Tomato Soup - Konkani Style (Tomatoche Saar)

Tomato Soup - Konkani Style (Tomatoche Saar)

Ingredients

5 medium sized blanched tomatoes

2 cups water

1 cup coconut milk

4 tsp sugar

1 inch finely grated ginger

salt to taste

For the seasoning

1 tbsp ghee

1 tsp jeera

2 green chillies (cut into pieces)

A pinch of asafoetida

4-5 curry leaves

Coriander leaves to garnish

Method

1. Blanch/boil tomatoes. Peel off the skin and let them cool.

2. Blend them in a mixie to a coarse paste.

3. Add the grated ginger.

4. Add sugar, salt and water and bring to boil. 

5. Remove from heat and season the soup.

6. Add coconut milk and stir. 

7. Garnish with coriander leaves 

Tips

* Keep the water used for blanching the tomatoes. You can use this water.

* While blending the blanched tomatoes, do not add water to avoid lumps. 

* Never add coconut milk when the soup is on flame. It will separate. 

* Check for salt after adding coconut milk. 

Mango Kesari Halwa (Ambyacha Shiraa)

Mango Kesari Halwa (Ambyacha Shiraa)

Seasonal flavors are the best ones...coz you smell them with the onset of the season! This halwa is perfect for any celebration this summer season. 

Ingredients

1 cup medium rawa (sooji)

1/2 cup ghee

1 cup sugar

1 cup full fat milk

1/2 cup mango pulp 

1 cup alphonso mango cut in small pieces

7-8 strands of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp milk

1/2 cup dry fruits mix (almonds, pistachios, cashews)

Method

1. Roast the rawa in ghee on medium heat till golden brown. 

2. Add sugar and stir well. 

3. Add the mango pulp and keep stirring till the sugar melts. Don't let the sugar caramelize.

4. Add the milk and stir continuously. Also add the saffron milk at the same time. 

5. Add the dry fruits. Stir and cover with lid for 2-3 minutes on low heat.

6. Check whether the halwa has turned fluffy and doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

7. Remove from heat and let the halwa cool down a bit. Add the mango pieces to it and stir.

8. Garnish it with pistachios. The combination of saffron yellow and green color is heavenly!

Your Mango Kesari Halwa is ready. 

Wheat Flour Halwa (Kankecha Shiraa)

Wheat Flour Halwa (Kankecha Shiraa)

Today, being 'Ram Navmi', I had to make something sweet. I had already made Shrikhand and Rawa shiraa for 'Gudhi Paadwa'. So thought of making something healthy and easy to make. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Wheat flour

1 1/2 cups ghee (clarified butter)

1 cup jaggery (shredded)

3/4 to 1 cup water

Method

1. Heat the ghee in a pan/kadhai. 

2. Add the flour and roast till golden brown. The flour starts becoming crumbly in texture.

3. Add the jaggery and stir continuously. 

4. Add the water, very little at a time...and keep stirring. The halwa will absorb the moisture and become fluffy. Place a lid and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. 

Your nutritious, yummy, and easy to make halwa is ready!

Consistency of the mixture while roasting the flour in ghee

Stage at which jaggery is to be added

Tip:

1. I used normal wheat flour. You may use coarsely ground flour, which gives the halwa better texture.

2. Shredded jaggery dissolves quickly. So, add water immediately after you see that it has started melting. Else, the jaggery will crystalize. Water cool downs the temperature of the mixture in the kadhai, thus making the halwa fluffy. 

Cluster Beans Curry in Green Masala (Gawarichi Bhaaji)

Cluster Beans Curry in Green Masala (Gawarichi Bhaaji)

This veggie is a variation that I learnt from my aunt. I normally used to make it with just onions, potatoes or pumpkin. But this one will surprise you! 

Ingredients

1/4 kg cluster beans

2 medium sized onions

For the masala

3-4 twigs green coriander

1 inch ginger

2-3 garlic cloves

2 green chillies

For the seasoning 

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 pinch asafoetida

1/2 tsp carom seeds (owa/ajwain)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp chilly powder

salt to taste 

Method

1. Wash and cut the beans in medium sized pieces. 
2. Dice the onions in medium size. 

3. Heat oil in a pan/kadhai. 

4. Add mustard seeds, carom seeds and asafoetida. Once they splutter, add turmeric powder and chilly powder. 

5. Add the chopped onions and saute till they become translucent. 

6. Add the beans and saute. 

7. Cover with a lid and let it cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. We don't wish the beans to loose their natural color. 

8. In the meanwhile, grind the masala. Add it to the beans and stir for a minute. Also add salt to taste. Let the whole thing remain juicy, but not watery!

Your curry is ready to serve!

Tip:

We don't add salt in the beginning because cluster beans have a tendency to reduce in size. Once they are cooked, we know the exact quantity of the serving!

Cashewnut Curry (Kajuchi Usal)

Hi friends, 

Welcome to my blog! 

You will find traditional, exciting and innovative ways of cooking with the recipes I post. 

To start with, let's make something which suits best for this season!!

Cashewnut Curry (Kajuchi Usal)

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews

1 medium potato diced into thin slices

For the masala: 

2 onions roughly chopped

1 green chilly

2-3 garlic cloves

1 inch ginger

3-4 strands of fresh coriander leaves

2 tbsp freshly grated coconut

1 tsp garam masala/malvani masala/kitchen king masala

1 tsp tamarind paste

3-4 tbsp oil

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chilly powder

1 tsp jeera

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 pinch hing/asafoetida

salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash the cashews thoroughly. Put them in warm water. The skin will come off easily. Keep these peeled cashews aside. 

2. Deep fry the diced potatoes and keep them aside.

3. In a pan/kadai, heat 1 tbsp cooking oil. I use traditional groundnut oil. Saute the onion, chillies, garlic and ginger till onion becomes translucent. Add coconut and coriander leaves and keep stirring. Otherwise, the coconut may burn. Your masala is ready, once you see that the coconut turns slight golden brown. Let it cool. 

Tip: Do not grind the masala, when hot! It creates hot air inside the jar and the lid may just pop up. Also, it reduces the life of the rubber attachment of the jar. 

Grind the masala in a mixie to a fine paste. You may add a little water after your first churn! 

4. In a pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds and jeera. Once they pop, add hing. Add turmeric powder and chilly powder.

5. Add the masala paste and saute till it leaves sides of the pan. Add garam masala and stir.

6. Add the cashews and potatoes and give it a stir. Let them soak in the masala for a minute. 

7. Add salt to taste. Dissolve the tamarind paste in little water so that it mixes well with the masala, and add. 

8. Add 1 cup water to make a thick gravy. Let it simmer for 5 minutes. 

Your kajuchi usal is ready to serve.