Tag: Govinda Dasu

The Govinda Dasu South Indian Telugu Zucchini Koora

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The Govinda Dasu South Indian Telugu Zucchini Koora

Govinda Dasu is neutral about Zucchini. He feels that sometimes it is kind of good. However, it is certainly not his favorite. He much prefers aloo fry. That being said, his parents want him to eat green vegetables, so they make him eat Zucchini. And, it is soft and doesn’t require too much chewing, so he finds it kind of good sometimes with annam (cooked rice), pappu charu annam, or perugu annam (yogurt rice).

Ingredients for Govinda Dasu’s South Indian Telugu Zucchini Koora

  1. Zucchini 4-5 pieces
  2. Salt 1-2 teaspoons
  3. Red chilli powder – ½ spoon
  4. Turmeric – ¼ spoon
  5. Hing – ¼ spoon
  6. Jeera – ½ spoon
  7. Mustard (avalu) – ½ spoon
  8. Peanut oil – 1 table spoon

1. Cut the Zucchini

Cut 4-5 zucchini into semi circular slices. Govinda’s mother and paternal grandmother prefer the semicircular slices, while Govinda Dasu’s father sometimes experiments with the more vertical slices.

2. Prepare the Pan

  1. Put the pan on the stove. Medium high heat.
  2. Add a tablespoon of oil (peanut).
  3. Add a teaspoon of jeera
  4. Add half teaspoon of mustard.
  5. Let mustard seeds splatter.

3. Add the Zucchini

  1. Add zucchini slices.
  2. Add 1 flat teaspoon of salt.
  3. Add a pinch of turmeric.
  4. Stir fry until zucchini is cooked

4. Add spices, apply Govinda Dasu’s family’s techniques

  1. Add 1/3 teaspoon of red chilli powder.
  2. If zucchini is watery , you can add a teaspoon of besan (chane ka dal powder).
  3. Mix it well and take it out of the stove.
  4. Eat it with rice or roti.

The Govinda Dasu South Indian Capsicum Koora

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Govinda Dasu kind of likes capsicum sometimes, but he likes aloo a lot. Overall capsicum koora is neither his favorite nor his unfavorite, but his family likes capsicum koora.The Govinda Dasu South Indian Capsicum Koora

The Govinda Dasu South Indian Capsicum Koora

Ingredients for Govinda Dasu’s South India Capsicum Koora

  1. 4 Capsicum Peppers
  2. 5 potatoes (Aloo), which are Govinda Dasu’s favorite.
  3. 2 teaspoons Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
  4. 2 teaspoons Mustard Seeds (Avalu)
  5. Pinch of Asafetida Powder (Hing, Inguva)
  6. Pinch of Turmeric (Pasupu)
  7. Pinch of Red Chili Powder (Laal Mirch)
  8. 1 teaspoon Salt (Uppu)
  9. 2 tablespoons Peanut / Sunflower / Sesame Oil

1. Clean and peel the Capsicum, Aloo, and Ginger

2. Prepare the Pan

  • Switch on the heat at medium high, add a couple of spoons of oil, and spread it around the pan. (1:50)
  • Add 2-3 spoons of cumin seeds, Jeera (2:12)
  • Then, add 2-3 spoons of mustard seeds, Sarson (2:30)
  • Wait for the mustard seeds to splutter. Once they splutter, add a dash of hing – 5 shakes (2:58)

3. Fry the Potatoes, Govinda Dasu’s favorite

  • Then add the potatoes (3:10).
  • Add some turmeric (3:30).
  • Then, add a spoon and a quarter of salt (3:42)
  • Stir up the potatoes, shake it up, and close it with a lid (3:58).
  • After 3 minutes, stir the potatoes so they don’t get burned (4:20).
  • Govinda Dasu likes plain aloos but we are going to make him eat green vegetables – namely, capsicum.

4. Fry the Capsicum

  • After 2 more minutes, once the aloos are half-cooked, add all the capsicum to the frying pan (3:05).
  • Add a spoon and a half of salt (5:17)
  • Then, mix up the koora (5:43).
  • Cover it up, watch it for 5 minutes. (5:50)
    • In between keep stirring the koora so it doesn’t get stuck / burned at the bottom.
  • Add 1 – 2 spoons of besan powder (7:50).
  • The, add a couple of spoons of red chili powder (8:09).
  • Mix it up.
  • Reduce the heat to medium, close the lid, and let it fry for one more minute (9:00)

You can enjoy the South Indian Capsicum Aloo Koora with plain rice. Govinda Dasu prefers when you give him less capsicum and more aloo.

