VINTAGE-Dahi Karela ...

As mentioned in my earlier post I will be posting some vintage recipes which I have collected over a long period of time..They are from friends and some are from very old books which are owned by me.
I will be putting in the recipes which are tried and tested by me and which I am sure have been very tasty. 
If I have made any changes in the recipe I will mention it in my post as I never ever follow a recipe exactly as it comes , I change it to suit my taste and make it my own that’s what is very important for me.
I will be mentioning the sources if I do have one, as most of the old recipes, which I have are on a piece of paper where the source of the book that they come from is not mentioned.
Please look out for tips on the recipes at the end of the post **
Today's second recipe is 

    
     DAHI-KARELA (Bitter gourd in curd sauce)

 **
 TIPS:
1.Do not add the tomatoes
2.slice Karela or bitter gourd into thin slices .
3.do not soak in the curds,squeeze out salt and fry
4.add fried onion, garlic salt , chillies and fresh        coriander to the curd mix
5. add 1 tsp of sugar to 1 cup of curds with a little salt
6 add fried karela just before serving. 

I have posted this recipe in my Goan food blog because this recipe is made in Goa and loved by all goans. it is a side dish very much like a raita or salad.
I will be posting Non goan vintage recipes on my other food blog so those interested please check those out too.. at www.love4cooking.blogspot.com

PLEASE DO COMMENT BELOW AND LET ME KNOW YOUR VIEW..ITS IMPORTANT TO ME.


 

VINTAGE RECIPES...

I am a collector of books especially cook books and Interior books.. I have been buying books since the last 15 yrs and have a huge collection of them.. In India as space is always not enough .It becomes a big problem storing these books and it takes me a lot of time and effort to arrange and keep all the books in place.
Its my project this year , to go through all my loose recipes i.e recipes which I have taken copies from old cookbooks and filed . 
I am planning to discard a few of them as I have cooked them before ( I have never ever followed a single recipe from a book as it is , I always make changes , to make it my own and hence I do not need the exact recipe for making a dish ). Its my hobby to collect cookbooks read them and also as they grow older my fondness for them increases which makes it impossible for me to discard them.
But the loose pages which I have either torn from old books or magazines or had taken copies from friends who owned those books these pages are giving away as they are old. The copies have been  taken over a long period of time hence I do not know which books they come from or the source..
So It just passed my mind that I should not let a old recipe go to waste why not share  with like minded friends and then discard it.. Will my friends and  all my readers like it if I do so more often because I have a lot to share.. It would be great if you tell me what you feel .
HERE IS MY FIRST RECIPE OF 

MUSHROOM-CHICKPEA CURRY.

This is a simple curry made with chickpeas and mushrooms 

CLICK ON RECIPE TO ENLARGE.

Each of my recipes are tried and tested unless mentioned but I change them to suit my taste you can do so too ,and if I feel that there are some tips to be given I will share them here at the end of the recipe.

DRUMSTICK CURRY.....

I love this curry in the dry or wet form..It is tasty in whatever form it is made..
Its my hubby's favorite and thats the reason I learnt to make it and now I love it too.. hehe..
Here is the recipe for you ...
Please tell me if you have any more recipes with drumsticks which you can share with all bloggers.. 

Ingredients:-

4 drumsticks cut into 2 inch long pieces

¾ cup grated coconut.

A small marble size ball of jaggery

Grind to paste :-

½ cup grated coconut.
turmeric powder – a pinch
chili powder – 1 tsp or according to taste
Salt to taste

Coriander seeds - 1 tsp

Whole Pepper-1/4 tsp

Whole Jeera-1/2 tsp

A little tamarind paste

small marble sized ball of Jaggery. 

Tempering :-

Oil

Mustard seeds

5-6 methi seeds

½ tsp Hing or asoefotida

Method:-

Cut drumsticks into finger's length pieces (2-1/2"). Remove some of the outer hard fibers of the sticks to expose the inner soft layer.

