MISCELLANEOUS
Bengali Thor
2 cups Thor (Banana Pith)
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Slit green chilies 2
Mustard paste 1 tsp
Yoghurt 2 tbsp
Salt and sugar to taste
Put mustard seeds and the slit green chllies in hot oil so that it sputters. Put the Thor (finely diced) in the oil. Stir fry for a few minutes. Add the mustard paste and the yoghurt along with the salt and sugar. Cover and cook for a few minutes. Offer at room temperature.
Karnataka Mango Pineapple Sassam
Ripe 3, medium size mangoes (Raspuri or Peter)
Pineapple 1 small
Coconut 1
Red chillies 4
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Sugar 3 tbsp or to taste
Peel and cut the mangoes and the pineapple into cubes. Add sugar and salt and set aside. Roast the chillies in 1 tsp of hot ghee and grind with grated coconut to a smooth paste, adding the mustard towards the end so that the mustard is not ground very smooth. Add this paste to the fruit pieces and add enough water so that the ground mixture is like a thick creamy liquid.
Mango Menskai
Half ripe mangos - 2
Grated fresh coconut - 3 tblsps.
Red chilies - 10
Coriander seeds - 1 Tblsp.
Urad dhal - 1 1/2 tsps.
Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp.
Salt to taste
Tamarind paste, thinned
Jaggery to taste
Ghee - 2 Tblsps.
Red chilies - 2
Mustard seeds - 1/4 cup
Curry leaves - few
Use mangoes which are a little sour and sweet in taste. Scrape outer skin and cut into medium pieces. Cook in water or in tamarind extract till mangoes are soft. Fry the grated coconut in a little oil until it turns brown. Dry roast other spices separately. Grind them together with coconut. Add this mixture to the cooked mangoes and add salt and jaggery. Boil for few minutes and remove from fire. Season with mustard seeds, red chilies and curry leaves. Offer at room temperature or chilled.
Masala Buttermilk
Curds - 3 cups
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Green Chilies - 2
Jeera (cumin) - 1 tsp
Coriander, handful
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 5 to 6 leaves
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Grind Ginger, Chilli, Jeera, and Coriander to a paste. Blend this paste along with curds and salt. Add water if necessary. Next, heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds, curry leaves and asofoetida to it. Mix this seasoning to the previously blended buttermilk. Serve like a raita beside rice, or as a savoury drink.
