Antinunde/Karadantu / Laddu with Edible Gum

        

Hey folks! Hope alls well with you all... The update from my end is that, Naveen and I were blessed with a baby boy on the 13th of Oct 2009! Things have been hectic at my end ever since... Each day has been a different learning experience. Despite all the sleepless nights and Aadi's seemingly never ending crying sessions, motherhood has been a wonderful experience. It is such a pleasure to watch them grow, I tell ya! :)

Thanks to Amma and Ajji's 'Baananthana( in simple words, postpartum care and attention given to the new mom), I am learning quite a few unique dishes out here. One such dish is "Antinunde".  Edible gum, that is used in making this laddu is high in medicinal value. A lot of dry fruits also go into these laddus making them rich and nutritious. "One Antinunde a day strengthens your spine", my Ajji says. This laddu is more commonly known as Karadantu( or Karidantu) in the northern parts of Karnataka. If I am not wrong, this laddu is also known by the name "Ding Laddu" in Mangalore-Udupi regions of Karnataka.

Ingredients:

1 cup Edible gum, finely chopped

1 cup Almonds/Badami, finely chopped

1 cup Dry Dates/Uttutte, finely chopped

1 cup Raisins

1 cup Desiccated Coconut/Copra/Kobbari grated

1.5 cups Jaggery

1-1.5 tbsp Khus khus/ Gasagase (optional)

2 tbsp Ghee/Clarified butter for roasting

Ghee for deep frying

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan for deep frying.
2. Drop the chopped edible gum pieces into hot ghee and fry until they puff up; Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
3. Dry roast khus khus and keep aside;
4. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan and roast the chopped almonds until they turn lightly golden brown; Keep aside.
5. Dry roast the desiccated coconut and keep aside;
6. Mix all the dry fruits, desiccated coconut, fried edible gum and khus khus in a large mixing bowl and keep aside.
7. Heat jaggery in a heavy bottomed pan and add just enough water to cover the jaggery; Boil until jaggery dissolves and forms a syrup with thread like consistency. Note: To test if the syrup is ready, pour a drop into a bowl of cool water. If the solution forms a tiny lump and does not dissolve in water, the syrup is ready.
8. Pour the syrup into the above mixture little by little and mix well.
9. Grease you palm with a drop of ghee; Take some of the mixture in your palm and make laddus of desired size; Repeat for remaining mixture as well.
10. Let cool and store in air tight containers.

Prep Time: About 50-60 mins;

Makes: About 25-30 laddus;

Annada Kesari Bhaat / Sweet Saffron Rice

         

Hey folks! All well at your end, I hope.... Things have been good at my end,apart from the cough and cold that everyone in our house is falling prey to. The weather out here in Bengaluru has been pretty gloomy and rainy. Probably that's the reason why everyone around seems to be falling sick so often.

My Ajji- Taata are here with us since a couple of weeks and I am getting to learn a whole lot of traditional dishes from  my Ajji! One such dish that I learned from her was "Annada Kesari Bhaat". This dish happens to be one of my favorites, and I love it even more after having learned how easy it is to make :) Have a surprise guest at home? You could put this together in just 10-15 mins!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Cooked white rice ( I like mine to be mushy and well cooked)

1 cup Sugar (Adjust quantity according to taste)

1/4 cup Ghee/Clarified butter

8-10 Saffron strands

1-2 tsp Warm Milk

1 tbsp Raisin-Cashew mixture

1-2 drops Food color (optional)

 

Method:

1. Soak saffron strands in warm milk and keep aside.
2. Heat a pan on medium flame and add 1/4 cup of water to it.
3. Add all the sugar and stir until it dissolves completely and forms a thread like consistency; Note:Add just enough water to dissolve all the sugar.
4. Add half the quantity of ghee to the pan and stir until it dissolves.
5. Add the cooked and mashed rice, food color and remaining ghee; Pour the milk with saffron strands over it and mix thoroughly.
6. Roast the cashews and raisins in 1 tsp of ghee and add to the Kesari Bhaat; Serve hot and relish!

