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

Palak Chutney(Spicy spinach chutney)

Palak Chutney (Spicy spinach Chutney)

The original recipe uses tendli/tondli(ivy gourd) leaves,but since that isn't available everywhere, had to substitute with palak.The resulting Palak Chutney was quite close to the 'tondekai/tondli chutney' that I remember. Here are the ingredients for the Palak Chutney:

Ingredients:
Palak(baby)/Baby spinach-2 cups chopped
Garlic-5 cloves(crushed)
Ginger-1" piece
Cilantro/coriander leaves-1 cup
Green chillies-6-7nos(or according to taste)
Roasted channa dal-2 tbsp
Roasted groundnut-2tbsp
Hung yogurt/curd-3tbsp(sour)
Salt-to taste
Oil-1tsp

Method:
1)Heat the oil in a pan,add the garlic and green chillies and saute for a couple of minutes.
2)Add the chopped baby spinach and saute till they are cooked.Let it cool.
4)In a mixer grinder-add the channa dal,groundnuts,cilantro,ginger,salt and the cooked palak.
5)Make a fine paste.
6)Pour the palak chutney into a bowl. Add the yogurt and mix well. Test for salt.

Palak chutney tastes great even without the addition of the yogurt/curd at the end(add a little tamarind). I just love the creaminess that the yogurt adds to the palak chutney.
Serve the palak chutney with idlis/dosas, as a spread for sandwiches,a dip or as a side with your meal.