Appo/Gundu Ponglu/Paddu with oats

This is another  type of " Appo " .My 1st appo was onion appo In which have used onions.But this time i have used oats which makes this more healthy.My kids love Appo/Paddu/Gundu Ponglu So trying something different each time to make it more interesting .As my kids doesn't like oat porridge so i just try to add in some form or other in my daily cooking.

In this Appo i have added a tsp of fenugreek which gives nice golden colour which you can use while making dosas too.Fenugreek has its own flavour which really blends well with our south indian dishes whether its sambar or any dosa or any other typical south indian veg curry. 

Ingredients:-

Raw rice-2 cups

Urad dal-1/4 cup

Oats-1cup

Puffed rice-1 cup

Fenugreek /Methi seeds-1tsp

Salt to taste

Method:-

• Soak all the ingredients together except salt for about 3-4 hours in summer and 7-8 hours in winter.
• After 3-4 hours of soaking grind rice-dal mixture to fine paste adding about 4cups of water.The batter should be neither too thick nor  too watery.You can add little water the next day while preparing Appo.
• After grinding add salt to taste and keep it overnight in warm place to ferment .
• Next day morning mix the batter well and start making Appo.

• Heat appo tava( Appya kayli )  smear some oil or ghee in the round shaped well.Now fill it with batter and close it with lid for about 1minute or till done.
• Now turn the appos using sharp spoon or with a knife to cook on the other side.Again put some oil or ghee and continue cooking till both the sides are crisp and golden brown on medium flame.I use old iron Paddu tava which requires little more oil ( i just don't mind as far as its nice brown and crisp ).But  now  you have a option of non-stick tava which is not only easy to use but consumes less oil too.

Appo served with putane chutney and Oats chutney powder

Serve hot with any chutney

Chingri (Prawn) Macher Malai Curry.......a bengali cuisine

Chingri Macher malai curry

Today i tried bengali dish called Chingri( means prawn)Macher Malai Curry.Bengalis love prawns and have it all year round in variety of ways.They have created their own distinct style of cooking  which is quite different from others when compared to our konkani or goan konkani dishes and prawn dishes definitely ranks one of the most popular among them.Chingri/prawn malai curry as it is better known by bengalis,is one of the signature dishes created by bengalis,which is served with rice.This dish is not at all spicy but you can really enjoy the prawns and its flavour as it contains only few spices and very subtle flavour of coconut milk which makes this dish very delicious and incomparable taste

Tiger prawns

Tiger prawns

Clean and devein the prawns

Ingredients:-
Jumbo prawns-1/2kg
Onion-1large(finely chopped)
Green chillies-5-6(slit)
Chilly powder-1/4tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4tsp
Cardamom-3
Cinnamon-1" piece
Cloves-4-5
Bay leaf--1
Garlic-2-3 cloves(finely chopped)
Ginger-1(small piece chopped)
Coconut milk-1cup(thick)
Salt to taste
Oil-2tbsp

Method:-

• Clean and devein the prawns.Apply salt and turmeric and keep aside for 20 mins
• Coarsely pound cardamom,cinnamon and cloves and keep aside
• Heat a oil in kadai/frying pan and fry the prawns until it changes to light golden brown color.
• Once it is done take it out and spread it on a paper towel
• In the same oil add  coarsely pound masalas,bay leaf,chopped garlic,ginger, onions and saute until onion turns to light pink color.
• Now add red chilly powder,Green chillies and followed by coconut milk and mix it well.
• Add a cup of water and bring to boil,when you see the gravy starts buddling add shallow fried prawns  and continue cooking on low flame until the gravy thickens and becomes creamy.
• Serve hot with Pulao or plain Basmathi rice. 

Chingri Macher Malai curry

Prawn Patia/Patio..a parsi dish

"prawn patia/Patio"..its a authentic parsi dish which is not only spicy but sweet and sour too.I got this recipe from one of TV shows of Karen Anand's .I am a big fan of parsi cuisine so tried this dish and it was really tasty and it is very different from our curries .Usually we do not add jaggery or sugar to our non-veg dishes but this curry has jaggery in it but still we all liked the taste and the aroma of this dish which goes well with Parsi brown rice.

