Author: Radha Ganapathy

Beetroot Stir Fry (Chonda Kande Bartad) Kodava Style

Beetroot is a root vegetable that adds color to our plate. We love this vegetable and use it in salads, curries and fries. Beetroot salad is a hot favorite in our home and I have shared its recipe in an earlier post.

Beetroot is a very healthy vegetable packed with nutrition. They are an excellent source of folate, potassium, manganese, vits. C and A. They are believed to reduce inflammation, protect cells from damage, increase stamina and prevent heart disease. Since they are a good source of fibre, they provide the gut with good bacteria and boost immunity (Source: WebMD).

This Beetroot stir fry is made across south India with a few variations from region to region. It is called Thoran in Kerala, Poriyal in Tamilnadu and Palya in Karnataka. Here is a simple Kodava recipe to make a Beetroot stir fry (Chonda Kande Bartad) that is packed with flavors. It is a healthy and delicious dish that is easy to make with vey few ingredients so that its goodness is preserved.

You’ll need the following ingredients:

Ingredients

2 medium-sized Beetroots, peeled and cut into small pieces as shown in the picture below

1 medium-sized Onion, chopped fine

2 Green Chilies, slit

¼  tsp Mustard seeds

8-10 Curry leaves

2 tbsp Oil

2 tbsp grated Coconut

Salt to taste

Method

  1. In a pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds. When it sputters, add the onions. When it turns pink, add the green chilies and the curry leaves.
  2. After a minute add the cut beetroots. Stir well. Add ¾ cup water and let it come to a boil. Add salt and allow it to cook on a slow flame till well cooked.
  3. Once the beetroots are well cooked, add the grated coconut and stir well. Cook  on a slow flame till all the moisture has evaporated.

Beetroot stir fry is ready to eat as shown below.

This dish is a great addition to a lunch or dinner menu and goes well with white rice and vottis.

Hope you enjoy making this dish!

Kodava Kumbala Thoppu Bartad (Tender Pumpkin Leaves Stir Fry)

A simple stir fry

In Kodagu or Coorg, tender Pumpkin or Squash leaves fry is a delicacy! These days it is quite rare to get them. Once upon a time, there was an abundance of pumpkin vines in every home kitchen garden in the backyard. The tender leaves were easy to get. They have a unique flavor and are a treat with Akki Vottis. In our home, we have relished this combination on many a day at the breakfast table. 

Pumpkin leaves are low in Sodium, and very low in Cholesterol. They are also a good source of Niacin, dietary fiber, protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.

IMG_0993

The tender pumpkin leaves are cooked with onions and red chilies. The split chickpeas and a generous amount of grated coconut, add the additional flavors to make this a delicacy.

If you have access to the tender pumpkin leaves, here is a way to turn them into a delicious fry. 

IMG_0997

Ingredients

2 bunches of tender Pumpkin leaves

1 Large Onion, sliced

1 Red Chili, broken into two pieces

1 Tbsp. Chana Dal or split Chickpeas soaked for 2 hours in water

2 tsps.  grated Coconut

Salt to taste

For the seasoning

1 Tbsp. Oil

1/2 tsp. Mustard seeds

Method

  1. Wash and chop the pumpkin leaves as shown in the pictures.

2. Heat the oil. When it is hot, add mustard seeds and let it sputter.

3. Add the sliced onions and the red chilli and stir till the onions turn translucent.

4. Add the cut pumpkin leaves and let it cook on a slow flame. (10 minutes)

5. Add the Chana Dal and salt. Mix well.

6. Finally add the grated coconut. Mix well. Keep stirring from time to time till all the moisture evaporates.

IMG_0996

Kumbala Thoppu Bartad (Pumpkin leaves stir fry) is now ready to savor with Akki Votti. Eat it with a dollop of butter or ghee (clarified butter) for that taste of home! 

Hope you enjoy making this dish! I would be happy to hear from you.

Note: Should you be unable to get tender Pumpkin leaves, you could substitute it with any other greens like radish leaves, Red Amaranthus or Malabar Spinach. 

