“Sweet-n-Spicy Bachanga (Kalingana/ Watermelon rind) Saali Muddo (Dumplings) with Bansi Rava on Kelipaan (Banana Leaf)” … once again its best out of waste dish, do not chuck off the white rind part of watermelon, they can be used in preparing many types of healthy and tasty dishes like Dosa, Idly, Muddo. Chutney etc., … gave a twist and tried out muddo from traditional Konkani Saraswat Cuisine with addition of watermelon rind and it turned out fantastic … Yummilicious …
** For a foodie the options of mix match or trying out various options are a very tempting challenge and I have always loved to try out dishes keeping to the basics of our Konkani Saraswat Cuisine. Gone are the days when we tried out only those dishes that we grew up relishing these days networking has brought us more knowledge on almost all fields and everybody is eager to try out something new or give some changes and try out the same dishes in different styles or combinations
** My recent blogging have been a lot on muddo a traditional dish prepared both sweet and spicy and again for breakfast or for lunch in different combinations. I have always loved this and my quest for more options never seem to end. The white rind part of watermelon is something almost nobody enjoys eating as it is bland and tasteless and I have often seen people chuck it off or some prepare it in juice along with the sweet red portion adding on excess sugar which is not at all healthy.
** In Konkani homes it is often noticed that we live by the rule book of minimum wastage be it in eating habits or other living lifestyle. When it comes to cooking we use almost all edible portions of the veggies and they are all tasty and nutritious. Our ancestors sure knew much more and went on brine excess veggies and save them for rainy days. Even the leaves that are not edible but were safe were used in other ways without disposing them unless inevitable, Isn’t that highly appreciable? For me it sure is.
** Change is lifestyle and migration has brought about immense changes and all traditional and ancient methods are almost forgotten as those days it was word of mouth and from elders that these knowledge were gained from. There were hardly written format as such which came about only somewhere in 20th century. Nuclear family system and adapting to western lifestyle is another reason for the traditions being lost and it really saddens to know we have lost out on a lot of useful information and culture.
** Luckily in the last few decades things have to change for good, the pandemic too gave us a heavy jolt making one realize the need of having a strong immune system in which home cooked food always plays the most significant role. It is our duty to prepare coming generations for all the good and bad, the world keeps throwing up, coz life is never the same all the time as we ourselves witnessed. Do make it a point to make your kitchen the buzzing point of activity with healthy dishes churned out with love.
** There is really ample joy in cooking if one sets their heart into it, its easy and very satisfactory too. And the joy when they turn out excellent is something to be experience. Well, to cut short many dishes like dosa, chutney, idly etc. can be prepared using the white rind part of watermelon which just made is curious with a thought of why no Muddo? That’s it, I prepared it both spicy and sweet muddo with the rind part using banana leaves for steaming and it turned out fantastic, do give it a try, sure to love it.
** Do check out on my other innovative recipe where in I prepared sasam another traditional curry from Konkani Saraswat Cuisine prepared using kuvale ie ash gourd … I gave there too my own twist and prepared the sasam using the white rind part of watermelon and I myself was surprised to find that the recipe turned out flawless in taste matching to kuvale … sharing link for my very own recipe for “Kalingana/ Bacchanga Saali Sasam (Watermelon Rind (white part) Mustard Masala Curry”, please do check it out ….
** Here is my very own recipe for preparing “Sweet-n-Spicy Bachanga (Kalingana/ Watermelon rind) Saali Muddo (Dumplings) with Bansi Rava on Kelipaan (Banana Leaf)” ,,, my style, do try it out, its delicious …
** I have used only the white rind part of the watermelon for the recipe. In all roughly about 5-6 cups of ½ inch sized pieces.
** Add two cups of freshly grated coconut (soyi/ nariyal) in a mixer grinder with watermelon rind pieces and grind to a smooth paste adding in water as is necessary only.
** Remove and add this into a bowl along with about 4-5 cups of Bansi Rava (Barik Lapsi/ Gavunche Rulavu/ Fine lapsi) and mix well adding in more water if necessary to get a soft bhakri textured mixture.
** Cover the prepared mixture and keep it aside for the rava to soak in the moisture and get softened, say about 20 minutes.
** Add 1 inch ginger (alle’/ adrak) finely chopped and 5-6 green chillies (tarni mirsanga/ hari mirchi, a few curry leaves (kadipatta/ karbevu) into a mixer grinder and grind to a coarse paste with little bit of water. The ground paste need not be very fine. Remove and keep this ready aside in a separate bowl. Also grate about 100 gms of jaggery (goda/ bella) and keep it also separately aside for the sweet muddo.
** Check out prepared watermelon rind mixture, if you find it has soaked up all water, turned dry, you can sprinkle some more water. However, we are using banana leaves for steaming which will leave out water from sides if in excess, so preferably keep it thicker in texture.
** Remove about 2-3 cups of the prepared mixture and keep it aside for preparation of sweeter ones. Add the ground ginger chilly paste to the remaining along with salt (namak/ meeta) to taste and mix well.
