Jambool ( A traditional Konkani / Saraswat Sweet )

Jambool ( A traditional Konkani / Saraswat Sweet ) - This recipe had been successfully tested multiple times.

Makes: 18 - 20 Jambool

Ingredients

Please use same measuring cup to measure sooji, water and milk.

1 cup ( 100 g ) rawa ( sooji )

1 cup milk or 1 cup water

1/2 cup water or 1/2 cup milk

1 cup ( 100 g ) sugar (or 3/4 cup sugar)

1 teaspoon ghee ( to fry rawa )

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon extra ghee

2 pinches cardamom powder

150 ml oil for frying jambools

For Sugar Syrup:

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

Method

Boil milk and water. Keep aside.

In a wide iron kadai, heat 1 teaspoon ghee. Fry rawa ( sooji ) on a low heat till light brown and fragrant.

Pour diluted milk evenly with one hand and simultaneously stir with a spatula with the other hand. Mixing of rawa in boiling milk is very important . It should be mixed evenly - else it may form lumps. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 10 - 12 minutes or until it is dry. Stir occasionally.

Add sugar and cook for 5 more minutes.

Sprinkle cardamom powder. Mix well.

Add 1 tablespoon ghee. Mix well. Remove from the heat and keep aside for cooling.

Rawa balls and Fried Rawa balls

Divide the rawa mixture into equal parts and make small balls ( jambool ). Smear the palms with little ghee when making rawa balls.

Heat oil in a frying pan / kadai. Reduce heat to medium and fry jambool in batches ( 10 jambools at a time ) until golden / brown color. Drain and remove.

For Sugar Syrup:

In a bowl, mix sugar and water together. Boil sugar syrup on a low heat for 10 - 12 minutes. Sugar solution thickens and a string appear between thumb and forefinger when testing.

Gently stir jamoons in this sugar syrup and keep aside for 1 hour. A shining sugar coating will form later. Store in an airtight container.

Mint - Coriander Rice ( Pressure Cooker Method )

Mint - Coriander Rice ( Pressure Cooker Method )

Serves: 2

You will need

1 cup Jeerakasala Rice
1 1/2 cup water
2 teaspoon ghee
3 cardamom
3 cloves
2 small cinnamon sticks
1 onion, finely sliced
1 cup coriander and mint leaves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt

Method

Wash and soak rice for 15 minutes. Drain out water completely.

Wash and chop mint and coriander leaves.

In a pressure cooker, heat ghee. Add cloves, cardamom and cinnamon sticks. Fry on a low heat till fragrant ( 2 - 3 minutes ).

Add finely sliced onions. Fry for 3 minutes till golden color.

Add rice, chopped mint - coriander leaves, salt to taste and 1 1/2 cup water. Close the lid . Reduce heat to high and pressure cook on high heat for 3 whistles. Switch off the heat and allow the pressure cooker to cool naturally.

Serve with Chicken curry / Vegetable korma .....

Jeerakasala Rice

Jeerakasala, a small aromatic rice variety ( more tastier and aromatic than basmati rice ). It is pure white in color, fine grains gives off a pleasing aroma when cooking. It is also know as '' Biryani Rice '' in Kerala and available at whole sale rice merchants in Chennai ( Rs60 / kg ).

Dalitoy ( Tur Dal cooked in Konkani Style )

Dalitoy ( Tur Dal cooked in Konkani Style )

Serves: 3 - 4

You will need

1 cup tur dal
3 cups water
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon oil
3 green chillies, slit lengthwise
3 / 4 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder ( optional )

For Seasoning:

2 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)
1 spring curry leaves
2 broken red chillies

2 pinches hing (optional)

2 pinches pepper powder (optional)

Method

For Dalitoy:

Clean and soak tur dal in 3 cups water for 15 minutes. Pressure cook dal with turmeric powder and oil till done ( reduce heat to medium after 1 st whistle and pressure cook on a medium heat for 8 - 10 minutes ). Allow the pressure cooker to cool naturally.

Boil dal again with slit green chillies and salt to taste. Cover with a lid and boil on a low heat for 10 - 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

For Seasoning:

Heat oil in a small frying pan. Add mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add curry leaves, jeera and broken red chillies. Saute on a low heat for 2 - 3 minutes or till fragrant.

Pour this seasoning over dalitoy and serve with rice ( seeth ) as a main dish.

Sprinkle pepper powder ( optional ) or 2 pinches hing (asafoetida).

Other accompaniments - Cabbage sukke, Gashi, Valval, Humman, Appolu.

Shallot - Tomato Gashi

Shallot - Tomato Gashi
( Piyyava Gashi in Konkani Cuisine )

Serves: 3

Ingredients

250 g shallots, peeled
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
1 cup water ( 200 ml )
1 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )

For Coconut Paste:

1 cup ( 200 g ) coconut, grated
10 red chillies
2 tablespoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon jeera ( cumin seeds )
1/2 teaspoon urad dal

Method

For Coconut Paste:

In a wide iron kadai, dry roast all the ingredients till golden color and fragrant ( approximate roasting time 30 minutes ). Grind all the ingredients together in a mixer to a fine paste.

For Gashi:

In a pan, heat oil. Saute shallots on a low heat for 2- 3 minutes ( till you get a nice aroma ).

Add chopped tomatoes. Saute for 2 minutes.

Add ground coconut paste, mix well, saute on a low heat for 2 minutes.

Add 1 cup water and salt to taste.

Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 15 minutes or till done / gravy slightly thickens / tomatoes are well blended.

Serve with rice / chapati / phulka.