Saoji mutton

Nagpur and Vidarbha has its own culinary treats. Nagpur itself has its own specialty cuisine like  “Saoji”. Nagpurians are known for their love for spicy food which is prominently evident in popularity of Saoji Food.  Saoji Mutton is cooked in a delicious gravy of dry coconut and whole garam masalas roasted and ground. The key ingredient in this recipe is " Saoji spice powder",which gives very robust flavour to this dish.

“Saoji spice power/garam masala powder” recipe is consisting of varieties of garam masala which enhance the taste of this mutton curry. This is one of best garam masala powder recipe which has best combination of Indian spices. Additionally dry coconut used while cooking brings extra thickness to mutton gravy. This recipe is also famous  because of its spicy flavor and aroma.The recipe may seem long, but is incredibly easy to make. Just make sure you have all the ingredients ready.This curry  powder can even be made a week in advance and stored in air-tight bottles.

INGREDIENTS

1. 1 kg -Mutton,  (Cut that into small pieces of 1 inch with bone)
2. 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
3. Salt to taste
4. 2tsp Lemon Juice
5.  Saoji Garam Masala powder
6. Brown onion paste*
7. 3 tomatoes ,chopped
8. 2tbsp+2tbsp  Ginger Garlic paste
9. 1tsp byadgi chilli powder
10. 1/2 cup Coriander leaves chopped

Saoji Garam Masala powder*:

1. Oil- 3 tablespoons
2. Dry coconut- 1/2 cup ,grated
3. Black cardamoms- 1
4. Green cardamoms- 10
5. Coriander seeds- 4tsp
6. Shahi jeera- 1teaspoon
7. Cumin-1tsp
8. Cloves- 12
9. Black pepper- 1tsp
10. Cinnamon- 4 pieces of 1 inch each
11. Bay leaves- 2
12. Dry byadgi red chilies-10-12
13. Khuskhus (poppy seeds) 2 tsp
14. Stone flower (Dagad phool)- 2 tsp
15. Mace-1 small
16. Salt- 3tsp

Method for the saoji masala powder*

Heat oil in a shallow/heavy bottomed pan,add all the ingredient.Roast till copra turns to dark golden brown colour. Make sure to roast on very low flame to prevent burning of the spices.

Method of making brown onion paste:

Slice 3 onions and deep fry in oil till it changes to golden brown colour and drain the excess oil from onions and grind to a paste by adding little amount of water.

Method for the main curry:

1. Marinate the pieces of mutton with lemon and turmeric powder for about 3-4 hours
2. Now take pressure cooker add marinated muttton pieces and saute them on high gas till pieces get light brown.
3. Then add paste of ginger garlic and fried onions and mix well with the mutton pieces.
4. Once these pieces gets fried with both the paste add 1/2 of the Saoji masala powder * which is made earlier.
5. Add salt as per taste and 3-4 cups water and mix well and then cover the cooker with a lid.
6. Cook this mutton in pressure cooker till three- four whistles depending on the tenderness .
7. Meantime prepare one more masala paste by adding remaining Saoji masala powder,1/2 of the coriander leaves and tomatoes and grind it to smooth paste.
8. Take a pan add some oil and saute this ground masala paste and add 2tbsp ginger garlic paste and 1tsp chilly powder and saute till oil comes on top.
9. Now add the cooked mutton pieces and bring it boil,check the seasoning and cook for about 10 minutes on medium flame
10. Serve this mutton with bread/ pav or rice bhakri

Aamras Puri

Our Indian wedding recipes contains a variety of traditional wedding recipes. Wedding is a very special event in anyone's life. It is an occasion to indulge in revelry and merry making. Celebrate wedding along with some delicious food. 
Today i am here with one of the famous recipe of indian wedding "Aamras puri",specially prepared during summer season. Try this easy recipe at home and i am sure your family going to love this.
Aamras or Amras is the pulp of the Mango fruit eaten in India. The pulp of a ripe fruit is extracted usually by hand and consumed along with puri.A regional version of Amras is a popular dessert in Rajasthani cuisine,Marwari, Maharashtrian(ambyacha ras) and Gujarati homes, especially during festivities.

