Chano Ani phovu ( Savory chickpeas served with flattened rice). Meatless Monday

Today I am sharing with you one of the very traditional breakfasts served in Konkani households in the South Kanara region : Chano Ani Phovu. This is a wholesome breakfast comprising of all the essential ingredients needed to kick-start your day and keep you satiated throughout the morning. Chano is essentially chickpeas and phovu is flattened rice. Chickpeas we know is a great source of protein and the flattened rice is essentially carbohydrates. The chickpeas is cooked with a tempering of mustard, curry leaves and green chilies. Traditionally, black chickpeas ( kala Chana is used). Here, I have used white chick peas or kabuli Chana. Sweet potatoes are sometimes added and sometimes not. I like to add sweet potatoes in mine as they are nutrient rich.

There are various ways in which phova chutney can be made. What I have made today is the easy version where in Sambar powder has been mixed with freshly grated coconut and mixed with beaten rice. It is delicious!!

Let's check out the recipe:

Prep time: 15-20 mins
Cook time: 15-20 mins
Total time : 30 mins-40 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

For the Chano (Chickpeas):
Chickpeas( Chana): 2 cups white cooked. ( If using canned, 1 10 oz can)
Sweet potato: 1 medium sized, washed and chopped to medium cubes.
Coconut oil: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Green chillies: 2-3 slit lengthwise.( can be adjusted based on your spice level).
Hing( asofoetida): a pinch if using powder, 1 tsp if using solution.
Salt: to taste
Jaggery/ brown sugar: 1 tsp
Freshly grated coconut: 1 tbsp

For the Phovu ( flattened rice):
Flattened rice, thin: 4 cups
Freshly grated coconut: 2 cups
Sambar powder: 1 tbsp
Salt: to taste
Sugar: 1 tbsp

Tempering (optional):
Coconut oil: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Method:

For the Chano (Chickpeas):
Heat a sauté pan/ kadai with oil. Add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter add the slit green chillies, sauté for few seconds. Now add the diced sweet potato, hing, salt, jaggery and 2 cups water. Cover and cook until the sweet potatoes are 3/4 done. Now add in the cooked chick peas and mix well. Cover and cook on medium until the sweet potato is cooked well. You could now open and dry the excess water if you wish. You don't have to. In fact if it is being made to be eaten with Phova chutney ( flattened rice) then the excess water ( sauce)is left so that it is more delicious to eat!

For the Phovu ( flattened rice):

Take the freshly grated coconut, Sambar powder, salt and sugar in a bowl. Mix well.
Now add the flattened rice ( phovu), little at a time, massaging and mixing with each addition using your hands . Add all the phovu and massage until the phovu is softened well.

Tempering ( optional):
Heat coconut oil in a small frying pan. Add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves and turn off the flame.
Add this tempering to the above bowl containing phovu ( flattened rice).

Serve immediately with hot Chana usli.

Best when served immediately!

Enjoy!

Jeevkadgi Sukke ( Breadfruit cooked with coconut and spices); Meatless Monday

January is known as Meatless Monday Month. This could be due to the fact that most people make New Year's resolutions, weight loss, eating healthy and living a healthy lifestyly being a few of them. It is never hard for an Indian to go meatless. We are experts at cooking up a plethora of vegan and vegetarian dishes using mother nature's bounty. Breadfruit is one of them. I personally love them!

Jeevkadgi known as Breadfruit in English is tropical vegetable. Yes, it is not really a fruit. It never really ripens into anything. The inside becomes mushy and it rots once it ripens. It is usually used in cooking either when it growing or when it matures and the consistency of the fruit is just a little soft.

We, the people of South Canara ( Mangalore, Udupi & Kundapur regions) love to cook breadfruit. We curry it in different ways, we batter fry it using different kinds of batter. You can find one kind of fry/ fritter here. It makes for a great accompaniment with tea.

We curry it a couple of different ways: with gravy (which is usually saved for a mature breadfruit ) or like a dry subzi as I have today. This method can be used for both tender and mature breadfruits. I know the people in the Caribbean region roast it and eat it. I personally, love bread fruit any or all different ways. Growing up we had a breadfruit tree in our backyard which always gave us a bountiful crop year after year!

Today's dry method is pretty simple and easy to make. Let's check out the recipe.

Servings: 4-6

Prep time: 10-15 mins
Cook time: 15-20 mins
Total time: 25-35 mins

Ingredients:

Breadfruit: 1, small
Freshly grated coconut: 1 cup
Dried Red chillies: 4-6 (adjust depending on individual spice level)
Tamarind: 1/4 tsp if using pulp or marble sized if using dried.
Split matpe bean: 1 tbsp
Coconut oil: 1/4 +1 tsp
Salt to taste.
Water : 1+1+ 2cups ( may not need all)

For tempering:
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Coconut oil: 1 tsp

Method:

Using 1/4 tsp oil, roast the urad dal until it turns golden brown. Turn off the flame and keep aside to cool down.

Wash and cut the breadfruit into bite-sized pieces. Add 1-2 cups of water, little salt and bring it to a boil. Reduce the flame and cook until it reaches the desired tenderness. Turn off the flame. Keep aside.

While the breadfruit is cooking, get the masala ( sauce ) ready. Grind together freshly grated coconut, red chilies, tamarind to a coarse paste using water as needed. Just when you are almost done, add the roasted urad dal and grind for 20-30 seconds.

Add this Masala to the cooked breadfruit. Bring it to a boil. Turn off the flame.

Tempering:

Heat 1 tsp coconut oil. Add the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the curry leaves. Turn off the flame. Add this to the pot.

Serve hot with rice or roti.

Enjoy.

Cooking made easy:

This recipe can be used with other vegetables such as potato, cabbage, cooking bananas, yam and other such veggies.