Tikhte

This is a chutney type dish. It’s basically a replacement for dals/veg curries served with rice.
Easy to make and yummy to taste

This is a spicy dish hence the word ‘tikh‘ in the name. ‘tikh‘ means spicy in konkani. You can easily guess that based on the chillies added.

It’s the tephal that gives this dish a real nice aroma and of course a different taste!

Ingredients:
1 vaati freshly grated coconut
1/2-3/4 tea spn chilli powder or around 2-3 red chillies
pinch of turmeric powder
small round of tamarind
4-5 fresh tephal (Sichuan pepper)
salt to taste

Method:
Grind coconut, chillies, turmeric and tamarind to a thick fine paste. Adjust chillies as per taste.

Remove in a vessel. Add little water and cook for 2-3 mins.
Add salt to taste and tephal. Cook for 3-4 mins.

Serve with hot steamed rice and vegetable dish.

Tastes yummy especially if you like chutney’s like I do!

 

Solkadi ( Coconut Milk - Kokum Curry)

Finally, my fav post is here Sadly, I dont’ have a picture of the dish! But ‘googling’ for solkadi will get you the pic

Kokum forms the main part of this kadhi. You can find it in any konkani store.

Here is how I make Solkadi:
Ingredients:
2 cups (vaati) freshly grated coconut
2-3 green chillies
around 2 cups drinking water
4-5 pieces of kokum
salt to taste

Method:
In a bowl, add little water, kokum and some salt.

In a mixie jar, add freshly grated coconut and green chillies. Add 1/2 vaati water and grind for around 30 secs. Take a rounds of the ground mix and using a stainer, stain the juice into the bowl.
Repeat till the juice is extracted, and the mix is dried out. Grind again with another 3/4 - 1 vaati of water for around 30-45 secs. The ground mix will become thin. Strain using the procedure described above.

Solkadi is ready
Add salt to taste to the kadi - taste and then add, as adding more salt will spoil the dish!

Garnish with finely chopped coriander.
Optionally add 2-3 flakes of garlic, finely chopped or pounded - this tastes real yum!

Adjust green chillies as per taste.

Shorcut Solkadi : Use 1 vaati ready made coconut diluted with little water. Add in slitted green chillies, kokum and salt to taste

Here’s a post on Solkadi on Nupur’s One Hot Stove.

 

Kanyachi Bhakri (Onion Bhakri)

Well I am back to blogging, slowly though.

Started my day today with a kanyachi bhakri, which is one of my favorite sunday breakfast/brunch dish.
Kaano means onion in konkani. Bhakri is a kind of roti prepared wholly with hand. It’s not rolled like a chapati, but is placed and layered on the tawa with hand.

Ingredients:
1 medium onion (kaano)
1 vaati besan (indian measurement cup )
1/2 vaati rawa
2 green chillies or 1 tea spn chilli powder
few sprigs of coriander leaves or 1/2 tea spn coriander powder
1/4 tea spn turmeric powder
4 table spn freshly grated coconut (optional)
oil for shallow frying
salt to taste

Method:
Chop onions, coriander and green chillies finely.
Mix together in a bowl. Add the besan, rawa, spice powders and salt to taste. Mix well WITHOUT adding water. Adjust spices to taste.
I didn’t add coconut to this, but my mom does and it taste absolutely awesome

Now add approx 1/2 cup of water to this and form a coarse & sticky batter. Do not make this mixture very watery as we need to place this batter on the tawa by hand.

Take a non-stick tawa and put a tea spoon of oil on it. Keep on low flame. Take a big round of the batter, place it at the center of the tawa.
Dip your fingers in water and lightly pat the batter spreading it on the tawa like a chapati. Keep patting lightly, till the batter spreads on the tawa.

Now place a tawa cover or plate on it, so that the bhakri cooks on the steam for a few mins. Turn around once and cook well till you see brown spots on both side of the bhakri.

