Vaingan Mashinga Sange Upkari

Vaingan Mashinga Sange Upkari /Brinjal Drumstick Stir Fry is a Konkani curry made using brinjal and drumstick, goes well with rice.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Vaingan Mashinga Sange Upkari / Brinjal Drumstick Stir Fry.

Ingredients:-

Brinjal.            - 5
Drumstick.       -3
Green chilly.    -1
Garlic.              - 6
Dry Red chilly. - 4
Hing powder.    -1/4tsp
Mustard seeds.  -1tsp
Coconut oil.      -1tsp
Salt.                   - to taste

Instructions:-

1). Remove the stem and wash the brinjals and chop into 1/2 inch thick lengthy pieces and keep aside.

2). Chop both the ends and remove the outer fibre like skin of the drumstick and chop into 1 and 1/2 inch lengthy pieces. Wash well and keep aside.

3). Peel and chop garlic into thin lengthy pieces and keep aside

4). Wash and half slit green chilly and keep aside.

5). Broke dry red chillies into halves and keep aside.

Method:-

1). Heat coconut oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds and saute well

2). Add chopped garlic and fry in oil.

3). Add half slit green chilly and broken dry red chilli halves into the pan and saute for a while.

4). Add chopped drumstick pieces, required salt and 3/4 cup of water into the pan. Boil and cook the drumstick pieces for 3 minutes on low flame.

5). Add chopped brinjal pieces into the pan and mix well. Cover and cook on low flame.

6). When drumstick pieces and brinjal pieces become soft and the water is absorbed, switch off the flame. Transfer the brinjal drumstic stir-fry to a serving bowl.

A tasty Baingan Mashinga Sange Upkari / Brinjal Drumstick Stir Fry is ready to serve with rice.

Anvasa Sassam

Anvasa Sassam (Pineapple Raita) is a Kochi GSB Konkani style sweet pineapple curry served as a side dish along with rice during marriage functions and festival days.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Anvasa Sassam / Pineapple Raita.

Ingredients:-

Pineapple.           -1 cup chopped
Grated Coconut. -1/2 cup
Green chillies.    -2
Curd.                   -1/2 cup
Sugar.                  - 2tbsp
Salt.                     -1/2tsp
Mustard seeds.    -1tsp
Cumin seeds.       -1/2 tsp
Curry leaves.       -1spring
Coconut oil.         -1tsp

Instructions:-

1). Remove the outer thorny skin of a Pineapple. Clean well and chop into medium cubes and keep aside.

2). Grind grated coconut and green chillies to a smooth paste and keep aside.

Method:-

1). In a wide bowl add the chopped Pineapple cubes.

2). Add sugar, salt, curd and ground coconut green chilly mixture into the bowl. Mix well all the ingredients in the bowl with a spoon and keep aside for 30 minutes.

3). Heat coconut oil in a small pan for seasoning and splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds and saute well. Add curry leaves and fry for a second and switch off the flame.Pour the above seasoning into the bowl and mix well.

Anvasa Sassam is ready to serve.

Note:- As all the ingredients used in the Anvasa Sassam are raw, serve the dish fully on the same day and do not keep the dish in the refrigerator for further use.

Salted Raw Mango Gojju

Salted Mango Gojju is a tasty side dish made using salted (brined) raw mangoes, goes well with rice or kanji (rice gruels).

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Salted Raw Mango Gojju.

Ingredients:-

Salted Mango (Brine). -2
Red chillies.                - 4
Hing powder.               -1/2tsp
Salt.                              - to taste
Coconut oil.                  - 1tsp

Instructions:-

Salted Raw Mangoes (Brined Raw Mangoes)

1). Wash the salted (brined) raw mangoes. Deseed and chop into small pieces.

2). Roast dry red chillies in little oil and keep aside

Method:-

1). Grind the chopped brined raw mango pieces, roasted red chillies, hing powder and very little salt to a fine paste without adding water.

2). Transfer the ground brined raw mango paste (mango gojju) in a serving bowl.

3). Add 1tsp coconut oil on the mango gojju and mix well.

Salted Raw Mango Gojju is ready to serve with rice or kanji (rice gruels)

Tomato Thokku / Thakkali Thokku

Tomato Thokku also known as Thakkali Thokku is a delicious side dish made using ripe tomatoes and spices that goes well with idli, dosa, chapathi, curd rice and even with hot steaming rice. A perfect side dish for travel and does not get spoilt for 3-4 days.Tomato Thokku stays good for a week if stored in the refrigerator.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Tomato Thokku /Thakkali Thokku.

