BIMBULA NONCHE ( BILIMBI PICKLE)

BIMBULA NONCHE ( BILIMBI PICKLE)

Apart from loving the taste of it, I had no idea until recently how Bimbula Nonche was made. For that matter I didn't know what the fruit we call Bimbul in Konkani was called in English! In case you can't figure out what I am talking about, this article in The Mangalorean has some pictures. Some houses of Konkani people in Bangalore also have these trees and I must thank our relatives, Jayashree and Dinesh Rao for giving me such fresh bimbuls plucked off their tree.

I then found out that the tree is strictly called "Cucumber Tree" in English . As it is commonly known as "Bilimbi" in India, perhaps in Konkani we added our slant and called it "Bimbul":)

As you would have figured out "Nonche" is what we call pickle in Konkani and  "Bimbula Nonche" thus becomes "pickle from the Bimbul."

This one is tangy, spicy, salty and sweet and is, even if I say so myself, finger-licking good. I would like to thank my sister-in-law, Anuradha Pai for this recipe.

Ingredients:

• About 30-35 Bimbuls
• Salt, to taste
• Jaggery, generous amount, approx 400-500 grams
• Methi ( Fenugreek) seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Oil, a little for roasting
• Hing ( asafoetida), a pinch
• Mustard seeds, 2 tsp
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 7-8

Method: 

Wash and cut the bimbuls length wise. 
Grate the jaggery so that it is not in lumps and will dissolve more smoothly
Put the bimbuls in a kadhai, add salt and grated jaggery
This will result in the bimbuls leaving a lot of water
Cook over medium flame till most of the water evaporates and the bimbuls are fully cooked.
Please take care to see that they are not over cooked and become too mushy. Keep aside.
Roast in a little oil 1/2 tsp methi seeds, a pinch of hing, 2 tsps of mustard seeds and 7-8 Byadgi Red Chillies separately
Powder them in the blender
Add this powdered mixture to the cooked bimbul and mix evenly

Serve as an accompaniment with rice or rotis

Hints

• Unlike other pickles this has a rather short shelf life and I would recommend that you store this in your refrigerator.

VEGETABLE SAGOO

VEGETABLE SAGOO

In one of the groups of cooking enthusiasts in which I am a member, we have a nice practice. On an appointed day of every week, a member gives the recipe of a dish she likes. Others in the group are welcome to try this out and exhibit what they prepared based on the recipe given. The "Vegetable Sagoo" I present today came from one such endeavor. The recipe was given by my friend, Preeti Baliga. 

My husband and I very much enjoyed the dish. I stayed with the given recipe with just one alteration. I used fresh green peas instead of the dried green peas. This had the advantage of saving time as I did not have to soak the peas overnight etc.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Dried Green or white peas/vatana
• 1 cup Cauliflower florets
• 1/2 cup Carrots,cut into small cubes
• 1/2 cup Potatoes, cut into small cubes
• 2 Onions, chopped
• 2 Tomatoes, chopped
• 2 sprigs Curry leaves
• 1 tsp Mustard
• 3 tsp oil
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• Salt, as per taste

For masala paste:

• 1/2 cup Coconut, grated
• 2 tbsp Putane/roasted chana/hurigadale
• 4-5 Green chillies
• 2 tbsp Coriander leaves,chopped
• 6-7 cloves/lavang
• 2(1") pieces Cinnamon sticks
• 2 tsp Poppy seed
• 6-7 Garlic cloves
• 1 inch piece Ginger

Cooking Directions :
Soak green/white peas overnight in 6 cups of water.
Next day morning drain the water and keep aside.
Chop all the vegetables ( you can add any vegetables like ashgourd, pumpkin or beans) and keep aside.
Now pressure cook peas,potatoes and carrots with little salt add about 3-4 cups of water and cook for 20 minutes or take 2 -3 whistles till all veggies are well cooked.
Grind all the masala ingredients to smooth paste using 2 cups of water. Now our masala paste is ready.
Now take a deep sauce pan, Heat oil and add some mustard, let it splutter,then add curry leaves and onion and fry till onions are translucent. Add turmeric and fry for a minute.
Add chopped tomatoes,cauliflower florets and little salt ( check while adding salt as we have already added salt while cooking peas and vegetable) cover and cook till cauliflower is soft but not mushy.
Add pressure cooked peas and vegetable and the ground masala paste and boil till the gravy becomes semi dry.
Garnish with coriander leaves (optional as we have already added while grinding) and serve hot.
Goes well with Puri or chapati.

BHOJPURI ALOO: GUEST POST BY USHA BHAT

 BHOJPURI ALOO: GUEST POST BY USHA BHAT

When I started this blog, I thought it should be a forum where I could share all the recipes I have gathered over decades! I have tried almost all these recipes myself and can speak from my personal experience. I do realize there is no end to learning and I love learning new dishes through the many social media fora in which I participate.

