Katachi Aamati

Indian food is well blend of all flavorings as sweet,sour,spicy,bitter,salty,tangy . Traditionally keliche paan/Banana leaf is used to serve(as a plate) maharashtrian food. Typical maharashtrian plate consists of salt,lemon wedge, koshimbir/raita, chutney, sukki batata bhaaji/ potatoes dry vegetable,aluchi bhaaji/Colocassia leaves vegetable,katachi amati/curry, bhaji/pakoda, papad, plain rice, masale bhatt/ spicy rice, sakhar bhaat/sweet rice,plain dal, puran poli,dessert, mattha/buttermilk and last but not least vida/ meetha paan/ Betel leaf.

This is my attempt to present a maharashtrian thali served on keliche paan.

There is a typical way on how the serving should be made on your plate like on the left side of plate salt,lemon wedge,chutney,pickle,koshimbir,panchamrut, bhaji, papad, kurdai, puranpoli, shrikhand-puri and on right side batata bhaaji,aluchi pattal bhaaji and kheer and in the center plain rice,masale bhaat,sakhar bhaat and in bowls katachi aamati,milk for puran poli.Sides of plates are decorated with rangoli and eveybody sits on paat/ small wooden raised stool. Before starting to eat everyone says a sholka 'Wadani kaval gheta' and believe me it's soul satisfying food; indulging all your senses.

Now lets talk about katachi aamati. It's a spicy soupy dish accompanying plain rice.Drained water from cooked chana dal is called as Kat. Let's get into it...

Ingredients-

• 2 cups kat (refer puranpoli for preparing kat)
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/2 tablespoon jaggery
• 1/2 tablespoon tamarind paste
• 4-5 curry leaves
• 1 tablespoon dried grated coconut
• 4-5 cloves
• cumin seeds
• 2-3 dried whole red chilies
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• salt
• oil

Method-

1. Take grated coconut and cumin seeds and roast it till coconut become golden color.
2. Take kat in a bowl add red chili powder, curry leaves,cloves,jaggery,tamarind paste,dried chilies.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add pinch of asfodia and turmeric powder then add kat mixed with all spices;then add roasted coconut and cumin seeds and boil it till the jaggery gets dissolved.
4. Serve hot with plain rice.

PuranPoli

Happy Dasara/Dussehra/Vijaydashmi to all.

Puranpoli is a one of traditional Maharashtrian delicacies. Coking skills of a girl(especially newly wed)are always tested by how good is her puranpoli. I still remember the get-togethers we did when I was a kid; we all used gather for festivals at my grandma's place;we played,we fought and we ate what a great meals.My aaji/grandma is a very good cook and everyone calls her Anapurna. She is 80 and still want to preapre meals personally whenever we visit. I always wondered will I be able to make puranpolis like her? Gave it a try;came out pretty good but she is the BOSS!!!!

Here is the puranpoli I prepared for naivedyam on Dasara.

Ingredients-

For Puran/Stuffing

• 1 1/4 cups chana dal
• 1 cup jaggery
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder
• Pinch of turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon oil

For Poli/bread/Cover

• 1/4 cup semolina/rava
• 1 cup wheat flour
• 1 cup all-pourpose flour/maida
• 4 tablespoons oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method-

1. Take semolina/rava and add 1/2 cup water to it; to soak for 30-40 minutes.
2. Take the remaining dry ingredients for poli and add soaked rava along with the water(add water gradually) then add oil to a kneaded dough and once again knead to make soft and loose dough.The dough should be loose and oily to make the dough pliable.Cover the dough and set aside for 1 hour.
3. Take dal and add 3 1/2 cups of water,pinch of turmeric powder and 1 tablespoon oil to it and put it in pressure cooker/rice cooker.It's the quickest way to cook otherwise u can use pot also.
4. Take 5-6 whistles varies with size of cooker. As I don't have puran yantra/machine; I prefer to cook it for more time.Puran yantra is similar to the food mill used for mashed potatoes.
5. Once the dal is cooked drain out the excess water known as 'Kat' from it and save it to make 'Katachi Aamati' a spicy soupy dal.
6. Blend the dal with egg beater or hand blender to get smooth texture.
7. Put the blended dal in pan on stove on medium high and add jaggery,sugar and stir it till it get dissolved completely into dal. Cook this mixture till the spoon can stand straight into it without falling.
8. Then add nutmeg and cardamom powder and mix well. Turn off the stove and stir frequently to avoid burning/sticking at bottom of pan.
9. Make lemon size balls of dough and flatten the dough little with your hand and make a shape of small bowl.Take 2 tablespoons of puran/stuffing and put it into the dough bowl and close the dough.
10. Dust the rolling pin and surface with flour and start rolling out poli/bread spreading the stuffing evenly.
11. Put the tawa/skillet on stove on medium high and roast it on the both sides.
12. Serve hot with sajuk tup/ clarified butter and a bowl of milk.

