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Tomato Rasam in Marathi
Time: 40 to 50 minutes
Serves: 3 to 4 persons
Ingredients
3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1/4 cup toor dal
3 cups plain water
For tempering:- 1 tbsp oil, 2-3 pinches mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp hing, 1/8 tsp turmeric powder, 2 dried red chilies (broken), 1/2 tsp urad dal, 15 to 20 methi seeds, 2 cloves of garlic (crushed), 1 spring of curry leaves.
10 to 12 black pepper, crushed
1 green chilies, chopped
1.5 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp tamarind
Salt to taste
Method:
1) Pressure cook toor dal by adding 2 cups water. Once toor dal is cooked, drain and save the water. Squeeze out water from dal too.
2) Add 1/2 cup hot water in tamarind. Let the tamarind soak in for 10 minutes. Then squeeze the tamarind and get the juice.
3) Mix 2 cups plain water and 2 cups dal water into a saucepan. Bring it to a boil. Add chopped tomatoes, green chili and half of tamarind juice. Simmer for atleast 20 minutes or until tomatoes soften and mashed up.
4) Heat oil in a tadka pan. add urad dal, methi seeds. Wait till color turns to light brown. Add garlic, and red chilies. Add mustard seeds, hing, turmeric and curry leaves. Pour this tadka over rasam.
5) Add salt, crushed pepper, coriander powder and cumin powder. Boil for atleast 10 to 15 minutes.
Check the taste and adjust the spices. Add some tamarind juice if sourness is required.
Serve hot with rice or have it as a soup.
Tips:
1) Use nicely ripe red tomatoes.
2) If you don't like chunky rasam, puree 2 tomatoes instead of chopping.
3) Rasam should be spicy. However, to make it subtle, reduce the amount of black pepper.
4) Flavors intensify (in good way), if you serve rasam after couple of hours.
Tomato Rice in Marathi
Serves: 2 persons
Time 10 to 15 minutes
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked Rice (basmati)
2 big juicy red tomatoes, finely chopped
3 to 4 big garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp ghee or oil, 2 pinches cumin seeds, 1/8 tsp hing, 2 green chilies, 1 spring of curry leaves
Salt to taste
chopped cilantro for garnishing
Method:
1) Heat ghee into a pan. Add garlic and cook over high heat. Stir continuously. Saute garlic until edges become brown.
2) Once garlic cooks nicely, add cumin seeds, hing, green chilies, curry leaves. Fry for 15 to 20 seconds.
3) Add chopped tomatoes and salt. Cover and cook over high heat, stir occasionally. Let tomatoes become completely mushy.
4) Mix in the rice and toss well. Rice should get coated with sauteed tomato. Cover pan and cook for couple of minutes over medium-low heat.
Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
Tips:
1) dried Red chilies can be used instead of green chilies
2) Garlic should get nicely brown (do not burn). Raw flavor of garlic doesn't taste good.
3) Choose good quality, red, fully riped and juicy to get tomato flavor.
4) You may add garam masala in the recipe. However, garam masala overpowers flavor of tomato.
Paneer Lollypop in Marathi
Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients:
1 cup Paneer, grated
2 medium potatoes, boiled
1.5 tsp ginger, grated
1 tsp garlic paste
2 tsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp corn starch
1/4 cup cilantro,finely chopped
1/2 tsp white pepper
2 to 3 green chilies, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
3 tbsp Maida, for dusting
salt to taste
oil to deep fry
8 to 10 ice candy wooden sticks OR baby corns
Method:
1) Peel the potatoes and mash without any lumps.
2) Mix all the ingredients except Maida. Knead well and divide into 8 lemon size balls.
3) Take 1 mixture ball and pierce the candy stick into it. Press gently between your palms to secure it on the stick. This way, prepare all the lollypops.
4) Roll the lollypops in dry maida. Coat lollypops well and shake slightly to remove excess maida.
5) Heat oil to deep fry lollypops. Deep fry over medium heat. Turn occasionally to cook evenly.
Serve hot with Schezwan sauce or tomato ketchup.
