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

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

KATACHI AMTI, WHEAT PURAN POLI & RANGA PANCHAMI

WISH ONE AND ALL A HAPPY HOLI


KATACHI AMTI, WHEAT PURAN POLI & RANGA PANCHAMI

The last time I made Puran Poli was during Ganesh Chaturthi and then I had promised to share with everyone the recipe of Katachi Amti. This is a by-product of Puran poli and hence becomes as precious as the main dish. Maharashtrians make Puran poli on Holi day. I would like to share with you’ll about Holi in Maharashtra.

Holi In Maharashtra

Holi is known as Shimga or Rangpanchami in Maharashtra. People of Maharashtra have their own grand style of celebrating Holi. The day they celebrate with colors is known as Ranga Panchami and comes five days after Phalgun Poornima.

One day before Ranga Panchami, a huge bonfire is made and an effigy of Holika with child Prahlad in her lap is kept on the logs. Usually, Holika's effigy is made of combustible materials, whereas, Prahlad's effigy is made of non-combustible one. Almost 40 days before the Holi Festival. People go on throwing twigs, dried leaves, branches of trees left through the winter besides any other combustible material they can spare, on to that log which gradually grows into a sizable heap.

On the day of Holika Dahan which usually falls on the night of Phalguna Purnima, the effigy is set alight. Next morning the ashes from the bonfire are collected as prasad and smeared on the limbs of the body. If spared by the fire coconuts are also collected and eaten.

Metaphorically though, the fire is meant to signify the destruction of evil - the burning of the 'Holika' - a mythological character and the triumph of good as symbolized by Prahlad. However, the heat from the fire also depicts that winter is behind and the hot summer days are ahead.

Dhuli Vandan, is an important festival in Maharashtra and it coincides with the Holi festival. It is celebrated on the day after Holika Dahan in Phalguna month. The festival is of great importance to farmers and agriculturalists. The ashes of Holika burned on the previous night and soil are worshipped by the farmers for a good harvest. In 2009, the date of Dhulivandan is March 11.

Dhuli Vandan is observed in Maharashtra when the rest of the country plays holi with colors. Nowadays, Dhulivandan in its strict traditional sense is limited to rural areas. In cities most people play Holi with colors on the day.

Historic significance of Holi in Maharashtra

During the Maratha regime this festival was celebrated with great pomp and grandeur. It was on a Holi festival day that five-year-old Jijabhai, daughter of Lakhooji Jadhav innocently splashed coloured water and threw gulal on young Shahaji, son of Malajirao Bhowale. Taking it as an auspicious event, the two children's engagement was announced that very day. Soon they were married. Later, Jijabhai gave birth to Shivaji, the founder of great Maratha empire.

Festival and Food

Festivals are always marked with good food and Maharashtrians usually make Puran Poli Besides people drink sugarcane juice and feed children with watermelons that are in season.


KATACHI AAMTI

As promised in my previous post on Puran Poli during Ganesh Chaturthi, I am blogging here the recipe of katachi aamti. Katachi Aamti is very popular in my marital home at Pune. They love it so much that they drink little bowls(vatis) full of it. The amti has a hot-sweet taste. I don’t like the sweet taste though, so I add less jaggery, so that the jaggery just enhances the flavor but doesn’t sweeten my amti too much. Katachi Amti is prepared using the water from the chana dal that is boiled for preparing the puran. Yo’s Kaku (Father’s brother’s wife) who lives in Barshi, Solapur, prepares this with lot of enthusiasm and love. She was telling me that it is known as “yelavni” in the solapur region. I think what changes the dynamics of the taste to this amti is using chana dal water.I didn’t use goda masala in my amti as I didn’t have it and I feel that goda masala has a very strong flavor which doesn’t suit my palate too much, but the original recipe has goda masala.

Ingredients

Katache Pani – 1 and ½ cups

Mashed Chana Dal – 1 ½ tbsps

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds - 3 tsps

Cinnamon - 1 piece

Bay leaves - 2

Curry leaves -8-10

Garam Masala - 2 tsps

Goda Masala – 2 tsps (optional)

Red Chilli Powder – 2 tsps

Asafetida - a pinch

Tamarind paste - ½ tsp

Grated Jaggery – 1 tsp

Grated coconut - 3 tbsps

Salt as per taste

Coriander leaves for garnish

Oil – 1 tbsp

Method

Take 2 teaspoons of Cumin seeds and dry roast it till it crackles. Keep aside. Now dry roast 3 tablespoons of grated coconut and roast until faint pink color and aromatic. Now run both in a blender to make a fine paste. Keep aside.

In a wok, add oil, when its hot, add bay leaves, cinnamon stick, then add mustard seeds and cumin seeds, when the mustard seeds start to crackle add in the curry leaves to it, then add a pinch of asafetida, now pour the katache pani (water from the boiled chana dal), add the mashed dal, then add, red chili powder, garam masala, goda masala, tamarind, jaggery, and salt to it. Bring this to boil and then add coconut paste. Boil for some time, add water if it’s too thick. Mix well and let it boil for about 10 minutes.

Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and serve hot with puran poli.


