Shankarpali/ Sweet tukdi

 

 Diwali festival in Maharashtra and some parts of karnataka is incomplete without crunchy chakli, karanji and cute diamond shaped Shankarpali. shankarpali is a very addictive snack that is made during Diwali.You forget everything when these crunchy and crispy cute diamond shaped deep fried biscuits melts in your mouth.I makes this usually 2-3 days before Diwali,specially on my kids demand. It's a simple snack made using Maida, rava, and powdered sugar.

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups maida
2. 1/2 cup Rava/semolina
3. 1/4 cup Ghee,melted
4. 1/2 cup Sugar,powdered
5. 1tsp Salt
6. 1/2 cup milk 
7. Oil for frying

Method:

• Mix ghee and sugar in a wide plate or bowl with the hands. nicely rub it with the hand till the sugar completely melts with the ghee.
• Now add maida and rava and salt, nicely mix it, add little milk at a time and knead thefirm dough. If the consistency is too wet add little more maida. Then cover it with a wet cloth for about an hour.

 

• After the resting time, divide the dough into equal parts of six. Take one part and roll into a circular shape of 7 to 8 centimeter, similar to a chappati.
•  Using a knife or serrated cutting wheel or pizza cutter, cut the rolled out dough into strips and then again cut diagonally into strips to get square or diamond shapes.

 

• I gave it a diamond shape. Separate the cut pieces spread them on a paper, roll out few more rounds and cut them in similar fashion. 

 

• Heat oil in a frying pan and when the oil is hot enough for frying, fry the shankarpali pieces in batches. To test - you may drop a small bit of dough into the oil, if it rises up immediately to the surface, then the oil is ready for frying. Fry over low heat so that your shankarpali cook without burning.
• Fry evenly until they turn brown and crisp and the oil stops sizzling.
• Remove with slotted, long-handled spoon, draining the oil as you do. Put them into absorbent kitchen napkins. Prepare more shankarpali with the remaining dough. Store in a steel boxes or any air-tight jars. Stays fresh up to a month. Actually you can enjoy the shankarpalis any time of year, instead of waiting to prepare these only during Diwali.
  
  

Halwa-Puri (poori)

Happy Varamahalaxmi!

Varamahalaxmi virtha is an important Hindu festival  observed on the Friday before the full moon in the month of Shravana by  hindu women and is dedicated to Goddess Laxmi It is mostly celebrated in  many parts of South India and Maharashtra .Women either gather at a nearby temple or  at somebody's home where the puja is arranged. The main puja takes place with holy offerings of flowers, sweets and coins. A semi-circle is created and an idol of Goddess Laxmi is kept in the middle.When the puja gets over women offer fruits, flowers and other holy items and seek blessings of Goddess varamahalaxmi for marital bliss.

Like every year, we celebrate Varamahalaxmi virth with family and friends and lots of yummy dishes are served  and naivaidya in the evening.

So today on this auspicious occasion  i thought of making this easy to make dessert.Sooji ka Halwa /Halwa along with Poori i a indian breakfast delicacy . Halwa is usually served at breakfast with puris and when it comes to festivals like laxmi puja or any other indian festivals Sooji ka halwa is most famous dessert prepared though out india. There is a wide range of recipes for making sooji ka halwa, here is an easier one for you. 

1. 1 cup Semolina (Sooji )
2. 1 cup Sugar 
3. 4 Cardamom ,crushed
4. 2-3 cloves
5. Saffron a pinch
6.  21/2 cups Water
7. Raisins & cashew nuts for garnishing
8.  3/4 cup Clarified butter/Ghee

• In a medium size pot heat clarified butter and fry cloves ,let it splutter.
• Add semolina and stir constantly on low heat till its color turns pale gold and becomes fragrant.
• In  sauce pan add water, sugar, saffron and boil till sugar dissolves. 
• Now pour this sugar syrup over the fried rava and keep stirring and let it cook until most of the moisture is gone. Add the cardamom powder, mix it in, then cover and set on low heat to steam for 2 minutes. 
• Garnish with nuts before serving. 