Tips:
1) Do not use potatoes which become gooey after mashing. Russet potatoes work well.
2) Adjust the amount of chili to your preference.
3) Use WOODEN sticks.
4) If using baby-corn, pierce thicker side of the baby-corn in paneer ball.
Palak Sabzi in Marathi
Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2 to 3 persons
Ingredients:
3 cups finely chopped Spinach leaves
1 small onion, finely chopped (around 1/4 cup after chopping)
1/2 tsp urad dal (optional)
For tempering: 1 tsp oil, pinch of mustard seeds, pinch of cumin seeds, 1/8 tsp hing, 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
1 or 2 green chilies, slit in between
Salt to taste
Method:
1) Heat oil in a kadai. Add urad dal and wait till it turns golden brown. Now add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and hing. Add green chilies and turmeric. Saute for 10 seconds.
2) Add onion and 2-3 pinches salt. Let onion cook nicely.
3) Add spinach and cook without covering the pan. Saute until spinach reduces. Adjust the salt.
Serve hot with chapati.
Tips:
1) Urad dal has been used only to make sabzi look attractive. It does not provide much flavor. Hence, it may be skipped if not needed.
Padwal dalimbya in marathi
Time: 25 to 30 minutes
Serves: 3 to 4 persons
Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 cup Snake gourd slices (Step 2)
1 cup Soaked and sprouted Vaal beans (Step 1)
For tempering: 2 tsp oil, 2 pinches mustard seeds, 2 pinches hing, 1/8 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, few curry leaves
2 to 3 tbsp fresh scraped coconut
2 tbsp jaggery
Salt to taste
Other optional ingredients: 2 kokum pieces, 1 tsp Goda masala, 1/2 tsp freshly roasted crushed cumin
Method:
1) Soak 1/2 cup Vaal beans in water for 12 hours. Drain all the water. Take a clean Cotton Cloth, transfer soaked Vaal beans in this cotton cloth. Hold all the edges together. Twist the edges and tie a knot tightly. Place in warm place for sprouting for about atleast 10 hours (It may take longer in winter season). Once Vaal Beans are sprouted, loose the knot. Take a container half filled with warm water. Transfer sprouted Vaal in it and let it stand for 10 minutes. Very gently remove the skin. These beans are very delicate and can break because of harsh handling. After soaking 1/2 cup dried Vaal beans, we get 1 cup Dalimbya.
2) Cut the snake gourd lengthwise. Scrape and remove all the seeds. Make 1 cm slices.
3) Heat oil into a pan. Add mustard seeds, hing, turmeric powder, red chili powder and curry leaves. Add dalimbya and sliced snake gourd. Sprinkle some water and some salt.
4) Cover the pan and let it cook over high heat. Sprinkle few tbsp water in between to avoid sticking. Also, adding too much water reduces the curry's flavor. So, add only when it's required.
5) Check the doneness of dalimbi by pressing between thumb and index finger. If its almost done, add coconut, jaggery and salt. Also add some water. Little watery consistency tastes better than dry sabzi.
Serve hot with Chapati
Tips:
1) If you are going to use optional ingredients, then add kokum along with the snake gourd. Add goda masala and crushed cumin alongwith coconut.
2) Proportion of Dalimbya (soaked and peel vaal) and snake gourd can be changed to your preference.
Nachani Dosa
serves: 12 to 15 medium dosa
time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup Nachani Flour (Raagi flour)
1/2 cup Rice Flour
1/2 cup Urad Dal
7-8 Methi seeds
Salt to taste
Oil to drizzle while roasting dosa
Method:
1) Soak Nachani Flour and Rice flour in water for 5 hours. The consistency should be thick. Also soak urad dal and methi seeds together in water for 5 hours.
2) Grind urad dal to fine paste. Add very little water while grinding. Now mix urad dal paste and soaked flours together. Add enough water to get usual dosa consistency. Add salt.
3) Heat a nonstick tawa. Pour a ladleful batter and spread with spoon in swirling motion.
Drizzle a teaspoon oil around the dosa. After one side is done, flip the dosa and roast the second side.
