sukkale sungata panna upkari

sukkale sungata (dried prawns/shrimps) Panna upkari

Recipe by Preethi baliga

Sukkale sungat means dried prawns in konkani and panna upkari is a dry spicy dish in which we use whole lot of chilly powder or chilly paste and balance it with tamarind pulp.This is a signature dish of Mangalore and enjoyed specially during the rainy season

Prep time: 15mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Ingredients

• 2 cups Dried prawns/shrimps
• 2 cups Chopped onion
• 1tbsp Red chilly powder
• 1 lemon sized tamarind ball
• 1tbsp oil

Cooking Directions

• Clean and soak dried prawns for about 10-15 mins in 5 cups of water( if you are using shrimp then you have to dry roast for about 3-4 min and then clean and wash it with clean water no need of soaking)

 

• Heat oil in a kadai/pan,add chopped onions and fry till it changes to pink and translucent.
• Now add red chilly powder and saute for 5 mins on medium low flame.
• Then add tamarind pulp( soak tamarind in warm water for 10 mins and make smooth paste or just squeeze and take out the pulp).Mix it well with the masala.
• Drain the soaked prawns and add along with a cup of water,Cover it with a lid and cook for 10-12 mins. Make it semi dry and serve hot with rice or roti

Stuffed ridge gourd/gutti beerakaya kura

Recipe by Preethi baliga

This is the most hot favourite recipe of andhra pradesh...Gutti beerakaya kura /stuffed ridge gourd masala has got rich flavour of peanut and sesame seed and perfect blend of spices.Believe me its very tempting and mouthwatering dish goes well with plain hot rice and dal.

Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 15-20 mins
Total time: 40 mins
Ingredients

• 3 Medium sized ridge gourd
• 1tsp Cumin seed/jeera
• 1tsp Black gram dal
• 3tsp tamarind pulp
• 1tsp Mustard seeds
• 2tbsp Peanut oil/any other veg oil
• 1/2tsp Asafoetida/hing
• 1 spring Curry leaves
• 2tbsp grated coconut
• 4-5 red chillies
• 1tbsp Peanuts
• 2-3 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1tbsp sesame seeds( white)
• 2tsp sambar powder
• 1/2tsp turmeric powder

Cooking Directions

• Peel the ridgegourd and cut into 21/2 inch pieces.
• Now take each pieces and 2 slits in the middle leaving i centimetre from the bottom.

 

• Dry roast all the stuffing ingredients till coconut changes to light brown colour.Let it cool for a while then grind it to smooth paste without adding much water

Now stuff all the pieces with this paste.

 

Take a shallow frying pan add oil in and heat.In that add mustard,fenugreek,black gram dal and asafoetida and saute for a second,Then add curry leaves.

 

Now its time to add our stuffed ridge gourd pieces.close it with a lid and cook on low flame for 5-6mins.
After 5-6 minutes,uncover the lid and turn the pieces so that they cook all over.

Now add the tamarind pulp and sprinkle some water if the masala is too dry and cook further 4-5 mins till masala is well roasted.
Serve hot with rice or roti ( i prefer it with jowar rotti/bhakri )

Pineapple trifle pudding

A small piece of Pineapple cake was there in my fridge which i prepared few days back and i don't felt like giving it to my kids so this pudding came to my mind as one overripe pineapple also in the fridge which i kept specially for making some pineapple kesari.Actually i tried this dish  in summer and today while searching some recipes  i got this in my draft so thought of sharing this with you all as it is very easy dessert which everybody would love to have especially on a hot summer day.

Ingredients:

sponge cake pieces -1cup( pineapple flavoured)

Pineapple custard powder-2tbsp

Milk-1/2 ltr ( full cream)

Pine apple pieces - 2 cups

Sugar-1cup+1tbsp

Pineapple essence-1+ 1/2 tsp

Fresh whipped cream-1 cup

Cinnamon Powder-1/4tsp
 Few Pineapple pieces and cherry to garnish

Method of making pine apple stew:

• First boil 1/2 cup of water along with 1tbsp of sugar,cinnamon powder.Then add pineapple pieces and boil further 3 mins till pineapple is almost cooked but not mushy. Now mix in 1/2 tsp of pineapple essence and let it cool completely before refrigeration.

