Creamy Mushrooms Toast

Mushrooms toast is a classic recipe, usually served with any salad or soup. This is very simple and delightful recipe.

The bite of creamy mushroom toast is just heaven.

Ingredients:

• Mushrooms, sliced- 2 cups or 6 nos.
• Butter- 3 tsp + some more for toasting bread
• Garlic, minced- 5-6 cloves
• Celery, finely chopped - 1 tbsp (optional)
• Onion, chopped- 1 med
• Fresh cream (Store bought)-  ¼ cup or some more 
• Salt- to taste
• Pepper 1 tsp or to taste
• Chilli flakes- 1 tsp (optional)
• Mix herb- 1 tsp
• Brown bread or any long thick crust bread, sliced- as required

Method:

• Heat a non-stick pan. Add butter, onion, celery and garlic. Sauté over med heat for 2 minutes. 
• Add sliced mushrooms and salt. Sauté while and add pepper, chili flakes, mix herbs. Mix well. 
  
• Sauté mushrooms for 3 to 4 minutes or until they are nicely cooked.
• Lower the heat and add the cream. Stir well for a while and switch off the gas. 
  
• Pour these mushrooms over the toasted bread slices and serve hot. 

Variation:

• You can use parsley instead of celery.  
• You can spread some grated cheese over the mushroom toast. 

Puran Poli ~ Maharashtrian Sweet Stuffed Roti

Puran poli is a traditional sweet dish which is specially prepared on the occasion of Holi festival in Maharashtra. In fact it is also prepared during most of the auspicious occasions like Satyanarayan-pooja, Mahalakshmi-pooja, Jivati-pooja, Ganesh festival etc in every Maharashtrian home. 

Puran poli is nothing but sweet, soft, flaky and thin stuffed paratha. Puran poli is made by different different methods in Maharashtra.
My aai/mother makes the best Puran poli' in the whole world, I think so. My aai's puranpoli is too soft and just melts in mouth.
Here is my mom's Puran poli recipe.....

Ingredients:

For Outer Dough:

• Maida (All purpose flour) - 250 gm
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Salt- a pinch
• Refined Oil- ½ cup
• Water - approx ¼ cup

For Sweet Filling/Puran:

• Channa dal - 250 gm
• Yellow Jaggery (Gud), grated - 250 gm (Put out 3 tbsp gud, use sugar* instead of gud. It enhance the taste.)
• Sugar* - 3 tbsp 
• Cardamom powder- ½ tsp
• Nutmeg powder -¼ tsp

For Making Poli:

• Rice flour - as required (If not available, use maida)
• Pure ghee/Clarified butter- as required 

Method:

For Dough:

• Sieve the maida first.
• Combine maida, turmeric powder and salt in a bowl and mix well.
• Add water gradually. Mix with hand by adding water  by spoon. Ensure you do not add too much water. (The dough should be not be stiff or soft, it should be sticky.)
• Take some oil on your palm and make dough. Now pour oil over it and let the oil stay on the top. Leave the dough in the oil to rest for 3 to 4 hour.  
  

For Stuffing/Puran:
The dough is resting meanwhile make the Puran. You can make Puran on previous day and store in refrigerator in a air-tight container. When you are making puranpoli, just put out before 1 hour. I am giving here authentic method of Puran making. 

• Wash the dal and soak in enough water for half an hour.
• Add pinch of  turmeric powder and salt in the dal. Pressure cook the dal in cooker separator till 2 whistles came out. Cook the dal with just enough water to cover the dal. (You can cook this dal without cooker. But it takes about 40 to 50 minutes to cook) It shouldn't get over cooked and mashy like dal which is we used for aamati/varan. When you press the dal with your fingers, it should be slightly firm but completely cooked. 
• When the dal is cooked, drain out excess water with the help of strainer. Don't throw this water, this is used to make another recipe 'Katachi Aamati'. 
• Heat a large non-stick saucepan or a large heavy bottom wok, add the jaggery. When it starts melting, add cooked chana dal. Stir well.
• Stir on a medium-low flame until the jaggery melts completely and incorporates into the dal. Stir continuously. 
  
• Grind the dal and jaggery mixture still it is hot. Grind with the help of 'Puran Yantr' or Stone grinder/Pata-Varvanta. Grind into smooth dough. You can use food-processor also. (If puran contained extra moisture, spread it on clean cotton cloth. Cloth will absorb excess water.) See my aai's loving hands. 
  
•  Add cardamom powder and nutmeg powder. Mix well and make 20 balls of equal size. Cover them and put it aside. 

For Making Puran Poli:

• Now knead again maida dough till it absorbed almost that oil and become elastic and soft. 
  
