Cheese roasted vada pav

As I mentioned in my earlier post also, Vada Pav is a most most popular street food of Maharashtra. Last month   when I was at my parent's place my sister Sneha took me to one nice food joint to have fusion Vada pav. It is Cheese roasted Vada pav. Earlier I was not sure of the taste but when I took first bite, wow!!! A perfect blend of cheese and spicy hot Vada. Just love this fusion recipe. I have not made this home yet but clicked one snap there to post this recipe ASAP. I think Vada-Pav lover should try this once.

Ingredients

Laadi Pav - 6

Green chutney - 1/4 cup

Grated cheese - 1 cup

Potato - 6 medium

Oil - 1 tablespoon

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Asafetida - A pinch

Fresh coriander leaves, chopped - 2 tablespoon

Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon

Salt to taste



For Paste

Green chilli - 3-4

Garlic cloves - 6-7

Ginger - 1 inch

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon



For cover

Bengal gram flour (Besan) - 1 cup

Rice flour - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Ajwain - 1/4 teaspoon

Hot oil - 1 tablespoon

Salt to taste.

For sweet onion chutney

Finely chopped onion - 1

Cumin powder - 1 teaspoon

Coriender powder - 1 teaspoon

Chilli powder - 3 teaspoon

Sugar - 1/4 cup

Water 1/2 cup

Oil - 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste.


Procedure
Boil, peel and mash potatoes. Make a paste of ingredients given under' for the paste'. Keep aside. Now heat oil in kadai. Add asafetida and turmeric powder. Then add paste and saute it for 1-2 minutes. Now add mashed potatoes, salt and chopped fresh coriander, lemon juice and mix well. Keep aside to cool. After that make small equal balls of potatoes mixture.

For Cover, mix all the ingredient. With water make a batter as we do for pakoda. Not too thick or not too watery.
Heat sufficient oil in kadai for deep fry. Oil should not be very hot. Now dip potato ball in the besan batter. It should get coated with batter from all the side. Deep fry it till golden brown. The cover will get crispy from outside. Drain on to paper towel.

For sweet onion chutney
Heat oil in a kadai . Add cumin, coriander and chilli powder and fry it little. Immediately add sugar and water. Mix it well. Reduced it to the consistency of syrup. Now add salt. Cool it completely and then add chopped onion. Mix well.


Serving Vada pav
Slit one pav, Spread onion chutney on one side and green chutney on another side as shown in picture. Spread grated cheese on both sides. (as much you like). Place Vada on it and press lightly. Close the pav. Now grill it in sandwich maker. Apply some butter on this sandwich. If you don't have sandwich maker you can roast it in pan. Cheese roasted Vada pav is ready. Can serve with fried green chilli.

Eggless orange-Carrot Cake

My first ever eggless cake. I had bookmarked this recipe since long but got Christmas 'Muhurat' to make this. It turned out very nice and spongy. My brother Sameer liked it. I was very much happy to listen his compliment. Special thanks to Rak's Kitchen, from her blog I had tried this cake. Only change or addition is I have added carrot to cake to enhance it's taste.

Ingredients

All purpose flour (APF) - 1 & 1/4 cup

Condensed Milk - 1 cup

Orange juice - 1/2 cup

Grated carrot - 1/4 cup

Sunflower Oil - 1/2 cup

Powdered sugar - 3 tablespoons

Baking powder - 1 teaspoon

Baking soda - 1/2 teaspoon

Orange Zest - 1/2 teaspoon

Lemon Juice - 1 tsp

Orange essence - 1 teaspoon



Procedure

Preheat oven at 180 degree C. Sieve dry items, that is APF, Baking powder, Baking soda. Now in a deep bowl pour oil, orange juice, lime juice, essence, condense milk. Add powder sugar then whisk it nicely. It should be fluffy mixture. Now add grated carrot and orange zest and mix wel. Then add dry ingredient little by little and mix well. Take care that no lumps should form while mixing. Grease the baking pan with butter and dust it with APF. Now pour the batter in pan neatly. Bake it for 30 minutes. Let it cool down on wire rack. Lovely orange flavored spongy eggless cake is ready to serve. So now pure vegetarian people also can enjoy their Christmas with this cake:-)

Tangy drumstick curry (Shevgyache Bhaji)

A typical side dish in our house. Recipe off course by my MIL :-). Just love the taste of a gr8 combination of tamarind, jaggery and drumsticks. One should try this tangy drumstick curry.

