Kokam/Kokum Sharbat/Juice ~ Homemade Kokam Sharbat Syrup

Kokam sharbat syrup is made and is preserved for a whole year. It tastes sweet and sour. This is very delicious and healthy summer drink. It is very effective in acidity.
Kokam fruit is available in the coastal areas of India specially in the Konkan region. It used in many culinary and medical purposes.

It's scientific/botanical name is Garcinia Indica (Family Clusiaceae). Kokam is also known as Ratamba, Kokum, Bhinda, Birinda, Katambi, Punarpuli, Murugala-hannu in India. It's English name is Indian Mangosteen or Wild Mangosteen.
Dried Kokam peels used as a souring agent in the coastal curries.

Kokam Syrup

Ingredients:Kokam fruits- 30
Sugar- 2 ½ cups

Method:
Cut kokam fruit into two halves and scoop out the inner white flesh.

Fill these kokam cups with sugar and arrange them in a jar. Put some sugar at the bottom of jar and on the top layer.
Bind a cotton cloth to top of jar and keep this jar in strong sun for 8-10 days.
Stir daily.

In 8-10 days, you will get dark pink-red syrup. Squeeze tightly peels and discard. Strain the juice and store in clean, dry and airtight bottle. We can store this syrup for the year.

Note:
No use of these peels because no more juice in them. In my childhood, my mom was drying again some of them with sugar. They tastes like candid fruit, but too sour. I was enjoying at that time and I also remember that our nails and teeth were turning yellow.


Ingredients for making Kokam Sarbat (Yield-1 glass):

• Kokam syrup- 1 tbsp 
• Cold water- approx 200 ml 
• Rock salt/Saidhav or Black salt/padelon or regular salt- a small pinch 
• Roasted cumin powder- ¼ tsp or to taste 
• Powdered sugar- as required, if needed 
• Mint leaves for garnishing- as required (optional) 
• Ice cubes or crush for serving- as required 

Method:

• Pour kokum syrup in a glass of cold water. 
• Add salt, cumin powder, powdered sugar and mix well. 
• Add ice cubes and garnish with mint leaves. And it's ready for serving. 
• I applied some sugar, salt and cumin powder mixture on glass edge. But it's totally optional. 

कोकम सरबत/अमृत कोकम

कोकम पाक/सिरप बनवण्यासाठी लागणारे साहित्य:
कोकम फळे- ३०
साखर- १  १/२ कप

कृती:
कोकम फळे धुवून फडक्याने पुसून कोरडी करा. कोकम फळाचे दोन भाग करून आतला पांढरा गर काढा.

कोकमाच्या वाटीत साखर भरा. स्वच्छ, कोरडी बरणी घ्या आणि तळाशी थोडी साखर पसरवा. एकावर एक अशा त्या कोकमाच्या वाट्या ठेवा. वरून पुन्हा थोडी साखर टाका.
बरणीच्या तोंडाला सुती कापड बांधा आणि ८-१० दिवस कडक उन्हात ठेवा. उन्हात ठेवण्यापूर्वी दररोज नीट ढवळून घ्यावे.

८-१० दिवसांत छान घट्ट, गडद गुलाबी-लालसर रंगाचा पाक तयार होईल. 

साले घट्ट पिळून काढा आणि गाळून घ्या. 

स्वच्छ, कोरड्या, हवाबंद बाटली मध्ये हा पाक भरून ठेवा. व्यवस्थित काळजी घेतली तर वर्षभर टिकतो.  

टीप:
रस काढलेल्या सालांचा काही उपयोग नसतो. माझ्या लहानपणी, माझी आई काही सालाना पुन्हा थोडी साखर लावून ती वाळवत असे. आम्ही खायचो पण खूप आंबट लागायची आणि आमची नखे ​​व दात पिवळे धम्मक व्हायचे खावून झाल्यावर. आजही आठवल कि हसू येत.

