Phanna Upkari - A very authentic GSB Konkani community fish curry from south of Karnataka is a mouth watering dish and every konkani will vouch for it 🙌 A curry where lightly marinated fish is simmered in sautéd browned chopped onions along with tangy paste of red chillies and tamarind in a Claypot cannot be taken for granted 💪! The whole experience of cooking it in a claypot itself is very exciting and joyful experience. Taste is also fantastic. Brings the rustic-ness to the forefront when you try making such dishes in a way it is suppose to be made.
It is also known as Pulimumchi, usually Mackerel is used in this dish. But in my case, beggars cannot be choosers, so I go with whatever good Indian fish is found and make the best of it. I have used Promfret in this recipe. You can also use shrimp as well.
Like all dishes have their own variations so does this curry! Every household has their own way of making it. Few add additional phanna/tadka at the end of the curry while few may add additional garam masala ingredients of their choice. So if you know your taste palate, please go for it! Make it your own!
This is my Mother-In-law's recipe - she makes it really yummy! My Mom always stuck with North Canara/Goa style fish tephala ambat (schezuan peppers/coconut/red chillies) and Kandya Ambat .My friends mom used to make this jhalke(means fish in konkani) phannaupkari curry and thats how I have tasted it before. After marriage, I have had this often at my in-law's place. Slurpicious Yummy Curry indeed!
Recipe is real simple- all you have to do is play with dry red chillies and tamarind [ spiciness and tanginess]
Let go to the Recipe:
Ingredients:
2 Pomfret (med size - cleaned and cut into pieces)
2 med size onion finely chopped
3 tbsp coconut oil
salt to taste
Marination of fish:
1/2 tsp chilli pwd, 1/4 tsp turmeric, salt to taste
To make Masala Paste:
12-15 dry red chillies [ Byadgi would be great as its less spicy and gives out nice color]
small lemon size ball of tamarind
2-3 pods of garlic
pinch fenugreek seeds (optional)
Preparation:
In a bowl marinate cleaned fish with chili pwd/turmeric/salt. Just sprinkle powder over the fish-massage lightly and keep aside.
In a pan add 1 tsp of oil- roast red chillies, fenugreek seeds if using and transfer it to a blender. Add garlic and tamarind. Make a paste by adding water sparingly. Taste it and feel free to adjust tamarind for more tanginess if needed.
Now place your claypot on a low heat, remember this is a slow process of cooking if you are using a claypot! You can do this in a non stick utensil too. Do your cooking on a med flame.
Add coconut oil, once its hot, add finely chopped onions. Saute it stirring regularly till it turns golden brown.
Add the ground chili masala paste to it - add a little water to blender cup to get all the paste into the pot. Mix everything nicely and cook till oil starts to separate. This curry is semi-thick, so add water accordingly. I usually add 1 cup first. Then add in increments as the curry thickens. Add salt.
Add marinated fish fillets and cook till its done. Around 8-10 min on low flame!
Enjoy it with your plain rice, or parboiled rice or just plain white bread! its YUMM!
NjoY!! happY cookinG!!
Your feedback is very important. Share your story or pictures if you make dishes from this blog!
Fish is usually rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals. Mackerel is high in omega-3 fatty acids and been proven to be very effective in lowering triglyceride levels. They help with blood circulation and lower blood pressure by allowing blood vessels to expand and be more elastic. Mackerel, have been known to reduce the pain, stiffness and swollen joints associated with arthritis. Several studies have found a correlation between fish oil and a reduced risk of depression, suicide, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. Eating oil-rich fish like pomfrets regularly can help to keep the eyes bright and healthy. Not only does omega-3 help to protect the skin from the harmful effects of the UV damage.
Who doesn't enjoy a delicious lightly spiced flavorful coconut based egg curry? Egg is one quintessential breakfast food loaded with proteins- liked and consumed by all - good thing being a lot of vegetarians also consume it and are known as Eggetarians 😆 Eggs are the most nutritious food on the planet! There is no doubt about it! On top of everything else, they are also cheap, easy to prepare, go with almost any food and taste awesome.
Egg Curry from coastal southern regions of India is made using garam masala and coconut as its main ingredients. I have tried hard to get that exact taste like my mom's, but its tough 😊 I am close to it and have made my peace with it. ✊
I feel restless when I dont have eggs in my refrigerator. I have to stock it up as soon as I see around dozen left. Boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, puffs, egg burji, omelettes, french toast, cakes etc- thats how Eggs are consumed in a healthy and regular basis in my household. It comes to my rescue when I am short on meat at home or for that matter even veggies. There used to be this famous jingle in India- Sunday ho Ya Monday Roz Kaho Ande 🥚 ... a good one indeed :)
Back home Eggs are treated like a second class citizen 😂. No kidding, when I am chatting with my Mom and if I ask her- "what did you cook for dinner?" There is a sigh in her tone when she says.. just made some egg curry- followed by WHY that decision was made ---like didn't have time to get chicken OR no good variety of fresh fish was available in the market OR due to bad weather she was not able to go get fresh veggies etc etc. So you see what I am saying- justification on why egg curry was made ... 😛
Where as for me here - Egg curry day is like a celebration :) My son is thrilled as he is an ardent and loyal fan of eggs. My husband is neutral - he doesn't enjoy coconut curries so much ...yeh go figure 🙄 ! and Me- full focus on getting the curry taste right just like my Mom's... so its a fun affair.
