Walwaley

I have to be completely honest - kaaraate (not the martial art, but the spiky rat like vegetable) or karela/bitter gourd is my least favourite vegetable. It is however, Anushree's favourite, and we try not to inculcate strong food dislikes in Aatmay and Aeikya - so one must eat at least a little of everything's including the (gulp!) Karela. FYI - Kaaraate is the Aamchi word for Karela.

It is a classic Aamchi dish and there could be arguments as to whether it begins with a "V" or a "W" but I choose to believe that it starts with a "W"!!!

This recipe has been taken from the Raschandrika. However, there are iterations (as with all recipes) including one given to my mother-in-law by my late grandmother (Indu Dhareshwar (and written into her recipe book) and with whom I have done an instagram live interview on Thoy Stories with Shanti Petiwala - check it out) -My ammama's recipe seems to be much simpler with fewer massol ingredients and had the option of adding peanuts instead of cashews.

So here we go...

Ingredients

5 small bitter gourds/karelas (Note: You can use 2 large ones alternatively)

1/2 cup jaggery

4-5 garlic cloves

6-8 cashew nuts/peanuts (optional)

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 cup of water

1 tablespoon coconut oil

Massol

1 cup of grated coconut

1 marble size tamarind

1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon black gram daal

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

Method

1. Deseed the karaates (as that helps to reduce the bitterness - although not enough for me!) and chop the kaaraates into small chunks.

2. In a pan, cook the kaaraates with the jaggery, salt and water over a medium flame for 15-20 minutes. Note: If you want to add cashewnuts, they can be cooked with the kaaraates; if you want to add peanuts, they need to be soaked in water for a couple of hours and then cooked in a pressure cooker and added to the kaaraates.

3. Chop/pound the garlic.

4. Roast the coriander seeds, some of the garlic and chilli powder.

5. Add the above roasted ingredients with the other massol ingredients listed above into a blender and blend into a paste. .

6. Add the massol to the kaaraates and mix so that the kaaraates absorb the spices.

7. In a small pan, add coconut oil and as soon as it warms, add the remainder of the pounded/chopped garlic and brown slightly. Add this to the cooked kaaraates.

So there you have it - a classic aamchi dish served with chapatis or rice.

Zunko

And finally (finally finally) we arrive at "Z"! It has only taken 4-5 years to get us here!

Before you ask - I know zunko (a spicy besan curry) is traditionally a Maharashtrian dish. However, given how aamchi cuisine is influenced by the different regions, aamchis have migrated to and from over time, it has arguably now morphed into becoming an aamchi dish. Moreover, I've added a bit of an aamchi twist to my dish - it has coconut! So I hope I am justified to include it into my blog!

Zunko can be made from a variety of vegetables - capsicum/bell pepper, cabbage and radish or even radish leaves. The most popular type of zunko is the capsicum one, which I have prepared below.

This time I went to India, I asked my mum to make zunko and it was perfect - brought back many memories from my childhood!

Ingredients

1. 1 capsicum

2. 1 onion

3. 1 katori besan (bengal gram flour)

4. 1/4 tsp mustard seeds

5. 1/4 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

6. 1/4 tsp asofetida (hing)

7. 1/4 tsp tumeric powder (haldi)

8. 1/4 tsp dhania powder

9. 1/4 tsp red chilli powder

10. 2 dried red chillies

11. 1/2 cup flour

12. 2-3 kadipata leaves

13. Salt to taste

14. 1 lemon/nimbu for the juice to be squeezed

Method

1. Roast the besan on a very low flame to remove the rawness. Keep aside.

2. Cut the pepper into small cubes.

3. Chop the onion finely.

4. Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once the seeds splutter, add the hing, kadipata and dried red chillies.

5. Add the onion and fry it well - and well means that the onion is nicely brown (but not burnt!).

6. Add haldi, coriander powder and red chili powder.

7. Now add the peppers and stir and cook.

8. Cover and leave on a low to medium heat for about 7-8 minutes.

9. Add the roasted besan to the above and mix well.

10. Add the dessicated coconut to give that Konkani twist and squeeze the lemon juice to give the Zunko that slight lemony taste.

There you have it - the Zunko is ready. Perfect to have with chapatis!

Xacuti

Xacuti (pronounced "Sha-kuti") is a dish that hails from Goa but given that our ancestors once lived in Goa before moving to Karnataka, it can be included as a part of our cuisine too!!! It's unique blend of spices and tanginess are often attributed to the Portuguese influence on Goan cuisine. The essence of Xacuti is its elaborate paste, which involves dry-roasting a wide array of whole spices, which are ground to create a rich, thick and flavourful gravy.

While typically associated with meat or seafood (given Goa is on the coast), Xacuti's versatile spice blend makes it equally delicious as a veggie or vegan dish. For my dish, I used mushrooms.

Ingredients:

For the Xacuti Masala (Roasting & Grinding):

• 1 cup freshly grated coconut

  
  

• Whole Spices:

  
  

  • 4-6 Kashmiri dry red chilies (Note: depends on how spicy you want it!)

  • 1 tbsp coriander/dhania seeds

  • 1 tsp cumin/jeera seeds

  • 1 tsp saunf/fennel seeds

  • 1/4 tsp methi/fenugreek seeds

  • 1 tsp black peppercorns

  • 5-6 cloves

  • 1-2 inch cinnamon stick

  • 3-4 green cardamom pods

  • 1/2 tsp white poppy seeds (khus khus)

  • 1 small piece of star anise

  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)

• 1 medium onion, sliced

• 6-8 garlic cloves

• 1 inch ginger, peeled and chopped

• A small ball of tamarind (Note: soak in warm water and extract the pulp)

  
  

For the Curry:

• 3-4 cups vegetables - I used mushrooms

• 2-3 tbsp oil (preferably coconut oil for authentic flavor)

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 1 sprig curry leaves (approx. 8-10 leaves)

• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (if not already added to masala)

• Water or vegetable stock, as needed (approx. 1-2 cups)

• 1/2 tsp sugar (optional, to balance flavors)

• Salt to taste

• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions:

1. Slice the mushrooms.

2. Prepare the Xacuti Masala:

   • In a dry pan, lightly roast the grated coconut on a medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it turns golden brown and fragrant. Be careful not to burn it, as burnt coconut will make the masala bitter. Remove and set aside to cool.

   • In the same pan, add a tiny bit of oil (optional). Add all the whole spices. Dry roast them on low heat until they become aromatic (about 2-3 minutes).

   • Add the sliced onion, ginger, and garlic to the pan. Sauté until the onions are soft and lightly browned.

   • Allow all the roasted ingredients to cool completely.

   • Once cool, transfer them to a blender or food processor. Add the tamarind pulp and a little water. Grind to a very smooth paste. Add more water gradually if needed to get a fine consistency, but don't make it too watery.

     
     

3. Cook the gravy:

   • Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat.

   • Add the finely chopped onion and curry leaves. Sauté until the onion turns golden brown.

   • Add the freshly ground Xacuti masala paste. Mix well and cook for 5-10 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, allowing the masala to cook and release its aromatic oils.

   • Add the mushrooms

   • Add water or vegetable stock (about 1-2 cups) to achieve your desired gravy consistency. Bring the mixture to a simmer.

   • Cover the pan and cook on low-medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the mushrooms are cooked.

   • Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

   • Check for salt and adjust if necessary.

     
     

4.  Garnish with fresh dhania. 

   Serve hot with rice or chapatis.