Category: coastal karnataka recipe

Mullu Sauthe Guliyappa / Cucumber Appe:

November 1, 2021

Like Kendathadya, this is one more recipe, which I love and cherish the fond memories of my childhood. This recipe is usually made with heirloom cucumber of our region, which is flavorful and watery compared to commercially available salad cucumber.

Ajji, my maternal grandma or my aunt used to prepare this dish for the evening snack. It used to be real fun, sitting in front of the wood fire, chatting with ajji, holding the plate full of two types of Guliyappa. One is the sweeter version with added jaggery, and the other is savoury, with added onion, chilli, and curry leaves. It is pure bliss, and we never recreate the moment of such a warm, comfortable atmosphere in today’s world.

Now, we would see the procedure of making Sweet and Savory version –

Ingredients:

Dosa rice – 1 + 1 cup

Cucumber – 1 Big

Fresh grated Coconut – ½ + ½ cup

Salt

Jaggery – ½ cup (grated)

Onion – 1 medium

Curry leaves

Green chilli

Method:

-Wash, Soak rice in two bowls separately for 3 to 4 hours. Drain soaked water before grinding. (We are using an oozed water out of cucumber for grinding rice)

-Make jaggery syrup by boiling grated jaggery with very little water, sieve the liquid to remove all the impurities.

-Take one big cucumber, peel the skin, make halves, remove the inner core and seeds and grate it. Mix salt to the gratings, leave aside for 5 minutes.

When cucumber oozes its water, strain it through a sieve by extracting all oozed water and collecting it for grinding rice.

-Now, grind the batter for a sweeter version, take one set of drained rice, add ½ cup of Coconut, jaggery syrup, required amount of cucumber water and grind into not so smooth batter.

-To this batter, add tightly packed one cup of cucumber gratings and whip the mixer grinder to mix it thoroughly with the batter.

-Remove this batter to one vessel and allow to rest for 2 to 3 hours. (Resting the batter would help to make Guliyappa softer and flavorful)

-Now, it is time to make batter for the Savory version. Grind the same as the sweet version without adding jaggery. After adding and mixing the cucumber gratings, add chopped onion, green chilli and curry leaves.

-Remove this batter to one vessel and allow to rest for 2 to 3 hours. (Resting the batter would help to make Guliyappa softer and flavorful)

-After the resting period, heat the Appe/ Paddu pan, pour little ghee into each mould. When the paddu pan is hot, pour the batter, cook in a low flame, turn around, cook both sides properly, and enjoy the flavourful and delicious Sweet and Savoury Cucumber Guliyappa.

 

Kayi Ganji: Coconut Flavoured Rice porridge

August 24, 2021

It is my go-to recipe for a lazy, Simple, soulful meal on weekends or rainy/winter evenings. This recipe of Kayi Ganji is not our traditional recipe. My way of making a one-pot meal is by mixing my mom’s Theli saru, nothing but rice starch Rasam and rice.

 Amma used to make fantastic ginger flavoured Rasam by using drained rice starch of cooked rice. We sisters used to enjoy Hot white rice with Amma’s theli saaru and pickle a lot. Hence, I introduced those two aspects in a single one-pot meal, and the recipe is here.

Here, one can use freshly extracted coconut milk as well as instant coconut milk powder. Freshly extracted milk does taste out of this world, and for sure, there is no comparison in taste. When you are sick and have no mood to cook, it is a soothing and relaxing one-pot meal option.

The procedure is simple-

Ingredients:

Rice – 1 cup

Water – 4 cups

Salt

Green chillies – 1 or 2

Ginger – ½ inch (julienne)

Coconut milk or powder – according to the taste

Seasoning: Ghee/coconut oil, mustard, cumin and curry leaves.

Method:

-Wash rice, boil water in an open vessel or a cooker. Add rice, slit green chilli, ginger, salt and cook.

-Here, the rice should become mushy. If it is the cooker, switch it off after 3rd whistle.

