Prawn / Fish Curry

My friends , a set of enthusiastic twins , often experiment with food. They cook, try out new restaurants, post their reviews , offer suggestions. They are our go to guys for restaurant recommendations. They absolutely adore coastal cuisine. So from Goa, to malvan and coastal Maharashtra , they try to recreate the food they have eaten on their trips. Here is a favourite from their kitchen 
Ingredients
1 lemon, quartered
or 500 gms prawns / 2 medium sized fish, (any with firm white flesh, boneless and cut either into pieces or long slices) 
A pinch of salt


For the Masala:
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
4 flakes garlic
8 Kashmiri red chillies
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
1 coconut, grated
1 1/2 inch lump tamarind, soaked in water
1/2 cup water
1 onion, finely sliced
2 green chillies, sliced


Method
Marinate the  prawns/ fish in salt and lime (half a lime) juice for 10 minutes.
Grind all the masalas togethar. Add a little bit of water to adjust the consistency.
Add the onions and green chillies to the masala and place the pan over the flame.
Keep the masala over the flame for about 10 minutes (two boils).
Once done, add the marinated fish to this masala.
Cook till one boil. (In case you use fish with bone cook up till two or three boils)
Serve hot.
Tastes best with unpolished Goan rice.

Potato Dryfruit Kachori

With Mahashivratri starts the appearence of Hindu festivals. Routine life is punctuated by fasting and feasting. While fasting would essentially mean abstinence from cooked food, there have been certain food stuff marked for consumption during fasting days. Most green vegetables and dry spices are not allowed, as are onions and garlic. More information on foods that are allowed can be had by writing to me, as I would like to restrict this post to a recipe. A decadent snack meant for fasting days but can be eaten almost on any day. Great to impress people with, easy to make. It always gathers compliments. Its the combination of ingredients that make this a wow snack. So here goes.

Ingredients:

2 medium boiled potatoes

1/2 cup dessicated / coarsely ground fresh coconut

2 tblsp green corriander leaves chopped

1 tsp each chopped ginger and green chilli

2 tablespoons grated paneer or cottage cheese

1 tablespoon each of sliced nuts of choice ( cashews, almonds, pistachios)

1 tablespoon chopped raisins ( optional)

1 tsp pure ghee

salt to taste ( if fasting , use rock salt)

2 table spoons Kuttu/ rajgira flour if fasting or otherwise use plain flour.

Oil for frying

Coarsely grind together coconut, corriander leaves, chillies, ginger. Add salt to taste. Mix this with dried nuts and raisins, Add in grated paneer. Mix well and keep aside.

Grate and mash the boiled potatoes well. Add  the ghee and a little salt to taste. 

Make a paste with the flour and 3 tablespoons water. The flour-water paste  should be of a pouring custard consistency. 

Divide and form the coconut and nuts mixture into small lemon size balls. Divide the potato paste into the same no of portions. flatten the potato paste in your palm and keep the coconut ball in it. Gently spread the potato paste to cover the coconut-nuts balls. cover all the balls in the same fashion. Keep aside. Heat oil for frying. Dip each potato covered ball into the flour paste and carefully lower into the oil. Repeat with all the balls. gently move the balls inside the oil once the underside looks pinkish brown. lower the flame and fry the balls to a light golden colour. Drain and serve hot with a coconut chutney .