side dish

Badanekai palya/ Brinjal dry curry:

March 13, 2022

Usually, Brinjal/ Eggplant of Mangalore/Udupi region is known as “UDUPI GULLA”. No! We have two varieties.

Both are Heirloom, native variety.

How to differentiate our native varieties of brinjal? It is so easy.

Here, I am talking about our “Oora Badane”, “Native Brinjal” of Mangalore.

Much bigger (almost like purple brinjal, used in Bhartha). The outer skin is shiny pear-shaped; the outer skin is thinner, pale green with white lines.

It is fleshy and used in our style of Bhartha ( Roasted sweet and sour Gojju), Palya, Sambar and kayi Huli.

We all know that GI tagged “Udupi Gulla”, which is small, darker in the shade, matte-finished outer skin with a couple of thorns at the woody stalk. ( which is at the backside in the picture)

For this palya, we use fleshy, seasonal native brinjal. This one side dish, which my husband craves for and asks to make, and he relishes with Ghee smeared Chapathi.

The recipe is simple and needs freshly ground masala or readily available Rasam powder.

Ingredients:

Round Brinjal – 1

Onion – 2 ( medium)

Green chillies – 2

Salt

Tamarind – gooseberry size

Turmeric – ½ tsp

Jaggery – as needed

For the masala powder:

¼ cup – grated coconut

2 -Red chillies

Coriander -1 tsp

Cumin – ½ tsp

For the seasoning:

Coconut oil – 2 tbl spoons, mustard – 1tsp, urad dal – 1tsp, Chana dal – 1tsp, hing – 1 pinch and curry leaves – 1 spring

Chopped coriander – to garnish.

Method:

-Slice onion. Chop green chillies. Soak the tamarind in a small cup of hot water.

-Roast the coriander, cumin, red chillies in a drop of oil, make a coarse powder and keep it aside.

-Now take a bowl with water and immerse the chopped brinjal. Brinjal pieces should be slightly bigger and ¼” thicker. (Please refer to the pictures)

-Now, we would do the seasoning, take one Kadai, heat oil, splutter mustard, add urad dal, chana dal, hing and fry until it is slightly brown. Add curry leaves.

-next, add onion and green chillies and fry until it is transparent and wilts.

-Extract tamarind water pour-over. Add turmeric, salt, jaggery. When water starts boiling, add brinjal and mix everything properly.

-Close the lid and cook the veggie on a low flame. Add freshly dry ground coconut masala, mix everything, once again close the lid and cook further to absorb the flavour.

-Switch off the gas and garnish with the chopped coriander leaves. It pairs well with Roti or rice.

NOTE:

If you are using the rasam powder, add little coconut and proceed with the procedure with the Rasam powder.

-Freshly made masala and the usage of cold-pressed coconut oil does give the authentic taste.

Bassaru Palya :

September 20, 2021

Now, what is bassaru? The literal transition of bassaru is Basida (drained) saru (Curry) in the Kannada language. Here, we cook the legumes or dals and the choice of greens or veggies in an open vessel with little more water than the required amount to cook. When the cooking process ends, drain the water (stock) and use it for gravy by adding ground masala. Cooked veggies would turn into the dry curry with added seasoning. They are usually served with Ragi Mudde (finger millet balls) or Rice, topped with ghee with chopped onions or papads as an add-on. Bassaru is a staple affair in Bangalore, Mysore, Mandya, Hassan, Kolar, Tumkur region of Karnataka.

Bassaru Can be prepared using either Toor dal, Sprouted green gram, soaked black eye peas (karamani or Alasandekalu) or Sprouted horse gram etc. for protein ( also as a thickening agent to the curry)

If you prefer Greens, you can use the choice of greens except for fenugreek or Methi leaves.

If you don’t prefer greens, you can opt for any veggies such as French Beans, Ridge gourd, Cabbage etc.

Bassaru can be prepared in various ways, and each family has their method. Here, I am sharing how I make it and relish our Mudde Oota.

