Valache Birde

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Valache Birde is a classic Maharashtrian curry having different variations across the state. This wholesome gravy made from sprouted field beans is a staple not just during festivals but also in simple everyday meals. Requiring a bit of prep, it is a tad laborious but trust us it is worth the effort!! Pairs well with hot steamed rice or millet based bhakris or wholewheat chappatis

Ingredients

  • Sprouted & peeled Val beans (Birde) – around 2 cups (from 1 cup of dried Val beans)
  • Dry coconut scraped or grated – ½ cup
  • Onion chopped – 1 medium for the paste and 1 small for tempering
  • Garlic – 5 to 6 cloves
  • Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
  • Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
  • Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
  • Asafoetida (Hing) – ½ tsp
  • Sunday Special Masala – 4 to 5 tsp (or as per your taste buds if you like it spicy)
  • Kokam petals – 3 to 4 or Tamarind pulp – 1 tsp
  • Salt – as per taste
  • Oil – 4 to 5 tbsp
  • Fresh coriander – 2 tbsp (for garnishing)

Directions

  • Saute onion, dry coconut, cumin seeds, garlic in little oil. Fry it until the mix turns golden brown. Let it cool down and grind this mixture into a fine paste
  • Wash the Val beans and drain
  • Heat oil in a Kadai or pan, add mustard seeds for tempering. When mustard seeds are popping, add onion. Saute till pinkish.
  • Add hing, turmeric powder and our Sunday Special Masala. Saute for a few seconds.
  • Add val beans and saute for a while and add water. Mix well and cover the kadai with a plate with some water in the plate. Cook for 5 minutes on low heat.
  • Add the coconut paste and salt. Add some water (adjust consistency of curry as per personal choice)
  • Mix well but gently, you want to keep the sprouts intact. Cook for 20-25 mins on low heat or till the beans become tender (not too soft as you would want to retain the shape of the beans). Stir occasionally with soft hands. Check in between by pressing one with fingers.
  • Add kokam petals or tamarind pulp and water if needed. Cook for 5 mins on low heat.
  • Garnish with coriander. Serve hot with chapatti or bhakari or rice

Tips

  • Val kernels are very delicate so handle and mix with soft hands or else they will break
  • Do not overcook as the val kernels need to stay whole or the dish will not taste the same
  • You may also add potato to the curry

Malvani Piti

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Known as piti in Konkani cuisine, horsegram flour is a staple in most homes along the coastline. High in protein and loaded with iron, this superfood is very versatile as well. Here we will learn to make piti from scratch.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup horsegram flour
  • 1 finely chopped onion
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • A sprig of curry leaves
  • 3-4 kokum petals
  • Finely chopped coriander leaves
  • Salt to taste
  • Malvani masala
  • 2 tbsp groundnut oil
  • 3 cups of water

Directions

  • Mix 2 cups of water with 1 cup of horsegram flour (kulith peet) and stir continuously to achieve a thick soupy consistency. Ensure there are no lumps in the mixture.
  • In a kadhai, heat oil and add chopped garlic and fry till it turns golden brown.
  • Add onions and curry leaves and saute till onions turn soft
  • To the pan, pour in the kulith peet mixture and keep stirring slowly. Add ¼ tsp Malvani masala,
    kokum petals and salt to taste.
  • On medium heat, cook the gravy till it reaches a consistency of your liking. You may add a little
    water from time to time to adjust the thickness of the piti.
  • After 4-6 minutes of cooking, switch off the flame and add chopped coriander.
  • Piti is ready to be served. Goes well with bhakri (rice, jowar, bajra) or steamed rice.

Konkani hot tip:
Best accompanied with fried fish!!

Malvani Chicken Curry

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This is a spicy and popular chicken recipe from the coastal region of Maharashtra – Malvan. Authentic Malvani Chicken Curry is made with hot and aromatic homemade Sunday Special Masala and lots of coconut. A perfect chicken curry for all the spice lovers out there.

