Kidney and tomato

Ingredients
3 lambs kidneys, cleaned, cored and cubed
2 rashers of bacon, chopped
5 tomatoes, chopped
small bunch coriander leaves, chopped
small bunch mint leaves, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 inch piece ginger, chopped
2 green chilies, chopped
1 onion, minced or very finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Method
In a little oil fry the onions until they start to brown. Add the remaining
ingredients other than the kidney. Fry for 5 minutes then add the kidney, salt
and pepper. Cook until done. Serve on either fried or toasted bread.

Kassaundi (Aubergine pickle)

Ingredients
7 lb. aubergines, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 cups salt
4 cups sugar
4-5 cups oil
5 cups vinegar
1 1/2 cups tamarind (soaked in vinegar and strained)
handful curry leaves
Grind together the following:
1 1/2 cups chili powder
1 Tsp turmeric
4 Tsp mustard seeds
4 Tsp cumin seeds
4 Tsp fenugreek seeds
large piece of ginger (about a 10 inch piece or equivalent)
10 pods garlic

Method
Salt the aubergines and leave for three hours or so. Drain well and pat dry.

Neureos

Another traditional Goan Christmas treat.
Ingredients
1 lb. flour
2 Tsp. ghee
a pinch of salt
For the filling:
1 lb. sugar
1/2 cup water
1 half ripe coconut grated fine
100 g. cashew nuts (chopped very fine)
100 g. raisins
2 Tsp. ghee
6 cardamons (powdered)
oil for frying

Method
Mix flour, salt and ghee well, add just enough water to knead into a small
dough. Keep aside.

Heat sugar and water till a syrup is formed. Add the grated coconut, ghee and nuts. When the mixture has thickened, add raisins and cardamon powder. Remove from fire after the mixture turns quite dry. Cool and keep aside. Divide the dough into small balls, roll out into thin rounds, put a spoonful of the coconut filling on each round, wet the edges, press down to form half-moon shapes. Trim
edges preferably with a cutter and deep fry in hot oil.

In India, a paper back edition of this recipe book is available for about 30
rupees (~ US $ 1).

You can contact the author the following address: Joyce Fernandes D/5 Kundaikar
Nagar, Dada Vaidya Rd., Panjim, Goa. India. 403001

Chicken Shakuti I (chicken cooked in coconut)

Ingredients
1Kg chicken, cut into desired pieces (or or off the bone)
6 Tsp ghee
10 onions
2 coconuts – thick and thin milk extracted from one, the other grated
and roasted in a large pan with two of the onions (sliced) and a little
ghee. This should be roated until the coconut has gone a pale brown. Grind
this roasted coconut/onion mixture.
2 Tsp coriander seeds
5 peppercorns
15 dried red chilies dry roast the above and grind into a paste with a little water and add 1tsp turmeric.

Dry roast the following and grind into a paste with a little water:
6 cloves
1/2 inch piece cinnamon
1/2 nutmeg
3/4 Tsp aniseed
1 Tsp poppy seeds
2 limes

Method
Chop four of the onions and fry until light brown. Add the chicken and brown.
Add the coriander etc. paste, fry for a minute and then add the thin coconut
milk. Cook until chicken is tender. Cut the remaining onions into quarters and
add to the chicken, along with the roated coconut and cinnnamon etc, paste.
Simmer for a few minutes then add the thick coconut milk. Add salt if required.
Simmer for 10 minutes or so until sauce has thickened. Sprinkle over some
lime juice prior to serving.

Indian Mussels Goa-Style

A delicious shellfish recipe from Goa, using spices and fresh coconut.

Ingredients
2 1/4 lbs. mussels
4 Tbl. veg. oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 medium onion
6 cloves garlic
1 1/4 inch piece fresh ginger root
2 fresh hot chili peppers
1 tsp. turmeric
2 cups freshly grated coconut
1 tsp. salt

Method
Heat the oil and let the cumin seeds begin to spatter before adding
the finely chopped onion. Cook until it is soft. Grind the garlic and ginger
to a paste with a little water. Add the paste to the onion and, after a
few minutes, stir in the seeded and chopped chilies and turmeric. Add the
coconut, salt and about 10 fl. ozs. water. Simmer for about 5 minutes,
then add the scrubbed mussels, still in their shells. Mix well and simmer
for another 5 minutes or so, when all the shells should be open.

