Gongura Chutney/Pachidi-Sorrel Leaves Chutney

Happy New Year 2016 to all my readers.
This is a wonderful chutney recipe of gongura leaves which I learnt from my dear friend Jaysree.She had prepared this using swiss chard instead and told me it is actually prepared using gongura which is naturally sour.Till then I had only tasted store bought 'Priya' pickle.I prepare this whenever I get a big bunch of leaves and this can also be stored in refrigerator for few days.

Ingredients:
Gongura leaves                     2cups
Small onions                          10-15
Salt                                             to taste
Oil                                               1tbsp+1Tbsp
 
Masala Powder:
Mustard seeds                       1/2tsp
Red chillies                             6-7
Jeera/Cumin seeds              1/4tsp
Urad daal                                1.5tsp
Dhania/
coriander seeds                     1tbsp
Hing/asafoetida                   a pinch
 
Method:

• Pluck only the leaves discarding the petioles from the bunch.
• Rinse the leaves well and towel dry and roughly chop.
• Peel and chop the onions.
• Heat a tava and dry roast every single ingredient mentioned under the masala powder carefully one by one without over roasting on a low flame.
• Cool and blend to make a coarse powder.
• Heat a skillet with 1tbsp oil and sauté onions till pale.
• Add the gongura leaves,salt and sauté.The leaves wilt and also the colour changes
• Add little water and cook covering for 3-4 minutes.
• When the leaves cool down a bit pulse in a blending jar just for few seconds.
• Add the prepared masala powder and pulse some more and see that it incorporates well with the leaves,use spatula in between to mix and pulse.The texture should be coarse.
• This is ready to serve .
• Else heat another Tbsp of oil and sauté the prepared paste for 3-5 minutes.
• Tastes best when served with steamed rice mixed with ghee and this chutney

Note:
I have used regular onions that come in smaller size.Any variety can be used.

This is how the leaves look like-

The making of chutney-

 

Eggless Blueberry Muffin (With Dried berries )

This is one of the best eggless cake tried out recently thanks to Raks kitchen .I have just modified the method of preparation.i.e.,steps that I follow while baking.Here the fresh ones have been replaced with dried berries instead(thanks to my sis Anu who got a nice pack of dried blueberries ).I had baked cupcakes using fresh blueberries long long time ago and can still remember how the berries had let their juices melt  into the cake while baking and it was perfect.The idea of macerating(soaking) struck me and there was no looking back as I love my silicon flower cup cake moulds too!!!and one more eggless cake recipe...yippeeee and it was delicious :) and worth trying out.

Ingredients:
All purpose flour/Maida                    1.5cups(minus 3tbsp)
Cornflour                                                 3tbsp
Baking soda                                            1/2tsp
Baking powder                                      1tsp
Powdered sugar                                    3/4cup
Blueberries                                             1/2cup
Curd/yogurt                                           1cup
Oil                                                               1/2cup
Vanilla essence                                      1tsp
Salt                                                             a pinch(optional)

Method:

• Soak the dried berries with little warm water just  for 3-4 hours.
• Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
• Line muffin moulds  with paper cups and grease with oil,if using silicon moulds just grease with oil.
• Sieve maida,cornflour,baking soda and baking powder 2-3 times.
• In a bowl first whisk curd and sugar well and then add oil and whisk some more.
• Add vanilla then the sifted flour in batches and gently fold the batter.
• Fold in the berries and combine well.
• Pour into the prepared moulds until 3/4 full(as it will puff up while baking)
• Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tester comes out clean.
• Tranfer on a wire rack gently sliding out of the mould if using paper cups as the heat will make the cake continue cook further and become dry.For silicon moulds just shake and lightly press the corners and slowly slide over the wirerack to prevent over baking.
• Perfect snack with a hot cup of coffee or tea.  

Vaali Ambat-Spinach and Cucumber cooked in a Spicy coconut sauce and Seasoned with onions

I have already posted a couple of ambat recipes before  in this blog whereas each combination has a peculiar taste.'Vaali' is the Konkani term of the spinach and ambat means a type of gravy.This curry is native to Mangalore-udupi belt and prepared by GSB Konkani community and tastes heavenly when served with white rice and heavenliest with red boiled rice. 

