Mysore Pak

Last week was a start of a new phase in my life.. Its feels good to get back to student life :) Was dead busy throughout the week.. Early morning cooking, then full day college, then come back and cook again, then an hour infront of the TV and then the cozy bed waiting for me to just lie on and put me to sleep at that instant :D Did not get a chance to blog anything or visit my blogger friends.. This phase is gonna last long but I have decided not to give up blogging.. This was my only passion for last few months and I cannot abandon for some other priorities.. Blogging will remain a weekend chore and I'll make it a point to post atleast one recipe every weekend and visit my dear blogger friends during this time.. I apologize in advance if I'll not be able to participate in all events that keep rocking the food blog world... But will surely not miss the round-ups! :)

Mysore Pak is a famous sweet from the Karnataka Cuisine.. As the name suggests, this sweet comes from Mysore, acity in Karnataka famous for its palace. beautiful handicrafts and lovely silk sarees.. Mysore Pak is probably one of the easiest sweet which calls for minimal ingredients and is ready in no time... This is my second entry for Asha's RCI Karnataka Cuisine!

Mysore Pak

Preparation Time:

15-20 mins

Makes:

10-12 pieces

What you need:

1 cup Besan/Chickpea Flour (sieved)
3/4 cup Ghee
3/4 cup Sugar
1 cup Water
1/4 tsp Cardamom Powder

How to proceed:

1) Heat 1 cup of Water and add sugar to it.
2) Bring to boil till sugar syrup is formed (one string consistency test)
3) Now add ghee and cardamom powder
4) Mix well and slowly add besan..
5) Stir continuously while adding besan to avoid forming any lumps
6) Stir and cook till the mixture stops sticking to sides of vessel and ghee starts coming out from the sides
7) Remove from heat and pour in a flat plate greased with ghee and spread evenly.
8) After 5 mins, cut into desired shape and leave aside to cool for another hour..
9) Enjoy the yummy melt-in-the-mouth sweets.. These can be stored for 3-4 days!

Chitranna

Chitranna is a very famous South Indian rice dish from Banglore.. We had a South Indian friend in college who used to bring this rich rice dish in her tiffin.. We used to love it and she used to just hand over her tiffin to us(which was twice a week) when it was Chitranna.. She said it was a very common item at her home and she had been eating it since childhood and so was bored to eat the same thing again and again :D We shameless people didnt even care to ask her the recipe, and would just ask to bring it more often..

And now time comes that you have to cook things yourself, I have learnt to cook some dishes from other regions as well.. And since my husband encourages me by eating everything without complaining (does he have any other option?? ;) ), I keep trying things.. When it comes to inviting friends for dinner, one rice dish is a must.. And when the same friends are invited more often, the menu should not be repeated. (Both of us agree on this rule!) That is how I learnt to make Chitranna, the flavourful lemon rice from the Karnataka Cuisine! The crispy dals, the munchy nuts and the zest of lemon have made this dish one of our favourite rice dish. Chitranna goes over to Sharmi for "JFI-Rice" and Asha for "RCI-Karnataka Cuisine"

Chitranna

reparation Time:

30 mins

Serves:

3-4

What you need:

2 cups Basmati Rice
5-6 Curry Leaves
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tbsp Chana Dal
1 tbsp Urad Dal
1 tbsp Moong Dal
2 Onions, sliced
4 Green Chillies, chopped
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1 tbsp Roasted Peanuts
5-6 Cashews
Juice of 1 Lemon
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Oil

How to proceed:

1) Cook Basmati rice in water until just done and then drain excess water..
2) Spread in a wide pan to cool
3) Heat oil, fry peanuts and cashews and keep aside
4) To remaining oil, add curry leaves, mustard seeds and cumin seeds
5) When they start spluttering, add all 3 dals and fry until they turn golden
6) Add chilies and sliced onions and cook for a min
7) Add turmeric, salt, nuts and cashews
8) Now add rice and mix well
9) Squeeze juice of lemon over rice,mix well and turn off gas!

Serve hot wit tomato rasam or raitas..