From Favorite Indian Food by Dianne Seed

Goan Fish Curry

Goan Machi All along the Konkan coast, a variety of fish and shellfish
are cooked in a hot sweet and sour coconut sauce. ‘Kokum’ fruit is used
with tamarind to produce a sour effect, but the curry can be made successfully
with limes or lemons as a replacement. I find the flavor improved if the
fish is prepared a day in advance.
1
Ingredients
3/4 lbs firm white fish fillets
1 tsp turmeric salt
2 tsp lemon juice
3 dried hot chili peppers
1 tsp cumin seed
2 tbls coriander seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
6 cloves garlic
1 1/4 inch piece peeled fresh gingerroot
2 1/2 cups freshly grated coconut
1 large onion
2 tbls veg. oil
5 fl. oz. tamarind juice
5 kokums or chopped
flesh from 1/2 lime or lemon
7 oz. peeled tomatoes
3 fresh hot green chili peppers

Method
Sprinkle the fish fillets with the turmeric, a little salt, and
the lemon juice. Leave for several hours. Grind the seeded red chili peppers,
cumin and coriander seeds, and peppercorns to a fine powder, then work
with the garlic, ginger and coconut in a food processor to form a smooth
paste. Chop the onion and fry in the heated oil until golden brown. Add
the spice paste and cook gently for 10 minutes. Pour in 1 quart of boiling
water and simmer for 20 minutes. Now put in the fish and it’s liquid, together
with the tamarind juice and the kokums. Cook gently for 10 minutes. Just
at the very end, add the chopped tomatoes and seeded green chili peppers.
from Favorite Indian Food by Diane Seed.

Caldeirada (layered vegetables and fish)

Caldeirada is a well known Portuguese dish which, I seem to remember,
uses a lot of shellfish. Here is a Goan version.

Ingredients
10 large mackerel or sardines, cleaned and head removed
4 large onions, sliced
2 large tomatoes, sliced
1 head of garlic, finely sliced
1 inch piece of ginger, finely sliced
3 tbls light oil
1 Tsp vinegar
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
4 bell peppers (red/green) and or green chilies
salt to taste

Method
Layer a few slices of onion and tomato in a pan. Place
1/2 the fish over onions an tomato. Add another layer of
onion/tomato and then another layer of fish. Sprinkle with the garlic and
ginger. Scatter over the remaining onion and tomato. Pour the oil, vinegar
and about 6-7 Tsp water over the fish. add salt is desired. Cook on a
low heat until fish is half done. Sprinkle turmeric over fish. Add peppers/chilies.

Cook until fish is tender.

Akki-Roti Courtesy: K. Raghunandana

Roti (flat bread) made out of rice flour, is perhaps the unique specialty of Karnataka. It is
in many ways similar to the Thali-peet of Maharashtra, but the ingredients are rice flour
based. Consequently, it happens to be the popular breakfast item in many homes of
Karnataka. Replace rice flour with Ragi flour and it becomes Ragi Roti, another great
favourite in Karnataka.
Ingredients
Akki hittu or Rice flour (ground rice – the coarse variety can also be used, but will have to
be kept a little longer after the dough is made using water)
freshly grated coconut (the dry variety available in stores may be powdered in a dry
grinder and used)
green chilies
fresh kothumbari soppu (dhaniya leaves)
jeerige (jeera, cumin seeds)
Hing (asafetida)
salt to taste.
Optional Ingredients
finely chopped onions
finely grated carrots
finely grated cabbage
BataaNi kaaLu (green peas, even the frozen variety is OK)
red chili powder instead of fresh green chilies.

Method
Take 500 gms of rice flour and add 3-4 finely chopped green chilies, chopped kothambari
soppu, 1 teaspoon of jeerige, a pinch of hing.
Add a handful of freshly grated coconut or powdered coconut.
Add water little by little as you mix them. Stop adding water when it can be rolled into one
lump (similar to wheat dough). The difference though is that this rice dough does not have
the elastic nature of wheat and therefore cannot be rolled out like a chapatti. So, this dough
has to be beaten into the pan. In order to do this, take a large flat pan or a Banale’ (Wok or
kayadyi), pour 2-3 teaspoons of oil at the centre. Keep a separate bowl of water.
Take out a small handful of rice dough (large lemon sized) and put it on top of the oil in the
middle of the pan.
Wet your hand in water, start gently pressing the dough from the centre outwards in circular
fashion. Keep repeating this by wetting the hand each time the dough starts sticking to your
hand. Continue beating outwards, till the dough spreads uniformly making a large circle.
Make sure the edges are not thick, by pressing them farther towards the outer
circumference. The oil should be just about enough to seep a little at the edges, finally. The
roti will be no thicker than a thin biscuit.
Now, make one hole in the centre using the forefinger, make four more holes about 2 inches
away from the centre in the four quarters of the circle. Pour in a few drops of oil into each
of these holes, a few drops of oil over the surface in general. These holes allow the steam
to escape and thereby keep the roti close to the pan. Close the pan with a lid, keep it on
medium flame. When the steam builds up and makes a sizzling noise (about 3-5 minutes),
take out the lid, use a flat shaped skillet to ease the roti out. Make sure that itis well baked
but not blackened. If you want it crisper, add a few drops of oil, continue to bake on low
flame for another 2-4 minutes. Take out and serve hot with a spoon of butter to go with.
After taking the roti out, it is necessary to cool the pan. This can be done either by simply
allowing it to cool down (takes longer) or turn the pan around, put the back of the pan
under cold running tap (quenching). The pan will be ready for the next round within
seconds. Generally, it is better to have two pans and alternate between them. Usually the
first roti needs more oil, subsequent ones need a spoon less.
The use of onion and grated vegetables gives an added taste to the roti. All these are mixed
before adding water and turned around well by hand. It is very common to do it with just
onions, not so common to do with vegetables or just plain roti. But adding chili powder
instead of chopped green chilies has adifference. It makes the roti reddish instead of white,
it also makes the khara (eravu, teekha) uniform. Particularly children may prefer green
chilies since it can be taken off after cooking, thereby keeping the roti mild.
BACK HOME DURING THE AVARE’ KAAYI (fresh Lilva) SEASON of Jan-March it is
common to add AVARE’ KaaLu to this roti (ooh, it tastes so good). Flat beans can be used
elsewhere, though the taste will not be in any way comparable toAvare’ KaaLu (fresh
Lilva) over which the people of Karnataka go gah gah ENJOY THIS NICE ONE ON A
WEEK-END. IT WILL MAKE YOU YEARN FOR MORE.

