Gunda nu athanu/Bhokrache LoNche

Gunda nu Athanu or Bhokrache LoNche is one of the family favorites. It is made in my Maharashtrian as well as Gujarati family with more or less similar technique. Mom says as a kid, she was always confused between Gunda and Chunda (grated raw mango pickle) . :-D

I still need to make an attempt to make my own chunda but I finally made this pickle on a very small scale.

Gunda nu Athanu or Bhokrache LoNache

Indian Berry Pickle

Ingredients

11 green gundas or bhokar
1 tsp salt

Mix and set aside

1 small raw mango, seed removed, coarsely grated

1/4 cup Gujarati Pickle Masala

Tempering

1/2 cup sesame oil, bring to boil and then cool down completely

Method

1. Rinse gundas and raw mango. Dry them completely before proceeding. Remove the brown cap of each gunda.

2. Take gundas in a bowl. Add a spoonful of salt. Set aside for 15 minutes.

3. Using a pestle, thwack each gunda so it is slightly opened. Take off the slimy seeds & all the slime out. Rub the salt on the slimy interior of each gunda. Set aside for 1 hour.

4. Meanwhile, mix coarsely grated raw mango with the pickle masala. This mixture needs to be stuffed inside the gundas.

5. Stuff the mixture inside the gundas.The leftover mixture is needed so set it aside.

6. Take a clean and air tight glass bottle. Spread raw mango mixture at the bottom. Place stuffed gundas in a single layer. Add more mixture on top. Spread another layer of stuffed gundas and so on. The bottle should have raw mango mixture at the top as well as the bottom.

7. Set aside for 2 days. Take care to stir the mixture using a clean spoon from top to bottom once a day.

8. As mentioned above, bring sesame oil to boil and then cool it completely.

9. Add the cooled sesame oil to the pickle bottle so the oil floats on top. So if needed add more or less sesame oil.

10. The pickle will be ready to eat in about 2 weeks.

Note -

1. Choose a bottle so the pickle is filled till the neck. If you take too big bottle where the layers are only till half of the bottle, the trapped air may ruin the pickle - MIL's tip!

2. I have made this pickle on a ridiculously small scale. But this is intentional as it is meant for my own family. You can use your own judgement and proportion per your needs.
3. You can make your own pickle masala or use a readymade pickle masala like Bedekar or KePra brand. If buying the readymade masala, check the expiration date.

Gunda or Bhokar

Gunda in Gujarati or Bhokar in Marathi, are these green or yellow berries with slimy seeds inside. I found them at our local Indian stores last month. A pickle recipe is coming soon.

Laal Vaal nu shaak

Laal Vaals are considered a delicacy in the South Gujarat area. Here's one way of preparing them.

Laal vaal nu Shaak
Gujarati Red Beans Stir Fry
Ingredients
1 cup laal vaal from south Gujarat
salt to taste
2 tsp coriander-cumin seeds powder


Grind to paste
1" ginger, peeled
3 cloves, garlic

Tempering
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/4 tsp ajmo/ajwain/Thym seeds
2-3 green chilies, chopped

Suggested Accompaniment
Rice Bhakri


Method
0. Soak laal vaal overnight. Next morning, wash and drain the beans.
1. Heat oil in a pressure pan. Add the ingredients for tempering.
2. As they sizzle, add ground paste. Fry for 2 minutes.
3. Add drained beans, coriander-cumin seed powder and 1/2 cup water.
4. Pressure cook for 3 whistles.
5. Add salt. Simmer till all the water evaporates.

Note-
1. The vaals need to be very fresh so you do not need to peel off the peels. If they are old, you may need to peel them off.

Baked Vada Pav

When my chicken bun roll was well received by my family, I decided to go back to my roots! Well, I am a Mumbaikar after all, so why not stuff Mumbai's most beloved snack - batatavada inside the roll and make baked vada pav? I could have deep fried vadas and stuffed it inside. But then I thought since I am anyway going to place the vadas in 400F for 20 minutes, won't that besan batter get cooked too? Thus this recipe got created.

