Amba Dal (Kairichi Dal) ~ Raw Mango and Lentil Salad

Amba Dal (Kairichi Dal) is a Maharashtrian recipe which is mainly made for Chaitra Gauri Pujan. Amba dal and Panhe is offered to godess Parvati (Gauri).

Ingredients:

• Raw mango (Kairi), grated- ¼ cup or some more (depends upon sourness of raw mango)
• Chana dal- ½ cup
• Green chillies- 2 to 3
• Ginger- ½ inch
• Fresh coconut, scrapped- ¼ cup
• Sugar-  a pinch
• Salt- to taste
• Oil- 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds- ½ tsp
• Asafoetida (Hing)- ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Byadagi red chilli- 1 to 2
• Fresh coriander, finely chopped- 2 tbsp

Method:

• Soak chana dal for minimum 4 hours.
• Drain all the water. Grind dal coarsely with green chilies and ginger. Do not use water to grind.
• Peel raw mango and grate it.
• Combine ground dal, grated raw mango, scrapped coconut, sugar and salt.
• Heat oil in the small (tadka) pan and add mustard seeds. Once mustard seeds crackle, add red chili, asafoetida and turmeric powder. Saute for few seconds and immediately add on dal mixture. Mix well.
• Garnish with chopped coriander. Amba dal is ready to serve.

आंबेडाळ ~ कैरीची डाळ

साहित्य: 

• कैरी, किसून- १/४  कप (कमी आंबट असेल तर जास्त घ्यावी.)  
• चणा/ हरबरा डाळ- १/२ कप 
• हिरव्या मिरच्या- २ ते ३ (चवीप्रमाणे कमीजास्त कराव्यात) 
• आल्याचा तुकडा- १/२ इंच
• खोवलेले ओले खोबरे- १/४ कप  
• साखर- चिमुटभर 
• मीठ- चवीप्रमाणे 
• कोथिंबीर, बारीक चिरून- २ टेबलस्पून 
• तेल- २ टीस्पून 
• मोहरी- १/२  टीस्पून 
• हिंग- १/२  टीस्पून 
• हळद-  १/२  टीस्पून 
• लाल ब्याडगी मिरची- १ 
• कढीपत्ता- ३ ते ४ पाने (ऐच्छिक)

कृती:

• चणा डाळ सध्या पाण्यात कमीतकमी ४ तास भिजत घालावी. 
• कैरीची साल काढुन खिसुन घ्यावी. 
• हिरव्या मिरचीचे मध्यम तुकडे करावेत, आल्याची साल काढुन त्याचे पण तुकडे करावेत.
• भिजवलेल्या डाळीतील सर्व पाणी काढून टाकावे व मिक्सरवर आले व मिरचीसोबत भरडसर वाटून घ्यावी. (कैरी खिसली नसेल तर मिक्सरमधे डाळीसोबत वाटली तरी चालते.)
• ओले खोबरे, मीठ व साखर घालुन सगळे एकत्र नीट मिसळुन घ्यावे.
• कढल्यात किंवा छोट्या पॅनमध्ये तेल तापवून मोहरी, लाल मिरची तोडून घालावी. मोहरी तडतडल्यावर हिंग, हळद, कढीपत्ता घालुन खमंग फोडणी करुन डाळीवर घालुन अजुन एकदा नीट मिसळुन घ्यावे. 
• वरुन बारीक चिरलेली कोथिंबीर घालावी.

Thandai

Thandai is a popular drink in North India. Thandai is chilled flavoured milk with the goodness of cooling spices and nuts. Thandai is very helpful in summer,  it beats the heat. Thandai is mixed with Bhang during Holi. Of course, I did not use Bhang.

Let's celebrate holi with thandai. Happy Holi!

