Vastad Rotti (Banana Flat Bread)

Vastad Rotti  is a very simple Mangalore dish. It is a very soft roti/bread with a mild flavor of banana. The dough of this rotti is very similar to Mangalore buns. I got this recipe from a facebook group and also got to know that this is a Mangalore special. I tried it for the first time and really liked it. The texture of the rotti was very soft. Try this and I hope you all will love it:-)

Ingredients:

• All purpose flour- 2 1/2 cups 
• Banana (Big,over ripe)- 1 (if small then add 2 of them)
• Yogurt- 2 Tbsp
• Sugar- 4 Tbsp (adjust accordingly)
• Baking soda- 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds/jeera- 1/2 tsp
• Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
• Salt- A pinch
• Oil/Ghee- For frying

You can as well add finely chopped green chillies while making the dough.

Procedure:

Take a ripe banana in a mixing bowl. Mash it well . To this add yogurt, sugar, baking soda, cumin seeds, salt and mix well until the sugar dissolves completely (don't add water).Now to this mixture add 2 cups of flour and start mixing. Remaining 1/2 cup of flour has to be added in small quantities. Final resulting dough has to be very soft. If the dough is sticky then add little amount of flour. Knead the dough for few minutes.(Finally I added a tsp of oil on the top of the dough). Keep the dough covered for 5-6 hrs. 

Now divide the dough into 5 equal parts.

In a small plate take few Tbsp of flour for dusting. Take one ball and roll it in the flour and make a roti (Thicker ones). Then place it on a hot tawa. After few seconds, the bubbles start appearing and then flip the roti.

Fry until brown spots are got on either sides of the roti. Apply oil/ghee, if using. Look how the roti is puffing!

Vastaad Rotti is ready! Serve it hot with any curry or dal of your choice. Above measurement makes five big sized rottis.

Note: #You can as well try adding a Tbsp of besan/chickpea flour and butter while making the dough. This will give you more soft and rich rottis.

#You can substitute half the quantity of all purpose flour with whole wheat flour. This will make the rottis little denser but still tastes equally good. 

#I rolled these rottis the normal chapathi size (thicker ones). You can as well roll them like thick poories and then shallow fry them.

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Limbiya Saaru (Seasoned Lemon Soup)

Limbiya Saaru is a very simple and old Konkani dish. In Konkani, limbiyo means lemon.This saaru can be prepared within 15 minutes, with less efforts. I tried it for the first time and liked it a lot. This saaru/soup has little sourness and hence I served this with rice and a spicy coconut based dish.
Lemon is rich in Vitamin C and has anti-cancer properties. Know more about it here. Enjoy making this easy-breezy saaru (soup).

Ingredients:

• Lemon, small sized- 1 (adjust accordingly)
• Ghee/Clarified butter- 1/2- 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Green chilli, sliced- 2-3
• Curry leaves- Few
• Water- 3 cups
• Salt- To taste

Procedure:

Heat Ghee and then add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering, add green chillies and curry leaves. Fry it for few seconds and then add water, salt. Mix well. Heat it until the water comes to a boil. Once it starts boiling, turn off the heat. Now squeeze out the lemon juice to the hot seasoned water and mix well. Limbiya Saaru is ready!!

Serve it hot with rice. Above measurement serves three people. 

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Spicy Tangy Gobi

Spicy Tangy Gobi  is a very delicious side dish or a snack. This is my amma's recipe and my all time favorite! I still remember those days, as a kid, me and my brother used to tell amma to make this often. We used to call it as Gobi Manchurian :-) 

Now, I don't make that often because my husband doesn't like spicy food. 

One Saturday, I decided to make this as I was craving for some deep fried items. My husband had been to office. So I prepared the spicy gravy without telling him. When he was on his way back home-

V- Is lunch ready dear?

Me- Yeah..I have made something special for you. Wait till you reach home to know what it is:-)

V- Maybe some deep fried item..blah blah...

After reaching home, he saw the gravy and tasted a bit.

V- aaah..this is too spicy for me. Why did you make it so spicy ? I am not going to eat it.

Me- ohh...I am sorry dear..It doesn't taste good if I make it milder. Don't worry. You can just have the fritters. I can finish off the gravy....blah blah....

So what happened next..both of us enjoyed eating it without leaving a bit (even though our taste buds were shouting).

So enjoy making this delicious spicy gobis. I am sure you all will enjoy eating it.

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower- 1/4 th of a medium sized one
• Onion, big sized- 1 (more the better)
• Garlic pods- 4-5
• Ginger- 1/2 inch
• All purpose flour/Maida- 1/2 cup
• Corn flour- 2 Tbsp (optional)
• Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
• Dry red chilli- 6-7
• Tamarind- A large lemon sized ball (adjust accordingly)
• Salt- To taste
• Oil- 2-3 tsp+For deep frying

Procedure:

To make masala:

Roast the dry red chilis in few drops of oil for 30- 45 seconds. Allow the chilis to cool. 