• Now clear up your counter space and set up your work area with a bowl of ghee, a bowl of rice flour to dust, your rolling pin and...roll up your sleeves! :)
• Heat nonstick griddle/tava.
• Take a small portion of dough. See the size of dough and filling. 
  
• Using your hands made like small puri. Keep puran ball in center of this puri shaped dough. Deep your fingers in oil and cover the filling with the dough by stretching and by rotating the dough between your thumbs and fingers. Seal the edges and squeeze out excess dough from it.
  
• Dust the rice flour on the board/polpat and press gently. Gently roll out each poli to about 6 inches rounds. Roll like chapati/paratha but only being extra careful. Roll evenly by all sides. Remove the extra flour with soft cloth. 
  
• Place the puran poli on hot tava. Turn down to medium-low heat. Roast for few seconds and turn the side.
• Pour little ghee and roast carefully and turn the side.
• Pour little ghee again and with the spatula press one side slightly so that it puffs up well. It will not take more then 2 min to be ready. Remove from the tawa/griddle. 
  
• Serve hot with lots of ghee over it and a bowl of milk or with meal.

वाढणी: १५ ते २० पोळ्या

साहित्य:
पुरणासाठी- 

• चणाडाळ- २५० ग्रॅम
• गुळ, किसुन- २५० ग्रॅम (यातील ३ टेबलस्पून गुळ काढून त्याऐवजी तेवढीच साखर* घालावी. चांगली चव येते.)
• साखर*- ३ टेबलस्पून 
• हळद- चिमुटभर
• मीठ- चिमुटभर किंवा चवीनुसार
• वेलची पूड-  १/२ टीस्पून
• जायफळ पूड- १/४ टीस्पून

पोळीसाठी-

• मैदा- २५० ग्रॅम
• हळद- चिमुटभर
• मीठ- चिमुटभर 
• पाणी- अंदाजे  १/४  कप
• तेल-१/२  कप
• तांदुळाचे पीठ- जरुरीनुसार (नसेल तर मैदाच वापरा. पण तांदूळ पीठाने पोळ्या सरसर लाटता येतात. ) 
• साजुक तूप- जरुरीनुसार 

कृती:
पुरणासाठी- 

• डाळ स्वच्छ धुवून पुरेश्या पाण्यात अर्धा तास भिजवावी. 
• चिमुटभर हळद व मीठ टाकुन कुकरला शिजवुन घ्या. कुकरच्या भांड्यात ठेवा, म्हणजे खालून करपायची भीती नाही. बाहेर शिजवतो त्यापेक्षा डाळीत पाणी कमी ठेवावे. २ शिट्ट्या घ्याव्या. (बाहेर शिजायला अंदाजे ४०-५० मिनिटे लागतात. सारखे लक्ष ठेवावे लागते.)  डाळ व्यवस्थित शिजली पाहिजे अन्यथा पुन्हा शिजवावी पण वरणासाठी करतो तसा गाळ व्हायला नको. अख्खीच दिसली पाहिजे पण बोटाने दाबल्यास फुसकन तुटली पाहिजे. 
• डाळ शिजल्यावर सर्व पाणी गाळुन काढून बाजूला ठेवावे. (हेच पाणी वापरून कटाची आमटी करतात.) 
• जाड बुडाच्या भांड्यात गुळ टाकुन थोडा विरघळला की शिजवलेली डाळ टाकावी. 
• गुळ विरघळेपर्यंत चांगली परतून घ्यावी. मिश्रण एकजीव झाले की गरम असतानाच पुरण यंत्रावर किंवा पाट्यावर वाटावे. फुड-प्रोसेसरवर पण वाटता येते.   (वाटून झाल्यावर पुरण फारच सैल वाटत असेल तर स्वच्छ व सुती कपड्यावर पसरावे. कपडा पाणी शोषून घेतो व पुरण कोरडे होते.)
• पुरण वाटून झाल्यावर वेलची पूड व जायफळ पूड टाकावी आणि पुन्हा छान मळून घ्यावे.  

