Karathe Sukke / Bitter-gourd side dish

This is a item in Konkani cuisine called Sukke meaning dry. We make Sukke of many different veggies and many have slight variations in themselves. I came to know about this Karathe Sukke in particular from my MIL. The first time she mentioned this name, I was kind of sceptical, since a dry dish of Karathe/Bittergourd, didn't quite appeal to me. But when I tasted it, I knew how wrong I was. So, here it is that I'm sharing it with you.



Ingredients

Karathe/Bittergourd, de-seeded, small dices - 2 cups. Add salt to the pieces and leave for about 6-8 hrs or overnight.
Fresh/Frozen grated coconut - 1/4 cup
Dry Red Byadagi Chillies - 3
Coriander Seeds - 1 tsp
Tamarind - 1 small piece
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Jaggery, grated - 1/2 tbsp
Chana Dal - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Oil

Method

- Wash and soak the Chana Dal in water for about 15 mins. Then boil it with enough water till it is soft but not broken or mushy. It should be cooked but still retain the shape. I microwaved the dal with water just above its level for about 7 minutes.
- Squeeze out any water from the salted bittergourd pieces and add to a hot pan with about 2 tsp of oil.
- On low heat, keep stirring once in a while till the pieces get evenly browned.
- Meanwhile, grind the coconut, chillies, coriander seeds, tamarind and turmeric powder with just enough water to make a paste. Need to be very fine paste.
- Add this paste to the cooked/browned bittergourd pieces and add the boiled chana dal and jaggery also. Adjust salt if needed.
- Cook till the ground paste leaves away the raw smell and the mixture is dry.
- Serve hot as a side with rice and dal/curry.

Note :

- You can cook the bittergourd either till it is dark brown and crispy or leave it lightly browned and just cooked. The browner it gets, the less bitter. Keep in mind that the quantity reduces to almost half upon browning.
- Even after the water content has gone from after adding the masala paste, keep stirring till the mixture becomes dry and gets a slightly roasted effect, taking care not to burn. That way it tastes better.

Black Bean & Veggie Salad..

This is a delicious and filling salad that I learnt from my friend. Its got all the goodness of the veggies and the black beans. You can pretty much alter the quantities and the veggies as per your choice. All in all, its very wholesome..

Ingredients

Black beans, boiled - 15 oz. can, about 1 1/2 cup

Fresh/frozen Corn kernels - 1/2 cup, boiled. Microwave for 2 minutes.

Tomato, chopped - 1 cup

Avacados, skinned, pitted and diced - 2 nos.

Green Bell Pepper, chopped fine - 1/2 cup

Red Onions, chopped fine - 1/2 cup (optional). I did not add this time.

Cilantro/Mint or combination of both, chopped fine - abt 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Lemon Juice - 2 tsp

Black Pepper powder - as per choice

Method

- Add all the cut veggies and the beans to a bowl, add salt, pepper powder and lemon juice, toss well and serve.

Note :

- Add the salt and lemon juice just when you are ready to serve.

- I drain the liquid and rinse the beans from the can before I use them.

- Orange juice and orange/grapefruit segments works very well in this salad. In that case, eliminate the lemon juice.

- Add any boiled beans of your choice, or any fresh sprouts.

This post goes to Srivalli for the event My Legume Love Affair- Seventh Helping hosted by her.

My Legume Love Affair was originally started by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.

Thank you for mentioning to me Meera.

Zucchini-Carrot Frittata...

I got this recipe from a hand-out in Wal-Mart. The recipe mentions egg-substitute and is perfect for those who are watching their cholesterol. I, however used eggs instead of the substitute.

Before I go further, I must say here, that the recipe is just adapted from the hand-out and not followed the actual one. I followed my own ingredients and quantities. People who make and are frittata experts will frown at me otherwise :)..Nevertheless, my frittata came out excellent..

Ingredients

Zucchini, grated - 1 cup

Carrot, grated - 1/4 cup

Eggs - 4

Spring Onions, chopped - 2 stems, bulb and greens

Crumbled Feta Cheese - 1/4 cup

Red Chilli flakes - 1/4 tsp

Dried Italian seasoning (oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme) - 1/4 tsp

Salt - to taste

Method

- Place the grated zucchini and carrot in a colander, set over bowl. Add salt and toss to mix. Let stand for 10 mins. Then, press the veggies with the back of a spoon to squeeze out excess mositure.

- Preheat the oven to 325deg F.

- Combine the eggs, spring onions, italian seasoning, chilli flakes. Add in the cheese and zucchini-carrot mixture. Mix everything well.

- Pour the mixture into a greased dish and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden and set.

- Best served hot.

Note:

- The original recipe asks for low-fat Monterey Jack cheese.

- I used two 5-inch dishes to bake, in one I added some extra red chilli flakes.

