Sabudana Vada - A Popular Maharashtrian Snack

Mumbai - a name which spells nostalgia, home, Bollywood, glitz, glamour and cozy dreams to many. For various reasons, Mumbai is second home for me. I've spend countless holidays on this island exploring every alley and neighborhood. The Bombay I knew is far different from the Mumbai of today. People can call it by any name for me it will always be - Bombay. Its not a surprise that most of the foods cooked in my home represent Goa, Maharashtra apart from GSB Konkani food.

I love Maharashtrian cuisine because most of the foods are highly portable and stay well for a longer period when coconut is not added. The humble Vada Pav is the favorite on-the-go meal for majority of the working population, Pav Bhaji is my go-to recipe when the fridge is over stuffed with vegetables of all sorts, spicy and fiery broth of Usal is a regular at my home.

I am very fond of Sabudana Vada, a yummy patty made of Tapioca Pearls also known as Sabudana. These white pearls are balls made out of cooked starch sourced from Cassava root and is gluten free. Sabudana Khichdi is also popular during Navratri and on days when long hours of fasting is observed. The biggest advantage of eating Sabudana is one feels full for a long time, hence more preferred as stomach filling foods. Whenever I visit Mumbai, I make it a point to visit the local restaurants selling these fried goodies. The first time I had them as a teenager I recall the waiter telling me that more often than not, only two patties are served along with Dahi (Yogurt). They go a long way in beating unexpected hunger pangs. 

If I were in India, I would probably never cook these patties. Why bother when the experts can make the best ones for you? Anyhow, I decided to take the plunge and made these on a chilly, snowy winter evening. Making these patties demands lot of patience and time, a rare treat but very tasty. Do not bother to make them in a hurry. The pearls ought to be soaked in water for atleast 6-8 hours and then mixed well with mashed potatoes and spices to make a firm patty. The fresher the quality of Sabudana, the better the Vada. There are two varieties of Pearls available in the market - the tiny ones and the large ones. I use the large ones and soak them for good 5-6 hours. If the patty is not forming well, there is a high chance that the patties will break open in oil ruining your hard work. Daanyachey Koot, a coarse nutty powder made of peanuts without skin also determines the binding and adds the extra crunch. I shallow fried them with more oil almost coating 1/2 of the vada at all times. 

On a different note, Konkani Foodie turned 6 last week. It feels good to have come this far. The blog combines two of my favorite activities - Writing and Food. When I look back, it feels good to have so many memories all born out of food, people I love and the strange situations under which a certain recipe was discovered. Sometimes its a long forgotten aroma, a taste I've longed for or simply put a desire to reach out to familiar tastes and aromas long lost in the alleys of a memorable childhood. 

Many of my family members are aware of my blog. The blog is accessed by my family - immediate, blood, extended. Friends, ex-friends, co-workers, acquaintances all read every line I write, every recipe I document. It feels great to have so much love coming for my Foodie blog. I've also made friends who are food lovers like me and make the learning process very easy. Many people know me more through my blog. At the same time, I write with my first name which comes with fair share of judgements, opinions and assumptions. Looking at the larger picture, I am glad to have traversed a journey for such a long period. The biggest high is when I receive emails from all over the world from people informing me that they found the content useful. Ah, the joys of writing world!A big thank you for all the love shown.

A small note from me - If you have a passion, make sure you nurture it and protect it. Stay positive and persevere. There is an ocean of like-minded people who will really know where you are coming from.

Sabudana Vada

Tapioca Pearls and mashed Potatoes patty 

Prep Time: 6-8 hours (including the soak time)

Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 8 Large 1/2" Vadas

Ingredients:

Sabudana (Tapioca Pearls, rinsed and soaked) - 1 cup

Potatoes (boiled, mashed) - 2 cups

Peanut powder (toasted, skin removed) - 3/4 cup

Green Chillies (paste) - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves (fine chiffonade) - 3 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Lime juice - 2 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Soaking - Rinse the pearls in multiple changes of water. Soak in enough water to submerge the pearls. After the time has elapsed, they will proliferate in size and you can easily squish them under the thumb and index finger. If its squishes well, its ready. Drain the water completely, ensure that Sabudana has no water content before you proceed.

2. Scrub the potatoes well. Boil in a pressure cooker. Remove soon to prevent water retention. Peel, mash to form a mushy paste. Avoid any lumps as this will cause the Vadas to break.