Nimbekai Uppinakai/Lemon Pickle

         

 

Hey folks, I'm back! I have been off blogging for over a month now, haven't I ??!?! Time flies here in India... really!! :) August has been a busy month for Naveen and me. We landed in Bengalooru on the 24th of July... The first few days went by in deciding on my doctor and hospital, getting the Internet connection up and running, getting a SIM card for each of us and other such immediate necessities. I have decided to go ahead with Columbia Asia, Hebbal for my delivery.... Any suggestions/experiences/opinions regarding Columbia Asia, Hebbal are more than welcome! :)

After the major task of choosing my doctor and hospital, I was at my in-laws place for a couple of weeks at Mangalooru. Rainy season that it is in India right now, it was pouring cats and dogs in the coastal city of Mangalooru (or Mangalore, as it was known till recently).... Not that it helped in cooling down the weather in any way!!! Despite the heavy rains and the high temperatures, I managed to have a wonderful time out there... hogged on all the traditional south canara dishes, stalled the famous "Pabbas" ice cream parlor almost daily, met up with all our good friends! My in-laws had also arranged for a traditional  and elaborate "Seemantha" ceremony for me. Got done with all that and returned to Amma's place in Bangalore last week. And now that even Naveen is back to work in Mangalore, I seem to have a lot of free time in hand. I am also enjoying all the pampering while it lasts :)

Both, my Ajji (Mom's mom)  and amma, make amazing pickles. This traditional recipe for lemon pickle is theirs too. Glad that I was with amma when she was making it last time.... I got a chance to take a few pictures and learn the procedure. Though very easy to make, I must warn you before hand that this one is a very time consuming procedure and it takes a lot of patience . But once you get to taste this pickle, you will never like any of the store bought ones.  So, all you folks who love home made pickles and have the patience to wait, should definitely try this one!!

 

Ingredients:

10-12 Fresh lemons, medium sized

15-20 Dry Red Chilies, low to medium spiced

2 tsp Methi seeds

1 tsp Hing

Salt as per taste and requirement

Method:

1. Wash and chop each lemon into 8 pieces and keep aside.
2. In the jar that you will be using to store the pickle, drop 8-10 pieces of chopped lemon; Sprinkle a generous amount of salt all over; Continue the process for the remaining pieces as well; Close the lid of the jar tightly and keep aside for 4-5 days. Note: Make sure you pick a jar/bottle with a lid that closes tightly.
3. Open the lid of the jar and mix thoroughly with a steel spoon; You will see that the lemons would have given out enough water because of the salt.
4. Close the lid of the jar tightly and keep aside for another 20 days; Remember to mix thoroughly, once in every two days.
5. Dry roast red chilies, methi seeds and hing until you smell the fresh aroma of the masalas. Powder the roasted masalas in a blender without adding any water.
6. Add the powdered masalas to the salted lemons and mix thoroughly; Keep aside for 2 days.
7. Relish with dosas, rotis, parathas, idli, curd rice or just some hot steamed plain rice!

Prep Time: About 30-40 mins, excluding storage time;

Makes: Enough to fill a 500ml bottle;

Baalekai Chips/ Banana Chips

       

With just about a week left for our move, mom and I are busy emptying our pantry and making sure we don't end up wasting too many groceries. In the process, we ended up making Mangalore special -Banana Chips last week.... Here goes the recipe

Am sending this across to "RCI-Udupi & Mangalorean Cuisine" event hosted by Sia of Monsoon Spice. Thanx to Lakshmi for having come up with the RCI event concept, and thanks to Sia for hosting this month's event!!

Ingredients:

1 Raw Banana (preferably the long and thick ones, called "nendra baale" in Kannada)

2-3 tsp Salt

1/4 cup Water

Oil for deep frying (Coconut oil, preferably)

Method:

1. Wash and peel the raw banana; Peel deep enough, such that only the white pulp remains.
2. Slice the banana into very thin circular slices. You could use a slicer for this purpose.
3. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan; Meanwhile, dissolve salt in some water and keep aside.
4. Drop a handful of banana slices into the  hot oil carefully.
5. Pour a tsp or two of salt water into the oil; The oil will sizzle a little, so make sure you maintain a distance.
6. Saute regularly so that the slices do not stick to each other and they are cooked all over.
7. The chips are done when they turn golden yellow in color; Remove from oil and drain on paper towels; Let cool completely and store in airtight containers.
8. Repeat the whole process for the remaining banana slices.

Note:

• While adding salt water to subsequent batches, keep in mind that the oil would already have some amount of salt in it. So, you might want to add lesser quantity of salt water every time.
• You could even add a pinch of turmeric and hing to the salt concentrate, for  good color and taste.
• Using coconut oil gives it the authentic mangalorean taste, but feel free to go ahead and use any vegetable oil of your choice.

