MyMusingsSangSpeak- Pet Puja - Shankarpaali

Shankarpaali

Shankarpaali is an essential Diwali Snack (Diwali Faraal) in Maharshtrian household. There are many different recipes for Shankarpaali or Shakkarpara (Hindi). Some recipes include dusting the  fried snack with powdered sugar and some recipes use sugar syrup to coat it. My recipe is one with added sugar. The recipe I am sharing with you is a sure-shot, easy  one that I follow from Annapurna book by Mangala Barve. It turns out to be so delicious and addictive that it is devoured by the family in no time. Do try out this easy, quick recipe of a delicious, filling snack.
Many people like to eat shankarpaali dipped in tea or milk.

Ingredients
Sugar (Powdered) - 1 cup+1 teaspoon
Pure Ghee - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Salt- A pinch
Cardamoms - 4- 5 nos (Powdered)
Nutmeg Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Refined Flour (Maida) - Approx 1/2 kg
Oil- Approx 300 - 350 ml

Method
Heat milk and dissolve powdered sugar in it, add ghee and warm it slightly. Remove from fire and allow to cool up to luke warm temperature. Add powdered cardamom and nutmeg along with a pinch of salt. Add flour and knead the dough to medium soft. Cover and leave aside for about half hour. Heat about 200- 250 ml oil in a Kadahi. Make about 8 balls of the dough. Roll out one ball with rolling pin into a slightly thick chapatti. Cut out squares of 1 cm or the size you prefer. Fry in the oil on medium heat, keep turning occasionally. Remove from fire once they turn golden brown colour and spread on tissue paper for oil to drain out. Add oil later as you fry the later rounds of shankarpaali, as the oil will get used up for frying. 

Note - You may use oil in place of ghee, if you wish to cut down on calories. I have not tried out yet. Some people use normal wheat flour or sooji (semolina) instead of refined flour. I have never tried out.

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Eggless Carrot Cake (Pressure Cooker)

Eggless Carrot Cake

I made this easy eggless carrot cake by following recipe on the net. I tried eggless cake for the first time and it did turn out very good. Generally, I bake most of my cakes in the pressure cooker. I have made a few changes in the original recipe. Here comes my recipe for eggless carrot cooker cake.

Ingredients

Refined Oil – ½ cup

Sugar (powdered) – ¾ cup

Milk- ½ cup

Carrot (grated) – 1 cup

Refined Flour (Maida) – 1½ cup

Baking Powder – 1 teaspoon

Baking Soda – ½ teaspoon

Cinnamon Powder – 1 teaspoon

Nutmeg Powder – ¼ teaspoon

Salt - ¼ teaspoon

Vanilla Essence - ½ teaspoon

Method

Mix all the dry ingredients- flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder and salt well and set aside. Keep the pressure cooker on low flame for pre-heating. Grease a cake tin and spray well lightly with flour. Mix sugar and oil well. Add the dry ingredients mixture in the sugar oil mixture and beat well. Add grated carrot, vanilla essence and milk and mix well. Transfer to the prepared cake tin. Place it in the pre-heated pressure cooker with a separator, place the lid (you may use the rubber gasket or do without it too). Bake for about 35 minutes on low flame. Do the knife taste by inserting a clean knife in the centre of the cake, if it comes out clean, means cake is done. If the mixture sticks to the knife allow 5 more minutes for baking.

Note – If you want to bake in electric oven, pre-heat the oven for 10 minutes at 180 degrees C. Bake the cake for 30 minutes at 180 degrees C

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Veg Stir Fry

Veg Stir Fry

Veg Stir Fry is an easy to make, simple and quick recipe, full of nutrition and tasty too. You can use combination of various vegetables like cauliflower, mushroom, carrot, beans, baby corn, sweet corn, bell peppers, capsicum and onions etc. This is a lightly flavoured dish in which you can savour the unique taste of each vegetable.

