Simple Mango Tokku

Mango Tokku/Chutney is prepared during the mango season. Raw green mangoes are used to prepare this type of Mango Tokku. I use this tokku for chutney, or mango curd curry and for preparing Mango chitranna, or any other rice item which needed savoury.

I have used Raw Mango, green chilly, ingh and salt.
Let us see the recipe Now :
It is very simple  and quick and can be kept in the fridge for 6 months or more.

Things Needed :

Grated Mangoes : 2 to 3 (Medium size)
Salt : 2 Tablespoons
Turmeric powder : 1/2 Tsp
Ingh : A little
To Season :
Cooking Oil : 2 to 3 Tbsp
Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon full
Green chilly : 5 to 6 or more
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little

Method :

1. Wash mangoes and dry it completely wiping in a clean towel.
2. Grate mango and keep it aside. Wash green chilly and wipe the wetness completely.

3. Cut green chilly in to small or slit in the middle.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil and mustard seeds. Let it splutter.
5. Add ingh/asafoetida and cut green chilly. Fry for 2 minutes nicely.
6. Add grated mango and stir slowly.
7. Add salt and turmeric powder and stir on low flame.
8.Stir for at least 6 to 8 minutes so that all ingredients are mixed and you will see mango is cooked .
9. See that all the moisture is disappear and Mango tokku turns thick and leaves the pan.
10. Put off the fire and mix it once and leave it for cooling.

11. Store in a glass bottle once it is cooled.

12. You can use this mixture to make chutney with other ingredients instead of tamarind, good combination for curd rice. You can also use this for preparing chitranna, vanghibath. mango curd curry etc.
Note :
You can grate the mango with its outer layer. I have used the mango completely except the seed.
Use of more chilly is optional. Use of coconut oil is useful. Use more mustard seeds so that pickle will not get fungus.
Stir nicely so that no moisture remains in the mixture. Keep it in a fridge, so that it last long.
It can stay more than six months. (Keep it in a fridge).
Time : 20 to 25 minutes
Serves : As You use it . 

Raw Jack - Coconut Curry

Raw Jack Curry is one more traditional and seasonal curry prepared normally during Jack fruit season. Now the season of Jack fruits are still there and you get lots of Jack fruits every where.

I have prepared Hasi Huli/spices without roasting or frying and it has no dal in it.

We the Udupi people, rarely use any dals in our curries. Dakshina Kannada is full of coconut trees and people do use more coconut in their daily food. Here is one such recipe which has no dal, and has coconut in it. 

The memory goes back to my childhood. My aunt used to prepare this curry to serve the people who comes to work in our paddy field. I used to see my doddamma cooking for the people. It is one of the difficult work to take away the outer layer of raw jack, then separate the seeds from the jack fruit. Then cook in large quantity because the people who do work were definitely used to eat more than us. It is their pallet strength, they consume more and put energy in sowing the field with paddy seeds, then, after the rain get ready the field with proper ploughing etc.

Coming back to our life now, these raw jack is got from my brother in law's second daughter
Shyla Uday Udupa. and her home is surrounded by beautiful big trees of Jack fruits, Mango fruits etc. When we visited recently she had some jack fruits and she gave it to me to cook.

It is very nice to cook and have raw jack, you all you need to remove the inner seeds and its cover, clean it well and cook it.

Let us see the recipe now. I have used some jack seeds as well with the raw jack pieces.

As usual I have not used any garlic or onion in this curry.

It fits into all age group and goes well with all the main dishes.

Things Needed :

Raw Jack : 1 Bowl 

Methi Seeds/Fenugrik seeds : 4 to 5 

Coconut : 1 Cup 

Coriander Seeds : 2 Tablespoons

Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon

Byadagi chilly : 5 to 6 

Tamarind : 1 Small marble size

Salt : As required 

Turmeric Powder : A pinch

Seasoning with :

Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon

Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon

Ingh/Asafoetida : a pinch

Curry Leaves : 5 to 6 

Method :

1. Clean and wash raw jack and cut into small pieces.

2. Cook with required water. Keep it aside.

3. Grate coconut, add coriander seeds, jeera, tamarind and grind it with required water.

4. Keep the raw jack pan on the fire and put salt, turmeric powder and let it boil.

5. Add 5 to 6 methi seeds to boiling raw jack.

6. Now add ground coriander seeds and coconut mixture and mix it well.

7. Let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Shift the curry to a serving dish.

8. Add seasoning done in coconut oil, mustard seeds, ingh and curry leaves.

9. Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

10. We had this curry with plain rice during our lunch.

Note : 

It is better to cook strait. Keep a pan add some water and put raw jack and cook till it turns soft. 