At the same time, for more variety and different perspectives I felt it would be great to get others to contribute recipes of their choice for this blog. This would bring to the table, so to speak, recipes which were new to me and perhaps to many of you as well. 

The first such guest post appears today from my friend, Usha Bhat who is an expert cook and a wonderful organizer. Her dish is "Bhojpuri Aloo" which looks so colourful and yummy.

Ingredients

• 3 cooked potatoes, peeled and halved
• 2 cloves (laung / lavang)
• 1 cardamom (elaichi)
• 1 bayleaf (tejpatta)
• 6 mm (¼") cinnamon piece (dalchini)
• 1/2 tsp caraway seeds (shahjeera)
• 1/4 tsp ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste
• 1 tbsp onion paste
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tbsp curds (dahi)
• 3 tbsp milk
• 2 tsp oil
• Salt to taste

To be mixed into a stuffing:

• 4 tbsp cooked mashed potatoes
• A pinch of turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp chopped coriander (dhania)
• Salt to taste

For the garnish

• 2 tsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)

Method

Scoop one half of the potato and stuff with 2 teaspoons of the stuffing. Repeat for the remaining 5 potato halves. Keep aside.
Combine the oil, cloves, cardamom, bayleaf, cinnamon and caraway seeds in a microwave-proof bowl and microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes.
Add the ginger-garlic paste, onion paste, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt, mix well and microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes.
Add the curds and milk and mix well microwave on HIGH for 1 minute.
Add the stuffed potatoes to the gravy, mix well and microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes.
Serve hot garnished with coriander.

Thank you, Usha for this wonderful contribution.

CORN AND SPINACH

CORN AND SPINACH

The beauty of cooking is that each recipe can be given a personal touch. In the olden days when there were no books, leave alone internet, I guess recipes passed from one generation to another purely through word of mouth. Later came the era of books, and many, including me , made copious notes of recipes they came across and cut recipes from magazines and journals. In today's world, sharing a recipe happens in a jiffy, thanks to the different forms of social media.

A couple of months ago, we were doing some entertaining and I wanted a recipe which incorporates two of my favourites, corn and spinach. I was delighted to find one readily available on You Tube from the famous Indian culinary expert, Sanjeev Kapoor's " Khana Khazaana."

Here is the link to the short video with the recipe for "Corn and Spinach."
The only change I have made is that I have not garnished it, as suggested, with 4 tbsp of fresh cream. I thought this would make it too rich for our requirements.

We had this with rotis and it was quite delicious. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.


Ingredients:

• Fresh spinach leaves, blanched and pureed, 1 kg
• Corn kernels, boiled 2 cups
• Oil, 2 tsp
• Green chillies, chopped, 5
• Garlic cloves, chopped, 6-8
• Salt, to taste
• Garam Masala Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Lemon Juice, 1/2 tbsp

Method:

Heat oil in a khadai
Add green chillies and garlic cloves and saute for 1/2 minute
Add the blanched and pureed spinach leaves and salt
Saute over medium heat for 2-3 minutes
Add garam masala powder and lemon juice
Simmer for 1  minute
Stir in the boiled corn and add salt
Serve hot
* Garnish with 4 tbsp of fresh cream

CABBAGE SUKKE

CABBAGE SUKKE


This is a typical Konkani side dish made of cabbage and coconut-based masala. We call this a "sukke" in Konkani as it is in a semi-solid form. This side dish goes well in a meal where the main course is rice and dal. It goes well too as an accompaniment for rotis.

Remember that cabbage looks more voluminous when cut but shrinks when cooked, so add salt with care.

In the final stage of the cooking, I add cooked toor dal as I find that this enhances the taste.

Ingredients:

• Cabbage, medium sized, 1
• Onions, medium-sized, 2
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/2 cup
• Potatoes, 1-2
• Coriander seeds (roasted), 1 tsp
• Roasted Byadgi Red Chillies, 4
• Salt, to taste 
• Tamarind, a small gooseberry size ball
• Mustard seeds, 1 tsp
• Oil, 1 tbsp
• Cooked Toor Dal, 1/4 cup
  

 Method:
Wash and cut the cabbage without making it so fine that it becomes mushy when cooked
Wash, peel and cut the potato into small cubes
Chop the onions
Roast the coriander seeds and red chillies separately in a little oil, and keep aside
In a kadhai, add some oil and on medium heat add the mustard seeds.
When they splutter, add onions and saute it
Add the chopped cabbage and potato. Add a little water and stir.
Add the salt and keep it covered, on medium/low flame, for the cabbage and potato to get done
Grind together in a mixer the coconut gratings, roasted red chillies, tamarind, and roasted coriander seeds to a paste/masala, adding water as necessary
When the cabbage is nearly cooked, add the above ground masala and mix well
Add the cooked toor dal and keep stirring until the water evaporates to give you a semi-solid consistency
Serve hot

