CHEEDAI (SEEDAI)

CHEEDAI (SEEDAI)
Ingredients
Rice flour-500gms
Udad flour - 2 tbsps
Butter – 2 tbsps
Asafetida – a pinch
Salt as per taste
Sesame seeds - 4 tsp,
grated coconut - 1 cup (optional)
Oil for frying.

Method
Slightly roast the rice flour in a kadhai(wok). The raw smell must go, Now allow the flour to cool down and add the other ingredients and mix well. Add a little water and knead the flour to the consistency that it can be rolled into balls. Make very small balls using this flour. Deep fry the balls in oil on a low flame. Crispy cheedais will be ready for your snack time. Cheedai is also made during Gokulashtami. You can store the cheedais in an airtight container and enjoy it for a few days.

Note : Adding grated coconut is optional. If you add grated coconut you must finish the cheedai fast but, it’s a bad idea if you intend to store it for a while because the cheedais will soon acquire the flavor of the stale coconut.

RAHU KAALAM, YAMA GANDA KAALAM & GULIKA KAALAM, LIGHTING LEMON LAMPS

RAHU KAALAM, YAMA GANDA KAALAM & GULIKA KAALAM, LIGHTING LEMON LAMPS

RAHU KAALAMMy mother used to follow the Rahu Kalam whenever anything important was done. The way she used to calculate was very funny as there is a formula for it and mind you that’s in English, it goes like this “ Mother Saw Father Wearing the Turban On Sunday”. Here Mother stands for Monday and the time starts with 7.30 in the morning and the beginning of each alphabet in the formula stands for that day of the week.

MOTHER	MONDAY	7.30AM TO 9.00 AM
SAW	SATURDAY	9.00 AM TO 10.30 AM
FATHER	FRIDAY	10.30 AM TO 12.00 hr
WEARING	WEDNESDAY	12.00 hr TO 1.30 PM
THE	THURSDAY	1.30 PM TO 3.00 PM
TURBAN on	TUESDAY	3.00 PM TO 4.30 PM
SUNDAY	SUNDAY	4.30 PM TO 6.00 PM

The Rahu Kalam is very important in Southern Part's of India. The rising period of Rahu is considered inauspicious in the South as he is considered a malefic for auspicious functions. It Varies from Place to Place, changing every day it is based on Sunrise and Sunset at your place. The time of Rahus rising differ on various days of the week.
1/8th part of each day is termed as the Rahu Kalam (The period of the north node). This part of the day is most inauspicious and should be avoided for all important activities.

Do not sign any major documents or start a new enterprise in this period. The total time of the period of rahu kalam is one and a half hours. This period will vary with different latitudes by a few minutes. For all practical purposes, it starts at 7.30 am on Monday, at 9.00 am on Saturday, but the excact time of Rahu kalam is to be calculated from the times of Sun rise and the sun set, divided by 8. The time duration of one and a half hours for every rahu kalam duration is based on the earliest division of the zodiac and the day into 16 instead of 12 as at present. In the DEVIMANA (ASHTHANGA) CALENDAR (prevalent even today for certain Devi Poojas) there are 16 months in a calendar year and 36 days in a month, 4 weeks of nine days each in every month.

Based on 24 hour clock.