Ingredients:-

Tomato.                  - 4 big
Onion.                    - 1big 
Green chilly.          - 2
Ginger.                   - 1/2 inch piece
Garlic.                    - 8
Urad dal.                - 1tsp
Mustard seeds.       - 1tsp
Cumin seeds.         - 1/2tsp
Curry leaves.         - 1 spring
Coriander powder. - 2tsp
Red chilly powder. - 1tsp
Turmeric Powder.   -1/4tsp
Sambar Powder.      - 1tsp
Gingely oil.             - 4tbsp
Salt.                         - to taste

Instructions:-

1). Wash ripe tomatoes and pat dry with a clean cloth. Chop the tomatoes roughly and keep aside.

2) Peel, wash and finely chop onion and keep aside.

3). Peel and chop garlic into small pieces and keep aside.

4). Peel the skin, wash and chop ginger into very small pieces and keep aside.

5). Wash and chop green chillies into very small pieces and keep aside.

Method:-

1). Heat gingely oil in a wide bottom pan and add urad dal.Saute well till urad dal starts to change its colour. Splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds and saute well.

2). Add chopped green chillies and curry leaves and fry in oil for half a minute.

3) Add chopped ginger pieces and garlic pieces to the pan and saute well for 30 seconds.

4). Add finely chopped onion and saute well till the onion becomes translucent.

5). Add coriander powder, red chilly powder, turmeric powder and sambar powder and mix well.

6). Add roughly chopped tomatoes and required salt to the pan and mix well. Cover and cook on low flame until the tomatoes are cooked completely and become soft and mushy.

7). When all the moisture is absorbed and the oil starts to seperates in the sides of the pan, switch off the flame. Mix well and keep aside the Tomato Thokku to cool.

8). Store the Tomato Thokku in a clean and dry airtight container. Keep it in refrigerator and it stays good for a week.

Mango Kesari / Mango Sheera

Mango Kesari also known as Mango Sheera is a sweet dessert made with ripe mango pulp, semolina (rava), sugar and cardamom.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Mango Sheera / Mango Kesari.

Ingredients:-

Sweet ripe Mango. -1 big
Semolina (Rava).    -1/2 cup
Sugar.                      -1/2 cup
Water.                      - 1 and 1/2 cup
Cardamom.              - 4
Cashew nuts.            - 8
Raisins.                     - 8
Ghee.                        - 3tbsp

Instructions:-

1). Wash, peel and chop a sweet ripe mangoes into cubes. 

2). Add the ripe mango cubes in a blender and blend to a smooth paste without adding water. Keep aside the mango pulp.

2). Peel and crush cardamom and keep aside.

Method:-

1). Heat 2tbsp ghee in a pan and fry cashew nuts till golden brown colour. Remove the fried cashew nuts from ghee and keep aside. Add raisins into the pan and fry till puffed up and remove the fried raisins from ghee and keep aside.

2). Add semolina (rava) into the same pan. Stir continuously and roast well till nice aroma comes out.

3). Add water into the pan and cook the roasted semolina and stir well.

4). When semolina cooked well and absorbs all water, add sugar and stir well.

5). Add ripe mango pulp to the semolina sugar mixture in the pan and continuously stir the mixture.

6). Add 1tbsp ghee to the mixture in the pan and keep on stirring the mixture till it turns thick.

7). When the mixture leaves the sides of the pan, add the crushed cardamom and mix well. Switch off the flame.Mango Kesari /Mango Sheera is ready and garnish with fried cashew nuts and raisins.

8). Or grease a steel plate with little ghee.

9).Transfer the mango kesari /sheera to the greased steel plate. Gently press and flatten the mango kesari /sheera evenly on the grease plate with the back of a ladle and let it cool.

10). When cool to room temperature cut the Mango Kesari /Sherra to desired shapes and garnish with fried cashewnuts and raisins.

A sweet desert, Mango sheera/ Mango Kesari is ready to serve.

Rajma Tomato Curry.

Rajma Tomato Curry is a tasty and delicious side dish made with Rajma (red kidney beans) cooked in spicy onion tomato gravy. Rajma Tomato Curry goes well as a side dish with rice, chapathi or phulkas.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Rajma Tomato Curry.

Ingredients:-

Rajma /Kidney beans. -1cup
Onion.                          - 3
Tomato.                        - 4
Green chilly.                 - 1
Ginger.                         - a small piece
Red chilly powder.        -1tsp
Coriander powder.        -2 tsp
Turmeric powder.          -1/4 tsp
Amchur powder.            -1tsp
Garam Masala powder. -1tsp
Cumin powder.              -1tsp
Kasoori methi.               -1tsp
Cumin seeds.                -1tsp
Salt.                               - to taste
Sugar.                            -1tsp
Butter.                            - 2tsp

Instructions:-

1). Wash Rajma (Red Kidney beans)in water and soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain the soaked water and pressure cook the Rajma adding 2 and 1/2 cup of water for 6 or 7 whistles on High flame and switch off the flame.Open the cooker lid only after the pressure releases completely. Keep aside the cooked Rajma.

