Bakar Bhaji ~ Spicy Pumkin Curry

Bhakar Bhaji means spicy pumkin curry. This pumkin curry has wonderful colour, texture and taste. You would love this curry even you don't ever like pumkin. This type of curry is mainly made in Vidarbha (a region of Maharastra) for feast of festivals and marrige ceremony.

Ingredients:

• Pumkin- 250 gm
• Dry coconut, grated- 1 tbsp
• Poppy seeds- 1 tsp
• Sesame seeds- 1 tbsp
• Goda masala- ½ tsp
• Red chili powder- 1 tsp or to taste
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Tamarind pulp- 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp 
• Salt- to taste,
• Jaggery-  ¼ tsp 
• Asafoetida/hing-  ¼ tsp 
• Oil- 3 to 4 tbsp
• Fresh coriander for garnishing, finely chopped- a handful 

Method:

• Peel and cut pumkin into cubes. 
  
• Dry roast sesame seeds, dry coconut, poppy seeds together in the kadai. When they become crisp and light brown, remove. 
  
• Grind coarsaly together coconut, poppy seeds, sesame seeds.
• Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. When they splutter, turmeric powder and hing. Saute for a second.
• Then add chopped pumpkin and mix well. 
  
• Add chilli powder and saute a while. 
  
• Add ½ cup water and salt. Cover and let cook until pumpkin is tender. Do not overcook.
  
• Add ground powder, goda masala, tamarind pulp, jaggery and mix well. Add some water if needed. Cover and cook on low heat. 
• After 2 minutes, turn the heat off. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 
  
• Serve hot with chapati or dal-rice.

Tips: 

• Pumpkin should not be fully ripe, it’s little bit raw. Pumpkin should not be whitish yellow or should not be orange. 
• You can add ½ tsp garlic paste in this curry while tempering.

Bhogichi Bhaji ~ Maharashtrian Style Mix Vegetable for Bhogi

Bhogi is a day before Makar Snakrati. On this day we preapare this Mix Vegetable Sabzi in Maharashtra known as 'Bhogichi Bhaji'. In winter, lots of veggies are easily available in India. In this recipe, we use generous quantity of sesame seeds which are very healthy and essential during cold days. This mix vegetable is served bajra roti, mung dal khichadi, spicy sesame chutney and hot kadhi. Warm up your body and mind in this winter with this very healthy and delious dish!

Ingredients: 

Veggies:-

• Brinjal/eggplant pieces- ½ cup 
• Carrot, peeled & chopped - ¼ cup 
• Potato, peeled & chopped -½ cup 
• Ivy gourds/ Tendali- ¼ cup 
• Fresh green chana/ ole harbare- ¼ cup 
• Fresh green tuvar- ¼ cup 
• Fresh green val or pavate- ¼ cup 
• Green peas - ¼ cup 
• Ghevada, devained & chopped - ¼ cup 
• Fresh/tender peanuts- ¼ cup 
• Drumsticks,peeled & chopped- 6 pieces of 3 inches 
• Sugarcane, peeled & chopped- 3 pieces of 1 inch 
• Ber/ Bor (Indian Zizyphus) - 5 to 6 
• Fresh coriander- a handful

Other:-

• Peanuts, roasted- 1 tbsp
• Sesame seeds, roasted- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
• Dry coconut, grated & roasted- 1 tbsp
• Goda masala or Kala masala- 1 tbsp 
• Red chilly powder - 1 tsp or to taste
• Mustard seeds/rai- 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds/ jeera- 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Asafetida (Hing) - ¼ tsp
• Salt to taste
• Tamarind thick pulp- 1 tsp or to taste
• Gud/ Jaggery- a pinch or to taste 
• Oil - 4 to 5 tbsp

Method:

• Cut, peel and wash all the veggies.
• Dry roast 1 tbsp sesame seeds until it gets golden brown color. Let them cooled.
• Combine sesame seeds, roasted dry coconut and roasted peanut in blender and blend into powder.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and when they start spluttering, add hing, turmeric, red chili powder. Add some water to prevent burning this tempering. 
• Add potato, fresh chana, fresh val/pavta, green peas, green tuvar and peanuts. Mix well. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes over low heat. 
• Then add sugarcane, drumsticks, brinjal and carrot. Mix well. Add some water if necessary. Cover and cook over low heat. Stir occasionally.
• Once vegetables are almost cooked, add salt, ber, tamarind juice, gud and goda masala. Mix well with soft hand. Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle some water if necessary. 
• Add ground powder and coriander. Sprinkle 1 tsp of roasted sesame seeds on it. Mix well and switch of the gas
• Serve with hot Bajra bhakri/roti with sesame seeds on it. Apply some ghee or homemade white butter on it.

Tips:

• You can also add radish/mula, val papadi or other winter veggies.
• You can add fresh coconut insted of dry coconut. Just add in curry in the end with coriander.
• This mix vegetable has not too much gravy. Keep little gravy, adjust the water according to this. 

• Mugachi khichadi...click here for recipe.
• Kadhi.....click here for recipe.