Prep Time: About 30-40 mins;

Serves: Makes enough for 2-3 people;

Gasagase Payasa / Poppy Seeds Payasam

         

Hey everybody! Hope y'all had a safe and fun filled long weekend. We spent ours at New York!! Amma Appa were awestruck by all the tall and beautiful buildings, the busy crowds on the streets, abound dining and shopping options..... They loved it all :)

And btw, have I told you guys that we are moving back to India in a couple of weeks?? In case I haven't mentioned it yet.... Naveen and I are moving back to India for good!!!! :) By the end of this month, we'd be in India among family and friends.....Oh, I am so very excited!!!! But before that, we have a whole lot of packing and winding up to do here.The next two weeks are gonna be really busy!!! In the next couple of months, I may not be able to blog as regularly as I would want to... But I'm sure you folks will understand! :)

Anyway, coming to today's recipe... Gasagase Payasa is very traditional and authentic to Karnataka. As most of you would know, poppy seeds are the source of opium. So, don't be surprised if you find yourself dozing off after having a hot cup of Gasagase Payasa :D. There are different ways of making Gasagase Payasa..... some people soak the rice and poppy seeds, while some others roast and powder it. Here's how we make it in our family....

Ingredients:

4 tsp Poppy seeds

1 tsp White Rice, uncooked

1 cup Grated Coconut, fresh/frozen

1/4 cup Desiccated coconut/Copra/Kobbari

3-4 tbsp Jaggery

1/4 cup Milk

1/2 tsp Elaichi, powdered

4-5 strands of Saffron (optional)

8-10 Cashews/Almonds (optional)

 

Method:

1. Dry roast poppy seeds and rice until they turn crisp and lightly change color.
2. Finely powder the roasted poppy seeds and rice in a blender without adding any water.
3. Add  grated coconut, desiccated coconut, some water and grind to a  smooth paste.
4. Add half a cup of water and strain the paste through a finely perforated strainer; Retain the liquid - this will  make the payasam later.
5. Transfer the coarse residue into a blender; Add some more water and grind again to a smooth paste.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 about 3-4 times.
7. Add jaggery to the strained liquid and boil on low-medium heat until all the jaggery dissolves; Remove from stove.
8. Dissolve saffron strands in 1/4 cup of warn milk and set aside for 5-10 mins.
9. Add powdered elaichi,warm milk with saffron and mix well; Serve hot and relish.

Prep Time: About 40-45 mins;

Serves: About 3-4 people;

Menthya Gojju/ Fenugreek seeds cooked in Tamarind & Jaggery sauce

          

What is the best part of pregnancy, you ask me?? Well, its definitely the pampering and all the fuss around me, by everyone in the family :) Nothing I say is ever put off! I now indulge gracefully in all my cravings, without the least bit of guilt :D. Ramya wants to go to DQ's for a Sundae, late in the night, and so the entire family goes along without any objections!!! Mom picks and chooses all my favorites dishes and makes them for me.... Some of them, I had almost forgotten they existed. I'm loving this phase of pregnancy!! :) I have also been feeling the baby moves and kicks for over a month now. It feels wonderful! I had confused them for hunger pangs, initially, but learned to differentiate in a few days. The first trimester was terrible with all the morning sickness, and I am already dreading the huge belly that I'm gonna be carrying in the thirst trimester.... The second trimester is the golden phase, as everyone says, and I'm enjoying it while it lasts! :)

Here is a simple and quick recipe that takes very few and common ingredients that are usually present in any South Indian pantry. People who relish bitter gourd (Karela) will definitely love this one. This is a bit of an acquired taste and you might have to try it a couple of time before you actually like it...

Ingredients:

2 tsp  Fenugreek/Methi/Menthya seeds

2 tsp Chana Dhalia/Hurigadale/Putaani

1 tsp Tamarind paste

1 tbsp Jaggery

1.5 tsp Rasam powder

1 tbsp Grated coconut fresh/frozen (optional)

2 tsp Oil

3/4 tsp Mustard seeds

3-4 Curry leaves

A generous pinch of Hing

A pinch of Turmeric

Salt as per taste

Method:

1. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds until them turn lightly red in color; Make sure not to burn them.
2. Add half a cup of water and pressure cook until done; It takes about 2-3 whistles in my cooker.
3. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan; Temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves, hing and turmeric.
4. Add the cooked fenugreek seeds, rasam powder, jaggery, tamarind paste, salt and boil well for about 4-5 mins; Add a little water if required.
5. Meanwhile, coarsely powder the chana dhalia using a blender; Add chana dhalia and grated coconut to the boiling gojju and mix well; Add water to get the desired consistency; Adjust ingredients according to taste and boil further for a minute or two;
6. Remove from stove and serve hot with hot steamed rice/ dosas/rotis and relish.

