Ma's Masala Chops

Masala Chops

Every now and then I get this craving for my Mum's food and flip through my recipe book for a taste of home.  This is one such recipe and we all love it.  It can be made with practically any kind of meat and tastes good whatever it may be.  Serve it with rice or bread or chappathi or idlis or even with doasi to mop up the delicious gravy. 

The Recipe:

1 kg ribs, cut into 2 inch pieces, wash and drain; 1 tsp chilli powder or to taste; 1/2 tsp jeera powder; 1/4 tsp turmeric powder; 1/2 tsp pepper corns; 10 flakes garlic, medium sized; 1/2 tsp mustard; 1 tbsp vinegar and 1 tsp salt to taste.

Seasoning:  3 - 4 sprigs curry leaves and 4 medium sized onions, sliced fine; 2 tbsp olive oil

NB:  I always use non stick pans.

Grind the above to a smooth paste and marinade the ribs overnight.  The longer the better.  Pressure cook in 2cups ( 500 ml) water for 40 minutes or till tender.  Remove from fire and keep aside.

Heat a large non stick pan, add the oil and when hot throw in the curry leaves.  Stir fry a minute and add the onions.  Lower flame and fry till golden brown.  Make sure the onions are not burnt.  Add the ribs and fry till brown all over.  Add the gravy and give it a boil.  Serve hot with fried or baked potatoes.

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Spicy Mangalorean Clams

Shellfish Divine

This was one of my favourite dishes as a child back in Mangalore.  Every time we visited our grandparents in Kundapoor, we would contrive and look forward to going to the river to pick clams (shellfish) and have a rip roaring time doing so.  Once, we slipped away in the rain and used our umbrellas to collect the shellfish and were so engrossed in our endeavours that we failed to notice the tide had crept in and there we were stranded in the middle of the river.  The boatmen came to our rescue and I still remember the whacking we got.  Nothing could dim our enjoyment of this delicious dish and I urge you to try it too.

The Recipe:

100 shellfish (Molee in Kannada)- wash in running water till all the sand is removed.  Previously we used a foot knife (mettu kathi in Kannada) on which we sat and expertly cut the cockles in half, discarding the empty shells.  Nowadays, I just boil them whole in 1/4 cup water for one minute and wait for them to open, retaining the half with the shellfish.

For Masala: 10 red chillies or to taste; 1/4 tsp mustard seeds; 1 dsp corriander seeds; 1 pinch jeera seeds (cumin); 1/2 tsp khus- khus (poppy seeds); 6 pepper corns; 3 cloves garlic; 1 onion; 1/4 tsp turmeric powder; 3 tbsp grated coconut (fresh or dry- use whatever's available).   Roast the dry ingredients in a pan  on medium heat till crisp; cool and grind with 1/8 cup water to form a thick paste.

For Seasoning:  1 medium onion, sliced fine; 2 sprigs curry leaves; oil for seasoning.  Heat oil and throw in the curry leaves.  Fry for a minute or two.  Add the onions and fry on medium heat till golden brown.  Keep aside until required.

Add masala to boiled shellfish and simmer three minutes.  Stir in the seasoning and remove from fire.  Serve hot with white rice and dhall.  This is one of the most delicious meals one can ever have.

NB:  Instead of cockles  crabs or prawns and potatoes could be used.  Equally delicious.

There's nothing like traditional food to tickle the palate.