Masoorchi aamti

Masoor i.e brown lentil comes in two types, the regular one is slightly brownish but the beLgavi masoor is smaller than the regular one and skin is peach colored. It gets easily cooked (no need to pressure cook). In Mumbai we get it  from some selected stores like Sarvodaya,Dadar or opposite Saraswat Colony, Mahim and that too in particular season(from March to May) . Generally I store it to use till the next season.  The preparation of both is the same but instead of beLgavi masoor I used the regular one as this time I ran out of stock.

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup masoor
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 green chili
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

To be roasted in oil
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
2 cloves

1/2 inch cinnamon

3-4 peppercorns
1/2 cup sliced onion
1/4 cup freshly grated coconut

To be ground in paste
all roasted masala
1 tsp tamarind paste
1 tsp chili powder(or dhane-mirchi masala)as per taste

Tempering
1 tsp oil
2-3 garlic cloves(crushed)

Method

• Wash the masoor. Pressure cook masoor.chopped onion,turmeric powder and green chili with a cup of water in a pressure cooker.
• Roast all masala in a tsp of oil.
• Grind the roasted masala with tamarind and chili powder in a grinder.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add crushed garlic cloves. Fry on medium flame till they become light brown.
• Add cooked masoor mixture. Add 1/2 cup of hot water and stir.
• Add ground paste in it. Mix well. Add hot water ( if required)to adjust the consistency.
• Add salt to taste. Stir well and turn off the gas after a minute.
• Garnish with chopped coriander.

Methi Mutter with paneer

The sunday was a little busy as I was totally occupied with my school reunion. This all made up my day and I just gave up a thought of doing anything in the evening.The teachers' who taught us, Sanju's batatvada, the Pratharna(Prayer), Buva's shop at the corner  where we spent the entire 'madhali sutti' eating badishep,tamarind, gooseberry, raw mango......I was thoroughly enjoying the journey to the flashback....Three cheers for BALMOHAN!!!

I came home and was finding it difficult to come out of that nostalgia &  could not do the grocery shopping. So Monday morning was experimented with some methi leaves, some green peas and frozen paneer which was there in my refrigerator.

    

Here's how I made it....

Ingredients
  1/2 cup chopped methi leaves
  1/2 cup greenpeas
  6-8 paneer cubes
  1/2 tsp garam masala
  1/2 cupcurd

Make  a Paste
7-8  cashew nuts (soak in warm water for 20-30 minutes)
1/2 cup onion
1 greenchili
salt and sugar to taste


Tempering
1tsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Garnishing
1-2 tsp kasoori methi

Method

• Wash fenugreek leaves. Chop the leaves. Chop the onion.
• Boil a cup of water and dip the paneer slice in it for 10 minutes.
• Make a fine paste of onion,green chili,soaked cashewnuts.
• Heat oil in akadhai and add cumin seeds. As they crackle add chopped onion. Add salt.Fry till light brown.
• Add chopped fenugreek leaves and green peas.Add 1/2 cup warm water and let it cook.
• Add onion-cashew nut paste. add 1/2 cup warm water. Beat the curd with a spoon and mix in on low flame.
• Add salt and sugar to taste
• Cut the paneer into cubes and add in the gravy.
• Dry roast kasoori methi and crush with hands and sprinkle over the gravy.

Aambat batata (tangy potato curry)

Sunday is a typical fish day. As I don't eat fish, I made fast, easy and tasty 'aambat batata' which I can eat with chapati as well as rice. Other menu was fried prawns and curry of Ladyfish (muDdushya)

Ingredients
1potato (wash,peel off the skin and cut into medium pieces)
salt and jaggery to taste

To be ground in paste
2-3 tsp of freshly grated coconut
2-3 peppercorns
1 tsp of tamarind pulp

Tempering
1 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds(methi seeds)
4-5 curry leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 -1 tsp red chili powder(as per taste)

Method

• Wash the potato and peel of the skin. Cut into half length-wise and again into half length-wise to make 4 pieces. If the potato is bigger in size then cut those 4 width-wise to make 8.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, as they sputter add asafoetida and fenugreek seeds. When fenugreek seeds turn light  brown  add curry leaves and other tempering ingredients.Add cut potatoes and 1/2 -1 cup water. Let the mixture boil on medium flame.
• Grind coconut,peppercorns and tamarind with little water in a smooth paste.
• Check with knife if the potatoes are done.
• Mix the ground paste in it. Stir well.  Add water to get the desired consistency. Lower the flame. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Add salt and jaggery. Mix well.
• Take off the heat.
• Serve with steamed rice.