For the Puris/pooris:

1. Sift the flour, add the baking powder, salt, yoghurt and oil. Gradually add in the warm water and knead to a soft dough. Let it sit for about 20mins, then divide the dough into 10-12 pieces. Roll each one out to about 4 inches diameter.

For soft puris proceed as follows:

1. Heat your oil, make sure it's quite hot. Put in a poori in the hot oil and immediately start splashing hot oil over the top of it with a spoon.
2. Gently press down on the poori with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula, and you will see it start to puff up. If the poori turns dark in less than a minute, the oil is too hot. Reduce the heat of the stove. Gently press down with the spatula, and wait till it puffs completely, it should take only few seconds.
3. Flip the poori over and cook the other side until golden brown.

For crispy Puris, this is what you need to do:

• Before rolling out your pooris, dip each ball into the rava and roll each one out to about 4 inch diameter. This will help puris to become firm and crisp. Fry them in the oil on both sides until golden and remove.
• Drain on paper towels.

Amaranth leaves Pakoda/pakora (tamdi bajji pakoda)

Amaranth leaves pakora

 

Are you looking for a crunchy,munchy?, then lal baji pakoda or pakora will be just perfect for you especially during cold evening tea time snack .
Amaranth (Thotakoora) leaves are the best and easily available leafy vegetable and the
 beautiful color of the leaves along with their freshness pairs wonderfully with anything you cook.It gives nice red colour to that dish.

 

These pakodas are to die for as they were so crisp and yummy!

 

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups Amarnath leaves/tamdi bajji
2. 1 cup Besan
3. 1/2 cup Rice flour
4. 1/4 cup Corn flour
5. 1/4tsp baking powder or a pinch of baking soda
6. 1tsp crushed coriander seeds
7. 2tsp Ginger chopped
8. 4-5 Green chillies,chopped finely
9. 1 onion chopped finely
10. 1tbsp hot oil
11. Oil to fry

Method:

• Wash and roughly chop the amaranth leaves .
• In a mixing bowl mix together onion,green chilles,ginger,salt and amaranth leaves,mix it well and keep aside for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes of resting time you will notice the amaranth mixture have let out more moisture.
• Now add all the remaining ingredients and a tbsp of hot oil, keep mixing with your finger tips.The mixture will start to resemble like bread crumbs
• If you see more moisture,then add some more rice flour or if it is dry just sprinkle a tsp of water at a time and form a smooth but stiff dough.
• Now prepare pakoras with dough and arrange it on a plate.
• Heat a deep frying pan with oil,drop a small ball of a dough into the oil and when it rises immediately to the top,the temperature of the oil is just right to fry the pakoras
•  Now drop the pakodas into the oil till the pan can hold.Cook over medium flame turning the pakodas once or twice in the middle.
• Once the sizzling of the oil subsides  and they look golden and crisp,remove and drain them on a kitchen paper/towel to absorb excess oil
• Serve hot with tea or coffee
  
  
  Notes:
  
  • Cook the pakodas over a medium heat ,if we cooked over high flame they will get burned quickly and will give out a bitter taste.

   
  
  
  
  

Mixed vegetable...a sankranthi special(Maharashtriran delicacy)

This dish is a specialty of  Maharashtra and north Karnataka. .Normally people prepare this on sankranthi day.Makara sankranthi is one of the most auspicious occasion for hindus and it is celebrated in almost all parts of the country.Its a harvest festival.In this time you will get fresh different variety of vegetables.So this dish is a must in this festival.Normally we use minimum 5 diffident vegetable to prepare this dish.Here i have used 7 types of veggies. 

