Jack Seeds - Southkai Kootu

Mangalore Southekai /Southekai and Jack Seeds Kootu is good to have with Plain Rice, chapatis, rotis, poori, dosa or idli. It is one of the traditional dish of South Canara and we call it as ಹಸಿ ಹುಳಿ .

Dal / Toor or Moong is not used in this curry and very little spices are used here.

Let us see some benefits of eating Coriander Seeds in our diet. 

Coriander Seeds have pleasant aroma and it is used as condiments in our culinary dishes.
Coriander seeds helps in preventing and treating diabetes. It helps in treating osteoporosis. It helps to cure digestive disorder. Helps in preventing abdominal pains. It is good for ladies who suffer during their menstrual chronic/crams pains. It is a good remedy for skin related problems. Good for anemia, for treating inflammation,controlling and regulating high cholesterol levels. It is good for mouth ulcers, indigestion, eye related problems and lowering the blood sugar level. It has a cooling effect on our body and is used for eye related problems. ( Wash and soak coriander seeds for 30 minutes, strain twice with clean towel or cloth and then use it as drops to eyes. It helps in cooling our eyes, sooth our eyes and your eyes will be refreshed). Be careful and it should be clean coriander water, no dust or any dirt should enter our eyes.
Coriander seeds are filled with vitamins and minerals. It is filled with proteins, carbohydrates, phosphorus, calcium, iron, Vitamin B, C and A.
Let us see the recipe Now :
No Onion or Garlic is used here in this Jack Seeds - Southekai Kootu. 
Mangalore Cucumber is known as Mangalore Southekai/ Bannada Southekai, Haladi Southekai.

Things Needed : 

To Cook :
Southe kai / Mangalore Cucumber : 1 Bowl . ( 1/2 of One big Southekai )
Jack Seeds : 1 Small bowl (About 10 Seeds).
Methi Seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
To Grind :
Fresh Grated Coconut : 5 to 6 Tablespoons
Coriander Seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Tamarind : 1 Big Marble size
Jeera / Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Pepper Pods : 3 to 4
Red chilly : Byadagi : 4 to 5
 To Add :
Salt : As required
Turmeric Powder : A pinch
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard Seasoning : 1 Tablespoon : 1/2 Teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 red chilly, pinch of ingh and curry leaves with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.

Method :

1. Remove the outer shell of jack seeds and cut them into small pieces. Soak in plain water for 10 minutes.
2. Wash and remove the outer layer, pulp and seeds inside the southekai.
3. Cut Southekai into small pieces and soak in plain water for  5 minutes. It helps in take away the bitterness in Southekai.
4. Put cut Southekai pieces and jack seeds pieces in a pressure cooker. Add methi seeds and required water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.

5.Grate coconut and add coriander seeds, jeera, red chilly, pepper pods and grind it with required water.
6. Keep a pan on the fire and put cooked Southekai and jack seeds to it. Add turmeric powder and required salt. Mix it well and boil for  2 to 3 minutes.

7. Add ground coconut, coriander mixture to boiling mixture and mix it well. Let it cook for 4 to 5 minutes.

8. Put little coriander leaves to the cooked curry and shift it to the serving dish, Add mustard, red chilly, ingh, curry leaves seasoning on the top.

  9. Serve with the main dish you have prepared. You can add a spoon of fresh ghee just before serving.

Note :

Do not over cook the vegetables. Soaking jack seeds helps to cook seeds nicely and soft. Adding less/more coconut is optional. You can add 1/2 teaspoon of soaked raw rice while grinding. ( Soak raw rice for 5 minutes and then add/ optional). It helps the kootu to be thick. Do not add more tamarind. The curry gets savoury. Use of coconut oil is optional. Do not roast coriander seeds and jeera. Adding methi seeds while cooking vegetable helps to reduce the cholesterol in curry.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 .

Huttari Genasu Curry

Huttari Genasu is a type of root vegetable You get in Coorg. It is like Suvarna Gedde / Elephant foot.

Huttari Genasu has a special quality that it does not itch while cutting where as Suvarna gedde has that itching nature.
Here I have tried simple curry using Huttari Genasu.
Huttari genasu is cooked during Huttari Habba and I think it is available only during that period. I got this vegetable from our very close friend Usha Suresh Cukkemane. They are from Bhaghamandala near Madikeri. Though they live in Mysore they get these special vegetables from their sisters house who live in Coorg.
I have used Huttari Genasu , moong dal, coconut and some simple spices.

No Onion Or Garlic is used in this Huttari Genasu Curry.

Things needed :

To Cook :
Huttari Genasu : 1 Bowl (1/4 piece of small Huttari Genasu).
Moong Dal : 1/2 Cup
To Grind :
Coconut :  4 to 5 Tablespoons
Jeera /cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon

To Add :
Sambar Powder : 1 Tablespoon
Tamarind : Small Marble size
Salt : As required

Seasoning :
Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Ingh / Asafoetida : A pinch.