After taking the baked vada pav out, I made a slit to sprinkle some fiery garlic chutney. Enjoy!:-D

Baked Vada Pav
Mumbai's beloved burger - baked!
Ingredients
1 recipe bun dough
1 recipe batata vada stuffing
1 recipe batata vada batter
1 recipe garlic chutney

Method
1. Follow the directions to make buns dough as described here. This time instead of using 2 cups bread flour, I used 1 cup bread flour and 1 cup wheat flour -Aashirwad brand. It is said that when you use wheat flour instead of bread flour, you may need to use more water. So if the dough looks too dry, add a spoonful of water. Do not add too much water. Though the original recipe asked for skim milk, I made my dough using water.
2. Follow the directions as described here to make batata vada stuffing. I used 3 medium potatoes for the 9 buns
3. Follow the directions as described here to make besan batter. Make sure that batter should be on the thicker side.Since the batter needs to be made for 3 medium potatoes, make the batter proportion accordingly.
4. Make 9 uniform balls with the dough. Make 9 uniform vada balls. Keep the batter ready in a bowl to dip.
5. Preheat oven to 400 F

6. Roll a dough ball into a disc. Dip a vada ball in the batter making sure that it is coated with the batter. Place it on the disc.
7. Close the disc and pinch it on top so the vada is enclosed completely.

8. Keep aside covered, till you repeat the steps to make all the buns.

9. Cover and keep them aside for 30 minutes.
10. Bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.
11. After taking out, make a slit. Sprinkle red garlic chutney.

12. Eat hot baked vada pav.

Note -
1. Besan batter should be thick so it does not make the bun dough watery.
2. Generally I keep the seam side down. But after placing one bun that way (as seen above), I worried that besan batter may come out. So I placed the seam side up. In the end, it didn't matter. Besan batter didn't drip either way.

Keri Chana Athanu - Raw Mango & Chana Pickle

I really wanted to try this unique raw mango and chana pickle from a long time. Finally I gathered all my courage and decided to give it a shot. I wasn't sure if it will work. But I am so happy to report that the pickle came out very good.

Keri Chana Athanu

Raw Mango - chickpeas Pickle

Ingredients

2 cups cut raw mango pieces, seeds removed

1/2 cup Gujarati pickle masala/sambhar masala

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/3 cup brown chickpeas - dried chanas

1/2 cup peanut oil

1/2 cup Sesame oil

1/2 tsp asafoetida

Method

0. Rinse and dry raw mangoes completely. Chop them to bite sized pieces. Set aside.

2. Clean chickpeas. Take them between clean and dry kitchen napkin. Try to clean them as much as possible by wiping them nicely. Set them aside. Make sure there is no moisture.

3. Mix raw mango pieces, pickle masala, turmeric powder, peanut oil and chickpeas.

4. Add to a clean glass bottle. It should be airtight.

5. Keep aside making sure it does not come in contact with any moisture.

6. Make sure to use a dry and clean wooden spoon and stir the pickle mixture.

7. Continue step 6 for next 3-4 days.

8. On the last day, heat sesame oil to the boiling point. Switch off the gas. Add asafoetida.

9. Let it cool down completely.

10. Add the cooled asafoetida oil to the pickle bottle. Make sure that the oil should float on top.

11. Close the lid of the pickle. The pickle is ready to eat.

Note -

1. I have substantially reduced the amount of the pickle recipe to serve to my family.

2. Dry chanas absorb the peanut oil and becomes soft over the next 3-4 days.

3. If there is any drop of water inside the bottle, the pickle may be completely ruined due to fungus.

Tuvar lilva Khichdi

Tuver lilva is generally available in the winter months in Mumbai. That's when most of these delicacies with green pigeon peas are made. Though I have planted my own tuver plant by throwing some dried pigeon peas, I am still awaiting the harvest. So I just used the frozen (hopefully freshly frozen!) green pigeon peas.

Tuvar Lilva ni Khichdi

Green Piegon peas Rice
Ingredients

1 cup rice
1 1/2 cup toovar lilva
salt

3 cups water
1 tbsp coriander cumin seed powder


Tempering
1 tsp ghee
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida
3 red chilies, boriya
2 tsp ginger-grreen chili paste


Garnish
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method
1. Heat oil in a pressure pan. Add cumin seeds, asafoetida and turmeric powder.
2. As they sizzle, add red chilies and ginger-green chili paste.
3. Fry for 2 minutes.
4. Add coriander-cumin seed powder. Fry for 1 minute.
5. Add green pigeon peas and drained rice. Fry for 30 seconds.
6. Add water and salt to taste.
7. Place the lid and pressure cook till 2-3 whistles.
8. Garnish with cilantro and lemon juice
9. Serve with a dollop of ghee/clarified butter and or masala chhas/spiced buttermilk.

