Padavala kai Tirulina Chutney .( Snake gourd Pulp chutney)

Snake gourd is called Padavala in Kannada and tirulu means the inner tender part of Padavala. ( The seed also should be tender). This chutney is a side dish and goes well with Rice, Chapatis and Idlis.
Things Needed:
Padavala kai Tirulu:  1 cup.
Urd daal : 1 Table spoon.
Red Chilly : 5 to 6
Fresh Grated coconut: 4 to 5 Table spoons.
Ingh : a pinch
Salt: as required.
Tamarind pulp : 1 Table spoon.
Turmeric Powder: a pinch.
Curry leaves : 4 to 5
Coriander seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon.
Oil.: 1 Tea spoon.
Method:
Remove the soft part inside Padavalakai( Snake gourd) and keep it aside. ( Remember the seed should not be ripe or hard, Remove the seeds if it is hard or ripe). Cook this with tamarind pulp, salt and coriander seeds. Leave it for cooling. Now grate or cut fresh coconut and keep it aside. Keep a pan on the fire. Heat and put oil. Put urs daal and fry. Add red chillies and fry until urd daal is brown.( on the low flame). Then add curry leaves and ingh to it. Put off the gas and add coconut and mix well. Leave this for cooling. Now add the cooked Padavala pulp and roasted mixture of daal and coconut and grind with required salt till paste adding required water little by little. Remove from the Mixi jar and put it to the serving bowl.  Serve this Padavala chutney with hot rice and a spoonful of ghee on the top of hot rice.  Serving a piece of raw onion along with chutney with rice.
Note : One must not use the ripe padavala seeds along with its pulp. ( soft inner part of snake gourd). Fry daal on lower heat.  Can also add spurt mustard to this chutney will  definitely give a better taste.
Serves 2 to 3  

Neer Dosa or Bari Akki Dosa

Neer Dosa or Bari Akki dosa is a famous South Canara dish. Dosa is prepared using only rice. So it it called as bari (only) akki ( rice) dosa. So it is prepared only with Raw rice . This dosa can be prepared for break fast, as snack or even for dinner. We call it as Neer (water) dosa since the dough consistency is like water.

Neer dosa is eaten with jaggery, jaggery coconut, fruit rasayanas like mango, banana even coconut milk and jaagery combined Kai haalu. Even we eat Neer dosa with Moong dal payasam. It is one of the favourite dish of many.

Raw rice is soaked for 2 to 3 hours and ground nicely to paste with little water. Then more water is added to thinner the dough. It is better to use non stick dosa pan since dosa do not stick on that. Back at home in villages they use traditional pans.

Things Needed :

Raw Rice ( Dosa Rice ) : 2 cups.
Tender coconut : 2 to 3 Table spoons
Salt : As required.
Salt : as required.
Oil : 5 Table spoons.
Ghee : 2 to 3 Table spoons.
Water : 2 to 3 cups.
Oil : 2 to 3 Table spoons

Method :

1. Wash and soak raw (dosa) rice for 2 to 3 hours.
2. Grate coconut and grind soaked raw rice with fresh coconut with little water.
3. Grind till the dough turn into nice paste.
4. Remove from the mixi jar to a big bowl
5. Add required water and make the dough consistency in to thinner. ( I cup rice = 2 to 2 1/2 cup water).
6. Add required salt and mix it well.

7. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Sprinkle oil and put a full ladle of dough. Spread the dough by holding the dough.

8. Cover it and cook for 1 minute. Now remove the cover and take out the dosa and keep it aside in a plate.

9. Each time you need to mix the dough just before pouring on the pan since the consistency is thin, the rice part goes down.
10 Repeat the same and prepare the rest of the dosas. Serve with the side dish you prepared.

Note : 

You can use 1/2 cup of hot water just before you prepare dosa. It helps the dosa to be soft. Remember do not add boiling water. Just hot water will do.Using coconut or tender coconut pulp adds to the taste and it is optional. You can prepare nice dosas without coconut also. You must mix the dough each time you prepare dosa. (Since the consistency of the dough is watery, the water part comes up quickly and the rice dough goes down the bowl. So you need to mix it each time. Using ghee instead of oil is optional. It also adds to the taste. You must cover the dosa quickly as soon as you spread the dough on the pan or dosa turns white as if it is not cooked.
Preparation time : 30 minutes + Soaking time 3 hours.