कोकम सरबत बनवण्यासाठी लागणारे साहित्य साहित्य: (१ ग्लास साठी)

• कोकम सिरप- १ टेबलस्पून
• थंड पाणी- साधारण २०० मिली (म्हणजे एका ग्लासात राहील इतके)
• शेंदेलोण/सैंधव मीठ किंवा पादेलोण किंवा साधे मीठ- लहान चिमूटभर
• भाजलेल्या जीऱ्याची पूड- १/४  टिस्पून किंवा चवीनुसार
• पिठीसाखर- आवश्यकतेनुसार (गरज असल्यास, कोकमांच्या आंबटपणावर अवलंबून आहे.)
• पुदिना पाने- सजावटीसाठी (ऐच्छिक)
• बर्फाचे तुकडे किंवा चुरा- आवश्यकतेनुसार 

कृती:
एका काचेच्या ग्लासमध्ये कोकम सिरप, थंड पाणी, मीठ, जिरेपूड, पिठीसाखर घालून चांगले मिक्स करावे.
पुदीना पाने तोडून घालावी. बर्फाचे तुकडे घातले की सरबत पिण्यास तयार.

Kairicha Moramba/ Sakharamba / Aamka Murabba ~ Indian Style Raw Mango Jam

Murabba is nothing but a preserve of raw mangoes with sugar syrup which is flavoured with cloves and cardamom. Murabba is made by many methods. Here I gave you a very easy and quick recipe. Children love it more.

Ingredients:

• Raw mangoes (preferably Rajapuri), grated- 2 cups/4 med size/ 1 kg
• Sugar- approx 4 cups (may be need less than or more than, depends upon sourness of mango)
• Cardamom powder- 1 tsp
• Cloves- 6 to 8
• Salt- a small pinch

Method :

• Remove skin of raw mangoes and grate them.  Discard the seeds.
• Combine grated mango, sugar, cloves and salt in the heavy bottom pan. 
• Mix well and keep it for 1 hour. Thus it discharges juice.
• Cook carefully this mixture on low-med heat till the sugar syrup is of two string consistency. Stir in between.
• Switch off gas and add cardamom powder. Give a nice stir and cool completely.
• Shift this murabba in a sterilized and dry glass jar. 
• It stay fresh and in good condition for 1 year in refrigerator. You can even keep it even outside fridge for 2 months but depends upon climate.
• Enjoy this murabba with chapati, paratha or bread. 

मोरांबा / साखरांबा

साहित्य:

• कैरी - १ किलो /साधारण  ४ मध्यम (२ कप किस)  
• साखर- ४ कप (यापेक्षा थोडी कमी-जास्त लागू शकते. कैरीच्या आंबटपणावर अवलंबून आहे)   
• वेलची पूड- १ टीस्पून 
• लवंग- ६ ते ८
• मीठ- चिमुटभर 

कृती:

• प्रथम कैऱ्या सोलून व किसून घ्याव्यात. कोय किंवा बाटा टाकून द्यावा. 
• एका जाड बुडाच्या स्टेनलेस स्टील किंवा नॉन-स्टिक भांड्यात कीस, साखर, मीठ व लवंगा एकत्र करून ठेवावे. हे मिश्रण १ तास तसेच ठेवून द्यावे. त्यामुळे कैरीला भरपूर रस सुटतो.   
• हे मिश्रण मंद ते मध्यम आचेवर ठेवून शिजवावे. लक्ष ठेवून मधून मधून ढवळत रहावे. 
• साखर वितळून त्याचा पाक होऊ लागेल. पाक हळूहळू घट्ट होवू लागेल. २ तारी पाक झाला की गॅस बंद करावा.  मधाप्रमाणे पाक दिसेल.    
• त्यात वेलची पूड घालावी आणि छान ढवळून घ्यावे.  
• गार झाल्यावर निर्जंतुक व कोरड्या बरणीत भरून ठेवावा.
• कोरड्या हवेत हा मोरंबा वर्षभर टिकतो. दमट हवामानात २ महिने बाहेर चांगला राहील पण नंतर फ्रीजमध्ये ठेवावा.   

टिपा :

शक्यतो राजापुरी कैऱ्या वापराव्यात. घट्ट व मांसल असणाऱ्या या कैऱ्या लोणचे व मोरांबा बनवण्यासाठी आदर्श मानल्या जातात.   

Watermelon Juice

Watermelon juice is the best way to beat the summer heat. It has nutritious value and refreshing properties, it is a very effective diet in weight loss program.
Watermelons contain more water and less sugar or sodium, besides being excellent sources of vitamins.