Note -
1. If you do not have boriya chilies (small round chilies), use the regular ones.
2. Do not substitute dried pigeon peas. This recipe works for green pigeon peas only. You may add green peas instead.
3. I always use more veggies/beans than the rice. You can choose your own proportion.
4. I used frozen green pigeon peas.
5. You can use Gujarati Garam Masala instead of coriander-cumin seed powder for a different taste.

Radish Leaves Muthiya

When I spotted vibrant daikon radishes with lush green leaves at our local farmers market, I knew that I would make my MIL's muthiyas.  If you plan to make these muthiyas, make them as soon as you get home. These leaves tend to wilt away faster (and turn yellow even in the fridge) than the rest of the leafy greens.

Radish Leaves Muthiya

Radish Leaves Dumplings

Ingredients

1 bunch lush green radish leaves, soaked in salted water for 1 hour, drained & shredded approx = 1 1/2 cup

1 small piece of radish, peeled & grated approx = 1/4 cup

3/4 cup chickpea flour

2 tbsp bajra flour

2 tbsp jowar flour

2 tbsp rice flour

2 tbsp wheat flour

salt to taste

2 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1 tsp sesame seeds

1 tbsp coriander-cumin powder

1/4 tsp ajmo seeds/owa/ajwain

1 tsp oil

Oil for deep or shallow frying

Method

1. Soak radish leaves in salted water for at least 1 hour. Rinse and drain. Shred the leaves coarsely.

2. Mix all the ingredients except oil.

3. Knead to a soft dough adding water as needed. Add 1 tsp oil.

4. Make 5-6 rolls. Steam in a steamer or pressure cooker without adding pressure.

5. Let them cool down completely.

6. Cut into bite sized pieces.

7. Deep or shallow fry them.

8. Serve with chutney or tomato ketchup.

Note -

1. The first step of soaking the greens in salted water refreshes these greens.

2. Instead of using different flours, vada nu loat can  be used.

GoaL Keri

GoaL Keri is a delicious pickle made with raw mangoes and jaggery. Traditionally, the peels are discarded. For me, getting good quality raw mangoes is a miracle. I just couldn't part with the peels. Though the original recipe was meant for kilos of raw mangoes, I modified it to get just enough pickle to fill my old pasta jar.

Traditionally, raw mango pieces are mixed with salt and turmeric powder and then sun dried. I skipped this step. The day starts with hot sun and suddenly there are showers in the afternoon. It' difficult to take the pickle inside when I am away in the office. However, this step is imperative if you are making a pickle on a huge quantity.

GoaL Keri

Raw Mango with Jaggery pickle

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup diced raw mangoes

salt to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 cup sambhaar masala/Gujarati pickle masala

1/2 tsp asafoetida

1/2 tsp fennel seeds/variyali/badishep/saunf

1/2 tsp cloves powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

1 cup grated jaggery

1/2 cup sesame oil

Method

1. Mix raw mango pieces with salt and turmeric powder.

2. Set aside for 15 minutes.

3. Add all the remaining ingredients.

4. Stir well. The jaggery will start melting.

5. Fill in a clean, airtight glass bottle.

6. Stir every day for at least 2-3 days.

7. Add sesame oil.

8. The pickle is ready to eat.

Note -

1. The original recipe is for a huge proportion and is meant for the year-around use. Hence the mango pieces are mixed with salt and turmeric powder. This will leave moisture. So the pieces are wiped dry and sun dried for a day. Before adding the masala, they are wiped again with a clean napkin. I skipped this step because my pickle is meant to be eaten within 2 weeks. and weather is getting unpredictable here.

2. Peel the raw mangoes for the authentic taste.

3. If pickle masala has salt in it, adjust additional salt accordingly.

Dheeli Khichdi - Gujarati Khichdi (2)

There are two types of Gujarati Khichdis made in my family. One is the pulao like - which is also the preferred one and the other is porridge like which is as below.

Dheeli Khichdi

Dal  & Rice Porridge

Ingredients

1/4 cup yellow moong daal

2 tbsp green moong daal, split

1/4 cup rice

salt to taste

2 1/2 cup water

Tempering

1 tsp oil

2 cloves

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp asafoetida

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Method

1. Rinse daal and rice. Soak in sufficient water for 1 hour.

2. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan.

3. Add all the tempering ingredients.

4. As they sizzle, add drained daal and rice mixture and warm water.

5. Add salt to taste and coriander-cumin seed powder.

6. Bring to boil.

7. Switch the gas to low. Simmer for 20 - 25 minutes, checking in between.

8. Switch off the gas. Cover with a lid.

9. Do not open the lid for at least 10 minutes.

Note -

1. Water should be 4 - 5 times more than the daal-rice mixture.

2. Traditionally, this khichdi is served with a dollop of ghee/clarified butter and/or plain yogurt.

Mutterwale Chawal

I was going through my old recipe note book (which later got converted to MS Word document!) - that I have been maintaining from my teenage years. I found this recipe by my friend, S's mom. I decided to give it a try immediately.