Jahni Aalu Posto

Orissa cuisine is totally new to me.. And I didnt know what to cook for Swapna's RCI Orissa Cuisine.. Firstly I settled down with rasgullas from Puri temple.. But ek se mera kya hoga :D So decided to try another recipe and went on for Jahni Aalu Posto using recipe posted here.. And it came out to be amazingly tasty.. Loved this simple and lovely dish.. Not much of a hassle to cook and tastes is different from the normal sabjis.. This will be a regular dish at my place now :) That is what you need to do when you get minimal Indian vegetables here and cannot repeat the same dish for more than twice a month :D Here's the recipe for a simple yet lovely dish from the Orissa Cuisine

Jahni Aalu Posto

Preparation Time:

20-25 mins

Serves:

2

What you need:

3 medium sized Ridge Gourd (Jahni/Dodka/Turiya)
2 Potatoes
2 tbsp Poppy Seeds
5-6 cloves of Garlic
3 Green Chillies
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Panch Phuran seeds (fennel,fenugreek, mustard,cumin and nigella/black onion seeds mixed in equal amounts)
2 tbsp Oil
Salt as required

How to proceed:

1) Peel and dice Ridge gourd and Potatoes
2) Soak poppy seeds in warm water for 10-15 mins
3) Heat oil in a pan, add panch phoran and chopped green chillies
4) When the seeds start spluttering, add turmeric and salt
5) Saute for 5-10 secs and then add the chopped vegetables
6) Let the vegetables cook
7) Grind soaked poppy seeds and garlic to a smooth paste
8) Cook the vegetables for 10-12 minutes and then add the poppy seeds-garlic paste
9) Cook for another 5 mins till vegetables are done
10) Serve hot with rotis!

Xtra Rich Patiala Lassi

Patiala Lassi is a rich Punjabi drink prepared from Yoghurt. It probably gets its name from the place where it came from originally, Patiala, a district in Punjab. It is usually served in long steel glasses. This lassi(like others) is a filler, as its difficult to finish a glassful even after a light meal. Weight watchers.. Beware.. This is absolutely not recommended for you guys.. This is just for carefree people like me :) This Xtra rich Yoghurt Drink makes its way to Nupur’s “X of Indian Vegetables” and Richa’s "RCI Punjabi Cuisine"!

Patiala Lassi

Makes:

1 glassful

What you need:

2 cups full Yoghurt
2-3 tbsp Milk
2-3 tbsp Sugar
½ tsp Cardamom Powder
¼ tsp Nutmeg Powder
½ cup Crushed Ice
4-5 Saffron strands
Chopped dry fruits like pistachios, almonds, cashews

How to proceed:

1) Beat the yoghurt until smooth
2) Mix all remaining ingredients except Dry fruits
3) Blend again to dissolve sugar
4) Serve fresh topped with chopped dry fruits!

* You can optionally add vanilla /rose /pista essence!

Dahi Wada

I am an avid fan of chaat items(do i need to say that again???) and miss them here in Belgium. Although I try to prepare some chaat items at home, the taste of the ones served at roadside chaat corners in India is ohh so yummy!!! :) When I settled down here, I decided to try n cook as many chaats n snacks as possible at home so that I do not sacrifice my love for these foods :) If I would have not tried, I would have been extinct by now :D

Dahi Wadas are fried dumplings prepared using Urad Dal(Split Black Gram Dal) and served with loads of dahi (Yoghurt). Dahi wadas are my top favourite in chaat items and I am glad to say that my dahi wadas turn out equally good as the ones served in restaurants! :) Its a easy to prepare (with some preparatins before time) and a quick n appetising Punjabi snack which goes for RCI Punjabi Cuisine!

Dahi Wada

Makes:

8-10 wadas!

What you need:

1 Cup Urad Dal
2 tsp Cumin Powder
Pinch of Sodium Bicarb
Salt to taste
Oil to fry
1 kg Plain Yogurt
4-5 tbsp Sugar
2 tsp Roasted Cumin Seeds
Red Chili Powder
Sweet Tamarind Sauce*

How to proceed:

1) Wash and soak Urad Dal overnight.
2) Grind into smooth batter and add cumin powder, sodium bicarb and salt to taste, set aside for 10 mins
3) Beat the yoghurt and divide it in two portions. Leave one portion as is(normal yogurt) and add sugar to other portion to make sweet yoghurt
4) Heat oil in a pan, take handful of batter and slide into hot oil
5) Deep fry the vada on medium heat till crispy and golden brown
6) Drain excess oil and soak the vada in water for 10 mins
7) Press each vada to drain off excess water and soak in normal yoghurt for 10 mins
8) Put the soaked vadas in serving dish and cover with 2-3 tbsp of sweet yogurt
9) Garnish with roasted cumin seeds, red chilli powder, cumin powder, salt and tamarind sauce (optionally Corriander)

*Add tamarind pulp to water and mix sugar/jaggery to make sweet tamarind sauce

Matar Paratha

What do you do when you got to finish off a packet of frozen peas lying in the freezer before leaving for a vacation? Matar(Peas) Paratha for RCI Punjabi Cuisine :) Its "the" best thing that can happen with peas! :) My display of love for Parathas continues ;) Similar to other parathas, this paratha can be served with curds, raitas or pickles! I served matar paratha with boondi raita.

