Menthyada Bajji | Menthya Gojju | Methi Chutney | Fenugreek seeds dip : Karnataka Recipe

Menthya Gojju is a Malenadu Specialty. Malenadu is a region of Karnataka State in India. It literally translates to "Rain Land". I belong to this region and I love love love this place. The fog covered mountains, the dense evergreen forest and the misty air are what this region is famous for. The moment I write or think about Malenadu, I literally go to the dreamland. It takes sometime for me to come back to reality.

I wish I could sit near the paddy fields, I wish I could soak in the rain, and I wish I could watch the fog covered, lush green mountains until my heart desires. I wish I go back there soon.......You can search for the Malenadu or Malnad region pictures to believe me.

Now back to the recipe. This side dish can be served with rice, dosa, pundi gatti (unde), idli or chapathi (Indian flat bread).

Preparation Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 5 mins
Serves:4-6

Ingredients:
Channa dal | Gram dal | Kadalebele: 1/4 cup
Urad dal | Black gram dal | Uddinabele : 2 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds: 1 tsp
Dried red chili : 6-8 nos, non spicy variety, refer notes
Mustard seeds: a pinch, optional
Grated coconut: 1.5 cups, fresh or frozen, refer notes
Tamarind pulp or extract: 1 tsp. thick extract
Jaggery or Brown Sugar: 2 tsp
Salt: As needed
Oil: 1 tsp
Water: As needed

For tempering:
Oil: 1 tsp, preferably coconut oil
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 4-6 nos, torn
Asafoetida: a big pinch

Method:
Heat oil in a wok or sauce pan. When oil is hot, throw in the channa dal, and urad dal.
Roast the dals on a low-medium heat until they turn slightly golden brown. This will take about 4-5 mins
Add the fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and roast again for couple of minutes.
Break the dry red chili and add it to the wok. Roast again until the raw smell of the chili is gone and chilis are nicely roasted.

Turn off the heat and allow it to cool.
Once cool, grind the roasted spices along with coconut, jaggery, salt, and tamarind extract. Add little water at a time to make a smooth but thick paste.
Scoop the chutney/dip. Prepare the tempering.
Heat oil in a small wok. When oil is hot, throw in the mustard seeds. When seeds crackle, add the cumin seeds. When cumin seeds turn golden brown, throw in the curry leaves and turn off the heat.
Add the asafoetida to the tempering and pour this tempering over the chutney/dip prepared.
Mix it well and serve it.

Notes:

• You could adjust the spice according to your needs. I normally add Kashmiri or Byadagi chilies for their color and mild flavor. 
• You can make this chutney with dry coconut or coconut powder too. Coconut powder is easily available everywhere. 
• I sometimes add finely chopped onion to this dip. I do not blend the onion, but after the chutney is made, I mix in the raw onion. It tastes very yummy. 

Chayote Squash Curry | Seeme badnekai huli menasina kodilu | Chayote Squash Side dish

When I tell my friends that I frequently buy chayote squash or chow chow, they all look at me amazed! They have asked me what all can we prepare with chayote? Seeme badanekai (Chayote Squash in Kannada) is used extensively in Karnataka. My mom uses this vegetable regularly. She makes kootu, dal or thovve, chutney, sambar, majjige huli, palya & many other varieties. I have already posted the palya (stir fry) & chutney recipes.

Today am posting a South Canara specialty dish, kodilu made using chayote Squash. Kodilu is a spicy, and a tangy curry flavored with lots of garlic! This kodilu is mostly prepared using tendli (thonde kai or Ivy Gourd). However, I prepare it using few other vegetables too. This is a great side dish for dosa, especially the set dosa, banana dosa or bread dosa!

