Monday 29 April 2013

Sprouts Rice



Ingredients:
  • Cooked or leftover rice- 1 cup
  • Chopped Onion- ½ cup
  • Chopped capsicum- ¼ cup
  • Boiled sprouted green gram (mung)- ½ cup
  • Cumin seeds- ½ tsp
  • Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
  • Asafetida (Hing) - ¼ tsp
  • Red chilli powder –1 tsp
  • Garam masala- ½ tsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Veg. oil- 2 tbsp
  • Chopped fresh coriander- as required, for garnishing
  • Tomato slices- for garnishing

Method:
  • Separate the rice granules with hand.
  • Heat oil in a pan or kadai (wok). Add  cumin seeds,  capsicum, onion & sauté till translucent.  
  • Add hing, turmeric powder , chilli powder, garam masala & mung. Sauté for a minute. Add rice, mix well & sauté for a minute. 
  • Cover & cook for 2 minutes on low flame.
  • Garnish with coriander and tomato slice.
  • Serve hot with any riata.

Saturday 27 April 2013

Raw Mango Chutney

This is a very easy recipe and is the right time to prepare when raw mangoes are in season.



ही पाककृती वाचा मराठीतून.......इथे क्लिक करा.  

Ingredients:
  • Scraped fresh coconut - ¼ cup
  • Raw mango pieces- ¼ cup (use with skin)
  • Green chilies- 2 to 3
  • Chopped fresh coriander- 2 tbsp
  • Sugar- 1 tsp
  • Salt-to taste
  • Water- as required about 2 tbsp


Method:

  • Combine all above ingredients and grind to a fine paste.
  • Serve it as an accompaniment with the main course.
  • This chutney goes well with the dosa, ghavan also.
  • Adjust the green chilies and sugar  according to your taste.


Variations:

  • You can add 3 cloves of garlic  or half inch ginger piece in it for extra pungent taste. But use either garlic or ginger.
  • You can use raw Karvand /Karonda (Natal plum or Carissa) instead of raw mango. 
  • Both are equally good taste wise. Karvand are also available in summer. 

Thursday 25 April 2013

Churama Laddu

Popular Rajasthani and Gujarati sweet dish but also made in North Maharastra. This laddu is made on many occasions like Gokul Ashtami, Diwali, Holi.



Ingredients:

  • Whole wheat flour (atta) , coarse- 2 cups 
  • Desi ghee – 2 tbsp +1/2 cup 
  • Desi ghee or vanspati - for frying 
  • Milk- as required 
  • Powdered sugar- 2 cups 
  • Green cardamom powder- 2 tsp 
  • Poppy seeds (khuskhus/posto), slightly roasted- ½ cup 
  • Salt- a pinch 

Method:
  • Combine coarse wheat flour & salt in a bowl. Add 2 tbsp of hot melted ghee and mix well. Add warm milk as required and knead into a stiff dough. Divide the dough into small balls/muthiya or make puries. (Prick the puries with fork.)
  • Heat sufficient ghee in a wok (kadai) and deep-fry the muthiyas or puri on medium heat, till they are well done & turns pinkish. Drain onto an absorbent paper and cool.
  • Break the fried muthiyas/puries in a mortar with a pestle or coarsely grind in mixi to make coarse choorma. Transfer into a bowl. Add cardamom powder and mix. Pour the melted & hot ½ cup of ghee into the choorma and mix. Add powdered sugar and mix again. Spread poppy seeds on a plate. Divide the mixture into sixteen equal portions. Shape each portion into a laddoo, roll in the poppy seeds and serve.
चुरमा लाडू 


साहित्य :
  • रवाळ गहू पीठ (कणिक) - २ कप
  • साजूक तूप- २ टेबलस्पून + १/२ कप
  • साजूक तूप किंव्हा वनस्पती तूप - तळण्यासाठी
  • दुध- जरुरी नुसार
  • पिठी साखर - २ कप
  • वेलची पूड- २ टीस्पून
  • खसखस,भाजून- १/२ कप
  • मीठ - चिमुटभर
कृती:
  • परातीत कणिक आणि मीठ एकत्र करावे. २ टेबलस्पून तुपाचे मोहन घालावे. जसे लागेल तसे थोडे थोडे दुध घेऊन घट्ट कणिक भिजवावी.
  • वरील कणकेचे छोटे छोटे मुटके किंव्हा जाडसर पुऱ्या (पुऱ्या करणार असाल तर पुरीला टोचे मारा.) करून तुपात किंव्हा वनस्पती तुपात मंद आचेवर गुलाबी रंगावर तळून घ्यावेत. थंड करून घ्यावेत.
  • तळलेले मुटके हाताने फोडून खलबत्त्यात घालून कुटावेत किंव्हा मिक्सरवर जाडसर दळून घ्यावेत. 
  • त्यात पिठी साखर, वेलची पूड आणि १/२ कप तूप कोमट करून घालावे. 
  • ते सर्व छान एकत्र करून लाडू वळावेत. वळून झाल्यावर खसखस मध्ये घोळून घ्यावेत. लाडू तयार.
कठीण वाटणारे लाडू प्रत्यक्षात किती सोपे आहेत, नाही का ?