** Add the grated jaggery and ½ tsp of cardamom (ellu/ ellaichi) powder, pinch of salt (namak/ meeta) to the mixture kept aside to prepare sweet ones and mix well. Keep both the prepared mixtures in separate bowl aside until we prepare the banana leaves for steaming. Meanwhile keep the Pedavana/ Idly steamer/ steaming vessel on high heat with required amount of water in it and bring to a full steam.
** Note : The mixture on resting soaks well and absorbs moisture, if too dry you can add some water later after checking if necessary while preparing. We need the texture to be such that, there should be absolutely no trace of water leaving through the sides as we are going to use banana leaves here for steaming and not vati/ molds. Molds hold in water intact while steaming while the banana leaves will not and the masala water while steaming should not leak out through the openings which will not only turn into a mess but may remain uncooked within the center of the muddo too.
** Now arrange the banana leaves cut to squares of say about 6 inch x 6 inch on table/ platform. Do not make the squares two large or uneven sized for the equal steaming of the muddo. Take in a large handful of the mixture and put it in the center of each square of the leaves. Leave out about ½” on above and below side. Now flip over the left side on top of the mixture and then the right side too forming an envelope.
** Note : I have shared in a link below of muddo where in there are step by step pictures included, which will help you understand the procedure better if you are a newbie. Do check it out thoroughly before you begin with laying them.
** Keep steaming vessel/ pedavan with required amount of water and bring to a boil. When you see steam passing, keep a flat plate or the divider plate of the vessel and then place the prepared banana leaves packets/ muddo one by one neatly on a row slightly overlapping each other compactly. Take care and see that you handle the packets gently as the sides are open and the mixture should not come out of it.
** Be careful of steam, as a cautionary measure lower the heat to minimum when you place the packets. When you place them see to it that the upper folds are placed as bottom side, as this will help the packets to be tightly covered and there are no chances of them opening up. Once a single row of banana leaves packets are placed cover steamer with lid, increase the heat to high and cook for 3-4 minutes.
** Now, lower the heat to medium and let cook for another 10 mins. Once again lower the heat to minimum and open the lid and place the remaining prepared packets in similar manner as a second layer this time placing them in slight titled 40 deg. angle to the first one. Cover the lid, raise the heat and cook on high for 3-4 minutes, then lower the heat to medium and cook all together for another 15-20 minutes.
** When done remove from fire, open the lid and let the steam pass away for a minute. Then gently with the help of long flat spatula or tongs lift each muddo gently and place them on a wide plate and let it cool down of a few minutes after which you can serve the same. Prepare rest of the muddo in similar manner if any. You can use the same banana leaves again if need be to, by removing the prepared once when cooled.
** Note : It is important not to place all the prepared muddo packets in one go in two layers as then all of them will not get steamed within properly. Always steam the single layer of muddo packets first for about 10 minutes, then place the rest and continue to steam. This method is used in case of all types of muddo where is leaves are used as mold packing. Also to not try 3 or 4 th layers unless you have a large steamer, it is better to prepare 2 layered in 2 sets in case you need more muddo to be prepared.
** For serving you just need to gently open up the banana leaves and then gently remove the muddo from it, which will have been well steam cooked as a single large piece dumpling. You can either cut them into 2” pieces or larger and serve it or as per your choice, we usually serve it as it is in single pieces. That is the very reason some people use smaller square cuts of the leaves to get appropriate sizes.
** “Sweet-n-Spicy Bachanga (Kalingana/ Watermelon rind) Saali Muddo (Dumplings) with Bansi Rava on Kelipaan (Banana Leaf)” is done and ready to be served. Serve sweet ones drizzled on top with loni (butter) or toop (ghee) and spiced ones with coconut chutney or butter for best taste. In GSB Konkani Saraswat homes we serve them either for breakfast or tiffin in the evening especially when children come home hungry from school, it tastes wonderful, is very healthy and filling too..
** These muddo's contain all the required spices or sweetness within them and really do not need anything else to served along with them. However, it is a matter of individual choice as many like to dunk them in chutney or with a dash of butter which enhances its taste. If not chutney it can be served with pickle or any mildly spiced curry too depending off course on it spice level, the choice is definitely yours.
** Do try these out and enjoy with your family and friends. You can carry them in your lunch box or on short travels too. In case of lack of time, you can either prepare and keep the mixture in fridge and steam whenever required as it stays good overnight too or you can steam it and put it in airtight container in fridge and microwave and serve them whenever needed,. Steamed ones remain good for 48 hours.
** Note : If you do not have banana leaves or they are not available in your vicinity, you can prepare the same in molds too. You can use, Idly vati, large flat vessel, Jackfruit leaves basket, paper cup with jackfruit leaves method or you can put it in a bowl which is covered on the base with jackfruit leaves. Choose any method you prefer. Adding in the links to the same below, do check in for the same.
** For some step by step procedure pictures which I have not repeated again in this post do check the link given below. I have given in detail the same in that post and repeating the same is always unnecessary burden to all in this hectic lifestyle day. Thanks to all of you for your co-operation always … Here is the link ….
** You can check out the following link of muddo, for step by step pictures …
** Do browse through the common link to muddo recipes shared below, there are plenty of them prepared with various combos and using different molds too …
** You can also check out on the same recipe prepared with rice rava previously blogged at the shared link below …
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