As a kid, my sister and Mom loved full boiled eggs in the curry whereas me and my Dad loved fresh broken eggs in the curry. Till this date that has not changed. Separate 2 broken eggs always go in my funky-licious Egg Curry/Anda Curry!
I do not know anyone around me that dislikes eggs. I have a cousin who couldn't eat it due to allergies and I used to feel so bad for her. While growing up my younger cousins gang loved my version of Plain Omelette. My mom and aunts used to make us omelette loaded with onion/tomatoes/veggies which most of them did not like it then 😁 The same ones that we relish like crazy on Cruises now- 😎
Anyways, Lets get started with the recipe:
Please feel free to modify ingredient quantity as per your taste for spiciness and thickness of curry!
Ingredients:
4 boiled eggs + 2 fresh eggs
3 tbsp oil
1 big onion finely chopped
1 tomato chopped
1 tsp each ginger and garlic paste
salt as per taste
Masala Paste:
5 cloves
1 cardamom
3-4 black pepper
1/2 inch cinnamon
1/4th tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4th tsp sesame seeds
1/4th tsp poppy seeds
3 tsp coriander seeds
7-8 red dry chillies [adjust as per your taste]
1/2 cup grated coconut + 3 tsp dry grated coconut
handful of cilantro leaves
1/4th tsp turmeric
Preparation:
Roast ingredients from 1-9 in a tsp of oil for few minutes till its fragrant and put it in a blender.
In the same pan roast coconut till it is slight brown in color on low heat and then add it to the blender. Add turmeric , cilantro and make a paste by adding water sparingly. Keep aside.
In a wide mouth utensil heat oil, add finely chopped onions and saute till light brown. Add ginger garlic paste and saute further till the raw smell goes away. Add tomatoes and cook till everything comes together.
Now pour the ground masala paste and mix everything nicely. Bring it to a boil. Let it simmer for few minutes. Adjust water and add salt.
Add the boiled eggs in the curry. You can lightly score the eggs from top to bottom with a knife or you can even lightly roast it in oil with garam masala powder [or chili pwd and turmeric pwd] before adding to the curry, or cut in halves and slide it in the curry- choice is yours!
Once the curry starts to simmer again - slowly break the remaining 2 fresh eggs and slide it in the curry. Leave it alone for 5-8 mins on low-med flame till the eggs are done. You can give it a light handed stir in between.
Enjoy it with rotis or just plain rice or jeera rice. It super yum!
njoY! happY cookinG!!
Your feedback is important to me. If you have tried any recipes from Pinch of Swad, feel free to share with us.
Incredibly nutritious food! In fact, eggs are pretty much the perfect food. They contain a little bit of almost every nutrient you need. Whole eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet, containing a little bit of almost every nutrient you need. Omega-3 enriched and/or pastured eggs are even healthier. Eggs are high in cholesterol, but eating eggs does not adversely affect cholesterol in the blood for the majority of people. Eating eggs consistently leads to elevated levels of HDL (the "good") cholesterol, which is linked to a lower risk of many diseases. Eggs are among the best dietary sources of choline, a nutrient that is incredibly important but most people aren’t getting enough of.
Zunka Bhakar immediately puts you in the rustic mode- a very traditional rural soul food preparation- no nonsense, nothing fancy, screams out less is more and very comforting food combo from the states of Maharashtra, upper Karnataka and Goa. I simply love this food and even today enjoy relishing it in the dhabas while travelling!
Zunka is a simple preparation of besan (gram dal flour) and onion with few other ingredients. Dry version is often called Zunka and thinner version (patal) is called Pitla. I usually tend to keep my Zunka little thinner so that I can enjoy it with my rice too. The taste is super awesome and when you serve it with Jowar Bhakri(Jolad roti)- it's like having a food orgasm, no kidding :P
Simplicity at its best- hold perfectly apt for this Zunka Bhakar combo!
Jowar or Sorghum bhakar or bhakri (flat bread) is not very easy to make. Wait don't panic or scroll down :)... Perfect way of making it comes only with the practice. Originally it is rolled out into a flat roundel using just the palms of your hands by tapping it on the ball of dough to make a bhakri. But I am not still there :) I use my rolling pin to roll it out and am happy with the results so far. Very healthy stuff and a good change from my regular phulkas and chapatis.
I have a very fond memory of this zunka bhakar from my childhood days. I had gone visiting my uncle in summer vacation to Mumbai and we were out doing some site seeing under the scorching sun. Me and my cousins were so hungry that day that we turned into mean little winners, our uncle took all the cousins to a dhaba kind of place where they served their speciality zunka bhakar and few other items. He ordered zunka bhakar for everyone without even asking us what we wanted and I still remember the way we hogged it all. Hunger, sun, tiredness and YUM SOUL food- calls for nothing less than but magical happiness!:) We literally licked our plates off :) and that memory is still so fresh on my mind.