Matar Paratha

What you need:

For the cover:
2 cup Wheat flour (Atta)
2 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Oil
Water

For the filling:
1 cup Peas, boiled and drained
3-4 Green Chillies
1 inch Ginger
1 tsp Corriander Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
Salt
Oil

How to proceed:

For the cover:
1) Mix all ingredients and knead into soft dough
2) Keep aside for 15-20 mins

For the filling:
1) Mince green chillies and ginger and keep aside
2) Mince peas
3) Heat 2-3 tbsp oil and add ginger chilli paste to it
4) Add minced peas and remaining ingredients
5) Cook for 12-15 mins until the mixture seems dry and then set aside to cool for 1-2 hrs

Putting it all together:
1) Divide the dough and filling in equal parts.
2) Roll each ball of dough to diameter of approx 4 inches
3) Put the stuffing/filling in the middle and get the ends of dough together and close so that the filling does not come out
4) Roll the parathas to size 7-8 inch in diameter using wheat flour
5) Roast on hot girdle on both sides till brown using butter/ghee/oil
6) Serve hot wit raitas, yoghurt or pickles!

Palak Paneer

Now that I have learnt to prepare Paneer at home (and am really so glad about it :) ), here’s one of my favourite Paneer dish for RCI Punjabi Cuisine- Palak Paneer. An amazing combination of nutritious Palak and rich Paneer… As a child, I hated Palak.. Palak was just dear when watching "Popeye the sailor man" :D But once I started eating Palak Paneer, I suddenly started finding it good.. Mom used to make this often coz there are very few other leafy vegetables that I eat.. Sometimes wen Paneer was unavailable, she replaced it with boiled aalo(potatoes) to make Aalo Palak.. This is probably the best way to enjoy the iron rich Palak and non- fat cheese.. Enjoy my mom’s recipe of Palak Paneer..

Palak Paneer

Serves:

2-3 ppl

Preparation time:

35-40 mins

What you need:

1 bunch fresh Palak(Spinach)
250 gm Paneer
1 inch Ginger, chopped
2-3 Green Chillies, chopped
2-3 cloves Garlic,chopped
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 medium sized Onion, sliced
2 Tomatoes, chopped
1-2 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste
3-4 tbsp Oil
Water

How to proceed:

1) Wash and chop Palak coarsely
2) Heat 1 tbsp Oil in a pan, add ginger, garlic and green chillies
3) Saute for a min and add chopped palak
4) Add ½ cup Water and cook till the Palak turns soft. When done, keep aside
5) Dice the paneer in 1 inch cubes
6) Heat 2 tbsp Oil in another pan and add Paneer cubes to it
7) Shallow fry them for a minute till they turn golden brown.
8) Set them aside and add cumin seeds to remaining oil
9) Now add onion and cook till it turns transparent.
10) Add tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy
11) When done, turn off heat and set it aside
12) Blend both these mixtures (cooked palak, onion tomato) to pastes, mix them and keep aside.
13) Cook this mixture for 5-10 mins and add salt and sugar as required
14) Add fried Paneer cubes and cook covered for another 5 mins
15) Serve hot with rotis or parathas

* The above ingredients make thick Palak Paneer.. Add more water at step (13) if you wish to make the gravy thin.

* Add cream/ butter while serving if you like.

Aalo Gobhi

The simplest stir fry Punjabi sabji for RCI Punjabi Cuisine- Aalo Gobhi.. The other stir-fry Punjabi sabjis like aalo matar, aalo simla, gobhi matar, bhindi aalo etc. can be prepared on the same lines as this recipe! Aalo Gobhi is a simple sabji of potatoes and cauliflower. So simple that my husband loving cooks it for me on weekends :) Ready to be served in 15 mins and goes well with flat bread and rotis!