RAW MANGO CHUTNEY

RAW MANGO CHUTNEY

A few days ago, I had given the recipe for Maavinkayi Chitranna ( Raw Mango Rice). With the mango season going on, I thought I would share yet another recipe using mangoes today. This is a simple and quick to make chutney, for which you should preferably use Totapuri mango. This mango variety gets its name for its distinctive shape which resembles a parrot's beak. One nice thing about Totapuri mango is that you don't need to peel it.

The Byadgi red chillies gives this chutney its special colour. This variety of red chillies from Karnataka is not too spicy but adds a rich colour.  This is a versatile chutney and I use it as an accompaniment for  dosas, idlis, rotis and the like. Some people also have this with rice.

The biggest USP of this recipe: As tasty as it is quick to make:)

Ingredients:

• Raw Mango (Totapuri), medium-sized, 1*
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/4 cup
• Byadgi Red Chillies, roasted, 2 OR Chilli Powder, 1 tsp
• Hing ( Asafoetida) large pinch, 1
• Salt, to taste 
• Coconut Oil, 1 tsp

Method:

Wash and cut the raw mango into small pieces, discarding the mango seed.
Grind together the coconut gratings, roasted red chillies and hing in a mixer
Once the red chillies are properly crushed, add the chopped raw mango pieces and salt
Add a little water
Run the mixer till the raw mango pieces get fully blended
Transfer to a bowl and drizzle a tsp of coconut oil
Serve as accompaniment for dosa, idli, roti etc

Hints:

• * While Totapuri mango need not be peeled, if you are using other varieties you would need to peel them after washing
• In case you don't have roasted red chillies readily available, you can use 1 tsp red chilli powder, or as per your taste.

 

PALAK (SPINACH) PARANTHA

PALAK (SPINACH) PARANTHA

Today, I shall present another Parantha, this one made of palak or spinach.

Chappatis/Rotis/Paranthas. Those not familiar with Indian cooking and North Indian cuisine in particular might wonder what the differences are amongst these which are broadly and, may I say, blandly classified as "Indian bread" in the West. The uninitiated might find this article in Wiki of interest. Note the amazing varieties of paranthas that are made!

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for Hare Pyaz Aur Aloo Parantha and Spring Onion Parantha.

Palak, ( pronounced paa-lak) as spinach is popularly known in India, is rich in iron, calcium and antioxidants. It is a favourite in our cuisine. The fresh green palak is also a treat to the eye.


Ingredients:

• Atta, 4 cups 
• Palak, (Spinach) finely chopped, 2 cups
• Ajwain (Carom Seeds) 1 tsp
• Jeera (Cumin seeds) 1 tsp
• Dhania ( Coriander leaves) finely chopped, 2 tbsp
• Onion, finely chopped, 1
• Green chillies, finely chopped 2
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, as required

Method:

Take out the palak leaves and discard the stems
Wash the palak leaves thoroughly 
Wash the dhania leaves thoroughly

Dry roast ajwain and jeera. Cool for a few minutes
Blend the two to a fine powder in a mixer. Keep aside.

Make a fine paste of onion, spinach, coriander leaves and green chillies in a mixer using very little water

In a bowl, mix together the atta, salt, and oil with the ajwain-jeera powder and the palak paste
Knead to a soft dough using a little water and keep aside for 15-20 minutes
Next, make small balls of the dough and roll them into paranthas of about 6" diameter
Heat a tawa and cook each of the paranthas, using a little oil till golden brown on both sides
Serve hot with fresh curds (dahi) and pickle

CUCUMBER & DAL KOSAMBARI

CUCUMBER & DAL KOSAMBARI
Salad made of cucumber and moong dal

A "kosambari" comes from Kannadiga cuisine and is a kind of salad. Being from Karnataka, this has found a place in our cooking as well. This kosambari or salad, if you will, is a popular accompaniment for items like Nimbehannu Chitranna and Maavinkayi Chitranna. It is easy to make, nutritious and the kids just love it.

Traditionally, Cucumber and Dal Kosambari is made during festivals and pujas like the Sri Rama Navami celebrated recently and is customarily served with a drink called "Paanak." It is often given as prasad in temples. 

Being relatively quick to make and yet tasty, cucumber and moong dal kosambari has always been a favourite in my family.

