ASHGOURD KHEER

Recently my daughter's friend who was newly married came home to meet my daughter. My daughter told me that her friend will join us for lunch. I prepared few of GSB curries and was making me think of preparing a dessert. I found a small piece of ashgourd in the fridge, which was not enough for a curry. Then I suddenly remembered somebody's post  of Ashgourd payasam in some group. After peeling and deseeding the ashgourd, I got 1 cup of its pieces; I also had a cup of thick coconut milk in the fridge from which I decided to make ashgourd kheer.. and...the recipe goes like this..

ASH GOURD KHEER

WHAT YOU NEED:

Ashgourd - 1 cup ( after removing skin and seeds)

Coconut Milk - 1 cup (thick) and 1 cup thin

Sugar - about half cup

Cashew nuts and raisins - 1 tbs each

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Maida/ Rice powder / Cashew paste - 2 tsp ( for thickening)

KUVALE KHEER

ASH GOURD / KUVALE KHEER

HOW TO MAKE:

Chop Ashgourd pieces in bits and cook till soft in 1 cup thin coconut milk.

Add sugar and mix well. 

Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a small pan and fry cashew nuts till brown and raisins till fluffy.

Then add coconut thick milk to the ash gourd pieces, mix.

Immediately add thickening agent to the kheer and stir well.

Pour cashew nuts and Raisins along with ghee to the kheer. 

Put off the flame.

Then add cardamom powder.

Serve warm Ash gourd kheer  as dessert.

SWEET KHICHDI

Last month we had been to my sister -in-law's place at B'lore. She had prepared so many dishes and one of them was Khichdi. She had added broken wheat to the khichdi and I found that it was tastier than the one which I usually make.  I used to prepare with semolina, which was my mother-in-law's recipe and I had already posted it on my blog. So I never bought broken wheat for the dishes that I prepare. My sister-in-law gave me a packet of broken wheat so that I can also prepare this.

SWEET KHICHDI

WHAT YOU NEED:

Chanadal - 1/2 cup

Broken wheat - 3/4 cup

Coconut gratings - of half coconut

Sugar - 1 cup or to taste

Cashew nuts - 1 tbsp

Raisins - 1 tbsp

Almonds - 1 tbsp

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Ghee 

SWEET KHICHDI MADE OF CHANA DAL AND BROKEN WHEAT

SWEET KHICHDI

HOW TO MAKE:

Wash chana dal and cook with enough water till soft.

Add broken wheat and cook till it is soft.

Heat little ghee in a small pan and fry the nuts and raisins.

Add sugar to the cooked chana dal and broken wheat. Stir well.

Add coconut gratings and keep stirring for a minute.

Keep stirring till the khichdi becomes thick.

Add nuts and raisins and mix well.

Add cardamom powder too.

Finally add 1-2 tbsp of ghee and mix thoroughly.

Serve warm Sweet Khchidi as Dessert. 

MASALA DOSA

Dosas are made in different ways  and different taste too according to the ingredients which we added. I have posted 2 types of Masala Dosa recipes with some variations. In South Indian homes, dosa is the main palatable food for breakfast. Dosa is served with mainly chutney, masala and sambar. Children likes to take with ghee and suger, which we used to have in our childhood days. Today I am going to post the recipe of Masala dosa with slight changes. Believe me it was so crisp and tasty. Here it is....

MASALA DOSA

WHAT YOU NEED:

Udad dal - 1/4 CUP

Raw rice - 1 1/2 cup

Methi seeds/ fenugreek seeds - 1 1/2 tsp

Cooked raw rice - 1 big hand full

Salt - to taste

CRISP MASALA DOSA

HOW TO MAKE:

Wash and soak udad dal along with fenugreek seeds for 4 hours.

Soak raw rice separately for 4 hours.

Now grind udad dal first to a fine paste, add some water while grinding. (Grind at least for 15 minutes.,)

OR you can soak all udad dal, rice, methiseeds together for 3-4 hours and grind it along with cooked rice till smooth.

Remove the batter in a vessel.

Now grind rice along with cookedrice to very smooth. Remove the batter in same vessel.

Put salt and keep it overnight or for8 hours for fermentation.

Next day, stir the batter very well. Add water if needed.

Now heat fosa tava. When smoke comes reduce the flame to medium.