Let us take a look at the recipe of Zunka Bhakar or Pitla:
Zunka (Pitla) Ingredients:
1/4 cup gram flour (besan)
2-3 cups water
2-3 green chillies slit
1 small onion chopped
10 curry leaves
pinch asafoetida (hing)
2-3 pods of garlic chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt at per taste
handful of chopped cilantro for garnish
2-3 tbsp oil
Preparation:
First take the besan (gram flour) and add little water to make a smooth paste and keep aside.
In a pan heat some oil. Add mustard seeds and jeera, as it splutters add chopped garlic, curry leaves, green chillies and saute quickly for few secs.
Add the chopped onions and saute till translucent. Add turmeric, salt and mix everything.
Once done add the besan paste prepared previously into the pan. Add about 2 cups of water ( if you want it dry add less water). Stir everything together.
Cook for about 5 minutes, till all the water evaporates and a thick yellow somewhat paste like residue is left, adjust quantity of water as per your preference.
Garnish with cilantro, chopped onion and serve hot with Jowar Bhakri or any kind of Roti.
Jowar Bhakri (Jolad Rotti) Ingredients:
1 cup Jowar flour (Sorghum flour)
1 tbsp rice flour
1/4-1/2 approx (water)
1/2 tsp oil
salt to taste
Preparation:
Take jowar flour, rice flour in a wide mouth mixing bowl or deep plate, to that add salt to taste.
Boil water on the stove with oil and slowly add this hot water into the flour mixture while you keep mixing it with a wooden ladle. Stop pouring water once you see a nice soft dough is formed.
Keep aside for the dough to cool down, say 10 minutes.
Once the dough cools a bit, start to knead it and continue to knead for at least 5 minutes. Give a nice massage to the dough as you knead it with the palm. It should be a soft dough. For best results gather all the dough and press it using palms of your hand.
Take a small portion from the dough and form a ball shape, keep it on a wax paper dust some flour and roll it out neatly and gently using a rolling pin. Don't put too much pressure as it will break. You can try patting it with your palms and flattening the ball into a round shaped roti. ( I usually pat it till its like 3 inches in diameter and then roll out with a rolling pin)
Doesn't matter if it the shape is not a perfect circle. :)
Heat a skillet or tawa, place bhakri, the side on which we applied dry flour it should face upward.
As soon as you place bhakri, apply water on the top of bhakri and spread water evenly all over bhakri. (I use a paper towel, soak in water and spread the water evenly over the bhakri)
Roast it just till the time water starts to evaporate from the top side of the bhakri.
Now flip the bhakri and cook from other side for a couple of minutes more. At this point of time you can increase the gas heat.
Now take the skillet away from the gas, lift the bhakri using tongs and roast it on direct gas heat from both the sides. ( you skip this step if not comfortable, just roast on the tawa on both sides)
Serve hot with a dollop of ghee/butter over it and your favorite vegetable Zunka or Non-Veg curry.
Besan (Gram dal): Gram flour or besan is a great remedy for keeping Diabetes under check. This is so because it possesses low levels of glycemic, which is essential for controlling Diabetes. Owing to the presence of soluble fiber, gram flour is really good for your heart. Again, owing to the presence of low glycemic index, besan helps in speeding up the process of calorie burn. It is a wonder ingredient for those who are allergic to gluten. So if you are allergic to wheat, replace it with gram flour. Besan not only tackles issues like fatigue and weight gain but also wards off iron deficiency. Apart from all these benefits, besan is good for tightening the skin and maintaining its elasticity.
jowar grain
Jowar (Sorghum): a diet rich in high-fiber foods like jowar may lower your risk of obesity, stroke, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, elevated blood cholesterol and digestive problems like diverticular disease, colon cancer, constipation and hemorrhoids. You can increase the iron you absorb from jowar by eating it with meat or a source of vitamin C. Eating plenty of thiamine-rich foods may lower your risk of heart failure, neurodegenerative problems such as Alzheimer's disease and eye problems like cataracts.
Here we are in lockdown and its getting hard to get by each day without going out and interacting personally with loved ones.. Thank God we are still getting supply of essentials.
It is such a heartache to watch the news with casualties spiking up at insane rate.
Masala Puri - Bangalore Delight!
So Food comes to my rescue. Lately am indulging in preparing and dishing out many chatpata meaning tangy, sweet, spicy street food from India. Along with fond memories it brings in the much needed warmth and comfort around the house. And it definitely makes for a hot topic that tops the list during video meets and chats with family and friends.
Many are enjoying baking, cooking a feast for their families and some getting out of their comfort zone and trying out new things. Me am stuck with fast food and comfort food for now :)
Masala Puri is a street food from south India. Hailed as Bangalore's delight, is loved by millions across the country and is now becoming an international fare. It is a famous south Indian fast food loaded with spicy, tangy, tart and thick sweet flavors all bundled up in one plate.