3. In a small frying pan, toast Peanuts lightly. Allow to cool. Gently roll them between the palm to remove the skin. Ensure all the skin is removed otherwise the bitter flavor will render itself into the Vada. In a coffee grinder, coarsely grind the peanuts to a powder. The powder should be grainy and should retain bits and pieces of peanut. This is called Daanyachey Koot.

4. In a mixing bowl, mix the soaked and drained Sabudana, mashed Potatoes. Add the green chillies paste, cumin seeds and lime juice. Add the salt and sugar. Toward the end, add chopped coriander leaves. Give a taste test - the Vadas are not salty but not sweet either. Balance the taste. Mix well to form a flat thick patty. The patty should remain firm and not break open, otherwise there is a high chance that the patties will break open in oil.

5. In a Kadhai, heat oil. Pinch a small portion of dough and drop in hot oil. In the ball rises, the oil is ready for frying. Deep fry or shallow fry depending on the size of the patty. Toggle between low-to-medium consistently while frying. Do not fry on high flame as the inner mass will remain uncooked. This process takes 5-8 minutes for each batch of 3-4 Vadas. Once crispy and golden red, transfer to a paper towel. Enjoy hot Vadas with Tomato Ketchup.

Note - The Vadas are very filling. I make a batch of large, thick vadas just the way they serve in Mumbai. The Sabudana and Potatoes should be considerably dry before mixing stage. Enjoy them while they are hot, they turn soggy fast. If making for the first time, make a small batch to start.

Blackeyed Beans and Baby Red Potatoes Usal (with Goda Masala)

Recently I made Marathi style dish called Usal with Goda Masala. The simple addition of Goda Masala gives a new refreshing dimension to this dish. I use the masala to make Marathi style Amti, Usal and the aroma the dish oozes out is very close to my heart.

I have few Marathi friends who are hold a special place in my life and everytime I visit their homes, their Mums make Triangle Roti (Ghadichi Polya), Moth Beans Usal (Matki chi Usal) and Amti for me. The dishes from Malvan, Kolhapur have a very unique aromatic flavor and I make them often.

~ Black-eyed Beans and Baby Red Potatoes Usal (with Goda Masala) ~

Preparation time: 20 minutes (includes pressure cooking time)

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

Black-eyed Beans (cooked) - 2 cups

Baby Red Potatoes (Peeled, diced into two) - 4

Onion (finely chopped) - 3/4 cup

Goda Masala - 1tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp

Coconut (grated) [optional] - 2 tbsp

For Seasoning -

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 5-6

Green Chillies (sliced lengthwise) - 2

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

For Garnish -

Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Soak the beans overnight and pressure cook with little salt for 2 whistles. Drain water and keep aside. Peel the baby Potatoes, dice into two and rinse to get rid of excess starch. 

2. In a deep bottomed vessel, heat a tsp. of oil and season with mustard seeds. After they splutter, add curry leaves, green chillies and asafoetida. Reduce the flame and add onions now. Saute the onions and once they wilt down, add the  turmeric powder, goda masala and red chilli powder. Brown the onions till they caramelized (This is a very important step. Please don't skip this). This step takes around 10-12 minutes.

3. Once the onions are browned enough, add the black-eyed beans and baby potatoes. If you are adding coconut, add it now. Mix well and add water if you want gravy. I prefer the dish semi-dry so added just enough water to cover the beans. Bring to a boil and simmer on low flame. Cover with a lid. Once done, sprinkle coconut, mix well and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve warm with Rotis.

 
Note - Brown and caramelize the onions, else your dish will have the raw flavor of onions. I like adding coconut toward the end to finish the dish (just like garnish in GSB Konkani dishes), that way the coconut flavor is little prominent and fresh. Add it earlier, if you want the coconut to be cooked.

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.

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.

Pani Puri ~ The Pop Indian Sreet Food

If there is a competition to eat Pani Puri, I am confident I would beat any of of the self assured obliging contenders! So powerful is the love which permeates beyond words, expressions and emotions. Pani-Puri is the popular Indian street food. This spicy, tangy treat is known as Golguppe in Hindi, Pucchka in Bengali. The taste and flavour vary in heat, tang-ness as one moves to different parts of India. There are also some popular chaat vendors which get outrageous number of visitors not because of the jazzy names and showy seating areas which they promise, but purely for the taste which no other vendor can neither promise nor deliver. Some really famous ones which I can say I have proudly visited are - Elco Arcade, Bandra - Mumbai and Madhavan Park, Jayanagar - Bangalore. The one in Elco Arcade also serves Pani Puri with mineral water on demand to serve the taste buds of noveau rich and hygiene conscious crowd.

