Chicken Xacuti#AlphabetChallenge

Chicken Xacuti is actually pronounced as shakuti. The pronunciation "Shakuti" is derived from the word "Chacuti" which is Portuguese. The Xacuti masala that I have used is made by my sister in law's family and it consists of poppy seeds, Goa chillies and other spices. This is a tried and tested recipe. This masala is easily available in super markets and cold storages in Mumbai. This is another yummy traditional Goan recipe. 

Ingredients
700 Grams Chicken - cut into 10 pieces
For Marination
1 Teaspoon Ginger - Garlic paste
2 Tablespoons Curds
¼ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
½ Teaspoon Salt
For the Masala - Grind To Paste
2 Green Chilles
1/2 Teaspoon Ginger - grated
5 Cloves Garlic
2 Tablespoons Coriander leaves
1 Onion - finely chopped
To be dry roasted then ground to paste
1/3 Cup Grated Coconut
1 Teaspoon Rice - washed and drained
Other Ingredients
1/3 Cup Oil
1 Onion - finely sliced
1 Tomato - finely sliced
½ Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Xacuti Masala
Method

Marinate the chicken with curds, ginger-garlic paste, salt and turmeric and keep aside at least for 2 hours.
Dry roast the coconut and rice till light golden in color and then grind to fine paste with a little water.
Grind the ingredients for the masala to fine paste and keep aside.

In a kadai heat oil add the onions and fry till light golden in color then add the tomatoes fry till mushy and oil leaves the sides. Add the ground masala paste, coconut paste and fry again till oil leaves the sides, add the xacuti masala and little water, continue to fry again till oil leaves the sides. Add the marinate chicken and fry till the masala coats the chicken well. Add water, salt and a cup water, give it a quick stir. Cover and cook till chicken is done. Adjust consistency of the gravy by adding water as required. This gravy is on a thicker side so do not add more water. 

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot a rice or rotis. Enjoy!!

Labels: Alphabet Challenge, Chicken, Goan, Goa, Indian, Main course

Let's take a look at the recipes being shared today with Alphabet "X"
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Brothless Ramen with XO Sauce 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Chicken Xacuti 
• Mayuri’s JikoniMushroom Xacuti 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: X’s & O’s (Hugs & Kisses) Brown Sugar Cookies
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Xavier Soup 
• Blogghetti: Xiaodianxin Recipe 
• Food Lust People Love: Xmas Eggnog Fudge 
• Culinary Cam: Xoconostle Tartlets 
• Magical Ingredients: Xoconostle Xnipec Paratha 
• A Messy Kitchen: Xoi - Vietnamese Sticky Rice 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Xylocarp Cocktail 

Pork Tenderlion Steak In Goan Masala - Keto

This is a perfect low carb protein side dish for a meal . It is a quick, yummy tempting and mouth-watering recipe for all pork lovers.

Ingredients
300 Grams Pork Tenderloin Steaks
A Handful Coriander leaves
8 Garlic cloves
3 Dried Red Chillies
2 green chillies
1" Piece Ginger
1 Small Onion - chopped
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 Teaspoon Whole Black Peppercorns
2 Tablespoons Water
2 Tablespoons Vinegar - I used coconut vinegar
½ Teaspoon Salt or to taste
Method

Grind to a coarse paste, a handful of coriander leaves, garlic pods, red chillies, green chillies, ginger, chopped onions, turmeric powder, cumin seeds, peppercorns and little water and vinegar. Marinate the pork steak with 3 tablespoons of the ground masala and keep aside for at least 30 minutes. Keep the remaining masala in a airtight container and can be used to marinate any other meat of your choice.

Next day fry them with little oil or bacon fat on both sides till cooked. Enjoy!!

Labels: Holiday Side Dishes, Pork, Low Carb, Keto, Goan, Steaks, Goa, Indian, Side Dish

Let's take a look at what the others are sharing today.....Quick and Easy Green Bean Skillet by Hezzi-D's Recipe Box
Creamy Broccoli Salad byA Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
Cider Glazed Carrots by Jolene's Recipe Journal
Slow Cooker Cheesy Green Bean Casserole by Blogghetti
Molasses Cornbread by Shockingly Delicious
Honey Garlic Sweet Potatoes by Karen's Kitchen Stories
Salt and Vinegar Roasted Potatoes by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Harvest Succotash by The Spiffy Cookie
Pork Tenderlion Steak In Goan Masala - Keto by Sneha's Recipe

Vegan Moonga Gathi#SundayFunday

This is a traditional Goan, Maharashtra Konkan coastal side, which is soupy and delicious curry, called Moonga Gathi. This is a soupy gravy prepared by cooking sprouted moong in ground coconut . It's normally prepared during festive seasons like Ganesh Chaturthi or some holy ocassions or for a Pooja etc., Since it is complete vegan and also no onion no garlic, gluten free recipe, a perfect vrat recipe. 

