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Showing posts with label MAHARASHTRIAN DELIGHTS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MAHARASHTRIAN DELIGHTS. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

SABUDANA CHIVDA (SAGO SAVOURY SNACK)

SABUDANA CHIVDA (SAGO SAVOURY SNACK)
Devshayani Ekadashi or Ashadi Ekadashi is followed by all Hindus, but it’s very popular in Maharashtra and is known by the name of Ashadi Ekadashi.
Every year, there is an annual pilgrimage (yatra) in honor of Lord Vithoba.
Palkhis (palanquin processions) carrying the paduka’s (foot prints) of the deity and various saints, most notably Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram from the Warkari sect, are taken from their respective shrines to Pandharpur.
Warkari is a Marathi term which means "one who performs the Wari" or "one who venerates Lord Vithoba".
The tradition is more than 700 to 800 years old.
Devotees from all over Maharashtra and nearby areas set out for Pandharpur, wearing holy basil beads (Tulsi mala) and singing the glories of Lord Vithoba and the holy saints.
Today is the day when upon reaching Pandharpur on Ashadhi Ekadashi, these devotees take a holy dip in the sacred Chandrabhaga River/Bhima River before proceeding to visit the Vitthal Temple and offering Prayers to the Lord.
The devotees also observe strict fasting on this day.
Those who cannot fast are allowed to eat certain fasting items (Vrat ka khana).
One such item is Sabudana or Sago.
Today I’m going to share with you’ll the recipe of Sabudana Chivda.
Chivda is a mixed snack and usually had with tea. This is a crispy crunchy chivda with an interesting mix.




Ingredients
Sago – 1 cup
Peanuts – ¼ cup
Slivered Almonds – 1 tbsp
Raisins – 2 tablespoons
Potato Grated – 1
Green Chillies - 2-3
Curry Leaves – 1 Sprig
Red chilly powder – ¼ tsp
Powdered Sugar – 1 tsp
Salt as per taste
Oil for frying




Method
Heat oil in a wok / frying pan. Before starting to fry, add a sago and see if it pops up. First add sabudana and fry it till the sabudana changes color. Once done transfer the fried sabudana in a large bowl.
Now fry the grated potato to a golden brown color. Add it to the sabudana mixture.
Now in another wok fry all the ingredients one by one on a low flame ensuring that you don't burn them. Fry the peanuts until golden and split, then the Slivered almonds until golden, Raisins until plump. Fry the green chilies and curry leaves together. Once they are done add them to the sabudana mixture.
Drain the oil well and mix all the ingredients that you fried with the fried Sago.
Add salt and sugar. Mix everything well.
Sabudana Chivda is ready to snack on!
Let this get cool for some time then store it in an air - tight container.
Tips

· You require the larger variety of Sago pearls known as the “Nylon sabudana”

. Use Sendha Namak (Rock Salt) for fasting.

· Always wash the sago well 3 times and then sun dry it and then fry the sago.

· Ensure that none of the ingredients become black while frying. If they become black throw them, don't use them in the chivda as the taste of the chivda can spoil.

· Preferably use a net to fry all the ingredients, as it is easy to catch all the ingredients from the oil.

· Toss all the items a couple of times to mix everything well.

· You can use the dried potato sticks available in the market instead of the fresh grated potato.


Variations 

· Can Add Grated Coconut, Just fry golden and add (If add coconut, the shelf life reduces)

· Can add Cashew nuts. Fry Golden and add to the Chivda

· Can put whole almonds. Fry Golden and add to the Chivda

· Can avoid Green chilies and use only red chili powder

· Can avoid Red chilly powder and use only green chilies instead.

· You can use slices of dried coconut (Kopra). Fry Golden and add to the Chivda

Monday, November 2, 2015

DIET POHA CHIVDA / LOW CAL CHIVDA (THIN BEATEN RICE FLAKES MIXTURE - A LOW CAL SAVOURY)

DIET POHA CHIVDA / LOW CAL CHIVDA (THIN BEATEN RICE FLAKES MIXTURE - A LOW CAL SAVOURY)

First of all “HAPPY DIWALI TO ALL”. MAY THIS DIWALI BRING HEALTH, WEALTH & PROSPERITY TO ALL.

Diwali is a time for making and sharing goodies. The markets are filled with colourful mithais and namkeens that look so tantalizing,  that We usually overindulge in the goodies and either put on loads of weight or become sick. This year I thought why not make something which is guiltless. Who doesn’t enjoy guiltless snacking?

Earlier I had shared a recipe of the Patal Pohe Chivda in my blog, (Click on the link below)



Traditionally in this recipe you have to deep fry all the ingredients including the poha...then it’s very tasty.
But in my recipe, I had roasted the poha until crisp by adding a little oil...rest of the ingredients I deep fried.

The problem with Indian snacks is, it’s difficult to make them totally guiltless.
These days in Singapore we easily get many ingredients which were not easily available when I landed here 15 years ago. I’m glad that an influx of Indian migrants in Singapore  have brought in a demand for things which is a bonus for food bloggers and people who love cooking.  I always go to Mustafa (a huge shopping centre in Singapore) a week before Diwali to check out their stuff and this year while browsing through I saw packets of Diet Poha and I thought Hey!!! This is exactly what I wanted as I’m trying to watch my weight.  

I even avoided adding Copra(Dried coconut flakes) which is there in my previous recipe.
Here is my recipe, this can also be made on a regular basis for a tea-time snack.


