Palak Patal Bhaji/ पालकाची पातळ भाजी

Paatal Bhaji aka Dal Bhaji is a star dish of Maharashtrian cooking. It is a quintessential part of Maharashtrian thali. We make it on every festival or on every religious occasion. We make it very either Spinach, Meethi (Fenugreek) or even with Colocasia leave (Arvi Patte). I have previously shared my mom’s version of Patal Bhaji made using colocasia (Arvi).

Now sharing my mother in law’s version of Patal Bhaji. She usually makes it with Spinach and pep up with Garlic Tadka. Also, she replaces chana dal with Matar (peas) at times. But I love the crunch of peanut, chana dal in it.

It is again a healthy, nutritious and delicious Bhaji. You can include it in your weekly menu. Especially those who are not fond of spinach can have this Bhaji.

Enjoy it with Phulka/Bhakri or hot steam rice.

All you need is 

Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS:-

1 cup Spinach, chopped

2 tablespoon Chana Dal (split Bengal gram)

2 tablespoon Peanuts

Few pieces of coconut

2 tablespoon or ¼ cup Besan

1 tablespoon Tamarind paste ( imli ki paste)

2 tablespoon Jaggery

1 ½ tsp salt or to taste

FOR TEMPERING:-

3 tablespoon Oil

1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds

¼ teaspoon Asafetida (heeng) or little more

3-4 garlic cloves, crushed

½ teaspoon turmeric

2-3 dry red chillies

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

METHOD:-

1.  Soak chana dal, peanuts and coconut for 2 hours.

2.  In a broad pan boil 1 litre water, add soaked ingredients, chopped Spinach leaves and boil it for 10 minutes or till the Dal is cooked.

3.  Meanwhile in a bowl add Besan, Tamarind Puree and make a batter using little water.

4.  Add this batter to Dal Palak and stir in continuously.

5.  Add salt, mix it and again cook for 4-5 minutes.

6.  FOR TEMPERING:- heat oil in a pan

7.  Add mustard seeds, asafetida, turmeric, garlic and red chilli powder.

8.  Now pour this tempering (tadka) over the cooked Bhaji, mix it well cook for another 2-3 minutes on high flame.

9.  Enjoy it with nice hot steam rice with a generous amount of ghee over it.

look at the picture to know how to serve a thali.

 

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Kakdi Tamatar Koshimbir/Maharashtrian Salad

What is Koshimbir?

It is a typical Maharashtrian salad. Usually made with cucumber, tomato and crushed peanuts, with tempering of asafetida. It is a must for Maharashtrian thali meal. There are varieties of koshimbir relished by Maharashtrians. The asafetida in the tempering makes it a good digestive aid and gives a fantastic aroma to it. A Maharashtrian thali consists of a lemon wedge, koshimbir (Salad), chutney, papad, Bhajiya (Pakora), Varan(dal), Bhat (rice), Bhaji (Sabji), Poli (chapati) and taak(chaas).  There is a way of serving the thali. At my home, we still follow the rule of serving thali. Everything should be in the correct place. My mother (aai) made sure that I serve correctly and eat clean. Probably that’s a part of our culture and I absolutely love it.

For a basic koshimbir, all you need is

SERVINGS: 2

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup Cucumber, chopped

½ cup Tomato, diced

1 green chilli, chopped

2 tbsp Peanut powder (crushed peanuts)

2 Tbsp onion, chopped (optional)

½ tsp Sugar

¼ tsp Salt

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

For Tempering-

1 Tbsp Oil

½ tsp Mustard

¼ tsp Asafetida (Hing)

1/8 tsp turmeric

3-4       Curry Leaves

Coriander for garnishing

METHOD:

1.    In a bowl add cucumber, tomato, green chilli, onions, salt, sugar and peanut powder. Toss the ingredients well.

2.    Now add lemon juice and give it a mix.

3.    For tempering

·       Heat oil.

·       Add asafetida, curry leaves, turmeric.

·       Allow it to splutter

4.    Pour the tempering over the salad.

5.    Give it a final mix, add coriander and serve it. 

Note- Serve it immediately as if you keep it for a long time, salad releases its juices.