Do not skip adding jaggery in this recipe, because renders a beautiful taste to the gravy, it's soupy, but you can mash some to moong beans to make a thick gravy or increase the coconut quantity to enhance the thickness.

Ingredients
1 Big Bowl Sprouted Moong Beans - Whole Mung Beans
2-3 slit green chillies
1 Teaspoon Level Garam masala
1 Teaspoon Level Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Jaggery
2 Tablespoon of Cooking oil
1 small marble size ball of tamarind
1 Teaspoon Level Sea Salt or to taste
To Dry Roast
1 Tablespoon Coriander seeds
¼ Teaspoon Whole Black peppercorns
3 Tablespoon Grated Dry Coconut - See My Notes
For The Tadka
1 Tablespoon Oil
1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
A Pinch of Asafoetida
2 Dry Red Chillies
A Sprig Curry Leaves
Method

Dry roast pepper corns and coriander seeds in a pan on medium heat) until you get a aroma. Remove this into a plate and in the same pan add the dry coconut and lightly toast it, do not brown it. Cool and then grind all the roasted coconut, coriander seeds and peppercorns , along with tamarind, turmeric powder and garam masala in the grinder. Make a smooth paste adding just a tablespoon or two of water.

In a pressure pan heat the oil add the ground paste and wash the blender with water add that too and fry till oil separates. Now add the moong and sauté it lightly by tossing it up and down trying not the break the sprout or 2 minutes on high flame. Now add the slit green chillies, salt and 1½ cup water. Bring it to a rolling boil on high flame, once it comes to a boil, lower the flame and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Cover with lid and on high flame take one whistle. 

Switch off the flame and let the cooker cool down a little. When the steam settles down then open and add the jaggery and mix it well, taste for salt. Again cover the cooker with the lid and take one more whistle on high flame. Switch off the flame and the cooker steam settle completely. Open the cooker, I like the sprouted moong to be whole and not mushy , if you prefer a thick and mushy moong gravy , then take 2 whistles on high flame, or else mash a tablespoon of moong, it will thicken the gravy.

Now let's prepare the tadka
Heat oil in a tadka pan add mustard seeds, when it crackles then add the red chillies and asafoetida and curry leaves. Switch off the flame and pour this over the gravy. Moonga Gathi is ready to serve.

We enjoyed eating it with a spoon and chapatti. This goes well with poee or any crusty bread or bakri or boiled rice, mildly spiced and yummy.
My Notes
If you do not have dry coconut then used desiccated coconut ( toast this lightly) OR ½ Cup freshly grated coconut, do not roast this.

Labels: No Onion No Garlic, Sprouts, Moong Beans, Coconut, Vrat, Goa, Pressure Cooker, Vegan

Sunday Funday

Vegan Main Dishes

• Crispy Tofu Noodles by Palatable Pastime
• Mushroom Eggplant Stir fry (Indian-style Mushroom Baingan Masala) by Cook with Renu
• Mushroom Ragù by Culinary Cam
• Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
• Vegan 3 Bean Soup by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Vegan Moonga Gathi by Sneha’s Recipe
• Vegan Tofu Steak by Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Vegetable Biryani by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Goan Chorizo Pulao#Improv

When you think of Goa , the first thing that comes to your mind is sausages and cashewnuts. You find so many ladies selling these in Mapusa market. My sister in law buys these from a particular lady only in the Mapusa market, who she has known for many years. 

These rosary (tiny) sausages are purchased from her. They cook so well and are also delicious. Try and make this and I am sure you will love it.

Single Serving
Ingredients
1 Cup(150 Ml) Basmati Rice or Rice of your choice
1½ Cups of Water
1 Medium Onion - sliced
1 Small Stick Cinnamon stick
3 Whole Cloves
3 Whole Black Peppercorns
1 Green Cardamom
1 Bay Leaf
1 Small Chicken Stock Cube
Salt to taste
10 -12 Rosary Sausages
1 Tablespoon Oil

Method

In ½ cup water, cook the sausages till done. Remove the casings and seperate the stock from the sausage. The stock we will use to cook the rice.

