Moksha Food

Solkadi is a integral part of Goan Konkani cuisine. It is prepared by grinding freshly grated coconut, green chilies and garlic cloves. The coconut milk is extracted from this mixture and flavored with kokum and salt. This is always served along with the fish curry. The first course of meal is rice, fish curry and fish fry. The meal ends with second course which is rice mixed with solkadi. The Kokum aids in digestion of food and also cools down the heat from the spices. Kokum or Garcinia indica , a plant in the mangosteen family (Clusiaceae),  is a fruit-bearing tree that has culinary, pharmaceutical, and industrial uses. In India , it usually grows along the western coastal areas of Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka. more info Ingredients: 1/2 cup grated coconut 2 green chilies 2-3 cloves of garlic salt to taste 3-4 pieces of Kokum or more depending on the quality of kokum* water Directions: Grind together the coconut, green chilies, garlic and little wat...

Plantains are raw bananas which are frequently used in Indian cooking for stir fries and curries. In the southern state of Kerala, plantain chips are very popular. This is a very simple 5 ingredient recipe which can be made in a jiffy. Ingredients: 2 Plantains 1 onion, chopped 2 green chilies, chopped 1 tsp mustard seeds 1/4 tsp turmeric pdr 2 tbsp grated coconut (optional) salt oil Directions: Skin the plantains and chop into small pieces. In a medium saucepan, heat a tbsp of oil. Temper the oil with mustard seeds. Once the seeds crackle, add the green chilies and onions. Saute till the onions soften. Stir in the chopped plantains. Sprinkle some water. Close the lid and cook the plantains on low-medium heat. Once almost done, add in the salt and turmeric pdr. Lastly add in the coconut and mix everything well. Serve hot as a side with your meal.

Torachi Uddamethi is another gem in Konkani cuisine and my personal favorite. Tora or Green raw mangoes are the main ingredient. It is prepared most often during the summer months when there is an abundance of mangoes. The base tones are made up of an unusual mix of urad dal and fenugreek seeds. I haven't seen this flavor profile in any other Indian cuisine. The non-vegetarian version of Uddamethi is made with an Indian fish called mackerel. Both versions taste great in their own way. I love the tangy spicy sweet flavors of this curry. It can be slurped up with roti/bread or  a side of rice. Ingredients: 1 tsp fenugreek seeds 1 tsp Urad dal 1/2 tsp mustard seeds pinch of asafoetida 1 raw mango, chopped into big chunks, also retain the core 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut 7-8 dried red chilies 7-8 peppercorns lemon sized ball of tamarind 1/4 tsp turmeric pdr 1 tsp of jaggery salt to taste oil Directions: Heat a tbsp of oil in a saucepan. Temper it with mustard seeds, asafoetida, ...

Panchamrut literally means "Panch - five; amrut - nectar". In Hindu traditions, panchamrut is a very important component during pujas. It is used to bath the deities and the remaining is distributed as a blessing to all. It is usually made by adding a spoonful of  yogurt, ghee, honey and jaggery in a glass of raw milk. It is mixed together till well combined. A spoonful of panchamrut is given to everybody at the end of a puja. Most kids including me loved this sweet slightly tangy drink. Since I was the youngest in my family, I would eager wait till panchamrut was served to all as I could devor the remaining. My daughter now follows this tradition andcant wait to drink it all up! Panchamrut also shares the name with another recipe- a bell pepper stir fry made in Konkani homes during the auspicious Ganesh Chaturti festival. Green Bell peppers are cooked with nuts in a tangy-sweet spicy coconut sauce. Its a dry preparation served as a side....

Konkani/Goan food as it known to most is the Portuguese influenced food commonly served in restaurants for tourist. But there are a whole treasure trove of recipes never known to the outside world since they are only cooked at Konkani homes.  Today I am sharing one of it gems , a protein packed dal recipe made with sprouted green moong dal . This is usually served during the auspicious Ganapati festival. This is the most important festival for any Goan Hindu. Describing the amazing experience of Ganapati celebrations deserves another blogpost. Coming back, today i will introduce you to Muggagathi, green moong sprouts cooked in a mild coconut gravy, flavored with spices. Ingredients: 1 cup green moong 1 half cup coconut shredded 4-5 green chilies 1 small ball of tamarind 1 big spoon grated jaggery 1 tsp Turmeric pdr salt to taste 2 tsp Oil 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 1/4 tsp hing/asafoetida 4-5 curry leaves 7-8 cashewnuts h...

India summer equates to gorging on loads of mangoes. There are many varieties of mangoes available in India. Goa has the super sweet Mankurad mangoes but sadly they are not available outside of Goa. The Alphonso/ Hapus variety from Maharashtra is easily available all over India and is exported abroad making it the most popular breed. Here in North America, the most popular mangoes are the Haden variety imported from Mexico. In Goa, after devouring mangoes as is, the most popular dish made is Ambyache Sassav. It roughly translate to mangoes cooked with mustard seeds. Special mangoes called Gotas are available during this season. They are small round sour-sweet mangoes perfect for this dish. Its also a hot favorite dish to be served for special occasion or weddings during the summer months. Ingredients: 4-5 small sweet mangoes (Gota) 1/2 cup grated coconut 6 dried red chillies 2 tsp mustard seeds 1/4 tsp turmeric pdr salt to taste 1 tbsp. sug...

    Having belonged to a Konkani family, i was raised on a seafood diet pretty much till I hit 25. We lived close a port which supplied the freshest catch of the day. Every day there would be a new variation of fish or shellfish like shrimps, clams, mussels, crabs, lobsters. We ate seafood till we could eat no more.  Those days I would look forward to our special celebrations at restaurants where I could finally gorge on some meat. Post marriage, having moved out of the country I got to eat as much meat as I wanted. But I really began to crave for seafood. No matter which part of the world I travelled, I could never recreate those familiar taste. Years rolled by without even tasting clams or tisrya as we called it back home. My husband's dislike for shellfish made it harder for me to even attempt it at home. Luckily my daughter was born with some of my genes and loves seafood in every form. For us, I  bought mussels and cooked in Italian style. But I alwa...