Diwali 2011

We celebrated Diwali 2011 is the traditional Goan way. Only thing is it took me 2 months to update the diwali post ;-)

Prepared 5 kinds of poha, { mainly, batat fauv(potato poha), roosatlye fauv (coconut milk poha with a touch of turmeric leaf which travelled all the way from Goa), doodhatlye fauv (milk poha), kalaylae fauv (simple sweet poha), gavthi fauv (sweet brown rice poha) }, chanyachi usal and sasaav.

Also sweet shankarpali, thinkat (spicy) shankarpali, cholafali, cornmeal ladoo, wheat flour ladoo and the typical goan moothli(mixture of chana dal, moong, jaggery).

Kokan Dudhi Bhaaji/ Bottle Gourd Stir Fry(Goan Style).

Bottle gourd is called Kokan dudhi in Goa. My mom made kheer of it as well as this simple everyday stir fry(goan style) with the addition of chana dal.

Ingredients

3 cups, Kokan dudhi, peeled and chopped,

3 tbsp chana dal, washed and soaked in 5 tbsp water for 15 minutes,

1 tsp oil,

1 tsp mustard seeds,

1 green chilly , slit,

1/2 medium onion, chopped,

2 tbsp grated, coconut,

1/2 tsp turmeric powder,

pinch of sugar/jaggery,

salt to taste,

3/4 cup water.

Method

• Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.


• Add mustard seeds and when they splutter add onion, green chilly and the drained, soaked chana dal.


• Next add the dudhi and mix.


• Add the rest of the ingredients and mix.


• Cover with a lid and let cook on medium low heat till the vegetable and dal is cooked to fork tender.


• Turn off the heat and serve.

Note

Can substitute any kind of dal for the channa dal.

Neerphanaschi Bhaaji / Breadfruit Side Dish.

Neerphanas is a vegetable loved by my whole family. Most households in Goa will have this tree in their backyard. The size of the fruit/vegetable ranges between a grapefruit to a huge honeydew melon. The fruit is plucked when raw and vibrant green on the outside. The outer skin is peeled,the inside core is discarded and just the tender ivory colored inside flesh is used just like for a pineapple.

Neerphanas or breadfruit is used to make bhaaji/side dish or semolina coated shallow fry or bhaji's/pakodas or added to korma/gravy.

I get very fresh vibrant green breadfruits here so shallow fried one half and made side dish of the other half with the 'goan trinity' (onion/green chilly/coconut) combination.

When cooked with a sprinkle of water to make this side dish, the neerphanas gets cooked to a silky buttery texture.

Ingredients

2 cups neerphanas/breadfruit, peeled, cored and chopped into pieces,

1 tsp oil,

1 tsp mustard seeds,

1/2 medium onion, chopped,

1 green chilly, chopped into 2 pieces,

2 tbsp grated coconut,

1 tsp salt,

3/4 cup water.

Method.

• Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.
• Add mustard seeds and when they splutter add the onion and green chilly.
• Fry for a few minutes then add the chopped neerphanas, salt and coconut and stir again.
• Add the water, mix and cover with lid and cook on low flame till the vegetable is fork tender and cooked through.

Grandmother's Birthday and KaLyacho Halwo / Sweetened Bananas.

Today is my Dear Aayi's 87th Birthday(my maternal grandmother whom we lovingly call Aayi).

Wish I could give her a big hug on this special day and wish her a Very Happy Birthday but I had to make do by speaking with her over the phone and wishing her.

She is getting frail and weak as the days are going by but without any doubt she is strong at heart, still managing to go for her morning walks. She is a soft spoken lady, very broad minded and modern in her thoughts, always open to new ideas, not the typical old fashioned grandmother at all. I really respect and admire her. After my Ma passed away she has been my pillar of strength and source of inspiration in life. Aayi is an excellent cook and whipped up authentic goan food for us when we were young. Due to her frail health she no longer cooks so often now but no doubt about it that she makes the best mouth watering fish curry ever, all my uncles and aunts n cousins agree with me on this note. Time and again I call her up to refer to some of the authentic goan recipes that were long lost and forgotten.

