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.

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.

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.

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.

Kaarle Bhaaji / Simple Bitter Gourd Stir Fry

Karela is called "kaarley" in konkani. And I am a big fan of karela. I simply love the vegetable in any form.
This is a simple stir fry for everyday meals.

Marinating the karela in tamarind is Ma's tip for reducing the bitterness in karela.
She made karela kappa(fry) and karela bhaaji with tomatoes and potatoes, but she never squeezed the juice out of the karela. She always marinated the cut karela in tamarind pulp for at least 1/2 hour.

Ingredients
2 cups chopped karela(thinly sliced),
1 medium onion sliced,
1 tbsp tamarind pulp,
salt to taste,
1/2 tsp turmeric powder,
1/2 tsp red chilly powder,
pinch of sugar,
2 tsp oil.

Method

• Apply tamarind to the karela and keep aside for 30 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.
• Add chopped onions and fry till tender and translucent.
• Add the marinated karela and fry till karela is cooked.
• Add the salt, chilly powder ,turmeric powder and sugar and stir till everything is mixed well.
  There you go the dish is ready to be savoured with chapati or rice and simple dal.

Note.

Increase the red chilly powder if you want more spicy. I personally prefer to taste some of the bitterness in the karela.

If you don't have tamarind then use lemon or lime juice.

Add chopped garlic and ginger for a variation.

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.

Bhindi Bhaaji/Okra Stir Fry.

Bhindi is called " Bhene " in konkani. Ma made this bhenyachi bhaaji often, only she did not add amchur powder, she would sometimes add a couple of teaspoons of lemon juice.

Ingredients

3 cups bhindi, cut in a slant or angle,

1 onion, chopped,

1 tomato, diced,

5 cloves garlic, chopped fine,

1/2 tsp turmeric powder(haldi),

1 tsp garam masala,

1/2 tsp dry mango powder(amchur)/ 2 tsp lemon juice,

2 tbsp oil,

1tsp jeera(cumin),

1 tsp mustard seeds(rai),

salt to taste.

Method

• Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.
• When hot add the jeera and mustard seeds, when they splutter add the chopped onion and saute well.
• Next add the tomato and bhindi and mix well.
• Add the rest of the ingredients, sprinkle a few teaspoons of water and reduce heat to low and allow the bhindi to cook till tender but not mushy.
• Sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves if desired for garnish.

Note

Can cut the bhindi in any desired shape, the end result and taste is the same.

Sometimes Ma made it using green chillies and omitted the garam masala.

Also at times she would add some fresh grated coconut to it.

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.

Batata Simla Mirch Bhaaji/ Potato And Bell Pepper Stir Fry.

Ingredients

2 cups chopped potatoes,

2 cups chopped bell pepper, any color,

2 tsp oil,

1 tsp mustard seeds,

1 tsp cumin seeds,

1/2 tsp turmeric powder,

1 tsp garam masala,

1 tsp lemon juice,

salt to taste.

chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Method

• Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.
• Add mustard and cumin seeds, when they splutter, add the potatoes and stir well.
• Add the turmeric powder, garam masala and salt, mix well.
• Sprinkle a few teaspoons of water.
• Cover with a lid,reduce heat to very low and let the potatoes cook till tender.
• Add the chopped bell pepper and mix and cover again and let the pepper cook.
• Finally add the lemon juice, mix and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Note.

I used mixed bell pepper(yellow, orange,red and green).

Broccoli Salad/Broccoli In Yogurt Dressing.

This raita I made using only grated broccoli stems. This was not so much like raita but rather more like a coleslaw. I used less yogurt for this salad but same list of ingredients as below Broccoli Carrot Raita.

Broccoli Carrot Raita

I never throw the broccoli stems away, this time I thought of making raita of it bcoz it tastes nice and crunchy.

My son gobbled 2 bowls of this with his chicken burgers.

Ingredients

1 broccoli stem grated,

1 carrot grated,

1/2 cup yogurt,

2 tbsp sour cream,

1/2 tsp cumin powder,

salt to taste,

1 tbsp sugar,

pinch of red chilly powder,

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves.

Method.

• Mix yogurt, sour cream, salt, sugar, red chilly powder, cumin powder, and coriander leaves.
• Add the grated carrots and grated broccoli stems.
• Serve cold.

Note

Can omit sour cream and use only yogurt.

Once I used only grated broccoli stems. You can mix and match any vegetables.

Add chopped mint leaves for a change.

Cherry Tomatoes from my garden.

Cherry Tomato Salad

I made this Cherry tomato salad using the tomatoes form my backyard. I just cut the tomatoes into 2 pieces and sprinkled a little bit of salt, sugar, pepper powder, lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves.

Voila, a fresh yummy salad ready to devour

Batatachi kappa/phodi topped with boondi raita.

A fancy appetizer if you may say so, fried potato slices topped with a dollop of thick boondi raita and a spring of coriander leaves.

Add mint or pudina leaves in place of coriander leaves.

Add a dollop of sour cream or any kind of thick chutney in place of the raita.

Get creative with the toppings and enjoy.

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.

French Beans Bhaji.

Simple beans bhaji with new potatoes from my kitchen garden.

Ingredients.

1 lb/ 500gms french beans, chopped into 1 cm pieces,

1/2 small onion, chopped,

2 small new potatoes, diced, (I used potatoes from my kitchen garden),

1/2 tsp turmeric powder,

1/2 tsp garam masala(mild),

2 tbsp grated coconut.

1 tbsp oil,

1/2tsp mustard seeds,

1/2 tsp cumin seeds,

1 tsp salt.

Method.

• Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Add the mustard and cumin seeds and let them splutter, then add onion and diced potato and the salt.
  Mix well and add few tbsps of water, cover the pan and reduce heat to low and let the potato cook slightly.
• Next add the chopped french beans and the rest of the ingredients.
• Cover and let the beans and the potato cook till tender.

Note.

I added dry coconut to the bhaji. I usually add dry coconut for bhajis and let it cook with the vegetable so that way the dry coconut gets moisture and flavour from the vegetables and the spices.

Snap Peas Bhaji

I was very excited to get these snap peas and couple of pods of green peas from my garden. Just made a simple stir fry dish out of it.

Ingredients.

2 cups chopped snap peas,

1/2 onion, chopped ,

1 tomato, chopped,

1/2 tsp cumin seeds,

pinch of sugar,

1 tsp salt,

1 tbsp oil,

2 tbsp grated coconut,

1/2 tsp turmeric powder,

1/2 tsp garam masala (optional),

2 tbsp green peas.

Method.

• Heat oil in a pan on medium heat and add cumin seeds. Then add the chopped onion and fry till onion is cooked, then add the tomato and fry again for few minutes.
• Next add the chopped snap peas and green peas, stir again.
• Finally add the salt, sugar, turmeric powder, garam masala and the coconut.
• Mix well and add few tbsp of water and cover the pan with a lid. Reduce the heat to very low and allow the vegetables to cook till tender.

Note

You can just stir fry and keep the snap peas crunchy if you like or cook till very soft and tender.