Ingredients


Drumsticks - 7-8

Fresh coconut -1/2

Roasted groundnut Powder (Danyacha Kut) - 1/4 cup

Goda Masala - 2 teaspoon

Red chilly powder - 2 teaspoon

Tamarind paste - 2 tablespoons

Jaggery - 1 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Fresh coriander for garnishing

For Tempering

Oil - 2 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

Asafetida - 1/4 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon


Procedure

Grate the coconut. Wash drumsticks and make 4 pieces of each stick. Pressure cook Drumsticks for only one whistle. Do not cook drumsticks very soft. It should be little hard. Heat a kadai and make tempering of given ingredients. Now add drumsticks and sauté it. Then add red chilly powder, goda masala, salt, tamarind paste and jaggery. Mix it well. Cover it with lid and cook for five minutes. Then add Roasted groundnut Powder and grated coconut and mix well. Garnish it with fresh coriander.

Banana Cake

As winter & Christmas days are coming closer….my kitchen again started smelling cakes :-).  Just for a change instead of  chocolate or pineapple,  I made Banana cake. Oh! wow, it tastes so very nice. We just loved it. This recipe is adapted from one very old Marathi recipe book 'RUCHIRA' by Kamalabai Ogale.

 

Ingredients:

All purpose flour -  2 cups
Eggs  - 2

Sugar - 1 cup

Butter - 1/2 cup

Baking soda - 1 teaspoon

Baking powder - 1 teaspoon

Salt - 1/4th teaspoon

Over ripped banana - 3

Limejuice - 1/4 teaspoon

Milk - as required

Procedure

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease square pan  with butter and dust with flour. Keep it aside.  Sift all dry items that is flour, Baking powder and baking soda. Cream butter, sugar and salt.  Now add eggs and beat it nicely. Then add mashed bananas and lime juice. Mix it well. Now add the sifted flour mixture to this beaten mixture little by little and beat well till blended smoothly. You can add milk if required for the dropping consistency.  Pour this batter in greased pan. Bake it at 180 degrees C for 20-25 minutes.  Cool in the pan for few minutes. Turn out on the wire rack for cooling. Can be served warm for a breakfast.

God Shankarpale (Sweet diamonds)

Hey it's Diwali time again!!! I think for this week everybody must be busy in preparing sweets & savory items for Diwali. With All my other varieties for Diwali, I want to add some more traditional things in my list. God Shankarpale (Sweet diamonds) is very typical recipe for Diwali in Maharashtra. This is not very time consuming and also easy to make.

 
Ingredients
Milk - 1 cup

Sugar - 1Cup

Oil/ Ghee - 1 cup

Wheat flour/ Maida -3 cup

Fine Semolina (barik Rava) - 2 cup

Salt - a pinch.

Oil for deep fry


Procedure

Heat milk, sugar and ghee in heavy bottom pan. When it started boiling , turn the heat off. When the mixture  becomes warm add slat and then the flour and rava mixture little after a gap. Knead a soft dough. If the dough is sticky, you can add little flour to it. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes. Heat oil for deep frying in Kadai. Make 5-6 equal portioned balls of the dough. Roll out a ball and make a round like thick roti. Cut it into diamond shaped pieces with pizza cutter. Deep fry this pieces in oil on medium flame till it becomes slightly golden brown. Cool down completely and store it in airtight container. It also taste good with hot tea :-)



This goes to Gayathri's 'ONLY' - Sweets & Desserts event, brain child of Pari.

Malpua-Rabdi

Malpuas, we first had in Rajdhani Restaurant. My husband liked it very much. So decided to try it @ home.  First I tried with Maida & cream then with Khoya but we like the most is the version which I made on Dasara Festival. Rabdi tastes awesome with Malpuas…..a hit combo for festive season.