Happy Navratri - Ude Ga Ambe Ude !!

To all readers a very 'Happy Navratri' - festival of triumph of good over evil.

First Nine days of Ashwin month (Seventh month of Hindu Calendar) is celebrated as Navratri-in honour of Maa Durga. First three days are for worshiping Mahakali Maata, next three days Maa Laxmi and last three days Maa Saraswati.

Tenth day is celebrated as Dasara/Dussehra/Vijaydashmi one of the 3 and 1/2 auspicious days in Hindu Calender. This day also marked as victory of Lord Rama over Raavan. People visit each other and worship Apata Tree and exchange its leaves called 'Sone - Gold'. In Maharashtra, people also ritually cross the border of their village / town. This ceremony is known as 'seemollangha'. Everyone worship their books,notebooks,pens. Various cultural programs are organised in temple like Jaagar,Kirtan,Bhajans and DandiyaRaas/Garba.

My mother and my mother-in-law they both do upawas/fast for nine days. We prepare various sweets for naivedya everyday.

I was talking with my mother to get some ideas about preparing sweets;she told me some awesome dishes that I never tried on my own;there is no harm in telling you I was a guest visitor or should say guest cooker (He he he :))in the kitchen before my marriage.

Then my thought process started;I wanted to try something new and one led to another thing and Ta da !!!

I created a whole new dish.I never saw or ate it before and it tasted good( tried and tested on my husband).

So here I proudly represent - BlueBerry Coconut Delight

[Will tell you story behind blueberries some other day]

Ingredients-

• 2 cups Freshly grated Coconut/Frozen Coconut
• 1 3/4 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• Cashews/blanched almonds for garnish
• 1 teaspoon ghee/butter

Method-

1. Put coconut and sugar in a heavy bottom pan on low flame.
2. Add blueberries and stir the mixture frequently.
3. Once the sugar gets dissolved and the mixture starts to bubble add lemon juice.
4. Now stir the mixture till it gets thick.
5. Take off from stove and add cardamom powder and mix well.
6. Apply ghee/butter to a dish and pour the mixture into the dish.
7. Level it with spoon and put some cashews/blanched almonds for garnish.
8. Let it dry for sometime and then cut into pieces.

Tip- The color is so amazing and tempting that you can't wait for long so for quick drying keep it in freezer for sometime and then cut.

Methi Paratha

Me and my husband are avid fans of Methi/ Fenugreek vegetable.It's must have item whenever we go to Indian store. He quoted once that if you cook Methi or Aloo-Baingan for 365 days a year I will not complaint at all(Will be easy for me right?). Now you get the idea how much he likes it.

Considering this I bought extra bunch in addition to the other to prepare paratha/methiche Thepale as we call it at home.Here is the recipe.

Ingredients-

• One cup roughly chopped methi/Fenugreek leaves.
• 2-3 finely chopped green chilies
• 2-3 cloves of garlic(finely chopped)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin-corriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 cups wheat flour
• 2 tablespoon basen/ chickpea flour
• pinch of asfodia/hing powder
• salt
• vegetable oil

Method-

1. Take wheat flour add all the dry ingredients and mix well.
2. Now add couple of tablespoons of oil and again mix.
3. Add water and knead into a soft dough.
4. Cover it and set aside for half hour.
5. Now make lemon size balls of dough. Roll it with your rolling pin.
6. Put some oil on a frying pan/ tava and fry on both sides till you get golden brown color.
7. Serve it hot with curd,pickle.

Tip- It's a good item to take it with you for traveling. Prepare it in advance and will last for 2-3 days.

Corn Paratha

Everyone eagerly waits for summer to arrive to get active outside(to shed few pounds put on during holiday season(winter) and I was hoping for the same;no harm in hoping isn't it :)

We didn't feel summer this year as it was raining outside for last couple of weeks;not continuously but most of the summer weekends were wet(I hated that most;should say we(housewives)). We love to go out on weekends and get a well deserving break from our daily chores (especially if you have a toddler at home full time then........) to get charge for the week.

