Kaju Curry

From last 2-3 months I didn't try any new dish. Don't know why but was not feeling very enthusiastic about cooking anything new. My husband suggested me to do some variety dish for Sunday lunch. Then after a looooooooooooooooooong discussion we decided to make kaju curry and neer dosa. Since I was trying the kaju curry for the first time so he was my guide in making it. Finally it turned out very good. Even my in-laws liked it :-)

Ingredients
Cashew Nuts (Kaju) - 1 cup

Onion - 2 medium

Tomatoes - 1 big

Garlic - 7-8 cloves

Ginger- 1 inch

Khoya - 1 tablespoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Garam Masala - 1 teaspoon

Sugar - 1 teaspoon (optional)

Pure ghee- 2 tablespoon

Cashew nuts - 7-8

Coconut milk - 1/2 cup

Salt as per taste.

Procedure
Soak cashew nuts in a warm water. Slice onion vertically. Chop tomatoes. Now heat 1 teaspoon of ghee in kadai and fry onion till it turns to golden brown. Then add garlic and ginger fry it. Then add tomatoes and cook it. Let this get cool for some time. Fry 7-8 cashew separately in ghee. Now make a fine paste of all this fried ingredients. Now heat one tablespoon ghee in kadai. Add turmeric powder. Now add this paste and fry till the Ghee separates out from rest of the mixture. Then add khoya, chilli powder, garam masala, sugar and salt. Mix wel. Now add water little by little to get the desired consistency of the gravy. Boil it for five minutes. Then add soaked cashew nuts. Again cook it for 2-3 minutes. In the end add coconut milk , mix wel and switch off the flame. Thick creamy kaju curry is ready. Tastes good with roti, neer dosa or rice.

Aachari Tamatar

Wish you all a very happy 2012!!!  Actually I was thinking of posting some sweet recipe to begin 2012 but as usual I'm starting this new year with Spicy & Tangy dish from Tomato. It's a a very tasty side dish, a pickle of Tomato. So once again wish you a tangy, spicy & sweet 2012!!!

Ingredients
Red Tomatoes - 500 Gms.

Garlic - 8-10 cloves

Ginger (Chopped) - 1 inches

Red chilli powder - 4 teaspoons

Mustard seeds powder - 1 teaspoon

Vinegar - 2 teaspoons

Sugar -1 teaspoon (Optional)

Salt as per taste

Tor Tadka
Sesame Oil - 1/2 cup

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric Powder - 1 teaspoon

Asafetida - 1/2 teaspoon


Procedure
Cut tomatoes in small cubes. Cut garlic cloves vertically. In a heavy bottom kadai heat oil and make a tadka using given ingredients. Then add chopped garlic and ginger. Sauté it. Then add tomatoes and cook it till it gets smooth. When oil separates completely from cooked tomatoes, add chilli powder, mustard powder, salt and sugar. Mix it nicely. Now switch off the flame. When it cool down , add vinegar and mix it. If you want you can give one more tadka of oil, turmeric powder and asafetida on this pickle. Store it in an air tight bottle.

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.

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.

Nimona

My friend Anjali had given this recipe to me. She told me to try out this with fresh green peas. Now this is the right time when lots of fresh green peas available in Market. It is really very unique in taste, specially with the use of 'Mangodis' . A different version of Aalu matar ki Sabji.

