One simple traditional breakfast recipe of our region which can be prepared under 30min with minimum ingredients yet it tastes the best. Nucchu Or kani as we call it is konkani are rice grains which are reminders during the process of separating grains from the husk. These are grains which are in pieces. So if you don’t have access to nucchu you can prepare it with usual sona masoori rice as well.
The method of preparation is simple. Key ingredients here are coconut oil and freshly grated coconut which gives all the taste to this dish. This can be a breakfast recipe or packed for lunch as well.
Ingredients required:
Broken rice/nucchu – 1 cup
Freshly grated coconut- 1/2 cup
Coconut oil – about 3tsp
Mustard-1/2 tsp
Curry leaves – 1 strand
Green chilli – 3
Urad dal – 1/2tsp
Salt to taste
Water – about 1.5 -2 cup
Method of preparation:
Take a kadai and add the coconut oil. Once it is hot add mustard and urad dal.
Once mustard splutters add curry leaves and green chilli.
Meanwhile wash the nucchu 3 times to remove any impurities.
Add it to the pan and give a good mix.
Add water and salt. Bring it to boil. Then cook on medium flame.
Cook for about 10-15min till it is cooked. Do not cook till mushy.
Add the grated coconut, switch off the flame and keep it covered for 5min.
I like it when the Mangalore buns is dry and pillowy with slight sweetness from sugar and hint of sourness from mysore banana and curd. Even though baking soda is essentially added to it, if it is not in right amount buns tends to become oily and taste salty. So quality and quality of the ingredients play an important role in making the buns perfect.
And how people like to eat buns also varies. Some relish it as it is for evening snack. Some prefer chutney with buns. And others like Sambar to be paired with buns. As I write this I remember the buns and kurma from Hotel Triveni in Udupi which has been consistent in taste n texture over the time.
Few days back when mom prepared and gave me buns dough, I utilized the extra time I got in making an elaborate Sambar which makes one of the best and fulfilling combo. The Sambar recipe here is my moms recipe which I have been following and it never fails. Here is how we prepare it.
Ingredients required-
For Buns :
Banana – 3-4 ( preferably mysore variety)
Sugar – about 5 tsp( can increase if you like it sweet)
Curd – about 10 tsp( I used nandini, if using home made it maybe slightly sour)
Baking soda – 1/4tsp
Salt – a pinch
Maida – about 2-2.5 cup
Gram flour- 3tsp
Jeera – 1/2tsp
Oil – for frying
For Sambar :
Coriander seeds- 1tsp
Jeera – 1 tsp
Chana dal – 2tsp
Urad dal – 2tsp
Red chilly – about 5
Grated Coconut – about 5 tsp
Pepper – 1tsp
Tamarind – gooseberry size
Turmeric – 1/2tsp
Hing – 1/4tsp
MTR sambar powder – 2tsp
Toor dal – 1/2 cup
Onion – 1
Tomato – 1
Potato – 1
Beans – about 10
Carrot – 1
Green chilly -3
Vegetables such as ladies finger, brinjal, drumstick etc
Coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Oil -2 tsp
Mustard – 1 tsp
Curry leaves- 1+1 strand
Method of preparation –
Buns :
In a wide vessel take the peeled banana n mash it well.
To this add sugar, salt, curd and baking soda. Mix well.
Now add the gram flour and mix.
Then add the maida and keep mixing till you get the dough consistency.
Kneed it well for about 10min to make a soft dough.
Finally sprinkle jeera and keep it covered over night.
Next morning you can see the dough will be double in size.
Make small balls and roll like poori by dusting maida
Deep fry in oil.
For Sambar :
Roast the coriander, jeera, urad dal, chana dal, red chilly, pepper, turmeric, hing, 1 strand curry leave with a tsp of oil.
Once it turns aromatic add coconut and tamarind.
Grind to prepare a fine paste by adding MTR sambar powder
Cut onion, tomato, potato, beans and carrot into big pieces. Also slit the green chilly.
Wash the toor dal and add to pressure cooker.
Also add the above cut vegetables except onion to the cooker. Add enough water n pressure cook for 3 whistle.
Once pressure is released open the lid, add salt and onion. Also add vegetables such as ladies finger/brinjal/drumstick.
Cook for about 5min and then add the prepared masala along with water to adjust the consistency.
Mix well and allow to boil for about 10min.
Prepare a tadka of mustard and curry leaves in oil or ghee and add at the end.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Note :
You can skip preparing the masala and increase the quantity of sambar powder. This method above makes thick sambar which can be had as a side dish for breakfast and can be paired with rice/roti as well.
