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.

Patrode Rava Fry (Steamed Taro Leaf Dredged in Rava)

Recently, I got a huge bargain loot of Taro Leaves (Patrode Paan) from my local Indian grocery. Its a chance opportunity which I grabbed with open arms and weird enough, they were fresh, not bruised and available in plenty. I rejoice Patrode made at home and so does my husband. The only problem is here in US, we don't get them as often as we do in India and I miss them a lot. :(

In India, my parents get a perennial supply of these leaves from a kind friend, neighbour or a close relative. This is a dish which fills me with nostalgia purely because its labor intensive and reminds me of the hours Mom slogged in the kitchen to make these for us. Any Konkani Foodie, either loves Patrode too much or would blatantly hate it because of the itchy sensation it causes in throat upon consumption.

I always tease Mom that if there is a competition to make these steamy goodies, she will win the first prize. The Patrode made by my Mom are divine and hit the taste buds with precision and accuracy which is hard to express. Everyone loves Patrode made by Mom and waste no opportunity when she invites folks for lunches and dinners. I made the conventional steamed Patrode from one roll and froze the rest in my freezer to make Patrode Rava Fry and Patrode Phanna Upkari. Cover the rest of the rolls with tight cling wraps layer by layer and plonk them in freezer bags and enjoy them at leisure.

~ Patrode Rava Fry ~

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes maximum

Ingredients:

Taro Leaves/ Patrodey Paan/ Tere Paan/ Marvala Paan - 8-15

Red Chillies (Byadgi preferred) - 5-8

Rice (Sona Masoori) - 1/4 cup

Grated Coconut - 1 cup

Asafoetida - 1 tiny ball - use the edible gum and not the powdery one
Tamarind/ Bilimbi (any souring agent) - 1/2 tsp

Salt - As per taste

Water - For batter consistency
Rava/ Sooji (Fine) - 1/2 cup

Oil - For pan frying

Contraptions used ~ Idli Steamer/ Pedaavan or Patrodo/ Sanna Steamer

Method:
Follow the procedure provided in Patrode recipe and once steamed and cooked, allow to cool. This takes around 15-20 minutes. Dredge them in Rava one by one. ensure the top and bottom surface of Patrode are evenly coated with Rava. Pan fry on both sides for 5-8 minutes. Drizzle oil on the sides. Once done, they are crisp and get a beautiful roasted brown color on both the sides. Enjoy hot with Dalitoy and cooked Rice.

Mando (Mande/ Chavde/ Mandige)

As a child in India, our second semester exams followed Ganesh Chaturthi vacations. We got school holidays for a week to celebrate the festival. I hated this, simply because this was the only time of the year I could play with my community friends and burst an array of unlimited crackers. We badly wanted to help Mom in the kitchen (trick to dig in some sweets) and she in turned pushed us back to our books. Unlike other households where a girl child had extra pressure to learn culinary skills in kitchen, my Mom would always pester us to study and get good grades and excel in exams and co-curricular studies.

Mom dedicated 3-4 days before Ganesh Chaturthi festivities exclusively for sweets and snacks preparation. The good thing is all ladies from neighbourhood helped out each other and together we all would have finished a hundred's of Chakli, kilo's of Chivda, hundred's of Karanaji/ Nevri, 2-3 large platters of Besan Laddo's and more. Some of the sweets were prepared at home just because they needed a deft hand and craft which requires good practice. One such sweet which is dear to my heart is Chavde/ Mande/ Mandige. By the time, she would finish making the sweets, some of them would have already disappeared from the platter. Incidentally, this was one of the sweets served during my wedding along with Gava Pitta Undo/ Wheat Flour Laddo. This seeking inspiration from the traditional marriages from olden days where every person attending the wedding would leave with a bag of sweets - Undo/ Mando and the rest of the heavenly and tasty ghee laden sweets.

Incidentally, they are known as Chavde in Marathi, Mando/Mande in GSB Konkani and Mandige in Kannada. The crispy disc needs a a very deft hand while cooking because if the disc gets over fried, you will get a crispy disc which cannot be maneuvered, if you fry less then the disc is not pliable at all. Timing is crucial and once done, I dare you to eat just one! They are uber delicious and super tasty. This time around when I visited India, my Pachi got me a pack of Mando which she made at home. I liked that they were tiny as compared to the conventional size of regular Mando and were super delicious. This festive season I wanted to make these at home and recreate the childhood memories of super fun festive season.

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to all those who celebrate!

~ Ghaas Mando ~
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 15 Sweets

Ingredients:
Flour Disc - Mando -
All Purpose Flour - 1/2 cup
Salt
Milk (optional) - 1/2 cup approx.
Ghee or any vegetable shortening - 2-3 tbsp
Vegetable oil - for frying

Sugar Mixture -
Powdered sugar - 3/4 cup
Flattened Rice or Pohe (Thick Pohe) - 5 tbsp
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Method:
First knead a smooth pliable dough with flour, ghee and salt. You could also use milk for kneading the dough which results in a well flavoured texture. Spread the dough with little oil all over and set aside. Cover with a damp kitchen cloth to prevent drying of dough.
Roast 5 tbsp of Pohe on a low flame on its own, just lightly roast and allow to cool. Grind it to a coarse powder along with Sugar and Cardamom seeds. Mix the sugar mixture well and set aside.
Heat oil in a deep frying pan and let the oil reach a high smoking point. Begin rolling out Puri sized discs of the kneaded flour. Do not dredge them in flour as they are already coated with oil. The discs have to be 3-4" in diameter. Fry them in batches of 5-6 at a time. Keep in mind, the discs should not be crisp like a Papad, so once its pliable enough, transfer to a plate, dab kitchen towel to absorb extra oil. Sprinkle sugar mixture and fold over 2 times (the same way you would fold over Neer Dosa). Spread them on a platter and not over top of each other. The heat causes sugar to turn viscous owing to which they may stick to each other which is something you should avoid. Allow to cool, they turn crispy and gain firmness. Munch over before they disappear!

Verdict: I was apprehensive initially when I decided to make these for 'neivedyam'. With little confidence I followed my Mom's instructions and kept in mind the texture which was etched in my mind when I had eaten these last. The discs were melt-in-mouth delicious and were so tiny that we almost forgot how much we ate! :)

Note - Do not fry the discs to a golden brown; once they wilt in oil and are puffed up, transfer and begin the sugaring process. Make sure you sugar atleast 3 times to ensure all the layers and folds of the discs get the sugar-cardamom flavour. Do not compromise on adding the shortening, because that's what offers holds the dough together and adds crispness and texture to the sweet.

