Achari Paneer Noodles

Unusual seasonings of pickle masala for noodles with lip-smacking taste. 

Ingredients:

• Hakka noodles, boiled- 50 gm
• Paneer (Cottage cheese)- 50 gm
• Oil- 2 tbsp
• Vinegar- 2 tsp
• Cabbage, shredded- 1 cup
• Capsicum, julienne- ½ cup
• Carrot, julienne- ½ cup
• Onion, julienne- ¼ cup
• Maharashtrian style ready-made  Mango Pickle Masala- 2 tsp + ½ tsp
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Boil noodles. (follow the instructions on the pack) Drain and keep aside.
• Chop all veggies as mentioned. 
• Cut paneer into strips. 
• Heat little oil in a wok over medium heat. 
• Add paneer strips, ½ tsp Mango Pickle Masala and little salt; saute for a minute, toss them. Pick up paneer strips in a dish, keep aside.
• In a same wok, heat oil. Add carrot, saute for a minute.
• Add capsicum, saute for a minute.
• Add onion, saute for a minute.
• Add cabbage, saute for a minute.
• Add Kpra Mango Pickle Masala and salt. Give a nice stir.
• Add paneer and noodles. Toss nicely.
• Add vinegar, toss again.
• Serve hot.

Strawberry Cooler

Simple and easy for beat the heat. 

Sabja (basil seeds) and rose petals used in this drink, which are very useful for summer stroke.

Ingredients:

• Milk- ¾ of glass
• Strawberry crush syrup- 2 tbsp
• Soaked Basil seeds (Sabja)- 2 tbsp
• Dried rose petals (Gulab pankhudi, gulabachya pakalya)- 1 tbsp

Method:

• Put strawberry crush syrup in a glass. 
• Add milk, soaked basil seeds & dried rose petals.
• Mix well. Enjoy this cooler.

You can use Rooh Afza syrup instead of Strawberry crush syrup.

Fresh Wet Cashew Nuts Curry (Olya Kajuchi Bhaji)

Fresh/ tender cashew nuts arrive in Summer, mostly in March in India. This curry is very famous in our Kokan belt. These wet nuts have fabulous and creamy taste....just melt in your mouth. These goes well with anything. 

Ingredients:

• Fresh/wet tender cashew nuts (ole kaju)- 2 cups
• Potato- 1 med
• Onion, finely chopped- 1 med
• Coconut paste- 2 tbsp
• Ginger~garlic paste- 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Asafetida (Hing)- ¼ tsp
• Homemade mix masala or malwani masala- 2 to 3 tsp
• Garam masala- 1 tsp
• Oil- 2 to 3 tbsp
• Salt- to taste
• Fresh coriander, finely chopped- a handful ~ for garnishing

Method:

• Soak cashew for 30 minutes, hence easy to peel them. Peel and wash cashew nuts properly. Apply some oil on palms, their peels are itchy. 
  
• Peel potato and cut into 1 inch pieces. 
• Heat oil in a large pan or kadai (wok). Add onion & sauté till it turn golden brown. 
• Add hing, turmeric powder, mix masala and  sauté for a while. 
• Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a while. 
• Add coconut paste and sauté till oil come out from masala.
• Add cashew nuts, potato, garam masala, salt and some water. Mix well.
• Cover and cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes or till it cooked well. Stir occasionally. In between, check consistency of curry. Adjust consistency as per personal choice by adding some water. 
• Garnish with coriander. 
• Serve hot with rice roti/bhakari or chapati or dal-rice.

Note:

• You may use (1 tsp of chilli powder + 2 tsp of Goda Masala) instead of mix masala.
• If cashews are big, they takes more time to cook. Cook proparly, uncooked cashews tastes bad.
• You can store peeled cashew in freezer for 8-10 days, but for better result not more than that.
• If you don't have fresh cashews then you can soak the dry cashews in warm water for 8 to 10 hours. Obviously these tastes different than wet cashews.

