Konkani Lunch -- 2nd Best Meal of 2010

My first best meal of 2010 was in the first week of January. I had not started the blog, so I did not note it down. So I do not remember the meal entirely, but for the fact that I had the world's best pathrodo (the Konkani version of alu vadi or patra). My sister-in-law Manju, according to me, makes the best pathrodo in the world. It is quite spicy, very surboos (fluffy?), the alu leaves just shine. I have a feeling that tingalavra bendi and rice was also part of this meal. Tingalavra is a white bean, do not remember its English name now.

My second best meal of 2010 I had yesterday. Same venue, same master chef -- my sister-in-law, Manju.



I can never wait for food. I began eating this meal and thought -- hey, I should take a picture. So with my left hand, I took the cell from my right pocket and quickly took this picture. Not a great picture, but you get the idea.

You see the rice and a fantastic tomato dal. I just don't know what is the magic in her fingers but believe me I have never tasted such fantastic dal before. Still trying to figure out what made it so tasty. BTW, what I loved about the dal is that it was watery. Hey, dals should be like this! Not the thick sauce consistency for me. Needless to add, it was not dalitoy (Konkani dal) -- which is regarded as the kuldevata (reigning deity) of the konkanis.

Then, starting from left, in anti-clockwise direction, you can see a small roll of patrodo. This must be the 10th time I was having this dish made by her. It tasted the same. Only thing is this time, I could taste the hing (asfoetida). Today, it was double than the normal size. You feel less guilty! Naturally, I put lots of coconut oil on it.

Next to it is the Batate song (spicy red konkani potato dish). Amazingly spicy and tasty.

Next to it is the harve kela phodi (raw green banan shallow fried with a rava/sooji coating). Absolutely crisp and tasty. Cut in the right size, so cooked uniformly.

Next to it is the tendle bibbe upkari (tondli/gherkins and cashew nut dish). As far as I know, Konkani's are the only one's to have a dish like this. This is a favourite and is served at most amchigele (konkani) marriages. The kajoos were really huge -- almost an inch long sometimes.

What more can a person ask for, when he is served 3 of his favourite dishes in one meal. Well, the picture is there and these words (which are but a poor attempt to explain a divine meal) are there. 2 great meals in 5 months is not a bad life at all. So when I have the next best meal, I can always come back here as a reference point.

Could it have been even more heavenly? Yes, ambe upkari (a konkani dish made with small sweet mangoes, a bit of jaggery, and a rai tadka) is yet another of my all-time favourites.

For more pictures and more information on konkani and amchigele food, join the Konkani Amchi Food group on Facebook.

Gharayi - Jackfruit Payasam - Lazy Chef Version

Gharayi is a konkani sweet dish made with jackfruit. You can call it Jackfruit Payasam.

It is quite an elaborate dish -- not for ladies and chefs perhaps, but certainly for a Lazy Chef (hey, I like this moniker better than EPC -- Experimental Packet Chef) like me.

As you know I made Daliya Delight for breakfast and mentioned how you could add more milk to make it more of a porridge or payasam consistency. So for my 4 pm snack, I decided to have my version of Gharayi. I cut about 2 segments of the jackfruit (each one is called a gharo in amchigele or konkani) in thin, long strips. I took my Daliya Delight, poured more milk in it and then added the jackfruit strips. Added about a spoon of Lion Date Syrup (I avoid using sugar.) Then microwaved the stuff.

I was in a great hurry to have my hot snack, the pictures came terribly! Food photography is an art. I am one of the biggest amateurs of it! But the idea is to give you an idea of how it looks. Hope you get the idea -- payasam/kheer consistency and with pieces of jackfruit.

You will notice that the jackfruit has been cut very grossly! Ye aapun ka style hai, Boss! Fine pieces, specially too fine pieces ruins nuttrition according to me.

I have not had the original gharayi for a long time now and I did not recollect that it contains coconut. So if you wish you can add the packet coconut milk (paste diluted with a little water if you wish) to give it more nutrition, taste and make it closer to the original. The original has rice, whereas mine had organic dalia.

The idea of writing this blog is to share food and nutrition ideas.

Click here for more information about the original gharayi:
Gharayi details at CusineIndia