Soyi Saakhar Prasad

Today is Krishna Janmashtami, the holy day when Lord Krishna was born. Growing up, Janmashtami or Ashtami as popularly known in GSB Konkani was a revered festival and still is. I loved to rush home from office and enjoy Mom's festive banquet. Her standard dishes were Gajbaje, 5 types of Phodyo, Gava Pitta Undo/ Lhaaye Godda Undo, Dalithoi, Sheet, Chakkuli, Kodbale and Doodh-Paak.

I love the flavour of Soyi Saakhar Prasad. Soyi implies grated coconut and Saakhar implies Sugar. Prasad is festive food which is blessed by Lord and then offered to everyone in household. I learnt this from our Konkani friend who was a hale and hearty septuagenarian. I love the flavour of this prasad item and serves apt for smaller to larger portions.

~ Soyi Saakhar Prasad ~
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Processing time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
Grated Coconut (fresh or frozen) - 1 cup
Crushed Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup
Crushed Almonds - 1/4 cup
Sugar (powdered) or Honey
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Crush the cashew nuts and almonds separately. Do not powder, but crush in a pestle and mortar to a coarse powder. Mix all the ingredients together. For best results, mix and serve just few minutes before eating.

Mango Sheera

Today is my Ammama's birthday. Although she is very old, frail and ailing octogenarian, she is very active with her wit, humor and one-liners. When fit and in good health, she fed almost anyone who dropped by our door step. Ammama's favorite fruit is Mango especially the ripe ones which is as sweet as sugar. Her most relished ones being Mundappa and Kalapaadi. Ammama's favorite dish is a konkani one called as Ambe Upkari. Its a dish with ripe mangoes simmered in a spicy tangy sauce cooked on low flame. She loved waiting for the first bout of showers which would mean our vegetable vendor Koraapol would come with the most juiciest mangoes harvested from the nearby villages. Even if it was a small produce she would make sure all of them were sent to her sons and daughters. She has the highest regard for those who cook and share with their loved ones. That being said she has trained both her sons and daughters to cook a decent meal with the aim of making them self-sufficient.

Mom made Sheera for us on festive occasions. All of us like sheera made with fruits so she made Pineapple sheera, Mango sheera and Banana (Nendra Baale) sheera. All of them taste good with the subtle flavour of fruits found in the Semolina underbelly. Sheera being a Marathi/ Goan dish is a common one reserved for warm summer evenings with friends and a hearty jabber session thrown in.

Ammama's love for mangoes makes me nostalgic. I thought of making Mango Sheera keeping her in my thoughts. I only wish USPS could do a express air delivery of my sheera for Ammama. That being a wishful thinking here's wishing my dear Ammama a very Happy Birthday. Its been a privilege to be her grand daughter!

~ Mango Sheera ~

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
Roasted Upma Sooji/ Semolina - 1 cup
Mango pulp - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 and 1/2 cup
Warm whole milk - 1 and 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/3 tsp
Cashew nuts (chopped) - 2 tbsp
Golden yellow raisin - 2 tbsp
Ghee/ Unsalted butter (melted) - 1/4 cup

Method:
Heat ghee in an non-reactive non-stick deep bottomed pan. Once hot, add the cashew nuts and raisins and saute till they are plump and crisp. Transfer to another dish and add the roasted upma sooji. Stir well till you get a nutty aroma and the mixture becomes crumbly. Add milk and mango pulp now. You will feel the mixture is too pasty, but don't worry. Keep stirring to avoid the mixture sticking to the bottom of vessel. Add the fried dry fruits now and stir well. Once mixture is not raw and cooked, add sugar and keep stirring. The mass will be very pasty, adjust sweet taste as desired. Turn off once completely cooked. Garnish with ground cardamom. Smear ghee on a cookie tray. Spread the mixture while hot and level and cut into squares. Remove and transfer to an air tight container once cooled off.

Note - Replace with different fruits to make variety of Sheera. Add sugar only after mixture gets cooked in milk and pulp. There is a particular variety of semolina available as Roasted Upma Sooji. This one gave me the desired results v/s other brands with no good results.

Rabdi ~ A Creamy Indian Dessert

Rabdi ~ a creamy, delectable dessert, a spoonful of which transports you instantly into a heavenly odyssey. The inspiration for this recipe comes from a simple fact that my husband and I are both fans of milk based desserts. Hence, Kheer, Basundi make a quick appearance on the menu especially the festive ones. The thing which I like about this recipe is it required very less pampering; I can just bring the milk to a gentle boil and get myself busy with occasional chores here and there, give a quick stir in between and again continue. My previous attempt at making Rabdi got stalled at the Basundi stage due to paucity of time and hungry growls begging for food. I added Condensed milk for that extra flavour. I jazzed up the dessert with a dash of Silver Leaf also called as Chandi Ka Varq available in Indian groceries and specialty stores. There are some concerns about the usage of these in desserts, but I believe for occasional treats they are much better than food color and trans fats laden food items which we inadvertently consume many a times.

Its advised to use full fat whole mlk for Rabdi else you will miss out on the rich flavour. If making a fruity dessert like Mango Rabdi, Strawberry Rabdi, mix the fruit (diced) at the final stage while serving. This dessert cannot me made in a hurry, so its advisable to have atleast 30-45 minutes on your hand while you plan. The best way to serve them would be in a earthen mini pots also known as Kulhad, I did not have them handy so passed it off. There is a strange chemistry when Rabdi gets stored in the earthen pots, the dessert gets a soothing earthy flavour. Rabdi is served in traditional sweet shops in India in muddy brown Kulhads; I for one leave no unturned to savour and enjoy these traditional sweets when I visit India.

Happy Gudi Padwa To All Those Who Celebrate!!