I see my Ma in Aayi(she is my mom's mother) and I cherish the few moments that I get to talk to her over the phone from across the world.


Happy Birthday Aayi !!

Today's halwa is for my Dear Aayi.

One gets many varieties of bananas in India. In Goa we get a special variety of bananas called mandoli kaLyi, the taste is very sweet and aromatic. They are mostly eaten ripe or cooked into a halwa.
Now, this is not a typical mushed up dry halwa loaded with sugar as the name suggests but rather delicate banana slices floating in lots of mildly sweetened cardamom flavored sugar syrup and ready in a jiffy.
Ma made this very often as we liked to have it for breakfast along with bread or chappati.
Here I have used plantains as they are almost similar in taste.

Ingredients
3 plantains, almost ripe and yellow, firm to touch,
1 cup sugar,
3 cups water,
2 tsp ghee/clarified butter,
1 tsp elaichi/cardamom powder.

Method.

• Peel and slice the plantains into 1/2 cm thick slices.
• Heat a pan on medium heat and add the ghee.
• Add the sliced plantains to the pan and stir very gently a couple of times(1-2 minutes) taking care not to break the banana slices.
• Add water and sugar and cardamom powder and let it come to a boil.
• Once the bananas change color, switch the heat off and take the pan off the heat to stop the bananas from cooking further and turning to a mush.
• Serve warm or cold with bread, chappati or puri.

Note.
This is best eaten freshly prepared or at the most on the same day as reheating the halwa will make the bananas mushy.
Best eaten with a bread/pav to soak up the banana flavoured juices.
Adjust the quantity of sugar as to your liking but the halwa should not be extra sweet but just lightly sweet with the dominant banana flavour.

Bhenyachi Bhaaji / Okra cooked in Goan style.

Okra/bhindi is called as bhenyae in Goan konkani. I love okra a lot in any form so it always makes an appearance in my kitchen at least once every 15 days. And fortunately my husband and both kids love it too. They specially like it cooked in this simple manner.
Bhenyachi bhaaji is a very simple dish prepared with the Goan trinity of "onion, coconut and green chilly" and of course the okra itself. The flavouring imparted to the vegetable comes from the humble onion and coconut with a touch of spice from the green chilly and a tangy punch from the kokum.
Again, this is a fat free recipe as there is no use of any oil. My Mom used oil sparingly in her cooking.
This is one of the many ways my Mom prepared okra.
Also this is the way bhenyaae /okra is prepared in most households in Goa.


Ingredients.
3 cups chopped okra/bhindi/bhenyae,
1 medium onion, chopped,
2 green chillies, slit,
2 tbsp grated coconut,
8 pieces of kokum/sola,
salt to taste,
pinch of sugar.


Method.

• Put all the ingredients in a pan along with a few tsps of water and cook on medium to medium low heat with lid half covered till the okra is cooked.(covering the pan completely makes the okra slimly)
• Stir the ingredients in the pan not with a spoon but just shake the pan and toss the ingredients inside the pan, that way the cooked okras will not break.

Note
Adding kokum stops the okra from getting slimy when cooked.
Also the kokum adds a unique tangy flavour to the okra.
You can add tomato if you do not have kokum but the flavour will be slightly different.

Doodhi Bhaaji / Pumkin Stir Fry.

Pumpkin takes the top spot on my list of favorite vegetables, I like it in any form, any day. This is one of the ways Ma prepared doodhi bhaaji, in its most simplest form with the 'Goan Trinity' of onion, green chilly and coconut. Goan tirphal also called sichuan pepper is used for this dish and this pepper gives the humble pumpkin a unique flavor, kicks it up a notch and takes it to a totally different level.

Ingredients.

4 cups chopped pumpkin(yellow or butternut),

1/2 onion, chopped,

1-2 green chillies chopped,

3 tbsp grated coconut,

10 tirphal pieces/sichuan pepper (optional),

salt to taste,

few tsp of water.

Method.

