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Dates Laddus in Marathi
Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 10 to 12 small laddus
Ingredients:
25 Dates, Pitted (1 cup after grinding)
1/2 cup Almonds, coarsely ground
1/2 cup grated dry coconut, lightly roasted
1 tbsp ghee
1 tsp Poppy seeds
Method:
1) Heat ghee into a pan. Add poppy seeds and roast for few seconds. Then add ground almonds, lightly toasted dry coconut and ground dates. Saute over low flame for 3 to 4 minutes.
2) Mix well. Transfer this mixture into a plate. Grease palms with little ghee. Take a small portion, press tightly and make round shaped laddu. Make laddus while mixture is still warm.
Do not make big laddus. One laddu should be the same size of a lemon.
Tips:
1) Black dates can be used instead of regular dates.
2) I had only used almonds. However, 1/2 cup mixture of pistachio, cashews and almonds can be used. If you want to add more dry-fruits, increase the amount of dates accordingly.
3) More ghee can be added to your taste.
4) I had used ready-made sliced almonds. Try not to use them because it becomes very difficult to shape laddus (they fall apart).
5) Use moist dates to make soft laddus.
Brownie Sizzler in Marathi
Time: 15 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients:
4 squares of chocolate brownies
Chocolate Sauce: 1 bar of milk chocolate, 1/2 cup whole milk
Pack of Vanilla Ice-cream
Sizzler Plate with wooden trey
Dry Fruits (walnut and almond pieces)
Method:
1) To make chocolate sauce, we need to melt the chocolate. Break the bar into pieces. Put in glass bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir with a whisker. Microwave for 10 to 15 more seconds if require. Work with chocolate very carefully. It gets burn if microwaved more than required.
2) Once chocolate is melted add milk and stir vigorously to get smooth, shiny chocolate sauce.
3) Microwave brownies for 10 to 15 seconds just to make them warm.
4) Heat a sizzler plate. Make it very hot. Carefully put the heated plate on wooden trey. Place brownies at the center. On top of each brownie place one scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Pour chocolate sauce on vanilla ice-cream and let it flow on the sizzler plate. Chocolate sauce will start sizzling. Garnish with walnuts and almonds. Serve immediately.
How to eat? - A small chunk of ice cream with a brownie piece and a bit of chocolate sauce.
Tips:
1) To avoid chocolate sauce from sticking to the sizzling plate. Place a piece of aluminum foil on hot sizzler plate.
2) After 30 seconds of microwaving chocolate, you will notice that chocolate has not melted and intact from the outside. Infact, it has melted from the inside. Hence, after first 30 seconds, stir the chocolate. You may need to microwave twice for 15 seconds. Each time, stir and check.
3) Eat with caution. If you spoon the chocolate sauce directly from the sizzling plate you will sizzle your tongue too !! [my own experience ;) ]
Bread Upma in Marathi
Time: 10 minutes
Makes: 2 servings
Ingredients:
10 slices of white bread (Leftover)
2 tbsp oil
For tempering: 2 pinches mustard seeds, 1 pinch hing, 1/8 tsp turmeric powder, few curry leaves
2 green chilies, slit lengthwise or 2 red dry chilies, broken
1/4 cup Onion, finely chopped
salt and sugar to taste
cilantro for garnishing
1 tsp lemon juice
Method:
1) chop the bread slices into small cubes or just mince with hands.
2) Heat oil into a pan. Add mustard seeds, hing, turmeric powder and curry leaves. Add green chiles and onion.
3) Sprinkle some salt and cook onion till translucent. Add chopped bread and mix well. Sprinkle 2 pinches sugar.
4) Cover and cook over medium-low heat for couple of minutes. Add lemon juice and mix.
Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
Tips:
1) Bread can be crumbled in mixer instead of mincing.
2) Leftover bread makes nice upma than fresh bread.