 

Raw Banana Fry (Kari Baale Bartad) Kodava Style

Once upon a time Bananas were grown in every home and estate in Kodagu and Kodagu was famous for various varieties of Bananas like Mara Baale and Yellakki Baale which are indigenous to the Kodagu highlands. While these crops have dwindled over the years, Bananas are still an important part of our cuisine. Bananas, both raw and ripe, are used in our recipes to make fritters, fries and sweet dishes.

Raw Bananas are a great source of Potassium, Vitamins-C and B6 and fibre. They are considered highly efficacious in people with diabetes and have probiotic properties making it good for the gut. (Source: Health Benefits Times). Raw Banana is used in a variety of dishes from kebabs to curries.

Here is a simple recipe from Kodagu to make a fry using Raw Banana or Kari Baale that is packed with flavors. It is a healthy and delicious dish that is easy to make. This dish is generally served as an accompaniment with white rice and rasam for lunch or dinner.

You’ll need the following ingredients:

Ingredients (For 2)

2 Raw Bananas, peeled and cut into small pieces (as shown in image below)

1 big Onion, chopped fine

½ tsp Mustard seeds

8-10 Curry leaves

2 tbsp Oil

Salt to taste

½ tsp Kachumpuli/Tamarind paste

1 tsp Coriander powder

½ tsp Jeera powder

½ tsp Chilli powder

¼ tsp Turmeric

Method

  1. Soak the banana pieces in water for 10 minutes.
  2. In a bowl, mix all the powders, coriander, jeera, chilli and turmeric, with ¼ cup of water to form a paste.
  3. In a pan, heat oil. When hot, add mustard seeds and let it sputter.
  4. Now add chopped onion and curry leaves. Fry till it becomes transparent. Add the powder paste and fry for a few minutes. Add ¾ cup water and boil on a slow flame. Add salt and Kachumpuli or tamarind paste and cook till the raw smell goes.
  5. Add the cut Bananas and allow it to cook on a slow flame till done.

Raw Banana fry or Kodava Kari Baale Palya is ready to eat. It is served as a side dish during lunch or dinner and goes very well with white rice.

Malabar Spinach Stir Fry (Kodava Basale Thoppu Bartad)

A simple and healthy stir fry

We all know how healthy it is to include green leafy vegetables in our diet. One such green wonder is the Malabar Spinach (Scientific name: Basella Alba), a plant native to India and Indonesia, which is available all year through. It is also known as Ceylon Spinach, Saan Choy (China), Mong Toi (Vietnam) and Alugbati (Phillippines). In India, we know it by different names like Poi Saag (Hindi), Poi Bhaji (Gujrati), Pui Shak (Bengali), Poi Saga (Odia), Basale Soppu (Tamil and Kannada), Basale Cheera (Malayalam), Bachali Koora (Telugu), Valchi Bhaji (Marathi) and Basale Thoppu in Kodava Thakk.

The Malabar Spinach is a vine that can be easily grown in a pot or in your backyard and comes in two varieties: green and red. Once upon a time, these creepers could be found in every home. We grow them in our backyard even today and ensure that we include it in our diet from time to time. It is a treat to harvest the leaves and make a nice stir fry from them.

Malabar Spinach in our Backyard

The Malabar Spinach is an excellent source of iron, calcium, Vit A, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. It is also rich in B-complex vitamins like folate, Vit B6 and riboflavin. Its leaves are packed with antioxidants. Thus, this green leafy vegetable is packed with power. Here are some of the health benefits of Malabar Spinach. It is proven to promote good heart health, lowers depression, prevents dementia, cures anemia and reduces the risk of cancer. (Source: Netmeds)

Today, I am sharing an easy recipe using the Malabar Spinach or Basale Thoppu as we call it. The leaves are cooked with green chillies and onions and generously sprinkled with coconut scrapings. This is a simple way to cook the greens while preserving their goodness. This recipe can be used to cook most greens like Chonda Keera (Red Amaranthus), Kakke Thoppu and other greens.

Here’s the recipe.