WHEAT PURAN POLI

This is the same recipe as blogged before, the only difference being that the refined flour has been replaced with wheat flour. Wheat is a healthy option and doesn’t alter the taste too much and the Puran poli tastes yummy anyways.

Ingredients

Bengal gram (chana dal) - 2 cups,

Jaggery - 2 cups

Wheat flour -2 cups

Oil - 3 tbsp

Salt – ½ tsp

Cardamom powder -1 tsp

Nutmeg powder 1/4th tsp

Dry ginger powder(soonth) -1/4th tsp

Ghee as required

Method

Grate the jaggery, keep aside. Soak the Bengal gram for about 2-3 hours. Then add water enough to immerse the dal completely and a bit on top. Cook chana dal in a pressure cooker for 5 whistles till it turns soft. Drain out excess water until the dal is absolutely dry. You can retain this water to make Katachi Amti (I will blog this recipe later). Mash the chana dal into a paste. In a wok, Add one tablespoon of ghee, then add the cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and dry ginger powder(soonth), Now add the grated jaggery, when the grated jaggery melts, add the chana dal paste and blend both well, and cook further. You will notice that the mix has become watery, which scared me out of my wites, thinking that this attempt is going to fail too. So I urgently called my mother-in-law in Pune and asked her what to do, she said don’t worry, it is like that, “Don’t cook for too long in the wok, the chana dal paste will harden and you don’t want it to get hard. She said, immediately switch off the gas and wait for the mix to cool down, then put it in the mixie and blend twice till you see it is completely mixed up, this mix, we must add in the wok and cook it on a low flame till it comes to a dough like consistency, which happens very soon, like 2-3 minutes time. Once you see it has come to a dough like consistency put off the gas and Allow the mix to cool so you can make balls out of the mixture. Make 20 balls out of it and keep aside

Mix wheat flour, a pinch of salt, oil and water and knead the dough.

The dough will be very soft and sticky dough. Keep this aside for about half an hour till it sets. Then knead again, by punching it and folding it. You can remove all your frustrations on the dough…Imagine the joys of cooking….

Knead well and divide the dough into 20 equal portions.

With greased palms, take one portion of the dough and flatten it into a disc of the size of the palm. Place a ball of "chana jaggery" paste in the centre and fold the disc from all sides to cover the paste completely.

On a well-floured board, gently roll out each poli with the help of a rolling pin into a 6 inches disc. This can get tricky as the paste does try to slide out. Use a little flour if that happens.

Roast each poli on a hot, dry girdle.Add a teaspoon of ghee around the poli , once you see some spots on the backside flip over, you will see your Puran polis puff up. Once done, Remove on a plate. Serve hot with a dollop of ghee or a bowl of warm milk and with steaming hot Katachi Amti.


I would also like to send Wheat Puran Polis and Katachi Amti to Purva of "Purva's Dawat" for "Festive Food-Holi" event.


Wheat Puran Polis, go to Roma of "Roma's space", who is guest hosting "JFI-Wheat" this month, an event started by Indira.





I would also like to send this to PJ’s Tasty Bites for Toddlers event

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

PURAN POLI AND GANESH CHATURTHI

PURAN POLI

Starting from today is Ganesh Chaturthi also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi in the south. Its the birthday of our darling God Ganapati. Elephants are one of the most loved animals in India and all over the world. And our Lord Ganesha is half elephant and half human, so you can imagine how loved he is. Kids love this God. Lord Ganesha loves Bananas, coconuts and sweets. I was surprised to see a very big idol of Lord Ganesha at the World Trade Centre in Bangkok in Thailand and he was worshipped by the Thais with equal fervor, so is the charm of our darling Lord Ganesha.

Story of Lord Ganesha

Lord Ganesha was created by Goddess Parvati. This is a very interesting story.

According to the legend, Lord Shiva, the Hindu God of resolution, was away at a war. His wife Parvati, wanted to bathe and having no-one to guard the door to her house, conceived of the idea of creating a son who could guard her. Parvati created Ganesha out of the sandalwood paste that she used for her bath and breathed life into the figure. She then set him to stand guard at her door and instructed him not to let anyone enter.

In the meantime, Lord Shiva returned from the battle but as Ganesha did not know him, he stopped Shiva from entering Parvati's chamber. Shiva, enraged by Ganesh’s impudence, drew his sword and cut off Ganesha's head. Pavarti emerged to find Ganesha decapitated and flew into a rage. She took on the form of the Goddess Kali and threatened destruction to the three worlds of Heaven, Earth and the subterranean earth.

Seeing her in this mood, the other Gods were afraid and Shiva, in an attempt to pacify Parvati, sent out his ganas, or hordes, to bring the head of the first living being with his head towards the north (the auspicious direction associated with wisdom). The first living thing they came across was an elephant. So they brought the head of this elephant and Shiva placed it on the trunk of Parvati's son and breathed life into him. Parvati was overjoyed and embraced her son, the elephant-headed boy whom Shiva named Ganesha, the lord of his ganas. (Info courtesy – Wikipedia)

Although Lord Ganesha has been worshipped from time immemorial it was Lok Manya Bal Gangadhar Tilak who was responsible for making Ganesh utsav into a public celebration in Maharashtra for the unity of the people.

