Monday, December 26, 2011

Konkani Fish Curry | Mangalorean Aalle Kandya Ambat | Phanna Ambat | Coconut Fish Curry With Onion | Fish Alle Piyava Ghashi


Fish oil is a natural solution to revitalize aging skin, promote more vibrant and youthful skin, prevent eczema and psoriasis. Fish is leaner than meat, that is lower fat, and contains amino acids and minerals that are vital to the body. There is anywhere from 15gm to 30gm of protein in fish depending on the type of fish and how it is cooked. In Konkani Fish curry, the curry  is incomplete without coconut. As explained in teppala ambat recipe, there are few fishes which go well with onion. They are Lady Fish (Nogli in Konkani or Kane in Kannada), Silver Fish( Belanji in Konkani), Shethka and Shawnte jabba(in Konkani, these two are found at the coastal belt, no idea what are they called in English), Shark( Mhori in Konkani) and shellfishes like Prawns( Sungat in Konkani), Crab ( Kurlo in Konkani). This curry has to be little less spicier than the one with teppal. Here I have used Kagalshi(in Konkani, no idea what it is called in English) and Lady Fish.
  
Preparation Time: 60 minutes which includes cleaning and preparing

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
  • ½ kg Fish
  • 2 big onions
  • 2 table spoon coriander seeds
  • A pinch of turmeric
  • 8- 10 long red chillies
  • 2 cups of grated coconut
  • 1 big piece ginger
  • Hand ful dried kokum(bhinda sol in Konkani)
  • 4-5 green chillies depending on spice
  • 2 table spoon oil
  • Salt to taste
Method:

  • Wash fish, cut into small pieces as shown in figure. Clean the pieces thoroughly and apply salt and keep aside. 
  • In a small pan heat ½ table spoon oil fry coriander seeds and red chillies and let it cool for a minute.
  • Grind coriander seeds, red chillies, grated coconut, turmeric powder and make a fine paste..
  • In a pan heat ½ table spoon oil add finely chopped onions fry till golden brown, add the ground paste and fry until raw smell flies off in the air.
  • Once done add water, make it into a semi thick gravy and get a bubble boil.
  • Add finely chopped ginger, finely chopped green chillies , dried kokum and salt to taste Then add fish and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
  • Close it with a lid and switch off.

Fish Curry
  • Serve hot fish curry with white rice. 
 PS:  Do not stir the curry with a spoon as the fish pieces will break. Just give the vessel a twist. The taste of gravy increases once the fish absorbs the gravy. So preferably serve it after 2-3 hours.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Konkani Style Vegetable Fritters Or Phodi | Breadfruit Or Jeev Kadgee Phodi Or Palapanasa Kadagi Phodi | Mulangi Or Raddish Phodi | Raw Banana Phodi

Phodi's can be made with many vegetables like eggplant, potato, okra, yam or suran, cauliflower, raw banana, pumpkin, bitter gourd or karela, mushrooms, pointed gourd or parwar, radish , sweet potato, ripe plantain, jackfruit, bread fruit and many others.There are actually 2 types of phodi we can make. One, where you apply the masala to the vegetable and keep for 20 minutes. Then shallow fry them after dipping in rava or sooji. On the other hand, you just apply salt to the cut vegetable and keep for 20 minutes then dip them in a dry rava and chilli powder masala and shallow fry. Here I have given the first type. In this kind of phodi, breadfruit, raw banana, radish, cauliflower fits the best. Here I have taken breadfruit for the demo.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes excluding the standing time.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
  • 4 -6 breadfruit pieces
  • 3 – 4 table spoon sooji
  • ½ table spoon red chilli powder
  • 1/3  table spoon turmeric powder
  • A pinch of asafoetida powder
  • 2 table spoon oil
  • Salt as per taste
Method:

  • Remove the outer skin and pith from the breadfruit.
  • Cut it into thick slices as shown in picture.
  • Take all the pieces in a bowl and put red chillie powder, turmeric powder , asafoetida powder and salt. Keep them aside for 20 minutes.
  • Roll the breadfruit pieces in the sooji and start placing each slice evenly on a hot tawa.
  • Drizzle oil around and over each slice and cook same way on both sides till done.
  • To check if it is done, insert the steel spatula through the slice. It should be soft and go through easily, should not be tough.
  • Serve hot as a side with rice and curry/dal.
PS:  For the raw banana or raddish phodi, the outer skin has to be removed first. Then Cut them into thick pieces like we have done  for breadfruit. 

