Basundi - A Western Indian Milk Dessert

Basundi is a very popular western Indian dessert served on all special occasions in Gujrat and Maharashtra.
I first ate this dessert in Mumbai and loved it instantly.
A very easy to make dessert and requires no special ingredients other than those always available in our kitchen.
This dessert involves reducing the milk to half its quantity by continuously boiling the milk. Remember Basundi made from 200 ml of milk would be sufficient for just one person, hence when making this dessert for parties would mean more quantity of milk and a little more time.
However, its one of the most easy to make party desserts as they can be served in individual bowls and refrigerated a few hours before.

"Bhenda Sagle" or Lady's Finger Masala (Konkani Style)

Lady's Finger is a good provider of good bacteria called the probiotics which help in digestion. It also consists of good amounts of vitamin A, required for growth and repair of skin as well as maintain vision. There are also fair amounts of vitamin C, which boosts immumnity.
There are good amounts for dietary fiber present, hence it is low in colories and considered good for people on weight loss.
Here is simple and an old traditional Konkani recipe that I learnt from my Mom. Lady's finger is also known as "Bhe'nd" in Konkani which is a favourite with all of us at home.
Made with very few and easily available ingredients at home, this dish goes well both with rotis as well as rice and dal.

Sardines curry or Pedve Ghashi (Konkani Style)

Sardines are rich in numerous nutrients that have been found to support cardiovascular health. They are one of the most concentrated sources of the omega-3 fatty acids, which have been found to lower triglycerides and cholesterol levels. Also an excellent source of vitamin B12 that promotes cardiovascular well-being.
Sardines are not only a rich source of bone-building vitamin D but also a very good source of phosphorus, a mineral that is important to strengthening the bone matrix. Hence eating sardines atleast twice a week, is good to ward off osteoporosis.

Here is a simple and quick to make Sardines curry also known as "Pedve Ghashi" in Konkani. This curry is very famous with the konkani community in and around Mangalore. Its tasty and also healthy as it requires no oil except for the optional garnishing.

Heerekai Bonda or Ridge Gourd Fritters

A famous evening snack of the Kannadigas of Bengaluru and surrounding regions is the "Heerekai Bonda" or Ridge Gourd fritters.
No matter what the occasion, this is one snack /side dish which will always be made.
On festivals like Ugadi and Sankranti this bonda is served as a side dish with Bisibelebath.
This "Heerekai Bonda" is also one of the snacks served during most tea parties along with "Kesaribath" and "Kharabath".
Infact this used to be the standard menu for tea parties in the 70s and 80s.
Easy to make but yes a bit of an indulgence since this involves deep frying.
However, my practice is to use as little oil as possible and fry one or two bondas at a time and then drain on paper towels, and also discard the oil after use.
A good snack on a rainy monsoon evening too.

Ethiopian Lamb

This is another Ethiopian dish I love and used to have it quite often during my Europe trips.
This delicacy also uses the "Berbere" powder/masala which is just like our Indian Garam Masala.
I know everyone who made "Ethiopian Wot" that I published earlier, loved the dish.
So I decided to publish another one with lamb.
This is a gravy dish and can be best enjoyed with rotis or rice.

"Magge Thoy" or Malabar Cucumber Rasam

This is an easy and quick to cook side-dish cum accompaniment for rice, especially on days when you do not feel like cooking both a side dish and a rasam or dal.
I learnt this dish from my paternal grandmother would make it in a jiffy.
And yet it tastes so good.
Hence am sharing this recipe with you.
This vegetable is called "Magge" in Konkani and known as "Mangalore or Malabar cucumber" in the shops I buy them from, but any other fleshy vegetable which gets soft on boiling like ash gourd or pumpkin could be used.
This vegetable is widely used in Mangalorean, Kerala and Goan curries.

Cheese n Mushroom Stuffed Green Chillies

Green chilies have high Vitamin A and Vitamin C content. A good source of Potassium and Iron.
The burn experienced by eating chili helps digestion. A chemical named Capsaicin and the seeds give green chili the heat, which helps in dissolving blood clots and improve digestion.
Green chili treats wrinkles. It burns a lot of calories, and decreases your appetite to some extent.

So having these Stuffed Green chillies as a starter to your meal is good to control weight.