Ingredients for Aamras:

1. 4 cups Mango Flesh (cubed) preferably Alfonso Mangoes. 
2. 14 cup Milk
3. 11/2 tbsp Sugar or to taste.

How to make Aamras:

1. In a microwave or stove top, heat the milk near boil. Crush the saffron strands, add it to the milk and let it stand for around 15 minutes.
2. Use an electric blender, puree the mango flesh, milk and sugar.

Ingredients For Puri:

1. 2 cups Wheat flour
2. 2tsp oil
3. Salt to taste
4. Oil for frying

How to make Puri:

1. Add wheat flour, oil & salt in a bowl.
2. Add water to form a firm dough & knead till smooth.
3. Cover it & keep aside for about 15 minutes.
4. Knead again. Divide into small balls & roll out into round shape.
5. Heat oil in a pan. Fry puri till light brown from both side.
6. Serve hot with aamras.
7. If you like your puris crisp then try adding 1/2 cup of fine rava along with the wheat flour.

Kari kadubu/fried Modak

Happy ganesh chauturti to all my readers!

  

Enjoy this ganesha chaturti with delicious easy to make crispy fried modaks . Modak is Lord Ganesh’s one of favorite dishes. There are lots of variant of Modak, here I am posting fried modak recipe for Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Lord Ganesha is my favorite Hindu God and we all celebrate this festival.We offer different types of prasad to lord ganesha on this day and  Modak is one of them which is also loved by my kids. Fried modak is made from different types of flours like wheat flour,maida and rice flour and easy to make. Maida is not ideal for fried modak. By easy steps you can made fried modak easily, even you can changes ingredients to change taste.

Ingredients

• To make outer cover:
  1. 1/4 cup rice flour
  2. 1/2 cup Maida/all purpose flour
  3. 1/4 cup fine soji/chiroti rava or wheat flour
  4. water as required
  5. 4 Tbsp ghee
  6. Pinch of Salt
  
  
  To make stuffing:
  
  1. 2 cup freshly shredded Coconut
  2. 2 cup Jaggery
  3. 4 Tbsp poppy seeds
  4. 2tbsp white thil/sesame seeds
  5. Cardamom powder a pinch
  6. Roasted cashewnuts and raisins ( crushed)

To make outer cover: 

• Mix all the flours together and salt in a bowl.
• Add water and knead well.
• At the end add ghee and knead again.
• Keep it aside for 15 mins,covered with a muslin cloth or cling film.

To make stuffing: 

• In a pan, roast the poppy seeds and white sesame seeds
• Once they are roasted well add the shredded coconut and jaggery. Mix everything well.
• Finally add cardamom powder and cashewnuts.
• The stuffing is ready.

 To make modak:

• Take small balls of the dough, roll it into small puris.
•  Now spread spoonful of stuffing over the puri.
• Fold the edges as shown in the picture and gather them in the center. Seal it properly.
• Heat oil and deep fry the modaks. The oil should be not too hot as the modak can get burnt and remain uncooked from inside.
• Stir them at regular interval to make sure that they are cooked from all sides.
•  Serve them hot or Store them in an air tight container.
  
  
  Note:

•  To make the modak crispy the puri should be thin.

• To make modak of same size cut out the puri with a round shaped cutter or a sharp edged bowl.

Kolhapuri style Chicken Paandra Rassa ( White chicken curry)

 

Kolhapuri cuisine is famous nationwide and is easily available in all of Maharashtra.Curries are not just tempting but lip smacking & delicious too. These dishes are full of flavors and spices. Some people (who are not from Maharashtra) find kolhapuri food a little hot and spicy but this is a truly marata style curry to suit everybody`s palate with coconut ,cashew,poppy seeds & spices, very mild but rich & creamy.

Pandra rassa/white curry is mild mutton soup/ curry prepared  by using white coconut milk and hot spices with very little chilly or without chilly.you will find strong aromas of spices as well as garlic and ginger in abundance. Pandhara Rassa is served along with the main course as accompaniments.