2). Wash the Tomatoes and boil in a vessel adding required water. Grind to a fine Tomato puree and keep aside.

3). Peel and chop Onion into very small pieces and keep aside.

4). Wash the Green chilly and chop into small pieces.Scrap the outer skin of a small Ginger piece and chop into small pieces. Crush the Green chilly pices and Ginger pieces together to a coarse paste using mortar and pestle. Keep aside the coarsely crushed Ginger Green chilly paste.

Method:-

1). Heat butter in a wide bottom pan and splutter Cumin seeds.

2). Add the coarsely crushed Ginger Green chilly paste into the pan and saute well till the raw smell goes off.

3). Add chopped Onion pieces and a pinch of Salt into the pan.Saute well and cook until the Onion pieces become translucent.

4). Add Tomato puree and mix well with the cooked Onion pieces.

5). Add Coriander powder, Red chilly powder, Turmeric powder and Garam Masala powder and mix with the Onion Tomato mixture.

6). Add the cooked Rajma along with water into the pan and mix well.

7). Add required Salt into the pan and mix well. Boil and cook Rajma for 3 minutes on low flame.

8). Add Amchur powder and Sugar and mix well.

9). Lastly add crushed Kasoori methi into the pan. Mix well all the ingredients and boil for few minutes and switch of the flame.

10). Transfer the Rajma Tomato Curry to a serving dish.

A tasty Rajma Tomato Curry is ready to serve with rice, chapathi, phulkas etc.

Phanna Polo

Phanna Polo is an instant crispy and spicy mixed flour dosa with seasoning made for breakfast or dinner and can be served with pickle or chutney or can be eaten without any side dish. In Konkani Polo means dosa and Phanna means seasoning. Phanna Polo recipe is explained with step by step method and photos.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Phanna Polo.

Ingredients:-

Wheat flour. -1cup
Rice flour.     -1/4 cup
Maida.          -1/4 cup
Rava.            -1/4 cup
Curd.            -1/4 cup
Salt.              -to taste

For Seasoning:-

Coconut oil.     -1tsp
Mustard seeds. -1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds.    -1/2 tsp
Green chillies.  -2
Black Pepper.    - 10 corns
Curry leaves.     -1spring

Instructions:-

1). Wash and chop Green chillies into small round pieces and keep aside.

2). Roughly crush Black Pepper and keep aside.

Method:-

1). In a vessel add Wheat flour, Rice flour, Maida and Rava. Add Curd and required Salt into the vessel. Add required water and mix with all the ingredients and make a semi thick dosa batter. Keep aside the batter for 20 minutes to rest.

2). Heat Coconut oil in a small pan for seasoning and splutter Mustard seeds and Cumin seeds and saute well.Add finely chopped Green chillies and saute well. Add roughly crushed Black pepper corns and add Curry leaves into the pan and saute well.Switch off the flame and pour the above seasoning into the dosa batter in the vessel. Mix the seasoned dosa batter with a ladle and keep aside.

3). Heat a non stick dosa tawa on medium flame. When the tawa is hot sprinkle little water on tawa and pat dry with a clean cloth.

4). Mix the seasoned dosa batter with a ladle and take a ladle of batter.

5). Lower the flame and pour the batter on hot tawa and spread it evenly and make thin dosa. 

6). Cook the dosa on low flame. When base of the dosa is roasted well apply little oil over the dosa with a oil brush.

7). Flip the dosa with a flat spatula to cook the other side.

8). When both sides are roasted well flip back the roasted dosa with flat spatula.

9). Fold the crispy and well roasted dosa to one side and transfer to a serving plate. Crispy Phanna Polo is ready.

10). Repeat the process and make crispy and well roasted Phanna Polo with 

the remaining batter and serve with pickle or chutney of your choice.

Try the recipe and enjoy the Phanna Polo with a cup of hot tea or coffee for breakfast or dinner.

Bondi Chutney

Banana Flower Chutney/ Bondi Chutney/ Bondi Tambli is a very tasty chutney made with banana flower florets.In Konkani, bondi means banana flower. Bondi Chutney recipe is explained with step by step method and photos.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Bondi Chutney /Banana Flower Chutney.

