Authentic tried and tested simple recipes in mainly Indian cooking, including traditional mangalorean, Goan, East Indian, North Indian recipes and much more…
The nutritional composition of clams is very rich and diverse. 100g of clam contains 140 mg of Omega-3, 240 mg of Iodine, etc. Adding clams to the menu every week will effectively strengthen health.
Ingredients
1 Kg. Tisreo (Clams)
1 cup fresh coconut
1 Onion, sliced
5 flakes garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. tamarind pulp or 4 to 5 flakes kokum soaked in water
1 tsp. jaggery or sugar (optional)
2 tbsp. oil
½ tsp. Salt or to taste
Roast and grind to a powder
8 Kashmiri chillis
1 tbs. coriander seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. mustard seeds
½ tsp. black pwpper
½ tsp. turmeric powder
Method
Immerse the clams in plenty of water to separate the sand and other dirt and wash well in several changes of water to completely remove the sand. Discard any open or broken clams. They should be completely closed, which means they are alive and fresh. Wash the shells well to remove dirt is any.
Place the clams in a vessel, add some water and steam the clams just until the shell opens to facilitate cleaning. Cool and remove one half of the shell, retaining the shell on the other half and discard the empty shell. Discard the water used for steaming as it would contain some sand and impurities.
Heat oil in a vessel and add the sliced onion and garlic till light brown. Then add the powdered masala, add a little water and toss for a minute. Add the Tisreo with 1 cup of water and ½ tsp. salt, bring to a boil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the fresh coconut and the tamarind pulp and cook further 3 minutes till oil surfaces. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot.
Ingredients (This recipe may be used for 2 to 4 cups sprouts)
2 cups Sprouted Matki (Moth beans)
2 cups Sprouted Mong (Green Gram)
2 medium potatoes, chopped finely
1 large tomato, chopped
2 tbsp. red chilli powder (I used Kashmiri lal) Normal chilli powder will make it extra spicy!
1/4 tsp. Asafoetida (Hing)
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. mustard seeds
10 curry leaves
3 green chillis
2 medium onions chopped
4 flakes Kokum, wash and soak in 1/4 up water
1 tsp. full garam masala powder
2 tsp. full coriander seeds powder
1 tsp. cumin seeds powder
1 tsp. sugar (optional)
Salt to taste
3 tbsp. oil
To roast and grind to a paste with small ball tamarind
1 medium onion, sliced
8 flakes garlic, peeled
1 tbsp. poppy seeds ( forgot, would have loved to add)
1″ pc. ginger, cleaned and sliced
3 tbsp. dry coconut
Garnish: Chopped onion, Coriander leaves, Mixed Farsan or Chivda, Lemon, Pav to serve.
Rinse sprouts and boil with sufficient water. Add the potatoes, 1 tsp. of the chilli powder, 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder, hing and 1 tsp. salt till soft for 30 minutes. In a cooker 3 whistles. Usually potato bhaji is made separately but I added with the sprouts, eliminating this step. Meanwhile, roast the ingredients for the misal masala and grind to a paste with tamarind and required water.
In a separate vessel, heat the oil, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, then curry leaves, chopped onion and green chillismand saute till translucent. Add salt and sugar and the chopped tomato and cook till tomato turns soft. Then add the ground masala paste, garam masala, cumin and coriander powder and mix well. Add the kokum with the water. Mix and cook till oil surfaces. Then add the sprouts mixture and add more water if required as the consistency of the gravy should be thin. Adjust seasoning and simmer 10 minutes till gravy appears red and glossy. To serve:Take a bowl and add 2 tbsp. farsan, top with the misal. Garnish with 1 or 2 tbsp. farsan, chopped onion, coriander leaves and serve with pav and lemon. Optional serve with yogurt and sliced carrot, cucumber and tomatoes. Enjoy spicy, tangy zanzhanith misal pav!!
Aam panna or Aam Jhora is an Indian drink renowned for its cooling properties. It is made from unripe mangoes and is yellow to light green in color, and is consumed to fight against the intense Indian summer heat. Mint leaves are often added to the drink, enhancing its green color. Raw mango is a rich source of pectin, which gradually diminishes after the formation of the stone. Unripe mango is sour in taste because of the presence of oxalic, citric and malic acids. Aam panna or Aam Jhora, which is prepared using raw mangoes, cumin, and an assortment of other spices, quenches thirst and prevents the excessive loss of sodium chloride and iron during summer due to excessive sweating. The drink is considered beneficial in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. It is also a good source of vitamin B1 and B2, niacin, and vitamin C. In Indian culture, it is regarded as a tonic believed to increase resistance against tuberculosis, anemia, cholera and dysentery.
