Kairiche Panhe (Raw Mango Juice)

Kairiche Panhe (raw mango juice) is a Maharashtrian summer beverage. It is prepared in different ways, but I am sharing here my recipe for the basic syrup.

Measurement: 1 Cup = 180 ml
Ingredients:

1. Kairi (raw mango) - 1/4 kg
2. Sugar - 3 cups
3. Water - 2 cups
4. Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Wash raw mangoes and pressure cook them. Let them cool. Peel them and discard the seeds.
• Blend raw mangoes and sugar in a blender.
• Pour this mixture into a saucepan. 
• Add water and salt.
• Bring it to boil and simmer for 3 min.
• Let it cool.
• Pour it into a container and refrigerate. Consume within 2 months.
• While serving take 4 tbsp of mixture and add 200 ml cold water.
• Flavour with cardamom powder or black salt and cumin powder, mint leaves could also be used. Ice cubes may be added.
• Serve chilled.

Khatkhate (Goan Mixed Vegetable Curry)

Khatkhate (mixed vegetable curry) is a Goan traditional dish prepared from mixed vegetables, white peas, toor dal, coconut paste and flavoured with tephlan. It is a no onion no garlic dish and a Saraswat (GSB) preparation. This dish is offered for naivedhya too.

My grandmother said, when it is prepared for naivedhya certain vegetables are avoided like carrot, beetroot, radish, raw papaya, brinjal and cauliflower. When we prepare it for regular consumption, we can use any veggies. Alsande are also used instead of white peas, but alsande cannot be offered for naivedhya. I have no clues, why they are avoided. This dish is prepared specially during festivals or for any Pooja. Arbi (mundlyo) really adds beauty to khatkhaten and it is enjoyed when the meal is served on a banana leaf.

Measurement: 1 Cup = 180 ml
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1. White peas - 1/2 cup
2. Toor dal - 1/2 cup
3. Scrapped coconut - 2 1/2 cups
4. Red chillies - 5
5. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
6. Tamarind - lemon sized ball 
7. Tamarind pulp - 4 tbsp
8. Jaggery (grated) - 4 tbsp
9. Salt to taste
10. Dried kokum petals (solaan) - 6 (optional)

    

    Dried Kokum Petals

11. Tephlan - 35



Tephlaan

12. Vegetables of your choice or seasonal vegetables, I have taken the following vegetables: 

• Colocasia roots (Arbi / mundlyo) - 1/4 kg
• Pumpkin - 1/4 kg
• Ridge gourd - 1
• Cucumber - 1
• Baby brinjal - 2
• Potato (peeled) - 1
• Lady’s fingers - 5
• Cluster beans (gavaar) - 5
• Kohlrabi (gaddo/navalkol) - 1
• Raw banana (peeled) - 1
• Corn cob - 2 
  

Procedure:

• Wash and soak peas overnight.
• Drain peas and pressure cook by adding fresh water till 2 whistles or till they are done. 
• Wash toor dal and pressure cook by adding sufficient water till it is done. 
• Pressure cook arbi separately with sufficient water, salt and 2 tbsp tamarind pulp till 3 whistles. Discard the water.
• Pressure cook corn separately with sufficient water and salt till 2 to 3 whistles. Discard the water.
• Cut the vegetables into medium pieces and cook them in a vessel or pressure cook them by adding salt and 2 tbsp tamarind pulp till 1 whistle. If you pressure cook, you need to slightly release the pressure by lifting the whistle after putting off the flame. If you don’t release the pressure, the veggies would get overcooked. Drain the vegetables and keep the water aside. 
• Remove the seeds from tephlan and slightly crush them with a mortar and pestle, keep aside.
• Grind scrapped coconut, with turmeric powder, red chillies and tamarind, by adding sufficient water to a fine paste. 
• Take a big vessel and combine all the cooked ingredients.
• Add jaggery, salt and tephlan.
• Stir gently and bring it to boil. If necessary add water that was kept aside.
• Add kokum petals. Stir and simmer for 2-3 min.
• Serve as a side dish with steamed rice and varan or toi.

Tip:

• Tephlan should not be consumed directly, they are to be discarded.
• Arbi should be peeled while eating.

Shepuchi God Puri

Shepu (dill leaves) is actually a herb used for flavouring food, but its sabzi is also made. It has a strong fragrance, so I personally don't like its sabzi. In Goa, shepuche polle (dosa) are commonly prepared. Here I have tried to make god (sweet) puris by making use of jaggery, wheat flour and jowar flour with shepu paste. They can be served for breakfast or as an evening snack.

