Raw Banana Gravy-Kacche kele sabzi

                 I recommend Raw banana gravy with/chapathi/Roti for breakfast because raw bananas are very filling they slow down emptying of stomach and sustains hunger for hard working people.
                  It enables slow release of sugar if cooked not fried.works effectively for diabetics trusted weight loss food.
                    Green banana are a part of many savoury Indian preparations. Gravy preparation at their best. 
                      No ingredient can replace the taste of pepper in preparation of Green banana gravy. I am not using much spices for this preparation because Raw banana has its own delicious  buttery taste. I am using just pepper and garlic for enhancing taste of gravy.try this simple and easy breakfast recipe. 

                                                                         Time taken :Preparation 10 M
                        Cooking          10M
Total time:                             20M
Cuisine :       Maratha
Recipe   :       Mothers 
Course  :        Breakfast
Serves   :         4
Utensils
Used.      :        Non stick pan 
         
INGREDIENTS

1. Raw banana 2 

2. Onion 2 -chopped

3. Vegetable oil -2 table spoon.

4. Grated coconut - 1 bowl

5. Whole black Pepper-  2 spoons

6. Garlic -10 pods

7. Salt to taste

PROCEDURE

1. Peel off the skin of raw banana. Halve vertically and slice raw banana not too thick not too thin.

2. Blend garlic+coconut+pepper  in a blender make coarse paste. Keep aside.

3.Heat oil saute onion till light brown.
4. saute sliced bananas smoothly just for  1 minute.
5.Add coarse paste with salt add enough water bring it to gravy consistency.close the lid cook for about 8 minutes.
6. Check for consistency, if the gravy is dried up again add  half cup  water and mix gravy well before turning off flame.
6. Delicious *Raw Banana Gravy *is ready sqeeze lemon juice ,garnish with coriander leaves .
7. Preferred with- rice roti,jowar roti,chapathi.

ADAI DOSA

 

                                                                   Cuisine     Tamil Nadu

Recipe        Traditional

Course       Breakfast

Serves                4

Author               Sumashekhar  

Utensils used    non stick dosa tawa  

                                                                       Soaking ingredients :

                         

Urad dal .

Toor dal.

Chana dal.

Moong  dal.
Flaked rice.

             

As in the picture take a glass fill the glass with mentioned four types of lentils till 3/4th. Fill the remaining 1/4 th with puffed rice.

Raw rice 1 glass

              Spicy ingredients :

Coconut grated 1 bowl

Red chillies 6-8

Ginger 3/4"  ---chopped

Onion  1 medium----chopped

Salt to taste

Cumin 1 tea spoon 

Asafoetida 2 pinch.

 *Wash,rinse,soak lentils and rice separately over night.

*Grind lentils with puffed rice with sufficient water into fine  paste.

*Grind soaked rice with spicy ingredients -coconut+ red chillies+ginger+cumin+salt+  asafoetida  in to slightly coarse paste with sufficient water. 
*Mix thoroughly both the ground batters in a big pot  and rest for marination over night.
* Check for consistency bring it to spreading consistency.

*Heat oiled Thava ,pour one ladle batter and spread batter make one side roasted  thin ring dosas like this.

*Or with the same batter prepare thick smooth set dosas by flipping both sides .
*Tastes good with mild coconut chutney .

Dill leaves Egg Bhurji

Dill leaves egg bhurji

             

Dill leaves

         

 Preparation time   10 M   

Cooking time           12 M   

Total time.                22 M     

Course               Breakfast  

Recipe                Mothers

Serves.                4

Author.               Suma shekhar   

Utensils uesd----    

Vegetable cutter,                                             Non stick pan                

              INGREDIENTS

1) Dill leaves 2 bunches -chopped .  

2) onion 4-small cuts of equal size  
                 

3) Green chillies 6- chopped.

4) Eggs 4.

5) Ground nut oil -2  table spoon .

6) Salt to taste.  

               PROCEDURE:

                                

*Clean drain well Dill leaves ,then set aside. 
 *Heat oil in pan.keep the flame low.    *Break eggs into pan scrumble with all the ingredients -onions, chillies,Dill leaves and salt for 3 minutes.

*stir continuously keeping the flame low  so that bhurji will not burn and stick to bottom.