Ingredients

For the onion-coconut paste:

  • 2 large onions sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh grated coconut
  • 3-4 large garlic
  • 1 tbsp oil

For the curry:

  • 2 tsp Sunday Special Masala
  • 1 1/2 kg chicken
  • 1 1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 large onion
  • 2-3 bay leaves
  • Salt as per taste
  • 2-3 tbsp oil
  • Handful of coriander leaves

Directions

  • Marinate the chicken with ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder and salt and set aside.
  • In a large thick bottomed pan/kadhai heat a table spoon of oil on medium heat and add the sliced onions and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until soft.
  • Add the freshly grated coconut to the onions and roast for 10-12 minutes till nicely roasted and golden brown in colour.
  • Take it off the heat and let it cool for some time and grind it into a paste with water.
  • Add the rest of the oil to the same pan and heat it on medium flame. When the oil is hot add bay leaves and chopped onions and saute for 2-3 minutes until the onions turn golden brown.
  • Toss in the marinated chicken and fry for 5 minutes until it is brown on all sides and no longer raw.
  • Add the Sunday Special Masala powder to the chicken and stir everything well.
  • Stir the onion-coconut paste into the chicken.
  • Cook the chicken along with the masalas for 5-6 minutes.
  • Add 3 cups of water to the chicken, cover and cook, stirring intermittently. Check the seasoning add salt if required.
  • Cook for 18-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and you see the oil floating on top.
  • Sprinkle some fresh coriander leaves and take it off the heat.

Serve it hot with rice, roti or kombdi vade

The Cooler Choice – Cold Pressed Oils

by with No Comment Food for Thought

It’s an every day every household scenario…browsing through a bustling supermarket or trusty and familiar neighbourhood kirana shop. Looking at shelves with bright eye-catching bottles in gold, yellow, green, red and more; packets that make lofty promises of healthy hearts and fitter lifestyles. Run of the mill shopping for daily staples can be quite an adventure too!

When it comes to oil – something our kitchens can’t really run without – we are all spoilt for choice nowadays. But as with many things, the easiest choice may not be the right one for you and your body. Refined oils line the shelves these days made with a plethora of different ingredients. It can be convenient, and yes sometimes cheaper to grab a pack on the go, but is the actual cost worth it?

Cold pressed oils (actually an age old traditional option) are again becoming increasingly popular for good reason; more so with a growing number of us urban dwellers facing the unfortunate after effects of unhealthy stressful lifestyles and the toll our many choices are taking on overall health. While cold pressed oils don’t work well for deep frying, if you are trying to eat cleaner and better anyway, why not check out what makes the best base for your recipes!

First, a look at the basics:

  • Refined oils, also known as hot pressed oils, are manufactured by using heat and high temperatures. The seeds used are washed, cleaned and ground at high speeds and usually mixed with dollops of (not so great for you) chemicals. This extraction, refining and mixing process tends to degrade the otherwise natural benefits of the oil and it’s source in the first place.
  • Cold pressed oils are extracted utilizing very low heating and a crushing and rotation method that does not involve the use of artificial chemical solvents. It is a slower, more organic, process which helps retain most of the natural nutrients as well.

While the minute nutritional details and pros and cons may differ depending on the exact kind of oil, here are a few starting points to consider:

Cold pressed oils

  • Free from harmful chemicals.
  • Pure natural ingredients.
  • Rich balanced source of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.
  • Contain natural antioxidants.
  • Mainly contain oleic acid, good for the immune system.
  • Often a good source for Vitamins E, K and C.

Refined oils:

  • Often mixed with nasties like bleaching agents and acetic acid.
  • Loss of essential nutrients due to high temperature extractions.
  • Often contain higher levels of trans fats, due to hydrogenation process applied to increase shelf life.
  • Often contain an unbalanced ratio of omega 3 and 6, which affects gut health and can also cause inflammation.

The next time you are working on your grocery list, do remember that your tastes and palate may be refined, but your oil need not be! And of course, always check for ingredients on labels and use caution and discretion with any kind of oil usage. An informed decision is always a healthier one.

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Stay tuned for more tips, tricks and recipes to add spice to your everyday!