Besan Ladoo

On the occasion of Diwali, ladoo has very importance. We make many kinds of ladoo but the most liked is the ‘ Besan Ladoo’. They are melting in the mouth.

Ingredients:

• Spilt bengal gram (chana dal)- 500 gm (or ready made sp. gram flour which is used for ladoo, available in the market) 
• Sugar- 250 gm (1cup + 1/4 cup) if needed, add 1-2 tbsp more
• Clarified butter melted (Desi ghee)- 300 ml (1cup + 1/4 cup) if needed, add 1-2 tbsp more
• Charoli (chironji) - 1 tsp
• Dry Fruits ( Pista /Almonds /Raisins,) – as needed (approx. half cup) 
• Cardamom Powder – 2 tsp 

Method:
Dry roast chana dal just for 15 minutes on low to med heat and grind finely from flour mill.
Grind sugar on mixi.
Mix gram flour  over a low to medium heat in a heavy bottom or non-stick kadhai for 15min

Add 1 cup ghee and constantly keep stirring to avoid lumps. If you stop stirring, besan will stick to the bottom.

First, this mixture will become thick like crumble.

Add remaining ghee little little, do not add at once.

But after 30 to 40 minutes, the consistency will be thin. Give your attention in only this task (roasting), otherwise may be it will burn at bottom.

Colour changes slowly. Roast till colour turns to light brown (like almond shell/ badami). I think (as per my mom's instructions and according to taste), yellow coloured ladoo is raw and sticks in mouth. So roast properly. Do not make the flame too high as it will only change the colour and will remain raw.

When it releases an appetizing smell and turns to light brown (like almond shell/ badami, see the pic.), remove it from the heat and allow cooling. (Plz note this....Allow the mixture completely cool.)

Add  sugar and nuts to the roasted gram flour and mix thoroughly.
Add grinded sugar little by little, not at a once. Check the sweetness, then add more.
Mix well by kneading.
Roll med size balls of the mixture. Ladoos are ready to be served. Always roll again before serving. (They are soft due to pure ghee.)


Tips:

• Never heat this mixture again after adding sugar otherwise forms sugar lumps in it. 
• Don't use store bought powder sugar, it contains corn flour.

I think besan ladoo's taste is totally depends upon your patience and efforts. Best luck.

बेसन लाडू 

साहित्य:

• चणाडाळ - ५०० ग्रॅम
• साजूक तूप (वितळवलेले) -  ३०० मिली (१ १/४ कप) गरज पडल्यास १ते२ टेबलस्पूनअजून घालावे.
• साखर - २५० ग्रॅम (आवडीप्रमाणे थोडी कमी-जास्त वापरावी.)
• वेलचीपूड- २ टीस्पून 
• चारोळी व सुकामेव्याचे तुकडे- आवडीनुसार (साधारण अर्धा कप)

कृती:

• डाळ अगदी १५ मिनिट न करपावता मंद ते मध्यम आचेवर भाजून घ्यावी.
• गिरणीतून डाळ अगदी बारीक दळून आणावी. 
• जाड बुडाच्या कढईत बेसन थोडे भाजून घ्यावे. सतत ढवळावे.
• नंतर त्यात १ कप तूप मिक्स करावे.
• उर्वरित तूप जसे लागेल तसे एक एक टेबलस्पून घालत जावे. बेसन तूपामध्ये मंद ते मध्यम आचेवर खमंग भाजून घ्यावे. भाजताना सारखे ढवळत राहावे. नाहीतर खालून करपेल. तूपात बेसन घातल्यावर आधी घट्ट होईल आणि काही वेळाने पातळ व्हायला लागेल. पातळ झाले तरी काळजी करू नये. मंद ते मध्यम आचेवरच भाजावे, नाहीतर नुसता रंगच बदलेल पण बेसन कच्चेच राहील. 
• बेसन छान बदामी रंगावर भाजले गेले कि गॅस बंद करावा. (पिवळ्या रंगाचे लाडू कच्चट लागतात.) 
• बेसन पूर्ण गार होवू द्यावे. 
• साखर मिक्सर वर दळून घ्यावी.
• नंतर त्यात आवडीप्रमाणे सुकामेवा, वेलचीपूड आणि गरजेनुसार दळलेली साखर घालावी. पिठीसाखर एकदम न घालता चव घेत थोडी-थोडी अंदाजाने टाकत जावी. आपल्याला किती गोड आवडते त्याप्रमाणे थोडी कमी-जास्त करावी. 
• नीट एकत्र मळून लाडू वळावेत. कधी कधी लाडूचे पिठ पातळ झाल्यासारखे वाटते आणि लाडू बसतात. पण काही तासांनी लाडू वळले कि छान होतात.
• साजूक वापरल्याने लाडू फार चविष्ट होतात पण मऊ होतात, ठेवले कि एकमेकांना चिकटतात. वाढतेवेळी पुन्हा वळून द्यावेत.