Lord Ganesha loves sweets. In South India, the main sweet-dish during the festival is modakam which is Ganesha's favorite sweet. Modakam is a steam cooked dumpling made from rice flour, stuffed with coconut and jaggery. In Maharashtra also they make the modakam the same way and it is called “Ukdiche Modak”, it is either steam cooked or deep fried.

I made Puran Poli today. Puran Poli is one of the most liked dishes of Maharashtra. I find this one of the most tedious and laborious sweet to make. Puran Poli is Yo’s favorite sweet, Yo’s mami (Mother’s brother’s wife) dishes out one of the most fantastic Puran Poli’s in this world, the Puran poli literally melts in your mouth and so does Yo’s Kaku (Father’s brother’s wife). Puran poli is such an elaborate affair in Yo’s home that I probably got a phobia to try making it. I attempted it twice after my marriage and both times it failed, so I had totally given up on it. Yo told me, “Its such a waste of money, materials and efforts and don’t try it at home…..how typically male…..ha ha ha….This time I said I will patiently follow the recipe and see if it works…..and yipppeeeeeeeeeee it did….I was so proud that I asked Yogesh to call his home at Pune and tell my in-laws that finally I made the elusive Puran Polis.

Ingredients

Bengal gram (chana dal) - 2 cups,

Jaggery - 2 cups

Refined flour (Maida) -2 cups

Oil - 3 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp

Salt – ½ tsp

Cardamom powder -1 tsp

Nutmeg powder 1/4th tsp

Dry ginger powder(soonth) -1/4th tsp

Ghee as required

Method

Grate the jaggery, keep aside. Soak the Bengal gram for about 2-3 hours. Then add water enough to immerse the dal completely and a bit on top. Cook chana dal in a pressure cooker for 5 whistles till it turns soft. Drain out excess water until the dal is absolutely dry. You can retain this water to make Katachi Amti (I will blog this recipe later). Mash the chana dal into a paste. In a wok, Add one tablespoon of ghee, then add the cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and dry ginger powder(soonth), Now add the grated jaggery, when the grated jaggery melts, add the chana dal paste and blend both well, and cook further. You will notice that the mix has become watery, which scared me out of my wits, thinking that this attempt is going to fail too. So I urgently called my mother-in-law in Pune and asked her what to do, she said don’t worry, it is like that, “ Don’t cook for too long in the wok, the chana dal paste will harden and you don’t want it to get hard. She said, immediately switch off the gas and wait for the mix to cool down, then put it in the mixie /blender and blend twice till you see it is completely mixed up, this mix, we must add in the wok and cook it on a low flame till it comes to a dough like consistency, which happens very soon, like in 2-3 minutes time. Once you see it has come to a dough like consistency put off the gas and Allow the mix to cool so you can make balls out of the mixture. Make 20 balls out of it and keep aside

Mix refined flour, turmeric powder, a pinch of salt, oil and water and knead the dough.

The dough will be very soft and sticky dough. Keep this aside for about half an hour till it sets. Then knead again, by punching it and folding it. You can remove all your frustrations on the dough…Imagine the joys of cooking….

Knead well and divide the dough into 20 equal portions.

With greased palms, take one portion of the dough and flatten it into a disc of the size of the palm. Place a ball of "chana jaggery" paste in the centre and fold the disc from all sides to cover the paste completely.

On a well-floured board, gently roll out each poli with the help of a rolling pin into a 6 inches disc. This can get tricky as the paste does try to slide out. Use a little flour if that happens.

Roast each poli on a hot, dry girdle.Add a teaspoon of ghee around the poli , once you see some spots on the backside flip over, you will see your Puran polis puff up. Once done, Remove on a plate. Serve hot with a dollop of ghee or a bowl of warm milk.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

SABUDANA VADA (Sago Vada)

My entry for the SWC -: Maharashtrian Cuisine is this;
SABUDANA VADA (Sago Vada)
Sabudana(Sago) is usually used during fasting in Maharashtra. But it wouldn’t be fair to grade it just as a fasting item. The sabudana khichdi (upma), sabudana Chiwda and the sabudana vada are special Maharashtrian delights which cannot escape any Maharashtrian kitchen.
Any dish made with sago and potatoes taste absolutely good, sago and potatoes are a very tasty and explosive combination according to me, be it the papad or this vada. I am sure your day is made, when you have this vada on a rainy day as an evening snack along with some hot tea.
Sago and potatoes when mixed together tend to absorb more oil, so after you fry it, always absorb the excess oil on a kitchen towel (tissue) and serve hot.
The sabudana vada tastes good only when served hot, as it is crispy only when hot. Once it cools down, the crispyness is lost. Do indulge in this absolutely wonderful Maharashtrian delight.
The sabudana vada is a crispy delight which is usually served with sweetened thick yogurt and green coriander chutney.
I have used the smaller sized sago in my recipe, which is easily available everywhere in Singapore, It soaks fasts and I feel we can make crispier vadas, We can do the same with the sago available in India also.(To the right is the picture of the sago vada made out of the bigger sized sago)

