GOAN PRAWN CURRY

 GOAN PRAWN CURRY 

Given the choice, my husband and I prefer prawns to other forms of seafood. As a result, when we eat out there will invariably be some prawn dish on our table. I also make prawn dishes at home once in a while. 

I am happy to share this article which shows that, apart from being so delicious, prawns have numerous health benefits. 

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find the recipe for our Mangalore style Sungta Humman (Prawn Curry). 

During a visit to Goa, one of our favourite destinations, some years ago, we loved the Goan style Prawn Curry in a resort where we stayed. I have used pretty much the recipe broadly shared by the Chef there with my own modifications. You know that Chefs don't give complete details to their customers because they want us to come back for more! 

I have not added coconut milk but have increased the amount of coconut gratings as we Konkanis like to have a lot of coconut in our meals. Needless to say, I have used coconut oil for the cooking! 

I am sure you will enjoy this dish of Goan Prawn Curry as much as we do!  

Ingredients:-

• Large- sized Prawns, cleaned and deveined, 20 or about 250 grams 
• Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp - for marination 
• Ginger, 1 " piece 
• Large-sized Onion, 1 
• Medium-sized Tomatoes, 2
• Salt, to taste
• Coconut Oil, 2 tbsp
• Curry Leaves, a sprig

For The Ground Masala :

• Coconut Gratings, 1 cup
• Roasted Byadgi  Red Chillies, 8
• Garlic Cloves, 6
• Black Peppercorns, 1 tsp
• Coriander Seeds, 1 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
• Tamarind, size of a small gooseberry 
• Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp 

Method:-

Wash, peel and devein the prawns, clean them well 

Marinate the prawns by adding a little salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and keep aside for about 10 -15 minutes

Finely chop the ginger, onion and tomatoes 

In a mixer jar, grind together the coconut gratings with roasted Byadgi red chillies, garlic cloves, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, tamarind, and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder to a smooth paste adding the required amount of water. Keep aside.

Heat coconut oil in a thick-bottomed pan and on medium heat add the chopped ginger and onions 

Saute till the onions turn slightly pink in colour 

To this add the chopped tomatoes, mix well  and cook till the tomatoes become soft and mushy

Now add the freshly prepared ground masala, salt to taste and mix well. Bring this to a boil. 

Lower the flame and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes till the raw smell goes and the masala slightly darkens in colour 

Next, add the marinated prawns and mix gently 

Let it cook for 4-5 minutes or till the prawns get done and curl to a C shape. Please keep in mind that prawns get cooked very fast and that overcooking the prawns make them chewy. 

Add a few curry leaves, mix gently again and switch off the gas

Transfer the Prawns Curry to a serving bowl and let it rest for about 15 minutes before serving it with hot steamed rice 

KELE PHODI (RAW BANANA SHALLOW FRY)

 KELE PHODI (RAW BANANA SHALLOW FRY) 

In my house, I make it a point to use raw/green/unripe bananas regularly in my cooking. Raw/Green Bananas are called Vazhakkai in Tamil, Balekayi in Kannada, Aratikaya in Telugu and Kaccha Kele in Hindi. 

I like this vegetable because the dishes are easy to make as it gets cooked fast. Raw/Green Bananas are an excellent source of potassium and vitamin B-6. They are supposed to be particularly good for diabetics as per this article in NDTV. 

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes using Raw Bananas such as:-

• Kele Koddel
• Raw Banana Stir Fry Kerala Style
• Swadisht Vegetable Rolls
• Raw Banana Roast 

Today's recipe is for a very easy to make , simple yet tasty shallow fried raw bananas which we call Kele  Phodi, in Konkani, my mother tongue. 

These are served as an accompaniment to the main meal. 

