Spicy Stirfry Of Grated Sweet Potato (Ratalyacha Kees)

This dish is usually made for fasting but this could be great breakfast.

हि पाककृती वाचा मराठीतून ………. इथे क्लिक करा. 


Ingredients:

• Sweet Potato, grated- 3 cups
• Shuddh ghee- 3 tsp
• Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
• Green chilies, finely chopped or crushed- 4
• Roasted peanuts crush- ¼ cup
• Sugar- 1 tsp
• Salt to taste

Method:

Wash and rub sweet potatoes with plenty of water. 

Remove black and rubbish part of sweet potatoes if any and grate them. No need to peel them.

Put this grated sweet potato in the water to avoid browning and it helps to discrease the starch of sweet potato, hence they do not stick each other after cook. 

Drain this  grated sweet potato.

Heat ghee in the pan. Add cumin seeds and chilies. Saute for a minute.

Add this grated sweet potato to the pan and mix well. 

Cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. This grated sweet potato will become little transparent. Then add salt, sugar, peanuts crush and stir well. Again cover and cook for few minutes till cooked.

Serve hot with curd.

You can make grated potato stir-fry (batatyacha kees) using same method.

Veggie Mayo Grilled Sandwich

I make many types of sandwiches, but this is my favorite. Becoz it is easy and quick to making. 

Ingredients:

• Slice bread- 1 packet (you may use brown bread)
• Butter- as required

Filling: 

• Potatoes, boiled and peeled - 2 med. size
• Sweet corn kernels, boiled – ½ cup
• Carrots, grated or small cubed- ½ cup
• Onion, chopped- ½ cup
• Capsicum, chopped- ½ cup
• Iceberg lettuce or small tender cabbage, chopped- 1 cup
• Garlic, finely chopped- 1 tbsp
• Olive oil- 1 tsp (optional)
• Black pepper powder-2 tsp or more as your personal choice
• Eggless mayonnaise- 4 to 6 tbsp (less or more as your personal choice)
• Salt to taste

Method:

Combine all filling ingredients in the bowl & mix well. 

Place this stuffing in two slices. Apply the butter on upper sides of breads & grill it. Use sandwich maker or pan.

Serve hot with tomato ketchup. 

Without grilling, it tastes also better.

Tips:

• You can add other vegetables as your personal choice. Quantity of vegetables is also flexible.
• Lettuce is not available in the local market, use tender cabbage, not huge difference in the taste. 
• You can add some chilli flakes for spiciness. 

मेयो सँडविच
साहित्य:

• ब्रेड स्लाईस - १ पॅकेट (आपण ब्राऊन ब्रेड वापरू शकता)
• बटर/लोणी - आवश्यकतेनुसार 

सारण:

• बटाटे, उकडडून सोललेले - 2 मध्यम 
• स्वीट कॉर्नचे दाणे, उकडलेले - १/२  कप
• गाजर, किसुन  किंवा बारीक चिरून - १/२  कप
• कांदा, चिरून- १/२  कप
• सिमला मिरची, चिरून- १/२  कप
• आइसबर्ग लेट्युस किंव्हा ताजा छोटा कोबी, चिरून- १ कप
• लसूण, बारीक चिरून- १ टेस्पून
• ऑलिव्ह तेल- १ टिस्पून (ऐच्छिक)
• मिरपूड - 2 टिस्पून किंवा आपल्या आवडीनुसार 
• एगलेस मेयोनिझ - ६ टेबलस्पून किंवा आपल्या आवडीनुसार 
• मीठ- चवीनुसार 

कृती:

• एका वाडग्यामध्ये सारणाचे सर्व साहित्य एकत्र करा आणि चांगले मिक्स करा.
• दोन ब्रेड स्लाईसच्या मध्ये सारण भरून नोंस्तिक तव्यावर बटर सोडून खरपूस भाजा. किंव्हा सँडविच मेकर वापरा.
• टोमॅटो केचपबरोबर गरमागरम सर्व्ह करावे.