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer layer of Huttari Genasu. Wash it again.
2. Cut it into desired size. Big /Small. Pressure cook for  4 to 5 minutes. (Do not over cook).

3. Wash moong dal and cook it separately.

4. Grate coconut and grind it with 1/2 teaspoon of jeera. Soak tamarind and squeeze out the pulp.

5. Keep a pan and add cooked moong dal and huttari genasu. Add salt and a pinch of turmeric powder. Add tamarind pulp.
6. Let it boil for 2 minutes. Add sambar /curry powder and mix it well.

7. Add ground coconut. Mix it well and let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes.

8. Shift the ready Huttari Genasu Curry to a serving dish.
9. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves and ingh / asafoetida seasoning.

10. Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :

Clean the vegetable nicely so that no mud will get into the curry. Cut the vegetable and then wash it again. Adding coconut to the curry is optional. You can cook this curry without coconut also.
Adding any spice powder is optional. I have used home prepared sambar powder.
Huttari Genasu is one of the vegetable you get during Huttari habba. It has a special quality that it does not itch while cutting or cooked. Adding onions or garlic is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4. 

Raw Tomato - Fresh Cow Peas Curry

Tomatoes are good to have in our cooking. It is good to see our home garden is giving out so much tomatoes. This time it is green tomato curry done with these Green Tomatoes. Fresh cow peas is also available plenty in market.

I have used green raw tomatoes and cow peas for this curry. Fresh aromatic spice is prepared and used for this Curry.

Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Raw Tomatoes : 10 to 12
Fresh cow peas : 1 Bowl.
Coconut : fresh and grated : 2 to 3 Tablespoons.
Fresh spice powder : 2 Tablespoons
Salt : As required
Coriander leaves  : 2 Tablespoons
For Seasoning :
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera : Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh : Asafoetida : A little
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Green Chilly : 1 or 2

Method :

1. Wash and cut tomatoes into small pieces. Wash and pressure cook cow peas for 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Wash and cut curry leaves, coriander leaves and slit green chilly.

3. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil and mustard seeds  and jeera.
5. Let mustard seeds splutter.
6. Add curry leaves, ingh and slit green chilly.

7. Stir once and put cut tomatoes. Fry them on low flame. Add cooked cow peas and stir slowly/
8. Add turmeric powder, a teaspoon of jaggery.

9. Let it cook soft. Add salt and mix it well.
10. Add spice powder and mix all the ingredients nicely.
11. Let all the moisture disappear. Add Fresh grated coconut.

12. Shift the curry to a serving dish and mix it with coriander leaves. Raw Tomato - Fresh Cow Peas curry is ready to serve.

Note : 

Do not add while cooking tomatoes. It will be cooked soft with its moisture. Adding any spice powder is optional. Adding little garam masala adds to the taste. No onion or garlic is used here.
Adding more / less oil is optional. Use of coconut is optional.
Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4
Special Spice powder :

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons of coriander seeds, 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon of channa dal, 1 teaspoon of urid dal, ingh, 2 cloves,  a very small piece of cinnamon, handful of curry leaves and a pinch of ingh.
Dry roast all the above ingredients on low flame one by one and powder it once it is cooled. 

Mangalore Cucumber Mustard Curry / Sasive.

Mangalore Southekai/bannada southekai/ Mangalore cucumber is handy vegetable for many people like me.
We can prepare lots of yummy dishes and it is a healthy vegetable.

I have prepared Mangalore Cucumber Mustard Curry /Sasive here. Mustard seeds are used with coconut to grind thats how it is called as Sasive. 
Let us see the recipe now:
It is easy, simple, yummy and bit spicy.
No Onion or NO garlic is used in this  Mangalore Cucumber Mustard Curry/ Sasive.

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Mangalore Cucumber : 1/2 of one medium size cucumber.
To Grind :
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Tamarind : Marble size
Ingh / Asafoetida : A pinch
To Add :
Ground Mustard - Coconut mixture
Mustard seasoning
Salt : As required
To Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Ingh / Asafoetida : A pinch

Method

1. Remove the outer layer and the inner part/pulp completely and cut it into small.
2. Put the pieces in water and leave it for 5 minutes. ( Any bitter in the vegetable will wash off).
3. Now pressure cook this cucumber pieces for 3 to 4 mintues and put off the fire.
4.Grate coconut and grind it with Tamarind,   3 to 4 red chilly and mustard seeds.
5. Keep cooked cucumber pieces in a pan and keep it on the fire.
6. Add required salt and put water if necessary. Add  a pinch of turmeric powder.
7. Let it boil for 2 minutes. Put ground masala and mix it well. Cook on low flame for 3 to 4 minutes.
8. Shift the curry to a serving dish. Add mustard seasoning and serve with plain /any main dishes.

