MIRCHICHA KHARDA / MIRCHICHI CHUTNEY / मिरचीचा खरडा

MIRCHICHA KHARDA / MIRCHICHI CHUTNEY / मिरचीचा खरडा 

INGREDIENTS

Green chillies	10 – 12 nos
Garlic cloves / lasoon	10 – 12 nos
Peanuts / shengdane roasted	25 – 30 nos
White Sesame seeds / til seeds	3 tsp
Tamarind / imli	Small lemon sized ball
Salt	½ tsp
Oil	1 tsp

METHOD:

1.       Wash and wipe the green chillies. Cut them roughly in big pieces. Heat little oil, add the garlic cloves. Sauté a little and add in the peanuts, til seeds and tamarind.

2.       Make sure you remove seeds from the tamarind.

3.        When it ingredients in the pan colour lightly add in the roughly cut green chillies. Sauté till the chillies change colour. Add salt and cool a little.

4.       Grind this chutney  till it is coarse.  It will stay well for 8 – 10 days.

5.       In the olden days this mixture used to be crushed on a pata varvanta (grinding stone) hence the name kharda.

6.       Serve with bhakri, zunka  and onion.

MODACHYA MASOOR CHI PARTUN USAL / SPROUTED RED LENTIL USAL / STIR FRIED MASOOR SPROUTS / मोडाच्या मसुराची परतून उसळ

MODACHYA MASOOR CHI PARTUN USAL / STIR FRIED MASOOR SPROUTS / मोडाच्या मसुराची परतून उसळ 

INGREDIENTS

Sprouted whole masoor / red lentil	1 cup
Onions sliced	2 nos
Green chillies	2 nos
Jeera pdr / cumin pdr	¼ tsp
Salt	T.T.
TADKA
Oil	1 tbsp
Jeera / cumin seeds	¼ tsp
Heeng / asafetida	¼ tsp
Haldi / turmeric pdr	¼ tsp

METHOD:

1.       Heat oil, add the jeera, heeng and haldi.

2.       Add in the sliced onions and green chillies slit lengthwise.

3.       Sauté till the onions are soft and change a little colour.

4.       Now add in the washed and drained masoor. Mix well and cover and keep on a slow flame.

5.       Do not add any water. The moisture when the masoor is washed is enough for it to cook. Just make sure to check every few min till the masoor is cooked. It will cook in minutes as masoor cooks very fast.

6.       Add salt, jeera pdr and serve with chapattis.

7.       This can also be made directly on a tava / griddle.

VANGYACHE KAAP / SHALLOW FRIED BRINJAL ROUNDELLS / वांग्याचे काप

As a 4 - 5 year old, I had been to Goa with my parents. That was the first time that I tasted fried fish and was completely addicted to it. 

Then at home we were complete vegetarians coz my mom had never cooked non veg. My dad did cook chicken occasionally though.

So coming back to my story, when we were back from Goa, one fine day I started throwing tantrums around that I wanted to eat fried fish, and that too how it was made in Goa (this is what my parents told me, thankfully I dont remember it). Thats when my mom made these brinjal roundells or Vangyache Kaap for me and fed me saying that it was fried fish.

Many years after that too, my parents would still tease me about my fish fetish, and their not so fishy treat.

VANGYACHE KAAP / SHALLOW FRIED BRINJAL ROUNDELLS / वांग्याचे काप 

INGREDIENTS

Vangi / big purple brinjal	1 no
Coarse rice flour	½ cup
Chilli pdr	¼ tsp
Salt	T.T.
Haldi / turmeric pdr	¼ tsp
Chaat masala	¼ tsp
Oil	For shallow frying
Lemon	1 no

METHOD:

1.       Cut the brinjal in ½ inch thick roundels. Put immediately in water or they will turn black.

2.       In a plate take the rice flour. Season it with salt, chilli pdr and haldi.

3.       Remove each roundel from the water, pat it on a kitchen napkin to remove excess moisture. Poke it and scratch it lightly with  the help of a fork. Now roll it in the seasoned flour, coating it well on both sides.