Serve hot with - Coconut chutney, sambar, garlic chutney.
Tips:
1) Consistency of batter should be just like usual dosa batter. Nicely spreadable batter will make thin and light dosas.
2) Its a very good breakfast option. To make dosa for breakfast soak flour and urad dal overnight. Then grind urad dal in the morning and make dosas as per above method.
3) Cook the both sides of dosa. Uncooked Nachani flour doesn’t taste good.
4) To variate the recipe, add chopped cilantro, onion, tomato or green chili to your preference.
Soya Methi Malai in Marathi
Serves: 3 persons
Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
1.5 cups Methi leaves, finely chopped (plz see imp tip no. 1)
3/4 cup Soya Chunks
1/2 cup Green Peas (Frozen)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
For tempering: 1 tbsp Oil, 2 pinches cumin seeds, 1/ 8 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp ginger-green chili paste, 1 tsp red chili powder
2 tsp Kitchen king masala
1/4 to 1/2 cup Heavy cream
Salt to taste
For Garnishing - 2 tbsp Chopped tomato
Method:
1) Wash and finely chop methi leaves. Soak soya chunks in hot water for 5 minutes. Drain the hot water and add cold water. Leave it for 2 minutes and then squeeze soya chunks to remove all the water. Roughly chop them.
2) Heat oil in Kadai. Add cumin seeds, saute for 5 seconds and then add ginger-green chili paste. saute for 10 seconds. Now add onion, turmeric, red chili powder and 2 pinches of salt. Suate until onion becomes translucent.
3) Add green peas and cook for couple of minutes. Now, add soya chunks and methi leaves. Stir for 2 minutes. Add kitchen king masala. Cook till moisture in methi leaves evaporates. Do not cover while cooking. Check the salt and adjust the spices.
4) Turn the heat to low. Add heavy cream as much as required. Stir continuously to prevent curdling. Keep the flame low.
After adding cream, do not boil too much. There are chances of curry getting spoiled.
Serve hot with Chapati, or any other Indian bread.
Tips:
1) To reduce bitterness of fenugreek, soak the chopped fenugreek into cold salt water for 10 minutes. Then squeeze and use. But, soaking in water, methi loses its nutritional value to some extent. Hence, use this method only if you can't bare the bitterness. (the bitterness reduces a little after adding cream)
2) Soya granules can be used instead of soya chunks.
3) green peas give a sweetness to the curry. However, its an optional ingredient. The curry can be prepared with fenugreek and soya chunks.
4) Incase, if kitchen king masala is not available, use garam masala.
Spinach Rice in Marathi
Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 2 persons
Ingredients:
3/4 cup basmati rice
1 cup finely chopped spinach
3/4 cup hot water
1 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 small green chili
Whole spice: 2 bay leaves, 1 cardamom, 2 cloves
Salt to taste
Method:
1) Soak rice in water for 10 minutes. Drain the water after 10 minutes. Leave the rice for 10 minutes.
2) Add 1/2 cup of water to spinach and puree.
3) Heat 1 tbsp butter into a deep nonstick saucepan. Add cumin seeds, whole spices. Saute for 5 seconds. Add ginger garlic and green chili.
4) Add soaked rice. Roast for few minutes over high heat. Stir continuously to avoid burning the rice. You will notice that rice has become completely dry and rice grains are popping when touched directly to the pan's bottom. That means rice is roasted perfectly.
5) Add 3/4 cup hot water, salt and spinach puree. Keep the flame on high. Boil until you don't see water on the surface of rice. Then put the flame on medium low and cover the pan. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until rice is cooked completely.
Fluff with a fork. Serve hot with raita and fryums/ papad.
Tips:
1) To make this rice more healthy and colorful, add vegetables like peas, carrot, french beans, cauliflower etc
2) Roasting rice helps to keep the grains separate after cooking. Also, use hot water and follow step 5 for better results.
3) Kids would love to eat this green rice. Do not add green chili to make it kids friendly.