Ingredients
Sabudana (Sago) – 250gms
Potato - 2 medium
Green Chillies – 2-3,
Ginger - a small piece,
Peanuts -1/2 cup (Roasted and crushed coarsely)
Jeera (cumin seeds) - 1tsp.(freshly roasted)
Salt as per taste
Finely chopped coriander leaves
Oil - to deep fry
Method
Roast the peanuts and preferably remove the skin of the peanuts. If you grind the peanuts along with their skin, your vadas will be slightly reddish in color. We want our vadas to be golden in color.
Wash the sago well to remove any dirt and soak it in water. Since I have used the smaller sized sagos. I just add water to immerse the sago, the water should not be too much or else the sabudana will get mashed and the vadas wont be tasty or crispy. The soaking is one of the most crucial aspects in the making of these vadas. I usually soak for 2-3 hours, but the smaller variety of sago used by me gets soaked very fast so even half an hour is enough.
Boil the potatoes, peel and mash well. Keep aside
Grind the chillies and ginger in the mixie (alternatively you can use the ginger and green chilly paste also). Some people just add finely chopped green chillies and finely grated ginger, but I prefer to make a paste and add it to the sago mixture as the spices enter the mixture well and the vadas taste better.
Check your soaked sago after half an hour, all the water will have been absorbed by the sago, thus increasing its size and making it soft, the sago will still be separate and not get mashed. If it gets mashed your vada will be very gluey.
Now in a bowl, take your soaked sago, add the roasted and ground peanut powder, salt, Toasted cumin seeds, ginger and green chilly paste, finely chopped coriander leaves. Mix well. Check for salt and spice. If you find it less add more before you add the mashed potatoes. Once, you add the mashed potatoes everything binds well, so the salt and spices will not be evenly mixed.
In the end add the mashed potatoes and mix well. Now the mixture will bind well. Heat oil in a kadhai (wok), make balls of the mixture, flatten it on your palm and deep fry in the hot oil. Drain the excess oil in paper towels or tissues and serve hot, with thickened sweet yogurt, green coriander chutney or coconut chutney as per your choice. I am sure people will love this recipe.
Note : Some people make the Sabudana Khichdi first and then use the khichdi mixture to make the vadas. It is not necessary though. You can consider it as another method.

Thursday, August 2, 2007

SABUDANA KHICHDI / JAVIRSHI UPPUMA / SAGO KHICHDI/UPPUMA

SABUDANA KHICHDI / JAVIRSHI UPPUMA / SAGO KHICHDI/UPPUMA
SABUDANA KHICHDI as the name suggests is a khichdi made from sago. In the south we call this Javirshi Uppuma.


In Maharashtra, this dish is made for fasting. But I can say that we used to feast on this fasting dish. The texture of the sago pearls should be slightly moist and transparent. It shouldn’t be too dry and rubbery and although many people recommend cooking it in the microwave I still prefer cooking this on a slow gas for it gets cooked on steam and hence becomes light and fluffy. Traditionally in Maharashtra it is cooked using ghee, this is what my Mother-in-law says and they also use a teaspoon of sugar in their recipe. But I use oil in my recipe and only a pinch of sugar. The reason this dish is made for fasting is because it is extremely filling and doesn’t make you feel hungry fast.

We usually use the medium size sago pearls for this recipe. But recently I heard from one of my friends that she did try making the same with the small sago pearl. Please don’t try with the small pearls if you are not well versed with making this recipe.

This recipe is easy but many find it challenging. I have to thank my mother who taught me some techniques to get it perfect. I also learnt to perfect it over the years for my husband (Yo) who absolutely loves this dish. The reason many people don’t get this dish right is because they don’t soak the sago properly. Either they put too little water or too much water so either the khichdi gets too dry and chewy or mashes up into a glue like mix.

The most important thing in this dish is the soaking of the sago.

Soaking the sago overnight

I soak the sago overnight as I feel this gives full justice to the sago getting soaked and also increases the volume of the sago and hence the quantity of the final dish.  I rinse out the sago (just like we rinse out rice) and when the water is clean, I add water till it forms a thin layer above the sago. Then I cover and keep it overnight. In the morning the sago pearls have soaked and doubled up and completely soaked in the water. This sago is now ready to cook. This method does not work when we want to make sago uppuma on the same day that we soak. This only works if we have planned to make the dish for the next day. Below is the recipe with 2 -3 hours of soaking for people who want to relish it when they feel like it.

Here is the recipe of Sabudana khichdi. Enjoy it for breakfast or evening tiffin with tea or on a day when you are fasting.