The Govinda Dasu South Indian Broccoli Koora

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Govinda Dasu always liked Broccoli Koora as his third or fourth favorite dish after Potato Fry and Cauliflower. Broccoli was often tied with Beans in his Santa Clara home.

Ingredients

  1. 2 Broccoli flowers
  2. 3 potatoes (Aloo), which are Govinda Dasu’s favorite.
  3. 2 teaspoons Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
  4. 2 teaspoons Mustard Seeds (Avalu)
  5. Pinch of Asafetida Powder (Inguva)
  6. Pinch of Turmeric (Pasupu)
  7. 1″x1″-cylinder Ginger (Allamu)
  8. 2 Green Chilis (Pachi Mirpakaya)
  9. 1 teaspoon Salt (Uppu)
  10. 2 tablespoons Peanut / Sunflower / Sesame Oil
Preparing Broccoli for the Govinda Dasu Recipe
Preparing Broccoli for the Govinda Dasu Recipe

1. Clean and peel the Broccoli, Aloo, and Ginger

  • Remove miscellaneous strands from the broccoli flower and wash it in water (1:42).
  • Peel the potatoes.
  • Peel the ginger. Govinda Dasu was not always a fan of ginger but it’s growing on him.

2. Cut the Chilis and Potatoes (Govinda Dasu’s fav’s)

  • Cut the green chilis into small circles (2:09).
  • Chop the ginger into fine pieces (2:32).
  • Cut the potatoes finely as well, so the turn out crisp and like long rectangular prisms (2:55). Govinda Dasu loves the aloo part.
  • Cut off the mini broccoli flowers from the main broccoli vegetable (3:47)
  • Chop up the internal non-flower part of the broccoli, finely. Cut into the the stems as needed. (4:14)

3. Prepare the pan

  • Make sure the pan is dry, and then put 1.5 – 2 table spoons of peanut oil in the pan. (4:43)
  • Add the cumin and mustard seeds, a spoon each, to the oil that is being heated (5:07).
  • Sprinkle asafetida (inguva) over the oil mixture (5:23).
  • Govinda Dasu often prefers less ginger and more oil, but he’s learning to be healthy.

Frying the Broccoli for the Govinda Dasu Recipe
Frying the Broccoli for the Govinda Dasu Recipe

4. Fry the vegetables (Govinda Dasu loves the fry)

  • Once the mustard seeds split, then add the green chilis, potatoes, and ginger to the sizzling oil (6:55).
  • Use the spatula to distribute the vegetables within the oil mixture, using tricks like “gravity” as mentioned in the video.
  • Let the koora soften by placing a lid on the pan (7:28).
  • After 2 minutes, put the harder chopped up broccoli stem slices in the sizzling oil (7:48).
  • Add half a spoon of salt across the frying pan, and mix up the mixture (7:56). Place the pan lid on and let it soften for 2 minutes.
  • Add the rest of the broccoli into the pan. Break up the broccoli into smaller pieces if you’d like it to be a tad softer during consumption. And, add a half spoon more of salt. (8:30)
  • Add turmeric to retain the color of the broccoli (9:48) and mix. Put the lid on and let it fry for 3 minutes.
  • After the 3 minutes, mix the koora carefully so the potatoes do not become a paste (11:22). Put the lid on and let it fry for another 2 minutes.
  • After the 2 minutes, mix the koora carefully one last time (11:57).

You can enjoy the South Indian Broccoli Koora with plain rice. Govinda Dasu likes to mash up the broccoli and rice with his hands, mix them up, and eat.

Make sure to eat with your hands!

If you need help eating with your hands, consult this Wilbur Sargunaraj video.

The Govinda Dasu Aloo Fry Recipe

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Anyone who knows me should know that Aloo Fry has to have a chapter of its own in the Govinda Dasu recipe book. Few Friday evenings in Santa Clara went by without Aloo Fry on the menu. Besides, if you have been to my room at home or been to my grade school presentation, you would have seen my famous Aloo Fry poster.