Masala Toast Sandwich in Marathi
Time: Preparation - 15 minutes | Cooking - 10 minutes
Yield: 4 sandwiches
Ingredients:
8 slices of bread
2 to 3 tbsp salted butter, softened
1/4 cup green chutney
Onion slices, thin and round
Masala:
2 big potatoes, boiled
3 tbsp green peas (Frozen)
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
2 tsp green chili paste
For tempering: 1 tsp oil, pinch of mustard seeds (optional), pinch of hing, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
4 to 5 curry leaves, finely chopped
1.5 tsp ginger-garlic paste
salt to taste
Method:
Masala:
1) Peel and mash the potato. Heat oil into a nonstick pan. Add mustad seeds , hing, turmeric powder and curry leaves. Saute for few seconds.
2) Add green chili paste and ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 15 seconds. Add chopped onion, cover and cook for 2 minutes. After two minutes, add peas and cook covered till onion becomes reddish and peas are done.
3) Add mashed potatoes and salt. Lower the heat and mix well. Cover and cook for couple of minutes.
4) Spread butter on one side of all 8 bread slice. After applying butter, take 4 slices and spread chutney on them.
5) Spread an even layer of masala over 4 bread slices on which we have applied chutney. Place an onion slice and finish it by putting buttered bread slice on top of it.
6) Then Spread little butter on the surface and toast in the toaster. If you don't have one, toast it on heated tawa (medium heat). Press gently and brown both the sides.
Serve hot with green chutney and tomato ketchup
Tips:
1) Use white sliced bread.
2) Masala toast sandwich tastes much better if it has sufficient amount chili paste. So add as much as you can tolerate.
3) Use as little oil as you can for making masala. If it becomes oily, it does not taste good.
4) To make the above recipe for kids, add very little or no green chili in chutney as well as in potato masala.
5) You may add mint leaves in green chutney
Gavar Bhopla Bhaji in Marathi
Time: Preparation: 15 to 20 minutes | Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 2 to 3
Ingredients:
1/4 kg Gawar (Cluster beans)
for tempering:- 1 tbsp oil, 10 to 12 Fenugreek seeds, 2 pinches mustard seeds, 1 pinch cumin seeds, 2 pinches hing (Asafoetida), 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp red chili powder
1/2 cup Pumpkin, peeled and diced
2 to 3 tbsp fresh coconut
1 tbsp peanuts powder
2 tsp jaggery
1/2 tsp Goda masala (Maharashtrian masala)
salt to taste
Method:
1) Wash gawar thoroughly. Pat dry with towel. Remove ends and strings (if any) of each gawar. Then pluck and make 1 inch pieces.
2) Steam cook broken gawar into a pressure cooker. Do not add water. (Add 1 inch level water at the bottom of cooker, take a steel container which fits inside the cooker. Put the broken gawar into it. and do not add water to this container.) Pressure cook upto 2 whistles, then turn of heat and wait for 10 minutes.
3) Heat oil into a wok or any pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing and turmeric. Then add pumpkin cubes. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, till pumpkin is half done. Add steam cooked gawar and mix.
4) Add red chili powder, goda masala, coconut, peanuts powder, and little salt. Mix nicely, cover and cook for couple of minutes. Then add jaggery and mix well. Cook for couple minutes more.
This sabzi tastes nice with chapati or white rice and dal.
Tips:
1) Pumpkin may be substituted by boiled potato. Put the boiled potato in the refrigerator for little while. After preparing tadka, add potato and pressure cooked gawar beans together.
2) Potato can be substituted by black peas. Soak the peas for atleast 7 to 8 hours in the water. Then pressure cook and use in the vegetable.
3) This sabzi can be prepare completely in the pressure cooker. Take a small pressure cooker. Prepare tempering according to the above method. Then add raw broken gawar and potato cubes (or soaked peas). Also add other ingredients and little water. Pressure cook upto 2 to 3 whistles. After 10 minutes open the cooker and boil for couple of minutes.
