Anantha Chaturdashi Special - "Alvatthi" or Hot n Sour Colocasia leaves

"Alvatthi" is a traditional Konkani dish or should I say delicacy made especially today, ie on the festival day of "Anantha Chaturdashi" ie the last day of the Hindu festival of Ganeshotsav.
It is generally the tenth or eleventh day after Ganesh Chaturthi.
I have always eaten this dish in the traditional meal at our mutt/temple on this day but never really made it.
I also had this dish several times cooked by my Co-Sister, and got this recipe too from her.
The taste of this dish, lies in the leaves ie Colocasia leaves which we also use to make Pathrode.
Its a fairly simple dish to make, although until now I thought it was difficult to make mainly due to difficult the pronunciation of the dish.
Try making this dish, am sure you will love it too!
I know its not so easy to find colocasia leaves, but the solution is simple, grow them in your own garden or balcony.
In India and parts of Asia it is known as "Colocasia" and is a food crop.
But in other parts of the world like USA, Canada and Australia it is also known as "Elephant Ear" and is an ornamental plant.
Do buy the bulbs and plant them at home, you will be able to make these new dishes very easily.
Make sure to use enough tamarind in your dish to get rid of the itchiness.
However, these leaves are available in so called "Mangalore/Indian stores" everywhere.

Wheat Laddoos or "Churmundo" in Konkani

Here is a simple and easy to make "laddoo" made from Wheat and and very popularly known as "Churmundo".
I have made this specially for my brother today since its "Raksha Bandhan".
This laddoo is easy to make, needs the ingredients that are always in your kitchen, so you can make them at any time.

"Gulla Bajji" - A Konkani delicacy or Smoked Thai Eggplant Mash

This dish is made using "Mattu Gulla", the famed Udupi brinjal/eggplant. The famed eggplant species adds an exceptional flavour to the Mangalorean/Konkani cuisine and has tickled the taste buds of the food buffs far beyond the district. The Gulla is grown only in Katpadi, Mattu and Kaipunjalu in Udupi district.
This eggplant is also very close in taste to the "Thai Eggplant" grown in South East Asia and Sri Lanka.
However if you do not find either of these, you could make this dish with the most easily available eggplant/brinjal which is fleshy.
But this dish is a must try as its very easy to make and yet so delicious!
You could use it as a side-dish with rotis or with rice and dal.For me this dish is the most favorite accompaniment with Red Rice Konji or porridge also known as "Pe'j" in konkani.

Black eyed peas in Chilly Garlic broth or "Alasande Bea Saarupkari" in Konkani

Black eyed pea also called as cowpeas, lobia or lobiya or chawli in Hindi, bobbarlu in Telugu. It is small soft textured oval creamy white bean with a black eye. This bean is available as fresh or dried bean and can be used for preparing soups and many side dishes. It is an excellent source of fiber, folate and a good source of iron and has various health benefits as well as important vitamins and minerals.
It is known as "Alasande Bee" in Konkani as it is one of the most commonly cooked beans in the Konkani community.
The bean when lightly overcooked becomes soft and mushy and makes a good broth.
This dish is one of the easiest side dishes to make, and probably would be one of the first dishes someone would learn to cook.
This dish is like a bean broth which is seasoned with roasted dry red chilly and garlic.
Very simple to make and yet so delicious!
Its served best with rice but can also be had as a soup on a cold rainy or winter day.

Prawn and Malabar Spinach Curry or "Sungat ani Vaali" Ambat in Konkani

"Malabar Spinach" is called "Vaali bhajji" in Konkani.
The dish "Vaali Ambat" is very popular in coastal Karnataka ie Mangalore and surrounding areas and until a few years back I was only aware of this vegetarian dish since my mom would make this regularly.
The base is a coconut gravy and the malabar spinach are simmered in it, and then the gravy is seasoned with onions.
It goes well with red rice or white rice.
A few years back on one of my visits to Mangalore, I had been to my Sister-In-Law's (husband's cousin) place for lunch, and she had given a twist to the vegetarian dish by adding prawns.
And all I said was "WOW" I love this dish...
Since then I make this regularly at home.