Boil the drumsticks in water with a little salt and turmeric until the drumstick is tender.

Grind together grated coconut, pepper, coriander seeds, salt, chili powder, turmeric powder, a little jaggery in a blender.

 Heat oil in a kadai mustard seeds, and let them splutter. Then add the hing and methi seeds stir (take care not to brown them or they turn bitter)add a little water to this baghar or tempering to prevent it from burning..

Boil the drumsticks in this water with a little salt and turmeric until the drumstick is tender.

Stir take care not to break the drumsticks as they are very tender at this stage.

To this add the ground paste and cook on a medium flame.

The consistency of the gravy entirely depends on your preference , it can be either thick and watery or dry (use less water while grinding).

 
 

NUTRITIOUS SIMPLE DISH****

This is one dish that is nutritionally complete according to me...This is a dish that can be very easily prepared in the shortest possible time and also is a very healthy dish for young and old alike.

I prepare this for my dear little niece who is just one and half years old whenever she comes visiting and I am rest assured that it will be consumed with delight..
It  is normally cooked for toddlers who have jsut started therir solid food as it can be made into a semi solid consistency by adding more water by cooking, which is easy for the babies without teeth to swallow.  Its cooked in a pressure cooker so you can add all the possible vegetables with it to make it nutritious and wholesome.Some of the vegetables that you can add and taste good with rice and dal are are carrots , peas,bottle gourd,potato,etc..
This versatile preparation is called as "KHICHDI"
I remember my great grandmother who was around 90 when I have memories of her would have this for her meals almost thrice a week hence we know that its good for the aged  who have lsot their teeth and do not have much digestive power to eat heavy and rich food, who prefer such preparations as it fills them up without being an overload on their digestive system.
We normally eat Khichdi with a bowl of curd and salad which makes the meal complete with all the nutrient as the rice gives the carbs, vegetables give the vitamins and minerals , the dal and curds provide the proteins..
As it is such a complete meal , its an important item provided in schools for kids as a mid-morning meal for those  who are underprivileged  .


 INGREDIENTS AND METHOD:
wash and soak together 1 cup rice and 1/2 cup moong dal
Take a pan add one tbsp oil when hot add mustard seeds, hing,jeera,2 red chillies and curry leaves temper
add the chopped vegetables of your choice
stir and then add soaked rice and moong dal 
Add salt and a little jaggery (marble size)
Add 3 cups water if cooking outside in a pan add 21/2 cups water if cooking in a pressure cooker.
Add 1 tsp lemon juice
cook till done or for 3 cooker whistles..
serve hot garnished with finely chopped coriander and freshly grated coconut
You can pour a spoon full of pure clarified butter on ghee over it while serving.

MIX-VEGETABLE DISH

If you have been following my blog you must have read about this dish here which is called as KHATKATE

in Goa , its a mixed vegetable dish which is highly nutritious and pretty to look at...

Its a very elaborate preparation and needs a lot of planning , time to make it as there is lots of chopping and cutting involved...

This dish is made for  festive occasions at our house, but nowadays I make it with less ingredients , so that I can make it more often..

The most important vegetable in this dish is the red pumpkin which is a must..... the other ingredients can be added according to the availability in your fridge.

VEGETABLE WITH GOURD*****

I am sure that there will be many who will just skip this post as " GOURD" is not a vegetable which I have seen anyone relish with passion...

Its a vegetable which is quite tasteless on its own . You have to cook it in such a way that its goodness is enhanced and what you do get a tasty vege..

 But one thing you have to remember it cannot be made into a very spicy vegetable its best if eaten with a little spice and minimum oil.

I have to admit that I too never liked to eat this vegetable if given a choice....but it so happened that last year I had a to go through a surgery and so for my recovery, eating this vegetable was the best option for me....

My mom who loves this vegetable and can eat it in large quantities used to make it everyday for me with the miniumum of spices and oil and as I did not eat anything else but this it made me feel good and healthy and that's how I came to appreciate its benefits and now it falls into one of my favorite food categories..

