Bhenda Phanna Upkari (Spicy Okra Curry)

Bhenda Phanna Upkari is a spicy dish of the Coastal region of Karnataka. A spicy masala made using red chillies and tamarind is mixed to stir fried mixture of okra and onions. It is then simmered to get a delicious, spicy curry. Generally fish curry is made this way. But the vegetarians substitute okra, mushroom etc for fish. It turns out delicious and is a real treat for those who like spicy curries.

The curry has a bright red color. I love this dish but don't make it often as my husband doesn't enjoy spicy food. Do try making this simple yet delicious curry and I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I did! :-)

Ingredients:

• Okra (Ladies Finger), medium sized- 10-12
• Onion, medium sized- 1 
• Roasted Dry Red Chilli (Byadgi variety) - 6-7
• Tamarind- Small lemon sized
• Oil - 2-3 tsp
• Salt- To taste

Procedure:

Chop the onion and Okra.

Now, to prepare masala - Roast the dry red chili in few drops of oil for a minute. Let it cool. Then grind the roasted red chilli along with tamarind and little salt, to get a fine paste. Add water as required so as to get a smooth thick paste. Masala is ready.

Heat oil in a pan. Once hot add chopped onion. Mix well and fry it until they turn light brown. 

Then add the chopped okra. Mix well and fry for another two minutes. 

Finally add the ground masala.

Mix well and add water so as to get a gravy. 

At this point add salt (If the masala is too spicy then add little tamarind pulp) and close it with a lid. Continue heating until the okras get cooked (around 4-5 minutes). If the mixtures becomes too thick then add little water to get desired consistency. Once they look cooked, turnoff the heat. Bhenda Phanna Upkari is ready!!

Serve it hot as a side dish to rice, dosa, idli etc. Above measurement serves two people.

Read More »

7 Cup Burfi

7 Cup Burfi is a very popular South Indian sweet. This is one of the sweet I used to make as a teenager. Another common sweet which I made was - 5 Cup Burfi . They used to come out very tasty as I was using the fresh homemade ghee.Even now, whenever I visit mom she requests me to make these! :-)

Making this sweet looks simple. It is because we just dump all the ingredients together and cook. It becomes difficult when it comes to the end point. If you miss seeing the ghee separating from the mixture then the mixture gets over cooked and the burfi will not set (In order to avoid overcooking, my husband measured the temperature of the mixture at the end point. Hope it helps). So keep an eye on the mixture after 10 minutes of cooking. I hope you will try making this awesome burfis !!

Ingredients:

• Chickpea Flour (Besan)- 1 cup
• Grated Coconut, fresh/frozen - 1 cup
• Ghee (clarified butter) - 1 cup
• Milk - 1 cup
• Sugar - 3 cups

I just halved the above measurement.

Procedure:

Take all the ingredients in a large pan (preferably non stick or a heavy bottomed). Start the heat on a medium high flame.

Mix well until all the lumps are gone. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium. Keep stirring continuously.

After 15-20 minutes, the mixture becomes thick and slowly the ghee starts separating from the mixture (the color slightly changes to pale brown and the temperature of the mixture is around 180- 190 F). 

Pour this mixture on a plate and spread evenly. Cut the mixture into square or diamond shape, when still hot. Allow it to cool.

Once it cools, 7 Cup Burfi is ready!!

Store it in an air tight container. It stays good for a week. Above measurement makes 15 good sized burfis.

Read More »

'Butter Polo' (Rice Flour Dosa) ~ Using Leftover Batter

"Butter" Polo is a quick dosa made using the leftover Panpolo (Neeru Dosa) batter. I learnt making this dosa from my SIL. In Konkani, Polo means dosa (crepes). This recipe doesn't call for any butter. But it was served with butter. Hence the name :-)

Last year I stayed at my BIL house for a month and ate this dosa couple of times. I was really very happy the way they turned a little amount of leftover batter to a full fledged breakfast, for the next day. I really get excited when I come to know of such ideas. The dosa comes out very crispy. They served this dosa with butter. Hence my nephew (in law) started calling it "Butter" Polo. Do try making this if you have little batter. You can thank me later for this :-)

Ingredients:

• 'Panpolo' Batter (left over) - 1 cup
• Rice Flour - 1/2 cup
• Onion, medium sized - 1/2
• Cilantro (coriander leaves) - 3-4 sprigs
• Green chilli - 2-3 (I didn't add)
• Salt- To taste

Procedure:

Chop the onion and cilantro.

Now add rice flour to the leftover pan polo (Neeru dose) batter. Mix well. Add around 1 1/4 cups of water.

To this batter, add chopped onion, cilantro and salt. Mix well (The consistency of the batter is watery). Batter is ready.

Now pour the batter such that you get a lacy pattern, on a pre heated hot skillet . This way you get a crispy dosa (if the dosa comes out thick then your batter is little thick. You can add little water).

Add little oil or butter (optional) on the dosa to make it crisp. Once the dosa turns golden brown and crispy, transfer it to a plate (or you can also turn the dosa to fry the other side).

'Butter' Polo is ready!!

Serve it hot along with butter or any chutney of your choice. Above measurement serves three people.

Read More »

Batata Phovu (Beaten Rice With Potatoes)

Batata Phovu (Or Aloo Poha) is a simple South Indian breakfast made using beaten rice. It is a very common breakfast in the state of Maharashtra. My mother makes this dish all the time (without the potatoes though). I was introduced to this method (pairing of potatoes with beaten rice) from a good friend who grew up in Pune. 

