Brinjal Gojju

Brinjal Gojju / bartha is a side dish done with Brinjal/Egg plant. The big brinjal really adds taste to this curry.

It is a quick, easy, yummy and simple dish that you can prepare when you are in a hurry.
Brinjal Gojju goes well with almost all the main dishes.
Let us see the recipe now :
No Onion OR No Garlic is used in Brinjal Gojju.

Ingredients :

To cook :

Brinjal  : 1
Green chilly : 2
Tomatoes: 2 ( Small )
Capsicum : 1
Carrot : 1
Ginger : An inch
To Season :
Coconut Oil : 2 Tablespoons
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera / Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh /Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8 leaves
To Add :
Turmeric powder : A pinch
Sambar /Rasam Powder : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : As required
Jaggery : 1 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon

Method :

1. Wash and cut brinjal and soak the pieces in a big bowl at least for 10 minues.
2. Wash and cut tomatoes, carrot and slit green chilly.
3. Wash and cut capsicum and keep it aside.

4. Wash ginger, peel of the skin and wash it again. Grate it and keep it aside.
5. Keep a pan on the fire and put oil. Add mustard seeds, jeera and let mustard splutter.
6. Add ingh, curry leaves and fry for a second.

7. Add cut carrot pieces, capsicum, and tomatoes. Add grated ginger and green chilly.

8. Fry nicely for s minute. Remove brinjal from water and wash it again. Add these brinjal pieces with carrots.
9. Fry for a minute and add salt, turmeric powder, rasam powder and salt.
10. Mix all the vegetables nicely and put 1/2 cup of water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. ( I used pressure cooker to cook ). Allow it to cool.
11. Keep the cooked gojju on the fire. Add jaggery and mix it well. Add coriander leaves.

12. Shift the ready Brinjal Gojju to a serving dish and serve with the main dish you have prepared. We had it with plain red rice.

Note :

Soaking brinjal pieces in water helps to remove the bitterness in brinjal. Use of any brand of
 rasam /sambar powder is optional. I have used MTR. rasam powder.
Use of any cooking oil is optional. You can use tamarind pulp instead of tomatoes.
Discarding tomato seeds is optional. Use of pressure cooker is optional. You can cook in a pan instead of pressure cooker. Use of onions and garlic is optional.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 5.
Brinjal Bajji/Fried fritter with Brinjal Gojju.
 Mix channa flour with little water, jeera, chilly powder and salt. Let the batter be idly consistency.
Wash and cut brinjal in to circle shape and wash it again. Squeeze out the water and dip brinjal pieces in channa batter. Keep a cup of oil on the fire and heat. Fry channa flour dipped brinjal one by one in hot oil. Remove from the oil and put it on the kitchen tissue.
Serve as one of the side dish.

Arka Millet / Kodo Millet Mango Rice )

Siri Dhanya - Millets are known for their wonderful healthy qualities. Millets are gluten free and take care of our health. Arka or Haraka /Kodo Millet is one the millet family grain and used in our food dishes. I have prepared Haraka Mango Rice and it taste yummy.

Kodo millet is known as Varagu in Tamil, Arkalu in Telugu, ಅರ್ಕ / ಹರಕ in Kannada 

Let us see some benefits of eating Arka/ Harka Millet in our diet.

Millet grains are good to have because they are rich in nutrients, B - Vitamins and Calcium, iron, protein, zinc, magnesium. They are rich source of essential fats in our body. They contain high level of protein and dietary fiber. 

Millet helps to protect our heart, prevent diabetes, improve the digestive system. Eating millet helps to detoxify the body and improve our respiratory health. They also boost the immune system and gives energy and helps in nerve and muscle health.

Let us see the recipe now 

No Onion OR No Garlic is used in this Arka / Kodo Millet Mango Rice.

All you need is raw mango, green chilly, Arka millet and seasoning spices. 

Ingredients :

Arka /Kodo Millet : 2 Cups

Grated Mango /Any raw mango : 1 Small Cup (  3 to 4 Tablespoons).

Green chilly : 3 to 4 

Curry Leaves : 6 to 8 or little more 

Salt : To taste 

Coconut Oil/Ghee  : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon

Urid dal : 1 Teaspoon

Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method : 

1.Clean Arka millet and wash. Pressure cook and keep it aside.

2. Wash and grate mango and keep it aside.

3. Wash and slit green chilly, cut coriander leaves and curry leaves.

4. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put oil. Put mustard seeds and urid dal.

6. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add slit green chilly and curry leaves. 