Ingredients:


Cucumber, fresh and tender of medium size, 1

Moong dal ( Split Green Gram dal ), 1 Cup
Coriander Leaves, chopped, 2 tbsp
Grated Coconut, ½ Cup
Green Chilies, Chopped finely, 3
Juice of 1 Lemon
Raw Mango, finely cut pieces, 2-3 tbsp
Salt, to taste

For the Seasoning:
Oil, 2 tsp
Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
Curry leaves, 1 sprig
Hing, (Asafoetida),  a pinch or 1/8 tsp
Red chilli, broken into two, 1

Method:
Wash and soak the moong dal for about half an hour in water
Drain the water and keep aside
Peel and grate the cucumber
Mix together cucumber, moong dal, coriander leaves, green chilies, raw mango, coconut gratings and salt
Heat oil in a kadhai on medium flame, add the mustard seeds
When it splutters add a pinch of hing, red chilli and curry leaves
Add this seasoning to the above cucumber mixture
Squeeze the juice of the lime and mix well
Serve as accompaniment to dishes like chitranna etc

Hints:

• Vary the amount of lime juice depending upon the sourness of the raw mango

PAANAK

PAANAK

Sri Rama Navami is an important festival in our Hindu calendar, being the birth day of Lord Rama. On this occasion, it is a tradition in Karnataka to make a few dishes in particular such as "Maavinakayi Chitranna" ( Raw Mango Rice) and "Cucumber & Dal Kosambari," a kind of salad made of fresh cucumber and moong dal.

The tradition also has it that we prepare a drink which we call "Paanak" in Konkani which originates from a Sanskrit word. This is called "Paanaka" in Kannada. Our Konkani specialty is that we include dry ginger/dry ginger powder and jaggery amongst the ingredients. This gives our paanak a very distinctive flavour and bite.


The recipe I share is the way my mother made it, which leads me to believe that this type is more popular amongst the Konkanis hailing from Kerala. I know of people who do not boil the water and jaggery, but add the jaggery, spices etc directly to water to make the paanak.

The colour of the jaggery you use determines the final colour of the paanak. It is not uncommon for people to add a dash of lime juice in this recipe, but I have not done that. You can try it as a variation.

Although the paanak I have described is usually made for Sri Rama Navami along with other traditional items, as kids we used to have this simply as a refreshing drink on a scorching hot summer's day. I remember my mother making paanak in a large vessel as there were many of us, who used to rush in from playing out in the hot sun to have some of this cold delight and ask for more.

I must add that this is not a concentrate which is served after mixing it with water. It is rather poured into glasses and served chilled.

In summary: Highly refreshing and totally healthy.

Ingredients:

• Water, 6 cups
• Grated Jaggery, 1 cup, or to taste
• Freshly Powdered Pepper from 8 Peppercorns
• Cardamom Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Dry Ginger Powder, 1 tsp

Method:

Pour the water into a vessel
Add the grated jaggery in it, stir it
Boil the water and jaggery mixture
Take it off the flame
Add the powdered peppercorns, cardamom powder and dry ginger powder
Keep it covered for a few minutes
Once it is cooled, place in the refrigerator
Serve chilled

Hints:

• Since this was prepared for a puja, I have not done so, but for a drink on a hot summer's day, you could garnish this with a mint leaf or two.
•  Keeping the paanak covered for a few minutes after the spices are added, helps it absorb their aromas and flavours

MAAVINKAYI CHITRANNA OR RAW MANGO RICE

MAAVINKAYI CHITRANNA OR RAW MANGO RICE

Some days back, I had posted the recipe for Nimbehannu Chitranna or Lime Rice, as we call it in Karnataka, my home state. I had then mentioned that there were several variations of chitranna. With the  advent of the mango season and raw mangoes being available in plenty, I will present today another variety of chitranna, called "Maavinkayi Chitranna."  As you would have guessed by now, "Maavinkayi" means raw mango in Kannada.

The very mention of the word Maavinkayi brings back memories of my childhood: of cricket matches, of eating raw mango slices liberally dipped in chilli powder and salt, and used in many such ways, especially during the summer holidays. Maavinkayi Chitranna was a popular dish often used to rustle up a quick meal. It continues to be so, especially during the mango season. It is commonly made when you need food on the move such as during journeys or picnics and the like.

I have come across two common variations to make this dish. Some, like me, prefer to grind the raw mango along with the coconut gratings. Others use the raw mango directly without grinding it. The best part of any chitranna is that it is pretty much a self-contained meal and does not really call for accompaniments. However, you might like to have it with crisps, papad or even a raitha.

