Kelfulachi Bhaji ~ Maharashtrian Style Banana Flower/Blossom Curry

Authentic, delicious and healthy curry is made with banana flower and val/field beans.
In Asia banana flowers is used as a vegetable. Like artichokes, both the fleshy part of the bracts and the heart are edible. Banana flowers contain various vitamins like Vitamin A, C and E. They also contain potassium and fibers. This makes them an excellent health food and a source of healthy nutrients. Calculated intake of banana flowers reduces blood sugar levels. Banana flowers boost the supply of milk that helps the new mothers feed their young better.

How to clean Banana Flower: 

• Take care of your clothes while handling the banana flower. It's juice stains clothes.
• Discard upper dark pink petals of banana flower. Discard the petals until you will get tender, soft and yellowish or pale white core of flower and you will feel hard to peel more. 
• Also discard tough and rubbery flowers of first 1-2 layers. 
• 
• Remove the long stem (like matchstick) inside each flower along with the outer stiff petal (like nail or feather). 
  
• Chop flowers finely also chop inner tender core of flower. Discard the stem of core.
• Immerse the chopped banana flower in the salty water or thin buttermilk. 
  

Ingredients:

• Kelful (Banana Flower), chopped- approx 2 cups from 1 medium sized flower 
• Va beans, spourted & peeled- ½ cup (from ¼ cup dried val beans) 
• Oil- 2 to 3 tbsp 
• Onion, chopped- 1 med or ¾ cup 
• Garlic- 3 to 5 cloves 
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp 
• Cumin seeds- 1 tsp 
• Hing (Asafoetida)- ¼ tsp 
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp 
• Homemade mix masala or Malwani masala- 3 to 4 tsp (or 1½-2 tsp red chili powder + 1½ Goda masala) 
• Jaggery- ¼ tsp 
• Kokum /aamsul- 2 to 3 
• Fresh coconut, scraped- ¼ cup 
• Fresh coriander finely chopped- a handful 
• Salt- to taste 

Method:

• Drain the water and squeeze it. 
• Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When the splattering starts, add garlic and onion. 
• When onion become pink, add turmeric powder, hing, masala and sauté for a minute. 
• Add val beans, little water and salt to taste. (Use salt carefully if you immersed flowers in the salty water.) Mix well, cover and cook for 8-10 minutes on simmer. 
• Add squeezed flowers and mix well, cover and cook for 10 minutes or till cooked on simmer. Stir occasionally. Sprinkle little water if needed. 
• Add jaggery and kokum. Mix well, cover and cook on simmer for a minute. 
• Garnish with scrapped coconut and coriander. 
• Serve hot with chapati, bhakari or dal-rice. 

Variation:
You can use other pulses like Kala Vatana (Black peas) or Chana (Bengal gram) or Red Small Chavali (Lobia) instead of Val beans.

Soak pulses overnight. Don't need to sprouted them like val. Pressure cook these pulses before using to save the time of cooking. Do not overcook. Rest of recipe is same. You can omit kokum and jaggary when you are using these pulses.

We also make vade/cutlet using these banana flowers. 

Moong Dal Kheer/Payasam ~ Green Gram Pudding With Coconut Milk

Delicious Moong Dal Kheer/Payasam from Goa, Karvar and Kerala. This is a one of the Onam Special Kheer.
My Karavari neighbour taught me this delicacy and my family love it..... 

Ingredients:

• Split green gram (moong dal)- 1 cup
• Jaggery, grated- ½ cup
• Coconut milk - 1 cup
• Cardamom powder- 1 tsp 
• Clarified butter (pure ghee) - 2 tbsp
• Cashews nuts- 6
• Almonds- 6
• Salt - 1 small pinch

Method:

• Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a non-stick wok/kadhai or heavy bottom pan, roast almonds and cashew nuts to golden. Remove them to plate. Crush them coarsely.
• Heat 1 tbsp ghee in the same pan, add moong dal and roast till it turns light red colour and releases nice aroma.
• Cook the dal with ½ cup of water till it becomes soft. Dal should be cooked well thus it would be mash completely. (You can pressure cook moong dal for 3 whistles.)
• Once dal will cooked well, mash the dal with ravi/hand blender.
• Add the melted jaggery, salt and some water to mashed dal and stir well.
• Boil on low flame with stirring.
• When dal starts boiling, add the coconut milk and stir well for 5 minutes.
• Add cardamom powder and the roasted and crushed nuts. Stir well and remove from the gas.
• Serve hot. 