 
Ingredients


Shelled Green peas - 1 cup

Potato - 1

Onion - 1

Tomato -1 small

Garlic cloves - 3-4

Ginger - 1/2 inch

Mangodis - 1/4 cup

Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Bay leaves - 1

Cloves - 2-3

Cinnamon - 1 inch piece

Green cardamom - 2

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Oil - 3 tablespoon

Pure Ghee - 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste



Procedure
Chop onion and tomatoes very finely. Peel and make cubes of potato. Now Divide peas in two bowl. Grind one portion and keep aside. Heat oil in kadai and fry cumin, cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms and grind it to a powder. Then fry onions, garlic and ginger one by one. Make a paste of it. Then fry cubed potatoes and keep aside. Now fry Mangodis in oil till it turns to golden brown and keep aside. Make a puree of tomato. Now in another kadai heat pure ghee , add crushed asafetida. Now add ground peas and saute it till paste starts sticking to kadai. Keep this aside. Now heat the remaining oil, add bay leave then onion paste, turmeric powder, chilli powder and fried spices powder and saute it. Then add tomato puree and saute it. Then add potatoes, mangodi, both peas and salt. Mix wel. Now add 1 cup of water , cover it and cook till oil appears on the side of kadai. Tastes best with garam phulka.

 
 

Zunka

Pithala Bhakri is a very popular Marathi recipe across the world. I have already posted the recipe. Today I am posting recipe of Zunka, which is a dry version of Pithala. You can make it with some vegetables or if you don't have any vegetable at home then also you can prepare it. Today I am showing Zunka of Onion, Capsicum & Methi leaves. But you can also make Zunka with grated cabbage, Spring onion or any green leafy vegetable. In some place of Maharashtra it is called as "Pith perun Bhaji"

Ingredients

For Kandyacha (Onion ) Zunka

Chopped Onion - 1 bowl

Besan (Gram flour) - 4-5 Tablespoon

Red chilli powder - 1 - 1,1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafetida - A pinch

Oil - 3 tablespoon

Salt to taste.


For Methi Zunka

Chopped Methi (Fenugreek) leaves - 1 bowl

Chopped Garlic cloves - 2-3 teaspoons

Besan (Gram flour) - 4-5 Tablespoon

Red chilli powder - 1 - 1,1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafetida - A pinch

Oil - 3 tablespoon

Salt to taste


For Capsicum Zunka

Chopped green capsicum- 1 bowl

Besan (Gram flour) - 4-5 Tablespoon

Red chilli powder - 1 - 1,1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafetida - A pinch

Oil - 3 tablespoon

Salt to taste



Procedure

For Kandyacha (Onion ) Zunka

Heat oil in kadai. Make tempering with mustard seeds, asafetida and turmeric powder. Now add onions and saute it. Cover it and let it cook till it becomes transparent. Now add chilli powder, salt and mix well. Then add gram flour, stir well. It will absorb the moisture and oil. Saute it neatly to break the lumps. Cover it and let the flour cook properly for 3-4 minutes. Flame should be very slow.


For Methi Zunka

Heat oil in kadai. Make tempering with mustard seeds, asafetida and turmeric powder. Add Garlic and saute it till it becomes nice brown. Now add Chopped Methi leaves and saute it. Cover it and let it cook Properly. Now add chilli powder, salt and mix well. Then add gram flour, stir well. It will absorb the moisture and oil. Saute it neatly to break the lumps. Cover it and let the flour cook properly for 3-4 minutes. Flame should be very slow.


For Capsicum Zunka

Heat oil in kadai. Make tempering with mustard seeds, asafetida and turmeric powder. Now add Capsicum and saute it. Cover it and let it cook Properly. Now add chilli powder, salt and mix well. Then add gram flour, stir well. It will absorb the moisture and oil. Saute it neatly to break the lumps. Cover it and let the flour cook properly for 3-4 minutes. Flame should be very slow.


You can have it with bhakri or Chapati. Very much appropriate to carry in travelling.





This Goes to Sara's  "ONLY GREENS" Event a brain child of Pari.



Kobi Dal (Cabbage with chana Dal)

This is a very common recipe in Maharashtrian meal. My husband doesn't like cabbage very much but if I made this version of it, he will happily eat the sabji. It is very easy to make and very crunchy. You can make recipe with cauliflower instead of cabbage.

 
 
Ingredients

Cabbage - 250 gms.