Ingredients
Diet Poha - 1 Kg.
Peanuts - 1 cup
Daliya (Roasted Gram Dal/ Chutney Chana dal) - 1 cup
Cashewnuts- 20-25 pieces
Golden Raisins - 20 -25 pieces
Chopped Green chilies - 12-15
Curry leaves -  5 sprigs (25-30 leaves)
Mustard seeds - 2 teaspoons
Cumin seeds – 2 teaspoons
Sesame seeds - 2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 3 teaspoon
Asafetida - 1 teaspoon
Salt as per taste.
Powder sugar - 2 teaspoon
Oil - 1/2 cup


Method
Diet Poha is very thin and fragile so it gets crumbled very quickly. Take the poha and sieve it for any fine powder to be filtered leaving only the flakes. Keep aside.
Diet Poha has very thin flakes so it gets cooked very fast. I decided not to fry it and dry roast it instead. You can also put it in the microwave. If in case you are cooking in the microwave, put the diet poha in a shallow microwave safe dish and microwave it on high for 30 seconds only.
For those who don't have a microwave you can dry roast it in a wok (Kadhai)on a very low flame till it becomes crispy.  This needs attention else it can burn very easily. Keep this Poha aside.
If you have roasted the poha in the microwave, then Add 2 tablespoons oil in a big wok, add in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and sesame seeds and when they start spluttering, add in the green chillies and curry leaves, fry them well. Then add in the diet poha, turmeric, salt and sugar and saute for about 3 minutes. Keep aside.
Now in another wok fry all the ingredients one by one on a low flame ensuring that you don't burn them. Fry the peanuts until golden and split, then the daliya until golden, then the cashews until golden, Raisins until plump. Preferably use a net to fry all this as it can catch all the ingredients from the oil. Ensure that none of the ingredients become black. If they become black throw them, don't use them in the chivda as the taste of the chivda can spoil with it. Drain the oil well and mix all the ingredients that you fried in a vessel with the diet poha.
Toss everything well with a light hand ensuring that you don't break the thin poha flakes. Roast for another 2 minutes on a low flame while mixing. Put off the flame and spread this on a newspaper or a big plate. Let this get cool for some time then store it in an air - tight dabba(box).  Your  Diet Poha Chivda/ Low cal Chivda is ready for some Guiltless indulgence.


Tips

  • If you do not have the confidence of adding the chilly and curry leaves to the tadka afraid of burning the tadka then you can fry them separately...after you fry all the nuts, you can fry these too also using a net in the oil and then mix with the mixture.
  • You can add poppy seeds to the tadka while adding mustard and sesame but Poppy seeds are banned in Singapore so I didn’t add them
  • You can add Puffed rice (kurmura) with Poha.
  • You can add red chilly powder instead of green chilies.
  • You can add citric acid or amchur powder for some sourness. I didn't do it in my recipe.
  • You can add deep fried garlic in the Chivda
  • You can deep fried onion to the chivda.
  • I have seen a recipe wherein fresh coriander seeds are roasted, pounded into a powder and added to the chivda for extra flavor.
  • My Mother-in-law adds Roasted and pounded fennel seeds into the chivda.

Monday, October 6, 2014

RAVA LADDOO / SUJI KE LADDOO/ SWEET SEMOLINA BALLS

RAVA LADDOO / SUJI KE LADDOO/ SWEET SEMOLINA BALLS
This is probably one of the easiest sweets to make. This is also one of the first sweets I ever attempted to make. I would call this a beginner’s sweet or a no-fail recipe for anybody. Just follow the recipe step-by-step and you will have one the easiest sweets to prepare for Diwali or any festival or just to gobble like that. I also call Rava Laddoo one of the easiest sweets as it is prepared with ingredients easily available at home like Semolina, sugar and ghee. Rava Laddoo in Tamil is known as Suji ke Laddoo in the North and Ravyacha Laadoo in Maharashtra.
Here is the recipe for Rava Laddoo


Ingredients
Semolina/Rava/sooji - 1 cup 
Sugar – ¾ cup - 1 cup (depending on how sweet you like)
Ghee - ¼ cup 
Milk (optional) - 1 tblsp 
Cardamom powder (elaichi) – 1 tsp
Cashew nuts – 2 tbsps sliced in halves
Raisins – 2 tbsps 


Method
In a wok (pan), add the semolina and roast evenly by continuously stirring it with a spatula over a medium flame until a nice toasted aroma comes out of it. Be careful not to burn the rava while roasting it as it will completely ruin the taste of the laddoo. Let the roasted rava cool down. Keep it aside.
Now powder the sugar and keep aside.
Now take the cooled down roasted rava and mix with the sugar and run in the blender till it becomes one uniform mixture. Add in the cardamom (elaichi) powder and run it in the blender along with the rava and sugar.
Now transfer this mix to a big plate. I usually take a big plate so it’s easy for me to mix. In a saucepan, add in the ¼ cup ghee and to it add the Cashew nuts and Raisins and fry until the raisins become plump and the cashew nuts get slightly toasted. Add this to the rava and sugar mixture.
Sprinkle the milk and mix thoroughly (This step is optional). In case you are using milk, heat up the milk slightly and add in warm milk to the mix. Milk is added to enable binding the mixture well enough so as to make the laddoos easily. I haven’t used milk in my recipe. I have made the laddoos completely with ghee. Adding milk reduces the shelf life of the laddoos.
Once, you have added the ghee, make small balls out of the mixture immediately, make tight balls. Rava Laddoo is ready to enjoy!!!

 Tips
         While blending the semolina, ensure that it is blended to a fine powder which will enable to make the laddoo easily. If the mix is coarse then it won’t be easy to make the laddoos.
         The finer the blend the more melt-in-the mouth the laddoo’s will be.
         In case, you are not using milk and find it difficult to bind, add in more melted warm ghee to the mix until it’s easier to make the laddoos.
         Sugar can be added according to taste. 3/4th cup is just ok not overly sweet. If you like it more sweet you can add 1 cup of sugar.

         You can reduce the ghee by 2 tbsps in the recipe and it still turns out fine. 

