Bangada red curry ( Raja Panna upkari -Konkani seafood dish)

Method
 1/2 kg bangada  clean , apply salt and haldi and keep for some time
 Wash thoroughly 5 to 6 times
 In  a kadai heat 4 to 6 tbspn oil
 Add one big cup finely chopped onion
 Fry till golden brown
 Add 3 tbspn byadgi red chillipowder and 4 cloves of mashed garlic ( optional)
 Stir for a while on low fire
 Add 2 tspn tamarind pulp
 Stir again . Add little water
 Add salt to taste
 add the washed bangada
 and simmer on low fire . Toss them gently on the other side
close with a lid .
 when the bangadas r cooked remove from fire .
 cooking time is 3 to 5 minutes . 

Yellow Dhal

Method -
1 cup thuvar dhal wash and cook in the cooker adding sufficient water
 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
 1 " chopped ginger
3 to 4 chopped green chillies
1/2 tspn asafoetida powder
5 to 6 curry leaves
 chopped corriander leaves
1 tbspn corriander powder
1/2tspn turmeric powder
 Heat 4 tbspn oil in a kadai
 add chopped tomatoes , ginger and chopped green chillies
 Fry till oil leaves
Add rest of the ingredients and mix
Add cooked dhal
 Add water according to ur consistency
 add salt . Yelish with rice . 

Horse gram cakes(- konkani kulith idlies )

Method
 1 cup uraddhal soak in water   for  4to 5 hours . 1cup idli rava wash and keep aside
 1/2 cup horse gram soak in water for 3 hours .
 Wash urad dhal and grind in to fine paste adding sufficient water
 Add washed idli rava and mix thoroughly
 Wash soaked horsegram and grind in to paste
add this paste to the idli batter mix thoroughly
add salt to taste
 Next day steam idlies in the idli moulds
 relish hot with chatni powder and coconut oil .
         Horse gram paste can be added next day to the fermented idli batter .

King Fish Coconut based Tepal Curry -

Method-
5 to 6 big  pieces of king fish
 Wash several times
 Apply little salt and keep aside

 Grind 2cups of grated coconut in to smooth paste  with 3to4 tspn spicy  chilli powder +(1/2tspn byadgi chillipowder optional)(according to ur spice tolerence)
1 /2 cup of tepal soak in water for a few minutes
 Crush them in the mixer and drain the water discarding the tepal .
 Add this water to the masala . Simmer masala adding 7 to 8 cocums
Add the kingfish to the masala and simmer adding sufficient quantity of water according to ur consistency
.Add salt to taste
 Care should be taken the fish pieces should not disintigrate in the masala
Add 2 tbspn coconut oil . Relish with rice .
Variation -in place of tepal add chopped ginger , chopped onion and green chillies  while simmering the masala .

Sprouted green moong umbat ( coconut based konkani cuisine)

Method - Soak 1 cup green lentil -(moong) in water previous night
 Next day drain water and keep the container  closed with a lid  24 hours to sprout
Cook this sprouts on the gas , adding sufficient water
. Add some potato cubes when it is half cooked . and cook again till potatoes r done
 Add salt to taste .
Masala
 1 cup of coconut gratings
 1/4 tspn tamarind paste
 2 tspn chillipowder
Grind in to smooth paste .
 1/2 tbspn roasted  coriander seeds can be added to the coconut while grinding ( optional)
Add the masala to the cooked moong
add water according to ur consistency
 and simmer for a while
 Heat 2 , 3 tbspn oil
Add 1/2 cup chopped onion and fry till golden brown
 season this to the moong masala . Serve hot with rice .

Garbanzo beans with raw Jackfruit ( Konkani Chana gashi)

 Method:
Soak  1 cup  white chana  in water overnight
Next morning cook it in the pressure cooker
with few whistles

Peel the thick skin of the raw jack fruit . Cut in to 2" pieces or use canned jack fruit.
Cook  jack fruit pieces with chana again with salt added to taste.

Masala:
Grind 3/4 cup grated coconut with 1 tbsp non spicy  red chili powder ( if spicy 1 tsp )
Add 1/2 tsp tamarind paste
Grind in to smooth paste
 remove from the mixer and add to the cooked chana/jack fruit
Simmer for some time adding little water.
Splutter 1 tsp mustard seeds, few curry leaves, 1/2 tsp asafoetida powder in oil and season the masala.
Mix well and serve hot with rice. Konkani's usually make this for the festivals.
Traditionally, red chana is used for this dish. 

Baked Spanish Mackerel

Directions:
1 big Spanish Mackerel cut in to 1/2 " pieces.
Wash thoroughly, apply 2 tspn salt and keep aside

Masala:
1/2   cup  coconut gratings
4 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp tamarind paste
Grind above to paste
Add to this masala 2 tbsp chopped ginger,1 tsp chopped green chilies  2 tbsp chopped onion, salt to taste and mix well.
Apply the coconut masala evenly on both sides of the fish pieces.
Spread a big banana leaf in a baking tray
Apply coconut oil over the leaf
Arrange the fish pieces with masala over this leaf and cover tightly with another banana leaf
Bake in oven @ 450 degree temperature for two hours and then lower the temperature to 250 degrees and keep for an  hour's time until cooked and very dry.
Eat with freshly cooked rice and coconut oil drizzled over the rice. Absolutely yummy!