 

Ingredients:-

1. Prawns-1kg
2. Tamarind paste-1tbsp
3. Onion-3 chopped
4. Oil-3tbsp
5. Tomato -2 chopped
6. Coriander leaves for garnishing
7. Jaggery-2tsp

For the masala:-

1. Coriander leaves-2tbsp
2. Green chillies-4
3. Dry red chillies-7-8
4. Cinnamon-2sticks(1"piece)
5. Cardamom-4-5
6. Cloves-6
7. Pepper corns-7-8
8. Coriander seeds-1tbsp
9. Cumin-1tsp
10. Ginger-1"piece
11. Garlic-1big pod

Method:-

• Mix jaggery with tamarind pulp and keep aside.
• Wash clean and devein the prawns.
• Grind 1-11 masala ingredients to fine paste.
• Now take a heavy bottom sauce pan and add oil,onion,tomatoes and fry for a minute.
• Add masala paste,tamarind-jaggery pulp ,prawns and the salt.
• Now cover the pan with a lid and cook on a medium low till the gravy is semi dry or almost dry.
• Serve hot

Choco Maida Burfi

This is easy chocolate burfi which is very simple and easy to make.It takes hardly 15 mins.From many days i was thinking of making this easy burfi and at last i tried it today.It was really very yummy.

Ingredients:-

Maida(All purpose flour)-11/2cup

Rava(Wheat semolina)-1/2cup

Sugar-13/4 cup

Ghee-11/2cup

Cocoa powder-2tbsp

Vanilla essence-1tsp

Tutti fruiti  -1tbsp 

Method:-

• Take a heavy bottom pan add ghee,maida and rava.Now fry maida and rava on low flame for about 5-6 mins or until the raw smell goes off.Now switch off the gas and mix cocoa powder and wait till the sugar syrup is done.
• Side by side start making sugar syrup .Take a bowl and add 11/4cup water and sugar bring to boil.Keep testing the syrup to get its consistency.To do this dip a wooden spatula in the syrup and lift out.Now touch the syrup with  a clean forefinger and then touch your thumb and forefinger together and pull apart gently.Keep testing till you get the 2 string consistency syrup
• Once it is done add this syrup to maida-rava mixture ,vanilla essence and keep stirring on a low flame for 3 min .Switch off the gas and mix until all the syrup is absorbed and forms a soft dough. Immediately pour it on a greased plate and sprinkle some tutti fruiti over the burfi.Level it well with a greased spatula or back of a steel bowl.
• Cut into desired shape while still warm.Store in an air tight container after an hour.

Lassi Malai Markey( sweet yoghurt with cream)

One more drink to beat the heat is all time favourite  "Lassi Malai Markey".This yoghurt drink is very famous in northern part of India especially in Punjab.No meal is complete without large glass  full of lassi.Lassi is primarily a sweet drink taken cold and it is really good and healthy choice to beat the scorching  heat and get refreshed in summer.Lassi can be served plain or enhance the flavour by adding mango or strawberry or rose syrup.

                                               

There are Many new drinks flooding in the market every second day but flavour of 'Lassi ' can not be replaced with any other drink.

2 servings

Ingredients:-

Plain yoghurt-2cups

Sugar-2-3 heaped tablespoon

Cardamom powder- a pinch

Rose water-1tsp(optional)

Ice cubes-6

Fresh cream-1tbsp

Method:-

• Place all the ingredients except ice cubes in a blender and blend until frothy .
• Now add ice cubes and churn it again until they broken down into a slush.
• Serve in tall glass.

                                     

Oats chutney powder

Yesterday i tried chutney powder using oats for the first time,which was so delicious and yum As.we all know  it is a good source of dietary fibre."soluble fibre from oatmeal is low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease".source: U.S.FDA.So it is a great way to start your day with plenty of Energy.
              My kids do not like oats if i give them like a porridge .So i just add in our own south indian breakfast to make it more interesting like in idlies,dosas,upma, paddu/appo or any other food in different forms.But today for the first time i used oats in my dry chutney powder because kids love chutney powder a lot and that they want almost daily in their breakfast and some times in their lunch also.Yesterday  i actually wanted to prepare oats upma so for  that  i roasted my oats to keep in handy when i needed.But i am not very sure about the kids so prepared some vermicelli upma for them .Then i dropped my plan to prepare oats upma.So tried this chutney .