Ingredients

Cauliflower – 50 gms

Onion – 1 large

French Beans – 50 gms

Carrot – 50 gms

Red Bell Pepper – 50 gms

Yellow Bell Pepper – 50gms

Green Capsicum – 50 gms

Mushroom – 50 gms

Baby Corn/Sweet Corn – 50 gms

Oil – 2 tablespoons

Salt – As per tatse

Subji Masala – ½ teaspoon

Method

Wash all vegetables and cut into lengthwise slices. Heat oil in a pan, add onions and sauté for a minute or two, till onion turns transluscent. Add beans, carrots and cauliflower and stir fry for further 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms and baby corn and salt and stir fry for 2 more minutes. Add salt and cover for about 2-3 minutes and cook on low flame. Remove cover and add capsicum and bell peppers and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add subji masala and cook for more 2-3 minutes. Serve hot as accompaniment with roti/chapatti or rice-daal.

Note – You may use all the vegetables mentioned in the ingredients or it could be a combination of all those available. You can add tomato too if you wish to give a slightly tangy flavour. The Masala or spice powder can also be added as per your choice.

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Kolhapuri Misal

Kolhapuri Misal

Misal or Kolhapuri Misal is a signature dish of Kolhapur (Maharashtra), an all-time favourite of many people across the length and breadth of the country, very popular Maharashtrian recipe of mixed sprouted legumes. Misal means a mixture, this dish is loaded with protiens and hence, full of nutrition. It takes about a day for sprouting various legumes and this recipe is finger licking good. Misal is generally served with bread and hence, popularly known as MisalPaav too.
In many places, Misal is a concoction of lots of oil and spices. Some places, they add potatoes too. You can lessen the oil and spice in the homemade version.I have eaten Misal from Bhigwan as well as Panhala, Kolhapur. I used to love the Misal cooked by my mother and prefer the homemade version.

Ingredients

Green Moong (whole)/Green Gram – 50 gms

Green Chana (whole)/Green Chick Peas – 50 gms

Brown Chana (whole)/Brown Chick peas – 50 gms

White peas (Whole) – 50 gms

Masoor, Masur (Whole)/Red Lentil – 50 gms

Lobia/Black eyed peas (Whole) - 50

Matki/Moth Bean – 100 gms

Water – 1 litre for soaking and about 1 litre for cooking

Onions – 2 nos

Tomato – 2 nos

Oil – Half cup

Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon

Salt – As per taste

Kanda Lasun Masala – 2 teaspoon

Chopped Coriander Leaves – 2 teaspoons

Turmeric Powder – 1 teaspoon

Raw Groundnuts (optional) – 50gms

Curry Leaves (Optional) – 10-12 nos

Kokum (Optional) -2-3 nos

Ginger – 1 inch piece

Garlic – 10-12 cloves

Dried Coconut – 1 inch piece

Farsaan (Mixed Bhujia) – For topping

Lemon slices – As per taste/requirement

Chopped onions, tomatoes, fresh coriander for garnish

Method

Clean all the whole legumes/pulses and soak in water for about 7-8 hours minimum. Strain all water after 8 hours, and spread them on dry cloth to soak up all water. Tie the matki in a dry soft cloth and keep in a container and cover it. After about 7-8 hours, remove from the cloth, wash well and sprouts are ready for cooking. Chop onions and tomatoes fine. Grind together ginger, garlic and dry coconut coarsely.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add groundnuts. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add onions and fry till they turn transluscent. Now add the sprouts, turmeric powder, salt and stir well for about 2 minutes. Add 3 cups of water, cover with lid and allow to cook for about 20 minutes. Add coarsely ground ginger garlic coconut mixture, kanda lasun masala, chopped tomato, coriander leaves and cook for 10 more minutes. Add some more water as required. Misal needs to have a curry so water needs to be added accordingly.

Misal is ready to be served and tastes best topped with Farsaan, chopped onion, tomatoes and coriander leaves and lemon slice. Misal is generally served with bread (Paav).

Note

The sprouting time may differ as per seasons. During summers, sprouting will be faster. In winters, you can keep the tied lentils/legumes in a casserole so as to aid sprouting. You may vary legumes of your choice. In many cities across India, you get a mix of various sprouted legumes, you may use that too.
Preparation time is about 16-18 hours (including sprouting time). This quantity is enough for 5-6 people. 