भोगीची भाजी

नव्या वर्षाचे स्वागत केल्यावर येणारा पहिला सण मकरसंक्रात ! महाराष्ट्रात मकरसंक्रातीच्या आदल्या दिवशी भोगी साजरी केली जाते. भोगीच्या दिवशी अनेक प्रकारच्या भाज्यांची एकत्र भाजी केली जाते…हीच ती भोगीची लेकुरवाळी भाजी.  

संक्रांतीच्या सुमारास म्हणजेच जानेवारी महिन्यात भाजीपाला व फळे मुबलक प्रमाणात उपलब्ध असतात. हेमंत ऋतूचे हे दिवस हे मस्त थंडीचे असतात. या काळाला धुंदुर मास असही म्हणतात. याकाळात नैसर्गिकरित्या खूप भूक वाढते, पचनशक्ती सुधारते तसेच खाल्लेले अन्न शरीरालाही लागते. त्यामुळे  थंडीमध्ये पोषक ठरतील, असे पदार्थ केले जातात.
बाजरी उष्ण असल्याने ती हिवाळयात खाणे अधिक हितकारी आहे. बाजरी ही बलकारक, उष्ण, अग्निदीपक, कफनाशक असते. त्यामुळे भोगीच्या भाजीसोबत बाजरीची भाकरी बनवावी. थापताना वरून तीळ लावावेत. 

तीळ आणि शेंगदाणे स्निग्ध असल्याने शरीरातील, त्वचेतील रुक्षपणा कमी करण्यास मदत करतात. यासोबत दुध, तुप, दही , लोणी, ताक यासारख्या पदार्थांचे मोठया प्रमाणात सेवन करावे.

साहित्य:

• वांग्याच्या फोडी - १/२ कप
• बटाट्याच्या फोडी-  १/२ कप 
• तुरीचे दाणे - १/४ कप 
• मटारचे दाणे - १/४ कप 
• वालाचे/पावट्याचे दाणे- १/४ कप 
• ओल्या हरभऱ्याचे दाणे - १/४ कप 
• ओले शेंगदाणे/भुईमुग- १/४ कप 
• गाजराचे तुकडे - १/४ कप 
• घेवडा, सोलून मोडलेला - १/४ कप 
• शेवग्याचे ३ इंचाचे तुकडे, सोलून  - ६ नग 
• तोंडली- १/४ कप 
• पिकलेली घट्ट बोरे - ५ ते ६ नग *
• उसाचे १ इंचाचे तुकडे, सोलून- ३
• कोथिंबीर- मुठभर  
• सुके खोबरे, किसून भाजून- १ टेबलस्पून 
• तीळ - १ टेबलस्पून + १ टीस्पून 
• शेंगदाणे, भाजून सोलून-  १ टेबलस्पून
• चिंचेचा घट्ट कोळ - १ टीस्पून 
• गूळ - चिमुटभर 
• काळा मसाला / गोडा मसाला - १ टेबलस्पून
• मिरची पूड / लाल तिखट - १ टीस्पून किंवा आवडीप्रमाणे 
• मोहरी - १ टीस्पून 
• जिरे- १ टीस्पून 
• हिंग - १/४  टीस्पून 
• हळद - १/२ टीस्पून 
• मीठ - चवीनुसार
• तेल - ४ ते ५ टेबलस्पून

कृती: 

• सगळ्या भाज्या चिरून-निवडून व धुवून घ्याव्यात. 
• तीळ खरपूस भाजावेत. थंड झाल्यावर तीळ, शेंगदाणे व सुके खोबरे एकत्र वाटून घ्यावेत. 
• तेल तापवून त्यात मोहरी, जिरे, हिंग, हळद फोडणी करावी. 
• त्यात मिरची पूड घालून लगेच थोडे पाणी टाकावे. 
• त्यात तुरीचे, मटारचे दाणे, हरभऱ्याचे दाणे, पावट्याचे दाणे, शेंगदाणे घालून ५ मिनिट मंद आचेवर वाफवावे. 
• नंतर गाजर, वांगे, घेवडा, उस आणि शेवगा घालून शिजवावे. जरुरीप्रमाणे पाणी घालावे. मध्ये मध्ये हलवावे. 
• भाज्या शिजत आल्या की त्यात बोरे, कोथिंबीर, तयार केलेला कूट, काळा मसाला, चिंचेचा कोळ, गुळ आणि मीठ घालून मिक्स करावे. जरूर असल्यास पाणी शिंपडावे. एक वाफ आणावी. 
• गरमागरम बाजरीच्या भाकरीबरोबर भाजीचा आस्वाद घ्या. शिवाय जोडीला मुगाची खिचडी, ताकाची कढी आणि तीळाची झणझणीत चटणी हवीच. 