Ingredients:

• Raw Mango, medium-sized, 1
• Coconut, freshly grated, 1/2 cup
• Rice, 1 and 1/2 cups
• Methi (fenugreek) seeds, 1 tsp
• Byadgi Dry Red Chillies, 2-3
• Mustard seeds, 1 tsp
• Hing ( asafoetida) a pinch
• Salt, to taste

For seasoning:

• Oil, 2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds, 1 tsp
• Channa (Bengal gram) dal, 2 tsp
• Urad ( black gram) dal, 1 tsp
• Peanuts, 2 tbsp
• Curry leaves, 1 sprig

 Method:

Choose a medium-sized raw mango. Wash it clean and peel it.
Grate the raw mango and keep aside

In a pressure cooker, cook the rice and when it is cool enough to handle spread it on to a plate

Make sure that the rice is not lumpy. Ideally, each grain of the rice should stand out clearly  

Dry roast the red chillies, methi seeds, and hing
Make these into a fine powder in a mixer
Next, grind this to a paste along with the grated coconut, grated mango and mustard seeds
Do not add water while grinding as the mango already has water in it
If you find the mango too dry, you may add very little water while grinding

Heat oil in a kadhai over a medium flame, add mustard seeds
When they splutter, add curry leaves, and peanuts followed by channa dal and urad dal
Fry till the dals change colour and the peanuts get roasted

Now put in the ground paste, and salt and cook till the oil separates from the ground paste (about 3-4 minutes)
Add the cooked rice which has been cooled
Mix thoroughly taking care to see that no part of the rice is left uncovered by the ground paste

Serve hot

Hints: To save time, you can use rice that is already cooked and cooled

METHI ALOO

METHI ALOO

This dish combines two very common but much appreciated ingredients, fenugreek  (Methi in Hindi and Menthya in Kannada ) and Potato (Aloo in Hindi.) I make extensive use of methi ( both in leaf and seed form) in many of my dishes as we love the fragnance and flavour it adds.

I got this recipe from a Punjabi friend of mine long ago as we loved the tangy taste of the aloo which came from the amchoor used in the recipe. I have made some changes over time! She had used unpeeled potatoes in this dish. Perhaps because we are used to peeling the potatoes, I personally feel the dish tastes better this way. However, the choice is yours.

Secondly, haldi or tumeric was not part of the original recipe but I found adding some haldi gave it more  colour.  Lastly, though my friend suggested this dish is best cooked in mustard oil, I have stuck to the beaten path and used the regular oil as in our cuisine we are not used to mustard oil!



Ingredients:

• Baby potatoes, 200 gms
• Methi, large bunch, 1
• Oil, 2-3 tbsp 
• Garlic, 6-8 flakes, crushed
• Garam Masala powder, 1/2 tsp
• Amchoor (dry mango) powder, 1/4 tsp
• Red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp
• Haldi (turmeric) powder, 1/2 tsp
• Salt, to taste

Method:

Pluck the methi leaves from the stems and wash them thoroughly
Repeat this till you are satisfied that they are completely clean
Chop the leaves finely
Wash and scrub baby potatoes
Pressure cook the baby potatoes and peel them 
Heat oil in a kadhai and when it smokes, add crushed garlic
When the garlic changes colour, add the cooked potatoes and salt
Stir fry for about 5 minutes
Add the chopped methi leaves and mix
Now add haldi, amchoor powder, garam masala powder, and red chilli powder and mix well
Cook over low/medium flame, covering the kadhai, stirring now and then for about 10-12 minutes
Remove the lid and stir fry for about 5-8 minutes
Serve hot with rotis or chappatis.

Hints:

*As a variation, adding finely chopped onions with the chopped methi leaves can enhance the taste and reduce the bitterness of the methi leaves. 

STUFFED CAPSICUM

STUFFED CAPSICUM

A favourite in my family is Stuffed Capsicum ( also called Simla Mirch locally), which goes well as a side dish when served with rice and a curry. Although it is a dry dish, it can also be had with rotis or chappatis.

As those of you in North America would probably know, capsicum is what we in India call what you refer to as "Bell Pepper" which is available in different colours.

In this version, I have used the most commonly available green capsicum but if you want to jazz up this dish, you might like to have an assortment of capsicum in red, yellow as well as green. This considerably brightens up the dish and gives it a very different presentation.

Ingredients:

• Large Capsicums, 6
• Green Peas, cooked, 1/2 cup
• Potatoes 4
• Onions, medium sized, chopped 1-2
• Chilly powder, 1 tsp
• Garam Masala Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Powder, 1 1/2 tsp
• Tamarind extract, 1 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds  (Jeera) 1/2 tsp
• Oil, 3 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method: 

Wash the capsicums, cut them into half and de-seed them. Keep these capsicum 'jackets' aside.
Cook the potatoes, peel and mash them

Chop the onions finely 
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a thick-bottomed kadhai, add cumin seeds and when it gets roasted add onions and fry them till they are golden. 
Lower the heat, add turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder, and garam masala and fry for 1/2 minute
Now add the mashed potatoes, cooked peas, tamarind extract, and salt to taste. 
Cook this for 2-3 minutes and take it off the flame. Allow it to cool.
This forms the stuffing for the capsicum 

Fill the capsicum jackets with the stuffing mentioned above. Take care not to over stuff them. Pack the stuffing tightly in the capsicum jackets, so that it doesn't easily roll out.

