Teppal Archives - Aayi's Recipes

Moringa Gravy(Maskasangi Ambat)

It has been a while since I posted something new here. A lot of things are going on and somehow the blogging took a back seat. But I do update my instagram page regularly(which is much easier and less time consuming!). So please do checkout my page. Link at the top. This moringa gravy or maskasangi ambat was on my list to post for a very long time.

Maskasangi or Moringa has become a huge health food fascination lately. But in our part of the world, it was/is always a hit. Everyone has a moringa/drumstick tree in their backyard. My parents have one tree in their garden too, but it never really yield anything. But our neighbors always shared their bounty with us. My parents reminded us to eat maskasangi – they reminded us it was full of iron. It was added to so many dishes like kolmbo, sukke, sagle and many more. The flowers were made into phodi. The leaves are used in many dishes too like this rotti.

This ambat is a very simple dish that aayi makes very regularly. It is spiced with just teppal(tirphal) and kokum. The main vegetable in this gravy shines through. You can also make this with cauliflower.

Ingredients:
10-12 drumstick pieces
1 cup fresh frozen coconut
4-5 red chillies (add more if you can handle spice)
5-6 teppal
3-4 kokum
Salt

Method:
Cook drumstick pieces in water and salt.
Grind coconut with red chillies to a very smooth paste.
Slightly crush teppal in water to extract the aroma. Add the water to the cooked drumstick, discard the teppal pieces.
Add the ground masala, kokum to drumsticks.
Cook till the gravy starts boiling.
Serve hot with rice.

Serves : 2-3
Preparation time : 20mins

Here is the video of the recipe

Snake gourd sidedish (Padwale Randayi)

13 Comments / Konkani Recipes, Side dishes / By Varada

Shilpa had posted this recipe on Sailu’s blog along with an introduction to Konkani cuisine. This must be one of her favorite dishes, so she asked me to post this again here, so that we can have it in this blog’s collection as well.

I was not surprised when she had picked this dish while writing about Konkani cuisine. She has always loved this. My aayi (Shilpa’s grandma) used to search for snake gourd (padwale/paddale) and make this for her. We miss her every time we cook this dish. Though we make few different dishes with snake gourd, this is the one that always gets cooked when she is at home.

Randayi is a side dish prepared by Konkanis, which has a coconut base. Randayis usually have watery coconut base but are served as side dish. Like many other randayis, this too is a mixture of vegetable and dried beans. We usually don’t mix teppal with seasoning, since this randayi has teppal, we don’t add extra seasoning(of mustard, curry leaves) to it.

Ingredients:
1 cup snake gourd pieces
1 cup black eyed peas(alsande)
1 cup fresh/frozen coconut
5 red chillies
4-5 teppal
2 kokum pieces
1 tea spn jaggery(optional)
Salt

Method:
Cook snake gourd and black eyed peas. The peas should not get mushy.
Grind coconut along with red chillies to a smooth paste.
Add the paste to cooked snake gourd and black eyed pieces. Add kokum, salt, jaggery. Slightly crush teppal in 1 tbl spn water (do not make a paste. It is crushed just to bring out the aroma). Add it along (along with the water) to the dish. Cook for 5-6 mins. The dish should not become too dry or too watery.

Preparation time : 25mins
Serves : 4-5

Ridgegourd Gravy (Gosale Ambat)

5 Comments / Gravy (Curry and daals), Konkani Recipes / By Varada

Ridgegourd or Gosale is one of the favorite vegetables for any Konkani person. It is one of those vegetables where every part of it is used – even the ridges to make a chutney. When my father in law was alive, we used to grow ridgegourd in our garden. These days we have many more banana plants, mango trees, so we no more have the empty space where these vegetables were grown. We do get very fresh ridgegourds in ‘santhe’ (local farmer’s market).
One of our favorite dishes to make is this ambat. Traditionally made with cooked dal and ground coconut, spiced with teppal. But for making it quickly, you can even leave out coconut and it still tastes good.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup toor dal
1/4 cup coconut
1 cup chopped ridgegourd(gosale)
2-3 red chillies
A pinch turmeric
2 pieces kokum (or use tamarind)
2-3Â teppal
Salt

Method:

Cook toor dal with turmeric in pressure cooker. Cook ridgegourd in enough water with some salt.