सुचना:

• कधीही भाजलेले बेसन गरम असताना त्यात दळलेली साखर घालू नये. आणि एकदा का बेसन मध्ये पिठी साखर घातली की ते मिश्रण कधीही गरम करू नये. यामुळे पिठी साखरेचे गोळे/गुठळ्या तयार होऊन लाडू बिघडतात. 
• घाई नसेल तर आदल्या दिवशी बेसन भाजून, थंड करून आणि पिठी साखर वै. टाकून मळून ठेवावे. दुसऱ्या दिवशी मिश्रण थोडे चाखून बघावे. गोड कमी असेल तर अजून पिठी साखर लाडू वळावे. यामागचे कारण असे की बेसनात साखर मुरते. त्यामुळे दुसऱ्या दिवशी लाडू अगोड लागतात. साखरेचे प्रमाण अगदी योग्य हवे असेल तर लाडू दुसऱ्या दिवशी वळावेत.
• बाजारातली पिठी साखर वापरू नका. त्यात कॉर्न फ्लोअर असते.
• काहीजण बेसन लाडूसाठी पीठ रवाळ दळून आणतात, मला तसे नाही आवडतं.    

शेवटी काय तर …. संयम आणि तासंतास न कंटाळता, सावधपणे बेसन भाजणे यातच चविष्ट बेसन लाडूचे गुपित दडले आहे.

Kanda Bhajee (Onion Pakoda)

Kanda Bhajee is my all time favorite. This is the one of famous Mumbai street food. It's taste is just divine. Aha !......It's aroma, you feel hungry. It makes our rainy season enjoyable.  

Ingredients:

• Besan (Gram flour or chickpeas flour)- ½ cup 
• Onion – 3 large size 
• Red chili powder- 1 tsp or as per likes 
• Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp 
• Asafetida (Hing)- ¼ tsp (optional) 
• Coriander powder (or coarsely crushed)–1 tsp 
• Cumin powder- 1 tsp 
• Soda bicarb- ¼ tsp 
• Salt – to taste 
• Oil for frying - as required 
• Water- as required 

Method 1 (Deep Fry):

• Cut onions into thin slices. 
• Combine onion slices, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder & salt in the bowl. Mix well with using hands. 
• Add Besan and very little water. Mix it well. (Do not rest this batter for more time, it discharges water hence onion become soft and due to this bhajee become soft. This taste will only good when they are crispy.) 
• Heat oil for deep frying in a kadhai /wok. 
• Put small quantity of above mixture in hot oil. Put the mixture in batches (don’t put all at once). 
• Deep fry till bhajee become golden brown and drain excess oil-using tissues. 
• Serve hot with tamrind chutney and green chutney. 

Enjoy hot bhajee as evening snacks. It is also part of Maharastrian thali.