Method of making custard:

• Boil milk with sugar and stir well.
• Mix custard powder to 1/2 cup milk and stir it well.
• Once the sugar dissolves completely add in custard powder mixed with milk and quickly stir till you see the bubbles on the top of your custard,switch off the gas and let it cool.
• Now add pineapple essence and whipped cream to the custard and mix it well.

1. Take a serving dish and spread some cake pieces evenly, the 1st layer is done.
2. Now spread some boiled and chilled stewed pineapple pieces along with the syrup, gently spread it evenly over the 1st layer.
3. Now its time to pour our custard over the 2nd fruit layer.
4. Repeat once again with the remaining cake pieces and finish with custard.
5. Decorate with whipped cream,pineapple piecesa and few cherries
6. Refrigerate for at least3-4 hours before serving.

Crispy fried bread fruit/Jivkadgi podi/Gigujje

Recipe by Preethi baliga

Breadfruit is widely available in south canara and goa region.We call it jivkadgi and in kannada it is known as Gigujje orThis is a seasonal fruit which belongs to jackfruit family available during month of April to October.We konkani's enjoy this most.We prepare many type of delicacies with this spongy fruit.Today i am here with a simple konkani style podi .We prepare podi with many vegetabale.Usually podi means fried vegetable,marinated with chilly powder,asafoetida and rice flour.Some grind chilly along with soaked rice ( i prefer ground paste for my podis).But this is short cut method and many konkani's follow this version,which is easy and quick to make.

Prep time: 15mins
Cook time: 15mins
Total time: 30 mins
Ingredients

• 1/2 Breadfruit/jivkadgi
• 2tsp Chilly powder
• 1/2tsp Asafoetida powder
• 1/2cup Rice flour

Cooking Directions

1. Peel the breadfruit and cut into 1/4" thick pieces .
2. Now apply salt,chilly powder and asafoetida powder and leave it to10 mins.
3. Now heat oil in a kadai/frying pan,dip each pieces into rice flour and fry till golden brown.

Corn - carrot semolina pancake/ rava rotti

Rava rotti/semolina pancake is a specialty of mangalore.My mom used to prepare  plain rava rotti and some times she used add some chopped onion or cucumber for a change, which tastes awesome with home made butter. To give a little twist to our humble rotti i have just added some corn and carrots to make it little more interesting and sprinkled some oregano to give some Italian touch to our Indian pan cake.Hope you really going to love this as it is not only tasty but very healthy option for your kids lunch box.

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 3 mins for each pancake
Yield: 7-8
Ingredients

• 2 cups Semolina
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 4-5 Green chillies
• 1 cup Sweet corn
• 1/2 cup grated carrots
• 1/4 cup chopped coriander
• 1 tsp Oregano( optional)

Cooking Directions

1. Finely chop green chillies and mix it with 3 cups of water along with sugar and salt to taste.
2. Mix it well till the sugar dissolves completely.
3. Now mix semolina and prepare soft batter not too watery.
4. Now its time to mix sweet corn,grated carrots ,coriander and oregano
5. keep aside for 20 mins.
6. Heat griddle and Pour one ladle full of the batter and spread with your fingers to make 5" square pan cakes.Apply some oil or ghee ,Cover it with a lid and let it stand for couple of minutes then flip it and let it roast for a minute or till both the sides are well cooked.
7. Serve hot with Butter.

Miskut ..A goan stuffed mango pickl

This is a typical Goan style pickle prepared in every household when summer makes way for mangoes. One of my friend from goa introduced me to this pickle....This Pickle is different from the rest in its preparation as the mangoes are Stuffed with the "Pickle Masala" specially prepared using fenugreek, asafoetida and mustard which gives it a nice aroma and the flavour.