Heat the remaining oil in the kadhai. Slip in the stuffed jackets of capsicum
Cook on medium flame by keeping them covered
When the bottom of the capsicums gets done, carefully turn them to their sides so as to have them evenly cooked

Serve hot as a side dish with rice and curry. We Konkanis believe stuffed capsicum tastes superb with our famous "dhalitoi."

Hints: 

• You can use 1/2 tsp of amchoor ( dry mango) powder instead of tamarind extract, should you wish to.
• While adding roasted onions to the stuffing enhances the taste, if you wish to save time, add chopped onions as an alternative.
• If some of the stuffing falls out of the jacket while it is being cooked, that's fine as this too tastes quite delicious when it gets roasted.

COCONUT & DAL; TOMATO; AND MINT & CORIANDER CHUTNEYS

COCONUT & DAL; TOMATO, AND MINT CHUTNEYS

I have shared a variety of South Indian breakfast dishes such as dosas, idlis, appos and so on whose recipes almost invariably end with , "Serve hot with chutney of your choice." I say so since these dishes are best enjoyed with our fiery chutneys, and there are so many of these as well.

Today, I share the first part of my " Chutney Collection." You have here:

• Coconut & Dal Chutney - at the top of the accompanying picture
• Tomato Chutney (Chettinad Style) - at the left of the accompanying picture
• Mint & Coriander Chutney- at the right of the accompanying picture

This picture shows the chutneys without seasoning.

In a sense, chutneys are versatile accompaniments and go well with most dishes. I believe the following are great combinations:

• Coconut & Dal Chutney - dosas, idlis, adai, appos, upma,
• Tomato Chutney- dosas, idlis, roti, chapatis, paranthas,
• Mint & Coriander Chutney- sandwiches, samosas, dhokla, cheelas

1) COCONUT & DAL CHUTNEY
Ingredients:

• Grated Coconut, fresh, 1 cup
• Fried Gram (Hurigadle in Kannada, Bhuna Channa in Hindi or Udaithakadala in Tamil) 1/4 cup
• Green Chillies, finely chopped, 3-4
• Ginger, peeled and grated, 1/2 " piece
• Coriander leaves, chopped, 2 tbsp
• Tamarind, small marble size ball
• Salt, to taste

Method:

Grind together the above ingredients in a blender, gradually adding a little water, to a paste. Vary the amount of water added to get your required consistency. I usually do not temper this type of chutney (as it tastes good even without it) but if you wish, you may temper it with mustard seeds, curry leaves, black gram dal and hing (asafoetida.)

2) Tomato Chutney (Chettinad Style)

Ingredients:

• Large Tomatoes, 2
• Onion, 1
• Chana Dal, (Bengal Gram), 1 and 1/2 tbsp.
• Red Chillies, 2
• Green Chilly, 1
• Ginger, 1/2 ", finely minced
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1 tbsp 
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1/2 tbsp.

For seasoning:

• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Red Chillies, 2
• Curry leaves, a sprig
• Hing (Asafoetida), a pinch

Method:

Slice the tomatoes and onion and keep aside.
Heat oil in a thick-bottomed kadhai. When it is heated, reduce the flame, add chana dal, red chillies and green chilly and saute till the dal changes colour.
Keep aside to cool.
In the same oil, add onions and ginger. Saute for about 3-4 minutes till onion becomes transparent
Add the tomatoes and saute on medium flame for 8-10 minutes
Remove from flame and let it cool
In a blender, grind together coconut gratings, roasted chana dal, chillies, tomatoes, onion and salt, to a smooth paste to make your chutney.
Transfer the chutney to a bowl.
Finally season the chutney with mustard seeds, curry leaves, red chillies, and hing.
Serve with idlis, dosas etc.

3) MINT & CORIANDER CHUTNEY

Ingredients:

• Fresh Coriander leaves, (Dhaniya) 1/2 cup
• Mint Leaves, (Pudhina)  1/2 cup
• Garlic, minced, 3 cloves
• Green chillies, 2-3
• Chaat Masala, 1 tsp
• Small sized Onion, 1/2 or 1
• Lemon, 1/2 
• Salt, to taste

Method:
Wash and thoroughly clean the Coriander and Mint leaves
Grind these in the blender, along with garlic, green chillies, chaat masala, onion, and salt, to a paste
Squeeze juice of lemon and mix well

APPOS

APPOS

The best part of  a South Indian breakfast is the wide variety of items that you can cook. I don't speak only of the many varieties within a particular dish like dosas or idlis. I refer to very different items had for breakfast ranging from upma, vada, puris, dosa, idli and so on.

