Stuffed Capsicum (South Indian style)

Stuffed capsicum is usually done with potato, paneer, cheese or moong dal. In this recipe I have used coconut and onion which is mixed with south Indian style masala powder for the filling. It can be relished with plain roti or rice as a side dish. It is very tasty, and we relish it every now and then, whenever I get to catch hold of tiny capsicums. This recipe I learnt almost a decade ago by Radha athe. She is a treasure house of North canara traditional recipes and I have learnt so many things from her.

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Ingredient:

Capsicum – ½ kg (small sized)

Onion – 2 to 3

Coconut – 1 cup

Salt – as needed

Tamarind powder – ½ tsp

Oil – 2 table spoons

For masala powder:

Chana dal – 2 table spoons

Urad dal – 1 tea spoon

Cumin – 1 tea spoon

Hing – small pea size

Dried red chillies – 6 to 8

White sesame seed (til) – 1 tea spoon

Mustard – ½ tea spoon

Turmeric – ½ tea spoon

Method:

-For masala, dry roast Chana dal, urad dal, cumin, white sesame and mustard and keep it aside.

-Next take couple of drops of oil and fry red chillies and hing.

-Cool everything and make powder by using mixer jar.

-Now take one bowl, add chopped onion, grated coconut, salt, tamarind powder and required amount of masala powder (don’t pour at once, use as required).

-Here salt and masala should be on a slightly higher side, because while cooking, even capsicum will absorb the masala and salt.

-Next wash small sized capsicum, make a round mark near the stalk region and cut open that top part. If possible, keep it intact.

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-Remove inner seed part and clean inside.

-Fill ready coconut and onion masala and close it with upper stalk part and make it firm.

-Now take one wide nonstick pan, pour oil and heat.

-Place all the masala filled capsicum and sprinkle little water and close the lid.

-Cook in a simmer, check in between and turn the sides.

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-All the sides should be uniformly cooked and outer skin should have charred effect.

-When it is done, switch off and serve hot with rice or plain phulka’s.

 

Marakesavu Pathrode:

Pathrode, name itself will make any Mangalorean drool. That too if it is marakesavu leaf, fun is even more. Marakesavu is non-itchy, seasonal colocasia leaves. It is one more classic monsoon special from Mangalore. Pathrode is usually served with coconut oil either plain or pan fried by slicing.

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Marakesavu is commonly known as hitchhiker elephant ear and botanical name of this leaf is Remusatia vivipara. Leaf is large, oval, leathery textured, glossy on both the sides. Foliage disappears in winter and emerges after the first rain during monsoon. Grows widely on big tree trunks or in-between the stones, mainly emerges from the moss bed. The name itself suggests about its habitat. Here, “Mara” is Tree and “Kesavu” is colocasia.

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We will see the Procedure-

Ingredients:

Dosa rice – 3 cups

Fresh Coconut – 1 ½ cup

Dried red chillies – 12 (Roasted)

Hing – ¼ teaspoon

Salt

Jaggery – 1 table spoon

Tamarind – 1 table spoon (if normal colocasia use little more)

Marakesavu – 3 bundles

Coconut oil – for serving

Method:

Wash the leaves, remove stem and trim.

  Wash and soak rice for 3 hours.

  Fry red chillies by putting very little oil.

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Grind soaked rice, coconut, tamarind, jaggery, salt, roasted red chillies into smooth paste by adding sufficient water.

  Batter consistency should be like Dosa batter.

  Now, we are ready to make Pathrode.

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  Take biggest leaf from the lot, place upper glossy part downwards and apply ground batter on back side of the leaf. (pc:step 1)

 After applying on the first leaf, keep second one (slightly smaller than the first one)

Proceed with the application. After applying on second leaf, keep the third leaf then fourth one and proceed.(pc: step 2&3)

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  Now lift sideways, and fold. Make it like a mat. Apply some batter on these folds as well.

  Roll from the tip and proceed until the end and apply some batter on outer shell and keep this in a water filled idly steamer.

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  Cook this for 45 minutes to one hour, depending on the quantity of the content inside the vessel, in a low fire.

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  Serve fresh with coconut oil by slicing these cooked rolls or apply coconut oil and fry these in an iron tawa on both the sides and enjoy as it is for breakfast or with lunch or dinner.

NOTE:

-Tamarind is a key ingredient while making Pathrode.

– If it is Mara Kesavu, it is non-itchy and quantity of the tamarind doesn’t matter.

– If you are using normal colocasia leaves, tamarind plays a very crucial part, in removing the itchiness of the leaves. Use little more quantity than normal.

– You can prepare this same recipe by using big spinach leaves as well.

Kanile Gashi /Bamboo Shoot and sprouted moong Gravy:

Kanile is nothing but Bamboo shoot. We coastal people, prepare some delicacies from this seasonal high fibre veggie, this curry is prepared by mixing with sprouted Green gram. which is very tasty and goes very well with Dosa or Rice. So, it is a seasonal treat for us.

We normally use fresh bamboo shoot and chop it in this manner. (please refer to the Post of How to chop Bamboo shoot)

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Ingredients:

Ready Bamboo shoot – 1 cup (you can use frozen or tinned too)

Sprouted green gram /moong – 1 cup

Salt

Red chilli powder – 1teaspoon

Green chilli – 1

Turmeric – ½ tsp

For Masala:

Coriander – 2 tsp

Cumin- 1 tsp

Red chilli – 3

Garlic cloves – 2

Fresh grated Coconut – 1cup

Tamarind – ½ tsp

Seasoning:

Coconut oil – 1tsp

Mustard – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Red chilli -1

Method:

  • – Cook Sprouted moong and ready to cook bamboo shoots in sufficient water, by adding turmeric, red chilli powder, and slit green chilli.

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  • – Roast coriander, cumin, red chilli and garlic by putting little oil for masala.
  • – Grind this into smooth paste by adding coconut and tamarind and sufficient water.

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  • – Add this ground masala to cooked mixture and boil nicely.

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  • – Do the seasoning. Heat coconut oil ,splutter mustard ,add red chilli and curry leaves fry and pour over the curry.

Ridge gourd Tambli:

Here is a low calorie option with ridge gourd, which is healthy, refreshing as well as soothing in this summer season. This particular Tambli is prepared by grinding tossed ridge gourd with fresh grated coconut and mixing in buttermilk and it doesn’t need boiling. You can savour this like an appetiser or mixing with piping hot rice .It has healing properties and is very good for the digestive system. Recently I tasted this curry at my sister in laws place and just loved this.

ridge gourd tambli

How to prepare this:

Ingredients:

Ridge gourd – 6” with skin

Cumin – ½ tsp

Black pepper – 5

Bird eye chilli – 2

Ghee – 1 tsp

Coconut – ½ cup

Salt

Butter milk – ½ cup

Seasoning: ghee – ½ Tsp, cumin – ½ tsp, curry leaves – 1 spring.

Method:

-Chop ridge gourd with skin intact.

-take 1 tsp of ghee in a small kadai. When it is hot, add jeera, pepper and bird eye chilli. If you don’t have bird eye chillies, instead you can use half green chilli and roast. Then add chopped ridge gourd and fry until it wilts.

– Now take out all these fried items and cool.

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-Grind this into smooth paste by adding coconut, salt and little water.

-remove this into a vessel, add buttermilk, and adjust the consistency by adding little water if needed.

-Consistency should be like normal milk.

– Add seasoning by heating ghee, cumin and curry leaves.

– Enjoy this with hot rice.