Method 2 (Healthy option- “Baked Bhajee”):

• Preheat the oven and baking tray to 200 C. 
• Saute sliced onions in a pan with some oil until they turn translucent. (You may do this step in microwave oven.) 
• Add chilli powder, turmeric, cumin, hing, coriander and stir well. Remove from the heat. 
• Add gram flour, salt & soda bicarb in a bowl and mix well. Add the above sautéed onions into a bowl and mix. Add a little bit of water to get the correct consistency, it should be wet and easy to stir, but not sloppy. 
• Drizzle some oil onto the prepared tray, place 2 tbsp of the onion mix onto the tray for each bhaji, flatten slightly with the back of the spoon. 
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, drizzle a little oil on top of the bhajees and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot with tamrind chutney and green chutney. 

But obviously ......... fried bhajees taste better any time than baked bajees.

कांद्याची खेकडा भजी

साहित्य-

• कांदे- ३
• बेसन- १/२ कप
• मीठ- चवीनुसार
• जिरे पूड- १ टीस्पून
• धणे पूड- १ टीस्पून
• हळद- १/२ टीस्पून
• हिंग- १/४ टीस्पून
• लाल तिखट/मिरची पूड- १ टीस्पून किंव्हा आवडीनुसार
• खायचा सोडा- चिमुटभर
• तेल तळण्यासाठी- आवश्यकतेनुसार

कृती-
कांदे लांब पातळ चिरून घ्यावे.
त्यात वरील पैकी तेल सोडून सर्व साहित्य टाकावे.मिक्स करून अगदी थोडेसे पाणी टाकावे. (मिश्रण तयार केल्यावर लगेच भजी करावी नाहीतर कांद्याला पाणी सुटते व भजी कुरकुरीत होत नाहीत)

मग तेल तापवून त्यात ४ चमचे गरम तेलाचे मोहन टाकावे. हाताने थोडे थोडे मिश्रण घेऊन तेलात सोडावे. व तळून घ्यावे. ही भजी गरम गरम चटणीबरोबर खावी.

Upavas Thalipeeth ( Mix Flour Thepla for Fast)

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


Upvas Bhajani ( Mix flour) :-
Sago/ Sabudana – 1 kg
Vari/Bhagar (Morayo or Samo seeds) – 1 kg
Rajgira- 500 gm
Cumin seeds (jeera)- 100 gm

Roast  sago, vari, rajgira separately till their colour turns pink. Don’t burnt it. Cool it & grind in grinder into powder( not too finely ) or grind from flour mill. Store in airtight jar & dry place.


Ingredients:

• Upvas bhajani (above mentioned mix flour)- 1 ½ cup
• Potato, boiled- 2 med. size
• Roasted peanut crush- 2 to 4 tbsp 
• Red chilly powder- 1 tsp
• Sugar- ½ tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil or clarified butter (ghee)- as required for frying
• Water or butter milk- ½ cup

Method:
Mash potatoes. Crush coarsely peanuts. Combine above mix flour in a bowl, potatoes, crushed peanuts, sugar, red chilli powder & salt to taste. Knead with water or butter milk. Keep the dough aside for 5 minutes. 

Divide the dough in 5 to 6 parts. Apply some oil or ghee on a pan. Pat this dough with hands in pan. Make holes for pour oil. Make both the sides golden brown, and your tasty thalipeeth is ready to eat. Serve hot with curd and sweet lime pickle.

Mix Flour can also be used for preparing upma, cutlets, pakode etc. 
You can use raw grated potato instead of boiled  potato for change.
Upavas bhajani also available readymade in market. 

Masale Bhaat (Maharastrian authentic pulao)

Masale bhat is very popular menu of Maharastrian marriage.
The traditional menu for Maharastrian marriages is Puri, Batata bhaji, Aluch fatfat, some other curry, Masalebhat, Koshimbir, Chantey, Varan-bhat, Papad, Bhaji (pakoda), Jalebi and Mattha.

ही पाककृती वाचा मराठीतून... इथे क्लिक करा.