~ Rabdi ~

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 30-45 minutes

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients:

Whole Milk (full fat OK) - 3 cups

Condensed milk (sweetened) - 1 can

Saffron - a pinch of strands

Pistachio (roughly chopped) - 2 tablespoon

Almonds (slivered) - 4 tablespoon

Cardamom powder - 1 teaspoon

Silver Leaf (Chandi Ka Varq) - 4 leaves

Method:

Thaw desired quantity on milk at room temperature. Heat the milk on medium flame in a deep bottomed non-stick vessel. Keep a close watch as milk has a tendency to boil very fast and stick to the bottom. Keep stirring with a wooden spatula preferably. Bring to a gentle boil and not a roaring one. Turn the flame to a low and simmer till the milk thickens to 1/4 of the consistency. Toast the dry fruits lightly for couple of minutes separately. Allow to cool completely. Now, stir occasionally to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom of the vessel. Add Cardamom powder now and adjust sugar if required. Add dry fruits and Saffron now and half of Almonds. The color of the consistency changes from white to light brown to creamy brown hue. Time and again scrape off the milk solids from the sides of the vessel. They add lot of character and texture to the final flavour. This whole process takes 45 minutes, so do not rush through. One done, the dessert will be thick, gooey and creamy. Turn off the flame. Serve hot with Puri. Else, allow to cool completely. Transfer to earthen pots, Kulhad. Refrigerate for 2-5 hours. Garnish with toasted Almonds (slivered) and Silver leaf.

Apricot Sweet Dish (Qubaani Ka Meetha)

Hyderabad is an Indian city wrapping within itself an iconic legacy of history, sumptuous cuisine and splendid architecture. One can experience the tasty food at traditional Hyderabadi Muslim homes all eaten in a symbolic eating space known as Dastarkhaan. I had the good fortune of witnessing many such Sehri and Iftaar meals partaken before sunrise and after sunset during the holy Islamic month of Ramzan. During the month of Ramzan, the whole city soaks in the festive flavour. Streets selling various fast food items display huge iron Kadhais cooking piping hot Haleem which whet your appetite all the more. Myriad succulent Kebabs and Biryanis get readied with spice rubs, salad and a drizzle of lemon aptly shown off as a tantalising treat.

Few of my favorite Hyderabadi dishes are Hyderbadi Biryani, Qubaani Ka Meetha, Mirchi Ka Saalan, Sheer Khurma and Double Ka Meetha. Qubaani Ka Meetha is a traditional Hyderabadi dessert made of Apricot sauce reduced to a rich, light brown broth and topped with dry fruits and cream or custard of choice. Qubaani is Apricot in Urdu and Meetha implies a dessert hence the name Qubaani Ka Meetha. The thing which wowed me about this recipe is it contains less than 5 ingredients and does not require much of your dedicated kitchen time.

~ Qubaani Ka Meetha ~

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serving: 2-4

Ingredients:

Apricot - 2 cups

Sugar - 3 tablespoon/ cup of Apricot

Ghee (optional) - 1 tablespoon per cup of Apricot

Almonds - 1 teaspoon per serving

Heavy cream or Custard (optional) - 1 teaspoon per serving

Method:

Wash the Apricots and remove the seed if any. Soak in water for 4-6 hours. Upon soaking they proliferate in size, become more soft and malleable. Crush with a pestle gently or blend roughly in a blender to a coarse paste with little of the water used for soaking (approx 1/2 cup of water). Add desired quantity of sugar, ghee and cook on low flame. The consistency thickens over a period of time and reduces to form a thick sauce of Apricot. This process takes around 15-20 minutes. Cover with a lid throughout the process. Once completely cooked to a fine light brown broth, turn off the flame and allow to cool. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours. Serve chilled with a sprinkle of chopped Almonds and a drizzle of heavy cream or custard of choice.

Rum Balls - A Popular Indian Christmas Sweet

Rum Balls are a very popular Christmas sweet made during the festive eve. Some of the sweets I remember eating during Christmas are - Rose Cookies, Plum Cake, Marzipans, Jujubes, Bebinca, Bolinha, Coconut Barfi, Angels Ribs, Snowball (Naan Katai), Kulkuls, Nevri and Guava Cheese. Guava Cheese & Plum cakes are my favorite treats amongst all.

Rum Balls being a sweet, sinfully rich treat is prominently made amongst Anglo-Catholic communities in India during the festive eve of Christmas. These are also available in local patisserie & confectionery shops during the season. Use aged Rum for good results. I found the recipe here and was a good discovery! I've adapted it to befit our taste and improve the texture of the dish. I gave the goodies a generous coat of Cocoa powder and Coconut powder. Both were decadent and very flavourful. This is a no cook recipe and can be made very quickly. If making these for festival platters, prepare couple of days ahead thereby providing some sitting time for the flavours to mingle and mix.

~ Rum Balls ~

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Processing time: 10 minutes

Recipe: Adapted from Joy Of Baking

Yield: 15-18 Rum Balls

Ingredients:

Walnut/ Pecan/ Almonds/ Pistachio - 1 and 1/2 cup

Cocoa powder - 3 tablespoons

Light Corn Syrup or Glucose Syrup - 2 tablespoons

Crushed wafers (Vanilla/ Chocolate) - 1 and 1/2 cup

Powdered Sugar - 1/2 cup

Aged Rum - 1/4 cup

Topping/ Coating - Cocoa powder/ Dry coconut powder/ Chopped nuts

Method:

Follow the basic process of mixing as observed in baking - dry and wet ingredients separately. First toast the nuts (I used Walnut) lightly till warm. Allow to cool completely. Remove the skin if desired and crush to a coarse powder but not a pasty one. Else, chop them into small pieces and keep aside. Crush the wafers to a fine powder. Preferably match the flavour of your wafers with the flavour of Cocoa powder.

In a mixing bowl, mix the chopped nuts with Cocoa powder. Add the crushed wafers and mix thoroughly. Add the Rum now and slowly mix in Sugar and the Corn Syrup now. Add more Rum now if desired. The dough will be a sticky dark collective one. Set in the fridge for 1/2 hour. Remove and make balls of 1" in diameter. Coat them with a topping of your choice - Cocoa powder or Coconut powder or powdered nuts. Store in the fridge in an air tight container and consume within 1-2 weeks. Thaw and bring to room temperature before serving.

Simple Butter Cookies (Naan Katai/ Narayan Katar)

The first cookie I ever had in my life - Naan Katai or Narayan Katar. The name sounds funny and used to tickle the funny bone in me as a kid. Simple, delicious melt-in-mouth cookie with irresistible flavour and simplicity personified! These are made during Christmas and are also known as Snowballs.

