Batate song/ saung

Batate Song served with Cilantro lime rice

Saung/ song is one of the lip smacking relish, marking its spot in konkani lunch sides. I have posted a quick dish and also the kind that

Aloo Mirch masala

This is one of my easy breezy side dish that is perfect for impromptu get togethers.
All the ingredients are readily available in an Indian pantry, to put together and make into a delicious side. Aloo can easily sustituted for paneer and made into Paneer mirch masala which has been added as a new favourite in my list. Enough already! Here goes.

Ingredients for ground masala:
1 small onion
1 tomato
red chillies 2-3
Garlic cloves 4-5
Ginger 1/2″ piece
Coriander seeds 1 tsp
jeera seeds 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Chili powder 1 teaspoon
Garam masala powder 1/2 tsp
Cashews 10-15, soak in water for 15 mins

Onion 2, finely sliced
Potatoes 1, boiled, cubed
Capsicum 2, cubed
coriander leaves, finely chopped

Dry roast coriander seeds, jeera seeds and red chillies separately .Grind along with onion, ginger, tomato, garlic cloves and cashews to a paste.

Heat kadai with 3 tbsp oil. Fry sliced onions till translucent.
Add turmeric powder, chili powder, garam masala powder and capsicum peices. Saute for a few mins. Add ground masala paste and fry till the oil floats. To this add boiled potatoes, salt and chopped coriander leaves. Saute on simmered heat for about 5 more mins.
Best served with chapathis.

Malai kofta

This one's one of the first recipe I tried from Sanjeev Kapoors collection (print out saved from 2002). I don't know if his recipe has changed over the yrs, I never felt the need to check since I think dish has been approved by my family long ago and that's all that matters.

Ingredients for kofta's:
boiled potatoes, 2 medium
paneer, crumbled, 1 cup
raisins 20
cashew nuts 1/4 cup
corn flour 1/4 cup
bread crumbs, 1/2 cup
red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
finely chopped green chillies 6
finely chopped cilantro
salt

For the gravy:
Onions 2-3
green chillies 4-6
garlic paste 1tbs
ginger paste 1tbs
milk powder/ mawa 1/2 cup
fresh cream 1/2 cup
turmeric 1tsp
coriander powder 1tsp
garam masala 1tsp
red chilli powder 1 tsp
tomato puree 1/2 cup
cashewnuts abt 10
oil + salt

Part 1: Peel and mash the boiled potatoes, add all the ingredients listed in the kofta section. Mix well, form elongated rolls (this makes about 20)and deep fry. Set aside.
Part 2: Boil the onions (I pressure cook without any liquid in the vessel containing onions). Separately soak cashew nut in warm water for about 20 minutes and make a paste along with boiled onions. cool.
Part 3: Heat oil in a kadai, add boiled onion paste ( a very high chance of spluttering and blistering is expected here)and stir the paste so it reduces the water content. Add ginger garlic paste and stir for a few minutes before adding spices to remove any pungency from garlic. Add tomato puree and all the spice powder and saute for a few minutes.
Part 4: Dissolve milk powder in 1 1/2 cups of water and add to gravy. Bring it to boil and simmer for 5 mins. Finish with fresh cream and cilantro.
Add kofta's on hot gravy just before serving. Serve with ghee rice or roti's.

cabbage bhaji

Ingredients
Cabbage -small, about 1 lbs, finely chopped
potato - 1 small, thinly sliced
Green chilies 3, chopped
Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon
Oil 3 tbsp.
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Heat the oil in the kadhai and put the mustard seeds and once they start spluttering add green chillies and curry leaves. Add potato,cabbage and turmeric, cover and cook the cabbage( without adding any water) till done. Add salt and keep stirring the bhaji every once in awhile to roast the vegetable.
Serve with hot Rice or Chappathis.

Aloo Methi

Ingredients
Potato - 2 , thinly sliced
methi leaves - 1 bunch, finely chopped
onion - 1, finely chopped
jeera - 1/2 tsp
haldi - 1/4 tsp
red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
amchur powder - 1/2 tsp
salt

Heat oil in a kadai and add onions, saute till translucent.
Add potatoes, all spice powders and cover and cook on low heat till done.
Add methi leaves,salt and stir to mix well and to remove excess moisture from cooking potatoes.Cook for about 5 mins.
Serve with chapathi.

Vada paav

Ingredients
potatoes - 2, boiled and mashed
green chillies - 6-8, finely chopped
cilantro - about 10 stems
garlic clove - 3, grated fresh
haldi - 1/2 tsp
hing - 1/4 tsp
salt
Paav
Green chutney
dry garlic chutney

For the batter:
besan - 1 cup
salt
red chilli pwd
haldi
soda
mix to make a smooth, lump free batter.


Mix together mashed aloo, hing, haldi, chopped green chillies, garlic paste, salt and cilantro. Make into balls, flatten and dip in batter, coat and fry.

Batate gojju

Potato gojju is konkani side dish, that is usually prepared when we are running out of ideas for a side to go with rice and a curry...although, it rarely happens....this is the second choice of potato dish , first being batate saung.
The same recipe is used to make Vaingana gojju( eggplant/ brinjal) where the eggplant is flame roasted, peeled and mashed up. Yumm!

Ingredients
Boiled potatoes – 2-4
onion - 1/2 a cup, finely chopped
Green chillies -4, finely chopped
Fresh grated coconut- about 1 tbsp
Corriander leaves chopped- 2 tbsp, finely chopped
Tamarind – 1/4 tsp
coconut oil - 1 tsp

Ingredients for Seasoning:
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Hing powder – 1/2 Teaspoon

Mash the potatoes and add all the ingredients adding a little water.
Season and add it to the mashed gojju. This requires no cooking.

Aloo Gobhi

Ingredients
Cauliflower, about 1 lbs
potato 2 large, boiled, cubed
green chillies 5, finely chopped
ginger-garlic paste 2 tsp
garam masala 1tsp
dhaniya powder 1/2 tsp
jeera 1/2 tsp crushed
chili powder 1 tsp
bay leaves 3
hing and salt to taste
coriander leaves for garnish

Heat oil and season with crushed jeera, hing, ginger garlic paste and turmeric, add cauliflower and saute till it softens without adding any water. when cooked halfway, add rest of the ingredients, salt and potatoes. cook on low flame, stirring it often so as to prevent it from sticking. Garnish with coriander leaves.