Pour one ladleful batter on the tava, spread thin with the help of back of the ladle.

Put 1/2 tsp oil around the dosa. Allow to fry for few minutes.

Remove the dosa, transfer it on the plate. Put masala on the left side then fold the right part.

Serve chutney in separate bowl.

HOW TO MAKE MASALA:

What you need:

Potatoes 4 medium (Boiled and mashed roughly)
Onion 2 big, chopped
Ginger, finely chopped 2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Green chillies 4, slit
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Coriander leaves, finely chopped 2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Udad dal 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tbsp

How to make:

Heat kadahi with oil.
Add mustard seeds, udad dal, ginger, green chillies  and curry leaves.
Then add chopped onions and stir for few minutes, don't allow to change the color of onions.
Then add mashed potatoes, turmeric powder and add salt and little water. Stir well. 
Finally add coriander leaves.

CHUTNEY:

What you need:

Coconut 1/2 grated
Green chillies 4
Salt 

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

How to make:

Grind coconut, green chiily and salt to a fine paste. Add some water to make the right consistency.

Heat oil in a small pan, splutter mustards, add curry leaves. Then add to chutney.

ASH GOURD / KUVALE PULLIKODDEL

Ash gourd / Kuvale pullikoddel is mainly prepared in  temple festivals. This is one of the most popular dishes among GSB community. I have prepared ash gourd and potato upkari, sambar, sasam and also I made halwa with this. Already I have posted some recipes in the Lable 'Konkani Preparation'. You will find it little sweetish, sour, at the same time spicy too. The recipe goes like this....

ASH GOURD / KUVALE PULLIKODDEL

WHAT YOU NEED:

Ash gourd / Kuvale - 2 cups ( peeled, deseeded and cubed)

Coconut gratings - 1/2 cup

Dry red chilly - 5-6

Udad dal - 1 tsp

Chana dal - 1 tsp

Coriander seeds - 2 tsp

Raw rice 3/4 tsp

Sesame seeds / til - 1 tsp

Tamarind - small gooseberry size

Turmeric powder - a pinch 

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Jaggery / Date syrup - 1 cube jaggery / 3 tsp date syrup ( I used date syrup here)

Salt - to taste

INGREDIENTS FOR MASALA

KUVALE PHODE AND GROUND MASALA

For Seasoning :

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

KUVALE PULLIKODDEL

HOW TO MAKE:

Cook ash gourd chunks in little water along with turmeric, salt and jaggery.

Heat a small pan with a tsp oil. Add red chilly and roast. Take it out.

Then roast Udad dal, chana dal, coriander seeds, raw rice, til one by one. 

Then roast coconut gratings till it changes the color and you get the aroma.

Now grind roasted ingredients, tamarind and hing with little water to a coarse masala.

Add this masala to the cooked ash gourd, mix well and add water if needed. 

Allow to boil.

Now heat a tsp of oil in a small pan.

Splutter mustard seeds, add curry leaves. Pour this seasoning over the Kuvale pullikoddel. Give a quick stir.

Serve Ashgourd / Kuvale Pullikoddel as a side dish.

HARVE AMBE TEEK HUMMAN / RAW MANGO CURRY WITH GARLIC TADKA

This is my mother-in-law's recipe, thought of sharing it with you all. This curry goes well with rice, it is sour and spicy, but really yummy!

HARVE AMBE TEEK HUMMAN

WHAT YOU NEED :

Raw Mango - 2 medium sized

Grated coconut - 2 big handfuls

Dry red chilly - 7-8 ( roasted in little oil)

Garlic - 5-6 cloves 

Salt - to taste

RAW MANGO CURRY

HARVE AMBETEEK HUMMAN/ RAW MANGO CURRY

HOW TO MAKE:

Peel the skin of mango lightly with the peeler.

Cut lengthwise.

Cook the mango pieces with salt and little water.

Grind grated coconut and roasted dry red chillys along with little water to a fine paste.

Add this paste to the cooked mango. Add some water and boil it.

Now heat 3-4 tsp of coconut oil, add crushed garlic and fry till they are brown in color.

Pour this garlic tadka over the Mango curry.

Serve Harve Ambe Teek Humman / Raw Mango curry with steaming rice.