Ingredients:

• Milk- 1 litre
• Sugar- ½ cup
• Almonds- 15
• Cashew nuts- 10
• Pistachios- 10
• Black Peppercorns- 6 
• Green cardamoms- 6 
• Cinnamon stick- ½ inch piece
• Poppy seeds- 2 tbsp
• Fennel Seeds- 1 tbsp
• Melon seeds- 2 tbsp
• Saffron- a pinch
• Rose water-  ½ tsp or gulkand- 2 tbsp
• Rose petals for garnishing- few

Method:

• Wash all nuts and melon seeds. Soak almonds, cashew nuts, pistachios, peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon, poppy seeds, fennel seeds and melon seeds in the little water for 3-4 hours. 
• Grind the soaked ingredients in a blender to make a smooth paste. Use little milk if required.
  
• Bring the milk to boil. Add sugar and saffron. Give a nice stir to dissolve the sugar. (If you are using gulkand, add it to this step.)
• Switch off the gas. Now add the ground paste and mix well.
• Refrigerate for at least for 3 to 4 hours.
• Strain using a strainer, add rose water and mix well. Some people do not strain, so this is only upon your choice.
  
• Serve chilled garnished with rose petals.

Notes:

• This thandai becomes thick if you like thin thandai add extra cold milk in it. Add some sugar also to adjust the sweetness and stir well. 
• I used that remaining strained mixture in kulfi.
• You may use dried rose petals instead of rose water.

Smoky or Roasted Raw Mango Panha ~ Aam Panna

Aam Panha is made in entire India. But there are quite difference in methods and spices. This method is used in north India. Due roasting, panha gets a nice smoky flavour. 

Ingredients:

• Raw green mango - 1 medium sized
• Roasted cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Black or pink salt - ½ tsps or to taste
• Sugar - 4 to 5 tbsp (depends upon sourness of mango)
• Black pepper powder- ½ tsp
• Mint leaves - 10 + some extra for garnishing
• Chilled water - approx 2 cups
• Ice cubes- as required

Method:

• Roast raw mango on a grill on your stove top till the skin gets chared and the flesh is soft. 
  
• Keep covered for few minutes and let it cool.
• Once cool, the charred skin can peel off easily. Remove the seed. 
  
• Combine pulp, sugar, mint leaves, cumin powder, pepper and salt in a mixer. Grind into smooth paste. 
  
• Put out the paste in large bowl or jug. Add chilled water and mix well. Check seasoning, add salt, cumin powder or sugar if needed
• Pour panha in a glass. Add ice cubes and finely chopped fresh mint leaves.
• Serve chilled…Enjoy the delicious summer treat!

Tips: 

• You can use jaggery instead of sugar.
• You can boil mangos.
• Cumin, mint leaves and black salt give a nice taste to Mango Panha but I like our authentic Maharashtrian style Panha (click here for recipe) more. ;)

Chunda ~ Instant / Stove Top Method

Chunda is a type of hot and sweet pickle. This is is originally from Gujarat but love by all. Popular with a combination of Methi Thepla.
This is an instant method. Traditionary, it is a a very lengthy process. But this process takes few minutes only.
This is an original Chunda recipe (click here). 

Ingredients:

• Raw mangoes (preferably Rajapuri), grated- 2 cups/4 med size/ 1 kg 
• Sugar- approx 3 cups (may be needs less than or more than, depends upon sourness of mango) 
• Cumin seeds, roasted and coarsely crushed - 2 tsp 
• Red chilli powder- 6 to 8 tsp
• Salt- 1 tbsp or to taste 

Method :

• Remove skin of raw mangoes and grate them. Discard the seeds. 
• Combine grated mango, sugar, cloves and salt in the heavy bottom pan. 
• Mix well and keep it for 1 hour. Thus it discharges juice. 
• Cook carefully this mixture on low-med heat till the sugar syrup is of two string consistency. Stir in between. 
• Switch off gas and add crushed cumin and red chilli powder. Give a nice stir and cool completely. 
• Shift this chumda in a sterilized and dry glass jar. 
• It stay fresh and in good condition in refrigerator. You can even keep it even outside fridge for 2 months or more but depends upon climate. 
• Enjoy this murabba with chapati, paratha or bread. 

Kairichi Kadhi / Kairiche Sar ~ Raw Mango Kadhi

In Maharashtra raw mango kadhi is also known as “Kairiche Sar”. A tongue-tickling, sweet n sour taste of this kadhi is pleased to everyone.