-Open the lid, add coconut milk, adjust the consistency by adding more water.

-Boil for 2 minutes and switch off.

-Do seasoning by heating ghee or oil, splutter mustard, cumin, and curry leaves. Pour it over the rice and mix everything and serve. You can enjoy it with any side dish or plain pickle.

-You can garnish with chopped coriander as well as lemon juice (completely optional)

Note: I have added one pandan leaf to enhance the flavour. It is entirely optional.

 

 

 

Bendekai Kayirasa / Ladies finger coconut curry:

August 17, 2021

Kayirasa is one of our almost extinct dishes, which can be seen only in our rural houses and found only in our community / homely recipe. It is coconut-based, slightly sweetish, and pairs well with hot boiled red rice or white rice.

Like Sambar, we always use a light green or purple coloured heirloom variety of Bhindi to make Kayirasa. I have never tried Kayirasa with any other types of Bhindi. It is my childhood favourite, and I used to ask my ajji / Grandmother to prepare whenever I visited her. Her preparation tasted like heaven, and I could never replicate that taste even if I used clay pot like her. Grandmothers are ultimate, and they have a magic wand in their hand to dish out such a delicious meal.  

Ingredient:

Bendekai / Ladies finger – ½ kg

Tamarind – big gooseberry size.

Salt

Jaggery

Red chilli powder – ½ tsp

Fresh coconut – 1 big bowl

Urad dal – 1 tablespoon

Dried red chillies – 3 to 4

Seasoning:

Coconut oil – 2 tsp

Mustard – 1 tsp

Red chilli – 1

Curry leaves – 1 to 2 springs

Method:

–Soak tamarind, boil with little added water, salt, jaggery, red chilli powder.

-When it starts boiling, add chopped Bhindi. Allow cooking on a low flame.

-To avoid sliminess,  don’t close the lid or put a spoon to mix while boiling Bhindi.

-In the meantime, prepare the masala: heat coconut oil, fry urad dal, red chillies. Grind into smooth paste by adding coconut and water.

-Add the ground masala to cooked veggie, boil nicely by adding sufficient water to adjust the consistency.

-Do the seasoning and serve with hot rice.

 

How to cook Par Boiled Red Rice/ Matta Rice:

August 5, 2021

Often, I get a query regarding the cooking method of our traditional parboiled Rice, red Rice, matta rice. So, I thought of including the procedure in my blog to share the link whenever required.

Before discussing the method, we would see how we used to prepare Rice in our traditional kitchen-

We have come a long way in the cooking method as well. Earlier, people used to cook Rice in a huge open pot by using a wood fire. You can see in this picture, which I clicked in our ancestral home; they follow this method, even now.

Then, gradually cooking medium has changed from firewood to a kerosene stove or hot plate. Hence, the system changed, and a huge wooden box insulated with a layer of thermocol was the trend to keep/cook Rice.

Pic Courtesy: By Google

In the modern era, the scenario has changed; with the micro family system, our huge box has turned into a small stainless steel insulated pot, marketed in the name of “China pot”. It consists of an insulated outer container and a cooking vessel.

Let us see The procedure of Cooking: (Open Vessel Method) 

-Procedure is simple, Boil water in a vessel; when it starts bubbling, add washed Rice, boil further for 5 to 10 minutes, remove, and keep it in a china pot.

-After one hour or so, check the doneness. You can refer to the picture. If you prefer soft Rice like us, boil one more time and keep it inside the china pot once again.

Within an hour, it would be soft and well cooked. Strain water and use it like regular Rice with curry or have it as a Ganji by including gruel.

To experience the real taste of parboiled Rice and curry,  you need to separate starch from the Rice.

 

Jackfruit seeds Rasam:

July 18, 2021

Jack seeds Rasam, perfect for rainy weather. It is a nutritious, authentic way to soothe our souls.

Traditionally, we use freshly roasted and ground masala to prepare the jack seed Rasam. Here, I took a shortcut method to ease my work, without affecting the outcome.

