Konkani Randap : Karathya Rosu | Udid Methi | Raw Mango Coconut Curry

This recipe is one favorite recipe among Konkanis be it any festival or any other ritual. Rosu is a coconut curry with raw mango or  bimbal or ambado(amte kayi in Kannada, hog plum in English) or tamarind if none available and an urad methi temparing. Karathe is a Konkani word for Bitter gourd. It is known as Hagalakayi in Kannada and Karela in Hindi. Here I have used bitter gourd and capsicum, instead one can use a combinatiion any of these vegetables... lady's finger(bhende kai in Kannada), bamboo shoots( Keerlu in Konkani) or  kantola (phagil in Konkani). Use only 2 vegetables at at time, to get a taste of every vegetable.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 small bitter guard
• 1 big capsicum
• Bimbal or ambado (amte kayi) or tamarind or raw mango 2-3 pieces
• 2 table spoon urad dal
• 1 table spoon methi seeds/ fenugreek seeds
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 2 table spoon of coriander seeds
• A pinch of termeric powder
• 3-4 red chillies
• 1 table spoon jaggery
• ½ table spoon mustard seeds
• 4 table spoon oil
• A pinch of asafoetida
• Salt as per taste

  Method:

• Cut bittergaurd leghtwise as shown in picture.
• Add salt, mix well and keep for around 1 hour. After that squeeze out and throw the bitter salt water and wash it nicely. This removes the bitterness of the bittergaurd to some extent. Keep this aside.

• Cut capsicum into big pieces as  shown in picture.
• Heat 2 table spoon oil in non stick pan, fry Urad dal and methi seeds nicely.

• Grind coconut, red chillies, coriander seeds, turmeric powder, tamarind in a mixer. Do not make the masala too fine.

•  Now add urad dal and methi seeds and grind one more round. After adding urad dal and methi seeds don’t grind it more, as these seeds should not become powder.

• Heat 2 table spoon oil in a separate kadai, add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add curry leaves and asafetida. Now add bittergaurd pieces and fry to 5 minutes.

• Add capsicum pieces and fry for another 2 minutes.

• Add 1/2 cup water and cook the vegetables for 5 minutes.
• Add ground masala, add salt, jaggery and sufficient water(It should not be too watery).
• Cook for 2-3 minutes.

• Serve hot with rice.

 PS:  Bitter gourd is very good for health because of its bitterness which makes it mandatory in our food at least once a week. This dish is a combination of all the tastes, bitter, sour, spicy, sweet and salty.

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Egg Curry Recipe | Ande Ki Curry | Muttai Kulambu | Kerala Style Egg Curry

Here is a quick Egg Curry recipe from south India. In south, where mainly coconut is used in all the dishes, egg curry is not an exception. Great aroma of coconut and garam masala makes this curry mouth watering. Egg is very rich in proteins, and kids would love to eat this curry along with chapathi or rotis.

Preparation Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 3 Eggs
• 2 big onions
• 1 tomato
• 4 spoons grated coconut
• A pinch of turmeric powder
• 5-6 red chillies
• 1 table spoon coriander seeds
• A small piece of tamarind
• 1 strand coriander leaves
• 2 table spoon chicken masala powder
• 2 table spoon oil
• Salt as per taste

 Method:

• Take one vessel, add water and put the full eggs and boil it for atleast 10 - 15 minutes.
• Peel the eggs and keep them aside.

• Prepare a masala for the curry by grinding grated coconut, red chillies, tamarind, coriander seeds, turmeric powder to a smooth paste.
• Heat a non stick pan, add oil.

• Once oil gets heated, add onions and fry till they become light brown.

• Now add the previously prepared masala and let the curry boil once.
• Add chicken masala powder and tomatoes. Boil the mix for around 10 minutes.

• Once the raw smell of powder goes add a cup of Water and Salt cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the previously cooked half eggs as shown in picture. Cook for 2 minutes.

• Once the Eggs cook on both sides, garnish with Coriander leaves.

 PS:  After adding eggs, stir the curry occasionally. Other wise the eggs might break into pieces which we would spoil the curry. Instead of cooked full eggs, raw eggs also can be added. But caution is after adding the eggs, one should not stir the  curry till eggs get cooked both sides.

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Breakfast Recipes : Konkani Alayl Pita Bhakri | Rice Roti | Jowar Roti | Kannadiga Jolad Rotti

The process of cooking the flour in hot water is called Alayle in Konkani. Flour is called as Peet in Konkani. Thus the name. These rotis are just amazingly soft and melt in the mouth type. Initially it is little bit difficult to get the shape of a roti. But slowly with practice it can be mastered.  This makes a good, healthy breakfast recipe and can be served with sides like Garlic (Loseny in Konkani) Chutney, Mushroom Curry (Alambe Ambat in Konkani), Masoori Bhaji, Jhunka or Enagai. Jolada Rotti is very famous among North Karnataka(Hubli, Dharwad, Belgaum, Gokak, Bijapur) ‘Lingayat’ people. Here I have used Rice flour for the preparation. The process remains same while preparing Jowar Roti, the difference being Jowar Flour instead of Rice Flour.