Paneer Methi in Marathi
Serves: 2 to 3 persons
Time: 25 to 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 big bunch of Methi, washed and picked
150 gram paneer, small cubes (Tip)
1 small onion, sliced lengthwise
1 medium tomato, medium cubes
1/2 inch ginger
3 to 4 big garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2-3 Black pepper
1 tbsp plain yogurt
1/2 cup cream (Tip)
Tempering: 1 + 1 tbsp Oil, pinch of turmeric
1 tsp Coriander powder
Salt to taste
Method:
1) Heat 1 tbsp oil into a pan. Add black pepper, ginger, garlic and onion. Saute till onion turns translucent. Add tomato and cook till tomato becomes mushy. Let this mixture cool down. Puree without adding water.
2) Finely chop methi leaves. Heat oil into a pan. Add turmeric and methi leaves. Also add 2-3 pinches of salt. Cook uncovered until water content of methi leaves evaporate.
3) Now add tomato- onion puree and yogurt. Stir well and cook for few minutes. Add little more salt and coriander powder.
4) Turn the heat to low (Tip). Add paneer and cream. Also add some water to get the desired consistency. Cook for few minutes.
Serve hot with Chapati, Naan or any Indian bread.
Tips:
1) When using store bought paneer, cut them into cubes and immerse into hot water. Drain the water after 2 minutes. This way, paneer becomes soft.
2) Incase, the cream is unavailable, mix 1/2 cup milk powder to 1/4 cup water without any lumps.
3) Do not add cream when flame is high. High flame will curdle the cream (when mixed with salt).
Stuffed Paneer paratha in Marathi
Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 medium parathas
Ingredients:
Stuffing
2 cup grated paneer
3-4 green chilies, finely chopped
1/4 cup Cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp amchoor powder, 1/2 to 1 tsp grated ginger
Salt to taste
Cover
3/4 cup Maida
1 cup wheat flour
1/4 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp red chili powder
1/4 cup yogurt
Water as needed
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
Other ingredients
Butter or oil to roast paratha
Dry flour for dusting
Method:
1) Take grated paneer into a bowl. Add green chili, cilantro, coriander-cumin powder, dry mango powder, ginger and salt and mix gently.
2) To make the dough, mix maida, wheat flour, cumin, turmeric, red chili powder, yogurt, oil and salt. Pour required amount of water and make a soft dough. Cover it and let it rest for 15 minutes.
3) Divide the dough into 6 to 8 equal portions. Divide the stuffing into same amount of equal portions.
4) Roll the dough ball into 2 to 3 inch diameter circle. Then put 1 portion of stuffing. Gather all the edges and seal. Roll it with a rolling pin by sprinkling little flour.
5) Heat a tawa. Place rolled paratha at the center. Drizzle little oil or melted butter. Roast both sides until brown spots appear.
Serve this paratha with green chutney or mint chutney.
Tips:
1) Add chopped mint leaves along with cilantro for more flavor.
2) Carom seeds can be replaced by cumin seeds.
Potato Pumpkin Stir fry in Marathi
Time: 20 to 25 minutes
Servings: 2 to 3
Ingredients:
1 cup potato cubes, small (peel the potato first)
1 cup pumpkin cubes, small (peel and deseed the pumpkin)
1 tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 to 3 green chilis, slit lengthwise
2 tbsp fresh coconut, scraped
2 tbsp peanuts powder, coarse
approx 1/4 cup Buttermilk (Tip 1)
salt to taste
Cilantro finely chopped
Method:
1) Heat ghee in a pan. Add cumin and wait till it splutters. Then add green chilies and potato cubes. Mix nicely and cover the pan with a lid. Let the potatoes cook for a minute or two. Add 3-4 tbsp water before covering the pan.
2) Then add pumpkin cubes and salt. Sprinkle little buttermilk. Mix well and add coconut. Cover and cook until pumpkin is 80 % cooked. Add peanuts powder and mix gently. Cook for a minute.
Serve hot with chapati. It can also be eaten during fast.
Tips:
1) Sprinkle buttermilk only when moisture is needed.