Ingredients for Saru:

Black eye bean – 1 cup (overnight soaked)

Chopped greens – 1 bowl

Salt

Green chillies – 4 to 5

Onion – ½ (chopped)

Garlic – 5 – 8

Curry leaves – 4 leaves

Coriander – 1 tsp

Cumin – ½ tsp

Coriander leaves – 1 tablespoon (chopped)

Coconut – 1 tablespoon

Tamarind – 1 tsp

For seasoning:

Oil – 1 tbl spoon

Mustard – 1tsp

Onion – ½ (chopped)

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Method:

-Take one vessel, cook soaked bean. When it is half done, add chopped greens, salt and a pinch of jaggery (it is purely optional) and cook further.

-When beans and greens are perfectly cooked and done, drain the stock, collect the water and keep it ready. (take out one serving spoon of cooked legume to grind the masala).

-At first, we would prepare the masala.

-First, heat 1 tsp of oil, add coriander, cumin, curry leaves, green chillies, onion, garlic and fry until onion becomes translucent. Switch off the gas. Add in chopped coriander, coconut, tamarind and mix everything.

-When fried content is cooled, grind it into a smooth paste by adding one serving spoon of cooked legume by adding a little water.

-Now, reserve little ground masala in the mixer jar ( to make palya) and proceed to make saru.

-Take one vessel, mix drained water/stock, ground masala, adjust the consistency, check for the salt, boil until it is frothy.

-Do seasoning, heat oil, splutter mustard, add curry leaves, chopped onion and fry until light brown. Add it to boiled bassaru.

Now we would see the procedure of palya:

-Take one tawa, heat oil, splutter mustard, add curry leaves, chunks of onion, fry until it is translucent. -Add reserved ground masala, fry for 2 minutes. Now, add cooked and drained legumes and greens.

-Check for the salt, seasoning, garnish with freshly grated coconut and mix everything and enjoy with ragi mudde or Rice.

Note:

-Please cook legumes or dals in an open cooking method. Don’t use the pressure cooker. It indeed makes it mushier and soggier.

Nugge soppina Khara dosey/Moringa leaves mini dosa :

November 6, 2019

Mini dosas are traditionally known as “Sanna Polo” which is the tastiest side dish of Konkani community of our region. Basically, it is a red chilli and hing flavoured rice batter, with added goodness of any greens or chopped cabbage and chopped onion.

Here I have used chopped Moringa/ nugge soppu/ drumstick leaves which is a powerhouse of nutrients. Back in 2016 I had tried a bunch of moringa recipes to publish in Vijaya next kannada daily. Already I have shared Moringa powder and Chutney recipe with you all and now we will see how to do a mini dosa.

Ingredients:

Dosa rice – 1 ½ cup

Byadagi chilli – 6 to 8 ( roasted)

Tamarind – 1 tbsp

Coconut – 1 cup

Jaggery – 1tsp

Salt – to taste

Turmeric – ½ tsp

Hing – peanut size

Moringa leaves – 1 bowl

Onion – 1 (big)

Method:

-Soak dosa rice for 2 to 3 hours after washing.

-Make a paste of chilli ,coconut, tamarind, salt, jaggery, turmeric, hing. Now add soaked rice and grind into small rava consistency.

-Add chopped onion and moringa leaves. Adjust the consistency by adding extra water.

-Batter consistency should be like idli batter. Start making dosas by heating iron dosa griddle.

-Pour little batter, don’t spread. Keep gas flame in simmer, spread coconut oil ,close the lid and cook.

-When one side is cooked, flip and roast another side. Serve as a side dish with Rasam rice, dhal rice.

Note:

-To get an authentic taste, use a coconut oil.

Dum Aloo:

February 10, 2019

Dum Aloo is originally from Kashmir. Normally baby potatoes are deep fried and dunked in a mild and flavorful gravy. Here I have made it without deep frying as well as without peeling the outer skin. I normally avoid removing outer skin of potatoes due to its nutritional value as well as the taste.

In dum aloo, curd is the main ingredient, which is used as a souring agent with the additional Indian spices. Dum aloo tastes very good with any Indian flat breads or with mild Pulav.

