Varhadi Chicken Curry

Varhadi Chicken Curry 

Varhadi cuisine and Saoji cuisine comes from the eastern region of Maharashtra (Vidarbha region). Varhadi and Saoji are the 2 cuisines that are spicy and not suitable for faint hearted person, but still Varhadi cuisine has a milder version of spice level. 

Today we prepared Varhadi Chicken Curry right from scratch… A lovely recipe shared by my friend. The Varhadi Masala once made can be stored and can be used in making other Varhadi dishes… 

We added less Chillies because of my daughter, but more chillies can be added as per the taste. We served the Chicken with Bhakri, Rice, Chinchecha saar and Onion. 

Varhadi Masala Powder 

Ingredients 

2 tsp Cumin seeds 

1/2 tsp Sahi Jeera

6 tbsp Coriander seeds

1 tsp Mustard seeds

20 Pepper Corn 

1/4 tsp Methi seeds 

1 tsp Kasuri Methi 

2 tbsp Dried Grated Coconut (Khopra)

6 Cloves 

2 Black Cardamom

6 Green Cardamom

1 small piece Nutmeg 

1 Javtri 

1 tsp Dagad phool

1 medium stick Cinnamon 

4 to 5 Kashmiri chillies 

6 Spicy dried Red Chillies 

Method 

Fry roast all the above ingredients until light brown in colour and an aroma releases, switch off the flame and cool the masala down. Grind the masala into a powder. This powder can be stored for any gravy dish.

Wet masala 

Ingredients 

1 big size Onion sliced 

15 Garlic cloves 

2 to 3 small pieces of Ginger 

Few stems and leaves of Coriander leaves chopped 

1 tbsp Oil 

Method 

Take a pan, add oil and heat the oil, reduce the flame and add onion slices, stir fry the onion slices until light brown in colour, add the garlic and ginger. Fry for a minute, add coriander leaves and stems, stir and cook until the onions are brown in colour, switch off the flame and cool down. Grind with 1/4 cup water until the ingredients becomes into a paste. 

Varhadi Chicken Curry 

Ingredients 

750 grams of Chicken cut into pieces 

1 small Onion chopped 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

2 tbsp Varhadi Garam Masala 

Wet paste 

4 tbsp Oil 

1 cup Water 

Method 

Take a pressure cooker, add the chicken pieces, little salt to taste, 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder and water, give 2 whistles, switch off the flame, let the pressure release, separate the chicken pieces from the stock. Take a pot, add oil, let the oil heat. Add the chopped onion, stir fry until light brown in colour, add the chicken, stir, gradually add the remaining turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt to taste. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the Varhadi masala, stir, add the wet paste, continue cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Now add the chicken stock, stir and let the curry simmer for 5 minutes. Switch off the flame, cover and keep, before serving add coriander leaves, serve with bhakri,  rice and onions.

 

Saoji Chicken Curry

Halba Kosti Tribes from Madhaya Pradesh, who are weavers by professions came to Vidharba region of Maharastra Nagpur and  settled there. They settled in large numbers and took up job at Empress Mill. They introduced Saoji Cuisine, their cuisine is fiery hot and spicy that needs an acquired taste.  It’s the unique spice blend that makes the difference, it’s is slow cooked and linseed oil is used in the authentic recipe. Each house adds their twist to the spices.  The recipes are closed guarded secret to each family. In 70s the first Saoji joint was opened in Nagpur, there after now many restaurants have opened selling Saoji Cuisine. They are mainly non vegetarian having mutton, chicken, fish. The cuisine is now known to the world by word of mouth. 