The "Puri" in question here is the humble spherical delicate pastry spheres made of Semolina and Flour. The "Pani" which is spicy, tangy and sweet water concocted with various herbs and condiments only to compel you to beg for more of this great street food. One look at any Chaat cart would compel you to retrace your steps back home, but hold on! That's the beauty of Chaat! You got to eat the flour shells filled with tangy syrup right from the Chaat cart, these tiny speherical Puris get stuffed one by one with boiled Mung, spices Potato bits, yoghurt for that extra kick of tang, Sev to add the extra crisp. After all the additions of various knick-knacks, the Chaat bhayya will ask you - Teekha ya Meetha? This simply means spicy or sweet in Hindi. Give your prized choice and pop comes the Puri in the leafy container handed over to you. Explosion of flavours in your mouth satiating the meanest taste buds. You convince your palate to stop with one and you just cannot!

In India, although we had the liberty to eat out from the chaat stalls more often that not, Mom would make them at home in leisure. Her version easily beats the road side ones - I have to confess. Yet, busy lives, hectic jobs, meeting a bunch of friends - a chaat session was warranted. In US, I have to travel couple of miles to eat chaat battling wind chill and occasional snow; I am well off trying my experiments in my humble kitchen and get the experience of eating these yummy Puris to my hearts content if time's not a constraint. I follow my Mom's recipe since it is quite simple and can be planned well ahead of time. She adds plenty of ice cubes to the Pani, which makes it even more appealing and fresh. I follow the same notes that she followed and the final taste has never disappointed me. If lazy, use Puri and Sweet chutney available at Indian grocers.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Processing time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients:
Pani -
Coriander leaves (packed) - 1 cup
Mint leaves (packed) - 1/2 cup
Amchur powder - 1/3 teaspoon
Chaat Masala - 1 and 1/2 tablespoon
Red Chilli powder - 1/3 teaspoon
Lime juice - 2 tablespoon
Salt

Puri -
Sooji - 1/2 cup
Maida - as per the dough requirement
Salt
Oil

Sweet Chutney -
Dates (pitted) - 8-10
Jaggery - 2 tablespoon
Cumin powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Black salt (kala namak) - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt

For Serving:
Sev - 5-8 tablespoon
Yoghurt - 2-3 tablespoon
Boiled Mung beans - 3-4 tablespoon
Onions (chopped) - 1-4 tablespoon
Potatoes (diced into small cubes) - 1/2 cup

Method:
For the Pani - Grind coriander leaves, mint leaves with 1/2 cup of water. Do not add too much water as it needs to be concentrated in nature. Once done, add Amchur powder and Chaat Masala. Adjust spice level and salt. Add lime juice is required. Once done, add ice cubes and refrigerate till serving.
For the Puri - Take 1/2 cup of Sooji in a mixing bowl. Add enough water & salt to submerge the flour, keep adding the flour till the dough forms a soft pliable consistency which is easy enough to handle. Make small Puris and fry in batches of 8-10 until golden and crisp. Store in an air tight container.
For Sweet Chutney - Grind all the ingredients to a thick paste. Store in refrigerator, use as required.
For Potatoes - Mash and mix with red chilli powder and salt. Keep aside.
For Assembly - Pat the lighter side of Puri to make a dent. Stuff with potatoes, onions, sev, yoghurt (optional) and add Sweet chutney. Add enough Pani and plonk it in your mouth. Enjoy the savoury snack.

Seasoned Beaten Rice With Potato & Onion (Kanda Batat Pohe)

One of the breakfast items which is quite banal and adored so to say - Kanda Batat Pohe. Kanda = Onions, Batat = Potatoes and Pohe = Beaten Rice. Mom made this for our school lunchbox and morning breakfast. Pohe is easy to make and quick to finish dish. This is the savoury recipe for many a Maharashtrian households and a pop item if you have quick and unexpected guests at home and also if the bridegroom is visiting home to see/meet a prospective match and their family. There is another version of Pohe, which is Dadpe Pohe which is also easy. Beaten rice is washed, seasoned with salt and turmeric and covered with a lid, which is called as Dadapney in Marathi, hence Dadpey Pohe. I like both the versions and they pack a world of nutrition in them. In Kannada, they are known as Avalakki. These apart, there are many styles and varieties of Pohe. I choose Thick Poha available at Indian grocery.

