Aayi’s Recipes Konkan/Konkani food blog, Indian culinary treasures

There was a time when I filled my pantry with all kinds of beans/lentils. Recently, I decided not to buy anymore till I finish all beans from the pantry. So this time, it was time for using up val/avrekalu. I have tried many dishes with these beans so far. This time I wanted something new. I had a vague memory of reading this val-eggplant combo on one of the blogs. When I searched, I landed at Linda’s post. I did very few modifications to this recipe. It came out really well.

Ingredients:
1 cup dried val(avrekalu/hycianth beans)
1 cup chopped eggplant
1 cup tomato
2 tea spn chopped garlic
1/2 tea spn chopped ginger
1 tea spn goda masala or garam masala
1/2 tea spn red chilli powder
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tbl spn chopped coriander leaves
5 curry leaves
Oil
Salt

Method:
Soak val overnight. Add 1 tea spn garlic and cook till done.
Heat oil and add remaining garlic, ginger, onion and curry leaves. Fry for few minutes.
Add tomato, salt and cook till tomatoes are tender.
Now add cooked val, eggplant, little water(about 1/4 cup only if necessary), chilli powder, goda masala and let it cook.
Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice or chapati.

Serves : 3-4
Preparation time : 30mins

I think I’ve said it before, Marathi food is very close to my heart. When I moved to Belgaum for my degree, it took a little while to get adjusted to the slightly different taste. But I became a fan pretty soon. Before I could make any Konkani dishes, I learned to make some simple Marathi dishes.

I got this amti recipe from my aayi’s sister(pachi). I have been making this whenever I invite guests or when I want some simple but different meal. It brings back memories of my days in Belgaum and those weekend visits to Pachi’s home, craving for some delicious home cooked food. I have no clue if it is authentic dish or not, but it is something we enjoy a lot. So far, all my guests liked it very much. I think its the magic of the Goda masala that works every time. I like to eat it with hot rice and a dollop of ghee.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chana dal
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 tea spn coriander seeds
1 red chilli powder
1/2 tea spn goda masala
1/2 cup onion
2 tbl spn cashews
A pinch turmeric
1 tbl spn coriander leaves
Oil
Salt

Method:
Cook chana dal with enough water, cashews and turmeric till it is done.
Heat oil and fry half the amount of onion. Now add coconut and fry for few minutes.
Add red chilli powder, goda masala and fry for few minutes.
Grind to a smooth paste.
Fry remaining onion in oil till they are translucent. Add cooked chana dal – cashews, ground paste, salt and cook.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chapati.

Serves : 3-4
Preparation time : 25mins

PS: Sometimes I completely leave out coconut. I grind about 3 tbl spns of cooked dal with other spices. This makes the gravy thicker. Sometimes even when using coconut, I grind little bit of dal which makes the gravy thicker.

I also add little tamarind or 1/4 cup chopped tomato to give a little tangy touch.

Give me any vegetable and I mix it with rice to make a quick lunch box item. We both enjoy these lunches and V is very happy to find a different one, each time in his box. Well, he really likes some of them more than others and asks me to repeat them, but I would have forgotten the recipe by then. I decided, no matter how simple they are, I will post them here so that I can make them or even V can make them.

Here is one that we enjoyed a lot. I was bored of simple stir fry, dal using cabbage. So this dish was born.

Ingredients:
1 cup cabbage
1/4 cup onion
1 cup rice
4-5 curry leaves
1/2 tea spn mustard seeds

Spice paste :
1/2 tea spn chana dal
1/2 tea spn sesame seeds
1/2 tea spn coriander seeds
1 tbl spn coconut
4-5 red chillies
1 tea spn chopped ginger

Method:
Cook rice such that each grain is separate. Keep it aside till it is cooled.
Heat oil and add chana dal, sesame seeds, coriander seeds, coconut, red chillies. Grind with ginger to a coarse paste.
Heat Ghee/oil and add mustard seeds. When they start popping, add curry leaves. Add onions and cabbage, Add the paste, mix well. Add salt, 1/4 cup water(only if required, most cabbages leave lots of water while cooking, so be careful). Cover and cook till cabbage is done. Switch off the heat.
Add cooked rice and mix well.

Serves : 2
Preparation time : 25mins