Measurement: 1 Cup = 180 ml
Makes: 30 Puris

Ingredients:

1. Shepu (dill leaves) chopped - 2 cups
2. Jaggery (grated0 - 3/4 cup
3. Wheat flour - 2 cups
4. Jowar flour - 1 cup
5. Vanaspati ghee - 2 tbsp
6. Water - 1/4 cup
7. Oil for deep frying
8. Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Combine shepu, jaggery and salt. Grind by adding water.
• Pour the mixture in a mixing bowl and add both the flours.
• Melt ghee and add to it.
• Knead the dough and keep it aside for 15 min.
• Divide the dough into 6 to 7 balls of equal size and roll each ball into a circle (just the size of chapati). Now, with the help of edges of a katori cut the circle into smaller circles. You will get 4 to 5 puris. The reason for using this technique is only to have smooth edges, because use of jowar flour makes the edges break.
• Heat oil in a deep frying pan and deep fry the puris on medium flame till pale brown.
• Serve immediately by drizzling pure ghee and sprinkling powdered sugar on top.

Tip:

• You may use exclusively wheat flour.

Tutti Frutti Sheera

Sheera is a very popular sweet dish all over India, but 'Tutti Frutti Sheera' is my innovative dish. Normally, sheera is prepared by frying rava in ghee and then cooking it with water and sugar. Here I have used butter instead of ghee and flavoured it with tutti frutti, mixed fruit and vanilla essence.

Measurement: 1 Cup = 180 ml
Ingredients:

1. Rava (sooji) - 3/4 cup
2. Sugar - 1/2 cup
3. Butter - 2 to 3 tbsp
4. Milk - 1 cup
5. Water - 1 cup
6. Tutti frutti - handful
7. Mixed fruit essence (flying bird) - 6 to 8 drops
8. Vanilla essence - 4 drops

Procedure:

• Melt butter in a kadai and add rava.
• Stir fry till it changes colour and gives out aroma.
• Add tutti frutti to rava
• Combine milk, water and sugar in a thick bottomed pan. Bring it to boil.
• Add essence.
• Add rava to it. (Both should be hot)
• Stir well (don't keep on stirring, it will become sticky) and cook covered for 2 min. Keep it covered for another 2 - 3 min.
• Press it in a mould or a small bowl and invert it on a plate.
• Serve hot.

Kanyachi Bhakri

Kanyachi Bhakri is an authentic Goan homemade breakfast. It is a flat bread - coarse rice flour or suji rava, onion and scrapped coconut are the main ingredients in it. It has a thickness like uttappam. It is best enjoyed with a cup of coffee.

Measurement: 1 Cup = 180 ml
Makes: 5 Bhakris

Ingredients:

1. Onion (chopped) - 4 to 5 medium
2. Rice flour - 3 cups
3. Scrapped coconut - 1 cup or as per your requirement
4. Green chillies (chopped) - 3 to 4
5. Corriander leaves (chopped) - handful
6. Cumin powder - 1 tsp
7. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
8. Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp
9. Salt to taste
10. Water - 3 cups and a bowl for dipping fingers
11. Vanaspati ghee for frying

Procedure:

• Take a mixing bowl and combine ingredients numbering 1 to 9 and mix well. Slowly add water and make a semi solid dough. Rest it for 10 min.
• Divide the dough into 5 balls of equal size.
• Heat a skillet and grease it with a teaspoon of ghee. 
• Take a bowl of water and dip your fingers in it. Now, take one ball of dough and place it on the skillet and press it gently giving it round shape. Make use of water for pressing it conveniently. Don't make it thin, it has a thickness.
• Pour ghee around the edges and fry it on low flame.
• Turn over and again pour ghee around the edges and fry.
• Repeat the procedure for remaining balls.
• Serve hot. Accompaniments are not necessary, but you may top it up with butter and pickle or dry garlic chutney may be served.

Kothimbir Vadi

'Kothimbir Vadi' is a Maharashtrian snack. It is made by mixing corriander leaves with besan, certain spices and water. The mixture is then steamed, cut into squares and deep fried. There is another way of making it; the mixture is prepared like a dough and given a cylindrical shape, then steamed, sliced and deep fried. You may even shallow fry them. It can be served as a starter or even as a side dish to the meal.

