Mango - Ginger Chutney

Now the season of mangoes are started. You can get good raw mangoes in the market. Here I have tried This Udupi style Mango  Chutney which is spicy and definitely You will love it.

Kota a small town on the way to Kundapura near Brahmavar. The people here are well known for their typical rural kannada speaking. Kota Brahmins are famous for spicy food.
The very famous MT.R and Maiyas group of hotel owners in Bangalore are from Kota and they do serve yummy, healthy food to the public.
I said all these about Kota and Kota brahmin, their spicy food because I have prepared Mango Chutney in the same traditional way.

Coming back to the subject of Mangoes or any vegetable in that matter, using the seasonal fruits and vegetables are very good habit and they are filled with natural nutritious properties in them.
I have used Raw Mango, very little dry ginger and byadagi chilly fried in coconut oil.
Use of coconut oil is very good for health. It keeps your body and mind safe.
In this chutney we remove the outer layer of raw mango and fry red chilly in coconut oil. (Only chilly).
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Raw Mango : 1 Small one
Byadagi chilly : 5 to 6
Fresh grated coconut : 1 Cup
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little
Dry Ginger : 1/4 Tsp (Optional).
Salt : As required
Cooking Oil : 2 Tbs
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Ingh : A little
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6 leaves.

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer layer of mango and cut them into small pieces.
2. Fry byadagi chilly in 1 tsp of coconut oil. Let it cool.

3. Grate or cut coconut into small pieces and  Grind it with mango pieces, fried chilly, salt, ginger and required water. (Chutney should be thick, so use limited water only).

4. Remove the chutney to a serving bowl.
5. Season with mustard seeds, ingh and curry leaves and add it to Mango - Ginger Chutney.

6. Serve it with hot rice and little ghee on top.

Note :

Fry chilly nicely on low flame. Adding more chilly is optional. Adding ginger is optional. Ginger adds to the taste and is healthy. Removing the outer layer is a must to get good taste of the chutney.
Use of coconut oil is optional.
Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 People.

Soft and Spongy Set Dosa

Dosa or Dose is one of the favourite food of many and even me.  Though we do prepare dosa regularly, we still long to eat dosa. Crispy or soft, crunchy or thick butter or ghee or plain Dosa is one of the favourite food for me. Here I have prepared Soft and spongy Set dosa and I am sure you all will definitely like it and do try this method.

It is simple and remember it has to fermented well to get the good texture.
I have used Urid dal, dosa rice (raw), Avalakki/poha and methi seeds.
Urid dal is loaded with fiber and protein. It is said idli or dosa is one of the best breakfast food that provides energy and one would stay healthy and strong.
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Raw Rice : 2 Cups
Urid dal : 1/2 Cup
Methi /Fenugrik seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Avalakki/Poha/Aval : 2 to 3 handful. (Thick or thin)
Salt : As required

Method :

1. Wash and soak raw rice, methi seeds, urid dal together or separate for 3 to 4 hours.
2. Soak Avalakki separately in a bowl. Add warm water. (Do not add boiling water).
3. Grind it with required water and put it in a big bowl.
4. Add salt and mix it  well. Let it ferment well. (Over night).

5. Next morning mix the batter and keep it ready to prepare dosa.
6. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Sprinkle some oil on top and clean it with a tissue.
7. Take a ladle of dosa batter and put it on the hot tava. (Let it be on l ow flame).

8. Sprinkle some oil on the top, cover and cook. (medium flame).

9. Turn the other side and cook for 30 seconds or little more.

10. Take it out and serve with your choice of side dishes.

11. Repeat the same and prepare set dosa.

12. Hot, soft and fluffy dosas are yummy to have.

Note :

I have used grinder to grind. If you are using mixi use little more urid. (one or two handful). Optional.
Use of ghee adds to the taste. While cooking add very little oil and then use ghee on the top.
While pouring the batter the pan should be very hot.Then reduce the heat.

Time : Soaking time : 3 to 4 hours + grinding time 15 to 20 minutes + fermentation : over night or 6 to 7 hours. Preparation and eating  Your choice.