Enjoy this simple preparation with Varan-Bhat.

 

Hey Friends! If you like my blogs kindly post your comment below the post and do share your response. Looking forward to some new innovative recipes. Thanks for reading. HAPPY COOKING!! :)

Moong-Masoor Dal- Low Calorie Dal

Dal is quintessential Indian thali dish. No Indian meal is complete without it. Dal-Rice is the best comfort food. One cannot say No to it. It is a kind of lentil soup. It is rich in protein and easy to digest. I am sharing one of my favorite, simple, Low-calorie Dal recipes.

INGREDIENTS-

¼ cup Masoor Dal [Brown Lentil]

¼ cup Moong Dal [yellow split lentil]

1 tsp oil/ghee

1 tsp cumin

¼ tsp Mustard seeds

¼ tsp asafetida

1 tsp grated ginger

1 Tomato, chopped

¼ tsp turmeric

½ tsp Cumin Powder

½ tsp Coriander Powder

½ tsp red chili powder

Pinch of cinnamon powder

1 tsp Salt

METHOD-

1.    Wash both the lentils and keep it aside.

2.    Heat oil/ghee in a pressure cooker. Add cumin, mustard seeds, and asafetida. Allow it splutter.

3.    Then add grated ginger, chopped tomatoes and all the dry masala’s. Sauté it for a minute.

4.    Time to add the washed lentils to it. Meanwhile, boil 2 cups of water.

5.    Add boiling water to the lentil, lastly, add salt and pressure cook it for 3-4 whistles or until the Dal is cooked.

6.    Once cooked, add some lemon juice [it is completely optional] and serve it with hot steamed brown rice.

7.    Add little ghee over it to enhance the taste.

Hey Friends! If you like my blogs kindly post your comment below the post and do share your response. Looking forward to some new innovative recipes. Thanks for reading. HAPPY COOKING! :)

Zunka [Pithla]

It is a very popular and traditional dish prepared in Maharashtra and Goa. We call it as a Desi dish and is relished with Jowar or Rice Bhakri and Thecha. It is usually made when there is a shortage of vegetables in the refrigerator. Or when you don’t feel like having vegetables. It is a super quick recipe made within no-time. It has two versions- one is dry Zunka and another is semi-solid Zunka typically called Pithla.

It is a simple and a protein-rich dish. So, give a break to the vegetables and try out this tasty and mouth-watering recipe.

INGREDIENTS:                                                             Serving: 2

1 cup Chickpea Flour [Besan]

1 cup Onion, chopped [you can even use green onion]

2 green chilies

3 Tbsp Oil [use groundnut oil, it adds a lovely aroma]

1 Tsp mustard seeds

1 Tsp Cumin

1/8^th tsp Asafetida

2-3 Garlic cloves, crushed

4-5 Curry Leaves

½ Tsp Turmeric

1 Tsp Red Chili Powder

¼ cup Curds

1½ cups Water

1½ Tsp Salt

¼ cup Coriander, chopped

METHOD:

1.     In a bowl mix Chickpea flour, curds, and water. Whisk it well and make a smooth batter.

2.     Heat oil in a pan, add asafetida, cumin, mustard, curry leaves, and green chilies. Allow it to splutter.

3.     Now add chopped onions and crushed garlic. Sautee’ till onions are cooked.

4.     Add turmeric, red chili powder and the Chickpea Flour batter [step1]. Mix it well. Add more water if required.

5.      Add salt and cover with a lid.

6.     Allow it to cook on a low flame for 10 minutes.

7.     Once cooked, remove the lid garnish it with coriander and serve it with Jowar Bhakri and Thecha.

[You can even have it with steam rice or khichadi]

Tips:  

·        To make it healthy add Fenugreek Leaves/ Meethi Leaves along with the onion.

·        You can add fresh green onion and green garlic to it.

