Gobhi Kofta & Chitranna Rice. North - South Dialogue !

कोबी कोफ्ता करी 

कोफ्त्यासाठी: कोबी २५० ग्राम, बेसन ५० ग्राम, थोडी जीरे पूड, आमचूर 
२ हिरव्या मिरच्या बारीक चिरलेल्या, कोथिम्बीर, मीठ 

करी साठी: २ कांदे कापलेले, आलं, २ टमाटर,हळद, धणे पावडर, १ चमचा गरम मसाला, कोथिंबिर, मीठ. 

कृती: 

कोफ्ते: कोबी बारीक चिरून त्यात बेसन, मसाले, मिरची,  कोथिंबीर व चवीपुरते मीठ मिसळून मळावे व लहान लहान गोळे करून तेलात तळून घ्यावे. 

करी: दुसऱ्या कढईत तुपात कांदा,  टोमैटो परतून घेऊन त्यात आलं, गरम मसाला, हळद, धणे पावडर घालून चांगले परतून घ्यावे व पाणी घालून मीठ व कोथिम्बीर घालून उकळी आणून त्यात कोफ्ते सोडावे. पाच मिनिटे उकळीआणावी. 

मटार - बटाटा,   कच्ची केळी-बटाटा, पनीर इत्यादीचे कोफ्तेही करता येतात.  

चित्रान्ना 

मोकळा सडसडीत भात, (शिळा चालेल). त्या मानाने  हिरव्या मिरच्या, अर्धा चमचा बारीक मोहोरी वाटून लावावी. चवीला लिंबू साखर लावून ओला नारळ खरवडून घालावा व मोहोरी, हिंग, उडदाची डाळ व सुक्या मिरच्यांची  तेलाची खमंग फोडणी द्यावी.  त्यात काजू किंवा शेंगदाणेही छान लागतात. प्रवासात न्यायला हरकत नाही.

Karwari Mackerel Curry by Mamta Desai

Bangadyachi Udid-Methi 

Fish: Six Mackerel (Bangadas) each cut into 3 pieces. Apply a little salt to the fish and after 5 minutes wash it clean.

 
Marinade: Udid dal, coriander seeds, rice 1 tsp each; Fenugreek (methi) seeds 1/2 tsp; 4 bedgi and 2 kashmiri chillies

Fry these 5 ingredients separately and grind into a paste, adding a little water. Apply the paste to the bangdas, along with a little salt and turmeric powder and aside for half an hour)

For the Curry: 1 medium size onion thinly sliced, 1 bowl fresh coconut, peppercorn 10-12, tamarind 1 tsp. Grind into fine paste these 4 ingredients together with some water.

Extract milk of half a coconut and keep aside.

Mamta Desai 

For tempering: 

1 onion finely cut, pinch of hing, 1 tbsp oil

Method : 

Heat the oil, add to it a pinch of hing. When it sputters, add finely onion and saute it till pink in colour. 

Add the marinated bangdas in it and then add some water. 

Now add ground masala and salt and heat on medium fire. 

After 5 minutes add the coconut milk.

 Let the curry boil for few more minutes, stirring it as it boils. 

Serve hot with steamed rice. 

Schezuan Dalia for Breakfast by Kirti Gupte

Dalia gets a bit boring for breakfast cereal ? Add a little zingggg to it. May be this is not an original thought. But I have thought it independently. Great minds think alike? 

Schezuan Dalia for Breakfast.

Ingredients:

Dalia ( Broken Wheat) 2 cups
Water 5 cups
1 table spoon ghee
Two cups of diced veggies: Cauliflower florets, capsicum, carrot, french beans, tomatoes.You can add One Optional: One cup chopped salami or sausages. Boiled eggs 
One cup onions cut lengthwise 
Schezuan Sauce

Salt to taste

Method: 

Roast lightly the dalia in ghee in a pan and cook it in a pressure cooker with 5 cups of water. After 5 to 6 whistles reduce the flame and let it cook for a while. When the steam subsides open the pressure cooker and see if the dalia is done. If not you may have to cook it more.  