MayaLoo DaLi Aambat

MayaLoo(malabar spinach) with DaL
Typical of leaf vegetables, MayaLoo/Malabar spinach is high in vitamin A,Vitamin C,iron and calcium. It is low in calories by volume, but high in protein per calorie.

Ingredients
15-20 leaves of mayaLoo/malabar spinach
1/4 cup toor DaL/pigeon pea/arhar ki dal
1/2 cup chopped onion
jaggery & salt as per taste

To be roasted in oil
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1-2 dry red chilies

To be ground
Roasted masala
2 tsp grated coconut


Tempering
1 tsp oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion


Method

• Wash dal. Wash and cut leaves of mayaLoo/malabar spinach. Pressure cook dal, mayaLoo and chopped onion with 1/2 cup of water.
• Roast coriander seeds, red chili and turmeric in little oil. Grind it with coconut to a fine paste.
• Mix the paste, salt and jaggery with the cooked vegetable-dal mixture. Stir and mix well.
• Heat the mixture and bring it to boil.
• Heat oil in an iron spoon(paLi)/kadai and fry onion till light brown and dip it in the gravy. Cover with lid.
• Serve with rice or chapati.

Chanyachya DaLichi AamTi

Masalyachi AamTi
(ChaNaDaL/bengal gram)

Ingredients
1/2 cup chNa DaL
salt and jaggery to taste


To be roastedin 1/2 -1 tsp of oil

1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp black cumin seeds( shahajire)
2-3 cloves
1/2 inch cinnamon
3-4 peppercorns
2 dry red chilies
1/4 cup dry/fresh coconut (grated)

To be ground
All roasted masala
1-2 tsp tamarind paste
1-2 tsp cooked DaL


Tempering
1-2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida
4-5 curry leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Method

• Wash and cook DaL with double the quantity of water in a pressure cooker.
• Roast all the ingredients of masala in oil.
• Grind all roasted masala with tamarind and a tsp of cooked dal to a fine paste.
• Heat oil in a pan add the tempering ingredients one by one. As they sizzle add cooked dal and little water.
• Add ground masala paste and water to adjust the consistency.
• Bring it to boil.
• Add jaggery and salt to taste.
• Serve with steamed rice.
  
  
  Note
  Instead of chana DaL, same curry is prepared using kaLa waTaNa/black peas. Soak the black peas/kaLa waTana in sufficient water the previous day.
  
  

Solachi Kadhi

Soal-kadhi/ Kokum kadhi

This is the extended version of fooTi kadhi/tiwaL.it contains coconut milk,which is the main task. Earlier generation did it using paata-warwanta before the invention of mixer/grinder. Hats off to them!!!  Nowadays coconut milk is readily available so it's not a big deal for the newcomers.
This kadhi is usually served with non-veg dishes. Non-veg meaning heavy on digestion. Basic ingredients in soalkadhi  like kokum, lasooN/garlic serve the purpose.
Many variations can be made in the basic soal kadhi so as to get different tastes. The basic is as follows.

Ingredients
1 cup grated coconut
2-3 garlic cloves
1 green chili
2-3 kokum/aamsul or 1 tsp aaghal ( kokum juice)
1 tsp chopped coriander
salt to taste

Method

• Soak aamsul and salt in 1/2 cup water in a bowl
• Grind coconut,garlic and chili(optional)with little water in a mixer. Squeeze out the juice and strain it.  Do it twice or thrice to extract the maximim milk from the coconut.
• Mix it in aamsul dipped bowl.
• Add salt to taste.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and green chili (slit)
• Serve with steamed rice and fried fish.

Some variations

1. Use red chili powder instead of green chili.Other things remain the same ( change of taste and color )
2. Add owa/ajwain  instead of garlic.
3. Tempering of mustard seeds and asafoetida with red chili enhances the flavor.

tiwaL/futee kadhi

Futee Kadhi/tiwaL


This kadhi/curry is accompanied with  steamed rice and fry fish. It is actually a substitute to soal kadhi if time is the constraint.
Here is the information of aamsul/kokam,the basic ingredient of soal kadhi

Kokum is effectively used in acidity, digestive problems.

Ingredients
2-3 aamsule/soal or 1 tsp aaghal(kokum juice)
1 cup water
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1 green chili (slit)
1 tsp chopped coriander
salt to taste


Method
Mix all the ingredients in water and the tiwaL is ready to serve. Goes well with steamed rice and as an appetizer as well.

