Usually in North India and in Marathi households, chapathi/phulka is prepared along with lunch or dinner. But Konkani lunch does not include them. We make chapathis for breakfast with various types of potato bhajis .
During normal days, mom serves chapathi and egg curry / omlet / bullseye . But during fasting, like in festivals or ‘ ‘panchami ‘- fifth tithi or ‘ekadashi’-11th tithi, where some people don’t eat meat, onion, garlic, rice items, she serves chapathi with potato bhaji (without onion, garlic) or simple upma .
Usually for fasting potato bhajis , poha massala is used because it gives a distinguishing taste to the bhaji . I had thought this bhaji is only prepared at my home, but when I got a request for this bhaji , I was very surprised. Since the poha masala is readily available at our place, this delicious bhaji gets ready in 10mins (depending on the speed with which potato cooks).
Ingredients: 2 cups boiled and chopped potatos 1/2 tea spn mustard seeds 5-6 curry leaves A pinch asafoetida 3/4 tea spn poha masala A pinch turmeric 1 tbl spn coconut Oil Salt
In addition to above, I used few cumin seeds in seasoning. But since cumin is already there in poha masala, it is NOT required in this dish.
Method: Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they start popping, add curry leaves and asafoetida. Add potatos, turmeric and little water. Add the poha masala , salt, coconut and cook for 2-3mins. Serve hot with chapathi .
Serves : 3 Preparation time : 10-15mins
I always wondered how this name originated? Since ‘kodu’- horn (as in cow’s horn), and ‘bale’-bangle in Kannada, I thought since this dish looks like bangle made of horn, it is called as ‘kodbale’, when I read this same definition in one of yahoo groups, I was really surprised!!!.
My mom’s Kodbale are one of the best I have ever had. They were crunchy, tasty and remained good for months. She would pack a whole bunch of this and chaklis when I stayed in hostel. I actually never got an opportunity to make them myself, when I had the ‘head cook’ (thats how I called my mom) in India. But I would usually help her in making them, so had an idea of them. The latest fan of her kodbales is my sis-in-law and her friends.
I got many requests from different people for this dish. But one small mistake would ruin the kodbales completely and it requires a lot of expereince to make them. So I delayed it for many days. Finally I prepared them for the first time last week. They came out good, but I need a lot of improvement.
Here is the exact measurements I got from my mom. If you are making them for the first time, make in less quantity (say 1/5 of the quantity I have mentioned below).
Chaklis or Kodbales should be fried soon after making the dough, otherwise the chaklis/kodbales become dark after frying. Mom makes all munchies in fresh coconut oil, because they remain good for a long time if fried in coconut oil. I used the sunflower oil.
Pictorial: Make the dough. Knead it well and shape into spirals. Then deep fry.
Kodbale
Ingredients
- 5 cups rice flour
- 1 cup maida or all purpose flour
- 1 cup vanaspati ghee dalda/hydrogenated vegetable oil or butter
- 1 tea spn sesame seeds til
- Milk
- Oil
- Salt
Instructions
- Heat butter (or vanaspati ghee) till it melts, add it to flours.
- Add sesame seeds, salt and milk.
- Make dough.
- Knead well using the flat board. The more you knead, the better.
- Take a ball, make into thin rope. Dont make too thin or too thick.
- Give desired shape.
- Heat oil to piping hot.
- Add the kodbale and fry on a very low flame till they turn dark brown.
- Take out on a clean kitchen towel.
- Let them cool to room temperature, store in airtight container.
