Bendekayi Hasi / Lady's Finger Raita

This is another variety of mosaru bajji /raita which can be mixed with steamed rice and savoured.
These types of raitas  or mosaru bajjis  can be included regularly in the menu during the summer months to keep the body cool.
It is very simple to make too!
It needs just three actions: CUT, FRY AND MIX !!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup Lady's finger cut into circles
1 cup curd
1 tsp grated coconut (optional)
1/2 green chilli
a pinch of hing /asafoetida
3tsps oil
1/2 tsp rayee / mustard seeds

READY TO BE FRIED

FRIED AND READY

CURD

READY TO BE SERVED

METHOD

• Wash the lady's finger and DRY IT THOROUGHLY WITH A CLOTH.
• Now cut them into circles
• In a pan heat oil and add the rayee.
• Add the lady's finger and fry till they become almost crisp.
• Meanwhile grind the coconut, green chilli and hing and add it to the curd.
• Add the fried lady's finger , salt and mix well .
• Serve with rice.

NOTE
If the lady's finger is not dry before cutting, it  becomes very sticky and difficult to fry

PUMPKIN RAITA / KUMBALAKAYI HASHI / KUMBALAKAYI MOSARU BAJJI

Mosaru bajji or Hashi is a main course dish made of a mixture of curd and vegetable, either raw or cooked.
 The Hashi or Raita of Karnataka is one of the main dishes served in a meal. It is different from the raita of North India as it is not an accompaniment to a dish like pulao or fried rice but a main dish which is mixed with steamed rice and eaten after eating sambar and rice in a typical daily meal.
A typical household meal of North Kanara district in karnataka consists of Anna(steamed rice), Huli (sambar), Palle (cooked vegetables), Gojju(chutney), Hashi and Tambuli ( a thin cold soup of curd with spices).
On special occasions like festivals and marriages the meal becomes more elaborate with kosambri (salads) , chitranna( spiced rice),happala, sandige sweets and payasa.(  sweet porridge)

I would like to mention here that the women of this region are very innovative and can cook up a Gojju, Hashi or Tumbuli from any vegetable , vegetable peel or leaves of plants which are grown in their Tota (farm ) and keep you guessing what its made of. :)

Here I have used Green pumpkin for making the raita.

 
INGREDIENTS

1 cup chopped pumpkin
2tsp fresh grated coconut
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 green chilli
a pinch of hing/asafoetida
1 cup fresh curd/yogurt


METHOD

• Boil the pumpkin till soft and set aside to cool.
  
  
  
  
• Grind together coconut, mustard, hing and green chilli to a fine paste.
  
  
  
  
• Add the cooked pumpkin and blend coarsely.
  
•  Mix beaten curd to the pumpkin mixture.
• Heat a teaspoon of oil  and add mustard, udad dal and dry red chillies pieces, a pinch of hing and temper the raita.
  

• The pumpkin can also be finely chopped or grated and cooked and mixed without grinding.                                                                                                                                                                                       

                                     

Masala Majjige /Spiced Buttermilk

Summer has set in and during these hot summer days a glass of chilled buttermilk is very refreshing.

Take a small piece of green chilli, a few corriander leaves and grind to a paste along with salt.
Add curd (yogurt) and water and mix it with the paste in a blender.
Store it in your refrigerator and relish it anytime of the day!!