Maavinkaayi Chitranna (Raw Mango Rice)

Maavinkaayi Chitranna is a very popular South Indian rice dish. In Kannada, maavinkaayi means raw mango. This rice is very similar to lemon rice but with added flavor from mustard powder and the awesome addition of raw mango - coconut mixture. I found this recipe here few years ago and we both are hooked to it. We like this recipe a lot !! My husband loves to have this rice packed for his lunch box. So do try this recipe and I am sure you will enjoy it.

Ingredients:

• Rice - 1/2 cup (I used Basmati)
• Raw mango, chopped- 1/3 cup
• Grated Coconut, fresh/frozen - 2-3 Tbsp
• Green chilli - 1-2
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Mustard- 3/4 tsp
• Sugar- 1/2 tsp
• Salt- To taste

For Seasoning:

• Oil - 2-3 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Peanuts- 2-3 Tbsp
• Chanadal (Split chickpeas)- 1/2 Tbsp
• Urad dal (split blackgram) - 1/2 Tbsp
• Curry leaves - Few
• Asafoetida (Hing) - A generous pinch
• Dry Red Chilli - 1-2

Procedure:

Wash and cook the rice (I cooked in a microwave oven). Let it cool for some time. The rice grains should be well separated (you can as well put the bowl in a refrigerator for 5-10 minutes. This ensures the rice grains to be well separated).

Chop the raw mango, green chilli.

Now transfer the chopped raw mango, green chilli and grated coconut in a blender.

Pulse it few times to get a coarse mixture. Set it aside.

Now powder the mustard seeds in a blender or mortar and pestle.

Now heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Once it starts to pop, add the peanuts. When it starts to change its color, add in chanadal, curry leaves, dry red chilli pieces, asafoetida and urad dal. Continue cooking until they turn golden brown. Now add the turmeric powder, ground mixture and sugar. Mix well.

Continue to cook this mixture for two minutes and then turn off the heat. Add in some salt and then cooled rice.

Mix it gently until everything comes together. 

Maavinkaayi Chitranna is ready!!

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

Read More »

Coconut Chutney

Coconut Chutney is a very popular South Indian dish, which is served with dosa, idli. There are so many varieties of coconut chutney and I go crazy looking at the recipes in the internet. There are chutneys with seasoning, without seasoning, plain ones, chutney with herbs etc. One recipe which I found interesting was in a video on youtube. I tried it within few days and we really liked it. Hence I thought of sharing the recipe. The recipe calls for chanadal which gives good flavor and provides thickness. The herbs also give wonderful flavor and color. Do try this version of coconut chutney and I am sure you will love it. I served it with Rava Idli.

Ingredients:

• Grated Coconut, fresh/frozen - 1/2 cup
• Chanadal (split chickpeas)- 1 Tbsp
• Garlic pods - 2
• Ginger- 1/2 inch
• Green chilli - 2-3
• Cilantro (coriander leaves) - 1 Tbsp
• Mint (Pudina) - 1 Tbsp
• Tamarind - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Salt- To taste

Procedure:

Wash green chilli, mint, cilantro and ginger. Give them a rough chop.

Heat oil in a pan. Add chanadal. Fry until it starts to change color slightly.

Then add green chilli, ginger, garlic. Fry for 15- 20 seconds. Then add grated coconut. Mix well and fry for a 1-2 minutes on a medium- low flame (don't brown the coconut). 

Then turn off the heat and add mint, cilantro. Mix well. 

Allow it to cool. Then transfer the mixture into a blender along with tamarind and salt. 

Grind it along with little water to get a paste (don't grind it too fine).

Transfer it to a bowl. Adjust the consistency of the chutney using water. I kept it medium thick. Coconut Chutney is ready!!

Serve it with idli or dosa. Above measurement serves 3-4 people.

Read More »

Mashinga Palle Muddo (Spicy Drumstick Leaves Idli)

Mashinga Palle Muddo is a popular Konkani Spicy Idli. Generally Idli is made for breakfast. This variety of idli is spicy, non-fermented and served for lunch or dinner. They taste really good when steamed in banana leaf pockets. I am a great fan of these idlis and my mother makes the best. 

I love drumstick leaves (we call it mashinga pallo). It is not available in the place we live. So I requested my mother to make these idlis during my recent trip to India. I really enjoyed eating them. Few days back I was really surprised to find these leaves in a local Indian grocery store. So picked two big bunches and decided to make these idlis. Do try making this if you can lay your hands on drumstick leaves.

Ingredients:

• Rice - 1 1/4 cup
• Grated Coconut, fresh/frozen - 1/4 cup
• Roasted red chillies- 5-6
• Tamarind - A small ball (gooseberry sized)
• Fresh Drumstick Leaves, packed - 2 cup
• Salt- To taste
• Banana leaves - As required *

*Use idli moulds if you don't have banana leaves.

Procedure:

Soak the rice for two hours. While it is soaking, wash the leaves and remove all the leaves from the tough stalk. Then give a rough chop.

Now grind grated coconut, roasted red chillies and tamarind (add very little water). 

It looks like this after grinding-

To this add the soaked rice without water. 

Start grinding so as to get coarse grains of rice (just like idli rava. If you make a smooth paste then the idlis will turn hard after steaming). Use water as less as possible. 

