Puliminchi /Tamarind gravy

Our generation, for the matter or parents' generation has not seen anything like this before. This Wuhan virus pandemic has been an eye opener of sorts. How many of us would have imagined sanitizers, disinfectant sprays, disinfectant wipes, toilet roll and water to disappear from the copious shelves of Costco, Target, Walmart and all other supermarkets? How many of us would have ever prepared ourselves to have kids attend school from home? How about staying home for weeks? How about everyone working from home? Wealthy countries fighting for cargo of masks and gloves and ventilators? air travel pretty much banned across half the world? Not many. But we are here, where sneezing, coughing is suddenly scarier than the idea of crazy gunman. The isolation under a lock down does not help either. It is now a dystopian world where neighbors, mailmen, delivery folks, staff at our favorite restaurants, supermarket clerks, smiley fellow commuters that we know by face, if not by name are all potential asymptomatic carriers and therefore dangerous. Hell, for all we know we might be one of them and might end up killing our beloved grandparents and parents if we are not careful.
How could we let this happen? This is not some nondescript corner of Africa. This is not even the backyard of a great political theater involving foreign drones bombing our towns and cities. Yet, we are here, living under fear, longing for life as usual. I stare outside the window. Far away, I see the top of a cherry blossom tree. The tree knows no Wuhan virus. So she has decided to bloom like every year around this time. She wears her colors with pride. She could care less but I miss walking on the pink carpet around her. I miss the touch of her delicate blossoms after all, she signals the end of cold winters better than Punxsutawney Phil and the blackbirds. I miss the luxury of having a well stocked pantry and refrigerator. I miss well stocked supermarket shelves. How much did I take everything for granted. How privileged I am to be eating well.  I feel guilty too, for being able to afford through price gouging while a whole lot of people have lost their jobs and do not know where their next meal is going to come from. I feel sorry for the families that have lost loved ones needlessly because someone else lied to us and our leaders failed us.

It is in these distressing times many of us seek familiar comfort food. Unfortunately, many stores around here have run out of cake/ cookie/brownie mixes,sugar, flour, chocolate chips, essentially everything associated with comfort foods. That throws another curve ball, yet another adjustment to a new normal...

It is one such day here, a nice bright spring day that I decided to make something special. This is my sister's recipe and family loves it. More than anything else, the ingredient list was fairly short and I had everything on hand.

We will need,

Spices to be toasted:
Cumin 1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds 2 tsp
Black pepper corns 3/4 tsp

Ajwain 1/4 tsp
Red chillies  preferably byadagi 5-6 (adjust according to taste)

Coconut  1/3 cup
Garlic 1 clove minced
Onion 1 small minced
Tamarind lime size soaked in warm water
Green chillies 1-2 (adjust according to taste)
Ginger minced
Turmeric
Salt to taste

Eggs(boiled, shelled and lightly fried in a few tsp of oil)  5-6  or
Mackerels (marinated in salt and turmeric, shallow fried lightly in a few tsp of oil)

Method:

• Heat a skillet at medium heat and toast the spices one at a time till fragrant and set it aside. Go for the chillies last and cut off heat, that way chillies will not burn and trigger the smoke detector. 
• Combine the toasted spices and coconut in a blender and grind the mixture into a fine paste. 
• Place the spice paste, minced garlic, onion, ginger, green chillies in a wide mouthed pot. Extract the tamarind juice and stir it into the spice + mixture. Thin the mixture with some water if needed and set it on medium heat. 
• Once the mixture starts bubbling gently, stir in turmeric, salt and let it cook till the gravy is fragrant. 
• Slip pieces of fish /eggs in the gravy, cover and simmer for a few more minutes till the fish is tender. Try not to stir the fish to avoid breaking them. Instead gently shake the pot.
• Remove from heat and set it aside for the flavors to combine. The gravy tastes better the longer it sits. Heat it right before serving and enjoy with a bowl of steamed white rice.

Motte Palya/ Scrambled eggs Kannda style

I love eggs. There was a time in life when one boiled egg and half a liter of milk constituted my breakfast everyday for months at a stretch!

