Cashewnut: 2 cups (Pre-soaked in warm water for 4-6 hours)
Ivy Gourd: 3 cups (chopped into thin - 1" pieces)
Potato: 1 cup (optional - boiled and chopped into thin slices)
Grated coconut: 1/2 cup
Mustard seeds: 1/2 teaspoon

Corn Oil/ Any vegetable oil: 2 tablespoon
Red Chillies(Byadgi preferably): 2-3
Curry Leaves: 6-7 of them
Salt as per taste
Water: For boiling vegetables

Method:
Pre-soak cashewnuts in water the previous day. Once done they would be swollen and kind of plump.

Heat oil in a kadhai and temper with mustard seeds and chillies. Saute for 2-3 minutes after seeds start popping. Remove the chillies if you wish to avoid spicy taste. Add Potatoes and Ivy Gourd. Saute for 5 minutes till the flavour of tempering spreads across the vegetables. Add Cashewnuts and add water. Bring to boil and simmer on low flame with a covered lid till water evaporates and the vegetables are completely cooked. Adjust salt as per taste. Once done, garnish with grated coconut and serve hot as a side dish.

Tip: For a sweet taste, one could add 1/3 teaspoon of Jaggery while boiling vegetables to give a mild sweet flavour. Raw Cashewnuts are available in plenty in season in Udupi, Mangalore and Bangalore. They are the actual ones to be used for this Upkari, we call it Jeevo Bibbo (Fresh Cashew). Since, I did not have them handy, I decided to soak store brought Cashews and made Upkari.

Traditional String Hoppers Contraption (Shevyaa Dantey)

Meet this prized lad of our kitchen - my Mom's Shevyaa Daantey. This is the contraption used to make Rice String Hoppers, amongst Konkan regions in India. Rice paste which ground and steamed is converted into tiny balls good enough to fit the cylindrical chamber. Plonking 1-2 at a time, the steering is gently twisted. Beautiful, pearl white delicate hoppers drip off from the tiny perforations at the bottom of the suspended cylindrical element of this contraption.

This one in the picture is many many decades old and Mom loves this little cute lad. This contraption has fed us many a tasty lunches and breakfast with Shevayee. The metal has got many a dents and has lost his sheen, but thankfully after doctoring him a little, he is fine again now.

Garden Produce: Tomatoes

My mother is quite a green thumb. From September last year onwards I badly wanted to try my hand at vegetable farming. So thought of planting Tomato seeds with some dried leaves, kitchen compost waste as manure. My tiny plant has finally grown and has one small flower shooting out. It was sheer pleasure to see the plant growing from one small salping to a mini shrub as it is today. Cannot wait to see it grow and bear Tomatoes which I can use for my daily kitchen preparations.

News! News! - My Baby Tomato Plant (you can see the yellow flower in the picture - her first child) gave birth to three healthy tomatoes this May. The tomatoes were nice and plump. My parents are extremely happy to see the Tomatoes growing. So am I !

Cucumber Salad (Toushey Hullaal)

These days I have picked a strong fetish for salads and fresh veggies. I have the salad bug biting me hard I guess. The story behind this dish is quite interesting. When I was about to leave my home town to pursue a career in another city, my mom taught me this easy yet enticing recipe. The taste is very simple and alluring. Please try and let me know how you enjoy this dish. The name of this dish is "Toushey Hullal". Mostly prepared by South Canara Konkanis, its easy to make, quick salad with a very mild palate.

Serves: 1-2 individuals

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
Cucumber - 1 (finely chopped)
Asafoetida - 1/10 teaspoon or a pinch
Green chillies - 1 sliced to expose the seeded area
Salt - As per taste

Method:
Add salt, green chillies and asafoetida as per the quantity given. Mix together vigorously. If eating time is further expected to be delayed, please add all the ingredients and do not mix. This prevents the cucumber pieces from oozing excess water which takes off the taste from the salad. Serve with rice as a salad. This dish is very filling and liked by
most of the Konkanis.

Spring Onion Soup

Its always said that certain food types which we relish in childhood days become a habit once you grow up. One such food type is “Soup”. I love the taste and aroma of
vegetarian soup cooked and served straight from the pot. Thanks to Aunty S, my Anglo-Indian neighbor who introduced me to Soups, Cookies and taught me how to eat with fork and spoon. Ever since I tasted her soupy delicacies I think I can survive all my life on soups given a chance. Here’s one created by yours truly and can be prepared quickly without any hassles. Serves as an ideal supper. I love this soup and can survive on this given a chance all through my life. A soup is a healthy appetizer, builds taste and is easy to make.

Serves: 2-3 individuals

Ingredients:
Spring Onion – chopped (around 7-10 spring onions twigs)
Butter – 1 t
Olive Oil – 2-4 T
Macaroni – 1 c
Maggie cubes – 2 (vegetarian)
Pepper powder – ½ t (garnishing)
Water – 6-8 C
Salt – As per taste

Method:
1. Add butter and olive oil in a pot and allow to melt on medium flame.
2. Add chopped spring onion and sauté gently.
3. Add macaroni and add 2-3 C of water and cover the pot with a lid.
4. Allow the spring onion (onion + spring onion leaves) to boil (2-3 minutes) & lower the flame. Add Maggie cubes to the broth.
5. Add rest of the water & salt and bring to boil.
6. Serve hot and garnish with pepper powder.

Mom’s Special Tip: Once the veggies are semi-cooked, add water, bring to boil, cover the lid and turn off the flame. This way we save on fuel and the content cooks due to the heat available inside the pot.