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 30 mins
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:
Cubed chayote squash/seeme badnekai : 2 cups
Grated coconut: 1/2 cup (fresh or frozen) [Refer notes]
Fresh tamarind :  big marble sized (soaked in 1/4 cup warm water) [Refer notes]
Red chilli powder: 1.5 tsp, more or less
Salt: As needed
Turmeric powder: a big pinch

For tempering:
Oil: 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Curry leaves: 4-6 nos, torn
Garlic: 1 tbsp, sliced

Method:

Add enough water to the cubed chayote squash, a pinch of turmeric & bring it to boil. Cook the squash until it is soft & yet firm. Do not add too much water while cooking the vegetable. You have to discard extra water which could be avoided.
Soak the tamarind in about 1/4th cup of warm water for about 10 mins. Squeeze the soaked tamarind & extract the pulp. Discard the fiber strands & the seeds from the tamarind.

Make a smooth paste of the coconut, red chilli powder & tamarind extract. You could add water to make a smooth paste.
Heat oil in a broad vessel. When oil is hot, throw in mustard seeds. When seeds crackle, add the curry leaves. When leaves wilt, throw in the sliced garlic & saute in a medium heat until the garlic turns golden brown.

Add the prepared coconut paste to the tempering & cook for 2-3 mins until the raw smell of tamarind & red chilli powder vanishes.
Drain extra water from the cooked squash & throw in the cooked squash to the coconut mixture. Add the salt & let the mixture boil on a low-medium heat for about 15 mins.

The squash should absorb the flavors. If you find the curry dry, add some of the drained water & boil again.
Let the cooked gravy or curry sit for about 10 more mins. Serve it hot with dosa or rice.

Notes:

• I do not like throwing away the water in which the vegetables are cooked. Hence, I add little water while boiling the vegetables.
• Instead of adding water, the drained water from the vegetable could be added for making the coconut paste.
• Always thaw the frozen coconut well. Also, use hot or warm water while making a paste using frozen coconut. The coconut will not ooze out oil. I have mentioned the tip here before.
• You could replace fresh tamarind extract with store bought tamarind pulp or paste. Use just 1 tsp of tamarind paste. I prefer using the fresh tamarind pulp because I love the sweet tinge from the fresh extract.

Southe Bajji/Southekai Chutney/Cucumber Chutney

I have mentioned here about my mom-in-law's chutney's. She is an expert in making different kinds of chutney. This is one of the many varieties of chutney she prepares. Bajji is a Tulu word for gojju.

This is a very simple chutney with just 4 ingredients & can be prepared in less than 5 mins! A great side dish for rice, dosa, idli or rotti!

Preparation Time: Max 5 mins

Cooking Time: 2 mins

Ingredients: (Serves 2-3)

For the chutney:

Cucumber peeled & chopped: Around 1 cup (refer notes)

Grated coconut: 3/4th cup, fresh or frozen

Lemon juice: 3/4th to 1 tsp

Green chillies: 3-4 nos

Salt: According to taste

For tempering:

Oil: 1 tsp

Mustard seeds: 1/4th tsp

Urad dal: 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves: 3-4 nos

Method:

Mix all the ingredients mentioned for the chutney. Add little water & make a coarse paste of it. Chutney should not be very fine! Adjust the salt. Scoop it out to a bowl. 

Prepare the tempering. Add oil in a small sauce pan. When oil is hot, throw in mustard seeds, followed by urad dal & curry leaves. When leaves wilt, pour in the tempering over the chutney prepared. 

Mix well & serve it with plain rice, idli or dosa!

Notes:

If cucumber is ripened, discard the seeds of the cucumber & then use it, otherwise use as is!

Sui/Butternut Squash Stew: Beginner Series

How do you feel when somebody calls you or mails you to get the recipe of a dish that he/she had tasted 5 years back? That is what I did to my hubby's aunt for the Sui recipe!I happened to eat Sui, a South Canara dish made with pumpkins many years before at my hubby's aunt's place. I loved it so much & after few days I completely forgot about it. After around five long years, I recalled about that dish & immediately called his aunt for the recipe. She was kind enough to give the recipe. I have made this many times after getting the recipe from her.