• Wash and rinse the tirphal, discard the black seed inside it, it is not edible.
• Crush the the pepper slightly but do not powder it.
• Mix all ingredients in a pan, cover and cook on low flame till the pumpkin is tender.
  

Note.

Discard the tirphal when serving the vegetable, the pepper is not edible.

As with most of the other vegetable dishes, Ma never used oil to cook this dish too.

The tirphal imparts a distinct flavor to the humble pumpkin.

Dangar / Seafood(clams/oysters/shrimp) Cutlets

Last few weeks have been very hectic as we were busy packing and moving from west coast to east coast of Canada to a new city. Just settling down in our new home here in Toronto.

Today I am posting a recipe for seafood cutlets called as Dangar in konkani.
Dangar is nothing but a simple seafood cutlet mainly using shell fish like clams(tisryo/khube) or oysters(kaalva) or shrimp.

I make these oyster dangar quite often specially when I have guests over for dinner.
I get huuuuuuuuuge oysters(palm size) here in Canada or I just chop them into small pieces and then use them.

Ingredients
1 cup chopped oysters,
1/2 onion chopped fine,
1 medium sized tomato , chopped fine,
1-2 green chillies, chopped fine,
6-7 tbsp chickpea flour/besan
4 tbsp rava,
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves,
2 tbsp grated coconut,
salt to taste,
1/2 tsp turmeric powder/haldi powder,
1/2 tsp garam masala.
oil for shallow frying.


Method.

• Mix all the ingredients except the oil.


• Heat a skillet on medium high heat and drizzle a tea spoon of oil, not too much.


• Pour 2 tbsp of batter and spread slightly to make a small pancake like round shape.


• Fill the skillet with these cutlets (according to how many you can fit on the pan).


• Drizzle a couple of teas spoons of oil around the cutlets.


• After 4 minutes use a spatula to flip the cutlet on the other side.


• Cook for 2 minutes, then take off heat.


• Dangar ready to be dunked in ketchup or to accompany a typical Goan meal of rice, dal/fish curry.

Note.

Adjust the besan and rava to get the desired consistency. Omit rava for a gluten free version.

Add more green chillies for a fiery version.

Once the ingredients are mixed together, prepare and fry the cutlets immediately or else the whole mixture turns into a pulp as the tomatoes and onions release water.

Tavsali / Goan Style Cucumber Cake

Tavsali is a healthy, egg less, low fat (or fat free if ghee is omitted) Goan Style Cucumber Cake.
I love the beautiful green specks of grated cucumber (skin n all)distributed all over the light brown colored cake.
Tavsali is prepared using cucumber/kakdi that are called "taushe" in konkani.

I remember my mom had made this cake for me when she had come to the US to help me during my first pregnancy.

My grandma and mom used to prepare this cake without any oven. A tava or thick bottomed skillet was kept on a stove, then the cake pan was kept over the skillet. Next a lid was kept on the cake pan and the lid was covered with a layer of hot coals. Thus creating an oven kind of condition for the cake to "bake".

This cake can be prepared in 2 ways either using rava/semolina or using goan rice powder, each gives a different taste and texture to the end result.

Goan rice is called "ukade tandol" or rosematta rice in US & Canada. The rice is dry roasted then ground to a fine powder and used instead of rava.

The tavsali made using the ukade tandol powder tastes better then the rava one but still both are equally delicious.

This is a simple egg less cake not overly sweet with dominant flavours of cucumber, coconut, cumin and peanuts.

No, it is not a typo, indeed jeera/ cumin seeds are used to make this sweet. In fact many Goan konkani sweets are flavoured with jeera powder like tavsali, poss, and some varieties of kheers.

Ingredients

2 cups grated cucumber/kakdi,

1 and 1/2 cups grated jaggery or brown sugar,

1 and 1/4 cup rava/suji/cream of wheat/semolina,

1 cup grated coconut,

2 tsp jeera /cumin seeds (unroasted and ground to a fine powder),

4 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts,

2 tbsp chopped raisins,

1/2 tsp cardamom powder/ elaichi,

2 tbsp sesame seeds,

pinch of salt.

Method.

