MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Waran Phale

Waran Phale

Waran Phale(Chakulya) is a typically Maharshtrian finger licking delicacy. Its Gujrati version is Daal Dhokli. Waran is the plain daal and Phale/Chakulya are the diamond shaped pieces made by rolling out chapatti dough. Every household has a distinctive way of making Waran Phale. The basic recipe of Waran Phale is a bland preparation of plain Arhar/Tuvar/Toor Daal and diamond shaped pieces of plain chapatti dough. Some people temper the daal with tempering of cumin, mustard, curry leaves and make it flavourful by adding masala, tomatoes and fresh coriander.

One of our neighbours was from the Marathwada region of Maharashtra and they had a different recipe for Waran Phale in which they roasted onion, dry coconut and made a paste with ginger, garlic and tomato and added to the daal. Their Phale were also made by hand, one by one and this lent it a very distinctive taste. I just loved this preparation.

Over the years, I realized and felt that Waran Phale can be compared to Italian Pasta and you can call term them as Indian Pasta. Waran Phale is essentially eaten with generous dollop of pure ghee, groundnut chutney, mango pickle and papad. Waran phale is an easy recipe with few ingredients and takes little time for preparation.

Ingredients

Arhar/Tuvar/Toor Daal(Split Pigeon Peas) – 1 cup

Water – 5 cups

Turmeric Powder – ½ teaspoon

Asafoetida – A pinch

Cumin Powder – ¼ teaspoon

Salt – As per taste

Mustard Seeds – ½ teaspoon

Cumin Seeds – ½ teaspoon

Sesame Seeds – ½ teaspoon

Curry leaves – 10-12 nos

Ghee – 2 tablespoons

Garlic – 10-12 cloves

Tomato – 1 no

Fresh coriander – 4-5 sprigs

Kanda Laasun Masala (Onion Garlic Masala) – ½ teaspoon

Wheat Flour - 1½ cup

Method

Wash Arhar Daal and cook in pressure cooker for about 15 – 20 minutes along with two cups of water, asafoetida, turmeric, salt and cumin powder. Once the daal cools down a bit, churn it well with a hand held churner to get a homogenous consistency. Add salt and water to wheat flour and knead into soft dough like the one used for chapatti/roti. Set the dough aside for about 15-20 minutes. Chop the tomato and coriander leaves and set aside. Heat ghee in a pan and add mustard, cumin and sesame seeds and allow them to splutter. Then add curry leaves and crushed garlic, stir for about a minute and then add kanda lasun masala and add the cooked daal. Add chopped tomato and coriander and add extra water. Check salt and add if required. Bring the daal to a boil and keep it on low flame.

Roll out chapatti of the kneaded dough and cut into diamond shaped pieces. Add these to the boiling daal. Cook for 5-6 minutes and Waran Phale are ready to be served.

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Mixed Vegetables in Soy Sauce Gravy

Mixed Vegetables in Soy Sauce Gravy

Mixed Vegetables in Soy Sauce Gravy is one of my favourite Chinese dishes. I like the crunchy veggies tossed in the glassy brown coloured gravy. It is one simple dish to make and you can add vegetables of your choice or whatever is available at hand.

Ingredients

Onions – 2 nos

Carrots – 2 nos

French Beans – 50-75 gms

Mushrooms – 50 gms

Baby Corns – 50 gms

Green Capsicum – 1 no

Broccoli (Optional) – 50 gms
Cabbage(Optional) - 50 gms

Oil – 3 tablespoons

Soy Sauce – 2 tablespoons

Garlic- 18-20 cloves

Ginger – 1 inch piece

Green Chilly Sauce – 1 teaspoon

Water – 2 cups

Salt – As per taste

Sugar – ¼ teaspoon

Corn flour – 3 tablespoons

Method

Wash all vegetables and chop them about 1 inch pieces in size. Heat oil in a pan and saute mushrooms, French beans,baby corns and carrots initially, stir fry for about 3- 4 minutes. Then, add onions and capsicum and stir fry for another 2 minutes. Add finely chopped ginger and garlic along with green chilly and soy sauces and stir for a minute. Add salt, sugar and water and bring to a boil. Make a paste of corn flour with water and add gradually to the mixed vegetables to form a nice thick sauce. Remove from fire, pour in a serving bowl and garnish with chopped spring onion leaves. Mixed vegetables in Soy sauce gravy dish tastes good with fried noodles and rice.

Note – If you are adding broccoli, then boil broccoli separately in water for about 3-4 minutes and then add. Do not overcook the vegetables.

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Punjabi Chhole Masala

Punjabi Chhole Masala

Chhole Bhature is one famous Punjabi recipe and is liked by almost all. Chhole(chick peas) are made in a variety of ways, you can make with green masala with coriander and mint or you can make the normal red masala and latest people have devised many innovative ways to make chhole with red pumpkin paste and so on. There are two varieties of chick peas available in the market, smaller and larger sized. You can use any of these. The recipe I am sharing is not an authentic Punjabi one, it has some modifications of my own. In the original Punjabi recipe, Anardana (dried pomegranate seeds) are used.

