Surna Adigai (Yam Pickle)

Surna Adgai means Suran or yam pickle. This is a konkani instant pickle, quite easy to make and simply delicious!

I had this after long at the “CHUDI” pooja we had here at Konkani Sabha. Chudi or Tulsi Pooja is a festival we have in Shravan month( usually falls in Aug) & we do this every Friday & Sunday through out the month. You basically make a small bouquets of Dirbankur ( Arugampul / Grass that u keep for Ganesh Ji) & 4 other flowers all ties together. Actually there r typical flowers but I make do with what is available! You basically give this to other ladies & if older seek their blessings, if they r younger u get to bless them :-)

So this long forgotten Adgai was there & hence I made it & posting it for my dear blogger friends!

I am also sending this to , as my second entry to RCI - Konkani,hosted by Deepa of Recipes n More.

Ingredients:

Suran / Yam – a small piece
Red Chillies – 5
Tamarind – a small ball
Coconut – 3 tsps (if desired)
Salt – to taste

Method:

1. Take a small piece of suren & cut it into thin strips, about 1/2" long. Apply salt & let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Then squeeze these & deep fry them till nice & crispy.

2. In the same oil deep fry the chillies till they turn slightly brown.

3. Now put the chillies & tamarind in a mixer & grind to a fine paste. Add water as required. Use as less water as possible.

4. At this stage you can add the coconut & grind in too or leave it. It does not matter. Adding coconut means you have to finish of this pickle in a weeks time. Minus the coconut it stays longer. Coconut just brings in a thickness to the pickle. I added some to the one I made.

5. Now transfer the ground paste to a bowl, add required salt & fried suran.If u want u can season with oil & mustard seeds.

Let it stay for a day before u can eat it, as all the chillies & salt will blend well & the suran wil get to soak well in this spicy mixture.

You can have this with idlis & dosas.. Yes, its spicy, add a drop of coconut oil on top & its heavenly!! Or just simply enjoy it with curd rice.. its delicious!!!!!!!!

Mixed Vegetable Khola Nonche (Pickle)

Khola Nonche - A konkani term for pickle with gravy & that too made without any oil. My Mom used to make great Cauliflower pickles - the most amazing ones i've ever had & many of her friends & our Relatives still say mom's was THE BEST!! I tried my hands on it, my very first attempt & not bad, it turned out good, but not as Good as Mom's!

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - a small piece ( i used 3-4 florets)

Carrots - 1

Tindora - 6-7 no

Raw Mango - small piece

Lemon - 1

Mustard seeds - 2 tbspns

Red Chillies - 25 no ( Acc to your spice level)

Salt

Method:

Day 1: Boil 8 cups of water with 4 tbspns of salt & set aside. Cover & bring it to room temp. Leave it overnight preferrably.

Day 2 : Wash, dry & then cut all the veg into small pieces (bite size) . Then add them to the salt water mixture & leave it to soak over night.

Day 3: Using a clean strainer remove veg from the salted water & put in a clean & dry vessel. DO NOT THOW AWAY THE SALTED WATER.

Now take the red chillies & mustard seeds & powder to a coarse paste in a blender. Then add little of the salted water & grind to a smooth paste. Do not make the Gravy very thin, use as less water as poosible. Now transfer the ground Paste or "Kholu" as we call in Konkani onto the veg & mix well. Taste & see & add salt only if you want. Remember you used salted wated so salt will be there already, plus veg soaked in it so they will be slightly salty too.

Mix well & store in a glass bottle in the refrigerator & let all the veg soak for 3-4 days before you start eating it... Once the lemon & mango leaves its sourness & veg soak in the spicy Kholu, spicy & delicious pickle is ready!

Cranberry Thokku (Pickle)

Cranberries - Why only use it in desserts.. use it to make a pickle too! When, my friend Deepa said this, i said, pickles from Cranberries? Interesting right??? Well, finally i did muster courage to try.. & result was great recipe. Thanks Deepa!!

Ingredients:

Cranberries - 1 pack (I used 12 oz pack)

Oil - 4 tbspns

Mustard seeds - 1 + 1 tsp

Methi Seeds - 1 tsp

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Chili Powder - 2 tsps

Turmeic powder- 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Wash cranberries in a collander & set aside to dry off.

2. In a pan, dry fry 1 tsp of mustard & methi seeds & powder coarsely.

3. Add oil to pan & 1 tsp Mustard seeds & hing. Let it splutter, then add the washed cranberries & stir well.

4. It will mash up & come together in few minutes.. Then add the chili, turmeric & salt & mix well.

5. It will be all mashed & come well together, now add the coarsely powder mustard & methi mixture & stir in well for 2-3 minutes. Your Cranberry Thokku is ready!!

Its a little bit on the sour side...so increase the spice level accordingly. But tastes good, something different !! Your Cranberry Thokku is ready.

Tomato Pickle

Tomato Pickle is really easy to make & comes in handy on those days your lazy too cook.. goes well as an accompianment with dosas, Idlis or even Rice & Dhal!

Ingredients:

Tomatoes - 10 no (I used Roma Tomatoes)

Canola Oil - 2 tbspns

Gingelly Oil - 2 tbspns

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Meethi Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Chili Powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Wash tomatoes & cut them into medium pieces.

2. In a pan, add both oil (if you dont have Gingelly oil,use only Canola oil - increase amount)& once hot add mustard seeds, methi seeds & let it splutter.

3. Then add chopped tomatoes & cook it. It will leave a lot of water, but will thicken as u cook.

4. Once tomatoes are mashed & half cooked, add chili powder, turmeric powder,Hing, Salt & keep on cooking till it becomes thick & oil starts to come to the sides of the pan.

Your pickles ready to serve. Can be stored for a few days.

For variation, i add chopped garlic or ginger in sometimes, while cooking.