I do same now occasionally, just that this older me cannot really down half a liter like the then me.
In any case I believed eggs were wholesome when they were consumed whole- whites, yolks and all. I am glad to see that eggs are off the bad food  aka cholesterol increasing foods list. So is coconut these days. Now I only hope that the nasty profit makers don't get into Genetically Modified eggs or coconut.

Since I love them and always discount dietary fads, I have always continued to eat eggs in moderation. Moderation is the key because too much is too bad, even for Amrita -the elixir of life. Instead of eating half a dozen egg whites, I did rather eat just one whole egg or perhaps two if I am eating it just a few times a week. On the whole we as a family end up eating a dozen eggs in two weeks. Honey typically buys into all these dietary fads and used to buy those supposedly eggs in pouches with fat content removed. I did try those and they taste horrible! How can any one eat it. To me, whole foods are trustworthy any day and I am naturally suspicious of all stuff that comes out of a package.

Now back to this Palya. As I have said many times on this blog, a true Kannadiga will keep looking out for excuses to sneak in some Methi leaves or Avarekayi when they are in season. Being one, I continue this tradition. Methi as well as ridge gourd are two vegetables that are traditionally used in generous quantities when cooked Non-Vegetarian foods. Steeped in Ayurveda, these two vegetables are supposed to neutralize the 'heating' properties of meats. While Eggs are considered more of 'Vata' than heating adding Methi is not really to neutralize but it does add a lot of body and flavor to the dish. I love it this was and it is an additional way to add some greens to my breakfast. Also, unlike continental style scrambled eggs, we cook the hell out eggs and make sure they are not sort of mushy and moist at all! Julia Child would be rolling in the grave if we ever call this scrambled eggs!

We will need,

Peanut oil 2 tbsp
Jeera 1/4 tsp
Fennel seeds 1/4 tsp
Cardamon 1
Cloves 3-4
Cinnamon 1/2 " piece
Onion 1 medium
Green Chillies 4-5 (adjust according to taste)
Fenugreek leaves trimmed, washed and drained one generous hand ful
Eggs 4
Garam Masala a pinch
Salt to taste
Lemon juice to taste

Method:

• Heat oil in a Kadai, once it is warm, throw in all the whole spices. Saute for a few seconds. 
• Throw in the onion. Saute till onion is pink. Throw in the green chillies and fenugreek. 
• Once the fenugreek wilt, make a well in the center of the Kadai and break eggs into the well one at a time. Reduce heat and gently move the eggs as they form curds.  Make sure they do not stick to the bottom of the Kadai and burn.
• Once the moisture in the eggs have reduced and they start solidifying, throw in the rest of the ingredients and stir. Once the eggs start to resemble soy granules, they are ready. Serve warm with Chapatis.

Omelette

There are few recipes I end up repeating many times a week. It is rather curious that I have never posted a few of those oft repeated recipes at all. Is it a case of familiarity breeds contempt? could be.  We as a family of three consume a dozen eggs in two - three weeks, mostly. I love eggs. They are my favorite breakfast. Eggs and a cup of milk, picked up during my hostel years at JNU. I hated the many different things that was served in the hostel. I hated the greasy Parathas, I hated the thick, heavy concrete circular slab called Uttapam, I hated the bland Upma and of course Tuesday was the day of fasting for Hanuman therefore we were served Bananas or eggs for breakfast. Since I did not like breakfast served on most of the days, I took to having egg and milk everyday since these were the constant alternate on the menu everyday.

Before my hostel days, we had tradition of bread and eggs for breakfast on Sundays. My mother used to prepare fresh butter on Sundays and me and my father would go to a small shop in Agrahara, Mysore to get our loaf of Modern sweet bread. Sometime, we would also pick up a small loaf of Modern fruit bread too. Then from Chick-Market  we would buy our eggs.  Back home my mother would prepare Omlette, french toast or boiled egg as per our choice. I would mostly stick to either Omlette or French Toast. My father would some times have it scrambled. Curiously enough Sunny boy loves eggs too. But he is a boiled egg whites only guy! Not like me who as a toddler used to drink my milk  beaten with raw egg, something of an eggnog (eeek.. I hate it now). My mother thought that would make me strong till some one told her that I could be food poisoned to death! So I actually do not remember what it tasted like though I survived the food poisoning scare. It is just that back then food was more wholesome and food poisoning was much lesser a scare then than now despite all our refrigeration and modern technology etc. Commercially farmed, processed and transported across half the globe food will never be as good as the locally grown fresh food.

