Gujrati khichdi with kadhi

Panchvati Gaurav near Bombay hospital(now also at Korum, thane, Thakker at Dadisheth agyari lane, kalbadevi,  Rajdhani at Churni Road station or at Nirmal lifestyle,Mulund are the favorite restaurants where we eat Gujju style food sometimes( say once in 3-4 months)
Those are Thali type restaurants where variety of vegetables ( 4-5 ,though in small portions),curries,buttermilk, papad, dhokla, samosa etc etc is served with 3-4 types of sweets.That day we had a craving for kadhi & khichdi(of Gujju style) . I googled & I got the recipe on  http://enjoyindianfood.blogspot.com/
Immediately I made the kadhi and khichdi which tasted so awesome that all was finished within no time. I could only take the snap of the portion which was left for me :(

Here's the link for kadhi http://enjoyindianfood.blogspot.com/2008/05/gujarati-kadhi.html
and this is for khichdi http://enjoyindianfood.blogspot.com/2010/06/dheeli-khichdi-gujarati-khichdi-2.html

Dahi-butti/Dahi-Bhat/ curd-rice

Dahi- Butti(Curd-rice)

General practice is to convert left over rice into dahi-butti next day. Basically the cooked rice which is used for dahi-butti should be separate(mokLa) and there should not be any moisture in it.
If you prepare fresh and spread it on a plate to cool for 1-2 hours before tempering ,it's OK.

The curd should not be too sour.


Ingredients
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 cup curd
1/2 cup milk
1/2 inch ginger(slices)


Tempering
1 tsp ghee
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1 dry red chili
2-3 curry leaves
salt to taste

Method

• In bowl mix the cooked rice,curd and milk. ( Adjust the consistency with milk as the mixture would become dry if you keep for more than an hour)Add salt and sugar(optional) to taste.
• Heat the iron ladle (paLi) .Add ghee. Add mustard seeds. As they crackle add cumin seeds,asafoetida and curry leaves. Add red chilies.
• Pour the tempering on the rice. Mix in the ginger slices.
• Tastes best with limbache gode loNache.

Tastee Pulao

Tastee Pulao is an item on the menu card of 'Tastee' restaurant in Worli,Mumbai. My husband's favorite dish. It is non-oily (still tasty) unlike others.
As it is not always possible to eat there,I learnt this recipe by trial and error method. This time he said 'it was perfect' so I decided to share it with you all. here's how I did it.

 Ingredients
1 cup basmati rice
1 tsp ghee
1/4 cup french beans
1/4 cup carrots
1/4 cup green peas
1/4 cup cauliflower (optional) or 1/4 cup mushrooms(optional)
1/2 tsp pulao/biryani masala(optional)
1 green chili
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
1-2 bay leaves
1 tsp oil

Method

• Wash the rice with lukewarm water. Do not drain the water completely. Let it soak in some water for 10-15 minutes.
• Boil 4 cups of water with bay leaves,peppercorns, turmeric powder in it. Reduce the water to 2 cups after boiling.
• Strain the water and cook rice in that decoction (with a tsp of oil and salt to taste) in the pressure cooker.
• When done spread the rice on a plate and let it cool.
• Wash the vegetables and  chop french beans,carrots diagonally (as in Chinese) Cut mushrooms into thin slices.(Cut cauliflower into small pieces) Blanch the green peas.Cut the ends of the green chili and remove seeds from it and slice it into fine rings.
• Heat ghee in a pan (preferably flat bottom) add some peppercorns and cumin seeds. As they crackle lower the flame and add the vegetables and green chili slices. Add salt and saute for a minute or two.. Add pulao/biryani masala. Do not cover ( color of the vegetable should not change)
• Add cooked and cooled rice. Mix in delicately with a fork (so the grains of rice remain intact)
• Cover with lid on low flame for 1-2 minutes. (just to blend the flavors)
• Serve hot with any raita or roasted papad

Spicy Rice/Masale Bhaat

Masale Bhaat
          Spicy Rice
My Mom used to make this dish from a recipe book 'Ruchira', by Kamalabai Ogale. The first edition was out in March 1970. It was very popular at that time. I remember my Mom gifting the book to a newly wed girl once. A typical  rice preparation in Maharashtrian Weddings. Though the name says 'spicy',it's not that spicy or hot. A perfect blend of coriander and cumin seeds gives a typical flavor.

  Addition of tondli/tendli(Ivy gourd), potato,brinjal (egg plant)makes it delicious and nutritious as well.

           
Ingredients
1 cup rice
2 cups water
4-5  tondli/tendli/Ivy gourd OR 2 brinjals/egg plant OR 1potato
4-5 cashew nuts
1/2 tsp kaLa masala/goDa masala
1/2 cup curd
salt and jaggery/sugar to taste

To be roasted (dry)
1 table sp coriander seeds
1 table sp cumin seeds
1 table sp dry grated coconut

 Tempering
1-2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida
5-6 curry leaves
1-2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
Garnishing
freshly grated coconut
chopped coriander leaves
a slice of lemon

Method

• Wash rice. Drain water and keep aside. ( Do not drain water completely )
• Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds, as they sputter add asafoetida, curry leaves, bay leaves.
• Add rice & fry and mix well. Mix in the vegetable and fry as well.. Add turmeric and chili powder as per taste.
• Boil  water. Pour in the hot water in the kadai..
• Roast coriander seeds,cumin seeds, dry red chilies & dry grated coconut. Crush all roasted ingredients in khul-batta to a coarse powder.
• Once rice is half cooked ( water reduces to half),add this powder, salt, jaggery in it.
• Add cashew nuts. Add kaLa masala. Cover with lid and let it cook. Lower the flame.
• At the end add cream or  sweet curd ( without sugar but not sour). Mix well & cover for a minute.
• Garnish with freshly grated coconut,chopped coriander and sajuk toop,roasted papad.