Masala Goli in Marathi
Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 10 to 12 pieces
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh or dry coconut, scraped
1 tsp oil
2 tsp red chili powder or 5-6 dried red chilies
1 tsp Saumf
7 to 8 big garlic pods
salt to taste
1 tsp coriander powder
Method:
1) Heat oil in the pan. Saute coconut until light brown. If using fresh coconut, saute until it becomes completely dry, otherwise it will spoil within 2 days.
2) Then add saumf, garlic, coriander powder, red chili and salt. Grind to very fine mixture. Do not add water.
3) Divide the mixture into small portions (1 to 2 tbsp). Make small balls of the mixture. These balls can be used when you want quick meal. It can be used in any savory dishes like sabzi, curry, dal etc.
Bean Sprouts Salad in Marathi
Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2 to 3 persons
Ingredients:
100 to 125 grams bean sprouts
6 to 8 thin slices of cucumber (peeled), cut in half and cut in half moon slices
1/2 tsp ginger, sliced
1 scallion, sliced thin
1 small carrot, grated on large holes
1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp oil
1 tsp soy sauce
1 green chili, finely chopped (optional)
Method:
1) Add 1 tsp oil to hot frying pan and quickly fry ginger pieces until crisp. Remove from the pan. Drain the oil and reserve.
2) In bowl, combine sprouts, cucumber, scallions, carrot, cilantro and green chili and mix well. Add lime juice, remaining oil from pan, soy sauce, fried ginger, and toasted sesame seeds. Garnish with sesame seeds.
Tip:
1) Sprouts are very delicate. Hence, do the mixing very gently. Also, do not over-mix, it will mush the sprouts.
Dahyatil Vangyache bharit in Marathi
Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 cup Bhurta
Ingredients:
1 cup roasted Eggplant, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp oil, 2 pinches cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp hing
2 green chilies, slit lengthwise
2 to 3 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
3/4 cup plain yogurt or to taste
salt to taste
Method:
1) Heat oil into a tadka pan. Add cumin seeds and wait till they crackle. Add hing and green chili. Pour it in eggplant.
2) Add chopped onion and salt. Mix well. Add yogurt and cilantro. Mix nicely.
Serve as a side dish
Eggplants in Spicy Curry in Marathi
Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients:
10 small eggplants (small)
Masala Paste
1 cup Onion, thinly sliced
1 medium tomato, roughly chopped
5 big garlic cloves, chopped
1 inch ginger piece, chopped
5 curry leaves
4 green chilies, chopped
1 tbsp roasted peanuts powder
2 tbsp grated coconut
1/2 tsp roasted poppy seeds, ground (optional)
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala
salt to taste
3 tbsp Oil
other ingredients:
2 tsp oil
5-6 fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp hing
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp kashmiri mirch powder
2 tbsp tamarind pulp
Method:
1) Wash eggplants and cut the stems. Cut the eggplants and make 6 to 8 wedges of each one.
2) Masala Paste
i) Heat oil into a pan. Add curry leaves, onion, green chilies, garlic and ginger. Saute until onion becomes translucent.
ii) Add tomatoes, and cook until tomatoes are mushy.
iii) Add peanuts powder, coconut, cumin-coriander powder, poppy seeds, garam masala and salt.
iv) Let the mixture cool down. Then ground to a fine paste. Add little water if needed when grinding.
3) Heat oil in a pan. Add fenugreek seeds and wait till color changes to brown. Now add hing, turmeric, and eggplant slices. Also add little salt. Cover the pan and cook for few minutes or till slices become tender. Then add ground masala, tamarind pulp and red chili powder.
Add some water to get the desired consistency. Boil for few minutes.
Serve hot with white rice or chapati.
Tips:
1) Choose small purple eggplants with glossy skin without any brown rust spots.
2) Kashmiri Red chili powder does not have spiciness, but gives nice red color to the curry. Therefore, its upto you whether you want to add it or not.