Measurement: 1 cup = 180 ml

Ingredients:

1. Gram flour (besan) - 1 1/2 cup
2. Rice flour - 1 1/2 tbsp
3. White sesame seeds - 1 1/2 tsp
4. Chilly, ginger and garlic paste - 1 tsp
5. Chilly powder - 1 tsp
6. Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
7. Coriander powder - 1/3 tsp
8. Cumin powder - 1/3 tsp
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Asafoetida - a pinch
11. Sugar - 1 tsp
12. Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
13. Coriander leaves (chopped) - 1 1/4 cup
14. Lemon juice - 1 1/2 tsp
15. Salt to taste
16. Water - 1 1/4 cup approx.
17. Oil for for greasing the plate and for frying

Procedure:

• Take a mixing bowl and combine all the ingredients numbering 1 to 12.
• Slowly add in water and make a smooth batter.
• Add lemon juice, coriander leaves and salt, mix well. Check the taste.
• Grease a deep plate and pour the batter in it leaving a small gap on top. 
  
• Steam it for 20 to 30 min. Insert a tooth pick and check if it is done (it should come out clean).
• Let it cool, cut into squares and deep fry on low to medium flame till they turn crisp.
• Serve with green chutney or tomato ketchup.

Bharwan Bhindi

'Bharwan bhindi' is a dry sabzi (veg) usually prepared by stuffing bhindi (okra / lady's fingers) with besan and spices. I just thought of making it slightly different by stuffing it with paneer, onion and spices. It is then cooked on flame and can be served with rotis or with dal and rice.

Measurement: 1 cup = 180 ml

Ingredients:

1. Bhindi (small & tender) - 20 
2. Onion (chopped) - 1 small
3. Garlic (crushed) - 2 cloves
4. Tomato puree - 1 tbsp
5. Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
6. Kashmiri mirchi powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Coriander powder - 1/3 tsp
8. Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
9. Oil - 2 to 3 tbsp
10. Stuffing
11. Salt to taste
12. Sugar to taste

For the stuffing:

1. Paneer (grated) - 3/4 cup
2. Onion (chopped) - 1 small
3. Tomato puree - 1 tsp
4. Garlic (crushed) - 4 cloves
5. Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
6. Chilly powder - 1/3 tsp
7. Cumin powder - 1/3 tsp
8. Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
9. Pepper powder - a pinch
10. Coriander leaves (chopped) - 1 tsp
11. Sugar - a pinch
12. Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Wash bhindi and dry them. Cut off both the ends and give a slit at the centre, but see that they are not cut into halves.
• Take a mixing bowl and prepare the stuffing by combining all the ingredients.
• Stuff sufficient mixture in bhindi and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and fry onion till it it softens.
• Add garlic and all the dry spices, mix well.
• Add stuffed bhindi, salt and tomato puree. Toss well gently. Leftover stuffing can also be added.
• Cover and cook on low flame till they are done. Turn them occasionally.
• Sprinkle sugar and mix well.
• Serve with rotis or with dal and rice.

Tip:

• If you want extra spicy, then use more chilly powder.

Kadai Paneer

'Kadai Paneer' is a very popular North Indian dish. Paneer is Indian cottage cheese and kadai is an utensil in which it is cooked. It is cooked with onion, capsicum, tomato and certain other spices. It can be served with roti, naan, paratha, puri or even with steamed /jeera rice and dal fry.

Serves: 2 to 3

Ingredients:

1. Paneer cubes - 250 gm
2. Onion (chopped) - 1 big
3. Capsicum (diced) - 1 medium
4. Ripe tomato (chopped) - 2 medium
5. Tomato puree (packet) - 3 to 4 tbsp
6. Fresh cream - 3 tbsp
7. Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp
8. Garlic paste - 1 tsp
9. Green chilly (chopped) - 1 
10. Bayleaf - 1
11. Corriander seeds - 1 to 1 1/2 tsp
12. Garam masala - 1 tsp
13. Kashmiri mirchi powder - 1 1/2 tsp
14. Kasuri methi - 1/2 tsp
15. Corriander - leaves for garnishing
16. Oil - 2 to 3 tbsp
17. Ghee - 1 tsp
18. Sugar - 1/3 tsp
19. Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Heat a non stick frying pan and apply ghee, fry paneer till golden brown. it doesn't require much ghee for frying as it gets fried in its own fats content. Sprinkle little salt over it and keep aside.
• Slightly dry roast corriander seeds and powder them with the help of mortar and pestle. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a kadai and bayleaf.
• Add onion, fry till it turns translucent.
• Add green chilly, ginger and garlic paste, stir fry for 30 seconds.
• Add roasted corriander powder and red chilly powder.
• Add tomatoes and capsicum, stir fry till tomatoes turn mushy.
• Add garam masala and kasuri methi, stir fry for 30 seconds.
• Add tomato puree and stir well.
• Add 3/4 cup water and simmer it covered for 2 to 3 mins.
• Add salt, sugar and fresh cream. Stir well and check the taste. Adjust the amount of water to get desired consistency.
• Add paneer and stir well. Simmer for 2 min.
• Garnish with corriander leaves.
• Serve hot with roti, naan, paratha, puri or with steamed /jeera rice and dal fry.