* close the lid for 3 minutes .0il and water  separates  from dill leaves and burji cooks in it.

* Again saute for 5 minutes,break the big crumbs  excess water evaporates . 

*Don't over fry bhurji Remove from flame when it is just cook and still moist.

*Dill leaves egg bhurji is ready,Serve hot with chapathi roti parota .     

                     

Note:1). as Dill leaves are thinner ,their retained  water is just enough to cook Bhurji 

2). especially cooking with herbs like Dill leaves we don't  use ginger,garlic and Garam masalas .we want to keep the Dill leaves flavour dominant.if not Dill leaves piquancy is supressed.

Butter Beans Egg Curry, Hitkavare Motte Saaru.

         Karnataka people wait impatiently for Avarekai season because Avarekai is available in plenty only in the month of December &January. They are so fond of Avarekai delicacies.                                             Though there are many Avarekai recipes, here I am preparing Hitkavare motte saaru. Hitkavare means skinned Avarekai is soaked in water for overnight and light translucent cover is removed by lightly pressing and squeezing Avarekai. We are using only the seeds and not the outer  pod to make the curry.  It is a delicious lingering butter beans and egg curry in coconut base "garam masala tastes absolutely  great with avarekai ". I  prefer cooking whole avarekai don't want to discard  the fibre content i.e the outer translucent cover.  but Hitkavare mixes up well with eggs so I give it a try once in a while.
                     I have given in detail preparation of egg curry In my previous recipe. Here I have added one main seasonal ingredient Hitkavare.
                  I want to tell you before hand don't use cooker to cook Hitkavare no need for it. If you pressure cook, Hitkavare pods will be broken . they become creamy and mashy you cannot enjoy with chapathi and Dosa.
                  I will stress it  again,  don't pressure cook hitkavare and never over cook them.   

                      Time taken
      Preparation     20 minutes
      Cooking            25  minutes

     Total time         45  minutes  

       Cuisine          Karnataka    

       Recipe           Mother in law     

       Author         Suma shekhar                        serves         4

             Ingredients           

Hitikavare            2cups
Eggs                       4
Onion                    1big chopped
Vegetable oil        2 table spoon
Salt                         to taste                  turmeric               a pinch 

      Grinding ingredients        

Grated coconut                1 full cup
Red chillies                       8-10
Coriander seeds              1 spoon
Ginger                                1"
Garlic                                  8 pods
Clove                                   5
Cinnamon                          1/2"
                         

                          

Avarekai 

Hitkavare 

Procedure 

* Dry roast red chillies and coriander seeds.   

Grinding ingredients

*Grind coconut +dry roast chillies coriander +ginger+garlic+cloves +cinnamon, make smooth paste adding water if necessary. 

                                             

                                     

*Heat oil in a medium sized non stick pan. Saute onion in it till light brown. 

*Add hitikavare with 2 cups of water close the lid cook for 12 minutes  in medium flame.

Cooked Hitkavare 

*stir in ground paste, cheque for consistency add turmeric powder,  salt.

*Bring the curry to the desired consistency, curry will be watery in this stage                                                     *when the curry begins to boil break eggs far apart into curry when the curry begins to boil vigorously  the eggs will disintegrate.                                        *curry thickens further when the hitikavare melts and eggs get fluffy.

*cover and simmer for 10 minutes.masala smell will disappear and eggs will be cooked both at the same time.
*Delicious Butter beans egg curry is ready. serve with chapathi, poori, dosa and rice.

Butter beans egg curry.

Meenu Gassi-Fish Curry Malnad style.

       

