Spicy Green Tomato Chutney | Tomatokayi Chutney with Garlic

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When I see the green tomatoes I think of this Chutney/Dip. When everyone look for ripe red tomatoes in the packed Tomato bags at the super market, I pick the bags that have one or two raw/green tomatoes so I can make this chutney. This is again my mother's recipe that I follow blindly :-) I love to eat it with hot steaming rice with a dollop of ghee on top. It also tastes great with idli, dose, akki rotti, or Chapati.

Prep Time: 5 mins | Cooking time:5 mins
Recipe Type:  Chutney | Dip
Recipe Source: My mother

Ingredients:
2 Green raw tomatoes
1 Onion
4-5 cloves of garlic
1 tsp of Cumin seeds
3-4 Green chillies
1 tsp grated Jaggery  or Sugar
Salt to taste
Oil: 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Roughly chop tomatoes, onion, garlic and green chillies.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, when it splutters add garlic, green chillies and onions and saute for 2-3 minutes.

3. Mix in chopped tomatoes and fry for 2 more minutes.  Turn off the flame and let the mixture cool down completely.

4. Put the cooled mixture in a mixer jar, add jaggery and salt and grind to a paste. Keep it slighlty coarse.

5. Serve with rice as a side dish with a dollop of ghee.

Notes:
1. You can add a tempering of mustard seeds, dry red chillies and hing on top for added flavors.

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Charred Brinjal and Coconut Chutney | Smoky Eggplant-Coconut Dip

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I spent my childhood in North Karnataka with a mixture of cultures and food around, my parents are from coastal Karnataka so at home lunch was always a combination of South Canara and Dharwad style recipes, which my mother learnt from our neighbors. Back in my ajji's house they always cook matta rice (boiled red rice) and most of the times we had this rice ganji (water wasn't drained from the rice) for dinner.

It is very healthy and can be eaten with pickle, vegetable palya, happala (papad) or any chutney. My mother used to make different types of chutneys to go with it like raw mango chutney, green tomato chutney or ridge guard peel chutney etc. These chutneys are simple to make with very few ingredients and tastes good with even chapathi or white rice.

Continuing with the recipes from my mother's kitchen, today's post is about delicious and smoky Charred brinjal and coconut chutney.

Learn how to make brinjal- coconut chutney:

Prep time: 5 mins | Cooking time: 15 minutes.
Recipe type: Chutney | Dip | Side Dish

Recipe Source: My mother

Ingredients:
1 medium sized purple Brinjal/Eggplant
1 medium sized Onion
4-5 green chillies
4-5 cloves of Garlic
1 cup fresh coconut
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 slice raw mango cut into pieces
Salt to taste

Method: 
1. Wash and wipe dry the brinjal and roast it on direct flame on the burner. Keep rotating it so it's evenly roasted from all sides.  Discard the charred skin and roughly chop the Brinjal once its cooled down.

2. In Mixer Jar add fresh coconut, raw mango pieces, green chillies, cumin seeds, garlic cloves and salt and grind for a minute, do not make a fine paste. 

3. Mix in roughly chopped onion and charred brinjal pieces and pulse it couple of times, add a little water if needed. This is just to combine everything well. Do not grind continuously as it will turn into a fine thick paste.

4. Serve the delicious smoky chutney with Rice or roti/chapathi. 

Notes:
1. You can replace raw mango with tamarind pulp but the mango flavor is highly recommended.
2. Roast the brinjal thoroughly from all sides, it's easier to remove the skin when its well cooked.
3. Do not grind the brinjal to fine paste as the taste will completely change.

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Hyderabadi Bagara Baingan - Baby Eggplant Curry

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Bagara Baingan or baby eggplant curry is a traditional dish from Hyderabad served with Biriyani. Ground peanut, coconut and sesame seeds slow cooked in tamarind water and spices gives it a very rich texture. It tastes delicious with chapathi and rice too.