DaLichi Toay

No coconut,no masala....easy,simple,healthy..yet tasty

Ingredients
1 cup toor dal
2 green chilies(slit)
1/2 inch ginger (chopped or julienne)
salt to taste

Tempering
1 tsp ghee
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
2 dry red chilies

Garnishing
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp sajuk toop


Method
Pressure cook dal with green chilies and ginger with at least 2 cups of water
When cooked transfer the contents in a sauce pan or kadai. Add salt.Stir well and bring it to boil.Add warm water to make the desired consistency.
Turn off the gas.
In a PaLi (iron tempering spoon) heat ghee and add mustard seeds,as they sizzle add asafoetida,curry leaves and dry redchili pieces.take off the heat.
Dip the spoon contents in a saucepan and cover it for 2 minutes.
Toay is ready to serve.
Add fresh lemon juice and a tsp of sajuk toop while serving.
Serve hot with steamed rice.


Note
This curry is dilute or watery.
In traditional Toay turmeric is not used.

DaLichi AamTi

This DaLichi AamTi is our family characteristic you can say. Without this curry our Sunday lunch feels incomplete.It's very simple but tastes awesome.

Ingredients
1/2 cup ToorDaL
1 small onion chopped
2 green chilies (slit)
2-3 coriander sprigs (just cut it with hands do not chop it fine)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder


To be ground or just crushed in khul-batta
a medium size tamarind piece (butuk)
2 tsp grated coconut
2-3 pepper corns(optional)

Garnishing
1 tsp coconut oil

Method

• Pressure cook DaL,onion,coriander,chili,turmeric powder
• Grind/crush coconut,tamarind and/or pepper corns
• Transfer the  cooked dal contents in a pan
• Mix in the coconut mixture and add little water to get the consistency
• Bring it to boil. Add salt. Stir. Turn the gas off.
• Add 2-3 drops of coconut oil.
• Serve hot with steamed rice.(Fish fry as an accompaniment would be like seventh heaven)
  
  
  Note
    Tempering is not required here.

This one is with raw mango and not tamarind.

kuLthache pithale

 

 Kulthache Pithale, steamed rice with bhajalela suka bombil (dried bombay duck roasted on gas) is my hubby's favorite menu for dinner on a rainy day.

KuLthache Pithale

Kulith (horse gram) Gravy

Ingredients
1 cup kulith pith/flour( ready-made is good & easily available, homemade is definitely better)
2 cups water
2-3 kokum/aamsul/sol
2 tsp freshly grated coconut
salt to taste

Tempering
2 tsp oil 3-4 cloves of garlic(without peeling just crush it)
1 medium onion(chopped)
2-3 green chilies(slit)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Method

1. Heat the oil in the kadai.
2. Give tadka of garlic. saute it for a while till it gets light golden brown.
3. Add onion and fry till it becomes soft and changes its color
4. Add all other tempering ingredients.
5. Add 1 cup of water
6. While the water boils make a  smooth thick paste of the kulith flour in one cup of water.
7. Add salt and let it boil. simmer the flame.
8. Add the paste slowly in the water while stirring it.
9. Add grated coconut.
10. Let the mixture cook
11. Add kokum and take off the flame.

Note

• The mixture shines as it cooks.
• Cook till you get the desired consistency.
• It should not be too runny (like saar) or too thick( like ZuNka)
• Do not boil after adding kokum.
• You can give tadka in groundnut oil and put 3-4 drops of coconut oil if you like.

Tomato Saar

Tomatoes are the rich source of vit.C,Vit A, Iron, Potassium ...you can find the nutritional benefits of tomatoes here http://www.essortment.com/all/healthbenefits_rbdh.htm

Eating a  whole fresh red tomato all by itself is a satisfying experience and can only be felt when you eat it. You always be benefited more by eating it fresh.

This tomato saar / curry enhances the aroma of tomato by keeping all its fiber content intact.

Ingredients
3-4 medium size red tomatoes
1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
2-3 cloves of garlic (peeled)
2 tsp cumin seeds
salt & sugar(optional) to taste


Tempering
2 tsp pure ghee / oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp asafoetida
5-6 curry leaves
2 green chilies(slit)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder(optional)

Garnishing
chopped coriander leaves


Method
1.Wash the tomatoes and pressure cook them with no water or very little water.
2.Let it cool completely.
3.Grind the cooked tomatoes( don't peel), coconut,cumin seeds and garlic in a mixer.(It won't be very smooth.)
4.Heat ghee in the kadai. Add all the tempering ingredients. After they sizzle add tomato ground tomato paste.
5.Simmer the gas and  cook for 2 minutes. Add salt .Take off the heat.
6.Garnish with chopped coriander.
7.Serve with Jeera rice or steamed rice.


Note
Chilies can be replaced by red chili powder.
You can also avoid garlic if you want.