Don't go by the complicated name. Sui is a very simple yet amazingly flavorful dish. It is a perfect example of less is more! I do not know why it is called so. May be I should check with her again! 

Generally Sui is made with pumpkin, but I replaced with Butternut Squash.

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Butternut Squash: 3 cups, 1 inch cubed (peeled & de-seeded)

Water: 2 cups
Jaggery/Brown sugar: 1 to 1.5 tsp

Salt: According to taste

For spice paste:

Coconut: 3/4th cup
Raw rice: 1 tsp, optional (I did not add any!)

Cumin seeds: 1.5 tsp

Green chillies: 2-3 nos
For tempering:
Cooking oil: 1 tsp, preferably coconut oil
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: a sting
Asafoetida/Hing: a pinch
For garnish:
Coriander leaves/cilantro: 1 tbsp, finely chopped (optional)

Method:

Boil the cubed squash in 2 cups of water. Cook until tender & yet firm.

Meantime, make a fine paste of the ingredients mentioned for the spice paste. Add few tablespoons of water to make a smooth paste.

When the squash is almost done, add in the spice paste, salt & jaggery.

Reduce the heat to medium & cook for another 5-7 mins, until the flavors set in. Remove from heat.
Prepare the tempering. Add oil to a small sauce pan, when oil is hot, throw in the mustard seeds followed by curry leaves. When leaves turn crisp, turn off the heat & add the asafoetida. Pour this tempering over the stew prepared & cover the stew with a lid. This is to ensure that the aroma of the tempering is held inside the stew

Let is sit for a minute or two. 
Garnish with coriander leaves & serve with rice or roti.

Notes:

• Adjust the consistency of the stew according to your needs.
• Rice is added for the spice paste to make the stew thick.
• If you feel the stew has turned thin, add 1.5 teaspoons of rice flour to 2 tbsp of water. Mix thoroughly & add it to the boiling stew. Reduced the heat to low & cook for another couple of minutes. 

Hotel Sambar Recipe

Have you tried eating idli-sambar/dosa-sambar or vada-sambar in any of the fast food joints in Bangalore? If yes, you must have gone gaga over their sambar. The sambar provided would be more on the sweeter side & considerably thick. I have tried to recreate their sambar over years & now I can say, I make somewhat similar to what is served in the restaurants!

Here is my version:

Preparation Time: 20mins
Cooking time: 40mins (Including pressure cooking time)

Ingredients: (Yields around 2 litres of sambar).
Moong dal/Split & skinned green gram: 1/2 cup
Salt: According to taste
Turmeric: 1/4 tsp
Finely chopped potato: 1/2 cup
Finely chopped veggies: 1/2 cup (I normally add raddish, carrots, french beans & yam)
Finely chopped onion: 1/2 cup
Tamarind: 2 tsp, thick extract of the pulp.
Jaggery: 2 tbsp

For spice paste:
Gram dal/Channa dal: 2 tsp
Urad dal/Skinned black dal: 1 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Coriander seeds: 2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 tsp
Dry red chili: 8-10 nos ( non spicy ones like Kashmiri chilli)
Curry leaves: 10-12 nos
Oil: 1 tsp
Coconut: 1/2 cup, scraped
Asafoetida: a pinch

For tempering:
Oil: 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 4- 6 nos
Tomato: 1 no, finely chopped

Method:

• Wash the moong dal thoroughly. Add the finely chopped vegetables, potato & onion to the washed dal. 
• Add water, turmeric & 1/2 tsp of salt to the vegetables. Pressure cook the dal & vegetable together for 2-3 whistles. Allow the cooker to cool.
• Meantime, heat a pan. Add oil & roast all the ingredients mentioned for the spice paste (except coconut & asafoetida). No need to roast each ingredient separately. Add channa dal & urad dal first, roast it lightly. Follow it by cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry red chilli. Roast it till the dry red chilli become crisp.Finally throw in curry leaves & coriander seeds.  Toss for another minute. The kitchen will smell heavenly by now. Turn off the heat, add coconut & asafoetida to the roasted spices & mix well. Allow the spices to cool down.
• Make a fine paste of the roasted spices by adding little water. 
• Heat a broad vessel. Add oil to it. When oil is hot, throw in mustard & cumin seeds. When seeds turn brown, add curry leaves & finely chopped tomato. Saute the tomato until it is mushy & oil separates from it.
• Add the cooked lentils & vegetables to it. Adjust the salt, add the tamarind extract, jaggery & the prepared spice paste. Allow it to boil for another 10-12 mins. 
• Yummy hotel sambar is ready. Serve it with vada, idli, dosa or even plain rice!

Notes:
My sis's mom-in-law adds a tablespoon of roasted gram dal/roasted channa dal/hurigadale/kadala pappu while preparing the spice paste & adds only 1 or 2 tbsps of grated coconut. I have tried the sambar this way too! It taste's good.

Coconut Shavige/Coconut Sevai

Whenever akki shavige/rice noodles were prepared at home, my mom used to prepare two types of savory dishes out of it. I have blogged about the first one, shavige oggarane. Here comes the second, a mildly spiced akki shavige oggarane.

This dish is a little similar to tuppanna(Ghee Rice - recipe coming soon) & is a perfect dish for a festive day(Because it has no onion & garlic!!)

Serves: 3-4
Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients:
Rice noodles: 200gms
Water: about 1.5 liters
Salt: As needed

For tempering:
Oil: 1.5 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2tsp
Urad dal: 2 tsp
Cashew nuts: 1 tbsp, slit (mom uses peanuts)
Green chilies: 4 nos, more or less (chopped)
Curry leaves: 2 strings, about 10-15 nos
Asafoetida: a big pinch
Grated coconut: 1/2 cup, fresh
Salt: as needed

Method:

• Cook the rice noodles as per the package instructions. Normally rice noodles is cooked in heavily salted boiling water for 3-4mins. When noodles become soft, turn off the heat & let the noodles sit in hot water for another minute.
• Drain the noodles & run the noodles under cold water. Break the noodles into manageable size.
• Prepare the tempering. Heat oil in a broad wok. When oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When seeds begin to pop, add urad dal & saute till the dal turns golden. Throw in the cashews & saute. 
• Add the curry leaves, green chilies. Let the curry leaves become crisp. 
• Add the asafoetida, grated coconut & saute the coconut until it leaves out a nice aroma (take care not to brown the coconut). Saute for a maximum of 1 min. 
• Finally add the cooked rice noodles, adjust the seasoning & mix well. 
• Turn off the heat. 
• Serve it warm with a chutney of your choice.

Notes:

• Traditionally this dish is prepared using home made rice noodles/akki shavige. 
• For better results, try to use good quality fresh coconut. 
• Do not saute the coconut for  long !
• Cashew nuts could be replaced with peanuts. 

Bendekayi huli | koddel | Okra Sambar : Vegan Okra Side dish

Though I stayed in India for 5 weeks, I feel I could have stayed there for long (btw, this was my second visit this year..).., yeh dil maange more! My son's condition is no better than mine. Last weekend.., he was telling me.., appa mane aithalla, eega punah ajji manege hogona!! (Now that we visited daddy's house, I think we should go now to grandmom's home!!).


This recipe is to revive the memories I spent with my loved ones. My mom-in-law makes excellent ladies finger sambar. I learnt this from her. Before I jump into the recipe, here is a quick note. For this recipe, you don't have to fry the ladies finger to remove the stickiness from it. Tamarind water + jaggery + salt will do it for you. (I have mentioned here about how to remove the stickiness of the ladies finger). So, even if you are an amateur in using ladies finger, you can go ahead preparing this one.  


