Capsicum Pakoras (Donne Mirsaang Bajo or Bhajiya)

Pakoras or Deep Fried Fritters are a mood lifter any time! I have fond memories of Capsicum Pakoras. Quite a rarity, Mom used to make Pakoras for breakfast, so for me its always been Capsicum Pakoras with Coffee! My friends wonder at this combination and ask me if I really like it! (Yes, I do !!! :)) Capsicum is called as Donne Mirsaang in Konkani.

Servings ~ Around 20 pieces of Pakoras.
Recipe Source: Mom

Ingredients:
Capsicum pieces - 20 ~ 2 Green Bell Peppers
Chickpea flour (Besan) - 1 cup
Garam masala powder - 1 teaspoon ~ MDH Garam Masala
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - as per taste
Oil - for frying
Water - for batter consistency
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Method:
Marinate the pieces of Bell Pepper in salt and keep aside. Make a thick batter of Chickpea flour, Red Chilli powder, Garam masala powder, Cumin seeds and salt. The batter should be very thick hence be careful while adding water.

Heat oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, dip the pieces one by one and deep fry in oil till golden. Serve hot with Tomato ketchup.

Tomato Rasam (Tomato Saaru)

Tomato Rasam is a favorite with my Mom, Dad and my Akka (konkani term for sister). They love this dish because it very simple, light and leaves you with a sweaty feel at the end of the meal. I used the same approach which Mom uses to make this Rasam. As a child, I was anti-tomato and now I simply love the flavours. In Konkani, this is known as Saaru; Saaru is a water based blend of spices and most of the times is cooked in a vegetable stock of choice.

I also had a packet of Shivalli Brahmins Rasam powder which my sister had got for me from Udupi. If this Rasam powder is not there, then any rasam powder can be used - Gits or MTR. I prefer MTR as their flavours are very similar to authentic South Indian rasam. The Shivalli Brahmins powder is quite famous in Udupi and gives you the authentic flavour of Rasam, the way its supposed to be enjoyed with Rice.

Recipe Source: Mom

Serves: 2-3 individuals

Ingredients:

Tomato (Ripe, Red and ready) - 1

Rasam powder - 2-3 teaspoons - Shivalli Brahmins Saaru Pitti

Coriander leaves (chopped finely) - 6-8 sprigs

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Black Pepper corns (whole) - 4-6

Garlic flakes - 3-4

Green Chillies - 1

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Jaggery - 1/2 teaspoon

Tamarind juice - 1 teaspoon

Method:

Grind pepper corns, garlic flakes and cumin seeds in a pestle and mortar. In a sauce pan, heat oil and fry this masala. Separately, finely chop tomato pieces and crush them gently in water. Add this mix to the fried masala. Add turmeric powder, green chillies, tamarind juice, jaggery and bring to boil. The consistency will be with reddish blend and would be all collected. Hence, tomatoes crushed manually help acheive the collected consistency. Finally, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Pumpkin Fritters (Duddyaa Phodi)

Pumpkin Fritters or Duddya Phodi has been a fairly recent discovery. My Maushi in Goa uses different types of vegetables - Pumpkin, Okra, Radish, Potato, Brinjal to make shallow fried fritters which have a crispy coating. I was amused with the simplicity of this dish. Quick to fry and easy to make.

I added some more red chilli powder to make it more interesting and tasty. I found them at the American grocery store and they are known as Calabaza.

~ Duddya Phodi ~
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Pumpkin pieces/ Calabaza pieces - 4 to 8

Rice Rava - 4 tablespoons

Red Chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Oil - for frying

Salt - as per taste

Method:

Make bite sized pieces of Pumpkin and marinate with salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder and keep aside for 20 minutes. Heat 2-3 teaspoons of oil in a pan, roll the pieces in Rice Flour one by one. One could also mix red chilli powder with rava for added flavour. Flip the fritters after they get roasted on one side, slather some oil. Allow to fry on all sides for 5-8 more minutes. Serve hot as a side dish or as a snack.