Rushichi Bhaji ~ Rishi Panchami Subji

Rushichi Bhaji, a dry curry with mix vegetables is made on Rushi Panchami. But this is not a regular mix vegetable curry. The uniqueness of this vegetable curry is used only vegetables which grow without ox's labour. This curry contains fruit vegetables, root vegetables and leafy vegetables too. This vegetable is made without oil and spices. Only green chillies are used in this curry. This curry is extremely healthy, low-cal and tasty too. Because of use of organic, seasonal and fresh veggies and absence of any fat/oil.
Next day after Ganesh Chaturthi is Rushi Panchami. This day is devoted to 'Saptarshi' means seven rishis. This day is of special relevance to signify the purity of body and soul. This meal is a glimpse of rishis food and their lifestyle.

हि पाककृती मराठीतून वाचण्यासाठी इथे क्लिक करा.  

This curry prepares various ways in a different part of Konkan. I am giving here our recipe. In my childhood, my grandmother used to cook this curry in an earthen pot on wood fire stove. That taste of curry was awesome, I never forget that taste. 

Ingredients:

• Colocasia/Taro leaves with steams  (Aluchi pane),peeled & chopped- 1 cup
• Pumpkin (Lal bhopala), peeled & chopped- ½ cup
• Amaranth leaves (Math), chopped- ½ cup
• Kurdus (wild local leafy vegetable), chopped- ½ cup (optional)
• Yam (suran), peeled & chopped- ¼ cup
• Ladyfingers/Okara (Bhendi), chopped-  ¼ cup
• Green beans (Shravan ghevda), chopped- ¼ cup
• Cluster beans (Gavar), chopped- ¼ cup
• Snake gourd (Padwal), chopped- ¼ cup
• Ridge gourd (Shirali), peeled & chopped- ¼ cup
• Sponge gourd (Ghosali), chopped- ¼ cup
• Green chillies, chopped- 3 to 5 or as per your personal choice 
• Tamarind pulp - 2 tsp or to taste
• Fresh scraped coconut-  ¼ to ½ cup
• Sea salt- to taste

Method:

• Wash and chop all veggies as desired size. Chop yum into small pieces, it takes more time to cook. 
• Combine all veggies in a big heavy bottomed vessel. 
• Add chopped green chilies and salt. Mix well.
• Cover with S.S plate. Pour some water on a plate. Do not add water, the veggies release water and enough to cook these veggies. 
• Cook on low heat till all veggies cooked well. Stir occasionally with soft hand. Check in between by pressing hard veggies with fingers. 
• Add tamarind pulp and scraped coconut. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Serve warm with bhakari/rice roti.

Tips and Variations:

• These vegetables which grow without ox's labor are available in market on the day of Rushi Panchami.
• My aai/mom uses all veggies which she grow in her backyard. She uses home-grown tomato also for this curry.
• I have given here quantity of veggies, thus you will get idea. But actually you can add the veggies as your personal like and availability. 
• Depends on availability of veggies, one or more vegetables mentioned can be skipped.
• My MIL adds some homemade white butter in this curry. 
• Pumpkin and scraped coconut give sweetness to this curry.
• You can add other monsoon/seasonal veggies like sweet potato, white corns, cucumber, raw banana, bottle gourd etc. 
• Pressure cook whole corn cobs with little salt before using in curry. Cut into small pieces.
• Rice which used for cooked rice and roti is also grow without ox's labor. This rice is called "Paynu tandul" in Marathi. This is also available in market on the day of Rushi Panchami. This rice is grind on stone grinder/Jate for roti/bhakari. This rice is also organic and unpolished. (I used here for photo regular rice.)
• This chutney contains only salt, fresh coconut and chilies. You can add raw mango if available. 

