Monthly Archives: December 2021

Amla (Indian Goosberry) Saar Rasam


The taste of Indian Amla is sour, bitter and astringent, and it is quite fibrous.  According to Ayurveda, amla fruit is sour (amla) and astringent (kashaya) in taste (rasa), with sweet (madhura), bitter (tikta) and pungent (katu) secondary tastes (anurasas). Its qualities (gunas) are light (laghu) and dry (ruksha), the postdigestive effect (vipaka) is sweet (madhura) and its energy (virya) is cooling (shita). Source Wikipedia

These fruits are reputed to contain high amounts of ascorbic acid (vitamin C). 

Ingredients

  • 6 Gooseberries
  • 1 Tomato
  • 2 tsp. Peppercorns
  • 1 tsp. Cumin seeds
  • 1 pc. Ginger
  • 4 to 5 flakes garlic (optional)
  • 1 green chilli (optional)
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 2 red chillies
  • ½ tsp. mustard seeds
  • 2 tbsp. coconut oil
  • ¼ tsp. turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp. salt or to taste
  • 2 tbsp. coriander leaves

Wash and deseed the amlas.  Wash the tomato, chop and keep aside. Grind the peppercorns and cumin to a powder. Remove and set aside.  To the same jar add the amlas, garlic, ginger, green chilli and grind to a paste adding some water.

Take oil in a vessel and add the ustard seeds, when they splutter add the curry leaves and red chilies, saute for a few seconds, then add the pepper and cumin powder and the chopped tomatoes and add ¼ cup water to cook the tomatoes and to avoid spice powders from burning.  When the tomatoes are soft add the amla paste, sufficient water 1 to 2 cups as per desired consistency, salt, turmeric powder and bring to a boil.  Reduce flame and cook 10 minutes.  Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.  Serve hot as soup or with plain steamed rice.  An excellent winter preparation due to its high vitamin C content.

Angel Wings – Phenori


Ingredients

2 cups All purpose flour (maida)

½ cup icing sugar

½ tsp. salt

1 egg

3 tbsp. ghee

3 tbsp. custard powder

Oil for frying

Mix the flour, sugar, salt and egg together and knead with water or coconut milk if you prefer, to a smooth pliable dough. Leave to rest for atleast half hour.

In a separate bowl add the ghee and custard powder and mix to a smooth paste. Set aside.

Divide the dough into equal portions.  Dust each portion with flour and roll into a circular disk as thin as possible.  Apply a tablespoon of the custard paste and spread it thinly over the top of the disk.  Form into a cylindrical roll as compact as possible.  Then cut into one inch pieces.  Take one cut piece and place vertically on the board with the cut side facing up and roll as thin as possible, dusting with flour if required.  Repeat till all the dough is used up.  Heat oil, when hot enough reduce flame to low.  Before adding to the oil, pull the two edges of the phenori gently and stretch it slightly to elongate it.  When fried the phenori resembles angel wings. Add the phenori to the hot oil in batches till slightly brown and crisp.

Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.  Store in airtight containers when cool.

Gulliyo Deep Fried Marbles


Christmas Sweets – Kuswar

Gulliyo – Deep fried Marbles

I always wanted to try out ‘Gulliyo’ but not sure why I waited so long.  They turned out delicious, crisp and crunchy. You will enjoy eating this sweet. However, Guliyo does not store very well in airtight containers because they tend to soften making them a bit chewy.  So the best way is to make and serve immediately or store in a box and deep fry briefly before serving.  A delightful Mangalorean Kuswar item!

Ingredients

1 cup Basmati rice

1 cup Boiled rice (I used Goa rice)

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup jaggery, or to taste

6 to 8 cardamoms

½ tsp. Salt

Oil for frying

Wash and soak the rice for atleast 5 hours.  Drain and grind to a thick smooth paste with the jaggery, cardamoms, salt adding as much coconut milk as required.  Batter may become watery due to adding extra coconut milk to run the mixer, but no worries.  After the batter is nice and fine and smooth, transfer to a ceramic or glass bowl and microwave at ½ minute intervals and stir to mix well. Then put it back in the microwave till you get a firm dough and you can form a ball on the palm of your hand.  Knead well.  Form into marble sized balls.  Heat oil for deep frying and fry in batches on medium low heat till brown and crisp. Don’t make hem too dark as they will turn out hard.  They should be crunchy and crisp.