Ingredients:

Baby Brinjal: 8-10
Peanuts: 1 cup
Dry Coconut: 2 Tbsp
Sesame Seeds: 3 Tbsp
Cinnamon : 1 small stick
Cardamom: 3
Cloves: 3
Mustard Seeds: 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds: 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds : 1/4 tsp

Onion: 1 medium
Green chilli : 1
Curry leaves:  1 spring
Asafoetida/ Hing: 1 pinch
Turmeric : 1/2 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste: 1 tsp 
Coriander Powder: 1 tbsp
Cumin powder: 1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder: 1 tsp
Jaggery : 1 tsp
Tamarind juice : 1/4 cup
Salt
Oil : 2 tbsp + for frying eggplants 

Method:
1. Dry roast peanuts on low flame for 2-3 mins then add sesame seeds and dry coconut and roast until sesame n coconut turn golden in color. 

2. Put it in a blender and add 1/2 cup water and grind to a slight coarse paste.

3. Slit the baby eggplants in the centre to ¾ th keeping the stems. Make another slit making + mark.

4. Heat oil in a frying pan and deep fry the eggplants until they turn soft. Keep aside until needed.

5. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok, add cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.

6. Then add mustard seeds once it splutters add cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds and sauté for 30 seconds.

7. Add chopped onion, hing, curry leaves and green chilli and fry until onions are cooked well.

8. Next add ginger garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell disappears.

9. Add turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder and red chilli powder and mix well.

10. Add 1/2 cup water and salt and bring to boil.

11. Now add the ground peanut,coconut and sesame seeds paste and mix well.

12. Cook it covered on low flame until the oil separates, keep stirring the gravy so that it doesnt stick to the bottom

13. Add tamarind water and jaggery and cook on a very low flame until the gravy is thickned to the desired consistency.

14. Add fried eggplants to the gravy and mix gently.

15. Close the lid and cook for another 5 minutes and turn off the gas.

16. Serve hot with chapathi or any flavored rice of your choice. 

Notes:

1. Do not grind peanut, coconut and sesame to fine paste, it will take longer to cook.

2. Keep the flame low and keep stirring otherwise the gravy will stick to the bottom and burn.

3. Cover with the lid as the gravy will splutter once it starts boiling.

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Coconut Stuffed Capcisum | Bellpeppers stuffed with coconut mixture

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Stuffed Capsicum or Bharwan Shimla Mirch as called in North India is an interesting dish. You can use pretty much anything as filling from Paneer (cottage cheese), potato to onion masala. I have tried to replicate my mother's way of making it with spicy coconut filling. She uses small spicy variety of capsicum. It tastes heavenly with Chapathi or Jawar roti. It's very difficult to find them in Singapore so I have used the regular capsicum, I tried hard to pick the smaller ones :-) You can make it with any color or size of capsicum.

Ingredients:

Small capsicum/bell peppers: 4

Onion: 2

Garlic: 4-5 cloves

Fresh coconut: 1/2 cup

Sesame seeds: 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder: 1 tsp

Cumin powder: 1 tsp

Coriander powder: 1 tsp

Dry mango powder: 1/2 tsp

Sugar : 1/2 tsp (optional)

Salt to taste

Oil: 2 tbsp

Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash and dry the bell peppers and carefully remove the seeds and pith and empty the peppers.

2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a deep pan and sauté the bell peppers until the skin withers and peppers turn soft for 3-4 minutes. Keep turning the peppers.

3. Remove the peppers and add another tbsp of oil in the same pan and add mustard seeds, when it splutters add cumin seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for 30 seconds.

4. Add finely chopped garlic and onion and sauté until onions turn translucent.

5. Mix in grated fresh coconut and sesame seeds and sauté until it turns golden brown in color.

6. Next add in all spice powders - red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, dry mango powder, garam masala powder and stir well.