For now it is just simple Omelet. Serve it for breakfast by itself or with a slice of bread. Or serve with for lunch dinner along with  Rice/Curry to make the meal a little more interesting. Also unlike the french Omelet which is served jiggly in the center we really cook the hell out of our eggs till they are golden brown. We make sure our Omelets never look like they were made out of eggs.  They should resemble the more familiar Dose to be good enough to be eaten! I know the French would probably cringe at our presentation, Julia Child might be rolling in her grave but then my Mother would never ever touch a completely yellow omelet, much less the jiggly ones. As a matter of fact, I would not either if I had a chance. Sorry IHOP I never liked your omelets or pancakes for that matter.

We will need,

Eggs 2
Onions 1 medium chopped
Green chillies 2 chopped (adjust according to taste)
Coriander a handful washed and chopped
Coconut fresh grated 1 tbsp
Peanut oil/Coconut oil 2 tsp
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Method:

• Pre-heat a heavy bottom pan on medium high heat. 
• Break the eggs into a bowl. Pierce the yolks and start whisking the egg. Whisk till frothy. 
• Throw in all the ingredients and mix well.
• Pour a tea spoon on oil into the pan and swirl the pan to ensure a thin film of oil all over the bottom of the pan. 
• Gently pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook till the sides look set and golden brown.
• Flip, pour the remaining oil around the edges of the pan and cook the other side for a few more minutes till the other side is golden brown too.
• Serve hot.

Motte Tovve

As I grow older and as I spend more and more time in the kitchen I realize that my idea of a well stocked pantry was too exhaustive. In fact my list can actually be cut down by half. If we are creative, we can dish out excellent and healthy meals with very few ingredients perhaps with what ever we have in the pantry/refrigerator. I have been steadily reducing the number of items in my pantry and still being functional.

This was one such week, I decided not to go grocery shopping until I used up every thinkable ingredient. Finally I was down to two ingredients eggs and split green grams (Hesaru Bele). So this is what I did and we enjoyed the dish so much that it set me thinking on a well-stocked-pantry Vs creativity.

My very good friend A got me an earthen pot from Kerala a few months back. I just love it.She had it seasoned in India too. It was a breeze to use, but so much better than any other pot I have used till date. This earthen pots make the best of Tovve, dals and of course fish curries.  I have tried a number of dals in this pot and all of it tasted great. The dal miraculously turns silky, rich and delicious even without any additional fat. So lets get cooking in an earthen pot.

Split washed Moong dal (Hesaru bele) 1/2 cup
Turmeric a  generous pinch +1/4 tsp
Eggs 4
Ghee 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
Jeera 1/2 tsp
Hing
Red chilli powder 2 tsp
Dhania powder 2 tsp
Tomatoes 1 chopped
Garam Masala 1/4 tsp
Fresh coriander a handful
lemon juice and salt to taste

Method:

• Wash the dal in several changes of water. Combine it with 2 cups of water, a pinch turmeric and a touch of ghee and pressure cook till  the dal is soft.  (I cooked my dal in the earthen pot)
• Hard boil the eggs, shell it and keep it aside. (If you do not mind the green ring, pressure cook the eggs with the dal)
• Heat the ghee in a pan. Throw in the mustard and jeera. Once they splutter, add the hing, chilli powder, turmeric and dhania powder. 
• Throw in the tomatoes right after the spices. Cook till the tomatoes soften. 
• Now gently lower the eggs and saute the eggs till all sides are colored.
• Transfer the eggs and spices to the dal. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Add more water if needed. 
• Fold in the Garam Masala. Adjust salt and lemon juice.
• Finish with coriander. Serve hot with rice or a bread of your choice.