Grind coconut with red chillies to a smooth paste.
Add coconut paste, slightly crushed teppal, kokum, Â dal to ridgegourd. Â Bring it to boil. Serve hot with rice.

Serves : 2-3
Preparation time : 20mins

Okra in Coconut Sauce (Bhende Sukke)

14 Comments / Konkani Recipes, Side dishes / By Varada

Okra(English), Bhende(Konkani) is one of the most loved vegetables for Konkanis. The okra we get here is pale green in color and quite big in size. When my father in law was alive, we used to grow lot of vegetables in our garden and okra was one of them. There is nothing like cooking with very fresh ones. Now we have more coconut/mango/banana plants in the garden taking up the space. So we usually buy relatively fresh ones from farmer’s market (saante as we call it). We make sagle, ambat, phodi, bharth, song and many more. This sukke is also a very common dish in North Canara. I find this very frequently on the menu at my SIL’s place. Teppal gives a very nice aroma to this dish.

Pictorial:
Cut okra into long pieces.

Cook with masala made of coconut, red chillies, kokum and teppal.

Okra in Coconut Sauce (Bhende Sukke)

Okra/Bhende cooked in spicy coconut sauce flavored with teppal and kokum

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings 2 -3

Ingredients

1/4 kg approx 0.5 lb okra/bhende
1/2 cup fresh/frozen coconut
5-6 teppal
4-5 kokum pieces or 1/2 tea spn tamarind extract
5-6 red chillies
Salt

Instructions

Make a very smooth paste of coconut, red chillies with minimum amount of water.
In a mortar and pestle, take teppal with a table spoon of water and crush them slightly (do not make a paste, just bruise them so that the aroma comes out).
Cut okra in long pieces.
In a thick bottomed pan, take the coconut paste, okra, kokum (or tamarind), salt, teppal along with the water used to crush them.
On a medium-low flame, let it cook till okra is completely done.
Serve hot as a side dish.

Teppal (Tirphal) Chutney / Tambli

13 Comments / Gravy (Curry and daals), Konkani Recipes, Side dishes / By Varada

Tirphal or teppal is used a lot in Konkani cooking. It has a very distinct flavor that goes very well in coconut dishes. You can read more about this spice here. We use them in preparing chutni and other dishes.

For preparing chutni, we use tender teppal (called jeev teppal in Konkani) which is generally available during rainy season. These tender teppals have a very strong aroma compared to dried ones. These are used in chutnis, tambli or tavashe (cucumber) hulel etc. When used, teppal is not eaten directly with the dish, but picked up and thrown. These teppals grow fully in December or January when they are collected, dried and stored in airtight containers after removing the seeds from them.

Ingredients:
1 cup grated coconut
3-4 green chillies
1/2 tea spn thick tamarind extract
Salt
7-8 Teppal (tender ones preferred, if not available, use dried ones)

Method:
Grind all the ingredients except teppal in a mixer to a smooth paste. Take a table spoon of water in a mortar, add the teppals and crush them with pestle. Remove and discard the teppals and add the water to the paste. The chutni is ready for use.
The same can be diluted and used as tambli with rice. The chutni can also be mixed with cucumber pieces to make hulel.

Serves : 4-5
Preparation time : 10mins

Pictorial:

NeerPanasa Randayi

14 Comments / Konkani Recipes, Side dishes / By Varada

As I mentioned here, we could not find the English name for Neerpanas. So I am using the Konkani name as it is. Read more about Neerpanas here.

We have a Neerpanasa kadgi(A tender jackfruit is called kadgi. This applies to all the different varieties of jackfruit) tree in our garden. It gives fruits twice a year. The tree looks like a bread fruit tree. Both kadgis are different in their outlook. This variety is not known to many people.

We like this Neerpanas as it has got some different taste. Moreover it does not produce gas in the digestive track like some other varieties of jackfruit. Neerpanasa kadgi cannot be used for randayi(a sidedish with coconut base) or phodi(tava fries) when it is fully mature and ripe. It becomes too soft.

When it is very tender, the seeds can also be used in the dish as they are. When they are little mature, the seeds get a little hard cover. So you need to cut them open and discard the outer hard skin.

Please note again, Neerpanas and paachpanas (second picture) are not same. We don’t know if paachpanas can be used for this dish. If you cannot find Neerpanas, it can be replaced by tender jackfruit.

