cooking – Page 15

Thondekayi Ele Geru beeja Palya / Ivy gourd with Tender Cashew stir fry:

April 12, 2017

Vishu is one of the important festivals of Kerala and our coastal region. It comes in April and usually on 14^th.Traditional rituals are followed to bring in prosperity and we (lady of the house) will assemble Vishu-kani at Pooja room. It comprises all the fresh crops, vegetables, rice, gold, money, flower and pot full of water and one mirror. On the festival day morning, after taking bath, family members will see this “Kani” and seek the blessings of the god and from the elders. Usually at this time of the year, fresh cashew crop starts and cashew is one of the main crops of our region. Only for this festival we pluck fresh raw green cashew and prepare either payasam or kheer with chana dal or cashew and ivy gourd dry curry. This particular side dish is a must in almost all the festivities and weddings. Which is a speciality of Mangalore region.

This side dish has no other masala’s other than green chilli and coconut flavour.

Ingredients-

Ivy gourd – 500 gms

Tender cashew – 100 kernels

Green chillies – 3 to 4 (slit)

Coconut oil – 1 table spoon

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Red chillies -2

Urad dal – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – 2springs

Turmeric – ½ tsp

Salt

Jaggery – ¼ tsp.

Method:

-At first we have to remove outer cover of the young cashew. Take one bowl, put all those young and raw cashew kernels into it, pour boiling water and keep it aside for 10 to 15 minutes by closing the lid.

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-When outer cover of the kernels swells, remove the outer cover and keep aside.

-Chop ivy gourd after washing it thoroughly. Make 4 lengthwise pieces of each gourd.

-Now take one thick bottomed kadai or clay pot, heat oil for the seasoning. Put mustard, when it splutters add urad dal, red chillies.

-When urad dal becomes red, add curry leaves and slit green chillies and fry a little.

-Next, add chopped ivy gourd and cashew kernels, turmeric, salt, jaggery and fry until it wilts a little.

-Now add one cup of water and close the lid and cook this in a low fire until it is done.

-Lastly add grated coconut and mix and cook until it is done.

Note:

– One pack of Young cashew, that we get in the market has 100 kernels. In Bangalore, I get these from the Mangalore Store (all Mangalore stores will have it when it’s the season)

-If you are using regular cashew, cook the cashew first by putting water and salt in cooker for 2 whistles, drain the water and then proceed as above method.

Mavinakayi Chithranna/Raw Mango Rice:

March 28, 2017

Chithranna is one such dish,which can be relished for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is a tangy, seasoned rice dish. Usually tanginess comes from addition of lemon juice,bitter lime juice(citron) or Raw mango. Some times we use tamarind too.

Mangos are in season now. My daughters love to have raw mango rice in their tiffin box and this preparation of mine is one of their favourite rice items.

Ingredients:
To make rice: Rice – 2 cups, Salt – 1 tsp, Ghee – 1 tsp, Water – 4 cups.
Grated Raw Mango – 1 cup
Green chillies – 4
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp.
Salt
Capsicum – 1
Grated coconut – ½ cup
Chopped coriander leaves – little.
Seasoning : Oil – 2 tbl sp , mustard – 1 tsp ,urad dal – 1 tsp, chana dal – 1 tsp, jeera – ½ tsp ,asafoetida – ¼ tsp ,red chillies – 2 ,curry leaves – 2 springs .
Method:
– Take one cooker vessel, Wash rice and pour 4 cups of water, ghee and salt. Keep this vessel in a cooker. Cook for 1 whistle and keep it in a simmer for 4 min. You will get perfectly cooked rice. After cooker cools down, remove cooked rice and spread the rice in a bigger vessel to cool.
– Now take one kadai, prepare seasoning by putting oil . When it is hot add mustard. When it starts to splutter add urad and chana dal, red chillies .When dal becomes little red ,add jeera and asafoetida, curry leaves ,chopped green chillies and capsicum.
– After capsicum becomes soft, add turmeric, salt, grated coconut and fry for a while.
– Now add this seasoning, grated mango, chopped coriander to cooled rice.

– Check for the salt and mix this mixture by using your hand. Keep this for a while, so that rice will absorb all the seasoning.

– Serve this seasonal mango rice either with any fritters or as it is.

Basale chutney / Malabar Spinach chutney:

March 25, 2017

Malabar spinach is commonly known as Basale in our coastal area. It is a common creeping vein in the backyard of every household.

Its leaf is very rich in iron, fibre, antioxidants and vitamins and low in calorie. This chutney that I prepare is very delicious and finger licking good!! One can enjoy this as a side dish with hot rice or roti. Here I have used bird eye chilles which is commonly known as gandhari chillies. These are tiny, very hot chillies of our region.

