Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Jackfruit Seeds (Bikkanda) Upkari

Well friends,  as promised in my earlier post, this is another typical konkani "upkari" which means a dry curry.  These seeds are very nutritive and has umpteen health benefits. So don't ever discard them.

First of all, dry the jackfruit seeds and then peel off the white skin as mentioned in my earlier post.  Once this is done, you are ready to prepare the curry.  I have also added a small piece of yellow cucumber in this curry. You may omit it if you so desire. It tastes wonderful with the addition of yellow cucumber. 








                                    


Ingredients:

Jackfruit seeds 
 (dried, halved & peeled)       15 -20
Yellow Cucumber                   about 1/4th Pc

For tempering:

Oil for tempering                   2 tsps
Mustard seeds                        1 tsp
Dry Red Chilies                     2- 3
Curry leaves                           1 Sprig
Asafetida   (Hing)                  1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

For Garnishing:
Freshly grated coconut           1 tbsp (optional)

   
Method :

  1. Halve the dried & peeled jackfruit seeds and cut the yellow cucumber into cubes or bite size pieces.
  2. Steam or pressure cook them for about 20 mins till soft but not mushy. Allow it to cool.
  3. Then heat a pan or a vessel on a medium flame. When the vessel is hot enough, add the mustard seeds. When they start spluttering, lower the flame and add the dry red chilies, hing & curry leaves.
  4. Next add the boiled/steamed Yellow Cucumber & Jackfruit seeds into the vessel. Give it a good stir. Sprinkle a little water if necessary so as not to stick at the bottom of the vessel/pan. 
  5. Add salt and mix well and allow it to cook for a few minutes for the salt to absorb.
  6. Switch off and garnish with freshly grated coconut.
  7. Its now ready to be served.



Jackfruit seeds (Halved) & Yellow Cucumber (cubed)

Steaming under process

Mustard seeds, hing, red chilies & curry leaves

Jackfruit seeds & Yellow Cucumber steamed

Tempering underway

Steamed vegetables added to the tempering

Freshly grated coconut added

Jackfruit seed (Bikkanda) Upkari ready to be served


Preparation time:    20 mins
Cooking time:         30 mins
Serves  :                  3-4 persons


Note :

  • You can check the health benefits of Jackfruit seeds here :https://www.netmeds.com/health-library/post/jackfruit-seeds-dont-discard-those-nutty-kernels-yet-read-the-health-reasons-inside
  • This simple dish is not only tasty, and easy to prepare but very healthy too.
  • Check here for my earlier post of Jackfruit seeds (Bikkanda) Koddel



Monday, July 5, 2021

Jackfruit Seed (Bikkanda) Koddel


As promised in my earlier post, I am presenting here the recipe made from Jackfruit seeds or Bikkand as it is known in Konkani language. Since the tempering is done with garlic it is called "Koddel".

 It's a simple recipe and is generally prepared by the GSB ( konkani speaking communities). Jackfruit seeds are gassy, hence it is generally combined with "Magge" (Yellow Cucumber) and/or with drumsticks. On the whole this combination makes it very nutritious and tasty too. 

Firstly, jackfruit seeds should be washed and dried in the sun for a day or two. Once dried, you can easily peel off the outer white skin. Once this is done, it's ready for cooking. So let's begin.







Ingredients:

Jackfruit seeds               -     about 15
Yellow Cucumber          -     1/4th Pc
Drumstick                      -     1 
Garlic                             -     5-6 garlic cloves
Oil for tempering           -    2 tsps
Salt to taste

To be ground to a paste
Grated coconut              -      1 cup
Dry Red Chillies            -     2-3
Tamarind                        -     a small marble size


Method:
  1.  Wash the Yellow cucumber, Jackfruit seeds & drumstick. Then cut the jackfruit seeds into half,      yellow cucumber into bite-size pieces and drumstick into 2 inch pieces.
  2. Then cook the cut vegetables either in water or pressure cook it for about 10 mins till it is cooked well but not mushy.
  3. In the meantime, grind all the ingredients ( grated coconut, red chilles & tamarind) to a smooth paste.
  4. Now, take a vessel, add little water along with the cooked vegetables  and keep it on a medium flame. Also add the required salt and allow it to boil for few mins, for the salt to be absorbed. 
  5.  Lower the flame and add the ground paste and mix it well with a wooden spoon/ladle. Let it boil for a few minutes. Then remove from flame.
  6. Now heat a tempering pan, add oil in it and let the oil warm up
  7. In the meantime, crush the garlic cloves. Once the oil is heated, add the crushed garlic cloves and fry them till they turn brown. Switch off the flame and immediately transfer it to the vessel containing the mixture of cooked vegetables & the ground paste. Cover the lid immediately.
  8. Koddel is now ready to be served.
Dried Jackfruit seeds

Peeled & Cut Jackfruit seeds

Vegetables being cut
                                                                                 
Vegetables boiled in pressure cooker
                                      
Grated coconut, Red chillies & Tamarind ground to a paste
                                   
Ground paste added to the cooked vegetables

Garlic cloves being fried in oil

                                            
Fried garlic cloves transferred into the vessel


Preparation Time : 20 mins
Cooking time   :  20 mins
Serves       : 3- 4 persons


Note:

  • The gravy should not be very thick or thin.
  • If garlic is not your choice, you can totally omit it. Instead you can add a teaspoon of asafetida water OR  half a teaspoon of the powder along with coconut oil or any other oil of your choice to the boiled veg and ground paste mix. In which case, this dish will be called Bikkanda Humman.  
  • I have previously posted Cookaa (Chinese Potato) Humman. Jackfruit seed Humman can also be prepared in the same manner




Thursday, June 24, 2021

Jackfruit Idli (Ponsa Idli)



It's the jackfruit season! People in general have a love-hate relationship with this ripened fruit as it is very aromatic. It's grown in plenty in the southern part of India. We Amchis (Konkani speaking people) love this "Ponosu" (as it is called in konkani for the ripened jackfruit) and a lot of sweet dishes are prepared from this fruit. One such sweet dish is "Ponsa Idli". 

Traditionally this idli is prepared in "Teak Leaf " and is called " Ponsa Muddho". When steamed in teak leaf, the "Muddho" turns reddish in colour.  And if "teak leaf "  is not available, banana leaf can be used instead.  But, as you all know by now, that I always choose the path of least resistance - I just steamed them in our regular idli moulds ! And the end result was good. My spouse will vouch for it. It is best eaten with a dollop of ghee (clarified butter).

I have previously posted about the Jackfruit & its recipes  - Jackfruit Payasam (Gharayi), Jackfruit Fritters (Mullik) & Jackfruit Patholi in my blog. You can check it out by clicking on these names. 


Jackfruit (Ponsa) Idlis to be eaten with a dollop of ghee

                                         

Ingredients:

Jackfruit Plums (deseeded) - about 15
Rice - 1 cup
Powdered jaggery - 1/4 to 1/2 cup
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Ghee (clarified Butter) - for smearing the idli mould & also to be eaten with idli
Salt to taste

Method :

  1. Soak rice for about an hour. Then drain water completely.
  2. In the meantime, chop the Jack plums and keep them aside.
  3. Grind the chopped jack plums, grated coconut & powdered jaggery to a smooth paste without adding any water. When done, remove it in a bowl.
  4. In the same mixie jar, add the drained rice and grind it to a coarse powder without adding any water.
  5. Add the coarsely powdered rice and salt into the bowl (containing the jackfruit mixture) and mix it thoroughly into a smooth paste without any lumps.
  6. Now grease the idli moulds with ghee.
  7. Heat the idli steamer with water. If you are using pressure cooker, take care to remove the whistle.
  8. Fill the greased idli cups with the prepared batter and steam for 20 mins.
  9. When cooled remove the idlis from the mould with the knife/spoon.
  10. Serve hot with a dollop of ghee on top.


Jackfruit Plums deseeded

Rice soaked in water

Jackfruit plums being cut into pieces

Jackfruit plums, grated coconut & jaggery added in mixie jar

The above mixture ground to a fine paste

Rice ground coarsely

Rice powder & salt added to the above mixture

Mixed into a smooth paste without lumps
Ready for steaming
Idlis steamed and ready to be removed
                                     
Jackfruit Idlis ready to be served



Preparation time : 20 mins   
Soaking time        : 1 Hour
Cooking time       : 20 mins
Makes                   : 16 Idlis


Note:
  • While grinding do not add water at any stage. The batter will be watery and the idlis will not turn out well.
  • The quantity of powdered jaggery can be adjusted according to the sweetness you desire and also the sweetness of the jackfruit plums.
  • Any type of rice can be used. I have used Idly rice.
  • Do not discard the Jack fruit seeds (Bikkand in Konkani) as it can be used in various curries. Will share some recipes of Bikkand in the coming days.
















Wednesday, June 9, 2021

Oats Veg Bhakri


Hello Friends, Its been quite a while ( to be precise almost 6 years ) since I have published any post on my blog. I might say that a lot of water has flown under the bridge. My grand-daughter just completed six years now and in the meantime, we have also changed our residence. So, overall it was quite hectic these last few years; but seeing my grand daughter growing up gave me and my spouse enough joy and believe me she is quite a handful! 

Well, I am now trying to get back to blogging  {I hope I have not forgotten how to go about it :) }.  I have now to get in touch with all my blogger friends, and hope to revive their contacts too. Looking forward to  your comments and reply like the good old days.

Frankly speaking, what gave me this sudden impetus to restart my blog is that I participated (having got the info from my husband's nephew) in a recipe contest organised by youthofGSB (Gowd Saraswat Brahmin community to which I belong) and they have published all the recipes in the book named Gowd Saraswat Recipe contest book in a pdf format. I think that's enough of my blabbering.  

As you all know that we are all looking for a healthy breakfast to start our day. I was in a mood to start something new and hence started searching on the net for some oats preparation. After a lot of search, I came across Oats Bhakri. I made some changes to suit the texture & palate. Bhakri is generally spread thickly. You can also refer to my earlier recipe of Red Pumpkin Bhakri



Oats Veg Bhakri served with a dollop of white home made butter




Ingredients:

Oats (Instant)            - 1 cup
Semolina (regular)    - 1/2 cup
Curds                         - 1/4 cup
Green chillies            - 1 or 2 chopped
Water                        - approx 1 cup
Corriander leaves      - a small bunch chopped
Grated carrot             - 2 tbsps
Capsicum (chopped) - 2 tbsps
Tomato (chopped)     - 1 medium
Onion (chopped)       - 2 tbsps
Salt to taste
Oil for shallow frying


Method:

  1.  In a bowl, mix oats, semolina and salt.
  2.  Add curds & mix again.
  3. Next add water to dilute it slightly.
  4. Now add all the chopped vegetables, green chilies and coriander leaves and give it a good mix.
  5. At this stage, add water and mix again without any lumps. The batter should not be very dilute or thick. Let it sit for for about 10 mins.
  6. In the meantime, heat a griddle or tawa . Smear oil
  7. When the pan is hot enough, lower the heat and spread a ladle of the prepared batter not thinly.
  8. Dribble oil all around the bhakri and keep the flame on medium. 
  9. Now flip the bhakri and fry on the other side too.
  10. Continue in the same manner with the remaining batter.
  11. Tastes good with white home made butter.

Preparation Time: 15-20mins
Cooking time       :  20 mins
Makes                   :  8 Bhakris  of  size approx 5-6inches


Ingredients

                                                                   
Oats, Semolina & Salt placed in a bowl
                                               

Curds added to the above mixture
                                                            
Chopped vegetables added to the above mixture
                                       
                                      Batter is mixed thoroughly so that no lumps are formed
                                      
Bhakri has been spread thickly on the hot griddle
                                              

Bhakri has been flipped over


All set & ready to serve
                                                            

Note: 
  • Chop the vegetables as finely as possible.
  • Oats can also be powdered though not much change in the texture of the bhakri.
  • Do not spread the batter thinly.
  • Serve with any chutney of your choice if you do not have white butter.
  • Bhakris have to be eaten hot.