Ingredients

For sugar syrup

Sugar - 1 Cup

Water - 1/4 cup

Cardamom powder - 1/4 teaspoon.


For Malpua

Wheat flour - 2 cups

Curd - 4 tablespoons

Milk - 1/4 cup

Sugar - 1 teaspoon

Salt - a pinch

Pure ghee for frying


For Rabdi

Milk - 1 Litter

Sugar - 1 Cup

Cardamom powder - 1/4 teaspoon



Procedure

For Sugar Syrup
In a thick bottom vessel mix sugar and water. Boil it to 1 string consistency. Add cardamom powder. Sugar syrup is ready.

For Malpua

Mix flour, sugar & salt. In a bowl whip the curd and milk. Add flour mixture in it and mix it neatly so that no lumps should form. Batter should be of pouring consistency like Dosa batter. If needed you can add more milk into batter. Keep aside for 1 hour.

After one hour heat pure ghee in a pan. Pour small ladleful batter in ghee. It will form a small circle. Fry on both sides till it becomes golden brown. Drain ghee from Malpuas and immediately deep it in warm sugar syrup. (Syrup should be warm.) Deep malpuas for 1 minute and drain.


For Rabdi
Boil Milk in heavy bottom pan. Simmer for 10 minutes, after it starts boiling. Stir in between so that it will not stick on edges. Reduce it 1/4th in quantity. Add sugar and mix wel. The rabdi should be very thick. Add cardamom powder and mix well. Cool the rabdi to normal temperature.


Serving

Place malpuas in serving plate. Pour little rabdi on it and decorated with sliced pistachio. Malpua should be hot and rabdi should be at room temperature.



This goes to Gayathri's 'ONLY' - Sweets & Desserts event, brain child of Pari.

Fried Kadabu

Since I was busy in Dandiya night preparation in our apartment (Oh! It was fun.), I got delayed in posting this lovely recipe. It's a typical sweet dish of Karnataka. Me & my father love this like anything. There are two varieties steamed Kadabu ( kucchida kadabu) & fried Kadabu. Whenever I see this dish, I totally forget about my so called Diet Plans ;-)

Ingredients

For stuffing (HURNA)

Chana Daal - 500 Gms

Sugar - 500 Gms

Cardamom Powder - 1 table spoon

Nutmeg powder (jayphal pud) - 1 Tea spoon

Salt - 1 Pinch


For Cover

Whole wheat Flour - 1 cups.

Fine semolina - 1/2 cup

Hot Oil -3-4 teaspoon

Salt - 1/8 tea spoon



Oil for deep fry.



Procedure

Wash chana daal neatly. Pressure cook it with water upto 3-4 whistles. Let the pressure of cooker get release. Drain the water on top of the dal into another vessel. It is called 'kat' in Marathi . It is used in a "Katachi aamti", It is a special daal which served with Puran Poli. . Now take daal in a thick bottom pan and add sugar into it. Stir continuously on low flame.

When the spatula stands straight in it, take of from the flame. Now grind this very finely in Puran yantra or siever as shown below. This is a very easy method to make the stuffing smooth.

Now add Cardamom Powder and Nutmeg powder and mix wel. When you started cooking daal, mean while knead the flour for the cover with given ingredients. The dough should be hard. Keep it aside. When the stuffing (HURNA) cool down shift it to a bowl. Make small lemon size ball of dough. Roll it like puri. Place 2-3 teaspoons of stuffing at the center of the Puri. Now fold the puri and close the edges so that it will get half circle shape. Tightly seal the edges.(otherwise stuffing will come out while frying) You can twist edges as shown in pictures to close it properly and it also looks nice. Make all kadabus with same procedure. Cover it with damp cloth. Deep fry it on a low flame till it becomes slightly brown. Serve with hot ghee on top.

This goes to Gayathri's 'ONLY' - Sweets & Desserts event, brain child of Pari.