Recipe: Aam Panna
Ingredients 2 green Mangoes
Sugar or Jaggery equal proportion to mango pulp
1 tsp cardamom powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp. Pepper powder
1 tsp. Salt
Mix well and store the concentrate in the refrigerator in a glass bottle. Method Wash the mangoes. Boil (with the peel). When cooked, and cool enough to handle, peel and deseed the mangoes and extract the pulp. Measure the pulp and add equal quantity of sugar or jaggery. Place in a blender and add the cardamom, cumin, pepper and salt. Blend till smooth. Transfer to a glass jar or bottle. To prepare Aam Panna Take 2 tbsp. Aam panna concentrate and add to a glass or goblet and top with chilled water. Stir to mix well, garnish with mint leaves and enjoy chilled.
What are your morning rituals? What does the first hour of your day look like?
My day usually starts on a busy note!
Upon waking and going through my morning ablutions… I make a cup of tea for the ‘man of the house’!
Then get going with preparing breakfast which is usually Indian breakfast of Dosas, Idli, Upma, Chapatis, once a week Omlette, fried eggs with bacon, etc. A variation in daily breakfast.
So the first hour of the day, I am literally on my feet.
Raw Jackfruit blooming time is from December until February, March and the fruit matures during the rainy season in India i.e. from July to August. Raw Jackfruit is fibre rich and excellent for gut health in addition to containing moderate levels of Vitamin C and Potassium. For optimum health benefits, it is always advisable to consume local and seasonal produce.
Ingredients
1 Small Raw Jackfruit
½ cup fresh coconut
2 tbsp. Tamarind pulp
2 tsp. Jaggery or to taste
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. oil
Roast, each separately and grind coarsely with the coconut
1 tbsp. coriander seeds
2 to 3 red chillis
½ tsp. cumin seeds
½ tsp. mustard seeds
½ tsp. peppercorns
½ tsp. fenugreek seeds (methi)
Tempering
1 medium onion
4 to 5 garlic crushed
1 sprig curry leaves
½ tsp. mustard seeds.
Method
Cut the Jackfruit and peel it. Cutting the jackfruit is the difficult part as skin is very hard and the sap is sticky and will also make the knife sticky. This can be controlled by oiling your fingers and palm and the knife. Alternately, the sticky sap can be washed off later by first rubbing some oil all over your hands and the knife.
Cut the jackfruit into wedges and discard the pith. Then cut into small slices and immediately immerse in plenty of water. Once cut, wash well and place in a vessel, add some water and bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes. Add a tsp. of salt.
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The simple brinjal turned into an exotic dish with a fragrant green masala stuffing. From Mai’s Recipes!
Stuffed Brinjals
Aubergine, Eggplant, Bathinjan, Baigan
Ingredients
6 to 8 Brinjals, small round variety
2 tbsp.oil
1 large onion
Grind to a paste
1 Onion
4 green chillis
5 to 6 flakes garlic
1 bunch coriander leaves
½ tsp. black pepper
½ to 1 tsp. cumin seeds
¼ tsp. turmeric
1 tbsp. lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 tbsp. sugar or to taste (optional)
Method
Remove the stem and slit each brinjal into four taking care to leave the stem side intact. Immerse in water till required. Chop the onion. Heat oil in a pan, add the chopped onion and fry till soft. Add the ground paste and fry well till oil separates. Stuff this masala paste, when cool, into each brinjal and arrange the brinjals in a pan in a single layer, sprinkle some water and cook on medium low flame till water evaporates and brinjals are tender.
Being monsoon season, Shravan and Ganesh, we had to sacrifice some items on the menu as the options available for seafood were far less than expected. Pomfret, King fish, Oysters, Mussels were not available in most places! Hence all the special fish thalis (we love seafood!) which are either King Fish or Chonok were restricted to only Chonok. Secondly, due to monsoon season we were not able to visit as many restaurants as planned.
1.Copper Leaf, Porvorim – 7th July, 2022
We obviously start our Goa restaurant hopping with Copperleaf and their Special Fish thali is always our first meal. Although Copperleaf Sp. Thali is the most expensive among all the thalis we have had, we have found the taste, quality and also quantity exceptional, having most number of items in the thali! Price Rs. 380/-.