Chana dal - 1/4 cup

Green chilli - 2-3

Oil- 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafetida - a pinch

Curry leaves - 3-4

Salt to taste



Procedure

Soak Chana dal for half an hour. Finely chop cabbage. Chop green chilli in small pieces. Heat oil in kadai. Make tempering of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafetida and turmeric powder. Put green chilies and curry leaves into it. Drain water in chana dal. Add dal into kadai and saute it for 1 minute. Now add chopped cabbage. Mix wel. Cover it with lid and pour little water on lid. My Aai says by this method cabbage will get cooked nicely on steam without sticking at bottom. Cook on low flame. Then add salt and mix wel. When Cabbage cooked properly remove from the flame. Serve with chapati / Poli.

Patvadyachi Aamti

Once again with a very different spicy curry. This vacation when I visited my Parent's place, many guests were there for a religious function. We got bored by sweets and satvik food. So Puranik Mavshi (She is a very nice cook and she comes for cooking at my mum's place for all functions) prepared this yum curry, 'Patvadyachi Aamti, that means curry with besan dumplings. This is very nice option when we don't have any vegetable in fridge. So the recipe is from Puranik Mavshi…. Lots of thanks to her.

 
 
Ingredients


For Gravy

Grated dry coconut - 1/4 cup

Onion - 2

Garlic cloves - 9-10

Ginger - 1/4 teaspoon

Sesame seeds - 1 tablespoon

Poppy seeds (Khuskhus) - 1/2 tablespoon

Cloves - 2-3

Cinnamon - 2-3 inch

Black Pepper - 2-3

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Black cardamom - 1

Red chili Powder - 1 tablespoon

Turmeric Powder - 1 teaspoon

Oil - 1/4 cup

Salt as per taste


For Patvadya (dumplings)

Bengal gram flour (Besan) - 1 cup

Red chili Powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Carom Seeds (Ajwain ) - 1/4 teaspoon

Salt as per taste

Oil - 1 tablespoon


Procedure

For Gravy

Heat 1 teaspoon Oil in kadai and fry vertically sliced onions till it turns to golden brown. Then fry ginger and garlic in little oil. Roast grated coconut. Take 1 teaspoon oil in hot kadai and fry poppy seeds, sesame seeds, cloves, cardamom, black pepper, cumin seeds . Make a paste of above all fried and roasted ingredients. Now heat remaining oil in kadai. Put sugar in oil, with this oil layer (tavang) will come on curry. Now add the paste, turmeric powder and red chili powder in it. Fry till the mixture leaves oil on side of the kadai. Add little hot water and mix well. When it starts boiling then add little by little. Add salt and mix well. Cook it for 5 minutes. Gravy is ready.

For Patvadya (dumplings)
Mix all ingredients and knead a stiff dough with warm water. Put some oil on hands before kneading so that the dough will not become sticky. Now Make small 6-7 balls of the dough. Roll the ball like roti. Dust besan on base and on rolling pin too. The roti should not be very thick or thin. Cut it in diamond shape like we do in Varan phal. Repeat for remaining balls.

Now heat the gravy and add these diamonds in the boiling gravy one by one. Cover it and let it cook for 8-10 minutes. It should not get over cooked. Serve hot with Roti or bhakri and with Onion slices and lemon wedges.

Palak Kadhi

This is a very simple Kadhi with lots of iron into it. It's very easy to make . Procedure is almost same as Maharashtrian Kadhi or Gujrathi Kadhi. Spinach, that is palak into the Kadhi makes it iron and calcium rich. In some places of Maharashtra it is also called as 'Palakache Alan'

Ingredient

Spinach (palak) - 1 bunch

Curd (Dahi) - 1 cup

Gram flour (Besan) - 2-3 tablespoon

Garlic cloves - 4-5

Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Sugar - 1/2 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Water - 2 cups



For Tempering

Oil - 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafetida - 1/4 teaspoon

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon



Procedure

Clean and wash spinach neatly. Chop it very finely. Now whisk together curd, gram flour and water. No lumps of gram flour should form. Now add salt and sugar into it and mix well. Take a kadai and make a tempering of given ingredients. Add chopped garlic and saute it till it becomes slightly brown. Add spinach and cook it until done. Then add whisk mixture of curd, red chilli powder. Now allow it to come to a boil. Boil it for 2-3 minute or till the consistency you want. Serve hot with Rice, roti or Bhakri.