My first ever Sandwich

I used to love making different dishes from my school days. Whenever I ate some different thing at my friend's place I used to try it in my kitchen. This sandwich is one of that recipes. Once I had this at my school friend, Darshu's house. That time she was not having sandwich maker at her place, so she used to press it with small 'dabba'(container). And really that tastes awesome. I really loved it. When I tried it at home my father likes it very much. The thing is he likes any toast with 'lots' of butter. Now even my husband likes it very much. It's a really very heavy breakfast dish.


Ingredients
Bread- 8 slices

Butter - 2 tablespoon

Finely chopped onion - 2

Finely chopped tomato -1

Finely chopped coriander - 2 tablespoons

Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Sugar - a pich

Salt - as per taste

Procedure
Heat a tawa (girdle) . Now in a bowl mix all ingredients except bread and butter. Take two slices of bread. Spread spoonful mixture on one slice and cover it with another. Put some butter on tawa and keep this sandwich on it. To make a properly grilled sandwich put one small plate on sandwich and press it with any container or a smasher. (this is what darshu taught me and it works) When it becomes crispy from one side, repeat it for next side. Really crispy sandwiches are ready. And I am sure you will not get this taste on sandwich maker;-)

Ganpati Gele Gavala Chain padena Aamhala........

Yesterday we did Visarjan of our Ganapati Bappa !!! Feeling very sad….. While visarjan time we always say, "Ganpati Gele Gavala Chain padena Aamhala........" which means as lord Ganesha went to his home, we feel very lonely….. This year I was so busy with guests & friends that I could not got time to upload any post on Khaugiri…..So I am re-posting  some recipes of this festival…..

Fried Modak

Ukadiche Modak

Khajur Modak

Khirapat

Naralipakache Ladu

Vatali Daal

Ganapati Bappa Moraya, Pudhachya varshi lavkar ya........!

Pav Vada and not Vada Pav

As all of us knew that vada pav is very famous in  Maharashtra. In our college days we used to live on vada pav for complete day.  I still remember the taste of college canteen vada pav. Like this one more famous dish of our canteen with same ingredients but different methods is 'PAV VADA'.  Specially if it's raining outside and you are having  pav vada with cutting ki chai…………………..heaven. Give a try…..

Ingredients 

Bread slices - 8-10

Green chutney - 2-3 tablespoon 

Oil for deep frying

For stuffing

Potatoes - 3

Green chilies -2-3

Garlic cloves - 4-5

Grated ginger - 1 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Oil - 2 teaspoons

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Asafetida - A pinch

Fresh coriander leaves, chopped - 2 tablespoon

Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon

Salt to taste

For cover

Bengal gram flour (Besan) - 1 cup

Rice flour - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Ajwain - 1/4 teaspoon

Hot oil - 1 tablespoon

Salt to taste.

 

Procedure 

Boil, peel and mash potatoes.  Make a paste of green chilly, garlic, ginger and cumin seeds. Keep aside. Now heat oil in kadai. Add asafetida and turmeric powder. Then add green chilly paste and saute it for 1-2 minutes. Now add mashed potatoes, salt and chopped fresh coriander, lemon juice and mix well. Keep aside to cool.

For Cover, mix all the ingredients. With water make a batter as we do for pakoda. Not too thick or not watery.

Take one slice of the bread. Spread little green chutney on one side of the bread. Then  Spread potato mixture . Spread little green chutney on another slice and place it on top of the first slice. Press it tightly. Now cut the sandwich diagonally in half to make two triangles. 

Heat sufficient oil in kadai. Oil should not be very hot.  Now deep sandwich triangles in batter. Batter should get coated evenly from all sides.  Deep it in hot oil and fry till it becomes crispy on medium flame.  Gramagaram pav vada tayyaaaaar hain……. Can be serve with fried green chilly.



This goes to  Denny's and Kirthi's blog.

 

Eggs on potato chips (Wafer Par Ida)

I know after a long time I'm posting some egg recipe. But this is the one which I wanted to try it from last year and finally on this weekend I got a chance to make it. This is a typical Parsi dish called as "Wafer par Ida". It's a combination of potato chips and eggs. After reading it I found it interesting….instead of making simple omelet, one should give a try to this recipe. As very much habituated with bread, we had it with Pav.

