Sabudana Kheer (Sago or Tapioca Pearls Pudding)

This sabudana kheer is made during fasting. But this is so tasty you can eat any time.  ;) 

Here I called "sabudana kheer" but locally known as "sabudana pej" in our Kokan.

हि पाककृती मराठीतून वाचण्यासाठी इथे क्लिक करा.  

Ingredients:

• Sabudana/Sago- ¼ cup
• Sugar- 2 tbsp
• Milk- 1 cup (+ ¼ cup, add if you like thin kheer)
• Cardamom powder- ¼ tsp 
• Saffron- a pinch (optional- for garnishing)
• Almond, roasted and sliced- 1 tsp (optional- for garnishing)
• Water- ½ cup (for soaking)

Method:

• Wash and soak sabudana in the water for whole night or atleast 3-4 hours. 
• Combine soaked sabudana, milk, sugar, cardamom powder together in the pan.
• Boil and cook till sabudana is cooked. (You will see, sabudana become transparent.) Stir continuously to avoid lumps. 
• Add ¼ cup milk, if you like thin consistency and switch off the gas.
• Mix well.
• Pour in the pudding glass or bowl. Garnish with saffron and almond flakes and serve.
• Serve hot or cold as your like.

Personally I like hot and thin kheer (pej) without saffron and dry fruits as we eat traditionally. And believe me, it is really tasty. 

Karvand /Karonda Chutney

Did you have seen the small and black color berries? These reddish black color, sweet and sour berries arrives in the Summer. They are black from outside and vibrant red flesh inside. These berries known as 'Carissa conjesta'. They are locally called as 'Karvand' or 'Karonda'. There are thorny bushes of Karonda found along roadside and the mountains area. These ripened fruits are hand picked easily from the tree and eaten as it is. Raw green fruits are used for chutney and pickle.
So let's do tasty chutney.........

Ingredients:

• Scraped fresh coconut - ¼ cup
• Karvand /Karonda - ¼ cup 
• Green chilies- 2 to 3
• Garlic- 2 cloves
• Ginger- ¼ inch piece
• Chopped fresh coriander- 2 tbsp
• Sugar- a pinch
• Salt-to taste
• Water- as required (about 2 tbsp)

Method:

• Roast the chillies directly on the flame. 
• If these fruits are big, cut into half and remove seeds.
• Combine all above ingredients and grind into paste.
• Serve it as an accompaniment with the main course.
• This chutney goes well with the dosa, ghavan also.
• Adjust the green chilies and sugar according to your taste.

Note:

• For good taste, use fresh ingredients specially coconut, do not use frozen.
• You can use raw mango instead of karonda. 
• Both are equally good taste wise. Both are available in summer.

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करवंद चटणी

साहित्य:

• खोवलेला ताजा नारळ - १/४  कप
• कच्ची करवंदे - १/४  कप
• हिरव्या मिरच्या- २
• लसूण पाकळ्या- २
• आले- १/४  इंच तुकडा
• चिरलेली ताजी कोथिंबीर - २ टेबलस्पून
• साखर- एक चिमूटभर
• मीठ- चवीनुसार
• पाणी- आवश्यकतेनुसार 

कृती:

• गॅसवर मिरच्या थोड्याश्या भाजून घ्याव्यात. (नाही भाजल्या तरी चालतील पण भाजल्यामुळे चटणीला खमंगपणा येतो. )  
• वरील सर्व साहित्य एकत्र करा आणि वाटून घ्या. (पाट्यावर वाटलेली चटणी फारच मस्त लागते.)  
• चटणी तयार, काश्याबारोबारही खा……… 

टीप:

• चटणीला चांगली चव हवी असेल तर फ्रोझन खोबरे वापरू नका, ताजे साहित्य वापरा.
• करवंदा ऐवजी कैरी वापरून पण अशीच चटणी करता येते. 
• दोन्ही फळे उन्हाळ्यात उपलब्ध असतात. पण दोन्ही चटणीची चव वेगळी लागते. 

Cumin Flavored White Onion Salad (Safed Pyazka Raita)

Did you have seen white, small onions on Mumbai-Goa highway? When you travel on Mumbai-Goa Highway or Mumbai-Alibag in Summer, you can see ‘White Onion’ at the road side shops. These white sweet onions are mostly available and popular in ‘Kokan region’ in March to May.
White onion, being a diuretic, increases the secretion of urine. White sweet onions especially eating raw onion in the summers saves you from heat stroke therefore it is good to take it regularly in the summers. You can use it in salads, salsas and many more.

This is a summer special recipe. White onion, cumin, coriander leaves and curd.... all ingredients beat the heat.

ही पाककृती वाचा मराठीतून…… इथे क्लिक करा.  