3) Little sweetness plays well along-with sourness of tamarind. Hence, if you like sweet and sour combination, add little jaggery or sugar (1/2 or 1 tsp)
Ghavan Ghatle in Marathi
Recipe of Ghavan
8 to 9 medium ghavan
Time: Preparation- 5 minutes | Cooking- 20 to 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup rice flour
2 cups milk/ water
pinch of salt
Ghee to cook ghavan
Method:
1) Mix rice flour, milk and salt into a bowl. Mix well and make the batter lump-free.
2) Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Once pan is hot, drizzle few drops of ghee and a spread ladleful of the batter. Cover the pan and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip to the other side. Again, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. If you feel its not cooked completely, then cook some more time.
Serve hot with Ghatle (Sweetened coconut milk preparation)
1) Add couple tbsp of jaggery, if you like sweet version of ghavan
=========================
Recipe of Ghatle
Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 1.5 cups (enough for 3 to 4 persons)
Ingredients:
1.5 cup coconut milk (I used canned one)
1 tbsp rice flour
2-3 pinches of cardamom powder
Jaggery to taste (I had used around 2 tbsp)
Method:
1) Mix coconut milk, rice flour, cardamom powder and jaggery.
2) Put the mixture into a small saucepan. Cook it over low heat till mixture thickens. Stir while cooking to prevent lumps.
Serve with ghavan.
Tips:
1) Roasted cashew and pistachio pieces can be added.
2) Adjust the amount of jaggery according to your taste.
Masoor Amti in Marathi
Time: 15 to 20 minutes
Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Masoor (Tip 1)
Tempering: 1 tbsp oil, 2 pinches mustard seeds, 2 pinches cumin seeds. 1/8 tsp hing, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 5 to 6 curry leaves
4 to 5 big garlic cloves, roughly sliced
2 tbsp fresh coconut
1 tsp Maharashtrian goda masala
3 Kokum slices
2 tsp jaggery or to taste
salt to taste
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
Method:
1) Soak masoor overnight in water. Drain the water. Add 1/4 tsp salt and pressure cook upto 2 whistles without adding water. Turn off the heat. After 15 minutes, open the pressure cooker and mash masoor slightly. Add 1 cup of water and mix.
2) Heat oil in kadai. Add roughly sliced garlic over high heat and wait until edges of garlic become dark brown (do not burn). If you don't saute garlic well, the raw smell will stay and ruin the taste of amti.
3) Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing, turmeric powder and red chili powder. Add curry leaves. saute for few seconds.
4) Add fresh coconut and saute for about 20-30 seconds. Pour in cooked and mashed masoor. Adjust the consistency by adding sufficient water. Add kokum and goda masala. Bring the amti to a boil. Add jaggery and salt to taste. Boil for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat.
5) Adjust the spices after tasting the amti. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rice.
Tip:
1) I usually sprout masoor beans, if I have enough time. To sprout masoor soak them overnight, drain the water. Then tie soaked masoor into a clean cotton cloth and keep it at a warm place for 8 to 10 hours.
Baked Vegetables in Marathi
Serves: 3 persons
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp paste of - ginger + garlic + green chili
1 cup Cauliflower florets, small (I used 3/4 cup cauliflower + 1/4 cup broccoli)
1/2 cup carrot, small dices
1/2 cup sweet corns, (I used canned one)
1/4 cup french beans, 1 cm round slices
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, small dices
salt to taste
Spice mixture of - 3 pinches of Cinnamon pdr + 2 pinches crushed black pepper + 2 pinches cardamom powder
White sauce - Click here for the recipe
Other Ingredients:
1/2 cup Italian cheese blend
1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup bread crumbs (optional)
Method:
1) Preheat the oven at 350 F.
2) Heat butter in a pan. Add ginger-garlic-chili paste. Saute for few seconds. Add onion and saute until translucent. Now add cauliflower, carrots, french beans, and bell peppers. Saute for a minute. Add sweet corns, salt and spice mixture. Mix well.
3) Put vegetables in baking glass pan. Pour in white sauce as much as needed. Mix in some cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and bread crumbs, evenly on top.