Ingredients:

Basale leaves – 1 bowl (chopped)

Onion – 1 (chopped)

Garlic cloves – 4

Green chillies or bird eye chillies – 2 (as required)

Salt

Jaggery – 1tsp

Tamarind – ½ tsp

Oil – 1 tbl sp

Seasoning: Oil – 1 Tsp, mustard – ½ tsp, cumin – ¼ tsp and curry leaves.

Method:

Take little oil in a pan, add chillies, chopped onions,garlic and fry for a while.
When onion becomes light brown, add chopped basale leaves and fry until it wilts.

Add salt, jaggery, tamarind and cook for a while.
When it is done, switch off the gas.
Cool the mixture and grind this into smooth paste. If required add very little water.

Season with oil, mustard, cumin and curry leaves.

Tamarind Pickle:

February 25, 2017

Tamarind has a very important place in the Indian kitchen and it has loads of health benefits as well as it is a treasure of anti-oxidants and dietary fibres.

Indians love its tangy and sweetish taste and enjoy this in chutney, relish, digestive candies, pickles and more.

tamarind 1 tamarind 2

From childhood, I used to enjoy tamarind pickle and never knew about the recipe. Thanks to my brother-in-law who sourced the recipe and made it possible for me to enjoy this relish after so many years.

This is a family recipe of one of our friends from Mangalore and speciality of the local Jain community form coastal region.

Ingredients:

Tamarind- 100 grams

Dried red chillies – 200 grams (Byadagi variety)

Jaggery – 250 grams

Salt – 8 to 10 teaspoons

Water – 3 to 4 cups

Fenugreek /methi seeds – 1 tea spoon

Cumin – 2 tea spoon

Gingelly oil – 1 to 2 table spoon.

Mustard – 1 tea spoon

Garlic – 5 to 6 cloves (crushed)

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Method:

Soak tamarind and grated jaggery in water for some time.
When it becomes soft, nicely squeeze out and sieve the liquid.

Discard all the roughage and fibres.
Dry roast methi and cumin.
Roast red chillies by putting very little oil.
Powder all the roasted items by using dry mixer jar.
Now keep one thick bottomed vessel on the gas stove, put oil and do seasoning.
When oil is hot, splutter mustard seeds, then add crushed garlic and curry leaves.

Pour tamarind and jaggery concentrate, salt, ground masala powder and boil.
After boiling it for some time, upper layer of the mixture will look glossy and it is the sign for its doneness.
Switch off the gas, cool this mixture completely and store it in dry glass bottles and keep outside for two days to set and afterwards keep it in the fridge.

It will stay up to one year if you store it in the fridge.

Kathal Ki Biryani / Raw Jackfruit Biryani:

February 19, 2017

Raw jackfruit is a less known, very healthy, fibre-rich and low glycemic index wholesome vegetable. In our coastal region, we start using jack from its very tender form. We have so many traditional recipes. Apart from that, we even enjoy this one-pot meal, and it is a very good option for tiffin boxes for lunch.

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice – 3 cups

Raw Jack pieces – 1 big bowl.

Ghee – 3 tablespoon

Bay leaf – 1

Shah jeera – ½ teaspoon

Cinnamon – 1” piece

Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon

Salt

Onion- 2

Green chillies – 3

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tablespoon

Curd – 1 small cup

Shahi Biryani Masala – 1 to 1 ½ tablespoon

Pudina – 10 strings (chopped)

Coriander leaves – 10 strings (chopped)

Method:

-Wash Basmati rice and soak it while preparing other things.

-Chop Young Jack into bite-size pieces by removing the outer skin (thorny part) and inner pith and soak this in a bowl of water.

-Chop onion, slice green chillies, chop Pudina and coriander leaves.

-Before keeping the cooker vessel, drain the soaked rice and chopped jack pieces and keep aside.

-Now, take one cooker vessel and heat the ghee. Put bay leaf, Shahjeera and cinnamon.

-Next, add chopped onion, green chillies, turmeric, salt and fry until it becomes light brown.

jack collage

-Add ginger garlic paste and fry when the onion becomes brown until its raw smell vanishes.

-Next, mix Biryani masala, Curd, and jack pieces until masala coats the Jack pieces.

-Now, add drained rice and fry it for a while. Then, add chopped pudina and coriander.

-Add sufficient water (6 cups) and check for the salt.

-When it starts boiling, close the lid and cook until one whistle; keep it in a simmer for 3 minutes and switch off the gas.