Ingredients
Sago (Sabudana) – 2 cups
Potatoes – 2
Green chilies – 2-3
Ginger - 1 small piece
Peanuts roasted and powdered – ½ cup
Salt to taste
Asafetida – a pinch
Oil or Ghee – 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds – 2 tsps
Freshly chopped coriander leaves for garnishing.
Freshly grated coconut for garnishing
Lemon juice -1 teaspoon (optional)
Method
Wash the sago nicely and soak it in water for 2-3 hours. The water should be enough for the sago to immerse and a little more. (Depending on the quality, sometimes the sago needs to be soaked overnight in a little bit of water. Its best to soak the sago overnight for best results).
Add some salt to the sago and mix well and keep.
Boil the potatoes, peel and chop them into cubes.
Roast the peanuts, de-skin them and powder in a mixie. (It’s best to use freshly roasted and ground peanuts for the fresh taste). If you are allergic to peanuts or don’t like peanuts you can avoid this in the recipe. The peanuts powder is used to separate the sago.
Make a paste of the green chillies and ginger in the mixer/ blender.
In a pan, Heat oil or ghee, Add cumin seeds and asafetida, once the cumin starts to fry, add the green chillies and ginger paste and allow it to fry for a minute or two. Then add the boiled and chopped potatoes and let it mix well with the masala. Add some salt so that the potatoes also catch some salt, mix well and allow it to fry for 2-3 minutes. Incase you are avoiding peanuts, then allow the potatoes to get cooked for a while longer (about 4-5 minutes). Keep the gas on a low flame. Now add sago and stir. Cook uncovered for some time and keep mixing so that sago will not stick to the bottom. Cover with a lid and let it rest for 2-3 minutes. Now uncover and add the peanuts powder and mix well.
Cover the pan and keep for 1-2 minutes. The gas should be on a low flame. When you open the lid you will see that the sago is nice and transparent, that means it’s done. Remove from flame. Keep covered for 5-7 minutes before you serve, so that everything gets cooked in steam.
Serve hot garnished with coconut and coriander leaves and lemon juice.

Note: The Peanuts powder and potato help in separating the sago.

Variation:
-You can add finely chopped green chillies and grated ginger instead of making a paste.
-You can add grated boiled potato instead of the chopped one.

Tip:
-You can add the peanut powder and salt to the soaked Sago before putting it in the pan for cooking.
-While making the khichdi, do not keep the pan covered for more than 1-2 minutes, else the sago will mesh together to form small elastic balls. Sago cooks very fast especially if we have soaked it overnight. You can’t leave this dish unattended.
-Khichdi tastes excellent if tossed continuously while cooking.

 

Monday, July 2, 2007

BATATA VADA (Potato Vada) AND VADA PAV (Pav Stuffed With Potato Vada)

BATATA VADA
Batata Vada is made in different states of India, but nothing can beat the authentic taste of batata vada’s made in Maharashtra. In south, the batata vadas is known as Uralakazhangu Bonda in Tamil or (Potato bonda). The recipe varies slightly in the south from the Bombay recipe. I think any person who comes to Bombay from any part of the world, will be totally hooked to the Vada-Pav (which is a Bombay dish or rather we can say a Bombay street food). The Vada Pav is nothing but A pav (bun) stuffed with chutneys and batata vada) Its very tasty and filling. Its something that is totally irresistible. Usually garlic is added in the batata vada, but my recipe is without garlic, but if you like the flavor of garlic, you can always add some garlic and make a paste along with the ginger and green-chilly. Here is the recipe of the Batata vada, Vada Pav and Vada Pav my style. Do try this yummy dish out.

Ingredients
Potatoes - 6-8

Green chilies – 4-5
Ginger - 1 small piece
Finely chopped Coriander leaves
Gram Flour (Besan) – 2 cups
Turmeric powder – 1tsp
Red chilly powder – 1tsp
Oil for frying,
Asafetida – 2 pinches
Salt as per taste
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon

Method
Boil the potatoes, Peel and mash the potatoes with your hands. It should be mashed in such a way that its slightly chunky and not completely mashed. Keep Aside.
Grind ginger and green chilies together into a paste. Keep aside.
In a Kadhai (wok), take 1 tbsp oil, add mustard seeds and when they begin to crackle, add the cumin seeds and the ginger - green chili paste, a pinch of asafetida, now add t
he mashed potatoes, add turmeric powder, salt according to taste and mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves. Check for salt. If the taste is okay keep aside. Allow to cool down. Once the mixture has cooled down, make balls of the mixture and keep aside.
In a
separate bowl, take the gram flour, add salt, red chilly powder and a pinch of asafetida and mix well. Add water and mix, there shouldn’t be any lumps in the mixture.The batter should be in the consistency of the dosa batter (not too watery or too thick.). To test take some batter in a spoon and drop it inside the batter. It should flow like a ribbon inside the batter.
Now in a Kadhai (wok), heat some oil. To check if oil is properly heated, drop some batter in the oil. If the batter immediately turns soild and float on the surface of the oil, the oil is ready. The oil should not be too hot, else the vadas will become dark from the outside before they are actually done from the inside.
Now dip each ball in the batter, letting the ex
cess batter drip off and slowly add to the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the kadhai, else the temperature of the oil reduces which in turn slows down the frying process. Deep fry all the vadas until golden in color. Remove on a paper towel and drain. Your Batata Vadas are ready.

VADA PAV
P
av is a freshly baked bun. If pav is no available, you can use any other unsweetened bun or even bread. We use freshly baked French loaves in Singapore, as we don’t get unsweetened pavs. Cut the French loaf into equal pieces and then split them in the middle. Now add Coriander chutney, Dry Lasoon chutney, sweet tamarind chutney and freshly chopped onions if you like. Place the Vada inside and serve hot.