This is for Divya's 'Healing Foods Event-Spinach'  event, started by Siri

Kheema Pav

Like any other street food of Mumbai, like Misal Pav, Vada Pav, Bhurji Pav, Pav Bhaji….."KHEEMA PAV" is also very famous among non vegetarian people. Kheema means minced chicken or mutton. This is very spicy and tasty. You can make dry kheema or with some gravy. Kheema Pav is a one of the favorite dish of my Husband. He likes it with toasted pav with butter. So for the Valentine day Kheema Pav, specially for him…..

Ingredients

Minced Mutton/ chicken - 250 Grams.

Green cardamoms - 2-3

Black cardamom - 1

Cloves - 2-3

Cinnamon stick - 1 inch

Shahijeere - 1/2 teaspoon

Tejpan - 1

Chopped onion - 2 medium

Chopped tomatoes - 1 medium

Garlic paste - 1 teaspoon

Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon

Garam Masala - 1 teaspoon

Cumin powder - 1 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 1, 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Oil - 2 tablespoon

Chopped coriander for garnishing

Pav - nos.

Butter - 2 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Procedure

Heat oil in a pressure cooker (I have a handi cooker). Add shahijeere, black and green cardamom, cloves, tejpan and cinnamon sticks. Then add chopped onions and saute it till onions becomes transparent. Add turmeric powder. Then chopped tomatoes. Saute it till it cooked properly and get mashed. Now add ginger and garlic paste, Garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and mix it. Now add minced mutton (or chicken) and mix in such a way that all the masala get coated to it. Add salt. Then add 1 cup of water and cover with lid and cook it for 2-3 whistle. When pressure drops, remove the lid. If you want dry kheema you can fry it in pan to evaporate excess water from it. Garnish it with chopped coriander. Heat butter on tawa. Slice pav horizontally and fry in butter from both the side till pav becomes crisp. Serve kheema with this crisp Pav.

This goes to Me and My Kitchen's EFM - MUTTON SERIES event

Baghare Baingan

As I mentioned earlier, my mother is born and brought up in Hyderabad. So from our childhood, we are eating many Hyderabadi dishes. My Aai is pure vegetarian… so only veg:). Baghare baigan is a typical Hyderabadi dish. It is very close to Maharashtrian Bharli vangi:)

Ingredients

Small Eggplants (baingan) - 5-6

Sesame seeds - 2 tablespoons

Peanuts - 2 tablespoons

Grated coconut - 2 tablespoons

Chopped onion - 2 medium

Chopped Garlic - 1 teaspoon

Chopped Ginger - 1 teaspoon

Green chilies - 2

Coriander powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Red chili powder - 1 teaspoon

Tamarind pulp - 1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

fenugreek seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Oil - 2-3 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Procedure

Remove the stem of eggplants and give 2 vertical slits to each eggplant. Do not give cut till end. Keep aside. Now roast Sesame seeds, peanuts, coconut, onion, garlic and ginger one by one on a low flame. Colour should change to slightly brown. Mix above ingredients with tamarind pulp, green chili, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and make a smooth paste with little water. Heat oil in a kadai and make tadka of Mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and Turmeric powder. Now fry eggplant in it. Fry till it becomes slightly brown. Remove it and keep aside. Now add the paste in kadai. Fry till it leaves oil from sides. Put eggplants into it. Add little water and salt. Cover and cook on low flame till baingan cooks properly. Serve hot with Rice/ Roti.