Kanda Lasun Masala - It is like Kolhapuri Kala Masala, a mix of red chili powder+garam masala+onion+garlic. 

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Gulaamba

Gulaamba (Raw Mango Jaggery Jam)

Indian summers can be equated as the Mango (Aam/ Aamba) season. A large varieties of dishes are made with raw/ripe mangoes like juices (Panna/Panhe), squashes, chutneys, pickles, jams, jellies, desserts and many more. Gulaamba is a jam made of raw mango (Kairi/Aamba) and jaggery (Gul/Gur).

My Grandmother made Gulaamba  every summer season as my Grandfather relished only jaggery and never used much of sugar in his lifetime. It was like a ritual with my grandmother, she used to be busy all summer with preparations of papads, mango jams etc. As we visited my grandparents’ place every summer vacation, all of my grandmother’s lovingly prepared treats awaited us in the form of huge glass jars lined up with Murambas ( Murabbas), jams and jellies of all kinds- mainly those of raw mangoes. These goodies beckoned us, full of grandparents’ love and affection, unforgettable times and tastes that linger even today.

My grandfather took great pride in his garden which he tended to in the most loving way and had some mango trees in there, so home grown mangoes were brought to good use.

Gulaamba is a good accompaniment with any meal and is liked by one and all. It is sweet so it is favourite of children. In earlier times, as families were big, it used to be made in large quantities and was prepared to be stored and used for a year till the next summer. I make in small quantities to be consumed fresh.

Generally, Rajapuri variety is used for Gulaamba, but, you can use any good variety of raw mango. The general proportion is one part of mango and two parts of jaggery, here jaggery acts as the preservative.

 

Ingredients

Raw Mango – Half cup (Peeled and cut into thin slices)

Jaggery – 1 cup

Water – 1/4 cup

Cardamom – 2 nos

Salt – A pinch

Method

Pressure cook the peeled raw mango slices lightly for about 5-6 minutes. Mix together jaggery, water, salt and pressure cooked raw mango slices on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes till the mixture boils and bubbles well. Cool and add crushed cardamom. Store in a clean sterilized glass jar/bottle. This can be refrigerated for about a month.

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Saakharamba (Raw Mango Sugar Jam)

Saakharamba

Summers all over India are synonymous with Mango (Aam/ Aamba) season. A large varieties of dishes are made with raw/ripe mangoes like juices (Panna/Panhe), squashes, chutneys, pickles, jams, jellies, desserts and many more. Sakharamba is a jam made of raw mango (Kairi) and sugar.

My grandmother religiously made Sakharamba nearly every summer and it was like a ritual with her, all the summer preparations of papads, mango jams etc. As we visited my grandparents’ place for summer vacation, all of my grandmother’s treats awaited us in the form of huge glass jars lined up with Murambas ( Murabbas), jams and jellies of all kinds- mainly those of raw mangoes. All of these used to be so tempting and inviting, full of love and affection, unforgettable times and tastes that linger to this date.

My grandfather took great pride in his garden which he tended to in the most loving way and had some mango trees in there, so home grown mangoes were brought to good use.

Sakharamaba is a good accompaniment with any meal and is liked by children, as well as adults. It is sweet so it is a sure favourite of the children. In earlier times, as families were big, it used to be made in large quantities and was prepared to be stored and used for a year till the next summer. I make in small quantities to be consumed fresh.

Generally, Rajapuri variety is used for Sakharamba, but, you can use any good variety of raw mango. The general proportion is one part of mango and two parts of sugar, sugar itself acts as the preservative. Some households make a sun dried recipe. I am giving a recipe involving cooking.

Ingredients

Raw Mango – Half cup (Peeled and grated)

Sugar – 1 cup

Water – 1/4 cup

Cardamom – 2 nos

Saffron – 6-8 strands (optional)

Method

Pressure cook the grated raw mango lightly for about 5-6 minutes. Mix together sugar, water and pressure cooked raw mango on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes till the mixture boils and bubbles well. Cool the mixture and add crushed cardamom and saffron strands. Store in a clean sterilized glass jar/bottle. This can be refrigerated for about a month. Saakharamba tastes good with roti or just as a sweet accompaniment with any meal.