I usually keep the jack seed in my freezer, and the procedure is here. Other than that, I have a couple of other jack seed recipes in my blog. One is jack seed with Bamboo shoot, and another one is with Mangalore cucumber; both are our traditional recipes. Other than that, I have tried and shared jack seed Hummus, which is tasty, creamy and delicious.

Now, let us see the procedure of Rasam. It hardly needs any ingredients. A fistful of jack seeds and Rasam powder creates the magic.

Ingredients:

Jack seeds – 10 -15

Green chillies – 1 or 2

Rasam powder – 1 to 2 tbl spoons

Coconut – 1 to 2 tablespoons

Tamarind – small gooseberry size

Hing – ¼ tsp

Salt – to taste

Jaggery – to taste

Seasoning:

Coconut Oil – 1 tsp, Mustard – 1 tsp, red chilli – 1, curry leaves – 1 spring.

Method:

– Here, I add a little more seeds than the required amount. I like to retain those seeds in the rasam to enjoy the creaminess.

-Cook a fistful of jack seeds in an open vessel or cooker for one whistle. Peel the outer skin ( pink in colour)

-Take one serving spoon of cooked seeds, Rasam powder, coconut and grind into a smooth paste.

-Now take remaining cooked jack seeds with water, salt, jaggery, slit green chillies, hing and boil for 5 minutes.

– Add ground paste, tamarind pulp, adjust the consistency, boil well. Add seasoning and enjoy with hot rice and some papad.

 

 

 

Plantain flower palya:

July 9, 2021

Plantain flower, aka Banana flower, is a superfood for humans. It contains various vitamins, minerals and fibres. The abundance in every aspect makes them an excellent source of healthy nutrients for diabetes, nursing mothers, and anaemic persons to increase their haemoglobin level.

We usually use the whole flower, which we call Kundige / Baale Mothe, and I have already shared a delicious traditional chutney recipe and dosa recipe by using Banana/ plantain flower.

The age-old practice of soaking chopped banana flowers in buttermilk laced water will be beneficial in two ways. It would control blackening due to oxidization and eliminate the bitter sap that would turn bitter after cooking. The recipe is straightforward and earthy in taste.

Ingredients:

Banana flower – 1

Tamarind – 1 tsp

Salt

Turmeric – ½ tsp

Jaggery – 1 to 2 tsp

Red chilli powder – 1tsp

Grated coconut – 1 cup

For Seasoning:

Coconut oil– 1 tablespoon

Mustard – 1 tsp

Urad dal – 1tsp

Cumin – ½ teaspoon

Red chilli -1

Curry leaves – 1 spring

To soak:

Water – 1 bowl

Curd – 1 serving spoon or  little Tamarind

Method:

-Soak tamarind in a cup of water and keep aside.

-Wash banana flower from outside and remove outer purple bract (remove 2 layers) and discard.

-Now, take one bowl of water with 1 serving spoon of curd and mix and keep it ready. (This water will avoid decolouration of the choppings)

-Start chopping banana flower from the tip (refer to the above picture)

-Keep on adding the chopped part to curd water.

-While chopping, whenever the outer shell opens by itself, discard that and proceed to chop.

– After the chopping, drain the curd water and collect the banana flower choppings.

-Take one Kadai/ wok. Do seasoning, heat oil, splutter mustard, urad dal, cumin, red chilli, curry leaves.

-Add tamarind water, salt, turmeric, jaggery, red chilli powder, and drained choppings and cook in a low flame by closing the lid.

-When it is cooked and water drained, garnish with coconut and mix nicely. Serve with hot rice.

NOTE: For the vegan version, instead of curd, use diluted tamarind water

 

 

 

 

Wild mango Rasam :

June 9, 2021

Kadu Mavinahannina saru: is a traditional delicacy of coastal Karnataka, which is a must during mango season. We have several recipes of wild mangoes in the coastal region, and each has its charm and taste. Some varieties are sour and fibrous, and some are sweet and juicy; some mangos do not have much pulp. According to their types, their usage also varies 😉

If tiny wild mangoes are sour, not so sweet, and fibrous, they go into the cooked form of saru / Beyisida gojju.  In this way, we can enhance the taste by adding additional jaggery and enjoy even the sourest mangoes.