                      Fish protein is a good protein.it is easily digestible and fish oil is useful in reducing bad cholesterol . Bad cholesterols are Triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein. Fish oil which has Omega 3 fatty acid is used as a medicine. People who eat more fish suffer less from heart diseases or stroke. Eskimos whose diet contain more fish suffer less from heart diseases and are more healthy.
              Fish oil contains vitamin A and vitamin D. Vitamin A is necessary for eyes. it prevents eye diseases like night blindness, abnormal dryness of eyes  (xerophthalmia ), softening of cornea (keratomalacia)
                Vitamin D is also called cholecalciferol is necessary for strong bones, healthy skin, healthy digestive system and for body calcium.
                    Malnad is a region of Karnataka state in south India. Malnad covers the western and eastern ghats, roughly 100 km width. It is a hilly terrain and comes around the heavy rainfall belt. 
                       Many small and big rivers take birth in Malnad river basins back water of the reservoir's are the natural breeding centres of fresh water fish. Inland water fish like Kadla, Rohu,  Gowri, Suragi, kuchchu meenu etc are accessible to Malnad people.                                         Pisciculture is also fast growing in Malenadu to meet the losses occured due to calamities. 
                     Many scenic tourist places are here and Malnad people are known for their hospitality. Fish meals are the major attractions for tourists here.
                      Here I am giving one recipe of authentic fish gravy "meenu gasi". Malnad people don't like garam masala like cloves and cinnamon in their fish meals. Reason may be they want to relish the dominant taste of fish. cumin coriander seeds, tamarind juice are the common main ingredients for fish cooking.         
                                                    Preparation time       15 minutes    
Cooking time               15 minutes       

Total time                    30 minutes     Serves                           2                               Utensils used              medium size                                                 non stick pan                       

                 Marination for fish is always important, whether it may be fry or curry because fish gets  cooked quickly and becomes delicately soft there will not be enough time for fish to absorb salt and spices so half an hour marination  is mandatory.     

    Ingredients for marination 

Freshwater fish      4 pieces 
Chilli powder          1 tea spoon

Salt                            1 tea spoon      

Turmeric                  a pinch

Tamarind juice       3 table spoon

            Ingredients for curry 

Tomatoes 2           small cubes

Onion        2           small cubes

Coconut oil            2 table spoon
Red chillies            8
Cumin                     1/2 tea spoon
Coriander seeds    1 tea spoon 
Ginger                     1" inch
Garlic                      8 pods
Dry coconut           1 bowl
Salt                         1 tea spoon

                     Procedure 

  
*Blend dry coconut +cumin+coriander  seeds+ginger+garlic+red chillies in a blender, add water just enough to make  it smooth paste, don't bring it to dripping consistency.      

Blending ingredients 

*Heat oil in a pan saute onions till it                         becomes  light brown. 

*Add tomatoes saute till soft.

*Add ground ingredients and saute well  for full 5 minutes so that raw smell of masalas disappear, masala saute in sufficient oil changes its texture to aromatic bright red. 

*Now add desired amount of water to pan to bring it to curry consistency. Salt and turmeric powder should be added in this stage, stir well keep the flame medium. 

*Slide marinated fish pieces into the curry slowly only when first bubble appear. 

*let the fish curry boil for 5minutes with closed lid. Flip the fish carefully and cook for 5 more minutes. turn off flame. Fish won't take much time to cook. 

*fish curry is ready serve with rice, roties. 

Note : folks certify infused tangy tamarind  fish curry as best. But kids refuse to eat that sour curry. So I suggest beginners to use just 2-3 tea spoons of tamarind juice. And believe me friends your kids will surely enjoy this thick, rich, well marinated fish curry. 

Egg Curry Maratha style -Neer Dosa Malnad Style

                                                                                                        Maratha egg curry  is a spicy coconut curry, side dish for roties, dosas. wholesome meal with rice. we also call it as  "Khaskhas  andi curry" because khaskhas (poppy seeds) is also a key ingredient. It is a very simple and delicious curry ready within 30 minutes. I cook all the traditional Maratha cuisines in the same way as that is cooked by my Mother-in-law and other elder ladies in the family. I don't bring even a slight variation's to them nor I omit anything.                                                                                   As coconut paste gives us good gravy we don't need much onions, tomatoes, ghee and oil for preparing curries.   Using khaskhas in making  coconut paste gives curry a * evenly thicker non flowing consistency. *
                                                                      

Preparation                                                    time                          15 minutes 
Cooking time          15 minutes
Total time               30minutes

Cuisine                     Maratha
Author                      suma shekhar
Serves                       4
Utensils used           non stick  kadai

                           

Ingredients for Egg Curry :

Eggs                                    5    

Coconut grated                 2 cups            

Khaskhas                           2 tea spoon
Onion                                 1 big                                                                 lean chopped  tomato                                1 small 
Cloves                                    4
Cinnamon                          1small piece
Garlic                                  6 pods
Ginger                                 1/2"inch
Chilli powder                     2 tea spoon
Coriander powder            1 tea spoon
Turmeric powder             1 pinch
Salt                                        to taste
Vegetable oil                       2 table spoon
         
                         METHOD

*Blend grated coconut +tomato +ginger+garlic+cloves+cinnamon +khaskhas (poppy seeds ) make smooth paste adding water. 