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Methamba

Methamba

Methamba is a sweet sour and tangy accompaniment, something like a pickle, made of raw mango with the distinctive flavouring of fenugreek seeds, hence, the name MethaAmba (Fenugreek seeds+Raw Mango/Kairi/Aamba). This dish was always made by my mother quite often during the mango season and I just loved it. It is a quick to make simple recipe and serves as a delicious accompaniment to any meal.

Ingredients

Raw Mango – 1 medium sized

Jaggery – 2 tablespoons

Salt – As per atste

Red Chillies – 2-3 nos

Fenugreek Seeds – ¼ teaspoon

Coriander seeds – ¼ teaspoon

Mustard Seeds – ¼ teaspoon

Oil – 2 tablespoons

Asafoetida – A small pinch

Water – ¾ cup

Method

Peel the raw mango and cut in small pieces. Break jaggery in small pieces and dissolve in water. Heat oil, add asafoetida and fenugreek seeds, then add pieces of red chillies, mustard seeds and coriander seeds. Add mango pieces, salt and jaggery water. Cook for about 10 minutes, add more water if required.  Remove from fire, cool and serve as accompaniment with meals. This will stay for 2 days without refrigeration, and for about a week if refrigerated.

Note – I am giving recipes in smaller quantities as families are more or less nuclear nowadays. You may increase the quantity as per your requirements.

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Kairi Pudina Chutney (Raw Mango Mint Chutney)

Kairi Pudina Chutney (Raw Mango Mint Chutney)

Kairi Pudina Chutney is a sour sweet accompaniment for summer meals and quite easy to make. It goes well with many fried snacks too. It is made of all fresh raw ingredients and acts as a coolant for harsh summers.

Ingredients

Raw Mango – 1 medium sized

Mint – 8- 10 sprigs

Jaggery- 2 tablespoons

Green Chilly – 1 medium

Garlic – 6-8 cloves

Salt – As per taste

Cumin Powder – ¼ teaspoon

Water – ¼ cup

Method

Peel and deseed the raw mango. Cut mango into small pieces. Break jaggery into small pieces. Mix all the ingredients together and grind to a fine paste. Add more water if required. Refrigerate the chutney. It stays refrigerated for about a week.

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Kolhapuri Aamti

Kolhapuri Aamti

The Kolhapuri Aamti is a recipe which is very close to my heart and associated with childhood memories. I spent a good amount of my childhood in Kolhapur and every die-hard Kolhapuri can relate to fascination of this special recipe which is utmost basic and simple, yet, divinely tasty.

As Kolhapur is famous for wrestling, wrestlers and milk diet, there was no place for tea at all in the earlier days. If you happened to visit anybody’s house or vice versa, you would always be asked by the lady of the house “Khatos ka Baba thodasa Bhaat Samabara” (Will you eat some rice daal?). Daal and rice were always a staple here and readily available in every household and the taste of this awesome combination lingers on till date.

The Daal is made with Kolhapuri Kaala Masala which lends that unique flavour to it. The spiciness of the daal would be reduced by adding milk cream and you need to taste this combination of rice, daal and milk cream to experience this exceptional dish. Kolhapur area is famous for various strains of indigenous rice too, so, maybe the rice also added to that special taste.

I am giving the recipe of my version of Kolhapuri Aamti, it does not match the greatness of my grandmother’s recipe though; it was a class apart altogether.

Ingredients

Tur Daal/Arhar Daal/Pigeon Peas (split, without cover) – 1 large katori or you can take a combination of half of Tur/Arhar Daal and half of yellow moong daal (split green gram)

Water – Approximately 1 litre

Salt- As per taste

Turmeric Powder – Half taespoon

Cumin Powder- Half Teaspoon

Asafoetida – ¼ teaspoon

Oil- 2 tablespoons

Curry Leaves – 10-12

Mustard Seeds (Badi or Moti  Rai)– 1 teaspoon

Garlic – 10-12 cloves

Dry Coconut (grated) – 1 tablespoon

Kolhapuri Kaala Masala/Kanda Lasun Masala – 1½ teaspoon

Method

Wash the daal well and add water, turmeric powder, salt, cumin powder, asafoetida and cook in pressure cooker on medium flame till 3 whistles are done. Once, the pressure is released, churn the daal mixture well to form a homogenous mixture. For tempering, heat oil in a utensil, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, crushed garlic and dry coconut and Kolhapuri Kaala Masala. Remove from fire and transfer this tempering to the plain daal. Bring to a boil. Serve hot with roti or rice, topped with ghee.