If using pressure cooker to cook only one whistle is enough. Do not over cook the vegetable.

Use of more chilly is optional. Use of little jaggery is optional.

Time : 25 Minutes.

Serves : 3 to 4.

Fresh Cow Peas Spicy Curry. / ಹಸಿ ಹುಳಿ

Fresh Cow Peas/ ಅಲಸಂದೆ is available during winter. It a seasonal pod and filled with proteins. I have prepared Fresh Cow Peas Spicy Curry, which is very traditional curry in Udupi region. /South Canara region and Malnadu in region.

Raw curry has the aroma from spices which are used in the curry. It tastes yummy with any main dish. It is a good combination for plain rice, dosa or idli, chapati or poori, any type of rotis and even with bread.
I have used Fresh Cow Peas, coriander seeds, green chilly, tamarind and jeera/cumin seeds.
Coriander seeds are filled with nutrients. They are rich in high level of dietary fiber, antioxidants and B Vitamins and Vitamin C. It helps in treating inflammation, good for digestion and it helps to improve the skin. It also helps to control diabetes. It is good for ladies who suffer from their menstrual stomach ache. Drinking Boiled coriander seeds water helps in reducing the pain that cause during the monthly period.
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

To Cook :
Fresh Cow Peas/ ಅಲಸಂದೆ ಕಾಳು : 1 Cup
To Grind :
Coriander seeds : 2 Teaspoons
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Green chilly : 2

Fresh Coconut : 3 to 4 Tablespoons. ( 1/2 Cup)
Tamarind Pulp : Very small marble size.
Soaked Moong dal : 1 Teaspoon
To Add : 
Ground coconut - spice mixture
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder/Haladi/Arashina : A pinch
Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Green chilly 1
Pepper pods : 3 to 4
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh /Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1.  Separate Alasande pods from its skin and wash it. Cook with required water. Keep it aside. ( You can pressure cook for 3 to 4 minutes).

2. Grate coconut and grind it with 2 to 3 green chilly, coriander seeds, jeera and tamarind pulp.

3. Put cooked cow peas in a big pan and keep the pan on the fire. Add little water, required salt and turmeric powder.
4. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add ground coconut and spice mixture. Mix it well and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

5. Add seasoned mustard seeds mixture done in coconut oil and shift the curry to a serving bowl.

6. Add cut coriander leaves and serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :

Do not make the curry very watery. It taste good when it is thick. Adding more /less chilly is optional. Adding soaked moong dal helps to thicken the curry. ( Optional : You can add soaked raw rice or soaked channa dal instead of moong dal). Adding more coconut taste better. Add little tamarind since it does not need  much savoury.
Note : I have added 3 to 4 pepper pods to the curry. ( Optional). Normally this curry does not have any pepper. Remember pepper helps to reduce the gas content in the food. 
Time : 25 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4 .

 How to prepare Coriander Kashaya :

 ( Remedy for ladies monthly period/ menstrual stomach ache).

 Ingredients :
Glass of water
Coriander Seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Jaggery : 1 Teaspoon

Method : 

Boil water and put cleaned coriander seeds. Let it boil till it reduces to 3/4 th glass.
Add jaggery and boil for 2 minutes. Sieve this Kashaya and drink hot or cold as you like it.
It is better to drink kashaya when it is hot.

Teachers' Day Cake

This is Wheat - Chiroti Rava  - Carrot Cake and prepared for Our Indian Teachers' day special.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was our First Vice President and second President of India.
His Birthday is celebrated as Teachers' Day in India.
He Believed that " Teachers should be the best mind in the country".
He was awarded several high awards during his life, The Barat Ratna the highest civilian award in India.

We wanted to celebrate the day with our kids and I thought of preparing this Cake.

I have used wheat flour, chiroti rava/thin rava, sugar, curd, milk, oil and very little amount of carrot gratings.

Let us see the recipe now:
Simple and healthy Cake without Eggs.:

Things Needed :

Wheat flour : 1 1/2 Cup
Chiroti Rava : 1/2 Cup
Baking Powder : 1 Teaspoon full
Baking soda : 1/4 Teaspoon
Salt : A pinch
Sugar : 1 Cup
Cinnamon : A small piece
Milk : 1/2 Cup
Curd : 1/2 Cup
Oil : 1/2 Cup
Carrots : Grated : 1/2 Cup
Banana : Yalakki : 2

Method :