For Saoji Masala 

Ingredients 

2 tbsp Coriander seeds 

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tsp Shahi Jeera 

8 Dry Red Patna Chillies  

8 to 10 Black pepper corns

1 inch Cinnamon stick 

1 Black Cardamom 

4 Green Cardamom 

4 Cloves 

1/2 Nutmeg 

1 Star Anise 

1 tsp Dagad Phool / Stone Flower 

1/4 piece Nutmeg 2 Bay leaves 

1 tsp Poppy Seeds or White Sesame Seeds

1 tsp Rice

2 tbsp Dry Grated Coconut / Dessicated coconut 

1/2 tbsp Chana Dal   / Split Chickpeas 

3 Bay leaves 

Method 

Take a pan,  on a low heat stir and roast Coriander seeds, Split Chickpeas, Rice, Cumin seeds,  poppyseeds or sesame seeds, cinnamon, cloves, black and green cardamom, nutmeg, star anise, pepper, bay leaves, stone flower, whole red chillies and dry grated coconut . Roast until you get an aroma out of the spices. Cool the spices down and then grind the spices into a powder. 

To make the Saoji Chicken 

Ingredients 

1 kg County Chicken / Gavti Murgi / Komdi cut into pieces 

2 Onions sliced 

1 tsp Garlic paste

1 tsp Ginger paste

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

2 Bay leaves 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1 tsp Spicy Chilli powder 

3 tbsp of the Saoji Masala 

Salt to taste 

1/2 cup Oil 

Method 

Take a pan, add a tbsp oil, fry the onion until brown, cool it down and make a paste with little water. Take the saoji masala, add little water and make a paste.. 

Take a pot, add oil, add bay leaves, add ginger and garlic paste, sauté for few seconds. Add the fried onion paste, sauté for a minute, add few chopped coriander leaves, turmeric powder, chilli powder, Saoji masala paste,  chicken and salt. Stir and cook the ingredients on a low flame. Cover the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Open the lid, now add a cup of water. Stir, cover  and let it cook for another 15 minutes. Open the lid, add 2 cups  of  water, close the lid and cook until the chicken has cooked. Garnish with chopped coriander.  Serve the chicken with Roti, bhakri or rice. 

Makli Sukha Masala

Last week I was holidaying at Alibaug - home stay, where you can buy the ingredients of your choice and get the dishes cooked. The men folk were going to the market, I was very excited to join them. We visited the fish market where there were varieties of sea fishes. We got squids and pomfrets from the market. We fried the pomfrets and here is the recipe for Squid Sukha Masala.. 

This is simple squid dish from the costal belt of Maharashtra. It’s a dry gravy dish. Here I have not ground any coconut and masalas, but made it in the simplest way. It can be eaten with rice or chapatis. 

Ingredients 

500 grams of cleaned and cut squids

3 medium size Onions cut into half and sliced 

1 Tomato cut into cubes 

2 tbsp Ginger and Garlic paste 

2 Green Chillies cut into half lengthwise 

Few curry leaves 

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

2 tbsp grated fresh Coconut 

1 tsp Mustard seeds 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

2 tsp Konkani garam masala or any fish masala 

4 tbsp Tamarind juice 

4 tbsp Oil 

Method 

Take oil in a wok, let it heat. Add the mustard seeds, let it crackle. Add the green chillies and curry leaves. Then add ginger garlic paste. Stir and cook for few seconds. Add the onions and fry  till the colour of the onion changes. Once the colour of the onions changes to pink, then add the tomato, turmeric powder, Konkani garam masala powder and salt. Stir and cook till the onions becomes soft and tender. Add the squids, stir and cook for 2 minutes. Cover the wok with a lid and let it cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, on medium high flame let it cook till the water from the squid has dried up. Now add the tamarind juice. Let it cook for a minute. Add the grated coconut, stir it and let it cook for another minute. Switch off the flame.  Remove the squids into a serving bowl. Garnish it with coriander leaves. Serve it hot with hot steaming rice or chapatis. 

Aloo Cha Phadphada or Aloo Che Patal Bhaji...

This is a traditional Maharashtrian dish, which is made on special occasion. It's a very old and simple dish. This dish is made with Colocasia leaves which is also known as Taro leaves. These leaves are easily found during monsoon. This dish can be prepare in various ways.