Wash and rinse the rice. Keep aside

Heat oil in a pressure pan add the bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns ,cardamom and onions, sauté till onion is translucent. Next add the water, sausage stock, chicken cube and bring it to a boil. Now add the washed rice and cooked sausages, stir it lightly and bring this to a rolling boil. Cover the pressure pan with a lid and cook on high flame for 2 whistles. Let the cooker come to room temperature and pressure is released. Open it and serve hot.

Enjoy this Spicy Goan Chorizo Pulao 

My Notes

I have used only one tablespoon oil to make this pulao because when you cook the sausage the fat that's releases in the stock releases fat/oil and give the taste required for the pulao.

If you want to add tomatoes, then add it after the onions are translucent. Cook them till they are mushy. I have not added it since the sausages already have enough vinegar in them. I do like too much acid in the pulao.

Labels: Pork, Sausages, Spicy, Goa, Rice, Single Serving, Improv Cooking Challenge, Main course,  Pressure Cooker

Imrpove Cooking Challenge - May 2021
Theme Sausage & Rice

   

• Goan Chorizo Pulao by Sneha’s Recipe
• Creole Style Jambalaya by Cookaholic Wife
• Sausage Dirty Rice by Making Miracles
• Smoked Sausage with Dirty Rice by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Vegan Jackfruit Seed Pulao by Magical Ingredients

Patholi/Steamed Rice Crepes in Turmeric Leaves - Goan Recipe

        

Goan's Christians prepare prepare Patholis in turmeric leaves on 15th August for Our Lady of Assumption Feast. The non christians make these for festivlas like Narli Poornima, Ganapati they call it Patolya/Haldichya Panachi Patolya.
Patholis are sweet, rice crepes steamed in turmeric leaves with coconut jaggery filling. 

The turmeric leaves are also called haldi paan impart their heavenly fragrance and flavor to the Patholi. These leaves are from my garden.

The sweet coconut filling makes these absolutely delicious. If you do not have turmeric leaves then you can use banana leaves. I made both. The leaves are then peeled off on after steaming and the patholis are had hot with desi ghee on top which is optional. Patholis are also called Haldi Panna Patholi in Konkani. They are usually served had as a dessert for breakfast or as an evening snack. 

Do use you Idli Rice and the poha, because, I. have made them many times and this recipe is the best the covering is soft and mouth melting. You can increase the sugar jaggery in this if you want it more sweet, but, for us these were perfect!

Makes  8 to 10
Ingredients
8 - 10 Turmeric leaves / Haldi Paan - or as required
For The Batter
1 Cup Idli Rice - I used Idli Rawa
2 Tablespoons Poha/Flattened Rice Flakes
Salt to taste
For The Coconut filling
1 Cup Packed Freshly Grated Coconut
1/3 Cup Packed Grated Jaggery - I used organic
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Cardamom powder
A Pinch of Salt

Method
For The Batter

Wash and soak rawa for an hour and half ( for rice soak it for 3 -4 hours). Drain all the water and grind it in a small jar in batches so that not much water is required while grinding to a fine paste, add the poha, salt to taste and using very little water grind it to a fine thick paste. Keep this a side. If your batter gets watery, it will flow off the turmeric leaves.
In the meantime let's make the filling
In a pan add the jaggery, salt and coconut and cook on low flame till the jaggery melts and moisture evaporates, it filling should be moist and soft so do not cook it too much, 3- 4 minutes and its done on medium low flame. Add the cardamon powder mix well. Keep aside to cool.

Wash the turmeric leaves carefully, drain all the water and wipe them dry using a cloth. Take care not to tear the turmeric leaves. Keep them aside.

If the turmeric leaves are longer than the size of your steamer then chop off the stem portion of the leaf or else its a hassle while placing the patholis inside the steamer for steaming.
If the behind stem is also thick then just trim it a little so that it folds nicely.
Making Patholis

On a clean working surface place a turmeric leaf and then place a small ladle of rice batter at one end of leaf. Spread it across the length of the leaf using your fingers or a spoon. Leave out the edges of the leaf to avoid spilling out of the batter when you press them closed. The rice batter should be applied as thin a layer as possible.