Dahi Vada

Dahi vada is a popular snack all over India. It is called by different names in different states. In Punjab it is known as Dahi Bhalla, in Karnataka Mosaru Vade, in Kerala Thairu Vada etc. It is a type of chaat. The preparation mainly requires vada and yoghurt. The other seasonings used may vary from state to state. My mother gives a tempering of cumin seeds in coconut oil to the yoghurt and I use roasted cumin powder. Here I have prepared it the way I like to have it.

Makes : 14 vadas

Measurement :1 cup = 180 ml

Ingredients:

1. Urad dal - 1 cup
2. Yoghurt (whisked) - 4 cups
3. Sugar - 4 to 5 tbsp
4. Green chillies (chopped) - 2 
5. Ginger (grated) - 1/2 tsp
6. Roasted cumin powder - 11/4 tsp
7. Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Black salt - 1/4 tsp
9. Oil - for frying 
10. Corriander leaves (chopped) - for garnishing
11. Salt taste

Procedure:

• Wash and soak urad for at least 4 hrs. 
• Combine yoghurt, sugar and salt. Refrigerate.
• Grind dal to a fine paste by adding very little water.
• Add ginger, green chillies and salt to the ground paste. Mix well with a spoon.
• Heat oil in frying pan and drop a tablespoonful mixture, such 3 to 4 vadas you could fry at a time.
• Fry them on medium flame till golden brown. Turn them occasionally.
• Soak them in water for 3 to 4 min.
• Press them gently in between your palms and keep aside.
• Mix chilly powder with black salt.
• Transfer the vadas to the chilled yoghurt or at the time of serving place the vadas on a plate, pour yoghurt, sprinkle dry powders and garnish with corriander leaves.
• Serve chilled as a snack or as a side dish to the main course.

Seviya Kheer

The term kheer is derived from Sanskrit word Ksheer, which means milk. 'Seviya kheer' is a sweet dish made all over India and known by various other names. It is made up of  seviya, milk and sugar and flavoured with almond, raisins, cardamom powder etc. It can be served during a meal or as a dessert.

Measurement: 1 cup = 180 ml
Serves: 4
Ingredients:

1. Roasted seviya - 1/2 cup
2. Milk (boiled) - 1/2 ltr
3. Sugar - 1/2 cup
4. Ghee - 1.5 tbsp
5. Cashew nuts, raisins, almonds and pistachios - as per your requirement
6. Charoli (chironji) - 1tsp
7. Green cardamom (powdered) - 2

Procedure:

• Heat ghee in a thick bottomed pan, fry charoli and keep side.
• Stir fry seviya inthe same ghee for a min.
• Add milk to it and cook on low flame, stir occasionally.
• Once the seviya gets cooked and the mixture starts thickening, add sugar and stir well.
• Add cashew nuts, almonds, raisins and fried charoli.
• Simmer till you get desired consistency.
• Put of the flame and add cardamom powder. Stir well.
• Garnish with pistachios.
• Serve hot / at room temperature / chilled.

Payas

'Payas' is a Goan traditional sweet dish made up of rice, milk and sugar flavoured with cashew nuts, raisins, cloves and cardamom. Sabudana (sago) can also used in its preparation. It can be made with coconut milk and jaggery too. South Indians call it 'Payasam' and North Indians call it 'Chawal ki Kheer', in International terms it would be called Rice & Milk Pudding.