Aalo Gobhi

Preparation time:

15-20 mins

Serves:

2-3 ppl

What you need:

½ kg Cauliflower
3-4 Potatoes
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
A pinch of Asafoetida
2-3 tsp Red chilli powder
2 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Corriander powder
2 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

How to proceed:

1) Chop Cauliflower and potatoes in medium sized pieces
2) Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafoetida
3) When mustard seeds start spluttering, add all the spices and mix well
4) Now add chopped aalo and gobi and mix well
5) Cover and cook. Do not add water, let the vegetables cook in their own water
6) Stir at intervals till the potatoes are cooked and become soft (not mushy)
7) Add salt, mix well and turn off heat
8) (Optional) Add a dash of Lemon and serve hot with rotis

Homemade Paneer

Making sabjis with Paneer was not so common at my place until last month. That's when I was cribbing about how rarely we find Paneer here at the Indian stores. She quickly replied that she preferred making it at home and the cook in me cursed me when I got to know the oh-so-easy procedure of making Paneer at home! I tried it out the next day and it turned out perfectly smooth and delicious.. I thought of sharing this with you guys so that you can make some lovely Paneer dishes for me :D

I dont think I need to talk more about this lovely no-fat cheese from India- Paneer, also known as cottage Cheese. I realised that its totally harmless when I prepared it at home.. And now since I have Paneer at hand, except some Paneer dishes next week from me for RCI Punjabi Cuisine! :)

Paneer

Preparation time:

3.5-4 hrs

Makes:

~400 gm Paneer

What you need:

1 liter full fat Milk
Juice of 1 Lemon

How to proceed:

1) Place milk in a pan and bring to boil
2) Keep stiring at intervals so that it does not stick to the pan
3) When milk starts boiling, add juice of 1 lemon to it
4) Heat for another 5-10 mins
5) You'll see a separate yellowish layer of water above
6) Take off the heat and seive using a strainer to remove the water
7) Hold under cold water for a min and then tie in a thin cloth
8) Hang it/Place it under weight for few hours till all water drains out
9) Cut in cubes and use it for your favourite Punjabi dishes!

* Strain the lemon juice before hand. Do not squeze it directly over the milk. This prevents the lemon particles from getting into paneer and paneer retains the pure white color.

* I prefer hanging the paneer for some time and then pressing it between my cutting board and my marble rolling platform (polpat/chakla). This makes the panner flat and becomes easier to store it as well as easy for making cubes!

Potato Wafers

Summer time in India is time for ladies to prepare their year long stock of pickles and walawan.. Walawan is the category of things made which need to be sun dried. I remember mom making potato wafers, different papads and kurdais during summer time.. Our job as kids used to be to sit on the terrace to keep a watch on the birds that try feasting on these delicacies when they are left for drying :D Little did mom realise that we used to be the real birds feasting on them :) Especially the kurdais made from wheat flour coz they tasted awesome when half dry.. Mom used to have different prepataion for fasting food and for normal days as wells! Fasting preparations usually consisted of potato wafers, potato kees, sabudana papad and subudana babata kurdai/chakli.. Wafers used to be my favourite and I decided to try some last week as I had a bag of potatoes lying around. So here's one of my favourite fasting food- Potato Wafers- for "W of Indian Vegetables." I am glad I made these last week as I really enjoyed eating these yesterday during my Thursday fast :) Thats the advantage of fasting.. lots of yummy foods :D

Making Potato wafers is a bit lengthy process.. But once well prepared and dried, these can be stored for about year! So its just worth the efforts taken. Instead of deep frying in oil (the traditional way), these can be sprayed and baked in microwave as well! Take care while drying them.. If they are stored without proper drying, they can be spoilt by fungus.. So better check that the weather is gonna be sunny for the next 5-6 days before taking up this task ;)

Potato Wafers

Preparation time:

4-5 days

Makes:

Short snack for 1

What you need:

3 medium sized Potatoes (preferably flat and long)
Salt
Oil to fry
Red chilli powder
Hardware- Mandoline

How to proceed:

1) Peel potatoes and make chips using the wavy side of mandoline, or the plain one if you like it plain.. My opinion-the wavy ones look n feel good :D
2) Boil these in water with 1-2 tsp Oil for 4-5 mins
3) Now drain off water and hold the chips under cold water
4) Place the chips separately on a plastic sheet and dry in sunn for 4-5 days, flipping sides twice a day
5) When they are totally dry, store in an air tight container
6) Deep fry in oil, drain excess oil on kitchen towels and sprinkle with red chilli powder and salt or eat plain

Rajma

Rajma with rice is a well known combi meal for Punjabis.. Rajma is a gravy prepared from Red Kidney beans and this hot gravy served with rice has a heavenly taste :) This is one of the easiest and quickest meals for Punjabis. Punjabis love rice just the way I do ;) I prepared this yesterday for dinner and decided to post it today for RCI Punjabi Cuisine!

