What’s your definition of a “superwoman”? Succesfully juggling the roles of mother, entrepreneur, businesswoman, and jewellery model, Mechanda Reena Poovaiah, is definitely a contender for the title. Married to Sunil Mandanna, and mother of two children, Reena has strong roots in Coorg. She owns the ‘Cofe Couch’ brand involved in running a chain of cafes. Currently working for IBM , Reena says a passion for cooking is in her genes.

 She shares recipes for Kayi Kadboo and Mutton Curry that have been passed on by her mother.

KAYI KADBOO 

Ingredients:

• 250 grams fine rice rava 
• 250 ml water 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 100 grams grated coconut ( white only ) 

Method:

• Add salt to the measured water 
• Wash the rice rava and soak it in the salt water for 2 mins 
• Place a muslin cloth in a steamer and transfer only the rice onto it. Wrap the cloth over the rice, cover and steam it for 20-25 minutes on a medium flame.
• Sprinkle the remaining salt water onto the mixture
• Cook until the mixture resembles a soft dough
• Turn off the flame 
• Transfer the mixture onto a plate and mix fresh grated coconut. Roll into egg sized round, or oval shaped balls 
• Do the same with the rest of the dough. 

MUTTON CURRY 

 Ingredients and method:

Ingredients to marinate

• 1kg mutton  
• 1tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

Wash and clean the mutton with a little salt and turmeric powder. Then marinate the mutton with the above ingredients for about half an hour. 

 Ingredients to grind:

• 1 cup grated coconut 
• ½ tsp jeera, ½ tsp coriander powder should be roasted on the thava separately.
• 1 “ cinnamon, 2 to 3 cloves, roasted until dark brown in colour
• 3 to 4 flakes of garlic
• a small piece of ginger

Grind all these into fine paste.

Ingredients for seasoning:

• 2-3 tsp oil 
• 1 piece cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• 2 green chilies
• ½ tsp jeera
• 1/2 tsp ginger paste 
• 1/2 tsp garlic paste
• Two sliced onions (in fairly large pieces)
• One sliced tomato
• 1 tsp kachampuli, tamarind juice, or vinegar
• One tsp chopped coriander leaves

Method:

• Pour oil into a deep pan or heavy bottom vessel and heat it .
• Add cinnamon, cloves, ginger and garlic paste, jeera, and green chillis. Cook till it starts to change colour.
• Add sliced onions and sauté till golden
  brown .
• Add the chopped tomatoes and fry well.
• Add the Mutton into this and pressure cook on medium flame adding 1 1/2 cup water.
• Once mutton is fully cooked, add vinegar,kachumpuli, or tamarind juice. Let it cook till you get a fine aroma .
• Add the ground masala into this and fry till the oil floats on top of the masala .
• If you want to have more gravy, add 1½ cup of water .
• Finally, add coriander leaves. Now, switch off the stove and close the lid.

Goes well with Kayi Kadboo