Mangalorean Egg Curry (Mutta Curry)

Mangalore Egg Curry (Mutta Curry)

The Mangalorean Egg Curry is one of the dishes that usually features on my menu whenever I invite eggetarians (ovo-vegetarians) for dinner! It's quick, simple (since I use coconut milk from a can) and a 'sure to be a hit' dish !! I always poach the eggs in the gravy-since I feel that it adds to the taste. But if you don't like the look-you could boil the egg and then put them into the gravy!

Ingredients for Mangalore Egg Curry (serves 4-6):

• Eggs: 6 nos.
• Potato: 1 medium boiled and diced
• Onion: 1 big (finely sliced)
• Tomato: 1 medium (diced)
• Coconut milk: 1 can (I use the thick one not the 'lite')
• Red chilli powder: 4-6 tsp (depending on our spice tolerance)
• Coriander powder: 4 tsp
• Cumin powder: 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
• Salt: to taste
• Oil: 1tsp

Tempering:

• Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds/ jeera: 1/2 tsp

Method: 

1. Heat the oil in a kadai, add the mustard and cumin seeds. When they crackle, add the turmeric and sliced onions.
2. Add the salt and fry the onions till they are translucent, then add the diced tomatoes and let it cook.
3. Add the red chilli powder, coriander and cumin powder, potatoes and mix well.
4. Add the coconut milk and about a cup of water and simmer. Taste the gravy and then reduce the flame.
5. Carefully break the eggs and drop the contents into the gravy one by one (leaving a little space between each). Cover and cook on a low flame for 6-8 minutes (DO NOT STIR).
6. Once the eggs are cooked switch off.
7. Serve the mutta curry (Mangalore Egg Curry) with rice and a side dish. 

The mutta curry also goes well with phulkas/chapathies.

Mangalore Egg curry with rice

Moong Dal Payasa/ Kheer (Split mung pudding)

Moong Dal Payasa

Another favorite from the family Mangalorean recipe box-the moong dal payasa is made for special occasions and festival feasts. Since I've been on a mission to try out (and publish on this blog) traditional Mangalorean recipes, this was undoubtedly the first thing that came to my mind as the sweet dish for this years Ganesh Chaturthi feast at home. 

Ingredients:

• Moong Dal: 1 cup
• Jaggery: 1 1/2 cups (you could substitute with sugar,but jaggery gives the actual traditional taste)
• Milk: 1 cup
• Water:1 cup
• Coconut milk: 1 cup
• Salt:1/4th tsp
• Saffron/Cardamom powder: a pinch (soak saffron in a little warm milk)
• Cashews, raisins: a few(fried in a little ghee)
• Ghee: 3tsp

Method:

1. Roast the moong dal in a teaspoon of ghee till you get a pleasant aroma (do not let it brown).
2. Add the milk and the water and bring it to a boil. Then simmer till the moong dal is well cooked, stirring occasionally.
3. Once the dal is cooked add the jaggery, the saffron milk/ cardamom powder.
4. Add the coconut milk and stir for a minute. Switch off.
5. Serve moong dal payasa/kheer hot or a little warm garnished with the fried cahews, raisins and the remaining ghee.

NOTE: Do not add the jaggery/sugar at the beginning or else the dal will not cook (I learnt this the hard way the first time I made this!)

 Moong dal payasa, mung dal and jaggery

Ragi manni/pudding (Fingermillet pudding)

 Ragi Manni/pudding (Finger millet pudding)

Ragi (English-Finger millet,Chinese-䅟子,Arabic- Tailabon, German-Fingerhirse, French-coracan) is a popular millet in Southern India and is made into different dishes like porridges, puddings, pancakes,cookies, etc. Nutritionally,it is rich in the amino acid methionine and is among the few grains which contains a considerable amount of calcium.
Ragi is also given to babies as one of first cereals after rice(in fact Nestle India had launched a baby cereal mix with rice and ragi). My grandmother used to make ragi manni during summer, as it is believed in Ayurveda to cool the body.Traditionally it is made by soaking the ragi millet overnight in water,then grinding it to a fine paste and straining it in a cheesecloth.This is then cooked with jaggery and coconut milk,till it reaches a thick pasty consistency.It is then poured into huge plates and set aside to cool. The end product used to be simply amazing-a dark chocolate brown pudding(my gran used to tell me that it was Indian chocolate pudding,so that she could get me to eat it)that simply melted in the mouth.
Sadly,I could not find ragi millet here(not that I would have gone through the whole cumbersome process even if I had),but managed to get the ragi flour at the Indian store to make this instant version. I substituted milk for the coconut milk and the final product still was very tasty though it didn't have the same rich dark brown colour.Also,since it's not strained you can see brown specks of the ragi coat. The ragi manni/pudding can be eaten hot or cold(I love it cold)and had as a porridge for breakfast or served as a dessert or a healthy anytime snack(if you can mange to control the portion size)!
Ingredients:Serves 2

• Ragi flour: 1 cup
• Milk/Coconut milk: 2 cups
• Jaggery: 1 cup scraped OR Sugar: to taste
• Cardamom powder: 1/4 teaspoon
• Salt: a pinch

Method:

1. Mix the ragi flour with the cold milk and make sure there are no lumps.
2. Pour this into a saucepan and add the jaggery/sugar,salt and cardamom powder.
3. Cook on medium heat stirring continuously(take care to see that it doesn't form lumps).
4. When the mixture starts to thicken, reduce the heat and keep stirring till you get a porridge like consistency.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Serve the ragi manni (finger millet pudding) warm or chilled.

Note:

• You can substitute sugar for the jaggery, though it is more nutritious to use jaggery.
• Adding a pinch of salt is supposed to make the dish sweeter (not sure if that's really true).

Question: Do you feel that adding a pinch of salt to a sweet dish makes it sweeter or is it just an old wives tale?