7. Mix in salt and freshly chopped coriander leaves and let it cool for a minute.

8. Fill this mixture into the peppers and arrange them in a microwave/oven safe dish and cook them in microwave for 3-5 minutes on high or grill in oven for 10 minutes 

9. Alternatively you can saute them in a nonstick pan and cook on all sides for 7-8 minutes.

10. Serve hot with chapathi or any Indian flat breads. It also be served as a side dish.

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Tovve | Bele saru | Simple Dal Recipe

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Tovve refers to Dal preparation without adding any saaru/rasam powder. It must be the easiest and quickest dal recipe and tastes wonderful. We need only a handful of ingredients to prepare this comfort food. 

Nothing can replace mother's love and food :-) It reminds me of amma and home sweet home. One of my favorites from my mother's everyday recipes. This week I plan to share some of the dishes that I learnt from my mother's kitchen.

 

Here is the stepwise instruction to make Togaribele Tovve.

Ingredients:

Togaribele / Toor dal: 1 cup

Ghee/coconut oil: 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Asafoetida/hing: 1/4 tsp

Green chillies : 5-6

Curry leaves : 1 sprig

Ginger: 2 inches

Turmeric : 1/2 tsp

Tamarind : a marble size.

Salt to taste

Chopped Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp

Method: 

1. Wash and soak dal in enough water for 15 minutes and pressure cook with a pinch of turmeric and few drops of oil.

2. Slit green chillies and finely chop the ginger. Soak tamarind in warm water and extract juice and keep aside

3. Heat oil/ghee in a pot and add mustard seeds, when it splutters add asafoetida and stir.

4. Add curry leaves, ginger and green chillies and sauté until raw smell of ginger disappears.

5. Mix in turmeric powder and add tamarind juice and bring to boil

6. Lightly mash the cooked dal and add to the tempering, add salt and boil for 4-5 minutes.

7. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice, ghee, pickle and happala (papad)

Notes:
1. Another variation of Tovve is to add onion and tomato to the tempering. Once the ginger is sauteed you can add finely chopped onion and fry until it's golden brown in color and then add tomatoes and continue with step 5. Adjust the amount of tamarind if you are adding tomatoes. 

2. Consistency of Tovve is not too thick or very watery. It's in between. It goes well with idli also. Some restaurants in Udupi serve this delicious combination of Idli-Tovve.

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Prawns Curry | A Mangalorean delight

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Prawns curry is a thick, creamy and spicy coconut based masala gravy cooked with prawn. Like any other curry it can be made in several different ways. I follow my mother in law's Mangalorean recipe with a small change. I add 2 tbsp of coconut cream to get a smoother and creamy gravy which is completely optional :-) Here is the quick recipe to make this super easy prawns curry.

Ingredients:

Prawns: 1/2 kg

Medium sized Onion: 1 

Garlic: 4-5 cloves

Tomato : 1

Ginger: 1 inch

Green chilli : 2

Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Coconut cream : 2 tbsp (optional)

Coconut oil: 2 tbsp

Turmeric: 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste.

Lemon juice: 1/2 tsp

For masala paste:

Fresh coconut: 1 cup

Dry red chillies: 6-7

Coriander seeds : 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds : 1/2 tbsp

Peppercorn: 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 tsp

Garlic : 2-3 cloves

Tamarind : small marble size

Method:

1. Wash, devein and clean the prawns, sprinkle salt, turmeric powder and lemon juice and keep it aside for 15 mins.

2. In a deep pan dry roast red chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, pepper and fenugreek seeds until the spices turn crispy and aromatic.

3. Grind it along with coconut, tamarind and garlic with 1/2 cup water to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.

4. Finely chop onion, garlic, tomato and ginger and slit green chillies.

5. Heat oil in the same pot and add garlic and curry leaves and sauté for 30 seconds.

6. Add onion and ginger and fry them until onions turn golden brown in color.

7. Add tomato and cook until it turns soft and oil separates.

8. Mix in ground paste, salt and 1 cup water and bring it to boil.

9. Add prawns and cook for 7-8 minutes.

10.Add coconut cream and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

11. Serve hot with boiled rice or steamed rice and lemon wedges.

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Tandoori Pomfret

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Ingredients:
Medium size Pomfret fish : 2
Lemon juice : 1 tbsp
Salt
Turmeric: 1 tsp
Carom seeds: 1 tsp
Gram flour :2 tsp
Hung curd: 1/2 cup
Red chili powder: 1 tsp
Garam masala powder: 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tsp
Butter