Ingredients

Chick Peas/Chhole – 200 gms

Onions – 2 large

Tomatoes – 2 medium

Ginger Garlic Paste – 1½ teaspoon

Bay leaves – 2 nos

Ajwain(Carom Seeds) – ½ teaspoon

Black Pepper – 7-8 nos

Cumin Powder – ¼ teaspoon

Coriander Powder – ¼ teaspoon

Water – Approx 1 litre

Garam Masala Powder – ¾ teaspoon

Red Chilly Powder – ½ teaspoon

Oil – 3 tablespoons

Salt – As per taste

Method

Wash chick peas and soak in water overnight (Approx 6-7 hours). Drain the water and cook the chick peas in pressure cooker along with 400 ml water, bay leaves, black pepper, carom seeds, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt. Cook for minimum 20-25 minutes till the chick peas are softened. Make a paste of onions and tomatoes separately. Heat oil in a pan and add onion paste and fry till it turns golden brown. Then add ginger garlic paste and fry for 3 minutes and then, finally add tomato paste and stir for further 3-4 minutes. Now, add garam masala and red chilly powder and the cooked chick peas and bring to a boil and allow to cook for about 5-6 minutes. Check the consistency and add water if required. Also check if more salt is required. Remove from fire, transfer to serving bowl and garnish with onion and tomato slices, chopped coriander leaves,lemon slices and green chillies. Serve with Bhaturas.

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Karlyachi Bhaji(Bitter Gourd/Karela Subji)

Karlyachi Bhaji(Bitter Gourd/Karela Subji)

Bitter Gourd/Karela/Karle is one vegetable that is not liked by many people as it tastes bitter. It is a seasonal vegetable and comes in late summers and stays through the monsoons. It has many nutritional and medicinal benefits and should be consumed when available during the season. It can be prepared in many varied ways as fried chips, dry vegetable and semi dry with masala, masala filled karela or as fresh juice too. Mostly, many places the bitter gourd is rubbed with salt and left for about an hour or half and then washed with water to remove the bitterness. Some people boil it in water for about 10 minutes and strain the water to remove the bitterness. My mother also used to follow similar procedures to remove the bitterness. Over the years, I found that many of my friends used the bitter gourd directly and the prepared dish did not taste bitter at all. So, now, even I make my bitter gourd vegetable directly. Many people remove the central pith too along with seeds, but, I learnt to use that too as per one of my aunt’s recipe. The bitterness of bitter gourd is reduced by adding tamarind/lemon and sugar/jaggery to the vegetable preparation.

Ingredients

Bitter Gourd – 250 gms

Basic Curry Paste (paste of onions, coconut, fresh coriander, ginger and garlic roasted in oil) – 150 gms

Jaggery – 50 gms

Tamarind – 50 gms

Oil – 3 tablespoons

Turmeric Powder – ½ teaspoons

Kolhapuri Kaala Masala/Kanda Lasun Masala – 1 teaspoon

Salt – As per taste

Water – Approx 1½ cups 

 

Method

Wash the bitter gourd and slit lengthwise, remove the pith and seeds (if seeds are too hard, then, discard them). Grind the pith and seeds with little water and keep aside. Cut the bitter gourd into 2 inch pieces. Soak tamarind in water for about 10-15 minutes and strain. Heat oil in a pan and add the bitter gourd pieces. Stir fry for 2 minutes and add salt and turmeric and stir fry for about 6-7 minutes on medium flame. Add the paste of seeds and pith and cook for further 2 minutes. Now add the basic curry paste, Kolhapuri Kaala masala, jaggery and strained tamarind pulp. Cook till bitter gourd softens. Karlyachi bhaji is done and can be eaten with roti/chapatti/ bhakri of jowar/sorghum.

Note - If Kolhapuri Kaala Masala is not readily readily available, then substitute with grama masala+red chilly powder. Follow the following links for garam masala and basic curry paste.

http://mymusings-sangita.blogspot.in/2015/01/pet-puja-garam-masala.html

http://mymusings-sangita.blogspot.in/2015/07/pet-puja-basic-curry-rassa-masala.html

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Achari Bhindi( Lady’s Finger/ Okra/Bhendi with Achari Masala)

Achari Bhindi( Lady’s Finger/ Okra/Bhendi with Achari Masala)

Achari Bhindi  is one of the most favorite recipe of my daughter. She loves Lady’s Finger vegetable a lot and this particular recipe the most. I learnt to make it at her insistence, she had tasted it once at her friend’s place and I got this recipe from her friend’s mother. One can prepare the bhindi masala and store it and use as and when required. This particular recipe requires Aamchur( dried raw mango) powder. If Aamchur is not readily available, substitute with lemon juice.