पोळीसाठी-

• मैदा चाळून घ्यावा. साधारण त्यातील १/४ कप मैदा बाजूला काढून ठेवा. 
• मैद्यात चिमुटभर हळद व मीठ टाकून मिक्स करा. 
• आता मैद्यात हाताने मिक्स करत करत हळूहळू पाणी घालत घ्या. अगदी चमच्याने घातलेत तरी चालेल. अंदाजे १/४ कप म्हणजे साधारण अर्धी वाटी पाणी लागेल. खूप चिकट होतो. (म्हणूनच थोडा मैदा बाजूला काढून ठेवावा, जर भिजवलेले पीठ खूपच सैल वाटले तर वरून मैदा घालता येतो.) 
• हाताला थोडेसे तेल लावून त्याचा गोळा करून साधारण १/२ कप म्हणजे साधारण एक वाटी तेलात ३ ते ४ तास भिजत ठेवावा. एवढ्या वेळात मैदा त्यातील तेल शोषून घेतो. 
• पोळ्या करायला घेताना हा मैद्याचा गोळा परातीत घेवून पुन्हा चांगला मळून घ्या. थोडेफार जे तेल उरलेले असते ते पण तो मैद्याचा गोळा शोषून घेतो. अगदी त्या गोळ्याला तन्यता येईपर्यंत मळायचे आहे. 
• पुराणाचे समान आकाराचे गोळे करून घ्यावेत. याचे २० गोळे होतात. 
• छोट्या लिंबाएवढ्या आकाराचा मैद्याचा गोळा घेऊन हातानेच दाबून पुरीसारखा आकार करून त्यात पुरणाचा गोळा भरून तो सर्व बाजुंनी सारख्या प्रमाणात ताणत ताणत नेवुन त्याची टोक जुळवून टाकावीत. वर आलेले जास्तीचे कणिक पिळुन काढून टाकावे.  
• पोळपाटावर तांदुळाचे पीठ भुरभुरून हलक्या हाताने पुरणपोळी लाटावी. लाटताना मध्यभागीच जोर देऊ नये, नाहीतर पुरण मध्येच राहत आणि नुसती मैदाची पोळी बाजूनी वेगळी होते. कडा जाड लाटू नये, चिवट लागतात. 
• तवा व्यवस्थित गरम करून घ्या. शक्यतो नॉन-स्टिक तवाच वापरा, पोळी चिकटण्याची शक्यता कमी असते. 
• पोळीवरील जास्तीचे पीठ स्वच्छ रुमालाने हलकेच झटका. हलक्या हाताने पोळी उचलून तव्यावर टाका. मध्यम ते मंद आचेवरच भाजा, हलक्या हाताने उलटा. भाजताना दोन्ही बाजूंनी तूप लावा. 
• गरमागरम पोळीवर साजुक तुपाची यथेच्छ धार सोडा आणि दुधासोबत किंवा कटाच्या आमटीसोबत वाढा. कोकणात काही वेळा गुळवणी (गोड नारळाचे दुध) सोबत पुरणपोळी वाढतात. देशावर काही ठिकाणी बासुंदी सोबत तर काही ठिकाणी आमरसासोबत पुरणपोळी वाढतात.  
• डब्यात भरताना पोळ्या थंड झाल्यावरच भरा.   

टिपा :

• पुरण आदल्या दिवशी वाटून फ्रीजमध्ये ठेवले तर आयत्या वेळेला घाई होत नाही. पण पोळ्या करायच्या आधी १ तास आधी बाहेर काढून ठेवावे.  
• सकाळी लवकरच पहिले मैदा भिजवून तेलात ठेवून द्यावा. म्हणजे दुपारी पोळी करायला घेईपर्यंत त्याने सर्व तेल शोषुन तो छान मुलायम झालेला असतो. 
• पिवळा गुळ वापरा.  नैसर्गिक केमिकल विरहित गुळ नको, नाहीतर पोळ्या काळ्या दिसतील.  

Apple Chutney

This apple Chutney is a sweet n spicy Indian style chutney recipe. This goes well with paratha or even bread.

Ingredients :

• Apple- 1 medium sized 
• Sugar- 3 tsp or to taste
• Ginger, finely chopped  or grated- ½  tsp to 1 tsp (optional)
• White vinegar or Apple Cider vinegar- 1 tbsp
• Raisins (kishmish), chopped- 1 tbsp 
• Red chilli powder- ½  tsp
• Pepper (kali mirch powder)- ½  tsp
• Salt-  a pinch or to taste
• Water- 2 tbsp

Method:

• Peel the apple, remove the seeds and chop it coarsely. 
• Combine  all the ingredients in a non-stick. Mix well. 
• Cover and cook on low heat for 30 mins or until the mixture starts getting thicken. Stir occasionally and mash with spoon. 
• Now, take off, pan from the heat and cool the Apple Chutney to room temperature 
• Put Apple Chutney in a glass jar and refrigerate it. This Apple Chutney will taste better after 2-3 days. 

Wood Apple Chutney ~ Kavathachi Chutney

Wood Apple or Bael Fruit is Indian fruit which is used for chutney, sauce, jam and juice. This fruit is sweet and sour. This is known as Kavath in Marathi.
This fruit is available in Feb to May in India. This can be eaten on fasting day. This chutney is made especially for Mahashivratri fast.

Wood apple has many medicinal values. This fruit is rich in Vitamin A, C, B6, B12, antioxidants and minerals. It flushes out all the toxins thus keeping your body system free from ailments. This erases excess heat from the body so this is very good in summer. Unripe or ripe fruit is the best option to cure cholesterol problem.