Ingredients

• Raw mango, boiled- 1 med (approx ½ cup pulp)
• Coconut milk (1 st extract+2 nd extract)- 1½ cup to 2 cups 
• Green chilli- 1 to 2
• Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
• Garlic- 1 to 2 cloves
• Ginger-  ½ inch
• Oil or pure ghee- 2 tbsp
• Asafoetida (hing)- ½  tsp
• Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp (optional)
• Curry leaves- 1 string
• Dry red chilies, torned- 2 (I used Byadagi chilli)
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds- ¼ tsp
• Fresh coriander, finely chopped- 2 tbsp
• Jaggery or Sugar- 1 tsp
• Salt- to taste

Method:

• Pressure cook or boil green mango. Discard the peel and seed.
• Make raw mango puree with the help of hands or grinder.
• Grind together green chili, garlic, ginger and cumin seeds.
• Heat oil or ghee in a deep pan or kadhai and add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add curry leaves, red chillies, fenugreek seeds, turmeric powder and hing. Saute a while.
• Add (green chili, garlic, ginger and cumin seeds) paste and saute a while.
• Add raw mango puree and saute a while.
• Add about 1 cup water and jaggery. Stir occasionally. Bring to a boil. 
• When the curry boiled, add coconut milk. Give a nice stir. Add water if required to adjust the right consistency. 
• Add salt and stir a minute. Switch off the gas. (Do not boil this curry after adding coconut milk, it will become curdle. Just heat it up.) 
• Serve hot with hot rice or any type of khichadi or pulao. I served here with Valachi Khichadi and Tandulacha/Rice papad.

Tips: 

• You can use readymade coconut milk. 
• After grinding and straining coconut with lukewarm water first time, you get thick coconut milk known as a first extract. 
• After grinding and straining coconut with lukewarm water again, you get thin coconut milk known as a second extract. 

कैरीची कढी / कैरीचे सार

महाराष्ट्रात कैरीची कढी करण्याच्या अनेक पद्धती आहेत. हि आहे खास कोकणातील रेसिपी. कैरीचा आंबटपणा आणि नारळाच्या दुधाचे माधुर्य याच्या सुरेख मिश्रणाने या कढीला एक सुंदर अशी चव मिळते.

साहित्य:

• कैरी, उकडून- १ माध्यम (कैरीचा गर साधारण १/२ कप होईल. कैरी आंबट असेल तर इतकाच पुरे आंबट नसेल तर जास्त घ्यावा. )
• हिरवी मिरची- १ ते २
• जीरे- १ टीस्पून
• लसूण- १ ते २ पाकळ्या
• आले- अर्धा इंच
• तेल किंवा साजूक तूप- २ टेबलस्पून
• हिंग- १/२  टीस्पून
• हळद- १/२ टीस्पून (ऐच्छिक)
• कढीपत्ता- १ डहाळी / ७-८ पाने
• राई- १ टीस्पून
• मेथी दाणे- १/४  टीस्पून  (ऐच्छिक)
• लाल सुक्या मिरच्या, तुकडे करून- २ (मी ब्याडगी मिरची वापरते)
• गुळ किंवा साखर- १ टीस्पून
• मीठ- चवीप्रमाणे
• कोथिंबीर, बारीक चिरून- २ टेबलस्पून

कृती:

• कैरी उकडून साल आणि बाटा/कोय काढून तिचा गर बाहेर काढा. मिक्सरला फिरवून एकजीव करून घ्या. 
• मिरच्या, आलं, लसूण आणि जीरे शक्यतो पाणी न वापरता किंवा जरासं पाणी घेऊन वाटून घ्या. 
• कढईत तेल/तूप गरम करून राई टाका, राई तडतडली की त्यात मेथीदाणे, कढीपत्ता, लाल मिरच्यांचे तुकडे, हळद आणि हिंग घालून जरासं परता. 
• नंतर त्यात वाटण घालून परता. जरा तेल सुटू लागलं कि त्यात कैरीचा गर टाकून थोडासा परतून घ्या.  
• त्यात साधारण १ कप पाणी व गुळ  घाला व मिश्रणाला उकळी येऊ द्या. 
• उकळी आली कि त्यात नारळाचे दूध घालून सतत हलवत रहा. गरज असल्यास पाणी घाला. 
• मीठ घाला. फार उकळू नका नाहीतर नारळाचे दूध फाटते. बाजूनी थोडे बुडबुडे दिसले की गॅस बंद करा.  वरून कोथिंबीर टाका. 
• मसालेभात, वालाच्या खिचडी सोबत उत्तम लागते. नाहीतर वाफाळलेला भात त्यावर साजूक तूप आणि वरून गरमागरम कैरीची कढी व या सोबत पापड..... नुसती कल्पना करू नका बनवून पहा.        

