Category: AMCHI KONKANI DISHES

Bitter Gourd Pickle

Bitter gourd pickle

Bitter gourd – 2 medium size

Mustard – 1.5 to 2 spoons

Methi – 1/2 spoon

Jaggery – size day of 4 chana

Bedgi chillies – 8-10

Spicy chilli – 2

Small piece of fresh haldi -1

Small piece of Tamarind – size of an Amla.

Hing – 1/4 spn

6 table spoons of oil

Salt as per taste.

Clean the bitter gourd and deseed them and slice them thinly.

Wash them in normal water and then strain and add salt and keep aside for about 20 mins.

Now squeeze out the excess water and keep them aside.

In a pan heat oil and add the sliced bitter gourd and fry them till they turn crisp.

Just used a slot spoon or ladle and drain them on a plate.

In a small bowl add 1/4 cup of warm water and allow the tamarind to soak for about 10 mins and then extract the tamarind pulp.

In a t spoon of oil roast the mustard on low heat till they splutter.

Then slowly add Methi, Hing,Haldi and the red chillies till they turn crisp.

Now put all this in a mixer jar along with the salt, jaggery and tamarind pulp to a smooth paste.

Now add the ground mixture to the bitter gourd and mix well.

You may use a little water to remove the remaining ground mixture in the mixer jar and add it to the bitter gourd.

Now use the remaining oil to temper the pickle with mustard and some curry leaves.

namithaskitchen

Sweet Appos(Sweet Paniyarams)

Ghee – 1/2 cup

Wheat flour -1 cup

Laayi -1/2 cup

Jaggery – 3/4 cup

Grated coconut – 3/4 cup

Ellakki bananas – 3 finely sliced.

Water- 1 cup.

2 to 3 Pinches of salt.

Method:

In a saucepan heat half a cup of water and add in the jaggery and make a syrup (neither too thick nor watery)

Mix a cup of grated coconut to it and allow it to cool.

Once it is warm add the puffed rice and sliced bananas and mix well.

Then add the wheat flour and salt and mix well.

If the mixture is too thick add a little water.

The consistency of the batter should be thicker than idli batter.Allow it to rest for about five minutes and then the batter is ready to make Appos or paniyarams.

Heat the tava and once hot add ghee liberally into the appo slots and then with the help of a spoon put the mixture in it and lower the flame.

Allow two to three minutes to cook and then with help of a knife flip it over to cook till golden.

Adding ghee allows it to come out crisp and golden brown.

Enjoy it hot.

namithaskitchen

Raw Mango(Kairi)Chutney

Raw mangoes are super food rich in vitamin A and C. They help aid digestion and issues such as acidity and constipation.

Today I am sharing a recipe of an appetising raw mango chutney relished by every member of our family. This chutney goes well as an accompaniment with roti and rice.

I enjoy it with curd rice or par boiled kanji(Porridge)

Since I am fasting I have used Asafoetida (Hing) as a substitute to raw garlic. If you are using raw garlic please use it with the skin.

Ingredients:

Raw mango bits(peeled) – 6-8 bits

Asafoetida (Hing)- 2-3 pinches

Green chillies -3

Coconut grated – 1 small bowl.

Water – 1/2 cup

Rock salt – as per taste.

Method:

In a mixer jar add in all the above ingredients and going to a smooth paste and transfer to a bowl.

namithaskitchen

Pomegranate Chutney

Pomegranate Chutney is an authentic dish prepared in the homes of people in Mangalore.

The peels of the fruit are sun dried and stored in glass jars to be used especially during the rainy season and also during the November December months when temperature is cool.

The peel is rich in polyphenols which are rich in antioxidants beneficial for reducing blood pressure, cardiac vascular disease, improve gut and stomach health, indigestion , control blood sugar fluctuations and mainly an appetiser with anti- diarrheal properties.

Ingredients:

Sun dried peels of pomegranate- 3 to 4 small bits.

Ghee – 1 t spoon

Cumin – 1/2 t spoon

Coriander – 1 t spoon

Red chillies roasted – 2 (bedgi)

1 (Guntur)

Pepper corns – 1/4 t spoon

Tamarind – size of two peas.

Coconut grated – 1/2 cup

Water 1/2 to 3/4 cup

Salt as per taste.

Method:

Heat a pan (preferably iron) and add the broken bits of the pomegranate peels,red chillies,cumin, coriander, peppercorns followed by tamarind and salt.

Roast them on low flame for about 3 to 4 minutes until you get an aroma.

Now allow the roasted mixture to cool.

Transfer the roasted masala to a mixer jar and add the grated coconut and the water and grind the mixture to a smooth paste.