Ingredients (for 2)

Two bundles of Malabar Spinach leaves

1 medium sized Onion, chopped fine

2 green chillies, slit and deseeded

2 tbsps.  Grated Coconut

¼ tsp. Mustard seeds

1 tbsp. Vegetable oil

Salt to taste

Method

  1. Wash the Malabar Spinach leaves thoroughly and cut fine.
  2. In a thick bottomed pan, heat oil. Once it is hot, add the mustard seeds and let it sputter.
  3. Next, add the green chillies and the chopped onions. Fry till the onions turn transparent.
  4. Add the Malabar Spinach leaves and salt and stir well. Cook on a slow flame till the leaves are well cooked. Finally, add the grated coconut and mix well. Keep stirring till all the water evaporates.

Malabar Spinach fry is ready! This is great with Akki Vottis, Chapathis and Phulkas. It can also be served as a side dish with rice.

Kodava Avare Kuru (Double Beans ) Curry

The Double Beans or the Avare Kuru as we call it in Kodagu is a versatile bean that tastes great in a Pulav or in a curry. Once upon a time, they were grown in most homes in Kodagu or Coorg. Since this vegetable is seasonal, after using the fresh beans to make curries, the rest would be dried and carefully stocked for use during the rest of the year.

Like all beans, these Double beans are an excellent source of protein, fibre and minerals. Hence, they are a great inclusion in any diet. Additionally, they are low in fat, cholesterol and sodium.

It feels amazing to pick fresh vegetables from the garden and cook with them. These beans come in various colors and are a pleasure to grow. I love picking the fresh beans, shelling them, and making this delicious curry which is creamy, with earthy flavors. It is best enjoyed with hot Akki Vottis and a generous spoon of butter or ghee (clarified butter).

Here is a recipe to make a delicious Avare Kuru Curry. Hope you enjoy making it. Do share your comments.

You’ll need the following ingredients to make Avare Kuru Curry:

Ingredients (To make curry for 2)

100 gms fresh Red Double Beans, peeled and shelled

1 medium Potato, peeled and cut into small pieces the size of the beans

½ tsp Coriander powder

½ tsp Cumin powder

½ tsp Chilli powder

¼ tsp Turmeric powder

1 medium Onion, diced

1 medium Tomato, diced

½ cup grated Coconut, ground to a fine paste

1tsp Tamarind juice

Salt to taste

½ tsp sugar

A handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped

For the tempering:

1tbsp cooking oil

¼ tsp Mustard seeds

10-12 Curry leaves

4-6 small cloves of Garlic, crushed

Method

  1. In a pressure cooker, cook the beans and the potatoes in enough water to which salt has been added. Add turmeric, chilli, cumin and coriander powders and mix well. It will require 3 whistles.
  2. In a pan, heat oil. When it is hot, add mustard seeds and let it sputter. Add crushed garlic and fry for a few seconds. Add the onions and fry till it turns brown.Next, add the curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
  3. Now add the tomato and let it cook well. When it leaves the sides, add the cooked beans and potatoes.  Boil till the raw smell goes.
  4. Next, add the coconut paste and sugar. Mix well.
  5. Finally, add the tamarind juice and mix well. Adjust the salt if necessary. Turn off the flame.
  6. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Delicious Avare Kuru curry is ready to serve! This curry is best served with hot Akki Vottis and a dollop of ghee.

Enjoy!

Notes:

If you are using dried double beans, make sure that you soak the seeds overnight.

Broken Rice Pudding (Kodava Akki Tari Payasa)

The healthiest food is home cooked food. On this blog, my aim has been to share healthy and nutritious recipes from across India, more so from my home town of Kodagu or Coorg.

As I resume blogging, I want to share a delicious and healthy sweet dish recipe that is generally made at our weddings and festivals. I had shared this recipe earlier during the pandemic. I was happy to see that the Conde Naste Traveller had featured my post in their article titled “13 recipes from Coorg that will tingle your taste buds“.

The Rice Rava pudding is made from broken rice or rice rava. It is easily available in most supermarkets. To this rava, add milk, jaggery, cardamom, coconut paste and dry fruits and you have a creamy and delicious pudding that you will certainly enjoy. This pudding can be served hot or cold. We love to eat it hot with a spoon of ghee for added nutrition!

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Rice Rava Pudding or Akki Tari Payasa From Coorg

Here’s how to make it.