Rajma

Makes:

4 generous servings

What you need:

1 can (400 gm) boiled Rajma(Red Kidney Beans)
2 Onions, chopped
2 Tomatoes,puried
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
2 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Cumin Powder
2 tsp Corriander powder
2-3 tbsp chopped Corriander
4-5 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

How to proceed:

1) If you do not have canned Rajma, soak Rajma overnight and then boil it in cooker for 3 whistles with some salt n cooking soda.
2) Do not drain off the water in which rajma is soaked (even the canned content)
3) Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and onions
4) Saute onions till they become transperant
5) Add puried tomatoes and cook till mixture turns mushy and it starts leaving sides of the pan
6) Now add all spices and mix well for a minute
7) Add rajma alongwith water in which it is soaked
8) Add another cup or two of water (acoording to desired consistency)
9) Add oil as required
10) Cook for 10-12 mins, garnish with corriander
11) Serve hot with rice and papads!

Methi Paratha

Here's another paratha for RCI Punjabi Cuisine, the Methi Paratha! Methi(Fenugreek) is one sabji I strongly hate.. Its the same with most of the leafy vegetables :( But this is the only way used to eat Methi, in form of parathas.. Hence mom used to regularly make them for breakfasts or tiffins.. Methi paratha differs from other parathas since this does not need any stuffing. In methi parathas that I make, the methi is usually mixed alongwith the dough. Hence its easy to make this since its just the work of rolling it. As methi is directly added to the flour while making dough, the methi is neither cooked nor boiled. Hence, the vitamins (or whatever :D) provided by methi are totally preserved! So here's totally nutritious Methi Paratha for you!

Methi Paratha

Makes:

7-8 Parathas

What you need:

1 bunch Methi(Fenugreek)- picked and finely chopped
2 cups Wheat flour
2-3 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Corriander Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp Ajwain
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
2 tbsp Yoghurt
1 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste
Oil

How to proceed:

1)Mix all ingredients and knead to a soft dough
2)Keep aside for 30 mins
3)Divide dough into 7-8 equal sized parts and form round balls
4)Roll each ball to thin parathas
5)Bake using oil/butter
6)Serve hot with Yoghurt or pickles!

Boondi Raita

Boondi Raita is a typical side dish from the Punjabi Cuisine. Milk products are a main part of Punjabi food. Raitas are usually salads in Yoghurt but boondi raita is different due to the addition of Boondi instead of salads! Boondi is a snack made from chickpea flour and can be prepared at home with some efforts! But since it is easily available in Indian stores, the raita becomes easy more easier to prepare.. Boondi raita with paratha is a cool combination for a weekend breakfast.. The boondi is initially soaked in water.. hence the oil from boondi drains off.. And hence the raita becomes even more healthy :) Here goes the recipe of Boondi Raita for RCI Punjabi Cuisine!

Boondi Raita

Makes:

1 serving each for 2

What you need:

4-5 tbsp salted Boondi
1 cup Yoghurt
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder/Pepper
½ tsp Cumin Powder
Salt
Corriander for garnishing

How to proceed:

1) Soak boondi in water for 5 mins
2) Drain water from boondi and add boondi to yoghurt
3) Add chilli powder, cumin powder and salt to yoghurt and mix well
4) Garnish with corriander and refrigerate for some time
5) Serve chilled with hot paratahas

* Adding a tsp of Chat Masala adds a zest to the raita!