I have quoted the exact proportion so that its easier for anyone to follow this recipe. This is a recipe demanding lot of ghee so don't get petrified with the amount of ghee being added. This recipe takes me back to childhood days. My mom made these when we were tiny tots. Those days cool, sleek Ovens cosily adoring one corner of your kitchen were unheard of, forget about owning one; she slogged in the kitchen for hours, made a huge mammoth batch and carried them all in a large aluminum tin to the local bakers. The whole bakery would have the redolent aroma of clarified butter (ghee) wafting all around. I still remember rushing to the baker with a sense of glee and excitement just to collect our cute looking cookies. Fast forward, decades later, I find myself baking these goodies on a crisp, cosy autumn evening in my humble kitchen in US. There is a brimming sense of nostalgia and I happily reminisce the joys of an exuberant childhood that was full of memories, mommy's love and good food. I only wish my Mom and Dad could sample my cookies and I could be with them to celebrate the festivities. I certainly miss home today and vow to enjoy the festivities with my family and friends out here.

Happy Diwali To Everyone!!

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour - Maida - 1 and 1/2 cup

Melted Clarified Butter (Ghee) - 1/2 to 3/4 cup

Powdered Sugar - 3/4 cup

Cardamom powder (optional) - 1/2 teaspoon

Baking powder - 1/2 teaspoon

For Garnish - Almonds, Pistachio, Tutti-frutti bits.

Method:

Melt the ghee and allow to cool. Mix the sugar with ghee. Sieve the flour along with baking powder. Mix well and slowly add the flour-baking powder mix spoon by spoon. This will form a dough which is malleable. The dough is not stiff but not loose either. Add ghee spoon by spoon to form a ball. Leave in a cool place for 3-6 hours. Make cookies which are 2" in diameter. Flatten them and spread them on a baking tray lined with a baking sheet. Plonk a tutti-fruitti, almond or pistachio bits. Pre-heat the oven for 10 minutes. Bake them at 350 F for 15 minutes. Bake till the crust is done and light cracks are formed. Transfer to a cooling rack and store in air tight containers. They remain good and fresh for a week and little beyond.

Note - Do not tamper with cookies once baking is done. Transfer to a cooling rack in a cool place, let them cool down and the cookies come together to form a perfect tasting one. Do not compromise on Ghee, as its the chief binding agent for the flour and other ingredients. Use good quality Ghee for best results.

Karanji/ Nevri (Baked): A Popular Festival Sweet

Nevri or Karanji is a popular festival sweet made during Ganesh Chaturthi festival. This is a must-have sweet snack while offering prasad to Ganpathi Bappa. This recipe belongs to my Foster Aunt also called as Maushi. She makes the best Nevri and knows many a varieties of it like Jaggery based, Copra based and this one which is Semolina based. Maushi is a dextrous woman who can multi-skill and make 10-12 dishes on Chaturthi day all by herself within 2-3 hours.

She taught me the essential skills required to make the yummiest Modak and Karanji. In her opinion, the Saaran is the essence of a good Nevri. This Nevri is a small way remembering her kindness and generous spirit which has fed many a friends and family members of mine. I got my culinary lessons from her during my teenage days and would always thank her for the lovely meals she dished out for me. I made the baked version of it and we loved it a lot. The stuffing added in the Nevri is known as Saaran. I also used a dough cutter cum carver which I got from India. You can also find this at any Indian grocery & essentials store. The Nevri's were crisp with a nutty and sweet stuffing.

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi To One & All!! Ganpati Bappa Moriya....Pudchya Varshi Laukar Yaa...

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Yield: 10-12 Nevri's

Ingredients:

Nevri outer shell -

All Purpose Flour - 3 cups

Milk - 1/2 cup

Baking Powder - 1/3 teaspoon

Salt

Sugar - 1 teaspoon

Ghee (melted) - 1 tablespoon

Nevri Stuffing or Saaran -

Semolina (thin variety) - 1 cup

Poppy seeds or Khus-Khus - 1 tablespoon

Coconut powder or Copra - 5 tablespoon

Raisins - 1/4 cup

Cashew Nut - 1/2 cup

Almonds (slivered) - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Split Dalia/ Putaani/ Futaani/ Split Chana - 1/2 cup

Baking Essentials & Contraptions - Parchment Paper, Dough Cutter and Baking Tray

Method:

Saaran: Toast the Semolina on low flame till its fragrant and little brown. Transfer to a tray and allow to cool. Toast the Cashew Nuts and Almonds separately, transfer to a tray and allow to cool. Toast Putaani, Khus-Khus and Coconut Powder together and allow to cool. Grind the Coconut powder and Putaani together. Add all the rest of the ingredients, except Cashew and Almonds and grind to a coarse powder without any water. Set aside. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Nevri: Knead a soft and pliable dough of Maida, Milk, Sugar, Salt and little baking powder. Cover with a wet muslin cloth and leave aside for 1/2 hour. Once 1/2 hour passes, pinch a lemon sized ball and roll out a medium sized Puri. Place a spoon full of the Saaran on one half of the Puri. Slather some water on the other half, meet the ends to form a semi-circle as shown in the picture. Run the edge with a Dough Carver. Add suitable design with a fork.

Baking: Line the tray with Parchment Paper. Arrange the Nevri's side by side. Bake on one side for 15 minutes on 375 degrees, turn over after 15 minutes, bake for 20-25 minutes more till they are light brown and crispy. Transfer to a cooling rack and consume after 2 hours.

Note -

All ingredients should be at room temperature. The Ghee should be in molten state. Do not over-stuff the stuffing in the Nevri. Store in air-tight container and consume within a week. Use dry fruits of your choice.

Gauri Pooja/ Vaina Pooja/ Tai - An Essay

We celebrate Gauri Pooja/ Tai/ Vaina Pooja the day before Shukla Chaturthi which falls in Bhadrapad month as per the Hindu calendar. It's a holy and auspicious occassion for married ladies or 'Savashini'. This pooja is performed the day before Ganesh Chaturthi. This pooja honors Gauri also known as Parvati, mother of Lord Ganesh.

The rituals begin the day before where married women get dehusked coconuts and decorate them. During the entire process of pooja, the ladies are advised to follow no garlic - no onion diet. Some do it the previous day for sheer ease or convenience. Coconuts in batches of odd numbers of 3, 5, 7, 11 or 21 are worshipped. Some families who have this as a ritual practice, some families do not have it as a ritual hence do not practice it. The choicest, fresh and large coconuts brimming with water are chosen for the pooja. My grandmon, the pious, strict and precise person that she is, did the decoration the first thing after early morning head-bath without partaking breakfast and with no onion-no garlic diet.

