Masala Dosa

Soak in water for at least 6 hours. 
     1 cup Black gram dhal (urad dhal)
     2 cups idli rice, sona masuri rice recommended but any other rice works as well.
     1/4 cup chana dhal, 1/2 tsp methi seeds
Soak in the afternoon, grind in the evening and ferment overnight for making dosas for next morning's breakfast.

Wash and grind all of the above to a smooth paste with water used for soaking. The batter should pouring consistency to roll on the griddle (slightly thinner than a pancake batter, thicker than a crepe batter)

Ferment overnight in a warm place. There are two options for fermenting in cold countries - 1) Turn oven on to 150 degrees, then turn it off and after a few min put the batter in there (make sure the vessel is big, as when fermented the batter doubles in volume). 2) If you own a Instapot with yoghurt setting, that works wonders....just put the batter in the pot and press yoghurt.

Next morning, add salt to taste and 1 tsp. cumin seeds to the batter and mix well. 

Baji filling:  2 medium size  onion chopped length wise 2 big potatoes boiled peeled and cut in to small cubes 1 tsp. urad dhal 1 tsp cashew pieces 1 tsp. mustard seeds Few curry leaves + 3 slit green chilies 1 big pinch turmeric powder Few strands of coriander leaves chopped finely Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a kadai splutter  mustard and urad dhal Add the slit green chilies and slit onions Stir for a while till onion becomes translucent Add little haldi powder (turmeric powder) Add boiled potato cubes Add salt to taste Add chopped coriander leaves stir well keeping it on a medium flame When done switch off  the gas Chutney: 1 cup coconut gratings 3 to 4 green chilies 1 tbsp. coriander seeds Handful of coriander/cilantro leaves  1 flake tamarind or 1/4 tsp. tamarind paste Grind together to smooth paste Add to the potato baji and mix.

Heat a flat tava (griddle) Pour 1 dessert spoon  full dosa batter over it spread it evenly starting from the center outwards in to thin dosa . Apply oil or ghee  evenly over the dosa spread When it turns reddish brown, add  1 tbsp. baji on the first side of the dosa and fold it . Relish hot and crispy The chutney  can be served separately instead of adding to the baji.

Tendle Talasane (Gherkins stir fry)

Tendle Talasane (Gherkins Stir Fry)
Sunita Shenoy

This is a very simple dish and a konkani delicacy.

Ingredients:
20-30 gherkins
8-12 crushed garlic pods (more if small garlic)
2-3 crushed red chillies
salt to taste
2 tbsp oil

Recipe:
Wash and crush each of the whole gherkin with a stone. add salt to taste and keep aside for 30 min or so. Now take a wok/kadai and add oil, crushed garlic and chillies. once garlic begins to brown, add gherkins and stir fry. Cover and cook till it is limp and roasted w/o adding any water. Stir often so that it does not stick to the bottom and burn. It should be roasted (brown, not burnt).

Magge Koddel (Konkani curry with Mangalore Cucumber)

Magge Koddel (Konkani curry with Mangalore Cucumber)

- Sunita Shenoy

Basics:

Konkani coconut curry base is made with fresh grated coconut, small piece of tamarind, red chilles ground into smooth paste. the seasoning makes the difference in what the end product is named.

The vegetarian version typically is a combination of a vegetable like mangalore cucumber and a legume like pigeon peas, whole masoor, toor daal.

Koddel = season with crushed garlic in oil 

Ambat = chopped onions fried in oil

Gashi = mustard seeds and curry leaves in oil

Oil is typically coconut oil for best flavor, but any cooking oil maybe used. Variations of above include adding coriander seeds, methi seeds, urad daal, different combinations of vegetables and legumes.

Konkani Koddel with Mangalore Cucumber and Pigeon Peas

Ingredients

1 whole magge (mangalore cucumber)

1 cup cooked pigeon peas 

1 cup grated coconut

1 marble size tamarind

1 tbsp chilli powder mild to medium

2 tbsp crushed garlic cloves = 2-3 whole red chillies

2-3 Tbsp oil for seasoning

Procedure

Grind coconut, tamarind, chilli into a fine paste consistency of a gravy. 

Cut cucumber into cubes and cook partially with a little salt.  now mix in gravy, cooked pigeon peas, salt to taste and boil for 10 min or so till cooked through. Now heat oil and add crushed garlic/chillies till it turns reddish.  Curry is ready to serve with rice.

Seared Scallops with Sudouvan Sauce

Sunita Shenoy

“Seared Scallops with Sudouvan  sauce” is my own creation, inspired by French vadouvan sauce ( which the French concoction of curry spice with milder flavors)

Ingredients:

Sea Scallops 10-15 pieces

Salt to taste

Butter to sear

For sauce:

3-4 methi (fenugreek) seeds

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp chilli pwdr (mild)

1/2 tsp coriander pwdr

1/2 tsp cumin pwdr

1/2 turmeric pwdr ( can use fresh turmeric root too)

2-3 garlic pods crushed 

1/4 “ ginger root

A few saffron threads for garnish 

A few chives or any tiny greens for garnish

1 small onion

3-4 tbsp of coconut milk 

1 marble size tamarind ( can substitute with lemon juice)

2 tbsp Ghee or oil 

Salt to taste

Preparing:

Wash, pat dry and Lightly salt scallops and keep aside

Make sauce. Put mustard and methi seeds in the oil, once they crackle, add onion, garlic, ginger 

And stir fry till cooked ( don’t let it brown, other wise sauce will become dark. You need a yellowish 

Color sauce). Mix in spice powders and stir fry till you sense the aromas.

