PEDVE KOTHAMBARI METHI PHANNA UPKARI

I learnt this recipe from mother in law.  Her mother in law used to prepare this.  This can be prepared with big or small pedvo.   In Konkani  ‘pedvo’ means mathi/sardine,  ‘kothambari’ means coriander seeds, ‘methi’ means uluva/fenugreek  and ‘phanna upkari’ means mulakittathu (spicy sauce with chilli,  tamarind, roasted fenugreek and coriander masala seasoned with onions).  This can be  prepared with big or small pedvo.  Any fish can be used in this recipe but it tastes best  with pedvo.

 

 

 

Ingredients

Pedvo/sardines                    -  30 to 40 medium size

Red chilli powder                 -   3 to 4 tsp

Black pepper corns              -    ¼ tsp 

Methi seeds                          -    ¼ tsp

Coriander seeds                   -    2 to 3 tsp

Tamarind                               -    1 small lemon size ball

Onion                                     -     1 big

Salt to taste

Oil for cooking

Method

Cut and clean pedvo/sardine and keep aside. 

Soak tamarind in ½ cup warm water for 10 mts and prepare puree and keep aside.

Finely chop onions.

Heat 1 or 2 tsp oil in a seasoning pan in low flame, add coriander seeds, methi seeds and pepper corns  fry till nice aroma comes.

 

 

  Switch off gas add chilli powder and mix it  well.  Then grind this with tamarind puree into fine paste.  transfer this paste to earthen pot add enough water for gravy add salt and bring it to boil for 5 to 10 mts.  Then add cut and cleaned fish cook in medium flame for 5 to 10 mts,  heat  1 tbsp oil in seasoning pan add finely chopped onions  fry  till golden  brown pour this on boiling fish gravy and mix well.

 

 

Pedve kothambari methi phanna upkari is ready to serve with  boiled rice.  In my home everybody loves to eat this with Kerala moru curry and pappad.

Note : This is very spicy adjust spice lever as per your taste.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tendle Kosambari (kovakka/tondekkai Kosambari)

This is one of my favourite recipes.  One day I saw very few tendle in my kitchen garden which was not enough for making any upperi/curry etc.  Then I remembered this kosambari which my grand mother used to prepare.  So I thought of preparing it for you.

 

 

 

Ingredients

Tendle/Kovakka                     --  10 to 15

Red chilli                                  --   10 to 12

Coriander seeds                     --    2 tsp

Grated coconut                      --    1 cup

Tamarind                                 --    small  piece

Oil                                              --   2 tbsp

Onion                                        --   1 medium size

Green chilli                               --  2 to 3

Ginger                                        -- 1 “ piece

Salt to taste

 

Method

Chop tendle into thin round slices, apply salt and keep aside for 10 minutes.  Heat oil in kadai add salted tendle into it and fry till crisp.  Meanwhile, grind grated coconut, tamarind, coriander seeds and red chilli coarsely without adding water (like dry powder).  Add this masala to fried tendle. Mix well and fry for 1 or 2 minutes.  switch off the gas, finely chop onion, green chilli and ginger, smash them with hand, add this to the tendle  and mix well.  

Tendle Kosambari ready to serve as side dish with rice.

 

 

 

Moru curry without coconut(Butter milk curry)

This is a traditional kerala dish which is very popular in malayalee households.  Its very simple and healthy side dish for lunch which goes well with spicy fish mulakittathu or fish fry.  Easy to prepare and healthy too.  

Ingredients

Moru (butter milk)            --  500 ml

Shallots                                --  5 to 6  OR

Onion                                   --   1

Ginger   chopped               --   2 tsp

Red chilli                              --  3 to 4

Turmeric powder               --  ¼ tsp

Garlic                                    --   5 to 6 flakes

Mustard seeds                    --   ½ tsp

Fenugreek                            --   a pinch or ¼ tsp

Curry leaves optional

Salt and oil

 

Method

Heat oil in a pan  add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds when it splutter add chopped onion, ginger, garlic   fry till light brown then add turmeric powder, salt and broken red chillies fry for a minute add butter milk.  Stir continuously for 5 minutes do not allow it boil.  After removing from gas stir for few minutes.

This curry can be kept for 2 -3 days in refrigerator.

PS:  Butter milk should be at room temperature  otherwise it may curdle. 

 

 

 

Cucumber idly (southekkaya kadubu) without sweetened

Ingredients

Cucumber                                   --  2 big

Grated coconut                         --  1 cup

Rice                                              -- 1 ½ cup

Ginger   finely chopped           --  1 or 2 tsp

Green chilly finely chopped   --  2 or 3

Sugar optional                          --  2 tbsp

 

Method

Soak rice for 2 to 3 hours.  Then wash and drain water completely.  Grind grated coconut with rice add little water and grind till rava consistency batter.  Then add grated cucumber, salt, chopped green chilli and ginger.  Mix well.