Ingredients:
2 cup Neerpanasa kadgi pieces
3/4 cup grated coconut
1/2 cup toordal or vatana
4-5 red chillies
5-6 teppal
2-3 piece kokum
A pinch turmeric
Salt

Method:
Apply some oil to palms and the knife to avoid the sticky gum. Cut the kadgi into two pieces. Discard the green outer skin and the white part in the center. If the seeds are hard, peel them. Add the pieces to water. Discard the water (water turns black sometimes due to the gum).
Cook toordal( or vatana ) and kadgi pieces separately in a cooker.

Grind coconut,red chillies and turmeric. Add the masala to already cooked kadgi and dal. (or vatana). Heat it and add crushed teppal, kokum pieces and salt. Cook for about 3 minutes. Serve as a side dish with hot rice or chapatis.

Serves : 4
Preparation time : 30mins

Amaranth in coconut sauce (Bhajji denTe randayi)

21 Comments / Konkani Recipes, Side dishes / By Varada

We get two types of edible Amaranth â€“ red ones called as ‘tambdi bhajji’ and green one(we call it white) called as dhavi(white) bhajji. Any greens are called bhajji in Konkani and stems are called as dento/dente. These greens are full of iron. Moreover all parts – stem and leaves of it are delicious especially when it is tender. We prepare sukke, saasam and raandayi using this bhajji dento. Both of these varieties are very popular here. The amaranth that we get here have thick stems unlike the ones that are commonly available in Bangalore. Any kind of green amaranth can be used for this dish.

Peel the thick stems and cut them into pieces. Thick roots can also be used after washing.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup black eyes beans(alsande) or dried peas(vatana) or green moong
2 cups amarath(bhajji dente) about 4 â€“ 5 cms length pieces with leaves
1/4 cup baamboo shoot(keerlu) pieces (optional )
7â€“8 jackfruit seeds(bikkand) crushed (optional )
1 cup grated Coconut
5â€“6 red chillies
5â€“6 Teppal
2â€“3 Kokum pieces
1 tea spn Jaggery
Salt

Method:
Cook black eyed beans, amaranth pieces/leaves with bamboo shoot pieces and jackfruit seeds in cooker. Grind coconut with red chillies. Add the paste to the cooked mixture and heat. Add kokum pieces (or tamarind water),salt, jaggery and teppal crushed lightly.Cook for about 4 â€“ 5 minutes. Serve as a side dish with rice or chapati.

Serves : 3-4
Preparation time : 30mins

Mackerel in dry coconut masala(Bangade dhoddak)

53 Comments / Fish, NonVeg / By Shilpa

This post was originally published on Sept 12 -2006. I am reposting it with updated pictures which I clicked this time.

This is a dish loved by all the Konkanis who like Mackerel. This dish gets its amazing taste by the method it is prepared. Everybody at our native grows turmeric during monsoon. Basically it is grown for the aromatic turmeric leaves which are used in many traditional dishes. I must admit, some people absolutely hate this aroma. The leaves are even added to milk, while boiling, to give the distinct aroma. If people cannot stand the aroma, they use banana leaves. Few dried leaves are used when fresh ones are not available. That too taste great.

The traditional way of doing it is, spread the leaves in kadai, pour the masala with kokum, tirphal/teppal and fish pieces on the leaves. Then cover the masala with one more layer of leaves. Cover the dish with an plate. Spread some hot charcoal(ingalo) on the plate and cook on a low flame. Most of the time, instead of charcoal, a round ‘sheni‘ – which is a very common combustible material, is used. In this way, the dish gets cooked from both sides and retain the aroma.

Since it was not the season this time, aayi used few dried leaves and few fresh banana leaves for making this. It was out of this world. We ate this dish after a very long time and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Ingredients:
10 pieces mackerel(bangde)
1 cup fresh/frozen coconut
10-12 red chillies
1″ piece ginger
A pinch turmeric
2-3 kokum pieces
4-5 teppal
Banana/turmeric leaves
Salt

If kokum is not available, use tamarind. If teppal is not available, this dish can be prepared without it. But the leaves are necessary, if none of the leaves are available, do not attempt to make this dish since you wont get the actual taste of it.

Method:
Grind coconut, turmeric, ginger and red chillies to a very smooth paste (with very little water).
In a heavy bottomed pan or non stick pan, spread banana/turmeric leaves.