7.  Add grated mago and fry for 2 minutes. Add salt, turmeric powder and mix it well.

8. Add cooked Arka millet and mix it nicely. ( Let the flame be very low).

9. Add 2 tablespoons of ghee and mix all the ingredients. 

10. Add grated coconut and mix it slowly. Shift the ready Arka Millet Mango Rice to a serving dish.

11. Add cut coriander leaves.

12. Serve with a cup of curd.

Note :

The proportion of water to cook Arka :  1 cup Arka : 2 Cups of water.
Use of onion or garlic is purely option. Use of any kind of cooking oil is optional. Adding Ghee to Arka Mango Rice adds to the taste. Use of more/less chilly is optional. Cooking Arka helps you to mix with mango mixture nicely. It should be cooled after cooking
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4 .

Avalakki Spicy Huggi

Avalakki/Aval/ Poha/Flattened Rice is good for health and easy to digest, quick to prepare. Here is Avalakki Spicy Huggi/Pongal that we can prepare for breakfast/brunch/snack or dinner.

It is very close to kichidi ( mixed with dal), very good for all age group. Kichidi is normally prepared for dinner so that it is very soothing and healthy. This Avalakki Spicy Huggi is bit thick and is loaded with spices and little ghee which helps to be full for a long time and it can be eaten for breakfast/brunch. It is always better to have this Avalakki Spicy Huggi in the mornings, so that it is easy to digest. I have used avalakki, moong dal, green chilly, ginger, pepper and coconut.
Let us see the recipe now.

Things needed :

To Cook :
Thick Avalakki : 2 Cups
Moong dal : 1/2 Cup
To Add :
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Black Pepper pods : 5 to 6
Ginger : 1 Tablespoon (Grated)
Turmeric powder : A pinch
 Salt : As required
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Lemon : 1 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
To Season :
Ghee : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Jeera /Cumin seeds : 1 Teaspoon

Curry leaves : 8 to 9 leaves

Method :

1. Wash and drain water from avalakki. Wash and squeeze out lemon extract and keep it aside.
2. Wash and cut green chilly into big pieces, peel off outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Grate it and keep it aside.
3. Take a big bowl, add washed avalakki, cut green chilly,  grated ginger and required salt.
4. Mix all the ingredients with avalakki and keep it aside.

5.Grate coconut and keep it aside. Crush pepper pods and add it to avalakki.
6.Wash moong dal and drain all the water and keep it aside.

7. Keep a big pan and add a tablespoon of ghee. Add jeera/ingh and  2 to 3 pepper pods. ( Whole).
8. Add ingh/Asafoetida and let jeera turn little brown. Fry. nicely.

9. Add washed and drained moong dal and fry for 2 minutes. ( On medium flame).
10. Add a glass of water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Be careful it may over flow. ( Better keep a big pan).
11. See that moong dal turns soft. Mix it well. Add washed avalakki,  Grated ginger and crushed pepper.

12. Mix it well and let it cook on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Let all the moisture disappear.

13. Mix it again and add grated fresh coconut, Lemon juice. Add remaining ghee. Mix it well again. Add cut coriander leaves.

14. Shift the Ready Avalakki Spicy Huggi to a serving bowl. Serve with your choice of side dish or a cup of curd.

Note :

Dry roasting moong dal helps the dal to evenly. ( Will not be over cooked ). Adding slit green chilly gives nice aroma to Huggi. You can use more/less of green chilly. Use of pepper pods adds aroma to Huggi and it helps the food to digest properly. Adding more less coconut is optional. Adding more/less ghee is optional. Thick avalakki must be used to get good consistency.
Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 

Black Moong Curry

Black Moong or Kappu Hesaru ( a variety of moong grown in South Canara) is one of the protein rich legume. Legumes like huruli/horse gram, urid dal, alasande/cow peas and moong ( green and black both), ground nuts are grown after the cutting of paddy grains. These are second crops in the same paddy field. Poor farmers have to wait for the rain for the good crops.

Have you heard of Black Moong / Kappu Hesaru ? ( In Kannada Language this moong is called kappu, means black hesaru is moong).

You are not making mistake in identifying this Moong to Urid lentil. This legume is not Urid. This lentil is used in curries, dals, kheer/payasa and usli.

This time my visit to Udupi / Salikeri, thats our native I got this black moong/Kappu hesaru in a local shop. As soon as I noticed this moong I remembered my doddamma /aunt and her preparations like usli, dry curry and payasa. I wanted to try some of those items and bought some. So one by one will surely put up the recipe which I tried and I am sure you will surely enjoy preparing, trying those traditional dishes which are loaded with healthy properties.
Here I have a " Black Moong Curry " which goes well with almost all the main dishes.
A small suggestion is that, you can try this curry with normal green moong instead of this black moong. ( You might get this moong only in rural areas ).
Moong dal or whole moong is filled with proteins, minerals and vitamins. Eating lentils/legumes help us to stay healthy, help our bones to be strong and gives energy to our body.
No Onion or No garlic is used in this " Black Moong Curry ".
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