Mutterwale Chawal (serves 2 - 4)

Green Peas Rice

Ingredients

1 cup basmati rice

3/4 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)

1/2 cup paneer/Indian cottage cheese

2 tbsp plain yogurt

1 tsp punjabi garam masala

1 tbsp mint, chopped

Tempering

1Tbsp oil (or ghee)

2 cloves cloves

1 badi elaychi/black cardamoms

4 black peppercorns

2" stick cinnamon

1 cup sliced onions

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

Garnish

2-3 green chilies, chopped or slit (optional)

Method

1. Rinse and set aside basmati rice.

2. Heat oil or ghee in a heavy bottomed saucepan.

3. Add all the whole spices. As they get fried, add onions. Saute till onion is nicely browned.

4. Add ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 1 minute. Add mint. Fry for 30 seconds. Add yogurt and keep frying till mixture is dry.

5. Add tomatoes. Saute for 2 minutes.

6. Now add rice. Fry for 1 minute without breaking the grains.

7. Add 2 cups warm water, salt to taste, Punjabi garam masala.

8. Bring the mixture to boil. Add green peas and paneer.

9. Switch the gas to low. Cover with a lid. Let it cook.

10. When the rice is cooked, add chopped/slit chilies - if using. Cover back with a lid and switch off the gas.

Note -

1. For a rich taste, use ghee/clarified butter instead of oil.

2. You can deep or shallow fry paneer before adding to the rice.

3. If using frozen peas, make sure that they are thawed and drained.

Bajra na vada - Millet Flatbread

Bajra/Bajri and sesame seeds are eaten during Indian winters. Though I had a recipe of "Bajra na Vada", I didn't want to deep fry. So I used the recipe but made flatbreads. Those who wish to make vadas, please make small discs and deep fry.

Bajra na Vada
Millet Flatbread
Ingredients
1 cup Bajra flour
1 tbsp Green chili-ginger paste
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Chili powder
salt to taste
sugar to taste
2 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tsp hot oil

Plan yogurt  to knead, as needed

Oil for deep frying/roasting

Method
1. Mix all the dry ingredients. Add 1 tsp hot oil. Using plain yogurt as needed, knead the dough.
2. Cover and keep aside for at least 1/2 hour.
3. For making vada - Make small balls. Roll out into small puris. Deep fry.
4. For making flatbreads - Make 4-5 uniform balls. Roll into flatbreads. Fry on a hot pan. Make a hole in the middle to drizzle some oil  to cook.

Note -
1. As mentioned before, use the same recipe for making vadas by making small puries and deep fry.

Ms. Gourmet's Pistachio Rose Ice Cream

When Nupur mentioned about Pistachio-Rose ice-cream, I was just waiting for an opportunity to try it. So here it is, we are celebrating Father's day, devouring Pistachio-Rose Ice-cream. It's deliciously delectable!!! Just try it.

Recipe Source -

http://www.gourmetworrier.com/2010/02/pistachio-nut-ice-cream.html

Blog by - Ms. Gourmet

My changes -

I couldn't find Creme fraiche, so used heavy cream.

Happy Father's Day to all dads!

It was a delicious way to use my salt-free, raw pistachios and rosewater that has been sitting in my fridge for a long time. This decadent entry is going to Nupur's BB4 - What's lurking in the kitchen.

Ridgegourd Upkari

This is a simple ridgegourd stir fry, made with basic konkani tempering. I go easy on coconut oil and freshly scraped coconut, but I must admit, they do add lots of flavor to this simple dish.

Gosalya Upkari
Ridgegourd Stirfry
Ingredients
1 big or 2-3 small ridge gourds, peeled & chopped
salt to taste

Tempering
2 tsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida
2-3 red chilies, halved
1/2 tsp urad daal

Garnish
Fresh coconut

Method
1. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add all the ingredients for tempering. As the daal changes to reddish, add cut vegetables.
2. Sprinkle some water. fry for 2 minutes.
3. Cover with a lid. Keep some water on the lid.
4. Let it cook till gourd is soft.
5. Add salt to taste.
6. Garnish with fresh coconut

Note -
1. You can add any other oil of your choice. But coconut oil imparts the most authentic flavor.