The coconuts symbolic of Gauri devi are de-husked with a sharp sickle (Koita in Konkani) to look completely huskless. Thereafter, the coconuts are washed in Turmeric water (Haldi Udda). Once they are washed, the coconuts are ready for decoration. The three holes in the Coconut symbolise Gauri's face. The eyes are decorated with 'Kajal' the Indian black colored kohl, the mouth is decorated with 'Sindhur', an orange colored vermillion which is usually adorned by married women on their forehead. Even Turmeric (Haladi) is used as a substitute. The forehead is adorned with Sandalwood paste made from fresh ground sandal wood, ground on Saani. The area where the coconut can be exactly halved is covered with a while line usually done with a white chalk. Thereafter the Vaina as they are called, are spread on a huge plantain leaf, each of the Vaina perched on a mound of rice. Neivedyam of choice is offered, some offer Godu Phovu, Karanji, Chane Panchakajjaya, etc. At my native, the lunch components are also offered as part of the Neivedyam. A potrait of Gauri and Mahadev is worshipped along side. The Gauri is adorned with mangalsutra, bangles. Before the traditional Arathi (traditional hymns sung in praise of the lord) and Pooja, the earthen lamps are placed in front of each of the coconuts.

Pooja concludes with the Coconuts offered to every married lady attending and participating in the pooja ceremony. Some even distribute the coconuts/ Vaina after the ceremony is over. These Vaina can be given any time to any married lady, preferably within the period of Bhadrapad or before Anant Chaturdashi, the 14th day before the Shukla period concludes. The traditional food includes Khotto, Patrodo, Phodi, Daalithoi, Upkari, Godshe, Saaru, Modak, Chakuli, Undo, etc. After the Pooja, the food is partaken by all members of the family.

This ritual is also symbolic of the significance of a mother and also celebrates the respect and reverence offered to women in the family. This is the time of the year when I miss my family the most - especially my Mom, Dad and my In-Laws. I believe when you are miles away from your kith and kin, you learn to value and appreciate the importance of family, togetherness and happiness that's come along with it which is often taken for granted. Hence, I celebrate this in my own little way with my family around to relinquish the moments gone by, welcome & appreciate the present and aspire for a bright and prosperous future for my family and friends.

Carrot Vermicelli Kheer (With Condensed Milk)

A quick and easy Kheer ~ Indian sweet dish for a nice occasion. Today is Shraavana Shukla Poornima. In laymans term, 15th day of the first cycle of the holy month of Shraavan, an auspicious month according to the Hindu calendar. In Hindu custom, today is the day for the renewal of sacred thread (Janwa). In Konkani custom, this day is known as Sutta Punnav. In Konkani language, Sutta = thread and hence the correlation with thread change (janwa change) and celebration of Rakhi festival as well. I prefer making Vermicelli based Kheer on this day for the simple reason that its a family tradition to eat Rice String Hoppers (Idiyappam or Shevayee) or Vermicelli Kheer on this day.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
Carrots (grated) - 1 and 1/2 cup
Vermicelli - 1/2 cup
Whole Milk - 3-4 cups
Condensed Milk (sweetened) - 1 can
Ghee
Sugar - Just a little
Cardamom powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Pistachio (chopped) - 2 tablespoon
Cashew Nuts - 2 tablespoon
Saffron strands - 3-5

Method:

Toast the Vermicelli lightly in ghee till they turn reddish brown and keep aside. Mix the whole milk and condensed milk together in a non-stick vessel. Bring to boil together along with the grated carrot and toasted Vermicelli. Cook till the carrots are soft and well cooked. Keep the flame from low to medium and not high else you run the risk of burning the food. Separately, toast the nuts in little ghee and add to the kheer. Once boiled, add sugar (keep in mind condensed milk is already sweetened) and keep stirring at regular intervals. The mixture will thicken and begin to be gooey. Adjust consistency by adding more milk as desired. Once done, turn off flame and garnish with Saffron strands.

Raspberry Basundi

Basundi is a traditional Marathi dessert with a sweet, milky flavour. I had a box of farm fresh Raspberries which I wanted to try out with Basundi, so blended the berries along with the Basundi consistency. The tang of berries blended well with the sweet flavour of Basundi. Very easy dessert packed with punch of fruity goodness. Condensed milk with flavourful colored fruits add a different texture and taste to Indian desserts.

Happy Birthday to my dear country, India & a big welcome to the month of Shraavan!!

Cooking time: 30-45 minutes
Processing time: 6-8 hours of refrigeration

Ingredients:
Whole Milk - 3 cups
Sweetened Condensed Milk - 1 can
Sugar - 3-5 tablespoon
Raspberries (pureed + few whole) - 10-12 or 1/2 cup canned puree
Cardamom powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Almonds (slivered) - 2/3 cup
Pistachios (crushed) - 2/3 cup

Contraption needed - Hand Blender or any electronic blending device.

Method:
Boil the whole milk and condensed milk together on low flame in a non-stick deep dish vessel. Once the milk begins to boil reduce flame and simmer. Time and again scrap off the milk solids which attach to the side of the vessel. During the simmering process, add sugar and stir in to enable blending. Once milk reduces to 1/3 quantity with a milky aroma, turn off the flame and allow to cool. Add Cardamom powder and mix well. Wash the berries and puree to a paste. Sieve through to remove the seeds. Mix this puree with the cooked Basundi blend. Blend with a hand blender if you can to ensure consistency and good spread. Alternately, you could use the canned puree which is available at stores. The whole mixture will catchy a baby pink color.
Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with Almonds and Pistachios. Add in few whole Raspberry toppings as well. Refrigerate for 6-8 hours. If desired, serve as a thickened milk dessert, or freeze and serve as ice-cream.

Potato Patties (Aloo Tikki)

A fairly simple recipe for a very easy ~ Aloo Tikki. A bag of Potatoes needed immediate attention. I vehemently decided to make Tikki's out of them. Easy to make Starter, tastes better when fried in Ghee. A few details got me thinking. Potato's composition includes 92% carbohydrates and is a rich source of Manganese, Potassium and Vitamin B6. Good to satiate the Carbohydrate cravings when your diet needs one. In North India, Aloo Tikki is a very popular festival food and is made during Vrat or Upaas e.g Karva Chauth. My friend from Delhi adores when the Tikki's come pipping hot on a platter as an offering partaken by the individual who has fasted for a long day, symbolising the end of fast.