I say its Indian Nachos :) where a plateful of crushed puris is drenched in desi goodness like hot dried white peas curry followed by onion, tomatoes, green chutney, sweet chutney, sev etc ..innumerable toppings of your choice! Wait there is more, if any curry is left use it as a side dish to enjoy with your rotis.
Actually my kid pours all the deliciousness over his plate of spicy Doritos(No Kidding:)) It tastes great. Try it.
Doritos Masala :)
I have always been a Ragada pattis girl which is a street food from Mumbai. And I am actually surprised that I have not registered it on my blog yet! Point mentally noted. Have been enjoying this Masala Poori treat every now and then during our get togethers and festival meets. Finally thought of putting it up on my blog. Btw you may also check out Pav Bhaji, Vada Pav,Missal Pav too.
I am always looking for a quick, easy recipe that wont compromise on the taste and flavors. So after scanning through few recipes and trying out couple of times, came up with this combo of ingredients which screams less is more and gives out great flavors and swad that is sure to make your soul happy!
Lets get to the recipe:
Please be kind to leave message in the feedback box if you like this recipe: Ingredients:
Curry:
1 cup dried white or green peas (vatana) soaked overnight or 4-6 hours atleast
1 med size potato peeled and cut into big 3-4 pieces
1 bay leaf
3 tbsp oil
1 med size onion sliced
1 tomato chopped chunkily
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 inch cinnamon stick
3 cloves
3-4 pods garlic chopped roughly
1 inch ginger piece chopped roughly
4 green chillies chopped roughly [adjust as per your spice level]
handful mint leaves [ 4-5 leaves will do too if you can]
handful cilantro leaves along with stem will do
big pinch turmeric pwd
1 tsp garam masala pwd
1/2 tsp chat masala pwd
1 tsp coriander pwd
1/2 tsp tamarind pulp [optional -[ if you feel your tomatoes are not sour enough]
1/2 tsp jaggery/sugar [optional]
salt to taste
Toppings:
finely chopped onion
finely chopped tomato
finely chopped cilantro
date tamarind chutney [store bought]
sev [store bought]
Puris [store bought] - can use Doritos spicy Chips as a substitute :)
Preparation:
Use Instant pot(IP) to pressure cook the soaked dried peas. Add 3 cups of water with peas, potato, bay leaf. Pressure cook on high manual - 22 min. QPR release after 15 min or let it NPR. If using pressure Cooker, let it blow 3 whistles. Let the cooker cool down and allow pressure to release. Take out the peas and mash gently. Keep aside.
In the mean time, take a pan, heat oil, add cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, add onion and saute for few minutes, once its translucent add ginger, garlic, green chillies, saute further for couple more minutes, add tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes more till tomatoes soften.
Transfer this cooled mixture in mixer along with mint and cilantro leaves. Grind to a paste- you get nice green color.
Now in the same pan, add little oil and on low medium add turmeric, garam masala, chat masala, coriander pwd and quickly stir. Pour the ground paste and mix everything.
Now add the cooked dried peas give it a nice stir, add water as required consistency then add salt.
This curry thickens as we have potato in it. Consistency should be on the med thinner side- pourable consistency over the puris.
Serving:
First lay out roughly crushed puris on a plate. Pour the warm vatana (peas) curry over it. Then add tbsp chopped onions, 1 tbsp tomatoes, 1 tbsp sev, little cilantro, date chutney[sweet], cilantro chutney and start relishing it! I promise you will wipe out in no time... :)
Please add any amount and kind of topping of your choice!! You are the King of your own tastebuds :)
India's very own street side vegetable burger! You cannot go to Mumbai and NOT have VADA PAV- its a mortal sin if you do that ...lol
VADA PAV
This snack is synonymous with the city of Mumbai, with almost every resident, from factory workers to college students to Bollywood stars, to Visitors are unabashed in declaring their love for it.This street side business has given life to hundreds and thousands of families. A Vada Pav cart owner may be a millionaire for all we know. It is a meal of a poor and snack of the rich. Fills every one's tummy with yumminess!
Vada Pav is a crispy, flavorful sandwich that is consumed in millions across India’s financial capital and largest metropolis every single day. It's made with potato as filling for the vada which is dipped in chickpea flour batter and deep fried. It is then kept in between pav[bread roll] and served with various spicy and tangy dry/wet chutney and fried green chillies. There was a time when I used to ask for extra dry chutney from the vendor. I then brought the leftover chutney home and ate with my roti... its super yummy!
I lived with my aunt in Mumbai for a couple of years when I started work. There used to be a cart by the gate outside the colony which was taken care by a lady who was a widow. She made such excellent Vadas- the taste still lingers on my tongue. To relish hot Vadas which is made in front of you has its own bliss.
Now when I think of it, during shopping breaks I preferred to have Pav Bhaji , Chatpata mumbai special sandwiches or Cheese loaded Sandwiches :) wonder why?
