Category: seasonal

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festivefood konkanirecipe seasonal traditional recipe traditionalrecipe

Haldi panna Pattoli

Preparations for pattoli

‘Spread the batter as thin as possible’ – heard Amma’s advice amidst toddler screams. Even though I have been seeing Amma prepare these pattoli’s for years now and roughly know the way it is prepared, I never went ahead and prepared. Always helped her in cleaning the leaves or spreading the choornu(inner filling). So when I heard her say this I had already spread thick batter on a few leaves which I had to correct later 😁 Khotto, chutney, patrado, haldi panna pattoli, kheeri and batate humman has been the menu for nagara panchami in our house. Mainly because we do not fry anything or add tampering (phanna) on this day.

As I was spreading the batter and carefully placing the choornu in the middle so many thoughts crossed my mind. Nagara panchami marks the beginning of the festive season. Also it is the time rains starts reducing. The food which is being prepared on this day has variety of leaves involved and also most of the things are steamed. How thoughtfully our Ansistors have curated the festive menu as per season!

Pattoli ready to steam

Well, even though I took bit longer than Amma finally I got the things together and the pattolis came out well. Cooking is definitely an art! Interest and experience are the additional ingredients every well cooked food item. Here is how we make Pattoli.

Steamed pattoli

Ingredients required –

  1. Rice – 1 cup
  2. Grated coconut -1/4(batter) + 1/2(choornu)
  3. Jaggery – 2/3 cup(or as per sweetness preferred)
  4. Poha – fistful
  5. Turmeric leaves – around 25
  6. Salt – 1/2tsp

Method of preparation :

  • Soak the rice overnight
  • The next morning grind the rice along with 1/4 coconut, salt and fistful of poha
  • Add very little water the batter should be thick – to spread on the turmeric leaves
  • Prepare choornu(the inner filling) with jaggery and 1/2 grated coconut
  • Clean the leaves and keep them ready
  • Once batter and choornu are ready, spread a thin layer of batter on the leaf
  • After spreading batter on leaves, place the choornu in the center as shown in the picture.
  • Fold the leaves and stack them on a plate
  • Pre heat the steamer(pedavana). You can put water in the steamer, switch on the gas and start putting batter and choornu to manage time better.
  • Place the plate with stacked pattolis in the steamer and steam for 20min.
  • Once done enjoy the pattoli with ghee or as it is.

Haldi panna pattoli
Categories
konkanirecipe Lunch seasonal Side Dish traditional recipe traditionalrecipe

Ambade(hog plum) Gojju

Ambade(hog plum) gojju

Ambado/hog plum/amate kaayi is mostly foraged seasonal souring agent which is widely used in ghashi, sukke, gajbaje, bharshi upkari etc. Tender hog plums are called ambadi and used in making pickles. The raw hog plums are brined and used in curries and gojju just like brined mango.

So if you find them in plenty next time after using in the curries do not waste them. Clean them well. Dry and then cook in water till the outer skin becomes soft. Cool them completely and then preserve in salt water for future use.

We had brined some ambado which were plucked and then prepare this gojju which hardly takes 10min. It makes a delicious side dish and a perfect combo for pej/ganji. Below is the simple procedure if you have brined hog plums.

Ingredients required:

  1. Brined hog plums – 4
  2. Green chilly – 4-5
  3. Grated coconut – about 5 spoon
  4. Garlic cloves -7-8
  5. Salt to taste

Method of preparation:

  • Remove the skin of the garlic cloves
  • In a mixie take green chilly, grated coconut , garlic cloves and salt
  • Grind it to coarse paste with little water
  • Gently wash the hog plums
  • Transfer the ground paste to a bowl, squeeze the hog plums in this till it’s flesh is well mixed with the paste.
  • You can keep the seed or discard it.
Categories
konkanirecipe Lunch seasonal traditional recipe traditionalrecipe

Humman

Humman

A traditional recipe which is prepared only with potatoes on a normal day and prepared with tender cashew(bibbo) on special occasions. When bibbo is not in season, dry cashew can also be used. A simple no fuss dish which tastes amazing and has a special place in function food as well typically paired with shevei(string hoppers) which is one of the best combos. This dish does not make use of onion or garlic and no tadka too! The Creaminess of coconut, richness of cashews and mild sweetness of potatoes (probably I should call it potatoness 😄 as most people love the taste n no different explanation needed!) Makes this dish unique and favorite of many.

Below is the simple method of preparation:

Ingredients required:

  1. Medium size potato – 1
  2. Cashews – 20-25
  3. Grated coconut – half
  4. Red chilli – 6
  5. Tamarind – gooseberry size
  6. Hing – pinch
  7. Salt
  8. Coconut oil – 1tsp

Method of preparation:

  • Peel the skin of the potato and cut it into small cubes
  • Wash the potato and add it to a vessel along with the cashews.
  • Add little water to this and bring to boil. Then continue to cook on medium flame till potato turns soft. Do not overcook to make it mushy.
  • Now prepare a masala with grated coconut, fried red chilli and tamarind.
  • Grind to a fine paste by adding little water
  • Once potatoes and cashews are cooked, add the masala and the water from cleaning the mixie.
  • Let the curry be medium thick. Do not add much water.
  • Add salt and slow cook till the raw smell of the masala goes away.
  • Take 2 tsp water add hing to it and prepare hing water(hinga udda). Best to use compound hing but you can use the powder as well.
  • Add this hing, a tsp of coconut water and mix well.
  • Switch off the flame. Enjoy hot with shevei Or rice.
Categories
konkanirecipe Lunch phodi seasonal Side Dish Snacks

Bhenda bajo/Tender Okra Pakoda

Bhenda Bajo/Tender ladies finger Pakoda

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-

  1. Tender ladies finger/okra/bende – 10-15
  2. Besan/gram flour- 8-10tsp
  3. Bombay rawa – 4tsp
  4. Salt to taste
  5. Chilly powder- 3tsp
  6. Asafoetida/hing – 1/2tsp
  7. Ajwain/oma – 1tsp
  8. Water – 1/4 glass
  9. Oil for deep frying
  10. 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.
Categories
ghashi konkanirecipe Lunch seasonal wildmango

Ambe (Wild Mango) Ghashi

Ambe (wild mango) Ghashi

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-

  1. Wild mangoes – 5
  2. Coriander seeds – 3tsp
  3. Urad dal – 3tsp+1tsp
  4. Grated coconut – half
  5. Red chilly- 7-8
  6. Salt to taste
  7. Oil-2tsp
  8. Mustard- 1tsp
  9. Curry leaves – 1 strand
  10. 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.