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice (Authentically used 'Ambemohar' Rice, you may use 'Kolam' rice also) – 1 ½ cups
• Green peas- ½ cup
• Ivy gourds (tondli/ tindora), quartered- ¼ cup
• Califlower florets - ½ cup
• Brinjal, cut into med. pieces- ¼ cup
• Cashewnuts, broken- ¼ cup
• Peanuts, soaked- ¼ cup
• Raisins - 1 tbsp (optional)
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
• Asafoetida (hing)- ¼ tsp
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Curry leaves- 7/8
• Groundnut Oil (or any oil)- 3 to 4 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Kala Masala -

• Dry coconut , grated- 1 tbsp
• Cinnamon sticks- 2 pieces of approx.1 inch
• Sesame seeds- 1 tbsp
• Cloves- 3 to 4
• Black cardamoms- 2
• Cumin seeds- 2 tsp
• Dry red chills (byadagi chilli)- 3 to 4

Garnish -

• Fresh scrapped coconut- 4 tbsp
• Fresh coriander, finely chopped- 4 tbsp
• Clarified butter (desi ghee)- As required

Method:
Wash the rice in two to three changes of water. Drain and keep aside. wash and cut all vegetables. 

On moderate heat, roast the dry coconut, dry chilies cumin seeds, sesame seeds, cloves, black cardamoms and cinnamon till the coconut turns golden. Let them cool. Put in a grinder and grind into a powder. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. When hot, add mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add curry leaves, turmeric powder, hing and sauté for a minute. 
Next add all vegetables, peanuts, cashews and raisins. Sauté for few minutes. 

Add rice and mix well. Add the powdered spices & salt and mix until the rice is well coated. 
Add 3 cups of warm water, cover pan with a lid and cook until rice is done. You may cook this rice in a cooker.
Garnish with fresh scraped coconut and coriander. Add desi ghee to enhance the taste. Serve hot with a papad, curry and mattha or raita.


Notes:

• This is a authetic recipe of Masale Bhat. This is not much more spicy, because it is served with other curry. 
• If you don’t have time to make ‘Kala Masala’, you can use ‘Goda Masala’ instead of this. There is only little bit change in taste. Even I also used goda masala maximum times for this. (Use 1 tsp chilli powder + 2 tsp Goda masala.) Goda masala easily available in the market. 

Mattha (Maharastrian Style Spicy Buttermilk)

Mattha or spicy buttermilk is a cool and savory drink. It is a real refresher.

The traditional menu for Maharastrian marriages is Puri, Batata bhaji, Aluch fatfat, some other curry, Masalebhat, Varan-bhat, Koshimbir, Chutney  Bhaji (pakoda), Jalebi and Mattha. After the heavy lunch it is very good for digestion. 

ही पाककृती वाचा मराठीतून…… इथे क्लिक करा ! 

Ingredients:

Buttermilk- 3 cups

Ginger crush or paste- ½ tsp

Green chilli, crushed or finely chopped- 1 to 2 (optional)

Fresh coriander, finely chopped- 1 tbsp

Roasted cumin powder-  ½ tsp
Black pepper powder- ¼ tsp
Sugar- 1 tsp

Rock salt or Black salt or normal regular salt- to taste (either you may use rock salt or mixture of rock salt and black salt)

Method:
Add all the ingredients to the buttermilk and stir well with wooden beater (ravi) .
Serve chilled with meal or any type of pulao/ masale bhat.

Notes:

• You may use Chaat Masala or Jaljeera masala instead of cumin powder and black salt.
• If buttermilk is not available, 1 cup curd/ yogurt mixed with 1 ½ cup of water. (Quantity of water is according to your taste)
• Add some khari bundi for fun.

Palak Pakoda/Bhaji (Spinach Fritters)

Ingredients:
Spinach leaves/palak- 3 cups
Gram/ chick peas flour (besan) - 1¼ to 1½  cups
Rice flour- 1 tbsp
Red chili powder- ½ tsp
Roasted cumin powder- 1 tsp
Carom seeds (Ova, Ajvain)- 1 tsp (optional)
Turmeric powder-  1 tsp 
Asafetida (Hing)- ¼ tsp
Soda bi carb- 1 pinch
Water as required
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:

Mix besan, rice flour, cumin powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder, hing, soda and salt in a bowl. Also add 1 tbsp hot oil (mohan) and mix well. Add water slowly and stir the mixture. There should not be lumps in the batter. The batter should just coat the spinach leaves and it should not be a flowing batter but a stiff batter. 