One of them, which is a favourite in my family is what we call "Appo" in Konkani. I think elsewhere in the South, they are called "appams" of one kind or another. In our community, "Appos" are a breakfast item, though there is a sweet variation which we call " God Appos", which is often offered as neyvaidya during a puja.




The distinctive feature of making the Appos is that you need a specific kind of griddle or tawa for this. The griddle which we naturally call, "Appe Kayili" ( griddle for making Appos) is not flat but has sockets in them in which the oil and batter is poured to cook the appos. The sockets could be 7 or 11 in number. In case you don't have one, here's a product offering from TTK Prestige, a very popular brand in India, which they call a "Paniyarakkal". This one is from their Omega series of non-stick kitchen ware.

I hope you will try these appos some time and let me know if you liked them.


Ingredients:

• Urad dal ( black gram dal) 1 cup
• Raw Rice or Dosa Rice, 2 cups
• Salt, to taste

Method:
To prepare the batter:
Wash and soak the urad dal in water for 2-3 hours
Wash and soak the rice in water for 2-3 hours
Grind the urad dal and rice separately to a smooth batter
Now mix both these batters and add salt
Pour these batters to a larger vessel
Set aside for it to ferment overnight

To make the Appos:
Heat the special griddle/ appe kayili/ paniyarakkal on a medium low flame
When it is hot, fill each of the sockets to a quarter with oil
When the oil is hot, pour the batter in each of the sockets
Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes on low flame
Using a skewer, flip the appos carefully and fry the other side
Once they are cooked, take out the appos using a spoon or the skewer
Serve hot with chutney of your choice

Hints:

• Take care not to overload the sockets with batter. 
• If you are not sure whether the appo is cooked, you can poke it with a skewer to check
• Keeping the appo for too long on one side results in it getting burnt. Flip it to the other side at the right time.
• When the appos turn a golden brown, you will know that they are well cooked.

CARROT KHEER

CARROT KHEER

I have already posted the recipe for vermicelli kheer earlier. Today, I shall present another kheer (which is a milk-based dessert) this one being made of carrots. In this case, we do not use rice or vermicelli for making the kheer, which are more common.

There are basically two ways of making carrot kheer.  One way is to make a puree of the carrot, the other is to grate the carrots and cook it in milk. I prefer the second method which is as tasty in my view. Moreover, you get the feel of the carrots as you bite into the grated pieces which you don't get in the first method.

I use full cream milk which has higher fat content to thicken the kheer. To enhance the taste of this dish, we cook blanched almonds and cashewnuts while making the kheer.  Remember to hold back some of the cashewnuts which are used to garnish the kheer, along with raisins.



Ingredients:

• Milk, preferably full cream milk, 1 litre
• Carrots, large sized 2 or medium sized 3
• Sugar, 1/2 cup
• Cashewnuts, 1 tbsp
• Almonds, 10-12
• Raisins, 1 tbsp
• Cardamom powder, 1/2 tsp

Method:

Wash and grate the carrots after snipping off the ends
Soak and blanch the almonds
Cut almonds and cashewnuts into small pieces
Keep the milk for boiling in a large vessel
As it boils, add the grated carrot
Stir on a medium flame till the milk thickens
Add the cashewnuts and almonds 
Stirring this every few minutes, cook for another 5-7 minutes
Now, add sugar and cook for another 1-2 minutes stirring till the sugar dissolves
Take the kheer off the gas
Sprinkle the cardamom powder and mix well
After it cools, refrigerate the kheer
Fry the remaining cashewnuts and raisins in a little ghee
Use this for garnishing and serve chilled.*
* This is my preferred option though some like the kheer even as it is warm.

WATERMELON PORCUPINE

WATERMELON PORCUPINE

Food decoration has since long been an art. It ranges from simple positioning of vegetables and fruits in varying themes to very elaborate food carvings with huge amounts of intricate detailing.  I am relatvely new to this exciting art form. Being very interested in learning new things, I have tried my hand with a few forays into the world of food decor.

Today I present my attempt at making a watermelon porcupine. The best part of the deal is that you can look at it for long if you like it or eat it up quickly, if you don't.

Watermelon can be served as part of a fruit platter after lunch, especially on a hot summer day. It is already cut up into bite-sized pieces and the porcupine's quills made up of toothpicks makes it easy for you to grab and eat!