टिपा: 

• भाजीला फार रस्सा ठेवायचा नाही, अंगाबरोबर रस्सा ठेवा.   
• ज्या भाज्या आवडत असतील आणि उपलब्ध असतील त्या वापरा, आवडत नसतील त्या वगळा. भाज्यांचे प्रमाण आपल्या आवडीनुसार बदलावे.
• वालपापडी व मुळ्याचे तुकडे पण घालू शकता. 
• सुक्या खोबऱ्याऐवजी खवलेले ओले खोबरे पण वापरू शकता. अगदी शेवटी कोथिंबीर बरोबर वरून घालावे.      

Kelfulachi Bhaji ~ Maharashtrian Style Banana Flower/Blossom Curry

Authentic, delicious and healthy curry is made with banana flower and val/field beans.
In Asia banana flowers is used as a vegetable. Like artichokes, both the fleshy part of the bracts and the heart are edible. Banana flowers contain various vitamins like Vitamin A, C and E. They also contain potassium and fibers. This makes them an excellent health food and a source of healthy nutrients. Calculated intake of banana flowers reduces blood sugar levels. Banana flowers boost the supply of milk that helps the new mothers feed their young better.

How to clean Banana Flower: 

• Take care of your clothes while handling the banana flower. It's juice stains clothes.
• Discard upper dark pink petals of banana flower. Discard the petals until you will get tender, soft and yellowish or pale white core of flower and you will feel hard to peel more. 
• Also discard tough and rubbery flowers of first 1-2 layers. 
• 
• Remove the long stem (like matchstick) inside each flower along with the outer stiff petal (like nail or feather). 
  
• Chop flowers finely also chop inner tender core of flower. Discard the stem of core.
• Immerse the chopped banana flower in the salty water or thin buttermilk. 
  

Ingredients:

• Kelful (Banana Flower), chopped- approx 2 cups from 1 medium sized flower 
• Va beans, spourted & peeled- ½ cup (from ¼ cup dried val beans) 
• Oil- 2 to 3 tbsp 
• Onion, chopped- 1 med or ¾ cup 
• Garlic- 3 to 5 cloves 
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp 
• Cumin seeds- 1 tsp 
• Hing (Asafoetida)- ¼ tsp 
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp 
• Homemade mix masala or Malwani masala- 3 to 4 tsp (or 1½-2 tsp red chili powder + 1½ Goda masala) 
• Jaggery- ¼ tsp 
• Kokum /aamsul- 2 to 3 
• Fresh coconut, scraped- ¼ cup 
• Fresh coriander finely chopped- a handful 
• Salt- to taste 

Method:

• Drain the water and squeeze it. 
• Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When the splattering starts, add garlic and onion. 
• When onion become pink, add turmeric powder, hing, masala and sauté for a minute. 
• Add val beans, little water and salt to taste. (Use salt carefully if you immersed flowers in the salty water.) Mix well, cover and cook for 8-10 minutes on simmer. 
• Add squeezed flowers and mix well, cover and cook for 10 minutes or till cooked on simmer. Stir occasionally. Sprinkle little water if needed. 
• Add jaggery and kokum. Mix well, cover and cook on simmer for a minute. 
• Garnish with scrapped coconut and coriander. 
• Serve hot with chapati, bhakari or dal-rice. 

Variation:
You can use other pulses like Kala Vatana (Black peas) or Chana (Bengal gram) or Red Small Chavali (Lobia) instead of Val beans.

Soak pulses overnight. Don't need to sprouted them like val. Pressure cook these pulses before using to save the time of cooking. Do not overcook. Rest of recipe is same. You can omit kokum and jaggary when you are using these pulses.

We also make vade/cutlet using these banana flowers. 

Aluchi Patal Bhaji / Alavache Fatfate ~ Colocasia/Taro Leaves Curry

Aluche Fatfate or fadfade is a traditional Maharashtrian curry, which is made for Special occasion such as wedding or shradh. This curry is a delightful balance of hot, sweet and sour.

Alu is known as various name such as Taro, Colocasia, Eddoe, Elephant Ears in English and Arbi or Arvi patta in Hindi.

Good quality of alu available in monsoon. This is a good source of vitamins A and C and contains proteins.

This curry prepare various ways. I am giving here my aai's simple and delicious recipe. I don't like to making this curry with too many ingredients and heavy spices.

Instructions: 

• There are many species of alu/taro. But all of they are not edible. Some wild species are poisonous and very itchy. So be careful while buying. Do not bring unknown alu leaves, stems and roots yourself from jungle or anywhere.
• Be careful while cutting the stems. The stems release some juice which is stinging and itchy. So rub oil or butter on your hands before handling the stems and leaves to prevent from itching.
• Chop carefully. Wash under running water with the help of strainer and spoon. Do not touch while washing.
• Then only if you suffer from itching, then rub lemon juice on your hands and wash properly. Rub with alum/turati or ghee on your hands.
• Tamarind, oil and spices remove the itchiness of alu while cooking. So don't worry abut this.  
• And one more thing…this juice also stains clothes. So take care not to stain your clothes.