Heat the oil in a wok. Turn flame to medium heat once oil is hot. Coat the leaves with batter.
Deep fry the bhajis. Do not burn them……….usually they fry fast. Do not over crowd in the wok.

Serve hot with tomato ketchup or tamarind chutney & a cup of tea ...  :)

Tip: 
I got small spinach leaves. But if leaves are large, use as it is or cut into two pieces. It is easy to frying if leaves are small. 

Hare Pyajka (Spring Onion) Pakoda

Ingredients:
Spring onion, chopped (only green part) – 2 cups
Gram flour- ¼ cup or as required
Green chili crush – 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds powder-  ½ tsp
Coriander seeds powder- 1 tsp
Sesame seeds- 2 tsp
Turmeric powder- ½ tsp 
Asafetida (Hing)- ¼ tsp 
Soda bicarb - 1 pinch
Salt to taste
Veg. Oil- For frying
Water as required

Method:
Wash and chop spring onion. Add salt, green chili crush, cumin seeds powder, coriander seeds powder, sesame seeds, turmeric powder, asafetida (Hing), soda bicarb and mix well. Add gram flour and water as required. Heat oil in dip pan or kadhai and dip fry those pakode. Serve hot with mint chutney and tomato ketchup.

Types Of Dried/ Dry Fish & Dried Shrimp And Recipes

Sun-dried Fish:

In rainy season, fresh fish is not available. When you can't able to go to market & you want to eat fish, then the dried fish is very good option. This dried fish also very tasty. Smell of dry fish is somehow nasty but its taste is awesome.
In India fish & prawns dry in strong sun mostly in summer (Feb to May).
Every year we buy this in summer.
Buy whitish and glossy fish. Do not buy yellowish or blackish dry fish.
There is various types of dried fish available in market. There are two ways to dry the fish in India.

1. Dried fish without salt - Mostly little fish and prawns are dried without salt.  Dried prawns/shrimp(Sode), Dried tiny prawns (sukat/suka jawala), Dried white Small prawns (aambadi sukat/suki karandi), Dried Bombay duck (suke bombil) etc. are available in this category.                                                                                                                    
2. Salted dried fish- Mostly big fish are dried with salt. They are cut, removed their inner parts and rubbed with lots of salt. Then dried them. Dried Mackerel (Bangda), Dried King fish (Surmai) etc. are available in this category. 

How to store dried fish?

• Pick the impurities like stone or any useless fish. Clean them by sieving (चाळून) and winnowing (पाखडून).
• Dry in sun again for 2 to 5 days if necessary.
• Store the dried fish in the airtight jar. You may pack tightly in plastic bag. Keep the jar at dry place away from moisture. That way you can control it's smell also. 
• Also protect them from ants, do provision for this.
• Even check and sundry them occasionally to protect from worms and moist.
• Handle with dry hands.

How to use for cooking? 

• Pick the impurities like stone or any useless fish. 
• Wash properly & soak in regular temperature of water for 15 minutes. 
• Squeeze them and use.

Dried Tiny Shrimps/Prawns (Sukat/Sukha javala/Sukha kolim) -सुकट/सुका जवळा

Drying Process:

                              

Dried small white transparent Shrimps/Prawns (Sukhi aambad/sukhi karandi) अंबाड/करंदी - Before using,  remove it’s head, legs & tail.

Dried Red or Black Prawns/Shrimps (Sode) सोडे - They are very tasty. They are used in many dishes. Latest rate of this dried prawns is Rs. 1500 to 2000/ kg*.  Thus you can understand its popularity in our Kokan region.

Drying Process: Best quality of dried prawns (sode) are available in my native place (Murud-Janjira). They are costly because of their drying method. Fishermans do not dried as it is means with peels. First they peel them, then stick on wooden board or basket etc. and dry them. Thus they are properly dried. 