-When pressure relieves, serve this with onion raita.

NOTE: I usually use 2 cups of water for 1 cup of Basmati rice.

Alasande- Hesaru kaalu Jeerige Bendi:

February 5, 2017

It is nothing but Yard long beans and whole green gram with cumin flavoured coconut gravy.

This is an age old combination and a traditional recipe from Mangalore. Jeerige Bendi is very mild, flavourful and not spicy. It can be enjoyed with hot rice, Whole wheat Roti’s, Dosa or Rice rotti.

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Ingredients:

Yard long beans / Alasande – 250 grams

Green gram – 1 cup

Coconut – 1 bowl

Cumin – 1 teaspoon

Dried Red chilli – 2

Salt

Jaggery – ½ teaspoon

Red chilli powder – ½ teaspoon

Tamarind – peanut size.

Seasoning: Coconut oil – 1tsp, mustard – 1 teaspoon, Red chilli -1, curry leaves – 1 spring.

Method:

Wash green gram and soak it overnight.
Next day, wash yard long beans and make one inch pieces.
Cook Soaked green gram with sufficient water, salt, jaggery and red chilli powder.
When it is half done, add chopped yard long beans and cook.

collage

Meanwhile, grind coconut, red chillies, cumin and tamarind into a smooth paste and add this paste to cooked vegetable and boil.
Check for the salt and add seasoning.
For seasoning, heat oil, add mustard, red chilli. When mustard starts spluttering, add curry leaves and pour this into boiled curry.

It can be enjoyed with hot rice, Whole wheat Roti’s, Dosa or Rice rotti.

Vegetable Nagercoil Biryani:

January 27, 2017

When I saw this Nagercoil biryani on this website, I couldn’t wait more and tried it with a vegetarian option. Instead of mutton, I tried with double beans, baby potatoes and sweet corn. Kids liked it and I’m happy to share it with you all.

It is little different than our usual biryanis. Usage of small grain rice is a highlight of this biryani.

Ingredient:

Jeera or small grain rice – 3 cups

Vegetables – ½ kg

Oil – 3 table spoon

Ghee – 3 table spoon

Onion – 3 (chopped)

Ginger garlic paste – 1 table spoon

Green chillies – 4

Tomato – 2

Turmeric – ½ teaspoon

Red chilli powder – ½ teaspoon

Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon

Coriander leaves – handful

Mint leaves –handful

Curd- ½ cup

Cashew – 10

Raisins – 10

Salt

Whole masala: Cinnamon -1 stick, clove -4, Cardamom-2, Bay leaf – ½, star anise -2, stone flower -2, Cumin – 1 tsp, Mace – 2 petals .

Method:

Wash and soak rice for half an hour. After half an hour drain the water and keep aside.
Chop vegetables, here I have taken sweet corn cob, baby potatoes, carrot, beans and double beans.
Heat oil and 2 table spoon of ghee in a cooker. Add whole masalas.

Add Chopped onions and green chillies, fry until it becomes light brown.
Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a while.
Add chopped tomatoes, chopped veggies, sufficient salt and fry until tomatoes becomes mushy and veggies are coated with masala.
Add turmeric, red chilli powder and coriander powder and fry for a while.
Add chopped coriander, mint and curd.
Add drained rice and mix everything together and add sufficient water (here I took 5 ½ cups of water)

Fry cashews and raisins in a table spoon of ghee and add it to cooker vessel.
Check for salt and close the lid and cook until one whistle, keep it in a simmer for 3 to 4 minutes and switch off the gas.
When pressure relieves, open the lid and mix everything together and serve this tasty biryani with onion raita.

NOTE:

I usually take 1 ½ cups of water for 1 cup of Jeera/small grain rice.
Additional 1 cup of water for veggies to cook.

Masala Whole Wheat Laddu/ Pinni Ke Ladoo:

December 31, 2016

Happy New Year wishes to all my Readers!!!!

Masala whole wheat laddu’s are pure bliss!!!! I had some apprehension before tasting this mainly because, I couldn’t imagine the taste of laddu’s with fennel, pepper etc.! These beauties are originally from Punjab and known as Pinni ke ladoo. This recipe is from my friend and according to her; each family has their own style of preparation of Pinni and is a must for winter months. I have prepared according to our taste and availability of the ingredients in my pantry.

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Ingredients:

Note: Here I have used steel tumbler or regular steel glass to measure ingredients.

Whole wheat flour – 3 cups

Ghee – 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups

Almond- ½ cup

Pista – ½ cup

Desiccated coconut – ½ cup

Flax seed powder – 1tblsp

Sugar – 1 ½ cup (powdered)

Jaggery – ¼ cup (powdered)

For masala: Fennel – 1 tsp, black pepper – 1 tsp, cardamom – 1 tsp, ginger powder – ¼ tsp.