Ingredients

12 medium sized Colocasia Leaves and stems chopped

2 Green Chillies cut into halves

4 to 6 Curry Leaves

1 tbsp Coriander Chopped

1/2 cup Raw peanuts soaked in water for 30 minutes

1/2 cup Split Bengal Gram soaked in water for 30 minutes

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Goda Masala 

1 tbsp Tamarind paste

1/4 cup Ground Coconut paste

1 tbsp Jaggery

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

2 tbsp Oil

Method

Take a pressure cooker. Heat oil. Add the mustard seeds and allow it to crackle. Add the curry leaves and green chillies and sauté it for few seconds. Add the colocasia leaves, peanuts, split bengal grams, salt, turmeric powder, goda masala and Jaggery. Stir the vegetable. Add 1 1/2 cups of water. Cover the lid and let it give 3 to 4 whistles. Let the pressure release. Add the tamarind paste and coconut paste. Let it boil for 5 to 7 minutes more. Add coriander leaves and serve it hot.

Paplet a Che Hirwe Kalwan.....

Pomfret cooked in Green Curry

It is a Konkani dish, cooked in green coriander paste. Green coriander leaves, green chillies, garlic, ginger, onion, coconut, tamarind and cumin seeds are use to make the wet paste. The pomfret is then cooked in the wet paste. This dish can be eaten with rice. 

I have adapted the recipe as per my convenience.

In this recipe I have not used Tamarind paste and have added a tomato in the gravy. 

For the Wet Paste 

Ingredients 

1 small bunch of Coriander leaves cleaned 

4 tbsp freshly grated Coconut or Desiccated Coconut 

1 small Onion chopped 

6 to 8 Garlic cloves 

1 small piece of Ginger 

4 or more Green chillies cut into pieces 

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Method 

Add all the above ingredients in to a grinder, add 1/3 cup of water and grind it in to a thick paste. 

For making the Pomfret Curry 

Ingredients 

2 medium size Pomfret cut into 2 pieces or you can make more pieces as per your choice 

1 Onion chopped 

1 Tomato chopped 

2 Green chillies slit and cut into pieces 

Few Curry leaves 

Few Coriander leaves chopped for garnishing 

1/4 tsp Mustard seeds 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

Wet paste  

3 tbsp Oil 

Method 

 Marinate pomfret with salt and 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder. Take a wok or a chatti. Add oil and heat it. Add the mustard seeds and let it crackle. Add the curry leaves and green chillies. Saute it for a minute. Add the chopped onion. Sauté the onions till translucent.  Add the green paste. Stir and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chopped tomato, salt and remaining turmeric powder. Stir and cook it another 1 minute. Add a cup and a half of water. Let it simmer for 2 minutes. Add the pomfrets. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Garnish it with coriander leaves. Serve hot with hot steamed  rice.

Phodshi with Prawns

Phodshi (Monsoon Green Vegetable) 

This green leafy vegetable is found only during monsoon. This vegetable growns in the forest patches and are sold by the tribals in the local markets, but it is not commonly eaten by people. I discovered this vegetable as the lady working for me had got it. Don't know what it is called in other languages, but here in Mumbai it is called Phodshi. It resembles like spring onion, but it is distinctly different and even a bit bitter. If you get this vegetable, you must try this vegetable... You can make this vegetable in many ways, just simple seasoning of garlic and green chillies or add moong dal to it. I cooked this leafy vegetable with prawns... It's a simple dish.. But taste great with hot rice or chapati.. 

Ingredients

2 bunches of Phodshi (remove the white part and use the green leaves) 

1 Onion chopped 

1 Tomato chopped

4  Garlic cloves minced

2 to 3 Green Chillies chopped

10 to 12 medium size Prawns cleaned and de shelled 

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

3 tbsp Oil 

Method 

Take a wok, add oil. Let it heat. Add the prawns, sprinkle salt and turmeric. Stir it and fry. Take it out and keep it aside. In the same oil, add garlic, chillies and onions. Stir fry it till the onions are translucent. Add the green leafy vegetable, tomato, salt and turmeric. Stir it and cook for 2 minutes, add the prawns. Cook till all the water in the vegetable has dried up. Serve hot with rice or chapati. 

