Amtekai Palya /Hog Plum Dry Curry

Amtekai/Hog plum is a savoury vegetable and is used in curries, pickles and it is added in curries instead of tamarind. I have prepared Amtekai Palya /Hog plum Dry Curry.

These Hog plums are from my sister Viji's House in Kadiyali. They have Hog Plum plant at their home. She has specially sent it for me with her son who was coming to Bangalore. 
Here I have tried Amtekai Palya which is very tasty. Hot plain rice, Amtekai Palya and a spoon of fresh home made ghee, you can imagine the tttttt taste.
I have used hog plum, home made rasam powder, roasted sesame seeds, jaggery and dry coconut./Kopra.
Let us see some benefits of eating Hog Plum in our diet.
Hog plum is rich in antioxidant properties. It is full of Vitamin C. It is rich in Iron and it helps to take care of our good blood cells./hemoglobin. It is rich in calcium and full of fiber.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Hog plums : 6 to 8
Rasam Powder : 2 Teaspoons
Sesame Seeds : 2 Tablespoons
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons
Salt : As required
Coriander Leaves :  1 Tablespoon (4 to 5 sticks).
Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 2 Tablespoons
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid Dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh/Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8

Method :

1. Wash and cut amtekai into small piece. Keep the pod aside. You can use the pod too.
2. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

3. Keep a tava and dry roast sesame seeds till they pop up.
4. Put off the fire and shift the roasted seeds to a plate. Let it get cool.
5. Dry grind rasam powder, dry roasted sesame seeds and dry coconut till it turn powder.

6. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put 2 tablespoons of coconut oil.
7. Add mustard seeds, urid dal and let mustard splutter.
8. Add ingh and curry leaves. Add cut Amtekai/Hog plum.
9. Stir for a while and put a glass of water. Add jaggery and salt. Add a pinch of turmeric powder.

10. Let Amtekai cook till soft. Allow the all the moisture get disappear. Reduce the flame low.
11. Add ground coconut - spice mixture and mix it well. Let it cook for 2 minutes. Stir in between. Add cut coriander leaves.

12. Shift Amtekai Palya /Hog plum dry curry to a serving bowl. Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :
You can add the pods while cooking. It is fun to chew the pods while having the food. I have used home prepared rasam/saaru powder. (Optional). Use of cooking oil is optional. Use of more/less jaggery is optional.

Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.

Wild Mango Spicy Curry /ಕಾಟು ಮಾವಿನಹಣ್ಣಿನ ಮೆಣಸುಕಾಯಿ

Ready to serve Wild Mango Spicy Curry/ಕಾಟು ಮಾವಿನ ಹಣ್ಣಿನ ಮೇಣಸುಕಾಯಿ

Wild mangoes are sweet and tangy. We have a this mango tree in our Birthimane near Udupi. We do love to eat this fruit, though it is bit tangy. Whenever I visit our home here during mango season I make a point to bring these mango fruits to prepare dishes like mango curry, jam, gojju, saasive etc.
This time I just wanted to try one of Udupi Special - Mango Menasukai/Mango curry.
Normally Menasukaayi is prepared using fresh coconut. It is full of spice and taste savoury, sweet and hot. Lots of spices are used  and the long procedure too.
I have used fresh roasted spices, mango pulp, jaggery and salt. Coconut is not added so that Mango curry can be kept for many days.
Wild Mango Spicy goes well with dosas, idli, kadubu, rotti, chapati, roti and plain rice. It is good to have with curd rice.
Let us see the recipe Now:

Ingredients :

Wild Mango Fruits : 10 to 15 ( Wild mangoes are normally small in size ).
Jaggery : 1/4 Kg.
Salt : As required.

Spices to roast :
Dry chilly /Byadagi : 10 to 15
Channa Dal / Kadale bele : 1 Tablespoon
Urid dal/Uddina bele : 1 Tablespoon
Methi seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander seeds : 3 to 4 Tablespoons. (One handful)
Jeera/Cumin seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Sesame seeds : 2 Tablespoons
Ingh/Asafoetida : 1/4 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : One handful

Seasoning:
Coconut oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Mustard seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little
Curry Leaves : 8 to 10

Method : 

1. Wash and wipe out the moisture of mango fruits. Let it be aside for 10 minutes. ( Wipe out the complete moisture).

2. Now cut mangoes and squeeze out pulp. Put the mango peel in a glass of water and squeeze out the pulp from peels and seeds.
3. Put all the mango pulp in a big bowl and keep it on the fire. Add jaggery and mix it nicely and let it boil. Let it get thick. Add salt.