Ingredients

Eggs - 2

Butter - 1 teaspoon

Finely chopped Onion- 1

Finely chopped Green chilli - 1

Finely chopped coriander - 2-3 tablespoon

Ginger-garlic paste - 1/4 teaspoon

Potato chips - 1cup

Salt as per taste

Procedure

Heat a kadai (base should be wide.). Put butter onto it. When it melts add chopped onion. Saute it and when it turns little brown add ginger-garlic paste. Then chopped green chilli. Then add coriander and salt. Mix it. Now crumble potato chips and spread over this mixture. Make small two holes in between. Crack eggs one by one and pour it in the whole. Sprinkle some black pepper powder and salt on eggs. Cover it and let the eggs cook. Be careful that chips should not become too soggy. Serve 'wafer per ida' with pav. This will be a perfect Sunday brunch.

Vangyache kaap (eggplant fritters)

Rainy season is already started. “Baahar barish ho rahi hain aur office se aane ke baad ek cup chai ke saath kuch pakode ho jaye….” This comes almost everyone’s mind.  But in this season I am going to give you some traditional fritters from Maharashtrian Kitchen, ‘Vangyache Kaap’ Vangi means eggplant and kaap means slices.  So in this rainy season pamper your tongue with this really yummy dish.

Ingredients

Eggplant Big – 1 (which we used for bharta/bharit)  

Besan (gram flour) – ¾ cup

Rice flour – ¼ cup

Fine semolina (Barik Rawa) – 2 tablespoons

Red chilli powder – 1-2 teaspoons

Turmeric Powder – ¼ teaspoon

Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon

Cumin Powder – 1 teaspoon

Ajwain – ¼ teaspoon

Finely chopped Coriander – 2-3 tablespoon

Salt as per taste

Oil for shallow frying. 

Procedure

Make thin slices of eggplant. Keep it in salty water so that it will not become black. In a bowl mix all other ingredients except oil. Note not to add water to this mixture. Heat fry pan on low flame. Pour little oil. Now drain water from eggplant. Place them on cotton cloth or kitchen towel. It will soak excess water from eggplant. Now deep one eggplant slice in flour mixture from both sides. Slightly press it so that the mixture will get nicely coated to eggplant.  Repeat for another slice and shallow fry it. It should get crispy from both sides. Vangyache kaap are ready to serve.

Pav Bhaji Pizza

Ya I am back now after a long vacation. Busy with my two little niece, "AADYAA & ANANYA". I just didn't get time to sit in front of my PC. I was full time busy with their 'patar-patar'. In this vacation we prepared so many dishes but didn't get time to click it properly. This is the only dish which I was able to click. 'Pav bhaji pizza', first I read about this fusion recipe in some pizza shop. Then I tried it at home and really it tastes awesome. Very easy and quick to prepare.

Ingredients

Pizza Base - 2

Ready Pav bhaji's bhaji - 1 cup

Butter - 4-5 tablespoon

Mozzarella cheese - 1/4 cup

Procedure

Pre heat oven at 180 c. Take a pizza base and spread butter on both the side of base. Now Spread bhaji of pav bhaji on the base. You can spread as much you want as per your choice. Then grate cheese on it (lots of cheese). If you like you can spread finely chopped onion and coriander on it. Bake it in oven for 7-8 minutes. Base should get crispy. Yummy different type of pizza is ready.

Note. : Instead of pizza base you can cut the pav in half and use it as a base. It also looks good and you can name it as "Pav Bhaji Bites'.

Small Wonders Rassa Bhaji

Mix Rassa bhaji is the first curry which I learnt to make when I was in 9th or so. Rassa Bhaji means vegetables with gravy. This is very easy to make and you can use any vegetables you want. Mostly Brinjal and potatoes combination is very popular in Rassa bhaji. In Market I got small Brinjals, tomatoes , potatoes and onions. So thought of making Rassa Bhaji with these small wonders.