Serves 3 to 4.

Mishaal Pav ( Mixed Pulses and Buns).

Mishaal means mixed Pulses. This curry is specially made of mixed pulses like green gram, avade kaalu, whole channa and even you can mix pea pods.  Pav is buns. Mishal Pav is very nice to eat during rainy season and Eating pulses during rainy season help us to keep our body warm too. This curry goes well with chapatis or pooris too. Here is a recipe of Mishaal Pav of My style.....
Things needed :
Whole Moong : 1 cup
Peas : 1/2 cup.
Avade.( one variety of pulse): 1/2 cup.
Pav bhaaji Masala: 1 Tea spoon.
Onions : 4 ( Medium size).

Potatoes : 2 ( Medium Size).
Tomatoes : 2 to 3 ( Medium Size ).
Salt : to taste
Turmeric powder : a pinch.
Jeera : 1 Tea spoon.
Coriander leaves : 2 Table spoons.
Ginger : 1 Tea spoon. ( Grated).
Green chillies : 2
Oil : 1 Table spoon.
Butter : 4 to 5 Table spoons.
Buns : 2 packs.( about 8 Numbers).

Method : Wash and  soak in water for 6 to 8 hours. Pressure cook all the pulses together  with a cup of water for 8 to 10 minutes and leave it for cooling. Wash and cut potatoes, onions, green chillies tomatoes into small pieces and keep it aside. Cut coriander leaves and grate ginger and keep it aside. Boil Potatoes using little water ( cook ) till soft and keep it aside.
 Now keep a pan on the fire and add oil and heat. Add jeera, grated ginger and cut green chillies . Fry them for 1 minutes and add cut onions and fry nicely till brown. Now add cooked potatoes and tomatoes. Mix well and cook them for 2 minutes. Now add Pav bhaji Masala and salt to it and add cooked  Pulses to the mixture and add  turmeric to it. Cook nicely for 5 minutes. Let it get thick. Remove from the pan and pour it to the serving bowl. Now add coriander leaves to the curry. Add 1 table spoon of butter to the curry and serve with hot buns and little cut onions.

The buns should be heated on tava using the butter. Cut  buns in the mid equally and apply butter on both the sides of the bun and heat them on the tava.( Both side should be heated, see that it does not get burnt).
Note : You can eat this curry with a thick Sev also. Spread the Sev on the top of the curry just before serving.  Can add red chilly powder( 1/2  tea spoon ) to the curry to get hot and spicy taste.
Serves : 4 to 5.

Capsicum and Carrot Dry Curry ( Palya ).

Capsicum and Carrot dry curry can be eaten with Rice, chapatis, pooris, bread, buns or even with Dosas.

Things Needed :
Carrots : 2
Capsicums: 2
Green chilly : 2
Fresh coconut : 1 Table spoon.
Oil : 1 Tea spoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon.
Urd daal : 1/2 Tea spoon.
Jeera: 1/2 Tea spoon.
Curry leaves : 5 to 6 leaves.
Coriander leaves :   1 Table spoon ( cut).
Salt : to taste.

Turmeric powder: a pinch.
Wash and cut carrots, capsicum, green chillies and coriander leaves in to small pieces and keep it aside. Grate fresh coconut and keep it aside.
Now keep a pan on the fire.  Heat the pan and put oil. Add mustard seeds and urd daal to it. Let it spurt. Add jeera and cut green chillies fry for 1 sec and add cut capsicum and carrots. Mix well and add 1/4 cup of water to it. Let it cook until the carrots become soft or cooked. Add salt and turmeric powder. Mix thoroughly.  Add fresh coconut and cut coriander leaves and mix it well. Serve hot carrots and capsicum dry curry with Hot rice and a spoon of fresh ghee on the top.
Note : You can add potatoes to the curry instead of coconut. ( Wash and cut potatoes into small pieces and add it along with carrots). You can use this curry to make sandwiches  or simply but this curry in between the buns and have them as snack. Can use more chillies if you like it hot.
Serves 2 to 3.