Monday, October 28, 2013

SWEET SHANKARPAALE / SHANKARPALI / SHAKKAR PAARE (SWEET CRUNCHY DIAMOND BITS)

SWEET SHANKARPAALE / SHANKARPALI / SHAKKAR PAARE (SWEET CRUNCHY DIAMOND BITS)
Shankarpaale is a very popular snack in the states of Maharshtra & Gujarat, India. It is traditionally made during Diwali in most Maharastrian households. It’s simple and easy to make. It is rich in carbohydrates, making it an instant source of energy.
The mixture is made into dough and then mechanically cut into diamond shaped units which are deep fried in ghee or butter. Most of the ingredients are available at home easily and no need to specially buy stuff to make this dish.
The North Indians make this a bit differently, instead of adding the sugar into the dough, they make a sugar syrup and after frying the dough bits they dunk them in the sugar syrup and allow it to cool down. Once cool, the sugar forms a white frosted topping. I personally prefer the Maharashtrian version as I find them less sweet and guiltless than to see them loaded with sugar on top.
Being married to a man from Pune and not knowing to make Shankarpaale could be considered as a sin. That’s just a joke. We can always buy these goodies from the Store. But nothing can beat the taste or freshness of the home-made ones.
This dish has a long shelf life and can last you even up to a month if stored well in an airtight container.
This year for Diwali I am preparing Shankarpaale. You don’t need to prepare this only for Diwali. It’s a good snack to prepare anytime during the year. These are bite sized munchies which are enjoyable to gobble anytime during the day or can be had as a tea-time snack.
I made one batch of Shankarpaales which was about 250gms but it got over so soon, that, I had to make another batch, so I made 1 kilo of them for Diwali to share with my neighbors and friends.
The below recipe is for making about 250 gms / ¼ kilo Shankarpaale.

Ingredients
All purpose flour – 1 ½ cup
Semolina – 1 teaspoon
Sugar – ¼ cup
Ghee or butter – ¼ cup
Milk – ¼ cup
Salt – a pinch
Oil for frying

If you want to make about 1kg you need to use
All purpose flour – 6 cups
Semolina – 3 teaspoons
Sugar – 1 ¼  cup
Ghee or butter – 1 cup
Milk – 1 cup
Salt – 1 ½ teaspoons
Oil for frying

Method
Sieve the all purpose flour, add the semolina and salt. Mix well and keep aside.
In a saucepan, take milk and ghee and heat until the ghee melts. Now, add sugar and keep stirring until the sugar melts or up to 1 boil, whichever is earlier.
Let this mix cool down.
Once it’s cool, add this mixture to the all purpose flour, semolina and salt mix and start kneading the dough. The dough should be of the consistency of a chappati but will be soft because of the ghee.
Make a stiff dough that’s easy to roll. Now cover with a moist cloth and let this dough rest for about half an hour (30 minutes).
Make small balls from the dough and roll like a thick paratha. The thicker ones come out soft and crunchy like biscuits and the thinner ones come out crispy like chips. It’s a personal choice how you want it. I like it like a biscuit, so I roll my shankarpaales a little thick. Once you rolled the dough to your desired thickness. Remove the rough edges by using knife or pizza cutter.
Now cut in to desired shape (usually squares or diamonds). I like diamond shaped ones, so I cut mine like diamonds. Keep the oil hot and ready in a wok. I usually keep the flame on sim when I add in the shankarpaale diamonds and let it be there on sim for a minute or 2. After this I increase the flame, so that the dough gets cooked properly inside out when on sim. You must do this when you are rolling out thicker shankarpaales. Deep fry till it gets golden brown color. Allow it to cool down and then store in an air tight container or zip lock bag. Enjoy these delicious diamond bites as and when you want.


 Tips

·         The proportion for the All purpose flour may vary. If you feel while kneading that the dough is too smooth and not getting to the required stiffness, add in some more flour till you get the desired stiffness.

·         You can fry in ghee or dalda instead of oil.

·         I used coarse grain sugar in my recipe and my shankarpaales were not overly sweet. If you are using fine grain or castor sugar, you may need to add in some more sugar.

·         My Shankarpaales were not overly sweet, if you like it very sweet you can add in a bit more of sugar.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

DRY FRUIT SHRIKHAND (EXOTIC SWEETENED THICK YOGURT WITH DRYFRUITS)

DRY FRUIT SHRIKHAND (EXOTIC SWEETENED THICK YOGURT WITH DRYFRUITS)
This is one of the quickest and easiest desserts. Adding different varieties of dry fruits adds some grandeur to the simple Shrikhand. As in the market you get standard flavors like Cardamom Shrikhand, Pistachio Shrikhand, Saffron flavored Shrikhand(Kesar) or Amrakhand (Mango flavored). But at home I added all the dryfruits like cardamom, Almond, pistachio and saffron. Not only making it rich but exotic as it is not what is available in the market.  Making the Shrikhand takes all about 20 minutes excluding the time taken to tie the yogurt overnight and the refrigeration. With a little bit of preparation you can have a wonderful dessert in a jiffy. It is very healthy. You can adjust the sugar according to the sweetness desired. Shrikhand – Puri is an exotic combination very popular in Maharashtra, even some restaurants serve this combo on their menu. We can also find this as one of the desserts in their weddings, festivals and special events. I’m very happy to share this recipe for one and all to enjoy. Indulge in this Sweet, cool, crunchy delight with Puris or just like that.


Ingredients
Yogurt – ½ kg
Sugar - 250 gms
Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
Almond – 4-5 sliced
Pistachio – 4-5 sliced
Saffron – 4-5 strands


Method
I have used yogurt made from full cream milk in this recipe as I was not sure if the yogurt would be thick enough in the Low fat milk and Skimmed milk. I took a clean muslin cloth, put the muslin cloth over a bowl so that there is no spillage. I slowly dropped the yogurt inside the muslin cloth. Once, I transferred the yogurt, I tied the muslin cloth in a knot, like a small pouch, ensure that the knot is a tight one, lest your yogurt may fall off and get wasted.
Next I tied it to the rack on to a hook dangled from my kitchen rack. Ensure that the hook is strong. You will see that the whey that is the water from the yogurt is falling down through the muslin cloth, don’t press the yogurt in the pouch and remove. Let it drain itself naturally. You can keep a bowl below the knotted pouch and collect the whey. This can be used in gravies for North Indian dishes and you can also add it in the wheat flour while kneading the dough to get softer rotis (chappatis).
This is the best part of Indian cooking.”Nothing gets wasted”
Keep this overnight or for 6-7 hours. I always do it over night, if I do it during the daytime I have no patience to wait.
In the morning, I take the pouch and keep it on top of a bowl and open the pouch gently. You will see thick & creamy Yogurt remaining which doesn’t have any water. Put this in a bowl, add sugar and mix.
Keep aside for 25-30 minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve.
Meanwhile, rub saffron into 1 tbsp. milk till well broken and dissolved. Keep aside.
Beat well till sugar has fully dissolved into curd.
Pass through a big holed strong strainer, pressing with hand or spatula to ensure the texture is totally free flow and creamy.
Mix in cardamom powder and the dissolved saffron and half of the sliced nuts.
Put this in a nice glass serving bowl, Garnish it with the remaining nuts.
Chill for 1-2 hours before serving. This dessert is best served chilled.
This quantity makes about  6-7 servings and the
Shelf life: 3-4 days refrigerated

Variations:

-          To make fruit flavoured shrikhand eg. mango, add pulp at the stage of adding cardamom and saffron.