DAY RAHU KAALAM

MONDAY 07.30 AM – 9.00AM

TUESDAY 15.00 PM – 16.30 PM

WEDNESDAY 12.00 PM – 13.30 PM

THURSDAY 13.30 PM – 15.00 PM

FRIDAY 10.30 AM – 12.00 PM

SATURDAY 09.00 AM – 10.30 AM

SUNDAY 16.30 PM – 18.00 PM

PRAYING TO DURGA DURING RAHU KAALAM BY LIGHTING A LEMON LAMP IS VERY EFFECTIVE
Although Rahu kaalam period is considered inauspicious, it is considered auspicious to pray during this time.
It is considered auspicious to light a lemon lamp to Goddess Durga on Tuesdays or Fridays during the rahu kaalam period. It is believed that Goddess Durga fulfills the desires of women.
Goddess Durga is known for protecting girls and women, she is Shakti. The word Shakti in Sanskrit means “ Sacred feminine force”. She is known as Jagatmata (Mother of the World). It is considered very auspicious to pray her.
Women who desire to get married, who desire for a child, women who pray for a happy married life and a long life for their husbands, pray to the Goddess Durga by lighting a lemon lamp during the rahu kaalam period on Tuesdays or Fridays which are believed to be the days of the Devi.
It’s also said that there is a delay in the marriage of many girls as they might have a Rahu dosha. So during Rahu kaalam elders advice to keep the lemon lamp and pray. It is a very effective parihaaram and has worked for many a people. Prayers, I believe have a deep psychological effect of human minds. In the yesteryears when elders gave certain advices to do certain things for God it was also a way of making the person think positive and feel hopeful for happy days to come in their life thereby having a psychologically healing effect on people who are depressed or thinking negatively or facing sadness or grief in their lives. Isn’t lighting a lemon lamp for the Goddess and thereby making time for prayers in our life better than visiting a psychiatrist and taking anti depressant drugs which keep you lethargic through the day.

How do we light the lemon lamp?
Step 1: It is believed that 3 Ripe yellow lemons have to be taken and cut into equal halves. When you cut 3 lemons, you get 6 pieces(6 halves), one is offered to Ganapati(Lord Ganesh) who had been given the boon by Goddess Parvati (Shakti and Durga are the forms of Goddess Parvati) that he will always get the privilege of being worshipped first before any Gods and Goddesses. So one piece of the lemon lamp is offered to Lord Ganesha and the remaining 5 pieces to Goddess Durga. We must remember that the number of lemon lamps lit for the Devi have to be always Odd Numbers, so 1, 3 5, 7 or 11 as per how you pray to the Goddess.

Step 2: The juice of the lemon has to be squeezed.

Note: The juice of the lemons cannot be consumed before lighting the lamp for the devi as it will be considered as leftover(“echhal” as they say in Tamil or “jhoota” as they say in Hindi). In some temples they have a vessel where in you can squeeze the lemon, incase you wan to squeeze the lemons at home and take you can keep the lemon juice in a vessel and after you light the lamp at the temple you can do Neivedyam (offer to God and take like Prasad) and consume the juice or make lemon sherbet out of it.

Step 3 : Scoop out everything inside the lemon, and turn it inside out, so it becomes like a cup. If its very wet wipe it with a tissue, otherwise it’s okay, now introduce a thread or a wicker or a ball of cotton shaped with a wicker on top and fill the lemon with ghee

Step 4: Apply some manjal (turmeric) and kumkumam (kumkum) on both sides of the lemon. Light the lamp, praying to the Goddess simultaneously requesting her to fulfill your wishes. Place the lemon lamp at the place allotted for keeping lemon lamps in the temple and bow to the Goddess.

 

Apply the kumkumam offered usually in the Durga temples to your forehead. For married ladies, they must apply the kumkumam to their foreheads, to the beginning of the partition of the hair above the forehead and to the Thali (Thirmangalyam/ Mangalyam/Mangalsutra). This is done as an indication that Goddess Durga will protect their married life and the life of her husband.

This is done to ward off the malefic effects of Rahu.

Rahu's chief deity is Durga (Who is another form of Parvati).

Goddess Durga is the ugra avatar of Goddess Parvati.

When you pray to Goddess Durga, who is the presiding deity of Rahu, Rahu will be pleased and the malefic effects will be reduced.

It’s ideal to light the lemon lamp for the Devi during Rahu Kaalam.

If you cant light that in Rahu kalam, doing in Pradosha kaalam is also good. This is quite important and more powerful.

Nitya Pradosha Kaalam: One and a half hours before dusk and half an hour thereafter; assuming a 6 p.m. sunset, this would be between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. everyday.