* heat oil in a  medium sized kadai, saute onions till light brown, stir in ground paste check consistency. Add chilli powder,  salt, coriander powder and turmeric. 
*Adjust the consistency of the gravy to your desired thickness  at this stage curry will be watery it will thicken further. 

*when the curry begins to boil break single egg into curry stir quickly, little vigorously so that egg blends  with curry when the curry is still bubbling. 

*Bring the flame to medium but do not simmer because eggs will stick to bottom of the kadai in low flame.  

  * Break eggs far apart into kadai when the curry is bubbling vigorously the eggs will disintegrate in to gravy. Do not touch the gravy so that eggs should be whole and unbroken. 

 *cover and simmer with low flame for further 10 minutes. Eggs will be cooked  and masala smell disappears both at the same time .                 
* delicious curry is ready to serve with neerdosa, rice roti, chapathi, parota,  poori also with rice.
             
Note:                                                          1.for best results, don't forget to break and  stir single egg into gravy as per instruction. 

2. Elderly ladies in home used to dry roast chilli and coriander seeds with oil for curries how ever small quantity they may prepare, which gave aromatic flavour  to curries. If time permits you can also try that. 
         

Shepu /Sabbassige /Dill leaves -junka

                                                                                                   

                                                                                              Junka is a easy side dish a semi solid curry prepared for Rice Bhakris and Jowar Bhakris. It is a easy every day recipe for breakfast and lunch. Prepared by chikpea flour /besan /gram flour. It is a STAPLE food for Maharashtra region and North Karnataka region. 

           Where ever I see lush green shepu/sabbassige /Dill leaves  l remember my Mother-in-law in spite she was a good hand in cooking shepu/sabbassige  junka was her signature dish.  We also call junka as Alan .  Alan bhakri tops in the breakfast list of my in-laws. We never cook junka without shepu/sabbassike because junka tastes like plane gram flour to us. Our Ancestors were migrated from Maharashtra now living in Karnataka so we are in the advantage of knowing both cuisines.
                 
TIME TAKEN
Preparation                     15 minutes

Cooking                            10 minutes
Total time                         25 minutes

Cuisine                          Maratha
Recipe                          Mother-in-law
Author                         Suma Shekhar

Utensil used                   heavy bottom
                                         Non stick pan. 
                                         Mixer Grinder

Difficulty level                   Moderate


               I will show you cooking junka in two easy stages. I am using chikpeas (putane in marathi hurigadale in kannada ) as base for junka. I am using small quantity of spices because the piquancy and aroma of shepu/sabbassige should not be suppressed.

Mixing Stage :Ingredients 

Chikpeas                1 cup
Water                      3 cups

Ginger                     pea size

Garlic                      3 pods
Cloves                      3
Cinnamon               small piece
Salt                            to taste
Turmeric                  a pinch
Shepu/sabbassige    2 bunches chopped
Onion                       1 big small chopped

                            METHOD             
* Dry grind in mixer jar the chikpeas along with ginger+garlic+clove+cinnamon.

* take a medium size mixing bowl add dry ground  chikpea flour +shepu/sabbassige +onion +salt + turmeric mix water slowly little by little let the chikpea flour absorb water slowly without leaving lumps.

Cooking stage: ingredients 

Onion                   1 finely chopped

Green chillies     5  finely chopped 

Edible oil             2 table spoon

                     

                                                                                                     METHOD

* Take a heavy guaged non stick medium sized pan heat oil saute onions and chillies till onions become translucent 

*Stir in ground chikpeas mixture to the pan keep stirring on low flame when junka consistency thickens, colour and texture changes close the lid and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
                  Serve hot with ghee preferred with,
                Rice bhakris     ☑️
                Jowar bhakris  ☑️       
                Chapathi            ❎️
                Poori                   ❎️