-          I like to use baked or roasted nuts than the raw ones as it adds a crunch to the Shrikhand.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

KOZHAKATTAI / UKDICHE MODAK / COCONUT & JAGGERY FILLED RICE DUMPLINGS


KOZHAKATTAI / UKDICHE MODAK / COCONUT & JAGGERY FILLED RICE DUMPLINGS
GANPATI BAPPA MORYA!!!!!
Yesterday marked the beginning of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi, this festival marks the celebration of the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, who is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees in the duration of this festival. It is the day Shiva declared his son Ganesha as superior to all the gods, barring Vishnu, Lakshmi, Shiva and Parvati. Ganesha is widely worshipped as the god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune and traditionally invoked at the beginning of any new venture or at the start of travel.
The festival, also known as Ganeshotsav ("festival of Ganesha") is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period). The date usually falls between 19 August and 20 September. The festival lasts for 10 days, ending on Anant Chaturdashi (fourteenth day of the waxing moon period). The total number of days change according to the waqxing moon and the Hindu calendar. This festival is celebrated  with great pomp all over India, it is most elaborate in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa and Chhattisgarh. Outside India, it is celebrated widely in Nepal and by Hindus in the United States, Canada, Mauritius,[3] Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma and Fiji. (Info courtesy-Wikipedia)
One thing that is always made in my kitchen for my darling elephant God Ganesha is the Tenga Poornam Kozhakattai / modakams.
Modak has a special importance in the worship of the Hindu god Ganesh; modak is believed to be his favorite food, which begets him the moniker “modakapriya” (the one who likes modak) in Sanskrit.
During the Ganesh worship ceremony, known in India as Ganesh Chaturthi the puja always concludes with an offering of modakas to the deity and as prasad.
I make this in the South Indian style as well as the Maharashtrian style as I was born in Maharashtra where the same dish is known as Ukdiche Modak.
In Maharashtra
The sweet filling inside a modak is made up of fresh grated coconut and jaggery, while the outer cover is made from rice flour, or wheat flour mixed with khava(khoya) or maida flour. The dumpling can be fried or steamed. The steamed version is called ukdiche modak.
In South -India
The sweet filling inside a modak is made up of fresh grated coconut and jaggery, while the outer cover is made from rice flour and steam cooked.
I never found the steam cooked kozhakattais in any restaurant in Mumbai, India but was surprised to find this at the Ananda bhavan restaurant here in Singapore. But nothing can beat the home cooked ones especially when they are just out of the steamer/cooker. It’s best to eat this when it’s steaming hot. 
Ingredients
White rice – ¾ cup
Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Jaggery - 3/4 cup
Elaichi (Cardamom) – 2-3
Ghee – ½ tbsp
Coconut Oil - 3 tbsp
Method
To make the coconut jaggery filling (Tengai Poornam)
In a wok, add the ghee and the crushed cardamom minus the skin of the cardamom. Allow this to fry, then add in the jaggery and let it melt on a low flame. Once the jiggery starts to froth, add in the coconut, mix well and keep stirring over a low flame until the mix becomes one, there’s no water and the mix starts to leave the sides of the pan. This is fast to cook in a non-stick wok. Once done, keep aside and let it cool. Make small balls and keep aside.
Make the cover
Soak the rice in water for about 2-3 hours. Rinse well. Drain the water from the rice and grind it in a mixie (blender) by adding some water until it becomes a smooth batter. Add about 1 ½ tbsp of oil and a pinch of salt. Now, in a nonstick pan, Add in the batter and on a low flame cook it until the water starts to evaporate and the batter starts to thicken a bit like chappati dough but slightly more pliable than  that. Immediately put off the flame and allow it to cool. Knead the dough well. Add some oil and knead well.
How to make the kozhakattai
Grease your hands with some coconut oil. Take a small piece of the dough, roll it like a ball and then flatten it on your palm and shape it like a bowl. Gently press and shape the dough to make it bigger and ensure that it doesn’t have cracks. My grandmother always used to say that the best kozhakattai is when the cover is thin and not too thick and also there shouldn’t be cracks. Now place the Tengai Poornam or coconut jaggery filling that you rolled into balls and place it in the centre of your bowl shaped dough and close it, pulling some of the dough up into the shape of a monumental tower on the tip. Make a few and keep aside.
Steaming the kozhakattais
You can use an idli stand, a dhokla stand, a stainless steel or bamboo steamer or any plate, just grease the plate, line up the kozhakattais and cover with a lid and let it cook on steam for abour 5-10 minutes. Check the kozhakattais, when you find that they are a bit shiny and translucent, and not sticky when you touch them, they are ready. Sprinkle one tablespoon of water on them. And serve them on a plate for the lord, this is called as “Neivedyam”. Once that’s done, you can dunk into this steam cooked sweet delight. Always eat these hot. There are some things in life which can be got only at home and not in a restaurant or shop. This is one of them.

Tips
-Use coconut oil for best results.
-Use fresh grated coconut instead of the frozen or dessicated ones
-Grind the rice flour in a stone grinder instead of a mixie.
-You can use readymade rice flour instead of soaking and grinding the rice. But ensure that you use fine rice flour.
- If, at any time, the dough begins to be difficult to work with, add some water to the dough and knead the dough again. If the batter begins to stick to your fingers, dip your fingers into the oil.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

DILL LEAVES SAUTÉED / SHEPU CHI BHAAJI


DILL LEAVES / SEED
In India, dill is known as 'Savaa' in Hindi and 'Soa' in Punjabi not related to Soy, In Telugu it is called soya and soya-kura (for herb greens). It is also called 'sapsige soppu' (ಸಪ್ಸಿಗೆ ಸೊಪ್ಪು) in Kannada.