KALAHASTI
Kalahasti, is a small town in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, It has the famous Siva temple kalahastiswara. In Kalahasti a special puja to Rahu / ketu the nodes will be performed for people with Rahu / ketu dosham in their horoscopes. You can go to Tirupati and from there take a bus and almost all the trains to Tirupati stop in Kalahasti. Kalahasti is the Pancha bhootha sthalam and Lord Shiva is residing there in the form of air or wind. This is why even now you can see in the moola sthaanam 2 deepams will be lighted and 1 will always be flickering in the presence of wind (God) while the other stays still. It is also a dosha nivarthi sthala.(where u can get rid of your doshas(wrongs)) There are never ending miracles of this temple.

YAMAGANDA KAALAM
This time period is usually avoided for auspicious activities. Yamaganda is the son of Guru and he is also considered inauspicious and his rising period starts from Thursday, from 6.00 a.m. to 7.30 a.m. and going backwards i.e. on Wednesday 7.30 a.m. to 9.00 a.m. etc.

DAY YAMAKANDA KAALAM

MONDAY 10.30 AM - 12.00 PM

TUESDAY 9.00 AM - 10.30 AM

WEDNESDAY 7.30 AM - 9.00 AM

THURSDAY 6.00 AM - 7.30 AM

FRIDAY 15.00 PM - 16.30 PM

SATURDAY 13.30 PM - 15.00 PM

SUNDAY 12.00 PM - 13.30 PM

GULIKA KAALAM
Gulika is also called Mandi (i. e. the son of Manda alias Shani). His rising period is also not auspicious. Not only that, the raashi where he stands is not also used for auspicious functions. He rises twice a day. Once in day and other at night. However, inauspicious time is given 1 hours every day, starting from Saturday (Being son of Saturn) 6.00 a.m. to 7.30 a.m. and going backwards i.e. Friday, 7.30 to 9.00 a.m., and Thursday 9.00 a.m. to 10.30 Yamaganda Kalam

DAY GULIKA KAALAM

SUNDAY 15.00 PM TO 16.30 PM

MONDAY 13.30 PM TO 15.00 PM

TUESDAY 12.00 PM TO 13.30 PM

WEDNESDAY 10.30 AM TO 12.00 PM

THURSDAY 9.00 AM TO 10.30 AM

FRIDAY 7.30 AM TO 9.00 AM

SATURDAY 6.00 AM TO 7.30 AM

The Rahu, Gulika and Yamaganda are not considered in Maharashtra and other Northern states of India.
These things are totally based on personal beliefs and need not be strictly followed unless you are going to have some major event or activity in your life like signing a contract etc.
I hope this information proves useful to you. I have assimilated this info for educational purposes only, so that all are aware of this. I am not an expert and wouldnt be able to guide or help anyone as far as this is related.

BHAKRI - Roti using Bajra flour

BHAKRI
Bhakri - A roti made out of Bajra is very simple and easy to make, it is usually made with the hand and you don’t use a rolling pin and base as is used in normal rotis. Bajra is very good for health. It is usually eaten during winters as it is heaty and provides warmth to the body. Bajra should be freshly ground. If the Bajra flour is very old the rotis won’t be so tasty and they may feel bitter. Traditionally, the bhakri is made on mud tavas (flat bottomed pans made of mud), the experts can make big size bhakris in minutes, but for beginners try starting with smaller size bhakris. The dough is not as smooth as the chappati dough as the gluten content is low in bajra. Making Bhakri is a little tricky for beginners, but with practice it gets better. Bhakri is very heavy and a person can eat just one or two.

Ingredients
Bajra Flour – 2 cups
Salt to taste
Water to make the dough

Method
If the flour is fresh no need to use salt also in the dough, but if you cant get the fresh flour, we need to enhance the taste by using salt. Since this roti doesn’t use salt or oil in the dough, it is considered very healthy.

In a bowl take 2 cups of bajra flour, salt as per taste and water enough to make the dough. Now make balls of the dough and using your palms flatten the dough. Use your fingers and start spreading it on your palm. Once you cross the size of your palm, Heat a tava, put the bhakri on the tava and using water spread the dough some more and try to make the bhakri bigger. Now make your palm wet and smear the top with a little water. Sprinkle water on all sides. Allow it to cook on one side, then turn it and cook it on the other side. Then with tongs cook on both sides on direct flame. When the Bhakri gets brown spots on both sides like chappati. It is done. Serve hot with lasoon chutney and a dollop of fresh white butter. Bhakri is best eaten with Zunka and Pitla. It also tastes good with Methi bhaji and Rassyacha Batata.