Samo Rice Pulao in Marathi
Time: 25 to 30 minutes
Servings: 3 to 4
Ingredients:
1 cup Samo Rice
2 tsp Ghee
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 green chilies
1/2 cup Pumpkin cubes medium (Peel before making cubes)
1/2 cup Potato cubes (Peel the potato)
2 tbsp Coarsely ground peanuts
salt to taste
Approx 3 cups hot water
Method:
1) Heat a heavy bottom pan. Dry roast samo rice for couple of minutes. Transfer the roasted rice to a bowl
2) In that same pan, add ghee and wait till it melts. Add cumin seeds and slit green chilies. Saute for 10 seconds. Flame should be on medium. Add potato cubes. Cover the pan and cook till potato is almost done. At this point, add roasted samo rice.
3) Mix nicely. Pour hot water and add salt. After couple of minutes add pumpkin cubes and peanuts powder. Stir well, cover and cook till rice is done.
Garnish with Cilantro Serve hot with Peanuts curry.
Rava Idli in Marathi
Yield: around 15 to 18 medium Idlis
Time: 35 to 40 minutes (Prep time - 15 mins + steaming time - 20 to 25 mins)
Ingredients:
1 cup Rava /Semolina (Coarse quality)
1 tsp Oil, pinch of mustard seeds, pinch of asafoetida (hing), 1/2 tsp urad dal, 1/2 to 1 tsp chana dal, 4 to 5 curry leaves
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 cup sour plain yogurt, well beaten
1/2 cup water
salt to taste
1 tsp Eno fruit salt (Eno Soda) - original flavor (do not use flavors like cherry, lemon)
Method:
1) Heat oil in the pan. Add mustard seeds and hing. Immediately add chana dal. Let the chana dal turn pink. Then add urad dal and saute for few seconds. Add curry leaves and ginger. Now add Rava and roast for couple of minutes over medium heat.
2) Transfer roasted rava into a deep bowl. In other bowl mix beaten yogurt and water well. when rava becomes warm, add yogurt+water mixture to it and blend well (tip 2). Add salt and mix. Let it stand for 10 minutes. Consistency should be like usual Idli batter, not too thick or thin.
3) Pour about 2 to 2.5 cups of water into the Idli cooker. Put it on the stove over high heat. Light grease the Idli stand (molds) with little oil (tip 3). Add Eno salt to the batter and mix in one direction. Spoon the batter into Idli molds.
4) Once water starts boiling, put the Idli stand inside the cooker (important tip 4). Close cooker with the lid. Steam the idlis for 12 to 15 minutes. After 12-15 minutes, turn off the heat and wait for 7-8 minutes before opening the cooker.
Remove idlis with sharp edged spoon (Do not use knife, it will break the idlis)
Tips:
1) Some variations can be done in the above recipe. Vegetables like carrot, peas, cabbage can be added to the idli batter. Just put small quantity of grated carrot and 2-3 peas into idli molds and then spoon the batter over it. Another idea is you may add the vegetables to idli batter.Though, it changes the color of Idlis.
2) If you have roasted the rava a little longer, it will soak more water. So, you may need to add little more water to adjust the consistency.
3) If you have small Idli stand (8 to 12 medium molds), Do not add Eno soda into whole batter. Divide it into 2 equal portions. Add 1/2 tsp of soda into one portion. Make idlis as per above instructions. Now add remaining 1/2 tsp soda into second prortion of batter and make idlis with the same directions.
4) If using normal pressure cooker, remove the weight (Pressure whistle) and then before steaming idlis.
