Guroli (Sweet Semolina Puri)

Ingredients:
Semolina- 1 cup
Oil- 2 to 4 tsp for dough and 2-3 cups for frying
Salt- 1 tsp
Powdered sugar- 2 cups

Procedure:

• First you need to make a dough (preferably keep it overnight in fridge) by mixing semolina, oil and salt with some water to form a nice round dough ball. 
• Now on a rolling board, roll a small circle using the rolling pin. Take that circle of the dough in the palm of your hand and then fill it with powdered sugar.
• Close the dough and then roll it into a small round puris.

• Deep fry the puri in well heated oil until they are slight golden in colour and crisp in texture.
• Drain the excess oil on absorbent paper and serve them!!

Besan Ladoo (Roasted Chana Dal Ladoo)

Besan che laddo is the most favorite ladoo of all children and I know some grown ups who relish these ladoos just by mere reminder of their childhood days. Pathare prabhu's have modified them a little bit to make them even more delicious with a new face. 

These laddo's can be shaped in several shapes or character which is loved the most by your child or any person whom you wish to gift the PITHORI VAAN.

Ingredients:

Roasted Chana Dal - half kg

Powder sugar- half kg

Ghee- half kg

Elachi powder- 2 tsp

Procedure:

• Grind the Roasted chana dal in a mixer to make a fine powder that needs to be sieved in an utensil.
• Now pour the ghee in a board pan where you can beat it using the palm of your hand or simply using an electronic beater. How long do you beat the ghee??? Normally the ghee is transparent in colour after enough of beating it becomes opaque.
• Gently sieved the powdered sugar in the beaten ghee pan and mix well.
• After that fold the sieved roasted chana dal powder and make a uniform dough that can be molded easily. Add eliachi powder at the end for flavour and make your masterpieces.

Pithori Celebration

Today  i.e 24 August 2014 is marked as PITHORI Amavasya according to Hindu calender. In pathare prabhu community, all mother's celebrate this day to bless their beloved daughter's and son's. For this auspicious occasion we prepare more than seven dishes which are relished by all children.

Puja is performed and  pithori deity along with her seven children is worshiped. TTraditionally all mothers who perform this puja dont eat food unless they give VAAN to their children.

Here's a glance at various dishes prepared  on this day.

• Mathlelya Besanche Ladoo (Daale)
• Umbar
• Guroli
• Purni
• Shingadi (Karangi)
• Vade
• Alu wadi
• Puri
• Bhaaji
• Koshimbir
• Chutney
• Rice and Daal with ghee
• Rice kheer

How to serve? Maharashtrian Cuisine

The state of Maharashtra has evolved in most aspects over the last decade. However, the Maharashtra's culture and cuisine is still unique. Our elders have tried their best to preserve their culture. The concept of अतीथी  देवो भावो has still been practiced hugely in numerous households. Normally, we eat food in plates, but if there are any guest expected most families serve food on a Banana leaf.
On the banana leaf there is a specific place allotted for every food element prepared.

Upper left corner : Salt, Lemon, Chutney, Pickel, Salad, Panchamrut and Vatleli dal

Upper right corner: Sukhi Bhajji, Rasa Bhajji and Allu chi bhajji

Middle left side: Fried items like Potato vada, Bajji, Papad and Papdi and 

Sweet cuisines like jellibi, puran poli, laddo

Centre of the Leaf: topmost is sugar rice followed by masala rice and tradition rice and dal

Lower left corner: Breads like wade, gharge and puris

Lower right corner: Ghavachi kheer

Outside the leaf on the Upper right side you can serve Amti, Kadi and Basoondi.

Serving ghee (tup) on the top of rice and dal is a must.

Ova chya panan che muthe (Ajwain leaves bajiya)

Ingredients:

• Chana Dal soaked overnight in water: 2 cups
• Ova / Ajwain leaves: 10 nos.
• Jeera- 2 tsp
• Turmeric: 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder: 2 tsp
• Salt
• Besan: if required

Procedure:

• Grind the overnight soaked Chana dal in a mixer. Try to grind the dal with minimum water.
• Add finely chopped ova leaves along with salt, jeera, turmeric and red chilli powder in the chana dal mixture.
• If there is some moisture in the mixture then add few spoons of besan to give the batter a binding agent.

