Koyaad~Indian State Maharashtra

Koyaad

One of the curries my MIL prepared in summer was Kooyad! I could just remember the name not the ingredients and that it is made in summer… big help that it was!

I asked on the whatsup group about making of this curry both in the BM group and the family group.

My elder SIL, Seema rang me up. She told me since she cannot type all this on the mobile she is ringing me up. How I wish she had written I just would have copied and pasted! :D

So what is Koyaad? It’s a piquant curry prepared from the seeds of a mango! Koy in Marathi is the hard seed of Mango! After cutting up the raw mango for pickle, she used make a lot of them you are left with the seed which has some of the fruit but it cannot be used.

What better representative of Maharashtra where you are encouraged not waste foodstuff! 

How do you make it?

Koyaad

Indian State: Maharashtra

Ingredients:

• 4-5 mango seeds
• 2 tsp oil
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp mango pickle masala
• 1 lemon sized ball Jaggary (adjust as per taste) 
• Water
• Salt

Method:

• In a pan take a non reactive one okay that’s too big a word steel container add mango seeds.
• Cover them with water. A little above the seeds, say 2 cups of water and boil it, say 10 minutes( next time one whistle in the cooker).
• Cool the water. Then remove all except 2 seeds out and remove the pulp of the mangoes. Discard the seeds. 
• In the chutney pot of the mixer mash the mango pulp to a smooth consistency.
• In a kadhai/wok heat the oil and add mustard seeds.
• Add the mango pulp, jaggary, salt, pickle masala, the reserved mango seeds and bring to boil.
• Once it thicken a little your koyaad is ready.
• Serve with rice.

Notes:

•  Adjust the jaggary as per taste. You will need more or less jaggary depending upon your taste and the sourness of the mangoes.

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Tinda Stuffed with Paneer and Mint~ Dedicated to Mom

 I decided to make tinda and started to make Tinda Do piyaza that I had seen here.

However as I started long lost memories of how we, that is we siblings, hated this vegetable as kids swamped me. We always fought with my mother when we saw this vegetable. But in the sweltering heat of Nagpur and Akola where we spent our childhood in the summer very few vegetables were available. One was Gola Bhaji and other dhemsa or tinda. Poor mom had nothing to make, she must have been so frustrated…

Usali the Goan Way

I have been living in Goa for many years but still one article that was printed in the Times of India was an eye-opener.

The author of the article was Melinda Pereira Kamat and she wrote about The Perfect Usali, in case you are interested it is featured in the Times of India, Goa edition on Tuesday, July 13, 2010.  I was supposed to scan and post it here but... hope will do so in near future. 

Till I read this article my view about usal or usali was that it is made in Karnataka and Maharashtra/Gujarat and the method that I followed was about similar to what my mother and MIL made. That is it has garlic and onion for Kaku (my MIL) made it that way and it had coriander and coconut ground for Amma. So I had mixed both and made my usal.

Shahi Ande

From the time Radhika announced her Mughlai Event I know that there is one cuisine that I have not posted as yet the Mughlai cusine. In fact from the time I have become conscious of the middle age spread I have stopped making Mughlai cusine for the food is rich. But there are exceptions and here is one of them.

Respecting my FIL’s sentiments I generally do not cook eggs. But when he is out of station we eat live and drink eggs.

Cauliflower Curry

These days I am not blogging too much or even visiting my friends a lot.

Not because I don’t want to but because  I have to go for an evening walk (Doctors orders) and by the time I come back the kids are on the net and unless there is something urgent I don’t want to chase them away.


Also since I am a “two finger typer”  and I use the same to fingers for the mouse handling  both home and at work the fingers  have started protesting and I have been warned by our programmer that I am heading towards  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome  and to take care, I am scared.  I take breaks and give up computers in the evening.

Raw Banana/Plantain Curry

This month I have two events running both close to my heart.
Back to roots where you can repost your own recipe with new pictures and send it to me and the other is Priya’s Veggie/Fruit of the month-Raw Bananas hosted by me.

Raw Bananas or plantains as they are called are high in starch content. So they can replace potatoes in most cases. Get the hint?

Black & White Wednesday & Mattar Paneer~Blog Hop# 5

For today's blog hop I am paired with Radhika of Tickling Palates and the brain behind the wonderful Blog Hop.

Radhika has a number of exiting recipes and I have bookmarked quite a few recipes. In fact I made this delicious Mattar Paneer (click here for the link) last Wednesday when it was "Avidhwa Navami".