CHANA UPKARI

A simple side dish which loved by every one here. My mother- in- law used to prepare every Friday on my father- in- law's demand.  I am preparing it for the first time after my MIL'S death, 3 years ago. Usually small chana is used for this upkari, because of the thickness of it's skin and better taste than kabuli chana. But here i used kabuli chana. Here is the recipe....

CHANA UPKARI

WHAT YOU NEED:

Chana - 1/2 cup

Dried red chilli - 4, broken

Grated coconut - 1 tbsp ( optional)

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Salt - to taste

KABULI CHANA UPKARI

HOW TO MAKE:

Soak chana with enough water overnight.

Pressure cook chana with a cup of water for 15 minutes.

Heat a small pan with a tsp oil.

Splutter mustard seeds, add broken red chillys and curry leaves. Stir.

Pour the seasoning over chana and add coconut gratings and salt and boil it again.

Serve Chana Upkari as a side dish.


S

PATHOLI

One more post from Prathima Bhat Acharya. Patholi is prepared mainly at the time of festivals, in GSB households. The main two festivals are Naga Panchami and Ganesh Chathrti. Here the patholi recipe goes like this.....

YUMMY PATHOLIS!

WHAT YOU NEED:

Turmeric leaves - about 15 

Rice -1 cup

Phova - 3/4 cup

Grated coconut -1/4 cup

Jaggery - a small piece

Salt - to taste

FOR CHURNA:

Coconut gratings - of 1 coconut (3/4 cup)

Jaggery - 1/2 cup (8-10 cubes)

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

TURMERIC LEAVES PATHOLI

SERVE PATHOLIS WITH FRESH GHEE!

HOW TO MAKE:

Wash rice and soak for 1hour.  Drain.

Now grind rice,coconut, washed phova, a small piece of jaggery and little salt along with a little water to a fine paste.

The paste should be thick.

Now heat a half cup of water along with jaggery.

When jaggery melts completely strain through a strainer.

Transfer the liquid back in the cleaned vessel and heat it again till it gets sticky. 

Add coconut gratings, stir till all the liquid evaporates.

Finally add cardamom powder. Mix well.

Now wash turmeric leaves very well, cut both the ends.

Spread on the kitchen slab.

Put a spoon of rice paste on the leaves and spread the paste evenly. Take a spoon of churna and put in a center of the leaves, lengthwise. 

Fold the leaves.

Heat a steamer / cooker/ pedavan with enough water in it.

When it boils places folded filled turmeric leaves Patholi in the steamer.

Steam the patholi for 15 minutes.

Serve Patholis with fresh ghee.

TOUSHE SWEET IDLI WITH THE FLAVOUR OF TURMERIC LEAVES

This guest post is from my dear sister Prathima Bhat Acharya who works as a Lecturer in Mangalore; so she rarely gets time to cook and doesn't get an opportunity to cook as her mother-in-law who is a great cook. Even now she does all the cooking.  I still remember her tasty dishes which I had a few years ago. Whenever she goes to visit her daughter then my sister occupies the kitchen. Yesterday she had sent me the picture via WhatsApp of those idlis which were mouth watering. I remember those days when we were small... We used to come from school and were really hungry to eat the dishes made my our mom !! The evening snack was along with blob of butter or a tsp of ghee. The taste is still lingering in my mouth that I had it in ages.  Here's Prathima's recipe.

CUCUMBER/ TOUSHE IDLI

WHAT YOU NEED:

Rice Rava - 2 cups

Grated Cucumber/ Toushe - 2 cups

Grated coconut - 1 cup

Jaggery powder - 1/2 cup, or to taste

Turmeric leaves - 2, tearing in to pieces

Salt - to taste

TOUSHE IDLI

HOW TO MAKE:

Grind coconut gratings in a mixer.

In a mixing vessel mix rice rava, grated cucumber, ground coconut, salt and jaggery powder along with very little water.

Cucumber contains lots of water so check while adding water.

Now grease the idli bowls with oil.

Fill the bowls with mixture, spread few pieces of turmeric leaves on the top.

Place them in the cooker/pedavan and steam for 15-20 minutes.

Serve warm Toushe Idli with a blob of butter or a tsp of ghee.