2.Copperleaf, Porvorim – 12th July, 2022
Lunch ‘A la Carte’, Ordered Prawn curry rice, King Fish Rawa fry, Rawa fried Mussels. For take-away ordered, stuffed crab, fish platter and bombil fry. Took pictures only of mussels and stuffed crab.
3.Soyre, Gauns Vaddo, Mapusa – 24th July, 2022
This restaurant was a revelation and an amazing find. Happened to google for seafood restaurants in our area (being seafood fans!) and chose Soyre from the lust that came us. On our first visit we ordered al la carte, Squid butter garlic, Tisreyo sukhe, King Fish recheado, Prawns Rava fry, and Prawn Curry Rice! My sister who does not eat seafood ordered a Chicken Thali. The food was amazing, fresh, cooked to a perfect texture and delicious. The recheado was the best I have ever tasted. Prices were very reasonable. For 4 persons with drinks the bill was Rs. 2,100/- approx.
Happens to be a fairly new 3 month old restaurant. Ony hope the restaurant continues to maintain their food quality and taste!
4.Souza Lobo, Calangute – 31st July, 2022
Chose a beachside restaurant to enjoy the beach ambience. We have often patronized this place. They do not serve fish thali. Ordered Sol Kadi golgappas, Stuffed papad with crab, Mackerel Rechado, Chonok Rava fry, Prawn curry rice.
Food was not that great. Golgappas were good. Mackerel rechado was simply some chilli powder smeared on the inside of the mackerel which had no taste at all. Understand the cooks have changed at Souza Lobo so to give them the benefit of the doubt, we hope they are able to rise to their previous standard of food quality and taste soon.
Despite the food we enjoyed the beachside ambience….
5.Turmeric, Porvorim – 3rd August, 2022
Located on the Porvorim main road opposite Mall de Goa.
Planned to try their fish thali but were disappointed as they offered only “A la Carte” although their menu listed fish thali for lunch!
Ordered prawns rava fry, chonok rava fry, king fish curry and rice. Food was ok but the curry had just one slice of king fish shreded into 4 to 6 pieces, ridiculous! I don’t think I would want to go back to Turmeric.
6.Vinayak Family Restaurant, Assagao – 8th August, 2022
Heard a lot about this restaurant. Tried their fish thali, as usual the special fish thali. They had King Fish so ordered one King Fish Thali and One Chonok Thali and what do you think they served as one of the items – Ross omlete, instead of crab curry!! That was truly disappointing. Again, I would give them the benefit of the doubt, being off season, etc. etc. May try them again to see if they have better dishes during season. Alongwith the thali also tried their Stuffed Mackerel Rechado and Bombil Rawa Fry, which was good. The thalis were priced at King Fish Rs.380 and Chonok Rs. 320. Mackerel Rs.200 each and Bombil Rawa Fry Rs.430 per plate (3 pieces)
7.Soyre, Gauns Vaddo, Mapusa – 13th August, 2022
Visited Soyre again just to try their Chonok Fish Thali. Priced at Rs. 250, it was good value but could have been better in taste and quality although the Chonok was fresh, crisp and delicious.
8.Kamalabai, Mapusa – 20th August, 2022
Kamalabai AC section is not opened yet and should be functioning October 2022 onwards. Their Special Fish thali is always good and love the roti that is always served with the Thali. The Chonok Thali was priced at Rs.300 which compared to Copperleaf is quite reasonable.
9.Le Jardine, Near Municipal Gardens, Mapusa – 23rd August, 2022
We would have never found or ventured into this restaurant had I Rickshaw driver not recommended it as a good seafood and thali place. A decent place for family, situated in the heart of Mapusa, bang in front of the Mapusa Municipal Gardens. They serve Goan Rice Lager, which we tried and was good. Ordered the Chonok Fish Thali and here too were disappointed to find ‘Egg Burji’ instead of crab curry. Anyway need to try them again during “Season”. Prawns Rava fry was delicious and the mackerel recheado was OK! Thali is priced at Rs.265, Mackerel Rs. 120 each and Prawns Rs.325.
Taikulo ani Bikna (Casia Tora & Jackfruit seeds Vegetable)
The early monsoon brings an array of wild foods that are super healthy and delicious. The rain makes wild vegetables grow in abundance alongside roads and in the hilly regions. Taikulo is one of these seasonal, local, monsoon vegetables, available for free, with all of its healthy goodness. I, however, purchased this lot from the ladies at Mapusa market for Rs.30/-. The vegetable looks a bit faded as I could not cook it the same day.
