Genda da Addye / steamed Cucumber cake

There are a lot of things I miss about Mangalore, and the one thing on the top of the list is definitely the food! There were so many varieties of sweet dishes that we used to eat back home and I never really cared much to know what ingredients went into them and how it was made. But things changed after my move. I was curious to know what ingredients were used and how exactly it was made and one of the many things that I crave for occasionally are the variety of ‘addye’s’ (steamed cakes) we used to eat while we were growing up.  My grandma used to make this sweet addye and it was one of my favorites! Genda da Addye or Cucumber cake if I may call it so! 

Originally this dish is cooked in a traditional way on a wood fired stove (Indian mud choolah) with coal (genda in tulu) placed on top which gave it a unique burnt taste.  However this one is made in a cooker on a gas stove and anyone can try it at home. We made this made this when my in-laws visited us last year and I have been in love with it ever since. It’s easy and it tastes great Let’s get started! 

Ingredients

• 2 cup rice (idli/dosa rice)
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)
• 1 long cucumber (skinned and roughly chopped)
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 3/4 cup powdered jaggery (increase if you want it sweeter)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 ½ medium onion (finely chopped)
• 1/2 cup ghee
• 2-3 tablespoon nuts/raisins

Instructions

1. First, soak the rice and fenugreek seeds in water separately in a bowl for 3-4 hours.
2. Add the soaked rice and fenugreek seeds together to a blender and grind it together with grated coconut, powdered jaggery and chopped cucumber to a slightly coarse bater by adding water (You can use the same water used to soak the rice) The batter should be of thick dosa batter consistency and not too watery. Check sweetness and adjust jaggery accordingly.Add salt to the batter.
3. Place a pressure cooker on medium flame. Add ghee and grease the sides of the cooker as well so the addye (cake) comes out easily without sticking in the end. Once the ghee is hot, add the chopped onions and fry till they turn to a darker shade of brown. Next add the nuts and raisins and give it a quick stir. You can add more nuts/raisins if you like.
4. Pour the batter to the cooker and immediately add 1/2 cup of water.Make sure you lower the flame at this point to keep it from sticking to the cooker and gently mix well making sure there are no lumps. Now close the lid. You don’t have to use the cooker’s weighted stopper instead place an inverted steel cup directly on the vent tube (from where the steam escapes) If you don’t have a steel cup use any any microwave safe cup that sits well.
5. Cook the Addye on very low flame for 50 minutes to an hour.
6. After 45- 50 minutes you can check to see if the Addye is done. Piece with a wet fork/knife to see if the batter sticks to it, If it does cover and continue cooking for a few more minutes. 
7. Turn off the gas and let it cool down for 10 minutes. Gently invert the cooker and give it a good tap to remove it from the cooker onto a wide plate. Rest it for another 15 minutes. The addye is now done and is ready to be relished. Cut it into pieces and enjoy!

You can have them for breakfast or with your evening tea. I love to eat it whenever I feel like throughout the day! You can leave it out for a day and then store the pieces in an airtight container and refrigerate it. Microwave it for a few seconds just before serving.

Hope you give this a try and if you do, let me know how you like it!

Mangalorean Fish Curry

Today let’s talk about the fish curry. The authentic mangalorean fish curry to be precise. I grew up in Mangalore, the port city of Karnataka, India. It is well known for the coconut palms, spectacular beaches and of course for the lip smacking seafood! Fish is a staple food for most mangalorean families. You will find it most buffets and family get together meals without a doubt. As a kid I liked fried fish better than the fish curry to be frank but now that I am thousands of miles away from home there are days when I miss my Amma’s fish curry! So taking things to my own hands I decided to give it a try. The stomach wants what it wants right ? 😉

The hardest thing to do it get a recipe written from my mom. She always gives me measurements visually with her fist and fingers! So one day before I moved to the US, I sat there in our kitchen watching her cook the fish curry and understood the ratio and measurements of the ingredients she used. And finally I gave it a try. Proud to say that it tasted great! Definitely not as yummy as hers but close enough and I and my husband relished it. (And know that my husband is one of the greatest critics known to mankind. lol when he doesn’t say it out you can still see it in his eyes!) So for me it was a win, and since a lot of my fellow amateur cooks asked how I cooked it, I thought let’s write it down!

So before we start, you can use the fish that you like and have tasted before, preferable something Indian. I have used Pomfret for this recipe since we buy that a lot and I like how it tastes. Originally I love the mackerel back home but since I don’t find it here I got the Pomfret. So for fish that are bland you make the curry less spicy and for fish like mackerel and sardine you can extra chillies and make it spicy, now that’s a tip from my mom.

Ingredients

• Fish – ½ kg (cleaned & sliced)

For the masala:

• 3 teaspoon whole coriander seeds (roasted)
• Dry red chilli long-5 (roasted)
• Dry red chilli short – 5 (roasted)
• ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (roasted)
• ½ cup grated coconut (slightly roasted)
• Tamarind small piece (½ size of a lemon)
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 1 inch ginger
• Turmeric 2 pinch
• ½ onion fried
• ½ cup water

For the curry:

• ½ onion chopped
• 1 inch ginger chopped
• 2 slit green chillies
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 2 ½ cups water

Instructions

1. Place the slices of fish in a bowl and add ½ teaspoon of salt, gently mix and keep it aside.
2. All the ingredients that are to be roasted under the masala section can be roasted together (except for the grated coconut, do that separately) on a pan with ½ teaspoon oil for a minute or two until they are slightly aromatic (not till you start coughing)
3. Once fried place all the ingredients under ‘For the masala‘ in a mixer grinder and mix it without water first then keep adding water in small amounts until it reaches a smooth consistency. Don’t make it too watery but ensure it’s not too thick either it should be like a paste consistency.
4. Take a deep pan or an earthen pot if have one, turn on the stove on medium flame and pour the masala into the pan, now 2½ cups of water and mix well. There shouldn’t be any lumps. If required adjust consistency. Once it gets hot add in the ½ onion, 2 green chillies, salt and 1 inch chopped ginger. Bring to a boil. Let it boil rigorously and carefully stir it now and then for almost 2 minutes, the curry will leave bubbles, now lower the flame and add the fish gently to the curry. The fish will cook in 7-8 minutes. Don’t stir it too much, be gentle as the fish will be soft and it will fall apart.
5. This step is optional but I like to do it as it enhances the flavor of the curry. Add sliced fried onions on top once the curry is completely cooked.
6. Serve with rice and enjoy! We have it with the Red Rice (matta rice) that we get from an Asian market here.

If you have any questions about the recipe feel free to ask me in the comments. Hope you give it a try! 🙂