• Roast rava (dry or in 1 tsp butter/ghee) and cool.
• Mix all the rest of the ingredients and pour the batter in a 8 x 8inch baking pan.
• Preheat oven to 350 F and bake the cake in the oven for 30 minutes till cooked through.(prick a toothpick in the cake and check to see if it comes out clean).
• Broil the cake for 5 minutes so that the top also gets a nice golden color.
• Take out of the oven cool, cut and serve.

Note.

I sometimes add 2 tbsp oats flour and 2 tbsp flax seed meal to the batter for additional nutrition.

Usually this cake is prepared the previous night and the flavors allowed to blend well and it is served for breakfast the next day.

This cake can be refrigerated for up to a week. To serve just reheat in the microwave for a minute or 2 and enjoy warm cucumber cake.

Add almonds & cashew nuts if desired.

Kalae Kappa/Phodi / Shallow Fried Raw Plantain Slices.

Shallow fried plantain slices are prepared in the same way as is potato slices and pumpkin slices.

These shallow fried slices are crunchy on the outside and moist n juicy on the inside, just perfect to devour with simple rice and dal.

Peel the green skin of the plantain, but do not take all the skin off, leave some on.( You can see a layer of the peel on the slices in the picture). Slice into 3/4 cm thick circles.

The rest of the ingredients and method is same as for shallow fried potato slices.

These require sprinkling of water just like potato slices to cook them all the way through.

Doodhi Kappa/Phodi / Shallow Fried Pumkin slices.

In Goa Monday is a vegetarian day, and a vegetarian meal is prepared, which is usually made up of rice, dal, a vegetable and shallow fried phodis made of any vegetable like potato, pumpkin(doodhi), raw plantain banana, eggplant(vaangi), bread fruit(neer phanas), elephant yam(suran), taro root(Maadi),bittermelon(kaarle) to name a few.

Doodhi / Pumpkin is one of my favourite vegetable( actually I like all vegetables, so all veges come in my fav category :) ). Shallow fried pumpkin slices is an all time favourite in our house after the ultimate shallow fried potato slices.

The ingredients and method to prepare this is the same as Batatachi Phodi / Fried Potato Slices just substitute pumpkin for potatoes.
Another thing to note is that pumpkin cooks quicker than potatoes so these slices will be done faster than potato slices.
Any vegetable can be shallow fried in a similar manner.

Simple Bok Choy Bhaaji / Stir Fry.

I like any leafy vegetable, I buy any fresh greens that I can lay my hands on in a Chinese store and cook it just as Ma cooked any greens.

I walk in my mother's footsteps for this matter, she used to cook any kind of vegetables she could lay her hands on too.

Most of the leafy greens I cook is in a similar manner as Ma did with the "Goan trinity" of onion, green chilly and grated coconut. Adding any dal to it is optional , but it definitely enhances the taste and stretches the prepared dish a bit.

Another thing to note about simple goan vegetable stir fry is that there is absolutely no use of oil ( at least in my house). So basically it is fat free dish, now doesn't that sound good !!!!

This bok choy stir fry is prepared in the same way as the ghosali bhaaji / ridge gourd stir fry.

Ingredients
2 tbsp chana dal, washed and soaked in 2 tbsp water for 15 minutes(optional ),
4-5 cups chopped, bok choy,
1/2 onion, chopped,
1-2 green chilly, chopped,
3 tbsp grated coconut,
salt to taste,
pinch of sugar.

Method.

• Put all the ingredients in a pan.
• Cover with a lid and cook on medium low heat till the vegetable and the dal is tender.
• Add some extra water if the water dries up and the vegetable n dal is not cooked.
  

Note
Can use either chana dal or moong dal or omit it totally.

Sakhar Bhaat / Sweetened Rice

Sakhar Bhaat is one of the easiest n simplest sweet to make.

Cloves is the prominent spice n flavouring agent in this Goan sweet.

Ingredients

1/2 cup rice, washed and drained for 20 minutes,

1 tsp ghee,

1 tsp raisins,

2 tsp chopped cashew nuts,

1 tsp powdered cardamom,

5 cloves,

pinch of nutmeg,

pinch of saffron soaked in a tsp of milk or some orange color,

3/4 cup sugar,

2 and 3/4 cup water.