Taikulo also called Senna tora or Casia tora (Botanical name) is a wild leafy vegetable that grows along all the roadside and can be plucked straight from the plant and cooked into a simple and nutritious vegetable. Only the tender leaves are used in cooking. Although the whole plant and roots and seeds are widely used in traditional Indian and South Asian medicine. It is said to have numerous health benefits. From an Ayurvedic stand-point the leaves and seeds of this plant are said to contain acrid, laxative, anthelmintic, ophthalmic, liver tonic, cardio tonic and expectorant properties. Adapted from : Vayuvision
Ingredients
4 to 6 cups Taikulo leaves
3 red chillies
6 flakes garlic
1 medium onion
½ tsp. Turmeric powder
½ cup coconut
10 to 12 jackfruit seeds (pre-boiled)
2 tbsp. oil
½ tsp. salt or to taste
Remove the tender leaves from the stems and discard the thick stems. Wash the taikulo leaves well, add some salt and soak in salted water for 15 minutes. Drain and chop finely. Slice the onion, crush the garlic and break the chillies into bits. Heat the oil, add the red chillies, garlic and onion. When onion is translucent, add 1/2 tsp. turmeric and mix. Avoided excessive spices to get optimum benefit from the vegetable. Then add taikulo leaves, salt, some water and cook for 15 to 20 minutes till tender. Add the boiled jackfruit seeds, cut in half and the coconut, mix and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve as an accompaniment with any main meal.
N.B.: When jackfruit is in season, collect the seeds and dry they for a day or two which makes the skin a bit loose and becomes easier to peel. Then, wash and boil jackfruit seeds, cool and store in zip lock bags in the freezer.
Spiny Gourd (Phagil) is a spiky green vegetable. It is also known as kantola, kakora, kakrol, spine gourd, teasle gourd etc. Available during the monsoon season this vegetable is not only super tasty but also provides a whole lot of health benefits. The appearance (and name) of the vegetable is quite misleading. Looks spiny but when cooked is so tender, it rather took me by surprise. Turned out to be delicious!
Seasonal vegetables are great if you are looking for regular intake of nutrition and still go easy on your pocket. The best part of including seasonal fruits and vegetables in your diet is their inherent ability to fight seasonal illnesses and flu.
Ingredients
½ Kg. Spiny Gourd
1 tsp. chilli powder or to taste
½ tsp. turmeric
1 lemon, juice (optional)
1 tsp.salt or to taste
2 tbsp. oil
Wash the kantola and chop the ends and slice. Hard seeds, if any may be removed or can be discarded while eating. Sprinkle the chilli and turmeric powders and salt and lemon juice and mix well. Set aside for 15 minutes. Fry the slices and stir fry, till cooked. The appearance (and name) of the vegetable is quite misleading. Looks spiny but when cooked is so tender, it rather took me by surprise. Turned out to be delicious!
Avocados may have a range of health benefits, including improving digestion, decreasing the risk of depression, and protecting against cancer. Avocados provide a substantial amount of monounsaturated fatty acids and are rich in many vitamins and minerals. Incorporating them into a varied, healthy diet can provide a number of benefits.
Avocados are a source of vitamins C, E, K, and B6, as well as riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and potassium. They also provide lutein, beta carotene, and omega-3 fatty acids.
Avocados contain high levels of healthy, beneficial fats, which can help a person feel fuller between meals. Eating fat slows the breakdown of carbohydrates, which helps keep blood sugar levels stable.
Risks: Avocado has a high fat content, so adding too many to the diet might lead to unintended weight gain.
Avocados also contain vitamin K, which can affect how blood thinners work.
It is important for people taking blood thinners, such as warfarin (Coumadin), to keep their vitamin K levels constant. For this reason, it is not a good idea to suddenly eat more or fewer foods containing vitamin K, which plays an important role in blood clotting. – Source : Medical News Today
Ingredients
1 large or 2 medium Ripe Avocados
1 small tomato, deseeded & chopped
1 lemon, juice or to taste
½ tsp. salt or to taste
½ of small onion
1 green chilli, deseeded or ½ jalapeno
1 clove garlic, minced, optional
1 tbsp. fresh coriander leaves/cilantro, chopped
Cut the Avocado, remove the seed and scoop out the flesh and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the ingredients from tomato to garlic and mix well. Garnish with chopped coriander. Spread thickly on toasted Poee, Sour dough bread or with tortilla chips and serve immediately as stater or appetiser or as a snack!