Jackfruit Kesari

Jackfruit is a seasonal fruit and is better to use them in their season to get its health benefits.
Jackfruit Kesari baath/Sheera is a sweet dish prepared using Jackfruits which I got from my sister.

It is an easy dish and yummy to have it

I have used jackfruits, jaggery (Joni bella), cardamom pods, ghee and saffron.

Jackfruits are loaded with healthy properties. In olden days people and animals used to visit the vast forest and look for jackfruit trees to fill their stomach. No wonder there is a proverb saying Eat jackfruit in an empty stomach and eat mango fruits after food. Eating jackfruits fills your stomach and you will have no worries of any indigestion. And eating mango fruit helps to digest the food you had. People have shown the way to live a healthy life by saying proverbs which are good steps to our healthy life.
Jackfruit trees not only provide fruits as food, the roots of the tree holds water which pour down during the rainy season. It is so sad that the forest is cut down and made bare land for the greedy man. The rain has reduced due to cut down of trees and deforestation  and rain  water is simply runs through the land and gets into seas.
Jackfruits are good source of potassium and have low cholesterol levels.
Let us see The Recipe Now :

Things needed :

Jackfruits : 10 to 15
Rava/Semolina : Medium size : 1 1/2 Cup
Jaggery : 3/4 Cup
Ghee 3/4 Cup
Cardamom Pods : 5 to 6
Boiling Water : 3 Cups
Cashew Nuts and Raisins : 1 Handful
saffron flakes : 5 to 6

Method :

1. Put 2 to 3 Tbs of ghee in a big frying pan and keep it on the fire. Let it melt.
2. Add cashews and raisins and fry. Powder cardamom and keep it aside.

3. Add rava and fry till the raw smell disappear. Cut jackfruits in to small pieces.

4. Add jackfruits and fry for a minute. Add  boiling water and mix it slowly. Let it cook on low flame.

5. Once it is thicken add jaggery and stir continuously and slowly.

6. Add saffron flakes and remained ghee. Mix it well and cook on low flame. Add cardamom powder.

7. Shift the ready Jackfruit Kesari to a serving dish and serve.

Note: 

Cut jackfruit into small pieces. Rava/Semolina should be fried nicely till the raw smell disappear to get good Kesari texture. Adding more ghee is optional. Adding food colour instead of saffron is optional. I have added Joni Jaggery. (Liquid jaggery). You can use store bought jaggery , then powder it and use it. Powdering jaggery helps the jaggery to melt easily and quickly.
Time : 30 to 35 Minutes. 

Quick Paneer Bites

Paneer is a milk solid and is filled with proteins. I have prepared quick bites using Nandini
Paneer. It is an easy, quick, simple and healthy bite.

I have used Nandini Paneer, chilly powder, jeera powder, garam masala and chat masala. Added a teaspoon of curd and mixed the spices and rolled the paneer pieces in spice mixture. Left that for rest for 10 minutes.

Let us see some benefits of eating Panner in our diet.

Cottage cheese /Paneer is rich in protein. It helps to strengthen our bones and teeth. It is good for improving our digestion. It also maintains the blood sugar levels in our body. It is a rich source of proteins, magnesium and folate.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients :

Paneer : 250 Gr.
Curd /Yogurt : 1 Tablespoon
Chilly Powder : 1/2 Tsp
Pepper : Crushed : 2 to 3 pods
Garam Masala powder : 1/4 Tsp
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Chat Masala powder : 1/4 Tsp
Salt : As required
Cooking Oil : 2 Tbs

Method :

1. Cut Paneer into desired shape and size.

2. Take a big bowl and Put curd, salt, garam masala, chilly powder, Crushed pepper and jeera.
3. Mix all the ingredients nicely and add paneer. Slowly stir and leave it for 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add a teaspoon of oil and place paneer one by on hot tava.
5. Sprinkle some oil on top and by the sides. Cook on both sides on medium flame.

6. Shift it to a serving dish and sprinkle some chat masala on top and serve.

Note :

You can add more spices of your choice. I do prepare dishes with mild spices. You should cook on both sides till golden brown. Cook on medium flame. Cooking the whole process on low flame will turn Paneer hard. Adding more oil is optional.
Time 20 Minutes. : All together.
Serves : 2 to 3.