Read more about Dill here

Dill Leaves / Shepu



Dill seeds / Suva











Dill is very rich in minerals, vitamin C and flavonoids, It gives protection Against Free Radicals and Carcinogens, It is considered an Anti-Bacterial Spice and it’s a flavorful way to help prevent bone loss.

Dill is mostly a culinary herb today, but it does have some value in medicine, mostly as a stomach soother and anti-gas remedy.  It is also said to increase mother's milk and help treat breast congestion from nursing. It is mild, and makes a good remedy for colic in babies.
Dill water is used often for relief of the above symptoms.
Dill can also be made into a Tea, and sweetened with honey, or prepared as an infusion by steeping 2 teaspoons of seed in 1 cup of water for 10-15 minutes, then straining.  Take 1-2 cups per day.
Tea made from a tablespoon of dill seed can help cure indigestion and treat hiccups. It has also been used successfully to treat colic (at 1/3 concentration). Save any remainder and soak your fingers in it to help strengthen your nails.


DILL LEAVES SAUTÉED / SHEPU CHI BHAAJI
This time when I had been to India my mother-in-law had made “Shepu chi bhaaji” and it was really yummy. Unfortunately it was not enough for a second helping as usually leafy vegetables when cooked always reduce drastically in quantity. Dill leaves and seeds are available aplenty in Singapore these days compared to a few years back, so I thought why not make the most of it. I have always been boiling dill seeds in water and giving my kids. On Sunday, I went to the supermarket and found a dark green fresh bunch of Dill leaves and I couldn’t resist buying. Here is a simple recipe for you'll to enjoy.

Dill Leaves Sauteed / Shepuchi bhaji
Ingredients
Dill (shepu) leaves – 1 bunch
Asafetida – A pinch
Onions – 1 (optional)
Garlic - 2 cloves
Green chilies - 2
Salt as per taste
Method
De-stem the Dill leaves. Wash them well in a colander by running water through it.  Drain and chop the leaves. Peel and slit the garlic into slivers. Break the green chillies into two.
In a wok, add a teaspoon of oil, once its hot, add a pinch of asafetida, add in the garlic slivers and green chillies, add in the onions for extra flavour(if you want) sauté till the garlic is orange in color. Don’t burn it. After this add in the chopped dill leaves, salt and sauté. You will see that it shrinks in size. Saute until the water is completely gone and until you see that the dill leaves look a bit fried. Serve hot wih fulkas/chappatis, Jowar/bajra rotis. Enjoy this flavorful healthy curry (sabji).

Monday, August 8, 2011

MOOLI AUR METHI KI SABZI (Raddish with leaves and Fenugreek leaves dry curry)

MOOLI AUR METHI KI SABZI (Raddish with leaves and Fenugreek leaves dry curry)
Here is a recipe created by me. Fusion of fusions and a lot of confusions, presenting the Mooli aur Methi ki Sabzi with a twist.
I haven’t heard of Radish along with it’s leaves cooked combined with Fenugreek leaves and I decided to try this combo just for fun and lo and behold it turns out to be too good and everyone likes it including my friends with whom I shared it proudly. I am sure Archimedes must have felt the same way when he discovered the laws of buoyancy the way I felt tasting my invention. It was extremely exciting and I am thinking of creating a whole new topic on my blog dedicated to the new things that I am going to try. Ain’t that going to be fun.
Without further ado…let’s go on to read the recipe of a dry curry made with Radish along with its leaves and Fenugreek leaves.
MOOLI AUR METHI KI SABZI
Ingredients
Radish with leaves - 3-4 (use small radish)
Fenugreek – 1 cup
Onion – 1 (optional)
Besan (Chickpea flour / Bengal gram flour) - ½ cup
Ginger paste – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Black gram dal (Udad dal) – 1 tsp
Asafetida – a pinch
Red chili powder - ½ tsp
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Salt as per taste
Oil
Method
Roast the chick pea flour (besan) until golden brown, keep this aside. Wash and peel the radish and chop them into small squarish pieces and keep aside. Separate the radish leaves, rinse them thoroughly and chop them finely and keep aside. Sort the methi leaves(de-stem), rinse well under running water in a colander and chop them. Keep this aside too.
Now in a wok, add one 1teaspoon of oil, once the oil is hot, add the mustard and udad dal and when it splutters add in the chopped radish,
If you are using onions kindly add finely chopped onions before adding the radish and sauté until transparent only then add the radish.
After this add in the radish leaves and fenugreek leaves. Also add in the turmeric, asafetida, red chilly powder and salt as per taste and stir well.
Cover the wok with a lid and let it cook in its own juices. Don’t add any water as once you add the salt the radish, its leaves and the fenugreek leaves will release its own water and it should cook in that only. After about 15 minutes you will notice that the radish is soft and can be easily mashed by hand and the water has dried completely and the vegetable has become dry. At this stage add in the roasted chickpea flour and mix well. Check for salt, you can add some more salt in this stage. Mix it well and cook until dry as you see in the picture.
Serve this unusual concoction of mine with fulkas/parathas or dal and rice or sambhar/rasam and rice. It’s a fusion recipe and can go with any cuisine.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