My father tells me that his maternal grandmother owned a heavy brass fry pan, which played the most crucial role in the preparation of her famous Aloo Fry. A heavy 12-inch non-stick pan is definitely an acceptable substitute, as her brass pan has long bitten dust.

Although not part of the Govinda Dasu Aloo Fry recipe, you may want to start to cook some plain rice in the back burner before you start preparing the fry.  You will want to immediately start eating when the fry is ready!

  1. For the Govinda Dasu Aloo Fry, you should always plan on at least two medium potatoes per person, or you will not have any aloo fry left for yourselves when it comes to the concluding yogurt-rice course.
  2. The number of potatoes should be between four and ten for a 12-inch skillet, otherwise you will end up with either burnt or lumped up fry.
  3. California white rose potatoes work the best, but those rose-peeled versions are acceptable. If you are using Idaho potatoes, do get rid of those pesky black spots. I would avoid the yellow-gold potatoes from Yukon.
  4. It is of utmost importance to cut the potatoes properly. If you manage to get the potatoes peeled and cut in cubes with sides measuring 0.6 ± 0.2 cm you are doing well.
  5. I would definitely recommend practicing the peeling of the entire potato without ever breaking the peel. Such obsession will ensure that potato cubes are properly cut. My mother certainly disagrees with this recommendation, although my father approves, having passed this important tidbit to me.

5 Aloos Potatoes for Govinda Dasu Aloo Fry
Red Chili Powder for Govinda Dasu Aloo Fry
Govinda Dasu Aloo Fry and Rice
Govinda Dasu Peeled Aloos
Govinda Dasu Frying Aloo
Govinda Dasu Aloo Fry Pan with Oil
Govinda Dasu Karipatha (Curry Leaves) added to Aloo Fry
Govinda Dasu Frying Aloo
Govinda Dasu Salt for Aloo Fry
Govinda Dasu Peeled and Cut Aloos
Salt, Karipatha (Curry Leaves), Red Chili Powder for Govinda Dasu Aloo Fry
Govinda Dasu Aloo Fry with Karipatha (Curry Leaves)Ready
Peeled Cut Govinda Dasu Aloos Frying
Red Chili Powder for Govinda Dasu Aloo Fry

  1. Put two to four table spoons of peanut/sunflower/safflower/sesame oil (do avoid using lighter canola oil) in the pan and heat at medium-high level.
  2. Before the oil fumes, add the potatoes and mix them carefully so that the oil coats all the potato pieces. Do not ever put pressure on the potatoes. Rather, you should tilt the pan slightly and mix the potatoes with the plastic spatula using gravity assistance for tossing!
  3. Do not overdo the mixing, but do not leave the kitchen to watch the TV show either.
  4. Periodic mixing till the potatoes are golden-brown does need some level of obsession.
  5. You can go to the fridge and get green curry leaves, wash, dry and keep ready for future use, to keep you occupied.
  6. You can also ensure that the water from the rice dish on the backburner is not spilling over.
  7. Do keep powdered salt, inguva (asafetida), turmeric and red-chilies handy.
  8. As the potatoes turn light brown, add powdered salt (0.5 teaspoons per person), inguva (a pinch) and turmeric (a pinch).
  9. Turn the potatoes with light touch and gravity assistance. If you have already got some potato stuck to the pan, do not fret.
  10. Try to scrape the potato mash out with plastic spatula without putting undue pressure on the remaining potato cubes. The scrapes will fry to darker brown adding texture and taste.
  11. After that minute of struggle and cussing, lower the heat and add green curry leaves and red-chili powder (0.25 teaspoons per person).
  12. Your mouth should be already watering watching the golden-brown potatoes with hues of red. You will thank yourselves for having the foresight of preparing the plain rice ahead of the Govinda Dasu Aloo Fry.

If you are tempted to eat the Govinda Dasu Aloo Fry with all courses of meal including the yogurt-rice course, it is normal. If you finish the aloo fry without sharing with anyone, you should feel free to forgive yourselves, as it is not your fault.

Potatoes and chili peppers trace their origins to South America, but make no mistake that this recipe is definitely from Krishna Region, where the ancestors of Govinda Dasu are from. After all, red chili peppers have made Guntur their home.

#govindadasu #aloofry #govindadasualoofry

For more Govinda Dasu recipes please see: govindadasu.com/category/family-recipes.