Papashpala Bendhi (Raw Papaya Curry)

Papashpala Bendhi is a very simple Konkani dish. Few days back, when we went to a Chinese store, I saw a basket full of raw papaya. So I thought- why not prepare Vaali- Papashpala Ambat. Hence got a big papaya and made ambat. Then I was worried about the left over papaya and asked amma, so that she can suggest me a recipe with it. She then told me to Bendhi. I tried it for the first time and loved it. Try making this and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Raw Papaya- 1/4 th of a big one
• Grated Coconut, Fresh/frozen- 3/4 cup
• Roasted red chillies- 4-5
• Tamarind- A small ball (gooseberry sized)
• Oil- 2 tsp
• Garlic pods- 6-7
• Salt- To taste

Procedure:

Remove the seeds and peel of the raw papaya and cut them into pieces (not too small).

Now pressure cook these pieces adding little water and salt, for one whistle.

For masala- Grind grated coconut, roasted red chillies and tamarind to a fine paste, adding water as required. Add this paste to the cooked raw papaya pieces and bring it to a boil.

Continue heating for five more minutes and turn off the heat. Consistency of the gravy should be medium thick.

For seasoning- Heat oil and add crushed garlic pods. Fry it until it turns golden brown. Add this to the prepared gravy. Papashpala Bendhi is ready!!

Serve it hot with rice. Above measurement is for serving two people.

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Boodh Kumblakaayi Huli (Ash Gourd Curry)- Udupi Special!

Boodh Kumblakaayi Huli is a very popular dish of the Udupi brahmins. It is daily served to the deities in Shri Krishna Temple of Udupi, as prasadam as well as in many other temples of Udupi. I am a big fan of this dish. 
Many years back, I noted this recipe from a magazine and my amma prepares it regularly. After my marriage, this is one of the few dishes which I noted and brought it along with me! I have two more recipes, which I will be posting soon. Try making this tasty dish and I am sure you will like it!

Ingredients:

• Ash gourd/Winter melon, chopped*- 2 cups
• Toordal- 1/3 cup
• Green Chillies, Slit- 2-3
• Cilantro/Coriander leaves- Few sprigs
• Curry Leaves- Few
• Jaggery**- A small piece
• Asafoetida- 2-3 pinches
• Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
• Salt- To taste

*Ash gourd can be substituted with Ladys finger (Okra) or Green brinjal or Yellow Cucumber.

**I add a slightly bigger piece of jaggery. This curry is little bit on the sweeter side. You can adjust according to your taste.

For Masala:

• Dry red chillies- 4-5
• Coriander seeds- 2 Tbsp
• Split black gram/Urad dal- 2 tsp
• Cumin seeds/Jeera- 1 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
• Oil- 1 tsp (generally coconut oil is used)
• Tamarind- A small ball (gooseberry sized)

For Seasoning:

• Oil- 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Split black gram/Urad dal- 1 tsp
• Dry red chilli- 1

Procedure:

Remove the seeds and skin of ash gourd. Cut it into cubes.

Cook these pieces in a cooker adding little water and salt, for one whistle (you can as well cook in a small vessel). Transfer it into a bowl.

Now, take the washed toordal in the same cooker.

Add sufficient water and cook it for 2-3 whistles (it should be well cooked).
To prepare masala: Heat oil on a medium flame and start frying coriander seeds. When it slightly changes color, add urad dal and continue frying. When urad dal turns slight brown, add cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds. Fry until everything turns brown (don't burn them). Take them out on a plate, for cooling. In the same pan, fry the dry red chillies.

Now grind the roasted red chillies,  roasted spices and tamarind, to get a fine paste by adding required amount of water. Add this masala to the cooked dal.

Start heating the mixture and mix well. Add water, as required. Now add green chillies, turmeric powder, jaggery, asafoetida and salt. Mix well. When it comes to a boil, add the cooked ash gourd pieces and mix well. Then add chopped cilantro and curry leaves.

Continue heating for 4-5 minutes and consistency of the gravy should be medium thick. Turn off the heat. 
For Seasoning- Heat oil and add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering, add urad dal. Continue frying until it turns pale brown and then add broken pieces of dry red chilli. Turn off the heat. Add this to the curry and mix well. Boodh Kumblakaayi Huli is ready!!

Serve it hot as a side dish to rice. Above measurement serves 2-3 people.