Ingredients:-
Mixed variety of beans-2 cups(i have used the tender bean pod too) cut into small pieces.
Green peas-1/2cup
carrot-2(cut into 1inch long pieces)
Spring onion-1 bunch(5-6 bulbs)(cut into long pieces)
Gurellu chutney-3tsp
Chilly powder -1tsp
Garlic-5-7 cloves(chopped finely)
Green chillies-4(chopped finely)
turmeric-1/2tsp
cumin-1tsp
salt to taste
oil-1tbsp

Mixed veggies(fava beans,flat beans 

Method

• wash and cut all the vegetables.
• heat oil in a heavy bottom pan add cumin,let it sizzle then add choppped green chillies,garlic saute for sometime.
• now add turmeric and  Garam Masala powder   fry for a second.
• now add all chopped veggies and salt.Cover and cook till veggies are soft and dry.
• Serve hot with roti or rice.

Carrot salad,Mixed vegetable, Sweet khichidi dry roti,2 types of chutney,s Stuffed Brinjal moth beasns dry masala, Stuffed curd rice balls  and jeera rice.

curd rice(south indian yogurt rice with fruit and nut)

Curd rice or mosaranna in kannada is most popular rice dish in  south india and Maharashtra.In many temples this dish is served as pasadam(blessed food)after offering to god.Therefore this dish is very divine for me.Many people prefer it with lime or mango pickle, which is a great combination hence this is bit sour.Normally we serve this at the end of our lunch or dinner.If you are travelling and you prefer home cooked food then this is the best choice.I also prefer this dish for picnics and for the my kidslunch box.Because of curd and fruits this dish is very cooling effect which makes a perfect summer dish too.

Ingredients:-

rice-1 cup(basmathi rice or sona masoori)

curd-1/2ltr

for seasoning:-

green chilly-2-3 chopped

mustard-1tsp

curry leaves-5-6

ginger-1inch piece

oil -1tsp

for garnishing:-

pomegranate seeds-1 cup

cashew nut-8-10 roasted

raisins-1tbsp

grapes-1/4 cup chopped or cut into half

Method:-

• prepare rice by adding 21/2cups of water in a pressure cooker and cook till 30 mins or boil 1ltr water in a sauce pan and then add washed rice and cook till its sticky and soft.Then strain the water. Allow it to cool completely.
• In a bowl add cooled rice in that put  thick curd and salt to taste( you can add little sugar if you want).
• Now prepare seasoning .heat the small seasoning pan put some oil then add mustard let it sizzle then add green chilly and ginger .At last add curry leaves and switch off the gas.Pour this over the rice-curd mixture.Mix it well.
• At last garnish with pomegranate seeds,cashew nut ,raisins and with grapes.

Kolhapuri meat ball curry

Minced meat balls are my family's Favorite sunday dish.Whenever i prepare this dish i make sure to fry some to have it like a snack which really tastes awesome .I had this meat ball curry for the first time at my hubby's friend's place in Pune.It was just superb as they prepared it in a traditional  way  using Silbatta(stone grinder).In kolhapur  people prepare very tasty  fried meat balls and meat ball curries which is quite spicy or zanjanith

Ingredients for the meat balls:-

Mutton mince-1/2kg(makes upto 30balls)

red chilly-10

Garam masala-1tbsp

green chilly-2

coriander leaves-1/2cup

coriander seed-2tsp

cumin(jeera)-1tsp

onion-1(finely chopped)

ginger-1piece(chopped)

garlic-1pod(chopped)

salt to taste.

 

Method:-

• Mix all the ingredients and mix it well in a food processor or in a mixer grinder using meat mincing blade.now take it out and add besan and salt to taste.Mix it well.Now start making meat balls, make small lemon sized balls.Do not add any water while grinding.Just apply some oil to your palm while making the balls so it won't stick .You can add little besan or jowari flour as a binding agent.