Ingredient:

Baby potatoes – 15

Onions – 3 medium size

Green chillies – 2

Ginger – 1 tsp (freshly chopped)

Oil – 3 to 4 table spoons

Fennel seeds – ½ tsp

Turmeric – ½ tsp

Red chilli powder – 1tsp

Garam masala – 1 tsp

Salt

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Coriander leaves – 3 to 4 table spoons

Hung Curd – ¼ cup

Cashew chunks – 2 table spoons

Hot milk – ¼ cup

Kishmish / Dried grapes – 2 table spoons

Method:

-Soak cashews in Hot milk and keep aside.

-Wash potatoes, make half or quarter pieces according to its size.

-Heat 1 table spoon of oil and roast potato pieces a little and keep aside.

-Take one mixer jar, dry churn onions, ginger and green chillies.

-Heat oil in a kadai, add fennel seeds, roughly churned onion – ginger- chilli.

-Fry until it is light brown, add all the powders, salt and fry for a while and add roasted potatoes, cup of water and cook in a low flame.

-When potato is done, it is a time to switch off the gas. Never add curd while boiling the mixture, it curdles immediately.

-Now mix in curd, chopped coriander and mix everything, adjust the consistency by adding water and boil this mixture by switching on the gas.

-When gravy is ready, you would see a shiny layer at the surface. Switch off the gas.

-Now make a paste of cashew and milk and garnish the curry with cashew paste and dry grapes and serve with Roti or Pulav.

Indian broad beans with ground nut:

December 11, 2018

It is a very tasty vegetable and is known as Chikdikayi, chapparadavare or Indian broad beans. This subzi/dry curry is one of our favourite and whoever tastes this subzi, usually asks for the recipe. So, I thought of sharing this recipe in my blog as well. I learnt this from our family friend who hails from Gulbarga, Northern part of Karnataka.

How it is made –

Ingredients:

Indian broad beans – 500 Gms

Garlic – 10 -12 cloves

Red chilli powder – 1 to 2 tsp.

Salt

Crushed roasted groundnut – ½ cup

Oil- 2 tbl sp.

Method:

-Remove both side’s fibre and slit open, to see. Slit at the centre and keep aside.

-Now keep one pot of water for boiling, add little salt to it. When it starts boiling, add broad beans including bean as well.

-When it changes colour, drain the water and keep aside.

– Keep one thick bottomed kadai, put oil. When oil becomes hot, add crushed garlic and fry a little. Now add cooked and drained beans.

-Add sufficient amount of salt and red chilli powder and mix nicely. Cook until oil leaves from the sides.

-Now add crushed or roughly powdered ground nut and mix for a while.

-Serve with Chapati/phulka’s or rice.

Note: I usually add ready ground nut chutney powder (which has red chilli powder, salt and garlic)

If you are using chutney powder like me, decrease the amount of salt and red chilli powder while adding at the beginning.

Moringa / Drumstick leaves chutney and Rice:

August 22, 2018

Nugge Soppu ,Moringa or Drumstick leaves are a power house of nutrients. Back in 2016 I had tried a bunch of drumstick recipes to publish in Vijaya next kannada daily. This chutney recipe is from that trial and after that it is in my regular menu and I have made it many times, as well as tried to mix this same chutney into cooked rice after doing some seasoning and liked it a lot and It is an awesome way to feed small kids with added goodness of moringa.

I will first describe how to make chutney and at last I will add the procedure of rice as well.

This chutney stays good for up to one week and we can store this in a refrigerator and can be enjoyed as a side dish or make rice item and relish and can be packed as a carry meal in a tiffin box as well.

Procedure for Chutney:

Moringa leaves – 4 cups (keep aside some young leaves for seasoning)

To be ground:

Roasted red chillies – 3

Black pepper – 3

Garlic – 10 cloves

Tamarind – ¼ tea spoon

Coriander leaves – 3 table spoons (chopped)

Cumin – 1 tea spoon

Jaggery – ½ to 1 tea spoon

Salt

Seasoning;

Oil – 2 table spoons

Mustard – 1 tea spoon

Curry leaves – 2 strings

Garlic – 10 cloves (chopped)

Onion – 1 (chopped)

Turmeric – ½ tea spoon

Method:

-Take moringa leaves (keep aside a little) and grind with all the items under “To be Ground” from Roasted red chillies to salt in the list by adding little water into coarse paste.