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Kirlaile Kultha Ambat (Sprouted Horse gram Curry)

Kirlaile Kultha Ambat is a very healthy konkani dish. Kulithu in konkani means Horse gram and kirlaile means sprouted. Horse gram is very rich in protein. Hence it has to  be used regularly. Check my other posts on horse gram- horse gram idlis, horse gram soup and horse gram chutney. Horse gram provides heat to our body and hence it is recommended to use it often in winter. Try making this healthy sprouted horse gram curry and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Horse gram- 1/2 cup
• Potato, medium sized*- 1
• Grated Coconut, fresh/frozen- 2/3 cup
• Roasted dry red chillies- 4-5
• Tamarind- A small ball (gooseberry sized)
• Onion, medium sized- 1
• Oil- 2 tsp

*You can substitute potato with yellow cucumber.

Procedure:

Wash and soak the horse gram in water for 8 hours. Then drain the water and put the soaked horse gram in a muslin cloth (or any cotton cloth). Tie it tightly and keep it in a warm place for a day. The sprouts are ready.

Wash and peel the potatoes. Chop the potatoes into bite size pieces. Also chop the onion.

Now cook the sprouted horse gram, chopped potatoes, half of the chopped onion along with required amount of water and salt, for three whistles.

For Masala: Grind grated coconut, roasted red chillies and tamarind adding little water, to get a smooth paste.
Add this masala to the cooked horse gram- potato mixture and bring it to a boil. Adjust the consistency to medium thick and add salt, if required. Continue heating for 3-4 more minutes. Turn off the heat.

For seasoning- heat oil and add the remaining chopped onion. Fry it until it turns golden brown. Turn off the heat and add it to the gravy. Mix well. Kirlaile Kultha Ambat is ready!!

Serve it hot with rice. Above measurement serves 2-3 people.

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Kadgi- Mashingasaang Gashi (Raw Jack fruit- Drumstick Curry)

Kadgi- Mashingasaang Gashi  is a simple konkani dish. In konkani, kadgi means raw jack fruit and mashingasaang means drumstick. I got this recipe from a cook book written by Jaya V Shenoy. I made little variations. Raw jack fruit curry is one of our favorite and this dish came out tasty. Try making it and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Young/Raw jackfruit- 1/4 kg or 1 tin
• Drumstick*- 2-3
• Grated coconut, fresh/frozen- 2/3 cup
• Roasted red chillies- 4-5
• Tamarind- A small ball (gooseberry sized)
• Urad dal/Split blackgram- 2 tsp
• Oil- 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves- few
• Salt- To taste

*I used Frozen drumstick (Added 10-12 pieces). If using fresh ones, then just add 2-3 big ones cut 2 inches long.

Procedure:

Drain the liquid from the tin and wash the jackfruit pieces (if using fresh, then remove the outer hard cover with greased hands). Cut it into pieces.

Now pressure cook the jackfruit, along with drumstick adding 1- 1 1/2 cups of water and salt, for 2 whistles.

To Prepare Masala: Fry urad dal in 1/2 tsp of oil, until it turns light brown. Allow it to cool. Now grind grated coconut, roasted red chillies, tamarind, salt and roasted urad dal to get a fine paste. Add little water so that all the things get well blended.

Add this masala to the cooked young jackfruit- drumstick pieces. Bring it to a boil (Let the consistency be medium thick). Continue heating for five more minutes and turn off the heat.

For seasoning- Heat oil and add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering, add curry leaves and turn off the heat. Add this to the prepared curry. Mix well. Kadgi- Mashingasaang Gashi  is ready!!

Serve it hot along with rice. Above measurement serves 2-3 people.

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How to make Yogurt (Curd)?

Are you in search for an easy method to make curd, like the store bought ones? Then you should try this method. I am sure you will be a happy person like me:-)
One year back, I still remember about my worries of sour curd. Newly married...not that much experienced in kitchen...Many things went wrong for the first time...Making curd was also one among them.Even my amma didn't have good results with curd. So I was in search of a good method. Finally it was my friend who came to my rescue. I learnt this method from him. I got a Tablespoon of yogurt from him and tried it. My god! It came out perfect! I just couldn't believe my eyes. From then onward, I never failed. So try this method and see that even you can match it with the store bought ones. I am always thankful to my friend, for this method:-)

Ingredients:

• Milk- 1 liter or nearly 4 cups (0.26 gallon)*
• Yogurt/Curd- 1 1/2 Tbsp**

I used 2% milk. You can as well use whole milk, to get more rich and creamy yogurt. 

**The curd shouldn't be very sour.

Procedure:

Add milk to a container and start heating it on a medium flame (I have two stainless steel vessel reserved, to make curd. I boil as well make and store the curd in the same vessel). Turn off the heat, once it reaches its boiling point. Let it cool for some time (10-15 minutes). When the milk is still warm, take few tablespoons of the relatively warmer milk in a bowl. To this add curd and mix vigorously. Add this beaten mixture to the warm milk and mix well. Close the container with a lid and leave in warm place over night or for 6-8 hours (I keep it in a warm oven). Thick and creamy Yogurt is ready!!