White onions:

Ingredients:
White onion, chopped- ½ cup
Curd/yogurt- ½ cup
Roasted cumin powder- 1½ to 2 tsp
Fresh coriander, finely chopped- 1 tbsp
Green chilli. chopped-1 (optional)
Rock salt- to taste

Method:
Combine all ingredients together and mix well. Serve with a meal.

Cucumber Chiller

A very healthy and refreshing drink for summer........

Ingredients:

• Roughly chopped cucumber with skin- 1 cup
• Fresh coriander - 2 tbsp
• Chilled water- ½ cups 
• Fresh Pepper powder- 1 tsp
• Lemon juice-1 tbsp
• Rock salt (saindhav namak)-to taste
• Cucumber slice- 1 (for garnishing)

Method:

• Blend all indigents together. 
• Strain and serve chilled.
• Garnish with cucumber slice.

Or.... Don't strain, you may serve as cold soup. It is more beneficial because fibers remains in the soup.  

Kairiche Panhe /Raw Mango Panha (Maharashtrian Authentic Raw Mango Drink)

Panhe is my favourite summer cooler. Cheers to Summer............

Ingredients:

• Raw mangoes- 2 to 3 medium sized 
• Jaggery (gud)- 250 gm (requires some more or less, it depends upon the sourness of the raw mangoes) or Sugar- 2 cups 
• Green cardamom powder- 1 tsp 
• Salt – ¼ tsp 
• Water- as required 

Method:

• Wash the mangoes. Remove circular part near the stem. (It is clammy/ sticky, because of this you feel itchy in the throat.) 
• Boil mangoes till they will be soft. It will take about 10-15 minutes. You can pressure cook the raw mangoes. 
• Cool down them. Remove the skin and the inner seed. Take out the pulp with the spoon from peels. 
• Blend well the pulp, jaggery or sugar, green cardamom powder & salt. You can use the hand blender. The thick pulp is ready. Sometimes raw mangoes have stringy parts. Then strain this pulp. You can store this pulp for 3-4 months in a deep freezer. (One of my friend makes cubes in an ice-tray and stores.) 
• When you want to serve, add about ¼ glass pulp into a glass, top with cold water. 
• Stir to mix well. (you can use a hand blender or a mixer.) 
• Add ice cubes and serve. 

Or

• Blend together the pulp, jaggery or sugar, green cardamom powder, salt and water. You can use the hand blender. 
• Cool it, you can store this drink for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. When you are serving, add ice cubes. Cheers to Summer. 

Tips:

• This golden yellow colour is absolutely natural. Panhe got this colour due to yellow jaggery. I don't use any colour or saffron. 
• Jaggery’s taste is better than sugar. Jaggery used in the authentic recipe of panhe. It gives good colour and it is more nutritious than sugar. Use organic (without chemical, natural) jaggery, it has more nutritious value (full of iron). But it has a brown colour. So for good photograph, I used here normal yellow jaggery. 
• Do not add a whole quantity of jaggery or sugar at a time. Keep a side some jaggery or sugar of above given quantity. Check the sweetness of drink and then add little by little. You could dissolve extra jaggery or sugar with the help of the blender. 
• Maybe need more than given quantity, and you don't have extra jaggery then add sugar as required. 
• You may use half quantity of sugar and half quantity of jaggery. 
• Authentically this drink is a little bit thick but the choice is yours. 

Also, try this Smoky or Roasted Raw Mango Panha ~ Aam Panna. (click here for the recipe)

पन्हे

साहित्य:

• कैऱ्या- ३ मध्यम आकाराच्या 
• गुळ- २५० ग्रॅम (गुळाचे प्रमाण कैरीच्या आंबटपणावर अवलंबून असते, त्यामुळे गुळ कमी-अधिक लागू शकतो.) 
• वेलची पूड- १ टिस्पून
• मीठ - चिमुटभर 
• पाणी- आवश्यकतेनुसार 

कृती:

• कैऱ्या स्वच्छ धुवून देठाजवळील भाग गोल कापून काढून टाका. (देठाजवळ चीक असतो, जर तो खाल्ला गेला तर घसा खाजतो.)
• कैऱ्या थोड्या पाण्यात घालुन सुमारे १०-१५ मिनिटे उकडा. कुकरला उकडल्या तरी चालतील. 
• थंड झाल्यावर साले आतील कोय/बी काढून टाका. सालाला चिकटलेला गर सुद्धा चमच्याने काढा.
• गुळ चिरून घ्यावा.  
• कैरीचा गर, गूळ किंवा साखर, वेलची पूड आणि मीठ एकत्र करून हे मिश्रण रवीने घोटू शकता किंव्हा ब्लेंडरमध्ये वाटुन घ्या. (हे मिश्रण जास्त दिवस साठवायचे असेल तर हवाबंद डब्यात भरून फ्रिझरमध्ये ठेवा. ३-४ महिने तरी अगदी उत्तम राहील. जसे हवे तसे बाहेर काढून वापरावे.) 
• मिश्रणात हव्या त्या प्रमाणात पाणी घालून ब्लेंडरमध्ये घुसळा. (हॅण्ड ब्लेंडरने तर अगदी सोयीचे होते.) फ्रिजमध्ये  ४-५ दिवस अगदी छान राहते अर्थात उरले तर ! 
•  सर्व्ह करायचे असेल तेव्हा बर्फाचे तुकडे घालावे आणि गारेगार पन्हे गट्टम करावे.  

