Khatti Arbi (Colocasia made in tangy gravy)

Photo by Amit Agni

Ingredients:
400gms arbi (Colocasia)
3 medium size onions,finely chopped
2 medium size tomatoes,finely chopped 
2 green chilies
5 garlic cloves,paste
1 inch ginger,paste
1tsp red chili powder
1/2tsp turmeric powder
1/2tsp black pepper powder
2tbsp oil
1/2tsp garam masala powder
1tsp coriander powder
7-10 curry leaves
1/2tsp cumin powder
1tsp cumin seeds
Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
2tbsp tamarind pulp
Salt to taste
Method:
Boil arbi until it is tender. Remove the skin and cut it into pieces if it is big in size.
Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds. 
When the cumin seeds start crackling add the chopped onions and green chilies.
When the onion turns translucent add the ginger-garlic paste.
Fry till the raw flavours are gone. Onions will turn light brown too.
Add the tomatoes. Cover and cook on low heat till tomatoes are soft and you  can mash it.
Remove the lid and add salt,cumin powder,pepper,red chili powder,garam masala,coriander powder,and turmeric.
Fry for another 2-3minutes on medium heat.
Add curry leaves and fry for a minute or so.
Add the arbi to the masala. Mix well so that the arbi gets coated with the masala. 
Now add 11/2 cup of water. Add the tamarind pulp and bring the gravy to boil.
Garnish with chopped coriander and serve.
Tips!
Serve khatti arbi with roti, chapatti, or parantha.

Photo by Amit Agni

Goan Style Toor daal cooked with coconut (Split red gram cooked with coconut)

Photo by Amit Agni

Ingredients:

1 cup split red gram (Toor daal)

1/2 cup-3/4 cup grated coconut

2 tbsp coriander seeds (dry roasted)

6-7 whole peppercorn

1 inch ginger

1 tbsp tamarind pulp

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 green chilies,slit lengthwise

1 medium size onion, finely chopped

1 medium size tomato,finely chopped

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp asafoetida
Water as per requirement

Method:

Wash and soak toor dal for half an hour. Add salt and pressure cook until 3-4 whistles. Daal should be completely mashed.

In another pan boil the onion, green chilies and the tomatoes until they are soft and completely cooked. I have added 11/2 cup of water to the onions and tomatoes. I have covered and boiled it on low heat for 40 minutes.

Alternatively, grind together coconut,coriander seeds,peppercorn,ginger,turmeric to a smooth paste. Add water for grinding as per requirement.

Now add the onion-tomato mix to the daal along with the coconut paste. Add tamarind and asafoetida. Bring this to a boil.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Goan coconut toor daal is ready to serve.

Tips!

You can even add 2 cloves of garlic for taste. You can chop and boil it along with the onions.
Add water to get the right consistency of daal.
Serve it with rice and fried fish.

Photo by Amit Agni

Khatte Baingan ( eggplant recipe)

Photo by Amit Agni

Ingredients for the stuffing:

1 medium size onion,cut in pieces
 2-4 garlic cloves
1 inch ginger
2tbsp tamarind pulp
1/2tsp cumin seeds
1tsp red chili powder
1/4tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
Method:
Grind together onion,garlic,ginger, and cumin to make a smooth paste.
Heat oil in a pan. Add the above paste to it. Cook on medium heat until it turns brown. Add salt to taste,turmeric,tamarind and red chili powder. Cook for another 2-3minutes on medium heat.Remove from heat.
Ingredients for Baigan:
10-15 small baingan (Eggplant)
1/2tsp red chili powder
1tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1tbsp oil
Oil for frying
Salt to taste
Method:
In a bowl mix little salt,red chilli powder,turmeric,coriander powder,oil. Mix all the ingredients to make a paste. 
Slit the baingan at the center and rub the above paste on the inside as well as on the outer part of the baingan.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the baingan. When the baingan turns brown you will know it is cooked. Remove the fried baingan on a tissue so that the extra oil is absorbed.
Stuff the baingan with the onion paste and serve.
Tips!
Serve with roti or parantha.