One will find a thela of Vada Pav outside every train station - I am sure thats the hottest spot that is there for a great business! Tired commuters who are always in a hurry to reach somewhere take a quick break indulging in a flavorful Vada Pav which will keep them full till next pang of hunger :)
Mumbai and Vada Pav are inseparable!
Thanks to my aunt who happens to be a great cook and my goto chef :) Its her recipe that I am sharing here.
So without any further delay lets check the recipe:
We will need following: please dont lose interest looking at the ingredients, :) it just has few steps but can be done in fairly good amount of time.
Ingredients:
Dipping Batter
1/2 cup besan / chickpea flour
1 tbsp rice flour [for crispness]
big pinch turmeric powder
1 tsp chili pwd
salt to taste
A pinch baking soda
water
In a mixing bowl, add all the above ingredients except water.
give it a toss - let everything mix.
Add water slowly taking breaks while you whisk the batter together. Let there be no lumps and get medium consistency batter. I dont like it too thick. Now let the batter rest for 15 plus minutes atleast while you get other things lined up.
For Dry Red Chutney
4-5 cloves garlic fried in oil
1 tbsp red chili powder [adjust as you like]
1/2 cup peanuts slow roasted
1/2 cup boondi [ either store bought or while you make vadas, try to do some boondi with besan batter and use that]
Salt to taste
Grind coarsely all the above ingredients and your red dry chutney is ready!! Can be made before and kept. Also this can be used as a condiment and can reside happily in your kitchen pantry for other purposes :)
Red Dry Chutney
Vada Stuffing and Frying
3 med size boiled and mashed potatoes
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
pinch asafoetida (hing)
10 curry leaves
1 tbsp of green paste [For me this is the USP of any Vada: 1/2 inch ginger, 3-4 garlic, 2-3 green chili , 1 cup cilantro ground to paste]
1 small onion finely chopped
1/4 th tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves for garnish
oil for frying
Preparation:
Heat oil in a pan on a medium heat.
Add mustard seeds, as it splutters- add asafoetida, curry leaves
Add onion and saute for 2-3 minutes till translucent. And turmeric pwd, green paste. Stir for a minute.
Add salt, then boiled potatoes. Mix every everything nicely.
Add lemon juice, coriander leaves and mix well. Try not to add water, if need be add very little so that potatoes gets nicely mixed with the seasoning. Stuffing is ready.
Let it cool a little.
Take small portion of stuffing and roll it in the shape of ball [makes around 8 balls] - as seen in the pic
For Frying
Heat the oil and always fry the Vadas on medium heat.
Stir the dipping batter that has been resting well.
Dip the potato ball (Vada) in the batter. Coat the batter from all sides hold it on top of the batter bowl till excess batter drops down then slowly slide it in the oil and fry it from all the sides until you see nice fried orange color on it probably couple of minutes on each sides.
Using a slotted spoon take out the Vadas and place on paper towel to drain out excess oil
Serving:
Take a Pav, slice it in the center, slather dry red chutney, place your Vada and couple fried chillies with it.
Street food, it's the best way to experience a local culture by eating the everyday food that the common man eats and relishes. And it's usually always hot and fresh and has taste that hits the spot sending you to the ecstacy land, if you know what I mean :) Another important fact being it usually cost less avoiding making a hole in your wallet😀. Most of us try so hard to recreate that magic by cooking at home and fail miserably... I can imagine you nodding head with me:) We have our days, and it is a journey of trial and error to get the exact taste like that of a street vendor.
My aunt is an expert (according to me) when it comes to making few chaat/street food dishes. This is her recipe and we love it at home. I did not have mix chiwda(farsan) for topping so just added plain sev on it.
This particular Missal Pav is a famous Maharashtrian chaat food where it has a 2 part preparation. One is Matki(moth beans) usal (dry sabji) and other is thin spicy red gravy Kat (coconut based). Then you can garnish it with the toppings of your choice. It is accompanied with Pav or Bread.
Dunk the pav in slurrpy kat with moth beans usal and toppings! You tend to soak the Kat using pav and finish eating very soon so they always provide you with extra kat in a katori on your plate.
It is very very yum dish!
Let us check out the recipe:
Ingredients:
For Matki Usal
2 cups boiled sprouted matki (moth beans)
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/4th tsp asafoetida (hing)
1/2 tsp turmeric (haldi)
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp goda masala ( or garam masala)
salt to taste
For Kat (wet gravy)
<A>
8 peppercorns
6 cloves
1 tsp jeera
1 tsp coriander seeds
4-5 dry red chillies
1/2 tsp turmeric (haldi)
1/4 inch cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp sesame seeds
1/th tsp fennel seeds
1/4th cup grated coconut
2 tsp oil
<B>
4 big garlic pods
1/2 inch ginger
1 onion chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
2 tbsp oil
<C>
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp goda masala ( or garam masala)
salt as per taste
For Toppings:
1 onion finely chopped
1 cup cilantro chopped
1 cup sev (or mix dry farsan)
2 lemon cut in wedges
Preparation:
Mataki Usal:
In a pan heat some oil, add mustard seeds, after it splutters add all the ingredients under Mataki usal except matki (moth beans) and saute quickly.
