Carrot and Cucumber Kosambari-Carrot and Cucumber Salad

This is a simple and yummy salad that can be prepared in no time as the ingredients are easily available at home.A perfect way to beat the heat and also boost up health or as an add-on to a wonderful spread.

Ingredients:

Split green gram daal(moong daal)                        2 tsp

Tender cucumber

(chopped into small squares)                                    1/2cup

Carrot(peeled,grated)                                                  1 nos

Green chilli(chopped)                                                  1 nos

Salt                                                                                      to taste

Lime juice                                                                         to taste

Fresh chopped coriander leaves                             2tsp

 

For tempering:

Oil                                                                                       1tsp

Mustard seeds                                                               1/2tsp

Hing(asafoetida)                                                         2 pinches

Curry leaves                                                                 3-4

Fresh grated coconut                                               1-2tsp

Method:

• Wash and soak daal for 30 minutes,drain out the water.
• Take the soaked daal,grated carrots,chopped cucumberin a bowl.
• Add salt to taste,chopped green chillies and lime juice.
• Give a stir with a spoon.
• In a small seasoning pan heat up the oil,toss in the mustard and let it crackle.
• Add hing,curry leaves,coconut and mix with a spoon.
• Switch off the flame and pour this over the mixed salad.
• Add fresh chopped corainder and mix it up.

 

Bolo De Fuba-A Brazilian Cornmeal Cake

I was in a look out for cake recipes using maize flour since I had bought a bigger pack of flour keeping in mind that I would browse for recipes like corn muffins and so on.Previously I have tried a spongy corn bread(my sisters recipe)which is not a sweet one but soft and nice.I have not mastered myself with makki di roti(Punjabi staple)yet.Lucklily I found this delectable recipe the appearance of which was mouth watering  and there was no point in bookmarking it but tried it out immediately.I can say this is one of the best corn cake/bread or whatever you may call it.

 The name of this cake is BOLO DE FUBA, which means Cake of Cornmeal(in Portuguese).In Brazil this is a breakfast staple or served as a snack with evening coffee . It came out so well that we all simply loved it. Brazilian cakes are generally baked in a tube pan to give them a ring effect.I do not have a tube pan or a bundt pan ,so, used my silicon loaf pan instead.

Ingredients:

Cornmeal/maize flour                                        1/2 cup

All purpose flour/Maida                                   1/2 cup

All purpose flour

(for dusting and coating the tutti frutti)   1tsp

Oil                                                                               1/4cup+1tsp for greasing the pan

Milk                                                                           1/2cup

Sugar                                                                       1/2 cup

Baking powder                                                    1/2tbsp

Salt                                                                           a pinch

Eggs                                                                         2, at room temperature

Vanilla essence                                                   1tsp

Tutti frutti                                                            2tbsp

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
• In a small bowl mix tutti frutti with little flour and  set aside.
• Grease a loaf pan or a round cake tin with a tsp of oil and dust with little flour and set in refrigerator till the mixing process ends.
• Sieve both flour and cornmeal with baking powder 2-3 times and set aside.
• Take a large mixing bowl and using hand blender whisk eggs adding one by one till fluffy,for about 2 minutes on high.
• Add sugar and whisk for 2 more minutes on high.
• Add oil and whisk for 1 minute.
• Add 1/4cup milk and mix for a while.
• Add the vanilla essence,mix gently
• Add flour in batches and gently fold the batter using a spatula.
• Add remaining milk in between.
• Pour into the prepared pan and sprinkle the tutti frutti and give a gentle stir with a spatula.
• Set into the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes or till the tester comes out clean.(My cake was ready in 30 minutes)
• Let cool for about 5minutes,gently run the back of knife around the edges of the cake.
• Invert the cake and cool on wire rack.
• Slice and serve as a snack with tea/coffee.

Note:
I have used maize flour/makki ka atta,which is slightly coarse in texture and available in most supermarkets here in Bangalore. 