Sigh!! These are all nostalgic memories for me. Here, In Bangalore, I do manage to cook all these varieties by using tiny mango, which is also known as Sakkara gutti or Sugar baby 😀

The recipe is simple and goes like this –

Ingredients:

Wild mangos / tiny mangos – 6

Green chillies – 2

Jaggery

Salt

Method:

-Clean the mangoes, remove the peel, put it in the vessel containing half a cup of water, squeeze and collect mango pulp; repeat the process until skin sheds all the pulps.

-Now, take mangoes, squeezed the water into a vessel. Add salt, crush two green chillies by using your hand ( it indeed a vital part to enhance the taste), jaggery ( little more),  1 tbsp of grated fresh coconut and boil until mango cooks. 

-Adjust the water content according to your taste. -Season it with Coconut oil, mustard,  red chilli and curry leaves. Serve with hot rice.

Suvarna gadde- Kadle Melara / Elephant foot yam -Kabuli chana Kayi Huli :

June 5, 2021

Yam and Chana Melara is the Most loved dish of our community. It is an absolute favourite of my family as well. Today, I will share one more traditional recipe of our region and one of the favourite dishes you find on our wedding menu.

-Now prepare the Elephant foot yam or simply Yam;  if you are new to the usage of Yam, please go through my detailed description of handling Yam, how to chop etc., in “Understanding the roots and tubers.” And go down until Tubers, and you would find the Yam under Number 6, and it is HERE.

Ingredient:

yam – around ¼ kg

White chickpeas – ½ cup

Salt- as needed.

Green chillies – 2

tamarind – one gooseberry size (soak in 1 cup of water)

To grind: Fresh Coconut – 1 ½  cup

For Seasoning: Ghee or Coconut oil- 1 tablespoon, mustard – 1tsp, red chilli – 1 (optional), curry leaves- 1 spring.

Method:

-Soak dry chickpeas overnight and cook in a pressure cooker for 3 to 4 whistles or until done.

-Cook Yam until it is half done, add tamarind pulp, slit green chillies, cooked chickpeas, salt, jaggery and cook until Yam is soft and perfect.

Now, grind the coconut into a fine paste, add the paste into cooked veggies, adjust the consistency, and boil for 2 minutes.

-Add buttermilk or beaten curd, and when it starts to boil, switch off.

-Prepare seasoning, heat oil, splutter mustard, add red chilli and curry leaves, fry and pour over Melara. Serve with Rice.

Bilimbi Saaru /Tree Sorrel Rasam :

May 23, 2021

Bimbuli / Beempuli, anyone? Yes! It is our local name to Bilimbi 😀
Averrhoa bilimbi, commonly known as Bilimbi, “Cucumber tree”, “tree sorrel”, is a tiny, tangy, juicy fruit that regularly appears in Coastal Karnataka cuisine.

Bimbuli is what we call it, and it is also known as Tree sorrel. It is a common backyard tree, and you would find it in every house of the coastal region. The beauty of our traditional cuisine is impressive. When we take only Mangalore cuisine, we find at least 6 to 7 varieties of souring agents used for specific purposes according to the ingredient and the recipe. For example, Kokum, tamarind, Monkey jack (known as Unde Huli or Kethe Huli), Hog plum, Bilimbi (beempuli), Raw mango and the list goes on.

Before the lockdown, I found this in my locality during our evening walk and introduced it to my daughter.

We used to eat this watery fruit by dipping it in salt and asked her to eat it with salt. She, who is fond of any khatta/ souring agent, enjoyed and asked for more. Besides eating, I loved pickle, which my paternal aunt used to prepare and get it.