Keri ni ChheeN (2)

This raw mango salad is a variation of the first salad that I had blogged earlier. I found some raw mangoes at our local Indian stores. I decided to make this salad for last night's dinner.

Keri ni ChheeN(2)
Grated raw mango salad
Ingredients
1 small raw mango, grated coarsely
1 small onion, chopped finely
1 small tomato, chopped finely
1 tbsp sambhar masala/Gujarati Pickle Masala

Method
1. Mix all the ingredients.
2. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Note -
1. This is a very simple salad where you can tweak the proportion per your taste. Do not make it in a huge quantity. It is meant to be eaten as an impromptu salad and needs to be consumed the same day.
2. If you use readymade pickle masala, check the salt content in it and adjust salt accordingly.
3. Do not confuse the Gujarati pickle masala which is known as sambhar masala with the South Indian sambar powder.

Flower Vatana nu Shaak

A simple "shaak" that tastes really good.

Flower-vatana nu shaak
Cauliflower - green peas stir fry
Ingredients
1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
1 cup green peas
1 tsp green chili - ginger paste
salt to taste
1/4 tsp paprika or mild chili powder (optional)
1 tsp dhana-jiru/coriander-cumin seed powder

Tempering
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Garnish
1 tbsp chopped cilantro

Method
1. Cut and soak cauliflower florets in salted water till ready to use.
2. Heat oil in a kadai or saucepan. Add all the seeds and powder for tempering.
3. As they sizzle, add chili-ginger paste. Saute for 1 minute.
4. Drain the cauliflower florets and add to the saucepan. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Add green peas. Mix.
5. Cover the sauce pan with a lid. Keep some water on the lid.
6. Once the cauliflower is cooked, add salt, paprika  -  if using, dhana-jiru.
7. Garnish with cilantro.

Note -
1. For a different taste, use Gujarati garam masala instead of dhana-jiru
2. If you like, you can also add 1 potato to the above stir fry. Add it along with the veggies.

Breadfruit Kaap/Kachrya/Phodi

All the recipes for kaap/kahrya or phodi are same. All you need is to add salt, turmeric powder, chili powder and a pinch of asafoetida to the veggies. Dredge the marinated veggies in rawa/semolina or rice flour/tandaLachi peethi or mixture of both rawa & peethi and shallow fry them on low flame till it's crispy from outside and soft from inside. You can use the same recipe for making kaap from eggplants, green tomatoes, potatoes, parwar, kantole, sweet potato, yam/suraN, arvi/taro roots or any veggie that you fancy!

Since I used dried breadfruit, I soaked it in water till it looked plump and then followed the above method.

Serve with a simple meal of rice along with varaN or  DaaLi Tauy or Amti.

Dried Neerphanas/Vilayati Phanas/Jeev Kadgi/bread fruit from Sindhudurg

Dried bread fruit pieces from Sindhudurg.

Taameta nu athanu - Tomato Pickle

Summer is the perfect time to use those red, ripe tomatoes from your backyard or farmer's market to try this delicious pickle. This is my MIL's recipe.

Paaka Taameta nu athanu

Tomato Pickle
Ingredients
10 medium red, ripe yet firm roma tomatoes, chopped approx.  = 5 cups
1/4 cup - 1/2 cup Gujarati pickle/sambhaar masala (depending on the desired heat)

Tempering
1 tbsp + 1/4 cup sesame oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1/8 tsp fenugreek seeds


Method
1. Heat a 1 tbsp oil in a saucepan. Add all the seeds and asafoetida.
2. Now add chopped tomatoes. Keep on stirring on a medium heat. Tomatoes will leave lots of juices. Let them cook in their own juices for about 20 minutes or so till the mixture gets thick.
3. Add Gujarati pickle masala (It already has salt in it). Mix well. Switch off the gas
4. As tomatoes are cooking, heat 1/4 cup sesame oil in a separate saucepan. Bring to the boiling point and then switch off the gas. Let it cool down completely.
5. Pour over cooled tomato mixture. Stir well.
6. Store in an airtight, clean glass bottle

Note -
1. I haven't added additional salt since my pickle masala already has salt in it.
2. If you add more sambhar masala (1/2 cup), make sure to add more oil (1/2 cup) to the pickle to balance the heat.