Deviled eggs Kannada style!

We are just past the season of eating. So my inbox is full of stuff I served at dinner parties these past two weeks. We are right now in the season of resolution, mostly of eating well and probably loosing weight. It never worked with me. So this time thinking of the longer horizon, and no resolutions!

Appetizers often are the most unhealthy of all courses (may be except desserts). They are tasty though. I love them, as I have been for a long time a appetizer-dessert girl. The main course be damned. It is actually easy to put together healthy appetizers. Even before the fitness season kicked in we decided to give it a shot. So all through this eating season we did our best to put out healthier options on the dinner table. It was mostly a variety of salsas and baked chips, olives platter, Masala cucumber and deviled eggs Kannada style.
These deviled eggs have nothing in common with their original counterpart except perhaps the name. But they are delicious and very well accepted in dinner parties. I am not happy with the photographs, they really looked prettier in person, but the low light conditions of winter evenings could not have yielded anything better. Here it is..

We will need,

Eggs 6-8
Yogurt 1/4 cup
Lime juice 2 tbsp (adjust according to taste)
Green chillies minced 1-2 (adjust according to taste)

Fresh coriander a handful
Red chilli powder a generous pinch
Chat Masala a generous pinch
Salt

Method:

• Place the egg in a wide mouth pan and cover completely with water. Place on high heat. Once the water starts boiling, reduce the heat and cook the eggs are completely set, about 15-20 minutes.
•  Remove from heat. When cool enough to handle shell the eggs and cut each egg into two lengthwise. Separate the egg whites and the yolks.Reserve
• Place the yogurt in a cheese cloth and allow it to drain. After about 15-20 minutes, remove the hung-curd  from the cheese cloth into a mixing bowl. It should be pretty thick.
• Combine the hung-curd and the yolk. Stir them together with a fork. Once the mixture is roughly combined, throw in the rest of the ingredients except the red chilli powder.
• Taste the yolk mixture, adjust salt and lime juice.
• Arrange the white halves on a serving platter and  place spoon fulls of the yolk mixture into the cavity of the whites.
• Sprinkle red chilli powder on the yolk mixture. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Egg masala

There are many nights when I get sick of the dozen or so eggs lying in the refrigerator for several weeks. We do not consume eggs all that often but once I manage to finish a carton, my hands will itch till I put another one in my shopping cart when at Costco! So the cycle repeats. Finish one and get another one immediately to think about. It is on one of those days that I badly wanted to get done with half a dozen eggs that I prepared this dish and we all enjoyed this dish with some hot Rotis.

We will need,

Eggs 6 no
Peanut oil 3 tbsp
Fennel seeds 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves 8-1074
Cardamon 2
Onion 1 medium minced
Garlic 3 cloves grated
Ginger 1/2" grated
Green chillies 5-6 minced
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Dhania powder 1/2 tsp
Jeera powder 1/2 tsp
Tomato 1 medium
Garama Masala a generous pinch
Salt to taste
Fresh Coriander a handful chopped
Mint a handful torn
Lemon juice to taste

Method:

• Heat oil in a Wok. Throw in the fennel and the cardamon. Once they sizzle, throw in the curry leaves, immediately followed by the minced onions.
• Saute the onions till the onions are very well caramelized and almost brown in colour. 
• Once the onions are done, throw in the garlic, ginger and chillies. Saute for a few minutes. Keep moving the mixture lest they burn.
• Once the mixture is fragrant, throw in the turmeric, Dhania powder and the Jeera powder. Saute for a few seconds. Throw in the chopped tomatoes. Cook till the oil separates.
• Meantime crack open the eggs into a mixing bowl breaking the yolks.
• Push the onion-spice mixture to the sides and pour the eggs into the wok. Cook on low till the eggs start to cook. Stir and scrap the bottom to make sure the eggs or the masala does not burn. 
• Once the egg start to solidify, fold in the Masala. Keep stirring the mixture till all the moisture evaporates and the eggs are cooked through.
• Adjust salt. Throw in the Garam Masala. Finish with the torn mint and coriander. Serve immediately with rotis.