Ingredients

• 20 green tebder mangoes( small variety)
• 3/4 cup Chilliy powder
• 1tbsp Fenugreek/methi seeds
• 2tsp Asafoetida/hing
• 2 cups Crystal salt
• 3 cups ground nut/ veg oil
• 1cup Mustard seeds( use smaller type)
• 2tsp Turmeric powder

stuffed goan style mango pickle "Miskut"

Cooking Directions

1. wash and wipe the mangoes well.
2. Slit them into lengthwise leaving the seeds inside
3. Now stuff each mango with salt and arrange this in a big plastic bowl and cover it with a plate and keep some heavy weight for 4 days.Do not forget to mix it daily gently with a spatula.
4. On the forth day dry roast half of the mustard and fenugreek separately, Then add turmeric powder and asafoetida powder and mix all together when it is still hot. let it cool down then pound it to powder.
5. Heat the oil till smoke appears over the oil and switch off the gas.In that add remaining mustard seeds and allow it cool completely.
6. Now open the lid from the bowl and collect the water that settled in that bowl.
7. Now mix the chilly powder and pound spices using that water collected from the mangoes and keep aside.
8. Now wear plastic gloves and remove the seed from the mangoes and stuff the masala into each mango and secure it with a thread/twine.
9. Arrange all the mangoes in a sterilized jar and gently pour boiled and cooled oil over the mangoes.The oil level should be an inch above the mangoes.
10. The pickle is ready to eat after a month.

Miskut

Machli Chutney wali.....

Recipe courtesy: Raj kamal chopra ,executive chef,Mugalai sheraton,Agra

My hubby loves seafood,me not so much but love to cook. Yesterday i got this beautiful flat type fish similar to pomfret ( locally known as kapi) and tastes as good as pomfret .So when i started searching my recipe collection i got this recipe from my old 1999 march edition of Woman's era and it looked like something my husband would enjoy but at the same time i wanted to give him less oily food so instead of frying i steamed this fish in banana leaf( i have not used any oil in his fish only me and kids enjoyed it with ground nut oil which gives nutty flavour.The recipe is very simple and worth trying.

Ingredients

• 4 Pomfret or any other flat variety fish
• 1tbsp Lemon juice
• 1tsp Red chilly powder
• 1tbsp ginger -garlic paste
• 6-7 Green chillies
• 1 cup fresh coriander leaves
• 1/2 cup green mint leaves/pudina
• 2tsp Amchur /dry mango powder
• 2tbsp ground nut oil

Cooking Directions

First marinate the fillets with lemon juice,red chilli powder and salt and refrigirate for 15 mins.
Next prepare chutney with green chillies,coriander and mint.
Marinate the fish with this green chutney,amchur powder, ginger-garlic paste and some ground nut oil,refrigerate for another 30 minutes.

Check for seasoning before steaming the fish.Take one banana leaf cut into 12" square pieces and gently roast over the flame to make soften the leaf.

Now apply some oil over the leaf then carefully place the fish with the chutney and carefully wrap it in a banana leaf.

Heat a non-stick pan and place the warped fish,cover it with a lid and cook on slow flame for about 10 mins on one side ,then slowly turn the fish and let it cook for about 3-4 mins.

Note: If you want to fry this fish then just heat a thick bottomed griddle on medium heat and grill these marinated fish using little oil( grill each side for about 3 mins)
To serve spread on a platter and garnish it with lemon wedges,onion rings and chaat masala( which is sprinkled on top of the fish)

spicy chicken drum sticks

Recipe by Preethi baliga

My kids love spicy drumstick glazed with honey.This is very easy version of drumstick and very good choice for your parties as it takes only few mints for preparation with really simple marination.You can prepare this previous day of your party and just an hour before serving start roasting and i am sure you and your friends going to love this.

Ingredients

• 5 chicken legs (preferably skin on)
• 1tbsp Ginger- garlic paste
• 1tbsp Red chilly paste
• 1tsp Spice powder
• 2tbsp light soy sauce
• 2tbsp Honey
• 1/4tsp Orange- red( food) colour
• 1tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1tbsp melted butter

Cooking Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients except chicken legs and give it a nice stir.
2. Add chicken legs and cover the bowl with cling film,then place into fridge to marinate for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F
4. Place the chicken drumstick onto a roasting tray and roast for 30 minutes, or until the skin is golden and the chicken is cooked through. (To check, pierce the drumstick at its thickest part, next to the bone. The juices should run clear.)