-Now take one kadai, do seasoning part. Heat oil, splutter mustard, add curry leaves, chopped garlic, onion ,turmeric and fry until onion and garlic becomes light brown.

-Add moringa leaves, which we have kept aside and fry till it wilts and add ground paste and fry for 3 to 5 minutes or until raw smell vanishes and mixture changes in colour.

-You can serve this as a side dish with hot rice and ghee. This chutney stays good under refrigeration and can be used as a moringa rice mix as well.

Now we will see the procedure for Moringa Rice:

It is simple. Take some oil and put one tea spoon of cumin, little curry leaves and one or two table spoons of ready chutney, little salt and mix nicely. Switch off the gas. Mix required amount of ready cooked rice in this mixture and mix nicely to devour aromatic moringa rice. If you have ready chutney around, it is a quick recipe.

Instant Stuffed Brinjal:

July 29, 2018

Tiny brinjals are very delicious in dry curries as well as in gravies. When I have plenty of home grown organic brinjals, I normally make this quick dish, which can be handy as well as tasty when you are super lazy to cook. If chutney powder (any chutney powder will do) is around, within no time you will be able to make this delicious dish. It can be relished as a starter, side dish or with curd rice.

Ingredients:

Tiny Brinjals – 12

Garlic Chutney powder – 2 to 3 table spoons

Hucchellu/ gurellu or Nigella seed powder – 1 tea spoon (optional)

Red chilli powder – 1 tea spoon

Amchur powder – ½ tea spoon

Salt

Turmeric – ½ tea spoon

Cooking oil – 2 tea spoons

Method:

-Hucchellu powder is purely optional. If you have roasted Hucchellu powder, use it.

-Take one bowl, mix chutney powder, gurellu powder, salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, amchur powder, salt.

-Wash brinjal, make 2 slits (+ shape) and fill this mixture and keep aside. If any mixture is remaining, keep aside.

-Take one kadai, add oil. When oil becomes hot, add masala filled brinjals and toss for couple of minutes.

-Sprinkle little (1 table spoon) water and close the lid and cook in a low flame.

-Once again sprinkle water in between and cook until brinjal shrinks and cooks properly.

-Lastly, sprinkle remaining masala mixture, give one stir and serve as you wish.

Jack seed and Mangalore cucumber palya:

June 22, 2018

Jack seed is halasina beeja, which is a seed of jackfruit and most underrated protein rich nature’s gift to mankind. All thanks to our elders, who have gifted us with the knowledge of lots of combinations of ingredients, vegetables. One such combination is coloured cucumber which is also known as Mangalore cucumber/ sambar cucumber with jack seed. It is an ultimate, tasty side dish from our region and I am eager to share this recipe with you all –

I normally preserve jack seeds in a frozen form and procedure is already shared in my blog as well.

Ingredients:

Coloured cucumber – ½ or 1

Fresh or Frozen jack seeds –2 fists full

Grated coconut – 3 table spoons

Turmeric – ½ tea spoon

Red chilli powder – 1 tea spoon

Salt- as needed

Jaggery – as needed

Seasoning:

Coconut oil – 1 table spoon

Mustard – 1 tea spoon

Urad dal – 1 tea spoon

Cumin – ½ tea spoon

Red chilli -1

Curry leaves – 2 springs

Method:

-Wash Mangalore/Coloured/sambar cucumber.

-Chop off 2 ends, slice in to 4 pieces and remove inner core (seed part) and chop into thin slices. (see the picture)

-Check now for the taste. If it is bitter in taste, soak the pieces in plain water for 5 minutes.

-Discard the water and proceed.

-If cucumber tastes good, no need to soak in water and you can directly proceed in cooking.

-I normally crush and store the jack seeds. So, no need of chopping or crushing. If you have fresh seeds with you, please crush the seed by using hitting stone and remove outer stiff cover and use inner seed.

– Take one pressure pan or cooker, do seasoning. Heat oil, splutter mustard, add urad dal. When dal becomes light brown, add cumin, red chilli and curry leaves.