BOONDI RAITHA

BOONDI RAITHA

We were at a Punjabi friend's house at Jamshedpur and although we hadn't expected to stay on for lunch, we were asked to. I was impressed at the way my friend rustled up a quick yet tasty lunch by making a pulao and serving it with delicious rich boondi raitha. This recipe comes from her.

A raitha is a light salad usually made of yogurt. It is served as an accopaniment for lunch or dinner as it goes well with pulao or biriyani. The one I present today is of boondi which originates from Rajasthan. It is made from besan, sweetened fried chickpea flour. As an aside, boondis go into the making of the popular boondi ladu. You can make the boondi yourself at home or as is more common these days, buy it at any store. In today's raitha, I have saved time and effort by using a bought out boondi.

Soaking it in water briefly helps soften the boondi if you so prefer it, which is what I have done today. Some skip this process and put in the boondi just as it is to give it a crunchy crisp taste. The beauty of cooking is that you can alter recipes to suit your tastes and at times requirements dictated by your state of health!

Ingredients: 

• Boondi 100 grams 
• Yogurt or dahi  1 to 1 1/2 cups
• Chilli powder 1/2  tsp                     
• Salt, to taste
• Roasted cumin seed powder, 1/2 tsp
• Fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Method :

Soak Boondi in warm water for 2-3 minutes. 
Using a strainer, remove the water from the boondi. Keep the boondi aside.

Beat yogurt till smooth. 
Add salt, chilli powder and some of the cumin powder.
Next, add boondi and mix gently, without crushing the boondi.
Garnish with a sprinkle of chilli powder, cumin powder and chopped coriander leaves.
Refrigerate and serve chilled.

DOSA

DOSA

There's so much to write about the dosa that I don't know where to start! The dosa can be described as a kind of pancake or crepe, for the uninitiated. It is one of the most popular items on the South Indian's breakfast table and its beauty lies in the innumerable ways in which it can be made. What makes a great dosa is more difficult to write about than saying what can go wrong.

In this post, I have tried to keep it simple so that it may be useful even for the cooking enthusiast trying his/her hand at making a dosa for the first time.

You have the masala dosa and many, many more combinations/variations of the dosa. Restaurants boast of the incredible range of dosas they serve. They are far too many to list here!

The making of the dosa has also undergone modification depending on where you eat it. Years ago as a young bride in Gujarat, I found the masala dosa I was dying to have tasted almost sweetish. I found that a generous amounts of raisins had been added, which was something I was coming across for the first time.

The plain or "saada" dosa is the easiest of the lot to make, so I have addressed this first.

These days many people buy the ready to use idli/dosa batter available in stores. Here I have detailed the old fashioned way of preparing the dosa batter ourselves.

At the end I have tried to squeeze in a few important hints you might like to keep in mind. The secret to a good dosa is really in the batter you use. I have seen people use different proportions which they evolve over time. This is what I use.

Ingredients:

• Idli rice (Parboiled rice) 1 cup
• Regular rice 1 and 1/2 cups
• Urad dal (Black gram dal) 1/2 cup
• Methi (Fenugreek) seeds 1 tsp
• Oil
• Salt, to taste

Method:
To prepare the batter
Soak the parboiled rice and regular rice in water for at least 6 hours.
Soak together the urad dal and methi seeds for about 6 hours.
Grind the parboiled rice and regular rice to a smooth batter.
Grind the mixture of urad dal and methi seeds also to a smooth batter.
Now mix both these batters and add salt. A rule of thumb is about 1/2 tsp of salt per 1 cup of dry rice and dal.
Pour these batters to a larger vessel.
Set aside for 12 hours for the fermentation to take place.

To make the dosa: 
Heat the tawa ( griddle.) Sprinkle a few drops of water. When the water sizzles, the tawa is ready for use.
Place a drop of oil on the tawa. Take a piece of onion and use it to spread the oil on the tawa. Wipe it off with a clean tissue. This will improve the surface and enhance the quality of the dosas.

Pour a ladleful of the batter on the tawa.
Spread this quickly using the ladle.
Move outwards from the centre using a continuous spiral motion till the dosa measures about 6 ".
Pour a teaspoon of oil around it. 
Cook for a couple of minutes till it becomes crisp at the edges.
Now, flip the dosa and cook the other side till done.
Serve hot with chutney of your choice.

The conventional dosa is flat but I have presented for you today, what we call the "topi" dosa, called so because it resembles a "topi" or cap.

Hints:

• Mix the two batters ( of rice, and urad dal & methi) by hand for best results.
• Use a large vessel to ferment the batter as the volume will increase in the fermenting process. 
• Do not use a container with an air tight lid while fermenting the batter.
• Keep sprinkling water in between making dosas to prevent the tawa from getting over heated.
• Adding a bit of sooji (semolina) to the batter makes the dosa more crisp.