4) Increase the temperature to 400 F. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or cheese on top melts and turn slightly brown.
Serve with brown bread.
Tips:
1) You may use other vegetables of your choice.
Aluchi Bhaji in Marathi
Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 7 to 8 small bowls (enough for 3 to 4 persons)
Ingredients:
7 to 8 Alu Leaves, medium size (Colacasia/Taro leaves)
3 to 4 tbsp Peanuts
2 to 3 tbsp Chana dal
For tempering: 1 tbsp oil, 2 pinches mustard seeds, 1/8 tsp hing, 1/8 tsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp red chili powder
3 tbsp besan
1 tsp tamarind
2 tsp Goda masala
2 tsp jaggery
Salt to taste
Method:
1) Soak peanuts and chana dal for 2 hours. Then pressure cook upto 1 or 2 whistles.
2) Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup warm water for 10 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind and extract the juice.
3) Wash and pat dry alu leaves. Separate the stems and peel them. Finely chop the leaves and peeled stems.
4) Heat oil in a kadai. Prepare tadka by adding mustard seeds, hing, turmeric powder and red chili powder. Add chopped Alu leaves and chopped stems. Add 1/2 tsp salt. Cover and cook for 6 to 7 minutes to soften the alu leaves. Sprinkle little water if alu leaves become dry.
5) Add tamarind juice and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Mix 1/2 cup water and 3 tbsp besan in a bowl without any lumps. Add this mixture to kadai and mix well.
6) Add cooked chana dal and peanut. Add water to adjust the consistency (not too thick not too thin).
7) Add goda masala, jaggery, little salt. Boil till besan cooks.
Serve hot with white rice or Millet roti (bhakari)
Notes:
1) Chopped Alu leaves can be pressure cook to save time.
2) Traditionally, Ambat Chuka (green sorrel) is used to give sour taste to this curry. If you want, you may use 1/4 to 1/2 cup of chopped ambat chuka. But then, do not add tamarind or add in very little amount after checking the taste. Otherwise, curry would taste very sour.
Additionally, 1/2 small raddish can be use.
3) Fresh coconut slices can be added alongwith peanuts.
4) Adjust the seasoning according to your taste
Tomato Rasam in Marathi
Time: 40 to 50 minutes
Serves: 3 to 4 persons
Ingredients
3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1/4 cup toor dal
3 cups plain water
For tempering:- 1 tbsp oil, 2-3 pinches mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp hing, 1/8 tsp turmeric powder, 2 dried red chilies (broken), 1/2 tsp urad dal, 15 to 20 methi seeds, 2 cloves of garlic (crushed), 1 spring of curry leaves.
10 to 12 black pepper, crushed
1 green chilies, chopped
1.5 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp tamarind
Salt to taste
Method:
1) Pressure cook toor dal by adding 2 cups water. Once toor dal is cooked, drain and save the water. Squeeze out water from dal too.
2) Add 1/2 cup hot water in tamarind. Let the tamarind soak in for 10 minutes. Then squeeze the tamarind and get the juice.
3) Mix 2 cups plain water and 2 cups dal water into a saucepan. Bring it to a boil. Add chopped tomatoes, green chili and half of tamarind juice. Simmer for atleast 20 minutes or until tomatoes soften and mashed up.
4) Heat oil in a tadka pan. add urad dal, methi seeds. Wait till color turns to light brown. Add garlic, and red chilies. Add mustard seeds, hing, turmeric and curry leaves. Pour this tadka over rasam.
5) Add salt, crushed pepper, coriander powder and cumin powder. Boil for atleast 10 to 15 minutes.
Check the taste and adjust the spices. Add some tamarind juice if sourness is required.
Serve hot with rice or have it as a soup.
Tips:
1) Use nicely ripe red tomatoes.
2) If you don't like chunky rasam, puree 2 tomatoes instead of chopping.
3) Rasam should be spicy. However, to make it subtle, reduce the amount of black pepper.
4) Flavors intensify (in good way), if you serve rasam after couple of hours.