Add the masala, slightly crushed teppal, kokum pieces, salt and fish pieces. Mix gently.

Spread banana/turmeric leaves on top.

Cover the lid.

Spread some lighted charcoals on top.

Cook for around 15-20min on a very low flame.

Serve with rice.
(Prepare this dish at least 2-3 hours before serving).

Serves : 4
Preparation time : 30 min

Beans-peas sidedish (Beans-otane randayi)

18 Comments / Side dishes / By Shilpa

Randayis(Konkani) are watery side dishes(almost of gravy consistency) with coconut masala. Depending on the vegetables used in this, the taste differs. I have posted most of these. I grew up eating these dishes. They go very well with rice congee(rice cooked in lot of water called as â€˜pejâ€˜ in Konkani or â€˜ganjiâ€˜ in Kannada) or simple rice and daal. I usually make this dish with different vegetables every now and then to include the peas and other kind of dried beans and vegetables in my meal.

One of my reader had asked for these recipes. So here is another popular randayi with green beans and dried green peas(otane).

Ingredients:
1/2 cup green peas/batani/otane (soaked overnight)
3/4 cup green beans
3/4 cup grated coconut(fresh or frozen)
4-5 red chillies
3-4 Sichuan pepper/Teppal
2-3 pieces kokum
Salt

If Kokum is not available, use 1/4 tea spn tamarind. Teppal increases the taste. But if it is not available, ignore it.

Method:
Cook peas and beans for around 4 wistles. (or till the peas are cooked).
Grind red chillies and coconut into a very smooth paste. (the smoother the paste, the better for this dish).
Add the masala to cooked beans-peas mixture and heat. Add kokum (or tamarind water) and teppal crushed lightly in a half tea spn of water. Add salt. Cook for around 10min. The masala should become a bit thicker (but this dish is watery).
Serve as a side dish with rice.

Serves : 3
Preparation time : 25mins

Vegetable sidedish(dhoddak/huggi)

29 Comments / Konkani Recipes, Side dishes / By Shilpa

“Dhoddak” usually has a very different way of cooking. The vegetable/fish is mixed with coconut masala. Then kept in between banana/turmeric leaves and charcoals are put on top of the vessel to make an arrangement like baking. (There might be other ways of making dhoddak, but I know only this one). Aayi makes two types of them, one is with vegetables and other with fish(mackerel). For vegetable dhoddak we use assorted vegetables like ‘pala pansa kadgi/jeevi kadgi'(bread fruit), gosaLe(ridge gourd), bhende(okra), raw banana(plantain), bitter gourd etc. This dish gets an amazing aroma due to the leaves and charcoal.

Any dry dish with teppal(sichuan pepper) in it is also called huggi (thanks Ashwini). I have heard both the names many times. May be different names are used in different dialects of Konkani. I adore this dish.

Ingredients:
2 cups assorted Vegetables(bread fruits, plantains, okra, ridge gourd, bitter gourd cut into big pieces)
1 cup fresh/frozen coconut
4-5 red chillies
2 kokum pieces
4-5Â Teppal(Sichuan pepper)
Banana/turmeric leaves
Salt

If kokum is not available, use tamarind. Since teppal is not available here in US(it is available in only few Chinese/Japanese stores), this dish can be prepared without it. But the leaves are necessary, if none of the leaves are available, do not attempt to make this dish.

Method:
If using bitter gourd, apply salt to it and keep for 30mins. Squeeze off the water.
Grind coconut and red chillies to a very smooth paste (with very little water).
In a heavy bottomed pan or non stick pan, spread banana/turmeric leaves.

Add the masala, slightly crushed teppal, kokum pieces, salt and vegetables.

Mix gently with spoon.

Spread banana/turmeric leaves on top.

Tthe vessel is covered with a plate and some live charcoals are spread on it.

(If you don’t find charcoal, just close the lid and cook.)

Serve with rice.

PS: Some people get severe gastric problems by eating breadfruit. My dad and my husband got severe chest pain once due to this vegetable (they are eating it for ages, only once they got this problem). So, if you are not very familiar with this, be careful. This usually happens when you taste it after a very long time or for the first time. You can even make this dish without this vegetable.

If all the vegetables are not available, one or two of them can be ignored, but it tastes great when all of them are used. We frequently make this without breadfruit as it is not available all the time.

Vegetable sidedish(dhoddak/huggi)