Prep Time: About 30-40 mins;

Serves: About 2-3 people;

Theingolu/ Theingolalu\TeingoL (Deep fried,rice and urad flour snack)

        

A deep fried snack for you guys today! Theingolalu is a deep fried snack that's very similar to chakli. While chakli is more widely known and is relished by everyone all over India, this one is more authentic and known only in the Mysore - Bangalore regions of Karnataka. The process involved in making Theingolalu is tedious and time consuming, but the end product is delicious! And you know how moms are.... they wouldn't mind going through all the pains, as long as their little one relishes it. Yes, my mom made this for me and brought it along while coming here to visit us! :) I would never have gone through the trouble of making it myself :P Here is how she made it...

Ingredients:

1 cup Urad Dal/ Urad flour

3 cups Uncooked White rice

1 tbsp Butter

1/2 tsp Hing

1 tsp Jeera/Cumin seeds

Salt as per taste

Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Wash and drain the rice and Urad dal separately; Spread on paper towels and let dry for about 2 hours.
2. Dry roast the rice until it turns mildly warm- Make sure not to over roast.
3. Powder the rice and Urad dal separately in a blender; DO NOT add any water while powdering. Note: If you are using Urad flour, you could skip step 1; Follow step 3 for rice only and continue with the next step.
4. Mix both flours, melted butter, salt, cumin seeds and knead into a dough- Add water as required; The dough should be of the same consistency as of the poori dough, or slightly thicker than the chapati dough.
5. Stuff the dough into the traditional chakli press/maker; Press into circles of desired shape.
6. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan; Drop them one by one and fry on medium flame until they turn lightly golden in color.
7. Drain on paper towels and let cool; Store in air tight containers. Relish with tea/coffee or just as is.

Tip:

• If you have enough time in hand, make the rice and urad powders and set them aside for a couple of days before you proceed with making Theingolalu. The color and texture turns out better this way.
• If you have access to to any flour mill, it would be a good idea to get the urad dal and rice powdered at the mill instead of using the blender.... You would have a finer and smoother powder this way.
• The Urad-Rice mixture can be made well in advance and stored/frozen for almost a year; So when you have guests over, all you need to do is knead it into a dough and then deep fry; Theingolalu would be ready in just a few minutes!
• Theingolalu can be stored in air tight containers for up to 3-4 weeks!
• Traditionally, the "bille" (the circular, detachable bottom portion of the chakli press containing perforations, through which the dough oozes out) used for theingolalu contains three medium sized circular perforations, while the "bille" for chakli contains only one star shaped perforation. Every Chakli press comes with multiple "bille"s of various types and perforations, So you could choose whichever suits you best.

Makes: About 25-30 Theingolalu;

Prep Time: About 60-90 mins, excluding soaking time;

Aviyal

Aviyal, as most of you would know, is a Kerala speciality dish. Dakshina Kannada (Mangalore-Udupi) cuisine is highly influenced by Kerala cuisine because of its proximity to Kerala. Aviyal is one such adaptation. While Aviyal is made thick and "sabzi/palya" kinds in Kerala, it is more of a gravy in Karnataka. With a whole lot of veggies, this dish is healthy, nutritious and quite easy to make! Serve with some hot steamed rice and it makes a wonderful comfort food.

Ingredients:

2 cups Mixed veggies, chopped into 1" pieces (green beans, carrots, tindora, potatoes etc)

1/2 cup Grated coconut, fresh/frozen

1 cup Yogurt/Sour curd

2-3 Green Chilies, low to medium spiced

1 tsp Jeera

1-2 tsp Oil

1 tsp Mustard seeds

4-5 Curry leaves

A pinch of Hing

Salt as per taste

Method:

1. Boil the veggies with some salt and water until tender and cooked; Drain the cooked veggies and retain the excess water.
2. Grind coconut, jeera and green chilies to a smooth paste with some water.
3. Add the masala paste to the cooked veggies and boil for a minute; Add salt and mix well.
4. Switch off the stove and add yogurt; Add some of the retained water from the cooked veggies to get the desired consistency; Mix well and adjust ingredients according to taste.
5. Temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves and hing; Serve with hot steamed rice and relish.

Maavinakai Kette Uppinakai (Instant Raw Mango pickle)

         

Pickles are something that everyone loves!!!!  As a child, I would have pickles with almost everything - idlis, dosas, plain rice & ghee, rotis or even bread!! :D And we always had a jar of home made pickles at home. In fact, I hadn't tasted store bought pickles until I shifted to the hostel during my Engineering days!! Amma makes different varieties of pickles and the one I have for you today is the simplest of all. Its fast, easy to make, takes very few ingredients and you need not have to wait for too long before you can start relishing it.... And it is also one of my favorites!!! :) Here's how Amma makes it....