1. Sieve wheat, rava, baking powder, baking soda and salt. ( twice to thrice ).

2. Put sugar, cinnamon, milk and curd to a mixi jar.
3. Remove banana skin and cut banana into small pieces and put it to mixi jar.
4. Add cooking oil and  grind all the ingredients together for 5 to 6 minutes.
5. Remove it from the mixi jar and put it to a big bowl. Grate 1/2 carrot and keep it aside.
6. Add sieved flour mixture to a big bowl and put the wet mixture /ground mixture to the bowl.
7. Mix it well and, turn the ingredients on one direction and mix it well. Add milk if the mixture has thick texture.
8. Now add grated carrot to the cake mixture and mix it slowly. Put the ready cake mixture to a cooking tray. Grease the tray with ghee/oil before pouring the cake mix.
9. Switch on the oven and let it get hot. 5 minutes.
10 Keep the cake mixture in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. 180 C.

11. Check the cake by inserting a knife edge or small stick. Remove the fully baked cake and keep it up on the oven for 5 minutes.
12. Now the cake is ready to serve. Serve as you wish.
13 We shared this particular cake with our tuition children on behalf of Teachers' day special.
14. Have this healthy cake and enjoy whenever you want.

Note :

The cake batter should be like pouring consistency. Add little milk and adjust the consistency, if it is too thick. Do not add so much of milk, it might turn watery and cake may not be good after baking.
Adding ghee/butter instead of oil is optional. Adding jaggery instead of sugar is optional. Use of maida instead of wheat - rava is optional.
Time 30 /25 minu to bake + 10 minutes for preparation.

Clicks with Our Students : 

Raw Tomato Spicy Curry

Raw tomato Spicy Curry is mild spicy and goes well with all most all the main dishes.

These tomatoes are home grown. We do try and grown some of the easy veggies on the terrace in pots. Some time they grow nicely and some time some insects will spoil the whole plant. This Time we could get some large bunch of tomatoes and I decided to remove it when they are raw. I have prepared the spicy curry using these raw tomatoes and some cherry tomatoes are dipped inside the curry. Cherry tomatoes are given by our friends who stays very close to us and they do have a big space for gardening and work hard in their garden.
I have also used a handful of  ಹೊನೆಗೊನೆ ಸೊಪ್ಪು /Sessilis Joy weed/   Alternanthera sessilis. These leaves are grown plenty in our pots and it is said it is very good for health and keeps our body and mind cool.
Let us see the benefits of eating Honegone Soppu in our diet.
Honegone soppu ( In Kannada language) is known as Sessile Joy weed /Dwarf copperleaf /Joy weed in English. Garundi in HIndi, Kanchari in Marathi, Ponnanganni in Tamil. In Malayalam it is known as Ponnakannikkira and in Telugu Ponnagantikura. In Konkani - Koypa , Sanskrit - Matsyakshi.
Honegone Soppu/Sesssile joy weed is loaded with nutrients and lot of medicinal benefits. The leaves contain anti-fungal and anti bacterial properties. The leaves helps to soothe the wounds and helps in reducing the acidity level in our body.They help to improve our vision. It is good for people who suffer from night blindness. Eating its flower continuously helps to improve the eye sight. It cools down the body and strengthens the eye nerves and muscles and improves the vision power. It acts as the best medicine for eye disease. It is good for people who suffer from piles and helps to cure jaundice. It is good for treating hepatitis, chest cold, asthma and liver disease. It helps to regulate the nervous system and helps to reduce weight. It helps to cure infertility. It provides energy to diabetic people and maintain the blood sugar level in our body. It is good for hair care and helps in cooling the body heat, eye irritation, knee pain, white discharge. It also helps in getting back to good appetite.  It prevents headache due to summer heat and helps in boosting milk production in  breast milk feeding mothers.
No Onion or No Garlic is used in this Raw Tomato Spicy Curry.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients.

Fresh Cow Peas : 1 Cup
Toor Dal : 1/2 Cup
Raw tomatoes : 10 to 15 or little more. ( I have used small size tomatoes).
Honegone soppu/ Sessilis joy weed : One handful (Optional).
Spice powder  :  2 Teaspoons
Tamarind pulp : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : As required
Seasoning : 1 Tablespoon
Cherry Tomatoes : 12 to 15 (Optional)

Method :

1. Wash and clean Honegone soppu and cut into small. ( Tender stem easily breaks ).
2. Remove the pods from cow peas shell. ( Outer layer).

3. Wash and cut raw tomatoes into small.

4. Wash toor dal and put it in a pressure cooker. Put cow peas, cut Honegone soppu, tomato pieces.
5. Add little water and cover the lid. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes and put off the gas. ( Use weight).