Ingredients: (Serves 4-6)
Ladies Finger/Okra: 2 cups (chopped into 1 inch long pieces)
Tamarind : 1 medium lemon sized (soaked in water)
Jaggery: 1.5 tsp (adjust according to your family needs)
Salt:According to taste
Toor dal/Pigeon peas: a fistful (optional, my mom-in-law never adds it)
Turmeric: a pinch


For sambar masala/spice paste:
Grated coconut: 1 cup (fresh/frozen)
Oil: 1 tsp
Urad dal: 1 tsp
Cinnamon: 1/2 inch stick
Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Dhania/Coriander seeds: 2.5 tsps
Curry leaves: a string (8-10)
Red chillies: 4-6 nos (adjust according to the heat needed)
Asafoetida: a pinch


For tempering:
Coconut oil: 1 tsp (any oil of your choice could be used)
Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves: 4-6 nos


For garnishing:
Coriander leaves: 1 tbsp (finely chopped)


Method:
For spice paste:

• Meantime, while the ladies finger is being cooked, prepare the ground paste. Add the oil to a small pan, when oil is hot, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds. When the seeds turn golden brown, add cinnamon, coriander seeds, curry leaves. Saute till the seeds leave out a nice aroma & curry leaves become crisp. Add the red chillies & saute till the red chillies change color(takes around 30secs to 1 minute). Turn off the heat & add asafoetida. Allow the roasted spices to cool. 

• Once the spices come to room temperature, make a fine paste of the spices + grated coconut, by adding enough water. 

For the sambar:

• Pressure cook the pigeon peas/toor dal with a small pinch of turmeric for 3-4 whistles. Allow it to cool & mash it gently.
• Extract the juice from the tamarind. Squeeze the juice & dilute it by adding 2 cups of water. 
• Pour the tamarind juice to a big vessel. Add salt, jaggery to the tamarind juice. Add the chopped ladies finger to the tamarind water. Boil the vegetable till soft & yet firm.

• When the ladies finger is cooked, add the cooked dal, spice paste & mix well. Pour in a 1/2 cup (a little less is fine too) of water & allow the mixture to boil on a medium-high heat. 
• Finally prepare the tempering* using the ingredients mentioned under tempering section & pour the tempering on the sambar prepared. Garnish it with corinander leaves. Mix well & serve hot with rice & a side dish of your choice.

*Here is the method for preparing the tempering. Heat oil in a small pan. When oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves & saute till curry leaves are crisp. Turn off the heat. Tempering is ready.

Shunti chutney (Ginger chuntey/dip)

Sorry people for vanishing without notice. I was enjoying my vacations in India. After I'm back from my trip, I am in no mood to cook. Hence, for the next couple of weeks until I settle down, I am planning to post the recipes that are waiting in my drafts.

Shunti/Ginger chutney is a versatile side dish/dip that goes well with any South Indian breakfast items like dosa, idli, rotti, chapathi, upma or uttappam. Here is the recipe for those who wish to try!

Ingredients:
For chutney:
Grated coconut: 1 cup
Ginger: 1 inch (fresh)
Roasted gram dal/putani/hurigadale: 1 tbsp
Tamarind extract: 1/4 tsp (thick extract)
Green chillies: 2 nos
Salt: According to taste
Coriander leaves: 1 tbsp (optional)

For tempering:
Oil: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves: 4 nos
Urad dal: 1/2 tsp (optional)

Method:

• Remove the skin of the ginger & chop it.
• Mix all the ingredients(except tempering ingredients), add little water & grind them to a smooth paste. Adjust the consistency of the chutney by adding water. Scoop out the paste in a bowl.
• Now prepare the tempering by adding oil to a small pan When oil is hot, add mustard seeds & urad dal. When dal turns golden, add curry leaves & turn off the heat. 
• Pour the tempering over the chutney, mix well & serve.

PS: During my vacation, I have received many comments. I remember that there were some recipe requests & awards too. I'll collect the awards and look at your requests soon. Thanks for your patience !!!