Bottle Gourd - Gongura Dal

Bottle gourd - Gongura/Kenaf leaves Dal is very easy and handy if you have Gongura leaves. It is quick and yummy dal that is healthy also.

I have used Gongura leaves which I bought from Pyramid Valley when we went last week.
I had half bottle gourd piece left in the fridge. So I put every thing together and cooked, seasoned with mustard seeds, ingh, jeera and curry leaves. Yummy dal was ready with in 20 minutes.
NO ONION or NO GARLIC used here in this Bottle Gourd - Gongura Dal.
Let us see the recipe now :
Gongura leaves are savoury and no need to use any lemon extract or tamarind pulp;
As I said it is very easy to prepare and good to have with almost all the main dishes. Good nutritious dal for all age group.

Things Needed :

To Pressure Cook :
Bottle Gourd pieces : 1 Bowl.
Gongura /Kenaf Leaves : 1 bundle. (only the leaves)
Moong dal : 1/2 Cup
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Ginger : Grated : 1 Teaspoon
To add :
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon
Pepper Pods : 1/2 Tsp
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A little
Seasoning :
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Jeera /cumin seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little
Curry leaves : 6 to 8 leaves.

Method :

1. Wash and remove gongura leaves from its sticks. Cut into small or put as it is in a pressure cooker.
2. Wash green chilly slit and put it with gongura leaves.

3. Wash ginger and scrape out the outer layer and grate it . Add it to gongura leaves.
4. Wash moong dal and add it to leaves.
5. Add 1/2 cup of water and little turmeric powder.
6. Wash bottle gourd and remove the outer layed of 1/2 bottle gourd. Cut it into small and put it with gongura leaves in pressure cooker.
7. Close the lid of pressure cooker and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Leave it for cooling.

8. Keep a pan and put cooked mixture of gongura leaves, moong dal, grated ginger, slit green chilly.
9. Add required salt and a glass of water. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
10. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil. mustard seeds, and jeera. Add crushed pepper pods.
11. Add ingh and curry leaves once the mustard seeds splutter. Add this to cooked dal .
12. Shift the ready Bottle Gourd - Gongura Dal to a serving dish and serve.

Note :

You can use toor dal instead of moong dal. Moong dal is packed with nutritious value.
Adding more chilly is optional. We like mild spice taste and do not use much spicy.
Adding more ghee is optional.
Time : 20 minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.

Kesu /Colocasia Rava Rotti

Colocasia Rava Rotti is one of the side dish for lunch. Normally colocasia rotti is prepared using raw rice. I have used rava instead of rice and prepared this Rotti.

We from Udupi, normally use this rotti for lunch as one of the side dish. This colocasia rotti is eaten with coconut oil and the plain rice mixing together. The taste is lovely and you will surely enjoy the spicy taste.
Colocasia leaves are good for our body and it helps to protect our body from cold. The leaves are fiber rich.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients :

Medium Size Rava/Semolina : 1 Cup
Colocasia leaves : 8 to 10
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Coriander seeds : 1 Tbs full
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Tamarind : 1/2 Lemon size
Byadagi Chilly : 5 to 6
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little
Turmeric Powder : A pinch
Jaggery : 1 Tbs
Cooking Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Wash and cut out the stick on the top of Colocasia leaves.

2. Cut the leaves into small.

3. Grate coconut and grind it with coriander seeds, tamarind, turmeric powder,  jeera and byadagi chilly. Use required water. At last put jaggery and grind it for 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Put 1 cup of Rava/Semolina in a big bowl. Add salt. Add ground mixture. Add cut colocasia leaves.
5. Mix all the ingredients nicely.

6. Keep a tava on fire and heat. Sprinkle some oil on the tava.

7. Spread a handful batter on hot tava like dosa. (Better use fingers to spread the batter on tava).
8. Add some oil on top and cook on medium and low flame.

9. Turn the other side and cook till it turns golden brown.
10. Take out from tava  and serve Kesu /Colocasia Rava Rotti .

Note :

Use of tamarind is a must. Adding more jaggery is optional.
Use of rice flour instead of rava is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes. 
Serves : 3 to 4 Thin Rotti.