6. Remove the pressure cooker lid and mix all the cooked mixture nicely. Soak marble size tamarind in hot water. Squeeze out the pulp and keep it aside.
7. Keep the cooked mixture on the fire and add l/2 cup of water. Add tamarind pulp.
8. Add salt, and little turmeric powder. Mix it well and let it cook for 2 minutes.
9. Now add spice powder/Rasam powder/Sambar powder and mix it well.

10. Let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Put off the gas.  Put cherry tomatoes as they are. ( Optional).
11. Shift the ready Raw Tomato Spicy Curry to a serving dish.

12. Add the seasoning with mustard seeds, ingh and curry leaves and serve with the main dish of your choice.

Note :

Do not pressure cook the ingredients for a long time. It might get smashed. And the curry will not be that good. Adding spice powder of your choice is optional. I have added home prepared spice powder. Adding more/less spice is optional. Use of coconut oil for seasoning is optional.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Servings : 3 to 4 .

Spice Powder : 

Dry roast 1/4 teaspoon of methi seeds, 1/4 Teaspoon of mustard seeds, 2 tablespoons of coriander seeds, 1/2 teaspoon of urid dal and 1/2 teaspoon of jeera/cumin seeds and 4 to 5 byadagi chilly.
Dry roast the ingredients separately till golden brown. Let mustard seeds start to splutter. It adds to the taste.
Dry grind it together once it is cooled. Try this spice powder and enjoy your curry with this spice powder.
One time Use only.

Coconut Milk Ganji / ಕಾಯಿಹಾಲು ಗಂಜಿ / Rice Porridge

Ganji is a Kannada word for Rice Porridge. It is one of the staple food which keeps your body and mind cool. I have tried this Coconut milk Ganji/Kanji and it tasted superb. The fresh coconut milk ganji is yummy and healthy simply good. Try and enjoy one of the traditional dish from South Canara/Udupi.

In South Canara and around this Kayi Halu Ganji is prepared during Dasara festival at our home. Paddy which is grown is just right to harvest and just before the harvesting we have a custom to prepare rice ganji and samarpan to God. 

The custom we follow @ my aunt place is called HOSATU/ಹೊಸತು ಊಟ . In one of the Dasara day the freshly grown paddy with along with its plant is brought home ( One handful) by a male person of the house and pooja is done. The paddy grass/ಕದಿರು ಕಟ್ಟುವುದು is tied to a pole in the front of the home. A few paddy  husk is removed and add it to cooking ganji. Ganji is nothing but rice porridge. Rice is cooked with more water and eaten as it is. ( Without removing the starch). 

I have used coconut, Sona Masuri raw rice to prepare this Ganji, as we call it in our language Kannada/Karnataka/ India. 

Let us see some benefits of eating fresh coconut milk in our diet.

Coconut milk is one of the healthier saturated fat product. The fat is said to be easily metabolized by the body. It is anti microbial, anti bacterial and anti viral. Coconut milk is good for our hair and skin. 

Coconut milk is rich in vitamins and minerals. It contain minerals like iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium and zinc. It contain vitamin C and E. 

Coconut milk contain lots of fat and one should drink or use it in minimum quantity.

Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Raw Rice : 1 Cup

Water : 3 to 4 cups 

Coconut milk : 1 Glass. ( 1/2 coconut of small size coconut).
Salt : A pinch

Method : 

1. Keep water for boiling. ( 1 Cup Rice = 4 Cups of water. ( Raw rice : Sona Masoori )

2. Wash rice and put it into the boiling water and cook rice till it turn soft.

3. Grate coconut and grind it with little water. Remove from mixi jar and squeeze out the milk from ground coconut. ( Use a siever to take out the milk from the ground coconut). Keep the thick milk aside.

2. Grind coconut again with little water and take out the milk from it. ( Second time).

3. Let the rice cook till it is soft. Put off the fire and keep the rice bowl down. Add a pinch of salt and mix it.

4. Add fresh coconut milk and mix it well.  Leave it for 2 to 3 minutes. Shift it to a serving dish.

5. Now Coconut Milk Ganji is ready to serve.

6. Serve with pickle/Chutney, papad and ghee.

Note : 

Cook rice with exact amount of water. Do not cook ganji after adding coconut milk. Keep the ready cooked rice bowl down and then add fresh coconut milk to get the aroma and healthy properties.
Fresh grated coconut should be ground nicely with required water to get fresh coconut milk. Re grind the coconut mixture again to get the second quality of coconut milk. Do not add much water while grinding. The consistency of Coconut milk Ganji should be loose but not watery. ( It should not be running consistency ).
Time : 25 Minutes. 
Serves : 2 .