Aalu Paratha

The first food item that comes to mind when talking of Punjabi food is Paratha. Parathas are stuffed breads, available in different flavours, depending on the ingredients of the stuffing, most famous being the Aalu Paratha. Aalu Paratha is stuffed bread with stuffing prepared from boiled potatoes. Back in Pune, one of the most famous joint for lajawaab(tasty) parathe is "Chaitanya Paratha" on FC Road. Lately they started another branch in Kothrud which is gaining even more popularity. The parathas served here are priced at Rs. 25-30 and are pretty affordable as one paratha serves as a meal. These paratahs are served with dahi(yoghurt), pyaaz(onion), achaar(pickles) and a yummy dollop of makkhan(Indian butter) which melts on these hot paratahs.. No wonder its always crowded on weekdays and noon time as well! Another famous joint is "Nandu's" on Dhole Patil road,but I had been there just once and always prefer Chaitanya for locality and some other reasons (my friends know better ;) )

Aalu Parathas serve a heavy breakfast as well as filling one-dish meals. Quick and easy to prepare, here's aalu paratha for RCI Punjabi Cuisine.

Aalu Paratha

Makes:

6 parathas

What you need:

For the cover:
2 cup Wheat flour (Atta)
2 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Oil
Water

For the filling:
4 Potatoes boiled
4-5 Green Chillies
1 inch Ginger
3-4 cloves of Garlic
2-3 tsp Ajwain seeds
1 tsp Corriander Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
2-3 strands of Corriander, finely chopped
Salt

How to proceed:

For the cover:
1) Mix all ingredients and knead into soft dough
2) Keep aside for 15-20 mins

For the filling:
1) Mash potatoes
2) Put chillies, ginger and garlic in blender and blend to a paste, add this to mashed potatoes
3) Add the remaining ingredients and mix well
4) Divide the filling into 4-5 parts as desired [these should be of size same as dough]

Putting it all together:
1)Divide the dough into 4-5 parts. [the size of each part should be nearly same to size of part of each filling]
2) Roll the dough to diameter of approx 4 inches
3) Put the stuffing/filling in the middle and get the ends of dough together and close so that the filling does not come out
4) Roll the parathas to size 7-8 inch in diameter using wheat flour
5) Roast on hot girdle on both sides till brown using oil/ghee/butter
6) Serve hot wit raitas, curd or pickles!

I served aalo parathas with koshimbir/raita and tomato sabji

Bhatura

Punjabi food is my second favourite after Maharashtrian Food.. So now a month of Punjabi food is gonna be fun after a month of Matthu food :) Thanks to my maternal surname(Mahajan), people consider me to be a Punjabi.. Thanks to my looks (?) gujjus start talking to me in Gujrati :D Few more call me Kashmiri (???????) and a very very few call me Maharashtrian! :D Things are bit better now when people dont get confused with my looks as my only identity here in Pardes is an "Indian" :)

Punjabi food is very famous in all nooks n corners of India. Be it in posh restaurant in cities or on the roadside Dhabasa on highways.. There is always a rush of people wanting to please their appetite with the "rich" Punjabi food :) Since I am not a figure conscious person, I am an absolute fan of Punjabi food... The oh so rich Paneer items and the array of Parathas with a generous topping of ghee and makkhan.. Ufff... Whats the use of fasting today if I keep thinking of such things!!

Bhatura,a (fried) bread native to Punjab, is my first entry for RCI Punjabi Cuisine hosted by the lovely Richa.. Bhatura is usually served with spicy gravies but makes a perfect jodi with masaledaar chole.. Bhaturas seem to consume and retain less oil than Puris and hence I make them often! Easy to make with some preparation in advance, they are also more filling than puris or rotis.. 2-3 bhaturas make a good midday meal..

Bhatura

Makes:

7-8 Bhaturas

What you need:

1 cup Plain Flour (Maida)
1 tbsp Semolina
2 tbsp Sour Yoghurt
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Powder
Oil for frying

How to proceed:

1) Mix all ingredients with 1 tsp Oil and knead to a stiff dough.
2) Cover and keep aside for 4-5 hrs
3) Divide into small balls and roll bhaturas to desired size.
4) Deep fry on both sides
5) Drain excess oil on tissues and serve hot puffed bhaturas with spicy Punjabi Sabjis!

Summing up month long Maharashtrian Cooking!

A month long cooking series for RCI Maharashtrian Cuisine ends today.. My hubby didnt complain about having Maharshtrian food every day for past one month.. He actually loved it and was blessing Nupur every other day! :) When Nupur announced this event, no one would have been as glad as I was.. Starting from 25th May till today, 25th June, I posted 26 well known Maharshtrian recipes, trying to differenciate in various categories and atleast one entry for each category (obviously only vegetarian dishes). I surely cant take a "break" from Maharashtrian food as there are many more recipes to share, but for some time I'll be concentrating on posting dishes from some different cuisines as well..