Ingredients:

3 Raw Mangoes, medium sized

3tsp Mustard seeds

30 Dry Red Chilies, low to medium spiced

1tsp Powdered Hing

1 tsp Haldi/Turmeric

Salt as per taste

 

Method:

1. Wash and cut mangoes into 1 inch cubes; In a glass jar, spread some of the cubes and sprinkle some salt over it; Add few more cubes and make another layer; Sprinkle some more salt ; Repeat the process for the remaining mango cubes and keep aside.
2. Powder the mustard seeds and red chilies to a fine mixture; Add hing, turmeric and mix well. Note:DO NOT add any water while powdering the spices in the blender/mixie.
3. Add the powdered spices to the mango-salt mixture and mix well with the help of a long spoon; Close the lid of the jar tightly. Relish with idlis, dosas,akki rottis, curd rice.

Tips:

1. Choose mangoes carefully; The mangoes should be sour and hard.
2. The pickle may seem a little dry on the first day, but DO NOT add any water; the mangoes will give out enough water in a day or two;
3. Though this pickle can be eaten with any south indian dish, curd rice & pickle is the most famous combination.
4. Though this pickle is sort of instant and can be used right away, it tastes great after a couple of days when the mangoes would have absorbed the masalas.
5. This pickle cannot be stored for too long; Its average shelf life is about 1-1.5 months. As days go by, the mangoes would start becoming soft and start dissolving in the gravy.

Prep Time: About 30-40 mins;

Makes: Roughly enough pickle to fill a 450-500 ml bottle;

Badanekayi HinDi (Baingan Bharta, the South Indian style)

       

Hey people...I'm back!!! I had disappeared again for a coupla weeks, hadn't I??!?! Well, I didn't want to, but I got so busy with mom n dad that I could barely make time for anything else!!! Amma-appa landed early last week... They had a safe journey. They didn't have too much of jetlag either, thankfully :). Been busy showing them around Chicago, these days. Have also been relishing amma made food.... All the home made sweets and savories, varieties of pickles, daily morning breakfast.... yummm!!!! I'm loving it all. Amma's adige is the best in the world!!! :) I am trying my best to take pictures of most of the dishes that amma is making. Will post them one by one!

The recipe I have for you today is from the Sirsi-Sagar parts of Karnataka. This authentic recipe is very easy to make and is a perfect accompaniment with some hot steamed rice. Thanx to my friend Sangeeta for having shared this simple yet delicious recipe! :)

 

Ingredients:

1 Large purple eggplant

1 tbsp Grated coconut, fresh/frozen

1 Small Red Onion, finely chopped

1 tsp Amchur powder OR 1 tsp  Lime juice

1 tsp Chopped Cilantro, for garnishing

2 tsp Oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

2 Green chilies, slit vertically

1 tsp Chana+Urad Dal mixture

A generous pinch of hing

Salt as per taste

Method:

1. Pre-heat the conventional over to 350 deg F.
2. Smear the eggplant with a few drops of oil; Make a few cuts on the skin of the eggplant with a knife.
3. Place the eggplant in an over safe container and bake for about 30-45 mins or until done; Tip: The eggplant is done when the skin shrinks and forms wrinkles all over. You could even poke a toothpick at the center and see if it is cooked completely.
4. Remove the eggplant from the oven and let cool for a while; Peel off a thin layer of the skin with your hands and discard.... If the eggplant is cooked well it should come off very easily.
5. Mash the flesh of the eggplant with the back of a spoon and discard the stalk.
6. Add chopped onions, amchur powder, grated coconut, salt and mix well.
7. Temper with mustard seeds, green chilies, dal mixture and hing.
8. Serve hot with rice/rotis and enjoy!

Prep Time: About 60-90 mins;

Serves: About 2-3 people;

Eggless & Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies

        

Ever since I bought this book last year, I have been doing a lot of baking at home.... Thanx to the book, I'm not scared to bake anymore!! :) This crunchy cookie recipe is also adapted from the same book. A lot of Mane Adige readers have been mailing and asking me to post more eggless recipes. So, here goes!!

Meanwhile, I have less than a week left before my parents arrive...  I am soooo excited!!!! And also a little scared... I hope the swine flu issue does not create any problems during their travel... I also have a lot of minor preparations to make, for their arrival. And these terrible rains and cold weather is not helping in any way :((.... Will keep you guys posted! Hope y'all like the cookies....