Pithala Bhakri

Pithla Bhakri is called as Farmer's meal in Maharashtra. But because of it's awesome test it got popular among all Maharashtrian people. Pithla is made up of Besan - chickpea flour . It's damn easy to make. If you have no veggies in your fridge this is the perfect option. Pithla tastes good with plane rice also. After a hectic day we just prepare Pithla bhat (Rice) for dinner. If you are eating Pithla with rice then the consistency of pithla should be semi fluid. If with bhakri then either semi fluid or complete dry, it is also called as zunka or korda (dry) Pithla. Farmers used to carry this Zunka Bhakri to the farm for a lunch. There are so many methods of making Pithla that I will post later on, but my friend Ritika asked me again for this recipe so Ritika, this is specially for you……..

For Pithla

Ingredients

Besan - 1/2 cup

Water - 2-3 cups

Green chilies - 3-4

Garlic cloves -3-4

Ginger - 1 inch

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Chopped Onion - 1

Oil- 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoons

Asafetida - 1/4 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Salt to taste.

Procedure

First thing is to coarsely grind chilies, garlic, ginger and cumin seeds and make a chutney of it. Heat oil in a kadai and make tempering of mustard seeds, turmeric powder, asafetida. Now add chopped onion and saute it till it becomes slightly brown. Now add ground chutney and saute it. Flame should be on sim to avoid burnt aroma to Pithla. Add 2-3 cups of water and salt. When water starts boiling add besan slowly with one hand and continuously stir it in kadai with other hand. I like little lumps in Pithla so I keep some lumps in between. Boil it for 2-3 minutes. According to your choice of consistency adjust the proportion of water and besan. Some people likes extra hot tadka (tempering) on it while eating and some likes to take just a oil on it. Serve very very hot with rice or bhakri lasni chutney and onion .

For Bhakri

Ingredient

Jowar flour (Sorghum Flour) - 1 cup

Warm water

Salt - 1 tsp

Procedure

Take Jowar flour in a vessel and make a well in the middle. Add salt and warm water.

Knead nicely to make a soft dough. Make round balls out of this dough. On a flat surface, sprinkle little flour. Pat the ball with your palm ( you can roll it like roti also). Use flour as required. Keep flattening the ball in circular motion to make round shape like roti. Heat a griddle (tawa) . Lower the flame. Now place Bhakri on griddle in such a way that the lower portion of bhakri should be on griddle. Now spread little of water on upper side of bhakri. When water on bhakri dries completely turn it to cook from other side. Now remove from griddle and keep it on the direct flame. It will get puffed. It will need practice for puffed bhakri.

So Pithla Bhakri is ready. This is a favorite dish of Gajanan Maharaj from Shegaon.

Note: There are varieties of Pithla like, Takatla pithla, Tikhtacha pithla, Tomato pithla, Ravan Pithla……. I will post all this afterwards as I prepare this at home and get a chance to click it.

Methi Murg

We tried this dish in "Oye Amritsar" restaurant in Bangalore. The taste was good. Then as usual, I searched for the recipe in my books collection and on Net. And with mixing all I made the dish and the taste was more or less like the restaurant :). So my version of Methi Murg for u:)

Ingredients

Boneless chicken - 500 Gms

Methi leaves - 1 cup

Chopped tomatoes - 2

Chopped onion - 2

Chopped green chilli - 1

Ginger- garlic paste - 2 teaspoons

Cumin-Coriander powder -1 teaspoon

Garam Masala - 1 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Kasoori Methi - 1 teaspoon

Cream - 2 tablespoon

Oil - 2 tablespoon

Salt for taste

Procedure Marinate chicken with 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste, salt and turmeric powder for 30 minutes. Heat oil in kadai. Add onion and fry till it get golden brown. Then add remaining ginger-garlic paste and mix it wel. Add tomatoes and fry till it leaves oil on side. Add salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, Cumin-coriander powder and Kasoori methi. Mix it properly. Now add chicken and mix wel. Then add chopped methi leaves, mix it. Cook for 10 minutes with lead. When Chicken get cooked properly add fresh cream and mix it. Cook it for next 5 minute. As per your choice you can add little water for desired consistency. Serve hot with Chapati.