Here goes a list of all my entries for RCI Maharashtrian Cuisine

Upwaasache Padartha (Fasting Food):
* Sabudana Kheer

Sanache Padartha (Festive Food):
* GulPoli for MakarSankranti
* Puran Poli for Holi
* Ukadiche Modak for Ganesh Chaturti
* Besan Ladoo for Diwali

Nashta (Breakfast):
* Upma

Snacks:
* Vada Pav

Starters:
* Kanda Bhaji

Soup:
* Tomatoche Saar

Chutneys:
* Shengdana Chutney

Salads:
* Kakadichi Koshimbir

Side Dish:
* Waffole/Funke

Breads:
* Bhakri

Sukki Bhaaji (Dry Sabjis):
* Bharli Bhendi
* Batatyachi Bhaaji
* Tomatochi Bhaaji
* Matkichi Usal
* Gavaarchi Bhaaji
* Vangyacha Bharit

Ooli Bhaaji (Wet/Gravy Sabjis):
* Chawlichi Aamti
* Katachi Aamti
* Batata Rassa

Bhaat (Rice):
* Vangi Bhaat

Goad/Mishtanna (Desserts):
* Amrakhand
* Shevai Kheer

Peya (Beverages):
* Mattha

Best Combinations:
* Amrakhand-Puri
* Batatyachi Bhaaji-Puri
* Vangyacha Bharit-Bhakri
* Puran Poli- Kataci Aamti
* Pithla- Bhakri

Easiest Ones:
* Mattha
* Kanda Bhaji
* Koshimbir

Toughest Ones:
* Ukadiche Modak
* Puran Poli

I hope you try these recipes and like them.. Do leave a comment about how you find my recipes.. Your comments encourage me and help me improve my cooking. I hope to to make such a list for other Indian Cuisines as well :)

Shevai Kheer

To end on a sweet note....

Today being the last day for RCI Maharashtrian Cuisine, I decided to end my entries with something sweet.. Shevai Kheer is a Maharashtrian dessert prepared using shevai/vermicelli. Thin shevai (Ganesh Shevai) as well as the thick one (Pillusbury Vermicelli) can be used for this dish. Kheer's are a favourite Maharashtrian dessert because they are easy to prepare and hence make a quick dessert when guests suddenly drop in. :) The Maharashtrian Kheer family includes kheers made from Rice (Tandalachi Kheer), Wheat (Gavhachi Kheer), Semolina(Rawyachi Kheer) and Vermicelli(Shevai Kheer). Shevai Kheer is the richest of these all, hence not prepared as often as others.. Other desserts include the quick one-Sheera (semolina pudding), store brought Shrikhand, Amrakhand, Jilebi and the ones that take more time(1-2 hrs) to prepare- Gulabjamuns, Gajar Halwa and Basundi.

In Maharashtra, Birthdays and Sweets go hand in hand.. Its happens to be my Dad's borthday today.. and so this Kheer is for Dad.. Happy Birthday Papa!

Shevai Kheer

What you need:

100 gm Shevai (Vermicelli)
2 tbsp Ghee
2 cups Milk
1/2 cup Sugar (adjust acco to taste)
Fried dry fruits

How to proceed:

1) Heat Ghee in pan
2) Fry dry fruits and keep aside
3) Now add vermicelli in the remaining ghee
4) Fry stirring continuously till the vermicelli starts turning brown
5) Now add milk and let vermicelli cook
6) When milk starts boiling, add sugar and dry fruits
7) Cook till vermicelli becomes soft (is cooked)
8) Serve hot or cold

* Above ingredients make thick kheer. Add more milk if you wish thin kheer.

Funke/Waffole

This is one dish near to my heart coz its from my ajool (granny's place). "Funke" as it is called in Khandesh (Northern Maharashtra), it is also known as "Waffole" after the process of cooking- steaming (this process is called "Waafavane" in Marathi, waaf being the marathi word for "vapour"). I can be undoubtedly called 100% healthy dish coz this recipe does not call for even a drop of oil. Toor daal, rich in proteins, onions and corriander and spicy chillies is all it needs for making waffole. Nutritious and tasty waffole can be served as a side dish or as breakfast or snack item with a hot cup of tea! :) As a side dish, this goes for "RCI Maharashtrian Cuisine", "W of Indian Vegetables" and as a healthy breakfast for "WBB #12-Spice it up"!