Fresh Kokum/Kokum Sar

This Kokum/Kokam Sar is a seasonal recipe. When we are making Kokum Syrup or dried Aamsul or Kokum from fruits, we discard the pulp and seeds. We use only peels. But pulp has ultimate sweet and sour taste. So this pulp is used for sar. This sar has very fresh and fantastic taste, you never forget this taste.

Ingredients:

• Kokum pulp- from 30 fruits + 1 fruit peel
• Coconut milk(1 st extract+2 nd extract)- 2 cups 
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds- 2 tsp
• Curry leaves- 1 string
• Green chillies, chopped- 3 to 4 
• Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp (optional)
• Asafoetida/Hing- ½ tsp
• Sugar or jagerry- 1 tsp or to taste
• Salt- to taste
• Pure ghee or oil- 1 to 2 tbsp
• Fresh coriander, finely chopped- ¼ cup

Method:

• Combine pulp and some water. Squeeze out the seeds. 
  
• 
  
• 
  
•  
• Grind together this pulp and a peel into smooth paste.
• Heat oil in a kadhai and add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add curry leaves, cumin seeds, chillies, turmeric powder and hing. Saute a while.
• Add kokum puree and bring to a boil. Add some water if needed. Stir occasionally. 
• When the curry boiled, add coconut milk. Give a nice stir.
• Add salt and sugar. switch off the gas. (Do not boil this curry after adding coconut milk, it will become curdle. Just heat it up.) 
• Serve hot with hot rice or any type of khichadi. Drinking of hot sar is heavenly happiness. 

Kalingadache Thalipeeth / Dhodak ~ Watermelon Rind Pancake

Kalingadache Thalipeeth / Dhodak is mainly made in Southern Konkan and Goa. Normally Bhajni/Roasted multi-grain flour is used for thalipeeth, but here semolina is used for thalipeeth or dhodak. 

Thalipeeth is also made from big cucumber (Tavas, Tavshe, Tavsal). This is made as sweet also.

This is a season of watermelon. Usually, we discard rind. But here is a delicious way to use watermelon rind. Try this in your breakfast.

  

Ingredients:

• Watermelon rind, grated- 1 cup
• Fine semolina (rava), roasted- ½ cup
• Rice flour- 1 tbsp
• Fresh coconut, scraped- ¼ cup
• Green chillies, finely chopped or crushed- 3 to 4
• Ginger, finely grated- 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds, coarsely crushed- 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder- a pinch
• Fresh coriander, finely chopped- a handful
• Salt- to taste
• Oil for frying- as required

Method:

• Grate watermelon rind. Do not grate green part.
  
    
• Combine grated watermelon rind and rava/semolina. Let it rested for atlest 15 minutes.
• Add remaining ingredients except oil. Do not use water. Mix well. This is loose dough. Divide into 4 parts. 
  
• Drizzle little oil over griddle/tava. Take 1 part of dough and place it in the centre of the pan. Spread the dough into a circle using your fingers. The disc should be even and not too thick. 
  
• Place this tava on high flame. Spoon some oil along the sides of the dodak and center hole. Cover with a lid and turn the flame to medium. 
  
• Remove after a minute or when the top appears dry. Turn over and fry on the other side. 
  
• Serve hot with tomato ketchup or chutney.

Tips:

• You can use Bhajani to make this thalipeeth.
• You can make sweet version of this thalipeeth. Use 2-3 tbsp jagerry and pinch of nutmeg powder. Omit chili, ginger, coriander leaves and cumin seeds.