Shevechi Bhaji

It's a typical Khandesh recipe. It is very spicy (in Marathi - Zanzanit). Good option for vegetarian who wants to eat a spicy curry. A nice option when you don't have any vegetable at home. WE had it last weekend as both of us was suffering with cold. Elder says that this Shev bhaji is perfect option when you have cold and feel no taste of any food.

Ingredients
Onion - 2

Grated dry coconut - 1/2 cup

Garlic cloves - 6-7 cloves

Ginger - 1 inch

Garam Masala - 1, 1/2 teaspoon (I used special Khandeshi Bonde Masala)

Kanda lasun Masala - 1teaspoon (optional)

Red chili powder - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Sugar - 1/4 teaspoon

Oil - 1/4 cup

Shev (Gathiya) - 1 cup

Hot water - 3 cups

Salt to taste

Procedure

Slice onion vertically. Heat kadai and pour 1 teaspoon oil in it. Fry onion till get brown. Fry coconut in oil. Now mix fried onion, coconut, garlic, ginger, kanda lasun masala, garam masala (Bonde masala which I have used was given by friend Sonali, she is basically from Bhusaval(Khandesh).) and little water. Make a thin paste in mixer. Now heat remaining oil in kadai. Put sugar in oil, with this oil layer (tavang) will come on curry. Now add the paste and red chili powder in it. Fry till the mixture leaves oil on side of the kadai. Add little hot water and mix wel. When it starts boiling then add little by little. Add salt and mix wel. Cook it for 2 minutes. Add shev in the curry while serving, otherwise it will get soggy. You can use Haldiram's Bhavnagari shev for this. Serve this with Bhakri with sliced onion and lemon slice.

This is for WYF:Specialty food event

Shepu Dal

I think most of the reader will not agree with me that Shepu (Sowa or Dill) bhaji tastes good. But I like it very much. It is a iron reach vegetable and is easily available in every part of India. It tastes good with any type of Bhakri.

Ingredients
Shepu (Sowa or Dill) - 1 bunch
Yellow Mung dal - 1/4 cup
Chopped garlic cloves - 5-6
Chopped Green chili - 1
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Asafetida (Hing) - A pinch
Salt to taste.

Procedure
Soak Mung dal for half an hour. Separate out leaves from the bunch of shepu. Wash and clean it. Chop it roughly. Heat oil in kadai and put mustard seeds. When it starts spluttering add turmeric powder and asafetida. Then add green chili and garlic. Saute it for a minute. Drain water from Mung dal. Then add chopped shepu and mung dal. Mix it and cover it. Cook it for 7-8 minutes on low flame. When dal and shepu cooked properly then add salt. Saute for 2 minutes. Shepu dal is ready to serve.

My entry for MLLA 15 of Sia and is Initiated by Susan.

Kadhi Gole

Kadhi is very famous in all over India and can be made in different ways. I love Kadhi very much. Either the Maharashtrian , Gujrathi or Karnataki. My Aai makes one awesome recipe with this Kadhi that is "Kadhi Gole", It is nothing but Gram flour dumplings in kadhi. It tastes very nice. You can eat it with roti or rice also.