Now add the cooked* sprouted matki, salt and mix everything together. Cook for about 5 minutes and switch off the gas.
Keep aside.
Kat (wet curry):
In a frying pan, heat oil and ingredients under <A> except coconut.
Saute lightly till it starts leaving aroma for about a minute or 2. Add this to a blender.
Now in the same pan, roast coconut and add it to the blender as well. Make a paste and keep aside.
In a cooking utensil, heat oil and add other ingredients under bullet <B> in the order of ginger, garlic, onions saute till brown and add tomatoes.
Fry everything till it becomes one mushy mixture. Switch off the gas as oil starts leaving from the sides.
Let this mixture cool. Add to the blender and make a paste.
In the same pan, add some oil, add <B> paste and bring to a quick boil. Add coconut paste <A> and cook for about 10 minutes.
Now you can adjust the taste by adding more chilli powder and goda masala under bullet <C>. Adjust salt too.
Add 3-4 cups of more water and bring to a boil.
Simmer the Kat on low flame till you see oil floating on top!
Now this is how you serve, take a soup bowl, add 3-4 tbsp mataki usal, then pour the kat generously over it, add chopped onions, squeeze lemon juice, add chiwda or sev on top and dunk your pav/bread in it and savor all the goodness!
You can see in my plate I have kat more as I like it that way :)
njoY!! happY cookinG!!
notes*: How to cook sprouted matki (moth beans)-Soak 1 & 1/2 cups of moth beans in 5 cups of water overnight or for 6 hours. Drain all the water and keep in a warm spot for another 6 hours or so for it to generate sprouts. You can also tie it in a muslin cloth and leave overnight. Boil it in 3-4 cups of water for about 25 minutes or till done.
Health Benefits:
Moth Bean seeds are a good source of proteins and other essential minerals and vitamins. It can make an excellent protein supplement to Vegetarian diet. Maximum benefits can be reaped when it is soaked and sprouted. The coconut base thin spicy curry has all the masala ingredients that provides adequate minerals and nutrients to our body. If we use the oil sparingly (if you are making this dish often) it will prove to be a more healthier dish.
Fish curry preparations from the Coastal areas are hands down the best curries in the whole wide world. Reason, fresh fish, fresh coconuts and fresh stock of dry red chillies...:) My ancestors are from coastal region and have known to survive on rice and seafood for their whole lives.:) My grandmother made the best fish dishes ever, she added just those 2-3 fresh ingredients like coconut, dry red chillies and tamarind to freshly caught and cleaned fish by using her signature eyeballing method(:)) to make a fingerlicking gooooood curry!! Since she was an expert, everybody simply loved it!
The highlight of our visit to my grandparents house was mostly "FOOD" and all that simple life around the house. She loved pets so much that all the dogs and cats of the neighborhood used to be at her house :) She loved feeding and talking to them. Wonder none of her kids got those genes passed down hhehehe :(
Few years back my youngest cousin (was 8 yrs then) had visited my grandmother and even he gave her the certificate of excellence :) saying that it was the best fish curry he had in his life (it was actually so cute that it is now a must to be mentioned story whenever we talk about my grandma)....so we all remember her with these loving memories that she has left behind.
Coming to the fish preparation, we have various kinds of fish curries that are very prominent amongst Konkani clan. Northern Karnataka is known for Teppal ambat (schezwan peppers/coconut curry) and Kandya ambat (onion/coconut curry) and in the south of Karnataka they make Phanna ambat (onion tempered curry), Alle piyav ambat/ghashi (onion/ginger curry).. so these are the few variations one will see. Goan preparation is again little different where they use garam masala (whole spices) in the curry. As we move to the north east side of India, one can see the fish preparation in mustard oil and mustard paste etc. So it's unlimited variety :)
Once you get a hang of making these coconut curries, there is no going back- I am telling ya :)
Let us take a look at this Konkani Fish Curry of Kandya Ambat recipe:
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh grated coconut (or frozen coconut)
1 onion finely chopped
2 big size pomfret/pompano (makes 8-9 pieces/fillet)
1/2 tea spn tamarind extract or kokum or small marble size ball of tamarind
1 green chili slit optional
7-8 red chilies (byadgi/kumti chillies preferably)
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp oil
salt to taste
Preparation:
Clean the fish, apply 1/2 tsp turmeric, salt and keep aside.
Lightly roast dry red chillies in 1/2 tsp oil, transfer to a blender. Then in the same pan roast coriander seeds and transfer to the blender. Then add grated coconut and roast it very lightly (do not brown it) before you put it into the blender. Add tamarind, turmeric and make a fine paste by adding little water.
Adjust the taste if need be, sometimes the chillies may not be very spicy, so depending on how spicy you want adjust accordingly. Color of the curry also depends on the quality of the chillies you are using.
Take a wide mouth pan, heat oil and add chopped onions. Saute till it turns just light brown.
