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About My Cooking Diaries

This is Cecilia Pinto, based in Mumbai, India. Started this blog to share my cooking experiences with the world.

Sambar Udupi Sambar


Vegetable Sambar

Udupi Sambar

Sambar is such a versatile dish, it can be paired with so many south Indian breakfasts, snacks or main meals.  This recipe turns out so delicious, you will never want to try another recipe.

Ingredients

  • 100 gms. Tur dal (Toovar) Split pigeon peas
  • 5 to 6 lady fingers
  • 1 brinjal
  • 1 potato
  • 1 drumstick
  • 8 small peeled onions (keep whole) or 2 medium onion cut into thick slices
  • 2 medium tomatoes
  • 6 red chillies (missed this in the video)
  • 1 tbsp. coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp. fenugreek seeds
  • A pinch asafoetida
  • 6 green chillies
  • 1 lime sized ball tamarind paste
  • 1 tsp. turmeric powder
  • 2 big onions finely sliced
  • Few curry leaves
  • ½ tsp. mustard seeds
  • ½ tsp. cumin seeds
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 to 3 tbsp. coconut oil

Method

Wash dal and soak in water for 1 hour. 

Roast and powder coriander seeds, red chillies, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida.  Cover tamarind with two cups of water for 5 minutes and squeeze out the pulp. 

Cook the dal in the water it was soaked, adding ½ tsp. turmeric and salt till soft.  Remove from fire, add warm water and pulse in a mixer to a paste.

Clean the vegetables and cut into small pieces.  You may use vegetables of your choice.

Heat 2 tbsp. oil and fry the sliced onions till soft.  Add tomatoes, turmeric and salt and cook till tomatoes turn soft.  Add all the vegetables except the lady fingers.  Mix well and add the powdered masala and cook till vegetables are almost done, then add the lady fingers.  When vegetables turn tender, add the dal mixture, mix and put in the chopped green chillies and bring to a boil.  Add tamarind pulp. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.  Meanwhile heat a pan add the remaining oil and put in curry leaves and mustard and cumin seeds.  When the seeds stop popping transfer immediately to the sambar and serve hot with plain boiled rice, idlis, vadas and dosas. The consistency of the sambar can be adjusted to your choice.

Check out the other Udupi specialities to enjoy with Sambar:-

Idli Sambar:  https://youtu.be/sjFC6Eo-FQ0

Sada Dosa :  https://youtu.be/LxuaPUfsMRU

Uttapam    : https://youtu.be/5NRoejIuUbc

Medu Vada : https://youtu.be/EOA_pY3m4gI

Instant Quinoa Idlis : https://youtu.be/MLVGUfpBRLE

Sweet Potato Khichidi – Ratalayache Kees


Sweet Potato Khichidi – Ratalyache Kees

Promotes gut health, say the health experts!  A dish so full of nutrients yet so simple and easy to make, apart from eating boiled sweet potatoes!

Fasting food!  Upvas recipe. Delicious sweet potatoes, rich in nutrients and fibre and antioxidants that promote the growth of good gut bacteria and contribute to a healthy gut.  Ashadi Ekadashi Special.  This flavourful dish is a combination of spicy, sweet, tart and can be cooked in a jiffy!

Ingredients

  • 2 large or 4 medium Sweet Potatoes
  • 2 green chillies, chopped
  • ½ tsp. cumin seeds
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 2 tbsp. roasted peanut powder
  • 2 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves
  • 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
  • 1 tbsp. lemon, or to taste
  • 2 tbsp. ghee
  • 1 tsp. sugar (optional)
  • Salt to taste

Wash and scrub potatoes well.  Not necessary to peel.  Grate and transfer to a bowl of water to prevent oxidation.  Heat a pan and add the ghee.  Reduce flame and add the cumin seeds, when they crackle add curry leaves and green chilli and saute a few seconds.  Add the drained sweet potatoes and mix.  Cover and cook 7-10 minutes on low, stirring occasionally.  Add the peanut powder, salt, sugar and lemon juice and fresh coconut and mix well.  Switch off and let rest 5 minutes, before removing to a serving dish. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.  Enjoy with yogurt and pickle.  An excellent breakfast or snack! Great as an accompaniment to any main meal.  If you have observed, no water is added to the dish and hence the sweet potatoes are likely to stick to the pan. Using a non-stick pan helps.  Nonetheless, the slightly browned part of the Kees that has stuck to the bottom of the pan tastes the best!