Note – Cooking time is approximately 45 minutes and this quantity should be enough for 4/5 persons.

Daal (pulses) is the most essential component of Indian diet. Daal is significant source providing proteins and different parts of the country, varieties of various Daals are prepared in different ways. In Maharashtra, Tur Daal (Arhar Daal, Pigeon Pea) is used primarily for daily use. It can be made into a plain, bland recipe with turmeric, asafoetida and cumin or it can be tempered with different ingredients like curry leaves, garlic, garlic ginger, green chilly, red chilly, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, masalas, curry powders and one can add tomatoes, coriander leaves, jaggery etc to enhance the taste.

Phodni/Tadka means tempering and Waran is plain Daal, a basic bland recipe with just turmeric, salt, little cumin powder and asafoetida. 

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Phodniche Waran (Tadkawali Arhar ki Daal)

Phodniche Waran (Tadkawali Arhar ki Daal)

Daal (pulse) is the most essential component of Indian diet. Daal is significant source providing proteins and in different parts of the country, varieties of various Daals are prepared in different ways. In Maharashtra, Tur Daal (Arhar Daal, Pigeon Pea) is used primarily for daily use. It can be made into a plain, bland recipe with turmeric, asafoetida and cumin or it can be tempered with different ingredients like curry leaves, garlic, garlic ginger, green chilly, red chilly, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, masalas, curry powders and one can add tomatoes, coriander leaves, jaggery etc to enhance the taste.

Phodni/Tadka means tempering and Waran is plain Daal, a basic bland recipe with just turmeric, salt, little cumin powder and asafoetida.

Ingredients

Tur Daal/Arhar Daal/Pigeon Peas (split, without cover) – 1 large katori or you can take a combination of half of Tur/Arhar Daal and half of yellow moong daal (split green gram)

Water – Approximately 1 litre

Salt- As per taste

Turmeric Powder – Half taespoon

Cumin Powder- Half Teaspoon

Asafoetida – ¼ teaspoon

Oil- 2 tablespoons

Curry Leaves – 10-12

Mustard Seeds (Badi or Moti  Rai)– 1 teaspoon

Til (Sesame seeds) – ½ teaspoon

Garlic – 10-12 cloves

Tomatoes- 1 medium sized

Coriander leaves – 2 tablespoons

Green Chilly – 1 large 

Method

Wash the daal well and add water, turmeric powder, salt, cumin powder, asafoetida and cook in pressure cooker on medium flame till 3 whistles are done. Once, the pressure is released, churn the daal mixture well to form a homogenous mixture. For tempering, heat oil in a utensil, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, chopped green chilly, crushed garlic and sesame seeds. Remove from fire and transfer this tempering to the plain daal. Add chopped tomatoes and coriander leaves and bring to a boil. Serve hot with roti or rice, topped with ghee.

Note – Cooking time is approximately 45 minutes and this quantity should be enough for 4 persons.

In Maharashtra, there is another variation of this recipe and that is the Aambat God Phodniche Waran (Sweet Sour Tempered daal), wherein Kokum (Mangosteen/Garcinia indica) and Jaggery are added for sweet sour flavouring.

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Aambyache (Kairiche) Jhatpat Lonche (Instant Raw Mango Pickle), Karam

Aambyache (Kairiche) Jhatpat Lonche (Instant Raw Mango Pickle), Karam

The Indian summers can be fully associated with the mango season. Hundreds of varieties of mangoes are available across the length and breadth of the country and are used in different forms like pickles, juices, squashes, desserts, dried powders and so much and so on. I am in love with mangoes and my love affair with them is eternal kinds, I love mango in all forms. This instant raw mango pickle is traditionally served in the Maharashtrian marriage thali (plate) as most of the Maharashtrian marriages are solemnised in peak summers when raw mangoes are readily available aplenty.