टिपा:

• मी केलेल्या पन्ह्याला आलेला रंग हा नैसर्गिक आहे. गुळ मस्त पिवळा धम्मक होता.  कुठलाही रंग अथवा केशर वापरलेले नाही.   
• गुळ  उपलब्ध नसेल किंवा आवडत नसेल तर २५० ग्रॅम गुळाऎवजी २ कप साखर वापरावी. 
• पारंपारिक पद्धतीप्रमाणे गुळ वापरतात. गुळ वापरल्याने पन्ह्याला चांगली चव आणि चांगला रंग येतो. गुळ वापरणे केंव्हाही साखरेपेक्षा चांगले कारण त्यात लोह, पोटॅशियम इ. पोषक खनिज असतात. 
• खरतरं मी रसायन विरहित/नैसर्गिक गुळ नेहमी वापरते. तो गुळ काळपट तपकिरी रंगाचा असतो त्यामुळे पन्ह्याला पण तसाच  तपकिरी रंग येतो. फक्त छान सोनेरी रंग फोटोत दिसावा म्हणून मी येथे नेहमीचा पिवळा गूळ वापरला आहे. 
• घरातला गुळ संपला आणि पन्ह्यात आंबटपणा अजून आहे तर मग साखर घालायला काहीच हरकत नाही.   
• एकाच वेळी संपूर्ण गूळ किंवा साखर पन्ह्यात घालू नये. चव घेऊन त्यानुसार गूळ किंवा साखर वाढवावी. 
• साखर आणि गूळ हे अर्धे-अर्धे प्रमाणात वापरू शकता.
• पन्हे हे घट्ट असावे, फार पातळ चांगले लागत नाही. अर्थात आवड तुमची आहे. 

Maharashtrian Dal With Drum Sticks (Shenganchi Amati)

This is a popular Maharashtrian dal with Drum sticks, brinjal & potato. Actually if you have this tasty dal, then no need to to do other side dishes in a meal. 

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

Ingredients:

• Split pigeon pea (tooar dal) or spilt green gram (mung dal) – ½ cup
• Drum sticks- 3 to 4
• Potato -1 medium size (optional)
• Brinjal- 1 medium size (optional)
• Tomato, chopped- 1 medium size
• Onion, chopped- 2 tbsp (optional)
• Crushed garlic- 7-8 cloves
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
• Asafetida (Hing)- ½ tsp
• Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
• Fenugreek Seeds- 5 kernels (optional)
• Curry leaves- 1 string
• Home made masala or malvani masala – 2 to 3 tsp (you may use chilli powder, see notes)
• Jaggery (gud),grated- 1 tbsp or less
• Goda masala- 1½ tsp
• Salt- to taste
• Veg. oil- 3 to 4 tbsp
• Fresh coriander, finelly chopped- a handful

Method:

• Wash dal properly. Soak dal for 3 to 4 hours with approx. 1 cup of water. (Don’t drain this water, cook the dal in same water.) 
• Pressure cook dal till 3-4 whistles are given out. (You may cook it casserole with lid. Cook till dal become soft, but it take more time.)
• Peel drumstick properly cut vertically into 3-4 inches pieces, wash and keep aside. 
• Peel potatoes and cut into 1 inch pieces. Cut brijal into 1½1 inch pieces.
• Heat oil in a casserole or kadai (wok). Add mustard seeds for tempering. When the mustard seeds begin to sputter/pop, add garlic, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves. Sauté for few seconds. 
• Add hing, turmeric powder & onion. Sauté for  few seconds. 
• Add masala and sauté for few seconds.  
• Add drum sticks, brinjal, potato and some water. Also add some salt for this veggies. Cover and cook for 5 min on low heat.
• Add tomato, fresh coriander and cook till the drumsticks and potato are almost cooked. 
• Meanwhile, open the lid of the cooker when the pressure reduces completely. Whisk well with a ladle so that the dal gets slightly mashed.
• Then add cooked dal in this mixture. Add water to adjust consistency of aamati/dal as per personal choice. 
• Now add salt (if necessary) , goda masala and jaggery. Stir it & boil for few minutes. 
• Serve hot with chapati or rice.