While talking, remembering good old memories, my mother in law mentioned Bimpuli saaru, which her mom-in-law used to prepare. As a curious learner, I started asking her about the recipe? How did she use to make etc.?

As always, she said, what is the recipe? There is nothing in that saru—a little bit of cooked dal, green chilli and hing.

The next day, I made the saru, which I never tasted before, and it was indeed flavourful and delicious and thought of documenting it in my blog for future reference.

 Ingredients:

Bilimbi /Tree sorrel – 6 to 7 or acc to your taste

Cooked toor dal – 1 small Katori

Salt

Jaggery – to taste

Green chillies – 6 to 8 (slit)

Hing – peanut size

Seasoning:

Coconut oil – 1 tbl sp

Mustard – 1 tsp

Red chilli -1

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Method:

-Take a one cooking pot, put Chopped tree sorrel, slit green chillies, salt, jaggery, hing, 2 cups of water as well as cooked, mashed dal.

-When chillies and sliced tree sorrels are cooked, adjust the consistency by adding water, if necessary, salt, jaggery or hing. Boil a couple of minutes more and add seasoning.

-To season, heat oil, splutter mustard, red chilli and curry leaves. Yes! It is so simple and tasty.

-This tasty saru is pairs well with hot rice and papad with any vegetable side dish to accompany.

 

Mundi Gedde – chana palya /Giant taro and dry chickpea curry :

May 17, 2021

Belong to the Alocasia family, and leaves are giant, glossy, resembles an elephant ear. Hence, it is also known as Elephant’s ear plant. Alocasia means “like the colocasia but not the colocasia”. Giant Taro is a good source of Vitamin C, Iron, and phosphorus.

In our native, leaves are used as an alternative to the plastic sheet, while sun drying papads or fryums in Summer months.

Which is best described as a “Stem crop” as the edible starchy stem is seen above the ground, which is light brown in colour, coarse outer surface grows upright, erect, in a  cylindrical shape.

I have shared the details regarding Mundi Gedde/ Giant Taro in this post,

As most plant in this taro family, even this has Calcium oxalate, which itches our hand or mouth while eating if we do not handle it properly. Here, using hot boiling water and using the right amount of tamarind takes care to emit the itchiness.

Today, I will share one more traditional recipe of our region and one of the favourite side dishes you find in our wedding menu.

Ingredient:

Mundi/ Giant taro – around ¼ kg

White chickpeas – ½ cup

Salt- as needed

Jaggery – as needed

Red chilli powder – ½ tsp to 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

tamarind – one gooseberry size (soak in 1 cup of water)

For Masala: Coconut – ¼ cup, Methi – ¼ tsp,  Red chillies – 3

For Seasoning: Coconut oil- 1 tablespoon, mustard – 1tsp, urad dal – 1 tsp, red chilli – 1 (optional), curry leaves- 1 spring.

To garnish: raw coconut oil – 1tsp and curry leaves – 2 springs.

Method:

-Soak dry chickpeas overnight and cook in a pressure cooker for 3 to 4 whistles or until done.

-Now prepare the giant taro;

-We usually do not wash the Giant taro stem before cutting nor peeling. Spread one newspaper, remove all the outer brown woody skin, chop the stem into pieces as you needed.

-Wash those pieces in water by using a spatula, drain and put immediately in boiling water,  cook until it is almost done, drain and proceed to the actual cooking. Now it is ready to cook.

-For palya, prepare the seasoning. Heat oil, splutter mustard, fry urad dal, add curry leaves.

 -Add tamarind extract, salt, jaggery, red chilli powder, turmeric and, boil until water evaporates.

-Meanwhile, prepare the masala. Fry methi seeds in little oil, when it is light brown, add dried red chillies, fry until it is crisp. Dry grind these ingredients with coconut.

-Add the ground powder to cooked veggies and mix nicely, allow it to cook for 2 minutes by closing the lid.

-Now, garnish with raw coconut oil and curry leaves. Close the lid, switch off the gas. Leave this for a while. Before serving, mix nicely and serve.