This instant raw mango pickle is also called Karam and is a simple recipe and finger-licking good too. It reminds me of the carefree childhood days full of fun and frolic.

Ingredients

1 medium sized raw mango, half teaspoon salt, half teaspoon red chilly powder, 2-3 teaspoon sugar, 1/4th teaspoon turmeric, 2 teaspoon oil, half teaspoon mustard seeds, a pinch of asafoetida.

Method
Cut mango in small pieces, add salt, chilly and turmeric powder, sugar and set aside for an hour. You may remove the skin of the mango or retain it as per your liking. Heat oil and add asafoetida and mustard seeds, let the seeds splutter, remove from fire, allow to cool and add to the above mixture. If you like it more salty and spicy, then add more salt and chilly powder. You can use jaggery in place of sugar.

Note - This pickle stays in the fridge for about 4-5 days. Try and make in small quantities to consume fresh.

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja- Brownie Cake

Brownie

Brownies are those dark chocolicious treats that anyone can hardly resist. Brownie is an easy recipe, quite like the plain cake one. I have baked this brownie in a pressure cooker, it can be baked in electric oven or cuisinette and timings adjusted accordingly. As far as the fat is concerned, you can use salted/unsalted butter or milk cream. If you use unsalted butter or cream, then you need to add a pinch of salt.

Ingredients

Flour – 100 gms

Sugar – 120 gms

Milk cream – 100 gms

Eggs – 2 nos

Cocoa Powder – 3 tablespoons

Milk – ½ cup

Walnuts – 100 gms

Baking Powder – ¾ teaspoon

Salt – A large pinch

Method

Sieve together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. Break half of the walnuts into small pieces and keep the rest as whole for decoration on the top of the cake. Mix milk cream and cocoa powder by beating well and melting lightly on a medium flame. Remove from the flame and add sugar, beat well. Add both the eggs and beat well. Add the sieved flour gradually and fold in well. Add the broken walnut pieces and milk and mix well. Pour into a butter and flour lined baking tray. Place in pre-heated pressure cooker with a separator. No whistle is to be placed. I use old rubber gasket for the lid. You may or may not use the rubber gasket for the lid. Bake for 30 minutes, do the knife or tooth pick taste (insert in the centre to check if cake is fully baked, if the knife/tooth pick comes out clean, it means cake is baked fully)

Note – The cake can be baked in an electric oven that is preheated at 180 degrees Centigrade for half hour. 

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Mulyachi Bhaji( Mooli ki Subji, White Radish Vegetable)

Mulyachi Bhaji(Radish Subji)

Radish is primarily used as salad along with carrot, mostly in northern parts of India. It is also used to make Paranthas, Subjis, Pickles, and Daals and used in combination with meat mostly in Himachali and Kashmiri Cuisines. Mostly people do not enjoy this strong smelling vegetable, and, even I did not enjoy it much during childhood. I like the way it was cooked as a vegetable by my grandmother and mother. It is a simple and quick recipe and tastes good too. For this recipe, you will require tender radish with fresh green leaves.

Ingredients

Radish (white) - One medium sized with fresh green leaves

Onion - One medium sized

Garlic - 10-12 cloves

Green Chilly - 1-2

Oil – 2 tablespoons

Salt – As per taste

Cumin – ¼ teaspoon

Carom seeds – ¼ teaspoon

Method

Wash radish well, remove peel and chop leaves and radish finely. Chop onion and crush garlic and chilly. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin and carom seeds. Add onion and let it caramelise. Add crushed garlic and chilly and, then add chopped radish and leaves. Add salt, stir well, cover with a lid and let it cook for 2-3 minutes on medium flame. Sprinkle little water if required, otherwise it will cook in its own juices.

This subji tastes good with bhakri (sorghum roti/bread), chapatti or as a side dish with daal-rice.