To enjoy something crispy, cut each waffole into 2-3 pieces and shallow fry in a skillet with one tablespoon of oil and some mustard and cumin seeds. If you are health/ calorie conscious people, below recipe is for you! Enjoy madi! :D

Funke

What you need:

1 cup Toor Daal
2 Onions, finely chopped
1/3 cup Corrainder, finely chopped
1 inch Ginger, minced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
3-4 Green Chillies, minced
4-5 tsp Sesame Seeds
1 -2 tsp Lemon Juice
Salt

How to proceed:

1) Soak Toor Daal for 1-2 hrs
2) Drain all water and coarsely grind it
3) Mix all the remaining ingredients except Sesame seeds and knead together
4) Make small dumplings of desired shape and dip in sesame seeds
5) Put these dumplings in a steamer/cooker and steam it for 15-20 mins
6) Serve hot oil-free healthy waffole as a snack or a side item during lunch!

* The long funke on the left are the steamed funke and on the small funke on right are the shallow fried ones. I served them with tomato ketchup.

Batata Rassa

Rassa Bhaaji is sabji in Maharshtrian meal where the gravy is very thin. Batata Rassa is a wet sabji from potato with thin gravy which I'll be posting for RCI Maharashtrian Cuisine! I didnt get to spend time with my in laws after marriage.. So I cant really say much about dishes and cooking style at my in laws.. This is my husband's recipe and so I had to post it! :) Hence this is probably the only recipe that I learnt from my laws :D Enjoy this spicy batata rassa with hot rice once and you would surely give it another try!

Batata Rassa

What you need:

2-3 Potatoes,diced
1 inch Ginger
3-4 cloves Garlic
1/2 cup dry Cocunut, grated
1/4 cup Corriander
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
A pinch of Asafoetida
1 tsp Goda Masala
1-2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/3 cup Peanut Powder(roasted)

Salt
Oil
Water

How to proceed:

1) Add ginger, garlic, corriander and cocunut to mixer and prepare a smooth paste
2) Heat 4-5 tsp Oil and add mustard and cumin seeds to it
3) When mustard seeds start spluttering, add asafoetida and paste to it
4) Fry the paste till it turns golden brown
5) Now add goda masala, red chilli powder and turmeric, mix well
6) Add diced Potatoes and saute for 5-7 mins
7) Now add 2-3 cups water (as desired) and let potatoes are cooked
8) Add salt and cook till oil comes up and forms a layer (This might seem too oily but its that way :) This oil is called Tarri/Tawang in Marathi)
9) Now add peanut powder and let cook for another 5 mins
10) If potatoes are still uncooked, cover and cook for some more time
11) Serve hot with rice, bhakris or chapatis!

Vangi Bhaat

Rice is an important part of Maharashtrian meal.. Most common rice dishes being varan bhaat(dal rice), khichdi, dahi bhaat(yoghurt rice), vangi bhaat(eggplant rice), masale bhaat etc. Here's Vangi Bhaat for "RCI Maharashtrian Cuisine", "V of Indian Vegetables" and "JFI Eggplant"!

Vangi Bhaat

What you need:

2 cups Basmati Rcie
3-4 small Brinjals, cut into long pieces
2 Potatoes, cubed (optional)
1 Onion sliced

2-3 Cinnamon Sticks
10-12 Black Peppers
4-5 Cloves
2 Bay Leaves
3-4 Cardamoms

1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Goda Masala
1-2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Turmeric

Water
Salt
Oil

How to proceed:


1) Wash and soak rice in water for 15 mins
2) Cook rice and remove water from it. Each rice grain should be separate and intact!3) Spread rice and leave aside to cool
4) Cut brinjals and potatoes and soak in water
5) Heat 3-4 tbsp oil in a pan, add whole masala ingredients to it
6) When the whole spices are done, add Cumin Seeds
7) Add Onions and saute for a min
8) Now add goda masala, red chilli powder and turmeric and mix
9) Add diced Eggplants and Potatoes and mix well to coat the spices well
10) Add a cup of Water and add some salt
11) Cook covered for some time till eggplants and potatoes are cooked
12) Now add rice, mix well using a fork (to prevent rice from breaking)
13) Mix well and cook for 2-3 mins

* I served the Vangi Bhaat with Dahi Chutney (Shengdana Chutney added to Yoghurt)