Tag: lunchboxrecipe

Categories
konkanirecipe Lunch pickle Side Dish

Karate God Nonche(Bittergourd sweet pickle)

Karate God nonche (Bittergourd sweet pickle)

A pickle which has sweet, salt, bitterness, sourness, crunchiness combined together. A very good way to include Bittergourd even if you don’t like it much. This one is my husband’s favorite as it is prepared in temple for samaradhan. This is the 2nd time I prepared it and throughout the process I was amazed to observe how every taste combines with other and becomes one to be this wonderful dish! Below is the recipe of this pickle.

Ingredients required-

  1. Bittergourd- 2 (small)
  2. Jaggery- 1/2 cup
  3. Tamarind- lemon sized
  4. Coriander seeds – 2tsp
  5. Urad dal – 2tsp+1tsp
  6. Methi seeds- 1/2tsp
  7. Red chilly- 5-6
  8. Salt to taste
  9. Oil- 3tsp
  10. Mustard seeds-1tsp
  11. Curry leaves-1 strand

Method of preparation-

  • Wash the Bittergourd and cut it into tiny pieces
  • Cook it in a pan with very little water till it turns soft
  • Now add the jaggery and continue to cook. Cook 9n medium flame till jaggery melts and starts thickening.
  • Now extract the tamarind juice by adding very little water and add it to the pan.
  • Continue cooking till raw smell of tamarind vanishes.
  • I had roasted coriander seeds, urad dal and methi seeds with little oil in the beggining itself in the same pan before cooking the Bittergourd.
  • Now to the cooled mixture add roasted red chilles or you can simply add them at the end while roasting other things if you don’t have roasted chilly.
  • Powder them all in a mixie jar. Let it be fine powder.
  • Now add this powder and salt to taste to the Bittergourd mixture.
  • Mix everything very well and cook for 2-3min more. Make sure to have flame on medium throughout the process.
  • Cool and store it in air tight container for couple of days.
Categories
biryani Lunch OnePot

Raw Jackfruit(Kadgi) Biryani

Raw Jackfruit Biryani

Prepared all the standard curries- ghashi, koddel, chakko, phodi etc using the plenty of jackfruit available this year! I had cut one jackfruit used some and remaining portion had cut into pieces, cooked and kept in the fridge. Wanted to try something new and came across this biryani which I had seen in some restaurant menus but never tried. Raw jackfruit is called vegetarian’s chicken so I imagined it might give similar texture. I decided to try it out in my own way after referring several recipes. It did taste yumm probably waking up late and cooking in hurry added its extra ‘magic of urgency’ to it. Here is how I made it.

Ingredients required-

  1. Jackfruit pieces- 1 big bowl
  2. Curd – about 10tsp
  3. Salt – about 1tsp for marination + 1.5tsp
  4. Chilly powder- 2.5tsp(can vary based on spice level required)
  5. Biryani masala – I took MTR Biryani masala 10rs pack which is 15g
  6. Turmeric powder-1tsp
  7. Oil- 4tsp
  8. Ghee – 2tsp
  9. Jeera – 1/2tsp
  10. Onion – 2
  11. Tomato- 1
  12. Ginger- small piece
  13. Garlic- about 10pods
  14. Basmati rice – 1cup
  15. Coriander leaves

Method of preparation-

  • First clean and remove skin of raw jackfruit, cut it into pieces and cook it in a vessel. Preferably do it in advance.
  • Put curd, 1tsp Salt, 1/2tsp turmeric, 1tsp chilly powder, half pack of biryani masala and mix well.
  • Now add the jackfruit pieces and mix well. Keep aside for 30min.
  • Cut 1 onion into small pieces and fry it till brown with 2tsp oil in a pan. Keep aside.
  • Take the cooker, add oil and ghee. Add jeera and finely chopped ginger and garlic.
  • Fry for a while. Now add onion cut into big pieces.
  • Then add tomato cut into big pieces. Mix well
  • Now add the marinated jackfruit pieces.
  • Wash and clean basmati rice and add to the cooker, no soaking required.
  • Add 1/2tsp turmeric powder, salt, 1.5tsp Chilly powder, remaining biryani masala. Give it a good mix
  • Pressure cook for 2 whistles.
  • Finally top with onion pieces and chopped coriander leaves. You can add roasted cashews as well.
Categories
friedrice Lunch OnePot

Veg Fried Rice

Veg Fried Rice

There are many ways in which rice dishes are prepared. For me this veg fried rice is a easy lunch box preparation whichis filling as well as healthy. Also I prepare it during fridge cleaning days as we can add as many veggies(mostly those small pieces of cabbage, carrots etc). Today it looked very colorful with veggies so I thought of clicking pictures. I even add paneer or mushrooms too when available.