Bombayduck (Bombil) बोंबील :

Drying Process:
                         


Indian Small Anchovy (Khade/Tingali) खाडे/टिंगळी : This small silver fish is 5 to 7 cm in length. Actually I don't know what they called exactly in English.

Indian Golden Anchovy (Mandeli) मांदेळी :

Rest of dry fishes are not in my stock now. I will buy and update this post. Some recipes are given here. I will post all recipes of dried fish. Stay tuned...

Dried / dry fish recipes: (For recipe, click on recipe name)

1. Dried Shrimp /Prawns Pulav (Sodyachi Khichadi / Sode Bhat)  
   
2. Sukatichi Koshimbir (Dried Tiny Prawns Salad)    
   
3. Dried Prawns, Jackfruit seeds, Brinjal and Potato Curry (Sode ghalun vang, batata aani fanasachya biyanchi bhaji)  
   
4. Dried Tiny Prawns Curry With Brinjal and Potato (Sukat vang-batata)  
   

5. Ambadiche Suk (Dried Small White Pawns Curry)

6. Sukatichi Chutney ~  Dried Tiny Prawns or Shrimps Chutney 

Batata bhaji (Aloo Pakoda)

Ingredients: 
Potato- 2 medium size 
Besan (gram or chick pea flour)- ½ cup
Rice flour- 1 tbsp
Water- approx. 3 tbsp
Cumin powder- 1 tsp
Chilli powder- ½ tsp (optional)
Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
Soda bi-carb (baking soda)- ¼ tsp
Salt to taste.
Oil for frying

Method:
Peel potatoes and cut into thin round slices. For 15 minutes, soak into salty water. This will help to reduce starch in potato.

Mix besan, rice flour, cumin powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder, soda and salt in a bowl. Also add 2 tsp hot oil (mohan) and mix well. Add water slowly and stir the mixture. There should not be lumps in the batter. The batter should just coat the potato slice and it should not be a flowing batter but a stiff batter. 

Heat the oil in a wok. Turn flame to medium heat once oil is hot. Drain the water from potato slices into the batter, they are completely coated and deep fry them till colour turns nice golden. Be careful not to over crowd the wok. You can put 5-6 bhajjias in at a time.

Serve hot with tamrind chutney and green chutney.

Kaddu Raita (Lal Bhopalyache Bharit)

This is a popular Maharastrian side dish. Simple recipe enhance the pumpkin flavor. Tastes awesome and contains high nutritious value.

ही पाककृती वाचा मराठीतून  …. इथे क्लिक करा.

Ingredients:
Pumpkin (Kaddu, Lal bhopala, dangar, gangafal)- 250 gm
Curd- ½ cup
Green chilies- 4 to 5 (as per taste)
Coriander, finelly chopped-  ¼ cup
Veg. Oil- 2 tbsp
Mustered seeds- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
Asafetida (Hing)- ¼  tsp
Sugar- 1 pinch (optional)
Salt to taste



Method:

Remove pumpkin’s skin, seeds & white part. Cut it into 1 inch cubes. 

 Just sprinkle water on it. Cook in pressure cooker without water.It must be cook properly. (After cooked if there will be any water in pumpkin container, drain this, but don't throw. This water is used in any dal or curry dish. This water contains vitamin.)

Smash coarsely with folk or spoon. 

Cut chilies enough big pieces that can be easily removable. Chop finely coriander. Let it cool. Add chilly pieces, coriander, salt and sugar. Mix well. 

Heat a small pan (tadaka pan) , put oil in pan. Add mustered seed. When it’s popping, add turmeric powder & hing. Remove imminently from flame , add this tadaka (tempering) in above mixture. Cover it imminently.

At the serving time, add curd and mix well.
Serve in meal as side.


Recipe for Fast:
Do not use turmeric powder, hing and mustard seeds in tadaka. Use cumin seeds instead of this. You may use some peanut crush in it. 

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 use baby or small pumpkin.
Tadaka (tempering) should not be burned.
It’s very healthy dish which is full of A vitamin & fiber.
You can eat with chapatti as subji or eat as salad.