One of the finest of ripe mango curries is the Konkani ambya umman / humman. Since time immemorial, huge mango trees have been growing all over the plains, foothills and plateaus of India. In summer, these trees produce luscious mangoes in great abundance, shedding the ripe fruit every day on the ground. The birds, squirrels…
Curry
Clove Beans Saglea – A thick, spicy Konkani curry (Vegan + Gluten Free)
Just recently, I discovered that clove beans make an excellent ingredient to create the delicious Konkani saglea. Saglea is a highly favored and flavored side dish of the Konkani people. A thick, fragrant, hot and spicy curry, it is generally made using either okra (ladies’ finger) or brinjal (aubergine or eggplants). The other vegetables that go in…
Tori Bendi – Pigeon pea chili curry (Vegan + Gluten Free)
For me, tori bendi is an irresistible traditional Konkani curry which is associated with many sweet, unforgettable memories, some of which, I must share with you today. I was just 19 when I got married, and was quite thin at that time. At my husband’s ancestral home, I was received with great affection by my…
Avara Songe – A traditional Konkani side dish (Vegan + Gluten Free)
Sometimes, simple, homely meals can be far more satisfying than elaborate gourmet dinners. One such meal that I can never forget is also my childhood favorite. At lunchtime, mother would serve us a plate of hot rice with fragrant, hot dali toye poured over it, topped with buttermilk, and accompanied by delicious, hot and savory…
Dalimba Solla Khadi – Pomegranate Peel Curry (Gluten Free)
It happened many many years ago. I was a sixth-grade schoolgirl, and it was a sweltering hot summer day. I had taken some street-food the previous day. Mid-morning found me writhing in pain in my abdomen and running to the toilet, only to pass loose motions with phlegm and blood. This was repeated twice more and…
Shallot Rasam – A simple Kerala pouring curry (Vegan + Gluten Free)
At my parents’ home at Calicut, comes a sprightly old lady named Maniyamma. She started to work as our house maid ever since I was 3 or 4 years of age. Though she is probably in her eighties now, she looks more like 50. Short and stocky, with a smiling visage, she even plays with…
Collard Dal – A hot and spicy curry (Gluten Free)
Collard greens is one of the perennial leafy vegetables I love most. I only need to step out of our home to gather a handful of crisp, tender collard green leaves for the kitchen. We grow a dozen or so clumps in fully organic fashion. This ensures that we get extra-tasty leaves round the year….
Moog Dal Fry (Vegan + Gluten Free)
In the remote mountain village that I live in, the only dal available at local shops is masoor dal – split red lentils. Whenever we need tor dal (pigeon pea lentils) or urud dal (black gram lentils) or moog dal (split mung bean / green gram lentils), we have to go to the nearest town…
Dali Toye – A Konkani soupy curry (Gluten-Free)
For a traditional Konkani person, a plate of rice without dali toye to pour over it is simply inconceivable; nay impossible; for such is the passion for this delicious, simplest of lentil curries. In fact, dali toye is so simple, one could safely call it a soup, rather than a curry. Dali toye is prepared…
Valval – A yummy Konkani soup (Vegan + Gluten Free)
The Konkani people usually have beautiful, smooth, glowing skin. The secret lies in the copious use of coconuts and vegetables in their diet. Did you know that rinsing one’s face with a teaspoonful of coconut water three or four times a day can rid one of pimples and acne? Massaging your body once daily with…