Cucumber idli.

Cucumber idli is a traditional Konkani delicacy which is served with fresh home made butter. Chutney is generally avoided as it would mask the fragrance of the cucumber.

Ingredients:

250 gms Idli rava ( rice rava)

1/2 cup coconut grated

2 small cucumbers grated

5 green chillies or more as per taste

2 inch piece of ginger

Pieces of turmeric leaves

Salt.

Method:

Soak the idli rava for half an hour. Grind the ginger, green chillies, coconut and grated cucumber coarsely. Add the rice rava and grind in pulse mode till the rava and coconut mixture is blended. Do not blend till smooth. The batter has to be slightly coarse. Tip into a vessel add salt and mix well. Grease the idli mould or cups with coconut oil. Place a small piece of turmeric leaf to fit into the mould. Pour the batter into the cup to fill it halfway through. Similarly finish off with the remaining batter. Keep a boiler or idli cooker ready and steam the idlis for fifteen to twenty minutes. A knife inserted into the idli should come out clean. Remove, allow to cool for around five minutes and de mould. Serve with butter.

Copyright © 2021 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

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Kalle phovu/ undo

Kalle phovu or Kalle undo is a traditional preparation made during Krishna Janmashtami. It is seasoned or unseasoned depending on the tradition followed by the family. Lord Krishna was fond of both Poha/ beaten rice and curds. So a combination of the two is offered to him by spicing it up with ginger and green chillies.

Ingredients:

2 fistfuls of Poha/ thin variety.

2 green chillies

1 inch piece of ginger

5 tbsps of grated coconut

Salt

2 tbsps coriander leaves finely chopped

Curd as required.

Method:

Wash and drain the poha thoroughly. Grind the grated coconut, green chillies and ginger to a coarse paste and tip it into the drained poha. Add salt, chopped coriander leaves and as much curds required which can bind the poha together to form balls. You can also add more curd and make a slightly loose preparation out of it.

Copyright © 2021 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

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Chapati Pizza

Here is an easy to make pizza recipe which the children are sure to love. You can add toppings of your choice. The sauce and cheese too can be adjusted as per preference.

I was left with four Chapatis which I had prepared for dinner last night.
Rummaged through the fridge and found half each of a red, green and yellow capsicum. Chopped them up along with some onions and fresh home grown basil. Roasted the Chapatis on a tava/ skillet to a crisp, spread some Pizza sauce, topped them with the veggies and grated some Mozzarella cheese over them. Into the oven….and it’s ready in ten minutes….

Chapati/Roti/Flattened Bread Recipe

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Mirchicha thecha/ green chilly thecha.

This is for the spice lovers. A delicious Mirchicha thecha which is eaten with Thalipeet, Bhakri or Roti. Traditionally the chillies and garlic are coarsely pounded in a mortar and pestle or what is called a Silbatta. Today it is ground on the pulse mode in a mixer jar.

Ingredients:

15 medium spicy long green chillies

10 cloves of garlic

1/2 tsp of Jeera/ cumin seeds

1 heaped tbsp of roasted peanuts de skinned

Salt

1 tsp oil.

Method:

Roast the green chillies and garlic cloves on a very slow flame in a teaspoon of oil till it changes colour. Drop in the cumin seeds and roast further for a minute. Allow to cool. Transfer the mixture to the mixer jar, add salt and roasted peanuts and grind to a coarse consistency on pulse mode. No water to be used at all. Just keep running the mixer till you get a coarse mixture which can hold together.

Note: You may roast the peanuts and remove the skin. I prefer buying the ready roasted ones without skin.

You can store the thecha in the fridge for a fortnight.

Copyright © 2021 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

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Thali Meal – 139

Sharing a Thali today of Rice, Dalithoy, Pigeon peas and yam Ghashi, Tender cashewnuts upkari, fried drumstick fritters, Coriander leaves Gozzu, Yam pickle, Cucumber pachadi, sweet Khichadi and buttermilk. Recipe links to all the items are given below.

https://vinayasculinarydelights.com/recipe-to-make-the-perfect-rice/

https://vinayasculinarydelights.com/dalithoy/

https://vinayasculinarydelights.com/pigeon-peas-ghashi-recipe/

https://vinayasculinarydelights.com/tender-cashew-upkari-stir-fry/

https://vinayasculinarydelights.com/drumstick-fritters-recipe/

https://vinayasculinarydelights.com/coriander-leaves-sweet-and-tangy-gozzu-chutney-recipe/

https://vinayasculinarydelights.com/yam-pickle/

https://vinayasculinarydelights.com/cucumber-pachadi/

https://vinayasculinarydelights.com/sweet-khichdi-recipe/

https://vinayasculinarydelights.com/masala-buttermilk/

Copyright © 2021 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

For more vegetarian recipes please join Vegetarian Culinary Delights by Vinaya on Fb.

Tavsha muddo/ Cucumber dumpling

A traditional Konkani delicacy is the Tavsha muddo. Tavshe is cucumber in my mother tongue Konkani. An easy to prepare dish which is traditionally steamed in banana leaves. One can also steam it in an idli stand if banana leaves are unavailable.

Ingredients:

One large Cucumber

Half of a coconut grated

8 green chillies

2 inch piece of ginger

300 gms Semolina/ rava

Salt

A pinch of sugar

Method:

Blitz the green chillies and ginger till they are well crushed and then add the grated coconut. Grind to a coarse paste adding a little water. Tip it into a bowl. Add grated cucumber, rava and salt. Mix well and allow to rest for five minutes. The rava would have absorbed all the water. Add more water if required to make a batter of a consistency that can be patted on the banana leaf.

Make six inch sized pieces of the leaf. The batter is to be patted on one side and covered with the other side of the leaf like a packet… Keep the steamer boiling before beginning to pat the batter on the leaves. Once the water has started boiling reduce heat and pat the batter on the banana leaves. Place them in the steamer and steam them for fifteen minutes. Switch off and gently remove these packets. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes and peel off the leaf. Serve warm with fresh home made butter.

Copyright © 2021 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

For more vegetarian recipes please join Vegetarian Culinary Delights by Vinaya on Fb.