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To make Rice Rava Pudding for two, you will need the following ingredients:

½ cup Rice Rava (Akki Tari)

¼ cup thick Jaggery syrup

1 cup Milk

6 Cardamoms, peeled and crushed

1/2 cup Coconut, grated and ground to a fine paste

5-6 Cashews

15 Raisins

1 Tbsp. Ghee or Clarified Butter

A pinch of salt

Method

  1. Wash the rice rava. To this, add two cups of water and let it stand for 10 minutes. Rice Rava 2
  2. Cook the rice rava till done. (If you use a pressure cooker, it would require three whistles.)Cooked Rice Rava
  3. Transfer the cooked rice rava into a thick bottomed pan. Add the milk and salt and heat this mixture till it comes to a boil. Lower the flame and let it cook for 5-7 minutes while stirring constantly.IMG_1613
  4. Now add the jaggery syrup, raisins and the coconut paste and mix well. Let this mixture simmer for 5-7 minutes. Keep stirring from time to time. Should you find the mixture to be too thick, add 1/2 cup of milk and bring it to a boil.IMG_1612
  5. In a small pan, heat the ghee. Fry the cashew nuts and add it to the above mixture and mix well. Turn off the flame.

Your Rice Rava Pudding or Akki Tari Payasa is ready to serve. You can serve it hot or cold. Should you decide to serve it hot, please do add a spoon of ghee to your bowl and enjoy the payasa.

Do let me know how you like this pudding.

Coconut Chutney-3

Here’s yet another chutney from Kodagu that will tickle your tastebuds!

This chutney brings together the wholesome goodness of coconut with raw onion. When this mixture meets the fiery green chilli and the tangy tamarind, it is transformed into a flavorful chutney. This chutney is generally served with Akki Votti in Kodagu.

Let’s learn to make this simple chutney.

Ingredients

½ cup grated Coconut

1 Green Chilli

1 tbsp. Tamarind Pulp

½ a small Onion

Salt to taste

For the Seasoning:

½ tsp. Mustard seeds

A sprig of Curry leaves (optional)

Method

  1. Grind all the ingredients to a rough paste. Add a little water if required.
  2. Heat oil and add mustard seeds when hot. Turn off the flame when the mustard seeds sputter and add the curry leaves.
  3. Add this seasoning to the ground ingredients and mix well.

Your coconut chutney is ready!

While this chutney is generally served with Akki Votti, you can serve it with idlis, dosas and chapathis too.

Notes:

  1. You can substitute the tamarind with lime juice.
  2. You can also add a small piece of ginger to enhance the taste.

You may like to check out the recipes for coconut chutney posted earlier.

Coconut Chutney – 1

Coconut Chutney – 2

Egg Curry, Kodava Style

A simple and delicious Egg Curry from Kodagu

Eggs are one of the most nutritious food items. They are a rich source of protein, Vitamins-A, B12, D, E, K, Zinc, Calcium and Folate (Source: healthline.com).

They can be cooked in so many different ways and are very versatile.

In this post, I am sharing a recipe to make a curry with eggs. This Kodava style egg curry is easy to make and very delicious. When the eggs are immersed in a sauce made of onions, tomatoes, coconut and spices, it makes for a great treat. This curry is a great combination with Paputtu or Noolputtu or even Ghee Rice.

Here’s how to make this lip-smacking curry.

Ingredients

For 4 people

4 Eggs, hard boiled

2 Potatoes

2 Tomatoes, chopped fine

1 big Onion, chopped fine

½ a Coconut, ground to a fine paste

2 tsp Ginger and Garlic paste

A few sprigs of Mint leaves

A few sprigs of Coriander leaves

1 tsp Coriander powder

½ tsp Chili powder

½ tsp Jeera powder

¼ tsp Turmeric powder

2 tbsp Oil

Salt to taste

Method

  1. Peel the hard boiled eggs and halve them.
Peeled and Halved Eggs
Potatoes, cut into large pieces

2. Peel the potatoes and cut as shown in the image above.

3. Add chopped onions. When it turns translucent, add the ginger-garlic paste and fry well.

4. Next, add the chopped tomatoes and salt. When the oil separates, add the powders and mix well. Add a little water and cook till the mixture resembles a paste.