I found a heap of simple and nutritious Potato based recipes on NY Times, click here to view them. This misconstrued vegetable can be used in many a dishes for thickness, taste and variety.

Preparation time ~ 20 minutes

Cooking time ~ 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Potatoes (boiled and mashed) - 3 cups

Corn Flour - 2 tablespoon

White bread chunks (eliminate the brown sides) - 1/3 cup

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Garam Masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Green Chillies (optional) - 1 teaspoon

Salt

Oil/ Ghee

Suggested Garnish: Mint Chutney or Tamarind Chutney

Method:

Boil and mash Potatoes. In a frying pan, heat few teaspoons of Ghee, fry the chopped green chillies. Add the Potato mixture, Corn Flour, White Bread chunks and Spice powders. Mix well and make palm sized Tikki's. In the same frying pan, fry the Tikki's with Ghee till the surface area of the Tikki's get a mild browned look and are completely cooked. Serve hot or warm as a snack. Garnish with Tamarind Chutney or Mint Chutney.

Grated Coconut Sweet (Coconut Vadi/ Naarlachi Vadi/ Soye Khadi)

Coconut Vadi is a sweet very popular in Western part of India. This easy-to-make recipe finds lot of importance in festival food preparation which is called as Falaar. Falaar is a combination of various sweets, snacks and appetisers made during Diwali or any important occasion like weddings, birth ceremony, etc finding lot of prominence in Marathi and Goan homes. Once prepared, different combinations of these are gifted to family, friends and relatives. Most of the dishes are home made and made from scratch.

Coconut Vadi or Naarlachi Vadi (Naaral = Coconut in Marathi, Vadi = square cut shaped eatable). Excess coconut in my house is used abundantly for the Vadi's. Its a little tricky dish because your sugar syrup consistency plays a vital role in deciding the taste, texture and firmness of the Vadi. I also love Tomato Khadi which I'll save for another post. I cut them with a lame hand owing to which the shape was not perfect, but lessons learnt. :) So I decided to share the recipe only if I found it blog worthy with a successful attempt. I did not add food color; prefer to keep it natural and organic, these tasted yummy!

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Yield: 10-12 pieces

Ingredients:

Coconut (grated) fresh or frozen - 1 cup

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Skinless Cashew Nut (coarse powder) - 6-10 nuts

Water - For the sugar syrup

Cardamom powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Food color of choice (optional) - 2-3 drops

Sliced Almonds/ Slivered Almonds - 2 tablespoon

Method:

Heat sugar and just enough water to cover sugar completely. Allow to caramelise into syrup. You will notice bubbles coming up and the sugar melting. Stir occasionally playing between low-to-medium flame. Once the sugar syrup reaches a one-thread consistency, add grated coconut and food color and keep stirring till the coconut gets collected and water evaporates completely. The best test would be take a drop of the syrup and stretch between thumb and index finger for one thread consistency. Take care not to burn your fingers. This whole process takes around 30-40 minutes.

On the side, grease a pan or a pyrex glass cake tray with ghee on the bottom surface and on the sides. Once the grated coconut is cooked completely, turn off flame. It will appear as a single lumpy consistency. Add Cardamom powder and give a stir. Spread on the pan and pat to get a flattened surface. Garnish with sliced almonds or silvered almonds. Once spread, cut into desired shapes and leave to cool. Remove after couple of hours. Store in air-tight containers.

Suggestion: These Vadi's do not contain milk. They have a shelf life of upto 1-1/2 week. Preferably store in refrigerator if dwelling in hot terrains or store them in air tight containers at room temperature. No need for refrigeration as well. Store them in air-tight containers for better taste and freshness.

Chana Dal In Jaggery Sweet Dish (Chana Dal & Kaju Madgane/ Mangane)

Ugadi or Gudi Padwa or Sanvsaar Paadvo is an auspicious occasion for all Hindus. In my home, we refer to this day as Sanvsaar Paadvo or Yugadi. Yugadi implies = Yug (era) + Aadi (beginning) = Beginning of an era [Source - Wiki]. For us, there is huge amount of preparation for this festival day. The previous day the entire house is cleaned, prepared and decked up for the festival.

The important contraptions in the house are cleaned, tied with Paddy stalks (called as Navve Bandoochey in Konkani). This signifies the harvest which is reaped and the joy of embracing the produce and giving it, its due importance in the household. Most of the time, we used to source the Paddy stalks from the local farmers. Previous day, Mom used to incessantly sit and finish stitching the containers for Khotte, made from Jackfruit leaves and stitched together with dried curry leaves stem. Essentially, breakfast comprised of Khotte-Chutney. I recall from early morning, Mom used to slog in the kitchen, while I used to pitch in with some help here and there. Before breaking the fast, we used to treat ourselves with Bella-Bevu: Neem Leaves known as Bevu in Kannada language and Jaggery known as Bella in Kannada. Luckily, we had a Neem sapling in our house garden. Mom used to saute the Neem leaves in ghee and we all used to eat chunks of Jaggery and crunchy Neem leaves before breakfast. As much as I hated it as a kid, now I understand the religious sanctity of these rituals.

Lunch would typically comprise of Rice (Sheet), Lentils (Daalithoi), Side dish (Tendle-Bibbe Upkari), Salad (Toushey Hullal), Curry (Tendle-Bibbe Daali Aambat), Fritters (Phodi of choice - Breadfruit, Bitter Gourd, Kantola) and the final icing on the cake - sweet dish or dessert - Madgane which is Chana Daal cooked with Jaggery and Cashew nuts. The entire day diet is observed with No Garlic and Onion rule.

Apart from all the regular Yugadi dishes, I made Madgane because its a traditional sweet dish which we make at home on the occasion of Yugadi. In Goa, this dish is known as Mangane. This was my sweet little way to connect to our traditions in a far away land. These are little things which connect you to your roots, keep you more grounded, in sync with your past. Needless to say, we enjoyed the festival food.

On a separate note, my first ever guest post made an appearance on Deepa's food site: www.foodlyrics.com

You can check my guest post on a Konkani recipe on: South Canara GSB Konkani ~ A Daily Vegeterian Meal. Click here for the essay which explores the nuts and bolts of a daily vegeterian meal followed by a recipe on Raw Jackfruit Fry - Kadgee Phodi. Thanks Deepa for giving me an opportunity to write on an essay on a cuisine which is so dear to me and my family. I really appreciate the gesture of goodwill. What better way than have lots of Food loving individuals bonding over a healthy chatter of food, produce, spices and stories related to food.

Happy Gudi Padva/ Yugadi to all!!

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
Chana Daal or Split Dalia - 1 1/2 cups
Jaggery (molten or broken into pieces) - 1 cup
Cardamom powder - 6-8 pods
Rice flour - 2 tablespoon
Coconut thick milk - 1 cup
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Coconut thin milk - 1 cup
Water - as per consistency


Method:
Grind grated coconut with water and extract coconut milk. The first extract is thick and known as thick milk, the second and third extracts are thin milk. Set aside.
Soak Chana Dal and Cashew nuts in water overnight for 8-10 hours. Next day pressure cook them for 4-5 whistles. In a deep dish pan, cook Chana Daal with Jaggery. Once jaggery melts completely and the mixture is an even consistency, add the thin milk and stir gently. Take care to ensure the mixture does not stick the bottom of saucepan.
Bring to boil, and add thick coconut milk towards the end. Adjust the taste and consistency of water as per requirement. Bring to a complete boil, check if cooked and turn off the flame. Garnish with lot of cardamom powder. It enables in balancing the sweet texture of jaggery with a little spicy flavour. Serve hot or chilled as per choice.

Powdered Gram Festival Prasadam (Chaney Panchakajjaya)

With the onset of month of Shraavanam or Saawan, the pooja's and the rituals begin. I personally love all the festivals and the various celebrations associated with each of them. These are special moments when I really miss home. Mom makes this tasty and simple Chaney Panchakajjaya which is Powdered Gram Festival Prasadam. Recently she made it on Lakshmi Pooja day. Thanks Mom for the lovely picture!

Preparation time ~ 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Chana Dal (powdered) - 1 cup

Jaggery (sliced roughly) - 4-6 tablespoons

Black Sesame seeds - 1 tablespoon

Ghee - 2 tablespoon

Cardamom powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Grated Coconut - 6 tablespoons

Method:

Heat Jaggery and Ghee in a saucepan and bring to a molten state. Once melted completely, add grated coconut and cardamom powder. Separately, roast Black Sesame seeds and add to the mixture. Mix in the ingredients to form a well collected mixture. Powder the Chana Dal and add to the mixture. Stir well and set to cool. Serves as a tasty Prasadam on festival occasions and important ceremonies.

Goda Phovu

Goda Phovu - Quite a simple dish prepared at my place for Pooja's and served as a Prasadam. Today is Uttan Duvadashi and a very important day for Hindus. This day is celebrated all through Konkan as Mothi Diwali or Badi Diwali. The hallmark of this day is "Tulsi Pooja" or "Tulsi Lagna". My family has been following the tradition of Tulsi Pooja and we do not perform the Tulsi Lagna. I was also informed that traditionally some families perform Tulsi pooja on any given day during Karthik month as per Hindu calendar. The month of Karthik is supposedly deemed as the holy months and all the days are considered auspicious. In Udupi, there is Laksha Divve program where 100 earthen lamps are illuminated around the premise of Udupi Sri Krishna Temple. It is quite a sight to see and lot of people flock to witness the visual delight.

In Goa, where I used to whole heartedly participate in Tulsi Lagna which means marriage of Tulsi; it was celebrated in quite a different way. The sugarcane is deemed as the Groom and is dug into the Tulsi pot. Alongwith these, Gooseberry (Amla) and Tamarind (Chincha) branches is also dug into the Tulsi plant. The Tulsi plant is decorated with the Rangoli (traditional Indian art of decorative designs hand drawn during festivals). Evening time,the priest visits from door to door to perform the pooja. I used to love going to my friends house for the Pooja, in return we used to get Puffed Rice with Sugarcane pieces and Chocolates as Prasad. We also used to burst crackers and that used to be the end of annual cracker firing process for us. I used to be delighted getting Chocolates as prasadam. Once Pooja is over, we used to be busy getting our hands on Tamarind and Gooseberries the next day around. We used to happily dip them in salt and devour them all till our set of teeth would be pleading and begging to be rescued from the tangy treats.

In my maternal home, the Tulsi pooja has been performed by my father for ages together now. Except for rest of the things which remain the same as a practice, we do not get the groom which is the Sugarcane. Mom makes God Phovu (Poha in molten jaggery) every year which is served as Prasadam to friends and family. Her signature Rangoli is always drawn on the Tulsi Pot which I personally find very cute. Since we have been a mobile family and been all over the place, we always had Tulsi pooja in Pots and never had a stationary Tulsi Katte as some of aunts have.

Preparation time ~ 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Poha - 1 cup

Jaggery - 1/2 cup

Black Sesame seeds - 2 teaspoons

Grated coconut (optional) - 2-4 teaspoons

Cardamom powder - 1/3 teaspoon

Water - Just a sprinkle

Method:

Melt Jaggery in a saucepan and once in a molten state, add grated coconut. Give a good stir and add slightly roasted Black Sesame seeds (roasted separately in a different pan). Add Poha now and stir well. If the Poha retains its stiffness, sprinkle some water to add softness. Add cardamom powder and serve as a Prasadam during festivals.

Urad Daal Vadaa (Biskut Aambado)

Biscut Aambado is a popular Konkani snack cum breakfast item. Its is lavishly prepared during weddings, pooja ceremonies, birthdays and marks the sign of celebration in my home. Biscut Aambado is my father's favorite. He can simply give in to multiple helpings of this dish and yet be not too satisfied. It has the shape which is usually round hence Aambado and is crispy like a Biscuit, but its pronounced as Biscut Aambado (Bis-kuut - Aam-bado). Served with chutney, these Vaadas should be consumed hot and straight from the stove. Mom makes amazing Vadaa and I love sitting next to the stove and consuming them one by one. Her crust is very crispy with a crunchy feel to it and the core is extremely soft and well cooked always.