-Now add in crushed jack seeds, little water and cook for one whistle.

-When pressure releases, remove cooker lid and proceed to make palya.

-Switch on the gas, Add Red chilli powder, salt and jaggery, required amount of water and chopped cucumber pieces.

-Close the lid and cook this in a low flame, until cucumber is cooked or up to water drains.

-If water drains first, add some more water and make sure to cook cucumber.

Garnish with fresh grated coconut and mix, cook for 2 minutes and switch off the gas.

-Serve with hot rice and enjoy as a side dish.

Alasande Palya / Yard long beans dry curry:

June 7, 2018

Alasande aka yard long bean is very popular and one of the age old cultivated crops of Mangalore coast. It is tender, immature pods of black eye pea. In rainy season, most of the vegetable kitchen gardeners grow this super tasty veggie for day to day use.

Immature pods are one of the favourite food for little birds as well. It is a low calorie, high in fibre vegetable and tastes little sweetish and texture is little chewy and watery.

Alasande side dish is one of the very popular dishes during the festivities- either in weddings, festival cooking or day to day cooking. For day to day cooking, we normally toss this veggie with mild seasoning and for festivity cooking, we use coconut masala. Today I am going to share the recipe of my house hold which my family relishes whenever I prepare.

Ingredients:

Alasande / Yard long beans – 500 grams

Red chilli powder – ½ tea spoon

Turmeric – ½ tea spoon

Salt

Jaggery – 1 tea spoon

For seasoning:

Coconut oil – 1 table spoon

Mustard – 1 tea spoon

Urad dal – 1 tea spoon

Red chilli – 1 (optional)

Curry leaves – 1 spring

For Masala:

Coconut – ¼ cup

Roasted Byadagi Red chillies – 2 to 3

Cumin – 1 tea spoon

Tamarind – ½ tea spoon

Method:

-Wash, remove two ends of yard long beans and chop as required.

-Dry grind coconut with roasted chillies, cumin and tamarind for masala and keep aside.

-Now take one kadai, heat oil for seasoning, splutter mustard, add urad dal. If you are adding red chilli add that as well.

-When urad dal becomes red, add curry leaves, chopped beans, turmeric, salt, jaggery, red chilli powder and toss for two minutes.

-Add one small cup of water and cook until it is soft and firm.

-Add dry ground masala and mix everything. Keep it covered for two to three minutes and switch off the gas.

-Serve with hot rice or with thali as a side dish.

Nuggekai/Drumsticks Curry:

February 19, 2018

Drumsticks are loaded with essential minerals and nutrients. It is very tasty and highly nutritious, it is a must have ingredient in mixed south Indian sambar. One can enjoy only drumstick in this special curry, which I learnt from my dearest aunty.

DSC05853_Fotor

Ingredients:

Drumsticks -5 to 6

Onion -1

Garlic cloves – 10 to 12

Coriander leaves – 1 table sp. (chopped)

Poppy seeds – 1 tsp. (you can replace this with roasted gram as well)

Red chilli powder – 1 ½ tsp.

Turmeric – ½ tsp.

Coconut – 1 cup

Oil – 1 table sp.

For Seasoning: oil- 1 tbsps., chopped onion -1, chopped tomato -2 and curry leaves.

Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method:

– Chop drumsticks in to 2 to 3-inch pieces, while chopping remove outer thick skin as much as possible. (It is purely optional)

Ribbet collage 1

-Cook chopped drumstick pieces with sufficient water and salt.

-Now take one tawa, put 1 table spoon of oil and fry poppy seeds, when it is light brown, add chopped onion, crushed garlic, and fry till onion becomes translucent.

-Now add chopped coriander leaves, red chilly powder, little turmeric and grated coconut and fry till you get nice aroma and then switch off and let it cool.

Ribbet collage 2

-when it cools down, make fine paste by adding sufficient water and keep aside.

– In that same tawa, add oil. When it is hot, add curry leaves, chopped onion and fry.

Ribbet collage 3

-When it is done add chopped tomato and fry until it is mushy.

-Now add ground masala, cooked drumstick with water and boil nicely.

drumstick main

-Garnish with chopped coriander.