Monday 22 April 2013

Valachi Khichadi / Dalimbyacha Bhat / Birdyacha Bhat (Val Beans Pulao)

This is very popular in our "Kokan". It has a very unique taste. Try someday when you want something new in your pulao.


Serves:4

Ingredients:
  • Good quality old rice - 2 cups (No need to use "basmati" rice, use "ambemohar" rice or "kolam" rice) 
  • Sprouted and peeled val (field) beans- 1 ½ to 2 cups 
  • Chopped onion- 2 cups 
  • Chopped tomatoes- 1 cup 
  • Crushed garlic - 1 tbsp (Plz do not use ginger for this rice) 
  • Mustard seeds - 1 tsp 
  • Cumin seeds- 1 tsp 
  • Asafetida (Hing) - ¼ tsp 
  • Turmeric powder – ½ tsp 
  • Homemade masala or Chili powder – 4 to 5 tsp 
  • Goda masala- 3 tsp 
  • Grated jaggery- ¼ tsp (optional) 
  • Salt- to taste 
  • Oil- 5 to 6 tbsp 
  • Hot water- 4 to 4 ¼ cups (or for more authentic taste, use 2 cups of coconut milk + 2 ¼ cup water) 
  • Scraped coconut- ¼ cup (If you are using coconut milk, then don't use this.) 
  • Finely chopped fresh coriander- ¼ cup 
  • Desi Ghee or Sajuk Tup (Clarified butter) - for serving only (optional) 

Method:
  • Wash rice and sprouted val beans properly and keep aside. 
  • Heat oil in a casserole. Add mustard seeds. When the splattering starts, add cumin seeds, garlic and onion. 
  • When onion become pink, add turmeric powder, hing, chili powder and sauté for a minute. 
  • Add tomato, val beans, ¼ of scraped coconut and goda masala. Sauté for 2 minutes. 
  • Add rice and salt. Add hot water. Cover and cook for 15 minutes on simmer. 
  • Add jaggary , stir lightly. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. You can also make this rice in pressure cooker. 
  • Drizzle a little ghee over the rice while serving. 
  • Garnish with scraped coconut and chopped coriander. 
  • Serve hot. Serve with tomato sar or kairi kadhi or sol kadhi.





Wednesday 10 April 2013

Phanasachi Bhaji (Raw Or Young Jackfruit Dry Curry)

Jackfruit is an exotic tropical fruit which is huge available in Kokan belt in Summer.  The ripe jackfruit is eaten as fruit while the young green ones are used in curries. In India it is famous in the Kokani cuisines and all along the west coast. It known as “Kathal” in Hindi.

(This picture was taken in hurry hence not good, but I assure you the recipe is very good and it looks better than in this picture.)

There are two trees in my mom's back yard. One is "Kappa" and other is "Barka". These are two varieties of jackfruit. 
"Kaapa" means the "hard" variety (more crunchy, drier and less sweet but fleshier). This fruit is very tasty and you can eat this without messy your hands. I like this variety of jackfruit. This variety is mostly used for curry.
"Baraka" means the "soft" variety (more soft, moister, much sweeter with a darker gold-color flesh than the hard variety).
The juice of the Barka is extracted and spread on greased metal dishes which are then kept for sun-drying. Within 2-3 days, a tasty dried pancake-like dried jackfruit juice called as phansacha saath or phanas poli.  

Preparation:


Rub the oil on hand and also grease the knife. Remove the skin of  young jackfruit, then cut it into 3 inch cubes. Immediately put in water to prevent oxidation. 



Boil them in enough water. Add a tsp of oil & pinch of salt. You can pressure cook it. Take 1-2 whistle.
Once cooked, remove the middle stiff part. Then shred them with hands or bruise/pound with pestle.  You can  use food processor but do not make paste, do not use water.




Don't confuse. It's not chicken. Ya....It's look like shredded chicken.
Yes, jackfruit has meaty texture , it is also an ideal replacement for meat in recipes.

I used here 2 cups of shredded jackfruit, remaining I kept in deep-freezer in air tight container.  Please see how to make  Jackfruit Kebab from this.



Ingredients:
  • Val/Field beans, sprouted & peeled- ½ cup
  • Garlic cloves, bruised-4 to 5
  • Young  jackfruit, boiled & shredded- 2 cups
  • Onion, chopped- ½ cup
  • Homemade mix masala or malwani masala- 3 tsp 
  • Goda masala- 1 tsp
  • Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
  • Cumin seeds- ½ tsp
  • Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
  • Asafetida (hing)- ½ tsp
  • Kokam- 2-3 petals
  • Jaggary- ½ tsp
  • Oil- 4 tbsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Scraped fresh coconut- ¼ cup
  • Chopped coriander- ¼ cup


Method:
Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When the splattering starts, add  cumin, garlic and chopped onion. Mix well and saute till translucent.

Add turmeric, hing and masala powder. Sauté for a minute and add the sprouted & peeled val beans. Add some water, mix well, cover and cook for 5-7 minutes. 