टीपा: 

• सँडविच टोस्ट केले (भाजले) नाही तरी चालेल, असे देखील चांगले लागते.
• आपण आपल्या वैयक्तिक आवडीनुसार इतर भाज्या घालु शकता किंव्हा वगळु शकता. भाज्या प्रमाण देखील लवचिक आहे.
• आइसबर्ग लेट्युस हा सहज उपलब्ध नाही. त्यामुळे कोबी वापरू शकता, चवीत फारसा फरक पडत नाही. 
• तिखट आवडत असेल तर चिली फ्लेक्स टाकु शकता.

Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

• Shell pasta or any pasta,cooked- 1 cup
• Cherry tomatoes- 6
• Cucumber, sliced and quartered- ¼ cup
• Onion, cubed- ¼ cup
• Carrot, small cubed- ¼ cup
• Mix colour bell pepper (Red, Yellow and Green capsicum), small cubed- ½ cup
• Sweet corn kernels - ¼ cup
• Olives, sliced- 6
• Cottage cheese (paneer) cube- ¼ cup (optional)
• Basil leaves, finely chopped- 5 (optional)

Dressing:

• Cheese spread- ¼ cup
• Balsamic vinegar- 2 tsp
• Hung curd- 2 tsp
• English mustard sauce- ½ tsp
• Oregano- ½ tsp
• Chilli flex- ½ tsp
• Garlic, roasted and minced- 6 cloves
• Extra vergin olive oil- 1 tbsp
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Combine all dressing ingredients and mix well. 
Combine all veggies and pasta. Add dressing, toss well, garnish with basil leaves and serve.

Upvasachi Batata Bhaji (Spicy Potato Stir-fry For Fasting)

Very nice and tasty variation for regular potato dish. You can call this "Vrat ka jeera aloo"  

Ingredients:

• Potato, boiled, peeled - 2 large
• Pure ghee or oil- 2 tbsp
• Cumin seeds- 2 tsp
• Green Chilies- 2 to 3
• Sugar- ½ tsp (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Peanut crush or scrapped fresh coconut- ¼ cup (optional)

Method:

• Cut potato into small cubes. Cut chilies or crush with cumin seeds.
• Heat ghee in the pan, add cumin seeds and chopped green chilies. 
• Add potato cubes. Stir on medium heat.
• Add salt and sugar. (If you want to add peanut crush or scrapped fresh coconut, add this stage.) Mix well.
• Stir well and cover with lid, let it cook for 2-3 minutes. 
• Serve hot with vrat ki roti (varichi bhakari) or rajgira puri or shigada puri or samake chaval (varicha bhat). This aloo sabzi tastes fabulous with yogurt. 

You may make this type of bhaji/sabji with boiled (sweet potato, raw banana, yam/suran, arabi/alukudi and other root vegetables). Boil raw banana without peeling.

Corn Paneer Toast

It's tempting.......

Ingredients:

• Corn kernels, boiled-  ½ cup
• Potato, boiled-  1 med.
• Paneer (cottage cheese), grated- ¼ cup
• Cheese, grated- ¼ cup (optional)
• Capsicum, finely chopped- ¼ cup
• Onion, finely chopped- ¼ cup
• Garlic crush- 1 tsp
• Oregano- 1 tsp
• Chilli flex- 1 tsp
• Salt and pepper- to taste
• Brown Bread slices- 8 
• Butter- as required, for shallow fry
•  

Method:

• Mash or grate potato and crush corns in food processor without water.
• Combine crushed corns, mashed potato, grated paneer, cheese, chopped onion, chopped capsicum, garlic, oregano, chilli flex, salt and pepper in the bowl. Mix well.
• Cut bread slices into triangle. Spread the above mixture on bread slices.
• Heat little butter in the pan, place the brad side first. Roast till become crisp. Flip over and roast other side. Apply some butter if needed.
• Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Palakchi Bhaji (Maharashtrian Style Spinach)

The simple and authentic recipe of spinach.......... enjoy this with dal-rice.

