The eggplant or the brinjal is an indispensable ingredient in my kitchen. We grow at least four varieties of eggplant in our garden as my son just loves it. I make a dozen dishes or so using brinjal. Of them, brinjal roast, which is called vaingana bhajja pitto in Konkani, is the most delicious, and I…
traditional
Fried Beetles – Crispy deep-fried jackfruit seeds (Vegan + Gluten Free)
Every year in summer, millions of jackfruit trees festoon themselves with the largest fruits on Earth – delicious, mouthwatering jackfruit! The produce is so generous in nature that hardly a fraction is consumed by humans and by monkeys, cattle, squirrels, birds, and elephants. The rest ripen and drop to the ground to enrich the earth…
Ambya Umman – Konkani Ripe Mango Curry Dessert (Vegan + Gluten Free)
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…
Karathya Nonche – Bitter gourd pickle (Vegan + Gluten Free)
I remember waiting eagerly for Vinayaka Chaturthi (Chovathi in Konkani) to come, to run to my paternal uncle’s place. The eldest member of our family, my uncle would celebrate Vinayaka Chaturthi every year, seeking the blessings of Lord Ganapathi (Ganesha), for the health, happiness and prosperity of all the members of our family. The celebrations would…
Mirsange Happolu – Red Chili Papad (Vegan + Gluten Free)
Do you know what a Konkani person working in a different state or living abroad when he/she thinks of home? Nine times out of ten, it is for hot paej (rice gruel) and crisp, deep-fried, spicy mirsange happolu (red chili papad). In traditional Konkani households, often, supper consists of hot rice, over which is poured…
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…
Tender Bamboo in Konkani Cuisine
Long, long ago, in a remote village nestling in a forest on the Konkan coast, there lived a poor Brahmin priest who had a daughter and a son. Being poor, they lived off the forest where the trees and the plants amply supplied their simple needs with fresh fruits, roots and leafy vegetables. The children…
Odi – Spicy Crisp Rice Fries (Vegan + Gluten Free)
For most Konkani people among the Brahmin community, no meal feels complete without a handful or two of freshly deep-fried, crisp, spicy, yummy odis. In fact, odi is so delicious that you can enjoy a pile of rice and dali toye with no other accompaniment but just some onion odis (piyyava odi in Konkani) or garlic odis…
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…