Ingredients:

• Alu/taro, chopped- approx 3½ cups (4-5 leaves & some stems) 
• Green chilies, chopped- 2
• Peanuts- ½ cup
• Tamarind- small lemon size or thick tamarind pulp- 1 tbsp or as per your like
• Jaggery- 2 to 3 tsp or as per your like
• Oil- 2 to 3 tbsp
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
• Asafoetida (Hing)- ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Chili powder- 1 tsp or as per your like
• Salt- to taste

Method:

• Soak peanuts for atleast 3-4 hours. Then pressure cook with some salt upto 1-2 whistle.
• Rub oil or butter on your hands before handling the stems and leaves to prevent from itching. 
• Peel outer thick, rough skin and fiber part of stems. Remove threads if any. Peel as like drumsticks. You will get white and soft inner part of stems. 
  
• Discard the veins of leaves. Chop leaves and stems carefully. 
  
• Wash under running water with the help of strainer and spoon. Do not touch while washing.
• Soak tamarind in some water water for few minutes. Squeeze the tamarind and extract the juice.
• Pressure cook with green chili and around ½ cup upto 2 whistles. Let release the steam. (You may cook peanuts and alu at a same time but in different vessel.) 
  
• Mash it well with pavbhaji/potato masher or ravi/dal masher or hand blender. 
• Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds, once they start spluttering, add cumin seeds, hing, turmeric powder and red chili powder. 
• Add boiled peanuts and saute for a minute. 
  
• Now add mashed alu mixture. Mix well. 
  
• Then add some water (approx 1 cup) to adjust the consistency (not too thick not too thin).
• Add tamarind juice, jaggery, salt and 1 tsp Goda masala if you like. Give a nice stir.
• Cover and cook for 5 minutes on low heat. 
• Once it start boiling, switch of the gas.
• Serve hot with rice or chapati.

Notes:

• Fresh coconut slices, chana dal and raddish pieces can be added along with peanuts.
• Adjust the quantity of tamarind and jaggery according to your taste.
• You may use Goda masala for extra taste in this curry.
• You can add besan for nice homogeneous blend.
• You can make spinach like this way. 
• If you want little twist. Heat 1 tsp oil in a small tadka pan, fry 2 tsp garlic slices till they turn brown. Add this tadka in the curry. 

अळूची पातळ भाजी किंवा अळूचे फतफते/फदफदे

संपूर्ण रेसिपी मराठीत वाचण्यासाठी इथे क्लिक करा. 

Mugache Birde/Bhirde or Muga Gathi ~ Maharashtrian Style Sprouted & Peeled Moong/Green Gram Curry

Mugache Birde or Muga Gathi is the one of delicacy of our Konkani cooking. Sprouted green grams are full of protein and are good to include it in our daily diet.

This curry specially is made on Monday in Shravan month. We do not eat onion-garlic on Shravani Somvar, so we make this curry without onion-garlic but you may use. Trust me...without using onion-garlic, this curry is also extremely delicious.

Ingredients:

• Whole moong beans (Green gram)- 1 cup 
• Oil- 2 to 3 tbsp 
• Mustard seeds- 1 ½ tsp 
• Asafoetida (Hing)- ½ tsp 
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp 
• Curry leaves- 5 (optional- I don't use.) 
• Homemade mix masala or malwani masala- 3 tsp (or 2 tsp chili powder + 2 tsp goda masala) 
• Goda masala- 1 tsp (I use goda masala with our homemade masala for this curry.) 
• Salt- to taste 
• Fresh coconut, scrapped or grated- ½ cup 
• Cumin seeds- 1 tsp 
• Kokum/ aamsul- 4 (if not available, use tamarind pulp) 
• Coriander leaves, finely chopped- 2 tbsp 

If you want to use:- Onion, chopped- ½ cup and Garlic- 4 cloves

How to sprout the Moong/Green Gram?

• Wash and soak moong overnight or for at least 6 to 8 hours in double quantity of water. 
• They would soak water and would swell. Drain the water in the morning. Wash again in the running water and drain again. Thus they they don't become sticky. 
• Wrap in a thin cotton cloth or muslin cloth and keep them in a large bowl and cover it with lid. 
• Place it in a warm place to sprout. It would take around 16 hours depends upon weather. If there is cold weather, then would take more time and there is hot weather, then would take less time. Due to the warming the sprouts come out nicely. The moong have bigger sprouts now. 
• Once moong have sprouted, transfer the sprouts to a larger vessel/patela and fill the vessel with water almost up to the brim. This would get moisturize to the beans and peeling off the skin would be easy. 
• Keep aside for minimum 3-4 hours. Rub moong gently with palms. Several green peels (70-80 % of it) will float on the surface of water. 
• Remove the floated green peels and rub again moong. 
• The remaining peels remove manually. After removing the skin, moong are ready to be used for cooking. 

Means if you want to make "Mugache Birde" for Monday lunch, then you have to soak moong at Saturday night.
Peeling of moong beans is really time spending and patiently work but the taste of curry is always well worth....