Ingredients

Small Potatoes -5

Small Brinjals (Eggplants) - 5

Baby tomatoes - 10

Small Onions - 8-10

Red Chilli Powder - 1 teaspoon

Goda Masala - 1 teaspoon

Cumin powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon

Oil- 2 teaspoon

Mustard Seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

Asafetida - A pinch

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Jaggery - 1/4 teaspoon

Danyacha Kut (roasted peanut Powder) - 1-2 teaspoons

Salt to taste.

Procedure

Wash all vegetables neatly. Now remove the stem of eggplants and give 2 vertical slits to each eggplant (Like a + sign). Do not give cut till end. Make similar slits to potato, tomatoes and onions. Do not remove skin of potatoes, it will enhance the taste. Keep potatoes and eggplants in water. Now heat a pressure pan make tempering of oil, mustard seeds, asafetida, turmeric powder. Then add all vegetables and saute it. Now add all other ingredients except peanut powder. Mix well. Add one cup of water in it. Pressure cook it for 2 whistles. When pressure is released, add peanut powder. Consistency of Rassa Bhaji is as shown in picture. Not very liquid and not so thick. You can serve it with Roti, Bhakri or rice.

A New Year Started.......

All Maharashtrians have celebrated Gudi Padwa and All Kannadigas have celebrated Ugadi as their New Year.....So some special recipes for this very first month.....

Kairiche Panha

Kairichi Daal

Bhajaniche Vade

As I mentioned in my old post of Bhajaniche Thalipith, "Bhajani" is a flour of roasted multigrain and pulses. Generally we make Thalipith from it. Thalipith is made in less oil where as Bhajniche vade is deep fried snacks with same ingredients. If you don't have time to prepare this flour at home or didn't get a readymade Bhajani in market, you can just mix all flours and cumin and coriander powder and can prepare this vade. This vade is generally made for 'Magalagauri Puja' in Shravan Month. I will give details about this puja some other time.

 
Ingredients


Bhajani flour - 1 cup

Chopped onion - 1 small

Chopped coriander - 2 tablespoon

Sesame seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Ajwain seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

Red chili powder - 1 teaspoon

Curd - 2-3 teaspoon

Hot Oil - 2 teaspoons

Salt to taste.


Procedure
Mix all the ingredient and make a medium dough. If you want you can add little water. Make equal very small lemon size balls. Apply water on your both palm. Flatten the ball with both palms. Make round vada. Make one hole in the center with finger.  Repeat it for all remaining balls. Now deep fry vada on medium flame. Fry until it turns crispy and brownish. Serve hot with chutney, ketchup or curd.


This goes to PJ's event, 'Flavours Of Maharashtra' and Naina

Chavlichi Usal

As PJ's event, 'Flavours Of Maharashtra'  is going to get complete on 31st of March. I thought I'll load her inbox with lots of Maharashtrian dishes.  One more usal from my kitchen. Chawli chi usal does not need to bring sprouts to the beans. So when ever you feel short of vegetables in kitchen, you can make it immediately.

Ingredients

Cahvli (black eyed beans) - 1 cup

Chopped onion - 1-2

Tomatoes - 1

Red chilli powder - 1,1/2 teaspoon

Goda Masala/ Garam Masala - 1 teaspoons

Coriander powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Jaggery - 1/4 teaspoon

Oil - 1 teaspoons

Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

Asafetida - a pinch

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

Salt to taste


Procedure
Pressure cook chavli (black eyed beans) in 2 cups of water. Take care that chavli should not over cook. Now heat oil in kadai, add mustard seeds. When it starts spluttering add asafetida and turmeric. Then add chopped onion , when it becomes transparent add finely chopped tomatoes. When tomatoes are cooked properly and leaves oil add cooked chavli. Now add all masalas, that is, red chilli powder, goda masala, cumin powder, coriander powder, salt and jaggery. Mix wel and cover it. Let it cook for a minute or two. So that chavli will absorb all the flavors of masala. You can make it dry of little gravy in it as per your wish. Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve with Roti or rice.