Avalakki ( Beaten Rice) Spicy Upma

We can have AVALAKKI UPMA  for break fast or as evening snack.

Things needed:
Gatti Avalakki ( Thick variety of beaten rice). : 2 cups.
Onions : 2 ( Medium sized) : 2
Green chillies : 2 to 3.
Mango chutney( mango Tokku ) : 2 Tea spoons.
Jaggery : 2 Tea spoons.
Coconut : 1/2 cup.
Salt : as required.
Oil : 3 Table spoons.
Turmeric powder: 1/4 Tea spoon.
Mustard seeds: 1/2 Tea spoon.
Urd daal: 1/2 tea spoon.
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Coriander leaves: 3 to 4 Table spoons. ( cut leaves).
Method :
Wash and soak Avalakki in half a cup of water. Add salt, Mango chutney, jaggery  and turmeric to it.  Keep this mixture aside.
Now wash green chillies and coriander leaves and curry leaves . Cut them in to small pieces and cut onions also into small pieces and keep it aside. Grate fresh coconut and keep it aside.
Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put two table spoons of oil . Add mustard seeds, urd daal. Let the mustard spurt. Add cut green chillies and curry leaves to it.  Add cut onions and fry them for 2 to 3 minutes. Mix well and add soaked Awalakki mixture to it. Mix thoroughly and leave it for 2 minutes. Let it cook on low flame. Now put off the fire and add fresh grated coconut cut coriander leaves to it. Awalakki is ready to serve.

Note : You can also add ground nuts to the awalakki. Add groundnuts when the mustard spurt and fry for 2 minutes and then add the onions. You can add even cut vegetables. ( Boil cut carrots, beans, peas and potatoes and then add it after you fry the onions). You can add tamarind pulp instead of mango chutney.
 Mango chutney : Take a raw mango wash and dry with towel.  then grate the mango. Keep a pan on the fire.  Put 2 table spoons of oil.  Add mustard seeds and little ingh. When the mustard spurt add grated mango, salt and green chilles.  Mix well in between . Add a pinch of turmeric to it and mix well until it becomes thick. Put off the gas and leave it for cooling and then put the chutney in the glass bottle.  You can also use this chutney for preparing Mango Rice or you can use this as pickle while having curd rice.
Serves : 3
    

Aloo - Capsicum Bajji ( Pakodas).

Aloo- Capsicum  Bajjis are nice have with lunch or as evening snack. Its simple and does not take much oil too. Does not take much of your time also.

Things Needed:
Potatoes : 2
Capsicum : 2
Channa powder( Besan) : 1/2 cup.
Rice Powder : 1 Table spoon.
Red chilly Powder : 1 Tea spoon.
Jeera: 1/2 Tea spoon.
Salt :to taste
Water : as required.
Oil : 1 cup.
Method : 
Mix Besan , rice powder, salt, chilly powder and jeera in a bowl. Wash and cut capsicum and potatoes into thin slices. Keep it aside. Keep oil on the fire and heat.( let it be on the low flame).
Put water to the mixed besan and mix slowly. Add little by little water mix thoroughly and keep it aside. ( The dough should not be very watery, it should be like idli dough consistency).
See that oil is heated , take the slices of aloo and capsicum one by one and dip in the besan dough and fry in oil till brown on both sides.  

Fry them on medium heat and remove them from the frying pan and serve hot Potato -capsicum Bajjis with any chutney or tomato ketch-up. Repeat the same with remaining dough and cut aloo pieces.
Note : Fry them on medium heat other wise high heat will not cook the bajjis and it won't be tasty and if you fry in flame it absorbs lot of oil and it will be oily when you munch the bajjis.
Serves : 3 to 4.

Ottu Shavige ( Home Made Rice Noodles).

Ottu Shavige is a traditional dish and mostly made of rice and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Things Needed:
Boiled Rice:  2 cups.
Water : 2 cups.
Salt : a pinch.

Method : Wash and soak boiled rice in water for 6 to 8  hours. ( You can even soak in Hot water).
Grind the soaked rice using little by little water till paste and remove from the mixi. Add salt to it.
Remove from the jar.