Servings: 2 glasses

Ingredients: 

• Watermelon cubes- 3 cups
• Sugar- 1 tsp or to taste  (optional)
• Rock salt or black salt or regular salt- a small pinch
• Lemon juice- ½ tsp
• Ginger- ¼ inch piece 

Method:

• Cut the watermelon. Cut out the skin. Discard the seeds and chop.
• Keep chopped watermelon in airtight box, keep the box in the freezer for 30 min
• Add chopped watermelon, grated ginger, salt, lemon juice  in a blender and blend well.
• Serve as it is or strain and serve cool. 

Methamba

Methamba is type of instant raw mango pickle  tastes sweet, sour and spicy.

  

हि पाककृती मराठीतून वाचण्यासाठी इथे क्लिक करा.  

Ingredients:

• Raw/green mango- 2 med 
• Jaggery (gud)- ½ cup
• Fenugreek seeds (methi dana)- ½ tsp
• Oil- 1 tbsp 
• Mustard seeds- ¼ tsp
• Asafoetida (hing)- ¼ tsp
• Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
• Red Chili Powder- 1 tsp or to taste
• Salt-  ½ tsp or to taste
• Water-  ½ cup

Method:

• Wash and wipe with cotton cloth.
• Peel the mangoes and discard the seeds. Cut into small cubes.
• Heat oil in the pan. Add mustard seeds, wait till they crackled. 
• Add asafoetida, turmeric powder and fenugreek seeds. Saute till fenugreek seeds get slightly brown.  
• Now add mango cubes and chilli powder. Saute so that they will get coated with the spices.
• Add water and salt. Give a nice stir.
• Cover the pan and cook on low heat till mango cubes become tender.
• Shift the mango cubes side of the pan and add jaggery. (Adjust the quantity of jaggery as per the sourness of mango.) 
• Press with spoon till jaggery dissolved. Add little water if necessary. (Adjust the consistency and thickness of sauce according to your choice.)
• Mix well and cook for another 5-6 minutes on low heat without lid. Sauce should be little thick and sticky. Because after sauce having cooled, it will become more thick. (Sauce becomes thick like sugar syrup.)
• Methamba is ready now, you can serve it with roti or paratha. This will stay fresh for long time in refrigerator. 

Karvand Lonache ~ Karonda Aachar

Did you have seen the small and black colour berries? These reddish black colour, sweet and sour berries arrive in the Summer. They are black from outside and vibrant red flesh inside. These berries are known as 'Carissa conjesta' or Cran/kiwi berry. They are locally called as 'Karvand' or 'Karonda'. There are thorny bushes of Karonda found along the roadside and the mountains area. These ripened fruits are hand picked easily from the tree and eaten as it is. Raw green fruits are used for chutney and pickles.

So let's do tempting pickle.........

Ingredients:

• Karvand or karonda- 2 cups
• Redymade mango pickle masala- 12 to 15 tsp
• Salt- 5 tsp or to taste
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Asafoetida (Hing)-  ½ tsp
• Oil- 10 to 12 tbsp

Method:

• Remove the stalk and wash.
• Drain and dry it with a cotton cloth. 
• Pound slightly and rub with 4 tsp salt. Keep this covered overnight in a glass or plastic bowl. Next day, press and squeeze their inner seeds. (OR If you think this will be difficult to do. Cut into halves and deseed. Rub with 4 tsp salt. Keep this covered overnight in a glass or plastic bowl.) 
  
• If karondas discharge some water/juice, discard it. You can squeeze lightly.
• Now add pickle masala, turmeric powder and 1 tsp salt in it. Mix well.
• Heat oil till it smokes. Switch off the gas. When oil becomes little bit cool then add hing, otherwise, hing will burn. 
• When oil come to room temperature, add this oil in pickle mixture bowl and mix well.
• Transfer the pickle into clean, sterilise, dry and airtight glass jar.
• Pickle needs sufficient oil on the top, means pickle fully covered with oil. If required, add more oil. Never add raw oil directly.
• Marinate/keep this pickle for approx 8 to 10 days. Stir pickle in between, once in a day.
• Once it marinated well, you can refrigerate it. Pickle with less oil will stay fresh for a long time in the refrigerator. 

