Meethe Chawal aka Sweet Rice

Shrimp (Prawn) Biryani

Cashewnut Chicken

Ingredients:

3 lb chicken or 2 whole chicken breasts
1/4 lb raw cashew nuts
20 small Chinese mushrooms (or 1 medium-size can mushrooms)
4 stalks celery, julienned
1/2 cup bamboo shoot tips, thin slices or 15 oz-can
1 can water chestnuts, thin slices
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
2 cups chicken stock
1 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp water

For Marinade:
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp thin Soya sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp corn starch
2 green onions, slivered
3 thin slices ginger root, slivered
2 cups of oil for deep-frying

Method:
 Skin and bone chicken.
Cut into 2″ x 1/2″ pieces.

Sprinkle the chicken with each of the ingredients listed under “marinade,” mix well.
Add the green onions and ginger. Marinate for 1 hour.

Heat 2 cups oil to 325 degrees and deep-fry cashew nuts for 5 minutes, drain and salt lightly.
Boil Chinese mushrooms for 10 minutes, rinse, squeeze dry, cut off and discard stems. Omit this step if you use canned mushrooms.

Heat wok, add oil and stir-fry the bamboo tips and water chestnuts together, if you use fresh water chestnuts. (If canned ones are used, stir-fry them separately in 1 tsp oil for 1-2 minutes, adding 2 tsp sugar.) Set aside.
Heat wok, add 1 tsp oil and stir-fry mushrooms, celery and yellow onion for 3 minutes, with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp sugar. Set aside.

Heat wok, add 2 tbsp oil and stir-fry marinated chicken for 3 minutes.

Add chicken stock, cover and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.

Add vegetables which have been previously set aside and bring to a fast boil.

Thicken with a mixture made with the cornstarch and 2 tbsp cold water.

Bring to a boil, cook for 1 minute and turn off the heat.

Add cashew nuts, mix thoroughly, and serve.

Serve hot with rice.

Varan

Ingredients:

ToorDaal – 1 cup
Water – 3 cups
Ginger – 1 tsp, grated
Methi Seeds (Fenugreek) – 1/4 tsp
Green Chilies – 1 or 2 (to taste), slit length-wise
Onion – 1/2 medium, finely diced (optional)
Salt – ½ tsp (to taste)
Lemon Juice – ½ tsp (to taste)
Cilantro – 5 sprigs, chopped (for garnishing)

For Vagar (Seasoning):
Oil – 4 tsp
Jeera (Cumin Seeds) – ½ tsp
Haldi (Turmeric) – ¼ tsp
Hing (Asofoetida) – pinch
Curry Leaves – 1 sprig
Garlic – 5 large cloves, roughly smashed
Tomato – 1 medium, diced

Method:

Wash Toor Daal with water until water runs clear.
Add 3 cups of water to the ToorDaal and let it soak for about 15 minutes.
In a pressure cooker, add soaked Toor Daal with Water, Ginger, Methi Seeds, Green Chilies, and Onion.
Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles.
In a separate small pan, heat Oil.
Add Jeera and allow it to sputter.
Add Haldi, Hing, Curry Leaves and Garlic.
When Garlic is slightly brown, add tomatoes, stir and cook for 1 minute.
Mix the garlic/tomato seasoning with pressure cooked daal.
Add Salt and Lemon Juice to taste.
Allow it to boil for 4-5 minutes.
Garnish with Cilantro.

Sukhi Potatoes Bhaji

Ingredients:

Potatoes – 3 large (boiled and peeled)

Salt – to taste

Lime Juice – 1 tsp (or to taste)

Oil – 2 tbsp

Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp

Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp

Asofoetida (Hing) – pinch

Peanuts – ½ cup, coarsely ground

Sesame Seeds – 1 tbsp

Turmeric – 1/2 tsp

Green Chili – 1 to 2 (to taste), finely chopped

Curry Leaves – 1 sprig

Cilantro Leaves– 5 sprigs, chopped for garnishing


Method:


Cut boiled Potatoes into bite size cubes and keep in mixing bowl.
Sprinkle Salt and Lime Juice on the Potatoes and gently mix.
Heat Oil in a medium non-stick pan.
Add Mustard Seeds and Cumin Seeds and allow them to sputter.
Add Asofoetida, Peanuts and Sesame Seeds.
Once Sesame Seeds start to pop, add Turmeric, Green Chili and Curry Leaves.
Add Potatoes and gently mix until Potatoes are evenly coated with the oil.
Cook on medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Garnish with chopped Cilantro Leaves.