Then grind the roasted chilli, tamarind, salt along with water to get a fine paste. Set it aside until it is required.

Peel and chop the onion. Now heat oil in a kadai and add chopped onions. Fry it on a medium flame until it turns translucent.

Now add grated ginger and garlic to the onion and continue heating till it turns light brown. Meanwhile make a paste of dry red chillies and tamarind by adding required amount of water.

Now add the ground paste to the onion mixture and mix well. Add salt to taste and water, if required. Adjust the consistency of the gravy to medium thick or little more thinner than that. Bring it to a boil. Then continue heating for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Now the gravy or the Spicy Tangy dip is ready. Transfer it to a serving bowl.

Next step is to make the cauliflower fritters.

Cut the cauliflower into bite size florets and wash them thoroughly. If it has worms then soak the florets in hot salt water for 10 minutes and drain the excess water completely.

Now take a mixing bowl and add all purpose flour, corn flour, pepper powder and salt. Mix it well and then add water little by little to form a thick paste. Then add the cauliflower florets and mix well. See that all the florets get an even coating.

Fry them in oil, until they turn golden brown. Drain the excess oil on a paper towel. The cauliflower fritters are ready!

So now, it is ready to dig in! Use the spicy tangy gravy as a dip for the fritters.

Another way of serving it, would be- Take few fritters in a bowl and add few teaspoons of the spicy tangy gravy on it and let it rest for five minutes (so that the fritters will absorb all the juices). Then serve the soft, spicy gobi! Hmmm..Its just heaven!

Serve this dish hot. Above measurement serves two people.

Note: # Don't use chilli powder instead of dry red chillis. The freshly ground chillies gives a very good taste to the gravy.

# The spicy gravy is also a good side dish for rice, dosa, idli or rotis. 

#I would recommend to try the gravy with Panpolo. Its an excellent combination.

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Batate Gojju (Seasoned Mashed Potatoes)

Batate Gojju is a very simple, old konkani dish. In konkani, batate means potato. This dish requires very few ingredients and it is very hard that you can go wrong while preparing it. I remember my amma used to make this. I never liked it as I am not a big fan of potato. So she eventually stopped making it. 
My MIL makes it regularly because the whole family is a big fan of this dish. Hence I made for my husband, who is a potato lover (ssshhh..I wanted to post this dish in my blog..hence I made) and guess what? This time I liked it very much. I was wondering why I didn't like it as a kid! 
Try making this simple dish and enjoy. It is a must try for the potato lovers.

Ingredients:

• Potato, medium sized- 2
• Tomato, small sized- 1
• Green chilli, chopped- 2-3
• Asafoetida- 2-3 pinches
• Oil- 1-2 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves- Few
• Salt- To taste

Procedure:

Wash the potatoes and tomatoes. Chop them into pieces.

Now cook the potato and tomato pieces in 2-3 cups (or as required) of water. Add chopped green chillies and salt while cooking.

When the potatoes turn soft, turn off the heat. Allow the mixture to cool. Once it is warm, transfer the pieces to a bowl leaving behind the water (the water can be used later).

Now mash these potato pieces using hand or a masher (don't make a fine paste). Then add asafoetida and the remaining water. Check for salt and also adjust the consistency. Consistency can be very thick or medium thick. The mixture is ready.
For Seasoning- Heat oil. Add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering, add curry leaves and turn off the heat. Add this to the mixture and mix well. Batate Gojju is ready!!

Serve it as a side dish to rice. Above measurement serves two people.

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Moogadali Polo ( Split Green Gram Dosa)

Moogadali Polo is a very simple breakfast. It doesn't require any fermentation unlike many dosas. It is very easy to prepare and can be made within 15 minutes excluding the soaking period. It is also a protein rich breakfast, hence a good option for those who are looking for non-rice dosa.
I tried making this for the first time. I was little bit doubtful about the taste but to my surprise it tasted very good. Try making this healthy dosa and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Split green gram/Hesrubele/Moogadali- 3/4 cup
• Green Chillies- 3-4
• Onion, small sized- 1
• Cilantro/Coriander leaves- 5-6 sprigs
• Salt- To taste
• Oil- For frying

Procedure:

Wash and soak the split green gram for 3-4 hours. 

Drain the water and grind it along with green chillies, to get a fine paste. Add water if required. Transfer this into a bowl. The consistency of the batter should be medium (not too thick or thin). Now add salt, finely chopped onion (you can as well fry the chopped onions till translucent) and coriander leaves. Mix well. The batter is ready.

