SOUTHEKAYI HASI GOJJU

 SOUTHEKAYI HASI GOJJU 

Today's recipe is from my Home State of Karnataka. It is for a dish made with Cucumber -which is called "Southekayi" in Kannada. Cucumber is called Kakdi in Marathi and Taushe in my mother tongue, Konkani. 

There are many health benefits attributed to adding cucumbers in our diets. 

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

• Khamang Kakdi
• Southekayi Tambuli 
• Southekayi Dosa
• Cucumber Pachadi

In Kannada, "Hasi Gojju" is a dish where the ground paste is added to the vegetable - cucumber in this case- without any cooking/boiling. This dish is a Satvik dish - so this is often made on days when you want to avoid using onion/garlic. 

I have adapted this from Southekayi Hasi Gojju from the YouTube video in Kannada by Veg Recipes of Karnataka.

It was delicious and I am sure you will enjoy this too! 

Ingredients:-

• Cucumber, medium-sized, 1
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 2
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/2 cup
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Salt, to taste

For Seasoning:-

• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp 
• Red Chilli, 1, broken into halves
• Curry Leaves, a few
• Coconut Oil, 2 tsp

Method:-

Wash the cucumber and snip off both the ends 

Peel and grate the cucumber

In a mixer jar grind together the fresh coconut gratings, red chilli and mustard seeds to a smooth paste adding water as required

Next add the grated cucumber to the ground paste and just pulse once

Transfer this to a bowl, add salt to taste and mix well

Heat oil in a small seasoning pan, add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the red chili and curry leaves and saute for a few seconds

Switch off the gas 

Pour this seasoning on to the Southekayi Hasi Gojju 

Serve as an accompaniment to the main meal

NELLIKAI GOJJU

 NELLIKAI GOJJU

I make it a point to buy whatever fruits and veggies are available in a particular season. The winter months brings out the gooseberry in plenty here in Bengaluru. Gooseberries are called Nellikai/Nellikayi in Tamil and Kannada, Amla in Hindi and Avalo in Konkani, my mother tongue. 

Gooseberries are supposed to be rich in Vitamin C. They are rightly termed a "great addition to a healthy diet."  . Please check out this article, " 8 Impressive Health Benefits of Gooseberries".

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

• Nellikai Thayir Pachadi
• Avale Kadi
• Nellikayi Chitranna

Today's recipe is for  "Nellikai Gojju"  which I have adapted from Chitra Amma's Kitchen. This is a traditional dish from Karnataka. 

You can tweak the spice levels to suit your taste. Though seasoning the dish is optional, I have chosen to add a seasoning of mustard seeds and curry leaves which adds to the flavour of the Nellikai Gojju. 

We tried it out recently and it tasted very yummy as an accompaniment with hot steamed rice!

Ingredients:-

• Nellikai (Gooseberries), 10-12 or about 300 grams
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Jaggery, size of a lemon
• Salt, to taste

For The Masala:-

• White Sesame Seeds, (Til), 2 tbsp
• Split Black Gram Dal (Urad Dal), 2 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds,(Jeera), 1 tsp
• Fenugreek Seeds, (Methi), 1/4 tsp
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 3 
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 2 tbsp
• Oil, 1/2 tsp

For the Seasoning:-

• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves, a few
• Oil, 1 tsp 

Method:-

Wash the gooseberries and pressure cook them in a vessel with adequate water adding salt and turmeric powder for 1 whistle. The gooseberries need not be de-seeded.

Once the cooker cools, remove the vessel with the cooked gooseberries and keep aside 

In a pan, dry roast the white sesame seeds on medium heat till they splutter, keep aside.

In the same pan, heat 1/2 tsp of oil and roast the urad dal, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and chillies till the dal changes colour and they give off a good aroma

Remove from the pan and allow this to cool

In a mixer jar, grind the roasted ingredients along with fresh coconut gratings adding the required amount of water to a smooth paste. Keep aside

Add the ground masala/paste and jaggery to the cooked gooseberries, mix well

To this add water as required to get the desired consistency and bring to a boil 

Cook on medium heat, stirring from time to time till the gravy thickens

Check for salt and add, if required

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a small pan, on medium heat add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the curry leaves and saute for a few seconds. Pour this seasoning on to the Nellikai Gojju

Transfer to serving bowl and serve as an accompaniment with hot steamed rice

MAAVINAKAYI GOJJU

MAAVINAKAYI GOJJU

In most parts of India, during the summer months ladies prepare dishes made with raw/unripe mangoes which are available in plenty. These range from a wide variety of pickles and chutneys to other dishes too.

