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.