Hinddi (Konkani Style Mango Pickle)

Pickles are a very important accompaniment to every Indian meal. No meal is complete without a spoonful of this tangy, salty  and spicy goodness. Each household has their traditional recipes for making these amazing pickles. Here is one from my home - Hinddi or Hindi. Its a grated mango pickle infused with all the spices and very easy to make. I grew up eating this every year during the mango season and this recipe from my mom helped me relive those memories once again.

Recipe: 

Ingredients:

Raw Mango - 1 (Grated)
Chilly Powder - 1/4 small cup
Salt - 1/8th small cup
Oil - 1 tsp (for tempering)
Methi Seeds (Fenugreek seeds) - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/8 small cup
Hing - 2 tsp (powdered)

Preparation:

1. Grate one whole raw mango along with the skin and keep it aside.
2. In a pan, heat oil, ad mustard seeds and wait till it crackles, then add methi seeds and hing. Switch off the gas and let it cool down.
3. Next take this tempering into a mixer jar and grind it.
4. Add this to the grated raw mango, along with chilly powder and salt. Mix it well and store it in a airtight container in the refrigerator.

A spoonful of this pickle makes for a great accompaniment to your every day lunch or dinner.

Ananasache Jam (Pineapple Jam)

Ananas (i.e., Pineapple) Jam is a side that always used to be available at my aunt's home. As kids, we used to relish this with Chapathi. When my mom recreated this for me, it took me back to my childhood relish. A very simple recipe which you'll definitely love!

Recipe:

Ingredients:
Pineapple - 1 (Medium size)
Sugar - 2 cups (Indian teacup size)
Cardamom Powder - 8 (powdered)

Preparation:

1. Cut pineapple into very small pieces. Mix sugar and keep aside for 10 mins.
2. Put the mixture on the stove and keep mixing every now and then in between so that it does not stick to the pan.
3. When the sugar becomes syrupy and the pineapple is cooked very well, add the cardamom powder, mix well and switch off the stove.

Pineapple Jam is ready and can be eaten with Chapathi.

Kadgi Suki Bhaji (Raw Jackfruit dry curry)

Raw Jackfruit (Kadgi) is widely used in Konkan cuisines. They call it the vegetarian version of Chicken. This is my mom-in-law's speciality and it goes great with Chapathi or even rice.

Here is the recipe for this yummy and simple dish.

Recipe:
Ingredients:

Raw Jackfruit (Kadgi) - 1
Red Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Tamarind water - (soak a small ball in 1/2 cup warm water)
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Oil - 3 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Hing - pinch
Red Chilly -1
Curry Leaves - 8
Jaggery - 1 tsp
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup


Preparation:

1. Cut the raw jackfruit into small pieces and boil it in the cooker for 3 whistles.
2. Crush it with hand once its cooled, then add red chilly powder, salt, tamarind water, garam masala and mix it well. Keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan. Once heated, add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add hing, red chilly, curry leaves and put the above raw jackfruit mix to this.
4. Then adjust the salt and add jaggery and mix well. It should cook on low flame.
5. Finally add grated coconut and serve.

Kadgi suki bhaji is ready to be served with Chapathi.

Ragi Seviya Upma

Ragi vermicelli is available in most of the India grocery stores and is a very healthy choice for breakfast. When stumbled upon this very healthy ingredient in one of the stores, my mom & mom-in-law picked it up for breakfast and made this amazing Ragi Seviya Upma. Here is the recipe that my mom shared of this dish. Hope you find this yummy.

Recipe:
Ingredients:

Ragi Vermicelli- 1 small packet
Oil - 3 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Curry Leaves - 5
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) - pinch
Onion - 1
Green Peas - 1 cup
Green Chilly - 4 (slit)
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Sugar - 2 tsp
Ghee - 4 tsp
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
Grated Coconut - 1 cup (1/2 packet )

Preparation:

1. Add Ragi Vermicelli to warm water and mix well. Remove immediately and keep it aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
3. Then add curry leaves, cumin seeds, asafoetida (hing) and let it fry.
4. Next add onion, green peas and fry it well.
5. Add slit green chillies, ragi vermicelli, turmeric powder, salt, sugar and ghee. Mix well 
6. Add coriander leaves and grated coconut and mix well.

Ragi Seviya is ready to eat.

Ale Kande Ambat

Ale Kande Ambat (Ginger Onion Curry) is a popular Konkani seafood curry. This is the gravy for most fish curries in the konkan cuisines. My mom makes a vegetarian version of this with small diced potatoes since I love this curry a lot.

For all the seafood lovers, just use fish instead of potatoes.

Here's the vegetarian version of my mom's famous fish curry.