Method.

• Heat ghee in a pan on medium heat.
• Add the cloves and rice, saute till the rice is nice n toasty.
• Add the raisins and cashew nuts and saute a minute more.
• Add hot water , cover and cook till the rice is cooked/done.
• Add the cardamom, nutmeg, sugar, saffron milk or color and mix well (but very gently or else the grains of rice will break and become a mush).

Note.

Let the rice cook fully as the rice does not cook anymore once the sugar is added.

Ghosali Bhaaji / Ridgegourd Stir fry.

Ridge gourd is called " Ghosali " in konkani.

This is one of my favourite vegetables. It is a simple preparation with the "Goan trinity" of onion, green chilly and coconut. ( Yeah, I thought just as Cajun/Creole cooking has the trinity of onion , pepper and celery in all its dishes, the same way Goan cooking in my family also uses the 3 essential ingredients of onion, green chilly and coconut in everyday dishes, so I thought why not call it the "Goan trinity" ) :)
Ma cooked most of the vegetables without any oil. There were only selected vegetables for which she used the oil tempering(phodni).
No oil is used for this dish so it is practically fat free cooking !!


Peeled Ridge gourd (ghosali)

Ingredients

2 medium sized ridge gourd(ghosali),

2 tbsp moong dal,(optional),

1/2 onion , chopped,

1 green chilly, chopped,

2 tbsp grated coconut,

salt to taste,

pinch of sugar,

2 tbsp water.

Method.

• Peel the skin of the ridge gourd and chop it.
• Wash moong dal and soak in 2 tbsp water for 5 minutes.
• Put soaked dal along with water in a pan , add the rest of the ingredients.
• Cover and keep the pan on medium low heat.
• Stir after 5 minutes. Cook till the dal n the vegetable is tender.

Note.

Can use either moong dal or chana dal.

Use the ridge gourd peels to make chutney or thepla.

Tandlachi Bhakar / Goan Rice Flour Flatbread.

Today is my Pappa's Birthday.

Tandlachi bhakar is my Pappa's favourite dish and every year my Ma would make tandlachi bhakar for breakfast for my Pappa's B'day and their Wedding Anniversay.

As Ma is not here with us to make this I just wish that today I could be in Goa and I could prepare this tandlachi bhakar for my Pappa for breakfast(sigh).

When one stays overseas,on the other side of the world, this is the major disadvantage, one cannot go and be with one's parents in joy or sorrow as and when we feel like :(

Like my Pappa I too like this bhakar very much so I tend to make it sometimes, I could munch on these all day long :)

I used to make it a lot specially when my daughter was allergic to wheat and could not eat chappati. My daughter was allergic to wheat, eggs and soy so, I used to make everything gluten free and egg free from breads to cakes to pancakes to....u name it and I used to make it, well that's another story to dwell upon some other time.

Back to tandlachi bhakar which is nothing but humble rice flour flat bread made the Goan way !!

Ma made different kinds of bhakars,like rava,wheat,nachni,etc but this one was a regular fare at my parents place.

Ma had many banana trees in her backyard and so she used fresh banana leaves for a lot of things from roasting fish(bangda) in charcoal to lining the bhakar's while roasting them on the griddle. Oh ...those bananas leaves impart an out of this world aroma to the humble bhakar.

There are 2 ways of making the bhakar either

1)add warm water in the flour and mix or

2)boil the water and then add the flour to the boiling water.

The latter produces more softer bhakar.

And there are 4 ways of flattening out the balls of dough,

1) dip fingers in water and place the dough on the hot tava and quickly spread it out using your wet fingers,

2) take the washed banana leaf and lay it flat on the counter and then flatten the dough ball using fingers dipped in water and then gently lift the banana leaf along with the flattened bhakar and keep it on the griddle along with the leaf,

3) roll the ball sandwiched between thick plastic bags(like Ziploc) or foil.