Paneer Biryani in Marathi
Time: 60 to 90 minutes
Serves: 5 to 6 persons
Ingredients:
2 cups Basmati Rice
3-4 Cardamom pods, 3-4 Bay leaves, 3-4 Cloves, 1 small Cinnamon stick
Salt to taste
Paneer Marination
250 gram Paneer
1/2 cup Yogurt
1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
1/4 tsp Salt
Gravy
1 cup Onion, thinly sliced
5 medium Tomatoes
2 tsp Ginger-garilc paste
2 tsp Ghee
Whole Garam Masala - 2 cardamom pods, , 3-4 Bay leaves, 3-4 Cloves
1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 cup milk powder (or 1/2 cup cream) (Tip 5)
salt to taste
Approx. 3/4 to 1 cup cut vegetables (I used peas, carrot, french beans)
Other Ingredients
4 tbsp Ghee + some more ghee [its optional :) ]
1 cup thin slices of Onion, 8 to 10 Cashew nuts, 8 tp 10 Raisins
1/4 cup Mint leaves finely chopped, 1/4 cup Cilantro finely chopped
2 tsp Milk + 4 strands of Saffron (Tip 6)
Method:
Paneer
Beat the yogurt. Add ginger-garlic paste and salt. Mix well. Marinate paneer pieces in this yogurt for 30 minutes
Rice
1) Wash rice and drain the water. Let it sit for 30 minutes. Then boil 6 cups of water in a deep pot. Add cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves and salt. Wait till the water comes to a rolling boil.
Gravy
1) Blanch the tomatoes. Peel the tomatoes. Chop the tomatoes coarsely.
2) Heat 2 tsp Ghee into a pan. Add whole garam masala and saute for few seconds. Add ginger garlic paste and onion. Saute onion until golden brown. Now add chopped tomatoes and saute until tomato becomes mushy. Add red chili powder.
3) Let the mixture cools off. Puree into a blender (Don't add water)
4) Heat 2 tbsp Ghee. Fry cashews and raisins. Remove them with slotted spoon. Add the prepared puree in the ghee. Simmer over medium heat. Add cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and milk powder. Also add vegetables. Mix well and cook for few minutes until gravy become thick. Add salt to taste. The consistency of the gravy should not be too runny or too thick (Tip 1). Once the gravy is thick enough, add marinated paneer. Cook for few minutes.
Fried Onion
Deep fry 1 cup onion slices into ghee or oil until crispy. This fried onion is for decoration.
Biryani (Tips 2,3,4)
Once Rice and gravy is ready, divide rice into 4 equal portions and gravy into 3 equal portions. In a deep nonstick pan, spread 1 tbsp melted ghee at the bottom. Then layer 1 portion of rice. Spread 1 portion of gravy. Sprinkle mint leaves, cilantro, 3-4 cashews and raisins. Complete all the layers accordingly. Sprinkle remaining cashews, fried onion, raisins and milk + saffron on the top layer of the rice
Cover the pan with a tight lid. Cook the Biryani for 15 to 20 minutes over low heat.
Serve the biryani with Raita.
Tips:
1) Consistency of the gravy should not be runny. Thin gravy makes the biryani mushy.
2) The last part of steaming can be done in the oven. Preheat the oven at 250 F. Then make the layers in a baking pan. Cover tightly with a oven proof lid or aliminum foil. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
3) If you dont have nonstick pan, use a heavy bottom pan. Do not put this pan directly on the flame. Place a tawa on the flame and put the pan on the tawa. it will avoid burning.
4) Ghee can be added in each layer according to your preference.
5) Try to use milk powder. It quickly gives thickness to the gravy. If using cream, stir nicely until it blends well in the gravy.
6) Saffron can be replaced by edible saffron color.
Sweet Lime Pickle in Marathi
Ingredients
12 juicy lemons (Tip 1)
1 kg Sugar (approx 4 to 4.5 cups)
3/4 cup salt
3/4 cup red chili powder
2 tsp cumin powder
Method:
1) Wash lemons thoroughly. Pat dry with a kitchen towel. There should not be any trace of water. Then cut each lemon and remove seeds. Make around 8 to 10 pieces of each lemon.
2) Put lemon pieces into a clean bowl. Add salt, red chili powder and cumin powder. Mix well. Then transfer the mixture to a clean and dry glass jar. Close with an airtight lid for 8 days.
Method 1
After 8 days, prepare a one string consistency sugar syrup (1 kg sugar + 1 cup water). Let the sugar syrup cool down. add pickled lemon pieces to the syrup. Mix well and again transfer this mixture to glass jar. Spread half a cup sugar at the top and close the jar with lid. It will take around 4 to 5 months to marinate. During this period lemon pieces will get soaked nicely in sugar syrup and salt. Also, the bitter taste of lemon skin will go away.