Manglorean Konkani Biscut Aambado is very similar to Uddin Vada or Medu Vada. My Mumbai friend used to call it as Medu Vadaa and my friend from Bangalore and Chennai would address as Uddin Vadai. At one time I got confused with all the fancy nomenclature, later was ushered into the facts by my Mom. Mom's seem to have all the answers, don't they? My Pacchi (aunty in Konkani language) asked me to do it like a doughnut (with a hole in the centre); I was too happy to make it my way because the doughnut shape requires skill and a dextrous hand; leave it if its a doughnutty-shaped or simple round, albeit closer to it, I am happy as long as its good and crispy. Udupi's Mitra Samaj - a nice restaurant based out of Udupi serving authetic Konkani South Canara snacks sells one of the most delicious Aambado's I have ever eaten. I found one nice article on Outlook India describing the tasty treats of Mitra Samaj, please click here to read it. They are also famous for their Goli Bajey - a konkani snack made of refined flour, gram flour and green chillies.

Preparation Time ~ 30 minutes
Serves ~ 20-25 Aambado (small sized)

Ingredients:
Urad Dal (Whole white Urad Daal, without skin) - 1 cup
Green Chillies - 2 (chopped)
Grated coconut - 2-4 teaspoons
Coconut meat pieces (called as Kaatley in Konkani) - 2 teaspoons
Curry leaves (chopped) - 4-6
Ginger (minced) - 1 teaspoon
Salt - As per taste
Oil - For frying

Method:
Soak Urad daal in water after multiple wash for 3-4 hours. Grind to a paste with very less water or no water (as desired). I added few tablespoons of water for grinding consistency. The paste should be thick and not runny. Add minced ginger, coconut both grated and pieces, curry leaves, green chillies and salt.
Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan. Check for heat by frying a small ball of dough first. If done, then pour ping-pong ball sized scoops of the mixture one by one. Transfer off heat to a paper towel once they are golden brown and have a crispy shell and a cooked core. Serve with chutney of your choice.

Ragda Patties ~ A Mumbai Street Food: Potato Patty in Spiced Soupy Curry

Ragda Patties is a favorite amongst most of my family members. Although I must admit I learnt making all the chaats, pani-puris very recently. Mom knows that I love Chaat and Street Food. She learnt this from a Mumbai based friend of hers. Her recipe is very much detailed, covers all the tastes and flavours and has some modification made to suit our tastes. She also replaced Vataana curry or White Vataana curry with Northern Beans or Tingalore curry seasoned with garlic. Mine is fairly simple and I tailor made this recipe to suit my palate and pantry.

Mom makes Ragda Patties which comprises of Ragda which she makes out of Northern Beans also called as Tingalore Thoi in Konkani. The Pattice is the usual Potato, boiled and minced to form a Patty shaped and seasoned with Cumin seeds. She makes Red Chutney, which is chutney made of Garlic, Red Chillies, Coconut shavings, Tamarind and salt. Her Green Chutney, was very similar to Thecha (a chutney made with kitchen handy herbs, stored in fridge for usage suited for a week's cooking), which she used to make and preserve in the fridge for a week or so. Thecha is a ground paste made of green chillies, coriander leaves, garlic, ginger and salt. She learnt making Thecha from one of our Mumbai based friends who was a pro in terms of Mumbai style Marathi cooking. Mom used to add a spoon of Thecha to any curry, bhaaji or pulao's for the extra zing and flavour. Last was the Brown chutney made of Dates and Tamarind. Add some zero number "Sev" on top of it. I do not the reason but this type of Sev gives much better flavour than any other Sev. This Sev is available in India at Farsaan stores or Mithai shops. Some chaat masala, a dash of lime juice, sprinkle some finely chopped onions and cilantro and you are set to eat the most mix-and-match flavoured chaat of Mumbai.

My favorite Chaat waala, the cart street vendor in Goa was with the name Kanhayaa Laalji; Kanhayaa Ji knew my taste so well that he used to always add "zyaada" Teekhi chutney, "medium" Meethi chutney, "kam" Haree chutney. No one can match his accuracy and precision when it comes to various Chaats.


My approach was very simple:
Ragda: Mashed Vataana curry seasoned with spice powders and tangy elements
Patties: Potatoes boiled and mashed with turmeric and salt; seasoned with Cumin seeds.
Meethi Chutney: Sweet chutney, I had a store bought jar pleading to be used. Its made of Tamarind, Date and Cumin eeds.
Garnishing: Chaat Masala, finely chopped onions and cilantro.

Happy Karva Chauth to all my friends! I fasted and then feasted away to glory with some gifts added to my kitty! In North India, Aloo Tikki is a popular item on Karva Chauth day. So I added some zing to it to make Ragada Patties in a true blue Mumbai style!!

Recipe has been tailor made from my Mom's recipe.
Serves ~ 2 individuals
Preparation time ~ 1 hour

Ingredients:
For Potato Patties -
Potatoes - 3 large ones
Cornflour - 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 2 pinches
Oil - For frying
Salt

For Ragda : White Vataana curry -
Vataana ~ Whole Yellow Peas - 1 cup (boiled and mashed)
Cumin powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilli powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Tamarind juice - 3 tablespoon
Jaggery - 1 teaspoon
Salt

For Meethi Chutney -
Date (soaked in warm water) - 6-8
Tamarind (soaked in warm water) - 2 teaspoon lumps
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt
Note: Grind the above to a fine paste with little or no water.

For Garnishing -
Chaat Masala - 1/3 teaspoon
Finely chopped Onions - 4 teaspoon
Finely chopped Cilantro - 2 teaspoon
Zero number "Sev" (optional) - 2-3 tablespoon
Yogurt (optional) - 1 tablespoon

Method:
For the Patties, make lesser than palm sized Patties out of Boiled Potatoes, Corn flour, Turmeric powder, Cumin seeds mashed together and pan-fried in oil till get a brown crispy core on either sides.

For the Ragda curry, boil and mash Vataana lightly. Bring to boil on a stove. Add all the spice powders and jaggery. Stir well. Adjust the salt and spice. Bring to boil and set aside.

While serving, place couple of Patties, pour a ladel full of curry on top of it. Add the Mithi chutney. Garnish with onions and cilantro. Sprinkle some chaat masala and you are set.

Suggestions: The curry and patties should be piping hot for this street food to be enjoyed. You could also add Green and Red chutney for additional flavour. Sometimes bread is combined with the Poatoes for additional binding. I simply chose to use Potatoes instead.