Val Val or Yogiratna-(Vegetables in coconut milk)

Method -
2 cups chopped pumpkin (skinned and cut into big cubes )
1 cup chopped  ash gourd ( skinned and cut into big cubes)
1/2 cup potatoes  cubes
1/2 cup tender cashew nuts ( Bibbo-soak in water for 3 hours and skin them) )OR cashew nuts ( soak in water for 3 hours)
1/2 cup chopped ridge gourd ( skin and chop into big pieces)
3  string beans ( alsando) cut in to 1 " strings



Cook all these vegetables adding little water
Add salt. They get cooked very soon. Do not overcook.

Add two cans of coconut milk OR 1 can of coconut milk according to gravy required )
Mix and simmer for a while
Gravy  should be slightly thicker consistency
Seasoning:
Heat 2 tbspn  coconut oil or canola oil
1 tspn mustard+ 1/2 tspn Cumin seeds
when it splutters add curry leaves  , 3 slit red chilies +1 tspn
asafoetida powder
Add this seasoning in to the curry
( If ready coconut milk is not available , take extract of ground grated coconut and add).
This is a Konkani festival dish. Very delicious! Can be eaten with rice or without rice (like a soup) 

Spinach Stir Fry ( Spinach upkari)

Method -
2 bundles Spinach ( Palak)
Clean wash thoroughly 3 , 4 times to remove all dirt from leaves and chop in to big pieces along with stems
Mash 4 to 5 pods garlic
Mash 11/2 " ginger and slit 5 to 6 gtreen chillies
 Splutter 1 tspn mustard and 1/2 tspn cumin seeds in 2 tbspn heated oil in a kadai
 Then Add mashed ginger and mashed garlic pods and slit green chillies
ad the washed palak
Add 1/2 tspn  salt  to taste
 cover it and cook till it is done tossing frequently
 Do not pour water as the leaves water when cooked .
when water evoporates and the leaves r cooked remove from gas and relish .

Spinach Dhal coconut based Curry ( Konkani Vali Ambat)

Method -1 big bunch of Spinach-Malabar spinach  ( Vali in konkani -this spinach is different from the palak )
Wash and chop finely
Wash and  cook 1 big cup thuvar dhal in the pressure cooker adding 2 big  cups of water with 4 whistles)

 Masala-
 1/2 big  cup grated coconut +2 tspn chillipowder +1/4tspn tamarind paste
 Grind in to paste
Cook the chopped spinach in the cooked dhal
 Add salt to taste .
 Add masala
Add water according to ur consistency
 Simmer for 5 minutes
Chop one big onion
 Heat 3 tbspn oil in a kadai
 Fry the chopped onion to golden brown
 Add this onion  seasoning in the spinach masala
 Serve hot with rice .
 Optional - Add dry shrimp while simmering the masala OR add potato cubes in the masala while simmering 

Baby Spinach Salad

Method:

In a large bowl, mix together:

1 pound baby spinach
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped apple
1 cup chopped strawberries
2 tbsps feta cheese
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped walnuts


Toss with Kraft balsamic vinaigrette(salad dressing) and serve!

To make Vinaigrette at home:

Combine: 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar; 1/2 cup olive oil; 1 clove minced garlic, salt, ground pepper and  brown sugar. Beat the dressing together with a whisk and adjust seasonings to taste.

Potato Spicy Red curry( Konkani Potato Song )

Method:
2 large potatoes - boil in the pressure cooker for 4 whistles.
Peel them and chop in to 1/2 "cubes, after cooled
1or 2 large onion cut in to cubes
Heat 3 to 4 tbspn oil in a kadai
Splutter 1 tspn mustard
Add the chopped onion and fry till it is translucent
Add 2 tbspn red chilli powder  ( or less according to ur spice tolerance )  and
3/4th or ,1/2 tspntamarind paste  (according to the quantity of chillipowder u added )
.Mix and cook on low flame. Then add 1 tbspn coriander powder and mix
Add the potatoe cubes, little water and salt to taste
Keep on the fire for a few minutes stirring frequently
Remove from fire when all water evaporates and curry is well blended.
Relish with rice and dhal(dhalithoi) OR chapaties .

Dry Shrimp Kosombari (Chutney)

Method:
1 cup dry shrimp remove the head and fry in two tbspn coconut oil till it becomes crisp
1/4 cup of coconut
1 tbspn coriander seeds, 1 tspn cumin seeds, crush in the mixer into powder
Add coconut gratings and grind again
Mix this with one big chopped onion , 7 to 8 finely  chopped green chillies
Salt to taste
Mix this chutney with fried shrimps and drizzle with coconut oil.
Relish!
Variation: Add Sambhar powder with  grated coconut and chopped green chillies and mix withe fried shrimps .

Quinoa Pulao

Method:
1 cup quinoa: wash and cook in 2 cups of water
Heat 2 tbspn oil +1tbspn butter
Add 1 medium onion chopped lengthwise
Add 3 slit green chillies
 Add 1 tbspn ginger garlic paste
Fry till the onion becomes translucent
Add 1 tbspn garam masala
Add chopped coriander leaves
 Fry for a while
Add mixed frozen vegetables and salt to taste .
Stir fry till vegetables are cooked
Add the cooked quinova , mix  and strir for a while
Add 3 tbspn grated cheese (optional)
Mix thoroughly . keep on fire for a few minutes
Decorate on the top with roasted cahewnuts and raisins
Serve hot  .