Perganji/Kayihalu ganji(Coconut milk porridge)

Per is a Tulu word for milk. The name of this dish is unlike its ingredients. Here milk refers to coconut milk. This is one special dish that can be consumed for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Very easy to prepare & tasty to eat. Coconut lovers can hook on to this dish for ever.

                                                                      (Pic: Porridge served with carrot pickle)

 I got this recipe from hubby's aunt during my last visit to India. I tried using store bought coconut milk, but somehow didnot like the taste of it. Freshly extracted coconut milk would taste & smell many times better than the store bought coconut milk.

Ingredients:(Serves 1-2)
Rice: 1 cup (Use ponni rice, raw rice or sona masoori)
Water: 3 cups
Coconut milk: 1/2 cup (thick)
Coconut milk: 1 cup (thin)

Method:

• Soak the rice for 30mins.
• Meantime bring water to a boil. When water starts boiling, add the rice & cook it on a low heat until rice is 3/4th done. Add the thin coconut milk & cook again. When rice is completely done, it becomes mushy.
• At this point, add thick coconut milk & cook for another 3-5mins.
• Perganji/Coconut milk porridge is ready. Serve it with pickle or chutney or palya/stirfry/poriyal.

 Tips:

• Donot add ghee while serving this porridge as coconut milk & ghee donot go hand-in-hand.
• Salt is not generally added to this porridge, but if your family prefers, go ahead & add. 

Boodu kumbala koddel | Winter Melon Sambar | Kumbala Kai Huli : Udupi Sambar Recipe

How to make Udupi Sambar?

As you all know, kumbala kayi (Ash gourd or Winter melon) is a cooling vegetable; so, it pays to eat this vegetable in the Singapore tropical climate. It is also low in calories; so, all you diet freaks out there, it's time to pick up a ash gourd and prepare this sambar.

BTW, there is no sambar powder concept in south canara and the usage of toor dal is also very minimal. Keeping all this in mind, here goes my 'South Canara style' kumbda koddel

Ingredients: (Serves 2-3)
1/2 kg ash gourd(Peel out the skin, remove the seeds and chop the vegetable)
1/2 coconut grated (around 1cup of fresh/frozen)
6-8 red chillies, less spice variety (also known as Byadgi Menasu or Kashmiri Mirch)
1 tsp jeerige (cumin seeds)
2.5 tsp dhania (coriander seeds)
1/4th tsp methi seeds(fenugreek seeds)
1 tbsp thick tamarind extract
1.5 tbsp jaggery
salt according to taste

For tempering/tadka:
1 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
4 curry leaves
a pinch of asafoetida/hing
coriander leaves (for garneshing)

Method:

• Add enough water to ash gourd & cook it until soft (Need not pressure cook as this would become soft quite fast)
• Dry roast the jeera, dhania, methi seeds & dry red chilli seperately & allow it cool for a while.
• Make a paste of the above dry roasted spices along with the coconut. Dont add too much water to prepare the paste.
• Add tamarind extract, salt & jaggery to the cooked ash gourd & bring it to a boil again. (This is to ensure that the tamarind is cooked well & the raw smell of tamarind is no more).
• Now add the spice paste to the ash gourd & cook it in a slow flame for 5 minutes or untill the mixture becomes thick.
• Prepare the tadka in a small pan. Add oil, when oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves, asafoetida & add this tadka to the koddel prepared.
• Garnesh it with coriander leaves. Koddel is ready to be served.

Notes:

1. There is no toor dal added to this koddel, thickness of the sambar depends on the amount of coconut + water added to this.
2. To make this koddel/sambar more thick, add a tbsp of raw rice while making the spice paste.
3. You could make a similar koddel with other vegetables like Mangalore Southe (Cucumber) , Chayote Squash too.  

This is also called as hasi masale huli (hasi = raw, masale = spices, huli = sambar/curry).
Believe me, this sambar tastes so good because of the hasi masale.

Wow!!, I started smelling the aroma of this sambar right now, even though I prepared this sometime back..

Update: Pictures are updated on 11/15/13.