 

Ingredients:

1. 1kg Chicken,cut into medium sized pieces
2.  2-3 bay leaves
3.  salt to taste
4. 3-4 green chillies ,slit 
5. 3tbsp oil or ghee

For the 1st paste* :

1. 2 Onion,sliced
2. 10 cloves
3. 3-4 pieces of cinnamon
4. 10-12 pepper corns ( you can also use white pepper powder)
5.  4  green chillies
6. 1tsp Saunf/fennel seeds
7. a small piece of Nutmeg
8. 3 Green cardamoms
9. 1tbsp Poppy seeds /Khus Khus
10. 2-3 tsp white sesame seeds/safed til
11. 10 cashew nuts
12. 2inch Ginger
13. 15 Garlic cloves

For the 2nd paste*:
1 Coconut,medium sized,freshly grated
2 liter warm water

Method:

• Soak Poppy seeds,sesame seeds and cashew nut in a bowl of warm water for about 10-15 minutes.
• Now grind 1st paste* ingredients to smooth paste with soaked poppy seeds with very little water .
• Extract coconut milk by grinding grated coconut with warm water ,then strain it using a metal  strainer or a muslin cloth.you'll get thick coconut milk.
• Now Repeat this twice and you will get thin coconut milk.You can use this thin coconut milk when cooking the chicken.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed sauce pan or handi,add bay leaves and stir for a couple of seconds.
• Add  1st paste* and fry till oil comes on top or till the raw smell goes off.
• Mix chicken pieces with the fried masala till chicken pieces are well coated with the masala.
• Now its time to add thin coconut milk to the chicken and stir it well,cover and cook on medium flame for 10- 15 minutes
• When the chicken is almost cooked add the thick coconut milk and bring it to boil along with the slit green chillies.Now bring this Pandra(white) rassa to a boil,about 6-7 minutes,turn off the heat.
• Garnish with coriander leaves(optional) and serve hot with puri or pulka

Kakdi thalipeet/thali pettu...cucumber pancakes

We have probably never been more health conscious as we are now. An increase in lifestyle disorders,especially heart diseases,blood pressure and diabetes, and experts taking serious note of this fact,has helped increase awareness about health and fitness among common people. Today i am here with a healthy pancake with cucumber and rice flour a popular breakfast dish from Maharashtra and Karnataka. In Maharashtra it is known as thalipeet and in Karnataka locals call it thalipettu.,its easy more importantly very healthy and delicious breakfast idea.

Ingredients

• 11/2 cups Rice flour
• 1/2 cup Semolina/ bombay rava
• 1 Cucumber ( medium size) ,grated
• 1/4 cup Freshly grated coconut
• 2tbsp Freshly chopped coriander leaves
• 5-6 green chillies
• 2tsp Jeera/cummin seeds
• Salt as per taste
• Oil for frying

Cooking Directions

• Grind coconut and green chillies to coarse paste with little salt.
• Next, in a bowl add rice flour and semolina with grated cucumber ,ground coconut paste ,cumin,coriander leaves and add salt to taste.
• Add little water,mix well to a soft dough.Keep it covered for 10 minutes.
• Now heat a griddle/pan.smear it with a tsp of oil,take a handful of the dough and spread it nicely (it should be about 3/4 cm thick) with your hand.
• Keep this covered with a lid and fry on medium heat,After a minutes,add oil to the sides of the thalipeet/pancake to make it easier to remove when it is cooked evenly.Now flip the pancake and fry on the other side till it is well cooked.
• if you prefer your thalipeet more crispy,leave it on a little longer.
• Serve hot with a chutney of your choice.

Note: To make another pancake,sprinkle some water all around.Once the pan has cooled, you can make another pancake. But be careful while sprinkling the water onto the hot pan,as water will start sizzling as soon as it hits the pan.

Bhadang/spicy murmura/kadle puri

Bhadang is a popular snack of Maharashtra ,Karnataka and some other parts of India, the name may vary from region to region.In karnataka we call it kadle puri and  north Indians call it masala murmura. 

          This is one of my family  favourite snack which can be made very quickly and can be eaten as snacks, especially with tea or coffee. It can be spiced up with onions, coriander leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice for that extra zing!

