Kandgachi Nevri/Sweet Potato gujiya/karanji (Goan sweet) - Gudi Padwa special

 Wishing everyone a very Happy Gudi Padwa !!

Kandgachi Nevri is a traditional Goan delicacy made from sweet potato.Sweet potato is known as "kandga" in konkani.It is known as "ratale" in marathi.Nevri is a D-shaped similar like gujiya.These are made up of sweet potato as the outer layer with coconut-jaggery stuffing inside.It is one of the unique Goan dishes which you will never find anywhere outside Goa.So please give it a try once and am sure you will love it :)

Ingredients -
sweet potato
wheat flour/atta
freshly grated coconut
jaggery
cardamom powder(elaichi)
salt
ghee

Method -
Wash the sweet potatoes well and boil them till soft with peel.
Cool down and peel off the skin and grate them.
Add a pinch of salt to it.
Add wheat flour approx 2-3 tbspn to the grated sweet potatoes and mix well.
The mixture must be well formed so that you can make small balls out of it.
Heat a non stick pan/kadai.
Add freshly grated coconut to it and add jaggery.
The sweetness is as per your taste.
Sprinkle some cardamom powder and let it cook.
Cook it on low flame for say 7-8min.
This is the stuffing or "chunn" as we call it in konkani.
Spread a plastic sheet on the rolling pin.
Keep 1 ball of the sweet potato dough on it.
Lightly roll it in the shape of a poori.You cant roll it without a plastic sheet as it is sticky.
Add the coconut stuffing in it on one side.
Fold it from the other side to make a D-shape. Similarly as you do for gujiyas.This is called a "nevri" in konkani.
Heat a non-stick tawa.
Add ghee to it. Shallow fry the nevris on both sides till light brown.
Delicious sweet potato nevris/gujiyas are ready to serve :)

Fish Cutlet/Macher Chop(Kolkata style)

Fish chop is a spicy fish croquette that can be made with any fish. In Bengali homes it is usually made from Rui/Katla(carps) but I made this from bhetki fish. Bhetki as its known in Bengali is also known as Chanak in Konkani and Sea Bass in English. This fish cutlet or chop as its known in Bengali is a delicious cutlet which is soft/juicy inside with a crispy breaded coating outside. Although it's quite easily available in Kolkata, I request you to try it at home once and you will never like the outside chops anymore.. just like us :) This is a must try delicacy for fish lovers !!

Ingredients -

Fish - Sea bass/Bhetki/Chonak

onion

ginger

garlic

green chillies

potatoes

oil

turmeric powder(haldi)

red chilly powder(mirchi)

coriander powder(dhaniya)

cumin powder(jeera)

freshly coarsely ground garam masala - cardamom(elaichi),cinnamon(dalchini),black pepper(kali mirch)

bhaja masala - powder made by dry roasting - whole cumin(jeera), red chilly, cardamon(elaichi),cinnamon(dalchini),black pepper

salt

sugar

oil for deep frying

for coating-

corn flour

egg

salt

black pepper powder

bread crumbs

Method -

Wash the fish pieces well.

Marinate the fish with salt,turmeric powder,red chilly powder for 30min.

Heat oil in a wok/kadhai.

Fry the fish pieces in oil(medium to high temperature).

Allow the pieces to cool,then separate the bones and mash them.

Boil potatoes till soft,then peel and mash them.

Sprinkle salt on the potatoes as per taste.

Finely chop the onions and green chillies.

Make a paste of ginger,garlic.

In the same kadhai heat some more oil.

Once the oil is hot, add the chopped onions, green chillies,ginger-garlic paste,salt.

Add all the seasoning powders - turmeric,red chilly,coriander,cumin.

Coarsely grind the following - cardamom,cinnamon,black pepper.Add this to the above mixture.

Add the mashed fish and cook for sometime.

Add the mashed potatoes and mix well.

Now add the bhaja masala.

Adjust the salt and add bit of sugar for taste.

The stuffing is ready.

Take small balls and make oval shaped cutlets out of them.

To fry the cutlets -

Heat oil in a deep wok/kadhai for deep frying.

Beat 1 egg in a wide bowl and whisk it well.

Add 1-2 tspn of cornflour to it.

Add salt, pepper powder for taste.

Mix it well to get a consistent batter with no lumps.

Sprinkle bread crumbs over a plate.I have used the ready made bread crumbs.

Take 1 oval shaped cutlet deep it in the corn flour mixture on both sides.

Now roll it in the bread crumbs on both sides.

Deep fry in the oil.

Fry on medium flame till golden brown on both sides.

Serve the hot chops/cutlets with mustard sauce/kasundi or tomato ketchup.