Now apply oil on Idli plates and place a spoon full of ground boiled rice dough and pressure cook or cook in idli vessel for 30 minutes.  Place 2 to 3 idlies in the shavige mould and press on the plate to get the shavige.  Redo the same for the rest of the idlies. Serve Ottu Shavige with coconut chutney or  Sambaar.  You can have Ottu shavige with Mango Rasayana or  banana Rasayana or Tengina Haalu. ( Fresh Coconut Milk with Jaggery).

Note : Make sure, the idlies are cooked before putting into the  shavige mould. ( Poke the other end of the spoon to the cooked idli . If it does not stick to the side of the spoon its confirmed they are cooked. Other wise you need to cook them for at least 10 more minutes).
Serves 3 to 4.

Southekai - Jackfruit Seeds Huli ( Sambar)

Southekai/Mangalore cucumber/bannada southekai is one of the best veggie and it got its name tagged Mangalore Southekai, since it is grown mostly in South Canara/Dakshnina Kannada previously. ( South Karntaka). But it is grown in almost all over India now a days and it is one of the healthiest vegetable available in the market round the year.

I have used Jackfruit seeds with Southekai /Cucumber, which is very traditional curry that we have during Jackfruit season. Jack seeds are collected and dried in sun during the summer and kept for using it in a rainy season in our home during those days. ( The heavy rainfall has decreased these days :( )
Let us see some benefits of having jack seeds in our diet. 
Jack fruit seeds are good source of Vitamin B and it provides energy and keep our eyes, skin and hair healthy. It has antioxidant properties and prevent the damage caused by free radicals. The seeds contain minerals like zinc, iron,calcium, copper, potassium and manganese. Iron and copper helps to forming red blood cells and calcium helps in building strong bones. Potassium helps to maintain proper blood pressure levels and manganese helps to regulate blood sugar levels.
No Onion OR No Garlic added in this Soute Kai - Jackfruit Seeds Huli. ( Curry).
Udupi Special and Traditional Style . 

Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

To Cook
Southe Kai /Mangalore Cucumber/Bannada Southekai : 1 ( Medium size)
Jack fruit seeds : 15 to 20
Toor Dal : 1/2 Cup (4 to 5 Tablespoons)
To Grind :
Fresh grated coconut : 1/2 Cup
MTR/Maiya's Rasam /Sambar Powder : 2 Tablespoons
Tamarind : A marble size
To Add :
Salt : As required
Jaggery : 1 Teaspoon
Turmeric Powder :  A pinch
Coriander Leaves : 2 Tablespoons (Optional)
Seasoning :
Coconut oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon (Optional)
Ingh/Asfoetida : A pinch
Red chilly : 1
Curry leaves : 6 yo 8

Method : 

1. Wash and remove the outer layer of cucumber and cut into desired size. Soak the cut pieces in a bowl of water. It takes away the bitterness of soutehkai. (if there is ). Keep it for 5 minutes.

2. Smash jack seeds and remove the hard cover and wash them and cut them in to small pieces.
3. Wash toor dal and add jack seeds with required water and pressure cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Cook southekai pieces separately with required water.

4. Grate coconut and grind it with tamarind and rasam powder with required water. Remove it from the mixi jar.

 5. Keep a big pan and put cooked jack seeds, toor dal mixture,  soutehkai and add little water.
6. Add required salt, jaggery and turmeric powder. Mix it well and let it boil for for 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Add ground coconut and rasam powder mixture to the boiling southekai mixture.

 8. Mix it well and let it boil nicely for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in between so that it does not get burnt at the bottom. Put off the fire and shift the ready Southekai.

9. Add coconut oil, mustard seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves seasoning to southekeai Huli.
10. Serve Soute Kai - jackfruit seeds Huli with your desired main dish.

Note :

You can cook toor dal and jack seeds together in a pressure cooker so that it cooks well.
Cook Southe kai separately till soft.
Use of any brand of rasam powder / sambar powder is optional. Home prepared powder is the best.
Use of any cooking oil is optional. I used coconut oil which is healthy and aromatic flavour.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves :  3 to 4.
Udupi Special .