Recipe:
Ingredients:

Oil - 3 tsp
Byadgi Red Chilly - 4 (for spice)
Kashmiri Red Chilly - 4 (for color)
Coriander Seeds - 1 tsp
Grated Coconut - 1 cup (1/2 packet)
Tamarind - a small ball
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Potato - 1
Onion (small) - 1
Ginger - 2 in
Green Chilly - 3
Salt - to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add red chillies, coriander seeds, grated coconut, tamarind, turmeric powder and let it all fry.
2. Next grind the above into a fine paste.
3. Meanwhile, boil a potato separately, cut into small pieces and keep it aside.
4. In another pan, heat oil, add onion, ginger cut into very small pieces and green chilly and fry it well.
5. Add the grinded paste to this and potato and let it come to a boil.
6. Adjust the salt as per your taste.

Ale Kande Ambat is ready to be served with rice.

Methi Miryakan Ghalnu Ambat

Methi Miryakan Ghalnu Ambat (translates to "Curry made with fenugreek seeds and pepper balls") is a very popular konkani curry prepared when making Konkan style prawn curry (Jeeve sungta Ambat). I love this curry so much that my mom used to take some out before adding fish or shrimp to it.

For all the seafood lovers, you can follow this recipe with the only addition of adding fish or prawns in the end and boiling.

Here goes my mom's amazing curry.

Recipe:
Ingredients:

Oil - 3 tsp
Coriander Seeds - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Byadgi Red Chilly (for spice) - 4
Kashmiri Red Chilly (for color) - 4
Grated Coconut - 1 cup (If using frozen, put 1/2 packet)
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Tamarind - 1 small ball
Fenugreek seeds (Methi seeds) - 1/2 tsp
Pepper balls - 8
Onion - 2
Salt - to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add coriander seeds and fry well.
2. Next add cumin seeds, red chillies, grated coconut, turmeric powder, tamarind and fry it. Switch off the flame.
3. Grind the above mixture into a fine paste.
4. In another pan, heat oil, add fenugreek and pepper balls and let it fry.
5. Add it to the paste above and grind it.
6. Next heat oil in a pan and add the onions. Let it fry. Then add the grinded paste, salt and mix well.
7. Let it boil well till you see bubbles coming and then turn off the flame.

Curry is ready to be served with rice.

Kathre Pitto Dudalli

Dudalli is a Konkani dessert that has a jelly like texture and is made with either Kathre Pitto (Arrowroot Powder) or Ragi Flour which makes it very nutritious and rich.

Kathre Pitto (Arrowroot Powder) has many health benefits. Consuming this flour helps cure Diarrhea (loose motions) and helps improve the digestion. It also cools down the body. So if you have pimples, you know what to eat!!

Here is my mom's recipe of this yummy dessert.

Recipe:
Ingredients:

Arrowroot Powder (Kathre Pitto) - 1/2 cup
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Grated Jaggery - 1/2 cup
Cardamom Powder - 1 tsp
Water - 3/4 cup
Cashews - 1/4 cup

Preparation:

1. Take arrowroot powder in a bowl and add water. Mix well and make sure the powder completely dissolves.
2. Add the cashews, coconut milk, jaggery, cardamom powder.
3. Next put it on stove and mix continuously till it thickens. Arrowroot powder acts as a thickening agent. You should mix continuously, else lumps will form.
4. Once the above mixture thickens, switch off the flame. Take another pan, coat it with ghee and pour the mixture. Let it cool down and then cut it into desired shape.

Dudalli is ready to be served.

Jire Mire Kadi (Jeera Pepper Kadi)

One of my all time favorite dish is this amazing kadi that my mom makes with Jeera (Jire in Konkani) and Pepper (Mire in Konkani). It makes even one of those boring meals interesting by giving your taste buds a twist. Here is my mom's recipe for this amazing kadi that goes great when mixed with white rice. Recently I had this kadi as a side for Chapathi and that combination also tastes amazing.

Recipe:
Ingredients:

Oil - 2 tsp
Red Chilly -7
Grated Coconut - 3/4 cup
Tamarind - small ball
Ghee - 2 tsp
Pepper balls - 9
Cumin Seeds -  4 tsp


Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add red chillies and let it fry for a bit.
2. Next add grated coconut and mix well.
3. Add tamarind and switch off the flame.
4. Grind the above mixture to a coarse paste.
5. Next in a pan, heat ghee, add pepper and cumin seeds to it and fry it.
6. Put this mixture in the coarse paste that was ground above and grind it finely.
7. Now for tempering this kadi, heat ghee in a pan and add crushed garlic. 
8. Once the garlic fries a bit,  add the finely ground paste and let it boil well for a few minutes till bubble forms.
9. Finally add salt as per your taste.

Jire Mire Kadi is ready to serve with rice or chapathi.

Vegetable Kurma

Vegetable Kurma is a tangy & spicy coconut based curry with mixed vegetables. My mom used to serve this curry with dosas sometimes and I must say that it was a heavenly combination. Here is my mom's recipe and I hope you enjoy it.