Karathe Sagle-Bitter Gourd/Karela In A Spicy Tangy And Mildly Sweet Coconut Sauce

This is a mouth watering authentic amchi(Konkani) dish prepared with karathe(karela/bittergourd)which is not a favourite vegetable with most of the people.Even I was not fond of this vegetable till few years back,but now I have learnt to cook as well as enjoy dishes prepared using this vegetable.The recipe credit goes to my mother-in-law ,Ms.Lakshmichaya Prabhu who cooks extremely good food.
As I have mentioned in my earlier posts that Konkani subzis have different names according to the masalas used(apart from coconut,chillies and tamarind-the basics of Konkani masala)This dish is semi-dry and can also be used to prepare stuffed brinjals.

Ingredients:
Bittergourd choppings(of 2)            about 1.5cups
Onion Slices(of 2)                                 about 1cup
Peeled garlic cloves                             3-4(lightly crushed)
Salt                                                             to taste
Jaggery                                                    to taste(abt 1-2tbsp)
Hogplum(ambado)                             2-3
or Bilimbi(bimbul)                             3-4                         
Turmeric powder                               2 pinches

For masala:
Grated coconut                                   3/4cup
Red chillies(roasted)                       3byadagi,3guntur
Coriander seeds                                 1 tsp
Tamarind                                             size of a peanut

For tempering:
Mustard seeds                                    1/2tsp
Curry leaves                                       a few
Oil                                                           2 tbsp(included for sautéeing the gourd)

Method:

• Cut bittergourd into 1 inch thin slices.
• Slice onion lenghtwise.
• If using hogplum,tender ones can be sliced easily harder ones need to be slightly crushed  with the help of a stone,if using tree sorrel/bilimbi then make slices.
• Blend masala using coconut,red chillies,coriander seeds and tamarind into a smooth thick paste adding required water.
• In a pan preferably non stick heat 1tbsp oil and saute the sliced bittergourd,lower the flame and shallow fry to light golden(takes several minutes)
• When u prick with a spoon it should be soft which means they are done.(more oil can be added while sauteeing which makes the dish taste yum)
• In the same pan heat the remaning oil and toss in the mustard seeds,once crackled add the curry leaves then garlic cloves,saute lightly then add onions and saute till it becomes translucent.
• Add the prepared masala,turmeric powder and saute for couple of minutes,then add the hogplum/bilimbi if using,if not available then add more tamarind in the masala.
• Add the shallow fried bittergourd pieces,give a nice stir,then add salt to taste,jaggery powder,1/4 cup water and bring to boil,turning the flame to low.
• Cover and cook till the gourd pieces are tender.
• Check for the taste,should have a balanced taste of bitterness,sweetness and tanginess.Adjust accordingly.Switch off the flame.
• Serve as an accompaniment with rice/rotis along with daal.
• Tastes better after few hours of preparing.

Note:

• More oil can be used while preparing this dish.
• Sometimes due to the bitterness of the gourd more jaggery may have to be added to balance the taste.

A view of hogplum-ambado(Konkani)amtekayi(kannada)
For more on this please visit here

 A view of bimbul(Konkani)/Bilimbi/tree sorrel
For more info,please visit here :)

Pathrado-Colocasia leaves/Kesuvina yele spicy rolls

This is a typical amchi(Konkani)dish that is prepared usually as an accompaniment with rice and dali thoy,or ghashi (a dish made with coconut and spices seasoned with either onions or mustard seeds and curry leaves) and sometimes the pieces are dunked in the ghasi(gravy)and it is named ghashi pathrado.This is prepared quite often as the leaves are usually grown in the kitchen garden of the coastal areas or those who have plenty of them growing in their yard they share it with friends and neighbours .Umpteen number of dishes are prepared using the leaves and that too during monsoon season when it grows up like a weed.
            In North India, especially in Gujarat it is served as a tea time snack and the stuffing is made with a paste made with chickpea flour(besan) and other spices and its taste spicy,tangy and also sweet and yummy too..I make it sometimes when I have some extra leaves or save some leaves as I just love the taste.Will post the Patra (as called in Gujarat)recipe  in my future posts.
           The masala contents vary with choice desired in the family.I usually follow the below recipe which is my husbands favourite as my mom-in-law prepares it this way and she had learnt it from her mom-in-law..so, I can say pathrado legacy followed for generations.This recipe gives out very soft textured pathrados.