Ingredients:-

• Raw Banana, 1
• Chilli Powder, 1 tsp or to taste
• Turmeric (Haldi) Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida ( Hing), 1/4 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Rice Flour, 2 tbsp for dusting 
• Semolina (Rawa), 2 tbsp, for dusting
• Oil, as required to shallow fry

Method:-

Wash and peel the raw/green banana , snip off both the ends and cut it into half

Next cut each of the halves vertically into slices which are not too thick or too thin

Keep these slices in a bowl of water for a few minutes so that they don't get discolored

Make a mixture of chilli powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt 

Drain the water from the banana slices

Apply the prepared mixture evenly on each of the slices and keep aside for marination for about 10 minutes

Make a mixture of Rice Flour and Semolina in a plate and dust each of the raw banana slices on both sides 

Heat a little oil in a thick-bottomed tawa 

On medium heat shallow fry the banana slices evenly by drizzling oil on and around the slices till they become golden brown in colour on both sides

Switch off the gas and transfer to serving plate 

Serve the Raw Banana Shallow Fry as an accompaniment to the main meal 

PHOVA USLI

 PHOVA USLI 

We make use of Beaten Rice ( Poha in Hindi, Avalakki in Kannada and Phovu in my mother tongue, Konkani ) in different forms in my kitchen. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with Beaten Rice such as:- 

• Poha Chivda the healthy microwaved version
• Poha Dosa
• Gojjavalakki
• Godu (Sweet) Phovu 

This is an age old Konkani dish served for breakfast or as an evening snack. It is easy to make and delicious too. Most of us remember this from our childhood as in the old days it was a regular item on our breakfast tables. Nowadays, the simple Phova Usli has taken a back seat with Kanda Poha, Batata Poha etc becoming more popular over time. 

However, old habits die hard and we still love this simple Phova Usli! It comes in handy on days when we avoid onion and garlic in our cooking! 

Ingredients:- 

• Phovu, (Beaten Rice), thick variety , 3 and 1/2 cups
• Sugar, 2 tsp or to taste 
• Salt, to taste 
• Mustard Seeds , 1 tsp
• Urad Dal,  (Black Gram ), 2 tsp
• Green Chillies, slit, 4-5
• Curry Leaves, 1 sprig 
• Coconut Gratings, 1/4 cup 
• Hing (Asafoetida),  1/4 tsp
• Coconut Oil, 1 and 1/2 tbsp

Method:-

Wash the poha in a colander a few times and then drain the water leaving the poha moist but not soggy

Once all the water gets drained, add salt and sugar, mix well with the poha. Keep aside. 

Heat oil in a thick-bottomed kadhai and on medium heat add the mustard seeds

When they splutter add the urad dal and saute till it turns golden

Next add the slit green chillies and curry leaves and sauté 

To this add the washed poha (to which salt and sugar has already been added)

Mix well till it gets well blended with the seasoning

Cover and cook on low flame till the poha gets cooked 

Finally mix in the coconut gratings and asafoetida powder or asafoetida dissolved in water ( Hinga Udda)  Mix well once again

Switch off the gas and transfer the Phova Usli to a serving bowl 

BABY POTATO PODI CURRY

 BABY POTATO PODI CURRY 

We love baby potatoes in my family. They look cute and add to the visual appeal of the dish. They can be used in many recipes in place of the regular potatoes.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with baby potatoes, such as:-

• Masala Baby Potatoes
• Batata Losne Saung
• Schezwan Potatoes 

Today's recipe is for a side dish of baby potatoes coated with spice powders. I have adapted this from Potato Podi Curry from Tickling Palates. 

This is a saatvik -no onion-no garlic- recipe which can come in handy on days when you wish to skip these. 

It tastes great with both rice and rotis. Try serving this with steamed rice and rasam. You will love it! 

Ingredients:-

• Baby Potatoes,  250 grams
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Asafoetida, (Hing) 1/8 tsp
• Curry Leaves, a sprig
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 2 tbsp

To Roast & Grind For The Podi  (Spice Powder)

• Coriander Seeds, 1 tbsp
• Urad Dal, (Black Gram ), 1 tsp
• Channa Dal, (Bengal Gram), 1 tsp
• Byadgi Dry Red Chillies, 5-6
• Coconut Gratings , 4 tbsp
• Til, (White Sesame Seeds), 1 tsp
• Khus Khus ( Poppy Seeds), 1/2 tsp
• Oil, 1 tsp

Method:-

Wash the baby potatoes thoroughly and pressure cook them in adequate water for 1-2 whistles or till they are done

They should be cooked yet remain firm

When the cooker cools, remove the boiled potatoes and when they are cool enough to handle, peel them and keep aside.