Difference Between Grated & Scraped Fresh Coconut

Konkani/Malwani cuisine uses coconut liberally in various forms such as scraped, dry grated, fried, coconut paste and coconut milk. The use of coconut in the food is giving Konkani cuisine a characteristic taste.

I have mentioned about scraped coconut in my recipes. Many people ask me about scraped coconut. Today I am showing difference between grated coconut and scraped coconut.

I have traditional tools for grating and scrapping coconut.

# Grater
This tool is known as 'Khisani/खिसणी ' in Marathi. It is used for grating fresh coconut as well as dried coconut.
You can grate anything from this tool such as carrot, gourd, cucumber etc.

 # Scraper
The tool has sharp zigzag edges that helps in scraping the coconut.

# Traditional scrapper and cutter
This tool is known as 'Vili/विळी ' or 'Morali/मोरळी ' in Marathi.
The front part of Villi is used for scraping and other part with sharp edge is a cutter.

We hold the coconut in an angle against the zigzag sharp edges and move the coconut up and down the sharp edges. We can seat on this attached wooden board and could cut or scrap. 


Nowadays some food processors include coconut scraper. But this is not good option. I never use this but my friend had told me that hands vibrate more.


How to store fresh coconut:

• I usually scrap two coconut at a time. I consume this in 8-10 days. I store scraped coconut in a plastic container and keep in a deep freezer. They lasts for 1-2 months in good condition.. 
• Whenever you want to use, put out from freezer before 15-20 minutes. Or thaw in microwave.
• Whenever you are going to use frozen coconut for masala paste or chutney, don't forget to use warm water for grinding. Otherwise you can't get proper texture and taste. 

Aluchi Patal Bhaji / Alavache Fatfate ~ Colocasia/Taro Leaves Curry

Aluche Fatfate or fadfade is a traditional Maharashtrian curry, which is made for Special occasion such as wedding or shradh. This curry is a delightful balance of hot, sweet and sour.

Alu is known as various name such as Taro, Colocasia, Eddoe, Elephant Ears in English and Arbi or Arvi patta in Hindi.

Good quality of alu available in monsoon. This is a good source of vitamins A and C and contains proteins.

This curry prepare various ways. I am giving here my aai's simple and delicious recipe. I don't like to making this curry with too many ingredients and heavy spices.

Instructions: 

• There are many species of alu/taro. But all of they are not edible. Some wild species are poisonous and very itchy. So be careful while buying. Do not bring unknown alu leaves, stems and roots yourself from jungle or anywhere.
• Be careful while cutting the stems. The stems release some juice which is stinging and itchy. So rub oil or butter on your hands before handling the stems and leaves to prevent from itching.
• Chop carefully. Wash under running water with the help of strainer and spoon. Do not touch while washing.
• Then only if you suffer from itching, then rub lemon juice on your hands and wash properly. Rub with alum/turati or ghee on your hands.
• Tamarind, oil and spices remove the itchiness of alu while cooking. So don't worry abut this.  
• And one more thing…this juice also stains clothes. So take care not to stain your clothes.

Ingredients:

• Alu/taro, chopped- approx 3½ cups (4-5 leaves & some stems) 
• Green chilies, chopped- 2
• Peanuts- ½ cup
• Tamarind- small lemon size or thick tamarind pulp- 1 tbsp or as per your like
• Jaggery- 2 to 3 tsp or as per your like
• Oil- 2 to 3 tbsp
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
• Asafoetida (Hing)- ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Chili powder- 1 tsp or as per your like
• Salt- to taste

Method:

• Soak peanuts for atleast 3-4 hours. Then pressure cook with some salt upto 1-2 whistle.
• Rub oil or butter on your hands before handling the stems and leaves to prevent from itching. 
• Peel outer thick, rough skin and fiber part of stems. Remove threads if any. Peel as like drumsticks. You will get white and soft inner part of stems. 
  
• Discard the veins of leaves. Chop leaves and stems carefully. 
  
