MASOOR PALAK / RED LENTILS WITH SPINACH / मसूर पालक

MASOOR PALAK / RED LENTILS WITH SPINACH / मसूर पालक 

INGREDIENTS

Whole masoor / red lentil	½ cup
Palak / spinach shredded	2 cups
Fresh Coconut scraped	½ cup
Dry red chillies	4 – 5 nos
Dhane / coriander seeds	½ tsp
Jeera / cumin seeds	½ tsp
Ginger	1 inch piece
Garlic cloves	5 – 6 nos
Heeng / asafoetida	¼ tsp
Oil	2 tbsp
Salt	T.T.

METHOD:

1.       Soak the lentils for 1 ½ hour. Wash them again and drain.

2.       Grind together the chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, ginger and garlic.

3.       Once it is ground coarse, add in the coconut and little water (just enough to help in grinding) and again grind to a paste.

4.       Heat oil, add in the heeng and the prepared paste.

5.       Saute the paste in oil till it is cooked and oil separates out.

6.       Now add into it the soaked lentils and spinach.

7.       Mix it together, add in 1 cup water.

8.       Bring to a boil, cover and simmer till the lentils are cooked but they still hold their shape.

9.       The consistency should be neither too thick, not too runny.

10.   Season with salt, serve hot with steam rice.

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NARALI BHAAT / SWEET COCONUT RICE / नारळी भात TYPE 1

Today is Narali Purnima. Its one of the most important festivals among the koli (fishermen folk) in Maharashtra. It is celebrated with great pomp. The monsoon or rainy season being the breeding period for the fishes and also because going out in the ocean / sea is dangerous as it is at its ugliest and angriest, no fishing is carried out. From this day of Narali Purnima, where the onslaught of the rains starts to reduce, the sea is prayed to, coconut offerings are made and sweet delicacies are prepared, and with much fanfare the boats re-enter the sea. 

One such sweet delicacy prepared is Narali Bhaat or Sweet Coconut Rice. It is also made using jaggery instead of sugar or half quantity of both. Use your discretion how you like. In case you are using jaggery then make sure it is dissolved and all lumps broken prior to adding it to the rice in step 11. So here is the simple recipe. 

NARALI BHAAT / SWEET COCONUT RICE / नारळी भात 

INGREDIENTS

Rice	2 cups
Scraped fresh coconut	1 cup
Sugar	¾ - 1 cup
Kesar / saffron soaked in 2 -3 tbsp milk	A pinch
Haldi	¼ tsp
Salt	A pinch
Lavang / cloves	2 – 3 nos
Almonds peeled	5 – 6 nos
Cashewnuts	5 – 6 nos
Raisins	5 – 6 nos
Elaichi / cardamom pdr (op)	¼ tsp
Ghee / clarified butter	2 tbsp

METHOD:

1.       Wash the rice, drain and keep for approx. 2 hours.

2.       Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, roughly cut the dry fruits into chunky pieces.

3.       Fry them in ghee till they lightly change their colour.      

4.       Remove and reserve for further use.

5.       In the same ghee add the cloves.

6.       When they sizzle add in the soaked rice.

7.       Saute the rice in ghee till it lightly changes its colour.

8.       Now add in 4 cups hot water, coconut, haldi and salt.

9.       Mix and give 2 whistles. i.e. enough for the rice to just cook.

10.   Do not allow overcooking so use your discretion according to your pressure cooker.

11.   When it lets out all the steam, add in the sugar. (I add the sugar in step 8 and it worked just fine. In this case omit step 12)

12.   Reheat till the sugar dissolves and mixes well.

13.   At this time, also add in the kesar and reserved dry fruits.

14.   Mix and switch off the flame.

15.   Cover and allow it to rest for a few hours.

16.   This rice tastes best reheated on the next day, so try and make it one day prior to consumption.

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POHA SAMOSA PACKETS

This has a very mild and lightly flavoured filling that is used in preparing the samosa packets. You can also create a spicier version using garam masala and spices and shape them like samosas instead of packets. How to shape the samosa pattis into samosas, you can check the links given below. You can also check out the various other filling that can be added. Create smaller samosas and you get cocktail samosa.