In a kadhai, heat 1 tsp of oil and on medium heat roast the coriander seeds,  urad dal, channa dal and  Byadgi dry red chillies, until the dals change colour. Remove from heat and keep aside to cool

In the same kadhai, add the coconut gratings, white sesame seeds, and poppy seeds and sauté on low heat till the coconut gratings turn slightly golden and give off a good aroma

Remove from heat and allow this to cool. 

In a small mixer jar, grind together all the roasted ingredients (mentioned above ) to a coarse powder. Keep aside. This forms the Podi ( spice powder) 

Heat 2 tbsp of oil n the kadhai and on medium heat add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the asafoetida, and sauté till it gives off a good aroma. Now add the curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds.

To this, add the boiled and peeled baby potatoes, and salt to taste

Mix well and cook on medium/low heat for about 5-7 minutes stirring gently from time to time till the baby potatoes get a little roasted and begin to change colour 

Next add the Podi (spice powders) 

Mix /toss gently and cook on low flame for a couple of minutes till the baby potatoes get well coated with the powders

Switch off the gas and transfer to serving bowl

Serve the Baby Potato Podi Curry along with steamed rice and rasam 

MAGGE & MASHINGASAANG AMBAT

 MAGGE & MASHINGASAANG AMBAT

In my house, I make dishes using Mangalore Cucumber from time to time. We call this Magge in my mother tongue, Konkani. It is called  "Mangalooru Southekai" in Kannada, and Vellarikkai in Tamil. While strictly speaking it is called, "Field Marrow" this is variously known in India as Mangalore Cucumber, Madras Cucumber, and even Malabar Cucumber!

Here's an interesting article about the Mangalore Cucumber and its many health benefits. 

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for other dishes made with Magge, such as :-

• Mangalore Cucumber Huli 
• Magge Polo  Mangalore Cucumber Dosa
• Vellarikka Pachadi 

Today's recipe is for a Ambat from our Konkani GSB cuisine made with Magge and Drumsticks ( which are called Mashingasaang in my mother tongue, Konkani).

As you know, Ambats are mildly spiced accompaniments to the main meal of steamed rice.  We can make Ambats with different vegetables. Today's is made with Magge and Mashingasaang - a delicious combination.

This ambat has a distinctive seasoning of fried onions. 

Ingredients:-

• Magge ( Mangalore Cucumber ), medium-sized, 1/2 or about 400 grams 
• Mashingasaang ( Drumsticks), 1
• Toor Dal, 1/2 cup
• Turmeric powder, (Haldi) 1/4 tsp
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1 cup
• Roasted Red Byadgi Chillies, 4-5 
• Tamarind, small marble sized 
• Raw Rice, 1 tsp  
• Onion, 1
• Salt, to taste
• Coconut Oil, 1 tbsp

 Method :- 

Wash the toor dal and pressure cook in adequate water for 3-4 whistles or till done

Once the cooker cools, remove the dal and mash it well and keep aside

Wash, peel and cut the magge into bite- sized pieces  and cook in adequate water with a little salt and turmeric powder 

Wash, peel and cut the drumstick into 1 and 1/2 " pieces. Cook them in adequate water with a little salt

Chop the onion 

In a mixer grinder, grind together the coconut gratings, roasted red chillies, tamarind and raw rice to a smooth paste adding just the required amount of water

Take the cooked and mashed dal in a vessel and to this add freshly prepared ground paste and salt to taste

Remember that a little salt has already been added to the magge and drumsticks when they were being cooked 

Mix well and add the cooked magge and drumstick pieces 

Adjust the consistency by adding water as required 

Bring to a boil, then lower the flame and let it simmer for a couple of minutes

In a small pan, heat oil and fry the chopped onions until they turn a golden brown 

Pour this seasoning of onions on to the ambat

# Tip: I always add a teaspoon of raw rice while grinding the coconut gratings etc to make the masala (ground paste) for the ambat. This improves the texture of the ground paste.