• Wash under running water with the help of strainer and spoon. Do not touch while washing.
• Soak tamarind in some water water for few minutes. Squeeze the tamarind and extract the juice.
• Pressure cook with green chili and around ½ cup upto 2 whistles. Let release the steam. (You may cook peanuts and alu at a same time but in different vessel.) 
  
• Mash it well with pavbhaji/potato masher or ravi/dal masher or hand blender. 
• Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds, once they start spluttering, add cumin seeds, hing, turmeric powder and red chili powder. 
• Add boiled peanuts and saute for a minute. 
  
• Now add mashed alu mixture. Mix well. 
  
• Then add some water (approx 1 cup) to adjust the consistency (not too thick not too thin).
• Add tamarind juice, jaggery, salt and 1 tsp Goda masala if you like. Give a nice stir.
• Cover and cook for 5 minutes on low heat. 
• Once it start boiling, switch of the gas.
• Serve hot with rice or chapati.

Notes:

• Fresh coconut slices, chana dal and raddish pieces can be added along with peanuts.
• Adjust the quantity of tamarind and jaggery according to your taste.
• You may use Goda masala for extra taste in this curry.
• You can add besan for nice homogeneous blend.
• You can make spinach like this way. 
• If you want little twist. Heat 1 tsp oil in a small tadka pan, fry 2 tsp garlic slices till they turn brown. Add this tadka in the curry. 

अळूची पातळ भाजी किंवा अळूचे फतफते/फदफदे

संपूर्ण रेसिपी मराठीत वाचण्यासाठी इथे क्लिक करा. 

Mugache Birde/Bhirde or Muga Gathi ~ Maharashtrian Style Sprouted & Peeled Moong/Green Gram Curry

Mugache Birde or Muga Gathi is the one of delicacy of our Konkani cooking. Sprouted green grams are full of protein and are good to include it in our daily diet.

This curry specially is made on Monday in Shravan month. We do not eat onion-garlic on Shravani Somvar, so we make this curry without onion-garlic but you may use. Trust me...without using onion-garlic, this curry is also extremely delicious.

Ingredients:

• Whole moong beans (Green gram)- 1 cup 
• Oil- 2 to 3 tbsp 
• Mustard seeds- 1 ½ tsp 
• Asafoetida (Hing)- ½ tsp 
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp 
• Curry leaves- 5 (optional- I don't use.) 
• Homemade mix masala or malwani masala- 3 tsp (or 2 tsp chili powder + 2 tsp goda masala) 
• Goda masala- 1 tsp (I use goda masala with our homemade masala for this curry.) 
• Salt- to taste 
• Fresh coconut, scrapped or grated- ½ cup 
• Cumin seeds- 1 tsp 
• Kokum/ aamsul- 4 (if not available, use tamarind pulp) 
• Coriander leaves, finely chopped- 2 tbsp 

If you want to use:- Onion, chopped- ½ cup and Garlic- 4 cloves

How to sprout the Moong/Green Gram?

• Wash and soak moong overnight or for at least 6 to 8 hours in double quantity of water. 
• They would soak water and would swell. Drain the water in the morning. Wash again in the running water and drain again. Thus they they don't become sticky. 
• Wrap in a thin cotton cloth or muslin cloth and keep them in a large bowl and cover it with lid. 
• Place it in a warm place to sprout. It would take around 16 hours depends upon weather. If there is cold weather, then would take more time and there is hot weather, then would take less time. Due to the warming the sprouts come out nicely. The moong have bigger sprouts now. 
• Once moong have sprouted, transfer the sprouts to a larger vessel/patela and fill the vessel with water almost up to the brim. This would get moisturize to the beans and peeling off the skin would be easy. 
• Keep aside for minimum 3-4 hours. Rub moong gently with palms. Several green peels (70-80 % of it) will float on the surface of water. 
• Remove the floated green peels and rub again moong. 
• The remaining peels remove manually. After removing the skin, moong are ready to be used for cooking. 

Means if you want to make "Mugache Birde" for Monday lunch, then you have to soak moong at Saturday night.
Peeling of moong beans is really time spending and patiently work but the taste of curry is always well worth....