Ingredients:-

Banana Flower.  -1 cup
Grated Coconut. -1/4 cup
Tamarind.            - lemon size
Jaggery grated.    -2tsp
Urad dal.              -1tsp
Chana dal.            -1tsp
Dry Red chillies.  -4
Turmeric powder. -1/4tsp
Hing powder.        -1/4tsp
Curry leaves.         -1spring
Salt.                       - to taste
Coconut oil.           - 2tsp

For Seasoning:-

Coconut oil.     -1tsp

Urad dal.          -1tsp
Mustard seeds. -1tsp
Curry leaves.   -1spring

Instructions:-

1). Take a Banana flower (Bondi) and remove the hard red outer petels.Lift each banana flower petal, pluck  and keep aside the white colour banana flower florets attached under each petals.

2). Clean the Banana flower florets, pluck and discard the scale like tepal and hard stigma from each banana flower florets.

 3). Wash and soak the cleaned banana flower white florets in water adding little salt for 10 minutes to remove the bitterness.Rinse in cold water.Drain and squeeze out excess water completely and keep aside the banana flower florets.

Method:-

1). Heat 2tsp Coconut oil in a pan and add Urad dal, Chana dal, dry Red chillies and fry well until Urad dal and Chana dal becomes golden colour. Add Curry leaves, Turmeric powder and Hing powder into the pan and saute well.

2). Add the cleaned Banana flower florets into the pan.Saute well and cook until it's rawness goes off.

3). Add freshly grated Coconut into the pan and mix well with the cooked banana flower florets.

4).Add required Salt and grated Jaggery into the pan and saute well.

5). Mix well and cook all the ingredients in the pan on low flame for 2 minutes. Switch off the flame and keep aside to cool.

6). Once cooled, grind all the above ingredients along with extracted Tamarind pulp into a smooth paste without adding water. Transfer the ground Bondi chutney /Banana flower chutney into a serving bowl.

7). Heat 1tsp Coconut oil in a small pan for seasoning. Add Urad dal and saute well. Splutter Mustard seeds and saute well till Urad dal change its colour. Add Curry leaves and saute well for a second and switch off the flame. Pour the above seasoning on the Bondi chutney /Banana flower chutney in the serving bowl.

A tasty Bondi Chutney /Banana Flower Chutney is ready to serve  as a side dish with steamed rice and can also be served with curd rice, idli, dosa etc.

Dudde Ani Chavali Bhaji

Dudde Ani Chavali Bhaji /Chavali Bhaji is a delicious curry made with yellow pumpkin and red cowpeas goes well as a side dish with rice. Dudde ani chawli bhaji recipe is explained with step by step method and photos.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Dudde Ani Chawli Bhaji / Chavali Bhaji.

Ingredients:-

Yellow Pumpkin (Dudde). -250 gm
Red Cowpeas (Chavali).  -1/2 cup
Grated Coconut.               -1/4 cup
Onion.                               - 2 medium size
Green chillies.                   -2
Tomato.                             -1 big

For Seasoning:-

Coconut oil.         -1tbsp
Mustard seeds.    -1tsp
Red chilly powder.-1tsp
Turmeric powder.  -1/4 tsp
Hing powder.         -1/4 tsp

Grated Coconut.    -1tsp (for garnishing)

Instructions:-

1). Peel the outer skin and chop the yellow pumpkin (Dudde) into medium cubes and wash well. Keep aside.

2). Wash and soak red cowpeas (chawli) in water overnight and pressure cook for 2 whistles adding sufficient water and keep aside.

3).Wash and chop green chillies into small round pieces and keep aside.

4). Peel, wash and finely chop onion and keep aside.

5). Wash and chop tomato into small pieces and keep aside.

6). Freshly grate coconut and keep aside.

Method:-

1). Heat coconut oil in a cooking pan and splutter mustard seeds and saute well.

2). Add finely chopped onion and saute well till the Onion pieces become translucent.

3). Add required salt, chopped green chilly round pieces and chopped tomato pieces into the cooking pan and saute well.

4). Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder and hing powder into the pan. Saute well till the tomato pieces become soft.

5). Add chopped yellow pumpkin cubes into the pan.

6). Add little water and mix well. Cover and cook the yellow pumpkin cubes till tender. Saute well in between.

7). Add the cooked red cow peas into the pan and mix with the cooked pumpkin cubes.

8). Add little water to the pumpkin cow peas mixture and saute well.Check for salt and add little salt if needed and mix well.Cook for 5 minutes on low flame and saute well in between. Add 1/4 cup of grated coconut into the pan and mix with the pumpkin cowpea mixture.

9). Cook on low flame till the curry becomes semi thick and switch off the flame.

10).Transfer the yellow pumpkin and red cow peas bhaji to a serving bowl and garnish 1tsp freshly grated coconut over the curry.

A delicious Dudde Ani Chavali Bhaji / Chavali Bhaji is ready to serve as a side dish with rice.

Note:-

You can use black eyed peas in this recipe instead of red cowpeas.