4. Dry roast methi seeds, sesame seeds, channa dal, urid dal, red chilly/byadagi chilly, coriander seeds ,jeera and  curry leaves one by one. ( Dry roast on low flame till they turn golden brown). Let it cool.
5. Powder all the ingredients once it get cooled.

6. Add little turmeric powder and let the pulp turn bit thick.
7. Add ground spice powder and stir it well. Let it cook and turn thick consistency.

8. Keep a small pan on the fire and put coconut oil and mustard seeds. Let it splutter.
9. Add curry leaves and ingh /Asafoetida and put this seasoning to the cooked mango spicy curry.

10. Shift it to the serving dish and let it cool. Put it in a airtight bottle or any other container and use it whenever you want.

Note :

It should be cooked to thick consistency. No need to add coconut to it. If coconut is added it might get spoiled. Keep the Wild mango fruit spicy curry in a fridge. ( Shelf life at least 2 months). Adding any cooking oil is optional.  Adding garlic is optional. This is one of the traditional dish of Udupi/Malenaadu. Fresh roasted spices adds to the taste.
Time : 40 Minutes
Serves : 1 Big or 2  Small bottles. 
Shelf life : At least 2 months if kept in the fridge. 

Mixed Nuts Laddu

Mixed Nuts Laddu is a mixture of grond nuts, sesame seeds, chenna, poppy seeds and jaggery with a very little ghee. All these ingredients are oil content. During winter our body's moisture dries up and we need to consume the requirement of the body through the food habits. During Sankranti we share and eat ellu bella (sesame seeds - jaggery - coconut mixture). I thought of doing the same ingredients and turned as laddu.

Mixed Nuts Laddus are very healthy munching stuff during winter season. During winter out body dries up and these food helps to provide the need.
I have used Seseme seeds, poppy seeds, ground nuts, jaggery etc.
Lets know the benefits of having " Poppy Seeds " in our diet.
Poppy seeds contain anti - oxidants and health promoting properties. They contain mono unsaturated fatty acids that helps to lower the bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol levels in the blood. Poppy seeds outer coat is a good source of dietary fiber that helps to eases the constipation problems. These seeds are rich in B - complex Vitamin sources. Poppy seeds contain good level of minerals like iron, copper, calcium , potassium, manganese, zinc and magnesium.

Things Needed :

Ground Nuts : 2 Cups
Chenna : 1 Cup
Poppy seeds : 50 Grams.
Coconut (dry) :1 cup
Sesame seeds : 1/2 Cup
Jaggery : 1 Cup
Ghee : 1 Table Spoon

Method :

1. Dry roast ground nuts and remove the outer skin and keep it aside.

  
2. Keep a pan on the fire put jaggery and add 1/4 of water. Let it boil nicely and jaggery completely dissolve.
3. Now sieve the jaggery water and remove the dirt from it.

4. Now keep a pan on the fire and dry roast sesame seeds and poppy seeds one by one until the raw smell disappear.
5. Let the roasted ingredients cool. Dry grind dry coconut (Copra - kobbari ) and poppy seeds together.

6. Dry grind chenna nuts and ground nuts ( just 2 to 3 churns will do) one by one and put all the ingredients together in a big bowl.

7. Keep a big pan on the fire and put jaggery content and boil till they bubble up.
8. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes to get the right consistency. (One string pakam).
9. Add a table spoon of fresh grated coconut.

10. And then add the ground dry coconut, chenna, ground nut, poppy seeds and sesame seeds.
11. Mix it nicely till they get mixed and put off the gas.

12. Add 1 Table spoon of fresh ghee and mix it well .

13.. You can divide the mixture in two to three parts. Cover the mixture to retain the heat.

14. Take a handful of mixture and with the help of your palm and fingers prepare Laddu.

15. Laddus are ready to serve.

Note :

You must roast the ingredients nicely till the raw smell disappear. ( Do not over roast and burn). Do it on low flame slowly).
You can add more ghee if you wish. Adding cashew nuts adds to the taste. ( I did not add).
Adding more jaggery is also an optional. If you are not able to prepare ladu use a spoon of melted ghee on the mixture and then try. It holds it tightly or use fresh warm milk and prepare laddu. (The laddu may get spoil ) It may be kept only one or two days outside.
Time : 30 minutes
40 to 50 Laddus can be prepared.