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Butter at room temperature

3/4 cup Sugar OR 1/2 cup brown sugar+ 1/4 cup sugar

1.5 cups All Purpose Flour/ Maida

1 tsp Baking soda

2 tsp Vanilla extract

3 tbsp Cooking oil

1/2 cup Chopped nuts (optional)

1 cup Semisweet Chocolate Pieces

1/2 cup Shredded coconut (optional)

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 deg F.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy - approx. 2 minutes. If you are using electric mixer, set the speed to medium.
3. Slowly add the flour, baking soda, vanilla, oil and mix until completely combined. Note: For a flatter cookie, or if the batter is too dry, add a couple of spoons of water.
4. Add the chocolate chips, nuts, coconut and mix gently with a wooden spoon. Adjust the quantity of chocolate chips according to your wish.
5. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheets, spaced 2 inches apart; Bake for 8-10 mins or until the cookies are completely done.
6. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Serve with milk or as is and relish!

Prep Time: About 35-45 mins;

Makes: About 20-25 cookies;

Tomato Gojju

       

Hey people!! Hope alls well at your end. Long time indeed...... :) My apologies for having disappeared without even informing. To all my readers who have been mailing and asking me if everything was alright.....Yes, things are great!! Thank you so much for asking :). Past couple of months have been eventful for us, out here. The update from my end is that, Naveen and I  are expecting a new addition to our family in a few months from now!!! :) While we were very happy and excited about entering the next phase of our life, the first few weeks were also a little hard for us to cope with. Terrible nausea and morning sickness had kept me away from the kitchen all this while.... I could not bear the smell of food, leave alone cooking and eating it :D. I only lived on fruits all this while :D Naveen even had to stop using his perfumes 'coz I couldn't bear the smell of it :). Glad that the whole phase is over and am slowly getting back to normal. Will keep updating you guys from time to time, with all the happenings at my end....

Another update is that, my parents will be joining us here in the first week of May!!! :) I am really looking forward to having them over..... You guys could expect some nice "amma- made" dishes and recipes here on Mane Adige, after they arrive!! :)

Will now head straight to today's recipe.... Its a simple side dish that takes very few ingredients and gets done really fast. This gojju tastes great with dosas and chapatis. Make it a little more watery and its perfect with rice as well.... 

Ingredients:

4-5 Ripe tomatoes, medium sized

1 tsp Red Chili Powder + 3/4 tsp Methi powder OR 1-2 tsp Rasam Powder

1 tbsp Jaggery

4-5 Curry leaves

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1 - 1.5 tsp Oil

A generous pinch of hing

Salt as per taste

Chopped Cilantro for garnishing

 

Method:

1. Wash and chop tomatoes finely; Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan; Temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves and hing.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and covered for a few minutes; You could add a few spoons of water if the mixture is too dry but usually, tomatoes give out moisture as they cook.
4. Add salt, jaggery, rasam powder and mix well; Continue to cook until done;If you are using methi seeds, dry roast them for a minute and then powder them in a blender without adding any water.
5. Add water to attain desired consistency and boil well; Once done, remove from stove and serve hot with rice /rotis/dosas etc.

Prep Time: About 20-25 mins;

Serves: 2-3 people;

Mangalore Buns

        

I was quite young when I heard of this dish for the first time, and I wondered.... "Why is it called buns?? why not pakoras or bhajjis or something?? Its nothing like the actual buns...!!!!"  Initially, I found this whole "Mangalore Buns" thing pretty strange, 'coz it was not actually buns, it was only mildly sweet (neither was it a savory, nor was it exactly a sweet dish - and I was told that's how its supposed to be), and its eaten with chutney!!!!!!! I thought i'd never get myself to like something this different. But after trying it a couple of times, I actually started liking them. These mildly sweet, banana flavored, deep fried treats indeed taste great with a spicy chutney!!!  They are different.... You should try it sometime, if you still haven't.

As the name suggests, this is an authentic Mangalorean recipe. Scan the menu of any local restaurant in Mangalore and you are sure to find "Buns" on it. While I like my buns with coconut chutney and a hot cup of tea, they can also be had with some steaming hot sambhar. I am posting this on the request from a few of my readers. Sorry about the delay, people... But I hope y'all like the recipe! :)

 

Ingredients:

1 cup Maida/All purpose flour

1 ripe Banana, medium sized

1-2 tbsp Curd/Yogurt

4-5 tsp Sugar

1 tsp Jeera seeds

1/2 - 3/4 tsp Baking soda

1/2 tsp Salt

Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Mash the banana completely with your hands; Add the rest of the ingredients, except oil, and make a dough; The dough should be of the chapati dough consistency. Note: Be very careful while adding yogurt; Yogurt gives out some water and tends to make the dough watery. So, start with very little quantity and then add more, as required.
2. Cover and set aside for 4-5 hours.
3. Heat oil in a frying pan on low-medium heat; A tiny ball of dough dropped into the oil should rise immediately - That's when the oil is ready.
4. Pull out ping pong sized balls of dough and pat them in between your palms to make pooris out of the dough; You could also use rolling pin to make the pooris. Note: If you are using your hands for making pooris, greasing them with a few drops of cooking oil would help.
5. Drop the pooris in oil and deep fry on both sides until they turn brown; Note: While deep frying, press and keep them inside the oil for a few seconds, just like how you would do for ordinary pooris - This helps them fluff up!
6. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels; Serve hot with coconut chutney/Sambhar and enjoy.

And the Winner of the "Chutney/Dip Mania" is........

Sanika for her Kokum Chutney  @ "Spicy & Tangy....Sweet & Yummy!!!!"

There were about 521 votes on the whole, and Kokum Chutney won with 240 votes (46%)!!!!!

A big THANKS to all Mane Adige readers and also my fellow bloggers for making this event a huge success! :)

Congratulations, Sanika!!! :) Expect to see a mail from me in your inbox pretty soon...

Chutney/Dip Mania Round-up!!

Hey Folks!!!  :) Hope alls well at your end. I'm sorry for having disappeared without informing..... The event round-up and a couple of other things had kept me busy!! The round-up for the "Chutney/Dip Mania" is ready .... In all, there were around 52-54 bloggers who sent across their entries!!!!! Thank you sooo much fellow bloggers & readers, for making this event such a huge success!! :) Here are all the entries....

                                                  

Kara/Spicy Chutney, Green Chutney, Coconut Chutney by Srividhya from "Appetizing recipes"               

                                                    

 

Cabbage Chutney, Bottlegourd Chutney, Tomato-Peanut Chutney by Pooja of "Sai Kitchen"

                                         

Carrot Chutney, Bird's eye Chili Chutney, Tangy mango dip (Maanga vella pachadi), Mint Chutney by Dershana The Footloose Chef

                                          

Cheesey Paneer Dip by Malini of "Khana Khazana with Malini"       

 

                                           

Shallots N Redchillies Chutney, Ridgegourd Peels N Sesame Seeds Chutney, Butternut Squash Chutney, Yogurt-Mayo Dip by Priya of "Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes"

 

                                            

Gulla bhajji/smoked eggplant dip by Poonam of "Poonam's Kitchen"

 

                                           

Curry Leaves Chutney by Vijaya of "Daily Meals"

 

                                            

Mint Chutney by Anu Sriram of "Chandrabhaga"

 

                                                       

Kadale Bele Chutney, Red Chili Chutney by Vanamala of "Nalapaka"

                                           

Seemebadanekai Chutney by Pavithra of "Pakashale"

                                           

Pumpking chutney/Dip by Swapna of "Cooking with swapna"

                                           

Poodina / Mint Chutney, Brinjal Dip/ Baba Ghannouj/ Moutabal, Dill Chutney, Pachadi by Swapna of "Swapna's Cuisine"

                                           

Raw Mango Chutney, Carrot, Beet and Brinjal Chutney, Garlic Chutney by Lakshmi of "Taste of Mysore"

                                                   

Cilantro Dip (Coriander Dip), Peanut Chutney by Deepa Hari of Simple Home Cooking 

                                         

Roasted Tomato and Chickpea Dip by Supriya of "Queen of My Kitchen"

 

                                         

 Peerkangai chutney, Red pumpkin chutney, Mixed chutney by Poornima of "Madhu's cooking gallery"

 

                                         

Raw Tomato Chutney by Bhagyashri of "Taste Buds"

                                         

Onion Tamarind Chutney, Ridgegourd Chuteny, Chayote Squash Peel Chutney, Tofu Chutney, Lentil Chutney by Vidya of "Delectable Vegetarian Recipes"

                                       

Onion Dip/Onion thogayal by Kamakshi of "Sanctified Spices"

                                      

Homemade Salsa by Gayathri of "Gayathri's Adige Mane"

                                       

Gram dhal and Tomato Chutney by Hema of "Adlak'sKitchen"

                                       

Bartho (Eggplant Chutney) by Alka of "Sindhirasoi"

                                       

Brinjal/Eggplant Chutney by Madhumathi of "Madhu's Food Journal"

 

                                        

Onion Chutney by Uma of "Essence of Andhra"

                                        

Nadiya pachidi, Mango Chutney by Oriya Food  of "Home Cooked Oriya Food "

                                       

Eggpalnt chutney by Madhu of "Ruchii"

                                       

Heerekaayi Chutney / Ridge Gourd Dip by Pooja of "Iyers Kitchen"

                                       

Papaya Marcha, Pineapple Chutney by Meera of "Enjoy Indian Food"

                                        

Sweet & Spice Fruit Chutney by Soma of "eCurry"

                                        

Ginger Chutney by Nirupama Sunder

                                         

Pudina (Mint) Chutney, Tomato Chutney, Coconut Chutney, Kokum Chutney, Teel(Sesame seeds) Chutney, Coriander Chutney by Sanika of "Spicy & Tangy....Sweet & Yummy!!!!"