On one of the rainy sunday we went for grocery shopping; to be honest with you that's not my favorite task.We saw fresh corn and remember the 'bhutta gadi' and obviously we picked few ones but when we tasted it at home it was too soft and sweet and then I had to find smart way to incorporate it in a dish and I did.So here is my Corn Paratha.

Ingredients-

• 1 cup Corn Kernels (grated or coarsely blended in food processor) or 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 2 1/2 cup wheat flour
• 3-4 finely chopped green chilies
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin- coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• pinch of hing/asfodia powder
• salt(as per taste)
• oil
• cumin seeds

Method-

1. First grate the corn or take a big bowl and place another small bowl upside down in a big bowl; then cut the base of corn and place that corn on the small bowl and slice the kernels of so it will fall in a big bowl. Put the kernels in food processor and blend it till you get a coarse texture.
2. Add Kernels into wheat flour with turmeric powder,asfodia powder,cumin seeds,cumin-corriander powder, salt.
3. Take garlic,green chilies,coriander leaves and chop it finely. Then add it to flour mixture.
4. Add 2 tablespoon of vegetable oil then add water and knead it to make a soft dough.
5. Now make small balls of dough; dust some flour on rolling board and roll it to make paratha.
6. Put some oil/butter on pan and fry it then apply oil or butter on other side and fry it to golden brown color.
7. Serve hot with pickle/curd/Vegetable.

Vegetable Puff

Afternoon time in the office;most of us feeling sleepy and thinking about a cup of tea and your friend got vegetable puff with hot cup of tea(cutting chai). Surely I will call her/him Best Friend (Ha ha ha :)

In my college days we used to go to the bakery just outside of the campus for some veg puffs, sandwiches,pastries.Couldn't resist the temptation of hot puff- the buttery aroma always won.

So here I am with my version of Vegetable puffs.

Ingredients-

• 2 Puff pastry sheets
• 1/2 cup boiled and mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup green peas
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup small cubed paneer / cottage cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dabeli masala or 1/2 teaspoon cumin & coriander powder, 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon tamarind-date paste
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 egg (Optional)

Method-

1. Pre-heat the oven at 350 ⁰F.
2. Take 2 sheets of puff pastry and thaw it for 10 minutes at room temperature.
3. Heat oil in a pan;add pinch of asfodia powder.
4. Now add chopped onion and saute it for couple of minutes.
5. Add Mashed potatoes and paneer and with the spoon mix it well with little mashing.
6. Now add red chili powder, dabeli masala and salt and mix it.
7. Add peas and stir the stuffing for 1-2 minutes
8. Turn the stove off and add tamarind-date paste and mix well.
9. Crack one egg and add little water and mix.
10. Now cut the pastry sheet in half and apply the egg & water mixture (only water can also do the trick ) on four sides leaving the center space to put stuffing; put the 1 tablespoon stuffing at the center.
11. Now close the edges and with fork press a bit a the closed edges; creating a nice pattern.
12. Put butter paper in a cookie sheet(for easy clean up) and put the puff and apply egg wash.(Or you can apply little oil)
13. Bake it for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
14. Serve it hot with ketchup.

Falooda Ice cream

We were missing summer holidays used to have back in India when we were kids. Summer and ice cream are like couple made for each other and I bet everybody will agree with me. Though there is fun to eat ice cream in winter but can't beat the perfect duo.

Final exams are over and now kids are free to have fun; go to movies, park, traveling but one thing will remain constant is ice cream. I remember the final day of final exam of every year; we used to plan that in advance and for sure we ended it on sweet note.

Our friends were coming for casual get together and we thought what could be better than good old falooda. So here is my attempt with extra few touches to take you back down the memory lane...

Ingredients-

• One pack falooda mix (got it in Indian store & it contains noodles and sabja seeds)
• any two flavors of ice cream
• whipped cream
• cashew nuts
• strawberry or any flavor of jam (optional)

Method-

1. Follow the directions on pack of falooda mix and prepare it in advance. [ Tip- It may take more time than mentioned on packet to get thick and it gets thicker when you put it in refrigerator for cooling]
2. Take out ice cream from freezer 10 minutes before serving.
3. Take two tablespoon of jam add little water and put it in microwave for few seconds.Mix it well and strain it using tea strainer and chill the sauce(This is totally optional)
4. In ice cream cup put a layer of falooda mix put one scoop of ice cream and mix it little bit. Then put second scoop and do the same procedure. (for those who have sweet tooth like me put extra one scoop)
5. Then top it with some whipped cream(optional)
6. Garnish it with some cashew nuts and and some sauce that we made earlier and it's ready to dig in.