Preparation Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rice flour/Jawar flour
• 2 cups water
• 2 table spoon plain flour (Maida)
• 2 spoon oil
• Ghee
• Salt

Method:

• Take a thick bottomed vessel and add water and salt to it.
• Heat the vessel and bring water to boil.

• Then slowly add rice flour/jawar flour and plain flour mixing it continuously.

• Heat till there is no water & the flour is of chapathi dough consistency.

• Make small balls from the dough. Knead well. Use oil if required.

• Take the ball and roll out each with rolling pin.

• Apply as much dough as required.

• Fry on both sides on a hot tava.

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• Apply ghee at the end.

PS:  The dough has to remain hot while rolling out, once cold its not possible to roll them out. So ensure that you keep the dough covered every time you take a little of the mixture. The method remains the same when you use  flour too. Kneading is very important otherwise the shape of roti will not be round. Don’t worry if there is no uniformity in balls of dough, take care to avoid the lumps though.

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Punjabi Recipes : Stuffed Aloo Paratha | Alu Ka Paratha

Parathas can be stuffed with potatos, cauliflour, methi (Methi Paratha), cottage cheese (paneer), radish (Mooli Paratha), onions or just lightly mashed leftover vegetables, as long as they’re dry. Aloo Paratha is most popular Punjabi breakfast dishes around.  It is a tasty, stomach filling breakfast recipe which really does not need introduction to any Indian cuisine lovers. It is best served with pickle and curd.  Here is a easy Alu paratha recipe.

Preparation Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 cup Wheat Flour 
• 1 cup Water
• 3-4 small Potatoes(boiled and mashed) 
• Coriander leaves finely chopped
• Small piece of ginger (very finely chopped or grated) 
• 1 or 2 green chilies (finely chopped) 
• Salt  and garam masala as per taste
• 2 table spoon oil
• 1 tea spoon mustard seeds
• 1 strand of bay leaves
• A pinch of asafoetida

Method:

• Add water and salt to wheat flour. Knead it to make a soft dough.(similar to chapathi dough but not very soft). Apply oil to the dough and keep for around 1hr.

• Cook the potatoes and mash.

• Add grated ginger, finely chopped coriander leaves and green chillies.

• Add salt  and garam masala as per taste.

• Add seasoning of oil, mustard seeds, bay leaves and asafetida.

• Now mix everything thoroughly.

• Take small balls out of the dough. Roll it in circular shape like a puri.

• Take a ball(ping pong ball sized) of potato stuffing, keep it on the puri and close the puri over stuffing.

• Press the resulting dough gently and dust it with flour. Flatten to the size of roti.

• Place it on hot tava. When it gets little brown, apply oil or ghee.

• Turn it and again apply oil or ghee on other side.
• Keep turning simultaneously until it gets golden brown.

• Tasty Aloo Parathas are ready!!!  
• Serve it with curd or dhaniya chutney(coriander chutney).

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Konkani Breakfast Recipes : Boiled Rice Roti | Ukkad Tandla Bhakri | Akki Rotti

As every one knows Boiled Rice or what we call Brown Rice is rich in fiber and vitamins. Here is very tasty, nutritious and yummy breakfast recipe made of Boiled Rice. Banana leaf used in the preparation of roti gives a great aroma to the roti.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes excluding soaking time

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Boiled Rice
• ¼ cup grated coconut
• 2 table spoon sugar
• Banana leaves
• Salt as per taste 

Method:

• Soak the Boiled Rice for about 18 - 20 hours.
• Grind the soaked Rice to get a very smooth thick paste, putting very small amount of water.

• Add grated coconut, sugar, salt and mix well.

• Cut the banana leaves in to small pieces, so as to cover the roti fully.

• Spread the banana leaf, put the batter, spread the batter with your hand.
• Don’t spread the batter to very thin or thick. This consistence should be of the chapathi.  Cover it with another banana leaf as shown in picture.

• Heat Tava(which is used to make chapathi) and cook both side of the roti along with the banana leaf and put it on serving plate.

• This roti can be served with any side dish or chutney or chutney pudi(chutney pitto in Konkani) or simply butter.

 PS:  If banana leaf is not around then, the batter can be spread directly over tawa. If you like crispy rotis, then after frying the roti along with the leaf once, remove the leaf and fry the roti without leaf for a second on both the sides. This makes the roti crispy.

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