Potato Patty Sandwich (Batata Vadi Sandwich)

There are times when your fridge is stuffed with whole lot of vegetables, salad items, breads and you have a greater choice in terms of clearing the pantry. I had a Potato, Onion, Romaine Lettuce, Cucumber and few slices of whole wheat bread.

I tweaked around the recipe and made a tasty sandwich which was filling and delicious at the same time.

Serves: 1 individual

Ingredients:
Few slices of wheat bread ~ Around 3-4
Potato (boiled) - 1
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Chaat Masala - 1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - a tiny sprinkle
Salt - as per taste
Oil - For frying
Coriander leaves (finely chopped) - 6-8 sprigs
Rice Flour - 4 teaspoons
Onion (sliced) - 1 small Onion
Lettuce leaves - 3-4


Method:
Make a Potato patty out of boiled Potato and mesh it well alongwith red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander leaves, salt and chaat masala. Make small Vadi's out of it. Roll in Rice flour and pan fry in oil with just enough oil to allow frying, they need not swim in oil. Transfer once done and keep aside.

Roast wheat bread in the same pan, saute the onions with little rice flour. Set aside. Make a sandwich out of lettuce leaves, onion, Potato patty. Serve with green coriander chutney or tomato ketchup.

Cornflakes with Apple Chops and Nuts

During one of our recent visits to Boston, we happened to pay a visit to Charlestown Navy Yard. There was a retired naval ship "Destroyer" on display, its setup on a pier at the Charlestown Navy yard. The ship, USS Cassin Young played a critical role in the World War - II and had to handle variable duties; they are all purpose warship driven and hence the name "Destroyer".

Apart from the hunt for history, Torpedo's, warship stories, battlfield glories discovered, lost and fought for I found my fascination for this tiny pantry perched in one of the corners of the ship. A must watch for me! I did not want to spare the kitchen here (pun intended!). I quickly took some shots and was pleased to see how they stored their goods, the bread they baked and it was truly a humbling experience!

The pantry was a tiny place with stands and compartments put up to hold the food stock. There was a large refrigerator which could hold up the stock for the entire regiment. I also found a Galley which had the Kitchen tit-bits written on it. Apparently, there were some days where they baked 100 loafs of bread, quite an enormous figure so to say in proportion to the hard work and effort required; I was amused sometimes they worked all night along to feed the hungry mouths who braved the seas and skies to protect their land.


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I love my morning breakfast! Especially "breakfast like a king" style; Cornflakes are the easiest crunches on earth, just treat them with fruits and nuts of your choice and you are set to rock the day! I find it easy with Cornflakes especially on days when you have to be on the go or have have duties beckoning everything else!

Recipe adapted by me based on dietary needs and supplements :)

Ingredients:

Banana Nut crunch cornflakes - 1 cup

Chilled Milk - 1 cup

Sugar (optional) - 1/2 teaspoon

Chopped Apples - Half an Apple

Walnut (chopped) - 1-3 teaspoon

Maple Syrup - 1 teaspoon

Method:

Mix all ingredients together except Cornflakes as they tend to turn soggy soon after contact with liquids. Once you are set on the breakfast table, add your favorite cornflakes and dig into the healthy fare!

Cauliflower Pakoras (Cauliflower Bajey or Bhajiyas)

Pakoras are crispy, tasty pieces of vegetables (Cauliflower, Onion, Potatoes) dipped in batter of your choice (Rice flour, Corn meal, Chickpea flour + Cumin seeds + Cayenne powder + salt) and deep fried in oil. These Pakoras have a huge fan following (ignore the love handles and the belly bulge).

This is my own recipe which I have adapted from various tried and tested approaches. I prefer the vegetables spiced up and the batter crispy enough for a tasty bite!