Method 2
If you are not comfortable with making sugar syrup, you can use sugar directly.
After 8 days, mix sugar and the pickle into a separate bowl. Then transfer it to the glass jar and close with a tight lid. Everyday, open jar and stir the pickle from the bottom. Use clean and dry spoon. Do it till sugar dissolves completely. Let the pickle mature for 4 to 5 months.
Tips:
1) Use lemons with thin skin. In India, it is very easy to find juicy lemons.
If you are in US, use limes (green color), as lemons (yellow one) have thick skin. Limes have thin yet hard skin. Therefore Boil around 2-3 liter water and turn off the heat. Put the whole limes in boiled water and cover. After an hour or so, remove limes from water. Pat dry thoroughly, so that there wont be any water. Then make pickle as per the above method.
Nankatai in Marathi
Yield: 20 to 22 small pieces
Time: 35 to 40 minutes
Ingredients
8 tbsp Butter (1 stick OR 1/2 cup)
6 tbsp Powdered Sugar
1/2 cup Soyabean flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
1/4 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp Cardamom Powder
2 tbsp chopped Pistachio
Method:
1) Add butter and sugar a medium bowl. Butter should be very soft. Then beat until mixture becomes light. It will take about 3-4 minutes.
2) Preheat the Oven at 350 F.
3) Grease a Cookie pan / baking sheet with little butter.
4) Mix soy flour, wheat flour, cardamom powder and baking powder. sift the flour. Add it to the beaten butter and sugar mixture. Mix with the clean hand. It will turn into a nice dough. (You may need a spoonful flour)
5) Divide the dough into 23 to 25 small balls. Surface should be smooth. Place the dough balls on baking sheet. Nankatai balls should be about 2 inches apart. Gently press pistachio chopped over each nankatai dough balls. 12 to 14 balls will occupy one tray. So you will need 2 treys . Otherwise, bake in 2 batches.
6) Place the trey on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. After baking, remove the trey from the oven and let the nankatai cool down for 10 minutes.
Nankatai is ready to eat now !
Tips:
1) Use unsalted butter. You can use homemade butter (Makkhan) instead of readymade butter.
2) Addition of almond, pistachio, cashew-nuts pieces inside the dough makes the nankatai more delectable.
3) The dough should not be too soft and greasy. If so, add little bit flour. If the dough is soft and buttery, Nankatai becomes flat after baking.
Plantain cutlets in Marathi
Time: Prep Time- 20 minutes (Excludes soaking time for sago) | Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 12 to 14 medium cutlets
Ingredients:
2 green plantain/raw bananas
1 medium potato boiled and mashed
1/4 cup sago
2 tbsp flour used for fasting
3 Tbsp peanuts roasted and crushed
Crush together - 3 green chilies + ½ tsp cumin seeds +¼ cup coriander leaves chopped finely
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
Ghee or Peanuts Oil for deep frying
Method:
1) Wash sago pearls with water. Drain all the water and keep it covered for 4 hours.
2) Once sago is nice and plump, peel and grate the plantain. Mix them both. Now add mashed potato, fasting flour, peanuts powder, chili mixture, lemon juice and salt to taste. Make a stiff dough. Divide the dough into equal sized dumplings and shape them according to your preference.
3) Heat oil or ghee for deep frying. Deep fry cutlets over medium heat till color turns to golden brown.
Serve hot with Sweet lemon pickle or green chutney.
Tondli Dal Methya in Marathi
Time: Prep time-10 minutes| Cooking time-15 minutes
Servings: 2 to 3
Ingredients:
1/2 lb Tondali (approx 1/4 kg)
1/4 cup Toor dal
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds (Methi Dana)
3 to 4 big garlic pods, roughly chopped
For Tempering: 1 tsp Oil, 2 pinches mustard seeds, 1/8 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp Goda Masala
1 tsp Jaggery
1/2 tsp tamarind pulp or 2 dry Kokum pieces for sourness
Salt to taste
Chopped cilantro (Coriander) for garnishing
Method:
1) Slice Tondali lengthwise (6 slices of each). Immerse them into salt water.
