Happy Ugadi

Mitkesange Upkari

A simple cluster beans stir fry - made South Canara way! This used to be a staple at my grandmother's house along with daali tauy and sheeth (plain rice) for a simple shivrak (vegetarian) meal for Monday.

Mitkasange Upkari

Cluster Beans - Konkani Style

Ingredients

2 cups cluster beans cut into 2" pieces

salt to taste

Tempering

2 tsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp asafoetida

2 red chlies, halved

Garnish

1 tbsp Freshly scraped coconut

Method

1. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add the ingredients for tempering.

2. As they sizzle, add cluster beans. Saute for 3 minutes.

3. Cover with a lid. Pour water on the lid. Let it cook on a medium flame til soft.

4. Garnish with coconut.

Note -

1. You can use other oil of your choice.

2. I limit our intake of coconut and use it very less. But traditionally more coconut is added.

Source: Enjoy Indian Food

Bhoplyachi Bhaaji

Mom makes this bhaaji for the fasting days.

BhopLyachi Bhaaji

Pumpkin-Peanuts Stir Fry

Ingredients

1/3 cup raw peanuts, soaked in water for 2 hours

1 piece of pumpkin or 1 small butternut squash, peeled, cut into cubes - approx = 3 cups

salt to taste

Tempering

2 tsp ghee/clarified butter/toop

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 green chilies, slit

Garnish

1 tbsp scraped coconut

Suggested Accompaniment

Rajgiryachi Dushmi

Yogurt

Method

1. Soak raw peanuts (preferably from Indian stores) in water for 2 hours, drain and set aside.

2. Heat ghee in a saucepan.

3. Add cumin seeds and green chilies. As they sizzle, add peanuts. Fry for 2 minutes.

4. Add squash or pumpkin pieces. Saute for 5 minutes.

5. Cover the saucepan with a lid. Pour water in the lid. Let it cook on a medium flame till squash pieces are cooked.

6. Add coconut to garnish.

7. Serve with yogurt.

Note -

1. You can add 1 tsp grated, peeled ginger in tempering for a refreshingly different flavor

Source: Enjoy Indian Food

Kolhapuri Chicken Rassa - One more recipe

I had one more recipe for Kolhapuri Chicken Curry in my draft. I had promised many readers that I would post it soon. So here it is -

Kolhapuri Chicken Rassa
Chicken Curry kolhapuri Style

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb boneless chicken, cut into bite sized chunks
• 6 baby potatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup yogurt (optional)
• 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp Kolhapuri masala/chutney

Grind to a smooth paste

• 3/4 cup coconut, roasted till brown
• 1/2 cup sliced onion, fry using oil till brown
• 1 tbsp Kolhapuri Masala (Use more if you dare!!:-D
• 1/4 cup cashews, unsalted & raw, roast for 2 minutes
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds, roasted
• 1 tbsp white poppy seeds, roasted
  

Tempering

• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp onion, chopped
  

Garnish

• 1 tbsp minced cilantro (optional)
  

Suggested accompaniment

• Lemon wedges, raw red onions
• Ghadichya PoLya

Method
1. Marinate chicken and potatoes with yogurt if using and ginger-garlic paste and Kolhapuri masala. Refrigerate till ready to use.
2. Roast and grind the onion, coconut and other ingredients. Grind to a smooth paste adding little water.
3. Heat oil in a pressure pan or handi.
4. Add onion and saute till onion is soft.
5. Add marinated chicken & potatoes. Saute for 10 minutes.
6. Add ground coconut masala paste. Fry for 5 minutes.
7. Add 2 cup water. Bring to boil.
8. Cover the pressure cooker lid. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles.
9. Let the pressure drop of its own. Open the lid. Add salt and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
10. Garnish with cilantro if using.
11. Serve with suggested accompaniment


Note -
1. You can adjust the consistency of this curry to your liking. Make it dry or watery by adjusting the water content.
2. I use yogurt as a marinade for chicken. You can skip it if you don't want.

Source: Enjoy Indian Food

Karlyachi Partun Bhaaji

"Partun Bhajya" are very simple to make. All you need is the basic tempering, frying the veggies till crispy and making it in an iron kadhai (Indian wok). That's it.

Karlyachi Partun Bhaaji
Bittergourd stir fry

Ingredients

• 3 bittergourds, rinsed, scraped, seeds removed, cut into circles
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
  

Tempering

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  

Method
1. Heat oil in an iron kadhai. Add tempering ingredients.
2. As they sizzle, add bittergourd pieces.
3. Keep on stir frying till bittergourd pieces are nicely crispy.
4. Add salt, sugar and chili powder.
5. After cooking, transfer the bhaaji in a serving bowl.

Note -
1. It needs more oil than usual to make the bittergourd crispy.
2. Always transfer to a serving bowl otherwise veggies will turn black if kept in iron kadhai after cooking

Source: Enjoy Indian Food

HinDi - Gooseberry Pickle

Please note that I am not talking about the national language of India which is Hindi but a south canara pickle which is HinDi. :-D

HinDi

Gooseberry Pickle

Ingredients

• 1 cup gooseberries/Awla/Amla
• 1/2 tsp salt or per taste
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 
  

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients except grind ingredients

2. Pour in a clean glass bottle.

3. Keep it under sun for 2 days, shaking the bottle every now and then.

4. Grind with cilantro and green chilies

5. Serve immediately.

Note -

1. Store the leftovers in a refrigerator and use within 4 days.

2. The gooseberry that I get here in US are very tender. They are almost seedless. So my proportion is based on these tender, small, seedless gooseberries. For Indian variety, you may need more salt.
3. Traditionally, grandma used to make this pickle on a large proportion.