Serve with tomato sauce and garam garam chai

Enjoy at breakfast, brunch or evening snack

 

JFI Entry : Daily Dal

Finally the net connection is up!

Dal is a daily food for us.
First of all it’s Really Easy to make!
Second it’s healthy!!
Third you can eat dal with rice or with chapati and you have a meal ready!!!

This is the dal my hubby prepared for dinner yesterday. So it’s an entry from him to the JFI Toor Dal Event hosted by Linda.

Here it goes…

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 cup cooked toor dal
1 small onion
2 green chillies
1/2 -1 tea spn ginger-garlic paste (optional)
1/4 tea spn turmeric powder
1/2 tea spn mustard
a pinch of hing
1 spring of curry leaves
1 tea spn oil
salt to taste

Method:
Chop the onions and green chillies.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard and hing. Let the seeds splutter. (Hing adds a nice aroma to the tadka!)

Now add in the onions and saute for a few mins. Add ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and curry leaves. Saute till the onions turn pinkish.

Add salt and turmeric powder. Mix well.
Now add in the cooked toor dal.Adjust spices as per taste.
Cover and cook for 5-10 mins till dal is cooked well.

Serve with hot steamed rice and papad! Makes a wonderful meal

Tip:You can use a potato masher to mash the dal.

Some more snaps :

 

Vaalichi Bhaji

I had Vaal in my fridge and made this Goan veggie dish for dinner today. Here’s an authentic Goan dish prepared in the microwave for

Srivalli’s Microwave Easy Cooking Event - Side Dish

Ingredients:

1 bunch of vaal/long beans (approx 12-15 )
2 green chillies
1 medium onion (optional)
1 tbl spn freshly grated coconut
1/2 tea spn mustard
1 tea spn oil
a pinch of hing
salt to taste

Method:

Use a microwave safe glass bowl for this recipe as we will use oil. I made this sabji on 100% power. (default mode in my LG microwave)

Chop the vaal and onions. Slit the chillies.

Looks like Goa doesn’t it ?

Dry the bowl ( heat in microwave for 1-2 mins on high) and add the oil in it. Heat at 100% power for 1-2 mins. Now add the mustard and hing. Cover half with a lid, heat for 3 mins or till the mustard splutters.

Now add the onions and microwave for 2 mins. Stir in between.
Now add the green chillies, vaal and salt to taste. Add around 3/4-1 cup water, stir well and microwave for 5 mins. Stir once or twice in-between.

Mix the grated coconut, cover and cook for another 5 mins. Add more water and cook if required as the beans may require more cooking.

Serve as a side dish with rice-dal or with chapati/roti/bread.

Experimenting with the centered layout for this post

 

Fodni Fov (Kande Pohe)

Fodni Fov is a traditional breakfast dish in Goa. This is also known as Kande Pohe in Maharashtra. Usually made for breakfast or as an accompaniment to tea in the evening.
Fodni means Tadka, hence the name - Fodni (tadka) Fov (Poha).

The important part is cleaning the poha. Use very less water and dont’ soak the poha in it. It will break and turn soggy. The cleaning has to happen in a few seconds. I’ve explained the way we do it below.

We had this for a late breakfast today. I learnt this from my hubby, he makes it amazingly tasty! Here’s his recipe.

Ingredients:
2 or 3 cups of Thick Poha (beaten rice)
2 small onions (optional)
2 green chillies or 1/2-1 tea spn chilli powder
1/2 tea spn mustard
1/4 tea spn garam masala (optional)
1 strand of curry leaves (approx 10)
4 tbl spn freshly grated coconut (optional)
pinch of turmeric powder
pinch of hing
2-3 tbl spn oil
salt to taste

Method:
Add water to the poha till they are completely immersed. With a light hand, clean the poha.
Cover with a lid and drain the water (leave little water in the poha). Leave for 15 mins.