VADA PAV my style*****

With the left over gram flour batter, I usually drop boondis in the hot oil, through a spoon with holes in it. I get fresh, crispy boondis. I also fry green chillies in the oil and keep aside the fried green chillies mixed with some salt. Split open the pav, Add the chutneys of your choice, finely chopped onions, a pinch of chaat masala, the freshly fried boondis and then place the vada, close the pav and indulge in this tongue tickling Vada pao with a bite of the fried chillies.

What more can a person ask on a rainy day or any day for that matter. Vada-pao is like a complete meal.

(Refer to the Chutneys and Sauces section of my blog for the recipes of Coriander chutney, Dry Lasoon Chutney and Sweet Tamarind Chutney)

Thursday, February 15, 2007

MASALA BHAAT (Spicy Rice)

MASALA RICE (MASALE BHAAT)
This is a spicy rice, a Maharashtrian speciality usually prepared for special occasions like weddings and festivals. You can use the vegetables you usually use for Pulao, but The Masala Bhaat has a twist as the Maharashtrians use Tondli (Gherkins) and Brinjals in the recipe.

Ingredients
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Onion – 1 big size Onion, Chopped vertically into thin strips.
Carrots peeled and slit vertically – ¼ cup
Green peas - 1/4 cup
Tondli (Gherkins) slit vertically – 6-7
Brinjal slit vertically – 1 brinjal
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Maharashtrian goda masala or garam masala powder or another option would be to add the Everest Shahi Pulao/ Biryani Masala - 2 teaspoons
Turmeric powder - 2 teaspoon
Asafetida - 1/2 teaspoon
Cinnamon sticks - 2
Cloves – 2-3
Bay leaves - 3-4
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Salt as per taste
Home made Ghee- 2 teaspoon
Oil – 4-5 tbsps

For the Freshly grounded masala
Freshly grated coconut - 1/4 cup
Red chilies – 2-3
Coriander seeds - 2 teaspoons
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Take some oil in a kadhai and Add the red chillies, Coriander seeds and Cumin seeds, when they start to fry, add the coconut and roast till the coconut starts to give a lovely aroma. Allow the masala to cool and then grind in a mixie. Keep aside.

For Garnishing
Finely chopped coriander leaves
Cashewnuts – a tbsp (optional), fry in ghee
Freshly grated coconut – 1 tbsp

Method
Wash the Basmati rice and drain. Let it soak for around half an hour. In a kadhai (Wok), add 4-5 tbsps of oil. Once the oil is hot, Add the Cinnamon sticks, Cloves, Cumin seeds and Bay leaves and fry. Now add the chopped Onions and when it becomes transparent Add the chopped Gherkins, Let it fry for 2-3 minutes till you see the gherkins kind of half cooked, gherkins take time to cook. Now add the remaining vegetables without any water. And stir fry. Add turmeric powder, asafetida and the curry leaves and fry. Till you see the vegetables half cooked. Now drain the rice well and add the rice to the kadhai and mix well with the vegetables. Fry the raw soaked basmati rice and vegetables for some time on a medium heat. Now add the Freshly grounded masala(as above), goda masala / garam masala / Everest Shahi Pulao/ Biryani Masala, Salt and mix well. Allow it all to fry for sometime. After 3-4 minutes, add water, the water should be just enough to soak the rice and a little above it. If you add too much water, the rice will get mashed. Mix well. Cover and cook on a low flame. After 5-7 miutes, check, Mix well again (so that the masala gets mixed well with the rice and cover and cook for a while till the rice gets cooked. Once the rice is cooked, close the wok with a lid and keep for another 10 minutes so that everything gets cooked on steam. Garnish with cashewnuts fried in ghee, freshly grated coconut and coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Wednesday, July 5, 2006

BATATYACHE KAAP (Spiced Potato Slices )

BATATYACHE KAAP (Spiced Potato Slices )
Ingredients
Potatoes – 2-3
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Chili powder – ½ tsp
Asafetida - ½ tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil – 1 tbsp

Method
Peel and slice the potatoes into thin round slices. Keep the slices soaked in water.
In a Kadhai (wok), Pour some oil. Add Coriander powder, Cumin powder, Turmeric powder, asafetida, chili powder and salt. Just fry for a minute or two and then Add the peeled and sliced potatoes and mix well. Don’t close the Kadhai with a lid, but allow it to cook open. Since the potatoes are sliced they will get cooked very fast and the Masala will coat the potatoes well. Turn heat to medium. Flip over slices once the bottom side is crisp and golden brown. Pour oil little by little if desired. Fry the other side. Check if it is done. The potatoes will get fried and coated with the masala and will be nice and crispy. Remove from the heat and serve with Rice and dal. If you want to eat it with Chappati don’t make it too crisp. Let it be soft so it can be had with Chappati.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

BATATA- KANDA POHE

BATATA- KANDA POHE
Ingredients
Poha (Beaten Rice) - 2 cups
Potatoes - 1
Onions - 1
Green Chillies – 2-3
Ginger grated – 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds – ¼ tsp
Cumin Seeds – ¼ tsp
Oil – 4 tbsps
Asafetida – a pinch
1 pinch Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Curry leaves (Optional)
Coriander leaves for garnish
Some Sev for garnish
Freshly grated Coconut for garnish

Method
Wash the Poha in a colander and let the water run through. All the water will get drained via the holes in the colander. This is to clean the Poha. No need to soak the Poha as it will get mashed. Keep the wet poha aside for a while.