Place the inner filling mixture along the spine of the leaf, right in the center, in the middle of the leaf. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of the batter.

Fold the leaf vertically into half, along the spine. Continue this process until all the leaves/rice batter is used up.

Here they are ready!!

Cut them to fit the size of the steamer 

Or else they will fold in it and will open while steaming.

The same way of made of banana leaf, Cut the leaves in big pieces  

just heat on the gas for two to three seconds only, so that, banana leaves soften, thus

they become easy to fold and do not tear while folding.

Place a steamer with sufficient water on a high flame. When the water comes to boil, place the patholis inside the steamer. You can stack them up or place them evenly so that all of them get steamed evenly. Cover and steam for 15 minutes on a high flame. 

Remove them from the steamer and serve them in the leaf itself. Each one will peel off the leaf and enjoy a hot Patholi, I made these for breakfast. These are also served as a dessert.

Enjoy the simple pleasures of life!!

Labels: Sweets & Desserts, Goa, Turmeric leaves, Festival Sweets, Patholi, Coconut, Jaggery, Steamed, Healthy

Fried Bombils / Bombay Ducks With Temprado Masala#FishFriday

Our Theme this month for Fish Friday Foodies is Inspired By Your Travels and our host is Camilla M. Mann . 

Goan are basically fish eater's and they love to eat fish every day. I have visited Goa umpteen number of times. What I, enjoy eating most is their fish preparations, tangy, spicy .. mouth watering. This is one of the recipes of Goa, a simple and spicy fried fish with Temprado Masala- Homemade, some call it Green Recheado Masala or Green Masala. 

Bombils have a lot of water content and the secret to perfect crisp fried bombils is to remove as much moisture as you can from the fish before frying them. Makes a great appetizer as they taste the best from pan to the plate!

Read My Notes and follow each step carefully before you start - to get a crispy and tasty Fried Bombils.

Ingredients
10 Fresh Bombils /Fresh Bombay Ducks
3 Tablespoons Heaped Temprado Masala- Homemade
½ Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Heaped Fine Rawa/Semolina or as required
¼ Cup Heaped Rice Flour or Corn flour - I used rice flour
Oil as required for frying

Method 

Wash and clean the Bombils.

 Slit each of the bombil lengthwise. 

Open up each of the fish and flatten them with your hands. 

Place them on the kitchen platform.

 Take another plate and cover the fish

 Keep some weight over that plate. (This is done to remove all the water from the bombils). for 30 to 45 minutes.

 Pat them a fresh kitchen towel ( I use an old cloth which I can throw away ). 

They should be absolutely dry.

Rub salt. Apply the Temprado Masala- Homemade , individually on all sides using your hands. Keep this aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes or more in the refrigerator.

To Crumb Coat

Mix the rawa and rice flour well, spread it in a plate and keep aside.
Now tilt the plate in which the Bombil is marinated to remove excess water. Take each Bombil and press it into the rawa - rice flour mix on both sides nicely by pressing to crumb coat well.

Keep the crumb coated Bombils aside covered and refrigerate them for at least 15 minutes. 

Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil and place only 3 Bombils in a pan to fry at a time. (see My Notes for frying ). 

Fry till golden brown. Serve this with tomato slices or any green salad with a drizzle of lemon juice.  

So yummy and finger licking.

My Notes 

Do not add too much oil in the pan to fry the Bombils or else they disintegrate. 

Do not crowd the pan with too many Bombils at a time.
Fry one side on high flame for 2 minutes then reduce the flame to low and leave it to golden brown one side, then flip and just drizzle a teaspoon of oil on the pan and fry this side on low flame only till golden brown and crisp.
Do not flip the fish too many times, the Bombils will disintegrate. 

Wait till one side is perfectly golden brown done, then flip it carefully, tenderly with love. 

Labels: Fish Friday, Seafood/Fish, Goa, Fried, Bombay Duck, Bombils, Starters, Main course

Baked Salmon and Veggie Parcels by Food Lust People Love
Foiled Fish with Mango by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Fried Bombils and Bombay Ducks with Temprado Masala by Sneha's Recipe
Irish Fish Cakes by Karen's Kitchen Stores
Pickled Fish, A Plethora of Textures, and Memories of a Holiday Trip to Denmark by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Senegalese Fish and Rice (Thiéboudienne) by Making Miracles