Also called Taro, Alu, Colocassia, Pathra leaves are high in nutrition and Iron rich. Available in plenty in the monsoon, they grow abundantly in and around gardens and fields and along the roadside where there is plenty of greenery. However it is only the leaves that have red/purple stems that are edible and those that have green stems cannot be consumed.
Terem/Taro/Alu leaves and Alssone Curry
Ingredients
15 Terem leaves and 3 to 4 stems
1 cup Alsande/Alsone beans (or 15 jackfruit seeds or 1 cup Black eyed beans)
1 cup fresh grated coconut
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1” pc cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 red chillies
5 flakes garlic
1 medium onion
2 medium tomatoes
8 Kokum petals
1 tsp. Salt or to taste
2 tbps. Coconut oil
Wash the leaves well and wash and peel the stems. Chop finely. Apply some oil on your hands or wear gloves to avoid the itchy feeling on your hands post cleaning. Slice the onion and tomatoes and keep aside. Wash and boil the alsone beans till tender. Add salt and then add the chopped terem leaves and stem and cook 10 minutes. Meanwhile, dry roast the fresh coconut and grind with the cumin, mustard, chillies, garlic, turmeric cinnamon and cloves to a smooth paste. Take another vessel and when hot, add the oil and fry the sliced onion till light brown. Then add the tomatoes and when soft add the ground masala paste and sautee for 3 minutes. Add the kokum petals. Then add the boiled alsone and terem leaves to the gravy alongwith water from the rinsed masala jar and additional water if thinner gravy is required. Adjust seasoning and cook 15 minutes till oil surfaces. Remove to a serving dish and serve hot with rice or poee or any bread for a sumptuous and healthy local and seasonal meal, protein and iron rich!!
Delicious and versatile chutney for your typical South Indian breakfast! Enjoy with Idlis, dosas, Appams. Enjoy as a spread on sandwiches or with Dal Rice, Conji, etc.
NUTRITION Evidence Based 5 Surprising Benefits of Water Chestnuts (Plus How to Use Them) Written by Ryan Raman, MS, RD on April 20, 2018
Despite being called chestnuts, water chestnuts are not nuts at all. They are aquatic tuber vegetables that grow in marshes, ponds, paddy fields and shallow lakes. Water chestnuts are native to Southeast Asia, Southern China, Taiwan, Australia, Africa and many islands in the Indian and Pacific oceans. They are harvested when the corm, or bulb, turns a dark brown color. They have a crisp, white flesh that can be enjoyed raw or cooked and are a common addition to Asian dishes such as stir-fries, chop suey, curries and salads Water chestnuts are very nutritious and contain high amounts of fiber, potassium, manganese, copper, vitamin B6 and riboflavin. Most of their calories come from carbs. Water chestnuts are a great source of the antioxidants ferulic acid, gallocatechin gallate, epicatechin gallate and catechin gallate. These antioxidants can help the body combat oxidative stress, which is linked to many chronic diseases. Also known as Water Caltrop, Paniphal, Singhara
Eaten raw
Wash, peel and eat raw. Delicious, crunchy.
Boiled
Wash, cut off the stems and boil 15 minutes. Drain, cool, peel and eat as a delightful healthy nutritious snack
Sauteed Water chestnuts
1 medium onion, chopped ½ tsp. chilli powder 4 flakes garlic, chopped, 1” pc ginger, copped 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped ½ tsp. salt 1 tbsp. lemon juice Optional: 1 tbsp. green chutney sauce, 1 tbsp. sweet chutney sauce or Schezwan sauce or combination of soy sauce and tomato ketchup 1 tbsp. each. Etc.
Wash and peel the water chestnuts and immerse in water till required. Add 1 tbsp. oil to a pan and stir fry for 10 minutes. Drain and remove. Add 1 tbsp. oil to the pan and sautee the chopped ginger garlic for a minute, then add the chopped onion and sautee till saoft. Add the chilli powder, green chutney and sweet chutney and salt and 2 t 3 tbsp. water and add the chestnuts and cook till the moisture dries and the sauce thickens. Sqyeeze over the lemon and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve as an accompaniment with any main meal or as a starter! Absolutely delicious!!
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