Alsande Usal

I am thrilled my post Corn Dhokla has given me maximum hits of 1072 in one single day! This I thought was the end of the story but yesterday  I read   Umm Mymoonah post and   she has selected mine. My cup of joy is overflowing!!

Thanks dear !

  

 Now coming to today’s post…

Alsande or I believe they are called Cow Chick Peas are cooked regularly in Goa. In the month of May they are purchased in bulk, sunned and stored for consumption during the year.

The most common dish made out of these highly nutritious beans is Alsande che tonak. A beautiful blend of spices, coconut and beans tastes great with pao or une.

 But I am repeating myself. Why? Because I love this quintessential dish which makes its appearance in every Goan marriage or munj.

But today I have made this as a simple Usal. The ingredients are very few and the taste is normal everyday comfort food.

 I am sorry I did not think of clicking a picture of the alsande before boiling them or soaking them I have tried to click them after boiling but they were not easy to handle.

Ingredients:

1 cup alsande

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1 green chilli

 A few springs of coriander

½ tsp red chilli powder (adjust as per taste)

½ tsp turmeric

1 tsp goda masala

A small ball of tamarind

A small piece of jaggery (optional)

For Tempering:

Oil

 Mustard

Method:

1.      Soak the alsande after washing them in sufficient water overnight.

2.    Soak the tamarind in water and extract thick juice.

3.        In the morning add a little salt and pressure cook for 3 whistles. Let the pressure come down by itself.

4.         In the meanwhile coarse grind the onion, coconut, garlic and the dry masala & coriander in the mixer.

5.        In a separate kadhai/wok heat oil. Splutter mustard.

6.      Add the ground masala and stir fry till the onion is translucent.

7.    Add the boiled alsande.

8.     Add the tamarind paste and jaggery if using. Adjust the seasonings & bring to a boil.

9.    Serve hot with Jowari roti or chapatti. I love it with plain white rice.

   

 Sending this to my legume love  affair 39   which is Susan's brain child

Archana

Drumsticks/ Shevgya che Shenga /Nuggekai/ Shango Curry

Just imagine your friend asks for something and since it is not readily available you decide to give it later and then you forget…!!

Unforgivable!!

This is exactly what I have done but I hope my friend Mythreyi does forgive me!!

She had posted some drumstick recipes and wanted some more of curry recipes with them. Drumsticks/ Shevga che shenga  /Nuggekai/ Shango as they are know in English/ Marathi/ Kannada/ Konkani  are a rich source of calcium and potassium. Read about it here.

I was quite surprised that I had not posted this curry that I make often. In my mom’s place it is used only in sambhar, my mother-in-law used in kadhi, I have not made the kadhi yet but will try it out soon. 

This recipe is what my friends’ mom used to make and since the kids loved it I copied it.  You can as in the original recipe add prawns which taste yummy but I am clueless about cooking them.  You are the expert if you are using prawns but I will guarantee the taste!

The Ingredients are simple:

5 drumsticks, chopped the size about 2 knuckles

½ a coconut, freshly grated

1 tsp rasam powder or sambhar powder (adjust as per taste)

A small ball of tamarind

½ tsp turmeric

½ tsp chilli powder

3 cloves garlic (optional)

1 small ball of jaggery

1 tsp oil

Mustard

Hing/asafoetida

Salt

Coriander

Method:

1.       Place the drumsticks in a wide vessel use just enough water to cover all the drumsticks mix salt. Cover and par boil.

2.       Meanwhile grind the coconut, the masala powder, tamarind, turmeric, chilli powder, garlic (if used) and jaggery to a very fine paste using little water. Many times I grind the masala only after I have boiled the drumsticks and I use the water from the drumsticks only.

3.       Pour over the masala over the drumstick and bring to a boil. Adjust the seasonings.

4.       In a small pan heat the oil, splutter mustard, then hing/asafoetida.

5.       Pour over the drumstick curry. Cook till the drumsticks are done.

6.       Serve with steaming hot rice.

  

Drumsticks Curry

Archana

Reposting for Events-Lets Get Stuffed Series- Bell Peppers or Capsicum

Thanks all of you for your prayers and good wishes my father is on the path of recovery! The update today is that he is making the hospital staff's life miserable!! I think he plans to make them so tired of him they will say he is fine and send him home. Haha!