Ingredients

For Bhindi Masala Powder

Coriander Seeds – 1 teaspoon

Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon

Fenugreek Seeds – 1/2 teaspoon

Fennel Seeds - 1 teaspoon

Kalonji (Black Caraway/Nigella Sativa Seeds) - 1 teaspoon

Dry grind all these ingredients to form a coarse powder.

For the Vegetable

Lady’s Finger (tender) – 250 gms

Oil – 2 tablespoons

Turmeric Powder- ½ teaspoon

Salt – As per taste

Red Chilly Powder – ½ teaspoon

Bhindi Masala – ½ teaspoon

Aamchur( dried raw mango) powder – ¼ teaspoon

Method

Wash the lady’s finger and pat them dry very well with a clean cloth. Then, chop them in 1 to 1½ inch long pieces. Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped bhindi and stir fry for a minute. Add turmeric powder and salt and stir fry further for about 5-6 minutes. Now add bhindi masala, red chilly powder and aamchur and stir well for two minutes. The tender lady’s finger cook quite fast and check if it has become soft. Achari Bhindi Subji/Bhaji is ready to be savoured with roti, chapatti or daal-rice, the choice is left totally to you. Enjoy.

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Tamatyachi Bhaji(Tamatar ki Subji/Tomato Vegetable)

Tamatyachi Bhaji(Tamatar ki Subji/Tomato Vegetable)

Tomatoes are full of vitamins and essential nutrients, and are used in various forms such as fresh salad, juices, pureed, sauces, ketchups, bhaji/subji and so on. The recipe I am sharing here is a vegetable recipe using tomatoes as main ingredient and it serves as tasty accompaniment with chapatti, daal – rice or dosa too. This bhaji is a favourite one of my husband.

Ingredients

Tomatoes – 3 large

Onions – 2 medium

Curry Leaves – 10-12 nos

Green Chillies – 1-2 nos

Roasted Groundnut Powder – 100 gms

Garlic – 7-8 cloves

Red Chilly Powder – ½ teaspoon

Turmeric – ¼ teaspoon

Mustard Seeds – ½ teaspoon

Cumin seeds - ½ teaspoon

Asafoetida – A pinch

Salt – As per taste

Oil – 2 tablespoons

Sugar – 1 teaspoon

Method

Wash tomatoes and slice them lengthwise. Slice the onions too similarly. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves, chopped green chillies and cumin seeds and allow all to splutter. Then, add the onions and fry till light golden brown. Now, add the tomatoes, crushed garlic, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, salt and sugar and stir well. Cook for about 5-6 minutes and stir occasionally. Finally, add the roasted groundnut powder and cook for further 2 minutes. Remove from fire and tamatyachi bhaji is ready to be served.

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja -Dodkyachi Bhaji (Ridge Gourd/Turai or Torai Subji)

Dodkyachi Bhaji (Ridge Gourd/Turai or Torai Subji)

Dodka(Ridge Gourd/Turai or Torai) is a seasonal vegetable available through late summers and monsoon. It can be prepared in many ways and tastes good whichever way it is prepared. Ridge gourd has many nutritional and health benefits and must be surely included in your diet. It is high in fibre, vitamins and minerals. Some people remove the ridges and then use the vegetable. In Maharashtra, the ridges are used too, to make a chutney with onions and groundnuts and this chutneys is delicious. As the ridges are also nutritious, most people remove them, grind or pound them fine and use it in the vegetable. Here, I am sharing Dodka/Turai bhaji/subji with onion and groundnut masala. You can make dodka with daal too and it is called daal dodka in Marathi. You can also make Dodka curry with the basic curry masala.

Ingredients

Ridge Gourd – 250n gms

Onions – 2 medium sized

Garlic- 10-12 cloves

Coriander – 5-6 sprigs

Roasted groundnut powder – 100 gms

Kolhapuri Kaala/Kanda Lasun Masala – 1 teaspoon

Turmeric Powder – ½ teaspoon

Salt – As per taste

Oil – 2-3 tablespoons

Water – approx 2-3 cups

Method

Wash the ridge gourds and peel off the ridges. Grind the ridges in the chutney jar and set aside. Cut the ridge gourd into 2-3 inch long pieces and slit in the middle. Chop onions, garlic and coriander finely and mix all well with the masala powders, salt and oil. Add the ground paste of ridges also to this mix. Now fill this mixture in the slit ridge gourd pieces and place in a kadahi or a non stick pan. Add water and cover with a lid and cook on medium flame for about 10 minutes. Remove lid, stir and cook till the ridge gourd softens. Once you see the oil floating at the top, remove from fire and dodkyachi bhaji is ready to be served. It tastes equally good with chapati, rice or jowar (shorghum) roti.

Note – If Kolhapuri Kaala Masala is not available, substitute with garam masala+red chilly powder.
http://mymusings-sangita.blogspot.in/2015/07/pet-puja-basic-curry-rassa-masala.html

http://mymusings-sangita.blogspot.in/2015/01/pet-puja-garam-masala.html