Anything tastes good with a generous helping of grated coconut :)
Here is one really good side dish with authentic Konkani flavors - one of my favorites.

Method

1. Place 500 gms of cleaned prawns  in a bowl, add salt, pinch of turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder and 1 tsp ginger garlic paste and mix well. Let them marinate for 1 hour if possible.
2. Take a dry pan and heat it. When the pan is hot, add 2tsp coriander seeds, a pinch of fenugreek seeds and 4 to 5 dry red chillies and dry roast it till fragrant. Let it cool and then blend it in the mixer with 1 marble sized piece of tamarind and 2-3 tsp of grated coconut and some water to a coarse paste. Keep aside
3. In another non stick pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil (coconut oil will give it additional flavor). Add 1 tsp of mustard seeds and when they splutter add a handful of curry leaves. 
4. Add 2 finely chopped onions to the pan and saute them till translucent. 
5. Add 1tsp each of finely chopped ginger and garlic and saute it well.
6. Add the masala paste and saute well. Add the prawns and coat it well in the masala. Add some water if needed and Let it cook for 10-15 mins or till cooked.
7. Adjust the salt. 
8. Garnish with 2 tbsp grated coconut (the more the better ;)) and lots of finely chopped coriander leaves.

White or cream based gravies are not my forte and hence I generally avoid cooking them. However we happened to taste this dish at a restaurant and instantly liked it. Decided to muster up some courage and try this dish. While trying to find the recipe, came across this recipe from Tarla Dalal, so tried making 2 variations of the same base curry with Methi Malai Mutter and Methi Malai Chicken and both turned out awesome.
Here is how I made it

Method

1. Clean and marinate 500 gms of boneless chicken with salt and keep aside for an hour.
2. Make a paste of 1 small onion, 4 green chillies , 1 inch piece of ginger, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp cashewnuts, 2 tsp poppy seeds (khus-khus) in a grinder. User water to get a fine paste. Keep aside.
3. Blanch 2 medium tomatoes, peel out the skin and grind it to a puree and keep aside.
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4. Take a pan and add 1 tbsp ghee and saute the chicken till it is almost cooked on a medium flame. Cook till almost 80% done and keep aside to rest.
5. Wash about a cup of methi (fenugreek leaves). Squeeze out the water and chop them finely and sprinkle some salt and keep aside.
6. Heat 1 tbsp of butter in another pan and add 1 tsp cumin seeds and 1/2 tsp shahi jeera seeds.
7. When the seeds crackle, add the methi (squeeze out any excess water) and sauté on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the fenugreek leaves and keep aside.
8. Add 1 tbsp butter in the same kadhai, add 2 grated small onions and saute till translucent.
9. Add the cashew nut paste and saute for 2 mins. Add the tomato puree and saute for 2 mins.
10. At this point check the consistency of the gravy. You can cool the gravy and blend it in a mixer if you want a finer gravy.
11. Add 2 tsp of garam masala powder, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
12. Add the fenugreek, cooked chicken or 1 cup of green peas, 1/2 cup milk, a pinch of sugar and salt.
13. Add 2 tbsp of fresh cream and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
14. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rotis.

I have always liked Goan flavours. The spices used are unique with coriander being the main spice which differentiates the dish from other cuisines. Came across this recipe on this blog and decided to try it. I have made my own variations to the dish and it was yummy. 
A very good side dish for lunch/dinner.

Here is my take on this Goan dish

Method

1. Make a marinade of 1 small onion, 2 inch ginger, 4-5 garlic pods, 3 green chillies, juice of 1 lemon and salt. 
2. Marinate 500 gms of chicken(I used chicken with bone) in this marinade for atleast 1 hour.
3. Make a spice powder by dry roasting 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 tsp coriander seeds, 1 inch cinnamon, 3-4 cardamoms, 4 cloves, 4 dry red chillies on a hot tawa till they leave out an aroma. Cool the spices and then pound them or grind them to a fine powder. Keep aside
4. Take a non stick pan and add 2 tbsp ghee. Fry the marinated chicken till golden brown and almost 80% cooked. See to it that the heat if maintained at all times and all the chicken pieces are fried well.
5. Cut 2 onions into cubes and separate the florets and add to the chicken
6. Add the spice powder to the chicken. Add 1 tbsp of tomato puree and mix well. Add ghee if needed.
7. Add 1 tsp of sugar and adjust the salt. Add 1 tsp of vinegar to add some acidity to the dish.
8. Mix well, garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot. This goes well with chapatis as well as a side dish.

Vahrehvah.com is one of my favorite recipe sites. The videos are pretty good and every dish I have cooked from this site has turned out to be good.
Today I was in a mood to cook Mutton in a different way and went to the site. Came across this recipe and decided to make it. The output was a really spicy gravy which we all licked off from our plates.

Method

1. Wash and drain 500 gms of mutton (I used boneless but you can use mutton with bone)
2. Take 3 tsp ghee/oil  in a pressure cooker and fry the mutton in it for 5- 10 mins till it is turns brown in color.
3. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric and mix well. Add salt to taste
4. Add 3 medium sized onions diced and mix well. Add 3 medium tomatoes chopped finely and mix well.
5. Pressure cook the mutton for 3-4 whistles. 
6. In the meantime prepare the kadai masala. For this take 3-4 red chillies, 1 tsp pepper corns, 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp coriander seeds in a pan and dry roast it till a sweet smell emanates from this. Add a 1 tsp of kasoori methi and dry roast for a minute and let the mixture cool in the pan. 
7. Grind the masala with a mortar and pestle to a coarse paste.
8. When the pressure is off open the pressure cooker and add 2 tbsp dahi and 2 tsp of kadai masala. You can add more masala if you want the gravy to be spicy
9. Add 2 slit green chillies or 1 tsp red chilli powder (of course according to your taste)
10. Adjust the salt and cook till the gravy starts to boil
11. Garnish with ginger juliennes and finely chopped coriander and mint leaves
12. Serve hot with rotis.