Sweet n Spicy Bamboo Shoots n Jackfruit Seeds curry or "Keerlu Bikkanda Go'd Sukke" in Konkani

Here is a very special delicacy from the Konkani cuisine made from Bamboo shoots and Jackfruit seed which is known as "Keerlu Bikkanda Go'd Sukke" or Sweet n Spicy Bamboo Shoots and Jackfruit seeds curry.
This curry or side dish is so tasty that there is a very old story that describes how irresistible this dish is.
The story goes like this....
Once a newly married man was invited to his in-laws house along with his wife for a weekend dinner.
The season then being the rainy season, this "Keerlu Bikkanda Go'd Sukke" was cooked as part of their elaborate meal.
This guy loved spicy food so refused this dish while being served inspite of lot of coaxing from his wife and Mother-in -law.
However the enthusiastic mother-in-law, somehow served a bit of this dish by mistake.
And while eating the meal, this guy managed to taste it and fell in love with it.
However he was embarrassed to ask for more and finished the meal. Since it was pouring that night, he could not go back to his house, and was forced to spend the night at his in-laws place itself.
And guess what, he could not fall asleep since he kept thinking of this wonderful ans tasty dish. And at midnight he ventured into the kitchen at his in-laws place to have some more of this dish.
Am sure after reading this story you will surely try to cook it.

"Patholi" or Coconut n Jaggery filled rice dumplings steamed in Turmeric leaves

"Patholi" is a sweet dish prepared by the Konkani community on the festival of "NaagPanchami" or "Festival of the Snake God".

Its nothing but "Rice dumplings stuffed with Coconut and Jaggery and steamed in Turmeric leaves".

This is a very special delicacy and the speciality of this dessert is the lovely aroma that the turmeric leaves impart to the dumplings on steaming.

Another savoury side dish also prepared on this day is "Pathrode" or "Stuffed and Steamed Colocasia leaves" which I will be posting shortly.

Go'd Pohu or Poha Panchakajjai or Sweetened Beaten Rice

Here is a Beaten rice or Flattened rice dessert which is the most popular dessert made by the people of the Konkani community during festivals as "Prasadam" or offering to God.
The main benefit of beaten rice is that it is fat free,  cholesterol free and sodium free. Thus it is beneficial for obese and hypertensive patients. It is rich in riboflavin, vitamin E, Calcium, and Magnesium.
This dessert is easy to make and can be eaten as a snack as well.
I learnt this recipe from my Mom and make it during important Hindu festivals.

Raw Banana Stem Salad or "Gabbe Hashi" in Konkani

Raw Banana Stem Salad or "Gabbe Hashi" is another Konkani delicacy.
Banana stem is a potassium rich food with high fiber content and it has many other amazing health benefits. Most people include banana in their daily diet, but very few know that stem is also nutritive and has numerous health benefits. The stem is usually thrown away once the fruit is cut from the plant. So next time if you happen to find one, think of including it in your menu. Nowadays all Supermarkets have banana stem.
Banana stem is rich in fiber and helps weight loss. Due to rich fibre content, it helps body to feel full faster. The intake of food gets reduced by including banana stem to diet. It can be taken in the form of juice, but eating it as as whole and that too raw provides more benefits. Including it once or twice a week can help people looking for ways to cut down extra pounds.
When you buy Banana stem, peel off the outer 2-3 layers to get the tender stem inside which can be easily eaten raw. Cut the banana stem in round circular slices. Then cut the slices into thin slices. While cutting you can make out the hard pieces to discard.
The banana stem slices get dark as soon as you slice them, to prevent that you could keep them in in turmeric water.
This dish can be eaten both as a salad as well as a side dish with rice and dal.

Drumstick Flower Pancakes or "Mashinga Sange Phulla Polo"

The main health benefits of drumstick flowers are in the nutritional quality. The flowers of the plant are rich in Vitamin B1, B2, B3, Vitamin A, and vitamin C. There are also the minerals calcium, iron, phosphorus and magnesium to be found in these flowers as well. The health benefits of drumstick flowers are found in the levels of protein compared to other vegetables. This may be a very good source for vegetarians and it is said to have the highest protein amount compared to any other plant situated on Earth.
Here is a traditional Konkani delicacy made from Drumstick flowers that is easy to make and yet very nutritious.
It can be eaten as an evening snack as well as a side-dish in a meal.
The actual traditional method involves grinding Toor Dal and Rice in equal proportions and then adding the required spices, but here is simplified version of the same using using ready gram flour and rice flour.