Add in coconut milk And give it a boil. Let it cool and then grind them all in a blender into a smooth sauce. Sauce is Ready. Heat before serving with scallops.

Now take butter in a non stick pan and layer scallops cook till brown on the bottom. Do not turn it till

They turn brown. Now flip them and turn the stove off. It cooks in the heat of the pan. Do not overcook. Scallops ready.

To plate, pour sauce in a plate place scallops with browned side 

Facing up and garnish with saffron and micro greens or chives.

Can be served on top of a bed of rice, mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower.

Side of roast asparagus or any other crispy vegetables complements this dish nicely.

Su's Patata Bravos

By Sunita Shenoy

This is an ideal for Tapas menu. There are many online recipes for Patata Bravas, this is my version to suit the Indian palate.

4-5 large white or red potatoes chopped into bite size cubes and soak in water for a few min

(apparently removes extra starch and makes it crispier)

4-5 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 small scallions finely chopped (can substitute regular white onion too)

Olive oil for roasting and sauce

1-2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

pinch of sugar

1 cup tomato pasta sauce (any variety will do. I used marinara)

salt to taste (add salt  later as sauce may already have sauce)

1/2 tsp of chili powder/paprika (adjust to your spice tolerance)

pinch of italian herbs (dry bottled is fine like McCormick s) or simply rosemary or oregano.

green onions or parsley for garnish

First toss the potato cubes in olive oil, salt and pepper and italian herbs.

Keep aside in the fridge till ready to cook. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees and bake

the potatoes, when they are done (a fork goes through), turn the broiler to high (if you 

have that feature) till it lightly browns. Let it stay warm in the oven till ready to serve.

Make sauce and keep ahead.

fry garlic and scallions till they turn translucent. then add chilli pwder, balsamic vingar, sugar, salt

and tomato sauce. let it all simmer to together for a couple of min till it becomes nice and integrated.

 

Just before serving, heat the sauce and toss in potatoes and garnish.

Su’s Shrimp Masala Stir Fry

By Sunita Shenoy

Recipe: 

Marinated 1 lb shrimp in a 1 TBS each of little yoghurt, turmeric, ground paste of ginger-garlic-curry leaves-greenchillies-pepper, salt to taste. Fry slices of one medium onion, then 1 sliced tomatoes, add some garam masala,  salt ( add less as shrimp already has) and mix in the shrimp. Stir fry and cook till done.

Versatile Green Chutney

By Sunita Shenoy

This is a Baliga family special chutney sandwich that we grew up taking on picnics and long car trips. This a a versatile make-ahead  green chutney that I store in the fridge and use in multiple ways from cucumber sandwiches, just as savory spread on toast, in omelettes or a quick chapati veg or chicken curry. Recipe for chutney: 2-3 bunches of cilantro, 1-2 g chillies (and optionally mint leaves. I prefer cilantro only). Grind into a paste. Fry 1 large chopped onion till it starts to brown and mix in the chutney and salt to taste. Let it cook though. That’s it!

Crunchy Indian Spiced Peanuts

Recipe by Guest blogger, Sunita Shenoy
Wash 2 cups shelled raw peanuts and add chilli powder, turmeric powder, asafetida powder, and salt as per your taste. Also add 1-2 fistful of minced curry leaves. Mix the mixture till the nuts are well coated with the spices. Let it rest for half an hour or so. Sprinkle a tiny bit of besan(gram flour) on the nut mixture and mix to coat the peanuts. Grease an oven proof tray with oil, pour in the nut mixture and bake in an oven at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes or so.

Optionally instead of asafetida powder and curry leaves, you can use Garam Masala and crushed garlic.

Recipe adopted from Shailaja Nayak, San Jose, CA.

‘el pastor’ chicken taco

My simple version of ‘el pastor’ chicken tacos.
Guest blogger, Sunita Shenoy

Marinate thin strips of chicken breast or thigh meat with lemon, chili powder, cumin pwdr, oregano and salt. On a cast iron griddle on stove top (or oven) add some olive oil and roast the chicken. Serve with avocado, red onion, red onions, cilantro and salsa on top of your choice of tortilla.

Bhindi Coconut Masala ( Bhenda Sagle - Konkani)

Masala
 1/2 small cup grated coconut
1 tbspn coriander + 1/2tbspn  urad dhal
roast  in to light brown in a little oil
 grind the coconut with 1 tbspn moderate  spicy chillipowder  along with roasted grains in to paste adding little water

Method:

Wash dry and cut 250 grams okra (bhindi) in to 1" pieces and keep.

Heat 3 tbspn oil in a kadai add 1 tspn mustard and few curry leaves and 1 tspn jeera .
When the mustard splutters add cut bindi , salt to taste 1/2 tb spoon, tamarind paste and little jaggery powder
Mix every thing together and close it with a lid on a medium fire stirring frequently
When the bhindi is cooked, add the masala and mix stirring frequently till the masala is dry
Serve with rice and dhal or with rotis.