(Refer to the Maharashtrain Delights section of my blog for the recipes of Zunka, Pitla, Rassyacha Batata and Mirchi cha Thecha)

My husband loves to eat his bhakri with Zunka and Mirchi cha Thecha.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF EATING FRUITS

HEALTH BENEFITS OF EATING FRUITS

Kiwi : Tiny but mighty

This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, Vitamin E & fibre. It’s Vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.


Apple : An apple a day keeps the doctor away?

Although an apple has a low Vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of Vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attach & stroke.

Strawberry : Protective Fruit

Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer causing, blood vessels clogging free radicals.

Orange : Sweetest medicine

Taking 2 –4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessen the risk of colon cancer.

Watermelon : Coolest Thirst Quencher

Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene – the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are Vitamin C & Potassium.

Guava & Papaya : Top awards for Vitamin C

They are the clear winners for their high Vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fibre which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene, this is good for your eyes.

SHAHI TUKDA (Double ka Meetha) - An Indian bread pudding

SHAHI TUKDA
Here is the recipe for Shahi Tukda, Shahi tukda is also known as "Double ka Meetha" in Hyderabad. Its basically a bread pudding. Very easy to make and totally shahi(royal), your guests will surely be impressed with your culinary skills, not knowing how easy it is to make this.

Shahi Tukda A very exotic and delicious Mughlai dessert, Shahi Tukda was a part of the royal Dastarkhan of the Mughals. Shahi Tukda is sliced bread, dipped into a gravy of treacle (sugar gravy), cream and saffron (optional).

There are 2 ways of preparing this.

1. Sugar syrup method
Recipe Ingredients-
½ cup ghee
3 cups cream of milk
3 tbsp almonds chopped
10 sliced bread
300 grams sugar
5 drops rose water
1 cup water
How To Prepare : To prepare the syrup, boil water and 100 grams of sugar together until the quantity is half. Cool it and add rose water. Keep aside.
Cut broad finger slices of the bread and deep fry them with ghee. Immediately dunk them into sugar syrup. In another pan, warm the cream gently and stir in the rest of the sugar until it is fully dissolved. Keep aside for cooling.
While serving, pour the cream over the bread slices dunked in syrup and garnish with almonds.
Another way of making this,
Boil milk, To this add sugar, cardamom powder, saffron and condensed milk, cook this milk on a low flame for 20-25 minutes till it thickens a bit.
Allow it to come to room temperature, then soak the fried bread slices in this mixture and refrigerate it. Garnish it with silver leaf and nutes, especially pistachio, green sliced pistachio looks very good as a dressing for this desert and compliments it well.
You can try whichever method is suitable to you, it tastes excellent prepared any ways.
So tantalize your taste buds.... Do try this recipe and see the reaction on the faces of your guests when you say you have prepared Shahi Tukda for dessert....they sure will be impressed.
Tip : You can use leftover bread, dont use past expiry date though.

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.

HIRVYA MIRCHI CHA THECHA (Crushed Green Chillies)

HIRVYA MIRCHI CHA THECHA (Crushed Green Chillies)
Being married to a Maharashtrian who hails from Sholapur which is known for its spicy food introduced me to their most spicy Hirvya Mirchi cha thecha.

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

Method
Pound the green chillies along with some salt in a motar with a pestle.(known as Khalbhatta in Marathi). In a small pan, heat oil, add the cumin seeds when they start to fry, add the pounded Chillies and fry till you see the skin of the chilly getting lighter in color. Transfer to a small bowl. Your thecha is ready to be eaten with Bhakri or Chappati.

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

JUNNU / KARVACH

JUNNU – AN ANDHRA SPECIALITY / KARVACH - MAHARASHTRA
Junnu is a delicacy enjoyed by the people from Andhra Pradesh. It is known as Karvach in Maharashtra. Junnu/ Karvach is usually prepared with the first milk obtained from the cow after it delivers the calf. Since everyone can’t get this milk, especially people living abroad and in big cities, there is another recipe using China Grass for preparing this dessert so you don’t miss out on the delicacy.