My husband loves potatoes and enjoys this dish a lot. Hence I pack this for his lunch box once in a while. Do try making this simple yet tasty breakfast! 

Ingredients:

• Beaten Rice (Avalakki), thick variety - 1 cup
• Potato, medium sized - 1
• Onion, medium sized - 1/2
• Oil - 2-3 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Green Chilli - 2-3
• Curry leaves - Few
• Urad dal (Split black gram) - 1 tsp
• Peanuts - 2 Tbsp
• Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
• Cilantro (coriander leaves) - 3-4 sprigs
• Lime juice - 1 tsp
• Salt - To taste

Procedure:

Soak the beaten rice in water for 1-2 minutes. Then strain the water completely. Now sprinkle little salt on it and let it stand in the strainer until the seasoning is done.

Chop the onions, potato, green chilli and cilantro.

Now heat oil in a pan. Once hot, add mustard seeds. After it pops, add peanuts and fry it until it turns slight brown. Then add urad dal, chopped green chilli, curry leaves. Fry for few seconds and add chopped onion and salt. Fry for a minute.

Then add turmeric powder and cubed potato. Mix well. Lower the heat and close the pan with a lid. Cook it until the potato is cooked (yet firm). You can sprinkle very little water to help cook the potato.

Once the potato looks cooked, add in the beaten rice.

Mix it gently. Then add chopped cilantro. Once the beaten rice is heated through, turn off the heat and add the lime juice. Give a final mix.

Batata Phovu is ready!!

Serve it hot. Above measurement serves one.

Read More »

Baalehannu Seekarane (Banana Sweet Dish)

Balehannu Seekarane is a very simple dish. I got the recipe from my MIL. She made this for me during my recent visit to India. As mentioned in one of my earlier posts, I don't enjoy eating bananas. So she made this and I liked it instantly. It also reminded me of the 'Prasad' I had as a kid, of Ganesh temple in Bangalore. 

This can also be served as a  'after school snack' for kids. 

Ingredients:

• Ripe Banana, big sized - 2
• Sugar- To taste
• Ghee (clarified butter)- 1/2 tsp
• Honey- To taste
• Grated Coconut (fresh/frozen) - 2 Tbsp

Procedure:

Peel the banana and chop it into bite size pieces. Then put it in a bowl and add rest of the ingredients.

Mix it gently. Balehannu Seekarane is ready!!

Serve it immediately. Above measurement serves 1-2 people.

Read More »

Kultha Chutney Pitti (Horsegram Chutney Powder)

Kultha Chutney Pitti is a very healthy chutney powder. In Konkani, kulithu means horse gram. Horse gram is a good source of Iron. 
Long time back my MIL mentioned about this chutney powder and I was surprised to hear as it was totally new to me. My mother makes only garlic chutney powder and curry leaf chutney powder. When asked more about it, she told its almost the same as garlic chutney powder (substitute roasted horse gram for garlic). I didn't go to try it by myself as I was not sure of the measurement. But recently I came across this recipe and it was almost similar to what my MIL had mentioned, with couple of more ingredients. I tried it and it turned out amazing. Do try making it and enjoy with your idlis or dosas!

Ingredients:

• Horsegram (Kulithu)- 1/2 cup
• Dry Coconut, grated - 1/4 cup
• Dry Red Chilli (Byadgi) - 7-8
• Curry Leaves - 6-7
• Oil - 1/2 tsp
• Tamarind - Small cherry sized
• Jaggery - 1/2 Tbsp (or to taste)
• Salt- To taste

Procedure:

Roast the horse gram on a medium flame until it turns golden brown (at this stage it starts to pop). Then transfer it to a plate.

Now in the same pan, add oil and add curry leaves. Fry it until all the moisture is removed. Then add dry red chills. Fry it until it becomes warm. 

Then turn off the heat and add dry coconut, tamarind and jaggery. Allow it to cool.

Now add all the roasted ingredients along with salt to a blender.

Grind it to get a powder. Kultha Chutney Pitti is ready!!

Store it in a dry, air tight container. Serve it with dosa, idli etc. The chutney powder stays good for a month.

Note: See that all the utensils you use while making this chutney powder, should be absolutely dry. Little moisture will surely decrease the shelf life of the chutney powder.

Read More »

Piyava Gojju (Spicy- Tangy Onion Dip)

Piyava Gojju is a traditional recipe. It is spicy and tangy and requires only few ingredients. I had heard about this dish long time back from a food group. Finally I tried making it. It turned out very tasty. The spiciness is very well balanced by the tanginess and a little crunch is provided by the onions and the coconut oil gives a wonderful aroma. Do try making this awesome dish and enjoy!!

I adapted the recipe from a cook book written by Jaya V Shenoy.

Ingredients:

• Roasted Dry Red Chilli - 2
• Tamarind - Small gooseberry sized
• Salt- To taste
• Coconut Oil- 1/2- 1 tsp
• Onion, finely chopped- 2 Tbsp

Procedure:

Take roasted dry chilli, tamarind and salt, in a blender.

Grind it to get a coarse paste. Then add little water and grind again to get a smooth paste.

Then transfer it to a bowl. Add more water to get desired consistency (final consistency is little watery). Then add in chopped onions and coconut oil. Mix well. Add salt, if required.

Piyava Gojju is ready!!

Serve it as a side dish to rice, undi or dosa. Above measurement serves 2-3 people.

Read More »