PAPLET MASALEDAR

 PAPLET MASALEDAR

The silver pomfret is called Paplet in Marathi. Pomfrets are really good for health as they are low in calories and fat but are rich in protein and have high quantities of Omega 3 fatty acids.

One of our Maharashtrian friends had invited us to lunch some years ago. The dish that stole the show that day was the pomfret. I simply had to ask her for the recipe for this dish which is popular in the Konkan areas and in Goa. She gave this willingly but in a general sense as she did not know the exact measurements.  

I tried it out a few times before I perfected it and am glad to share my version of this popular dish. 

Here's hoping you will love it - as much as we do!! 

Ingredients:-

• Paplet (Pomfret), 500- 600 gms or about 7-8 slices
• Onions,  2
• Garlic Cloves,  7
• Poppy Seeds, (Khus Khus), 2 tsp
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/2 cup 
• Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp + a little for marination 
• Chilli Powder, 4 tsp
• Coriander Powder, 1 and 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Powder, 1 tsp
• Tamarind, 2 tsp 
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 2 and 1/2 tbsp

Method:-

Clean the pomfret, de-gut and make into slices.

Wash the fish slices 3-4 times in water and drain the water fully 

Apply turmeric powder and salt to the fish slices and keep aside to marinate for about 15 minutes 

Chop the onions

Crush the garlic cloves 

Soak the tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes and extract the pulp 

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a kadhai and sauté the chopped onions, crushed garlic and poppy seeds till the onions turn translucent

Next add the fresh coconut gratings, mix well and fry for a few minutes

Allow it to cool and transfer to a mixer jar

Now grind this mixture to a fine paste adding just the required amount of water

In the same kadhai, heat the remaining oil and on medium heat add the ground paste and sauté for 1-2 minutes

To this add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt to taste

Remember that some salt has already been added to the fish for marination 

Saute this for about 1 minute 

Add the tamarind pulp and immerse the fish slices one by one

Cover and cook for 7-8 minutes or till the fish gets done and the gravy thickens

Switch off the gas and transfer to a serving bowl

Serve the Paplet Masaledar with hot steamed rice 

METHAMBA

 METHAMBA

Children and adults alike wait eagerly for the hot summer months in India as this is the season for mangoes! There are so many different types of mangoes available and people have their own special preferences for one variety or another. 

Quite apart from the ripe mangoes, we make use of raw/green mangoes too in a wide variety of dishes.  These range from cooling drinks, different kinds of chutneys and pickles, and tarty jams and relishes. 

Besides being so tasty, raw mangoes help in the hot summer by preventing dehydration, and have numerous health benefits. 

Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for dishes made with raw mango such as:- 

• Maavinakayi Chitranna or Raw Mango Rice 
• Kairichi Urad Methi 
• Raw Mango Palu 
• Instant Mango Pickle

Today's recipe is from Maharashtrian cuisine. It is a sweet, hot and tangy relish called Methamba which gets its name from two ingredients Methi (Fenugreek Seeds) and Amba ( Mango). 

The Methi gives a nice flavour to the dish and you can adjust the quantity based on your individual preference. Once you make the Methamba in a larger quantity, allow it to cool. Store this in air tight containers in the refrigerator and use as required. 

We are big fans of Methamba and we simply love it! 

Ingredients:-

• Raw Mango, 1 or Chopped Raw Mango, about 1 heaped cup 
• Fenugreek (Methi) Seeds, 3/4 tsp
• Jaggery, grated, 1/2 cup or to taste
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida, (Hing) 1/8 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1 tsp 
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 to 1 and 1/2 tbsp 

Method:-

Wash the raw mango, dab it dry, peel, cube and keep aside discarding the seed

Heat oil in a pan and on medium heat add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the fenugreek seeds and sauté till they become golden brown

To this add the asafoetida and turmeric powder and sauté for a few seconds

Now add the cubed mango pieces, salt, and chilli powder, mix well and fry for 1-2 minutes

Add 1/2 cup of water and cover and cook on medium heat till the mangoes get done 

Add the grated jaggery, mix well and cook on low flame for about 5 minutes till the jaggery melts fully and blends well with the mango pieces  

Switch off the gas and transfer the Methamba to serving bowl and serve as a relish