Ingredients
China Grass (Agar Agar) - 10 grams
Milk - 1 Litre
Sugar – 1 ½ cups
Cardmom powder – 1tsp
Coarsely Ground Pepper powder – 1tsp (optional)
Seasonal fruits can be used for decoration

Method
The china grass should be first washed well in a colander to remove traces of any preservatives.
In a saucepan, Add one litre milk and allow to boil. When milk starts boiling, Add the china grass. The China grass melts in the boiling milk in 4 to 5 minutes. Now add the sugar and stir constantly. Once the sugar and china grass have blended with the milk, Add the cardamom power and coarsely ground pepper. Stir well for a few seconds and switch off the gas. Allow the mixture to cool a little.
You can just pour onto a plate and cool in the refrigerator (DO NOT PLACE IN DEEP FREEZER) for about an hour and cut it into squares or diamonds after it becomes solid and enjoy. This tastes exactly like Junnu / Karvach.

Serving Instructions
Pour the mixture into small ice cream cups or glass bowls.
Top it up with seasonal fruits. Place the cups/bowls in the refrigerator, in about an hour, the mixture solidifies like ice-cream. After it becomes solid, it will not melt like ice-cream. It will be like a milk jelly.

Note: Pepper is optional. Please note that after it become solid, Pepper and cardamom powder form a sort of layer at the bottom.

Tip: Consume this dessert as soon as possible. You can store it in the refrigerator for 2 days. If not kept in refrigerator, consume on the same day.

GUJARATI METHIA KERI (FENUGREEK & MANGO) PICKLES

GUJARATI METHIA KERI (FENUGREEK & MANGO) PICKLES
Ingredients

1 kg raw firm mangoes, chopped in chunks
200 gms crushed mustard seeds
200 gms fenugreek seeds
Salt as per taste (approx 150 gms)
2 tbsp turmeric
1/4 cup Red chilly (as per taste)
2 cups mustard oil

Method

Place mango chunks in a jar and put some salt and 1/2 of the turmeric in it. Shake the jar so the pieces are evenly coated. Keep aside.
Shake this jar in a pendulum motion every 7-8 hours, for 2 days.
On the second day, soak methi separately, keep it overnight.
On third day, drain water from methi.
Empty the mangoes into non-iron colander and allow the water to drain for 15-20 minutes, Retain the drained water. In this water, put the soaked Methi seeds for about 2 hours so that the essence of the mango enters the fenugreek seeds, rendering it a sour and salty taste. Meanwhile Pat dry the mango chunks, and dry in sun for 4-5 hours on a towel. Now, drain the methi and dry them completely with the towel.
Mix all the ingredients except the mango chunks
Heat oil very well till smoky. Let it cool. In half the oil, add the mixed ingredients and then add mango chunks Mix it well, so all chunks are coated with the masala.
Transfer to a clean jar and press down lightly. Pour remaining oil on top, oil should cover the pickle.
Allow to marinate for 10 days before using.
Take out in small quantities for use in a small glass jar. The main jar should always have a layer of oil floating on top. Add more oil if required, but remember the oil should be first heated and then cooled.

Shelf-life: More than a year

MAHARASHTRIAN PITLA

MAHARASHTRIAN PITLA
Being married to a Maharashtrian exposed me to the rich Maharashtrian cuisine and one of the best things I learned and absolutely adore is their Pitla and ocfourse Zunka which is a slight variation to the Pitla. This can be had with Bhakri(A jowar or Bajra roti) or Chappati. It is an instant dish and can be prepared in a jiffy. If you don’t have any vegetables at home except onions and you are hungry and need to dish up something, Pitla would be the best option.

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 – 1-2 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 Pitla for beginners according to my mother-in-law. As when you make a batter, there wont be lumps and it will be easier to handle the cooking. Once it simmers. Garnish with coriander leaves. The Pitla is usually in liquid consistency like the Dal. So you can even mix it with rice and eat.

Serve the Pitla hot with chappatis or white rice.