Upasachi Bhajani in Marathi
Time: 30 to 40 minutes
Yield: 300 grams
Ingredients:
100 grams Sabudana (sago)
150 grams Vari Tandul (bhagar/ samo rice)
100 gram Rajgira
1 tsp cumin seeds
Method:
1) Dry roast sabudana over low heat until it turns light pink
2) Dry Roast vari tandul over low heat until it color becomes pinkish.
3) Also dry roast Rajgira over low heat till light pink.
4) Mix them together. Add cumin seeds. Grind to fine powder.
Tips:
1) Apply 1/2 tsp ghee to sabudana to avoid sticking while roasting.
2) Do not roast ingredients till becomes dark. The flour blend won’t taste good.
3) Do not roast cumin seeds. Add them raw.
4) You may change proportion of ingredients. Quantity of sabudana can be reduced and amount of Rajgira or/and vari tandul can be increased by a little(around 200 grams).
Stuffed Karela in Marathi
Time: 25 minutes
serves: 2 to 4 persons
Ingredients:
4 small Karela (bitter gourd)
Oil for deep frying
Stuffing:
2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
2 tbsp roasted besan flour (roast over 1 tbsp oil)
2 tbsp roasted coconut (dry coconut)
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp Amchoor powder (dry mango powder)
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp Hing (Asafoetida)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp poppy seeds (optional) (roasted)
Salt to taste
Method:
1) Wash karela nicely. Grate the surface and make it smooth. Slit lengthwise, remove seeds. Rub little salt inside the karela.
2) Crush roasted sesame seeds and coconut together. Add roasted besan, coriander-cumin powder, amchoor, red chili powder, sugar, crushed poppy seeds and little salt(remember, we've rubbed little into karela).
3) Stuff this mixture inside karela. Tie each karela tightly with a tread. Deep fry until golden crispy.
Tips:
1) Karela can be shallow fried. Heat around 1/4 cup of oil into a pan. Prepare tempering by adding mustard seeds, hing, turmeric powder. Add karela, cover and cook for few minutes. Change the sides occasionally. Press with a spoon, so that karela gets cooked properly.
2) Always choose small karelas. They cook faster, and easy to serve (usually one karela is sufficient for one person)
Broccoli Soup in Marathi
Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2 to 3 persons
Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter, room temperature
300 gram fresh broccoli florets (1 and 1/2 cup small florets)
1 medium onion, chopped (3/4 cup)
1 medium carrot, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups Water (tip 1)
1/4 cup cream (I used half and half)
Croutons (optional)
Method:
1) Heat 1 tbsp butter into a deep saucepan. Add broccoli, onion and carrot. Also add salt and pepper. Saute over medium heat until onion is translucent. About 5 to 6 minutes.
2) Add all purpose flour and keep stirring for couple of minutes. Add water and bring to boil. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
3) Pour in the cream. and give a good stir. Blend it well and make fine puree. Adjust salt and pepper. and boil for couple of minutes
Serve hot with homemade croutons.
Tip:
1) Vegetable stock or chicken stock may be used instead of water.
Paneer Lollypop in Marathi
Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients:
1 cup Paneer, grated
2 medium potatoes, boiled
1.5 tsp ginger, grated
1 tsp garlic paste
2 tsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp corn starch
1/4 cup cilantro,finely chopped
1/2 tsp white pepper
2 to 3 green chilies, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
3 tbsp Maida, for dusting
salt to taste
oil to deep fry
8 to 10 ice candy wooden sticks OR baby corns
Method:
1) Peel the potatoes and mash without any lumps.
2) Mix all the ingredients except Maida. Knead well and divide into 8 lemon size balls.
3) Take 1 mixture ball and pierce the candy stick into it. Press gently between your palms to secure it on the stick. This way, prepare all the lollypops.
4) Roll the lollypops in dry maida. Coat lollypops well and shake slightly to remove excess maida.
5) Heat oil to deep fry lollypops. Deep fry over medium heat. Turn occasionally to cook evenly.