Chop the onions into thin slices or chop them finely. Wash and chop green chillies.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan and add mustard and hing. Wait for the mustard to splutter. (This is the fodni)
Add the curry leaves and fry for some time. Now add the onions. Fry for 2-3 mins. Add the green chillies.
Fry till the onions turn pinkish.

Now add the turmeric, chilli powder (if not using green chillies), and salt. Fry till the onions are cooked.

Keep on low heat and add the poha. Add the grated coconut ( if using). Mix well. Cover and cook for 5-6 mins.

Serve on a plate and garnish with fresh coriander, grated coconut (if not added already) and lemon wedges. You can add sev to give a crispy taste.

I didnt’ add coconut while preparing, hence added it while serving. This is how it’s done in Maharashtra. While in Goa, we add the coconut while preparing the pohe.
Also, Saraswats dont’ add onions and add a little sugar to the preparation.

Enjoy this tasty breakfast

Tip: Add a tomato (chopped), after frying the onions for a different version.

 

Batatyache Kalvan (Maharashtrian)

First an update. I had promised chicken and some authentic Goan dishes when mom would be here. But my brother had got jaundice, hence we were on a light diet. Will put up the recipes after getting them from mom and trying them out myself.

Now back to the recipe….

I learnt this from my Mom-in-law. This is a tasty gravy dish which goes with rice or roti and is real easy to make.
While the Goan version would generally use coconut as a standard ingredient, this one uses peanuts which is a standard ingredient in rural maharashtrian food.

Here’s her recipe:
Ingredients:
2 medium potatoes
1 medium onion
1/2 cup peanuts
1 tea spn chilli powder
1/4 tea spn turmeric powder
5-6 strands of green coriander
3-4 pods garlic
1 tea spn oil
salt to taste

Method:
Dry roast the peanuts on a tava. When they are roasted they will crackle and turn blackish. Remove from tava and cool. Remove the outer cover and keep aside.

Chop potatoes into small rectangular pieces. (not tiny, just good enough for cooking directly)
Chop the onion finely.

Coarse grind peanuts, coriander and garlic in a dry grinder without using water. (dont’ make this fine)

Heat oil in a pan and add the onions. When the onions turn slight pinkish, add the potatoes and fry for a few mins.
Keep on low heat and add the ground peanut mix and fry for a few seconds.

Add in the chilli powder, turmeric and salt. Mix well. Adjust the spicy taste by using more chilli powder if required.

Now add around 1 & 1/2 cup of water, keep on medium heat, cover and keep for 10 mins. ( I usually adjust the water depending on the potatoes used, hence add more water if required.) Check if the potatoes are cooked, add more water if required.

This is a gravy dish, hence adjust the water to need. Dont’ over cook the potatoes.
The peanut-coriander-garlic gives it a nice taste

Serve hot with Chapati/roti or hot steamed rice!

Enjoy Madi !

This is my entry for “Suganya’s Vegan Ventures“

 

Tikhat Nevryo (Spicy Karanji)

I forgot to mention the interesting things which happened on my recent trip to Goa.
First, during the security check of my flight to Goa, I saw Rahul Dravid!!!!! Only that it was during the security check and I could not meet him But I saw him
My journey from Goa Airport to home was in our new Silver Swift ( a real devil!). And on my return flight, I saw Roshni Chopra ( Pia from Kasam Se!).
Well my trip was star filled

Now to my favorite nevri! A spicy twist to the common sweet nevri
This was prepared by mom with me just helping in between. The hands in action are of my mom

Adapted from Ishtann
(Makes around 30-40 nevryos! hence vary as per requirement!)

Ingredients:
6 cups grated coconut (dried)/ 1 Packet of dessicated coconut (approx 400gm)
2 cups fine rava
2 cups groundnut powder
6 cups sugar
3 cups wheat flour
2 tbl spn chilli powder
1 tea spn turmeric powder
1/2 cup sesame seeds (til)
a pich of hing (powder)
2 cups maida
1-2 tea spn ghee
oil for deep frying
salt to taste

Method:
Dry the grated coconut in the sun. It will get cripsy. Crush with you hand till fine. Clean using a seive (if it doesn’t appear clean!)
For groundnuts, take approximately 2-2 1/2 cups of groundnut and dry roast on a tava. Remove the skin and grind to a coarse powder in a mixer.
Roast the sesame seeds till they crackle.

