One Day At A Time

This is what my Mom used to make for us, on a hot summer afternoon.  Muskmelon or Cantaloupe Juice with fresh coconut milk, called as Chibda Ros  in Konkani.  An Indian Muskmelon, called as Kharbuja in Hindi, Tarbuj  in Marathi and Chibad in Konkani, looks slightly different than an American Cantaloupe, but tastes just the same.

Tadka Dal is a Dal tempered with onions, tomatoes and a few spices.  For Dal Fry, you can use a combination of protein rich dals like mung dal, urad dal, toor dal or just any one.  You can use this recipe for leftover dal as well. Ingredients: Toor Dal/Yellow Pigeon Peas - 1/4 cup Mung dal/Green Gram - 1/4 cup Onion - 1 medium Ginger - 1/2 inch piece Garlic - 5 cloves Tomato - 1 medium Green Chillies - 4 Dry Red Chillies - 2 Turmeric/Haldi - 1/4 tsp Cumin/Jeera Seeds - 1 tsp Curry Leaves/Kadipata - a sprig Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - few sprigs Oil or Butter - 1 tbsp Jaggery or Molasses or Sugar - 1/2 tsp (optional) Salt Method: 1. Wash the dals and cook the dals with about 3 cups water till soft.  I used a pressure cooker. 2. Finely chop onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and cilantro leaves.  Pat the curry leaves dry.  Slit the green chillies lengthwise. 3. Heat oil in a kadhai/wok and add cumin ...

A simple, less spicy Green Peas Pulav/Pilaf. Ingredients: Basmati Rice - 1 cup Green Peas/Matar - 1 cup Black Peppercorns/Miri - 10 Cinnamon/Dalchini - 1 inch piece Green Cardamom/Elaichi - 2 pods Cloves/Lavang - 5 Bay Leaf/Tamalpatra/Tejpata - 1 Cashews/Kaju - 8 Oil or Butter Salt How to cook simple Matar Pulav: Wash rice 3 - 4 times with water. Keep washed rice in a colander (or any vessel with holes) to drain water, about 15 minutes. Heat 1 - 2 tbsp butter or oil in a pressure cooker. Add peppercorns, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom pods, cashews and cinnamon. Sauté for a minute. Add washed rice and green peas. At this point, you can add 1/4 tsp biryani masala or pulav masala as well.  Sauté for 2 - 3 min and then add 2 cups water. Add about 1/2 tsp salt, mix well. Pressure cook till one whistle blows. Let the pressure go down naturally, 15 - 20 minutes. Mix gently and serve Peas Pulav with Dal Fry .

Prawns/Shrimps though biologically different species, commercially mean the same.  Ingredients: Prawns/Shrimps - 500 gms Red Chilli Powder - 3 tbsp Turmeric/Haldi - 1 tsp Tamarind Paste- 1tsp Sooji/Rava/Semolina - 1/2 cup Salt Oil Method: 1. Clean the prawns by removing the shells and the black vein (its digestive tract) which is at the back of the shrimp. Wash the prawns well. 2. In a mixing bowl, add red chilli powder, turmeric, tamarind, salt.  Add 1 - 2 tbsp water and make a thick paste.  Coat the prawns well and keep it covered (preferably refrigerated) for an hour or more. 3. Heat a frying pan and add 1 - 2 tbsp oil.  Coat the marinated pieces in semolina and shallow fry till the semolina crust turns crisp on both sides.  You can add little salt, red chilli powder in semolina as well. 4. Prawn/Shrimp fry is ready to serve.

  Anyone who loves South Indian food must have tried Medu Vada at least once.  Medu Vada, also known as Uddin Wada are savory donut shaped fritters made of black gram. That donut shape definitely looks good, but I go with the simple round shape. In Konkani, we call these crispy, golden brown goodies as Biscuit Ambade .

Crispy Cauliflower Pakoras or Phulgobi ke Pakode made with chickpea flour and corn flour. Ingredients: Cauliflower - about 250 gms Besan/Chickpea Flour/Gram Flour - 1/2 cup Corn Flour - 2 tbsp Turmeric/Haldi - 1/4 tsp Red Chilli Powder/Cayenne Pepper - 1 tsp Salt Oil Method: 1. Heat 5 - 6 cups of water in a pot.  Bring it to a boil.  Add cauliflower florets and little salt.  Cook for a minute so that the florets are half cooked.  Use a strainer and drain the hot water. 2. In a mixing bowl, add chickpea flour, corn flour, turmeric, cayenne pepper and little salt.  Add 1 tbsp hot (not warm) oil.  Now add water little at a time to form the batter.  Mix well to remove the lumps and batter must not be too thick or too watery. 3. Dip the half cooked cauliflower florets in the chickpea batter.  Deep fry them in medium hot oil till fritters turn crisp.  Enjoy crisp Gobi Pakode as a tea ...