DATES SYRUP

DATES SYRUP

A few dates packets were lying in my fridge for long. My cousin brought some packets from the Dates land, Abudhabi, my friend had brought some dates from muscat, some we bought from our Indian stores. I used dates in many GSB currys, I substituted it for jaggery. I thought of making sweet dates pickle for my daughter's lunch box. But I was not sure that she would love this with chappati, as she loves spicy curry with chappati. So I dropped my idea of making pickle.

DATES

BOILING DATES IN WATER

After searching some recipes of dates online, I made up my mind of making Dates Syrup. It can be used as sweetener.

Here I used 3-4 cups of dates and also I added same quantity of water.  I washed dates on running water first to remove its dirt. Then I put all the dates in a vessel and water, then I heated it. Allowed to cook it till it became soft. When it was soft I could remove its seeds easily. I put the seeds in a small bowl and poured some boiled water, then removed a little pulp, which were stuck with seeds. Added this water to dates. When it was cool I ground it to a fine paste.

Then I strained the paste through a muslin cloth to get some thin syrup. Again I added some boiled water to the paste and again stained through the cloth. So I got 2 cups thin syrup.

I heated again that thin syrup to make a thick honey like syrup. No need of continuous stirring. But do not burn it. 

I have kept the dates waste in the fridge to make some dish. I found it still sweet, and can be used it again.

When the syrup is cooled down store it in a glass jar and refrigerate it.

STRAINED SYRUP 

READY TO CONSUME...

WHAT YOU NEED:

Dates - 1 cup

Water - 1 cup

HOW TO MAKE:

Wash dates on running water.

Boil dates and water till they are soft.

Remove the seeds, add some boiled water to seeds and remove its pulp, which were stuck to the seeds. Put this water to dates.

Now ground to a fine paste, sieve or strain through a muslin cloth to get a thin syrup.

Heat the syrup to make thick honey like syrup.

When cool, transfer it to a jar and store it in the fridge.

Serve Dates Syrup as sweetener. It can be added to milk. It can be used while making cakes. You can serve with ice creams.

BISCUIT AMBODO

BISCUIT AMBODO WITH COCONUT CHUTNEY

WHAT YOU NEED:

Udad dal - 1 cup

Green chilly - 2-3, chopped

Ginger - 1 inch piece, chopped

Pepper corns - 15

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs, chopped

Salt - to taste

Oil - for deep frying

HOW TO MAKE:

Soak Udad dal for 3-4 hours. Drain.

Grind udad dal with very little water to a fine paste.

Add chopped green chilly, ginger, curry leaves and pepper corns to the paste.

Mix well.

Heat enough oil in kadahi.

Take a lemon size paste with your wet hand and slid in hot oil.

Fry in batches till they are golden and crisp.

Serve Biscuit ambodo with Coconut chutney as a snack.

BADGAPULI PICKLE / MALTA LEMON

MALTA LEMON LICKLE

WHAT YOU NEED:


Malta lemon - 1

Crystal Salt - 1 medium handful

Chilli powder - 5 tsp

Mustard seeds - 2 tsp + 1 1/2 tsp, roughly powdered 

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - size of a kabuli chana

Mustard oil - 1/2 cup

BADGAPULI PICKLE

MALTA LEMON PICKLE

HOW TO MAKE:

Wash the Malta lemon and cut in small pieces.

Add 1 handful crystal salt to it. Mix well.

Place under the sun for 2 days. Salt will melt under the sun and Lemon pieces will become soft.

I have kept chilli powder, methi seeds and mustard seeds also for 2 hours.

Dry roast methi seeds asafoetida and 2 tsp mustard seeds. When cool powder it. 

Now mix ground powder, red chilli powder and sun dried Malta lemon pieces.

Transfer this mixture in a jar.

Then add mustard oil and rough powder of mustard. Mix thoroughly.

MODAK

This is God Ganesh's one of the fav sweets. I remember Modak a lot when Ganesh Chaturti is nearing. My mother-in-law used to make Modak at the time of Ganesh festival, with rice and also sometime with maida.  Being Ganesh chaturti tomorrow I ve to prepare other dishes too, so prepared Modak Today. This is my dear friend Rani's recipe. I must thank her for this recipe.