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Konkani Randap : Dali Varn | Daal With Coconut And Spices | Toor Dal Gravy


There are many ways to prepare daal.  Here is one more easy and simple, yet very tasty recipe of daal. This recipe is very famous in Konkani people. Its called Dali Varna in Konkani.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup toor dal
  • 3 table spoon cumin seeds (Jeera)
  • ¾ cup grated coconut
  • 1 table spoon oil
  • ½ table spoon mustard seeds
  • 3 - 4 green chillies
  • Pinch of turmeric
  • Salt as per taste

 Method:
  • Pressure cook toor dal along with a pinch of turmeric.
  • Fry the green chillies in a pan with very little oil for 2 mins.
  • Grind together green chillies, grated coconut, jeera and turmeric.
  • In a non stick pan, add 1 table spoon oil and mustand seeds.
  • When it starts spluttering, add cooked daal and ground masala.
  • Add salt as per taste and cook for another 5 minutes.
  • Serve hot with white rice.




Saturday, November 5, 2011

Konkani Randap : Taushe Bhakri | Magge Bhakri | Cucumber Roti


Another nutritious Konkani Recipe. Cucumber is very good for health. It is very healthy to have cucumber recipe for breakfast. This recipe can be used for breakfast or as a snack. As this roti has all the spices in it, it can be had as it is without any side dish. Instead of cucumber, managalore cucumber also can be used for this recipe.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup grated cucumber
  • ¾  cup graged coconut
  • ¾ cup rice rava or idli rava
  • 1 table spoon sugar
  • 1 strand curry leaves
  • 2-3 green chillies
  • 1 table spoon ghee
  • Salt as per taste

  Method:
  • Mix grated cucumber, grated coconut, rice rava, curry leaves, sugar and salt in vessel.
  • Keep it aside for 30 minutes. Don’t add water. Cucumber leaves water, which is more than sufficient for the roti.
  • In a shallow pan, spread the cucumber mixture with hand as shown in picture.
  • Fry both the sides.
  • Serve hot roti with chutney pudi or simply as it is.


  PS:  Banana leaf also can be used on both the sides, while frying the roti. This gives a great aroma to the roti. 

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Chinese Recipes : Simple Sweet Corn Soup


Sweet Corn Soup is one soup liked by every one, starting from toddlers to our grand parents. It is the only soup which takes the least time to prepare, simple procedure to follow and tastiest among all the soups. Modified version of Sweet Corn Soup could be Sweet Corn Vegetable Soup, where one can use finely grated/chopped vegetables like carrot, cabbage in it, which would make the soup not only more healthy but also more delicious.
  
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups Sweet Corn Kernels
  • 1 table spoon soya sauce
  • ½ table spoon pepper powder
  • 1 table spoon corn flour
  • ½ table spoon sugar
  • 1 strand coriander leaves
  • Salt to taste

 Method:
  • Cook Sweet Corn by adding 2 cups of water in a bowl till it becomes tender. (it takes roughly 5 minutes to cook).
  • Keep aside 2 table spoon of corn, to put in the soup at the end.
  • Grind rest of the corn to a smooth paste.
  • Cook this paste of corn on medium heat.
  • Mix corn flour in a ¼ cup of water and add to the corn mixture.
  • Add the corn which we kept aside in the step 2, soya sauce, pepper powder, sugar and salt for taste
  • Bring the soup to boil and then cook on low heat stirring constantly.
  • Once the soup gets its right consistency, remove it from fire.
  • Garnish the soup with finely chopped coriander leaves.
  • Serve hot the soup with corn kernels dipped in it.



 PS:  If for toddler, one can limit the usage of pepper powder accordingly.

Breakfast Recipes : Methi Paratha | Spiced Stuffed Fenugreek Roti

As every one knows, Methi Leaves are very good for health. Here is a yummy, stomach filling breakfast recipe.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
  • 2 big bunch of Methi Leaves(Fenugreek Leaves) finely chopped
  • 4 cups of atta / wheet flour
  • 1 table spoon chilli powder
  • ½ table spoon turmeric powder
  • 1 table spoon garam masala powder
  • 2 table spoon butter
  • ½ table spoon sugar
  • 1 table spoon oil
  • Salt as per taste

 Method:

  • Separate out the Methi leaves from the bunch. Clean the leaves by washing in water and keeping them in salt water for 15 minutes.
  • Take out the Methi Leaves and finely chop them.
  • Take a big bowl, add wheet flour, finely chopped Methi Leaves, chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, butter, salt and sugar.
  • Add water, kneed it nicely and prepare a soft dough.
  • Apply oil and kneed it once again at the end. Leave it for 1 -2 hours.
  • Roll out each and cook on a tawa or griddle until both sides are golden brown.
  • Apply ghee on both the sides, while frying.