Rice Kokisam Rose Cookies


Christmas Sweets Kuswar

Rice Kokisam/Rose Cookies

Made with soaked and ground rice, turns out extra crisp, crunchy and delicious.

A great gluten free recipe!!

2 cups rice (basmati)

¼ cup sugar or to taste

½ tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla essence

2 to 3 drops yellow food color or some kesar (saffron)

1 cup coconut milk or as required

Soak rice for atleast 6 hours and grind to a smooth paste with the coconut milk. The paste should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. In a bowl whisk the eggs and add the sugar and whisk till sugar dissolves. Add the salt and vanilla essence and mix, add the ground rice and mix thoroughly. Add the color or kesar and mix well. The batter should be fairly thick of pouring consistency. Heat oil in a kadai, then reduce heat and place the rose cookies’ mold in the oil and heat for 5 minutes. Then dip the mold in the batter. Make sure the batter does not cover the top. Immediately transfer the mold into the oil and the rose cookie will loosen and release into the oil. If it sticks to the mold then the mold must be too hot or not heated enough. Fry the rose cookies till the oil stops bubbling round it. Turn fry a little, drain and remove. Don’t let them brown. Will be soft even though fried fully but will harden when cool. Place in a tray lined with absorbent paper, upside down and flat on an even surface to retain the shape. Cool and store in airtight containers.

Aloo-Salaad Anarkali


A spiced and tart potato salad garnished with fresh pomegranate. Easily doubles-up as a healthy ‘Chaat’ to have with a steaming cup of tea!  Serve as a stater appetizer, accompaniment, salad or as a snack! A versatile dish that can be served in so many ways….

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup boiled potatoes, cut into

1 cup boiled Bengal gram/Chick Peas (if using canned used 400 gm. can, drained).

1/2 cup Pomegranate

1/2 cup mint leaves

1 medium onion

1 medium tomato

Dressing

Lemon juice

1 heaped tsp. Cumin powder

1 heaped tsp.. Chaat masala

3 to 5 tbsp. olive oil

Sal to taste

Pepper  or to taste (optional)

Boil 2 to 3 medium potatoes and cut into cubes. Mix the bengal gram, potatoes, pomegranate, cumin powder, chaat masala, oil and mix well and season with pepper and salt if required. Garnish with mint leaves, onion rings and tomatoes.  Serve as a salad, an accompaniment, a snack, appetiser or a starter.  Very versatile and can be served in so many ways.

Beef Jeerem Meerem


Beef Jeerem Meerem

Goan Beef Jeerem Meerem

Ingredients

  • 1 Kg. Boneless Beef
  • 2 green chillies
  • 10 cloves garlic
  • 1” pc. Ginger
  • 2 large onions
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 1 or 2 potatoes, as required (optional)
  • 2 tbsp. Jeerem Meerem powder
  • 1 tbsp. tamarind pulp
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp. ghee or oil
  • 1 tsp. Salt or to taste
  • ½ tsp sugar (optional)

Method

Clean and cut meat into cubes or slices.  Wash, drain and set aside.  Grind the ginger and garlic to a coarse paste.  Marinate the meat with the 1 tbsp. of the jeerem meerem powder, juice of lemon and salt. Keep aside for one hour atleast.

Slice the onions and tomatoes, slit the green chillies and cut the potatoes into cubes or wedges.  Heat oil I a vessel and fry the onions till light brown.  Add the ginger garlic paste and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and fry till soft.  Reduce heat and add the remaining jeerem meerem powder and saute for a miunute.  Add beef and cook on high heat till meat changes color, reduce heat and cook till water evaporates.  Add the tamarind pulp and a cup of hot water, bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes.  Then lower heat and cook another 20  minutes till meat is tender.  Add the green chillies and potatoes and cook further 10 minutes till potatoes are cooked.  Check seasoning.  Add ½ tsp. sugar (optional) Usually this is a dry dish but you can add some hot water if you need to have some gravy and simmer till oil surfaces.  Served with Goan pulao (Aroz) or any bread of your choice.

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