Ingredients

For Kadhi
Curd - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Gram Flour (Besan) - 1 Table spoon
Sugar - 2 Table spoon
Salt as per taste
Curry leaves - 7-8
Oil - 1 table spoon
Mustard Seeds (Rai) - 1/2 tea spoon
Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1/2 tea spoon
Asafetida (Hing) - a pinch
Dry red chili - 1-2
Black gram dal (Urad Dal) - 1 tea spoon
Turmeric Powder (Haldi) - 1/2 tea spoon

For Gole (Gram flour dumplings)

Coarsely grinded dry Chana daal - 1 Bowl
Red Chili Powder - 1 tea spoon
Ajwain - 1/2 tea spoon
Hot oil - 1 teaspoon
Salt as per taste

For Tempering (Tadka)
Oil- 1/2 cup
Chopped Garlic cloves - 10-12
Mustard Seeds (Rai) - 1 tea spoon
Asofotia (Hing) - a pinch


Procedure

For Kadhi
Mix curd, water and gram flour. Beat it properly so that no lumps will form. Add sugar ,salt and mix well. Heat oil in small kadai add cumin seeds, Mustard seeds, curry leaves, turmeric powder and asafoetida. Lastly add red chili and turn off the flame. Pour the tadka on kadhi and mix well. Boil for few minutes on low flame.

For Gole
Place all ingredients for Gole (dumplings) in a bowl and make a stiff dough of this with little water. Now make small balls of the dough. Now pop into the boiling kadhi. Just take care that balls should stay firm once dropped in and not melt into the kadhi. Drop one by one. When balls will come rising up to the top of the kadhi. Means they are cooked now. Slow down the flame and let it cook for another 5 minutes.

Make Tadka of given ingredients. While serving break one ball in dish and sizzle tadka on it. Add some kadhi and mix wel. Serve hot with Chapati or Rice. Next day Kadhi gole tastes better because the gole has soaked up wel in kadhi.

Danyachi Aamti

Though Shravan maas is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, on Shravan somvar (Mondays in Sawan mahina) Lord Shiva is worshipped. Sawan month is auspicious and the Somvar in the Shravan maas are dedicated to Lord Shiva because during this month Shiva drank Haala hal and became Neelkant. At the time of Samudra manthan (churning of milk ocean), haala hal came out of the ocean and shook the universe. To protect the universe, Lord Shiva drank the poison and kept it at her throat. Since then Lord Shiva’s throat appeared blue. Usually, Somvar is the favorite day for Lord Shiva and Shravan Somvar is considered as highly auspicious because of the holiness of the Shravan month. Sawan Somvar Vrat is observed by married women for happy marital bliss and her family’s wellness. Unmarried women perform Shrawan maas somvar vrat to get good life partner. Men also worship Shrawan Somvar vrat for their academic, professional success. In some regions, devotees also worship Goddess Parvati Devi, Lord Ganesh and Lord Karthik along with Shiva during Shrawan Somvar vrat.
From last 15 years I am doing fast on Shravan Somvar. So I thought I will post fasting recipe on Khaugiri on every Monday of shravan mas.

Ingredients:
Roasted Peanut Powder - 1 cup
Green chilies - 3-4
Kokum -2-3
Water - 2 cups
Salt and sugar as per taste

For Tempering
Pure ghee - 1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon


Procedure
In a mixer add the roasted peanut powder , green chillies, 1 cup water, salt and sugar. Blend to a smooth paste. Heat ghee in a kadai and add jeera. When the jeera crackles add the blended mixture . Then add kokums and remaing water and mix wel. Allow to boil on a very slow flame. Bring to a boil. Keep stiring in between so that no lumps should form. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot. This Amti tastes good with Sabudana Khichadi or Bhagar (variche tandul).

This is my entry for Pavani's JFI - August ’09: Peanuts and to Indira's Mahanandi

Tried and Tasted.....Mughlai Dum Aloo

From 1st july 09 to 20th of july, I was just daily going through Asha's Foodie hope for Tried and Tasted event. She has very huge and nice collection of recipes. I decided to make Dum aloo, because I wanted to try this authentic mughlai dish from so many days. Some guests were there at my place and I make this Mughlai Dum aloo for them. They were very happy, Dum aloo was tasting just yummmmmm.
Thanks Asha for the lovely recipe. and Ashwini for this event.

So the Mughlai Dum aloo from Asha's Foodie hope for u......

