Bhadang ~ A savory Marathi snack

Bhadang - a savory snack is a dry, crunchy concoction made of Puffed Rice, Peanuts and Spices. It is a common one made in Marathi/ Maharashtrian homes. Bhadang is quick-to-fix and once done, if stored in air tight containers come handy to satiate mid-day hunger growls. The husband likes Bhadang a lot, so is regular in my home.

I distinctly remember that Bhadang was a must-have during Kojagiri Purnima/ Sharad Purnima. It is a harvest festival marking the end of monsoon and is part of the lunar cycle of the hindu month of Ashvin. It is a popular belief that Lakshmi, the hindu goddess of wealth hops from one house to another asking people if there are awake and she ushers happily in homes where the folks are awake. Boiling milk on this day is an age old tradition and few recipes were common in my home - Masaale Doodh, Vada Pav and Bhadang. It is also considered auspicious to have the milk dessert blessed under the moonlight before enjoying it.

It is a commonly observed festive practise on this day to stay awake till midnight and enjoy dinner as post-midnight food. All our friends and their families gathered during the potluck and we played games till midnight. Some also sang songs ushering goddess Lakshmi. If the weather permitted, we indulged in midnight trekking under the moonlight - we called it Moonlight Picnic. There was a small temple on a hill near my home with lush greenery and we kids loved to run and play games in the open. We left our homes munching on light snacks, each of us carried our own dinner box and we trekked a steep hill which was at 60 degrees incline. The hardest task was locating the Moon, the kids were assigned with the responsibility of informing the elders once the pristine white mass rose in the sky. The joyous part of the festival was locating the Moon and beginning our dinner which always happened around midnight. Even if we had to beat the hunger pangs, every year all of us waited for our Moonlight Picnic which sounded very exciting and still does!

~ Bhadang ~

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Puffed Rice (fresh, crispy) - 4 cups

Peanuts (toasted and cooled) - 3/4 cup

Garlic pods (finely chopped) - 1 tbsp

Green Chillies (split into two) - 2

Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.

Asafoetida - 1/3 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Oil

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Sugar - Just a pinch

Method:

Toast the Peanuts in microwave for 2 minutes. Allow to cool and keep aside. In a large mouthed Kadai, heat few spoons of oil and once the oil is sizzling hot, temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds. Once they begin to splutter, add curry leaves followed by chopped garlic and reduce the flame to medium. Add the toasted peanuts and all spice powders now. Toss gently and adjust salt and sugar.  Add the puffed rice now and toss well for couple of minutes. Taste test for flavor and crispness. Turn off the flame, allow to cool and store in air tight container. Serve as a snack or during tea time.

Note - Garlic if fried for long turns bitter. Once brown enough, reduce the flame.