This goes to PJ's event, 'Flavours Of Maharashtra' and Naina



Bisi Bele Anna

Bisi Bele Anna means Hot Dal & Rice in Kannada. This is a famous dish of Karnataka. At my Father's place it is a regular one dish meal. You have rice, dal and lots of vegetables in it. My In-laws are now with me. My MIL is Maharashtrian but she loves all Karnataka food. Bisi bele Anna is her favorite. Earlier I used to do this with readymade MTR Bisi Bele Bhat powder but today I decided to make it properly with fresh masala. I called up my Aatya , Sudha aatya and asked her for proper ingredients and measurements. With fresh masala it tastes awesome. My MIL was happy ;-) Thanks to Sudha Aatya.

Ingredients

Rice - 1 cup

Toor Dal - 1/2 cup

Moong Dal - 2 tablespoons

Mixed Vegetables- beans, carrot, potato, cluster beans (gavarfali) cut into fine pieces and green peas.

Grated fresh coconut - 1/4 cup

Tamarind pulp - 2-3 tablespoon

Jaggery - 1-2 teaspoon

Sarin Pudi - 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste.


For Masala

Dry red chillies - 6-7

Chana dal - 1 tablespoon

Urad Dal - 1 tablespoon

Methi seeds - 1/8 teaspoon

Coriander seeds - 1 tablespoon

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Cinnamon - 1' piece

Tej patta (Bay leaf) - 1/2

Black pepper - 1-2


For Tempering

Oil - 2 tablespoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Hing (Asafetida) - 1/4 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 8-9

Turmeric powder -1/2 teaspoon



Procedure

Wash rice and both dals. Pressure cook rice and dals with a pinch of hing and turmeric in one vessel and vegetables in separate one. Roast all ingredients of masala one by one in little ghee till it gives good aroma. Roast on low flame. Cool it and make a fine paste with grated fresh coconut. Keep it aside.

Now in a kadai heat oil and make tempering of given ingredients. Now and masala paste and saute it for a minute. Now add tamarind pulp and jaggery (you can adjust the measurements with your taste) and mix wel. Add little water and boil it for a minute. Now add all vegetables, sarin pudi and salt. Then add cooked rice and dal. Consistency should be semi fluid. You can add water accordingly. Pour 1 teaspoon of pure ghee on top. Cover it and let it cook for another five minutes. Garnish it with grated coconut. Serve bisi bisi bhat and with Hapla. (Papad). Pour pure ghee on bisi bele bhat while eating. In Bangalore Bisi beli Bhath serves with khara bundi.

Potato Soup for fasting

Today is Mahashivratri. I think most of the people keep fast on this day. For me fasting means some variety in food. I am tiered of eating same fasting food every time. One day I made this healthy and yummy Indian soup for myself. It's a whole meal and not contains lots of ghee or peanuts like all other fasting food has.

Ingredients
Boiled potato - 1 big

Curd - 2-3 tablespoon

Pure ghee - 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Green chilli - 1-2

Ginger - 1/2 inch

Sugar - 1/4 teaspoon

Salt as per taste


Procedure
Remove the skin of potato. Cut it into small cubes. Now make a paste of green chilli, 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds and ginger. Now add curd and blend it once again. Then add potato cubes and Blend to a smooth paste in mixer. You can add 1/2 cup of water. Heat ghee in a kadai and add jeera. When the jeera crackles add the blended mixture. Now add sugar and salt .Allow to boil on a very slow flame. When it comes to desired consistency of soup, pour it in soup bowl and serve. If you are too calorie cautious then avoid tadka of ghee. It still tastes awesome. I can say you must try this very new way of enjoying your fasting day.


My try goes to Nivedita's "ONLY ORIGINAL" event which is brain child of Pari.

 

Strawberry Jam

Any type of Jam is favorite among all Children. When it is of Strawberry in red attractive colour then their smile get wider. After reading about the event , Veggie/ Fruit a Month- strawberry hosted by Pari, I decided to try this lovely jam. Thanks Pari dear, I got the real chance to try out something which was long pending.