Peel and chop potatoes into small pieces. Finely chop the onions and the chillies.

In a kadhai (wok). Take 4 tbsps of oil, Add the mustard seeds and when it begins to crackle, Add the cumin seeds, Add asafetida and then the green chillies, let the chillies fry nicely. You can add curry leaves if you like. Now add the Onions and when they become transparent, Add in the potatoes, Add turmeric and salt. Mix well and cook covered till the potatoes are done. Once the potatoes are done. Add the Poha. Mix well. Check for salt. If more salt is reuired add the salt. Mix well. Keep the gas on a low flame and cook covered for about 2 minutes. Remove the lid and mix well once more. Add the Coriander leaves. Switch off the gas and keep covered for 2-3 minutes before serving.

Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves, fresh coconut shreddings and sev. People who like a dash of lemon can always squeeze some in their portion and have the poha hot.

Variations: You can add peanuts, the peanuts must be fried in the oil first and kept separate and added later when you add the Poha to the onions and potatoes.

You can add tomato to the dish.1 tomato finely chopped can be fried once the onions become transparent and proceed with the above method.

You can also add green peas, When you add the potato, at that stage you can add a tbsp of green peas and allow to cook along with the potato and proceed with the above method.

Do try this authentic Maharashtrian Breakfast recipe.

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

KAANDA-TOMATO KOSHIMBIR (Onion – Tomato Salad)

KAANDA-TOMATO KOSHIMBIR (Onion – Tomato Salad)
The Koshimbir or salad is usually part of a good wholesome meal. It healthy and nutritious and even Maharastrian wedding feasts are considered incomplete without them. Here’s the recipe of the Kaanda Tomato Koshimbir the way my mother-in-law makes when she is in a rush and there isn’t much time, so she rustles up this Koshimbir quickly. According to her minus the sugar the authentic tastes will never be arrived at, but for those who don’t like sugar in their food can avoid it.
Ingredients
1 medium sized ripe tomato,
1 small onion,
2 green chilies
coriander leaves,
salt,
and sugar (optional),

Method
Chop tomato, onion and chilies finely. Add salt, sugar and mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves. Chill and serve.

Variation to the Koshimbir
1. One variation could be to peel and finely chop 1 small cucumber (kakdi) and add to the Koshimbir.

2. You can add 1-2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lime juice into the Koshimbir.

3. You can sprinkle 1/2 a teaspoon of some freshly grounded black pepper powder.

4. You can add red chilly powder instead of green chillies.

5. If you have more time, you can add a tablespoon of Peanut powder, which adds a very Marathi touch to the koshimbir

6. If you want to make it more fancy you can add around 2 teaspoons of freshly grated coconut. (This gives a Konkan touch to the Koshimbir)

These are some variations that you can try with this lovely healthy salad. Remember always chill and serve.

Thursday, August 4, 2005

RASSYACHA BATATA – POTATO CURRY IN GRAVY

RASSYACHA BATATA – POTATO CURRY IN GRAVY
Ingredients
Medium sized potatoes - 4 -5
Onions - 2
Tomatoes – 2
Green chilies - 4-5 or Red chilly powder – 1tsp
A pinch of asafoetida,
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Cumin seeds -1 tsp
Salt as per taste
Kala Thikkat (Black Maharashtrian masala) or Garam masala – 1 tsp
Oil – 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves for Garnish

Method
Chop the onions and tomatoes finely and keep aside. Peel and chop the potatoes into cubes, let it not be too fine as it will get dissolved while cooking. Chop finely the green chillies or alternatively you can use red chilly powder. I prefer to use red chilly powder as it gives a nice red color to the gravy.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, and when they start to crackle add cumin seeds, asafetida, red chilly powder and kala thikkat (garam masala). Let it fry. Add the finely chopped onions, when the onions becomes transparent Add chopped tomatoes. Mix well. Fry for a while and then Add the chooped potatoes. Add some salt and stir fry, so that the potatoes get coated with the masala. Then add 1 cup water. Stir and bring it to a boil. Keep covered for a while, so the potato can cook fast. Remove the lid. Check if the potatoes are done. If you feel the gravy is less. Add some more water and mix well and allow it to boil for a while. Remove from fire and Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with chapati or rice.

Variation: You can add chopped ginger and garlic for a different taste.

Thursday, May 19, 2005

ZUNKA

ZUNKA
Zunka is very similar to the Pitla. It is a drier version of the Pitla. Usually more oil is used for the Zunka as you need to cook it into a dry vegetable like consistency unlike the Pitla. This cant be mixed with rice but it has to be had with Chappati or Bhakri. You can add vegetables like Capsicum, Methi, Cabbage, Bottle gourd (Doodhi) etc to enhance the nutritive value of the Zunka.

Ingredients
Besan (Gram flour) – 1 cup
Onion - 1 finely chopped
Green Chillies – 2 finely chopped
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida – a pinch
Salt to taste
Curry leaves - 1 sprig (optional)
Coriander leaves for garnish

Oil – 2-3 tbsps

Method
Fry the besan in a little oil till it turns light brown. It should loose its raw smell. Keep aside.