KHAMAN DHOKLA REVISITED

KHAMAN DHOKLA
Gujarat is most famous for its fluffy and light Khaman Dhoklas. Dhokla or 'Khumman' is made with a fermented batter of chickpeas.
My dearest hubby Yo is a great fan of this dish and it can cheer him up anytime, whether served during a meal or as a tea time snack.
Ingredients
Besan (gram flour) - 1 cup
Semolina (Rava) - 1 1/2 tablespoons
Sugar – 1tbsp
Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon
Green chilly paste - 1 teaspoon
Citric Acid (Nimbu ke phool) - 1/2 teaspoon or Lemon juice – 1 tsp
Eno Fruit salt or Soda Bicarb – 1 ½ tsp
For the tempering
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
White Sesame seeds (til) – ½ tsp
Green chillies – 2-3
Curry leaves – A sprig
Asafetida (hing) - a pinch
For the garnish
Freshly grated Coconut – 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves – 1tbsp
Method
In a big bowl add in all the ingredients except the Eno fruit salt and mix well using water to make a thick idli like batter. Let this rest for 10 minutes.
Add in the Eno fruit salt or Soda bicarb, Add little water and mix well. You will notice that the mixture rises. Don’t wait too long once the batter rises. When you see that the batter has risen immediately pour it onto a greased thali and steam, else your dholkas won’t turn out puffy and nice. Remember the batter should’nt rest after adding the fruit salt. Once the batter is poured into a deep greased plate steam for about 10 - 15 minutes in a pressure cooker without the whistle or in a steamer. When it’s done in a pressure cooker, keep it for about 10 minutes after you hear the whooshing sound of steam coming out through the top nozzle. Once you turn off the gas, let the dhoklas rest for a while. Check with a knife, insert into the cake, if it comes free your dhoklas are done. If not steam cook for some more time.
For the tempering, heat the oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds, When the mustard seeds crackle add in the cumin seeds & sesame seeds. Fry 2 -3 whole green chillies with the stalk, Add the curry leaves, Add in some asafetida and pour this over the steamed dhoklas.
Garnish with Finely chopped coriander leaves and some freshly grated coconut. I also garnished my dhokla with some sev as seen in the picture above. Cut into pieces and serve with coriander chutney or tamarind and date chutney.

Since Dhoklas are unarguably a definite Gujarati snack I would like to send them to Nayna's Flavours of Gujrat event.

I would love to send it to Akila who is celebrating India's Independence day with her CID-2010 event.


Dhokla being a definite party treat I would like to send this to Sara who is hosting MM party treats

Since Dhokla is made with Besan (Bengal gram Dal)/Chickpea flour) I would like to send it to MLLA26 hosted by Briciole and started by Susan

The wonderfully light and fluffy dhoklas also goes to Two For Tuesdays started by Alex of  A Moderate Life.
I am also packing off some of the dhoklas garnished with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, sev, curry leaves & fried chilly to Sanyukta's Visual Treat Event
Dhokla being a light tea time snack goes to Sharmi's Let's Munch-Light Tea Time Snacks Event





I am also sending dhoklas to Ayeesha's Iftar Moments Hijri 1431 Event in her blog Taste of Pearl City

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

ALOO WADI / PATRA / SPICED COLOCASIA ROLLS revisited




had posted this recipe a few years ago and when I made this again I thought why not refresh our memories with this spicy-sweet indulgence, so here’s a wonderful snack from the west of India revisited again with beautiful clicks(since now I feel my photography is better than what it used to be or so I think…ha ha ha!!!!).

ALOO WADI / PATRA / SPICED COLOCASIA ROLLS
The farsan is usually part of a typical Gujarati or Maharashtrian meal. Aloo wadi is one such farsan which is part of a complete meal, but it can also be served as a snack. The Gujaratis call it Patra. This is made of the Aloo leaves(Colocasia leaves also known as Taro leaves by some).  The spicy sweet indulgence with a gamut of flavors exploding in your mouth is truly a delight to your taste buds.

Ingredients
Aloo leaves (Colocasia leaves) – 8-10
Besan - 2 cups
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp
Red Chilly powder - 2 tbsp
Tamarind paste – 1tbsp
Garam masala – 2 tsps
Asafetida – a pinch
Salt to taste
Jaggery - 1 tbsp
Oil to fry
For Garnishing
Freshly grated coconut – 1tbsp
Sesame seeds – ½ tsp
Coriander seeds – ½ tsp
Finely chopped coriander leaves
Method
Remove fibres and stems from colocasia leaves (arvi leaves) and wash thoroughly. Wipe it dry. Mix the above mentioned ingredients to the besan and make a thick paste of it by adding proper proportion of water. Tamarind, not only gives a tangy taste to the Aloo wadi, but also removes the itchy property that the aloo leaves have. You can avoid jaggery if you don't like the slightly sweet taste it imparts. The gujaratis usually like to add a bit of sweet to their dishes. I personally like this dish with a dash of jaggery in the masala.
Spread on a cutting board / wooden board or any flat surface a colocasia leaf with the back surface up(glossy side down) and stalk end towards you. Spread the mixture on the leaf, now place another leaf over it and apply the mixture over it. After 4-5 leaves are placed one across the other, fold in the edges for about 2" on both sides, smear the folds with some paste and then roll gently but firmly, from the stalk end to the tip, in the shape of a cylinder.
Tie the roll with a thread if you feel it is loose. Cook the rolls in a pressure cooker on steam (Do not place whistle). Steam cook for about 25-30 minutes.
Once cooked, the rolls will be nicely set. Remove the rolls and let it cool. Cut the rolls into vadis of 1” thickness.
There are 2 ways to cook this now. Either ways it tastes just as good.
One is tempering it with spices by shallow frying or alternatively you can deep fry it for a more crispy snack.
For the first method, Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add, mustard seeds, coriander seeds and when they begin to crackle add cumin seeds and sesame seeds. and about 10 curry leaves. Now add in the rolls and saute once carefully without breaking the rolls and then serve on a platter. Garnish the colocasia rolls with freshly grated coconut & finely chopped fresh coriander leaves. Serve it hot or cold. 
The other way is to deep fry the aloo-wadis and then garnish in a similar fashion.
You can make a lot of Aloo vadis and store it in freezer bags in the deep freezer.
Save the steamed rolls before garnishing and whenever required just heat some vadis in a microwave and add fresh garnish and serve. Isn't that impressive. You can impress your husband or your guests by serving exotic snacks in a jiffy.


Since this recipe has sesame seeds I am sending it to Easy n Tasty recipe's cooking with seeds event – Sesame seeds

Sunday, October 18, 2009

KARANJI (THE INDIAN COCONUT FILLED SWEET PUFF)


I would like to WISH all my visitors A VERY HAPPY & PROSPEROUS DEEPAWALI.