Coming to my first event which I have been neglecting I am reposting an old recipe from my blog .This is my SIL, my Bhabhi's post but she had not posted any pictures. I used this opportunity to repost the recipe with the pictures.

I have followed the recipe in almost every way except I have not boiled the capsicum before hand just cooked it in the gravy. Also I was lazy and have not chopped the tomatoes fine as needed, I was heating milk and some was left in the packet so I poured it over the the capsicum. An yes I have doubled the recipe.

Sending this my first event here and to Vatsala of Show and Tell's announcement here.

Mushroom Tonak

"Tonak" is  a gravy dish very popular here in Goa. You generally eat Tonak in the night with the delicious "pao", "poli" or "uno" brought from the "Poder" who comes honking on his cycle with a bamboo basket of his wares covered and still hot from the oven, when you buy it. If the tonak is left over have it in the morning for you breakfast again with the hot breads supplied by the "Poder".

I have made mushroom tonak but it is made out of  a variety of legumes right from dried peas, alsande or black eyed beans, whole masoor only soak them.

Tonak is, I have been told by my neighbour, a corrupted form of the word "Tondak lav pak" literally something to apply for the mouth.

Ingredients:

 1 ½ cups freshly grated coconut

1 onion chopped, lengthwise

6 cloves garlic

1-2 onions, chopped fine

200 grams of mushroom, chopped

A small ball of tamarind

Oil

Salt

Haldi/turmeric

a few springs of coriander

For the masala:

1 tsp coriander seeds

¼ tsp jeera

¼ tsp bedishep

½ tsp khus khus

3-4 red chillies

1 inch piece of cinnamon

4 cloves

4-5 black pepper

1 petal of star aniseed/dagad phool

A small piece of jaiphal/ nutmeg

Method:

1.       In a tsp of oil fry the red chillies, keep aside. Fry the other ingredients for the masala individually add oil if necessary. Keep aside.

2.        In the same pan fry the coconut,  onion chopped lengthwise and garlic, on low flame till the coconut is reddish brown in colour, use oil if needed. Cool.

3.       Grind to a fine paste the fried masala and coconut mixture with the tamarind and coriander.

4.       In another pan with another tsp or two of oil fry the onions till soft then add the chopped mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms till done adding water if needed.

5.       Add the ground masala paste, turmeric, salt.

H6.     Serve hot.

Here i have mixed tonak  with tomatoes chopped fine because I like the colour of tomatoes.

Paneer Pav Bhaji

We all love Pav Bhaji and I make it quite often, generally because there is too little of all the vegetables to be cooked individually or I am short of time.

Today I made Paneer Pav Bhaji it as I had to leave early and finish the few cubes of paneer left over in the fridge. Need I say more?

Ingredients:

2 cup mixed vegetables like cauliflower, carrots, French beans

2-3 potatoes

3 onions

2 tomatoes

1 cup peas

1 capsicum, chopped fine

2 tblspn garlic paste

1 tblspn ginger paste

Pav bhaji masala

Red chilli powder

Salt to taste

Butter/oil for frying vegetables

Butter for frying the pav

Coriander, onions chopped fine and lime for garnishing

Method:

1.       Pressure cook the vegetables and potatoes for at least 2 whistles.

2.       Make big pieces of the onion and blend in the mixer. Keep aside.

3.       Do the same with the tomatoes and vegetables. Mash the potatoes.

4.       In a kadhai heat butter (I used butter for frying the onions in the past now I use oil) and add the ginger garlic pastes.

5.       When they are done add the onions and fry on low heat till the oil comes out.

6.       Add the tomatoes and cook till the oil comes out.

7.       Add the Pav bhaji masala and the chilli powder till you get a fragrance.

8.       Add the vegetables, mashed potatoes, peas, paneer and salt.

9.       Adjust the consistency of the gravy adding the water.

10.   When the bhaji starts to boil add the capsicum.

11.   Put off the flame. Garnish with coriander.

To Serve:

On a non stick tava heat a big blob of butter. Put the pav cut in half and soak the butter, quickly turn the pav over and let the other side cook a little. When this side is done cook the other side.

Serve with finely chopped onions, and lemon wedge.

Sol Kadi

Sol Kadi

Here in Goa SOL-KADI and SHEET(pronounced as Sheeet) is everyday food just like any South Indian having curd rice. A beautiful ending to a lovely meal. It is a digestive, an antacid that works wonders after a nice spicy fish curry rice.
The colour of the curry is a beautiful pink………….. baby pink, complete it with a few leaves of coriander and chopped green chilli.
We had 'SOL-Kadi" today after a long time and I remembered my brother –in-law Rajesh a lot. When he visits us in Goa he requests for "SOL- KADI" and he loves it. If anyone can guzzle it down he can.