ओल्या काजूंची भाजी किंवा उसळ

साहित्य:

• ओले काजू, सोललेले - २ कप 
• बटाटा- १ मध्यम (ऐच्छिक, भाजी पुरेशी होण्यासाठी घालावा.)   
• कांदा,  चिरून- १ मध्यम 
• भाजलेल्या खोबऱ्याचे वाटण- २ टेबलस्पून  
• आले लसूण वाटण- २ टीस्पून 
• हळद- १/२ टीस्पून 
• हिंग- १/४  टीस्पून
• मालवणी मसाला किंव्हा घरगुती मसाला- ३ टीस्पून
• गरम मसाला- १ टीस्पून (ऐच्छिक)
• मीठ- चवीनुसार 
• तेल- ३ ते ४ टेबलस्पून 
• कोथिंबीर, बारीक चिरून- मूठभर 

 कृती:

• काजू व्यवस्थित सोलून घ्यावेत. काजू सोलताना हाताला तेल चोळावे. नाहीतर हात फार खाजतात आणि काळे होतात. ओले काजु थोडा वेळ पाण्यात भिजत घालावेत, म्हणजे सालं सहज निघून येतील. सालं काढल्यावर काजू पाण्यात स्वच्छ धुऊन घ्यावेत.
• बटाटे सोलून साधारण १ इंचाचे तुकडे करावेत. 
• एका कढईत तेल गरम करून कांदा तपकिरी रंगावर परतून घ्यावा. 
• त्यात हिंग, हळद आणि मसाला टाकून काही  वेळ परतावा. 
• त्यात आले-लसूण पेस्ट टाकून जरास परतावं. 
• त्यात काजू, बटाट्याचे तुकडे टाकून थोडस पाणी टाकून व्यवस्थित मिसळून मंद आचेवर ५-६ मिनिटे झाकण ठेऊन शिजवावे. 
• त्यात गरम मसाला आणि मीठ टाकून  छान एकत्र करून पुन्हा एक वाफ काढावी. 
• नंतर त्यात आवश्यकतेनुसार पाणी घालून झाकण ठेऊन काजू, बटाटा शिजेपर्यंत शिजू द्यावे. 
• कोथिंबीर टाकून भांडे उतरावे. 
• चपाती किंवा भाकरी सोबत गरमागरम खायला द्यावे.

टिप:

• तुम्ही तुमचा स्वतःचा घरगुती मसाला वापरू शकता. 
• मालवणी किंव्हा घरगुती मसाला नसेल तर (१ टीस्पून मिरची पूड + २ टीस्पून गरम मसाला किंव्हा गोड मसाला) असे वापरा. 
•  काजू आकाराने मोठे असले तर शिजायला वेळ लागतो. अर्धवट शिजलेले ओले काजू  अजिबात चांगले नाहीत.  
• सालं काढून काजू फ़्रीजर मध्ये ठेवले तर महिनाभर चांगले रहातात. 
• ओले काजु उपलब्ध नसतील तर न खारवलेले, सुके काजू दोन तास पाण्यात भिजत घालून वापरावेत. अर्थात ओल्या काजूंचा स्वाद त्याला नाही येत.

Shengavani ~ Drumstick Curry With Gram Flour Dumplings

Drumstick are used in many dishes in our Kokan. But this is my most favorite curry. This recipe is originally made in CKP and Sonar community.

Ingredients :

• Drumsticks- 4 to 5
• Tamarind pulp- ½ tsp
• Jaggery- ½ tsp or to taste
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
• Asafoetida (hing)- ¼ tsp
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Homemade mix masala or malwani masala- 2  to 3 tsp
• Coriander leaves, finely chopped- 2 tbsp
• Oil- 2 tbsp
• Salt- to taste

For Gram Flour Dumplings:- 

• Gram flour (besan)- 1 cup
• Garam masala- 1 tsp
• Mix masala- ½ tsp
• Salt- to taste

For Coconut paste:-

• Onion, chopped- 1 med
• Garlic- 6 cloves
• Dry coconut, grated-  ¼ cup
• Oil- 2 tsp

Method :

• Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok, fry garlic and onion. Add coconut and roast till they become brown. Grind this into a fine paste.
• Peel drumstick's skin properly cut into 3-4 inches pieces.
• Dry roast besan till it gives nice aroma. 
• Combine besan, garam masala, mix masala, salt and 2 tbsp coconut paste. Mix well, add little water if needed. Make dough not too tough like chapati dough or not too loose like idali batter. Keep aside. 
• Heat oil in a pan/wok. Add mustard seeds. After they splutter, add hing,turmeric and then add remaining coconut paste. 
• Add mix masala and saute till it discharged oil from masala paste. 
• Add the drumsticks to the mixture. Add some water and salt. Mix well and cover the pan with lid.
• Let the drumsticks cook for 10 minutes on low heat.
• Turn the gas on high. Add dumplings like pakoda/bhaji in boiling curry.
• Turn the gas on low again and cover the pan with lid. Let them cook.
• When the drumsticks become tender enough, add tamarind, jaggery and hot water according to a consistency of curry what you like.
• Cover it with a lid and let it cook for 10-15 more minutes or till dumplings cook well.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with chapati or rice. 