Heat some oil and add the mustard seeds, once it starts to crackle, add the onions and fry till the onion becomes transparent and nicely fried. Add the curry leaves and fry for a minute.

In a bowl, Take the Besan, turmeric powder, red chili powder, asafoetida and salt and mix it with water, to form a batter with a liquid consistency. This is a sure shot method of preparing a successful Zunka for beginners according to my mother-in-law. As when you make a batter, there won’t be lumps and it will be easier to handle the cooking. Once it simmers. Keep the gas on a low flame and allow the water to evaporate. Keep stirring rapidly so that the besan doesn’t stick to the pan. The mixture will start to separate and loose its water content and become dry. At this point Garnish with coriander leaves and stir for a minute or two.

The Zunka is usually served hot with Bhakris or chappatis (known also as Polis). On the right is one Happy meal that can please my husband YO, A hardcore Maharashtrian anytime.

VARIATIONS TO THE ZUNKA
This type of Zunka made with vegetables is called as Pith perleli Bhaji (Vegetable rolled in Flour).

METHI ZUNKA
You can take a cup of fresh Fenugreek (Methi) leaves or if you cant get fresh methi leaves You can alternatively use Kasoori Methi. To use Kasoori Methi, Take 2 tbsps of kasoori methi in a bowl, add a pinch of salt and add warm water and let it soak for 5-10 minutes. Then drain the water, The methi will be soft like fresh methi leaves now. After you add the onions and stir fry for a while, add the Kasoori methi or Fresh methi and stir fry. You will get lovely aroma of the methi. Follow the above method of the Zunka and serve hot with Bhakri or Chappati.

SPRING ONIONS ZUNKA
Take one cup of Spring onions (Pathi che Kande). When you are using Spring Onions, use the onions as well as the green leaves of the onions. Remove the skin and chop the spring onions into fine pieces and fry with the onions. The leaves of the spring onions must be washed thoroughly and chopped into fine pieces and used in the Zunka. Once the onions are fried, Add the finely chopped leaves of the spring onions and stir fry. And then follow the above method.

CAPSICUM ZUNKA
Take one cup of finely chopped Capsicum. Once the onions are transparent. Add the Capsicum and stir fry and follow the above method.

The change in the cooking comes when we use Cabbage(kobi), Bottle Gourd (Doodhi Bhopla).

Do also try my own innovative recipes of using Ridge Gourd(Dodka) and Raw Papaya Zunka.

CABBAGE ZUNKA
Take one cup of Shredded Cabbage.
Heat oil, then temper with mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Saute the onions, then add turmeric, chilli powder, cumin and coriander powder and salt and stir for a few seconds. Add the cabbage and stir fry. Cover with a lid and allow to cook for 5-7 minutes till the cabbage is tender. Cabbage cooks very fast. At this point, Add in the Besan and mix well. Saute gently on medium heat. The flour will absorb the Cabbage juice and cook. Do not add any extra water! Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

BOTTLE GOURD ZUNKA
Take one cup of peeled and grated Bottle gourd (Doodhi Bhopla) (dont grate very finely, use the grater with big holes, so u get thicker grates).and follow the method as in Cabbage Zunka. Allow the Besan to cook in the vegetable juice and cook. Do not add any extra water! Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

RIDGE GOURD ZUNKA*****
Take one cup of peeled and grated Ridge Gourd (Dodka) (dont grate very finely, use the grater with big holes, so u get thicker grates).and follow the method as in Cabbage Zunka. Allow the Besan to cook in the vegetable juice and cook. Do not add any extra water! Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

RAW PAPAYA ZUNKA*******
Take one cup of peeled and grated Raw Papaya (dont grate very finely, use the grater with big holes, so u get thicker grates).and follow the method as in Cabbage Zunka. Allow the Besan to cook in the vegetable juice and cook. Do not add any extra water! Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Please do try the Ridge Gourd and Raw Papaya Zunka. The Raw Papaya Zunka tastes absolutely divine. The taste compares to no other recipe.

Its my own innovative trial and I am sure you’ll will enjoy it too. Please do try the recipesand let me know.

Sunday, March 13, 2005

LASOON MIRCHI CHA THECHA (Crushed Garlic and Green Chillies)

LASOON MIRCHI CHA THECHA (Crushed Garlic and Green Chillies)
My husband Yo’s aunt who resides in Barshi, taught me this recipe. Here is Savita Kaku’s recipe. She is one of the greatest connoisseurs of food I ever know. She cooks and explains everything with so much passion, that anyone would want to learn from her.

Ingredients
Green Chillies – 10-12
Garlic Flakes – 4-5
Salt to taste
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Oil - 1-2 tsps

Method
In a small pan, heat oil, Add the green chillies and garlic flakes and fry till you see the skin of the chilly getting lighter in color and the garlic getting fried. The raw smell of the garlic should be completely gone.
Pound the fried green chillies and garlic along with some salt in a motar with a pestle. (known as Khalbhatta in Marathi). Transfer to a small bowl. Your thecha is ready to be eaten with Bhakri or Chappati. You can fry some cumin seeds and add to the Thecha to enhance the flavor.

Note: Since you are handling chillies, be careful as to not touch your eyes or face. Be careful while pounding. Maintain a distance.

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