करवंद लोणचे

साहित्य:

• कच्ची करवंदे - २ कप
• तयार कैरी लोणचे मसाला-  १२ ते १५ टिस्पून 
• मीठ- ५ टिस्पून किंवा चवीनुसार
• हळद- १/२  टिस्पून
• हिंग- १/२ टिस्पून
• तेल- १० ते १२  टेबलस्पून 

कृती:

• करवंदांची देठे काढून टाका आणि स्वच्छ धुवा.
• चाळणीत थोडा वेळ निथळू द्या, नंतर फडक्याने पुसून कोरडी  करा.
• एक-एक करवंद घेऊन हळूच ठेचा. (करवंद फक्त फुटले पाहिजे, चेंदा-मेंदा करू नका.)      
• ठेचलेली करवंदे  काचेच्या किंवा प्लॅस्टिकच्या वाडग्यात घेऊन त्यांना ४ टीस्पून मीठ चोळा व रात्रभर तशीच झाकून ठेवा. (यामुळे करवंदांचा चीक जाईल आणि ती मऊ पण होतील.)  
• दुसऱ्या दिवशी करवंदे दाबुन त्यांच्या आतील बिया बाहेर काढा. एखाद-दुसरी बी राहिली तरी काही हरकत नाही, खाताना काढता येते. (तुम्हाला हे काम किचकट वाटत असेल तर ठेचण्याऐवजी करवंदाचे दोन भाग करून आतील बिया काढा. मीठ लाऊन रात्रभर झाकून ठेवा.)
• करवंदांना जर सकाळी पाणी सुटले असेल तर ते काढून टाका. हलक्या हाताने दाबलीत तरी चालतील.)
• आता त्यात लोणचे मसाला, हळद आणि १ टिस्पून मिठ घालावे. चांगले मिक्स करावे.
• तेल वाफ/धूर येईपर्यंत गरम करावे. गॅस बंद करून तेल जरा थंड झाल्यावर त्यात हिंग घालून फोडणी तयार करावी. जळवून देऊ नये. तेल थंड झाल्यावर ही फोडणी वाडग्यात घालून निट मिक्स करावे. 
• स्वच्छ, सुक्या व हवाबंद काचेच्या बरणीत भरून ठेवावे. लोणचे बरणीत भरल्यावर वर तेलाचा थर हवा नाहीतर बुरशी येते. (तेल कमी पडल्यास तेल वाढवावे. कच्चे तेल लोणच्यात कधीही घालू नये. तेल गरम करून थंड झाल्यावरच लोणच्यात टाकावे.) अंदाजे ८ ते १० दिवसात लोणचे मुरते. 
• लोणचे मुरल्यावर फ्रिझमध्ये ठेवलेत तर जास्त काळ टिकेल. नको असल्यास वरचे तेल काढून टाका. (हे तेल आचारी प्रकारच्या भाज्या/पदार्थ बनवण्यासाठी वापरू शकता.)    

Green Papaya Salad

Green papaya salad is healthy and tastes hot, sweet and sour equally, includes the crunch of peanuts.




Ingredients:

• Grated raw papaya- 1 cup
• Garlic cloves- 4
• Grated ginger- ½ tbsp
• Green or red chilli – 1 to 2 as per your choice
• Chili flex- 1 tsp
• Grated jaggery or brown sugar- 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice- 1 ½ tbsp
• Soy sauce- 1 tbsp
• Sesame oil- 1 tsp (optional)
• Tomato- 1
• Cucumber- 1 small (optional)
• Peanuts, roasted, peeled & crushed- 2 tbsp
• Chopped fresh coriander, finely chopped- 2 tbsp
• Sea salt- to taste
• Microwave roasted Beaten Rice square papdam (Pohyache Mirgund)- 10 (optional:my addition)

Method:

• Peel the papaya and grate with the help of big hole grater and soak in ice cold water. 
• Remove seeds of tomato and cut julienne.
• Peel and chop the cucumber.
• In a mortar, lightly pound the garlic, add the chilies, ginger, salt and lightly pound again. 
• Add the jaggery, lemon juice, soy sauce, pound to a paste.
• Add the roasted peanuts and lightly pound while stirring once in a while with a spoon to prevent the paste from thickening. 
• Add the tomato julienne and lightly pound and mix with spoon again. 
• Add the shredded papaya and chopped cucumber, lightly pound and stir until all the ingredients have combined well. 
• Arrange on a serving dish and garnish with crushed peanuts, chilli flex, julienne of ginger and coriander. Serve chilled with microwave roasted Beaten Rice square papdam (Pohyache Mirgund).