2) Wash and soak Toor dal for 10 minutes.
3) Heat a small pressure pan cooker over medium heat. Add oil and wait until hot.
4) Add garlic and fenugreek seeds. Saute until garlic becomes little brown. Now add mustard seeds and let them crackle. Add turmeric powder and chili powder. Add drained tondali to the pan. Saute for a minute and add toor dal.
5) Also add jaggery, goda masala, salt and kokum. Add little water (around 1/2 cup). Stir and close the pressure pan with lid.
6) Cook upto 3 whistles(Tip 1). Turn off the heat. Wait till pressure releases. Open the pressure cooker. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning.
Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with Chapati.
Tips:
1) Every pressure cooker requires different amount of whistles to cook Dal. We need toor dal to be cooked Al dente (firm and whole but not hard or undercooked). So adjust the amount of whistles.
Palak Kobi Vadi in Marathi
Yield: 15 medium pieces
Time: 30 minutes
Deep Fried Vadi
Steamed Vadi
Ingredients:
1 cup finely chopped cabbage
2 cup finely chopped Spinach leaves
1 cup besan (Chickpea flour)
1 tsp green chili paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
Pinch of turmeric powder
Pinch of hing (Asafoetida)
Salt to taste
Method:
1) First, mix chopped cabbage, chopped spinach, chill paste, garlic paste, cilantro, hing, turmeric and salt. Mix nicely.
2) Sprinkle little water (around 2 to 3 tbsp) on the mixture. Then add chickpea flour. Mix nicely and make a gooey mixture.
3) Grease the plates of Dhokla stand with few drops of oil. Spread the above mixture evenly and make 1 to 1.5 cm thick layer. Do not make very thick layer.
4) Steam cook for 15 minutes. Cut into 2 inch squares or any shapes you like.
Serve hot with green chutney or tomato ketchup. This snack is almost oil-free.
However, it can be more delicious if deep-fried or shallow-fried.
Tips:
1) If you don't have Dhokla stand You can use pressure cooker to steam cook the mixture. Put some water at the bottom of the pressure cooker. Spread the mixture in steel container (which comes with the pressure cooker). Place it inside the cooker, remove the weight and steam cook for 15 minutes.
2) If you don't concern about the shape, use Idli stand.
Pakatalya Purya in Marathi
Time: 25 to 30 minutes
Yield: 25 to 30 medium puris
Ingredients:
1 cup Maida
1/2 cup Semolina, fine quality
1 tbsp Oil
Pinch of Salt
Plain Yogurt (Tip)
For Sugar Syrup - 1 and 1/2 cup Sugar, 1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp Cardamom powder
4 Saffron strands
Ghee for deep frying puree (around 1 to 1 and 1/2 cup)
Method:
1) Mix maida and semolina into a bowl. Add 1 tbsp hot oil and pinch of salt. Add yogurt and knead to a stiff dough. Let it rest for an hour.
2) Boil sugar and water together and make 2 string consistency sugar syrup. Crush the saffron and 1 tsp sugar together and add it to the sugar syrup along with cardamom powder.
3) Divide the dough into equal size balls. The size of ball depends on how big you want the Puree. Roll each ball to a medium circle.
4) Heat ghee into a medium wok. Deep fry all the purees. Put them on a cooling rack to drip out excessive ghee and rest (Tip 3).
5) After 2 to 4 minutes of resting immerse puris into sugar syrup. Put 4-5 puris at a time. Soak them for 3-4 minutes now remove them from sugar syrup and put them on the rack again.
Garnish with coarsely ground pistachios.
Tips:
1) Yogurt should be sour in taste. Puris can be made without using yogurt. Knead the dough by using water. To give sour taste, add a tablespoon of lemon juice to the sugar syrup.
2) Instead of Ghee, Oil can be used for deep frying. However, Ghee gives a rich taste to the dish.
3) Place a plate under the cooling rack. Ghee will drip in the plate and can be use for other cooking purposes.
Ingredients