Ingredients:-

oats

Cumin

Garlic

Ground nuts

Roasted gram

Curry leaves

Kashmiri red chillies

Copra

1. Oats-2cups
2. Roasted gram-1/2cup
3. Roasted ground nuts-1/2cup
4. Copra grated-1tbsp
5. Curry leaves-3strands
6. Kashmiri red chilly-10
7. Cumin -1tsp
8. Garlic-2pods
9. Oil-2tsp
10. Salt to taste

Method:- 

• Dry roast oats over low flame untill it becomes light brown colour.
• Now add all the ingredients and roast further 5 mins on low flame.
• Let it cool for some time then put all the roasted ingredients along with the oil in a  mixer jar to make a fine powder.
• Spread it on a wide plate and once it cools down store it in an air tight container.
• Serve with dosa,idli or with hot rice along with ghee or curd.

Coorgi pandi (pork)curry

pork curry and Kadambuttu ( coorgi style rice dumplings)

This is my second coorgi dish .My first dish was chicken curry and this is with pork.coorgi people love pork they call it pandi. They serve this dish in almost every occations along with akki rotti/otti orKadambuttu ( coorgi style rice dumplings) which is prepared using rice semolina/rava goes well with this pandi curry. I tried this combo for the 1st time and believe me it was simply awesome.
    In this recipe i have used Yorkshire pork which is very tender and just melts in your mouth and with this i prepared Kadambuttu ( coorgi style rice dumplings)(steamed rice dumplings) which is very easy it is like our  rice Oondi.Only thing that i did not use in this is coorgi vinegar(kachampuli).Actually i have no idea where it is available so i replaced it with tamarind pulp and little malt vinegar.The dish was superb and we all loved this dish.

Ingredients:-

1.  Pork-1kg
2. Chilly powder-1tsp
3. Vinegar-2tsp
4. Turmeric powder-1tsp
5. Salt to taste.
6. Pepper corn-1/2tsp
7. Coriander-1tbsp
8. Cumin-11/2tsp
9. Cloves-10
10. Coriander leaves-1cup(chopped)
11. Green chilly-4
12. Ginger-1"piece
13. Garlic-1pod
14. Onion-2(chopped)
15. Tamarind pulp-1tbsp

Pork

• Wash pork couple of times,remove excess water and keep aside

• Now marinate the pork with chilly powder,turmeric powder,vinegar and salt to taste.

• Now  dry roast coriander,cumin,cloves and pepper until dark brown color and make fine powder.

• Prepare wet masala using onion,coriander leaves,garlic,ginger and green chilly.

Method:-

• Heat 1tbsp oil in a pressure cooker and add marinated pork and saute on high heat for about 5 mins.
• Now add the wet masala and a cup of water .Cover the lid and cook for 15 mins or take 2 whistle.
• Once the cooker cools down open the lid and add dry masala powder nd continue cooking until the dish is almost dry.
• At this stage add tamarind pulp and boil further 5 mins or till semi dry.If you want to have it as a snack or starter then cook on a high flame until it is  almost dry.
• Serve hot with coorgi rotti or with kadambuttu

Pandi curry

Bangda/Mackerel masala

Manglorean bangude Masala

Every family in the beautiful costal state of Karnataka depend on rice and fish for their staple food. The fish is either cooked as a curry or fried. Mangalore is home to many types of sea food. This particular recipe is a typical traditional style of Mangaloren mackerel Masala Personally i don't like mackerels but yesterday when i saw those fresh huge which we normally don't get here, thought of buying.Usually we prepare fish curry or raja panna upkari but this time i thought of making this shallow fried manglorean dish which is my favourite .this Masala goes well with almost all types of fish like kapi,surma/king fish or any variety of flat fish.

