"TeekHa Piyava Songa/ Spicy Onion Bhaji" ... Oooppps the Pilot brings the plane to a grinding halt on runway to pick up the bhaji to savor it on way ... I told them it tastes great with chapati/ parathas/ poori or panpolo (neer dosa) ... A delicious spicy side dish prepared using only onions ... tastes awesome ....
** Songa as is a spicy semi dry dish prepared often in almost all Amchi homes as it is a well known dish from Konkani Saraswat Cuisine. I am sure all amchies have relished this spicy dish in their own homes be it in Vegetarian or Non-Vegetarian form. The dish can be prepared both ways and is a hit at all dinner functions in my home.
** My hubby loves spicy food and insists that I prepare it sometimes the way he likes as many a times I decrease the spice level to suit my spicy tolerance as I am unable to digest very spicy food. So if like me you do not like spicy dish you can lessen the addition of chilly powder if desired as per your family preference.
** However, here I must mention that you should increase the same from your normal spice level as this time I have prepared it with only onions and onions lend in slightly sweeter taste to the dish. Try it on spicier level with chapati, poori, dosa or panpolo. Goes equally well with all dishes, though my favorite is with panpolo.
** Somehow my regular readers must have noticed my liking for panpolo/ neer dosa. The lacy textured dosa appealed to me from childhood and I can just about relish it with any dishes. After marriage to my delight my hubby had same preferences regarding food and I guess that is why we happily relish food in my home with brick batting.
** I will not run into more matters here but will straight away share the recipe below. The recipe is very simple and I have used sambar powder this time while preparing the songa. If not available you can always use red chilly powder along with some dhania-jeera powder and the dish tastes equally good.
** Here is the simple recipe for "TeekHa Piyava Songa / Spicy Onion Bhaji" … My Style … do try it, It's awesome ....
** Ingredients :
Onion/ Kanda/ Piyav : 10 large sized.
Sambar Powder : 2 tblsp
Kashmiri Red Chilly Powder/ Mirsange Pitti/ Mirchi Tikkat : 1 tblsp
Tamarind/ Imly/ Chinchama Paste : 1 tsp
Butter/ Loni : 1 tblsp (Homemade white butter)
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste
** For Tempering/ Seasoning/ Tadka/ Pannaka :
Oil/ Tel/ Tela : 3-4 tblsp
Chana Dal/ Bengal Gram Dal : 2 tblsp
Urad Dal/ Black Gram Dal : 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds/ Rai/ Sasam : 1 tsp
Curry Leaves/ Kadipatta/ Karbev : 10-12 fresh leaves
** Peel outer skin of onions, cut them into small sized cubes and keep them ready. The same can be prepared using small/ pearl onions too, in which case peel it and keep it whole, it tastes wonderful.
** Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadai, add chana dal and fry till the color changes slightly (do not make it brown). Now add urad dal and fry for another minute, then add mustard seeds, when they begin to splutter add curry leaves and a large pinch of kashmiri red chilly powder and fry all together for a minute.
** Note : Do not burn or make the chana dal too brown or else it will become brittle sort while eating as it will not cook properly later on. Slight change in color is enough. Same with urad dal too, just a slight change is color is sufficient. Addition of chilly powder is something I do for all spicy Veg/ No.Veg dishes as it imparts a lovely color to the dish if added in oil, you can skip it if not desired.
** Now add in the onions chopped and kept ready and fry well. Keep stirring often and fry till the onions turn slightly pinkish in color. Now add in the sambar powder, chilly powder and mix well, fry for another 2-3 minutes and then add in tamarind paste and about half a cup of water. Bring to a boil covered on medium heat mixing often. Then lower the heat to minimum, cover and simmer the curry for a good 10 minutes.
** Add in salt to taste, mix well and then finally add in the loni/ butter and mix well. Remove from fire and keep it aside to settle down and mix in well with its own flavor. The butter added in here imparts a lovely texture and flavor to the curry and I do recommend it, but it is definitely an option and can be left out if for any reason you want to cut down on butter or asked to do so for health reasons.
** "TeekHa Piyava Songa/ Spicy Onion Bhaji" is done and ready to be served. Serve it hot with roti/ poori/ chapatti/ dosa or any dish of your choice. Personally I relish it with panpolo (neer dosa) another favorite dish of mine and is very famous in my community. You can use the search option/ label for the recipe of panpolo and try out the same in combo, I assure you it tastes wonderful.
** Enjoy this delicious dish with your family and friends when there is a get together/ pot luck or any other occasion/ celebrations. You can even prepare the dish a few hours prior and heat the same again without loosing on taste. On settling period the dish turns that much more tastier, this is so with all preparation of song or panna upkari from GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine. Veggies and Non. Veggies too can be added and prepared the which you find in plenty shared in the Blog.
** Note : The spice level mentioned according to me is required and is of medium heat. You can increase or decrease the spice level as per your family taste. But this particular dish is supposed to be spicy and tastes great when served hot and spicy. Also since only onions are added for this particular bhaji that too in bulk, they impart sweeter taste so the spice level has to be maintained accordingly keeping the same in mind.
** Note : You can use any sambar powder available to you or if you prepare the same at home too. I have a friend who prepares and sells good sambar powder and I always place my order with him for sambar powder. In case you do not have sambar powder at home or the same is not available at your place, just add in a 1 tblsp of coriander powder and 1 tsp of cumin powder along with extra chilly powder in addition to the Kashmiri chilly powder, say in all add about 3 tblsp of the same.
** You can use the search option for "Songa" where you will get many more combination of thali’s. Do try out various types of mix and match dishes to relish with your family and friends. Also remember to me a feedback if possible.
** You can also click on the link below for checking the same.
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