Ingredients: Medium Grain Rice - 1 cup Grated Cucumber - 3/4 cup Grated Coconut - 1 cup Sugar - 1 tsp Salt Oil Method: 1. Soak rice in water for 4 - 5 hours. 2. Wash rice and grind to a fine paste using 1/2 cup water. 3. Add grated cucumber and salt to the rice paste.  Grated cucumber leaves some water.  Add that water too.  T he batter consistency must not be too thick or too watery.  Add more water if required. 4. Heat a nonstick pan and pour a ladle full of batter.  Spread it evenly to form a circular shape.  Cook both sides drizzling little oil. 5. Churan: Mix 1 cup grated coconut and 1 tsp sugar and churan is ready. 6. Serve hot Cucumber Pancakes with Churan or coconut Chutney.

For me, Sabudana or Sago is synonymous to Upvaas/Vrat or fasting.  My Mom used to cook a sago delicacy every Monday for her fasts.  And we too enjoyed those treats equally...  Sabudana Khichdi ,  Sabudane Wade . Today, I made Sago Kheer or Payasam in my US kitchen for the first time. I am not sure if Tapioca and Sago are one and the same.

A simple stir-fry Tindora/Indian Gourd/Tendli with a garlic flavour.   Ingredients: Tindora/Ivy Gourd - 350 gms Garlic - 4 cloves Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp Turmeric - 1/4 tsp Salt Oil Method: Heat 1 - 2 tbsp oil in a kadhai/wok and add crushed garlic. After garlic turns golden brown, add lengthwise cut (or mashed) Tindora. Saute till tindora turns brown and crisp.  Add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and saute for 2 more minutes.  Enjoy Tendle Talasani with rice or roti.

A light snack made with flattened rice (Poha) , especially made during Diwali.

Vegan Sandwiches with veggies and coconut chutney. Ingredients: Sliced Bread Coriander/Cilantro leaves - 1 cup Mint/Pudina leaves - 1/4 cup (optional) Grated Coconut - 1 cup Green Chilies - 8 Black Pepper Powder Chat Masala Salt Oil Vegetables: Onion, Tomato, Cucumber, Capsicum/Bell Pepper (Green, Yellow, Red), Boiled Potato, Beetroot How to make Indian Chutney Sandwich: Grind grated coconut, cilantro leaves, mint leaves, green chilies, salt to a thick fine chutney. Thinly slice all the veggies of your choice. Spread the green chutney on a slice of bread.  Place the vegetable slices on the chutney.  Sprinkle little pepper powder, chat masala on the vegetable slices.  Place another bread slice on top and press it.  Heat a grill pan or sandwich maker or any pan. Roast the sandwiches both sides drizzling little olive oil.  Serve  Grilled Veggie  Sandwich  with ketchup.

Bitter Gourd Fritters known as Karatya Phodi in Konkani. Generally, in Indian Cuisine pakodas are made with besan/chickpea flour. This Konkani recipe is using rice flour. Ingredients: Bitter Gourd/Karela/Karate - 2 medium   Rice Flour - 1/2 cup Red Chili Powder/Cayenne Pepper - 1/2 tsp Asafetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp Tamarind Paste - 1/2 tsp Turmeric - 1/4 tsp Salt Oil How to cook Karate Phodi Cut bitter gourd into round pieces, slightly thick. Discard the seeds.  Add about 1/2 tsp salt to the cut bitter gourd pieces and mix well. Keep it covered for about an hour. Applying salt will reduce the bitterness of the karela. In a mixing bowl, add rice flour, red chilli powder, turmeric, asafoetida, tamarind paste, little salt (just enough for the batter). Add water in small amounts and mix well to form a batter. Batter must neither be too thick, nor watery. After an hour, squeeze the water from the bitter gourd pieces ...