In last couple of weeks there were 2 instances where milk got spoilt. In the first case I made butter milk out of it. But then next week again when milk was spoilt, I had a good stock of buttermilk since we were sick n did not consume buttermilk regularly! There was about half ltr of milk and looking at the work I had, decided to throw it with heavy heart. But did not do it immediately.
After sometime when I returned to kitchen got this idea of preparing paneer from this milk. I went through couple of blogs, which spoke about making paneer from scratch. Since I was already halfway through the process and the milk was warm, took a thin cloth and strained the milk. Discarded all the water. Poured some cold water on it to remove any traces of milk that might have remained. Tied it and hung/rested for about 2hr for any water to come out. After that when I opened the knot n transfered to a bowl n refrigerared for a day. I was still in doubt about using this. Next day I could see crumbled texture and was very happy. Decided to use it in paneer burji the following morning n results were very satisfying.
Hone made Paneer
Finally I am happy for not wasting food and making best use of it n discovering something new(only to myself). If you want to know how I made burji here is the recipe.
Ingredients required:
Onion – 1
Tomato- 1
Capsicum- 1
Coriander leaves – few
Green chilly- 2
Oil – 3tsp
Cumin- 1/4tsp
Chilly powder- 1tsp
Salt to taste
Garam masala- 1tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2tsp
Paneer Burji
Method of preparation-
Firstly chop onion, tomato, capsicum into small pieces. I have taken all of them big sized ones. If you want you can use more or less
Also chop green chilly n coriander leaves into tiny pieces
Take a pan, add oil, jeera. Once spluttered add onion and fry till golden brown.
Next add tomatoes n continue to fry. Once tomatoes turn mushy add salt, garam masala n chilly powder, turmeric powder.
Fry for few min. Then add capsicum, cover n cook for 5min.
Once done add crumbled paneer and coriander leaves. Cook for 2min.
Khichdi is not something I grew up eating. But once I came across this recipe I prepare it regularly with rice and moong dal. I like to prepare it because it is balanced , easy to prepare and we prepare with as many or less items as per availability. Some days I add lots of veggies to the khichdi when they are available and some other day I prepare with just onion, tomato, ginger garlic. Both the ways it tastes good. I wanted to find alternative to rice so that I can prepare it for breakfast. Adding broken wheat/dalia/godhi cuts(kannada) made it taste good and was well accepted at home so now it is a regular in the breakfast menu. Here is my version of this khichdi.
Ingredients required-
Broken wheat- 1/2cup
Moong dal – 1/2 cup
Oil – 3+2tsp
Ginger- small piece
Garlic – 10 cloves
Carrot – 1
Beans – 8-10
Green peas – 1/4 cup
Tomato- 1
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder- 1/4tsp
Red chilly powder- 2tsp(can be adjusted as per spice level)
Garam masala – 3tsp
Red chilly- 1
Jeera – 1/2tsp
Hing- a pinch
Method of preparation-
First soak the moong dal and broken wheat for about 30min
Take the pressure cooker. Add 3tsp oil and then add finely chopped ginger and garlic.
Once they are fried next add the onions followed by tomatoes.
Once they are half fried add carrot and beans cut into big pieces. Also add fresh or cooked dry green peas.
Drain water and add the moong dal and dalia.
Now add salt, turmeric, chilly powder and garam masala.
Mix everything very well.
Add water little above the level of the mixture. Since this is prepared little liquidy we will add more water here.
Cover and cook for 2 whistles. Allow the pressure to escape naturally.
Now prepare a tadka of oil+ red chilly pieces + pinch of hing+ jeera+ chilly powder and pour over the khichdi.
Mix well and serve.
Note –
Replace broken wheat with rice to prepare rice and moong dal khichdi
It tastes best when served hot so I haven’t tried in lunch box
You can skip the veggies to prepare plain khichidi.
Whenever we have overripe bananas the first choice in any house of Udupi/Mangalore is buns. But if you want to utilize these bananas in a healthy way this recipe may help. It is a instant recipe, can be packed in the tiffin box as well and I am sure kids will love the crispy and soft, sweet rotti. I thought it is something new when I made this rotti and told my mom. But she said she already knows it 😁 The smell of banana and jaggery cooked on low flame is a bonus 🤗
Ingredients required-
Over ripe banana- 5(small, i took devabale)
Grated coconut- 1/4 cup
Jaggery – small piece (can increase if required)
Salt to taste
Bombay rawa – 1 cup (may vary based on consistency)
