Mango Sikarane

This is a recipe I learnt after I got married. Easy to make and used by many as accompaniment for Dosa/crepe.

You will need

Ripe mango

Jaggary(optional)

Method

Wash and peel mango. Squeeze out the pulp and discard seed. Add some water to the peel and squeeze to get some juice of mango. Add Jaggary to taste. Mix well and serve with Dosa or eat as it is.

Kai haalu or Sweetened coconut milk

Follow instructions to extract coconut milk (my earlier post) with a slight modification.

When blending coconut  to extract milk, add 2 pods of cardamom.

Mix the first and second pressed coconut milk.

Sweeten with jaggery about  ½ -3/4 cup per 2.5 cups of coconut milk and stir well.

Consumed as is or serve with Idly, Dosa or homemade Semige/vermicelli.

Note:

This recipe helps increase breast milk.

Mangalore Cucumber(Cucumis pubescens) salad

During my weekend visit to Amma's place on a hot summer afternoon, Amma made a new dish, Mangalore Saute( Mangalore cucumber)/ Cucumis pubescens salad. Having tasted the normal cucumber salad and only the cooked versions of this variety of cucumber, I was pleasantly surprised by the tasty, cooling fiber rich salad. The best part was, it didn't cause any mild throat irritation which normally happens when I consume raw cucumber. So here it is, easy to make Mangalore cucumber salad.

You will need

1 big sized Mangalore saute/ Cucumis pubescens

Yogurt sufficient quantity

Salt( optional)

Hing/asafoetida a pinch (optional)

Method

Wash the cucumber, cut the two ends of the cucumber. Now slit in half vertically. Remove the seeds. Check the taste. Sometimes they are bitter and using it would spoil your salad. Mangalore cucumber is slightly sour to taste. Do not peel.

Grate the cucumber, add yogurt, mix well and serve. Easy! Goes well with chapati and rice or can be consuming as is.

Note: Tastes good without salt. If needed you may add, coriander leaves or a pinch of hing for flavour.

Coconut burfi with jaggery

My husbands grandparents (86 and 92 years young) visit us once a year. It is during these visits that I sit with them and speak to them about their childhood and life. During one such visit, I casually asked Ajja (grandfather) what was one sweet/dessert that Ajji (grandmother) made the best. 'Kobri mittai!'(coconut burfi) came the reply, eyes glittering with memories of the past . That was when I decided to become Ajji's apprentice in the kitchen for the day.When I mentioned to Ajji that we would be making a jaggery version of kobri mittai along with the sugar version of the same, she thought for a while and said, 'though I have never made it with jaggery, no harm in trying'. So here I share with you the recipe passed down from Ajji to me with a few modifications. 

You will need

3 cups of grated coconut( 1 large coconut)

1.5 cup jaggery (powdered)

1  cup milk (optional)

¼ pod vanilla powdered (or the ''caviar'' of one full vanilla)

1 pod cardamom (powdered) or saffron

 oil/ghee to grease the tray.


Method

In a heavy bottomed pan mix all the ingredients.

Cook in low flame with constant stirring. Take care to see that the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

Burfi is done when the mixture forms a single mass and no longer sticks to the bottom.

.

Pour into a greased tray and cut when warm.

Note: Ajji lets all the ingredients to soak in the pan for at least 5 hours before heating.
Those who want a 'richer' version may include about 2 tablespoons of  unsweetened Kova (condensed  milk)
For those who are curious, Ajji loved 'jaggery kobri mittai' and Ajja later gave me a list of delicacies to be learnt from Ajji!

Vegetable Kurma

This recipe is an all time favourite in the family. Though the recipe uses a blend of spices it is not pungent.

You will need,

1 cup fresh peas

1 cup minced carrot

1 cup chopped beans

1 large potato cut into cubes

Salt and jaggary to taste

For the masala

One half of a coconut,  grated or made to pieces.

3 cardamom

4 clove buds

A piece of black stone flower( pather ke phool/ kallu hoovu)

One arm of star anise (seed removed)

1’’x1/4’’ piece of cinnamon

2 Marathi moggu

Pepper corns about 10

½ tsp  Shah jeera or jeera( cumin)

3-4 Almonds/5-6 cashew

1-2 tablespoon Hurigadale/Putani/ roasted split (black)garbanzo.

Seasoning

Unrefined oil 1tsp

½ tsp jeera or cumin seeds

¼ tsp turmeric powder

1-2 large finely chopped/minced onion

1 red capsicum finely chopped/minced

½ finely chopped/minced green capsicum

Small bunch of finely chopped/minced cilantro

Method

Cook the vegetables with a little water (about ½ a cup) in a cooker (3 whistles) or cook the vegetables in an open pan with water.

Blend together all items of masala with salt, jaggery and a little water till a fine paste and keep aside.

Heat a pan, add 1tsp oil, cumin seeds.

When cumin splutters, add turmeric, mix well and add the minced vegetables for seasoning.

Saute till all water has evaporated.

Add the steamed/boiled vegetables, the masala paste, more water if needed and boil till thick.

Tasty Vegetable Kurma is ready to be eaten with chapati, bread, flat bread or rice.

Note: You may use any combination of vegetables.