Potato can be cooked in numerous ways. This one is my favourite, the way my Mom cooks. A Konkani potato stir fry with coconut.  Ingredients: Potatoes - 2 big Green Chilies - 4 Curry Leaves - a sprig Turmeric - 1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp Grated Coconut - 1 tbsp  Asafetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp Oil - 2 tbsp Salt How to cook Konkani Batate Talasan: Peel the potato skin and cut the potatoes into long julienne slices just like fries. Place them in a bowl of water to avoid darkening. Pat curry leaves and green chilies dry. Heat oil in a kadhai/wok and add mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafetida. After mustard seeds pop, add potatoes (drain the water), lengthwise slit green chilies.  Saute till potatoes soften. Add salt, turmeric, grated coconut. Add more coconut if you like. Sauté for 5 more minutes or till potatoes are slightly glazed. Easy quick Batatya Talasaan is ready.

Tasty, delicious Paalak or Spinach Parothas spiced with cumin and coriander seeds. Ingredients: Baby Spinach/Palak - about 5 cups Wheat Flour/Chapati Flour - about 1 1/2 cups Besan/Chickpea/Gram Flour - 1/2 cup Coriander/Cilantro Leaves - few sprigs Red Chilli Powder/Cayenne Pepper - 1/2 tsp Cumin/Jeera Seeds - 1 tsp Coriander Seeds/Dhane/Dhaniya - 1 tsp Turmeric/Haldi - 1/4 tsp Chat Masala or Aamchur or Tamarind - 1/4 tsp Brown Sugar or Sugar - 1/2 tsp Salt Oil Method: 1. Roughly chop washed spinach leaves and coriander leaves.  Grind cumin and coriander seeds to a fine or slightly coarse powder. 2. In a mixing bowl, add chopped spinach and coriander leaves.  Add cumin coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric, chat masala, brown sugar and salt to taste.  Mix well and keep it covered for 20 - 30 minutes.  You can add chopped green chillies instead of red chilli powder.  Also, add ginger and/or garlic paste if you...

Some of you might have heard about a popular Konkani delicacy, Pathrado or Pathrode - a savory roll made of Colocasia leaves.  These savory rolls are called as Alu Wadi in Marathi and Patra in Gujarati. Other names for Colocasia root are Arum, Taro Root, Arvi, Arbi.  In Konkani, these leaves are called as Alu Pan or Patrade Pan .  As Colocasia leaves are not available here, I use Collard Greens for making Patrado.  Now if you are wondering what is Patrade Panna Muddo?  It is a savory steamed cake made of leafy greens with a coconut flavor.

Usal in Marathi is a recipe of any bean sprouts like mung bean, black eyed peas/chawli etc. I have made Matkichi Usal which is a curry made of moth bean sprouts. Moth Beans are known as Matki in Marathi and Motu in Kannada. Ingredients: Moth beans/Matki - 1/2 cup Onions - 2 medium Tomatoes - 2 medium Garlic - 4 big cloves Red chili powder - 2 tsp Turmeric/Haldi - 1/2 tsp Cumin/Jeera seeds - 1/2 tsp Goda Masala or any spice mix - 1 tsp Oil - 2 tbsp Salt How to cook Matkichi Usal: Soak Matki in water for 5 - 6 hrs. Half cup beans will double to one cup. Drain the water and keep it covered overnight to get sprouts. Heat oil in a kadhai/wok and add crushed garlic, cumin seeds.  Sauté until garlic changes to golden brown. Add finely chopped onions and sauté till onions turn soft. Now add washed matki sprouts and 2 cups water.  Cook the sprouts covered. After sprouts are cooked, add finely chopped tomatoes...

An instant dosa/crepe made of Semolina and All purpose flour which does not require soaking or fermentation. A quick fix for breakfast or a light snack. Ingredients: Rava/Sooji/Semolina - 1/2 cup Maida/All Purpose Flour - 1/2 cup Onions (Finely chopped) - about 1/2 cup  Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp Green Chilies - 2  Water - about 2 1/2 cups Salt Oil How to prepare Instant Rava Dosa: Finely chop onions and medium chop green chilies. Mix Rava, Maida, onions, green chilies, water and salt in a mixing bowl. For tempering/tadka, heat oil and add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds splutter, turn off the heat. Pour this tadka to the dosa batter.  The consistency of the batter is thin. Heat a cast iron griddle or a nonstick pan. Grease the pan with cooking spray or few drops of oil. Pour a ladle full of batter and swirl the pan so that the batter spreads evenly. Roast both sides of the dosa to golden brown, drizzling few drops of oil. Roast the dosa longer t...