Ingredients required-

  1. Basmati rice – 1 cup
  2. Onion – 1 medium
  3. Carrot- 1
  4. Beans – 5-6
  5. Capsicum-1
  6. Sweet corn – 1/4 cup
  7. Garlic- 8-10 pods
  8. Pepper powder – 3tsp
  9. Soya sauce- 3 tsp
  10. Salt if required
  11. Oil – 3+1tsp
  12. Green chilly – 1

Method of preparation-

  • Chop the onion, carrots, beans, capsicum, green chilly into very small pieces. Also cut the garlic pods. I had chopped ginger and coriander leaves so used that as well.
  • Wash the rice and cook it. Add 1tsp oil while cooking to avoid sticking. Do not overcook it. Strain and cool it completely. Generally I prepare rice the previous night and keep.
  • Now take a pan add oil, you may add more oil if you like. Add ginger, garlic, green chilly and saute well.
  • Next add onion and fry till brown.
  • Then add carrots, beans and corn. Fry them on high flame.
  • Next add corn and capsicum and keep stirring. At this point you can add paneer, baby corn or mushrooms too.
  • Then add pepper powder and soya sauce. You can add little salt but soya sauce contains salt so check before adding.
  • Finally add the cooked rice and mix carefully without breaking the grains.
Categories
chutney konkanirecipe Lunch Side Dish thali

Ambuli/Maavinakayi/Raw mango Chutney

Ambuli / Maavinakayi / Raw mango Chutney

My favorite pass time during summer is collecting the fallen tender mangoes and use them in pickles, chutney, pachodi etc. Since the mango trees bear the fruits once in 2 years we did not get any mangoes last year. So this year when we started getting mangoes we decided to make best use of it. Also I am amazed to see how many dishes can be made using those tender fallen mangoes. This one mango Chutney has been constant at home and it is prepared in 2 ways. On regular days it is made using garlic. And the days when we don’t eat garlic it is made using hing. Sharing both the recipes here. Make sure mango used is sour in taste. Ours is local variety mango(kaat ambo).

Raw mango Chutney with Garlic –

Ingredients required-

  1. Tender Raw mango – 1 small cup(we have very small ones, about 4 mangoes)
  2. Grated coconut- about 5tsp
  3. Green chilly- 2
  4. Garlic pods – about 8-10
  5. Salt to taste

Method of preparation-

  • Cut the mango into tiny pieces. Remove the seed.
  • Add everything listed above into a mixie jar. Do not add water first.
  • Grind them coarsely. If required add little water.

Raw mango Chutney with hing-

Ingredients required-

  1. Tender Raw mango – 1 small cup(we have very small ones, about 4 mangoes)
  2. Grated coconut- about 5tsp
  3. Green chilly- 2
  4. Hing – 1/2tsp(can use compound hing as well)
  5. Salt to taste

Method of preparation-

  • Cut the mango into tiny pieces. Remove the seed.
  • Add everything listed above into a mixie jar. Do not add water first.
  • Grind them coarsely. If required add little water.

Both the ways the taste will vary slightly. But both are unique.

The raw mango / ambuli used in this recipe

Categories
Lunch OnePot pulav Salad

Mint Pulav

Mint/Pudina Pulav

I like to prepare Pulav in Different ways. It amazes me how with each ingredient this rice dish varies in taste and texture. Also there are numerous ways to prepare it. Its a dream to try as many pulav recipes and have a collection of them. This mint pulav is flavourful and my husband says gives him biryani feeling. Well that’s another confusion I have. The similarities and differences between pulav and biryani. So much to learn and explore! For now sharing the recipe of my pudina pulav.

Ingredients required-

  1. Mint leaves- 1 cup
  2. Green chilly- 2
  3. Ginger- small piece
  4. Garlic- 8-10 pods
  5. Oil – 3tsp
  6. Ghee – 2tsp
  7. Onion – 1big
  8. Baby corn – 2-3
  9. Green peas- 1/4 cup
  10. Turmeric powder- 1/4tsp
  11. Garam masala – 3tsp
  12. Chilly powder – about 3tsp
  13. Salt to taste
  14. Coriander leaves
  15. Basmati rice – 1cup

Method of preparation-

  • Firstly separate mint leaves from the stalk and clean them.
  • Add them to mixie along with green chilly, ginger and garlic. You can add roasted whole spices at this stage and reduce or skip garam masala.
  • Grind it to a fine paste
  • Take a pressure cooker and add oil and ghee
  • Add roughly chopped onion and fry for 2min.
  • Now add the baby corn and green peas. You can also add diced potatoes, capsicum and other veggies of choice. I decided to keep it simple.
  • Saute the vegetables for a min. And then add the masala paste and mix well.
  • Now add washed basmati rice. I haven’t soaked it.
  • Then add salt, chilly powder (you can vary it based on tolerance), garam masala and turmeric powder. Give a good mix so that rice is coated with masalas.
  • Add water such that everything is just immersed. Adding more water may make it mushy.
  • Now cover the lid and cook for 1 whistle.
  • Allow the pressure to settle naturally and open the lid.
  • Add coriander leaves and mix well.
  • Keep aside for 10min and then enjoy it along with cucumber raita.

I have paired it with cucumber raita and roasted potatoes.