Source: Enjoy Indian Food

Phyllo Dough Samosa

If you want to eat samosa but do not want to deep fry, here's what American Desis do. :-D

Phyllo Dough Samosa

Ingredients

• 1/2 packet Phyllo dough
• 3 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled, mashed
• 1/2 cup green peas
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Grind to a smooth paste

• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 2 fat garlic cloves
• 2-3 green chilies (or per taste)
• 1/2" ginger

Tempering

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida
• 1/4 cup minced onion

Method

1. Heat oil in a saucepan.

2. Add tempering ingredients. Saute till onion is soft.

3. Add green paste. Saute for 2 minutes.

4. Now add garam masala. Stir fry for 30 seconds

5. Add mashed potatoes, salt and green peas. add lemon juice.

6. Mix well. Cover. Switch off the gas and let it cool down.

7. Cut phyllo sheets into rectangular strips. Preheat oven 350 F

8. Fill cooled potato stuffing and keep on folding to make a triangle. You can follow the steps shown in Bohri samosa to make the triangular shape.

9. Arrange all the triangles in a baking tray.

10. Spray some oil from oil can such as Pam.

11. Bake for 15-20 minutes till the samosas are brown.

Note -

1. While working with phyllo sheets, take care to cover the unused sheets with damp cotton towel otherwise they will dry out quickly. Similarly, cover the samosa triangles which are ready to be baked - with a damp kitchen towel.

Source: Enjoy Indian Food

Banana Pancake / Dosai

I want to do banana bread this week, so my fruit basket is overcrowded with bananas. Finally, its over riped & still I didn't get time to bake the bread. I dont want to throw them off & decided to make this banana pancakes. Perfect breakfast for busy days & really healthy. Kids will love this :)

Ingredients :

1. Riped Banana - 2 medium sized
2. Rice flour - 1/4 cup
3. All purpose flour - little less than 1/4 cup
4. Sugar to taste
5. Cinnamon powder (optional) - 1/4 tsp
6. Broken cashewnuts - 1 tbsp
7. Milk
8. Ghee

Method :

1. Smash the banana & add rice flour, all purpose flour, sugar, cinnamon powder, broken cashewnuts.

2. Add milk & mix throughly. The consistency of the batter should be little thick like idly batter.

3. Heat the pan, take a scoop of batter & circulate roundwise. Apply some ghee arround & cook either side till golden brown in color.

Serve warm.

Source: Cooking With Swapna

Vanilla Mousse with Vanilla custard sauce

Vanilla mousse is a flavourful dessert served with toppings of different variations. This dessert is creamy & light and the garnish is simply with the vanilla custard sauce & few chocolate flakes. The ingredients may sound simple but the resulting mousse is perfectly balanced and really taste. If you fancy a simple dessert, this really hit the spot. More than that, kids will love it :)

Ingredients :

For vanilla mousse :

1. Eggs - 2 nos
2. Powdered sugar - 1/2 cup
3. Vanilla extract (I used vanilla bean) - 1 tsp
4. Heavy whipping cream - 1 pint

For vanilla sauce :

1. Milk - 500 ml
2. Sugar to taste
3. Vanilla custard powder - 2 tbsp

Can adjust the proportion of ingredients accordingly.

Method :

1. Seperate the eggs. Beat the egg white until stiff adding half the quantity of sugar & keep aside.

2. Beat the egg yolks till creamy. Add remaining sugar, vanilla extract (or seeds of vanilla bean), whipping cream & whisk well.

3. Finally, fold in the egg whites. Refrigerate it.

For the sauce :

4. Take 5 tbsp of milk & mix the custard powder without any lumps. Keep aside.

5. Warm the balance milk & add sugar. Add the custard powder milk & bring it to boil on simmer.

6. Once it starts thickening, switch off the flame. Allow it to cool.

Serve a scoop of vanilla mousse with the custard sauce.

Source: Cooking With Swapna

Butter Chicken

Rich, creamy & perfect side dish for rotis, naan & fried dish too.

Ingredients :

1. Boneless chicken - 500 gms
2. Lime juice - 1 tbsp
3. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
4. Salt to taste
5. Yoghurt - 1/2 cup
6. Tandoor masala - 2 tbsp
7. Chillypowder to spice
8. Butter - 3 tbsp
9. Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
10. Cardamom - 3 nos
11. Cloves - 3 nos
12. Onion - 1/2 cup
13. Tomatoes - 2 large sized
14. Dried fenugreek leaves - 1 tbsp
15. Thick cream - 3 tbsp
16. Corriander leaves for garnishing

Method :

1. Marinate the chicken in limejuice, ginger garlic paste, yohurt, chillypowder, tandoor masala & salt to taste for atleast one hour.

2. Heat 1 tbsp of butter in the pan, add the marinated chicken & cook till half done. Remove the chicken & keep aside.

3. Add the balance 2 tbsp of butter in the same pan, add cinnamon stick, cloves & cardamom. Add finely chopped onions. Saute till tender.

4. Add finely chopped tomatoes, fenugreek leaves. Cook for a while.

5. Add the semi-cooked chicken & the cream. Cook till done & the gravy is thick. Garnish it with corriander leaves.

Serve warm.

Source: Cooking With Swapna