Ingredients:

• Spinach, chopped - 3 cups (2 bunches)
• Green chilles, chopped in one inch pieces- 2 to 4 (as per your taste)
• Chopped onion-  1 cup or 1 large
• Garlic cloves, peeled & crushed- 6 
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Asafetida (Hing)- ¼ tsp
• vegetable oil- 2 to 3 tbsp
• Scraped fresh coconut- ¼ cup 
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Separate the leaves from the stem. 
• Wash and chop the leaves and the tender stems finely. 
• Heat the oil in pan. Add the green chillies, garlic & saute.
• Add onions & fry till translucent. Add turmeric powder & hing. Sauté & mix well.
• Add the spinach and salt. (Use salt carefully.)
• Reduce the flame & cover the pan. In a few minutes, the quantity of the vegetable would have reduced drastically and the vegetable starts sweating. Do not reduce this water completely. 
• Cook for another 4-5 minutes. Add scraped fresh coconut & mix well.
• Serve hot as a side dish. It can be had with chapattis or bhakris, dal-rice.

How to Store Broccoli

Broccoli is not Indian local vegetables. Many times it is not available in the market easily. If you want to store it in refrigerator as it is, it become yellowish and pale in the refrigerator. So here is a solution..... 

• Wash the broccoli properly. 
• Cut it's florets. 
• Boil water and add 1-2 pinch of soda-bi-carb in it.
• Then put them directly into a pot of boiling water for a minute.
• Wash them in the cold water to stop the cooking process and drain.
• Drain the water properly and squeeze lightly.  Dry them with kitchen towel or spread for some time on kitchen towel to absorb extra water.
• Place them in plastic freezer containers. Seal and freeze. 
• You can store them for 2-3 weeks.

See these frozen broccoli after 2 weeks,  they still maintain their colour and texture.
Just thaw them and use. Squeeze lightly if needed. 

Sprouted Mung Chaat (Sprouted Beans Indian Style Healthy Salad)

Sprouted mung beans provide a nutritious and protein rich base for this snack. Your stomach and your mind will be satisfied to have this guilt-free snack.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• Sprouted mung beans– 2 cups
• Onion, chopped  – 1 large
• Tomato, chopped – 2 medium
• Potato, boiled and small cubed- 1 (optional)
• Fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped- a handful
• Lime Juice – 1 tbsp or to taste
• Tamarind Chutney – 2 tbsp
• Mint chutney- 2 tbsp or some chopped mint leaves.
• Red chilli powder- 1 tsp or your personal like
• Rock salt or/and Black salt – to taste
• Chaat Masala – 2 tsp
• Fine Sev – for garnish (optional)
• Khakara- for serving (optional)

Method:

• Steam or microwave sprouted mung beans for 3 to 5 minutes or saute with little oil.
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl mix all of the above except the sev and khakara.
• Mix well and garnish with sev as a right before eating. Sprinkle some chat masala on it.
• Serve with Indian nachos, oh it's khakara.

Tips:

• To make it healthier – skip sev, it tastes great even without it.
• You may use raw sprouts if you like.
• You may use 1 tbsp of finely chopped raw mango or pomegranate seeds (anardana) or both. 
• You may use cucumber. 
• You may use this salad for sandwich filling. 

Red Chutney for Chat Recipes (Hot Chilli-Garlic Paste)

This hot chili garlic chutney used as topping in chat items like sev-puri, ragada-puri, ragada pattice etc. You can store it in the freezer. And one more use of this chutney is..... you can use in Chinese recipes as chili-garlic paste. Yes... I tried and tested in my kitchen.  

Ingredients:

• Whole dry red chilies- 10 (I used Byadagi Chili here.)
• Garlic cloves- 6
• Salt- to taste
• Water- as required

Method:
Soak red chilies in one and a half cups of hot water for half an hour. 

Drain and remove the seeds. Grind the red chilies, garlic and salt with required water to a fine paste. 
Consistency depends upon you and chat items.

Use as a topping on sev-puri or any chat.

Mint Chutney or Green Chutney for Chat Recipes

This mint chutney or green chutney which is simple and easy to prepare made with aromatic herbs like fresh coriander leaves, mint leaves (pudina) and usually served with chat items like pani puri, radada puri, bhel puri etc. 

Ingredients:

• Mint leaves- 1½ cup
• Fresh coriander leaves- ¼ cup
• Green chilli- 2
• Cumin seeds (jeera)- ½ tsp
• Ginger- ½ inch piece (optional)
• Rock salt or normal salt- to taste
• Sugar- a pinch
• Water- as required

Method:

• Grind together all above ingredients into fine paste.
• Consistency depends on you and chat items.
• Serve this mint chutney with any chat.