In a wok or a kadhai saute first the onions and then the diced vegetables, adding a little salt.  Take care that the vegetables retain their firmness and do not get mashed. When the vegetables are done add a half a tablespoon of Schezuan sauce and stir well. Add the chopped salami or sausages. Add the cooked dalia to the sauted vegetables. Add more schezuan sauce and salt as per your taste. You can add a little tomato ketchup if required. 

Serve with boiled eggs. 

Malwani Fish Fry by Mamta Desai: Bombil & Pomphret & Rawas...

Mamta Desai

Frying fish is an art. The Bombay Duck or Bombil as it is called, is a peculiar case. Loaded with a lot of water, it splutters and often makes a mess of your stove. Then what kind of pan or tawa should you use? 

The coastal region of Maharashtra has its unique recipes for fried fish, with the use of tamarind for its marinade and rice flour for coating. It has variations like the CKP style which insists on a liberal use of garlic, ginger and chilly paste and the Malwani one which avoids this paste.

Mamta Desai is a master of the art and gives you recipes for the Malwani version, along with some valuable tips. 

Crispy Bombil Fry

Bombay duck or Bombils should be of medium size .
Bombay duck big in size, if fried, don't become as crisp as desired.

Ingredients:1 dozen medium size Bombils

Marinade: Mix 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp Turmaric, 2-3tsp red chilly powder, 1tsp tamarind pulp,1 tsp ginger-garlic paste,1 tsp malvani masala.

Method: Clean and wash the Bombils.
Slit open each Bombil and spread it flat. Wrap all the Bombils in a kitchen paper towel and place them under a
heavy weight for half an hour to remove the water from the Bombils. ( You can use a big dabba filled with grain or flour).

Remove the weight and apply all the ingredients to the Bombil and let them marinate for 1 hour.

Mix together about 6 tbsp rice flour and 4 tbsp thin rawa in a thali or plate.
Coat each Bombils with this mixture one by one and fry in a non-stick pan or tawa on high flame. Fry till crispy on both the sides.

Serve hot with salad as a starter.

Pomphret Fry:

Ingredients:

Any fish of your choice like Pomfret ,Rawas, Surmai,Prawns (big in size).

Marinade: 

For 7-8 pieces of Pomfret make a paste of  1 ½ tsp Turmaric powder, 2-3 tsp red chilly powder, 1tsp salt, 1tsp tamarind pulp, adding little water.

Method: 

Before applying the paste to the washed fish pieces keep them wrapped in a kitchen paper towel to remove the excess water. After 10-15 minutes apply the paste to the pieces and let them marinate at least for half an hour or more.
For frying the fish I prefer a seasoned iron tawa.
In a thali or plate mix together 5 tbsp rawa (thin) and 5 tbsp rice flour. 
Heat 3 tbsp oil in the tawa. 
Coat the fish with this flour mixture one by one and fry them on a moderate flame till crisp.

Enjoy the fried fish with hot rice and daal.

Tips: Do not apply a lot of tamarind and do not overheat the oil.

Thalipeeth Mix - Proportion of Ingredients

थालिपीठ  भाजणी

[कै. मालती मेढेकर ( पूर्वाश्रमीच्या भिसे ) रेसिपी]

बाजरी  १ किलो,
ज्वारी अर्धा किलो,
तांदूळ अर्धा किलो,
गहू अर्धा किलो
चणा डाळअर्धा किलो
मका पाव किलो,
उडीद डाळ पाव किलो,
मूग डाळ पाव किलो
मसूर डाळ पाव किलो
धणे एक मूठ
जिरे एक मूठ


तांदूळ धुऊन सावलीत वाळवावे. बाकी सर्व जिन्नस निवडून भाजून घ्यावे. सर्व मिश्रण भरभरीत दळावे.