The mixture should be firm, in order to get firm dumplings. Transfer this mixture to a bowl. To this add drumstick leaves, salt to taste. 

Mix well. The final mixture looks as shown below.

Now grease the idli moulds and fill the mixture in it. If using banana leaves, please refer this post . 

Steam them in a steamer for 20- 25 minutes.

Allow the idlis to cool for 5 minutes. Then remove from the mould with the help of a spoon. Mashinga Palle Muddo is ready!!

Serve it warm along with rice and dalithoy. Drizzle little coconut oil for a twist. Above measurement makes eight big sized idlis.

Read More »

Happla Kismuri (Spicy Papad Mix)

Happla Kismuri is a very simple side dish made using spicy papad. Papad is a thin, crisp disc-shaped Indian food typically based on a seasoned dough made from black gram (urad flour), fried or cooked with dry heat (Source-Wikipedia). Papad is made during the summer  months. When stored properly it stays good for a year. This recipe always makes me nostalgic because my mother used to make lot of papads during our summer vacation. We use to help her making them. The papads would last us for a year.

My mother makes happla kismuri whenever she wants to make a quick side dish or when she doesn't have vegetables on hand. I was not a great fan of this dish. Finally I made up my mind to make this dish (for the first time) just to share the recipe and to be honest it tasted good too :-) Do try this if you like papad.

Ingredients:

• Spicy Papad - 4-5
• Onion, finely chopped - 3-4 Tbsp
• Grated Coconut , fresh/frozen - 1/4 cup
• Coconut Oil- 1 tsp
• Salt - To taste

Procedure:

Mix the chopped onion, grated coconut, coconut oil and salt, on a plate or bowl.

Now dry roast the spicy papads on the flame. Once done smear the coconut oil (I have deep fried the papads. Hence I didn't smear any oil on it instead added it to the coconut-onion mixture). Then crush the papads and set it aside. When ready to serve add it to the coconut-onion mixture.

Mix well. Happla Kismuri is ready!!

Serve it immediately along with rice and dalithoy. Above measurement serves 1-2 people.

Note: Try to finish this dish as soon as possible. This is because the papad softens up as it sits with coconut-onion mixture.

Read More »

Ambuli Pachadi (Seasoned Raw Mango) ~ Version 2

Ambuli Pachadi is a simple dish made using raw mangoes. A year back I had posted a recipe for Ambuli Pachadi which I enjoyed it as a kid during my summer vacations. I adapted this recipe from a cook book written by Jaya V Shenoy. I am a great fan of raw mangoes. I love it so much that I can eat it just with salt and chilli powder. When I read the recipe, I decided to try it and post the recipe. The pictures are not eye pleasing but it will please your taste buds for sure. Try making this when the raw mangoes are in season!

Ingredients:

• Raw Mango, chopped- 1 cup
• Green chilli - 1-2
• Grated coconut, fresh/frozen - 1/4 cup
• Oil - 1-2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida (hing) - A pinch
• Salt- To taste

Procedure:

Chop the raw mango along with the skin (or you can also grate it).

Now take the green chilli and grated coconut in a blender and make a coarse mixture. Transfer to a bowl.

In the same blender add the raw mango pieces and make a coarse paste (if you prefer grating then skip this step).

Transfer it to the bowl containing spicy coconut mixture. Mix well. Add salt. Finally add the seasoning.

For seasoning, heat oil. Once hot, add mustard seeds. After it pops, add in the asafoetida and  turn off the heat. Add this to the raw mango mixture and mix well. Ambuli Pachadi is ready!!

Serve it along with rice and a spicy curry. Above measurement serves two people.

Read More »

Moogadali Usli (Seasoned Split Moong Bean)

Moogadali Usli is simple protein filled breakfast. In this recipe, the lentil is cooked and then seasoned with the basic ingredients. I adapted this recipe from a cook book written by Jaya V Shenoy. I tried making it according to her instructions and it turned out mushy. Eating it was not pleasant. So I tried cooking the lentil in excess water as in this recipe. It turned out just the way I wanted.

Generally usli is served for breakfast and is paired with Teek phovu . Usli is also a popular dish made in temples, often served as 'prasadam'. Do try making this quick and healthy dish. 

Ingredients:

• Moong Dal (skinless) - 1/2 cup
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Green Chilli - 1-2
• Curry Leaves - Few
• Ginger, grated - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder- 1/8 tsp (optional)
• Grated Coconut, fresh/frozen - 2-3 Tbsp
• Salt - To taste

Procedure:

Wash moong dal and cook it in 3-4 cups of water. This will take around 10- 15 minutes. The dal should be well cooked but still hold its shape (You can check it by pressing it between your fingers). 

Once cooked, turn off the heat and drain the water completely.

Now in a pan, heat oil. Once hot, add mustard seeds. After it pops, add green chilli pieces, curry leaves and grated ginger. 

Once they cook add turmeric powder and then cooked moong dal, salt. 

Mix well. Once everything comes together, add grated coconut. 

Mix and continue heating for a minute. Then turn off the heat. Moogadali Usli is ready!!

Serve it hot as it is or along with Teek phovu .

Read More »