Gajar Ki kheer (Carrot Dessert)

Photo by Amit Agni

Ingredients:
500 gms carrot( I have used Australian orange carrot as I don't get the Indian red carrot here)
1lt milk
12-16 tbsp sugar (Use sugar as per your taste as the quantity of sugar will depend on the sweetness of the carrot)
1 tbsp ghee (Clarified butter)
1 tbsp chopped cashews (You can add more as per your taste)
Method:
Grate the carrot,finely.
In a thick bottom pan, melt the ghee.
Add the grated carrot and mix well. Saute for 5-8 minutes on medium to low heat. 
Now pour the milk, stir. Let the milk boil.
Simmer and cook till the milk is reduced to a thick gravy like consistency. Keep stirring in between.
Add sugar and cashews, stir.
Let it cook further. Don't let the milk dry completely. After refrigerating, it will give a nice milky texture.
Gajar ki kheer is ready to serve.
This is how Gajar Ki Kheer is made in my family. Thanks to Mom and Dad for teaching me this wonderful recipe.

Photo by Amit Agni

Goan Mutton Xacuti

Photo by Amit Agni

Ingredients:
1kg mutton, cut into small pieces
2tbsp tamarind pulp
Salt as per taste
2tbsp ghee/oil (I have used a combination of ghee and canola oil)
Mixture 1 (Marinate):
10 garlic cloves
1 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds 
1 inch ginger
12-13 cloves 
2 one inch cinnamon stick
13-14 black peppercorn
1/2 star anise
A pinch of nutmeg
2 green chilies 
1 black cardamom
1tsp fennel seeds (Saunf)
1/2 cup coriander leaves
6-7 mint leaves  
1/4tsp fenugreek seeds (Methi)
1tsp cumin seeds  
2 small mace blade (Javitri) 
1/4tsp turmeric powder
4tbsp yogurt
Salt as per taste
Water as per requirement
Grind all of the above ingredients together except the yogurt,make a smooth paste. Add water as per requirement.
Marinate the mutton with the above mixture and yogurt. Marinate for a minimum of one hour. I have kept the marinate for 3hrs.
Mixture 2:
3 medium size onions,cut into small pieces
1/2 grated coconut
Dry roast the onions and coconut till it turns light brown. Grind it to a smooth paste. Add water as per requirement. I have dry roasted it in a non-stick pan but if you don't have a non-stick pan then add very little oil to fry the onion and coconut to avoid from burning.
Mixture 3:
1 tomato,chopped
1 medium size onion,cut into small pieces
1tbsp oil
Heat oil and add the onions to it. Fry till onions turn light brown. Now add the tomato. Cook till tomato turns soft and pulpy. Cool this and grind it to a smooth paste.
Mixture 4 (Garam Masala):
1 star anise
1tsp fennel seeds (Saunf)
1 black cardamom
1 green cardamom
2 one inch cinnamon stick
14 black peppercorns
10 cloves
A pinch of nutmeg
2tbsp coriander seeds
2 mace blades (Javitri)
A pinch of fenugreek seeds (Methi)
1tsp poppy seeds (Khus khus) I don't get poppy seeds in Dubai so I have not added this.
7 dry red chilies (Chilies should be spicy)
Dry roast the above ingredients except nutmeg. Roast for 2-3 minutes or till you get a nice aroma. Now grind this along with the nutmeg. 
Method:
Heat oil in a pan. Add the mutton pieces to the oil. Do not add the marinate water. Fry the mutton pieces for 5 minutes. 
Now add the marinate water along with salt. Add water. Water should be little above the mutton level.
Cover and cook the mutton on low heat. Don't let the water evaporate completely. If it does then add some water.
When the mutton is soft add the garam masala. 
Now add the mixture 3. Cover the pan, and bring the gravy to a boil.
Add mixture 2 to the gravy along with the tamarind.
Let it boil. 
Garnish with coriander. 
Mutton Xacuti is ready to serve.
Tips!
Serve it with steamed rice, bread or roti.
I have learnt this Goan recipe from my mother-in-law.

Photo by Amit Agni