Transfer the Chutney to a small container and the Chutney is now ready.

Please Note:

I have used the bedgi chillies for colour and Guntur chilli for the pungency.

You may use chillies of your choice.

I have fond nostalgic memories enjoying this Chutney along with the kadhi also known a tambuli which is nothing but the Chutney diluted and then boiled and tempered with mustard and curry leaves in a spoon of coconut oil..

Tambuli

namithaskitchen

Semolina / Suji Rava Oondi

I love Oondi’s which just crumble when you touch them. Normally they are made with rice soaked and ground along with coconut and salt.

They are then seasoned and Steamed

It’s mostly prepared by the Konkani community in Mangalore which is my hometown.

The Oondi’s here are made from roasted suji/Semolina, a change from the normal rice Oondi.

They can be savoured on days when one is having a fast or vrat.

Ingredients:

Semolina/Suji – 1.5 cups

Roasted on low flame for about 5 to 6 mins.

Red Chillies – 2 cut into bits

Mustard -1/2 spoon

Curry leaves-2 sprigs broken into bits

Fenugreek seeds-1/4 spoon

Grated Coconut -1/2 cup

Oil – 2 table spoons (Preferably Coconut oil)

Salt as per taste.

Method:

In a pan heat the oil and add in the mustard,fenugreek seeds,bits of red chillies and curry leaves until they splatter and give a nice aroma.

Now add the Suji rava, Grated coconut and salt.

Mix well and then slowly add in 2.5 cups of warm water mixing them until it thickens and is cooked.

You may add another spoon of oil if you wish.

Put off the flame and let the mixture cool a bit.

Now take a table spoon of the cooked mixture on your wet palms and make small balls or laddus of them and then with the help of the index finger make a slight depression on the Oondi.

Transfer the Oondi to an utensil and steam them in a steamer or pressure cooker(without the vessel) for about 15 to twenty minutes.

The Oondi’s are now ready.

Now in a steamer or a pressure cooker place

This helps the Oondi to cook evenly and also gives a look to the delicacy which is enjoyed with chutney.

Red chutney for the Oondi’s:

Ingredients:

For the chutney:

Grated coconut – 1/2 cup

Red chillies – 4. ( you may take 2 each of Guntur and bedgi chillies, the former gives the required spice and the latter gives the lovely colour).

Tamarind – pea sized

Oil – 1 table spoon(preferably coconut oil)

Asafoetida – 2 to 3 pinches.

Water – 1/2 cup

Salt per taste

For the seasoning or tadka:

Mustard seeds – 1/4 spoon

Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

Oil – 1 table spoon(preferably coconut oil)

Method:

In a moxie jar grind the ingredients mentioned above for the chutney. Transfer it to the bowl and then season the ground chutney with the above mentioned seasoning.

Mix well before serving and Enjoy the delicacy with the red chutney.

namithaskitchen

Stuffed Brinjals ( Barli Vangi )

Barli Vangi/ Stuffed Brinjals

Thin slender brinjals are very much in season and it’s time to make best use of this lovely coloured veggie which is awesome when cooked on its own or when mixed with other veggies.it compliments and blends well with most of the veggies.

Barli Vangi is a dish which can be prepared in a jiffy as long as you have all the ingredients to prepare them.

Ingredients:

Purple thin and slender brinjals – 10.

Onions -2

Tomato – 1

Tamarind pulp – 2 spoons

For the dry masala:

Peanut powder – 4 table spoons (which is roasted and coarse in texture ).

Cumin powder – 2 spoons

Coriander seeds – 4 table spoons (freshly ground and coarse in texture)

Asafoetida – 1/4 t spoon

Turmeric – 1/4 t spoon

Red chilli powder – 2 tea spoons

Jaggery – 2 spoons grated

Salt as per taste.

Mix all of the above dry masala and keep aside for another 10 mins.

Wash the brinjals and dry them with a cloth.

Now make a slit into the brinjals and fill each one with the masala and also rub some of the above mixture on the brinjals.

For the seasoning or tadka:

Oil – 3 table spoons

Mustard – 1/2 t spoon

Curry leaves – 2 sprigs.

Method:

Chop the onions and tomatoes and keep aside.

Now take some oil in a pan and heat the pan. Add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves and when it begins to splatter add in the chopped onions and sauté until golden pink.

Now add in the chopped tomatoes and sauté on low flame.

Now slowly one by one put the masala filled brinjals into the sautéed masala and cook them on low flame until done for about 15 minutes.

The dish is now ready to be served.

Enjoy with Roti or phulkas.

namithaskitchen