Serves: 3-4 individuals

Ingredients:

Cauliflower (florets) - 16-20 florets

Chickpea flour (Besan) - 2 cup

Rice Flour - 1 tablespoon

Red Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Water - for batter consistency

Oil - For frying

For marinating Cauliflower:

Ginger garlic paste - 2 teaspoon

Salt - as per taste

Chaat masala (optional) - a little sprinkle

Method:

Take a large Cauliflower head and chop into bite-sized florets, I prefer to chop them into medium sized florets. Add some salt, chaat masala, ginger garlic paste and set aside for 20 minutes.

Mix together all the ingredients required for the batter, stir well till no lumps are observed. The batter should be thick hence be frugal while adding water. Dip each of the florets in batter and deep fry till golden brown. Serve hot with Tomato Ketchup.

A Simple Konkani Meal: Jevaan

The Konkan region is a narrow coastal strip in the western region of India. It stretches from Raigad to Mangalore in the South. The Konkan region comprises of Mumbai, Raigad, Sindhudurg, Thane, Ratnagiri, The State of Goa. Uttar Kannada or North Canara comprises of Kumta, Honnavar, Bhatkal, Siddapur, Sirsi, Ankola and some other regions. Dakshin Kannada or Sorth Canara comprises of Mangalore, Bantwal, Sullia, Puttur regions.

The origin of Udupi cuisine comes from Mandhvacharya and the cuisines was developed, propogated by Shivalli Brahmins, a group of individuals who cooked food for Shri Krishna at Krishna temple, Udupi. Even today, the food is served free for all patrons who visit Lord Krishna. Their culinary preparation if quite famous in Udupi. Its primarily known for vegeterian cuisines, with no garlic and onions and no meat/ fish.

Udupi food preparations make abundant use of pulses, grams, vegetables, gourds, fruits, seasonal produce, leaves and other root vegetables which add lot of value to the overall taste and flavour.

Udupi cuisine gains its origin from Astha Matha found my Sri Madhvacharya. Udupi cuisines makes lavish use of Pulses, Grains, Lentils, Seasonal Vegetables and Fruits. The cuisine was primarily propogated by Shivalli Brahmins. Udupi cuisines make optimum and generous use of Colocasia leaves (Alvaa Paan), Raw Jackfruit (Tarnee Kadgee), Raw Green Bananas, Coconut (grated), Coconut oil, Seasonal vegetables like Yellow Chinese Cucumber (called as Magge in Konkani or Sautekai in Kannada), Ash Gourds, Kantola, Parval. Its a surprising fact that Udupi cuisines also make abundant use of leafy and root vegetables like Negro Coffee or Cassia Tora leaves which is the botanical name (called Tailkile Paan in Konkani which grow primarily in rainy season)), Colocasia leaves (called as Alvaa paan in Konkani), Konkani Arbi or Kaale Aalvaa Maaddi (called as Maaddi in konkani), Drumstick leaves and flowers (called as Shengyaa Palley and Phool). We also get seasonal vegetables like Paasphanas, Breadfruit (called as Jeev Kadagee in konkani) which are eaten with relish.

I made a simple Konkani meal comprising of Rice, Daal (Dali Thoi), Beans Side dish (Upkari), Cucumber salad (Toushey Hullal), some Lime Pickle and Red Chillie Papad (called as Taambdi Haapli or Tambdo Haapollu) to go along with. I served it in popular type of serving dish in India called as Otte Vaattey or Khanaa Vattey in Konkani or Plate with pockets in laymans terms. I love eating in this type of a serving plate. A typical konkani lunch/dinner partaking process is called Jevaan or Jehvan in Marathi, Otaa in Kannada, Saapada in Tamil.

Source: As narated by my mother + Wikipedia

Update: Sept 15, 2009 - Changes to the Uttar Kannada and Dakshin Kannada description. Thanks to Shilpa from Aayisrecipes for the feedback.