Raw Mangoes or unripe mangoes (Maavinakayi in Kannada and Kachchi Keri in Hindi) are known to  to have a cooling effect on our bodies apart from having other numerous health benefits.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes using Raw Mangoes such as:-

• Aam ka Panna, a refreshing drink from North India
• Maavinkayi Chitranna, raw mango rice from Karnataka
• Mamidkaya Pappu  raw mango dal from Andhra Pradesh

Today's recipe is for a side dish called Maavinakayi Gojju which is popular in my Home State of Karnataka.

While you can use any type of raw/unripe mango for this dish, I have used our local Totapuri raw mangoes, which we love. Since I used Totapuri variety of raw mango today,  there was no need to peel the skin. If you are using any other variety of raw mango, it it better to peel the skin.

Please do try out this spicy, sweet, tangy Maavinakayi Gojju which I am sure you and your entire family will enjoy.

Ingredients:-

• Totapuri Maavinakayi ( Raw Mango ), 2 or 450-500 grams,  
• Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Jaggery, grated, 6 tbsp
• Salt, to taste

To Be Ground To A Paste: 

• Copra or Coconut Gratings, 1/2 cup
• Sesame Seeds, (Til) 1 tbsp
• Black Gram (Urad) Dal, 2 tsp
• Bengal Gram (Chana) Dal, 1 tsp
• Fenugreek (Methi) Seeds, 1/8 tsp 
• Cumin Seeds, (Jeera) ,1/2 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1 tsp or Spicy Red Chillies, 2 
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 4
• Asafoetida,(Hing), 1/4 tsp 
• Coconut Oil, 2 tsp 

For Seasoning:

Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp

Curry Leaves, a sprig 

Asafoetida, (Hing), 1/4 tsp 

Coconut Oil, 1 tsp

Method:-

Wash the raw mangoes, de-seed them and cut them into cubes 

In a vessel, cook the raw mango cubes in adequate water, with a little salt and turmeric powder
Cook the raw mangoes till they become a little soft (take care that they don't get overcooked)
In a kadhai, dry roast the sesame seeds till they splutter. Keep aside
In the same kadhai, add 2 tsp of coconut oil and on medium heat add the urad dal, chana dal and methi seeds
Saute till the dals change colour
Next add the Byadgi Red Chillies and hing and sauté for a few seconds
To this add the copra, mix well and switch off the gas
Allow this to cool
Transfer to mixer jar adding the roasted sesame seeds and chili powder
Grind to a smooth paste adding the required amount of water
Add the ground paste, grated jaggery and salt to taste to the cooked mangoes and mix well
Adjust the consistency by adding water as required and bring to a boil
Lower the flame and let it simmer for a few minutes
Switch off the gas

Heat 1 tsp of coconut oil in a small pan and on medium heat add the mustard seeds
When they splutter add the hing and curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds
Add this seasoning to the Maavinakayi Gojju
Transfer to serving bowl and serve with steamed rice

HAAGALAKAI GOJJU

HAAGALAKAI GOJJU

In Kannada, bitter gourd is called, "Haagalakai." This vegetable is known as "Karela" in Hindi and "Kaarathe" in my mother tongue, Konkani. Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for dishes using bitter gourd, such as Karela Andhra Style, Besan Karela, and Karathe Puddi Sagle.

Today's recipe is for a sweet and spicy gravy called, "Haagalakai Gojju" from my home state of Karnataka. I have adapted this from " The Udupi Kitchen" by Malati Srinivasan and Geetha Rao.  If you are a foodie with an interest in trying out authentic dishes from different cuisines, you should buy this book which has a collection of recipes from the Madhava Brahmin community of Karnataka.

As per the original recipe the bitter gourd had to be scraped but I haven't done that. We enjoyed this dish with rice and also with chapatis.