Here I have combined two types of gourds and tried to make it healthier .. Its a great vegetable for kids as well , its the best option as compared to the other rich and oily vegetable that one has...

Although its not a party vegetable its definetly something that one should try to cook once a week at home and make sure that your family eats it 

I have used a snake gourd and a bottle gourd in this vegetable. If you are interested you can find the benefits of a snake gourd here and read about a bottle gourd here

RECIPE WITH INGREDIENTS AND METHOD

Chop the gourds (total about 1/2 kg) into medium size cubes or slices according to your preference.

Take a pan , heat it and add about 2 tsp oil , add a tsp of cumin seeds let them splutter add 1/2 tsp of asoefotida, 2 chopped green chillies (chillies can be reduced in case of illness or other health problems) .stir a little and then add a 1/2 tsp of haldi powder

Add pre-soaked chana dal (this is optional ) you can also add small tiny cubes of potato , this combination gives a different taste to the vegetable.

add the chopped gourd , salt and a small marble size ball of jaggery.

add about 1/2 cup water and cook till tender , here you can add a tsp of dhania-jeera powder (this is again optional) and finely garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.

POTATO RASSA....

 In the above photos you will see a very simple meal which is also a whole meal that can be made in a jiffy
potato , onion vegetable and rice flour roti...

UKADICHE MODAK (STEAMED MODAKS)

These little babies are my favorite....
I love the way they look and also the way they taste....
These are Ganapati's favorite food , which used to be made once a year, only on ganesh chaturti day . But now i make them more often as they are liked and enjoyed by almost everyone...
Those seen here were made on the 23rd of August which was the ganesh chaturti day and i made lots and lots of them to be devoured and shared with all those who like to eat them.

Ingredients
STUFFING.
2 cups grated coconut
1 cup grated jaggery you can use more to suit your taste
1 tsp finely ground cardamom powder
you can add these according to preference golden raisins,finely chopped cashewnuts or almonds.
a little ghee to moisten the mixture while cooking.
COVER
For one cup basmati rice flour
one cup water
a pinch of salt and a spoon full of ghee.
METHOD:
Below you will see the sweet in a green leaf next to the modak's , those are called Patolyo in Goa here the stuffing is the same as the modaks for the recipe read here. The only difference is the way in which the covering is made although the ingredients are the same.
so let me tell you how the covering for the modak is made.
take a vessel with one cup of water boil
when it starts boiling add a spoon of salt and ghee
stir and let it come together , stir it for some more time and cover for about 2 mins
Take care to see that it does not stick to the bottom ( so its always better to cook this in a alumimium kadai or a non-stick kadai)
Take this mixture into a plate and cook a little
put ghee on your hands and knead it like a dough.
make small balls out of the dough and roll into small rounds
you have to catch this puris in your palms (left hand-for the right handed)and fill it with the stuffing and then take the ends together and make it into a point on top..(with your right hand )**smiles....*
It makes me smile because of the way i have explained, i know it is very difficult for a novice to understand this when they havent actually seen it being made, its easy for me to explain as i can see it in front of my eyes... dont worry look at the picture and try to make the shape and dont worry atall even if it is not perfect as it will definetly taste perfect ** thumbsup....***
After you complete this part you have to steam it in a steamer for about 10-12 mins .
eat it as it is or cut them in the center and drizzle a spoon full of warm pure homemade ghee ...
**yumm.....***.

CARROT SALAD......

This is according to me the most fascinating looking salad so simple to make and so very healthy for young and old alike.
I usually make this salad when i have something spicy on the menu like a goan chicken curry or some spicy vegetable preparation.
Here is the simple recipe the proportions are according to each persons liking
chop carrots finely or in a chopper.
take boiled kabuli chana or chickpeas take 1/4 the amount of carrots taken.
green chillies chopped, mustard seeds, jeera seeds, asoefotida,curryleaves (for tempering)
coriander leaves for garnish.
a little grated coconut for garnish.a little lemon juice too.
Take a kadai,add a little oil or ghee
add the ingredients for tempering
Then add the chopped carrots and the chickpeas.
add salt, sugar and a little lemon juice..
garnish with freshly grated coconut and coriander leaves.