- If you don't want to use eggs, use about 1/2 cup of lightly beaten egg substitute.

Cabbage & Sprouts Curry..

I tasted this cabbage curry at a friends place and thought it was a very nice way of making cabbage curry. She had used boiled chana dal in the curry which gave a nice touch to the curry. I didn't have soaked chana dal when I decided to make this curry, so instead I used lentil sprouts. I also added Meera's Goda Masala that she had sent to me. Thanx to you Meera, I have used it in so many daily curries and enjoyed it.

This curry came out good and I will making it more often when I have cabbage at hand.

Ingredients

Cabbage, chopped fine - 2 cups
Carrot, diced small - 1 no (approx. 3/4 cup)
Peas - 1/2 cup
Lentil Sprouts - 1 cup
Fresh/Frozen grated coconut - 1 tbsp
Green Chillies, slit lengthwise - 3
Curry leaves - 4
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Goda Masala - 3/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt - to taste

Method

- Cook the lentil sprouts with about 1/2 cup of water in a microwave for 4-5 mins. Drain any extra water.
- Meanwhile, heat about 2 tsps of oil in a pan, add the mustard and cumin seeds and once they crackle, add the curry leaves and green chillies.
- Next, add the cabbage, carrot and peas to the pan. Add the turmeric powder,goda masala & salt and mix everything well. Cover the pan and let it cook with stirring and checking once or twice.
- Once the veggies are almost done, add the cooked lentil sprouts and coconut, mix and cook till done.
- Serve as a side with rice and curry or with rotis.

Note :
- Do not add water while cooking. The moisture given out by the veggies will be enough to get them cooked.
- This dish tastes good dry, so if there is still lot of water, once the veggies are almost done, cook with pan uncovered until the water evaporates.
- My friend had made without goda masala, and it tasted great too, so if you don't have it, make it without it.

Banana Sheera..

Here's wishing you all a very happy and safe 2009 !!! Hoping this year brings each and everyone the best of health and happiness..

Talking about today's post, I just love Sheera and from the past one week it was sheer torture for me looking at the different Sheeras at Meera's, Purnima's and Arun's..

Like everyone said, Sheera anytime is just pure bliss, and when its icy and raining outside, a bowl of warm sheera is heaven..Don't go by my picture above, I know it doesn't do justice, but it does taste awesome..I don't have to say more for those who know the goodness of it :)..

Now, sometimes I get too greedy. I wanted more than Sheera, I wanted Sapaad that is made for naivedya and prasad during Satyanarayan Pujas. I called up Mom this morning and asked her for the recipe. She gave me the whole recipe and then asked why I wanted the Sapaad recipe in particular. When I told her I was craving for it, she scolded me saying you cannot just make Sapaad anytime at home and eat whenever you want. It is supposed to be made only if there is a Satyanarayan Puja at home, and she warned me again its not a good thing to make it without a puja. I believe in such things, so she knows I won't do it :)..An alternative, she said, alter the quantities used and make it. Ya, that I can do and that's what I did..

According to my mom, Sapaad/Banana Sheera uses equal 1 1/4 measures of all quantities when made for the Pujas. It needn't be the regular cup measures, can be a small vati/katori/glass, anything, but should measure 1 1/4 of everything.

So, for a Sapaad the measures would be..

Rava/Semolina - 1 1 /4 cup
Ripe Bananas - 1 1/4 cup
Sugar - 1 1/4 cup
Milk - 1 1/4 cup
Ghee - 1 1/4 cup

Ya, with the equal quantity measures and ghee dripping, the little prasad never seems to be enough.

What I made, I'll just call it Banana Sheera.

The quantities I used are..

Rava/ Semolina - 1 cup
Ripe Bananas, sliced fine - 1 1/4 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup . This seemed perfect for us, as the bananas contributed to the sweetness too.
Milk - 1 cup. The milk should be hot.
Ghee - 2 tbsp . That's all I used, but if you need it richer, go ahead and use more.
Elaichi/Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp ( This ingredient is not used in original one)

The method for making is the same in any case..

- Heat a kadhai, add the ghee to it and add the rava and roast it on low flame till it gives a nice aroma. Stir constantly to avoid any burning of the rava.
- Add in the chopped banana and mix well.
- Then, add the hot milk and mix well, taking care no lumps are formed. Once the mixture gets cooked and becomes one mass, add in the sugar (and cardamom powder). The mixture will get liquidy again. Mix everything well again and once it dries up as per the consistency you want, take off from flame.
- Ready to eat, hot..

Note :- If you are wondering now what is the difference between Sapaad and Banana Sheera, its only the measures in the quantities of ingredients as I have mentioned above.

Enjoy it especially on a cold day like this..
P.S: Took this pic in the morning, in the evening, these ice-cones had doubled..Icy icy day..