American Rasmalai (1)

I often get amazed by the NRI homecooks' creativity to whip up the dishes that they grew up eating in India. Many times, they re-create the same magic in their kitchens by using the ingredients available in the local supermarket. Today's recipe is one such version of American Rasmalai. I tasted it for the first time at my friend's house many years back. Till that day, I never ever imagined that I can ever make/bake rasmalai at home myself! Over the years, I have added/subtracted ingredients to make it suit to our taste buds. Please note that this recipe, by no means, can ever replace the wonderful rasmalais you get at your Bengali friend's kitchen or at your favorite halwai in India.

American RasMalai (1)
Ingredients

2 cups part skim ricotta cheese
2 tbsp buttermilk pancake and waffle mix (Whole Foods brand)
2 tbsp sugar

Few drops of oil to grease the small muffin pan (makes 24 rasmalais)

1 recipe basundi

Garnish
few drops of ice-cream essence
or
1 tbsp doodh masala


Method
1. Preheat oven to 400 F
2. Knead cheese, pancake mix and sugar to get a soft dough.
3. Drop spoonfuls in the greased muffin pan. Using wet hand, level it so it has some space to fluff.

4. Bake for 20 minutes or till you get a light shade of brown.
5. Let it cool down completely.

6. Carefully, take off the "malais".
7. Drop in the chilled basundi with doodh masala and/or ice-cream essence.
8. Refrigerate immediately for at least 2 hours.
9. Serve chilled.

Note -
1.Pay attention after 15 minutes baking time is over. Do not let the malais burn or turn too brown.
2. For richer taste, use whole milk ricotta cheese.
3. This recipe makes 24 rasmalais. So make basundi accordingly.
4. These faux malais are little softer than the original chewy rasmalais.

RC's Lemon Barley for Blog Bites#4

Barley is good for you. So without thinking about anything else I bought a huge packet of barley. I did use it in soups and pilaf but then it just sat in the kitchen pantry. I do have few recipes in mind. I am really looking forward to trying my Malaysian friend's recipe of Barley pudding with coconut milk which has a consistency of a kheer.

Nupur has encouraged all of us to clean the pantry with the latest edition of blog bites and RC blogged about Lemon Barley recently. I followed her recipe. Delicious lemon barley is ready for summer!

Recipe Source - http://redchillies.us/2010/06/01/lemon-barley-drink/

Blog by - http://redchillies.us/


This post is my entry to Nupur's Blog Bites #4  - What's lurking in your kitchen.

Pudinewala Raita

This is my Punjabi friend's recipe. This recipe comes handy when my mint is overgrowing. I generally use any or all salad vegetables that I find in the pantry. But if I have some get together, I add some contrasting colors like pomegranate and boondi etc.

Pudinewala Raita
Mint Yogurt salad
Ingredients
1 cup plain yogurt

Grind to fine paste
3-4 sprigs of fresh mint (leaves torn)
3-4 sprigs of cilantro
1 clove garlic
2-3 green chilies (more or less per heat)
one small piece of onion
one small piece of red tomato
salt to taste

Stir in later -
red onion, finely chopped
and/or
red tomato, finely chopped
and/or
cucumber, finely chopped
or
boondi and fresh pomegranate seeds/DaaLimbache DaaNe

Method
1. Whisk yogurt with green paste. Set aside.
2. Stir in vegetables or boondi/pomegranate

Note -
Any salad vegetables of your choice can be used. But do not use beetroot as it will spoil the color contrast of this raita.

Kandyache Pithale

Though this pithale can be served with any bhakri or plain rice, it goes very well with mumbri.

Kandyache Pithalay
कांद्याचे पिठले
Ingredients

Whisk together

1/3 cup besan

1 cup + 1/4 cup water

salt to taste

Tempering

2 tsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp asafoetida

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 small onion, chopped approx = 2 tbsp

1 curry leaves sprig, torn

2 green chilies, slit

1 tsp chopped garlic

Garnish

1/2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Method
1. Heat oil in a kadai. add all the ingredients for tempering.
2. Saute till onion is soft.
3. Add whisked besan mixture.
4. Keep stirring till mushy pithale is formed.
5. Serve hot off the pan with mumbri

Note -
Do not make pithale in advance. It has to be made freshly and served immediately.

Mumbri

Traditionally grated pumpkin is used for making mumbris. I used grated acorn squash. Also, I added flax seeds powder which gave it a different color, but surely made it healthier.

Mumbri

मुंबरी
Ingredients

1cup grated acorn squash

1 cup rice flour (I used swad brand)

salt to taste

1/4 cup flax seeds powder (optional)

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp chopped green chilies (optional)

Suggested Accompaniment

Kandyache Pithale

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients except oil. Using the moisture from the grated squash, knead a dough. You will need to add some water, but first make sure to use the moisture from the squash.