Ingredients:
Spinach(Malabar variety)
(washed and chopped)
also a few tender stems                            3cups
Cucumber(mangalore/madras)
chunks(peeled)                                             1cup
Tuvar daal,cooked
(split pigeon peas)                                       1/4 cup
Onion(L)finely chopped                            1 nos(reserve 2tbsp for seasoning)
Turmeric powder/haldi                            1/4tsp
Jaggery                                                            1/4tsp
Salt                                                                     to taste

For masala:
Fresh grated coconut                                1/2cup
Roasted red chillies                                   3-4
Tamarind                                                       size of a peanut

For seasoning :
Oil                                                                      1tbsp

Method:

• Pressure cook spinach leaves along with its tender stems,cucumber chunks,chopped onion along with turmeric and a dash of salt  adding 2cups of water to just 1 whistle then cook on a low flame for 2-3 minutes.
• Tansfer the pressure cooked contents into a soup pot.
• Take out a little water and use it for preparing masala and texture adjustments
• Add salt to taste,cooked daal and jaggery and bring to boil.
• Meanwhile prepare a smooth masala paste with the mentioned ingredients.
• Add this masala paste to the soup pot and boil some more adding required amount of water to get a gravy consistency.
• In a small seasoning pan heat the oil and roast the reserved onions adding a pinch of salt to golden brown and drop into the pot of gravy.
• Boil for one more minute.
• Since the roasted onion is used here,the gravy thickens after sometime.

Note:
Cucumber may be substituted with peeled and cubed raw papaya(the best and authentic combination)or even peeled and cubed chayote chunks.
Similarly spinach(palak) may be substituted instead of Malabar spinach.

Mangalore/Madras/Malabar cucumber-

 

 

Malabar Spinach(vaali)-

 

Kooka Masalo-Chinese Potato/Koorka Dry Subzi

 "Kooka" is a Konkani name for Chinese potato.Other synonyms are Koorka in Malayalam and Sopur Kooka in Kerala Konkani.This vegetable resembles taro root and the cooking process is also similar.The peeling of this vegetable involves  labourious task if peeled directly(usually they are wrapped in jute gunny bags and beaten on ground which enables the peeling process simplified)and even dirties the fingers though the effort is worth it.If boiled and peeled then the job is pretty easy and taste varies in both cases the tastier being the former one.It also has a delicate flavour and are grown in the west coastal states of India.It has a high nutritional value and carb content.
   This is a dry version of this vegetable originally made using potatoes and the recipe belongs to my mother Ms.Anitha Bhat where a masala is prepared whereas my paternal grandmother used sambhar powder and tamarind pulp and a dash of besan/chickpea flour and the dish is quick and equally tasty.

Please look for the picture as to how this vegetable looks like after the recipe instructions below.

Ingredients:

Kook/Chinese potato                       40 nos

Onion (M)                                             2nos

Oil                                                            1tbsp

Salt                                                          to taste

For masala:

Fresh/dry coconut(grated)          2tbsp

Byadagi chillies                                4-5

Coriander seeds                                1/4tsp

Tamarind                                            size of a chickpea(kabul chana)

Water                                                    to prepare paste

Method:

• Rinse the chinese potato/Kook nicely in several changes of water so as to get rid of all sand and mud particles.
• Pressure cook adding required water(say,1.5cups)for a whistle then lowering the flame and cook further for 10 minutes.
• Soak the tamarind with little warm water and extract pulp
• Meanwhile roast coconut on a low flame to golden but not over roasting  along with red chillies,add dhania seeds and switch off the flame.
• Chop the onions to fine pieces.
• Take the roasted ingredients in a blending jar and grind it dry then add the tamarind pulp and required amount of water to form a smooth paste.
• Check to make sure the kook/chinese potatoes are cooked(similar to arbi/potato),then peel all the skin and chop to bite size pieces and sprinkle some salt over it.
• Heat a pan and add oil and roast onions to light golden.
• Add the prepared paste and saute for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the chopped kook and combine with a slotted spoon till masala gets incorporated well
• Add little water and salt if required.
• Cover and cook on a low flame for 7-8 minutes.

A view of Kooka/Chinese potato-

Undi-Steamed Rice and Coconut Balls

This is yet another breakfast staple of the Konkans which is easy to make as idly rava(cream of rice)is easily available in stores.Earlier it was made soaking rice then coarsely blending it which would take time.This is a easy version which I prepare since many years.