Method:

• Grind together fresh coconut, cumin seeds and garlic (if you are using) with some water. (Add hot water if you are using frozen coconut.) Grind into fine paste. 
• Wash these sprouted & peeled moong and drain. 
• Heat oil in a kadai or pan. Add mustered seeds for tempering. When mustered seeds are popping, add onion (if you are using. Sauté till turns pinkish.) 
• Add hing, turmeric powder and masala or chilli powder. Sauté for a second. 
• Add moong and saute for a while and add water. Mix well and cover the wok with s.s. plate. Pour some water on a plate. Cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat. 
• Add coconut paste and salt. Add some water (adjust consistency of curry as per personal choice). 
• Mix well and cook for 15-20 on low heat or till the beans become tender (not too soft). Stir occasionally with soft hand. Check in between by pressing one with fingers. 
• Add goda masala, kokam petals, jaggery and water if needed. Cook another 2 minutes on low heat. 
• Garnish with coriander. Serve hot with chapatti or bhakari or rice. 

Tips:

• Due to over cooking of moong, the taste would ruin and partially cooked moong tastes not good. Experience gives you perfection. 
• Moong are very delicate so handle and mix it with soft hand otherwise kernels breaks. Do not overcook. Remember that do not cook soft like smashed dal, moong kernels should stay whole.

Chanyachi Usal ~ Maharashtrian Style Bengal Gram/Chana Curry

Bengal Gram is known as Chana or Harbhara. They are available in black, brown and they are green colors and great source of protein.

We make chanyachi/harbharyachi usal or chanyachi bhaji specially on Friday in our holy month 'Shravan'. It tastes very delicious.

This is our kokani method of making 'Chanyachi Usal'. Actually, Usal is a Maharashtrian dry curry recipe using sprouted pulses only. In Konkan, we called it 'Chanyachi Rassa Bhaji' because we keep some gravy for this curry. But rest of Maharashtra, all pulses curry known as 'Usal'. 

Ingredients:

• Bengal gram (chana)- 1 cup
• Onion, finely chopped- 1 cup
• Bay leaves (tej patta)- 2
• Homemade mix masala or malwani masala- 3 tsp (or 2 tsp chili powder + 2 tsp goda masala)
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Asafetida (hing)- ½ tsp
• Garam masala- 1 tsp
• Ginger~garlic paste- 1 tbsp
• Roasted coconut paste- 2-3 tbsp 
• Salt- to taste
• Oil- 4 tbsp
• Fresh coriander, finely chopped- a handful

Method:

• Wash and soak the chana for 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Wash and drain. 
  
• Heat oil in a small pressure cooker. Add bay leaves, onion & sauté till it turn golden brown. 
• Add hing, turmeric powder, mix masala and sauté for a while. 
• Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a while. 
• Add coconut paste and sauté till oil come out from masala.
• Add soaked chana, garam masala, some chopped coriander, salt and about 1 cup+ water. Mix well.
• Close the pressure cooker with its lid and pressure cook to 4-5 whistles. Open cooker only after it releases pressure completely. 
• Garnish with coriander. 
• Serve hot with rice roti/bhakari or chapati or Amaboli or dal-rice.

Tip: You may increase the water quantity ratio to make some extra gravy. Adjust the masala/spices, coconut paste and salt according to this.

Fresh Wet Cashew Nuts Curry (Olya Kajuchi Bhaji)

Fresh/ tender cashew nuts arrive in Summer, mostly in March in India. This curry is very famous in our Kokan belt. These wet nuts have fabulous and creamy taste....just melt in your mouth. These goes well with anything. 

Ingredients:

• Fresh/wet tender cashew nuts (ole kaju)- 2 cups
• Potato- 1 med
• Onion, finely chopped- 1 med
• Coconut paste- 2 tbsp
• Ginger~garlic paste- 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Asafetida (Hing)- ¼ tsp
• Homemade mix masala or malwani masala- 2 to 3 tsp
• Garam masala- 1 tsp
• Oil- 2 to 3 tbsp
• Salt- to taste
• Fresh coriander, finely chopped- a handful ~ for garnishing

Method:

• Soak cashew for 30 minutes, hence easy to peel them. Peel and wash cashew nuts properly. Apply some oil on palms, their peels are itchy. 
  
• Peel potato and cut into 1 inch pieces. 
• Heat oil in a large pan or kadai (wok). Add onion & sauté till it turn golden brown. 
• Add hing, turmeric powder, mix masala and  sauté for a while. 
• Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a while. 
• Add coconut paste and sauté till oil come out from masala.
• Add cashew nuts, potato, garam masala, salt and some water. Mix well.
• Cover and cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes or till it cooked well. Stir occasionally. In between, check consistency of curry. Adjust consistency as per personal choice by adding some water. 
• Garnish with coriander. 
• Serve hot with rice roti/bhakari or chapati or dal-rice.

Note:

• You may use (1 tsp of chilli powder + 2 tsp of Goda Masala) instead of mix masala.
• If cashews are big, they takes more time to cook. Cook proparly, uncooked cashews tastes bad.
• You can store peeled cashew in freezer for 8-10 days, but for better result not more than that.
• If you don't have fresh cashews then you can soak the dry cashews in warm water for 8 to 10 hours. Obviously these tastes different than wet cashews.

