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.

Echorer Chop (Jackfruit Chop)

Echorer Chop (Jackfruit Chop)
Ingredients
1 cup  Raw Jackfruit pieces boiled
2 Potatoes boiled
1 Onion chopped
6 Garlic Cloves minced
1 tsp Ginger minced
1 tsp Chillies minced
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 Bay leaf
1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Bhaja Masala powder ( Roast 1/4 tsp cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp coriander seeds and 1 dried red chill together and grind it in to a powder.)
1 tsp Broken Cashew nuts
1 tsp Raisins
Salt to taste
1 tsp Sugar
1/2 cup Corn flour
2 cups or more Bread crumbs / Roti crumbs
1/2 tbsp Ghee
Oil to fry

Method
Mash the jack fruit and the potatoes together. Take a pan, add ghee. Let it heat. Add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Let the cumin seeds crackle. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and chillies. Sauté it till the onions are brown in colour. Add the mashed potatoes and Jack fruit. Mix it. Add the cumin powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder,  salt and sugar. Mix it well. Add cashewnut and raisins. Stir and cook it till it starts to form a dough. Take it off the flame and add bhaja masala. Mix it. Let the mixture cool. Meanwhile take the corn flour and little water at a time and make a thin batter. Take the mixture and divide it into big lime size portions. Take a wok and heat oil to fry. Take one portion and give a oval it, dip it in the batter and coat it with bread crumbs. Dip it back into the batter and coat it with bread crumbs again.  Repeat it with other portions.  Deep fry it till golden brown in colour.
Or brush oil on the chops and bake at 200 degrees celcius for 25 minutes till golden brown in colour. Serve it hot with Kasundi, Tomato ketchup and salad.

For the Roti Crumbs..
Crisp the Rotis in the microwave, break into pieces and grind it into powder.

Chinese Pineapple, Cottage Cheese With Cashewnuts

Chinese Pineapple, Cottage Cheese With Cashewnuts

For the sauce
Ingredients
2 tbsp Rice wine (optional)
1 tbsp Vinegar
2 tbsp Soya Sauce
2 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
1/4 cup Water
2 tbsp Cornflour
1⁄4 tsp  Chinese five spice powder
Salt to taste

Method
Mix all the above ingredients together.

For the Chinese Pineapple Cottage Cheese With Cashewnuts
Ingredients
250 grams Cottage cheese cubes
1/2 cup Spring onions chopped
1 Onion cut into cubes
1 Green Capsicum cut into cubes
1 cup Pineapple cut into cubes 
1 tsp Ginger finely chopped
4 Garlic cloves chopped
1 tbsp Red Chillies sliced
1/2 cup roasted Cashew nuts
3 tbsp Sesame seed Oil

Method
Fry the paneer in the oil, remove and keep it aside. Add the onion, ginger and garlic. Saute till the onions are translucent. Add the capsicum, chillies and pineapple. Stir for 3 minutes, add half of the spring onions , cottage cheese and cashew nuts, stir for 2 minutes.  Add the sauce and on high flame stir fry till the sauce thickens up. Add the remaining spring onions to garnish. Serve hot.

Filipino Style Chicken Curry

Filipino  Style Chicken Curry
Ingredients
500 grams Chicken cut into pieces
2 medium size Potatoes peeled and cut into 4 pieces
1 Big size Onion cut into cubes
1 Big size Carrot cut into medium size pieces
1 Green Capsicum cut into cubes
1 Red Capsicum cut into cubes
6 Garlic cloves chopped
1 small piece of Ginger chopped
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Pepper crushed
2 tbsp Curry powder
1 tbsp Fish sauce
2 cups of Water
1 cup Coconut milk
2 tbsp Oil

Method
Take a wok, add oil and heat it. Fry the potato pieces till light brown in colour. Remove it from the oil and keep it aside. Add the chicken and fry till brown in colour. Add garlic, ginger and onion together. Let it sauté for few minutes until soften.Add the fish sauce, salt, pepper and curry powder. Stir it until properly mixed. Add the water. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 5 minutes.  Lower the heat and  add the red and green cupsicum, potatoes and carrots. Simmer till the potato pieces are almost done.  Add coconut milk and stir occasionally and cook for 5 minutes. Serve it while still hot.

P.S. I did not have red capsicum so I added red chilli sliced

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.