Now add the ground paste and stir everything nicely. Add slit green chili, salt. Bring the curry to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes.
Add water sparingly to get a nice flowy consistency of the curry. Do not make it too thin. Now add fish fillet gently into the curry and let it simmer further for another 5-6 minutes.
Don't keep stirring the fish, as it will break, gently move around so that the curry also breathes :) Switch off the gas once the fish is cooked and you see nice red color on the curry.
Serve hot with Rice, parboiled Rice, Roti etc. Curry tastes even better after few hours or the next day!
njoY!! happY cookinG!! Note: This method of curry preparation is used mostly for lean and bland fish , also shrimp can be used. Vegetarians can make it by adding potatoes in it. Tastes delish.
Pomfret is a delicious, lean white fish that has a wide variety of associated health benefits, including its ability to help reduce weight, boost overall metabolism, speed up repair and growth throughout the body, build strong bones, reduce the risk of various chronic diseases, lower triglyceride levels, prevent arthritis, protect against cognitive decline, prevent various types of cancer, reduce signs of aging, boost the health of your hair, and strengthen your immune system. It is a very good source of protein. It's no coincidence that fish-eating Inuit populations in the Arctic have low levels of heart disease; seafood is low in saturated fat and high in omega-3, (which can both) protect the heart from disease and lower the amount of cholesterol in the blood. One study has even suggested that an extra portion of fish every week can cut risk of heart disease in half. Eating oil-rich fish regularly can help to keep the eyes bright and healthy.
Getting back to blogging after a short break, feels so good to be back in my comfort zone :)
It was Monday, Presidents day a long weekend in USA. Had a busy rest of the weekend having too much fun! Thought of lazying around while cleaning up the house and at sharp 11:08am had a craving to eat pav bhaji after my eyes wandered on the potato bag in the pantry :) Got lucky as I had all the ingredients in the fridge except pav (Indian bread). After begging for 5 minutes to my Pati-dev who thinks weekends are his right to be a couch potato, sent him off to the store to get the pav while I geared myself to make some YUMM-O street food.
This dish is a big hit at my house and relished amongst my friends. I got this recipe from a Juhu beach vendor in Mumbai on Youtube some years back. Can't go wrong, right? I have customized the recipe just a little bit as per my convenience. I was actually surprised to see couple of ingredients that went into it like kasoori methi and hing. Well, it only adds more great flavors to say the least.
Another huge USP of this dish, can add as many variety of vegetables you want and kids will not even know :) because potatoes overpowers the rest of the clan :)- So yes, Moms can go YAY!!
Pav Bhaji was invented as a midnight dish by street food vendors, made with all the leftover vegetables from the day, mashed up together, with loads of added spice, and butter. Bhaji is the Marathi word for a vegetable dish, and pav probably comes from the Portuguese word for bread.
All I can say is try it and see if you like it.
Ingredients: For the Bhaji:
2 big potatoes boiled, peeled and mashed lightly
4-5 ripe tomatoes chopped ( if not sour enough, add extra tbsp of tomato paste)
1 capsicum chopped
10 flowerets of cauliflower (roughly chopped)
1 small carrot chopped (optional)
1/2 cup peas boiled
1 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp Kashmiri chili pwd (to give more color than spiciness)
2 tbsp butter
1/4th tsp turmeric pwd
1- 2 tbsp pav bhaji masala (everest or mtr)
handful chopped cilantro leaves
1 tbsp fenugreek leaves
pinch asafetida
2 tbsp of oil
food color orange 1 pinch ( if you want that gorgeous color :))
To Fry the Pav:
Butter
Cilantro leaves
Prepared Pav Bhaji
Garnish Ingredients:
Chopped onion
Sev
Lemon pieces
Dallop of butter on it
6 Pav (store bought for now) Minimum 2 Pav each person to relish all that goodness of buttery bhaji :)
Preparation:
In a non stick pan, heat oil, add capsicum, cauliflower, (carrots if using it) and quickly saute it for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add ginger garlic paste and let it cook for little bit more till the raw smell goes away. Add asafetida, kasoori methi and cook for a minute.
Now add chopped tomatoes and saute it for couple of minutes. You can add 1 tbsp butter now and let it cook till you see some oil coming out from the corners. Stir in between.
Add masalas - turmeric pwd, chilli pwd and pav bhaji masala, salt mix everything together quickly.
Add boiled potatoes and with a masher, start mashing everything together. Add water little by little till you get the consistency of thickness/thinness you want. It is always semi thick. Potatoes basically absorb water.
Taste it and see if it needs adjustment, if your tomatoes are not sour enough, add lemon juice.
Add food color if you want.
Let it cook on sim flame for about 7-8 minutes. Keep stirring in between and add water as you like. Add another tbsp of butter :)
Garnish it with Cilantro and switch off the gas.
How to fry the Pav just before serving:
Cut the Pav in the centre and semi open it.
On a frying pan, add butter, as it sizzles add bhaji, cilantro and place the pav face down and cook for few sec. Drizzle some butter or oil on top and serve hot.