Piyush

Piyush

It is a thick creamy drink popular in Maharashtra and Gujarat as lassi is popular in Punjab....

Piyush is made with hung curd or srikhand

and buttermilk or curd and milk with flavours of Saffron, Nutmeg and Cardomom...  it is a good summer drink....

Cooling for children and adults...

Ingredients 

1 cup Saffron Shrikhand 

4 cups Curd

1 cup Milk

1/4 tsp  Cardamom powder 

2 tbsp Sugar or more as per the taste 

Pinch of Nutmeg powder

2 pinches of Saffron

1/2 tsp Almond flakes 

Method 

Add shrikhand, curd, milk, cardomom powder, nutmeg powder and sugar in a blender. Blend it well. Pour the piyush in  glasses and garnish it with almond flakes and saffron and sprinkle little cardamom powder. Chill it before serving...

Surmai Sukha Masala (King Fish semi dry gravy)

Surmai Sukha Masala (King Fish semi dry gravy)

For the Wet Paste
Ingredients
4 pieces of Surmai including Fish head
8 Garlic cloves
3 tbsp Coriander Leaves
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Chilli powder
1 tsp Tamarind paste
1 tsp Lime juice
Salt to taste

Method
Add all the above ingredients in the blender except fish, add 3 tbsp or more water and blend the spices into a paste. Apply  lime and salt on the fish and keep it aside for 10 minutes, after 10 minutes apply the wet paste on the fish and marinate it for 15 to 20 minutes.

For the Gravy
Ingredients
Marinated Fish
1 big size Onion chopped
10 to 14 Garlic cloves whole
4 Green chillies broken into pieces
1 tbsp Coriander Leaves chopped for garnishing
2 tbsp Oil

Method
Take a pan, add oil. Let it heat. Add garlic, saute it till light brown in colour. Add the chillies, saute it for a minute. Add the onion and fry till light brown in colour. Add the marinated fish, cook the fish on both sides for 5 minutes each, add 1/4 cup of water and cook on medium high heat till the gravy dries up and the oil from the gravy is seen. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice....

Maharashtrian cuisine ...... Kandachi Pat takun Zunka, Bajri chi Bhakri and Kolambi Bhat

 Maharashtrian cuisine......

Kandachi Pat takun Zunka

Bajri chi Bhakri 

Kolambi Bhat

Kandachi Pat takun Zunka

Ingredients

2 cups Spring Onions chopped 

1 Onion chopped 

2 Green chillies chopped 

1 cup Gram flour 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/4 tsp Mustard seeds 

2 tbsp Oil

Method 

Heat oil in a wok. Add mustard seeds. Let it crackle. Add onion and chillies. Sauté for few minutes. Add spring onions and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the gram flour little at a time and stir it. Sprinkle some water and keep stirring and cooking till the gram flour has cooked and Zunka is dried. Serve hot with Bhakri.

Bajri chi Bhakri 

Ingredients

1 cup Bajra flour

Warm water

Salt to taste 

Ghee to apply

Method 

Take Bajra flour in a mixing bowl,  make a well in the middle. Add salt and warm water. Knead it to make a soft dough. Make round balls out of the dough. On a flat surface, sprinkle someflour. Take a portion and pat the ball with your palm. Use flour as required. Keep flattening the ball in circular motion to make round shape like roti. Don't make it too thin. Heat the  skillet. Lower the flame. Place thr bhakri on skillet and spread little of water on upper side of bhakri. When water on bhakri dries completely turn it to cook from other side. Now remove the bhakri from the skillet and keep it on the direct flame. It will get puffed. Remove from the flame and apply  ghee from top.

Kolambi Bhat

For the Wet Masala 

Ingredients 

15 Garlic cloves 

1" piece Ginger 

3 Green chillies 

1 tbsp Coriander leaves 

1 tbsp Grated Coconut 

1 tsp Coriander seeds 

1 tsp Poppy seeds 

1 stick Cinnamon 

3 Cloves 

15 Pepper corn

Method 

Add all the above ingredients and water in the grinder and grind it in to a paste.