Salt – ¼ tsp

Edible gum – 30 – 50 gms.

Method:

-Dry roast almond and Pista, cool, powder it and keep aside.

-Dry roast desiccated coconut for 2 minutes, to increase its fragrance.

picture-1 -Powder masala ingredients in a small mixer jar. No need to roast this.

-Put 1 tsp of ghee, fry edible gum in a hot ghee until it puffs and becomes transparent. Cool it and powder in a mixer jar.

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-Take one thick bottomed kadai, add one cup of ghee and roast whole wheat four in a very low fire, until it becomes light brown and sandy in texture.

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-Switch off the gas. Add in edible gum, sugar powder, jaggery powder, masala powder, salt, coconut, dry fruits powder,flax seed powder etc.

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-Mix everything together, try to make roundels. If you are able to bind it together, well you can proceed to make laddu’s.

-If it breaks while binding, add little by little hot ghee and mix, and then make the roundels.

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-Cool completely before storing it in an air tight container.

Chana Saarupkari /Chickpea Rasam:

December 29, 2016

In last post we did chana and ivy gourd dry curry and I promised you to post the Rasam which utilizes the drained water of cooked chana or chick pea. This is very nutritious and tasty too.

What we need-

Ingredient:

Drained water of cooked chickpea – whatever you get.

Cooked tor dal – 1/4 cup

Green chillies -2

Salt

Jaggery – 1/2 tsp

Hing – ¼ tsp

Seasoning:

Coconut oil – 1 tbl sp

Mustard – 1tsp

Red chilli – 1

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Crushed garlic – 6

Method:

-Drain water from the cooked chana or chick pea while making any curries.

-Boil this drained water by adding 1 cup of water, cooked toor dal, salt (if needed) ,jaggery, hing, green chillies.

-Cook until green chillies are cooked and flavour is released to water.

-Add seasoning by heating coconut oil. When it is hot, add mustard. When it splutters add red chilli, curry leaves, crushed garlic.

-Fry till garlics are brown and add this seasoning to Rasam.

Enjoy this Rasam with hot rice and any side dishes, like chickpea dry curry and papad.

Manoli Kadle Ajadina /Thondekai Kadle palya /Ivy gourd and chick pea Dry curry:

December 25, 2016

This is one of our family favourite curries, which is loved by all. We make two types of curries by using ivy gourd and chickpea.

One is with onion and garlic, other one without it.

This name is derived from Tulu language, which is a local language of Mangalore. Manoli is ivy gourd or Tindora, Kadle is black chick pea and Ajadina is dry curry.

This particular masala is used in Bunt community of Mangalore and it is an integral part of their festive cooking.

How I make this-

Ingredient:

Ivy gourd – ¼ to ½ kg

Black Chick pea – 1 cup

Salt

Jaggery – ½ tsp (optional)

For Masala:

Fresh grated coconut- 1 cup

Coriander seeds – 1 tsp

Cumin – ½ tsp

Urad dal – 1 tsp

Methi/ fenugreek seed – ½ tsp

Dry red chillies- 3 to 4

For Seasoning:

Coconut oil – 1 to 2 tbl sp

Mustard – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Method:

-Soak black chick peas in water overnight. Next day discard soaked water and add fresh water, salt and cook this in a cooker for 3 to 4 whistles.

-Wash ivy gourd, cut this lengthwise into 4 pieces. Cook this by putting very little water and salt and jaggery. keep aside.

-When pressure releases from the cooker, open the lid, drain the water and keep chick pea aside. Don’t discard the drained water. You can make really yummy Rasam or soup out of this.

Next is the masala preparation-

-Heat little oil, fry methi seeds until it is light brown, add remaining ingredients, coriander, cumin, urad dal, red chillies, and fry nicely.

-Take one mixer jar, put roasted masala, make a powder, and add coconut into it and whip couple of times to get dry coarse powder.

Now we can proceed to make palya-

-Take one kadai, put coconut oil, when it is hot, splutter mustard seeds, add curry leaves.

-Now add ground masala and fry for a while.

-Now add cooked chickpea and ivy gourd mix well, check for the salt and adjust.

-Cook this until it becomes like a mass and veggies are coated well with the masala.

-Serve this as a side dish with hot rice.

NOTE:

-Usage of coconut oil will give authentic taste.

-Don’t discard drained water from cooked chick pea. It is very nutritious and you can prepare really tasty Rasam, and it is here.