Puri

Raja Special

Panna (Raw Mango Drink)

Sol Kadi

Beetroot Salad (Kosambir)

Pitala

Mutton Kolhapuri

Ingredients: 

• 1kg Mutton
• 4 Large chopped onions
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 Cup grated coconut
• 4 tsp Kolhapuri masala
• 4 Garlic clove
• 1 Ginger
• 1 tbsp Garam masala
• Fresh coriander leaves
• 3 Fried lavangi chillies
• Salt to taste

How to make Mutton Kolhapuri:

Grind garlic and ginger to make a paste. 

Heat the oil and fry chopped onions till it turns golden brown. 

Add ginger garlic paste and stir it for a while. 

Mix grated coconut, turmeric powder, garam masala, kolhapuri masala and fried 
lavangi chillies. 

Add mutton and fry till it turns brown. 

Now add water and fried spices in mutton. 

Cook it till the mutton turns smooth. 

Adorn it by fresh coriander leaves. 

Serve it with rice.

Garlic Chutney

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup Garlic cloves (peeled and minced)
• 1 cup Coconut  (grated)
• 2 tbsp Red Chilli Powder
• Handful of Sesame seeds  ( roasted)
• Salt to taste

How to make Garlic Chutney:

Mix the garlic with the grated coconut. 

Add roasted sesame seeds, salt and chilly powder and grind in a grinder. 

Garlic Chutney is ready.

Maharashtrian Fish Gravy

Ingredients: 

• 500 gm Slices of any white fish cleaned
• 2 tsp Red chilli powder
• 2 tbsp Tamarind paste
• 2 tsp Garlic paste
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Asafoetida powder
• 1 Green chilli, slit
• 2 Flakes garlic crushed
• 1 tbsp Oil
• 1/2 Cup coconut milk
• Water as required
• Salt to taste


How to make Maharashtrian Fish Gravy:

Wash the fish slices properly. 

Marinate them in a mixture of red chilli powder, tamarind paste, garlic paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt for 15 minutes. 

Take a heavy-bottomed pan and heat the oil in it. 

Add the crushed garlic, asafoetida and green chilli to it. 

Add the marinated fish and some water. 

Cover and cook for 20 minutes until the fish is almost cooked. 

Slowly stir in the coconut milk and bring it to a boil on low heat. 

Cover and cook over low heat for about 4 minutes until the fish is well-cooked but firm.

Mattar Karanjis

Ingredients: 

• ½ tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Oil
• Salt to taste
• 1-½ cup Maida
• Oil for deep frying
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1-½ cup Peas (crushed)
• 2 tsp Green Chillies (chopped)
• 2 tbsp Coriander Leaves (chopped)

 
How to make Mattar Karanjis:

Mix the maida, salt and oil (2 tbsp), and knead to make stiff dough. Keep it aside. 

To make the filling, heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When seeds start spluttering, add green chillies, coriander, peas and salt to the oil. Cook for a few minutes and put off the flame.

 
Now, divide the dough into small rounds of equal sizes. 

Roll out each ball into small rounds of 3 inches and place 2 tsp of filling on one half of the round, wet the edges with fingers and fold over. Press to seal. 

Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the karanjis until crisp and golden. 

Put off the flame, take out the karanjis. Drain excess oil on paper towel. 

Mattar Karanjis are ready to eat. Serve hot.

Prawns Koliwada

Ingredients: 

• 400 gm Prawns shelled and deveined
• 1 tbsp Plain flour
• 1 tsp Garlic paste
• 2 tsp Red chilli powder
• 1 tsp Ginger paste
• 1 tsp Garam masala
• 1/2 tsp Thymol seeds
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• Oil for deep frying
• Salt to taste
• A pinch of orange-red color
• Onion slices and lemon wedges to garnish

 
How to make Prawns Koliwada:

Wash the shelled and deveined prawns properly. 

In a bowl, combine the prawns with Plain flour, Garlic paste,Red chilli powder, Ginger paste, Garam masala, Thymol seeds, Lemon juice, Salt and a pinch of orange –red color. 

Marinate for 3 hours. 
Heat the oil until it is very hot and deep fry the prawns over medium flame until they are crisp. 

Garnish it with onion slices and lemon wedges and serve.

