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.

Falahari Poori

Fasting food is often restricted. The number of cereals allowed is not only limited but the taste is bland too. These days to get the younsters to confirm to traditional food is getting more and more difficult. However certain traditional food served with a proper accompaniment always hits bullseye. This nutty tasting poori is one such side. The crisp yet soft pooris go well with potato gravies, chutney , kadhi and even with raitas.

Ingredients:
2 cups Rajgira / kuttu ka atta ( Amaranth/ Buckwheat flour)
1 boiled potato
2 tsp Ghee
salt to taste ( if cooking on a fasting day , use rock salt)
water for kneading dough
oil for frying


Mix together the flour, salt and ghee. Grate in the boiled potato. Mix the flour well , add a little water at a time and form a stiff dough. Keep aside for half an hour.

When ready to serve, heat the oil. On a plastic sheet or foil. Place a drop of oil and place a dough ball on it. rub a little oil on your fingers and start patting the dough into a circle using your fingers. The poori needs to be as thin as a biscuit. Carefully lift up the poori and lower into hot oil. Hold down the poori with a slotted spoon till the poori fluffs up. Check the bottom for a even brown colour, then turn. Fry to a golden brown colour and drain.

Serve hot with Potato curry or a yoghurt raita or with a chutney of your choice. 

Khotte

There was no dearth of exotic foods in our kitchen. Having a large internationally integrated family meant there was always something new and unusual from someones kitchen that found its way to our dining table. Dads closest friends were konkanis. Khotte or idlis steamed in triangular moulds made from jack fruit leaves and twigs were not only exotic but delicious. Just looking at those huge steamed leafy moulds made my dad go weak in the knees. Accompanied by a spicy runny corriander and coconut chutney it was a meal fit for a king. On special occasions it was served with a spicy coconut based fish curry. A treat for the eyes, a feast for the palate and nirvana for the soul.

The khotte are basically made with regular idli batter. Once can use the normal store bought batter as well to make the khotte. For the procedure to make the jack fruit moulds, here is a fantastic site where it has been explained with pictures.

http://www.aayisrecipes.com/2006/10/25/idlis-in-jackfruit-leaveshittukhottekhotte-kadubu/

Chirote

Every now and then one remembers a forgotten flavour of our childhood. Something sweet , a unique flavour or a texture that got us all excited. One of the things i often remember is chirote. A flaky fried snack liberally sprinkled with powdered sugar, eaten while it was still warm. Aaaaah those crispy , flaky, sweet bites of heaven. Thankfully its easy to recreate the crispy flaky wheels in no time and I am able to walk down that nostalgic lane as often as I like.
Sharing the simple procedure . Try it and let me know what you think.

1 cup maida, 8 tblsp pure desi ghee , 1/4 cup warm milk, 2 tblsp rice flour, powdered sugar to sprinkle on the chirote as per taste.

melt about 4 tblsp of the ghee. Mix well into the flour . Knead the flour into a soft dough using the warm milk.Cover and set aside for about half an hour. Divide the flour into 6 equal parts. Roll out each of these parts into a thin flat pancake. Whisk together the remaining ghee and the rice flour till you get a creamy paste. Now place a pancake down on a floured surface and spead 1/5 of the creamy rice flour - ghee paste over it. Sprinkle with some dry flour over it , then place another pancake over it and repeat the flour paste layering and dry flour sprinkling till the last pancake is placed on top. Now starting from the side closest to you , roll the entire pile into a tight roll . Do this lightly so that the layers are not pressed hard into each other. Cut into about 16-20 discs. Lightly roll each disk and fry in medium hot oil. Take care to maintain the creamy colour of the chirote. Drain on absorbent paper and quickly sprinkle them with powdered sugar before they cool down.

These keep well for a week . Mine dont :( . They are over within the hour.

Couscous Ameeri Khaman

The use of couscous is catching on fast. With the ready to cook variety available it is a quick n easy snack. I have used it in various Indian preparation like pulao and upma. This is another favourite.
Couscous is prepared by soaking in hot water ( usually 1 1/2 : 1 water to couscous ) . Before adding the water, seson it with turmeric 1/2 tsp, salt to taste and 1 tsp sugar. Stir till sugar dissolves. Add to the couscous , cover and keep. Heat 2 tsp oil. Add in mustard seeds 1/4 tsp, 1 finely chopped green chilli, 1 tsp sesame seeds. Pour the seasoning over the couscous. Mix well, adjust salt. Garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves and thin sev.

Khaman Dhokla

2 cup besan ( chick pea flour) ,1cup dahi ( yoghurt) ,½ sp turmeric.1 sp ginger chilly paste,2 sp oil,1 sp lemon juice, 1 sp baking soda ( or Eno fruit salt) ,1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp sesame seeds ( white til) , ½ tsp sugar. Salt to taste 2 tsp fresh coriander ( dhaniya) ½ cup grated / dessicated coconut.