Bangudey masala

                                      

Ingredients;-

Mackerels -4
Kashmiri Red chilly-10
Onion-1(chopped0
Ginger-1"piece
Garlic-1big pod
Tamarind -1 lemon sized ball
Coriander seed-2tsp
Fenugreek seed-1/2tsp
Curry leaves-2 springs
Salt to taste
Coconut or veg oil-2tbsp

Marinated mackerel 

Method:-

• Wash and clean the fish.Make deep cuts on the fish and keep aside.
• Dry roast chillies,coriander,fenugreek separately .
• Now grind the roasted ingredients with ginger,garlic,onion, tamarind  and salt to smooth paste.
• Now marinate the fish with ground masala paste and curry leaves, keep in the refrigerator for at least 1hour.
• Now take a flat frying pan and pour some oil.Let it heat for some time and then add the marinated mackerel along with the paste and cover and cook for about 10 mins each on both the side untill its almost dry.

                                       

Serve hot with lemon wedges and onion rings

Amer dal.. a Bengali cuisine

I  love bengali cuisine.Bengali dishes are vey much similar to our konkani dishes especially vegetarian dishes. and not too spicy.First time i tried this bengali dal and it was very tasty.My son simply love dal so daily i try to make different variety of dal.They prepare variety of dishes with raw mango.My son loved this dal and want me to prepare this again tomorrow. 

Ingredients:-

Tur dal-1/2cup

Moong dal-1/2cup

Turmeric-1/2tsp

Raw mango-1(cut into small pieces)

Mustard-1/2tsp

Cumin-1/2tsp

Red chilly-2
Curry leaves-1spring

Ghee-2tsp

Salt to taste

Method:-

• Cook both the dal together in a pressure cooker adding 4cups of water.
• Now take a sauce pan and heat ghee,in that add mustard seeds,cumin ,curry leaves and red chilly saute for a second..
• Now put turmeric followed by raw mango pieces and salt and saute for 2mins.
• Now add the cooked dal and boil until mango pieces turns to soft .
• Serve hot with plain boiled rice and pour some ghee.

watermelon slush!

watermelon slush

Beat the heat with my special water melon slush.... Its a great cooler for warm afternoons specially when the temperature is above 40C....So check out for the super yummy water melon slush recipe which is very easy and refreshing specially for this summer season.

water melon slush

Ingredients

Water melon pieces(seeded)-4cups

Lemon juice-3tsp

Sugar-2tbsp

Crushed ice-2cups

Lemon/lime soda-1/2ltr

Method:- 

• Blend watermelon,lemon and sugar in a blender till smooth.
• Pour the juice in freezer proof container.
• Freeze for 15-20 mins.
• Take it out from the freezer and serve in a tall glass half filled with crushed ice and then slowly pour the soda and serve.

Raw jackfruit croquettes

Konkani's love jackfruit whether its raw or ripe..we prepare so many dishes from both raw and ripe jackfruits.Today for the first time i tried this croquets from raw jackfruit and it was taste like chicken  and  even my hubby thought the same .So i thought of preparing two dishes one  is croquette and another one is raw jackfruit kofta curry both the dishes  are yummy and  really worth trying them.

Ingredietns:-
Jackfruit pieces-4cups(boiled)
Potato-1 big(bolied)
Ginger-2tsp chopped
Garlic-8-9 cloves(chopped)
Red chilly powder-2tsp
Garam masala powder -2tsp
Gram flour/Besan-1/2cup
Bread slices-2(cut into pieces)
Corn flour-2tbsp for coating
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

  Method:

• Cook the raw jackfruit pieces in a 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker.In the same cooker cook potato but use different container.Cook for 20 mins or take 3 whistle  and switch off the gas.
• Once it is cools down completely strain the water from the jackfruit and blend it in a mixer along with chilly power,Ginger,Garlic,garam masala powder,bread pieces and salt to smooth dough.
• Now mash the potatoes and mix it with the jackfruit jackfruit dough and in that add gram flour.Knead this to soft dough using 2tsp of oil if it sticky .
• Now take a lemon sized ball and roll into desired shape and then roll all croquettes into cornflour and keep it aside
• Heat oil in a deep frying pan and start frying 4-5 at a time till crisp .
• Serve hot with tomato ketchup 

Almond & date shake

Temperature is rising beyond comfortable level and the humidity can be oppressive,making it feel hotter than it actually is.If one does not take proper precautions during these sweltering condition the result could be serious even deadly.So check your water intake and try to cut down oily and spicy food.
    Today i went out to drop kids to their summer camp and on the me and my hubby went to market to do our weekly shopping for vegetable and fruits and by the time we reached home it was almost 12 o'clock and the heat was unbearable.Then i thought of making this almond and date drink which i soaked for my dessert.It was so yum and really very cooling,i never tried this combo before.To make it more interesting i have just added some banana which was lying in fridge...Here is the recipe for that  healthy milk shake to beat the heat.