Maadi is the Konkani name for Arum or Colocasia root or Taro root or Arvi or Arbi . Arum leaves or Colocasia leaves are used for making Patra/Patrado/Aluchi wadi. Ingredients: Maadi/Arum/Taro Root - 250 gm Rice - 1 cup Dry Red Chilies - 10 Asafetida/Hing - 1/2 tsp Tamarind Paste - 1 tsp Turmeric/Haldi - 1/4 tsp Salt Oil How to cook Gluten Free Taro Root Pakoda: Soak rice for 2 - 3 hours. Roast the red chilies with few drops of oil till they turn crisp. Let chilies cool. Peel the arum skin and cut it into round thick slices. Apply few drops of oil to your hands to avoid itching.  Cook the arum pieces in water till they are half cooked, about 5 minutes.  Drain the water. Grind soaked rice, roasted chilies, turmeric, tamarind, salt and asafetida to a fine paste. Tamarind is added to avoid the itching sensation of arum. Dip the half cooked arum slices in the fine paste and deep fry ...

Bangde Kalputi is a dry side dish made of Mackerel, including its head part.  Ingredients: Mackerel/Bangda - 10 small Onions - 2 medium Cumin/Jeera - 1 tsp Slit Green Chillies - 5 Chopped ginger - 1 tsp Grated coconut - 1 tbsp Turmeric/Haldi - 1/2 tsp Salt Oil Method: 1. Clean Mackerel well and separate the head pieces. 2. Heat oil in a kadhai/wok and add cumin seeds.  After cumin seeds splutter, add finely chopped onions, green chillies and finely chopped ginger.  Saute onions till they turn tender. 3. Add all the 10 head pieces and only 4 flesh pieces of mackerel to the fried onions.  Too many flesh pieces will ruin the taste.  Use the leftover fish pieces for frying or a curry.  Cover the kadhai and cook for 10 min. 4. After about 10 min, start mashing the fish pieces while stirring.  Add salt, turmeric, grated coconut and cook for another 5 minutes. 5. Mix well and serve Bangde Kalputi as a side dish with rice.

I am reminiscing the day when I entered my Mangalore kitchen for the first time. I wanted to cook something special for my husband and in-laws. With a little nervousness I served Basundi as a dessert and it was a hit. Every time I prepare this sweet I am reminded of that day and I keep thinking how could I forget Puri with Basundi. This is my story about Basundi and hope you create a cherishable memory for yourself with this recipe. Ingredients: Whole Milk - 4 cups Sugar - 1 tbsp Saffron/Kesar - few strands Green Cardamom/Elaichi - 2 pods Almonds/Badam - 2 Pistachios - 2 Charoli/Chironji - 1 tsp How to prepare Basundi: Crush cardamom seeds and saffron in a mortar pestle to a fine powder. Chop the nuts of your choice and whole charoli. Boil milk in a thick bottom vessel, keep stirring.  The thicker the milk, the quicker it will reduce. I prefer whole milk or full fat milk. As such, Basundi is quite easy to make and nothing is tricky here. But to av...

Dal with Rice is a staple in an Indian diet. I grew up eating the most loved Konkani Dal, well known as Dalitoy or Toy. A Konkani feast would be incomplete without dalitoy. Turmeric/Haldi and Cilantro/Coriander leaves are generally not added in dalitoy, especially in a temple. I don't know why. For a change, I add both cilantro and turmeric sometimes. Ingredients: Toor Dal/Pigeon Pea - 1 cup Slit Green Chilies - 4 Ginger - 1/2 inch piece Curry Leaves/Kadipata - a sprig Asafetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp Dry Red Chilies - 4 Mustard Seeds/Sasam - 1/2 tsp Coconut Oil or Ghee/Clarified Butter Salt How to cook Konkani Dalitoy: Cook toor dal with water till completely mashed. I prefer a pressure cooker for cooking dals, as it takes lesser time. Mash the dal well and add lengthwise slit green chilies, crushed ginger and salt. Boil the dal for about 5 min or till you get the desired thickness. Gen...

Kande Pohe, Batate Pohe is a popular Maharashtrian breakfast made of thick Pohe or Flattened Rice. In Konkani, this Poha recipe is well known as Phane Phovu . Ingredients: Thick Pohe/Flattened Rice - 2 cups Onions - 2 medium Peanuts/Groundnuts - 1/4 cup Turmeric/Haldi - 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp Curry Leaves/Kadipata - a sprig Green Chilies - 5 Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - few sprigs Sugar - 1/2 tsp Oil - 2 tbsp Salt How to make Kande Pohe: Wash pohe in water 2 - 3 times. Washing will remove rice husk if any. Drain all the water after a minute. Soaking time depends on the thickness of the pohe.  Keep it aside in a sieve/strainer/colander for 10 - 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil in a kadhai/wok and add mustard seeds, asafetida, curry leaves.  After mustard seeds splutter, add peanuts. Sauté for about 5 minutes. Now add medium chopped onions, lengthwise slit green chilies. Sauté till onions tur...