Recipe:

Ingredients:
Oil - 4 tsp
Coriander Seeds - 1 tsp
Jira - 1 tsp
Pepper - 4
Cloves - 1
Cinnamon Stick - a small piece
Red Chilly - 4
Coconut (grated) - 1/2 cup
Tamarind - small ball size
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Ginger (grated) - 1 tsp
Garlic (grated) - 1 tsp
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Peas - 1/4 cup
Potato - 1
Cauliflower (or any other vegetables) - 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup (for garnishing)

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan. 
2. Add cinnamon stick, pepper balls, cloves, coriander seeds, Jira and red chillies and fry for a few minutes.
3. Add grated ginger and garlic to the above mix along with turmeric powder, tamarind ball and grated coconut and fry for a few seconds.
4. Next grind the above mix into a fine paste once it cools down a bit and keep it aside.
5. Take some oil and fry onions.
6. Next add tomatoes, peas, potato and other vegetables you may like. Sprinkle some salt and continue frying until they are cooked.
7. Add the masala that was ground earlier and let it cook well until the bubbles form.
8. Once done, sprinkle some garam masala, mix well and garnish with coriander leaves.

Vegetable Kurma is now ready to be served with Dosa.

Loshni Chutney

Loshni Chutney (Garlic Chutney) is a side that is prepared when Jowar Roti is made at home. This is a very simple recipe and here is my mom's recipe to this yummy dish.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Freshly Grated Coconut - 0.5 cup
Red Chilly - 6
Tamarind - small ball (marble size)
Garlic - 3
Salt - as per taste

Preparation:

Take all the above ingredients in a mixer. In order to get the rich red color and the spice, make sure you use a mix of Kashmiri red chillies (for color) and Byadgi chilly (for the heat). Add some water when you grind.

Loshni chutney is ready to be served with Jowar Roti.

Javari Roti/Joladda Roti/Jowar Roti

Jowar Roti is one of the most healthiest food you can eat and your body will thank you for it! This is a specialty from North Karnataka and is served with a variety of side curries and many people love it. At my home, this used to be prepared for breakfast and would be served with loshni chutney (garlic chutney). This combo tastes so good - you must really try to believe!

Here's my Mom's amazing recipe on how you can make this easily at home!

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Jowar Flour - 3 cups
Water - 1 cup
Salt - as per taste
Sugar - 0.5 tsp (optional)

Preparation:
1. Boil water. The water should be really very hot when you put the jowar flour in.
2. Add some salt and optionally sugar to this boiling water.
3. Add Jowar Flour and stir continuously.
4. Take off the Stove and knead this dough well. If the dough is pretty sticky, add a bit more flour. Make small balls and knead each ball well.
5. Roll it into a round shape, you can dip it in more flour to help with the rolling.
6. Fry it on both sides on a pan. I usually like applying ghee to both sides while frying.

Jowar Roti is ready to be served with the loshni chutney. 

Khichdi

Khichdi is the Konkani version of sweet pongal. This is prepared in our household during Sankranti (a.k.a festival of harvest or festival of Kites). This delicious recipe from my mom will surely have your tastebuds kicking. This mouth watering dessert is best served with dollops of ghee.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Moong Dal - 1 cup
Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Ghee - 4 tsp
Jaggery - 1 ball
Cardamom Powder - 0.5 tsp
Freshly Grated Coconut - 0.5 cup
Cashews - 5 (optional)
Raisings - 5 (optional)


Preparation:
1. Wash Moong Dal and basmati rice thoroughly and drain the water.
2. In a pan, take some ghee and fry the moong dal and rice.
3. Once it is fried a bit, put it in a pressure cooker and cook for 2 whistles. After 2 whistles, let it stay on gas.
4. Then add Jaggery as needed based on the sweetness desired, although I must say, this dish tastes great when it is very sweet.
5. Next add the cardamom powder and freshly grated coconut.
6. Garnish it with Cashews & raisins (if you like it).

Douse it in Ghee and serve it hot.

Kalingana Pole (Watermelon Dosa)

Kalingana Paule, a.k.a watermelon dosa is one of the Konkani specialities. After the red portion of the watermelon is eaten, the white layer that remains is used in the preparation of this dosa. This is one of the best examples of how innovative our Indian cuisine gets when it comes to making use of everything from a fruit/vegetable.

 

Recipe:

Ingredients:

Watermelon - 1 (white leftover portion)

Uncooked Rice - 1 cup (soaked overnight)

Fresh Grated Coconut - 1 cup

Salt - to taste

Preparation;

1. Wash rice thoroughly and Soak it for 5 hrs or overnight.
2. We use the white portion of the watermelon (which is usually not eaten) to make this dosa. Peel the outer skin and just retain the white portion of the watermelon. Cut them into cubes.

3. Grind watermelon pieces, soaked rice and grated coconut to make a smooth paste.

4. Make dosa by heating the griddle, smearing it with oil and then pouring the dosa batter.

Serve the dosa hot with white coconut chutney.