Method:

• Grind together fresh coconut, cumin seeds and garlic (if you are using) with some water. (Add hot water if you are using frozen coconut.) Grind into fine paste. 
• Wash these sprouted & peeled moong and drain. 
• Heat oil in a kadai or pan. Add mustered seeds for tempering. When mustered seeds are popping, add onion (if you are using. Sauté till turns pinkish.) 
• Add hing, turmeric powder and masala or chilli powder. Sauté for a second. 
• Add moong and saute for a while and add water. Mix well and cover the wok with s.s. plate. Pour some water on a plate. Cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat. 
• Add coconut paste and salt. Add some water (adjust consistency of curry as per personal choice). 
• Mix well and cook for 15-20 on low heat or till the beans become tender (not too soft). Stir occasionally with soft hand. Check in between by pressing one with fingers. 
• Add goda masala, kokam petals, jaggery and water if needed. Cook another 2 minutes on low heat. 
• Garnish with coriander. Serve hot with chapatti or bhakari or rice. 

Tips:

• Due to over cooking of moong, the taste would ruin and partially cooked moong tastes not good. Experience gives you perfection. 
• Moong are very delicate so handle and mix it with soft hand otherwise kernels breaks. Do not overcook. Remember that do not cook soft like smashed dal, moong kernels should stay whole.

Gopalkala

Happy Jnmashtami ........!!!

Actually Gopalkala has two meanings. One is our very famous festival, this known as 'Govinda' or 'Dahihandi' in Maharashtra sp. in Kokan. And other is prasad (the food which offers to God) of Janmashtami. Janmashtami (birthday of Lord Krishna) is celebrated all over India.
Gopalkala is very easy and quick to prepare. This is also very nutritious and scrumptious dish. This is not necessary to make this for prasad only, You may serve this as a healthy low-cal snack.

हि पाककृती मराठीतून वाचण्यासाठी इथे क्लिक करा. 

Ingredients:

• Yogurt/Curd- 1 cup
• Beaten rice (Poha)- 1 cup
• Popped rice (Lahya/Lahiya)- a handful 
• Fresh coconut, scrapped- 2 tbsp
• Cucumber, chopped- 1 cup
• Pomegranate seeds (anar dana)- ¼ cup
• Green Chilies, chopped or crushed- 1~2
• Ginger, grated- ½ tsp
• Peanuts, roasted & peeled- ¼ cup
• Fried masala chana dal or roasted chana dal/Pandharpuri dal- ¼ cup 
• Salt- to taste
• Sugar- 1 tsp
• Fresh coriander, finely chopped- ¼ cup
• Pure ghee- 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds- 1 tsp

Method:

• Wash and drain poha by starainer.
• Beat curd and add sugar & some salt. 
• Combine curd, poha and lahya in the bowl. Allow to soak for 5 minutes.
• Heat ghee in a small tadaka pan. Add cumin seeds, green chilies and saute for few seconds.
• Pour over the beaten rice-curd mixture and mix well.
• Add coconut, cucumber, anar dana, ginger, peanuts, masala chana dal, coriander leaves and some salt. Mix well.
• Serve immediately. 

Tips:

• If popped rice (Lahya/Lahiya) are not available, you can omit it.  
• I have given here the quantity of ingredients for your information. But actually, you can add the ingredients as your personal choice. 
• You can add some extra fruits also.

Bolo Gopal Krishna Maharaj ki jai.......

|| Jai Shri Krishna ||

Padwal Chanadal Bhaji ~ Snake Gourd Stirfry with Chana dal

Nowadays snake gourd available in 12 months but it has original and better taste in only monsoon. We make snake gourd in various ways, this is the one of them. 