Grease the idly mould, pour batter into it and steam it in steamer for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Serve with any pickle or chutney powder.

vellayappam

white rice                            1 ½ cup

grated coconut                   1 cup

cooked boiled rice             1/2    cup

sugar                                     4 tsp

cooking soda                        ¼ tsp

salt to taste

method

soak rice for 3 to 4 hours.  Then wash and clean properly.  Grind soaked rice with grated coconut and cooked rice into fine paste.  then keep aside for 2 to 3 hours.  Then add sugar, cooking soda and salt.  Mix well.   Leave it to ferment for 7 to 8 hours (overnight).

Next day morning mix well the batter and heat appam chatty in medium high flame, pour ladleful of batter.   Hold both the handles of appam chatty, lift from the stove gently swirl it clockwise to spread the batter.   Need to swirl it once or twice to ensure thin lace on the edges.  Cover the chatty and cook in low flame until its edges become brown.  Before removing the appam turn the flame to medium high for a few seconds so that the middle portion gets cooked well.

Yummy appam ready to go with egg curry, veg stew, chicken/mutton stew etc... 

Shiyala polo (Tender coconut Dosa/karikku/elaneer dosa)

White Rice                       -- 2 cups

Karikku pulp                    --  1 cup

Salt to taste

Method

Soak rice for 3-4 hours. Then grind it with karikku pulp in to fine paste then add salt and water make thin batter.  Heat dosa tawa sprinkle the batter on tawa- do not spread- and prepare thin dosa.   Goes well with any chutneys curries etc.

Pepper chicken

(This is my version of pepper chicken)

Chicken                                                ½ kg

Red chilli powder                               2 tsp

Pepper powder                                  1 tsp

Garlic                                                    10 to 15 cloves                            

Ginger                                                  1’’ piece                              

Green chilli                                         5 to 6

Black pepper                                      1 tbsp

Cloves                                                  5 to 6

Cinnamon                                           2 to 3 small pieces

Garam masala                                    ½ tsp

Onion chopped                                  2

Garlic chopped                                  1 tsp

Ginger chopped                                1 tsp

Green chilly chopped                      2 to 3

Tomatoes  chopped                         2

Rice flour/ corn flour                      ½ tbsp         

Method

Cut and clean chicken pieces then marinate this with red chilli powder, pepper powder and salt and keep aside for 15 to 30 min.

Then add rice flour/corn flour mix well then  shallow fry marinated chicken till half done and keep aside.

Dry roast cloves, cinnamon and black pepper  till nice aroma comes then prepare coarse powder and keep aside.

Grind green chilli, garlic and ginger into fine paste.

Heat remaining chicken fried oil add chopped onion fry till light pink , then add  garam masala, ginger and  garlic chilly paste fry till raw smell goes then add chopped tomatoes fry till  soft, then add chopped green chilly, ginger and garlic add half coarse powder. Add 1 and half cup water mix well let it boil for 5 min then add shallow fried chicken  cook for 10 to 15 min. Switch off gas add remaining coarse pepper powder and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well serve with rice or roti.

Tasty  pepper chicken ready.

Raaja gobboru/Sagle (mackerel curry-konkani style)

This one is my favourite fish curry I never get tired of eating this. Today I just remembered my Grand Mom who used prepare and serve this on banana leaves with hot steaming boiled rice. I don’t know how this name came “raaja gobboru”.  Gobboru  in Konkani means Ash and  raaju means mackerel/ ayala/bangude.   This curry is very aromatic because we use roasted urad dal and roasted coriander.  Adding raw onion and ginger gives different taste to this curry.

Sure you all fish lovers will like it. pls try this once.

 

 

 

Ingredients

Raaju/mackerel/ayala                      ½ kg

Grated coconut                                  1 cup

Red chillies                                          15 to 20

Green chilly                                         2

Onion                                                   1 

Ginger                                                  1 inch piece

Coriander seeds                                 3 tsp

Urad dal                                               2 tsp

Tamarind                                             small piece

Oil                                                           2 tsp

Method

Cut and clean fish and keep aside.

Chop onion, ginger and green chilly and keep aside.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan fry coriander seeds and urad dal till urad dal turns light brown colour.  Let cool for some time.

Fry red chilly in few drops of oil then grind this with coconut, tamarind coarsely.  Then add fried coriander seeds and urad dal again grind it for few secs .

Take this masala in earthen pot or any vessel add  little water and boil it for 5 min. Then smash chopped onion, ginger, salt and green chilly so we get all the flavours.  

Then add this to boiling gravy mix well and boil it 5 min then add cut and clean fish cook in low flame for 10 min. Switch off gas and pour 1 tsp of coconut oil on top. Enjoy this with hot steaming rice.

(this tastes better if prepared in earthen pot)