Method:
1. Clean n dry pomfret and make gashes/incisions and apply lemon juice, salt and turmeric and keep aside for 15 mins
2. Heat a small pan and roast carom seeds for 30 seconds and then add gram flour to the pan and roast until there is a nutty flavor (keep the flame low and keep stirring so that the flour doesn't burn)
3. In a bowl mix hung curd, red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, salt, garam masala and the roasted gram flour
4. Apply the mixture on fish thoroughly and keep it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven at 180 degree Celsius.
6. Arrange the fish on the baking tray coated with butter and grill for 15 mins
7. Sprinkle Mint powder and chat masala powder
8. Serve hot with lemon wedges.

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Roasted Baby Brinjals | Spicing up baby Brinjals/Eggplants

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Baby Brinjals have been associated with Indian Hallmark recipe of stuffed brinjals (Bharwaan Baingan / Barli vangi/badanekayi ennegayi). Stuffed Brinjals taste divine but preparation and cooking takes a while. I wanted something simpler and quicker so it was these roasted baby brinjals recipe that I cooked.

Roasting vertically slit baby brinjals in aromatic spices, garlic, ginger, jaggery and dry mango powder and topping with freshly pound whole garam masala makes it so wonderful and the best part is it takes only about 20 minutes to prepare this smoky, soft yet crunchy pan roasted brinjals.

What are you waiting for? Go on and try this simple, delicious dish for yourself and your family. Don't forget to send me your feedback :-)

Ingredients:

Baby Brinjals/Eggplants  : 8

Garlic: 7-8 cloves

Grated Ginger : 1 tsp

Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Oil : 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Fennel seeds: 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds : 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida /Hing: 2 pinches

Red chilli powder: 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp

Dry mango powder: 1 tsp

Powdered jaggery:1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Cinnamon stick : 1 inch

Cardamom : 2

Clove: 3-4

Peppercorn : 6-8

Coriander leaves for garnishing 

Method:

1. Slit baby brinjals lengthwise and make 4-6 pieces in each eggplant. Put them in the water and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, when it splutters add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida and saute for 30 seconds. 

3. Next add finely chopped ginger, garlic and Curry leaves and saute until raw smell disappears. 

4. Add Red chilli powder and turmeric powder and give a quick stir. 

5. Add sliced brinjals and combine well. All brinjal pieces should be coated with the masala. 

6. Mix in Salt, Jaggery and Dry mango powder and sprinkle 2 tbsp water and cook it covered for 4-5 minutes. 

7. While it's cooking take cardamom, clove, blackpepper and cinnamon stick in mortar pestle and crush it to a coarse powder. 

8. Add the crushed powder on the brinjals and mix well. let it cook for 2-3 more minutes and turn off the flame. Keep it for 5 minutes so that all the flavors are combined well.

9. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with Roti/Chapathi or flavored Basmati rice. 

Notes:
1. You can squeeze in lemon juice at the end if you do not have dry mango powder. you can also use vinegar in place of dry mango powder.

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Bonda Sharbat | Tender coconut Drink

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Tender coconut water or bonda/elneeru as called in Udupi/Mangalore is a refreshing drink in itself. But this simple drink made by adding Lemon, Sugar, Salt and Icecubes takes it to a different level. The temperature is still high in this part of the world and it's very humid. This drink is the best way to keep hydrated.

Ingredients: 

Tender coconut water : 2 glass

Ice cubes: 6-8

Sugar: 1 tsp

Lemon juice: 1 tbsp

Salt: 1/4 tsp

Cardamom powder (optional) : 2 pinches.

Method:

1. Add all the ingredients in a pot except ice cubes and mix it until sugar is dissolved in the water.

2. Add ice cubes in the glass and pour the drink.

3. Sit back and enjoy the refreshing drink:)

Notes:

1. You can add finely chopped tender coconut pieces to the drink.
2. Cardamom powder is optional for flavor only. It can be done without it.
3. I have used Thai Coconut water which is quite sweet, adjust the amount of sugar.

