Simple and Easy

Curd Rice

Different people have different ways of preparing curd rice. I like this one the most. This is my aayi’s version. I used to run away from it when I was growing up. Now it is one of my comfort foods.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked rice
5 tbl spns curd(yogurt)
4-5 green chilies
5-6 curry leaves
1/2 tea spn each of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal
2 tea spns oil or ghee
A pinch asafoetida
1/2 tea spn pepper
5-6 coriander leaves
Salt

Method:
Add green chilli pieces, coriander leaves, pepper powder and salt over the cooked rice. Heat ghee and add mustard, asafoetida, curry leaves to the heated ghee and add them to the rice. Add yogurt to the rice just before serving.

Serves : 3-4
Preparation time : 10min

Coriander leaves gojju(Kottambari gojju)

This is used as a side dish. A sweetish chutney which is very flavorful.

Ingredients:
1/2 fresh/frozen coconut
1/4 tea spn tamarind extract or 1-2 pieces of tamarind
10 strands coriander leaves
2 tea spns jaggery
2-3 red chiles
Salt

Method:
Heat the chillies directly on the gas flame for 1min(be careful while doing this). Grind all the ingredients together. Serve as a side dish with rice.

Serves : 3
Preparation time : 5min

Bread Upma

This is usually done from a day old bread that remains after making some sandwiches or other bread dishes. In the above picture I haven’t used coriander leaves and coconut, but if you add both or one of them the taste will increase.

Ingredients:
4-5 cups bread cut in to small pieces
1/2 cup onions(optional)
2 tbl spns fresh/frozen coconut(optional)
3-4 green chilies
A pinch turmeric (optional)
6-7 curry leaves
A pinch asafoetida
1/2 tea spn each mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal
1 tea spn sugar (optional)
Oil
Salt

Method:
Heat oil and add mustard, cumin seeds, urad dal. When they start popping add curry leaves and chillies. Add onions and fry till they turn brownish. Add bread pieces and mix well. Add sugar, coconut and salt. Mix well.

Serves : 4
Preparation time : 10min

Mushroom Pulav

almbe pulav.jpg
In North Canara, we get mushrooms when the rain starts. These are usually naturally grown in forests. Some people who know about where to find good edible mushrooms, pick them up from these places. They are the tastiest mushrooms I have ever tasted. Aayi prepares this dish with those mushrooms. You can even use artificially grown ones which we get in markets these days.

Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice
1/2 cup onion
1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
1 tea spn cumin seeds
2 tea spns chili powder
A pinch turmeric
2 tbl spns ghee or oil
Salt

Method:
Heat oil and add cumin seeds. When they start popping, add onions and fry. Add mushrooms,chili powder,turmeric powder and salt. Fry for some time. Add rice and fry for 2min. Pour about 4 cups of water. Cover and cook on medium heat. Check after about 10mins to see if all water is absorbed. If it requires more water, add it.

Serves : 5
Preparation time : 15 min
almbe pulav1.jpg

Vandelaga tambali (Ekpanni tambali)

This is a recipe mostly done in rainy season. Usually this is made of different kinds of leaves grown in the gardens. Very very good for health. This and Pathrado is a perfect combination. Vandelaga leaves are called Brahmi in Sanskrit and Ekpanni in Konkani. I used watercress when I prepared this here in US.

Ingredients:
1 cup Vandelaga(brahmi) leaves
4-5 green chilles
3/4th cup fresh/frozen grated Coconut
1 tspn cumin seeds
1/2 tspn ghee
1/4 tea spn pepper
1/4 tspn tamarind extract or 1-2 small pieces of tamarind
Salt

Method:
Heat ghee and fry the leaves till they turn yellowish. Remove from pan and fry coconut(without oil) for 2-3 min. Grind coconut and leaves with all other ingredients. Add salt and serve with rice. (After grinding, it should not be heated).

Serves : 4
Preparation time : 10 min

Daal (Dalithoy)

Daali Thoy
Daali Thoy

Daali thoy(dalitoy/dalithoy) is the first recipe learnt by all konkani people when they start cooking. It is simple daal with chilies, ginger, asafoetida etc. This is a must in almost all Konkani functions and festivals. May be one of the very important comfort food. The traditional recipe does not call for coriander leaves, but I like this dish with coriander leaves.

Some places, like in South Kanara, ginger and turmeric are not added. But in North Kanara usually both of them are used for this dish.

Daali Thoy

Daal (Dalithoy)

Konkani special basic dal spiced simply with ginger and a simple seasoning.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 3 -4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup toor dal
  • 3-4 green chillies
  • 1 inch piece ginger
  • A pinch turmeric powder
  • Coriander leaves optional
  • 2 tspn ghee or coconut oil
  • 1/2 tea spn mustard seeds
  • 1 red chilli
  • A pinch asafoetida
  • 4-5 curry leaves
  • Salt

Instructions
 

  • Cook dal in pressure cooker with a pinch of turmeric, green chillies and finely chopped ginger. Typically it gets cooked in 3 whistles.
  • Heat the cooked dal with salt.
  • When it starts boiling, take off the heat.
  • Garnish with finely cut coriander leaves.
  • Heat ghee or oil.
  • Add mustard.
  • When mustard starts popping, add curry leaves and red chillies.
  • Add asafoetida.
  • Pour this seasoning over the cooked dal and close the lid.
  • Serve with hot rice, ghee and lemon.

 

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