This is my entry for this month's Tried And Tasted, hosted by Ashwini of Ashwini's spicycuisine and Asha's Foodie hope this month.

Bharli Vangi

This is a very traditional Marathi curry, Bharli Vangi or "Stuffed Eggplant". Whenever you feel like eating something spicy in meals, this is a favorite option in all Marathi families. For this recipe what you need is fresh and small eggplant. It goes great with poli, bhakri or rice.

Ingredients

Small Eggplants (Vangi) - 6-8
For stuffing
Grated dry coconut - 3 tablespoon
Roasted Peanut Powder - 1/2 cup
Roasted Sesame seeds Powder - 2 tablespoon
Nicely chopped onion - 2 medium
Chopped coriander - 1 tablespoon
Garlic paste - 1/2 teaspoon (optional)
Red chili powder - 1, 1/2 teasppon
Goda Masala - 1 teaspoon
Lemon juice - 1 teaspoon
Jaggery - 1 teaspoon
Salt as per taste
For Tadka
Oil - 2 tablespoon
mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Asafetida - 1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Procedure

The first step is to mix all the ingredients of stuffing in a bowl. Now remove the stem of eggplants and give 2 vertical slits to each eggplant. Do not give cut till end. Then stuff each eggplant with the above prepared masala. Heat oil in kadai and make tadka of given ingredients. Now place all the stuffed eggplants. The open side should be facing the oil. Cover it with plate and pour some water on it and let it cook in the oil. By this method eggplants will not stick to the bottom. (this is my Mai aaji's idea). When eggplants changes it's colour, add remaining stuffing, mix wel and cover it again to cook for two minutes. Now add water just to cover the top of the eggplants. Again cover up till eggplants get fully cooked. Garnish it with coriander leaves. As mentioned earlier, goes very well with bhakri, Poli or rice


I think most of you must have knew about this recipe but I specially post this recipe for Sanghai's Fall in Love with purplish Brinjal event. And I wanted to dedicate this recipe to My Grandmother, Mai Aaji. She taught me most of the traditional Maharashtrian recipes. She was a very great cook (In Marathi we say 'Sugran'). I think I can write one separate blog of her recipes and cooking tips & tricks.

Malvani Chicken

According to Indian calendar, Shravan Month is going to start from next week. We do not cook Nonveg at home from Shravan till Ganesh festival. So to make my husband happy I prepared Malvani chicken for the first time at home. And after tasting it he immediately gave a comment that This is the one of the best chicken curry, I have ever tasted. Malvan is a town located in Sindhudurg District - southernmost district of Maharashtra. This is a coastal area. So Malvani cuisine is mostly having lots of coconut in their food. So first time I have used fresh coconut in chicken curry.

Ingredients

Chicken - 500 gms.
Grated coconut - 2 cups
Curd - 1/4 cup
Onion - 2
Rice - 1 teaspoon
Garlic cloves - 5-6
Ginger - 1 inch
Green chilly - 1
Coriander leaves - 1 tablespoon
Malvani Masala - 2 tablespoon
Garam Masala - 1 teaspoon
Tuemeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Oil- 2 tablespoon
Salt to taste.

Procedure

Make paste of Garlic, ginger, Green chilly and coriander leaves. Wash and clean chicken pieces. Marinate it with malvani masala,turmeric powder,curd and ginger,garlic, green chilly paste. Keep aside for half an hour. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in kadai and fry sliced onion till it gets brown. Then add fresh coconut and fry till brown. Then add rice and fry for 2 minutes. Cool it and make a thin paste of it.You can add little water if needed. Now heat remaining oil in kadai and fry marinated chicken for 5 minutes. Now add onion-coconut paste, garam masala and salt and mix wel. Add little water and cover it to cook. It took 6-7 minutes to cook the chicken neatly. Malvani Chicken is ready. Garnish it with coriander and serve it with roti, bhakri or rice.