ओल्या काजूंची भाजी किंवा उसळ

साहित्य:

• ओले काजू, सोललेले - २ कप 
• बटाटा- १ मध्यम (ऐच्छिक, भाजी पुरेशी होण्यासाठी घालावा.)   
• कांदा,  चिरून- १ मध्यम 
• भाजलेल्या खोबऱ्याचे वाटण- २ टेबलस्पून  
• आले लसूण वाटण- २ टीस्पून 
• हळद- १/२ टीस्पून 
• हिंग- १/४  टीस्पून
• मालवणी मसाला किंव्हा घरगुती मसाला- ३ टीस्पून
• गरम मसाला- १ टीस्पून (ऐच्छिक)
• मीठ- चवीनुसार 
• तेल- ३ ते ४ टेबलस्पून 
• कोथिंबीर, बारीक चिरून- मूठभर 

 कृती:

• काजू व्यवस्थित सोलून घ्यावेत. काजू सोलताना हाताला तेल चोळावे. नाहीतर हात फार खाजतात आणि काळे होतात. ओले काजु थोडा वेळ पाण्यात भिजत घालावेत, म्हणजे सालं सहज निघून येतील. सालं काढल्यावर काजू पाण्यात स्वच्छ धुऊन घ्यावेत.
• बटाटे सोलून साधारण १ इंचाचे तुकडे करावेत. 
• एका कढईत तेल गरम करून कांदा तपकिरी रंगावर परतून घ्यावा. 
• त्यात हिंग, हळद आणि मसाला टाकून काही  वेळ परतावा. 
• त्यात आले-लसूण पेस्ट टाकून जरास परतावं. 
• त्यात काजू, बटाट्याचे तुकडे टाकून थोडस पाणी टाकून व्यवस्थित मिसळून मंद आचेवर ५-६ मिनिटे झाकण ठेऊन शिजवावे. 
• त्यात गरम मसाला आणि मीठ टाकून  छान एकत्र करून पुन्हा एक वाफ काढावी. 
• नंतर त्यात आवश्यकतेनुसार पाणी घालून झाकण ठेऊन काजू, बटाटा शिजेपर्यंत शिजू द्यावे. 
• कोथिंबीर टाकून भांडे उतरावे. 
• चपाती किंवा भाकरी सोबत गरमागरम खायला द्यावे.

टिप:

• तुम्ही तुमचा स्वतःचा घरगुती मसाला वापरू शकता. 
• मालवणी किंव्हा घरगुती मसाला नसेल तर (१ टीस्पून मिरची पूड + २ टीस्पून गरम मसाला किंव्हा गोड मसाला) असे वापरा. 
•  काजू आकाराने मोठे असले तर शिजायला वेळ लागतो. अर्धवट शिजलेले ओले काजू  अजिबात चांगले नाहीत.  
• सालं काढून काजू फ़्रीजर मध्ये ठेवले तर महिनाभर चांगले रहातात. 
• ओले काजु उपलब्ध नसतील तर न खारवलेले, सुके काजू दोन तास पाण्यात भिजत घालून वापरावेत. अर्थात ओल्या काजूंचा स्वाद त्याला नाही येत.

Shengavani ~ Drumstick Curry With Gram Flour Dumplings

Drumstick are used in many dishes in our Kokan. But this is my most favorite curry. This recipe is originally made in CKP and Sonar community.

Ingredients :

• Drumsticks- 4 to 5
• Tamarind pulp- ½ tsp
• Jaggery- ½ tsp or to taste
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
• Asafoetida (hing)- ¼ tsp
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Homemade mix masala or malwani masala- 2  to 3 tsp
• Coriander leaves, finely chopped- 2 tbsp
• Oil- 2 tbsp
• Salt- to taste

For Gram Flour Dumplings:- 

• Gram flour (besan)- 1 cup
• Garam masala- 1 tsp
• Mix masala- ½ tsp
• Salt- to taste

For Coconut paste:-

• Onion, chopped- 1 med
• Garlic- 6 cloves
• Dry coconut, grated-  ¼ cup
• Oil- 2 tsp

Method :

• Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok, fry garlic and onion. Add coconut and roast till they become brown. Grind this into a fine paste.
• Peel drumstick's skin properly cut into 3-4 inches pieces.
• Dry roast besan till it gives nice aroma. 
• Combine besan, garam masala, mix masala, salt and 2 tbsp coconut paste. Mix well, add little water if needed. Make dough not too tough like chapati dough or not too loose like idali batter. Keep aside. 
• Heat oil in a pan/wok. Add mustard seeds. After they splutter, add hing,turmeric and then add remaining coconut paste. 
• Add mix masala and saute till it discharged oil from masala paste. 
• Add the drumsticks to the mixture. Add some water and salt. Mix well and cover the pan with lid.
• Let the drumsticks cook for 10 minutes on low heat.
• Turn the gas on high. Add dumplings like pakoda/bhaji in boiling curry.
• Turn the gas on low again and cover the pan with lid. Let them cook.
• When the drumsticks become tender enough, add tamarind, jaggery and hot water according to a consistency of curry what you like.
• Cover it with a lid and let it cook for 10-15 more minutes or till dumplings cook well.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with chapati or rice. 

