MyMusingsSangSpeak- Pet Puja - Prawn Kadhi

Prawn Kadhi

Prawn Kadhi is an ultimate sea food recipe, so full of flavour and taste. I had tasted this at my friend’s place and it was a signature dish of her family. The friendship did not last but the taste and recipe remain with me along with the bittersweet memories. This recipe works well with any sea fish too as with the prawns, especially Surmai and Pomfret. This curry is known as kadhi because of the delicate flavouring of curry leaves and cumin seeds.

Ingredients

Prawns (cleaned and deveined) – ½ kg

Fresh grated coconut – 1½ cup

Dry coconut – ½ cup

Khuskhus (Poppy Seeds) – 2 tablespoons

Coriander sprigs – 5-6

Green Chillies – 2 nos

Garlic – 10-12 cloves

Cumin seeds – 1½ teaspoons

Curry leaves – 3 sprigs

Turmeric – 1 teaspoon

Red Chilly Powder – ½ teaspoon

Tamarind Pulp – 2 tablespoons

Oil – 3- 4 tablespoons

Salt – As per taste

Water – Approximately 1 litre

Method

Extract coconut milk from the fresh grated coconut and set aside for further use. Grind together dry coconut, poppy seeds, fresh coriander, garlic, green chillies, some few curry leaves and 1 teaspoon of cumin to a fine paste, add some water if required. Heat oil in a pan and temper with remaining cumin seeds and curry leaves. Add the ground paste and roast for about 5-6 minutes. Add turmeric and chilly powders along with salt and mix well. Add tamarind pulp and mix well. Add about half litre of water and bring to a boil while stirring. Add prawns and allow to cook for about 7-8 mins. Finally, add the extracted coconut milk and keep stirring continuously so that it does not curdle. Remove from fire and serve hot with rice.

Note – You may use a teaspoon of rice powder with coconut milk so as to not let it curdle after adding to the kadhi. Preparation time is about 1 and half hour and this curry quantity is sufficient for 4 persons.

MyMusingsSangSpeak- Pet Puja - Laal Tikhatche Paatal Pithale/Pithala

Laal Tikhatache Paatal Pithale

This is a lip-smacking Maharashtrian recipe, very basic and rustic. It forms a part of the staple diet of an average agrarian Maharashtrian household. My family just loves this dish and it is really a soul satisfying one. As it is easy to prepare and requires minimum ingredients and tastes so delicious, it is famous amongst all Non Maharshtrians too. Laal Tikhatache Paatal Pithale tastes good with almost anything and serves as a perfect accompaniment with Jowar (Sorghum) Roti and rice.

Ingredients

Besan (Gram Flour) – 2 cups

Onion – 1 large

Garlic – 14-16 cloves

Red Chilly Powder – 1 teaspoon

Oil – 3-4 tablespoons

Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon

Asafoetida – 1 pinch

Salt – As per taste

Water – Approximately 1 litre

Chopped coriander leaves (optional) – 2 tablespoons

Method

Heat oil in a Kadahi and add asafoetida and mustard seeds, allow mustard seeds to splutter and then, add chopped onion. Fry for about 4-5 mins till it turns light brown, then add crushed garlic and give a good stir. Add red chilly powder and salt and stir for few moments and add water. Bring the water to boil and add gram flour, little quantity at a time and keep stirring continuously. Once all gram flour is added, stir well and cover and allow to cook for about ten minutes on medium flame. Stir occasionally, once you see oil separating, remove from fire. Add coriander leaves and serve hot topped with ghee accompanied by jowar roti and rice.

Note – Preparation and cooking time is about half hour to 40 minutes. This quantity is sufficient for 4 persons.