Kela Upkari (Banana Sabji)

Banana is a great vegetable/ fruit. This is one plant that we use the leaves, flower, raw fruit & finally ripe bananas too.. along with that we even eat the stem of this plant too. Today i cooked the raw banana - a simple Upkari (vegetable), which is my mom's style - a simple - jhat phat vegetable.. goes deliciously well with sambhar & rasam!

Ingredients:

Raw Banana - 3

Oil - 2 tsps

Mustard seends - 1/2 tsp

Udad Dhal - 1/2 tsp

Green chillies - 4

Coconut - 3 tbspn

Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Peel the banana & cut into cubes. Put them in a bowl with water as otherwise they will discolour.

2. In a pan add oil, mustard & udad dhal along with green chillies. Saute Them for a minute.

3. Then add the cut & strained banana & mix everything well. Add salt to taste & very little water. Cover & cook.

4. When its 90% cooked add grated coconut & mix well. Let it cook another 2-3 minutes serve it hot hot.

This is a simple upkari, but tastes yum yum! Perfect combo with a spicy gravy & rice.. how about applams on the side too & some payasam for dessert....What a meal it will be :-)

Garlic Parmesan Flatbread With Homemade Salsa!

I was thinking of what to make for the Game night event hosted by Mansi of Fun & Food. For more details on the event check out at: http://funnfud.blogspot.com/2008/01/announcing-event-game-night-party.html

I was shopping at Traders Joe & came across the Garlic & Parmesan crusted flat bread. Sounded interesting & i thought of a very simple & delicious snackfor the event that will be ready in less than 15 minutes.

Ingredients:

Garlic & Parmesan Flat bread - 1 packet (Traders Joe)

Red onion - 1

Tomatoes - 2

Bell pepper - 1/2

Cilantro - 3 tsps (finely chopped)

Salt - to taste

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Lemon juice - 1/2 lemon

Habanero sauce - optional (to make it spicier!!)

Method:

1. Chop all the veggies into small cubes.

2. Mix it well with salt, pepper, lemon juice & cilantro. Add habanero sauce if desired to suit your spice level.

3. Preheat the oven / toaster-oven & cook the flat bread as instructed in the box.

4. Cut the flat bread into wedges & serve with the home made spicy salsa.

A perfect snack to munch on & ready very quick. You can make the salsa before hand itself & just cook the flat bread, once your guests start to arrive.. its will be reasy in minutes all hot & delicious!

Also use the salsa for chips too... add some melted cheese on top of your tortilla chips & you have one more game night food ready!

Simple Konkani Jovan !!

Its over 3 weeks since the new year began & i have been not blogging at all. Just too many things going on... first the new year hangover :-), then my dad visiting us, plus my dad & daughter's birthday - yes they share their b'days !!

All of a sudden we decided on a vacation & off we flew to Cancun, Mexico. Oh! man its so beautiful, peaceful, laidback & relaxing.. most importantly - WARM!!! I hated coming back to St.Louis.. its so cold....:-(

So after 8 days of vacation & all junk food - lived on chips & salsas - the best salsas i've ever had.. tried in lot of different places... from posh restaurants to road side small cafes....the cafes make the best i feel! Their spice levels are so high.. its amazing...but irresistable too & one goes on & on..... crunch crunch!! With a nice drink on hand, beach, ocean ..... what more to ask for.

Finally back to base & we are craving for a simple hpome cooked meal. So today its basic konkani food...Rice, Dali Thoy, Thendle upkari & Avalla Gojju.

Sending this to Meeta's Monthly Mingle - http://whatsforlunchhoney.blogspot.com/

This months theme is - COMFORT FOODS. Thanks Meeta for hosting a lovely event.

DALI THOY:

A staple in Konkani cuisine, its made from Toor dhal. Very easy & simple, but tasty.. a must for any festival & loved & hated by many!

Ingredients:

Toor dhal - 1 cup

Green chillies - 4

Red chillies - 1

Curry leaves - few

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Oil - 2 tsps

Mustard Seed - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste.

Method:

1. Pressure cook the toor dhal very well. Mash it & add water till u get a desired consistency - not too thin!

2. Now add to it salt, green chillies & bring it to a boil.

3. Season it with mustard seeds , curry leaves, hing & red chillies.

Your Dali Thoy is all ready to be served!!

THENDLE UPKARI: (TINDORA CURRY)

Thendle is also made quite often in konkani cuisine & there are few varieties we make out of it, most popular being Thendle Thalasan. Will post recipe for it soon.. todays its an upkari or dry curry.

Ingredients:

Tindora- 1/2 pound

Coconut - 3 tbspn

Oil - 2 tsps

Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp

Jeera - 1/4 tsp

Channa dhal - 2 tbspn

Green Chillies - 4 (finely chopped)

Curry leaves - few

Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Wash the tindora & cop it lenth wise into strips.

2. In a pan add oil & once it heats up add mustard seeds, jeera, chopped green chillies & curry leaves & saute for a minute. Then add the channa dhal & saute for 2-3 minutes, till it changes colour.

3. Now add the tindora & mix everything well. Add required salt. Sprinkle water & allow to cook slowly. It will take some time - check in between & sprinkle more water if necessary.

4. Finely add coconut when its almost done, mix well & serve.

AVALA GOJJU :( GOOSEBERRY CHUTNEY)

This is a simple one & as long as you can find or have on hand salted gooseberrys in brine water, its easy to make. People in India, usually in the gooseberry season, but it & soak it in brine solution. It lasts for years....But here its difficult to find gooseberry.But i recently found it in the Indian store - PERIYAR brand sells gooseberry in brine solution. The minute my eyes were on it, i knew i had to have it as we love this gojju!!

Ingredients:

Gooseberry - 5 no

Green Chillies - 4

Coconut - 2 tsp

Curds - 1/2 cup

Salt - if u need

Oil - 1 tsp

Garlic - 1

Method:

1. Drain the gooseberry from the liquid & chop it, throwing away the pit. Add to this green chillies & coconut & grind to a fine paste.

2. Transfer to a vessel & add to it curds. Mix well. Check & see if u need salt. Remember the gooseberrys were soaked in salt solution.. it might be too salty too!! So be careful!!

3. Heat oil in a pan & add to it chopped garlic. Saute till its slightly brown in colour. Pour it on top of the gojju, mix & serve.

Enjoy a simple & delicious meal !!