Recipes which this chutney used: (Plz click on recipes name)
1.  Corn Chat (Tangy Corn Salad)
2. Sprouted Mung Chaat (Sprouted Beans Indian Style Healthy Salad)

Dudhi Muthiya ( Bottle Gourd Dumplings)

हि पाककृती मराठीतून वाचण्यासाठी इथे क्लिक करा.  

Ingredients:

For Muthiya dough:

• Bottle gourd (doodhi / lauki), grated- 1 med. size (approx. 2 to 2 ½ cups)
• Whole wheat flour- 1 cup 
• Fine semolina (barik rava)- 1 cup
• Bengal gram flour (besan)- 1 cup
• Ginger- 2 inch 
• Green chilli- 2 to 3
• Red chili powder- 1 tsp
• Sesame seeds- ½ tsp (optional)
• Cumin seeds (jeera)- 1 tsp
• Coriander powder- ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Asafoetida (hing)- ½ tsp
• Fennel seeds (saunf)- ½ tsp
• Lemon juice- 2 tsp
• Sugar- a pinch
• Fresh coriander leaves, chopped- ½ cup
• Soda bi-carb (baking soda)- ½ tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil- 2 tsp

For tempering (tadaka):

• Oil- 3 to 4 tbsp
• Curry leaves- 2 strings 
• Mustard seeds (rai)- 1 tsp
• Sesame seeds (til)- 2 tsp
• Asafoetida (hing)- ¼ tsp

For garnishing: finely chopped coriander leaves


Method:
Grind or crush ginger, green chillies and cumin seeds together.

Squeeze out excess water from the grated bottle gourd and keep the liquid aside to knead the dough if required.

Combine the bottle gourd, onions, whole wheat flour, semolina, besan, ginger-green chilli -cumin crush, turmeric powder, fennel seeds, lemon juice, sugar, coriander, soda bi-carb, asafoetida and salt oil.

Mix well and knead into a soft dough adding bottle gourd liquid if required. (One thing to remember is that bottle gourd has high water content. This water itself is sufficient to impart softness to the muthiyas, and it is not necessary to add any more water while making the dough.) So be careful. 
Knead again with 2 tsp of oil.

Apply little oil on your hands and divide the mixture into 6 portions.
Shape each portion into a cylindrical roll. 
Arrange the rolls on a greased sieve and steam in a steamer for 20 to 25 minutes.
I used microwave steamer. It takes just 5 minutes. I used this twice.

Remove, cool slightly and cut into ½ inch slices and keep aside.

For the tempering, heat the remaining 2 tsp of oil in a non-stick kadhai and add mustard seeds.
When the seeds crackle, add curry leaves, sesame seeds and asafoetida and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.

Add the muthiya pieces and sauté on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes or till they turn light brown in colour and crisp.

Garnish with coriander.

Serve hot with pudina coconut chutney. 

How to grate bottle guard (dudhi) easily and quickly ?

Here is method..... thus you can grate bottle guard easily without peeling. Try this....

Wash and wipe dudhi.

Cut into two parts. 

Cut this vertically into four pieces. 

Cut this vertically into total eight pieces.  Cut the all ends.

Then you can grate this easily without peeling. 

See this... and grate all pieces this way.

Coconut Mint Chutney

This is simple pudina flavour coconut chutney.

Ingredients:

Fresh scraped or grated coconut- ½ cup 
Mint (pudina) leaves- ½ cup 

Fresh coriander leaves, chopped- ¼ cup

Green chillies - 3  (as per your taste)

Dry mango powder (Amchur)- 2 tsp
Cumin seeds- ½ tsp

Sugar- ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Water- as required

Use fresh ingredients, do not use frozen.

Method:

Grind all ingredients together into a paste. 
Serve with Gujarati or Maharashtrian snacks. 
This chutney do not need ginger- garlic, just feel pudina flavour.

Bhurji - Pav (Mumbai Style Spicy Scrambled Egg)

Egg Bhurji is an easy and quick and tasty Indian Breakfast recipe. Egg Bhurji is also very popular street food in Mumbai.