Mango Egg Curry

We have been getting some great dairy products home delivered for quite some time now. The milk forms a cream top when heated which I skim and churn some great butter out of it. The eggs are tiny but tastes way better than the super market organic/cage free stuff. The other day our friendly delivery man left us with our supply for the week. By the time I could put away the two gallons of milk in the  refrigerator, Sunny boy toppled the carton of eggs waiting for me at the door step. Most of the eggs tumbled down and a few bumped into the wall as well. After yelling at him and calling him a 'Katte' or donkey, I felt very bad. I gave him a hug and brooded over the six cracked eggs (the ones that had bumped into the wall). After inspecting the refrigerator, I decided it was time for some mango curry with the damaged eggs. So  here it is.

We will need,

Eggs 6
Raw Mango 1 Small
Salt to taste

 for the masala paste:
Onion  1 small
Coconut  1/2 cup
Garlic  3 cloves
Ginger  1"
Clove  4
Cinnamon 1/2"  piece
Turmeric

for the Oggarane:
Peanut oil 2 tbsp
Jeera 1/2 tsp
Fennel 1/2 tsp
Marati Moggu 2
Cardamon 2
Star Anise 1
Kalhuvu 1 piece (optional)

Method:

• Wash the egg set it aside
• Peel the skin on the green mango and grate it using a box grater. Discard the seed. Set it aside.
• For the masala paste, heat a pan and toast the sliced onions till  brown and remove. Toast the remaining ingredients except turmeric, one after the other till fragrant.  Set it aside.
• Once the toasted spices and aromatics are cool enough to handle, throw it into a blender along with the grated mangoes and turmeric. Pulse till the mixture is smooth. Add a little water if necessary.
• For the oggarane, heat the peanut oil in a wide mouth pan. Throw in all the spices. Once the spices stop sizzling, dump the masala paste into the hot oil. Add 3-4 cups of water and bring it to a boil. 
• Cover and simmer till the masala is no longer  raw and is fragrant about 15-20 minutes.
• Adjust salt. 
• Crack the eggs into the curry one at a time. Poach the eggs in the curry till done. I like mine with the yolks still  slightly runny, so I cook them for about 8-10 minutes or so. Remove from heat and serve it with rice or bread of choice. We had it with Chapati and Dosa.

Aunty Susheela's Motte Pulav /Egg Pulav

My blog is skewed disproportionately toward vegetarian fare till date. This is not intentional, just that Kannadigas are very vegetarian-friendly folks! Historically speaking, we are a creed who experienced strong religious stimulus endorsing vegetarian way of life! In the ancient period it was the Jain monks... Jains are so rigid in their practice of vegetarianism that they do not eat meals after sunset lest they consume the fly that accidentally fell in their meal by the light of earthen lamp! They also refrain from eating vegetables, if the plants growing then has been harmed while harvest of the vegetable, like root vegetables. The contribution of Jain poets to Kannada literature is also widely recorded. One epic in old Kannada revolves around the ill-fate of a King spanning several births for killing an animal.
In the 11th century Ramanujacharya fled the religious persecution in the hands of Cholas to  Melukote in Karnataka bringing with him his brand of vegetarianism. That is why 'Ranganatha'- temples dedicated to lord Vishnu is so common in the the old-Mysore region!
In the 12th century it was Basavanna. His influence swept through wide swaths of from north to south. He recommended a softer brand of vegetarianism and roots vegetables were  very welcome. In later centuries, it was Madhwacharya and Ramanujacharya.
Our erstwhile Maharaja of Mysore were also strict vegetarians and indirectly endorsing Vegetarianism. No wonder 15-20 years ago to restaurants serving non-vegetarian food were very hard to come by.
This does not mean we do not have a talent to cook up great tasting non-vegetarian fare!! People from Coorg, Chikmagalur / Malanadu region are famous for their game-meats dishes. Coastal Kannadigas prepare excellent sea-food.. reserving these schools for later. I have asked my sister to source some Coogi recipes from her MIL for me.. Yes she is married to a wonderful Coorgi..

For now it is Gowda-style recipe series courtesy aunty Susheela, our delightful neighbour.