Tips:

• You can use (1 tsp Red chilli powder + 1 tsp Goda Masala) instead of mix masala. 
• You can omit dumplings, if you are in hurry. 
• When this curry is made without drumsticks, then it is called as "Golewani".

Lal / Kalya Ghevadyachi Bhaji ~ Hyacinth Beans Curry

Hyacinth beans is seasonal vegetable, available in winter. This vegetable is known as Lal or Kala Ghevada in Maharashtra. This Red Ghevada is more tasty than Green Ghevada.

Ingredients: 

• Hyacinth beans (Lal or Kala Ghevada)- 250 gm (approx 2 cups)
• Onion, chopped- 1 med
• Potato- 1 med (optional)
• Garlic cloves, slightly crushed- 6
• Homemade mix masala - 2 tsp
• Goda masala- ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Asafoetida (Hing)- ¼ tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
• Oil- 3 tbsp
• Salt- to taste
• Fresh coriander, chopped- a handful

Method:

• Wash the pods. 
  
• Remove it's veins/threads, open and cut into small pieces. 
  
• Peel potato and cut into ½ inch cubes.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When the splattering starts, add garlic and onion, sauté till translucent.
• Add turmeric, hing and sauté for a while.
• Add mix masala and sauté for a while. 
• Add this vegetable, potato, goda masala and salt. Mix well. 
• Sprinkle little water. Cover & cook for 10-15 minutes or till cooked on low heat. Stir occasionally.
• Garnish with chopped coriander. You can add some scrapped fresh coconut.
• Serve hot with chapati or dal-rice.

Notes:

• You can add little jaggery/gud in this curry.
• You can add 1 tomato or green tomato in this curry.
• You can add brinjal also.
• You can use Green Ghevada instead of this Red Ghevada. Method is same.
• You can use red chili powder + goda masala instead of this.
• You can use kanda-lasun masala instead of this.
• We cook ghevada with sode or sukat also. Method is same but don't use gada masala for this. 
• You can add scrapped fresh coconut or crushed peanuts in this curry.

Idli Chilli Fry

Leftover idli turned into quick & delicious snack.

Ingredients:

• Left over idlies- 10
• Capsicum- 1 med
• Onion- 1
• Garlic cloves, chopped- 4
• Dry red chilli, torn- 3
• Soy sauce: 1 tsp
• Red chilli sauce- 1 tsp
• Tomato ketchup- 2 tsp
• Salt & pepper- to taste
• Oil- 1 tbsp

Method:

• Cut the idlies in cubes. Deep fry them till turn golden brown.
• Chop the onion and capsicum into cubes.
• Heat oil in a pan, add red chili and garlic cloves. 
• When garlic starts to turn golden, add onion and capsicum. Saute for 1 minute on high heat.
• Add in soy sauce, red chilli sauce, and tomato ketchup. 
• Add salt & pepper. Mix well and stir for while.
• Add idlies, mix well. 
• Serve hot. 

Indian Style Sword Bean Pod/Cod Stirfry ~ Aab or Abai / Bedavyachya Shengenchi Bhaji

Sword bean pod/cod is very rare vegetable, available in January to April. This vegetable is known as "Abai/अबई or Aab/आब or Bedava/बेडवा" in Maharashtra. This vegetable is very tasty. Preparation is quite tricky but taste is really well.

Ingredients: 

• Sword bean pod/cod (Bedavyachi Sheng, Aab or Abhay chi sheng)- 1 (approx 1 cup)
• Onion, chopped- ½ cup
• Garlic cloves, crushed- 3
• Homemade mix masala or red chilli powder- ½ tsp
• Goda masala- ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
• Hing- ¼ tsp
• Mustard seeds- ½ tsp
• Oil- 2 tbsp
• Salt- to taste
• Fresh coriander, chopped- 2 tbsp

Method:

Wash this pod.

Cut lengthwise into two halves. 

Remove it's veins/threads and inner white fleshy part. There is thin but tough and transparent sheet like plastic paper inside this pod, discard this sheet also. 

Cut this pod into small pieces. Now this is ready for cook.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When the splattering starts, add garlic and onion, sauté till translucent.
Add turmeric, hing and sauté for a while.

Add mix masala and sauté for a while. 