Serve: 4

Ingredients:

• Eggs- 4
• Oil- 4 to 5 tbsp
• Butter- 2 tsp (optional)
• Onions, chopped- 2 med.
• Tomatoes, chopped- 1 med
• Green chilies, cut- 3 to 4 or as per taste
• Capsicum, chopped-  1 small or ¼ cup (optional)
• Ginger, finely chopped- 1 inch or 1 tbsp
• Fresh coriander leaves- a handful
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Hing- ¼ tsp
• Pav bhaji masala or garam masala- 1 tsp or as per taste
• Salt- yo taste
• Pav- as required for serving

Method:

• Whisk the four eggs gently with a spoon and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, add onions, green chillies, capsicum and ginger to it. Sauté till onion turns translucent.
• Add turmeric powder & hing.  & mix well.
• Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and pav bhaji masala. Saute till tomato become soft.
• Now add beaten eggs and keep whisking them until cooked.
• Add chopped coriander leaves and butter. Mix well.
• Serve hot with pav.

Enjoy your breakfast......... 

Singapore Rice Noodles

This recipe has flavors of Singapore style cooking which is a melting pot of many cooking styles, cultures and flavors. So must try it once.......

Serve: 4

Ingredients:

• Fine rice noodles- 200 gm (1 package) 
• Eggs- 2 (optional)
• Curry powder- 4 tsp (add more if you like)
• Chili flex- 2 to 4 tsp
• Ginger, minced- 2 tbsp
• Garlic cloves, minced- 6
• Soy sauce- 3 tbsp
• Apple cider vinegar- 2 tbsp + 1 tsp (in origin recipe they used dry sherry)
• Boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¼ inch julienne- ½ cup to 1 cup (optional)
• Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tsp
• Carrot, julienne- 1 cup
• Bean sprouts- ½ cup (optional)
• Mushrooms, sliced- 6
• Green bell pepper (capsicum), julienne- 1 large size
• Spring onion (white bulb only), sliced lengthwise- 12 
• Cabbage, shredded- 2 cups
• Broccoli florets- 8 (optional)
• Chicken or vegetable stalk- ¼ cup (or use 2 tbsp of water)
• Peanut oil or vegetable oil- around 5 to 6 tbsp
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Cut and marinate chicken with salt, pepper, ginger-garlic paste, pinch of curry powder and 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar for 1-2 hours.  

Boil water with pinch of salt in a a large pot.  
To cook rice noodles, soak them in boiling hot water for 2 minutes or as the instructions on the package specify. 

Drain the water and immerse in cold water. (Let the noodle air-dry and firm up in a colander for at least 30 minutes or as long as 2 to 3 hours; toss occasionally.)

When you are ready to prepare the dish, whisk together the eggs, pinch of curry powder, salt and pepper until blended.
Pour 1 tbsp of the peanut or vegetable oil into a heavy skillet or non stick wok set over moderately high heat.
Pour in the egg mixture and immediately reduce the heat to low.
Scramble the eggs until just set; turn out onto a plate and reserve.

Return the wok to moderately high heat and pour in 2-3 tsp of the oil.
Add the chicken and stir fry until just cooked, about 1-2 minute.
Remove and reserve in a small bowl.

Place a large wok over high heat. Add 4 tbsp of the oil.
Add the ginger, garlic, chilies, spring onion whites and the remaining curry powder.
Stir fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the broccoli, bean sprouts, carrots, capsicum, mushrooms, cabbage, soy sauce, apple sider vinegar and salt and sauté for some time till the vegetables soften. 

Pour chicken or vegetable stalk as required. bring to boil it.

Add the rice noodles, chicken, scrambled egg and chilli flex mixed with the other ingredients and toss well over a high flame.

Spoon out into a serving plate and garnish with green spring onion. 

Serve immediately.

Variations:

• Avoid chicken and eggs, make this dish vegetarian. 
• Instead of chicken you may add soya chunks or tofu.
• You can add your choice of other vegetables. 
• You can add prawns in this dish as original recipe. 
• Increase chili flexes or add chili sambal (chili paste) to make more spicy. 

Recipe source: chinese.food.com and bbc.co.uk