WHAT YOU NEED:

Rice / Rice powder - 1 cup

Salt - a pinch

Coconut gratings - 1 cup

Jaggery - 4-5 cubes

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

SWEET CHOORNA

HOW TO MAKE:

Heat half cup of water, add broken jaggery pieces. When it melts strain through a strainer to discard impurities from the jaggery.

Transfer the jaggery syrup back to vessel and heat. 

When it starts boiling and forms one thread consistency then add coconut gratings. Keep stirring till all the water diminishes. 

Add cardamom powder. Mix well. This is Choorna, for stuffing the Modakas. 

RICE DOUGH

READY TO STEAM

AFTER STEAMING, MODAKS!

FOR THE OUTER COVER :

If you are using rice soak in enough water for an hour. Then drain.

Grind soaked rice along with salt to a fine paste, adding very little water.

Transfer the paste in kadahi, then heat adding little water to it.

Stir continuously till it becomes thick.

If you are using rice powder: Mix rice powder and salt in kadahi, then add little water.

Heat the kadahi, stir, add little water again, stir till it becomes thick.

Then Knead well so that no lumps be inside. keep covered for an hour. This process makes the dough soft and can make modaks easily without any breaks.

Take the dough out and again knead. Make small gooseberry sized balls.

Rub oil in your hands, keep a ball in between your palms and press to make a small poori.

Put 1 tsp of choorna in the center of the poori, then close the ends on the top to make Modak.

Now steam the Modaks in Cooker for 12 minutes.

IDLI FINGERS

IDLI FINGERS

WHAT YOU NEED:

Left over Idlis - 4-5

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp / to taste

MADE FROM LEFTOVER IDLI 

IDLI FINGERS

HOW TO MAKE:

Cut the idlis lengthwise with knife. ( about 4-5 fingers from one idli)

In a mixing bowl add red chilli powder and salt. Mix well.

Now add Idli fingers in the bowl and mix well. Keep aside for 15 minutes.

Heat Dosa pan, when hot place the idli fingers on the pan and fry adding enough oil over the fingers, over a moderate heat till crisp. 

You can even deep fry them till they are golden and crisp.

Flip the idli fingers, fry crisp.

Serve Idli Fingers with Tomato ketchup as a snack.

VAALI PAPAYA AMBAT/ INDIAN SPINACH WITH PAPAYA

VAALI PAPAYA AMBAT

WHAT YOU NEED:

Vaali - 3 feet along with leaves

Papaya - 1 small, raw or ripe, peeled, deseeded and cut in cubes

Coconut gratings - 1/2 cup

Red chilli, dried - 4-5 roasted in little oil

Tamarind - size of a small gooseberry

Onion - 1 , finely chopped

Jaggery - to taste ( a small piece) 

Salt to taste

PRESSURE COOKED VAALI AND PAPAYA CUBES

GROUND MASALA

VAALI /INDIAN SPINACH WITH PAPAYA

HOW TO MAKE :

Wash vaali well and chop. Cut the stems in 3 inches long.

Now pressure cook vaali and raw papaya cubes. Normally raw papaya is used in the curry, here I used ripe papaya so I did not pressure cook ripe papaya. I added papaya along with masala and did not add jaagery too because papaya is already sweet.

Grind coconut, red chilly and tamarind to a fine paste.

Add ground paste to the cooked Vaali and raw papaya. Add jaggery and some water and boil for few minutes.

Heat 2-3 tsp of coconut oil. Add onion and fry till they are golden brown.

Add this seasoning over the Vaali Papaya Ambat.

Serve Vaali Papaya Ambat as a side dish.

LADY'S FINGER FRY/ BHINDI PAKODA

LADY'S FINGER FRY

WHAT YOU NEED-

Chopped bhindi- 1 cup

Onion- 1 small chopped

Gram flour- 3tbsps

Rice powder- 3tbsps

Green chilies- 3 finely chopped

Curry leaves- 1 sprig finely chopped

Coriander leaves- 1tbsp- finely chopped

Mint leaves - 1tbsp finely chopped

Salt- to taste

BHINDI PAKODA!

HOW TO MAKE

In a mixing bowl, mix all the above ingredients adding little water.

Heat enough oil in kadahi.

When hot, take some mixture and; make it round and flat then slid in oil.

Fry on batches on medium heat till it becomes brown and a bit crispy.

Serve with tomato ketchup.

BHINDI PAKODA..