Vali Bhaji / Mayalu Pannache Koshimbir

Malabar Spinach Salad / Koshimbir 

Supriya, my fb friend had posted her mom’s recipe of Mulangi Pannache koshimbir (Raddish leaves Salad) on her page Mom’s Kitchen to Mine... I instantly felt in love with the recipe... I had lots of Vali bhaji growing in my balcony. Wanted to give it a try with Vali Baji and voila!

It was delicious. Radish leaves would taste a bit different due to the pungent peppery taste of the leaves, but enjoyed this salad too. Simple recipes are always delicious. 

I followed the recipe.. Wash the leaves thoroughly... and then cut it. Sprinkle little salt and leave the leaves for 10 minutes... wash it again and then add the other ingredients. 

I used desiccated coconut but would prefer fresh coconut.

Ingredients 

10 to 12 medium size Malabar Spinach Leaves cut into fine strips 

1 Green Chilli chopped

1 tsp Lime juice 

Salt to taste

1 tsp Sugar

1 to 2 tbsp Fresh Coconut grated or Desiccated Coconut 

2 tbsp Roasted Peanuts crushed

Method 

Take a bowl, add the Malabar spinach leaves, green chilli, salt to taste, sugar and lime juice. Mix well. Now add the coconut and peanuts and toss well. Serve it immediately. 

Masoor Dal aur Sabji ke Pakore

Hungry, missing chai pakore stalls and want some tasty delicious snacks with garma garam chai, then try out this easy and quick to make snacks... this pakora can also be made with dals like moong and chana or can be made with mixed dal. Serve this pakora with chutney and tomato ketchup or imli ki chutney. It’s delicious. 

Ingredients 

• 1/2 cup Split Red Lentils / Masoor Dal washed and soaked in water for 30 minutes 
• 1 small Onion chopped
• 2 Green Chillies chopped
• 1 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped 
• 1/4 cup chopped mixed vegetables ( carrot, capsicum, beans, cabbage )
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 
• A pinch of Soda Bicarbonate 
• Oil to fry 

Method 

Take the soaked Masoor Dal and drain out excess water. The Masoor Dal has to be coarsely ground into a paste. The paste should be of thick dropping consistency. Remove the paste in a bowl. Add salt and turmeric powder, stir or whisk the paste well in one direction to incorporate air. Take oil in a wok and let it heat. Add the onion, green chillies, vegetables and coriander leaves. Mix well. Add the soda bicarbonate and mix well.. Reduce the flame to medium. Add one tbsp of the paste into the hot oil, repeat the process for 5 to 6 times or until the wok is filled with the pakoras. Fry the pakoras until crispy and brown in colour. Serve hot with green chutney and tomato ketchup. Enjoy the pakoras with a cup of garam chai. 

Grilled Fish

Grilled fish can be eaten as one of the healthy starter or can be enjoyed for dinner with some salads. Grilled fish can be marinated in many ways. Boneless fish or slices of big fish can be used for grilling. Bhetki, Basa, Ghol etc can be used for grilling. 

Ingredients 

6 pieces of Ghol fish slices 

1/2 cup Hung Curd

3 tbsp Mayonnaise 

1 tsp Garlic paste 

Salt to taste

1 tsp Pepper Powder 

1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder

1 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1 tsp Cumin seed powder 

1 tbsp Besan / Chickpea flour 

1/2 tsp Carom seeds

1 tbsp Mustard Oil 

Method 

Marinate the fish with all the above ingredients well and keep it for an hour or two. Take a foil and spread it on a baking tray. Keep the fish slices on the foil. Add some of the marinade on the fish. Grill the fish in a preheated oven at 200 degrees celsius for 10 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven. Turn the fish gently and apply the remaining marinade on the fish, continue to grill for another 10 minutes. Remove the fish and serve the fish with green coriander chutney and spicy mango -  cucumber - tomato salad. 

Methia Keri

It’s a Gujarati Raw Mango pickle made with fenugreek seeds or fenugreek dal. It doesn’t need cooking, mix the spices and keep it in a corner. In 2 weeks time the pickle will be ready to eat. Enjoy with thepla, dal rice or paratha. 

Ingredients 

 1/2 kg Raw Mango washed, dried and cut into small pieces 

2 tbsp Split Mustard seeds 

1/4 cup split Fenugreek seeds

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/4 cup Red Chilli powder 

1/4 tsp Asafoetida 

1 cup Sesame Oil

Method 

    Add the mangoes in a mixing bowl. Add the split fenugreek seeds, spilt mustard seeds, turmeric powder, salt, chilli powder and asafoetida. Mix all the ingredients well. Add the pickle in a clean glass jar. Pour the oil. The mango pieces and the spices has to be cover in the oil. Cover and keep the jar in one corner of the house. Stir the pickle with a clean ladle every day. The pickle will be ready in 2 weeks time. 

Aavakai

This a famous raw mango pickle from Andhra. It’s very commonly made in every household in Andhra during summer. It’s spicy and hot. It’s served with curd rice.

Ingredients
1 kg Raw Mangoes, washed, wiped and dried and then cut each mangoes into 6-8 pieces with kernel
10 to 12 Garlic cloves
1 tbsp Garlic coarsely ground
1 cup Mustard seeds sun dried and powdered
2 tbsp Fenugreek seeds sun dried and powdered
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1 cup Salt
1 cup Chilli powder
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
1 tbsp Black Chana (optional)
1 1/2 cup Sesame seed oil

Method
Spread the mango pieces on a dry cloth and dry them for 4 hours. In a mixing bowl add salt, mustard powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder, fenugreek powder and asafoetida, mix well. Now add the garlic cloves, garlic paste, fenugreek seeds, black chana and some sesame seeds oil and mix well. Add the mango pieces and mix the spices well with the mango pieces, it should coat the mango well. Add these spice coated mango pieces to the jar. Pour the remaining oil on the top and cover the jar and keep it in a dry area. After 3 days open the pickle and check. Take a dry ladle and mix the pickle. If need be adjust the salt or add more oil if required. The mango pieces should be covered in oil. Stir the pickle once every day with a clean ladle. It takes 15 days for the pickle to get ready.