Mamta Desai's Authentic Malvani Crab Curry

An evening out with the extended family

      

Mamta Desai 

 Malvani Crab Curry

                                       
Ingredients :

6 medium size crabs
Ginger-garlic-green chilly-coriander paste 1 tbsp
1 onion medium finely chopped.
Dry coconut grated1cup.
Garam Masala: 4-5 cloves, cinnamon 1", black pepper corns 7-8, javitri small piece, poppy seeds 2tsp, coriander seeds 2-3 tsp.

Chillies: Bedgi mirchi 5-6,kashmiri mirchi 4-5

1 small onion cut length wise.
Turmeric and chilly powder according to taste

Method:

In a pan fry both the types of chillies in a little oil. Keep aside. Then fry onion cut lengthwise, coconut and garam masalas, one by one, and grind them all together into fine paste.                                 

Thoroughly clean the crabs. Apply turmeric, chilly powder, ginger-garlic paste, and half of the ground masala to the crabs.

In a pan put 2 table spoons of oil. Saute finely cut onion and add the remaining half the tbsp of ginger -garlic paste and marinated crabs. Also add some turmeric and chilly powder to it. Add one cup of water and let the crabs cook on slow fire for 10-15 minutes.

Finally add the other half of ground masala and some more water and salt to taste. Let it boil for 2-3 minutes and then switch off the gas.

 
Garnish with coriander and enjoy it with hot rice or bhakari.

                                                                                                                                                                                              

Four Soups for the Rainy Season

Choose your soup for the day ....

टोमैटो सूप 

प्रकार १ ला: 

पदार्थ: पाव किलो लालबुंद टोमैटो, १ लहान बीट, १/२ चमचा तिखट, लहानसा आल्याचा तुकडा, १ चमचा तांदळाचे पीठ, १ टेबलस्पून लोणी, ५/६ पुदिन्याची पाने, १ चमचा साखर, मीठ व मिरपूड. 

कृति: टोमैटो, बीट, आले बारीक चिरून ३ कप पाण्यात शिजवून गाळणीवर घोटून गाळून  घ्यावे. त्यात तिखट, मीठ, साखर व तांदळाचे पीठ घालून सारखे करून घ्यावे व उकळून घ्यावे. वाढताना वरून मिरपूड व पुदीन्याची पाने घालावी. 

प्रकार २ रा: टोमैटो बरोबर एका लहान बटाट्याच्या फोडी आणि एका लहान कांद्याच्या फोडी शिजवून घ्याव्या आणि शिजवून गाळणीवर घोटून गाळून घ्याव्या. चवीपुरते मीठ  व मिरपूड घालून सूप उकळावे आणि त्यात उतरताना जरासे दूध घालावे. 

वाटाण्याचे सूप: 

पदार्थ: दीड कप मटारचे दाणे, लहानसा  आल्याचा तुकडा, अर्धे लिंबू, ५/६ पुदिन्याची पाने,  मीठ, मिरपूड, १ चमचा लोणी, १ टेबलस्पून मैदा, मूठभर मटारची साले 

कृति: आले व पुदिन्याची पाने बारीक चिरून घ्यावी. एका पातेल्यात ६ कप पाणी घालून त्यात मटारचे दाणे, पुदीना, आले व मटारची साले घालून  शिजवून गाळणीवर घोटून गाळून  घ्यावीत. दुसऱ्या पातेल्यात लोण्यावर मैदा परतून घ्यावा व गाळलेले सूप त्यात ओतून सारखे करून उकळून घ्यावे. लिंबाचा रस, चवीपुरते मीठ  व मिरपूड घालून वाढावे. 


पालकचे सूप

प्रकार १ ला: पालक शिजवून गाळणीवर घोटून गाळून  घ्यावा. तुपावर कॉर्न फ्लोर जरा परतून  त्यात हळू हळूथोडे दूध घालावे व ते सूप मध्ये घालून चवीपुरते मीठ, जायफळ पूड व मिरपूड घालून गरम गरम वाढावे. 