For festive occasions especially in Marathi families, an offering of different types of Pohe are made to God. The festive platter made during Diwali is known as Faraal; apart from being heartily enjoyed and rejoiced by family members we made these at home and Mom sent Faraalachey Taat to be shared with our neighbours and friends. Dudh Pohe, Gul Pohe, Tikhat Pohe to name a few. Dudh Pohe is one of my favorite snack made during Diwali. One of my dear aunt, fondly called as Maushi, prepared this every year for me during Diwali. At the crack of dawn , she would give a pompous shout and plead to my Mom to have me summoned at her place to enjoy the grand Diwali brunch. Sadly, she passed away many years back but the memories are close to my heart. The popular belief drilled in us as kids was eating Pohe on Diwali morning supposedly brought good luck and prosperity for the family. So every year during Diwali, we had a Pohe overdose. :)

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Yield: 2

Ingredients:

Beaten Rice - 1 cup

Onions (sliced) - 1 cup

Potato (thinly sliced) - 1/2 cup

Coriander leaves (finely chopped) - 1/3 cup

Grated Coconut - 2 tablespoon

Salt

Turmeric powder - 1/3 teaspoon

Red Chilli powder - 1/3 teaspoon

Lime juice - 2 tablespoon

For Seasoning -

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafoetida - just a pinch

Oil/Ghee

Method:

Wash the beaten rice in water for couple of times to get rid of the starch. Allow the water to drain completely. Add salt and turmeric powder and leave aside for 10 minutes.

In a separate deep dish vessel, heat few spoons of oil/ghee. Add mustard seeds, once they splutter, add curry leaves and asafoetida. Add the onions and potatoes now and allow to sweat. Add a cup of water and slow cook with a lid on. Add Turmeric powder if desired. Once both cooked, add the beaten rice and give a good gentle mix. Adjust salt if required. Once done, garnish with grated coconut, coriander leaves and a drizzle of fresh lime juice. Serve hot with Tea or Coffee.

Yard Long Beans Side Dish (Waal Bhaaji With Goda Masala)

A fairly simple side dish seasoned with Goda Masala and Coconut powder. I used Yard Long Beans/ Waal /Alsando, instead of chopping them I manually snapped them off by an inch. This cutting style holds good for tender beans. This side dish goes well with Rotis and serves great with the vegetables sealing in juicy flavours of Goda Masala. Goda Masala adds a different dimension to dry or semi-dry side dish.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Yard Long Beans (manually chopped to 1" size) - 3 cups

Coconut powder or grated coconut (fresh or frozen) - 3 tablespoon

Goda Masala - 1/2 teaspoon

Oil/Ghee

Salt

For Seasoning -

Asafoetida - a pinch

Green Chillies - 2

Curry leaves - 3-4

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Method:

Wash the beans and snap off them manually to 1" sized pieces. In a deep vessel, heat few spoons of oil. Once the oil heats up, season with mustard seeds. The seeds will begin to pop, add the curry leaves and sliced green chillies. Add the asafoetida and give a gentle stir. Let the vegetables cook in the seasoning, add little water, cover with a lid. Once completely done & cooked, sprinkle Goda Masala and add the coconut powder. Stir gently for couple of minutes. The water will evaporate by now and the vegetables will be cooked but not mushy. Turn off the flame and serve hot with Rotis.

Green Herb Paste (Hirwa Thecha)

Mom often makes Hirwa Thecha – a green herb paste which she uses to combine as a sauce for curries, as chutney for breads and sandwiches, a side dish for rotis and parathas. (Hirwa = Green in Marathi language). I find this paste very handy and a small batch can be used for many different purposes. Traditionally, Coriander leaves, Garlic, toasted Cumin seeds and Green Chillies are ground to a coarse paste and used as per need.

Interestingly, the one Mom makes is a bit different from the traditional one, but nevertheless tastes yummy! I got this recipe from my Ratnagiri Kaaku. We simply loved the multi purpose paste and its abundant use. This paste is not a simple one and don’t be fooled by the timid look and the nice green color. Just a few spoons pack in lot of heat, spice and taste. So I tweak the proportions as necessary. I had a bunch of Mint leaves handy so used them up for this paste. Use tender, light green Coriander stems else use leaves alone.