For Kolambi Bhat

Ingredients 

2 cups of Prawns peeled and cleaned

4 cups of Basmati Rice washed, soaked for 10 minutes  and dried 

3 Onions sliced 

2 Tomato sliced 

1 tsp Red chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

2 Cloves 

1 Black Cardamom 

1 stick Cinnamon 

2 Bay Leaves 

1 Dry Red Chilli 

1 Star Anise 

Wet Masala 

1 tbsp Lime juice 

8 cups of Hot water

4 tbsp Oil

Coriander leaves chopped for garnishing

Method 

Heat oil in a wok. Add the cloves, cinnamon, cardamon, star anise, bay leaves and dry red chilli. Sauté it for a minute. Add the onions and sauté it till light brown in colour. Add the prawns and sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the rice and sauté it for another 2-3 minutes. Add the wet masala paste, tomatoes, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt, lime juice and water. Cook till the rice is done. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Dadpe Pohe

‘Dadpe Pohe’ is a Maharashtrian snack or breakfast, made with thin variety of beaten rice and fresh coconut. The beaten rice is not cooked in this recipe. Seasoning, coconut and spices are added to the uncooked beaten rice and mixed well.
Got this recipe from  Mousi / Aunt who works for me. Awesome recipe.
Ingredients
3 cups Thin Flat Beaten Rice
1 Onion chopped finely
1 Tomato chopped finely
2 Green Chillies chopped finely
1/2 cup Coconut grated
Few Curry Leaves
1/4 cup Peanuts
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 pinch Asafoetida
Salt to taste
1/2 tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
4 tbsp Coconut Water or Water
2 tbsp Oil
Few Coriander leaves chopped

Method
Take a mixing bowl,add the thin poha,onion,tomato and salt. Mix well and keep it aside for 15 minutes. In a wok, heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds,let it crackle. Add the peanuts and fry till it brown in colour.Add the curry leaves, green chillies, turmeric, asafoetida, and sugar. Stir for about few seconds. Add 4 tbsp of coconut water or water.Take the wok off the flame. Add the beaten rice in the wok,add lime juice and coconut stir well. Sprinkle coriander leaves and a tbsp of coconut for garnishing.
P.S. I have used raw onion,it can be also sautéed and then mixed with beaten rice.

Khandeshi Thali

Khandeshi Thali...

Khandesh is a region of central India, which forms the northwestern portion of Maharashtra state.The region falls in north-west Maharashtra and covers Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar, Malegaon, Nashik and Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh. The Khandeshis like their meals spicy and earthy. Peanut oil, dry coconut, tiny lavangi chillies are the trademark of their cooking. But the foolproof way to tell a Khandeshi dish from another is to look for oil swimming over the dish, locally and lovingly called tarri. Kala masala is to the Khandeshis what bottle masala is to East Indians. Every family has its own version of the recipe that's pounded every summer and bottled for use all year long. It's a heavily roasted preparation and includes khopra, coriander seeds, dried red chillies, peppercorns, whole turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, black cardamom, shahjeera, fennel seeds, hing, khus khus, bay leaves, nutmeg, mace, dagad phool, dry ginger and jeera. Pumpkins, green tomatoes, green sorrel leaves, ridge gourd and the very popular brinjal are all sourced on the day of cooking." The Khandeshi baingan bharta or hirva vangyachi bharith is made with green brinjals (long, slim, striped variety commonly found in Jalgaon) that are roasted on an open flame till black. They are then pulped and pounded with green chillies, garlic, peanuts and spring onions. Bharleli vaangi, another popular brinjal preparation, involves stuffing aubergine with a paste of roasted peanuts, dried coconut, garlic, turmeric, red chilli powder and kala masala. But the most famous and easiest Khandeshi bhaji is made without vegetables. Shev bhaji is a curry made with dry coconut, garlic and onions. The crisp shev absorbs the spicy curry and oil, making it ideal to slurp up with the bhakri.

