Moode/Mude ('Kedige' Flavored Idlis)

Moode/Mude is a very traditional Mangalorean recipe! Moode with mooga ghasssi (sprouted moong dal curry) is a must for breakfast. It can also go well with sambar and coconut chutney. Its a most time made during festive occasion which includes Krishna janmastami, Chaturti and even during Deepavali.
Moode idli batter is steamed in molds made from Kedige leaves (Screw pine), before these molds were made at home, now we purchase it in Mangalore stores. Kedige leaves gives a very special aroma and flavor to the idlis. Moode is usally prepared during festivals and weddings and the molds are available at Mangalore stores during festivals. Moode is very easy recipe, you need a right proportion of Rice and black lentil (Urad dal). I just love this along any veg or even non veg curry!

Ingredients:
1 cup urad dal (Soaked in water for about 4-6 hours, best is 6 hrs)
3 cups idli rava or rice rava/ or 2 cups White rice (Soak white rice in water for 4-6 hours,  I have used rice rava 3 cups and have soaked it for 6 hours)
Salt as per taste

 Method:

• Grind the soaked urad dal to a smooth dal until it froths up and increases in quantity.
• Wash the idli rava and drain out all the water; Add rava to the urad batter and blend well both the contents (About 3-5 minutes). If you are using soaked white rice, drain out all the water and grind until it gets to coarse consistency paste (rice batter can be little course rather than smooth fine).

• Transfer into a large mixing bowl and let ferment overnight or for 8-10 hours; Add salt and mix well.

• Pour into moode ele (kedige moulds) and steam cook for about 20-25 minutes; Moode is done when no grains stick to the fork when pierced.
•  Remove from stove and serve hot with coconut chutney, sambar, gashi or any other side dish of your choice.

 

NOTE:

• It is important to ensure that moode ele stays upright while it cooks. You wouldn't want the moode to fall off and let the water from the bottom of the cooker get in. So, I place each moode separately inside long steel tumblers.
• To remove the moode from the mould, slowly pull out the tiny sticks that hold the mould together; The mould will fall apart automatically. 

Padmashree Raikar

@ gHara javaN 

Colocasia or Taro Leaf rolls/ Patrado (Konkani)

Patrado (konkani) Rolls made of colocassia leaf multilayered with masala and steamed.

Yesterday I had a yummy patrado. It was raining heavy & I enjoyed my dinner with steaming boiled rice mixed with lemon dal sar along patrado topping it with coconut oil...woaw what could be better than this hmmmm.

Patrado is a Konkani delicacy made with Patrade paan(konkani) or colocassia leaf. It is mostly found in abundance during the rainy season and is grown in backyard kitchen gardens.
During rainy season leaves grow in abundance & also is found to cause less itching than the rest season.

My backyard with patrade paan widely grown 

Patrade paan (konkani) can cause itching in the hands while handling them due to the calcium oxalate. This can be avoided by rubbing hands with tamarind juice/ lemon juice before handling taro leaves.
Patrado is also garnished with coconut oil to prevent itching in the throat. The secret to tasty patrado also lies in using tender or young taro leaves as opposed to larger taro leaves.
We used to keep the remaining patrado the next day, which was shallow fried with rice powder mixed with chili powder. This makes great patrado phodi. I loved it along kanji or even curd rice. My all time favarate.


Some experimentation in masala:
We can prepare the patrado paste using different combination of  green gram (moong), toor dal, rice along chilly.In this recipe below 50% moong, 25% rice, 25% grated coconut is used for stuffing into leaves.
Other variations are :
1) 100 % whole moong 
2) 75% whole moong or moong dal and 25 % rice 
3) 50 % toor dal and 50 % rice 
4) 50 % chana dal and 50% rice 
5) 25 % chana dal 25 % moong dal and 50 % rice. 

My mom would prepare it mostly with moong dal and rice along grated coconut. Its good to use moong dal  as its much lighter on the tummy than chana dal.

Method:
Grind to smooth paste the roasted red chilli 8-12, 1/2 coconut grated, overnight soaked green gram 1 cup, half cup soaked(2 hrs) rice, 1 tb sp jaggery powder, small pinch asafoetida, medium tamarind pulp, salt to taste... (some also add, 1 tb sp roasted coriander seed, 1 tb sp jeera instead of asafoetida)

• Now take cleaned Patrado (colocassia leaf ) remove the stem and veins.

• Take a plain clean surface place 1 big leaf add the paste and spread all over the leaf..Then keep another leaf on the left side, covering half side of the first leaf...Apply little paste and spread over it. Then keep third leaf on the right side in the same manner. Thus apply leaf & paste alternatively & evenly. Repeat it same way to make 8 to 10-12 layer of leaf.

• Now first turn inside all the 2 sides of this pile and then roll it completelly and tie the roll with a thread if you need to keep the roll firm.

• Keep the roll in a steaming vessel and cook in steam for 20 min till its done.

• Check if the roll is cooked well by poking using a tooth pick, you should see the the masala don't stick to the tooth pick. After it cools down a little, remove the thread and make slices.

• Have them by adding ghee/coconut oil or deep fry them to eat or shallow fry them. Goes great with a simple tomato sar/dal and rice...

Patrado along coconut oil

Padmashree Raikar

@ gHara javaN

Sanna's (Mangalorean Fluffy Idli)

Sannas (Konkani), are a spongy steamed savoury rice cakes, made in a typical Mangalorean & Goa style variant of idli, a South Indian dish. They go well with any non-veg to veg curries. Also along coconut chuttney. This typically coastal Indian food is eaten with curries, stir-fries and even on its own. This fluffy rice idli is a must for all christian weddings, also many people make then in home during festive seasons. There's nothing like warm, soft and fluffy Sannas to go with your choice curry! It is very easy to make. Try one in home. And I bet you... You will crave for it again and again ;)

Ingredients:
    3 cups rice [You can use cutsambar rice, idli rice or even boiled rice]
    2 cups of beaten rice/poha [you can also add puffed rice (laye)]
    1 cup grated coconuts
    2 tsps active yeast
    2 tsps sugar (to mix with yeast)
    Salt to taste
    2-4 tsps sugar (to add to batter, its a choice not a compulsion)
    warm water (for mixing yeast)



Preparation:

• Wash the rice well and soak in water overnight.[It is good if the rice is soaked well for 8 hrs]
• In the morning, grind the grated coconut to fine paste (you can also use fresh coconut milk).
• Drain the water and grind the rice into a very fine paste, add the beaten rice while grinding along it.
• Mix the rice and coconut pastes together in a large, deep bowl.

• Take the active yeast & mix it with 2 tsps of sugar and the warm water. Stir well. Allow to sit for a few minutes.
• Add the yeast water. Mix well to form a thick batter.

• Allow this batter to ferment for 3 hours [You can also keep it for 4-5 hours, when it comes to cool climate. But in Mangalore weather, we keep it even for 2-3 hours the batter for Sannas ferment well] 

• Grease an Idli moulds (small ramekin dishes) with a little coconut oil and pour enough batter into the mould/ ramekin dishes to fill about 3/4 of the way.
  

• Put the Idli ramekin dishes into a steamer and steam for 20 minutes at least (or till cooked - a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean) on high flame.
• When cooked, gently remove from the Idli moulds/ ramekin dishes and serve hot with a curry of your choice.

Tips:
If your batter has become little diluted, adjust the batter thickness by adding poha/beaten rice