Add this vegetable, goda masala and salt. Mix well. 

Sprinkle little water. Cover & cook for 10-15 minutes or till cooked on low heat. Stir occasionally.
Garnish with chopped coriander. You can add some scrapped fresh coconut.
Serve hot with chapati or dal-rice.


Note:
This vegetable is seasonal. These pods grows on creepers. This creeper climbs on another tree. This is my mom's back yard at Murud-Janjira.

Tomato Soup – Quick Homemade Recipe

Not only was this recipe quick and easy, it also might be best tomato soup I've tried.

Ingredients:

• Tomato- 500 gm (6 med sized)
• Onion, finely chopped- ¼ cup
• Garlic, minced- 5 small cloves
• Butter- 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp (optional~for colour only)
• Red chili powder- ¼ tsp
• Black pepper corns- 5
• Bay leaf- 1
• Cinnamon stick, pounded into small pieces- 1 inch
• Sugar- 1 tsp or to taste
• Salt- to taste
• Water- approx 3 cups
• Parsley or fresh coriander, chopped- 1 tbsp ~ for garnishing
• Croutons , toasted- as required ~ for serving

Method:

• Wash tomatoes and keep aside. Remove the stems if there are any. 
• Boil tomatoes for 15-20 minutes in enough water. (Do not throw this water after boiling, it can be used for soup.) 
• Remove their skin and part of stem. Chop them roughly.
• Heat butter in a sauce pan. Add the bay leaf, pepper corns, cinnamon and saute for 5-6 seconds. 
• Add the garlic and onion and saute for while on a low flame, till the onions become translucent. 
• Now add the chopped tomato, turmeric powder, chili powder and saute for while.
• Add water, sugar, salt and pepper. Mix well.
• Let the soup come to a boil. Switch of the gas. Discard bay leaf. Let it cool slightly.
• Blend with hand blender in the same pan. (or you may use your mixer grinder.) Do carefully, it may chance of splashing. 
• On this stage you decide that how you like your soup. Strain the soup if you like thin and smooth. Or use as it is if you like thick soup and with some bites.
• Heat soup again. (If you want more thin, add some more water or vegetable stalk in the soup. Adjust salt and pepper also. Boil again.) 
• Pour the steaming hot tomato soup in soup bowls. 
• Add the bread croutons to the soup. 
• Garnish tomato soup with parsley or coriander leaves. 
• Serve the tomato soup piping hot. 

Tip:

• If you wanted to make it a creamy tomato soup, add some cream at the end.
• If you wanted to make it a cheesy, add some cheese at the end.
• You may change Indian spices with Italian seasonings. 

How to make toasted Croutons: 

A healthier option if you love croutons with your soup, but want to avoid the calories. Toast them till they turn crisp and golden brown in colour from both the sides and cut them into cubes. You can use tawa/griddle or pop-up toaster or oven for this. Apply some butter on bread before toasting if you like. They taste just as good as like fried.

Indian Style Broccoli Stirfry

Broccoli is a power house of nutrition. It is a rich source of calcium, vitamin c, and folic acid. So let's cook broccoli Indian way.......... It's tasty.

Ingredients:

• Broccoli- 250 gm (approx 2 cups)
• Onion, chopped- ½ to ¾ cup
• Garlic cloves, crushed- 6
• Green chilies, cut- 2
• Asafoetida ( Hing)- ¼ tsp
• Garam masala- 1 tsp
• Fresh coconut, scraped- 2 tbsp (optional)
• Oil- 2 to 3 tbsp
• Salt- to taste

Method:

• Cut the broccoli into florets.Take tender steams and chop them.
• Heat oil in a pan, add the garlic, green chillies and saute for a while.
• Add chopped onions and sauté till it becomes translucent.
• Add hing and saute for a while.
• Add the broccoli, salt and mix well and cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for a while on a low flame. Keep stirring in between.
• Add garam masala when broccoli is half cooked(the broccoli should not become very tender, it should be little crisp even after cooking).
• Finally add the coconut and stir for a while. You may add little lemon juice if you like.
• Serve hot with chapati or dal-rice. 

Gajar Halwa ~ Microwave Method

Gajar halwa made in microwave, it reducing the time taken to cook but the authentic taste remains the same.