प्रकार २ रा: पालक बरोबर एका लहान बटाट्याच्या फोडी आणि एका लहान कांद्याच्या फोडी शिजवून घ्याव्या आणि शिजवून गाळणीवर घोटून गाळून घ्याव्या.    चवीपुरते मीठ  व मिरपूड घालून सूप उकलावे आणि त्यात उतरताना जरासे दूध घालावे.  

भाज्यांचे सूप 

साधारण सर्व भाज्या. तांबड्या भोपळ्याच्या फोडी जरा मीठ घालून वेगळ्या उकडून घ्याव्या. बाकी सर्व भाज्या चांगल्या शिजवून घ्याव्या व पाणी गाळून घ्यावे. लोण्यावर म्थोडासा मैदा भाजून त्यात गाळून घेतलेल्या सुपाचे पाणी  घालावे व उकळून घ्यावे. त्यात लाल भोपळ्याच्या फोडी घालाव्या व चवीपुरते मीठ  व मिरपूड घालून वाढावे. 

Aashay Chitre’s Traditional Fish Biryani with Patato Salad & Cabbage Salad.

http://planetchitre.tripod.com/ashayiniowa.html

Ashay Chitre off the sets of Mandi 

Ashay Chitre was, photographer, painter, actor,  was an enigma wrapped in a conundrum.....
Son of renowned poet and Author Dilip Chitre, Aashay died young. He was part of the Gupte family, his grandmother Vimal Chitre was Vimal Gupte before her marriage to poet Baburao Chitre ( Abhiruchi fame). Both Baburao and Vimal were litterateurs and were revered figures of the Marathi literary circles.

A multifaceted personality, Ashay was also a great cook. 


Aashay Chitre’s 


Traditional Fish Biryani 

Compiled with the help of his mother Viju Chitre

Ingredients:

2 types of fish" 1. Big fish: Pomfret or Surmai (5 or 6 medium pieces) (cut in pieces) Marinade with (1/2 tbsp garlic paste) garlic paste turmeric salt and lemon. (Juice of 1/2 lemon)  2. Prawns (deveined) (1/2 kilo) add red chilli powder (1 ¼ tspn or as per taste) salt (as per taste) and (1/2 paste tbsp garlic paste).

Basmati or Delhi Rice 4 cups (I Kilo), A few almonds and cashews, 2 large onions (cut lengthwise and dried), A small bunch of corriander

Masala:

For green masala: Grind: Coriander (1 medium bunch), green chillies (4medium or 6medium), fresh coconut (1/2 cup) (can be avoided for people with cholesterol) lemon (1 medium) or tamarind paste (2bsp) ½ tbsp garlic paste). 

For red masala: Grind: Tomatoes (4 / 6 Large tomatoes), (1/2 tbs) garlic paste, red chillies (med 5 to 6) and (2 tbsp) red chilli powder or as per taste.

Kewara water optional (Adds aroma)
Dried Onions (2 big onions) (dried and then deep fried golden not dark brown (as they taste bitter)


Steps:

1. Shallow fry the fish. Keep it aside.

2. Prepare the green curry:

Heat 2 to 3 tbsps of oil and put the green ground masala. Add a little turmeric and salt and stir fry to ensure the coconut is cooked. Then add the fish pieces to and a little water to make a thick boiling curry. Cook for another five to 7 minutes.

3. Prepare the red curry:

Heat 2 to 3 tbsp of oil and add the red ground masala; add a little turmeric and salt and (1/2 tsp) . Bring it to boil add the prawns; boil for 7 to 8 mins. Ensure the tomatoes are cooked.