Ingredients:

• Wood Apple/Kavath- 1
• Jaggery, grated or crumbled- 2 to 3 tbsp or to taste
• Salt- to taste
• Green chilli- 2 or to taste (or 1 tsp Red chilli powder)
• Cumin powder- a pinch (optional)

Method:

• Break shell of Wood apple. This is how it looks like after breaking the shell. 

• Take out all soft pulp. 
• Mash is with hands. Discard the seeds as possible as. But seeds are edible, so no problem if remain any. (Today only I get idea from my neighbour. She suggested me that rub the pulp on large S.S.strainer. You will get fine pulp.)
• Crush or grind chilli without water or with salt.
• Mix all above ingredients. Mix well with hands. Chutney is ready.

Green Peas Falafel

A twist to the classic Middle Eastern dish 'Falafel'. Fresh green peas used instead of traditional dry chickpeas/kabuli chane. These are equally tasty. Try it once.... 

हि पाककृती मराठीतून वाचण्यासाठी इथे क्लिक करा.  

Ingredients:

• Green peas/matar - 1 cup (You can use fresh green bengal gram/hare chane or pigeon peas/hare tuvar instead of matar. They are equally good.)
• Onion, finely chopped- 2 tbsp
• Ginger, chopped- ½ inch piece
• Garlic, chopped - 3 to 4 cloves
• Green chillies, chopped - 1 to 2
• Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• Fennel seeds- ¼ tsp (optional)
• Cumin seeds - ½ tsp
• Red Chilli powder - ¼ tsp
• Besan / Gram or Chickpea flour - 3 tbsp
• Rice flour or fine semolina/suji- 1 tsp
• Salt- to taste
• Oil- as required

Method:

• Grind together ginger, garlic, chillies, coriander leaves, cumin and fennel seeds without water. You can use mortar and pestle /sil-batta.
• Add green peas and grind coarsely without water. You can use food processor.
• Put out this mixture in a bowl, add chopped onion, red chilli powder, besan, rice flour and salt. 
  
• Mix together and make small lemon sized balls.
• Heat oil properly. Deep fry on med to low heat. Falafels are  ready. (You can shallow fry also. But blanch the green peas and slightly roast the besan before using.)
• Serve hot with tomato ketchup or yogurt dip. Eat as it is or in pocket sandwich using pita bread.

Indian Flavoured Yogurt Dip:

• Thick curd/ yogurt- ¼ cup
• Peanuts, roasted and peeled- 2 tbsp
• Sesame seeds, roasted- ½ to 1 tsp
• Garlic, chopped- 2 to 3 cloves
• Red chili powder- ½ tsp 
• Salt- to taste

Grind peanuts and sesame seeds into fine powder. Add curd, garlic, chilli powder and salt into this powder. Grind again and make smooth paste.

Serving as Indian style:
Cut Jawar-Bajara roti/bhakari into 2 parts. Spread some yogurt dip. Lay spinach or lettuce leaves, tomato slices, cucumber slices and onion slices. Arrange 3 to 4 falafels on it and enjoy!

Drumstick Flower Dry Curry ~ Shevagyachya Fulanchi Bhaji

Drumstick flowers are edible and small, round, yellowish-white flowers. They fulfil with energy, moisture, protein, fat, carbohydrates, fibre, calcium, Iron and Phosphorus. Here is simple stirfry from my Aai/Mother's kitchen.

Ingredients:

• Drumstick Flowers- 2 cups
• Onion, chopped- 1 cup
• Mustard Seeds- 1 tsp
• Garlic, crushed- 4 cloves
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Asafetida (Hing)- ¼ tsp
• Homemade mix masala/Malwani masala- 2 to 3 tsp or (1½ tsp Red chilli powder+ 1 tsp Goda masala)
• Oil- 2 to 3 tbsp
• Jaggery- a pinch or to taste 
• Salt- to taste
• Fresh coconut, scrapped- 2 tbsp
• Fresh coriander, finely chopped- ¼ cup

Drumstick Flowers:

Method:

• Wash flowers and chop roughly.
• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. When they crackled, add garlic and onion.
• Saute onion till it turned pink.
• Add hing, turmeric powder and mix masala or chilli powder. Saute a while.
• Add chopped drumstick flowers. Sprinkle little water and mix well. 
• Cover and cook on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes or till cooked. Saute in between. Sprinkle little water if needed.
• When flowers are cooked add salt and jaggery. Add goda masala if you are using. Sprinkle very little water and cook for a minute.
• Switch off the gas. Garnish with chopped coriander and scraped coconut.
• Serve hot with roti or rice and dal.

Drumstick Tree (Shevaga/Shekat):