Date and Sesame Puranpoli

Ingredients: 

• ¾ cups Dates (finely chopped)
• ¼ cup Brown Sugar
• 2 tbsp Til (sesame seeds)
• 6 tbsp Milk
• 2 cups Wheat Flour


How to make Date and Sesame Puranpoli:

Heat a tawa and put the sesame seeds on it. Saute them till they are lightly browned.

Keep them aside and allow them to cool. 

Now grind the roasted sesame seeds, chopped dates, and brown sugar to make the filling mixture. 

In a separate bowl, add wheat flour and milk. Knead it to soft dough by using enough water. 

Take a small portion of this dough and make a round ball.
 
Now roll it out into a small puri. 

Place a little of the filling mixture in the centre of the puri and seal by bringing all the sides together.
 
Now roll it again carefully giving it a round shape. 

Repeat the same procedure with rest of the dough. 

Now cook the rotis with ghee on a non-stick pan. 

The rotis are done when both the sides turn brown.

Date and Sesame Puran Poli is ready to serve.

Shankarpali

Ingredients: 

• 5 cup Wheat Flour
• 3 tbsp Rice flour
• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
• 1/2 cup Water
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1-1/4 cup Sugar
• Oil
• Pinch of Salt


How to make Shankarpali:

Mix together milk and water. 

Beat unsalted butter and sugar till it turns fluffy. 

Add flours and salt. Mix them well. 

Knead it to soft dough with the help of milk-water mixture. 

Divide the dough into three balls. Roll out thick chapattis.

 
Cut them into diamond shaped pieces. 

Heat oil. Deep-fry the pieces till done. 

Shankarpali is ready.

Poha

Ingredients: 

• 2 Cups poha
• 4 Green chillies
• 1 Onion
• 3 Tomatoes
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• Salt to taste
• Few curry leaves
• Oil as required


How to make Poha:

Soak poha in water. 

Wash and drain all the water. 

Heat oil in a pan. 

Add mustard, cumin, chilli and curry leaves.

 
Fry onions until light brown. 

Add tomatoes, tumeric and salt. Fry it properly. 

Mix poha with it. 

Put it on low heat for 4 minutes.

Modak

Ingredients: 
 

For the filling
• 2 Cup shredded fresh coconut
• 1/2 Cup mixture of unsalted pistachios and unsalted cashews
• 1/2 Pinch of cardamom powder
• 1/2 Cup milk
• 1 Cup jaggery or sugar

For the outer cover
• 1 Cup rice flour
• 1 tsp Ghee
• 1 Cup water
• 1/2 tsp Salt


How to make Modak:

To prepare the filling, combine coconut, milk and jaggery or sugar, mix well.
 
Cook it over medium flame, stir continuously till they are mixed properly.
 
Add cashews and pistachios and cook for about one minute.

Now add cardamom powder. 

Let it cool, keep aside. 

Bring water to a boil.

Now add flour, ghee and salt, stir quickly so as to remove all lumps.
 
Cover with a lid for some time and cook.

Remove the lid and keep stirring. 

Now remove the pan from the heat and transfer all the mixture on a flat plate. 

Knead it to make soft dough. 

It should be neither too sticky nor too dry. 

Grease the palms of your hands properly and make a ball from the dough. 

Flatten the dough to make a cup shape. 

Put 3/4 tsp coconut filling into this cup. 

Dip thumb and index finger in the oil and make 5-6 small pinches on the outside edges of the cup. 

Bring them together on top and join to shape a peak. 

Put modak on a pre greased plate. 

Make rest of the modaks. 

Now Steam them for about 15 minutes and serve with ghee.

Puran Poli

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 kg Maida (All purpose flour)
• 1/2 kg Lentil (Gram dal)
• 1 tsp Cardamom powder
• 1 tsp Ghee
• 1/2 kg Jaggery
• 100 ml Oil
• Salt to taste


How to make Puran Poli:

Wash and boil the lentil with water and 1/2 tsp salt till it becomes soft.
 
Cool slightly and strain the dal using a strainer. 

Add cardamom powder and jaggery and grind to make fine paste. 

If the paste is sticky, keep it on fire to dry up completely. This is puran. 

Knead 1/2 kg maida with water and 1/2 tsp salt. Do not make it hard. 

Add oil and knead the maida again till oil gets absorbed. 

Prepare equal number of balls from maida and puran. 

Roll out maida balls to make small pooris. 