Add the shredded jackfruit, goda masala and salt. Mix evenly and sprinkle little water and cover and let it cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes.  Keep stirring in between. And keep checking, sprinkle some water if need.
Once beans and jackfruit cook, add kokam and jaggary, mix well, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Then add scraped coconut and coriander.


Serve with chapatti or rice roti or as a side in a meal.


Notes:
  • You may use (2 tsp Chilli powder + 1 tsp Goda or Garam masala) instead of mix or malwani masala.
  • You can use lentil, black peas, small red lobia or split bengal gram. Soak for 5-6 hours and use. But remember, every beans have different cooking time.
  • If you are not using the val beans, then do not use kokam and jaggary. But if you like jaggary, so you can use it.


Monday 8 April 2013

Coleslaw Sandwich

Coleslaw is  the Dutch word, cole means cabbage and slaw means salad.


ही पाककृती वाचा मराठीतून ....इथे क्लिक करा.

Ingredients:
  • Brown bread slices- 10 
  • Red cabbage, shredded- ½ cup  
  • Cabbage, shredded- ½ cup   
  • Julianne capsicum- 2 tbsp
  • Julianne  carrot- ¼ cup 
  • Julianne onion- ¼ cup
  • Butter- as required
  • Paneer (Cottage cheese) - 100 gm
  • Salt and pepper to taste


Dressing:


  • Thousand island spread - ¼  cup (easily available in the market)
  • Black peppercorns,  freshly ground  - ½ tsp or to taste
  • Hot chili sauce- 1 tsp
  • Mustard sauce- 1 tsp
Combine all ingredients and mix well.



Method:
Apply butter on one side of bread slices & roast both sides.  Keep aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine the carrots, cabbage, capsicum and onion. 
Add dressing and salt, mix well.Coleslaw is ready.
Cut  paneer into 2 inches pieces. Marinate with black pepper powder. Grill both side.


Spread coleslaw on bread slice. Put some pieces of grilled paneer on it, assemble the sandwich.
Serve with tomato ketchup. 




You can use grilled chicken, fish or tofu instead of paneer.
You can use only green cabbage.

Thursday 4 April 2013

Raw (Green) Tomato Chutney ~ Hirvya Tomatochi Chutney

Green tomato chutney is very flavourful, we feel spicy, sour and sweet taste at a time. Our neighbour Joshi Kaku makes this and I love it. 



ही पाककृती वाचा मराठीतून....इथे क्लिक करा.

Ingredients :

  • Raw Tomato- 250gm
  • Green Chilies- 3 to 4 or as per taste
  • Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
  • Cumin seeds- 1 tsp 
  • Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
  • Asafetida (Hing)- ½ tsp
  • Sugar- 2 tbsp (It depends upon sourness of tomato, as per your like)
  • Roasted peanut, crushed - ¼ cup
  • Finely chopped coriander- 2tbsp
  • Veg. Oil- 4 tbsp
  • Salt to taste

Method:
  • Boil the raw tomatoes. Peel their skin and roughly smash. 
  • Cut chilies into small pieces. 
  • Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds for tempering. When mustard seeds are popping, add cumin seeds, chilies, hing, turmeric powder. Sauté for a minute.
  • Add tomato smash, salt & sugar and sauté for a minute. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. 
  • Add coriander and peanut crush and mix well. Serve hot with any paratha or as side dish in a meal.

Tips:
  • You can use scraped fresh coconut instead of peanut crush.
  • You can use jaggery instead of sugar. 
  • You can boil raw tomatoes in pressure cooker or in microwave oven.

Monday 1 April 2013

Tasty Pumpkin Stir-fry (Lal Bhopalyachi Bhaji)

This is my my mom style stir-fry, I love this….
On some occasions , we cook “Satvik” food means food with no onion garlic. We cook this specially in “Shravan” month. Pumpkin is very rich in “A” vitamin.


Ingredients:
  • Pumpkin/Kaddu/Lal Bhopla - 250 gms
  • Potato- 1 med. size
  • Fenugreek seeds (methi dana)-  ¼ tsp
  • Green Chilies - 5 
  • Scraped Coconut – ¼ cup
  • Chopped Coriander – ¼ cup
  • Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
  • Asafetida/Hing – ¼  tsp
  • Oil – 3 to 4 tbsp
  • Salt to taste 


Method:

  • Remove seeds & pulp (shredded messy part). Peel the pumpkin & potato skin and cut it into ½ inch pieces. Wash and drain. Cut the chilies into 1/2 or 1 inch pieces.
  • Heat oil in a kadhai/wok and add fenugreek seeds, green chilli, turmeric powder and asafetida. Sauté little and add potato. Sauté, cover and cook for 1-2 mints on simmer.
  • Add pumpkin, salt and mix well.. Sauté, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes on simmer. Do not add water. Pumpkin release water. Keep stirring with soft hand in between.
  • When potato and pumpkin get cooked , add scrapped coconut and chopped coriander.  Remove from gas.
  • Serve hot with chappati or as side dish.

Tip:
You can use Mustard seeds – ½ tsp instead of fenugreek seeds or with.You can use also Jaggery or Sugar about ½ to 1 tsp but I do not use, pumpkin is already sweet.