Serve hot with Schezwan sauce or tomato ketchup.
Tips:
1) Do not use potatoes which become gooey after mashing. Russet potatoes work well.
2) Adjust the amount of chili to your preference.
3) Use WOODEN sticks.
4) If using baby-corn, pierce thicker side of the baby-corn in paneer ball.
Palak Sabzi in Marathi
Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2 to 3 persons
Ingredients:
3 cups finely chopped Spinach leaves
1 small onion, finely chopped (around 1/4 cup after chopping)
1/2 tsp urad dal (optional)
For tempering: 1 tsp oil, pinch of mustard seeds, pinch of cumin seeds, 1/8 tsp hing, 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
1 or 2 green chilies, slit in between
Salt to taste
Method:
1) Heat oil in a kadai. Add urad dal and wait till it turns golden brown. Now add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and hing. Add green chilies and turmeric. Saute for 10 seconds.
2) Add onion and 2-3 pinches salt. Let onion cook nicely.
3) Add spinach and cook without covering the pan. Saute until spinach reduces. Adjust the salt.
Serve hot with chapati.
Tips:
1) Urad dal has been used only to make sabzi look attractive. It does not provide much flavor. Hence, it may be skipped if not needed.
Malai Kofta in Marathi
Time: approx 1 and 1/2 hour
Serves: 3 persons
Ingredients:
For Kofta Cover:
3 medium potatoes
2 tbsp Corn Flour
Salt to taste
Oil to deep fry
Stuffing:
1/2 cup grated paneer
2 pinches salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 green chili, finely chopped
25 Raisins
2 tsp finely chopped cilantro
Gravy:
1 big White onion, cut into two halves
2 tsp butter
2 green chilies
paste of 3 big garlic cloves,
paste of 1 small piece of ginger
Whole spices: 2 bay leaves, 2-3 cloves, 3 black pepper, 1 small stick of cinnamon, 2 cardamom buds
2 tbsp cashew paste
1/2 cup Half and half (Tip 5)
Salt to taste
Method:
Kofta:
1) Boil the potatoes. Peel and mash well (tip 2). Add 2 tbsp corn flour and salt to taste. Knead well and divide into 8 equal portions.
2) Mix all the ingredients given under stuffing label. Divide this stuffing in 8 equal portions.
3) Flatten the potato mixture and make a semi thick round disc (around 2.5 inches). Put the stuffing at the center and cover nicely by joining all the edges. Make the surface smooth. Finish making koftas.
4) Deep fry koftas over medium high heat. Keep aside until we make gravy.
Gravy:
5) Boil the onion (I pressure cooked the onion upto 2 whistles.). Make a fine paste.
6) Heat butter into a pan. Add whole spices (Tip 1), green chilies and ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 15 seconds. Now add onion paste and salt. Cook over high heat. Stir continuously until color changes slightly.
7) Add cashew paste. Stir in between as cashew paste tends to stick at bottom of the pan. Add very little water to adjust the consistency. Cover the pan and cook until raw smell of cashews disappear. (for 3 to 4 minutes) (Tip)
8) Turn the heat to low. Add half and half and stir vigorously as it may curdle due to salt and onion. Once its well blended put the flame over medium. Cook for few minutes. Add koftas and serve immediately with chapati or any Indian bread.
Tips:
1) In step 7, after cashew paste is well cooked, I removed the whole spices from the gravy. After that, I blended the gravy for couple of minutes to make it smooth and silky. Then I put the gravy in the same pan and followed the recipe as given.
2) Mash the potatoes very well. There shouldn't be any lumps.
3) If you add garam masala or any other spice powder, it will change the color of gravy. Therefore, add whole spices which will give flavor to the gravy without changing its color.
4) The stuffing can be variate or few additions like cashews, pistachios may be added to your preference.
5) Half and half is a mixture of 1 portion whole milk and 1 portion heavy cream.It is available at grocery stores in refrigerator section
Ingredients:
