THALIPEETH - spiced crisp Indian pancakes.

After the numerous fasting days since Navratri , come the five days of Diwali , which are all about feasting. Starting with Vasubaras , the day we worship the Cows . Next is Dhanteras . A special breakfast on Dhanteras is Thalipeeth. Spiced crisp Pancakes made with a pre spiced flour made from mixed pulses and cereals. It is usually store bought . The fragrant crisp thalipeeth is usually served with homemade white butter anda dry garlic chuteny. Alternately you can serve it with a dip made by mixixng a 1/4 cup of yoghurt and 1/4 tsp red chilli powder ( per portion serving)

2 cups Bhajani Peeth , 2 tblsp oil, 1 large onion finely chopped, 2 green chillies finely chopped , 1 tsp each haldi, red chilli powder, garam masala, dhania powder , crushed jaggery , chopped garlic , salt , 2 tblsp green corriander leaves chopped.Water to bind into a soft wet dough.

Bind the dough till its sticky and soft, Divide into portions the size of a tennis ball .

 Take a wet thin cotton napkin. Using your hands flatten the dough into a round chapatti , but thicker than a chapati. Poke 3-4 holes into it .

 Remove from the cloth and put onto a hot tawa or frying pan .

Put a few drops of oil into the holes and around the thalipeeth.

Cook covered on both sides for 5-7 minutes , on low flame.Then brown the 2 sides on a high flame. Serve with fresh butter and lasoon chutney. If making for guests , cook on low flame and keep aside. Then you can just apply a little oil and make the thalipeeth crisp just before serving.

Sabudana Khichadi

An now for the king of all falahari dishes. Falahari food is the food that is consumed during fasts. As per Hindu religion certain foods are pure enough to be consumed during fasting. While milk and milk products are undoubtedly the purest form of food to be consumed , other things which can be eaten are all Nuts, Makhana ( Popped lotus seeds) coconut, Sabudana ( sago ) , Potatoes, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, bottle gourd. Special flours are used such as singhada ( water chestnut) , kuttu ( Buck wheat) , Rajgira ( Amaranth) . Only ghee ( Clarified butter) is used as a medium of cooking . All recipes then are basically permutations and combinations of these raw materials .

While my mother in law was alive, we fasted on various occasions. Navratri ( Nine days/ nights) , Ekadashi , Maha Shivratri, Janmashtami. These were the fasts when we would plan elaborate menus . Personally I do not subscribe to the eating of special meals on fasting days. I believe a fast is the day when you are able to control your thirst and hunger and be in a physical state which is close to God. Consuming fruits or fruit juice in small quantities for sustenance is fine. However with the mother in laws religious beliefs and an enthusiastic daughter in law , fasting days certainly felt like feasting days. One of the fasting dishes however frequently made its way onto the dinner table on non fasting days as well. That's the sabudana khichadi. Extremely easy to make once you understand the way to cook it. Any mistake in the steps to follow and you will end up with a gooey lump instead of the lovely separated pearls khichadi.

For the khichadi 

1 cup cleaned sabudana, soak for 2-3 hours. Then drain till all the moisture has dried up.

2 tablespoons pure ghee

1 tsp jeera ( cumin ) seeds

1- 2 green chillies slit and cut in half. (If you like the fiery taste of green chillies, coarsely chop them up) 

1 cup dry roasted non salted peanuts, coarsely crushed.

1 tsp sugar

salt to taste

2 tablespoons dessicated fresh coconut

green corriander for garnish

Once the mositure has dried from the sabudana, add crushed peanuts, sugar and salt. Mix well and keep aside. In a heavy bottommed pan heat the ghee. Add the jeera seeds and green chillies. Add in the sabudana and mix well. Reduce heat and do not cover. Gently and frequently turn the sabudana. As it cooks the opaque beads turn transluscent. The peanuts will make sure the sabudana does not stick to each other. Check the salt at this stage. Once all the sabudana look transluscent , take off the heat. Garnish with fresh coconut and corriander and serve hot. You can serve it with a coconut chutney. Potato wafers, sweet potato/ potato fries make great accompaniments and a complete meal.