Tips:

• You can use (1 tsp Red chilli powder + 1 tsp Goda Masala) instead of mix masala. 
• You can omit dumplings, if you are in hurry. 
• When this curry is made without drumsticks, then it is called as "Golewani".

Tuvar Lilva Usal/ Turichya Danyachi Usal (Green Pigeon Peas Curry)

Tuvar Lilva Usal With Tomatoes and Kanda Lasoon Masala tastes awesome.

Ingredients :

• Green pigeon peas(Green Tuvar) - 1 ½ cup (from 500 gm tuvar pods) 
• Tomato, finely chopped- 1 med 
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp 
• Cumin seeds - ½ tsp 
• Turmeric powder - ½ tsp 
• Asafoetida (hing) - a pinch 
• Kolhapuri kanda-lasun masala - 2 to 3 tsp 
• Oil - 3 tbsp 
• Fresh coriander leaves - a handful 
• Fresh coconut, scraped - 2 tbsp 
• Salt - to taste 

Method:

• Heat oil in the pan. Add mustard seeds, when it crackles add cumin seeds, turmeric and hing. 
• Add tuvar kernels, give a quick stir and keep lid on pan immediately because tuvar kernels pops up. Cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat. 
• Add tomato, kolhapuri masala, salt and mix well. 
• Sprinkle little water, cover and cook till tuvar kernels become tender. Stir occasionally. 
• Add coconut and coriander, mix well. Cover and cook for 2 minutes on low heat. Usal is ready. 
• Serve this tasty usal with chapati or bhakari. 
• Or...Put some usal in the plate, sprinkle chopped tomato, onion, coriander, lime juice and sev. Serve as a snack. 

Notes:

• You may use 1½ tsp chili powder + 1½ tsp Goda masala instead of Kolhapuri masala. 
• You can use chopped onion. 
• You can use other green beans like green peas (matar), fresh green gram/garbanzo beans (taza chana/ola harabhara) etc.

तुरीच्या दाण्यांची उसळ

साहित्य:

• तुरीचे दाणे - १ १/२ कप (५०० ग्रॅम तुरीच्या शेंगापासून)
• टोमॅटो, बारीक चिरून- १ मध्यम
• मोहरी- १ टिस्पून
• जिरे - १/२ टिस्पून
• हळद - १/२ टिस्पून
• हिंग- एक चिमूटभर
• कोल्हापुरी चटणी मसाला/कांदा-लसुण मसाला- 2 ते 3 टिस्पून
• तेल - 3 टेबलस्पून
• कोथिंबीर - एक मूठभर
• ओले खोबरे, खवुन- २ टिस्पून
• मीठ - चवीनुसार

कृती:

• पॅन मध्ये तेल गरम करावे. मोहरी, जिरे, हळद आणि हिंग घालून फोडणी करावी.
• त्यात तुरीचे दाणे घालावेत. लगेच पॅनवर झाकण ठेवा कारण दाणे फोडणीत टाकल्यावर उडू लागतात. मंद आचेवर २-३ मिनिटे शिजू द्यावे.
• नंतर टोमॅटो, कोल्हापुरी मसाला, मीठ घालून चांगले मिक्स करावे.
• थोडे पाणी शिंपडा आणि खोबरे आणि कोथिंबीर घालून मिक्स करावे.
• झाकण ठेऊन मंद आचेवर ५ मिनिटे शिजू द्यावे. उसळ तयार आहे.
• पोळी किंवा भाकरी सोबत हि चवदार उसळ सर्व्ह करावी.
• किंवा ... प्लेट मध्ये थोडीशी उसळ घेऊन त्यावर चिरलेला टोमॅटो, कांदा, कोथिंबीर, लिंबाचा रस आणि शेव टाका. एक नाश्ता म्हणून सर्व्ह करता येईल.

टिपा:

• कोल्हापुरी मसाला ऐवजी ( 1½ टीस्पून तिखट + 1½ टीस्पून गोडा मसाला) वापरू शकता.
• फोडणीत हवा असल्यास चिरलेला कांदा घालू शकता.
• मटार, ओला हरभरा, वाल/पावटा दाणे वापरून अश्या प्रकारची उसळ करू शकता.

Maharashtrian Style Brinjal & Potato Curry (Vang-Batata Rassa)

A typical Maharashtrian curry, Batata ani Vangyacha Rassa. This curry is made too many styles. This style is used in Kokan belt.