2. Make 6 uniform balls.

3. Pat them into 6 flat breads or bhakri.

4. Roast on a hot tawa/griddle, adding oil as needed.

Note -

1. Serve with Kandyache Pithale.

Masala Mini Idli

I saw these masala mini idlies at the Farsanwala when I visited Mumbai last year. I used whatever herbs and spices I had with me that day.

Masala Mini Idli

Ingredients

1 stand mini idlies = 72 mini idlies

Tempering

1 tbsp sesame oil (Indian variety)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp asafoetida

Sprinkle

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

A generous pinch of chaat masala

Garnish

5-6 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

Method

1. Heat oil in a wok or kadai. Add all the powders. Stir.

2. Add mini idlies quickly without letting the powders burn. Or take off the gas and add idlies.

3. Stir fry till the idlies are heated through.

4. Switch off the gas. Sprinkle black pepper powder and chaat masala.

5. Garnish with chopped mint leaves.

Note -

1. Use leftover mini idlies or idlies that are completely cooled off.

GoLa Bhaaji

GoLa bhaaji is something similar to pithalay but instead of besan, cooked toor daal is used. You can make goLa bhaaji with any leafy greens. Each leafy greens adds its own unique flavor. But make sure that the consistency of this curry is that of a homogeneous mass/mush or goLa in Marathi. I had some chickpea greens so I used them here. Fresh methi/fenugreek leaves, dill leaves/shepu, paalak/spinach or any other leafy green taste equally good.

Harbhryachya Paalyachi GoLa Bhaaji

हरभऱ्याच्या पाल्याची गोळा भाजी

Chickpea Greens Daal

Ingredients

1 bunch chickpea greens, torn

1/2 cup cooked toor daal

salt to taste

1/2 tsp tamarind pulp

1/2 tsp jaggery

1 tsp oil

Tempering

2 tsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp asafoetida

4-5 garlic cloves, peeled & smashed

Method

1. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add all the ingredients for tempering.

2. As garlic cloves change color and appear crispy, add greens. Cook till the leaves are wilted.

3. Add salt, cooked daal, tamarind pulp, jaggery and chili powder. Add 1/4 cup water.

4. Keep on stirring on a medium to low flame till a homogeneous mass is formed.

5. Add remaining 1 tsp oil at this point. Stir well.

6. Serve immediately with bhakri.

Note -

1. Any leafy greens after cooking, gets wilted. So add salt only after it is cooked.

2. Since my chickpea greens were very fresh, I didn't even have to cover the saucepan to cook it. However, depending on the type of the leafy greens, you may need to cook the greens first before adding the cooked daal.

3. Leftover varan may be used for this curry.

Sandwich Idli

My friend's mom used to give this idli in her lunchbox. Since chutney is stuffed inside the idli, there was no possibility of spilling the chutney. I used mint chutney here, but any thick chutney can be used.

Sandwich Idli

Ingredients

1 recipe idli batter

1 recipe pudinyachi chutney/mint chutney

oil for greasing idli mould

Method

1. Grease the idli molds.

2. Pour half  a ladle of the batter.

3. Place a small dollop of chutney.

4. Pour more batter to cover the chutney completely.

5. Steam in the idli steamer as usual.

6. Serve hot idlies

Note -

1. Make sure that the chutney is not too watery.

Navalkol-Moog Daal Bhaaji

For this bhaaji, kohlrabi is cut into two halves. It is then scraped using traditional coconut scraper (viLi) like you would scrape coconut halves.

Navalkolachi Bhaaji (Moog Daal Ghalun)
नवलकोलची भाजी (मूग डाळ घालून)
Kohlrabi Stir Fry
Ingredients
2-3 medium kohlrabi or 1 big kohlrabi/navalkol/alkol, peeled & grated
1/3 cup yellow moong daal, rinsed, soaked for 2 hours
salt to taste
A pinch of sugar
1/2 tsp chili powder

Grind to a coarse paste
2 green chilies
1/2" ginger
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp fresh coconut

Tempering
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Method
1. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add all the ingredients for tempering.
2. As they sizzle, add drained moong daal. Fry for 1 minutes.
3. Add grated kohlrabi. Sprinkle few drops of water. Fry for 2 minutes.
4. Add ground coconut paste. Cover with a lid with some water on top.
5. Let it cook on medium flame till moong daal is cooked. It should not be a complete mush.
6. Add salt, sugar and chili powder
7. Garnish with fresh coconut.

