Welcoming Jaya nama Samvatsara - Yugadi 2014

Happy Yugadi to all!

We celebrated Yugadi with a Pooja and traditional Konkani Yugadi lunch put together by friends and family. What a wonderful way to welcome the new year!

Here is the menu, clockwise starting from the rice in the picture
Devastana Saaru
Dalitoy
Avnas Ambe Sasam
Chane Gashi
Taushe Kosumbari
Tendle ani Bibbe Upkari
MaDgaNe
Mirsange Happol
Taak

We also had Adgayi, JeevkaDgi podi, maDDi podi, Churmundo and Jelebi. But did not get an opportunity to click pictures of those.

Potato Stir Fry / Batate Usli

Simple Potato Stir Fry / Batate Usli

There is no other vegetable as versatile as a humble potato. Most of the times potato gets lost in blend of spices or is used as a filler among other vegetables. This stir fry is rather a simple dish put together in 10 minutes with the potatoes being the center of attraction. The Konkani name for it is "Batate Usli", often served alongside Chapatis or Pooris.

2-3 medium sized potatoes
1 sprig curry leaves
A pinch or 2 of hing

Konkani Chick Pea Stew / Chane Vaagu

Konkani Chick Pea Stew / Chane Vaagu

Vaagu in Konkani means Tiger. Its also the name of a spicy stew, perhaps named for its beautiful Orange color and the heat of the red chillies that bring the mouth on fire.

The traditional Konkani Vaggu is made with potatoes and the sauce is prepared by grinding whole roasted spices. This dish has a strong flavor of hing and curry leaves. This recipe is simplified and some of the ingredients are substituted.

How to cut a Jackfruit?

I grew up in the Coastal Karnataka where Jackfruit is in abundance. Back then, not many years back, almost every house with the backyard had a Jackfruit tree, a mango tree and few coconut trees.Since everyone had access to fresh grown Jackfruits I never realized how delicious and exotic these Jackfruits were!

Tomato Saaru / Devatsana Saaru/ Spicy Tomato Soup

I grew up in the small town of Puttur which was a quite town back then. Most of the socializing was during a temple festival or events/utsav's which is usually followed by a delicious finger licking meal for everyone who visited the festivities. These meals are often called boori samaradhane in Konkani which means meals for everyone. Back then I did not find these meals exciting, simply because there were too many of them and often. Waiting long hours for the meals to be served, on a hungry stomach wasn't very exciting. But when the meals are served on a banana leaves and the aroma of the saaru, dalitoy, gashi, pickles noNche filled the lunch rooms ..ah it was worth the the wait. It is a memory to be cherished.

Patrode made easy / Sanna Kotto

Happy Gowri Tritiya & Ganesh Chaturti to all my readers.

Here is one humorous version of the story from the Hindu Mythology. Lord Ganesh was returning from a scrumptious dinner on his Birthday riding on his mouse. The mouse saw a snake on its path, frightened, it ran away tripping down Ganeshji. Ganeshji fell and burst open his stomach. The moon saw this disaster and made fun of them. Out of humiliation, Ganeshji wore the snake around his stomach like a belt. He chased the moon and later cursed him that none of the Ganeshji's devotees would look at the moon on Ganesh's Birthday.

Red Spinach / Red Swiss Chard / Beet Greens Stir Fry (Bajji Upkari)

Red Spinach is a very different from Spinach. Also known as bajji in Konkani, harive soppu in kannada. Unlike spinach the leaves are tough and hold its texture very well. Does not wilt or get mushy like spinach. Here in Los Angeles, these are always available in Chinese or Indian grocery stores.

This Konkani recipe for the stir fry is usually made with Red Spinach. This recipe also goes great with Red Swiss Chard, Beet greens and also Kale! The end product of Red Swiss chard and beet greens is almost same as that of red spinach. But Kale takes a while to cook and is a little chewy.

Chicken Curry - Chettinad Style

This is my favorite chicken curry. I have been making this curry for a few years now and it never occurred to me that I have not posted the recipe yet. There are many different versions of chicken chettinad floating in the web. This is my version..it may not be the authentic one but surely is one of the awesome recipe.

Molavees

"moLavees" Yes, it is a Konkani dish. Probably one of the recipes, in the verge of extinction. When my mother-in-law mentioned it, I wasn't sure she was talking about a Konkani dish. We were talking about the dishes from our childhood, and she happened to recollect this dish. My MIL's mother was from Kerala and this must have been a dish with Keralite influence.

Kori Rotti - Chicken Curry with Rice crisps

This is a authentic recipe from Mangalore. Kori in tulu is Chicken and Rotti is the dried rice crepe.