Note:-  you can deep fry these balls and serve it as a snack

Ingredients for the gravy:-

Dry coconut(copra) -1/2(grated)

onion-4 sliced

chilly powder-1tbsp ( i have used kashmiri chilly powder)

tomato-3

Garam masala or Goda Masala.-2-3tsp

ginger-1inch piece

garlic-1pod

cloves-2

cardamom-2

cinnamon-1small piece

coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method:-

• Prepare brown onion paste.For that you need to fry onion till dark brown and grind to smooth paste.
• Dry roast coconut till it turns to light brown color .
•  Grind roasted coconut ,tomatoes,ginger,garlic ,cloves,cinnamon,cardamom to smooth paste.
• Heat 2tbsp of oil in a big sauce pan on a low flame.add chilly powder followed by the ground masala and the  brown onion paste ,saute till the oil comes on top.
• Add  Goda Masala..a Maharashtrian masala or Garam masala and 3 cups of water and brind to boil.
• Now drop minced balls one by one.
• It will float on top of the gravy after few mins.
• cook on a low flame for at least 20 min.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.Serve hot with roti or Bhakri

Note: Use Goda Masala..a Maharashtrian masala to get authentic kolhapuri taste and flavour for you meat ball curry.

Stuffed Brinjal(barleli vangi in marathi)

Barleli vangi means stuffed brinjal in marati.It is a famous Maharashtrian cuisine.In north Karnataka it is know as" Enney gai".  This dish is all about stuffing brinjals with spicy masala and cooked  on a slow fire in plenty of oil.This is very authentic maharashtrian recipe,whenever there is special occasion people love to cook this.

                     This is one of my daughter's favorite brinjal dish This really goes well with bakri(jawari or rice flour roti) or chapati or pulkas.

Ingredients:-
Brinjal(egg plant)-8-10(small variety)
coconut-1/2(grated)(about 2cups)
onion-2(chopped)
sesame seed -2tsp
groundnuts-2tsp
garam masala-1tbsp
chilly powder-2tsp
red chilly-4
ginger-small piece
garlic-1big pod
coriander leaves-1/2 cup chopped.
tomato-2 chopped
tamarind paste-1tsp
 vegetable oil(groundnut oil) for cooking-2tbsp

• Slit brinjals as shown above.After that soak it in the salt water.
• In the meanwhile prepare masala for the stuffing.
• 1st dry roast ground nut,sesame seeds,red chillies ,onion 1chopped,ginger,garlic and  the grated coconut.
• Now grind the roasted ingredients to a coarse paste along with tamarind.
• Now add chilly powder,onion chopped,garam masala,half of the coriander leaves and the salt to the  ground masala.
• Mix it well and start stuffing the brinjals.

• Now heat the oil in a pan and then add tomatoes.
• if the stuffing is little left then you can put that along with tomatoes and stir till tomatoes are cooked well.
• add the stuffed brinjals one by one to the gravy.
• Add little water about 1/2cup.
• cover  with a lid and cook till brijals are cooked on a slow fire.
• Turn all the brinjals,so that both the sides cook properly.
•  cook till oil comes on  the top of the gravy.The gravy should be thick and dry.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with bakri or roti(dry roti) or pulkas.

  

Stuffed curd rice balls(north karnataka special)

Curd rice balls are North Karnataka specialty.People here make this for special occasion like festivals, marriages or they pack this for picnics too.After lunch they like to have these balls.In summer its good to have curd balls for cooling effect.

I like to have it with dry garlic chutney or with dal.

Ingredients:-

rice-1cup

curd-1cup

garlic-3-4 cloves crushed

green chillies-2 chopped

coriander leaves-2-3tsp (chopped finely)

salt to taste.

For the stuffing:-

pomegranate seeds-1/2 cup

Raisins-2tsp

fried cashew nuts-3tsp(fried and crushed) 

Method: 

• Cook the rice till soft and mushy so its easy while making balls.
•  Spread the rice on a wide plate to cool down.
• Now add all the ingredients and mix it nicely by pressing with fork or spoon.
• mix nuts and pomegranate seeds for the stuffing.
• Now apply some water to your palm and start making the balls.
• Stuff with the pomegranate mixture.

Serve with spicy curry or have it plain. 

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