Manoli Kadle (Ivy gourd with Brown Channa/Chickpeas)

 Manoli Kadle

Another favorite Manglorean recipe is the Manoli Kadle-made with Ivy Gourd called 'Manoli' in Tulu (one of the languages spoken in Mangalore) 'tondli' in Marathi, 'tendli' in Konkani 'tindora' in Hindi and 'tondekai' in Kannada. 'Kadle' is the brown channa/kala channa (brown garbanzo beans) that is traditionally used but you could substitute it with kabuli channa (chickpeas/garbanzo beans) if you don't have the brown variety.
Ingredients:(serves 4)

• Brown/kala channa:3/4th cup (soaked overnight and pressure cooked till soft)
• Tondli-250gms(cut into long strips or thin rings)
• Grated coconut-2 tbsp.
• Red chilly powder-2-3 tsp( or according to your spice tolerance)
• Coriander powder: 1 tsp
• Turmeric: 1/2 tsp
• Garlic: 2 big/ 4-5 small(peeled and smashed just before adding to tadka/tempering)
• Tamarind paste-1/4tsp
• Mustard seeds: 1tsp
• Urad dal: 1tsp
• Curry leaves-10
• Hing/Asafoetida -a pinch
• Dry red chillies: 1-2(broken into half)
• Salt: to taste
• Oil: 2 tsp

Method:

1. Heat the oil is a non-stick pan, add the mustard seeds, urad dal and let the mustard pop.
2. Add the broken dry chillies, curry leaves and then the smashed garlic. Saute till the garlic gets a slight brown color.
3. Add the turmeric, hing and the chopped tondli and fry for 5 minutes.
4. Add the cooked channa, red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and about 1/2-1 cup water.
5. Cover and cook till the tondli is soft,then add the tamarind paste. Mix and let the water evaporate.
6. Add the grated coconut and mix.
7. Serve the manoli kadle with hot rasam (recipe in my next post) and rice.

Note:
1)You can also use the dry dessicated (unsweetened) coconut available at grocery stores. Rehydrate it by adding it to hot water for 5 minutes. Strain and then add.
2) Use extra water when you pressure cook the kala channa-then drain the water and you can make rasam with it.
The manoli kadle, and the kala channa rasam combo goes together and is eaten with rice.

 Manoli Kadle with kadle (kala channa) rasam

Pineapple Mulligatawny soup

Pineapple Mulligatawny Soup

There are so many versions of the famous "Mulligatawny Soup" (the literal Tamil translation being just "pepper water" ) that I decided to add my own version-a pineapple (yes,now that I have THE pineapple cutter I can actually experiment with pineapple dishes, since we seem to buying it almost every week) flavoured mulligatawny soup. The addition of the pineapple makes this soup a perfect soup for summer or winter!
Ingredients:

• Pineapple: 1 cup (chopped)
• Onion: 1/2 medium (finely chopped)
• Garlic:2 cloves(crushed)
• Ginger:1/2 " piece(finely chopped)
• Pepper: 1-2 teaspoon(freshly ground)
• Turmeric: a pinch
• Curry powder or Sambar/rasam powder:1/2 to 1 teaspoon
• Green chillies:1-2(slit lengthwise)
• Water/vegetable broth/dal water: 2 cups
• Oil: 1 teaspoon
• Salt: to taste
• Sugar/Jaggery: 1 teaspoon(optional)

For tempering:

• Mustard seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
• Zeera/Cumin seeds-1 teaspoon
• Peppercorns:3-4 nos.
• Curry leaves:2-3 nos.
• Hing/Asafoetida: a pinch (optional)

Method:

1. Puree half the quantity of the pineapple into a fine paste and keep aside.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the mustard seeds,cumin seeds and peppercorns.
3. When the mustard starts to sputter,add the curry leaves,turmeric and the asafoetida (optional).
4. Add the chopped ginger and the crushed garlic and stir-fry till slightly brown.
5. Then,add the chopped onions,green chillies and salt and saute till the onions are golden brown.
6. Add the pineapple puree along with the rest of the chopped pineapple pieces,curry or sambar/rasam powder,sugar/jaggery(optional) and stir continuously for about 5-6 minutes on medium heat.
7. Add about 2 cups of water/vegetable broth (or you could also use the water after boiling dal) and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
8. Serve hot with a dash of freshly ground pepper.

Question: What is your favorite "summer" soup?