Stuff these pooris with puran ball. 

Roll them again into balls. 

Roll out to make chapatis. It is called poli.

Heat a griddle and roast each poli. 

Apply ghee on both sides when done. 

Shrikhand

 Ingredients: 
• 1 kg Thick Curd
• 3/4 cup Powdered Sugar
• A few strands Saffron
• 1 tbsp Warm Milk
• 2 tsp Cardamom Powder
• Pistachios and Almonds


How to make Shrikhand: 

Put the curd in a muslin cloth and hang it in a cool place for 2-3 hours.  

Dissolve the saffron in warm milk.  

Mix the saffron mixture, curd, sugar and cardamom powder in a bowl.

 

Churn the mixture using a hand blender.  

Garnish with slivers of almonds and pistachios and serve.

Chana Usal

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup sprouted chana, cooked

• 1/2 tsp Garam masala

• 5 Curry leaves

• 1/4 tsp Crushed cumin seeds

• 1/4 tsp Minced garlic

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 2 tbsp Oil

• Salt to taste

• Make paste of:
• 1/2 Cup fresh coconut, grated
• 8 Green chilies
• 1 Small bunch coriander
 

Recipe to make Chana Usal:

In a large frying pan, heat 2 tbsp oil.

Add the coconut paste and fry for two minutes.

Pour three cups water and bring the mixture to boil.

Add remaining ingredients and boil again.

Cook the contents for about 20 minutes, stir it occasionally.

Simmer until chanas turn soft and oil starts separating.

Garnish Chana Usal with chopped onions.

Baingan Bharita

Ingredients:

• 2 Egg plant

• 1 Cup yoghurt

• 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 Inch piece ginger, peeled

• 2 Garlic cloves

• 2 Green chillies

• 1 Small red onion

• 1 tsp Dry roasted and ground cumin

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• Small bunch of coriander leaves

• Salt to taste

How to make Baingan Raita:

Make one small cut on the side of each aubergine (Baingan) helping steam to escape and stop the aubergine from bursting during roasting.

Smear oil on the aubergine and roast in a grill, keep turning over frequently for thirty minutes or till it becomes very soft to touch.

Allow it to cool.

Peel the skin off and remove the stalks.

Now place the flesh with all other ingredients in a food processor and process until blends and mixed well.    But, donot turns them into a paste.

Add the mix to the yoghurt and fold it in.

Garnish with a few coriander leaves (chopped) and a drizzle of olive oil.

Serve cool.

Thalipeeth

Ingredients:

 3 tbsp Bengal gram flour

3 tbsp Wheat flour

3 tbsp Millet flour

 1 Tomato, chopped

 1 Small onion, chopped

 2 Green chillies, finely chopped

 2 tbsp coriander, chopped

 Salt to taste

Oil for cooking

How to make Thalipeeth:

Combine together all the ingredients in a bowl and add sufficient water to make a thick batter.

Now heat and grease a non-stick tava and spread a layer of the batter to make a pancake of 4 mm. thickness.

Cook on both sides until golden brown, using a little oil.

Repeat the same procedure for other thalipeeth.

Batata Vada Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups besan

• 3/4 lb Potatoes

• 2 tbsp Grated coconut

• 4 Onions, chopped finely

• 4 Green chillies

• 4 Cloves garlic

• Sugar to taste

• Juice of one lime

• A few sprigs coriander leaves, chopped

• 1 tsp Mustard seeds

• A small piece ginger

• 1 tsp Turmeric powder

• 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder

• 1 tsp Cumin seeds

• A pinch of baking soda

• Oil for deep frying

• Water as required

• Salt to taste

How to make Batata Vada:

• Cook potatoes into the Pressure cooker until soft.

• Peel and mash them, keep aside.

• Grind green chillies, garlic and ginger together to make a fine paste.

• Combine this paste, potato, onions, coriander leaves, sugar, lime juice and salt, mix well.

• Take a pan and heat a little oil and fry mustard seeds and curry leaves until the mustard crackles.

• Remove it from the heat and add it to the potato mixture.

• Take another bowl and combine besan, salt, cumin seeds, red chilli powder, baking soda, coconut, turmeric powder and little water in it, to make a thick batter.

• Add a tsp of hot oil to the batter.

• Make small balls from the potato mixture.

• Dip each ball in the batter and deep fry until golden brown.

• Serve hot batata vada with chutney or tomato sauce.