Avalakki Oggrane’

Courtesy: K. Raghunandana Prasad Venkatesh Narsipur The flat beaten rice called
Avalakki (poha or Aval) is used here. There are both the dry and wet varieties made
depending on the thickness of Avalakki (dry variety if it is thin).
Ingredients
250 gms of Avalakki (thick variety)
3-4 hasi meNasina kaayi (green chilies)
a handful of Kadale kaayi (groundnuts/peanuts)
freshly chopped kothumbari soppu (coriander leaves)
10-12 Karibevina ele (curry leaves)
handful of freshly grated coconut
1 teaspoon of Kadale bele’ (chana dal or bengal gram)
1 teaspoon of uddina bele’ (urid dal, black gram split)
half a piece of fresh green lime
1 spoon of mustard
Finely chopped onions (optional).

Method
In a banale’ (kadai or wok) or aluminium pan take 2-3 teaspoons
of oil, keep it on medium fire. Put the mustard and wait till it starts splitting. Add Kadale’
bele’ and uddina bele’ and Kadale kaayi (groundnut/peanuts). Stir with a large spoon.
Reduce the fire to low and continue to stir till both Kadale and uddina bele’ turn golden
brown and groundnuts also turn brown. Add chopped green chilies and chopped coriander
leaves. Add a pinch of arishina (turmeric, manjal, haldi powder). If using onions add now
and fry. (If using dry grated coconut add it now).
In a separate vessel, wash the Avalakki well, by adding water, stirring and then draining
the water. Repeat this 2-3 times. Finally drain the water and add fresh water just sufficient
to immerse the avalakki. Add salt to taste and allow it to soak for 2-3 minutes.
Now, take the soaked avalakki by hand and squeeze it to drain out water completely, and
put it into the pan. Continue this process until all the avalakki is transfered to pan. Turn
around until the avalakki is mixed well. Add the freshly squeezed juice from lime. Turn
around and then add freshly grated coconut. Close the pan with a lid and turn off the fire
after 1 minute. ENJOY THIS LOW FAT BREAKFAST WHICH IS LIGHT ON THE
STOMACH AND TASTY TOO
P.S: The dry variety is preared the same way except that the thin avalakki is not soaked in
water but fried in oil directly. Consequently, lime juice and grated coconut are not added.
Instead, dried grapes (kismish or oNa drakshi) are often added. This is popular in coastal
Karnataka and parts of Maharashtra too.
There is an entirely different version of avalakki which is purely for munching. This is
called Avalakki puri. Depending on ones taste either puffed Avalakki or simply puri (muri
or puffed white rice) is used. Even puffed rice available in cereal boxes can be used for
this. To prepare this munching the procedure is simple and is as follows:
In the pan keep 4-5 teaspoons of oil, add mustard and wait till it splits.Reduce the heat, add
4-5 pieces of broken red chili, add pieces of dried coconut (kobbari) or a handful of dry
grated coconut. Add a pinch of hing (asafetida), a pinch of turmeric. Add two handfuls of
groundnuts, also add a handful of huri-Kadale (bhunja chana or puri-kadala). Add a handful
of fresh curry leaves and turn around frying till they become crisp. Stir well and finally add
the puffed rice (puri or avalakki puri as the case may be). Turn around for a minute and
switch off the fire. Mix with salt to taste and allow it to cool, before storing in a box. It
makes a tasty, crispy munch anytime, which can be stored for well over a fortnight.