Ingredients

• 4cups Murmura/churmure/puffed rice
• 1/2 cup Ground nuts,Roasted
• 1/2 cup Putane/roasted chana dal/chutney dal
• 2 springs  Curry leaves
• 2-3 Whole dried red chillies ,cut into pieces
• 1/2tsp Rock salt/kaala namak
• 1tsp Red chilly powder
• 1/2tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/4tsp Chat masala ( optional)
• Hing/asafoetida a pinch
• 1tbsp Oil

Cooking Directions

1. Heat oil in a pan add putane and ground nut ,curry leaves,red chilly pieces and pinch of hing. Saute on a medium flame for a minute or till all the ingredients are crispy.
2. Now add rock salt powder,chilly powder and turmeric powder,stir for a second.
3. Add murmura and mix it well and take it off the heat.
4. Let it cool before serving. You can store in an airtight container and serve as tea-time snack !

Serving suggestion ; Add some chopped onion and coriander leaves and squeeze some lemon juice on top and serve.

Gawar( cluster beans) ki subzi

These cluster bean recipes are healthy and easy. Known as known as gawar in marati and hindi,mitki in konkani goru chikkudu, or kothavara in various Indian languages, cluster beans are a type of green beans grown in India, especially in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra and north Karnataka  They are a flatter, smaller version of the regular green (French or string) beans. These beans stay fresh for a couple of weeks when wrapped in plastic and stored in the refrigerator. Cluster beans are very healthy as they are are full of protein and fibre. Unlike the regular green beans, cluster beans have a slightly bitter taste. To tone down the bitterness, i use lots of onion or freshly grated coconut and also use tamarind or tomatoes to cut down the bitterness...this is my kids favourite dish,i often prepare for their tiffin box along with chapati ( Indian flat bread)

Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 20-15 minutes
Ingredients

• 250 grams Gawar/cluster beans
• 3 Onions ( sliced)
• 3tsp Red chilly powder
• 10-12 Garlic cloves ( chopped)
• 2 Tomatoes ( chopped)
• 1tsp Garam masala or kanda lasun masala
• 1/2tsp Turmeric powder
• 1tbsp Oil

Cooking Directions

1. Before cooking the beans, you need to be string them, i.e., remove the fibre from the sides of the bean.
2. Once you are done, then wash it and chop into 2 inch long pieces.
3. Now heat oil in a pan ,add onion and chopped garlic and saute till onion turns to light pink colour.
4. Add chilly powder,turmeric powder and salt and saute again for few seconds.
5. Add chopped tomatoes and garam masala or kanda lasun masala ( this is special maharashtrian masala used in dals and vegetables).Mix it well.
6. Now add chopped gawar and stir it well,let the masala coat the beans.Fry for 2-3 minutes.Add a cup of water,cover it with a lid and cook for 10-15 minutes on low flame or till its done.
7. Serve hot with roti or chapati

Chakkuli/chakli/muruku

Chakkuli/muruku is a deep fried indian snack enjoyed in every household specially during festive season,especially during deepavali,ganesh chaturthi and nagapachami.So i make sure to prepare these crispy snack at least on these festivals.This is very easy and simple recipe which i got from my neighbour.

Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Yield: 20 medium sized chakklis
Ingredients

• 2 cups Rice flour
• 1/4 cup Besan/ gram flour
• 1tbsp Melted butter
• 1/2tsp Ajwain
• 1/2tsp Red chilly powder
• 1tsp Black sesame seeds/thil

Cooking Directions

1. Mix rice flour,red chilly powder,ajwain,black sesame seeds,besan/gram flour and salt to taste
2. Now pour melted butter and mix it well.
3. Add water little by little as required,form a stiff dough.
4. Let it rest for 10 - 15 mins.
5. Now take a chakkuli maker and use one star attachment and start preparing chakkuli.Use plastic sheet or Banana leaf and grease it well with oil.
6. Now press the dough on the plastic sheet,Slightly rotate the chakkuli maker round and round until you make a circle.
7. Heat oil in a deep frying pan and gently remove the chakkuli from the moist hands and slowly slide into hot oil.
8. Fry till golden brown and drain them on kitchen towel or paper .
9. Let it cool and store in airtight container.

Karanji/karji kai/nevri

Recipe by Preethi baliga

Karjikai/karani/nevri is a deep fried dumpling that is a common Maharashtrian and southindian traditional sweet made during festivals like ganesh chaturthi,Deepavali or special occasions. It is crispy on the outside with a sweet stuffing. The stuffing is made with a combination of coconut, sugar/jaggery and nuts.

Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 60 mins
Yield: 12-15
Ingredients

• 1 cup Maida/all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Chiroti rava/super fine semolina
• 2tbsp hot oil/ghee
• 1/2 liter oil for frying
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup dry coconut/copra ( grated)
• 2tsp White til/sesame seeds
• 1tsp Spice powder( cloves,cinnamon and cardamom)
• 1tbsp Cashew nuts,raisins,almonds

Cooking Directions

1. Dry roast til/sesame seeds and keep aside.
2. Now Coarsely grind sugar,dry coconut grated,spice powder, and cashew nut,raisin and almonds,Now the filling is ready to go into our karanji
3. For making karanji dough ,first heat oil or ghee ,mix in maida,chiroti rava and salt and hot oil.
4. Knead the flour into a firm yet pliable dough with warm water.Cover it with a wet cloth and set aside for 20-25 mins.
5. Divide the dough into little lime sized balls
6. Roll each ball into round circles ,now place a spoonful of stuffing in the middle.Dip a finger into cold water, and gently dampen only one half of the edges and then gently fold and shape it like puff.Make sure the edges are sealed properly.
7. Heat oil in a deep kadai/pan,gently slide 2-3 karnjis at a time into the hot oil and fry them till crisp.Drain them out on paper towels.
8. Once cold store them in an air tight container.
9. They can be made and stored for up to 2 weeks .For better result store in an airtight container.

Naral vadi with a twist /coco-beet burfi

We Hindu's celebrate many festival during month of Shravan.Today on the full moon day (purnima) Throughout  maharashtra  people celebrate this day as Naral purnima. naral means coconut which is offered to sea god.The festival also marks the beginning of the new fishing season.So many people prepare this  coconut wadi on this occasion.Apart from naral purnima we also celebrate Raksha bandan and Nulu hunnime/sutta punnav.So on this special occasion  thought of preparing this popular dish of maharashtra with little twist.In this burfi i have used beetroot to get that nice pink color.

Ingredients:
 Fresh grated coconut-2cups
Sugar-13/4cup
Beet root grated-1/4cup
Milk-1/4cup
Cardamom -4-5
Fresh cream-1/2cup
Cashewnuts -8-10(  lightly crushed)

 Method:

• Mix all the ingredients and make a coarse paste in a mixer.

Now transfer the ground paste to a kadai/pan and keep on stirring on medium flame so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan .It will take about 15- 20 mins to become thick.

   

Let it cook until its starts leaving the sides of the pan.Now immediately   transfer this to a greased plate/thali.

Now with a help of a rolling pin roll into a 1" thick layer.Cut into desired shape pieces.Let it cool and its ready to serve.

Sol kadi/kokum kadi

Kokum/birinda/sol is a fruit widley available fruit in konkan region,Goa and some parts of Karnataka. This red coloured fruit is believed to be very useful in summer because of it cooling effect on the body. The drink prepared with this fruit is very refreshing it not only quenches your thirst,but also helps to prevents dehydration and sunstroke due to heat.

                           We konkani's use this for preparing juices,kadis and use it for curries instead of tamarind especially for fish curries.Today i am going to tell about this sol kadi which is one konkani speciality .Our lunch is incomplete without this sol kadi specially in summer.You can buy dried rind or readily available syrup for making this kadi.

Ingredients

Dried kokum rind-10

Coconut grated-2cups

Green chillies-4-5

Fresh coriander leaves-1tbsp

Asafoetida-1/2tsp

Garlic-4-5 pods

Salt to taste.

Method;- 

• Soak kokum in a cup of warm water for 30mins,to soften and to release the juice.After 30 mins when the water turns to dark pink color squeeze the kokum rinds and strain the juice and keep aside.
• Grind coconut along with all the ingredients except kokum to smooth paste adding 2cups of water.
• Now mix the kokum juice to cocunut paste,mix it well and then  strain the juice.
• Now you will get nice thick kadi .Add again 4 cups of water and salt to taste.
• For enhance the taste  of this kadi serve chilled.

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.