Information : Net source

Today my Kandeshi platter consist of 

Vangyache Bharith

Khandeshi Chicken

Boondi

Jawari chi Bhakri

Shingdana cha Thecha

Khandeshi Vangyache Bharith

Ingredients

1/2 kg Big size Brinjal roasted

1 Bunch Spring Onions chopped

12  Garlic cloves minced

4 Green chillies fried and crushed

1 tbsp Dry coconut  slices

2 tbsp  Peanuts coarsely  ground

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

2 tbsp Vegetable oil

Salt  to taste

Coriander leaves chopped

Method

Remove the skin of the  brinjal and mash it very well. Heat oil in a pan . Add cumin seeds and let the seeds crackle. Add garlic  and chillies. Sauté it for few minutes. Add the peanuts and coconut. Sauté for few minutes more. Add chopped green onion and sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the mashed brinjal and salt. Mix it well and cook for 5 minutes. Garnish it with coriander leaves. Serve it salad and Bhakari.

Khandeshi Chicken Curry

For Marinating the Chicken

Ingredients 

1 kg  Chicken cleaned and cut into pieces

1 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Method

In a mixing bowl, add the salt, turmeric powder and chicken. Mix it and marinate it for 30 minutes..

Wet Ground Masala

Ingredients

1 small Onion chopped

1 piece Ginger

10 Garlic cloves

4 Red Dry Chillies

2 tbsp Coconut grated

1 tbsp Oil

Method

Roast all the above ingredients in oil  till brown. Grind the roasted masala in a grinder to make a paste.

For the Chicken

Ingredients

Marinated Chicken

1 big Onions chopped

1 1/2 tbsp Kala masala

Wet Masala

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Oil

Chopped Coriander for garnishing

Heat oil in a pressure cooker.  Fry chopped onions till translucent. Add the ground masala and stir cook for 3 minutes. Add the kala masala and cook for 3 minutes.  Add marinated chicken and mix it.  Add 3 cups water to it and mix. Add salt to taste,  cover the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for upto 2-3 whistles.  Garnished it with chopped coriander, serve it  with sliced onions and Bhakris.

Boondi

For the Boondi

Ingredients

1 cup Gram flour

2 tbsp Rice flour

Pinch of Soda bicarbonate

Pinch of Salt

1 tsp Oil

Approx. 3/4 cup of Water

Ghee or Oil for frying

Almond and Pistacho flakes for garnishing

Method

Mix the gram flour, rice flour and salt.  Add water slowly and make a smooth batter to dropping consistency, batter should have no lumps. Add 1 tsp oil and soda bicarbonate  mix it well. Heat the ghee or oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Hold the  skimmer about 2 inches above the oil over the center of the frying pan. Pour some of the batter onto the skimmer to cover all of the holes.Batter will start dropping through the holes into the oil. If the batter doesn’t drop right away through the holes. Add little more water to the batter and start again. Drop enough boondesi into the oil so they just cover the surface of the oil in frying pan in a single layer.Fry the boondies until the boondies are light golden in colour. Take the boondies out and put them directly into the warm syrup and mix it. Let it soak in the sugar syrup for 15 minutes. Drain the excess syrup. Boondies are ready to serve. Garnish with almond and pistacho flakes.

For the Syrup

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup Sugar

1 cup water

1/2 tsp Cardamom powder

Pinch of Saffron

Few drops of Lime juice

Method

Boil the water and sugar in a sauce pan on medium high heat, stir to dissolve the sugar, lower the heat and let it simmer for  3 minutes. Add the crushed cardamom, saffron and lime juice  to the syrup. The syrup should be one string syrup. Switch off the flame.

 Shingdana cha Thecha

Ingredients

12 Green Chillies silted

12 Garlic Cloves

3 tbsp Penuts

1 tsp Oil

Salt to taste

Method

Take oil in a pan. As the oil heats up add the chillies, penuts and garlic. Sauté it till the chillies starts to change it's colour. Add salt to the sauted chillies and garlic. Coarse grind all the ingredients in a grinder... Serve with Bhakri..