4) dip a cheesecloth in water and rinse and lay on counter, then spread the ball of dough using fingers dipped in water, then flip the bhakar on to the hot tava and take/peel off the wet cheesecloth,

I like the banana leaves method but as I do not get fresh banana leaves here in Canada and I do not like the frozen ones, I prefer the third method.

Pappa, A Very Happy B'day To You & this bhakar is for you all the way from Canada !!

Ingredients

1 cup rice flour,

1 cup water,

salt to taste,

pinch of sugar or jaggery,

1-2 green chilly , chopped fine,

1/4 onion , chopped fine,

4 tbsp grated coconut,

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves(optional).

Method.

• Heat water in a pan. When boiling add salt,and the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
• Take off the heat and let rest for few minutes till cool enough to handle. Knead the dough for a few minutes to make it smooth.
• Meanwhile heat a tava or griddle on medium heat.
• Make 2 balls of the dough.
• Take a piece of foil and put the ball on it and put another piece of foil over it and then roll using rolling pin to make 3/4 cm in thickness(thick like a paratha).
• Lift the foil along with the bhakar and then flip the bhakar on the hot tava, foil side up, take off the foil and reuse to roll the next bhakar.
• Cover with a lid and let the bhakar cook for few minutes on one side, then using a spatula flip it on the other side and let cook till few brown spots appear and it puffs up like a roti.
• Take off the heat and apply a little oil or ghee and enjoy with dry khobra(coconut) chutney as in the picture.
• I prefer mine plain or dunked in hot tea !!!!!!! And so do my kids :)

Note

Sometimes Ma used to add dill leaves(shepo leaves) or grated cucumber to the dough.

I add chopped spinach leaves or grated butternut squash or zucchini to the dough for a change and extra nutrition for my kids.

1 cup yields 2 bhakars, you can double or triple the quantity as required.

Ma usually served it with green chutney or the Goan (khobarya chi chutney)dry coconut chutney as I have shown in the picture.

Update.

When my Dad read this post he reminded me that my mom also made this bhakar by soaking rice for few hours, then grinding it to a thick paste and then cooking it on a slow flame till it comes together into a ball. Add the rest of the ingredients (seasoning ) and then make the bhakars.

But that is a lengthy process so I think I will stick to the rice flour for now.

Vaal Papdi Bhaaji/French Beans Stir Fry.

This is my 50th post on the blog.

And I would like to post this simple French Beans Stir Fry which is my Pappa's favourite bhaaji.

This vegetable was a regular item and was cooked at least once a week at my parents place. I guess this shows how much my Pappa likes the vegetable.

Usually in Goan kitchen one adds mustard seeds and cumin seeds for the tempering, but somehow I do not know why but Ma only added mustard seeds for this bhaaji. May be my Pappa liked it this way.

And also the vaal papdi was always just cut into pieces about 1 and 1/2 inches in length. My Pappa liked chunkier vegetables then finely chopped or minced, he said that the nutrients of the vegetables is retained when kept chunkier. Also this vegetable was always made nice and crispy. Of course according to his age now Pappa prefers fulled cooked vegetables. :)

Ingredients

2 cups french beans chopped,

1/2 onion chopped,

1 or 2 green chillies chopped or slit,

1 tsp oil,

1 tsp mustard seeds,

salt to taste,

pinch of sugar,

1/2 tsp turmeric powder.

Method.

• Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the chopped onion and green chilly, cook for few minutes then add the cut beans, salt, sugar, turmeric powder and a sprinkle of water and mix well.
• Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low and cook on low flame till the beans are cooked but not mushy.
  

Note

Cut beans to whatever size you prefer.

Add grated coconut if you like.

Tomato Onion Bhaaji

Our meal of paneer bhaaji, masoor thondak, tomato bhaji and chappati.

This tomato bhaaji is a typical goan dish eaten with chappatis or bread(pao - this is in konkani for bread rolls) in the morning for breakfast.

My mom used to make this very often.