Take besan  in a bowl & add curd and mix well. Add in luke warm water to make a thick batter. Add salt. Cover it and keep it in a warm place  for 3 to 4 hrs.It should ferment and rise. Add turmeric and ginger-chilly paste.

Take a vessel with a deep dish that fits into the vessel without falling in. Fill the vessel with 2 cups water.

Take a deep steel dish that fits into the top of the vessel. Apply oil to the base and sides of the dish. 

Mix lemon juice, soda and 1 tsp oil in a bowl and add it to the besan mixture and whip it well. Pour the batter into the greased plate till it is halfway up the edges.

Heat the vessel with water, when it comes to a boil, lower the flame and keep the batter filled dish onto the vessel top . Cover with a loose fitting lid. Steam for 10 mins 

Heat oil in a pan . Put in mustard seeds, when they splutter add in sesame seeds and 2 tsp water. Add in ½ tsp sugar and stir it till sugar melts. Spread this seasoning evenly over the dhokla in the plate. Sprinkle finely chopped coriander leaves and coconut. Cut into squares and serve with green chutney or coconut chutney.

Chilla

Chilla or Chilra, is an all time favourite with young and old alike. Quick and easy to cook, it can be simply served with dahi ( yoghurt) and pickles or chutneys.

1 cup besan ( chick pea flour)
2 tbsp of your favourite vegetables chopped fine ( tomatoes, beans,cabbage, capsicum)OPTIONAL
1/4 tsp red chilli powder, turmeric , garam masala powder
warm water for the paste
salt to taste
chopped green coriander ( dhaniya)

Mix together besan , vegetables and spices. add a little warm water to form a thick pastes.Add a little water at a time to get a thick but pouring consistency.It should evenly andd thickly coat the back of a spoon.
Heat a non stick pan, brush with ghee / oil/ butter. Pour 1 ladle full of batter in the centre.Starting from the middle and keeping the ladle on the pan itself, turn the ladle outwards in a clockwise direction, till you reach the edge of the pan or the batter gets used up.Cover and cook till the bottom is golden brown and crisp. Turn and cook on the other side, till golden brown.
Serve hot with chutneys and pickle.A serving of Dahi is recommended.

Couscous Upma

Couscous is a popular snack served up by the Berber tribe of the High Atlas Mountains.It is a hardy , yet a very versatile food.It is traditionally made of wheat and needs to be steamed. HHowever the couscous now freely available is a quick cook version and needs to be simply soaked in hot water in the proportion indicated on the pack.t is also available in versions made of pearl millet ( bajra),rice or corn.

Once the Couscous is prepared by soaking in hot water ( usually 1 1/2 times the dry couscous), it is ready to be used. It can be served alon with meat or vegetable curries, in salads or on its own. Here I have attempted to indianize it. It can be sustituted in savoury recipes needing Sooji or semolina.

1 cup couscous prepared as per instructions on packet.
2 tsp oil, ¼ tsp mustard seeds, 5 curry leaves, 1 small onion chopped, mixed vegetables chopped , salt to taste.
Heat oil, add mustard seeds till they sputter, add curry leaves, saute chopped onion till its soft and transluscent. As soon as they onions start browning , add vegetables. Add salt , cover and cook till vegetables are soft. Add the couscous, check salt. Sprinkle a little water and mix well. Cover and cook for 2 mins. Garnish with coriander and serve.

Vada Pav

Think of Mumbai street food and the vada pav is topmost on that list. What makes this cheap concoction of potatoes, chick pea flour and buns such a winning combination? I dont have the answer, but give me an option between a Burger and a Vada Pav, I'll take the Vada Pav anyday. Available at road corners all over Mumbai, this is truly the fastest of fast foods. Hot vadas being fried on the roadside,however unhygenic they may look, are what turns every mumbaikars head.The spicy chutney heaped onto bread torn apart to accomodate the hot vadas, done in barely 10 seconds, and you have a complete meal to go.

Vada Pav

Batata Vada

Basic recipe for Batata Vada ( Potato Patty)
4 boiled potatoes-mashed, 1 green chilli-crushed fine, 4 curry leaves,4 cloves of garlic - crushed , 1/2 tsp turmeric , chopped green coriander - 1 tbsp, 1 tsp oil, 1/4 tsp mustard seeds,salt to taste and half a lemon.
Heat oil , add mustard seeds, after they splutter, add green chilli, garlic,curry leaves and turmeric. take off heat , add chopped coriander leaves, salt and lemon juice. Mix well and divide into 8 equal size balls. Flatten slightly like a patty.

