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.
Rainy season has started and also demand for fried food for lunch/snacks. Ladies finger is in season and we get tender short ones which are very good for making pakodas. It is important to select tender ones as fully grown ones will be more fibrous and difficult to eat. It is a simple no fuss recipe when made with correct proportions yields crispy pakodas which can be a good accomplishment for lunch/dinner or even a tea time snack. Here is the recipe.
Ingredients required-
Tender ladies finger/okra/bende – 10-15
Besan/gram flour- 8-10tsp
Bombay rawa – 4tsp
Salt to taste
Chilly powder- 3tsp
Asafoetida/hing – 1/2tsp
Ajwain/oma – 1tsp
Water – 1/4 glass
Oil for deep frying
Curry leaves – 2strands
Method of preparation-
Clean and dry the ladies finger and then cut them into 4 pieces by making a horizontal and vertical cut.
Prepare a batter by adding salt, chilly powder, ajwain, hing, rawa. To this add water and mix well.
Now add besan and prepare a thick batter.
Cut curry leaves into pieces and add
Just before frying Sprinkle a pinch of salt on ladies finger pieces and mix well. This is to make sure the inside pieces also get the salt.
Now heat the oil. Dip the pieces in the batter and deep fry.
Once they turn crisp remove and serve hot.
Note –
Add rawa before besan to make sure it does not form lumps and mixes well with other ingredients. It makes the pakodas crispy
Adding curry leaves is optional but it gives a very good taste n texture to the pakodas.
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)
When the wild mango season comes to end, it is better to cook them and eat as with rains sometimes they tend to spoil soon and it can affect health too. We tried this ghashi which is my moms favorite. This is a curry which can be had as a side dish or along with rice as well. Sweet and sour wild mangoes are best for this preparation.
Ingredients required-
Wild mangoes – 5
Coriander seeds – 3tsp
Urad dal – 3tsp+1tsp
Grated coconut – half
Red chilly- 7-8
Salt to taste
Oil-2tsp
Mustard- 1tsp
Curry leaves – 1 strand
Jaggery- gooseberry size
Method of preparation-
Clean the mangoes and make 2 cuts on them as shown in the picture. This is to help the masala to enter into the mango while cooking.
Take a vessel and keep the mangoes for cooking by adding little water.
Once the mangoes are half cooked add jaggery and salt.
Now roast the coriander seeds, urad dal till aromatic with little oil. If you don’t have roasted red chilies add the along.
Once they are cooled, grind with coconut to a fine masala paste.
Once the mangoes are cooked add the masala and mix well.
Continue cooking till raw smell of masala goes.
Finally add a tadka of mustard, curry leaves, urad dal in oil.