Note -
1. Traditionally, kohrabi is cut into two halves and then scraped on the coconut scraper like one would scrape coconut halves. My lack of experience and skills resulted in using my food processor to grate the peeled Kohlrabi instead!

Pudinyachi Chutney - Mint Coconut Chutney

Mom makes similar chutney with cilantro/coriander leaves. This chutney has to be ground with minimum water so it just stays in its place when served.

Pudinyachi Chutney

पुदिन्याची चटणी

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh coconut

10 - 12 sprigs of mint, leaves torn

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

salt to taste

A pinch of sugar

1 key lime, squeezed

Method

1. Grind all the above ingredients without adding any water.

Note

1. You can use cilantro and mint instead of just mint.

2. I like generous amount of mint in this chutney. If you want, you can reduce the amount of mint.

Chickpea leaves Thepla - Chickpea greens flatbread

Lush green chickpea leaves was the first harvest from my kitchen garden this year. I made thepla from the first batch.

Chickpea Greens Flatbread

Ingredients

1 cup fresh chickpea greens

1cup wheat flour

1/2 cup bajra flour

1 tsp coriander-cumin seeds powder

salt to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp ginger-garlic-green chili paste

1/2 tsp paprika or mild chili powder

1/4 tsp asafoetida

1/8 tsp owa/ajmo/carrom seeds

1 tsp oil

flour for dredging

oil for roasting/frying

Method

1. Rinse chickpea greens. Let them dry. Take off the tiny leaves. Set aside. I do not chop them as they are quite tiny & tender.

2. Mix all the dry ingredients. Stir in chickpea leaves. Using water as needed, knead the dough. Add 1 tsp oil. Knead again. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.

3. Make 9 uniform balls. Roll into thin flatbreads.

4. Roast on a hot tawa or griddle till brown spots appear on both sides.

5. Store in a container covered with a clean kitchen napkin till ready to use.

Note -

1. You can chop the leaves if you like.

Leeli DungLi na thepla - spring onion Flatbread

Spring onion is called leeli dungLi in Gujarati. (dungLi means onion; leeli is green). I found some fresh green/spring onions at our local farmers market. So decided to make my MIL's thepla.

Leeli DungLi na Thepla

Spring Onions Flatbread

Ingredients

1 cup bajra flour

1 cup wheat flour

salt to taste

1 cup chopped spring onions, (use both green and white parts)

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp coriander cumin powder

1 tsp oil

oil for roasting

flour for dredging

Method
1. Mix all the dry ingredients. Stir in spring onions. Adding water as needed, knead a dough.
2. Add 1 tsp oil. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes.
3. Make uniform balls. Roll into thin theplas.
4. Roast on hot tawa/pan till brown spots appear on both the sides. Use oil as needed for roasting/frying.
5. Save in a clean cotton towel till ready to use.
6. Serve along with chhundo (grated sweet n' spicy raw mango pickle).

Note -

1. for an extra kick, you can add minced green chilies if you like.

This post is my entry to Priya's Healing Foods - Onions event.
Healing Food Event is started by Siri of Siri's corner.

Wari Muth

I came across this recipe of Wari Muth in Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Lynn Alley. I liked the simplicity of the dish. The recipe called for black beans. I was confused because I was not sure if they mean Indian black beans (whole urad) or Mexican black beans. I think though both beans are black, they differ in taste and texture. Recently, I purchased dark Kashmiri Kidney beans from the local Indian stores. So I decided to use those for this curry.

I was too lazy to take the dust off my slow cooker. So I used my good, old pressure cooker.

Wari Muth
Kashmiri Rajma Curry
Ingredients
1 cup dark Kashmiri rajma/kidney beans, soaked for 6 hours
1/2 tsp dried ginger powder
1/2 tsp fennel seeds powder
1/4 tsp cloves powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
A small piece of Kashmiri masala tikki (or per taste)
salt to taste

Garnish
1/4 cup chopped cilantro - (optional)

Method
1. Pressure cook soaked beans till they are cooked.
2. Transfer them into a deep saucepan.
3. Add all the remaining ingredients.
4. Bring to boil. Lower the gas to low. Let it simmer, adding water as necessary till all the spices are incorporated.
5. Garnish with cilantro if using.

Note -
1. I added Kashmiri Masala because I had it in my pantry. The recipe calls for red chili flakes.
2. I served it with white rice.



Recipe Credits

http://www.amazon.com/Gourmet-Vegetarian-Slow-Cooker-Sophisticated/dp/158008074X