Now heat the tawa on a medium flame and add a ladel full of batter and start spreading it in circular motion. Spread oil on the surface (optional) and then close it with a lid. Let it cook until the base of the dosa turns golden brown. This might take 1- 1.5 minutes).

Then flip the dosa to cook the other side. Let it remain, until you get a few brown spots.

Transfer to a plate. Moogadali Polo is ready!!

Serve it hot with chutney. Above measurement serves two people.

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Tomato Saaru (With Dal)

Tomato Saaru is a very delicious accompaniment to rice. There are so many varieties of tomato saaru. I am not a big fan of Tomato saaru but this saaru won my heart. I tasted this for the first time at my friends place. I liked it soo much that I asked him the measurements. He had to call his mother and gave me a rough measurement. It was in my to do list from so many months. Finally I made it and the taste was so good that my happiness knew no boundaries. The method might look lengthy but its worth to give a try! 
Try this method and I am sure you all will love it!

Ingredients:

• Tomato, medium sized- 2-3
• Toor dal- 1/4 cup
• Ginger, grated- 1/2 tsp
• Green chillies, sliced- 2-3
• Cilantro/Coriander leaves- Few sprigs
• Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
• Tamarind- A small piece (adjust accordingly)
• Salt- To taste

For Masala:

• Dried red chillies- 3-4
• Coriander seeds- 2 Tbsp
• Split black gram/Urad dal- 1 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds/Jeera- 2 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds/Methi seeds- 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida- 2-3 pinches
• Oil- 1 tsp
• Grated Coconut, fresh/frozen- 3-4 Tbsp (Optional)

For Seasoning:

• Oil- 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds/Jeera- 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves- Few

Procedure:

Wash the tomatoes and cut them roughly into big chunks. 

Now cook these tomato pieces adding water as required along with green chillies and ginger. Add salt, to taste. Meanwhile, cook the dal in a cooker adding water as required for 2-3 whistles.

Once the tomato looks cooked, transfer them on a plate (without water) and allow them to cool. Once completely cooled remove the outer skin of the tomato. Put these pieces in a mixer and pulse it 2-3 times, for couple of seconds (don't make a puree). Put it in a bowl.
Now Fry the spices listed under masala, one by one (except grated coconut), until they turn light brown using oil. Allow them to cool. 

Now grind the grated coconut (if using) to a smooth paste. To this add all the roasted spices and tamarind, to get a smooth paste. Add water as required. Now, the masala is ready.
Next step would be to mix all of them one by one. First add the crushed cooked tomato to the left over water containing ginger and green chillies. Then add cooked dal (beaten properly) and ground masala. Mix well. Add turmeric powder and salt, if required. Bring it to a boil. Adjust the consistency by adding water (you can make it very thin or medium thick). Continue heating for 3-4 minutes after it comes to a boil. Garnish it with chopped cilantro.Turn off the heat.
For seasoning- Heat oil. Add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering, add cumin seeds. Roast it until it turns light brown and then add curry leaves. Turn off the heat. Add to the prepared saaru and mix well. Tomato Saaru is ready.

Serve it hot as a side dish to rice or idlis, with a generous amount of ghee on top. You can as well serve it as a soup. Above measurement serves 3-4 people.

Note: #Adding grated coconut is optional. Skipping it doesnt hurt the taste.
# You can as well make the spice powder. Just dry roast the spices mentioned under masala (except coconut) and then grind them to a fine powder and store it. Add this powder as required while making. This would save the time of grinding and thus helps people who are pressed for time. 
# You can as well garnish a Tbsp of grated coconut, instead of grinding it.

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Beans Upkari ( Beans Stir fry)

Beans Upkari is a very simple konkani dish. I can say it is a basic dish and very easy to prepare. Enjoy this healthy dish!

Ingredients:

• Beans, Chopped*- 1 1/2 cup
• Oil- 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Dry red chilli- 1-2
• Grated coconut, fresh/frozen- 1 Tbsp
• Salt- To taste

*Beans can be substituted by any other vegetable of your choice (Only the cooking time may vary)

Procedure:

Heat oil. Add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering, add broken red chillies. Fry for few seconds and then add chopped beans. Mix well. Add salt and water, as required. Close it with a lid. Keep checking in between, to see whether it is done. When beans is almost cooked, add grated coconut and mix well. Continue cooking for 2-3 more minutes and turn off the heat. Beans Upkari is ready!!

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

Note: #You can also add a small potato (cut into small cubes) along with beans.

#One more variation is to add a small onion (finely chopped) before adding chopped beans and it has be lightly browned.

#You can as well add 1/2 tsp of Urad dal (split black gram), for the seasoning to get an extra flavor.

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