Ingredients

1 onion, diced,

7-8 tomatoes , diced,

1 green chilly, chopped fine,

3 cloves garlic, minced or sliced,

2 tsp oil,

1 tsp mustard seeds,

1 tsp cumin seeds,

pinch of hing,

2 tbsp grated coconut,

3 tsp goan garam masala or any garam masala,

1/2 tsp turmeric powder,

1 tbsp sugar,

salt to taste.

chopped coriander leaves for garnish.

Method

• Heat oil in a pan, add the hing, mustard seeds and cumin seeds.


• When they splutter add the chopped onions, garlic and green chilly and fry till the onion in translucent and cooked.


• Next add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt, sugar and grated coconut and mix well.


• Let cook for few minutes uncovered(if you cover there will be lot of liquid in the dish).


• Add chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with bread or chappati.

Note.

I prefer mine with bread as the bread soaks up the juicy liquid.

Can add chopped or whole cashew nuts.

Add more green chillies for spicier version. I tend to make mine less spicy because of my kids.

Poss/ Steamed Milk Sweet.

The other day I prepared the famous Bengali delicacy Bappa Doi(baked yogurt).When I tasted it I though ummmmm...... this is similar in texture to Poss and if I add some more ingredients I would probably get the same taste as Poss.

Poss is a delicacy in Goa that is prepared using cows colostrum milk.

This dessert is not too sweet.

I called up my Aayi(maternal grandmother) and Mami (aunt) and got the list of additional ingredients that was added to the milk to make poss.

Well, I tried it and voila, it tasted same as the Poss that I ate in Goa only thing was there was no need of the colostrum milk. I could enjoy this delicacy any time of the year without the need for colostrum milk.

Ingredients.

1 and 1/2 cup yogurt,

3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk,

1/2 cup regular milk or coconut milk or combo of both,

1/2 tsp cardamom powder,

2 tbsp fine coconut powder/ coconut milk,

1/2 tsp ground cumin powder( do not roast ),

1/2 tsp turmeric powder.

Method.

• Put the yogurt in a cheese cloth and hang to drain for 4-5 hours.
• Mix the drained yogurt, condensed milk, regular milk well.
• Add the cardamom powder, cumin powder, coconut powder and turmeric powder and mix well.
• Pour in a vessel that fits in the pressure cooker(I used a 6 inch glass vessel) and put a lid on the glass vessel.
• Put some water in the pressure cooker, invert a small plate in the pressure cooker and then put the glass vessel over the plate.
• Put the lid on the pressure cooker and pressure cook for 5-6 whistles.
• Serve warm or chilled.

Note.

I noticed that with 2-3 whistles the poss was slightly runny, whereas with 5-6 whistles it was very nice and firm.

Can substitute 1/2 cup coconut milk for the regular milk.

Make in individual containers or ramekins if you like.

If the poss is eaten chilled the next day then it tastes better and juicy and firm.

Batatachi Kappa/ Batatachi Phodi /Fried potato slices.

Batatachi kappa with rice and dal , umm umm good. Nothing can be more simple and satisfying.

Ingredients.

2 potatoes, peeled washed and sliced into 1/2 cm thickness,

1 tsp salt,

1 tsp red chilly powder,

1 tsp turmeric powder,

1 tbsp lemon juice (traditionally soak kokum in water and use that tart juice),

semolina(rava) for coating the potato slices,

oil for frying.

Method.

Mix all the spices with lemon juice and apply to potato slices.

• Heat a non stick pan on medium heat and drizzle 2 tsp oil on it and take one potato slice dip it in the semolina on all sides and keep it on the hot pan, repeat for other slices of potato in same manner.
• Drizzle another 2 tsp oil on the potato slices and the turn the slices on the other side, then sprinkle a few tablespoons of water on the potatoes and immediately cover with a pan, reduce heat to low and let the potato slices cook till tender.
• To test prick a fork in the slices of the potatoes.
• Then take the cover off and increase heat to medium and let the slices crisp up, again turn and let crisp on the other side. Serve hot or room temperature.

Note.

Use similar method to fry pumpkin slices, brinjal slices, okra.

Sukho Galmo ( Dry small shrimp dish)

I like seafood but am not much of a galmo fan, but my husband likes fish a lot so made this for him.