Ingredients:

Green gram (moong)                3/4cup

Grated coconut                            1cup

Red chillies(roasted)                15(10 guntur,5 byadagi)

Salt                                                  1-2tsp

Tamarind                                     cherry sized(made to pulp soaking in water)

Asafoetida(hing)                       3-4pinches

Colocasia leaves                        25-30

Method:

• Wash and soak the moong for 7-8 hours.Drain in a colander.
• Wash the leaves one by one,pat dry with a towel.
• With a  knife remove the thick veins at the back of the leaves carefully without tearing the leaf.
• In a blending jar take salt,red chillies,asafoetida and coconut,blend it dry first.
• With the help of little water blend to smooth,later add soaked moong little by little and blend to a  smooth consistency but should be thick masala.
• Set the prepared masala aside for 15-20 mts,meanwhile check for the taste..it should be spicy,tangy and the taste of salt should be perfect.
• On the clean and dry counter place the larger leaf as a base upside down and spread the masala,generously and evenly.
• Stack the leaves one by one at every angle and repeat the same process of applying masala.
• For one roll it requires about 5-6 leaves as fillers.
• Fold the edges on both sides,apply masala on the folded edge.
• Now start rolling it from one end(from your end )to form a tight roll.
• Repeat the same with remaining leaves.
• Heat the steaming vessel adding sufficient water in it.
• Place the prepared rolls on a plate and steam for 20 mts on high flame
• Check poking rolls with a knife,if gets through easily,it means they are done.
• Cover and cook on low flame for another 5-7 minutes
• Slice and serve hot drizzling with coconut oil along with rice.

One more way of serving-
Heat a griddle and smear with oil,throw a few mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds(methi)and place the sliced colocasia pieces,shallow fry lightly browning on both sides adding required oil or till crunchy (as per choice)
Serve along with white rice and dali thoy.

Note:
Storing pathrado for future use-
With a knife cut pathrado rolls  into slices and store in a Ziploc pouch and store them in a freezer.
Serve whenever desired either by re-heating in a microwave or roasting on a griddle.

Seemebadane Mosaru Bajji-Chayote Squash In A Mildly Spiced Yogurt

The term bajji immediately reminds us of any  fritters that are dipped and coated with chickpea flour batter(besan)and then deep fried.This is nothing but a cold salad that can be prepared with vegetables like chayote,cucumber,brinjal,sambhar/Mangalore cucumber,white pumpkin and so on.A raita which is prepared adding a coarse paste of coconut and spices is simply awesome and goes best when served as an accompaniment in any south indian meals or even with rice varieties like tamarind rice(puliyogare),lemon rice etc.,
In this kind of salad if using tomato,onion,cucumber then it need not be boiled whereas other veggies need to be cooked.The recipe credit goes to Ms.Archana Prabhu who is also a food blogger and passionate gardener too !!Thanks dear for this easy and tasty recipe.

Ingredients:
Chayote squash                 1 (chopped,when chopped into small cubes yields abt a cup)
Water                                     1/2cup ,for boiling the squash
Salt                                         to taste
Curds/yogurt                     3/4cup

For the masala:
Fresh grated coconut     1tbsp
Mustard seeds                  1/4tsp
Cumin(jeera)                    1/4tsp
Green chilli                       1

For tempering:
Mustard seeds                 1/4tsp
Asafoetida(hing)           a pinch
Curry leaves                    3-4
Oil                                       1tsp

Method:

• Wash,peel and chop the chayote into small squares discarding the soft seed.
• In a small vessel take the cubed squash along with water and bring to boil.
• Cook on a medium flame till the squash becomes tender.
• Drain and transfer into a bowl,sprinkle salt
• Meanwhile with the help of a small blending jar pulse all the ingredients mentioned in the masala to a coarse consistency,need not add water.
• Once the squash is completely cooled add the prepared masala,curds and mix well.
• In a small seasoning pan heat oil and toss in the mustard followed by curry leaves and then hing.
• Pour this over the mixture which is called mosaru bajji.

 Note:
I have used only 1 green chilli ,yet it was on the spicier side..so adjust according to  suit your spice requirements

A view of the chayote squash-