Mix Pulses curry

[Chana, Black-eyed beans and Moong Curry]

Ingredients:-

1 cup mix pulses (Brown chickpeas, Green Moong and Black-eyed beans)

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp cumin

¼ tsp asafoetida

1 cup chopped onions

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

¼ cup desiccated coconut (you can use fresh coconut)

2 tsp kashmiri red chili powder

1 tbsp coriander powder

½ tsp turmeric

1 tsp garam masala

1 cup boiled, chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp kasuri meethi

1 tsp salt

1 tsp chana masala

Method:-

1.   Soak mix pulses for 5 hours. After 5 hours drain it.

2.   Heat oil in pot, add cumin, chopped onions and asafetida and cook till the onions gets soft.

3.   Add salt, ginger garlic paste and sauté it for another 2 minutes.

4.   Now add desiccated coconut mix it and sauté till the oil separates from the onions.

5.   Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric and garam masala. Mix it well.

6.   Now add kasuri meethi and chopped boiled tomatoes and sauté it for 2 minutes on a high flame.

7.   Add soaked pulses, 2 cup boiling water, cover it with lid. Cook till the pulses gets cooked.

8.   Now add chana masala and again boil for 2 minutes on high flame.

9.   Check the consistency of gravy. If you want dry sabji cook it till the gravy evaporates.

10.                     Mix the curry well and serve it.

11.                     You can carry this pulses curry in your lunch box.

12.                     Goes well with ghee Phulka/ steamed rice or even with bread.

 

Hey Friends! If you like my blogs kindly post your comment below the post and do share your response. Looking forward for some new innovative recipes. Thanks for reading. HAPPY COOKING ! :)

Dudhi Muthia (Lauki Muthia)

This is one the most popular Gujrati snack. Every Gujrati thali consists of these steamed Muthia’s. This is a healthy snack as we are going to steam and then sauté the Muthia’s (Not going to Deep fry). Traditionally we use Besan gram flour)/ Jowar Flour (Sorghum Flour) and Wheat Flour to make these Muthia’s. I am using Oats Flour, Jowar Flour and Wheat Flour. For Dhudhi Muthia we need

 INGREDIENTS:-

2 cups grated Dudhi (Bottle Gourd)

¼ cup Oats Flour

½ cup Jowar Flour

½ cup Wheat Flour

1 tbsp Semolina (Sooji)

2 tbsp Sesame seeds

1 tbsp oil

¼ cup coriander finely chopped

2 tsp red chili powder (you can add according to your taste)

½ tsp Turmeric

1 tbsp coriander powder

¼ tsp Asafetida

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

¼ cup yoghurt

Pinch of Soda

For Tempering:-

2 Tbsp Oil

½ tsp cumin-mustard seeds

¼ tsp Asafetida

7-8 curry leaves

2 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tsp chat masala/ Jeeranu(Jeeravan) masala

METHODS:-

1.  In a bowl add grated Dudhi, sesame seeds, asafetida, salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric, coriander and sugar. Mix everything well and keep it aside for 10 minutes.

2.  After 10 minutes add yoghurt, soda, oil and give it a nice mix.

3.  Now add in the flours and combine everything well.

4.  If you need water to knead it then add little water. Knead it like a dough.

5.  Apply little oil to the dough.

6.  Make small cylindrical shape muthia’s.

7.  Boil water in a steamer. You can even use Idli pot to steam the muthia.

8.  Grease the steamer plate with oil.

9.  Place muthia’s over it and steam it for 10-15 minutes on medium flame.

10.             Once the muthia’s are steamed, allow it to cool.

11.             Cut it into small disc.

12.             Now for Tempering:-

·       Heat oil in a pan add cumin-mustard seeds, allow it to splutter.

·       Now add asafetida, curry leaves, sesame seeds and add the muthia’s.

·       Sauté it for 3-4 minutes on high flame.

·       At last sprinkle some chat masala or Jeeravan masala and serve it with fresh coriander chutney or mint onion chutney.

You can carry this snack while travelling. It stays fresh for 3-4 days.

You can even add these muthia’s to Kadhi or make gravy and add these muthia’s.

• For Mint Onion Chutney click the following link-https://grannysreflection.blogspot.com/2019/02/pudinamint-and-spring-onion-chutney.html 
• For Coriander Chutney -https://grannysreflection.blogspot.com/2017/11/green-chutney-hara-dhaniya-chutney.html

Folks! try this recipe and share a snap of the same with us.