Ingredients.

2 cups Galmo (dry small shrimp), washed and rinsed twice with water,

1 medium onion, chopped fine,

1 tomato, chopped into 1 inch pieces,

2 new potatoes, chopped into 1 inch pieces,

1/2 tsp turmeric powder,

1 tbsp paprika,

5 tbsp coconut milk,

2 tbsp garam masala,

5-6 pieces of sola (kokum),

1 tsp salt,

1 tbsp oil.

Method.

• Heat oil in a pan on medium heat add the chopped onions and potatoes and stir fry till they are well coated with the oil.
• Next add the salt, turmeric powder, paprika, garam masala and a couple of tbsp of water.
• Reduce heat to low , cover the pan and let the potatoes cook til tender.
• Then add the washed galmo(dry shrimp), chopped tomato, sola(kokum) and the coconut milk. Adjust water for the consistency.
• Cover again and cook till everything is well cooked and blended.
• Serve with hot steamed rice and may be a simple bhaji like beans bhaji.

Note.

I got galmo (dry small shrimp ) from a Chinese store.

This is not a traditional goan recipe but sometimes I cook fresh shrimp in this manner too, so well decided to make the galmo in that manner.

I get my stock of kokum when I visit goa, India.

Daat Polae(thick dosa) with chutney and potato bhaji.

In konkani we say polae for dosa and daat means thick.Daat polae or thick dosa with coconut chutney and potato bhaji. Scrumptious meal thats what my 5 year old son said when he saw what was for breakfast that day.
I am not much of a chutney or bhaji with polae person, I like mine plain dunked in chai(tea) as all the holes get soaked in tea and ummm... that's a totally different taste.

My Aayi(maternal grandma) makes the best polae in the whole wide world. When she makes them there are tiny holes(due to fermentation) all over the polae. Usually she serves it with channa ros.

When Ma made polae she never ever added udit dal, it was just rice and methi seeds along with sometimes a handful of cooked rice or soaked poha. So the polaes were always snowy white in color. Ma served the polae with coconut chutney.
Since coming to Canada I have missed the polae made by Aayi and Ma.

I do not have either of their recipe so I came up with my own proportions to make these dosa.

Ingredients.
4 cups raw rice,
1 cup udit dal(split black lentil),
1 tbsp methi seeds,
1 cup cooked rice or soaked poha.
1 and 1/2 tsp salt and pinch of sugar.

Method.

• Wash and soak rice, dal and the methi seeds in water separately for 5-6 hours.
• Put soaked rice and cooked rice /soaked poha in a blender and grind to a fine paste, pour in a vessel big enough to allow fermentation.
• Next grind the soaked udit dal and methi seeds till you get a fine paste.
• Pour into the vessel containing the ground rice, add salt and sugar and mix well with a whisk.
• Cover and let ferment overnight or for 8-10 hours in a warm place.
• Next day the batter will be fermented and bubbly.
• Heat a 8 inch non stick tava on medium heat, add 1/2 tsp of oil, use a paper towel and spread the oil and pour 3/4 cup of the batter on the tava, spread to make a circle, cover with lid and let cook for 2 minutes, then take off the cover and using a spatula flip the pola(dosa) over so that it cooks on the other side for another minute so that the other side gets cooked too.
• If using non stick pan there is no need of adding more oil to the pan. Prepare the rest of the polae in similar manner. Serve hot with chutney and potato bhaji.

Note.
Traditionally in goa we use cast iron tava(bhidyacho tavo), but here I use non stick tava.
Whisk makes the mixing of the batter easy and even.
I use the same proportion to make thin polae or crispy masala dosa and idlis too.
Vary the amount of batter poured on the tava to get thin, thick or very thick dosa.

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Green Chutney.

Ingredients.
1 cup coconut,
1 green chilly(more if you like spicy),
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves,
1 tsp grated ginger,
1/2 tsp sugar,
salt to taste,
2 tbsp lemon juice,
water to puree the chutney.

Method.

• Put all ingredients in a blender and puree to a fine paste adding water as required.
• Serve with dosa.