Enjoy it! Store it in a refrigerator for future use.

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Combined Post- Veggie Dosa and Paper Dosa

Veggie dosa is a very colorful and healthy dosa. Few days ago, a craze to try different dosas developed in me and I was hooked to my computer for hours, in search of recipes. Then I found a good recipe here. I just adapted the proportion of the batter and made variations. I made two varieties of dosa from the same batter. I am very thankful to Prathibha, for the recipe. 

This dosa is very colorful and hence attracts the kids. If you have a child who doesn't like dosas, then make these veggie dosas. I am sure they will eat, just by seeing the color.
If you are fond of crispy dosas, then try making paper dosa. Enjoy making them!

Ingredients:

For Batter:

• Rice- 1 cup
• Split blackgram/Urad dal- 1/4 cup
• Mixed dal- 1/4 cup (Moong dal+ Chana Dal+ Toordal)
• Puffed rice or Flattened rice- 1/2 cup
• Cooked rice- Fistful (optional)
• Fenugreek seeds/Methi seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Salt- To taste

For Topping: I used onion, carrot, green bell pepper (capsicum), Cilantro (coriander leaves) and little bit of ginger.

I grated carrot and ginger. Rest of the veggies were finely chopped.

You can as well try adding cabbage, peas, different colored bell pepper, tomato, green onion, green chillies.

(If you are not a great fan of raw veggies, then fry them in little oil and then mix to the batter.

Procedure:

Wash and soak rice, urad dal, mixed dal and methi seeds in water for 7-8 hours (overnight). Drain the water and grind this along with puffed rice and cooked rice. Add water as required (If using flattened rice, then soak it in water for half an hour, before grinding). The batter should be thick. Ferment it for 7-8 hours. Add salt as required. Adjust the consistency of the batter, if required. It should be thick but of dropping consistency.Batter is ready.

Now chop and grate the veggies. Mix them together.

Now pour a ladel full of batter on the heated dosa pan and spread it (Don't spread the batter too much) Sprinkle the veggies of your choice on the batter (you can as well skip the veggies and make plain, soft dosa). Close it with a lid, until it is fully cooked, on the surface.

Then turn it to fry the other side as well. Veggie Dosa is ready!!

Serve it hot, along with coconut chutney.

I also tried making Paper dosa with the same batter. It turned out very crispy.

For making Paper dosa- Just spread the batter as thin as possible. Spread oil, if required. Fry it until crispy, on a medium flame. Then roll it like a news paper. Paper Dosa is ready!!

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Tinglodu (Murukku)

Tinglodu is a very tasty snack. It can be made using rice or all purpose flour. My amma used to make it when we were kids. She used to make the All purpose flour version. I miss those badly! 

The winter season has started and our crave to eat something frequently, has increased. Hence wanted to make a snack and thought of making tinglodu/murukku. I wanted to try the rice flour version and saw in a cook book. It was little lengthy. Then also browsed in the internet and finally settled with Chefinyou's recipe. I thought its a quick version. I made a slight change in the recipe.It was very tasty and crispy. We ate it, as it was done and almost 1/4 th was finished within half an hour:-) Enjoy making them!

Ingredients:

• Rice flour- 1 1/2 cups (sieved)
• Urad dal/Split black gram flour- 1/2 cup (sieved)
• Cumin seeds/Jeera- 1 tsp
• Melted Butter- 1 Tbsp
• Asafoetida- 1/8 tsp
• Red chilli powder- To taste (Optional)
• Salt- To taste
• Oil- For deep frying

Procedure:

Dry roast the urad dal on a pan until it turns light brown. 

Transfer it on a plate and allow it to cool. Then grind it finely and sieve it in a bowl ( you can as well use the store bought urad dal powder).

Now mix all the above mentioned ingredients in a bowl. Then start adding water (very little at a time) and make a medium stiff dough.

Now keep the oil for heating on a medium-high. Now take the chakli making press.

At the bottom of the mould we need to add the plate, which gives the desired design. I used this (You can as well use the plate with three holes).

Now divide the dough into two parts. Keep one part of the mixture closed (to avoid drying) and the other part in the mould. Now start rotating it in clockwise direction and make small tinglodu (murrukku). Make random shapes but take care that, the strings of murrukku should not have free ends (they should be sealed. otherwise there are chances of some strings opening up).

You can make tinglodu/murukkus on a newspaper (as required for one batch. Don't make too much of them in advance. It will dry and fall apart while frying) and then transfer into hot oil carefully.

Fry them evenly on both sides, until they turn light brown (another indication of the end point is the bubbles stop forming). Take it out and drain the excess oil on a paper towel.

Tinglodu is ready!!

Store them in an air tight container.

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