Measurement : 1 cup = 180 ml
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1. Rice (preferably ambemohar) - 1/2 cup
2. Full cream milk (boiled) - 1/2 ltr
3. Sugar - 1/2 cup
4. Cashew nuts and raisins - as per your requirement
5. Saffron - 8 strands (optional)
6. Cloves - 2
7. Green cardamom - 2 to 3

Procedure:

• Wash and soak rice for 15 to 20 min.
• Pressure cook rice till it is slightly over cooked.
• Transfer it to a thick bottomed pan and mash it slightly.
• Add boiled milk and cook on medium flame by stirring continuously.
• When it starts thickening add cashew nuts, raisins and saffron. Cook further till you get desired consistency.
• Crush cloves with the help of pestle, but do not powder.
• Add crushed cloves and sugar and stir well.
• Simmer for 2 to 3 min, keep stirring.
• Crush the cardamoms with the help of mortar and pestle.
• Put off he flame and add cardamom powder.
• Serve hot / at room temperature / chilled.

Tip:

• A pinch of salt may be added, if you like.
• If you want thin flowing payas, then add more milk.
• For 'Navyacho Payas' prepared for Rishi Panchami (the day after Ganesh Chaturthi), few rice seeds of the freshly harvested rice stalks are added in the preparation.

Tofu Dangar

Ingredients:

1. Tofu (finely diced) - 200 gm
2. Onion (chopped) - 1 1/4 cup
3. Corriander leaves (chopped) - 2 tbsp
4. Ground coconut - 2 tbsp
5. Tamarind pulp - 1 tbsp
6. Goan Samaar - 1 tbsp
7. Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp
8. Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Rice flour - 3 tbsp
10. Besan -3 to 4 tbsp
11. Rawa or rice flour for coating
12. Oil for shallow frying

Procedure:

• Take a mixing bowl and combine ingredients numbering 1 to 10.
• Heat a frying pan and pour 1 tsp oil.
• Divide the mixture into 14 - 15 lemon sized ball and coat them with rice flour or rawa.
• Place one by one over the frying pan and press gently giving it a round shape. 
• Pour oil around the edges.
• Fry on both the sides till slightly brown on medium flame.
• Serve hot as a side dish.

Tip:

• You may use only besan or only rice flour too. 

Chatpata Aloo

Ingredients:

1. Baby potatoes - 250 gm
2. Corriander leaves (chopped) - 1.5 to 2 tbsp
3. Mint leaves (pudina) - 12 to 15
4. Green chillies (chopped) - as per your requirement
5. Fennel seeds (roasted) - 1/3 tsp
6. Cumin seeds - 1/3 tsp
7. Black salt - 1/4 tsp
8. Dry mango powder - 1/3 tsp
9. Chaat masala - 1/8 tsp
10. Oil / ghee - 1.5 tbsp
11. Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Boil potatoes by adding salt.
• Let them cool, peel them.
• Combine ingredients numbering 2 to 6 and grind them by adding little water.
• Heat oil / ghee in a pan.
• Add potatoes and salt; stir fry on medium to high flame for 3 to 5 min.
• Add the ground paste, black salt and dry mango powder. Mix well. Let it remain on low flame for 2 min.
• Sprinkle chaat masala and serve.

Lasuni Mix Sabzi

Stir fried mix vegetables and cottage cheese flavoured with garlic.

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

1. Cauliflower (small florets) - 1 medium head
2. Onion (diced) - 1 medium
3. Capsicum (diced) - 1 small
4. Carrot (chopped) - 1 medium
5. French beans (chopped) - 8
6. Paneer cubes - 100 gm
7. Green chilly (chopped) - 1
8. Garlic cloves (chopped) - 15 to 20
9. Cumin seeds - 1/8 tsp
10. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
11. Chilly powder - 1/4 tsp
12. Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
13. Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
14. Kasuri methi - 1/4 tsp
15. Dry mango powder - 1/8 tsp
16. Oil - 2 to 3 tbsp
17. Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Heat oil in a kadai.
• Add cumin seeds, green chilly and garlic.
• Add onion, stir fry for a min.
• Add turmeric powder and capsicum, stir fry 30 seconds.
• Add carrot and french beans, stir fry for a min.
• Add cauliflower and stir fry for 30 seconds.
• Keep it covered on low flame. (Don't add water and stir occasionally to avoid burning)
• When half done; add ingredients numbering 11 to 15, paneer and salt. 
• Mix well and keep it covered for 3 min.
• Serve hot with phulka/chapati.

Tip:

• You may add tomato and avoid dry mango powder.