Ingredients

Strawberries - 2 cups

Sugar - 1,1/2 cup

Lemon Juice - 2 tablespoon


Procedure

Wash and clean strawberries. Now chop it very finely. In a non stick pan mix strawberries, sugar and lemon juice. Keep it on low flame. Stir it till the sugar dissolve completely. Now keep it on medium flame. Boil it for 8-10 minutes, stirring in between. To check if it is done or not, take little mixture and put it on cold plate, if it doesn't spread it means it is done. After cooling, store it in fridge. Lovely to eat with bread, toast or make a jam-chapati Roll. You can feel little pieces of strawberry while eating this Jam.

This goes to Pari's event Veggie/ Fruit a Month- strawberry  initiated by Priya.

Bhurka... A variety of chutney

You must be surprised with the name…..right? I think even very few Maharashtrian would know this recipe. It is my Mai Aaji special recipe from Marathwada. It's a very simple, tasty and crunchy type of chutney. You can have it with chapati, paratha, bhakri, Gakar or bread. You can store it for 8-10 days.

Ingredients


Thick Poha- 2-3 tablespoons

Urad Papad - 1

Danyach Kut (Roasted peanut powder) - 2 tablespoons

Garlic cloves -3-4

Red chilli powder - 2 teaspoons

Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

Oil - 4 tablespoons

Salt as per taste.


Procedure
Chop garlic cloves. Fry or roast papad and crush it finely. Heat oil in Kadai. Add mustard seeds. When it starts spluttering, add chopped garlic . When it turns to light brown add Poha very slowly. Because of oil Poha will get nicely fried. Then off the flame. Now add crushed papad, red chilli powder, salt & Danyacha Kut (Roasted peanut powder) and mix wel. Within 2 minutes crunchy Bhurka is ready. It awesome tastes with Gakar.



This goes to Kurinji's "HRH – Rice Flakes" event

Some more Recipes of Poha for the event.

Kande Pohe

Patal pohyacha chivda (Thin Poha Chivda)

Dadpe Pohe

Gojjavalakki

This goes to As PJ's event, 'Flavours Of Maharashtra' and Naina

Matkichi Usal

As PJ has announced her event, 'Flavours Of Maharashtra'. I was thinking to post one typical Maharashtrian recipe which I have not posted yet. Most popular and favorite dish of Maharashtrian people is Matki chi Usal. Matki means Moth beans. Usal means Sprouted beans. This Matki is also used in Misal of Misal-Pav. There are many ways to make this Usal according to different region in Maharashtra. In school days we used to eat this usal in a bowl topped with Sev and chopped onion & coriander as a evening snack. Wow it tastes awesome, just try it. Today I'll tell you the simplest and regular method used in my house.

Ingredients

Matki - 1cup

Onion - 1

Tomato - 1

Peanut - 2 tablespoon

Red chilli - 1-2

Curry leaves - 3-4

Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Goda Masala - 1 teaspoon

Jagerry - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafetida - 1 pinch

Oil - 2 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Chopped coriander and grated fresh coriander for garnishing.

Salt as per taste

Procedure
Wash Matki and keep it in a large bowl. Add 2 cups of water and cover it with lead. Soak the seeds for about 10 hours. Then drain out water, rinse it with fresh water and again drain it. Now transfer it to a sprout maker or else tie it tightly in a smooth cotton cloth for 8- 10 hrs.

In a kadai heat oil, put mustard seeds when it starts spluttering add turmeric powder, curry leaves, peanuts and asafetida. Saute it for a minute.Then add chopped onion and saute it for two minutes. Then add finely chopped tomatoes and cook till it becomes very soft. Now add sprouted matki, red chilly powder, goda masala. Pour some water , keep lead and cook it for 5-10 minutes. Now add jaggery and salt. Mix wel. Again cover it and cook till Matki cooks properly. It's depend upon everyone's choice, whether you like very soft makti or little crunchy. Garnish it with chopped coriander and fresh coconut. Serve with Chapati.



This goes to As PJ's event, 'Flavours Of Maharashtra' and Naina