4.       Shallow fry on a hot griddle till crisp golden brown on both sides and cooked well till the centre.

5.       Remove and sprinkle chaat masala on top. Serve it as a side dish immediately or it will start getting soggy. Garnish with onion rings and lemon wedges.

KELYACHI SANDANE / KELYACHE SANDAN / केळ्याची सांदणे

KELYACHI SANDANE / KELYACHE SANDAN / केळ्याची सांदणे 

INGREDIENTS

Banana pulp (mashed fine)	2 cups
Rice flour (coarse)	1 cup heaped
Jaggery	¾ cup
Scraped fresh coconut	¾ cup
Water	1 ½ cup
Salt	1 pinch
Soda or eno fruit salt	1/8 tsp
Elaichi pdr / cardamom pdr	1/8 tsp
ACCOMPANIMENT
Coconut milk (thin)	1 cup
Jaggery	T.T.

METHOD:

1.       Dry roast the coarse rice flour till it changes colour and it becomes easy to move around in the pan. Dissolve the jaggery in the water.

2.       Mix together well all the ingredients except the soda / eno and the accompaniment ingredients. Make sure you use little less water than the given quantity. Check the consistency. Add more water only if required. It should be of pouring consistency but not runny.

3.       Apply oil or ghee on a plate or use a dhokla stand if you have.

4.       Dissolve the soda / eno in a very little water and put it in the batter. Mix well and immediately pour ladlefuls of the batter in the plates.

5.       Steam them in a steamer for for 15 – 20 min till cooked and a knife comes out clean when poked in the centre of the sandan.

6.       Remove from the steamer and invert the plate and allow it to cool.

7.       Make sure you pass a knife around the plate so that the sandan will be loose from the sides.

8.       Now invert the plate and try to remove them intact and whole.

9.       Dissolve the jaggery in the coconut milk. Pour melted ghee on the sandan and serve them with sweetened coconut milk.

Using the same method and ingredients you can also make fansachi (jackfruit) sandane and ambyachi (mango) sandane. just replace the banana pulp with jackfruit or mango pulp.

KAIRI TAKKU / कैरी तक्कू

KAIRI TAKKU / कैरी तक्कू 

INGREDIENTS

Kairi / raw mango grated	1 cup
Onion grated	¼ cup
Jaggery grated	¼ cup (as per the sourness of the raw mango)
Chilli pdr	¼ tsp
Methi seeds / fenugreek seeds	¼ tsp
Oil	1 tbsp
Heeng / asafetida	¼ tsp
Peanut pdr (optional)	¼ cup

METHOD:

1.        Mix together the grated raw mango and the onion. To it add the jaggery, chilli pdr and salt.

2.       Depending on how sour the raw mango is, increase or decrease the amount of jaggery in it.

3.       Heat oil, add heeng and the methi seeds. When the seeds turn pink remove them out and grind them. Pour the oil and the ground methi seeds on the prepared mango mix.

4.       Mix well and serve this sweet sour takku with paratha or dhirde.

MODACHI KULITH USAL / KULITH CHI AMTI / HORSE BEAN USAL

MODACHI KULITH USAL / KULITH CHI AMTI / HORSE BEAN USAL

INGREDIENTS

Kulith / horse beans sprouted	1 cup
Garlic flakes	3 – 4 nos
Onion chopped	1 no
Coriander leaves	2 – 3 sprigs
Kokum / Amsul	1 no.
Salt	T.T.
TADKA
Oil	1 tbsp
Rai / mustard seeds	½ tsp
Heeng / asafetida	¼ tsp
Haldi / turmeric pdr	¼ tsp
Chilli pdr	½ tsp

METHOD:

1.       Thoroughly wash the sprouted kulith, add water and pressure cook. Give 2 whistles more than what you would normally give for any other sprouts as kulith takes a little longer time to cook.

2.       Heat oil, add rai, heeng and haldi. Add the kokum, sliced garlic and chopped onion. Sauté till the onion starts to leave out oil.

3.       Now add in the pressure cooked kulith sprouts. Add ½ cup water and bring to boil. Add chilli pdr and salt. Adjust seasonings and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with chapatti or bhakri.

4.       You can add more water and make kulith amti which can be served with boiled rice.