How to make red chilly paste.

• Soak 6-7 kashmiri red chillies in warm water for about 30 mins and grind to smooth paste by adding little salt.Be careful while adding salt because both soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce contains salt so just a pinch of salt is more than enough while making this paste.

Udupi brahmin saru / rasam

Recipe by Preethi baliga

I love almost all kind of south indian sambar and rasam or saru as popularly know in dakshin kannada but this udupi brahmin style saru is one of my favourite.I simply love its aroma and unique southern flavour. Some people use tomatoes instead of tamrind but i love this with tamarind which once again gives an authentic flavour and aroma of south indian rasam.

Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Ingredients

• 1tbsp Fresh coconut grated
• 5-6 Kashmiri red chillies
• 1tsp Coriander seeds
• 1/2tsp Cumin seeds
• 4-5 Pepper corns
• 8-9 Fenugreek/methi seeds
• 1/4tsp Turmeric
• 1/4tsp Asafoetida/ Hing
• a pinch of Black thil( optional)
• 1 Marble sized ball Tamarind
• 1tsp Jaggery
• 1/2tsp Mustard
• 1 spring Curry leaves
• 2 red chillies( cut into pieces)
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

Cooking Directions

1. Dry roast all the ingredients except jaggery ,tamarind and salt on low flame for 5-6 mins.
2. Once it is cool down grind it to smooth paste by adding one marble sized ball of tamarind.
3. Now add this paste to a sauce pan along with One litre of water.
4. Now add salt and jaggery and bring to boil and switch off the gas.
5. Take a tempering pan and add oil.Let it heat then add mustard followed by red chillies and curry leaves and temper this to saru/ rasam.
6. Garnish with few coriander leaves.
7. Aromatic udupi brahmin style rasam/ saru is ready to go with your hot rice.

Andhra style fish fry.. Chepa vepudu

Recipe by Preethi baliga

I got this recipe from my old recipe collection.Though i never tried this before until my kids wanted something different from our usual fish fry.So while searching i got this amazing recipe.we all loved it so much...I do prepare similar fish fry but never used tomato or pepper before. i am sure you and your family going to love it ...

Prep time: 20-25 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Ingredients

• 10 Fillets of Indian salmon/Ravas
• 1 Onion
• 1 Piece Ginger( 1")
• 1 Pod Garlic
• 2 Green chillies
• 1 Tomato
• 1/4 cup Coriander leaves
• 1/4 cup Thick curd
• 1tsp chilly powder
• 1 egg
• 1/2tsp Pepper powder
• 1/2 cup Rava/semolina
• 1tsp turmeric powder

Cooking Directions

1. Clean fish fillets,marinate with salt and turmeric for 15 mins.
2. Meanwhile grind masala paste using chopped onion,tomato,ginger,garlic,green chilly,coriander leaves,curd and salt to taste.( do not add any water while grinding and be careful with the seasoning as we have already used salt while marinating the fish).Prepare smooth thick paste.
3. Now apply this masala paste to fish fillets and keep aside for 10 mins.
4. After 10 mins beat an egg and pepper, then gently roll all the fillets in this mixture.
5. Then coat it well with rava/semolina.
6. Heat shallow frying pan ,add oil and fry all the fillets until all the sides are golden brown.
7. Serve hot with onion rings and slices of lemon

Chana upkari .

chana Upkari

Upkari is a dry dish usually stir fried.You can use any type lentils or beans or vegetables to prepare this easy and tasty dish.Normally we konkanis prepare this on Friday's combination with beaten rice /pova chutney or Godu povu(sweet beaten rice) for breakfast.This is also served in temples as prasad.I prepared this on krishna janmashtami along with some other dishes as a prasad to Lord Krishna. You prepare this with a combination with sweet potato or cooking plantain which is really a deadly combination

Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 35 mins
Ingredients

• 1 cup Bengal gram
• 1tbsp Grated coconut
• 1tsp Mustard
• 2-3 Red chilly (dried cut into pieces)
• 1/2tsp Asafoetida/hing
• 1 spring curry leaves
• 2-3 tsp coconut oil/veg oil

 

Cooking Directions

• Soak chana/chik peas overnight in 4-5 cups of water( In winter season add a pinch of baking soda while soaking for that extra softness )
• Now pressure cook chana /chick peas 3-4 cups of water for 3 whistle.Do not forget to add salt while cooking chana for better taste.
• Now heat a kadai/wok add in some coconut oil or any other oil ( we konkani's prefer coconut oil specially for this upkari ).
• Now add some mustard and wait till it crackles .
• Now add red chilly pieces followed by curry leaves and little hing/asafoetida.Stir it well .

• Now add Cooked chana/chick peas.
• Add little salt if necessary and cook till the dish is almost dry.
• Finish it with  grated coconut and mix it well for a minute and switch off the gas.
• Chana upkari is ready to serve.

Krishnashtami parasad

Sheer Khurma/sewaiyan kheer/vermicelli pudding

Happy Eid to all my Muslim friends... Today i am here rich dessert called "Sheer Kurma" specially prepared during the month of ramzan with lots of dates and nuts.This is the main dessert that is served on Eid day .Sheer means sweetened milk and khurma is made from dried dates. This special dish is served on the morning of Eid day in the family after the Eid prayer as breakfast, and throughout the day to all the visiting guests. in this dessert they use special vermicelli called sevaiyan which is thinner than vermicelli.The consistency of this dessert should be thin as they serve this in a tea cups.so this dessert is supposed to drink.Try to make sheer khurma with thin roasted vermicelli else will spoil its authenticity. So be ready and celebrate your festivals with this vermicelli delight.

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Ingredients

• 1 litre Milk
• 1cup Vermicelli( roasted)/sevaiyan
• 15 Dates
• 2tbsp Coconut ( cut into thin slices)
• 10 Cashew nut( cut into pieces)
• 10 Pistachios ( chopped)
• 1tbsp Charoli/chirongi
• 4-5 Almond( blanched)
• 11/2cups Sugar
• saffron a pinch/kesari milk masala Powder
• 1tbsp ghee/clarified butter
• 1/2tsp cardamom powder

Cooking Directions

1. Soak dry dates in warm milk for 30 mins and then cut into long thin slices
2. Boil milk with dates,coconut pieces and sugar till it reduces to 3/4 of its quantity
3. Now add roasted vermicelli and boil further 5 mins or till desired consistency is obtained.
4. In a pan add ghee .In that add dry nuts and fry gently for few seconds.
5. Now add all the nuts into the boiled vermicelli along with saffron( i have used 2tsp of kesari milk masala powder )
6. If you are using saffron soak it in warm milk for 10 mins and add it just before the nuts and also add cardamom powder.
7. Sheer kurma is ready to serve.Enjoy this delicacy hot or chilled

Idli with a twist...Corn- pepper masala stuffed idli

I just love south indian breakfast especially idlies But my kids are very fussy when it comes to south indian food.So to make this humble idli more interesting each time i present it with a new look. This time i tried this stuffing and they simply love it as i have prepared some garlic sauce to get along with this yummy idles.

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 25 mins
Yield: 15
Ingredients

• 5 cups Idli batter
• 1 cup fresh or frozen sweet corn
• 1 Red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1tsp Curry powder/garam masala powder
• Salt to taste
• 2-3tsp Butter

 

Cooking Directions

1. Heat butter in shallow pan.
2. Add sweet corn,finely chopped bell pepper and saute for 2mins.
3. Now add in some salt and curry powder and mix it well,switch off the gas
4. Stuffing is ready.

 

1. Now heat some water in idli cooker and arrange the idli tray.
2. First add a table spoon of  corn filling in each mould and then pour some batter and steam for about 10 mins.
3. Goes well with spicy garlic sauce.