DIWALI GOAN ISTYLE....

We stay in Mumbai but celebrate Diwali in a very traditional way as it is celebrated in Goa,
The first day of Diwali is very important for a goan , The lady of the house gets up early and after a bath prepares 5 different poha dishes each tasting different from the other.
An usal and ambada sasav is also prepared to accompany the poha.



BATATA POHA

DUDHATALE (MILK POHA)

BUTTERMILK OR CURD POHA

WHITE VATANA USAL

AMBADYACHE SASAV


POHA ARRANGED ON OUR DINING TABLE

ROSATLE POHA OR COCONUT MILK POHA

KALAYLLE POHA (POHA MIXED BY HAND NOT COOKED WITH JAGGERY ,GRATED COCONUT AND GREEN CHILLIES)

poha are prepared by my mother in law , she loves to prepare all these herself and that too as early as possible , it gives her great pleasure to serve them well before all the other members of the family and up and ready for the diwali celebration and the ' OVALANI'

SABUDANA WADA....

HI!!!! FRIENDS , I AM BACK .... I AM STILL QUITE BUSY , BUT WILL TRY TO PUT IN A RECIPE OR TWO AS AND WHEN I GET TIME... DID YOU MISS ME??? WILL BE GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL WHO REGULARLY READ MY BLOG

SABUDANA WADA, I am sure all Maharashtrian must be making this sometime time or the other especially during fasting days.

It’s my son’s favorite and usually a breakfast or snack item on his birthday.

INGREDIENTS

2 potatoes boiled and mashed
1 cup sago or sabudana soaked in just enough water to soak it.
¼ cup roasted and coarsely ground peanut powder
2 green chilies finely chopped
Finely chopped coriander
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp roasted and coarsely ground jeera or cumin powder (you can add whole jeera)
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

METHOD

Very easy to prepare!!!!!
Take a bowl and mix all the ingredients together.
Shape into round balls as shown in the picture.
Or you can flatten them
deep fry in hot oil.
Eat with green chutney or tomato ketchup.

GANESH CHATURTI DAY THALI....

This is a long pending post...
I had posted about ganesh chaturti day some days back. Writing about the food i had on that day just slipped my mind.
so here are some of the photos that i clicked



KAKDI KOSHAMBIR

MOONGACHY GATHI

PAPAD KOSHAMBIR AND MANGO PICKLE

(THALI OF THE DAY)UKADECHE MODAK

TANDOOL OR RICE ROTI....

Tandool bhakri or Rice roti is a very good roti in place of wheat roti for chicken or fish curries.
If you go to a malwani or goan restaurant you will find it on the menu, my son always prefers to take this rice roti at restaurants.
This was my first try at making a rice roti my the following method explain in this post and it did come out well , I made a rice roti a couple of years back but the method was different, I made it just like we do a wheat flour chapatti or roti.But I found that when done in the way I have done it in this recipe it turns out to be soft and succulent


INGREDIENTS

1 cup rice flour
1 cup water
1 tsp ghee
Salt to taste

METHOD

Boil one cup water
Add ghee and salt
Add the rice flour and stir
It will become dry, keep a lid and let it cook for about 2 mins
Take this mixture on a place and let it cool a little
Knead as you would knead the wheat flour dough, you can apply a little oil on your palms as the dough will be hot.
Roll these as you would for any other roti. Don’t use flour for dusting.
Cook them on a hot tawa.
Serve with some hot and spicy chicken or fish curry.
I had served it with a potato bhaji , but after eating it I felt that it suits best with non vegetarian gravies.