Ingredients:

• Brinjal/Eggplant- 250 gm
• Potato- 2 med size
• Onion- 1 med. size
• Coconut paste- 2 to 3 tbsp
• Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Home made masala or malawani masala – 3 to 4 tsp (or 2 tsp chilli powder+2 tsp goda masala)
• Cinnamon stick- 1 inch piece
• Asafetida (Hing)- ¼ tsp
• Greatted jaggery (gud)- ½ tsp
• Oil- 3 to 4 tbsp
• Fresh coriander, chopped- ¼ cup
• Water-  approx ½ cup

Method:

• Peel potatoes and cut into 1 inch pieces. Cut brinjal into 1.5 inch pieces approx. Chop finely onion.
• Heat oil in a pan or kadai (wok). Add cinnamon stick and onion and sauté till it turns dark brown (but do not burn). 
• Add hing, turmeric powder and sauté for a while. 
• Add masala or chili powder, ginger-garlic paste and coconut paste. Sauté till oil comes out from masala.
• Add brinjal, potato and some water. Mix well and cover with lid. Pour some water on lid. and cook for 5-6 minutes on low heat. 
• Add salt, goda masala, chopped coriander, jaggery.(if you are using). 
• Add some water to adjust consistency as per personal choice. Mix well.
• Continue to simmer this curry for 4 to 5 minutes or until brinjal and potato cooked. You can use pressure pan for cooking.
• Garnish with coriander. Serve hot with chapati or bhakari.

Tip:
In some part of Maharashtra, roasted peanut is used. Grind roasted and peeled peanuts into fine powder. Use 1 or 2 tbsp peanut powder + 1 tbsp coconut paste in curry.

Valache Birde / Bhirde (Sprouted Val or Field Beans Curry)

Valache Birde/Bhirde or Birda is a classic Maharashtrian curry. It is most popular in our ‘Kokan’ (western coastal region of Maharashtra). Any single festival meal is not complete without "Valacle Birde". This curry is most important part of our "Naivedyam" thali.

Sprouted and peeled beans/pulses like val (field beans), mung (green gram), chavali (lobia) called "birde" in Marathi, and this birde curry is called as "birde" itself.

This curry really brings back the taste of home! This is my all time favorite curry ……so let's do start.

हि पाककृती मराठीतून वाचण्यासाठी इथे क्लिक करा. 

Preparation: You need....Dried Val beans - 1 cup
I have posted in my earlier post "How to sprout val? " plz click here.

Ingredients:

• Sprouted and peeled Val beans (birde) - around 2 cups (from 1 cup of dried Val beans) 
• Fresh coconut, scraped or grated- ½ cup 
• Cumin seeds-½ tsp 
• Garlic- 5 to 6 cloves 
• Onion, chopped- 1 med 
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp 
• Mustard seeds- ½ tsp 
• Asafetida (Hing)- ½ tsp 
• Homemade mix masala or Malwani masala– 4 to 5 tsp (or Red chilli powder- 2½ tsp + Goda masala- 2 tsp) 
• Kokam petals -3 to 4 or Tamarind pulp-1 tsp 
• Jaggery (gur),grated- ½ to 1 tsp (as per your like) 
• Salt- as per taste 
• Veg. oil- 4 to 5 tbsp 
• Fresh coriander- 2 tbsp (for garnishing) 

Method:

• Grind together fresh coconut, cumin seeds and garlic with some water. (Add hot water if you are using frozen coconut.) Grind into fine paste. 
• Wash these sprouted & peeled val beans and drain. 
• Heat oil in a kadai or pan. Add mustard seeds for tempering. When mustard seeds are popping, add onion. Sauté till turns pinkish. 
• Add hing, turmeric powder and masala or chilli powder. Sauté for few seconds. 
• Add val beans and saute for a while and add water. Mix well and cover the wok with s.s. plate. Pour some water on a plate. Cook for 5 minutes on low heat. 
• Add coconut paste and salt. Add some water (adjust the consistency of curry as per personal choice). 
• Mix well and cook for 20-25 on low heat or till the beans become tender (not too soft). Stir occasionally with a soft hand. Check in between by pressing one with fingers. 
• Add kokam petals or tamarind pulp, jaggery and water if needed. (If you are using goda masala, add now.) Cook another 5 minutes on low heat. 
• Garnish with coriander. Serve hot with chapatti or bhakari or rice.

Second Method: (Traditional old Kokani recipe of my granny. C.K.P. community also follow this recipe. )

• In a big pan/wok, combine peeled val,turmeric powder, hing, masala or chilli powder, chopped onion, oil, salt and water. 
• Mix well and cover the wok with s.s. plate. Pour some water on a plate. Cook for 5 minutes on low heat. 
• Add coconut paste, required water and again mix it thoroughly. Cook on low heat for 20 to 25 minutes or till the beans become tender. 
• Add kokam petals or tamarind pulp, jaggery and water if needed. (If you are using goda masala, add now.) Cook another 5 minutes on low heat. 
• Garnish it with coriander. 

Tips:

• Val kernels are very delicate so handle and mix it with soft hand otherwise kernels breaks. Do not overcook. Remember that do not cook soft like smashed dal, val kernels should stay whole. 
• Due to over cooking of val beans, the taste would ruin and partially cooked val beans are difficult to digest. Experience gives you perfection. 
• Eating more amount of val beans, you may suffer from acidity and gas trouble. 
• Some people use potato in this curry. But in my opinion potato ruins taste of curry. 

Naivedyam Thali: