Patholi

Patholi, a must for nagar panchami festival is a steamed sweet dish known to every amchi has the flavour borrowed from fresh turmeric leaves that wraps  this to-die-for Konkani dessert. Mostly prepared on festivals but due to popular demand it is made ever so often at my Mom's place. Although, this dessert has all its glamour from turmeric leaves, it can also be prepared in banana leaves if like me that's the alternative that your life has stooped down to use frozen banana leaves..sniff, sniff.
My mom cooks it in both ways because after a certain point the turmeric plant can't keep reproducing with the speed due to severe pigging-out :p by the Kamath family.
Ingredients:
Rice - 1 cup
coconut - 1 cup
salt

Filling/ churna:
coconut 1 cup
jaggery 3/4 cup
elaichi powder 1/2 tsp

Method:
Grind soaked rice, coconut and salt with very little water to thick smooth paste.

Mix together the ingredients for churna.

Wash and dry the turmeric leaves.
Smear some rice paste in the centre of the leaves leaving the edges untouched.Place the churna in the centre of the paste and fold the leaves lengthwise. Steam it for 15 mins and serve with ghee.

Pineapple Menskai/ Avnas Ambe menskai

Ingredients:
2-3 Mangoes OR 3 cups cubed pineapples
1 cup Grated coconut
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp urad dal
2 1/2 tsp  Sesame seeds
10 Dry red chilies,
3 tbsp Jaggery
1tsp Tamarind paste
salt to taste

Seasoning
1-2 tsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1 sprig Curry leaves


Method:
Cube the mangoes/pineapple. Cook with salt, green chille, jaggery and water for about 5 mins.

 In the meantime, in a skillet, dry roast sesame seeds ( it roasts real quick), coriander seeds, urad dal and red chilies. Grind  roasted ingredients together  with coconut, tamarind paste and salt with very little water to a coarse paste. Add the masala paste to the cooked mangoes/pineapple and  bring this curry to desired consistence ( this should have enough gravy to coat the pineapple well) and simmer it for about 5 mins.

Heat oil and temper with mustard seeds, red chillies and curry leaves . Serve hot with rice.

Happy Navrathri!