Spicy Kolhapuri Soya Thamda rassa

Vegans forgo the consumption of meat and meat derivatives, which leaves them looking for alternatives to meet their nutritional needs. Soya chunks are made from soy beans and they work well as meat substitutes. These come in the form of regular chunks, mini chunks and granules, and can be used in many ways. The nutritional value is similar to meat in some areas and different in others.Soya chunks are dry when you purchase them. They need to be reconstituted in water, which causes them to become spongy. Plain soya chunks do not have much flavor at all, but they absorb sauces, spices and flavorings well. 

Try this spicy kolhapuri style Red curry /Thamda rassa with a aromatic kolhapuri masla. I am sure you and your family gonna love it :)

Ingredients

• 3 cups Soya chunks
• 4 Tomatoes chopped
• 4 onion,sliced
• 1tsp Ginger garlic paste
• 1tbsp oil

Dry Roast separately and grind (masala paste)

• 1 cup Dry copra/ coconut,grated
• 2 pieces Cinnamon sticks
• 4-5 Cloves
• 1/4tsp Pepper corns
• 10 spicy dried red chillies
• 1tbsp Coriander seeds
• 2tsp Cumin/jeera
• 1/2tsp  Dagad phool
• 1/2 Mace/javethri
• 1 tsp White thil
• 1 small piece Nutmeg/jaiphal
• 1tsp poppy seed

Cooking Directions

1. Soak soya chunks in hot water for 30 minutes.
2. After 30 minutes Squeeze out all the water from soya and drain it well.
3. Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry soya chunks till they tuns to nice golden brown colour and take out on a kitchen towel or paper to drain out the excess oil
4. In the same pan and fry onion slices till golden brown and let it cool completely before grinding it to smooth paste and our brown onion paste is ready.
5. Meanwhile dry roast all the masala ingredients till brown and grind it to smooth paste with 2 cups of water.
6. In a seperate kadai /sauce pan heat some oil and saute remaining 1 sliced onion till translucent.Now add ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes.
7. Add in chopped tomatoes and saute further till oil separates.
8. Now its time add in brown onion paste,Roasted masala paste along with fried soya chunks.Give it a nice stir and add 3 cups of water.cover and cook on low heat .
9. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or roti.

Upavasache idli /sagoo-jungle rice idli

Normally on Ekadasi or sankashti day we hindus avoid eating grains and beans, anything made from them or anything that has them in it. This means avoiding bread, pasta, lentils, rice, as well as beans and preparations made from bean flour. Most of the people in Maharashtra have sabudana and wari tangul /jungle rice during fasting.

Usually i make sabudana khichidi or sabudana kheer or rava idli during fasting but this time i have tried something new using sabudana and vari thandul .Vari Tandul in marati is the seed of a grass ( Echinochloa Colonum) which frequently grows amongst the rice paddy as it requires damp, or even waterlogged, soil. Instead of removing it with weedkiller, farmers harvest it. When cooked, it makes a tasty and filling meal. Tandul means rice and though vari is not a grain it provides the nourishment and energy that rice does. In the west it is called 'Samo' or 'jungle rice'.Varicha Tandul is quite delicious, and the following recipe will prove it. Don't fast - just feast!

Ingredients

• 2 cups vari/varai/jungle rice/
• 1 cup sagoo/ tapioca pearls/sabudana
• 2tsp Baking powder
• 1tsp Sugar

Cooking Directions

1. Wash and Soak sagoo and vari together in 5-6 cups of water for 4-5 hours.
2. Now grind both to smooth paste using same water in which we have soaked sagoo and vari. The consistency of the batter should be thick like idli batter.
3. Let it ferment overnight or at least 6-7 hours.
4. Next day morning add salt and sugar, mix it well. you can add little water if the batter is too thick.
5. Boil water in a idli steamer and grease the idli stand or ramekins .
6. Lastly add the baking powder to the batter.Blend it well and then fill the moulds with this batter and steam for about 12-15 minutes..First 10 minutes on high and then lower the flame and steam again for 3-4 minutes till done.
7. Serve hot with peanut chutney or sambar.