Every Maharashtrian household has a different way of making this paste. Some grind them coarsely, some make a fine paste. I prefer the smooth paste and also found two methods which are practised in my family - the first one is a regular paste which can be used for Curries and Sauces; the second one which is my favorite one for summer - a spicy sandwich chutney spread. The taste is simply delicious and makes you fall in love with your otherwise regular boring sandwich.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Processing time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
Coriander leaves & stems – 1 cup
Mint leaves (optional) – ½ cup
Green Chillies – 3
Garlic pods – 4
Cumin seeds (optional) – ½ teaspoon
Ginger (chopped) -1 tablespoon
Onion (whole) – 1 medium
Oil
Salt

Method: 1
Wash Coriander leaves, Mint leaves and stems. Chop them coarsely. Toast the Cumin seeds & Green Chillies lightly on low flame in little oil for couple of minutes. Allow to cool. Be careful as chillies tend to burst open being subjected to excessive heat and pressure. Grind Coriander leaves, Mint leaves, Green Chillies, Garlic (chopped), Ginger (chopped) and Cumin seeds to a fine paste or a coarse paste. Adjust salt as per need. Do not add too much water. Store in a jar and refrigerate. Use within 2 weeks.
Suggested Use: For Curries and Sauces

Method: 2
Wash Coriander leaves, Mint leaves and stems. Chop them coarsely. Toast the Cumin seeds & Green Chillies lightly on low flame in little oil for couple of minutes. Transfer to a separate plate and allow to cool. Now, in the same pan, sauté an Onion split into two in oil. Once lightly crisp and brown transfer to a separate plate and allow to cool. Grind Coriander leaves, Mint leaves, Green Chillies, Garlic (chopped), Ginger (chopped), pan fried Onion and Cumin seeds to a fine paste or a coarse paste. You could add more chillies to increase the spicy flavour of the chutney spread. Adjust salt as per need. Add little or no water while grinding as this paste needs to have a chutney consistency. Refrigerate once done and use within 2-3 days as onion are prone to rapid spoilage.
Suggested Use: For Sandwich as a spread

Stone Flower (Dagad Phool)

Stone Flower or better known as Dagad Phool in India is a soft, brown and black colored lichen. The spice is used in many popular Indian dishes. I have not been able to locate them in Indian ethnic groceries in US and hence got my stash from one of my generous Paachis from India. These are available in specialty grocery chains in India. I also found them at exclusive spice and condiments store.

This spice is used for making various masalas like Goda Masala/ Kala Masala. It does have a strong earthy aroma and a very dry, light fluffy texture and feel to it. All said and done, no Marathi masala preparation process would be complete without these. The spice gives the signature black color to the masala. I recall a certain Maushi once refused to prepare her Kala Masala till she found Dagad Phool!! For more reference and better understanding of Marathi/ Maharashtrian cuisines, I found Ruchira - By Kamlabai Ogle very handy; a useful 2 book compilation originally written in Marathi dissecting and exploring the basic Marathi Amtis, Usals et al. Now, the English version is also available which makes it easier for anybody to explore the nuts and bolts of Marathi cuisine.

Stuffed Bitter Gourd Fry With Peanut Powder (Bharlela Kaarla)

I had eaten this yummy way of cooking Bitter Gourd (Karela) many years back at one of my friend's place. The spicy stuffing is sauteed abundantly with Peanut Powder (Daanyaachey Koot) and stuffed in the parboiled Gourds. The Gourds have occasional bites of Peanut which is a highlight of this recipe. Go easy on oil else you will not enjoy the real flavour of this recipe. The taste of this recipe is an acquired one; however I enjoy the flavour of Gourd cooked in this fashion. Pass it off if you are not friendly with this gourd. Use tender Bitter Gourds for best results.

~ Bharlela Kaarla ~

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:

Bitter Gourd Melon (small to medium size) - 2-3

Onion (chopped) - 1 cup

Peanut powder (coarse) - Daanyachey Koot - 1/3 cup

Turmeric powder - Just a pinch

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Green Chillies (split) - 1

Cumin powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon

Red Chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Ginger-Garlic paste - 1/2 teaspoon

Oil

Salt

Kitchen Thread - 1 metre

Method:

Wash the gourds and scoop off the inner membranes and seeds. Do not discard the inner membranes, keep them aside. Sprinkle salt and turmeric powder all over the Gourd and keep them aside for 10 minutes. You could also par boil them in water and then keep aside. Since the gourds I used were tender, I skipped this step.

In a deep sauce pan, heat few spoons of oil, add cumin seeds and once they proliferate, add onions, green chillies and ginger-garlic paste and sweat them in oil. Allow the onions to get charred, add the spice powders and adjust salt. Add Peanut powder now and give a good stir. Cook on low to medium flame all the time else your spices could burn off. Once the mixture becomes an even consistency, turn off the flame and allow the stuffing to cool. Stuff the Gourds one by one. Tie them with a kitchen thread to prevent them from oozing the stuffing out. In the same pan previously used, heat oil and fry the gourds together. You could also add rest of the stuffing masala on the side and cook it along. The Gourds will get seared on all sides. This will take around 3-5 minutes. Once that's done, add 1 cup of water and cover with a lid. Steam cook till the gourds are completely cooked. Garnish with some peanut powder on top. Serve with the seared masala and steam cooked rice. Chop them into blocks or serve them as they are.

Onion Fritters (Kandya chya Bhajya/ Piyava Bajo)

Onion Fritters or Kandya chya Bhajya is my childhood tea time favorite. The recipe takes me back to my good old school and college days when Mommy dear made a huge batch of piping hot Pakoras with hot Elaichi Chai (Cardamom Tea) for me. The yummy treat were good enough for me to forget the hectic projects, timelines and gruelling study schedule. The thing which I like most about Mom's recipe for Kandya chya Bhajya is the simple secret ingredient she added - Danyachey Koot, in layman's terms coarse Peanut Powder which adds extra zing and biteful flavour to the recipe. This recipe takes me back to Mom's memories and the wonderful things she did for our entire family. I think I am missing her a lot these days. :(

This spicy hot treat is a big hit at home and my husband loves the combination of Kandhya chya Bhajya with hot Tea a.k.a Elaichi Chai. The Bhajya get over in no time, thanks to mighty gluttons hoovering in the kitchen.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 5-10 minutes

Ingredients:

Onions (sliced) - 4 cups

Coriander leaves (chopped) - 1 cup

Green Chillies (chopped) - 2

Ginger (minced) - 2 tablespoon

Peanut powder (Daanyachey Koot) - 1/2 cup

Red Chilli powder - 1 tablespoon

Garam Masala powder (optional) - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Chickpea Flour or Besan - 6-10 tablespoon

Rice Flour (optional) - 1-2 tablespoon

Baking soda - a pinch

Oil

Salt

Method:

Slice the Onions one by one and mash them with the hands to disintegrate each of the thin slice from the calyx which is the base. Add chopped Ginger, Coriander leaves, Green chillies and salt and mix them gently. Add rest of the spice powders and baking soda except Besan. Leave aside for 20 minutes.

Keep adding Chickpea flour, to form a thick gooey clump of Fritters mix. Do not add water at all. Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Pour the batter with a spoon or with your hand in scoops and fry 8-10 fritters at a time. Deep fry till golden brown and transfer to a clean kitchen towel which is absorbent. Consumer hot Fritters with Elaichi Chai.

Note: Pick smaller scoops of batter to make Pakoras which are crisp and well done. With big scoops, the Pakoras remain uncooked in the centre. Add more Rice Flour if you want crispy fritters, you could then omit adding baking soda.

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.

Ivy Gourd Rice (Tendli Bhaat)

Iyy Gourd Rice goes well for Lunch box and you get the wholesome combination of vegetables and rice in a pot. That is the beauty of One Pot Dish, a single dish with rice and vegetables holds good for a yummy meal.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Rice (Basmati rice) - 1 cup

Ivy Gourd (Tendli/ Tendley) - chopped - 2 cups

Onion (chopped) - 1/2 cup

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Salt

Turmeric powder

Red Chilli Powder

Oil/ Ghee

Masala -

Coconut powder - 1/2 cup

Coriander seeds - 1 tablespoon

Clove - 2-3

Cinnamon - 1" stick

Whole Black Pepper Corns - 3-5

Red Chillies - 2

Garnish (optional) - chopped Coriander leaves

Method:

Wash and cook Rice in water and keep aside. In a deep dish pan, heat few spoons of Ghee/ Oil, once the pan heats up, add Cumin seeds, they begin to proliferate in size, add chopped Onions and saute till they wilt in size. Add a hint of Turmeric powder and Red Chilli powder and chopped Ivy Gourds. Adjust salt and add enough water to immerse the gourds, bring to boil and simmer covered on a low flame for 10 or till the gourds are completely cooked.