Ingredients:

Idly rava 

(rice rava)                       1 1/4cup

Fresh coconut

  (grated)                         1/2 cup

Salt                                  to taste(1tsp,apprx)

Water                             1cup

Seasoning:

Mustard seeds                1tsp

Urad daal                       1tsp

Methi                             1/4tsp

Oil                                  2-3tsp

Method:

• Wash and discard the water from idly rava.
• Heat oil in a kadai,add mustard seeds and let it crackle
• Add urad daal,when golden add methi and fry a bit.
• Add grated coconut(if having slices then pulse in a blender using little water)and saute for 30 seconds.
• Now add water,salt and bring to a good rolling boil.
• Add the washed rava,and let stand for 30 seconds.
• Now switch the flame to medium and using a spatula keep turning the mixture.
• It has to become like a dough with all moisture evaporated.
• Let it cool down .Now take a small portion and shape to a ball with a little thumb impression in the centre.
• Steam this in a pre-heated idli steamer and steam for 20 minutes on stove top.
• Best served with a drizzle of coconut oil on top with some pickle or any spicy curry.

 Note:
If coconut milk is available it can be used instead of fresh  coconut in which case for the above recipe use 5 tbsp. of it and the process remains same.
I used to use it during our stay in US as coconut milk was abundantly available in Asian markets compared to fresh/frozen coconut.

Some more Pics...


Texture of the sautéed dough



In the Steamer after it is done

Gosale Upkari-Ridgegourd/Turai Subzi(with tomatoes)

This is a simple yet very tasty dish prepared using ridgegourd and has no influence of onion or garlic(which can be added if desired).I learnt this one from my dear friend Jaysree who used zucchini instead.Here since ridge gourd is available in abundance I just applied the same method and replaced it in place of Zucchini.I strongly feel the taste of both veggies are similar and may be they all are gourds and has lot of water content."Gosale "is Konkani word for this gourd and this dish is a little different when it comes to the way how it is usually prepared by GSB's
This has lot of dietary fiber ,vitamin C,zinc,iron and low in cholesterol and perfect for weight watchers.


Ingredients:
Ridgegourd(gosale)                                 2nos
Tomato(L)                                                    1nos

For seasoning:
Oil                                                                    2tsp
Mustard seeds                                            1tsp
Jeera(cumin)                                              1/2tsp
Urad daal
(split black gram)                                     1/2tsp
Salt to taste
Fresh grated coconut                              1tbsp
Red chilli powder                                      3/4tsp
Turmeric(haldi)powder                        1/4tsp

Method:

• Peel off the thick skin of ridgegourd,wash it thoroughly.
• Now dice into thin semicircles.(the qty i used was full in a 700ml amul icecream container)
• Wash and chop tomato into pieces.
• Heat oil in a pan and toss the mustard,once the crackling of mustard ends add jeera,saute for 10 secs,add urad daal and saute till colour changes lighlty.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and saute on medium heat till pulpy.
• Put in the red chilli powder,haldi and saute ofr 20 secs followed bu fresh coconut,give a stir.
• Add the diced ridgegourd,salt to taste and saute on high heat for 30 seconds.
• Turning the heat to low cook covered till the ridgegourd pieces are done.ie., when pierced with a spoon cuts easily
• No need to use water in this dish as ridgegourd gives out lot of water once salt is added.

 

 

Vermicelli Kheer

This is one of the easiest and yummiest kheer that can be prepared in minutes and has been my favourite since ages.There are many brands and varieties available in stores.I have used the thinnest variety in this preparation as we love this kind.A perfect dessert for festive season or any occasion it may be.

Ingredients:
Vermicelli(roasted)                                  1cup
Sugar                                                             1/2 cup(or little more)
Milk                                                                2-3cups
cardamom/elaichi                                   2-3
cloves/lavang                                            1
saffron strands                                         2pinches(optional)
Custard powder
(vanilla flavour)                                     1tsp
water                                                            1/2 cup
Ghee                                                             1.5tsp
Cashew nuts(pieces)                             1tbsp
Raisins/kishmish                                  8-10
(soaked in little water for 30 mts)

 

Method:

• Deseed and crush cardamom seeds and cloves in a mortar adding a few grains of sugar to form a coarse powder.
• Dissolve and stir the custard powder with little milk and saffron to make it lump free
• In a soup pot bring to boil the roasted vermicelli with water and a little milk
• Once cooked and are soft add the remaining milk and boil for couple of minutes
• Add sugar and boil some more.
• Add the dissolved custard powder and keep stirring in between so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of thr pot.
• Cook for 2-3 more minutes and switch off the heat.
• Drain and squeeze the soaked raisins and pat dry on a towel/tissue.
• In a small seasoning pan heat up the ghee,let it be on low heat.
• Add cashew nuts first,when they change to light brown add the rasins and stir with a spoon,when they bloat switch off the flame.
• Add this to kheer,also the cardamom clove powder.
• Serve warm or chilled.