Instant Quinoa Idlis


Quinoa Idli – No fermentation required!

Makes 12 Idlis

Quinoa is rich in protein, dietry fibre, B vitamins and dietary minerals in amounts greater than in many grains.  Cooked quinoa provides energy and is a rich source of manganese and phosphorus and a moderate source of dietary fiber, folate, and the dietary minerals iron, zinc and magnesium.  Quinoa is gluten-free with a high concentration of protein.

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup White quinoa
  • 1 Cup Oats
  • 2 green chillies
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp. mustard seeds
  • ¼ cup green peas
  • 4 tbsp. grated carrot
  • ¼ cup who cashewnuts
  • 1 tsp. salt, or to taste
  • 2 tbsp. oil
  • 1 ½ cup Water, approx.

Powder the quinoa and oats in a grinder and add to a bowl.  Mix with 1 cup water.  Then add additional water a little at a time, as required to make a thick smooth batter or dropping consistency.  Batter should not be too watery. Add, salt, chillies and cumin seeds.  Mix.  Then add carrots, peas (preferably frozen peas as they cook faster).  Temper the mustard seed in the oil and add to the batter.  Add cashewnuts and mix well and keep aside.  Keep the steamer with some water to heat.  Grease the idli molds.  When the water starts boiling, fill the idli molds with approx. ¼ cup of batter in each mold.  Place the idli stand in the steamer, place the lid and steam for 15 to 20 minutes.  Pierce a toothpick, if it comes out clean the idlis are done.  Serve with coconut chutney.

Choris Chilly fry Goa Sausage chilli fry Choris Pao


Goan Sausage (Choris) Chilli Fry

The deicious and tantalizing Goa sausages and the famous Choris Pao, a universal favorite, prepared from a simple sausage chilli fry.  The sausages have all the spices required, all that is needed is some onion and potato (if you wish) to prepare this dish.  The taste and flavor of the cooked sausage chilli fry is directly related to the quality of sausages.  So do take care to source the best ones you can find!

Ingredients

  • 20 small beads Goan Sausages (or 10 large ones)
  • 3 to 4 medium onions, as required
  • 1 medium potato (optional)

Remove the string and remove the casing of the sausages.  Some even like to keep the thread and casing and simple cut the sausages strands into 2” pcs.  In this case wash the outer casing of the sausages before using.

Clean and slice the onions roughly into thick slices/pieces.  Peel, wash and chop potato into cubes.  Add the sausages, onions and potato to a vessel.  Barely cover with water and keep on flame and bring to a boil.  Stir at intervals.  Cook till water has almost dried, just a little should remain for gravy.  Serve hot with pao or pulao.

Choris Pulao Goa Sausage Pulao


Chorisan are synonymous with Goa!

The Goa sausages famous all over the world, cooked and added to rice for a spicy, tangy, delicious pulao.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Basmati rice
  • 30 small beads goa sausages (chorisan)
  • 3 medium onions
  • 6 cloves
  • 6 cardamoms
  • ½ tsp. whole peppercorns
  • 2”  sticks cinnamon
  • 2 stock cubes, any flavour (I used chicken)
  • ½ tsp. salt or to taste
  • 2 tbsp. Oil

Wash and soak the rice, till required.  Cut the thread of the sausage beads and slit the casing to remove completely.  Keep the sausage meat aside.  Clean and slice the onions.  Heat oil in a vessel and add the onions, fry till translucent.  Add the sausage meat and 1 cup water and cook 15 to 20 minutes till all the water is absorbed and sausages are tender.   Take a larges vessel to cook the pulao.  Add 4 cups water, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and the stock cubes.  Add ½ tsp. salt to taste.  When the water starts boiling and the stock cubes are dissolved, add the soaked drained rice.  Mix well and cover.  When it begins boiling, reduce to low flame and cook till water is half absorbed.  Then add the cooked sausages and mix well gently.  Cover and continue cooking on low till all the moisture is absorbed and rice is cooked.  Serve hot.  Delicious!  A family favorite!!