On the side, grind the masala ingredients to a fine powder with no water. Add this to the cooked Ivy Gourd and allow water to evaporate completely. Add cooked Rice now and gently stir. Turn off flame and serve hot with a garnish of chopped Coriander leaves.

Spicy Red Hot Garlic Chutney (Losney Tikshe Sukki Chutney Pitti/ Tikhat Chutney Pood)

I have been making this Spicy Red Hot Garlic Chutney at home for long. In Konkani Pitti stands for powder, Tikshe stands for Spicy. In Marathi, this powder is known as Tikhat Chutney Pood atleast that's what it was known as in my house. This easily beats the store bought ones hands down (the $3.00 ones). I use this Spicy Red Hot Garlic Chutney powder for Dosa, Idli and Vada-Pav. This spicy treat specially complements Vada-Pav.

I realised that if fresh or frozen coconut is used, the shelf life is quite less than a week but the taste is very nice, after a week or so they emit a strange smell and are unedible. This one made with Dry Coconut powder is fresh for 1-3 weeks and can be made in smaller batches and refrigerated for daily use with a longer shelf life.

Preparation time: 2 minutes

Processing time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
Coconut powder - 1/2 cup
Tamarind pulp (separated in raw form) - 1/2 teaspoon
Garlic (shredded to tiny bits) - 4 Jumbo pods ~ 1 and 1/2 tablespoon approx.

Red Chilli powder - 1 tablespoon
Salt - As per taste

Method:
Grind the coconut powder, red chilli powder and garlic pods along with little salt to a coarse powder (do not add any water). Store in an air tight container and refrigerate, use as per requirement.

Mango Daal (Aambat Daal)

A bag of cut green Mangoes lying in the freezer compelled me to take a trip down the memory lane and grab a few bites of one of the gooey, creamy, tart and tangy flavoured Daal combination - Mango Daal or Aambat Daal. I made this for an afternoon lunch couple of days back and boy! I love the flavour. Chunks of pieces of raw mango cooked in Toor Dal with a little help of heat in form of seasonings - Garlic, Cumin, Mustard seeds and the good old Red Chilli - Byadgi Mirchi sourced from Bangalore Market.

I first sampled this Daal at my friend C's place for a lunch party many years ago. Knowing that C has a dexterous hand in terms of dishing out delicious lunches and dinners with lot of seasonal vegetables and flavours, I knew I would love what she makes. A deft hand, plenty of simplicity and loads of subtle flavours thrown in, she took me by surprise. I loved the Mango Daal recipe and can't thank her enough for sharing it. C calls this Aambat Daal - Aambat signifying tangy flavour in Marathi language. Years later, I tried cooking this in India and loved dishing this for a summer afternoon lunch. Mangoes are in season now; I had a bag of frozen green cut Mangoes, so thought of using this to sink in the summer cool flavours. The consistency of this Daal is thick, with different flavours mixing in. Sometimes when I crave for the tangy kick in my food, this Daal certainly vows to please my taste buds.

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
Toor Dal - 1/2 cup
Green Mangoes (Fresh or Frozen) - 3/4 cup
Onions (chopped) - 1/3 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/3 teaspoon
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - as per taste

Seasoning -
Garlic pods (chopped) - 1
Mustard seeds - 1/3 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1/3 teaspoon
Oil - For treating the seasoning
Curry leaves (optional) - 2-4 leaves

Method:
Wash Toor Dal multiple times till water is clear. Wash raw green mangoes with skin and chop them into 1" chunks. I have retained the skin of Mangoes for nutritional value, retain or discard as per choice. Pressure cook both with onions (chopped), turmeric and red chilli powder. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. I prefer them extra mushy so went for 4 whistles. Allow to cool and mash the Daal to a thick consistency. Add salt and adjust consistency with water as per thickness desired.
Heat few teaspoons of oil in a separate pan on a low-to-medium flame. Once heated up, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once they pop add red chillies split into two and curry leaves. Add chopped garlic and saute till they are brown. Pour this seasoning on the Daal and mix well. Serve hot with warm rice, ghee and some Vodee/ Vadams/ Crispies on the side.

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.

Raw Banana Fritters (Kele Phodi/ Kelyachey Kaap)

Nupur's Recipe Marathon - Day 5

The weather is getting colder and chiller with very strong wind chill in the air. I bought a couple of Banana's yesterday. Raw Plantain is a rich source of iron and packs in lot of vital nutrients as well. I thought of making Banana Fritters or Kele Phodi as call it in Konkani.

Chop some Bananas, retain some amount of skin, par boil if required and dredge in a marinade of choice. Pan fry on low flame with a sprinkle of water and once completely cooked, serve hot as a side dish. Phodis are very popular Konkani side dish. I am a big fan of these and in winter I find myself eating quite a lot of them. There are various other vegetables which we use for Phodis - Okra, Potato, Radish, Mushroom. The vegetable bites cook fast and taste delicious. I served them with carrot sticks for lunch. Warm fritters to beat the winter chill.

Preparation time: 20-30 minutes

Yield: 1 Banana - 9-10 Fritters

Ingredients:

Raw Banana Plantain - 1

Rice Flour - 4-5 tablespoon

Red Chilli powder - 1/3 teaspoon

Garam Masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Pepper - 1/3 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - just a pinch

Salt - As per taste

Oil - For frying

Method:

Chop the bananas into bite sized pieces. Retain some amount of skin on it and only peel the top layer. This ensures that we don't get rid of all of the vital nutritious layers of Banana. Par-boil in water for 10-15 minutes, this will make them soft and tender. Marinate in all the spices, dredge in Rice flour and pan-fry on both the sides. Serve hot as a side dish.

Basundi ~ A South Indian Sweetened Milk Dessert

I first sampled this tasty, sinfully rich and aromatic sweet dish at Adyaar Anand Bhavan, Bangalore. They serve cups of chilled Basundi which you can keep drinking with a light crunch of nuts, saffron and cardamom. You will still yearn for more!

Basundi is a sweetened milk dessert popular in Marathi homes. One of our close family friends from Pune used to make it for Diwali every year. She told me that the best way to judge if Basundi is done is simply smell the aroma in your house. The milky flavour would be wafting through all over.

My Mom's version is fairly the old-fashioned one where the milk has to be reduced to 1/2 the quantity with constant stirring and some more of it and some more of it till you feel its halved. Add sugar, stir for some more time, add condensed milk (Milk-Maid preferred), stir in for some more time till you feel its reached the perfect thickened consistency. Add Split Badam, Cardamom and Saffron strands. Cool down and set in the fridge for 3-5 hours. Your Basundi is all set to be sipped away dunked in fluffy Pooris, they taste all the more better. Infact some of my friends do not prefer eating Basundi without Pooris.

My version was simple, I was frugal with sugar to be added, so decided to omit the Condensed milk, because more often than not its sweetened. If you do not have Evaporated milk, just boil 3-4 cups of milk to the half the consistency, add Malai for thickening. During the days when Milk Maid was not accessible, Mom used to make use of Malai readily available in the kitchen pantry. I went ahead with a simple recipe of Milk + Evaporated Milk + Cardamom + Sugar + MTR Badam Powder + Split Almonds. Serve chilled. You will for sure enjoy the taste of this sinfully rich dessert!

Serves ~ 3-4 individuals

Preparation time ~ 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Homogenised milk (Vitamin D variety) - 2 cups

Evaporated milk - 1 can ~ Approx. 1 cup

Sugar - 10 teaspoons

Split Almonds - 10

Cardamom powder - 5 pods

MTR Badam Mix - 2 teaspoons

Method:

Take a thick bottomed deep dish pan, the deeper and thicker the better. I used a non-stick since I wanted to avoid situations where the milk sticks to the bottom of the pan. Heat Homogenised milk and Evaporated milk together. Stir continuously on medium to low flame. Add sugar once milk comes to boil. Add Badam mix powder and stir well. Scrape off the sides of any milky particles sticking to the container. They add the much required zing to the dish. Once reduced to half of the original quantity, stir for another 5 minutes and turn off the flame. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with Silvered Almonds and Cardamom powder.