Notes and Variations:

• You may use 1½ tsp of red chilli powder instead of mentioned masala. But then use 2 to 3 tsp of goda masala.  
• You can use raw mango, tamarind or kokam instead of tomato. 
• You can make this type of dal with using other types of vegetables like bottle guard (dudhi), sponge gourd (turai) or pumpkin. 
• In our "Kokan" area, fresh scrapped coconut (1 to 2 tbsp) is used for garnishing. But personally I don't like this, so I don't use.
• I add coriander when dal boils because it smells and tastes good. You may garnish with it.
• You can add salt at one time. 

Curd Rice (Dahi Butti)

Summer special recipe "Curd Rice" gives coolness to your stomach. It is a comfort food also.

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


Ingredients:

• Rice- 1 cup
• Curd/yogurt - 1½ cup (should not too sour)
• Cucumber- 1 med. (optional)
• Oil- 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves- 1 string
• Dry red chilies- 2 to 3
• Splits of black gram (Urad dal)- 1 tsp 
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
• Asafetida (Hing)- ¼ tsp
• Peanuts- 2 tbsp (optional)
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Cook rice and cool the rice to room temperature.
• Transfer rice into a large sized bowl. Separate it's grains.
• Add yogurt and salt. Mix well.
• Cut the cucumber into small pieces. 
• Heat oil in a tadka pan or small pan. Fry peanuts and take out. 
• Spread cucumber pieces and peanuts on the rice.
• Add urad dal in hot oil in the tadaka pan and fry till color turns pink. Then add mustard seeds, red chilies, curry leaves and hing . Turn off the heat and pour this tempering into curd rice.
• Mix well and serve.

Tips and Variations: 

• If you like soft and runny curd rice, add  ¼ cup cold milk.
• You can add  grated ginger in curd rice for a twist. 
• You can add red or green grapes or pomegranate kernels or white sweet onion. But do not store or carry this curd rice when you used any kind of fruit or vegetables. The rice becomes bitter and soggy. 
• You may use dried stuffed chillies (sandagi mirachya) instead of red chillies. The rice becomes more tasty.

Sukatichi Koshimbir or Kismur (Dried Tiny Prawns Salad)

This is a mixture of roasted dried prawns, onion and some spices. This is a side dish. It is also known as 'Kismur' or 'Kismuri' in lower part of Konkan. Freshly scraped coconut is used in Kismur in Goa and Karwar. 

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

Ingredients:

• Sukat (dried tiny prawns)  (sukha kolim/jawala or sungata)- 2 cups
• Onion, chopped- ½ cup
• Coriander, chopped- 2 tbsp
• Raw mango, chopped- 2 tbsp or to taste (or ½ tsp tamrind pulp- optional)
• Homemade masala or chilli powder- 1½ tsp
• Salt- to taste
• Oil- 1½ to 2 tbsp

Method:

• Clean, sift and discard any impurities like stone or any unwanted fish. Do not wash. (Use as it is, that's why your dried prawns should be fresh, white and clean.)
• Dry roast in a deep tawa or wok till they change their colour and become slightly reddish.
• Combine chopped onion, coriander, raw mango, masala powder, oil and salt in the bowl and mix well.
• When you going to eat, only that time you mix this roasted dried prawns with onion mixture. Otherwise they will become soft and they will lost their crunchiness.  (You can crumble these roasted tiny prawns with hand.) 
• Serve with nachani (finger millet) or rice bhakari. It's popular breakfast in the "Kokan".

Variations:

• You can add some fresh scrapped coconut.
• You can add tamarind juice.
• Any type of dried fish is used to make 'Kismur' in Goa. Roast dried fishes first, then crush and use. 
• Instead of dry fish, you can make this with roasted papad. Roast the papads and crush them into tiny pieces. And follow the exact same recipe above.

Raw Mango Thriller

You will feel blast in your mouth. Try this punch..... 

Serve: 2
Ingredients:

• Raw mango- 1 medium size
• Green chilli- quarter to half inch piece or less
• Mint leaves- ½ cup
• Sugar- 4 to 5 tsp (depend upon sourness of raw mango)
• Rock salt (Saindhav namak)- ½ tsp
• Ice crush –as required
• Drinking soda- as required (You can use chilled water also)
• Water - approx. ¼ cup for blending

Method:

• Wash & peel the raw mango. Remove it’s seed. Cut into small pieces. 
• Put raw mango pieces, green chilli, mint leaves, sugar, rock salt & water in mixi. Blend into smooth paste and strain in bowl.
• Put half of above mixture in a glass. Add soda water & ice crush. Mix well. Garnish with mint leaves. Enjoy this cooler in summer.
• Using this above concentrate, you can make for 2.
• For variation in taste, add jaljeera powder or jeera powder in it.