Ingredients:-

• Haagalakai, ( Bitter Gourd), 500 gms
• Salt, 1/2 tsp (for applying to the bitter gourd) + 1 and 1/2 tsp, or to taste 
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Tamarind, torn into small pieces, 1/4 cup 
• Jaggery, grated, 4 tbsp
• Curry Leaves, torn, 12
• Salt, to taste

To Be Roasted & Ground To A Coarse Paste:-

• Oil, 1 tsp
• Hing ( Asafoetida) Powder, 1/8 tsp
• Urad Dal, (Split Black Gram) 1 tbsp
• Chana Dal, (Split Bengal Gram), 1 tbsp
• Methi Seeds ( Fenugreek Seeds), 1 tsp
• Til, (White Sesame Seeds), 2 tbsp
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 12
• Copra (Dried Coconut), grated, 1/2 cup

For Seasoning :-

• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Hing ( Asafoetida ) Powder, 1/8 tsp
• Oil, 1/4 cup

Method:-

Wash the bitter gourds and snip off the two ends

Slit the bitter gourds vertically, de-seed them and cut them into 1/2 " slices
With your fingers apply salt and turmeric powder to the bitter gourd pieces and keep aside
After about 30 minutes, squeeze out the juice from the bitter  gourd pieces
Transfer the marinated bitter gourd pieces to a microwave- compliant plate and microwave for 4 minutes
(This makes the bitter gourd pieces dry)
Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of warm water for 5-10 minutes and then extract the juice. Keep aside.
In a thick- bottomed kadhai, heat 1 tsp of oil and on medium heat add the asafoetida powder
Saute for a few seconds, then add the Urad Dal and Channa Dal, fenugreek seeds, sesame seeds, and the Byadgi Red Chillies and roast till the dals change colour and the chillies become crisp
To this, add the copra and roast for 2-3 minutes or till it becomes fragrant
Transfer the roasted ingredients to a plate and allow it to cool
In a small mixer jar, grind the roasted ingredients, adding the required amount of water, to a coarse paste. Keep aside.
In the same kadhai, heat 1/4 cup of oil and on medium heat add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the asafoetida powder and saute for a few seconds
To this add the bitter gourd and fry for about 5 minutes or till they turn golden brown in colour
Now add the tamarind juice extracted earlier and salt to taste
Mix well and cook for about 3 minutes
Next add the coarsely ground paste, and some hot water as required to adjust the consistency, mix well and cook for about 5 minutes
Add the grated jaggery and the torn curry leaves and allow it to simmer for about 3-4 minutes
Switch off the gas and transfer the Haagalakai Gojju to a serving bowl
Serve with rice or chapatis

KOLAMBE GOJJU

KOLAMBE GOJJU

Mention of Kolambe Gojju, a kind of chutney made of raw mangoes, brings back memories of my husband's grandmother who used to make this delicious gojju often as it was one of his favourite dishes. Traditionally, raw mangoes were immersed in brine and stored in ceramic jars which we call "bharnis."

Since it is the mango season now and I didn't have any brined raw mangoes I hit upon another method to make Kolambe Gojju. I cooked the raw mango in a pressure cooker in salted water for 1-2 whistles. I found that it had almost the same taste as the ones stored in brine in the olden days.

Needless to say, if you are using brined raw mangoes, all you need to do is to wash it properly to remove the excess salt, de-seed and cut into pieces and grind as described in the recipe below.

Ingredients:

• Raw Mango, large, 1
• Coconut Gratings, 1/2 cup
• Roasted Byadgi Red Chillies, 3
• Garlic Cloves, 3
• Salt, to taste, only if required

Method:

Wash and cook the raw mango in salt water in a pressure cooker for 1-2 whistles

Allow it to cool, remove the cooked raw mango, de-seed and cut it into pieces

In a blender, grind together the coconut gratings, roasted red chillies, garlic cloves and the cooked raw mango pieces, to a smooth paste ( of chutney-like consistency) using minimum amount of water.

Transfer to a bowl, check for salt, and add some only if required as the raw mango has already been cooked in salt water

The Kolambe Gojju is ready to be served as an accompaniment to the main meal