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Dhideer uppinakayi | Instant mango pickle recipe

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Thinking about pickles reminds me of the month long process of making whole mango pickles back home.

First the raw mangoes are mixed with salt and sealed in a china clay jar for 15 days and when the mangoes leave all the water and shrink in size they are dried for 2 days. Salt and mango water is cooked for hours to make the thick sauce with pickling spices. The whole process would take about a month. 

Not many of us have so much time and patience to follow these elaborate and traditional ways of making pickles. So I love this quicker way of making cut mango  pickles which is hassle free. This is my mother's recipe and during the mango seasons she ends up making it every other week with the home grown totapuri mangoes. It tastes great and can be made within 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

Totapuri raw mango :500 gms

Salt :100 gms

Mustard seeds powder: 25 gms

Red chilli powder:25 gms

Turmeric: 1/2 tsp

Coconut oil: 4 tbsp

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida: 1/4 tsp

Method: 

1. Chop mangoes into small pieces.

2. Add salt, red chilli powder, mustard powder and turmeric and mix well so that all mango pieces are wellcoated. Keep it aside for 15 minutes.

3. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, when it splutters add fenugreek seeds and asafoetida and turn off the flame.

4. Pour the hot oil onto the mango pieces and combine well.

5. Store in an airtight jar and you can use it for up to one month at room temperature and for about 6-8 months if  refrigerated. Always use clean and dry spoon to remove pickle from the jar.

Notes:

1.Adjust the amount of red chilli powder as per your taste.

2.You can replace coconut oil with mustard oil or vegetable oil.

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Chocolate Cake - A sweet indulgence

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Chocolates!!! Who doesn't like them? I am learning baking and look for a reason to bake a cake. Well it doesn't need any reason to indulge in chocolates :P

Today is R's bday. She is my domestic helper and lives with us. Every working mother knows the importance of helpers in their lives. Juggling between work baby n home is quite difficult without them. She makes my life a lot easier. Thank you R and a very happy bday.

I am no expert in baking but Here is a cake that I tried to bake for her bday :-) It was delicious!

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour: 1.5 cup
Cocoa powder : 1/3 cup
Baking Powder: 1 tsp
Eggs: 4
Sugar: 1 Cup
Butter: 225 gms
vanilla essence: 1 tsp
Instant coffee: 1 tbsp 

Method:

1. Take a bowl and sift all purpose flour, cocoa powder and baking powder through a sieve.

2. Mix the sifted flour and keep aside.

3. Take coffee powder in a small bowl and add a little water. Microwave it for 30 seconds and let it cool.

4. Take a bigger bowl and add butter and sugar. Mix it with an wooden spatula and beat with an electric beater until its creamy. Please ensure that the butter is at room temperature.

5. Now add vanilla essence and eggs. Add eggs one by one beating after each egg so that the mixture doesn't curdle. Mix and beat at the same speed until the mixture is creamy and even. 

6. Now add the flour mixture and mix using cut and fold method. Do not overmix the batter. 

7. Mix in coffee gently and the batter is ready to bake.

8. Grease a cake tin with butter and dust it with flour and remove any excess flour.

9. Pour the cake batter in the tin and spread it evenly with the rubber spatula.

10. Give a good tap to the tin so that all the air escapes.

11. Put it in the preheated oven at 180°C for 30-35 mins. 

12. Use a tooth pick to check if the cake is done. If the toothpick comes out clean the cake should be ready. 

13. Let the cake cool down completely before you unmold it.

14. If the top is bulgy, cut the surface to make it even. You can put the cake upside down to get smoother surface for icing.

15. I made a simple ganache icing with heavy whipping cream and melted chocolate. Take equal portion of cream and melted chocolate and beat it. Refrigerate it for an hour and then it can be used as a frost.

16. Spread the ganache on the cake evenly and decorate with color balls.

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