• Now with help of your hand gently drop a blob of the batter in heated oil kadai.
• Achieving right temperature of oil must be tested by gently pouring a drop of the batter to see whether it floats.
• Deep fry the muthe/bajiya until they are golden brown in colour.

• Drain excess of oil and serve the muthe with tomato ketchup or coriander chutney.

Kajuchi Puran Poli (Cashew Nut paratha)

Sharvan Somvar Speacial!!! 
KAJUCHI PURAN POLI

Ingredients:

• Kaju (Cashew nuts) - half kg
• Sugar - half kag
• Elaichi (cardamom) powder- 2 tsp
• Maida - 2 cups
• Water
• Salt

Procedure:
There are 2 components required to be made ready before you assemble the poli.

Maida Dough:

• Mix maida with sufficient water and salt to make a soft white dough. You can add few drps of oil and knead the dough correctly to get a homogenous dough.

Kaju (Cashew) Filling/ Puran:

• Grind kaju i.e cashew nut and sugar together along in a mixer. Add Elaichi powder to the mixture for aroma.

Kaju chi Poli:

• Take small ball of the white dough and roll it on the rolling board using the rolling pin. Then take the rolled dough in the palm and place 2 tsp of the Kaju puran in it. Then gently envelope the dough over the Puran. 
• Now roll it again with the help of rolling pin to form a nice round and thin Kajuchi Poli.
• Heat the cooking pan or Tava on the flame. Roast the poli until its well cooked.

Thin light crispy Kajuchi Poli is ready. Take a bite you will cherish the way it melts in the mouth.
Has your mouth started watering?? Even you can make them at home!

Malhar Turns 3

Master Malhar Ajinkya's third birthday bash!!

Here is the snapshot of his favourite Sweet Dish GULAB JAMUN - made on 16 August 2014.

SPARKLING GULAB JAMUNS!!!

Ova/ Ajwain chya panache Bajji or Pakora

Who wouldn't be tempted to make amazing Bajji or pakora's in the rainy season!
Here's an easy recipe to make Ova/ Ajwain leaf bajji for cold and wet Shravan.

Ingredients:

• Ova / Ajwain leaves (10-15 nos.)
• Besan - 1 cup
• Jeera - 1 tsp
• Turmeric - 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Salt
• Rice flour - 2 tsp
• Oil

Procedure:

• Make a batter to coat the leaves by mixing besan, jeera, turmeric, red chilli powder, salt and rice flour with 1 to 2 cups of water so that the mixture is thick enough to coat the leaves evenly.
• Now take kadai or utensil with oil for deep frying the bajji. Heat the oil until its hot enough to fry the bajji. The best way to check whether the oil is heated sufficiently is by pouring few drops of besan batter and checking whether it floats on the oil.
• Gently coat each leaf evenly with the batter and insert them in the heated oil for frying.

• Use absorbent papers to dry the bajji or pakoras.

• Serve the hot and tasty Bajji or pakoras with tomato ketch up.

Bilimbi Chi Sheer

I came across this scrumptious, tangy, mouth watering fruit called Averrhoa Bilimbi. The fruit is very crunchy when unripe and it turns from bright-green to yellowish-green, when it is ripe. 

One can eat them raw by applying salt and spice after cutting, just like raw mango (kacchi kairi).

I preferred making Bilimbi chi Sheer i.e lemon green in color delicious tangy and sweet curry.

Ingredients:

• Bilimbi fruit- 8-9 nos

• Coconut milk pack- 2 packs (one whole grated coconut milk)

• Onion- 1 finely chopped

• Jeera- 1 tsp

• Turmeric - 1 tsp

• Salt

• Rice flour- 2 tsp

• Sugar- 5 to 6 tsp

Procedure:

• Chop Bilimbi fruit in circular rings and cook it in pressure cooker for 10 mins along with jeera, turmeric and onion.

• Now mix the above mentioned cooked ingredients with coconut milk and rice flour. If you are using coconut pack then dilute the milk with some water.

• Once the mixture boils put some salt and sugar till it dissolves completely. 

• Do not over boil the Sheer since the coconut milk tends to curdle.

• You can garnish with coriander before serving.

Bilimbi chi sheer along with hot steamed rice is definitely a delicacy in the month of Shravan!!