My version of the recipe is a fusion of various recipes over the internet. Though I found many recipes for this, the ingredients were almost the same with the variation of techniques. I merged the recipes to arrive at a technique that I am comfortable with and I advise the readers to do the same.

Thai fish cake & Sweet chilli sauce

It has been a while since I posted. I hope this will be the beginning of a new episode for my blog. Thanks to all my reader and friends who have been writing and encouraging me to get back to blogging.
Its been a while since I tried any new recipes. When I did I have been procrastinating for a long time.

Recently I was in a mood to try something new with Thai dishes. I looked for Thai fish cake recipes and decided on trying a combination of few recipes including the ingredients that I am comfortable with.

Mixed Vegetable Pickle

Making pickles was my Dads hobby. Though my Dad never cooked Lunch or Dinner for the family, he has a special interest in certain recipes. He loved making pickles. Its a tough job, a very tough job. Its very unlike the regular cooking. May be that was the reason my Mom wasnt so interested in making pickles. I set out on an adventure to make pickles just as a tribute to my Dad. The end result was very hot and very sweet. Ofcourse, pickles are hot. But sweet? right...memories and achievement are sweet.

The recipe listed here does not contain oil and a very traditional Konkani Style pickle.

Heres how to start with the mixed vegetable pickle

Brown Lentil Rice

My dear readers, Thank you for all the emails and inquiries as to why I was missing from action. I just needed sometime for myself to rejuvenate and start with the cooking experiments again. The good news is that I have been cooking more health recipes with a Konkani twist. You will see much more whole grain recipes in the future.



Here is a recipe that my family loved the most - Brown Lentil Rice.

Alle Dalitoy, Katpadi Style Ginger Dal

"Ginger" always reminds me of my Dad. He just loved ginger and wanted to add ginger in every kind of food. Back when me, my brothers and sisters were little, we just hated ginger and would unanimously protest. But now, Ginger gives me sweet memories of my Dad, its a reminder of his love and affection and his hard work to raise a big family.

Dalitoy is one of the signature Konkani dishes. Usually dalitoy is made with hing as in here.

Quick Basil Chicken Curry

I am a little admant when it comes to trying out new cuisines. My husband always makes fun of me that I cook food in my plate in the restaurants. I am always adjusting salt and pepper. I had a very hard time initially in US eating exotic foods. By exotic I mean anything non Indian and non-pizza!

For my surprise I just fell in love with Thai cuisine the very first time. The only secret being its so much closer to Konkani food. Yeah, true Thai and Konkani- bhai Bhai..!!

Tere Panna GanTi Butti - Colocasia Leaves in Garlic Coconut Sauce

Its raining cats and Dogs back home in Puttur, where my family lives. When I call home, my Mom always gives a detailed report of the current news and gossips of the town. From past few weeks she has been complaining how rains and floods are effecting their livelihoods. But all I could think about was about those seasonal goodies that grow in the wet rainy fields, making me extremely nostalgic.

A few months into the rainy season, specialty veggies start growing such as many varieties of Colocasia leaves.

Takka Idli - Sweet and Tangy Buttermilk Idlis

Takka Idli translates to Buttermilk Idli. Its a sweet and sour Idli paired up with a spicy side - sweet tooth's delight and a perfect breakfast for all.

Bonda Sharabat - A Coconut Cocktail from Mangalore

Bonda Sharbat - A coconut juice cocktail made with bonda (i.e. tender coconut in tulu, a local language in Mangalore), lime and basil seeds popular as Bonda Sharbat
Summer brings a lot of memories from my childhood. The hot humid weather paired often with power cuts during the day.

Grilled Corn Tricolor Salad for the Independence Day

Happy Independence Day!




I am back into action! I really sorry for disappearing into the thin air without any notice. Thanks to all my blogger buddies and friends for convincing me to get back soon. Special thanks to all my dear anonymous readers who broke their silence and wrote to me. Today as I am posting this, I realize how dearly I like to blog! I had almost given up on blogging. So here I go again..

Today, I have a Simple and delicious Grilled Corn Salad with Carrots. It tastes as good as it looks.

Brown Rice & Barley Dosa

Brown Rice & Barley Dosa served with Sambar
I always try to alter my recipes to make them more healthy. I do strongly believe that white rice, all purpose flour or maida and other refined products do have very few or no nutritional benefits. Hence I often try to modify my recipes to use whole wheat flour in place of all purpose flour/maida and brown rice and rosematta rice instead of white rice. I have also started experimenting with barley since I found out that barley has more fiber than brown rice.

Ever since I made Brown Rice and Barley Dosa, the definition of dosa has changed forever for me. The dosa looks a little brownish unlike the pretty well known snow white dosas.