How to Serve Pav Bhaji:
Serve good amount of bhaji in a compartmented plate, chopped onion, cilantro and lemon slices on one end, you can add onions, sev and butter on top of the hot bhaji, and masala fresh pav on the other side.
Trust me, eating is much easier than writing how to serve Pav Bhaji :):) (joke)
Due to the increased interest in foods that are low-carb or low-glycemic index, the potato has unjustly earned a bad reputation. Potatoes consumed in simple roasted, grilled, boiled, steamed manner with little or no oil/butter is very healthy and nutritious for health.
It is loaded with calcium, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, iron that helps in having strong bones.
It has vitamin B6 which supports heart health.
Choline is a very important and versatile nutrient in potatoes that helps with sleep, muscle movement, learning and memory.
Instant Pot pressure cooker is creating waves in the communities across the world and I am happy I have one at home to make some yummy dishes being absolutely carefree, stress free and mess free :)
Have tried quite a few recipes and I must say, so far so good. Very helpful when you have an errand to run and don't have enough time to cook the dish, switch off the gas and only after that dash out of the house. Instant Pot is a life savior in such scenarios. You wanna run to a grocery store? You wanna pick up your kid from the activities? You wanna go shopping? You wanna linger in your shower little more time :)(hell ya!)? no problemo :) Dump the ingredients of a recipe into the instant pot, set it up appropriately and off you go doing your errands tension free. By the time you get back home, your dish should be ready (hopefully :))
So today I made Tilapia Fish curry using coconut milk and spices. Tastes fantastic. This curry can be enjoyed with the plain rice or noodles. I usually use curry leaves for this preparation but today added thai basil leaves with thai bird chillies and the aroma was so fantastic that I just cudn't wait for it to be done. We enjoyed it as a family-- happily slurping away with the rice.
Very easy to make and a combination of spices and coconut milk gives this curry a heavenly taste and aroma. I actually enjoyed the thai basil twist on it :) It complements well with the aromatic long grained basmati rice or jasmine rice. You can make this same curry adding chicken or shrimp too.
Let us take a look at the Fish Curry with Coconut Milk (Tilapia)
Ingredients:
3 cups coconut milk (can use coconut powder or tin)
1.5 lb tilapia fish cut into big fillet (take any white fish)
2 med onion sliced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes ( or 1 tomato chopped)
4 pods garlic chopped
2 inch ginger chopped
2 green chillies (or thai bird chilies)
handful of curry leaves or thai basil
1 tbsp coriander pwd
2 tsp cumin pwd
1 tsp chili pwd (or 1 tsp chili flakes)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp fenugreek pwd (optional, but it imparts nice taste)
Either use above 5 powders or 3 tbsp of curry powder.
1-2 tbsp oil
salt to taste
1-2 tsp lemon juice to taste
Preparation:
Press [Saute] to pre-heat the cooker. When the words 'Hot' appear on the display add oil, then drop curry leaves or thai basil (keep 5 leaves aside to add later), then add onion, garlic, ginger and saute until onion is translucent. (around 3-4 minutes)
Add all the powdered spices and saute together for 1 more minute.
De-glaze with the coconut milk making sure to un-stick anything from the bottom and incorporate in the sauce. Add green chilies (or thai bird), tomatoes, fish pieces. Stir gently to mix everything. [adjust thickness by adding more coconut milk or water if needed]
Close the lid of the Instant Pot, Press [manual] and use [+], [-] to adjust time. Set on 3 minutes pressure cooking time.
When time is up open the pressure cooker using QPR (don't wait on NPR because fish gets done quickly).
Add salt to taste, remaining thai basil leaves and lemon juice before serving it hot with Rice or Noodles.
njoY!! happY cookinG!!
Note*:
This curry can be easily made on stove top too. Pretty much the same process. Before adding the fish to the curry, bring it to a boil, then add fish pieces and simmer the curry for few minutes till the fish is done. Serve hot with Rice or Noodles.
The color of the curry varies depending on your chili powder. Some chilies are spicy but don't impart that dark red color and vice versa.
Health Benefits: Coconut Milk:
Coconuts are highly nutritious and rich in fibre, vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6 and minerals including iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. Unlike cow's milk, coconut milk is lactose free so can be used as a milk substitute by those with lactose intolerance. It is a popular choice with vegans and makes a great base for smoothies, milkshakes or as a dairy alternative in baking. Coconuts are one of those foods that oscillate between the 'good' food and 'bad' food camps. Coconut milk, especially the lower fat variety, can be used in moderation (1-2 times per week). source:https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/ingredient-focus-coconut-milk
Tilapia:
It is a bland yet delicious, lean white fish that has a wide variety of associated health benefits, including its ability to help reduce weight, boost overall metabolism, speed up repair and growth throughout the body, build strong bones, reduce the risk of various chronic diseases, lower triglyceride levels, prevent arthritis, protect against cognitive decline, prevent various types of cancer, reduce signs of aging, boost the health of your hair, and strengthen your immune system.
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