This Diwali was extremely busy for me as I was juggling between my work, kids, home, meeting decorators for my new home and in the process of moving out of my current home which is being painted for Diwali and it was getting difficult to reach my laptop amidst all this confusion.
On top of all this Diwali shopping for the entire family, lighting up the house, making Rangolis and ofcourse preparation of sweets and savories. I always make it a point to make sweets and savories at home, coz the house feels and smells festive.
We can always buy sweets/savories from a shop and share with neighbors, friends or relatives during the festive season but these people can buy it from the shop and eat as well. When we make something by taking efforts and share it with others there is a personal touch to the gesture. Homemade sweets and savories have a different feel to it. It may not be perfect like the one’s you get in a shop but the key ingredient in it is “LOVE”.
We can involve the whole family in the sweet –savory making process, this creates a bonding, an anticipation for what’s going to come out of the group efforts, an excitement and a festive feeling with lovely aromas wafting in the air at home. The feeling of celebration is there as this is an activity we don’t indulge in usually. We must keep this beautiful tradition alive instead of buying off shelves.
This Diwali I made Chakli and Karanji alongwith a few other things. I would like to share with you’ll the recipes. Wish you’ll a happy, safe and fun-filled Diwali again.



KARANJI (THE INDIAN COCONUT FILLED SWEET PUFF)
Karanji or the Indian coconut filled sweet puff. Karanji is a sweet that is usually prepared in most Maharashtrian houses for Diwali. In north India karanji is known as Gujiya. Preparing Karanji requires a lot of patience and maybe a bit time consuming especially the rolling, filling and sealing, but the pleasure of popping this delectable sweet. Crispy on the outside and the light coconut sweet filling inside which literally melts in your mouth is insurmountable. My daughter is so excited about biting into the puff for the pleasure of getting to the filling hidden inside. The filling is like a sweet hidden treasure.
Ingredients
Ingredients For Dough:
Maida -1 cup
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Salt a pinch
Warm milk / water to prepare dough. I used milk so that my karanjis are whiter in color.


Ingredients For Filling:
Grated Dry Coconut - 1 cup
Powdered Sugar – ¾ cup
Cardamon powder - 1 tsp.
Nutmeg Powder - a pinch
Poppy Seeds (Khuskhus)
Raisins - 10 to 15 raisins


Method
Method For Dough:
Mix all the dough ingredients & knead using water. Add enough water to make soft pliable dough, similar to the chapatti dough.


Method for filling:
Roast the grated dry coconut flakes lightly. Keep aside. Roast poppy seeds. Grind them once in a mixer. The mix should be coarse not to fine. Mix the powdered sugar and all the above ingredients. Fry the raisins in ghee until plump and add to the mix

Method for making Karanji:
Make small oval shaped puris from dough, not too thin not too thick. Place the filling in one half of round. Fold over the other half, sealing in the mixture. This is a task which has to be done with patience. If the dough rolled out is too thin it will crack and the filling will fall out. If it is too thick then the karanjis will not taste good.
Seal edges by twisting or pressing together. Apply some water or milk so that it will seal properly (don't apply too much of water as it will not seal properly).You can use a Karanji / Curry puff mould for neater karanjis. Deep fry in hot ghee on a low flame till light brown on both sides. Drain on tissue paper to absorb excess ghee and cool completely before storing. Karanjis can be stored for weeks and is ideal to prepare during Diwali as we need to pack sweets and share with relatives while visiting them during the festive season.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

CHAKLI (SPICY SPIRALS)


CHAKLI (SPICY SPIRALS)
Chakli a crispy, spicy, spiral shaped treat. Chakli is an all time favorite and loved by all at my home. It’s an excellent tea-time snack and the best part is it has a shelf life of about a month if stored properly. Masala chakli tastes heavenly with ginger tea. Do try it out sometime.
Ingredients
Rice flour – 3 cups
Gram flour (Bengal gram flour) - 1 cup
Udad dal flour (white lentil flour) – 1 tbsp
Butter – 2 tbsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Cumin powder – 1 tsp
Red chilly powder – 2 tbsps
Turmeric – ½ tsp
Asafetida (hing) - 1½ tsp.
White sesame seeds (Til) - 1 tbsp.
Carom seeds (Ajwain) – ½ tsp
Salt as per taste
Oil to fry
Method
Mix the flours, Sieve the flours together, add all the dry ingredients like coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, asafetida, sesame seeds, carom seeds and Salt as per taste. Add the butter and mix with the flours. Mix everything well before adding water. Now add a little bit warm water and make a soft dough (dough should be softer than the chapati dough.). Taste dough and season with salt. Mix well. Keep for a while (about 10-15 minutes) for everything to come together. Now knead once more. In the meanwhile, heat oil on a medium flame. Put the chakli dough in the mould. Use the plate with the star design on it. Hold the chakli mould over the frying pan. Hold it a bit high as once the dough drops into the oil hot steam will come up and you can burn yourself with the steam. Press dough and let it pass though the mould as spirals into the oil or you can also alternatively press out spirals onto a baking sheet /plastic cover and then deep fry in oil on medium flame till golden brown in colour. Fry till they are crisp. Put the fried chaklis over a tissue paper so that it soaks extra oil.

Once cool store it in an air tight container.

Can be stored for a about a month if stored properly.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