The batter
4 tbsp besan / chick pea flour, 1/4 tsp turmeric, salt to taste and hot water to make the paste.
Mix besan, turmeric and salt. adding a little hot water at a time mix the besan so as to make a smooth lumpless batter. The consistency should be that of thick custard. It should thickly coat the back of a spoon. Beat well .

Heat oil , to test the temperature of the oil, drop in a small blob of batter. It should immediately rise upto the surface of the oil . Now dip a patty in the batter and coat it well. Lower carefully into the hot oil. Repeat and add as many as will comfortably fit into the oil. Take care to not crowd them in the oil. The vadas/ patties should freely move around the oil. fry till the underside is pink, then turn and fry the other side. This time fry till golden and turn and fry the other side as well. Drain. These Vadas can be served on their own or with the pavs.
The oil will have a few beads of batter floating around. carefully drain and keep these aside as well.These beads are called boondi.

Assemble the vada pavs .
Tear open a bun/ pav so that it is still attached to each other , liberally apply the chutneys of your choice to the inside surface of the pav/ buns. Place the vada / patty in the pav and press shut with a slight pressure. Your Vada pav is ready.

Chutneys to use
Garlic Chutney : Fiery, spicy and the Vada Pavs soul mate. No real vada pav is complete without it. Not for the faint hearted though. Please use discretion while trying this chutney.
Garlic Onion Chilly Chutney: This one accompanies most snacks and chaats. Smooth , hot and viscous, this spreads easily . The spice quotient is definately lesser than the garlic chutney.
Green Coriander Chutney : Milder, but just as smooth. A worthy companion to the vada pav.
Sweet Dates Chutney: Tangy , sweet and addictive. Add this with the garlic coconut chutney and the green chutney and you have a perfect trio taste.A winning combination.
Green Coconut Chutney: Mild and nutty. This rich chutney is loved by young and old. It is a perfect accompaniment to most indian snacks and can be used on fasting days as well.

The boondi , which is a by product of frying the batter in the hot oil , can be used as a base for making a yoghurt side dish raita . Will put up the recipe for Boondi raita soon.

Cauliflower Tikka Masala - jain

I married into a Vaishnav household, where onions and garlic were not consumed. As a young bride , not only was I not trained in cooking , but I had not encountered such strict dietary restrictions. My Gujarati Jain lineage not withstanding , we used onions and garlic freely at home. As a matter of fact , my dad was more of a Saraswat than a Gujarati Jain. Though at my mothers home, my Ajji ( grandmother) abstained from using onions and garlic on certain special days. Food thus cooked was called Shivrak.I was too young to have noticed this , hence my total apprehension about vaishnav cooking.
I eventually learnt some and experimented some, with various vegetables and gravies, to create some options apart from paneer.

Cauliflower Tikkas, can be served as appetizers and can be cooked in a rich gravy and served as a main entree.

Grilling the tikkas on a non stick girdle

Staring with the ingredients for the basic Tikkas
500 gms fresh , white cauliflower broken into florets.4 tbsp yoghurt, 1 tbsp grated ginger, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 pinch orange food colour, 1 tsp mustard oil, salt to taste. 
Onion slices, chat masala and lemon wedges to garnish
Soak the florets in hot salty water.Drain and let dry.Mix together yoghurt, chilli powder, salt, ginger, oil and food colour. Add in the florets and keep aside for an hour, occasionally turning the florets to ensure even coating.Brush a non stick girdle with oil.arrange the florets , tightly packing them in. Cover n cook for 5 mins on a low flame. Turn over the tikkas and cook for 5 mions on the other side.Just before serving, toss them around ojn high heat and serve garnished with onion rings, lemon wedges and a sprinkling of chat masala.

The Tikkas ready to be served as appetizers. A sprinkle of Chat masala gives it a nice tang.

The Gravy:1 tbsp ghee, 1 tsp cumin ( jeera), 1/4 cups tomato puree, 2 tbsp cashew paste, 4 tbsp yoghurt, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 2 tbsp cream/ malai . Chopped coriander leaves to garnish.

Use the tikkas as cooked above, omitting the garnish and the chat masala. Heat the ghee, add cumin seeds. Add in tomato puree, chilli powder and  coriander powder . Beat the yoghurt and add to the mixture. Cover and cook for 5 mins. Add in the cashew paste and salt to taste. Mix well , add in the tikkas and 1/4 cup water.Adjust salt . Add in the cream just before serving. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Ukad

An easy traditional breakfast dish.A variation of the upma , it uses rice flour instead of semolina. Also the process is different from the upma.