Notes:

• Thai mortar and pestle is made from wood or clay. But we Indians mostly have metal or stone mortar and pestle. There is one trick...we can use wooden roti press or belan instead of wooden or earthen pestle. Thus we can pound softly.
• Don’t pound too much as it will become a pasty salad. The juliennes should hold shape while combining with the rest of the ingredients. 
• If you do not have a mortar, just crush garlic, chillis and add them to a bowl. Add the soya sauce, lemon juice and jaggery followed by green papaya, cucumber and tomato juliennes along with roasted peanuts and combine well with hands by crushing.

Variations:

• You can also add some raw mango juliennes, grated carrots or bean sprouts for variation.
• You can add 1 tbsp tamarind pulp, if you are not using raw mango and you like to eat sourer. But do balance with soy sauce.
• Thai people use Shrimp paste in this salad. There is one trick...we can use dried shrimp/prawns (sode). Wash sode and saute in little oil. Grind into paste with salt.
• You can add fried baby shrimp or cubed fried tofu.
• You can use fish sauce instead of soy sauce & lemon juice.
• You can use honey instead of jaggery.

Raw/Young Jackfruit Stirfry ~ Phanasachi Bhaji

Jackfruit is an exotic tropical fruit which is huge available in Kokan belt in Summer. The ripe jackfruit is eaten as fruit while the young green ones are used in curries. In India it is famous in the Kokani cuisines and all along the west coast. It known as “Kathal” in Hindi.
This is Brahmin style Kokani recipe. This recipe includes less spices but taste is awesome.

There are two trees in my mom's back yard. One is "Kappa" and other is "Barka". These are two varieties of jackfruit.
"Kaapa" means the "hard" variety (more crunchy, drier and less sweet but fleshier). This fruit is very tasty and you can eat this without messy your hands. I like this variety of jackfruit. This variety is mostly used for curry and chips.
"Baraka" means the "soft" variety (more soft, moister, much sweeter with a darker gold-color flesh than the hard variety).
The juice of the Barka is extracted and spread on greased metal dishes which are then kept for sun-drying. Within 2-3 days, a tasty dried pancake-like dried jackfruit juice called as phansacha saath or phanas poli.

Preparation:

Rub the oil on hand and also grease the knife because the jackfruit has sticky latex in it.

First cut the fruit into half and remove the central core from it.
Remove the skin of young jackfruit, then cut it into 3 inch cubes. Immediately put in water to prevent oxidation.

Boil them in enough water. Add a tsp of oil & pinch of salt. You can pressure cook it. Take 1-2 whistle.
Once cooked, remove the middle stiff part. Then shred them with hands or bruise/pound with pestle. You can use food processor but do not make paste, do not use water.

You can store this boiled and shredded jackfruit in freezer for other recipes.
Please see my other recipes of jackfruit. Plz click on name.... Jackfruit Kebab and Raw/Young Jackfruit Dry Curry with Val/field Beans

Ingredients:

• Young jackfruit, boiled & shredded- 2 cups 
• Red chilli powder- ½ tsp 
• Goda masala- ½ tsp (optional) 
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp 
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp 
• Asafetida (hing)- ½ tsp 
• Red chilies whole- 2 or Bor/little chilies whole- 4 
• Curry leaves- 1 string 
• Jaggary- ¼ tsp or to taste 
• Oil- 3 tbsp 
• Salt to taste 
• Scraped fresh coconut- ¼ cup 
• Chopped coriander- ¼ cup 

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. 
• When the splattering starts, add red chilies, curry leaves and sauté a while. 
• Add turmeric, hing and sauté a while. 
• Add the shredded jackfruit, red chilli powder, goda masala and salt. 
• Mix evenly and sprinkle little water and cover and let it cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes. Keep stirring in between. 
• Add jaggary, scraped coconut and coriander. Mix well, cover and cook on low heat for 2 minutes. 
• Serve hot with chapatti or dal-rice.