5. Add the coconut paste and mix well. Let this mixture boil for 2-3 minutes. Add the potato pieces and let it cook.

6. When the potatoes are cooked and the gravy thickens, gently slide in the halved eggs and reduce the flame. Let the gravy simmer for a few minutes. Remove from fire.

7. Decorate with chopped coriander and  mint leaves.

The Egg Curry is ready to be eaten with Kodava dishes like Paputtu, Noolputtu or Ghee Rice. You could also pair it with any bread of your choice.

Hope you enjoy this curry!

Ginger Yoghurt Raita or Mor Pajji From Kodagu

There’s something special about a mother’s recipes. However hard you may try, you cannot seem to recreate the same flavors. But sometimes you succeed and that gives you so much joy! The special ingredient of love that goes into every dish makes it delicious!

In this post, I am sharing another of my mother’s recipes.

In Kodagu or Coorg, where I come from, Kadambuttus (I have shared the recipe in an earlier post.) are a hot favorite at any time of the day. Kadambuttus are steamed rice balls which are usually served with Pandi Curry or Pork curry in Kodagu. For the vegetarians, we usually make a vegetable curry to go with Kadambuttus.

Whenever we would have Kadambuttus for breakfast, my mother would prefer to make a nice chutney or raita with ginger, coconut scrapings and yoghurt for the children. This is a great combination with rice balls. It is cooling and when mixed with the Kadambuttus, it is very tasty to eat and the children and we grownups love it.

Here’s how to make it.

Ingredients

1 cup thick curd

1/2” Ginger

½ cup grated coconut

1 medium sized Onion chopped fine

10-12 Curry leaves, chopped fine

2 Red chilies, broken into 4

Salt to taste

Method

  1. Whisk the curd till it is smooth and set it aside.
  2. Grind the coconut and ginger to a fine paste. Add to the curd along with salt and mix well.
  3. In a pan, heat oil. When hot add the mustard seeds and let it sputter. Add the red chilies and the curry leaves. After a few seconds, add the chopped onion and fry till it turns transparent. Add this to the curd mixture and stir well.

The ginger yoghurt raita is ready to savour with Kadambuttus. Break the Kadambuttus and mix well with the raita and eat to your heart’s content!

This raita is a good accompaniment for rice and Upma too.

Ginger Yoghurt Raita

Paputtu From Kodagu (Steamed Rice Cake)

Paputtu, a steamed rice cake, is a puttu from Kodagu. The combination of broken rice, grated coconut, cardamom seeds, salt and sugar when cooked with milk and water, yields a delicious rice cake which is very healthy. This can be savored with a chicken or mutton curry or even a vegetable curry. It is equally delicious with a drizzle of honey and a generous dollop of butter or clarified butter for breakfast! Yum! It is also served with a mixture of almonds, coconut and jaggery.

Paputtu from Kodagu

Here is what you’ll need to make Paputtu.

Ingredients

1 cup of Rice rava (Rice thari)

1 ½ cups Water

½ cup Milk

¼ cup finely grated coconut

2 Cardamoms, seeds to be crushed

¼ tsp. Sugar

A pinch of salt

A little oil or ghee to grease the plate

Implements Needed

Plate with raised rim as shown in the picture

Pressure cooker or Steamer

Raised Plate with Paputtu mixture ready for steaming

Method

  1. Wash the rice rava at least twice. Drain out the water.
  2. Mix the water, milk, crushed cardamom, salt and sugar. Soak the rice rava in this mixture for 5 minutes.
  3. Grease a raised plate with oil or ghee.
  4. Pour the rice mixture into the greased plate. Spread the grated coconut on top to evenly cover the plate.
  5. Place the plate in a steamer or pressure cooker. If you are using a steamer, steam for 15 minutes. Should you be using a pressure cooker, it would need three whistles.
  6. Allow to cool and cut into wedges and serve.

Paputtus are best relished with chicken curry or mutton curry. For the vegetarians, you could try the Potato Curry, Black Chickpeas Curry or Peas Curry. As described earlier, one could enjoy the Paputtu with honey and a generous helping of ghee (clarified butter) too!

Note:

For a sweeter version, you can add 1 tbsp sugar to the water and follow the rest of the recipe as given above. This is called Modra Paputtu i.e. Sweet Paputtu.