  Ingredients:-

1. Dates-10
2. Almonds-10
3. Banana-1 big
4. Honey-1tbsp
5. Cardamom powder-1/4tsp
6. Milk (chilled)-3cups
7. Ice cubes-10

Method:-

• Soak almond and dates in warm milk for 30 mins.
• Now blend both together to fine paste then add all the other ingredients and blend nicely to get that foamy shake.
• Garnish with few crushed almonds and dates.

Fluffy Water melon surnali/dosa/pancake....

After so  many mocktails with water melon i thought of trying something else other than juices .Then i remembered this surnali my co-sister always used to tell me about this but  only once i tried this ,her mom used to make it with the white part of the rind ,so thought of making this. I wanted my surnali to get that nice baby pink colour  so i added littel melon pieces  and  it really got that  colour and taste is superb. 

             surnali or fluffy dosa is a indian version of pancake which need to be fermented overnight or at least 8-9 hours.This dosa /Pancake is  little bit sweet compare to  our other Indian pancake/dosa because this surnali are suppose to be sweet in taste so we add jaggery to get that sweet taste.But i wanted pink colour and if i add jaggery the colour will change so i  used sugar in the batter itself while grinding.This goes well with home make unsalted butter.

water melon surnali/Pancake

Ingredients:-

Raw rice-3cups
Beaten rice-1cup
water melon rind grated and water melon pieces-2 cup each
Fenugreek seeds-1/2tsp
Salt-1tsp
Sugar-1/2cup or to taste

Method:-

• Soak rice and fenugreek seeds for 2hours.
• Now grind all the ingredients to smooth batter and keep over night  or at least 8-9 hours for fermenting.
• Next day  the batter should be double in volume, beat the batter and mix it well  and  start making surnali/Pancake.Remember the batter should not be too thick or watery.
• Heat a griddle and apply some ghee,pour ladle full and slightly spread with the help of the ladle/spoon  
• Then cover it with lid and fry only on one side on medium flame.once the upper side is fully cooked and the lower side  is light brown colour then its ready to take out from the pan/griddle.Be careful while taking it out from the pan because sunali is very fluffy and too delicate to handle.
• Serve hot with Unsalted Butter.

  

Kurla alley piyava Gashi/konkani style crab curry

Yesterday was our kids open day and my 2nd daughter passed with highest percentage and my son was not bad got A grade.So thought of celebrating and we went to near by fish market and got these giant crabs after so many days and it was absolute delight..we really enjoyed the day with our kurlo/crab konkani style curry.

                       

Ingredients:-

Crab-4/1kg

Coconut -1/2(grated)

Red chillies-7-8(dry roasted)

Onion-2(finely chopped)

Ginger-1tsp(finely chopped)

How to clean the crab:-

• Place the crab on the flat surface ,belly side up.
• Now you will see triangular -shaped belly flap,just pull that off  by holding the belly part tightly with your left hand and with your right hand  thumb try to pull off the shell like how you open the tiffin box and shell comes out easily.
• Now with a creaser cut off the ends of the legs and separate the claws from the crab.
• Now pull off the spongy gills and small paddles which is over the belly of crab.
• Now wash it under the water and cut into half from the centre of the belly to two pieces and keep aside.

Method:- 

• Marinate the crabs with ginger,onion and salt and keep aside for 20 mins
• Now grind coconut and red chillies to fine paste.
• Put the ground masala in a sauce pan and add 2 cups of water and adjust the gravy and bring to boil.
• Now add the marinated crabs and boil further 10 mins or until crabs turns  to red color  and switch off the flame.let it cover for 10 mins before serving.

Note:- you can add some tamarind juice and green chillies and little coconut oil  while boiling to get that extra taste.