Note :

Cut the cucumber pieces bit small. Do not add much water to cook. Curry should be thick to enjoy with hot plain rice and ghee. Adding curd instead of tamarind is optional. Adding more coconut helps the curry to be tasty. Use of more/less chilly is optional. Use of any other cooking oil instead of coconut oil is optional.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3

Mattina Gulla - Avarekai Curry

Udupi Special Brinjal known as " Mattina Gulla " has its own special flavour and whatever you prepare turns out to be superb taste. This is a special variety of brinjal/ eggplant as said earlier.

There is a story behind the special nature of this Mattina Gulla and will surely write it.

I have prepared Gulla Huli/ bolu Huli or a type of curry using some special spices, which always stay in kitchen cupboard.

I have used Famous Avarekai/field beans and Mattina gulla combined together with some special spice powder which is very fresh, home prepared spice powder. 

Let us  know the story of Mattina Gulla.  
Mattina Gulla got patent these days.

Mattu/Matti is a place near Udupi/ Katpadi, in South Canara. It is about 6 to 8 Km from Udupi. The people over there, were very poor and struggling to lead a peaceful life. Once Shree Vadhiraja Swami of Sode Mutt came to visit this place, he saw the peoples' struggle and gave a handful of this Gulla /Brinjal /Eggplant seeds. He said from this seeds peoples' struggle will be reduced. As they grow the brinjal plant and it yield special variety of brinjals. So brinjals turned as famous and peoples' struggle reduced. It is all Swami Shree Krishna's daye/kindness and through the guru he could take care of His devotees and help them to lead peaceful life. Even now the first yield is given it to Lord Shree Krisha Mutt in Udupi. 

One has to eat and relish the taste of this special Mattu Gulla and then he will be able to know that what we say is 100 % true about the taste of this kind of brinjal.

No Onion or Garlic is used in this recipe. Try and enjoy this curry. It suits to all type of dishes.

Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients :

To Cook :

Mattu Gulla : 2 

Avarekai : 1 Cup. 250 to 300 grams. 

Methi seeds /Fenugrik seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon

To Add :

Spice Powder : 2 Tablespoons

Tamarind Pulp : 1 Tablespoons

Jaggery : 1 teaspoon

Salt : As required 

Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Coconut : 2  to 3 Tablespoons

Ginger : An inch 

Seasoning :

Cooking Oil : 1 Tablespoon

Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon

Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon

Ingh /Asafoetida : A pinch

Curry Leaves : 6 to 8 Leaves.

Method :

1. Remove the avarekai / Field beans and  wash it.  Pressure cook for 6 to 8 minutes and leave it for cooling.

2. Cut brinjals and put the pieces in a bowl of water for 5 Minutes.

3. Grate coconut, wash and cut curry leaves and coriander leaves. Soak tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and squeeze out the pulp. Keep the pulp aside.

4. Wash and clean ginger and remove its outer layer. Wash it again and grate it.

5. Keep cooked averekai pan on the fie. Add cut brinjal and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes./Till it gets soft. ( Do not over cook ). Add grated ginger.

6. Add little turmeric powder, tamarind pulp and required salt. Mix it well and cook for 2 minutes.

7. Add spice powder and mix it well and cook for another 2 minutes.

8. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add a tablespoon of oil, mustard seeds and jeera. Let it fry nicely.

9.  Add a pinch of asafoetida and curry leaves. Add this seasoning to the curry. 

10. Add a teaspoon of jaggery.

11. Mix it well and cook for another 2 minutes.

12. Put off the fire and Shift the curry to a serving dish.

13. Add cut coriander leaves and grated fresh coconut. (One Tablespoon).

14. Mix it well and Shift the ready curry to a serving dish. Top up with coriander gratings. ( Optional)

15. Serve with the main dish of your choice. Yummy curry taste best on almost all the dishes.

Note :

Do not over cook brinjals. Adding capsicum taste better. Adding garlic or onion is optional. Adding coconut grating is optional. Adding more jaggery is optional. Use of coconut oil is optional. 

Time : 30 Minutes.

Serves : 3 to 4.

How to make : Home Made Spice Powder :

Dry roast 1/4 teaspoon of methi, 1/2 teaspoon of urid dal, 2 tablespoons of coriander seeds, 4 to 5 byadagi chilly, 1/2 teaspoon of jeera/cumin seeds, 5 to 6 curry leaves and a pinch of ingh. Add a small piece of cinnamon to it. (1/2 inch). Do not fry cinnamon and 1Tbs  coconut, just add it after you shift the dry roast spices to a bowl. Let it get cool. Dry grind and turn it as powder. 

Note : Dry roast the spices one by one on low flame. 

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.