POORI (The Fried, Puffed Whole Wheat Bread), Awards & a Tag


POORI (The Fried, Puffed Whole Wheat Bread)
A puri or poori or boori is a South Asian unleavened bread prepared in many of the countries in South Asia including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. It is consumed for breakfast, or as a snack or light meal. Puri is also the Georgian name for bread.
Puri is most commonly served at breakfast. It is also served at special or ceremonial functions; they sometimes are part of ceremonial rituals along with other vegetarian food offered in prayer as prasadam.
Puri can be made with Whole wheat flour (Atta) or with all purpose flour (Maida). Puri is often served with potato masala, chana masala, korma, and goes well with most North Indian gravies. In some Indian states it is served with halwa and in Maharashtra it is relished with Aamras.
In the north east of India, Puri is served with a special mixed vegetable which is prepared during puja and its also eaten with mistanno, a special kind of dessert prepared with rice, milk, sugar.
A variant of the puri is the bhatura which is three times a puri and thus a single bhatura, served with chole (spicy chick peas), often constitutes a full meal.
Another variant of the puri popular in the eastern states of West Bengal and Orissa is the Luchi.
(Some of the info courtesy:-Wikipedia)
Ingredients
Mix together in a bowl:
2 cups Indian whole wheat flour
1/2 Tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Method
Slowly add about 3/4 cup warm water, just enough to form a firm dough, and knead till smooth. Cover, let rest at least 1/2 hour, and knead again briefly. If resting more than 1 hour, punch and knead dough again before rolling out.
Divide into small balls about golf-ball size, and roll out into 6" rounds on an oiled board. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or saucepan. Add a little salt to the oil to keep it from smoking. Fry the puri one at a time, holding them under the oil on the first side until they puff. Turn and fry till light brown; drain. While frying, the bread puffs up. After they become golden-brown in color, they are removed and served hot along with some accompaniment.
Serve as soon as possible as Puris are not so good later.

For spicy puris:
When making the dough, add the below mentioned dry ingredients:
Turmeric – a pinch
Red chilly powder – ½ tsp
Coriander powder – ½ tsp
Cumin powder – ½ tsp
Asafetida – a pinch
Salt as per taste
Oil – 1 tbsp
Mix the dough well then add water and mix and follow as above.
AWARDS & A TAG
Coming to the awards, I received the Kreative Blogger Award from Priti.
Thank you so much for sharing these wonderful awards with me I truly appreciate this.

The
Kreativ Blogger awards have some rules …
1. You must thank the person who has given you the award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog
.
3. Link to the person who has nominated you for the award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate 7 other Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on which of the blogs to let them know they have been nominated

So 7 things about myself.. Let's see if you find this interesting...
• I am a very social person
• I love blogging and in the panel to write for a few other blogs as well.
• I am a real estate agent which was not my field of study and I was featured on TV in Singapore
• I love singing and have won many accolades in the past.
• I love to cook and especially find street food extremely tempting.
• Iam a vegetarian and always find alternative recipes that vegetarians can enjoy.
• Iam a very straightforward and emotional person and expect people to be the
same with me.
And here are some of the tags I received:
•What is your current obsession?
Real estate & blogging

•What are you wearing today?
Iam at home and wearing my well worn and comfortable cotton gown

•What’s for dinner?
Pav bhaji

•What’s the last thing you bought?
Pants

•What are you listening to right now?
Teri Ore from Singh is King

•What do you think about the person who tagged you?
I think she is very talented

•If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
Mumbai anytime - Amchi Mumbai is where my heart is

•What are your must-have pieces for summer?
I think 4 quarter cotton pants and soft, pastel colored Cotton kurtis, I love to wear pastel colored Lucknowi Suits, Iced Sugarcane with ginger and lemon (my favorite) gallons of cold water.

•If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
I think I would love to go to Venice

•Which language do you want to learn?
Mandarin, Telegu & Kannada

•What’s your favourite quote?
God helps those who help themselves

•Who do you want to meet right now?
God

•What is your favourite colour?
Blue

•What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own clo
set?
I think my latest wine color formal top which looks professional & slick.
•What is your dream job?
Cook and serve people with no expectation in return except for compliments

•What’s your favourite magazine?
Womans Era

•If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on?
Buy a decent purse and wallet as both of what I have are worn out.

•What do you consider a fashion faux pas? (faux pas mean error in etiquette.. )
To wear bindi and jumkas with western outfits

•Who are your style icons?
I like Simi Garewal…she is class personified…..

•Describe your personal style.?
Classic & simply elegant

•What are you going to do after this?
Watch TV

•What are your favourite movies?
Jaane Bhi do yaaron, Khubsoorat, Jhooti, Golmal, Amol Palekar movies are my absolute favorite.

•What are three cosmetic/makeup/perfume products that you can't live without?
Bodywash, Face Powder and Lipstick

•What inspires you?
Compliments, gratitude and encouraging words.
•Give us three styling tips that always work for you:
Hairstyle that you are comfortable in, Eyeliner to define your eyes and lipstick to define your lips. As Priti said I would like to say the same, Know what's suits you, never overdo your makeup, try to keep it simple and comfortable.

•What do you do when you “have nothing to wear” (even though your closet’s packed)?
Go Shopping

•Coffee or tea?
Tea

•What do you do when you are feeling low or terribly depressed?
Hug my little ones. Listen to some soothing music or try to catch up on an old comedy movie

•What is the meaning of your name?
Sukanya means “A good girl”
•Which other blogs you love visiting?
There are millions of blogs and every blog is creative

•Favorite Dessert/Sweet?
Gulab jamun and Gajar ka halwa

•What's the best feeling?
To love and be loved in return

•Who do you love most and why ?
I love my kids the most, because they are the most perfect beings in the world to me

Here is my new question: Reason(s) for you to blog?
I love blogging
Respond and rework – answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, and add one more question of your own. Then tag eight or ten other people.

So now it's time to award & tag others and I would like to share all the awards and tag with. Sireesha , Sowmya , LG, Purva , Priyanka, Usha, Asha, Sanghi and Priyaraj
Please accept the awards and ignore the tag if you have done before.


Sireesha of mom’s recipes has passed me the Scrumptious Blog Award. Thank you Sireesha!!!
It is the Scrumptious Blog Award -a blog award given to sites who:
Inspire you
Encourage You
May give Fabulous information
A great read
Has Scrumptious recipes
Any other reasons you can think of that make them Scrumptious!
The rules are:
Put the logo on your blog or post.
Nominate at least 7 blogs
Let them know that they have received this Scrumptious award by commenting on their blog.
Share the love and link to this post and to the person you received your award from.

Sireesha also passed me the Fabulous Blog award


I would like to pass this award to my following blogger friends:


I would like to send Puris to the Festive food event organized by Purva & Priti, as Puris are cooked during most festivals in many parts of India

I would like to send this recipe to Raks "Cooking for Guests" Event as I make these when guests come over and serve it with aaamras, potato masaala or chole.

I would also like to send Puris to EC’s WYF: Festive treat as Puri is a festive treat.


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