Kala Masala

Ingredients

1/4 cup Dry Coconut grated

1/4 cup  Coriander seeds

2 tbsp  Cumin Seed

1 tbsp Shahi Jeera

1 tbsp  Fennel Seeds

12  Dried Red Chillies

2 tbsp Pepper Corns

2 sticks Cinnamon

10 Cloves

3 Black Cardamom

1 tbsp  Dagad Phool

1/2  Nutmeg

2 Mace

10 Bay leaves

1 tsp Asafoetida

2 tbsp  Poppy Seeds

1 piece  Dry Ginger

2 tsp Oil

Method

Dry roast the coconut till brown. Set aside to cool. Roast each ingredient seperately ,except turmeric, asafoetida and ginger in oil and set aside to cool. Grind the roasted ingredients with turmeric , asafoetida and ginger in to fine powder.

Healthy Thalipeeth and Lal Mirchi Cha Thecha Healthy Treat for yourTastebuds and Soul

Healthy Thalipeeth with Lal Michi Cha Thecha

This Thalipeeth was made by Musi( Aunty) who stays with us. She took care of my mother and now takes care of my Mother in Law. Some how after my mother's death she gave me immense support. I believe she is next to my Ma. Today she made this Healthy Thalipeeth for me. Using curd instead of oil and water while flattening the dough was her idea. 

Thalipeeth is a traditional Maharashtrian dish. This dish is made with Jowari, Bajri and some veggies add to the flour... A healthy dish indeed... 

Healthy Thalipeeth

Ingredients

1 cup Jowari

1 cup Bajri

1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 finely chopped Onion

1/2 cup Spinach chopped

1 medium size Carrot grated

1 cup grated Bottle Gourd

2 finely  Green Chillies chopped 

2 tbsp  Coriander leaves finely chopped 

Rock Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Coriander seed powder

1 tsp Cumin seed powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala powder

1/2 tsp Chilli powder

1 cup Curd or more

Oil spray

Method

Take a mixing bowl. Add all the flours, chopped vegetables and spices. Add curd and make a soft dough.

 Take a plastic sheet. Add 1/4 tsp of curd on the plastic sheet and spread it. 

Take a portion of the dough, make a round ball. Put the dough ball on the plastic sheet.

 Add 1/4 tsp curd on the dough.

  Flatten the dough very gently by pressing it from all the sides. 

Heat the pan. Spray oil on the pan. Slowly left up the rolled  dough along with the plastic sheet with one hand and turn the plastic sheet along with the rolled dough on the other hand. Pick the plastic sheet gently. 

Put the rolled dough on the pan. 

 Spray oil and cook from both the sides. 

Serve it with Red Mirchi Cha Thecha. 

Red Mirchi Cha Thecha

Ingredients

8 to 10 Red Chillies

1 small Onion cut into 4 pieces

8 to 10 Garlic cloves

Rock Salt to taste 

Method 

Take all the ingredients and grind it coarsely. 

P.S. I have not fried the ingredients before grinding due to dieting.  

Prawn Palau

Prawn Palau

Ingredients 

250 grams Basmati Rice washed and soaked for 30 minutes

1 cup prawns cleaned

2 Onions sliced

1 Tomato Chopped

2 Green chilies slit

1 tsp Garlic crushed

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Sugar

Salt to taste

2 tsp Curry powder

2 tbsp Oil

2 Cloves

1 Anistar 

1 small Cinnamon stick

2 Cardomon

6 Pepper corn

2 tbsp broken Kaju

1 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped

Method

Take oil in a pot and heat it up.  Add cloves, peppercorn, cardomon, anistar  and cinnamon in the oil. Sauté for few seconds. Add onions, garlic and kaju. Once the onions turn light brown in colour add sugar. Add the tomatoes and cook for few minutes. Add the prawns, salt, turmeric powder, curry powder. Cook the prawns  for 2 minutes. Add the soaked rice. Add 2 1/2 cups of water. Cook the Palau till the rice is cooked. Add coriander leaves for garnishing.