                                              

Horse Gram Chutney by Deesha of "Vegetable Platter"

                                                 

Red chilly chutney, Peanut chutney, beetroot , radish , sesame , coconut and amla chutney by Shama of "Easy 2 Cook Recipes"

                                            

Hummus by Nags of "Edible Garden"

                                                

Karandi&Garlic chutney and Marinara sauce by Mangala of "Recipes 24/7"

                                  

Carrot Chutney by Kamala of "Mom's Recipes"

                                

Dhania chutney by Priyanka of "Asankhana"

                                 

Cilantro Dips by Priya Sriram of "Priya's Sourashtrian Kitchen"

                                 

Hummus by Namarata of "Welcome to Namu's Kitchen"

                                            

White Radish Chutney, Mint Chutney by Rekha of "Plantain Leaf"

                                

Tomato/Peanut Chutney, Tamarind/Onion Chutney, Keerai (Spinach) Chutney by Akal of "Akal's Saappadu"

                                 

Tamarind Hot N sweet chutney by Archy of "Archy's Recipe Book"

                                 

Horsegram chutney by EC  of "Simple Indian Food"

                                   

Spinach and Anaheim Chutney by Anudivya of "...and a little bit more..."

                                             

Lima Bean Hummus by Jai & Bee of "Jugalbandi"

                                        

Garlic Chutney by Bindiya of "In love with food"

                                                 

Onion chutney, Lemon-Chilly chutney by Chitra of "Ratatouille - Any one can cook"

                                    

Onion chutney by Cham of "Spice Club"

                                               

Roasted Coconut chana dal chutney, Spicy mixed dal dip by Asha of "Aroma"

                                      

Onion Tomato Chutney by Usha of "Veg Inspirations"

                                                  

Coriander Chutney, Methi Stem Chutney by Sumathi of "Chutney's"

                                           

Moolangi Chutney by Smitha of "Kannada Cuisine"

                                           

Badnekaayi Chutney by Alamelu of "RasagavaLa" 

                                           

Kadle bele chutney by Mythreyee of "Paajaka Recipes"

 

Like I had said before, one of the entries will be chosen as the WINNER  of the event!!! Of all the received entries ,13 entries have been short listed as the FINALISTS!!!!! My plan, initially, was to pick exactly 10 entries. But the entries were all so good that choosing among them was almost impossible for me. I had to finally take Naveen's help on this - who, by the way, is really hard to please.... So, all you finalists are winners already!!! :)

Anyway, since we HAVE to pick just one entry, I would like to leave the job of picking ONE WINNER to the readers of Mane Adige!!!! I will post a poll on Mane Adige with the short listed entries. Please vote for your favorite entry and help me in identifying the winner!! :) The short listed entries are

1. Mint Chutney by Dershana The Footloose Chef
2. Curry Leaves Chutney by Vijaya of "Daily Meals"
3. Eggpalnt chutney by Madhu of "Ruchii"
4. Sweet & Spice Fruit Chutney by Soma of "eCurry"
5. Kokum Chutney by Sanika of "Spicy & Tangy....Sweet & Yummy!!!!"
6. Horse Gram Chutney by Deesha of "Vegetable Platter"
7. Marinara sauce by Mangala of "Recipes 24/7"
8. Garlic Chutney by Bindiya of "In love with food"
9. Spinach and Anaheim Chutney by Anudivya of "...and a little bit more..."
10. Methi Stem Chutney by Sumathi of "Chutney's"
11. Moolangi Chutney by Smitha of "Kannada Cuisine"
12. Onion Tomato Chutney by Usha of "Veg Inspirations"
13. Yogurt-Mayo Dip by Priya of "Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes"

Looking forward to all your votes and opinion!! The poll is on the right side column of the blog. So, go ahead and cast your vote...

Oh, and btw... Authors of all the short listed entries are free to link back to this post and appeal for votes from your respective blog readers as well!!! :) Good luck!!!!!