https://paripoornapaksiddhi.blogspot.in/2014/12/veg-kheema-patti-samosa.html

https://paripoornapaksiddhi.blogspot.in/2016/06/dragon-samosa.html

https://paripoornapaksiddhi.blogspot.in/2015/10/punjabi-samosa.html

POHA SAMOSA PACKETS

INGREDIENTS

Patal pohe / thin poha / thin pressed rice	1 – 1 ½ cup
Samosa patti / phylo sheets	12 nos
Onion roughly chopped	1 no
Green chillies chopped	2 no
Jeera / cumin dry roasted	½ tsp
Salt	T.T.
Sugar	½ tsp
Coriander leaves chopped	2 – 3 tbsp
Lime juice	1 tbsp
Oil	For shallow frying
Cornflour	1 tbsp

METHOD:

1.       In a bowl add the onions.

2.       To them add green chillies, cumin, salt, sugar, lime juice and coriander leaves.

3.       Mix all together and allow to sit for 5 – 10 min. the onions will start to give out moisture.

4.       Sieve the poha and make sure any impurities in it are picked out. Do not wash the pohe.

5.       Add the pohe little at a time into the onion mix.

6.       Add in only as much that will fit into the onions.

7.       All the excess moisture will be absorbed by them and they will start getting a little soft.

8.       Check for seasonings and add in more salt or lime juice as per taste. This is the filling.

9.       Add little water to the cornflour and make a semi thick and spreadable slurry.

10.   You will need 2 samosa pattis to make one packet so you make 6 packets.

11.   Take 2 samosa pattis and keep them over each other to resemble a plus sign.

12.   Spread a thin layer of the slurry on the sheets so that both the layers stick to each other.

13.   In the centre where they overlap each other keep a heapful of the stuffing in the centre, around 2 tbsp.

14.   Fold the layers over the filling in a clockwise or anti clockwise direction so that alternate layers from both the pattis overlap each other creating a square packet.

15.   Secure with more slurry if needed but make sure it does not get soggy.

16.   Heat a pan, drizzle in some oil, shallow fry the packets on both the sides till they get golden brown and crisp.

17.   Remove on to absorbent paper and serve them hot with ketchup or green chutney.

18.   You can also use samosa pattis and put in the filling to create the shape of samosas. 

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SCHEZWAN DRAGON SPRING ROLLS

SCHEZWAN DRAGON SPRING ROLLS

INGREDIENTS

Onion roughly chopped	1 no large
Spring onion greens shredded	¼ cup
Cabbage shredded	3 cups
Carrot grated	1 cup
Capsicum roughly chopped	1 cup
Ginger garlic green chilli coarsely crushed	1 tbsp
Oil	1 tbsp + for deep frying
Salt	T.T.
Pepper pdr	T.T.
Soya sauce	1 tbsp
Vinegar	1 tbsp
Schezwan chutney	1 – 1 ½ tbsp.
Spring roll sheets	15 - 20 nos
Cornflour	1 tbsp

METHOD:

1.       Heat 1 tbsp oil, add in the ginger garlic green chilli crush and the onions.

2.       Saute for a minute on high heat till the onions soften a little but do not colour.

3.       Now add in the cabbage, carrots and capsicum.

4.       Stir fry the veggies on high heat till they start to get soft but are half cooked and still have crunch.

5.       At this stage add in the salt, pepper, soya sauce, vinegar and mix well.

6.       Also add in the Schezwan chutney and mix in. Allow the vegetables to cool.

7.       Once they are cooled add in the spring onion greens and mix.

8.       To the cornflour add 2 tbsp of water and create a slurry, not too runny not too thick.

9.       As per the instructions on the pack of the spring roll sheets, put the filling and roll the sheets into spring rolls.

10.   Seal the edges with the help of the cornflour slurry.

11.   Continue to shape all the remaining spring rolls.

12.   Heat oil in a kadhai or wok.

13.   Deep fry them till golden brown and crisp on both the sides.

14.   Remove on to absorbent paper.

15.   Serve them hot with Schezwan chutney.

Thank you for visiting www.paripoornapaksiddhi.blogspot.in Your comments, suggestions and feedback are extremely valuable. Do leave a note on your queries, questions, suggestions and feedback, it will be highly valued and appreciated. Please visit again.