  • Serve hot with curds and tomato catchup.
PS:  Finely chopped onion also can be added, if one likes it.  This dough can be prepared the previous night, which would make the parathas soft and less work in the early morning. One can even try with Kasoori methi leaves and ajwain, which increases the taste and food value.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Dosa Recipes : Instant Dosa | Dhideer Dosa

No time for soaking, grinding and fermenting….. Here is a quick breakfast recipe which suites best on busy working days. Dhideer means sudden/without prior notice. Grated vegetables like carrots, cabbage also can be added which not only increase the taste of dosa, but also increase the food value.
  
Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
  • 3 cups rice flour
  • 1 cup wheet flour
  • ¾ cut maida flour(all purpose flour)
  • 1 table spoon red chilli powder
  • 4-5 green chillies
  • ¼ - ½ cup buttermilk
  • 2 medium size onion, finely chopped
  • ½ table spoon mustard seeds
  • 2-3 strands coriander leaves
  • 1 strand curry leaves
  • 1 table spoon oil for seasoning
  • Salt as per taste
Method:

  • Mix all the 3 flours in a bowl.
  • Add finelly chpped onion, red chilli powder, finely chopped green chillies, salt, finely chopped coriander leaves, beat and mix well.
  • Add not very sour buttermilk and mix well.
  • The consistency of the dosa batter should be not as thick as masala dosa batter. It should slightly thicker than that of buttermilk
  • Set the batter aside for about 20 minutes.
  • In a non stick pan, add oil, mustard seeds. When it starts spluttering add curry leaves.
  • Add this seasoning to the dosa batter mix.
  • Make normal dosas as shown in picture (this dosa is thinner than normal masala dosa).


  • Serve hot with your favorite chutney.
PS:  You can add 2 table spoon of grated coconut, which gives a grate taste to the dosa. Here in the picture I have not put green chillies, but if one wants the dosas spicier, it can be added. A pinch of baking soda can be added, if you want puffy dosas.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Indian Fast Food Snack Recipes : Delicious Aloo Bonda | Alu Bonda | Batata Vada


Batata Vada, a popular vegetarian fast food snack in Maharashtra, India. “Batata” means potato in English. This dish is mumbai’s very popular dish, in which besan is used to dip potatoes and then deep fry. It is one of the most popular snacks.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
  • 4 medium size Potatoes
  • A pinch turmeric
  • 4 green chillies
  • 2-3 strands coriander leaves
  • ¼ th table spoon mustard seeds
  • 1 strand curry leaves
  • A pinch asafoetida(hingu)
  • 1 cup besan (gram flour)
  • 1 table spoon chilli powder
  • Oil
  • Salt as per taste

 Method:
  • Cut the potatoes into half and cook with a pinch of turmeric in a pressure cooker.
  • Peel all of them. Smash them nicely with hand and keep it aside.
  • Make a smooth paste of green chillies and coriander leaves using mixer.
  • Add this paste to the smashed potatos.
  • On a separate tawa, add 1 table spoon oil, mustard seeds, asafetida and curry leaves.
  • Now add this seasoning to the above mix of potatoes.
  • Make small balls of the potato mix as shown in picture.
  • For the batter, in a bowl mix besan, chilli powder, a little salt and a pinch of asafoetida with sufficient water to make a thick paste.
  • Heat oil in a kadai.
  • Take the balls of potato mixture one by one, dip them in the besan paste so that there is a thick layer of besan paste on potato balls and deep fry in oil.
  • Fry till they get a slight brown color.
  • Serve hot with tomato ketchup and amsani gojju (coriander leaves and tamarind chutney).
 PS:  If you prefer the crisp vadas, then add 2 table spoon rice flour along with the besan while preapreing the besan paste. Even 1 table spoon of heated oil to the basan paste makes the vadas crispy.

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