1 cup sour buttermilk, 3/4th cup rice flour, 1 cup water, 2 tbsp oil, 4-5 curry leaves,1/2 tsp mustard seeds ( rai), 1/2 tsp haldi ( turmeric), a pinch of asafoetida, 1 tsp of crushed garlic & green chilli, 2 tbs corriander ( cilantro) , 2 tbsp dessicated coconut.
Mix together the buttermilk and water, add the garlic and green chillies , 1 tbsp each of corriander and coconut. season with salt to taste. Gradually add in the rice flour whisking it all the while.
In a pan heat 2 tbsp oil, add mustard, asafoetida, curry leaves and haldi. Slowly pour in the buttermilk mixture , stirring all the while . Cover and cook for 5 mins , till the mixture dries up.
Serve garnished with the rest of the corriander and coconut.

Batate Pohe

The everyday non fussy breakfast dish with a twist.
Pohe or Poha , is a quintessentially Maharashtrian dish. Its a staple breakfast with variations with onions, potatoes, green peas and even brinjals ( aubergine) . My husband tends to have his quirks and so his poha has baby corn, broccoli, carrots, capsicum etc . My favourite is the vaangi pohe , Poha with brinjals.Its darker looking and spicier.There are many variations in the seasonings, but the procedure remains the same. Other spices added to Poha are sesame seeds, goda masala ( a maharashtrian spice mix), roasted peanuts ( singdana, groundnuts, monkeynuts). Here is the way AM likes them


3 tbsp oil,1/4 tsp mustard seeds, 2 green chillies slit, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 large chopped onion, 1 large chopped potato,4-5 baby corn sliced ( optional), 5-6 curry leaves,
1 1/2 cup poha ( beaten rice) , 1 tsp haldi (turmeric powder), 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, chopped corriander and dessicated coconut for the garnish ( Optional).Pick and wash the poha. Drain in a colander till semi dry.Sprinkle haldi, 1 tsp salt and sugar on it . Mix.

In a wok, heat oil and add mustard seeds. Add chillies, curry leaves, ginger. Add the onion and saute till light brown.
Add potatoes and baby corn, sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt, cover and cook on low heat till the potatoes are tender. Add the poha mixture , sprinkle 1/4 cup water, mix lightly and cover. Cook for 5 mins.
Garnish with corriander, coconut and a wedge of lime.

Semiyan Upma

My absolute favourite breakfast dish. I enjoy it as a lunch as well. Can be eaten on its own or with an almost liquid coconut- chillie chutney, tempered with mustard and curry leaves. Found in Breakfast menus in Goa, Karnataka, Tamilnadu.


1 cup semiyan ( shevaya, vermicelli),3 tbsp oil, a few cashewnuts broken, 1/4 tsp mustard seeds (rai), urad dal ( optional), 1 tsp grated ginger, 5-6 curry leaves, 3-4 dried red chillies, a pinch of asafoetida,1 tsp sugar , salt to taste. 1/2 cups hot water, chopped corriander ( optional), dessicated fresh coconut for garnish.
Heat the oil. Temper it with urad dal and mustard seeds, when they pop add asafoetida , curry leaves and red chillies. Add the cashewnuts and fry till pinkish brown.remove and keep the cashewnuts aside.
In the pan add broken semiyan. Saute on low heat for about 3-4 mins till the semiyan look opaque.
Add in the hot water, salt and sugar to taste. Cover and cook for 10 mins or till all water dries up.
Garnish with the coconut, corriander and cashwenuts. Serve hot with a thin coconut chutney or yoghurt. Just as good eaten on its own.

Upma

Mamma's recipes. Traditional breakfasts, fussy lunches, favourite side dishes, here are some of my favourite things.......to eat OFCOURSE!

UPMA

A traditional breakfast dish found in households in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa.

1 cup semolina ( sooji), 2 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp ghee, 1/4 tsp mustard seeds ( rai), urad daal, pinch of asafoetida, salt to taste, 1 tsp sugar, 2 dry red chillies,1 green chilli slit, 5-6 curry leaves, 1 tsp grated ginger ( optional),1/2 cup thick curds, cashews broken, dessicated / shredded fresh coconut, corriander leaves .




Heat oil in a heavy bottom wok / kadhai. When the oil is hot add urad dal, mustard, asafoetida, curry leaves, cashews. Fry till cashews turn a pink colour.

Remove and keep aside. In the hot oil add red and green chillies, grated ginger and sooji. Roast on a slow flame till the sooji turns a light pinkish brown.
Meanwhile boil 1 1/2 cups water.Gently add the hot water to the roasted sooji. add the whipped curds, salt, sugar. Stir , cover and cook on a low flame.Stir in the ghee.

Garnish with corriander & fresh coconut. Add fried cashews and serve.