KUNDE YA NAZI

 

KUNDE YA NAZI NA BOFLO

 

Enjoy  Tanzanian style kunde na boflo right in your jikoni!

 

1 cup dried red beans / chora / kunde  ( soaked over night)

2 cups coconut milk

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons green chili paste

1/2 teaspoon ginger paste

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 tablespoon lime juice

handful finely chopped cilantro

 

Pressure cook beans for three to four whistles .Once cooked , drain all the water and stir in coconut milk, salt, chili paste, turmeric and ginger paste. Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken, stirring  occasionally. Turn the heat off, add  chopped cilantros and lime juice. Serve with boflo ( bread) or wali  ( rice)

WALI WA NAZI NA MBHOGA

 

WALI WA NAZI NA MBHOGA

 

1 cup rice ( wash and soak rice in water for about 15 minutes)

2 1/2 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup guwar cut in to small pieces

1/4 cup French beans

1/4 cup pigeon peas

1/4 cup green peas

1 corn cut in to small pieces

2 small aubergine stuffed ( see recipe  for bharelu shak)

2 small potato stuffed ( see recipe for bharelu shak)

1 large onion finely chopped

2 tablespoons oil

1 tea spoon ginger paste

2 teaspoons hot green chili paste

2teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

2  tomatoes chopped

 

Heat the oil in a sauce pan. Add chopped onions   and stir until turns golden. Add ginger paste and chili paste sauté add chopped tomatoes and cook for couple minutes add rice stir well add salt ,turmeric powder and all the vegetables stir all together add coconut milk  cover the lid and let it cook on medium heat. Serve with kachumbari.

 

 

Mango pickle

                                                                               METHYA KERI ATHANU

 

 

Last week Manu and I went to see some close friends who live in Columbia. Whilst there we decided to visit the local Indian Grocery Store and I managed to find some small raw mangoes.  Immediately, I purchased some and decided to make some pickle to go with puri and the theplas that we often make at home.  These raw small mangoes can be pickled whole with the methia masala stuffing or you can dice the mangoes and sprinkle the masala on.   Follow my recipe for the masala and the method to pickle then make yourself some garma garam puri to go with this spicy tangy achar….don’t forget the masala wali chai!

 

Ingredients

20 small mangoes

1 cup fenugreek split

2 tablespoons mustard seeds split

1/4 cup salt

1/2 cup chili powder

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon asafetida

Combine all the above ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Keep on the side.

 

2 cups oil ( Heat oil and let it cool to the room temperature keep a side)

Wash and clean the mangoes slit from the center and make cross cut. Open little and remove the seed,  stuff the prepared mixture into mangoes and  place the stuffed mangoes in the jar and pour the  oil on top of  the mangoes. Place the remaining masala into the jar. Refrigerate and enjoy.

 

 

KHICHDI

KHICHDI

 

Recently a good friend of ours called sounding rather excited about an article she came across whilst researching the Lohana Community. She called mainly because she wanted to talk about some traditional Lohana cuisine and also  because she came across an article listing the “notable Lohanas”. This list particularly interested her as she noted that my father Shree Gopaldas Kotecha’s name appears on that list amongst others.  My father is the very same Gopaldas of the Gopaldas Madhavji Kotecha Empire in Pemba Tanzania.  After having discussed this list she asked me about our community, other famous Lohanas and whether we have any traditional foods.  I thought about this and then replied that the greatest Lohana who is worshipped and adored is Pujya Jalaram Bapa of Virpur. Bapa was a devotee of Lord Rama to whom it is said we can trace our lineage.

As for traditional food, well; what is served by the most adored Lohana, Jalaram Bapa at Virpur?  It is of course Khichdi, shaak, rotla. Whilst Lohana’s have a love for farsans, tangy spicy foods and rich mithais, it is the khichdi that provides the comfort. We tend to want Khichdi after days of heavy indulgence, or when we are ill or when return home from business trips. The khichdi is like a mother’s love, gently embracing us and providing that feeling that allows us to settle.

There are many foods that can accompany the Khichdi such as shak, kadhi or bhaji but the kathiawadis always serve their Khichdi with pure ghee and raw onion.  The piping hot khichdi is ladled onto a plate and a crate is created in the middle.  A few tablespoons of ghee is then added into this crater and then using the fingers of the right hand, the khichdi is slowly mixed with into the ghee.  Traditionally, Khichdi is eaten with the fingers which has numerous sensory benefits (please see my post on eating with your fingers).

Here is how I make Khichdi.

1 cup rice

1/2 cup moong daal ( with skin)

3 cups water

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

Wash rice and daal then put these into a pressure cooker, add water, salt, turmeric powder and close the lid of pressure cooker and cook khichdi to three to four whistles. Let it cool before opening the lid. Serve garam garam khichdi with plenty ghee, dungri and khichi papad.

Mehndi Party Cupcakes

MEHNDI PARTY CUPCAKES

Today I just wanted to share with everyone these beautiful handcrafted cupcakes.  My niece Minelle Hemraj Vithlani who runs Prettycutebakes Cakes in London was commissioned to make these for a Mehndi party.

 Minu tells me that she drew inspiration from Indian jewelry and the bright colors of the beautiful sarees. The cupcakes are totally edible including the pink candy gems and the gold work.

                                                                                                          

GUNDA PICKLE

GUNDA NU ATHANU

 

 

Gunda nu athanu

A few months back a parcel arrived from California with some Gunda and chikoo fruits.  Binaben; our daughter in law Komal’s mom had sent the parcel with these items picked from her garden.

Gunda (bird lime berries or clammy berries) are rare in Charleston and if you are ever fortunate to see them in the Asian Grocery stores here then they would be ripe; bruised and not good enough to pickle. You can imagine my delight on opening the box to find these rare and precious pickling berries so I set about planning the process and getting the ingredients all prepared.  Thank you Binaben!

Now we dont usally eat that much athana’s in our household and most of the chutneys and pickles we have are of the make today eat today variety however; Manu and I do get very excited about certain athanas made with fruits and vegetables in season.  Gunda Pickle can be preserved for quite a long time in sterlized  jars with a tight fitting lids to prevent air getting in.  A lot of oil needs to be added as the pickled berries need to be kept immersed in the oil so its not entirely healthy but then you don’t have to eat all that oil. You can spoon out jut the berry and masala from the jar.  This athanu is very versatile and goes well with poori, parathas, theplas, and even rotla or rotlis.

If you are a fan of Indian pickles and you can get your hands on some fresh gunda then be sure to try my simple and easy athana recipe. It will go down a treat with friends and family

Here is the recipe

2 lb Gunda  ( about 40)

Cut the gunda’s  into halve  and scoop out the seeds. Rub little salt and lemon juice keep on the side.

 

STUFFING

1 cup split mustard seeds

1 table spoon turmeric powder

1 tea spoon asafetida

3 tea spoons chili powder

2 table spoons salt

2 table spoons fenugreek splits

2 table spoons lemon juice

2 table spoon oil

 

Combine   all the above ingredients,   Fill the gunda with prepared mixture and  keep on the side.

 

Heat 2 cups oil and let it cool to the room temperature .Fill the stuffed gunda in the air tight  bottle and pour the oli on top of the gunda.