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.

GOA – Restaurant and Food review


When in Goa – these restaurants are a must try!!

Goa Restaurant and food review

6th to 12th November, 2021

Eight Restaurants- Awesome food!

Check out the food pictures and brief review.  As we are seafood lovers, most of the food ordered is seafood but also includes, pork, beef, etc.

The following restaurants were visited during our seven day say in Goa:-

  1. Copper Leaf, Porvorim
  2. Andron, Nachinola
  3. Fisherman’s Wharf, Naika Vaddo, Calangute
  4. Kismoor, Sangolda
  5. Souza Lobo, Calangute Beach
  6. Kokum Curry, Candolim
  7. Durrigo’s, Benaulim
  8. Kamalabai, Mapusa

Surati Papadi Bhaji


Papadi Bhaji – Surati Papdi vegetable (Lima Beans) Vaal Papadi or Sem

This is a winter vegetable in India and found in abundance in the winter season.  The Gujarati famous dish “Oondhiya” is usually made when surati papadi is in season. 

Ingredients

  • 250 gms. Surati Papadi
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 small tomatoes
  • 2 green chillies (optional)
  • 4 flakes garlic
  • ½ to 1 tsp chilli powder
  • ½ tsp. turmeric powder
  • ¼ tsp. garam masala powder
  • 1 tsp. salt or to taste
  • 1 medium potato (optional)
  • 1 tbsp. oil

Wash the papadi, drain.  String the beans by removing the head and the tail and the fibrous string on both sides of the beans.  Split open the papadi pods and remove the seeds and set aside. It is important to split them open because sometimes these beans are infested on the inside, discard the infested ones.  The split pods can be broken or cut into ½” to 1” inch sized pieces.  Sometimes the shells of the beans will be hard and are not edible, in such cases only the seeds are used for cooking.

Chop the onion and tomatoes, slice the garlic and tomatoes.  Heat oil and add the

Onion, garlic and chillies and fry till translucent.  Add the tomatoes and fry for minute.  Add the chilli, turmeric and garam masala powder, mix and add the vegetables and salt.  Add ¼ cup water and cook on high for 5 minutes.  Then add the potatoes if using, mix, cover and cook further 10 minutes till vegetables are cooked.

Stuffed Pomfret with green masala in Banana leaf


Delicious, succulent and moist Stuffed Pomfrest in mouth watering green masala and cooked iun banana leaf which prevents the fish from absorbing too much oil! Use stuffing of your choice, red, green or recheado masala. Recipe is from my mother’s book “Mais Recipes”. Get hold of your copy soon. Here is the link for details: https://cooklikececilia.com/mais-recipes-contact-details

Raw Banana Erussery


Banana Erussery   (Chena Vazhakkai Erissery)

Raw bananas have several health benefits so we always find new ways to add them to our diet.  This is a Kerala style preparation and one of the items on an Onam Sadya.  Referred to as Chena Vazhakkai Erissery or Ellisery, this is a simple dish with the use of fresh coconut, curry leaves and cumin seeds as the only ingredients for the gravy apart from onion, red chillies and garlic with some coconut for garnish. Yam, pumpkin and beans are also included as per personal preference.  I have added some pre-cooked jackfruit seeds. Enjoy with steamed rice or appams!

Ingredients

  • 3 large raw bananas
  • ½ cup boiled jackfruit seeds
  • ½ tsp. turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup fresh grated coconut
  • ½ tsp. black pepper (optional)
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 2 sprigs curry leaves
  • ½ tsp. mustard seeds
  • 4 flakes garlic, cushed
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 4 to 6 small round red chillies (or 2 long chillies, broken into pieces)
  • 2 tbsp. oil
  • Peel the bananas and chop into small cubes.  Immerse in water till required.

Boil the banana pieces with turmeric and salt and 1 cup water.  Grind ½ the coconut, cumin and curry leaves to a paste adding water.  Add to the cooked bananas, mix and cook 5 minutes.  Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seed and when they pop add the crushed garlic and onion.  When light brown, add the remaining coconut and fry till nice and brown.  Add to the erussery (reserve some for garnish) and mix well. Remove to a serving dish and serve hot garnished with some fried onion coconut mixture.

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