Hello Readers! Remember the Pumpkin Paratha I blogged earlier. Today's flatbread recipe is of aromatic fresh fenugreek/methi leaves, well known as Gujarati Methi Thepla. Once you try these parathas, you will realize that these do not require any fancy curry and taste great with just plain curds, mango pickles. Ingredients: Wheat Flour - about 1 1/4 cups Besan/Gram Flour - 1/4 cup Methi/Fenugreek Leaves - a bunch Cumin/Jeera - 1 tsp White Sesame Seeds/Til - 1 tsp Chat Masala or Aamchur - 1 tsp Curd/Yogurt - 1 tbsp Green Chili Paste - 1/2 tsp Turmeric/Haldi - 1/2 tsp Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp Sugar - 1/2 tsp Salt Oil How to prepare Gujarati Methi Thepla: In a mixing bowl, add finely chopped fenugreek leaves (with tender stems), green chili paste, turmeric, cumin, sesame seeds, garam masala, salt and sugar. Mix all the ingredients well and keep it aside for about 20 minutes or longer. This will soften the fenugreek leaves a little and relea...

For me, Vermicelli or Semiya Kheer is the easiest Indian dessert. A delicious, yummy one to end a meal.  Also known as Shavige Payasam . Ingredients: Vermicelli/Shavige/Semiya/Shevai - 1 cup Milk - about 4 cups Green Cardamom/Elaichi - 2 pods (seeds only) Almonds/Badam - 4 Cashews - 4 Pistachios - 4 Walnuts/Akrot - 1 Sugar or Brown Sugar or Jaggery - 3 tbsp Ghee/Clarified Butter - 2 tsp How to make Vermicelli Kheer: Roast the nuts in a pan or a microwave for few minutes so that the skin comes off easily. Chop the nuts of your choice into small pieces. You can add dry grapes/raisins as well. Heat ghee is a thick bottom vessel. Add vermicelli and roast at low flame till vermicelli changes color and turns crisp. Add more ghee if you like. After vermicelli turns golden brown, add milk to vermicelli. When milk starts boiling add chopped nuts and keep stirring to avoid burning. Continue cooking and stirring til...

Masala Dosa is the most popular Indian crepe made with rice and lentils. Crisp Masala Dosa, Potato Bhaji, Coconut Chutney and Sambar make a fabulous South Indian Menu for brunch. This potato bhaji recipe tastes great with chapatis or puris as well. Ingredients: Potatoes - 4 big Onions - 2 medium Green Chilies - 8 Curry Leaves/Kadipata - a sprig Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp Asafetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp Turmeric/Haldi - 1/4 tsp  Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - about 2 tbsp Ginger - 1/2 inch piece Oil - 3 tbsp Salt How to cook Aloo Sabzi for Masala Dosa: Boil the potatoes in enough water and let them cool. Peel the skin and dice them into bite size pieces. Finely chop ginger and cilantro. Slit the chilies lengthwise. Wash and pat the curry leaves dry. Heat oil in a kadhai/wok and add mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafetida.  When mustard seeds pop, add onions, finely chopped ginger and chopped chilies. Add little s...

Who can say no to this delicious breakfast? Masala Dosa is a weekend brunch special at our place. I do some prep-work on Friday evenings like boiling potatoes, getting the batter ready and next day, cooking takes less time. We can eat both good food and spend time just lazing around. I am sure, you guys have some weekend ritual as well. Ingredients: Idli Rice - 1 cup Urad Dal/Split Black Gram - 1/4 cup Toor Dal/Split Pigeon Peas - 1/8 cup Methi/Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tsp Salt Oil How to make South Indian Masala Dosa: Soak idli rice, urad dal, toor dal, methi seeds in plenty of water for about 8 hours. You can use any medium grain rice instead of idli rice. Wash the soaked rice and lentils well, about 5 - 6 times. Grind all these to a fine paste adding little water at a time. I divide it in 2 batches for grinding.  Batter consistency must be slightly thinner than idli batter, but thick enough to coat a spoon....