4, Rice.
Wash and drain basmati/Delhi rice. Add lemon juice and salt and leave to stand.
Add 3 to 4 garam masala cloves, cinnamon 1 ¼ inch, bay leaves 2 medium sized and 3 to 4 green cardamoms. Add water to the rice and boil it till it is nearly done. It should be a little undercooked as it is going to be cooked in the steam with the fish. Don’t overcook it or it will get lumpy. When the rice is done start layering:

Add ghee or vegetable oil at the bottom of the vessel. 
Put a little curry at the bottom. Then put a layer of green curry, put a layer of rice, place two or three fish pieces as per layers, sprinkle a little curry on it. Remember the direction of the fish. Add a thin layer of rice, sprinkle some fried onions and fried cashew and almonds sliced .

Next add a layer of red curry making sure to put some prawns in it, again sprinkle a little curry. Again put a layer of rice repeat this with onions and fried nuts alternating the colours.

At the end there should be rice layer with onions and fried nuts.
Add a little kevada to water and put it in a katori and embed half the katori in the rice.


Seal the lid with kneaded dough of wheat flour. 

Cook on mild fire, you can put a tawa underneath. (Throw the kewada water when the biryani is ready to serve)

Serve hot with a cabbage salad or sliced tomato and cucumbers or potato salad.

Remember the position how you had laid the big fish so you don’t break the fish piece whilst serving. Serve a slice with a piece of the big fish and red curry with rice and fried onions and nuts. 

Note: Remember the fish cooks fast and we already have shallow fried it, and it will break if we overcook it.
Tip: You can mark the kneaded the dough to know the position of the fish.

Cabbage salad:

Ingredients:
Cabbage (1 med size)
2/3 green chillies
3 to four kadipatta leaves
A pinch of hing.
A small tspn of jeera
A small tspn of mustard seeds
2 tbsp lemon juice. 
Finely cut the cabbage, chillies and kadipatta leaves. 

Temper the green chillies and kadipatta in hot oil( 1 tbsp) with a pinch of hing, jeera , mustard seeds and a pinch of turmeric. When jeera and mustard seeds start spluttering add them to the shredded cabbage mixed with lemon juice and salt. 
Note: Usually we throw away the kadipatta whilst eating, since kadipatta is good for your health if you slice it finely and mix with the chillies it gets eaten.

Potato Salad:

Boil some potatoes. Peel and cut them into cubes.
Add some salt, finely cut coriander and green chillies, pomegranate, chat masala or jeera powder and add with a little lemon juice.

Kheema Cutlets

खिम्याचे कटलेट्स 

१ रत्तल खिमा स्वच्छ चाळणीवर धुऊन घ्यावा. त्यात १ मूठभर चण्य़ाची डाळ,  आल्याचे तुकडे, लसूण आणि मीठ घालून खिमा शिजवून घ्यावा व पाणी आटू द्यावे. त्यानंतर त्यात हिरव्या मिरच्या, धणे - जिरे पूड, गरम मसाला आणि  कोथिंबीर घालून मिश्रण वाटून घ्यावे. मग त्याच्या टिक्क्या बनवून अंड्यात बुडवून तळाव्या व पुदिन्याच्या पंजाबी चट्णी बरोबर खाण्यास द्याव्या. 

पंजाबी चटणी 

कांदा, पुदीना, हिरव्या मिरच्या, कोथिंबीर, खटाई, मीठ, अनारदाना एकत्र करून वाटावे. 

Stuffed Bitter Gourd

नलिनी गुप्ते 

भरलेली कारली

कांदा बारीक चिरलेला, खोबरं, दाण्याचं कूट, लाल तिखट, गरम मसाला, कोथिम्बीर, मीठ, जरासा गूळ व चिंचेचा दाट कोळ घालून एकत्र सारण करावे.

कारल्यातील आतील बिया आणि गर  काढून त्यात हे सारण भरावे. कढईत पुरेशा तेलात  जिरे, मोहोरी, हळद व हिंगाची फोडणी करून त्यात भरलेली कारली घालुन अलगद परतावी व झाकण ठेवून मंद विस्तवावर शिजू द्यावीत. 

शिजू लागताच  बेताचा गूळ घालून पुन्हा अलगद परतून उतरावीत.