Roast the rava using a little ghee till it turns reddish and keep aside.
Roast the dried coconut in ghee till it turns reddish and keep aside.

Add the groundnuts to the rava. Now add the roasted coconut and sugar. Mix well.
Add the roasted sesame seeds. Add chilli powder, turmeric powder and hing. Add salt and mix well.
Adjust the salt and chilli powder to taste.

To 2 cups of maida, add 3 cups of wheat flour and mix with a laddle full of oil/ghee.
Add salt to taste and knead with little water to form a chapati like dough. Set aside for 1/2 hour and knead once again.

Form into small balls. Roll using the poll-paat like a thin puri.

Place a little filling of the coconut on one side of the circle or in the center. Using a little water dampen the circumference of the puri. Fold into a semicircle.

Press the edges to seal and cut semi-circle using a chinnkatne.

Repeat till you have 8-10 nevryos.

Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry the nevryos till golden brown.
Remove on tissue paper.

Cool the nevryo and preserve in a airtight container.

Serves as a anytime spicy snack

 

BhauBij, 2 gifts and a cake

Bhaubij (known as Bhai duj in North India) is a celebration of the Brother-Sister relation and is celebrated 2 days after Diwali.

BhauBij this year was on Sunday and luckily my brother was with me after many many years!

We usually do a ovalni (a special puja) in the evening on that day. The thali used for ovalni usually consists of a diva, gandh (kumkum with little water) for tika, 2 rounds of wheat dough, any gold item, nane (currency coin). Ovalni means to do puja of the person with the thali just setup, after which the brother gives the sister a gift.

I got 2 gifts from my bro after the ovalni - a futura cooking pan and a borosil baking bowl with lid

Without wasting more time, I prepared the Healthy, Eggless and Microwave Cake I had set my eyes on!

All Credit goes to Mansi for this wonderful recipe

My only changes were :
1. I skipped adding milk powder, cookies and chocolate as I didn’t have them
2. I used 3-4 teaspns of Drinking chocolate powder instead of cocoa.
3. I added more milk, so that the cake batter forms ribbon when dropped using a spoon.
4. Instead of adding powdered sugar, I added normal sugar.
5. Kept the batter for around 15-20mins after mixing all ingredients so that the lumps are easily removed and the sugar mixes properly.

Even after so many changes, the cake turned out Awesome My brother just loved it!

I complete 50 posts on this blog with this one and what a coincidence to describe about Bhaubij

 

Shankarpalyo

Shankarpalyo is a sweet usually prepared during Diwali in Goa. It forms one of the long list of sweet & spicy food that are on the menu those days.
Shankarpalyo is one of my favs.

Here’s how my mom prepares it…

Ingredients:
4 cups wheat flour/maida
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup home made ghee
salt to taste
oil for deep frying

Method:
Melt the ghee and add to milk. Add sugar to the milk and keep on low flame till the sugar melts.
Take the flour in a big thali and add the salt. Mix well. Knead using the warm milk-sugar-ghee mix to a soft round (like chapati batter). Adjust the maida and milk as needed to form this batter. It should not be sticky. Set aside this round for an hour.

Take a large ball and roll like a thick chapati on the polpaat. Using a chinnkatne (used for nevryo also) cut into diamonds.
( We didn’t find the chinnkatne and used a pizza cutter instead ) Chinnkatne is a spoon with a pizza cutter like edge.

Heat oil in a kadai. Test by adding a small bit of the dough. If it rises to the top as soon as you drop it, the oil is ready.
Fry the diamonds in the oil till light brown. Remove on tissue paper.

Cool and store in an airtight container.

Bet, you can’t eat just one