We will need,

Rice                   2 cups  washed and cleaned
Eggs                   4
Onions               2 medium chopped

Garlic                 4-cloves
Ginger                1"
Cloves                6
Cinnamon           1"
Coriander           a handful
Red Chilly Powder 2 tsp
Dhania powder       2.5 tsp
Peanut oil             3-4 tbsp
Salt 
 
Method:

• Wash clean rice in several changes of water and soak it in clean water. set it aside
• Grind together ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, chilly powder and dhania. set it aside.
• Heat oil in a thick bottomed pot. Toss in chopped onion. Saute till onion is golden. Pour the ground masala and cook till the oil floats on the top, about 8- 10 minutes.
• Push the masala to the side and break eggs one after the other into the center of the pot, scrambling the eggs. Once the eggs are set, stir in the masala. Cook the eggs thoroughly. 
• Add about 3-4 cups of water. (3 if using Basmati, 4 if using other varieties). Adjust salt. 
• Once the water comes up to a boil, add the soaked rice. Cover and cook till rice is done. Throw in the coriander.
• Serve hot with lemon wedges and hard boiled eggs

Chilli Egg

Dhabhas are a must-try food joints back home. As I remember, most restaurants in the city-centers in smaller towns of Karnataka (i.e. most cities apart from Bangalore and Mysore) had very few places serving non-vegetarian meals. There used to be something called 'Hindu Millitary Hotel' (HMH). These  eateries were the exact contrast to 'Bramhanara Upahara Mandira'. HMH served traditional meat dishes. I am not sure what all dishes are common in their menu, for I have never been to one. And then there were Dhabas on the outskirt of the cities. The best part about these Dhabas were the anonymity and stigma-free non-vegetarian food for those who are not supposed to eat meats! Besides being affordable Dhabas were the eatery of choice for young people with not-much-money-to-spend like students!!
I have had my fair share of Dhaba on Tumkur Road, Mysore Road....Wonder if there still are any left. They do serve amazing food...hot rotis, naans straight out of the oven and of course stuff like Tomato masala, Dal fry, Capsicum masala, Kofta curries.. I am drooling even as I type!!
I have not been to a Dhaba in quite some time. But my sister had the opportunity of visiting one and she came back with a new recipe..Egg Chilli. I tried it and it was tasty.

We will need,

Hard Boiled Eggs  4 cut into half
Red Onion   1 small chopped
Ginger Paste   1/4 tsp
Garlic Paste 1/4 tsp
Green Chillies  2 chopped
Green Coriander chopped
Corn Starch  2 tsp
Salt  to taste
Soya Sauce to taste
Peanut Oil    3-4 tbsp

Method:

• Toss the eggs with some salt , soya sauce and corn starch. 
• Heat 2-3 tbsp oil in a pan and pan-fry the eggs till golden in colour. Remove and drain it on a paper towel
• Heat the remaining oil in a pan. Drop the onion, garlic and ginger, saute for a few minutes.
• Toss in the green chillies and then the fried eggs. Toss well.
• Splash in some Soya sauce and fresh coriander. And serve immediately.

If preferred, the eggs can be deep fried as well. I bet it will taste better..

Egg fry

I made this egg dish for myself even as my honey got to eat his favorite -mutton!
This is a simple dish. One big advantage of this dish is that it does not smell bad. I know of friends who would not eat eggs because of the smell even though they would like to eat eggs for health reasons etc!!

Eggs 5
Oil 2 tbsp
Chilly powder 1 tsp
Dhania powder 1tsp
Garam Masala 1/4 tsp
Salt
Coriander fresh chopped 2 tbsp


Method:

• Place eggs in a pressure cooker. Pour just enough water to cover the eggs. Cook for one whistle. Set it aside and cool.
• When the pressure cooker is cool enough to handle,uncover and shell the eggs. Chop each eggs into four pieces vertically.
• Heat oil in a pan. Drop the pieces of egg. Sprinkle the chillies, dhania powder and garam masala. Toss.
• Sprinkle coriander and salt. Toss once more
• Serve as a side dish