To Cook :

Black Moong /Kappu Hesaru : 1 Cup
Cucumber : 2 ( Small ones)
Tomatoes : 2

To Season :
Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh /Asafoetida : A pinch
Green chilly : 2
Curry leaves : 6 to 8

To Add :
Turmeric Powder : A pinch
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon
Ghee : 1 Teaspoon
Grated Ginger : 1 Teaspoon
Salt : as required
Sambar powder : 1 Tablespoon

Method :

1 Wash and soak black moong for over night or 5 to 6 hours. (Clean it before washing).

 2. Pressure cook for  6 to 8 minutes with required water and let it cool.

2. Wash and remove the outer layer of cucumber and check cucumber whether it contain bitterness. (Do not use the bitter cucumber for curry).

3. Cut cucumber into small pieces. Wash and cut green chilly, wash and remove the outer layer of ginger, wash again and grate it.

4. Wash and cut tomatoes into small pieces. ( Remove the seeds while cutting ).
5. Keep a big pan on the fire and heat. Add oil and mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Add jeera.
6. Add ingh and curry leaves. Add slit green chilly. Fry a little.
7. Add cut tomatoes and fry nicely till they turn soft.
8. Add cooked black moong and mix it well. Add a pinch of turmeric powder.

9. Add cut cucumber and required salt, little water and mix it well. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

10. Add a tablespoon of sambar powder/curry powder and mix it well.
11. Let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Shift the curry to a serving bowl. Add cut coriander leaves.
12. Serve " Black Moong Curry " with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :

Black Moong should be cleaned well before soaking in water. Soaking black moong is a must. Or it might not cook soft and the lentil turns hard. Use of any brand of Sambar powder is optional. I have used home prepared Sambar powder. Use of green moong instead of black moong is optional.
Time 30 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3 
Purely South Canara Recipe. 

Home prepard Sambar Powder :

Dry roast/ fry with a tsp of oil :  2 tbs of coriander seeds. 1/4 tsp of methi /fenugrik seeds, 1/tsp of jeera/cumin seeds, 1tsp of urid dal. 4 to 5 byadagi red chilly, little ingh/Asafoetida and curry leaves, one by one and let it cool. Dry grind it and use.
Only One time use : for a small quantity of Curry preparation. .

Flax Seeds - Coconut Chutney

Flax seeds -Coconut Chutney is a simple and easy dish. Chutney can be eaten with all most all main dishes like , idly dosa , chapati, roti, any masala rice or plain rice. Flax seeds contain a good lot of healthy minerals and vitamins and it is used in Indian Cooking. Even it is used in Cakes instead of eggs.

Lets see some benefits of eating Flax seeds.
Flax seeds are extremely good for one's health. They are a prime source of Omega -3 fatty acids and one should add flax seeds in their diet especially a vegetarian. They are rich in anti-oxidants and contain dietary fiber. Fiber prevents constipation and keeps you fuller for a longer time. Over weight people can eat flax seeds regularly. They also help people to keep  diabetes, high BP, heart diseases away. They help to maintain blood sugar levels. Flax seeds are low in cholesterol. They help to lower the blood pressure, people who suffer from hypertension.

Here is a simple Flax seeds Coconut Chutney recipe, it tastes yemmy and as I said earlier we can have this chutney as one of the side dish and it goes well with all the main food items.

Things Needed :

Flax seeds : 2 Table spoons.
Green chilly : 3
Coconut : 1 Cup (1/2 of one coconut).
Salt : To taste
Ingh : a pinch
Tamarind : Small marble size
Coconut oil : 1 Tea spoon
Mustard seeds : 1/4 Tea spoon
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Water : Required

Method :

 1. Fry or roast Flax seeds nicely and keep it aside. ( on low flame). Add green chilly and fry again for 1 minute. Add curry leaves.

2. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

3. Now grind coconut and roasted flax seeds with a small marble size of tamarind with very little water. Add salt and grind for 10 seconds when the chutney turn paste.

4. Remove from the mixi jar to a serving bowl.

5. Add mustard splutter and mix it well and serve with  dosa, idly or the main dish you prepared.

We the family member had Flax seeds -Coconut chutney with  Foxtail millet Dosa.
Foxtail dosa preparation is the same dosa procedure. Instead of rice I have used foxtail millet. The rest are the same urid dal, Methi seeds and beaten rice. (Awalakki).

Note : 

Flax seeds must roast or fry nicely. Or you will get a raw smell from the chutney. (Do not over fry even).
Add little tamarind (Small marble size will do). Or you can use 1/2 lemon extract.
Adding mustard splutter is optional. Adding more or less coconut is also optional.
Time : 10 minutes
Serves : 3.