This recipe is dedicated to him.
Ingredients:
1 Grated coconut
2 green chillies (adjust as per taste)
3-4 pepper corns
2-3 cloves garlic
5-6 amsol
Method:
Grind all the ingredients except the amsol/sola with a little water (say ¾ to 1 cup).
In the bowl you want to make the KADI put the sola and strain the ground coconut through a fine strainer. Press with a spoon or if you prefer squeeze all the juice.
Repeat 2 more with lesser water.
You can always adjust the consistency of the curry but I like it thick.
Let the sola rest in the curry for atleast ½ an hour.
Sprinkle salt to taste, coriander and chopped chillies.
You can serve it with plain white rice or a spicy pulao. Tastes good when you have it as a drink.
Rajesh Cheers!!

Sambhar

Sambhar or Huli as it is called in Kannada is something we need for idli, gundpangala /appe and of course rice. Its simple, fast to cook and very versatile add any vegetable or remove ant that you do not have. The difference between Rasam or saar and sambhar is not just the different masala it is the consistency. Sambhar is thicker than saar.

I prefer the masala I make to the ready made one, I just could not understand, why till my friends and I had had the sambhar I made for a kitty party. Maya, the lady who diagnosed the problem told me it was the additional ingredients like cinnamon and dagadphool that I used, made it different and an "additive flavour".

To make sambhar

1 cup toor dal/turichi dal /togri bali

1 tomato medium sized

½ tsp haldi

1 Onion diced

2-3 cauliflower florets cut in to small pieces

1 carrot diced

2 tblspn oil

1 tsp mustard

2-3 springs curry leaves

2-3 red chillies broken into pieces

½ haldi

1tsp asafoetida

1 tblspn sambhar powder (adjust as per taste)

A lemon sized ball of tamarind

A marble sized ball of jaggery(adjust as per taste)

Salt

1. Pressure cook toor dal with the tomato and haldi.

2. Soak the tamarind in ¼ cup of water and extract the juice.

3. Heat oil add the mustard, when it splutters add the red chillies, curry leaves, haldi, and asafoetida .

4. Sauté the onions when they become transparent add the vegetables.

5. Mash the tomato and dal and add to the vegetables. Mix well.

6. Add the tamarind juice extract, jaggery salt and bring to boil.

Serve hot.

Saar or Rasam

Rasam or saar is the watery when compared to sambhar. You can just slurp it from a bowl. Amma used to lace it with extra pepper when we had a cold.

Saar is made on festive occasions.

¼ cup toor dal/turichi dal /togri bali

1 tomato medium sized

½ tsp haldi

2 tblspn oil

1 tsp mustard

2-3 springs curry leaves

2-3 red chillies broken into pieces

½ haldi

1tsp asafoetida

2 tblspn Saar Masala

A lemon sized ball of tamarind

A marble sized ball of jaggery(optional)

Salt

1. Pressure cook toor dal with the tomato and haldi.

2. Soak the tamarind in ¼ cup of water and extract the juice.

3. Heat oil add the mustard, when it splutters add the red chillies, curry leaves, haldi, and asafoetida.

4. Mash the tomato and dal.

5. Add the tamarind juice extract, jaggery,masala,salt and bring to boil.

Serve hot.

Tomato Saar

Tomato Saar the very name is a sigh of relief for me, for I just cannot go wrong with this one. There are two ways of making it the first one is as my MIL made it ,the second is an adaptation once as my husband said that it is too heavy and thick.
For the first one you will need

4-5 tomatoes blanched
½ a coconut (grated)
2 tsp jeera
1 tsp red chilli powder (adjust as per your taste)
A small bit of jaggery (adjust as per your taste)
½ tsp ghee
2-3 pieces of red chillies
1 spring of curry leaf
3 cups water
Salt as per taste

Method:
1. Peel the tomatoes, grind with the coconut and 1tsp of jeera.
2. Heat ghee and add jeera, red chillies, curry leaf.
3. Add the tomato puree, red chilli powder, jaggery, water.
4. Add water and salt.
5. Boil for 4-5 minutes adjust the curry taste.
6. Serve hot.

In my adaptation I have stopped using coconut and I use a little hing in the phodni.
Serve with rice.