Ingredients:

• Snake gourd/Padwal- 250 gm
• Split bengal gram (chana dal)-  ¼ cup
• Oil- 2 to 3 tbsp
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
• Asafetida (hing)- ¼ tsp 
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp 
• Green chili,cut- 3 to 5
• Onion, chopped- 1 med or ¾ cup
• Garlic, crushed- 5 cloves
• Salt- to taste
• Fresh coconut, scraped- 2 to 3 tbsp

Snake gourd: 

Method:

• Soak chana dal for 3-4 hours in water.
• Discard the ends and cut the snake gourd into halves. Remove the seeds and inner pulp. Slice snake-gourd into approx half cm pieces. 
• Sprinkle  ½ tsp salt on cut pieces of snake gourd. Rub with soft hand and keep aside for 15 minutes. Hence snake gourd becomes soft and tastes better. 
  
• Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, let them crackle. 
• Add chili, garlic and onion. Saute onion till turns pink. 
• Add hing, turmeric powder and saute for a while. 
• Add soaked chana dal, salt (plz read tips) and little water. Cover with s.s. plate, pour some water on it and cook chana dal for 5 minutes on low heat. Stir occasionally and sprinkle little water if dal got dry. 
• Meanwhile wash the snake gourd in running water, drain and squeeze tightly. Make sure the pieces will not brake while squeezing. 
• Add squeezed snake gourd and mix well. Cover with s.s. plate, pour some water on it and cook on low heat until snake-gourd become soft. Stir occasionally.
• Once snake gourd is cooked well add scrapped coconut. Cook for a minute.
• Serve hot with Chapati or Dal-rice.

Notes:

• Remember we have added salt while rubbing snake gourd. Some extent of salt remains in snake gourd even after washing.
• You can use 3 tsp homemade mix masala or 1½ tsp + 2 tsp goda masala instead of green chilli. 
• You can use moong dal instead of chana dal. Just remember that moong dal cooks fast than chana dal. But chana dal tastes better than moong dal.
•  We usually discard the seeds and inner pulp but don't throw them. Make chuteny. Here is a recipe, click here. 

Farali Misal ~ Upvasachi Misal

Tangy and spicy treat for fast......

You need:

• Shengdaanyachi Aamti (Peanut Curry)
• Upvasachi Batata Bhaji  /Vratki aaloo sabji
• Potato/batata Sali 
• Potato-Sago/sabudana Chivada or Upavasacha Chivada
• Yogurt/curd- as required (optional)
• Pomegranate kernels /anar dana (optional)
• Fresh coriander, finely chopped- a handful, for garnishing (optional- If you use in fast. I don't use.) 

Shengdaanyachi Aamti (Peanut Curry)

Ingredients:

• Peanuts, roasted- ½ cup
• Fresh tender peanuts, boiled- 1 cup (or dried peanuts- ¾ cup)
• Chili powder- 1 to 2 tsp (as per personal like)
• Cumin Seeds- ½ tsp
• Black peppercorns- 2
• Clarified Butter (Ghee) or oil- 1 tbsp
• Water- approx 2 cups
• Jaggery – a pinch (optional)
• Salt- to taste
• Oil- 1 tbsp

Method:

• Roast and peel the peanuts.
• Grind peanuts and cumin seeds with some water into fine paste. 
• Boil and peel the pods of peanuts. Get fresh tender peanuts from pods. Or Soak ¾ cup peanuts in the water for atleast 4-5 hours. Pressure-cook or boil until they become nice and tender.
• Heat oil in wok, add black peppercorns. 
• Add boiled peanuts and chili powder. Sauté for a minute. 
• Add peanut paste, salt and water. Mix well, cover with lid and cook for 5 minutes on low heat. 
• Add jaggery and bring to boil.

Upvasachi Batata Bhaji  / Vratki aaloo sabji

Ingredients:

• Potato, boiled, peeled - 2 med
• Pure ghee or oil- 2 tbsp
• Cumin seeds- 2 tsp
• Green Chilies- 2 to 3
• Sugar- ½ tsp (optional)
• Salt to taste

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. 
• Mix well and cover with lid, let it cook for 2-3 minutes. 

Assembling of Misal:

• Pour some peanut curry in a bowl.
• Place a layer of batata bhaji on this.
• Add sago-potato chivada on it . 
• Then add potato sali on it. 
• Add curd to it, if you like.
• Then sprinkle anardana and chopped coriander.
• Serve. If you don't use curd then just sprinkle some lemon juice.