Ingredients:

• Carrot, grated  - 500 gm
• Milk- 1 cup
• Sugar- ½ cup
• Mava (khoya)- ½ cup / 100 gm
• Ghee- 2 tbsp
• Cardamom (elaichi) powder- ½ tsp
• Chopped or sliced nuts like almonds, cashew nuts- ¼ cup

Method:

• Wash and peel the carrots.
• Combine ghee and grated carrot in a microwave proof bowl and microwave uncovered on high for 2-3 minutes.
• Add milk and stir well. Microwave on high for about 10 minutes, stirring in-between after 5 minutes.
• Add sugar and khoya. Mix well. Microwave on high for 5 minutes, stirring in-between.
• Add chopped nuts and mix well. Microwave on high for 10 minutes, stirring in-between after 2-3 minutes.
• Add cardamom powder and mix well. Microwave on high for 30 seconds.
• Serve hot or on room temperature.

Tip: 
I used here only 100 gm khoya. This way, you feel taste of carrots. My hubby like this type of halwa. But you want to make more rich and creamy, then add extra 100 gm khoya and  ¼ cup sugar in the halwa. I tried both.

Achari Bhindi Raita

Raita is a accompaniment which is typically served with Pulao or Biryani. The Bhindi raita brings a nice variation to the typical raita.

हि पाककृती मराठीतून वाचण्यासाठी इथे क्लिक करा . 

Ingredients:

• Ladies finger/Okra (bhindi)- 200 gm
• Curds (dahi)- 1 cup
• Oil- 2 tbsp
• Maharashtrian style readymade Mango pickle masala- 3 tsp (I used K-Pra masala)
• Mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)- 1 tsp
• Dry red chillies- 2 nos
• Asafoetida (Hing)- ¼ tsp
• Curry leaves- 6 nos
• Fresh coriander, finely chopped- ¼ cup
• Sugar- ½ tsp or to taste
• Salt- to taste

Method:

• Wash the whole bhindi and dry in a clean towel. Rub littlebit with towel to clean its rough surface.
• Cut cut lengthwise. Trim the ends and cut into ½" pieces.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add cut bhindi in it.
• Stir fry for 2 minute on high heat. Then turn heat to low.
• Add salt and saute for few minuets on low heat.
• Add  Mango pickle masala and saute till bhindi cooked. Let them cooled.
• Combine curd, chopped coriander, sugar and salt in the bowl. Beat together.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in the small/tadka pan. Add mustard seeds, when it starts crackling add curry leaves, red chillies, hing and switch off the gas.
• Add this tadka in the curd and mix well.
• Add the sauted bindi in curd mixture before serving.
• Serve with birayani/pulao or roti.

This dish is my innovation. I have make this dish for one contest.

Kadam Saag/Sabji ~ Kohlrabi Greens Stirfry

Last year I have visited Jammu-Kashmir. I ate Kadam Saag/Sabji in Pahalgam. I liked this so I tried this recipe. My sabji's taste went very near to that sabji.

This is Kohl rabi (German turnip or turnip cabbage). This is also known as Ol kopi, Nool kol, Ganth gobi, Kadam, Naval kol, Al kol. This is an annual vegetable, and is a low, stout cultivar of cabbage. Kohlrabi can be eaten raw as well as cooked. This is available all over India in winter.
Here I used only Kohl rabi greens (leaves). I will show you later the recipe kohlrabi bulb. We call this Naval kol or Al kol in Maharashtra. We cook this bulb with prawns or dried prawns (sode) or chana dal.

  Ingredients: 

• Kohl rabi /kadam greens/leaves with tender steams, chopped-  1 ½ cup (It should be tender/young and fresh.)
• Onion, chopped- 1 med
• Tomato, chopped- 1 med
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Asafoetida ( Hing)- ¼ tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp (if you are using mustrad oil, then omit this)
• Cumin seeds- ½ tsp
• Red chili powder 1 tsp
• Ginger~garlic paste- 1 tsp
• Oil- 2 to 3 tbsp (Kashmiri people use Mustrad oil but any other oil will do)

Method:

• Pressure cook or boil these chopped leaves till tender. Let it cool and squeeze.
• Heat oil in a kadhai or a pan. Add muster seeds and let them crackle.
• Add cumin seeds and saute for a while.
• Add chopped onion and saute it till it turns pink.
• Add turmeric powder, hing and saute for a while.
• Add tomato, ginger-garlic paste and salt. Saute till they turn soft.
• Add squeezed leaves and mix well.
• Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes on low heat.
• Serve hot with chapati or dal-rice.

Note:
This stir-fry veggie can be made with Spinach, Kai lan or Collard greens as well. Do not need to boil or precook spinach.