 

Risotto in my (indianised) way

Ingredients
1 cup rice ( preferably flavored-Basmati or aambemohor)
1 bunch spinach
1/2 cup sweet corn
2-3 garlic cloves(chopped)
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 table sp butter
2 table spoon cream
oregano,pepper powder & salt as per taste
grated cow cheese


Method

• Wash rice with warm water and soak in little water for 10-15 minutes.
• Wash spinach leaves in salty water for 10 minutes, drain and pat dry. Cut spinach.
• Saute onion in butter till transparent. Add garlic with leaves,corns and saute well.
• Add rice and spinach. Saute for 2 minutes.
• Sprinkle salt,pepper powder and oregano. Add half of the grated cheese.
• Add 2 cups of warm water. Cook on high flame till water gets absorbed. Lower the flame.
• Cover with lid and let it cook.
• When done add cream. Mix well.
• Transfer the contents in a serving bowl.
• Garnish with remaining grated cheese and oregano.

Mugachya DaLichi Khichdi aani karmaNe

My mom used to make this khichdi for dinner on the last Saturday of every month as Sunday morning would be the day for kadu kiraitacha kadha or NiwaLi(decoction made out of the herb).Also twice a year on Sundays there was a 'Castor oil day' .
The purpose of both was for removing stomach infections if any and thereby to maintain good health.
After that process the need for healthy,light and easily digestible food was the necessity. Khichdi and VaraN-bhat fulfill all the requirements.
Now after the creation of antibiotics,the NiwaLi and the Castor oil funda has become passé but I follow the principle of making this dish once a month.


Mugachya DaLichi khichDee
 (Rice & yellow split peas combo)


Ingredients
1/2 cup rice
1/4 cup moog daL/yellow split peas
1/4 cup saalwali/chilkewali moog dal

Tempering
1 tsp ghee
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Method

• Wash rice and daL together and soak them in little water for 10-15 minutes.
• Warm 2 cups of water in a pan.
• Heat ghee in another pan. Add cumin seeds. As they sizzle add asafoetida. Add turmeric powder.
• Add soaked dal-rice mixture.Mix well.
• Add warm water. Bring it to boil.let the water get soaked.
• Simmer the flame and cover the pan. Let it cook on low flame for 10-15 minutes.
• Serve hot with a tsp of shuddha ghee and karmane

Karmane
       accompaniment with khichdi


Ingredients
1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
2-3 pepper corns
1 -2 tsp chopped onion
1/2 tsp red chili powder or 1 dry red chili
1/2 tsp tamarind paste
salt to taste

Method

Grind all the ingredients to make a paste(not too fine).  Add little water while grinding to adjust the consistency.Serve with moogachi khichdi

Batatyachi kape/Kachrya

Ingredients
2 potatoes
red chili powder
turmeric powder
salt to taste
rice flour (for dipping the slices)

 Oil for shallow fry                                                                                  

Method

• Wash and slice the potatoes
• Spread the slices in a plate or shallow bottom pan
• Sprinkle red chili powder as per taste and turmeric powder
• Add salt and mix well
• Heat the griddle/tawa/non-stick frying pan. Add 1-2 tsp oil and spread all over it.
• Take rice flour in a plate and dip each marinated potato slice in it and place it on the griddle.
• Arrange as many slices as the space available on the griddle. ( try to keep each slice separately)
• Add oil around the slices with spoon if required.
• Cover the griddle. Let it cook on low-medium flame for 2-3 minutes
• Take off the lid check if the slices are cooked with fork or knife.
• Serve with khichdi-karmane
  
  
  
  
  
  Note
  Khichdi is plain so you can make accompaniments more spicy.
  This combo of khichdi,karmane and kachrya is supposed to be a complete meal or purnanna (a meal made up of carbohydrate, proteins and fats)

Jeera Rice

 Jeera Rice

      Rice with cumin seeds

Ingredients

1 cup basmati  rice

Salt to taste

Tempering
2 tsp ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
1 tsp asafoetida
2 red chilies

Garnishing
Chopped coriander leaves (optional)

Method

• Wash the rice with lukewarm water and soak in very little water for 15-20 minutes.
• Pressure cook rice with  a pinch of salt, a tsp ghee/oil and 1-1 1/2 cup water (add water as per the rice quality)
• When cooked, spread the rice in a plate and let it cool completely.
• Heat ghee in a  pan. Add cumin seeds and as they sizzle add asafoetida and red chilies. Simmer the gas.
• Add cooked rice and mix it carefully. Add salt as per taste.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.(optional)
• Serve hot with Tomato Saar