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!! :)

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.

Oats-Jowar Chilla (Oats-sorghum Salted Savory Pancake)

Chilla is spiced savory salted pancake. It is a very popular breakfast. It is healthy, nutritious, quick and simple. You can make it with many variations like- Sooji chilla, oats, moong etc. Most popular and tradition chilla is made from besan (Chickpea flour). But to change the taste you can make it with many varieties. I am using Oats flour and Jowar flour (Sorghum Flour). Try this recipe and start your healthy day.

INGREDIENTS-                                       SERVINGS- 6 CHILLA

¼ cup Oats flour

¼ cup Jowar Flour (Sorghum flour)

2 tbsp Besan (Chickpea flour)

½ cup chopped onions

2 Green chilies, chopped

½ cup chopped coriander

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp salt

1 cup Buttermilk

2 tbsp oil/ghee

METHOD-

1.   In a mixing bowl add oats flour, jowar flour, besan and buttermilk. Mix everything and make like Dosa batter. Add little water if required.

2.   Add in chopped onions, chili, coriander, cumin and salt. Mix everything well. Allow this batter to rest for 10 minutes.

3.   Meanwhile, heat a non stick pan or tawa. Sprinkle little oil (only for greasing).

4.   Now pour one ladle of batter and spread it in circular motion like a pancake or dosa.

5.   Drizzle few drops of oil at the edges of chilla.

6.   Allow it to get crispy. Now flip it and cook it from other side as well.

7.   Add little more oil if required.

8.   Make chilla’s out of the entire batter.

9.   Serve it hot with ketchup or Green chutney or Curd.

Variations-

·       You can replace onions with grated Bottle gourd (doodhi/laauki).

·       Instead of oil you can even use ghee.

·       Butter milk is option you can directly add water to make the batter. But add 2 tbsp Curd 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 for some new innovative recipes. Thanks for reading. HAPPY COOKING ! :)

Pudina(Mint) and Spring Onion Chutney

Ingredients:-

1 cup Pudina (Mint)

1 green onion

½ cup greens of spring onion, chopped

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp Black salt

¼ tsp Coriander powder

¼ tsp red chili powder

Pinch of asafetida

2 green chilli

¼ cup peanuts

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp lemon juice

Method:-

1.     Wash Pudina and spring onions.

2.     In a blender add all the ingredients.

3.     Blend it into a smooth paste. Add little water as required.

4.     Now take it out in a jar. And store it in refrigerator for a week.

5.     Serve it with Snacks, in thali or with paratha’s or puri.

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 ! :)

Upma

 Upma is a traditional south Indian and Maharashtrian breakfast dish made using cream of wheat also known as Rava/ Sooji/ Semolina. It is the simplest and healthiest savory dish. Perfect for those who keeps an eye on their calorie intake. Not only easy to prepare but also can be made using lots of variations.

A perfect recipe for office going people as it gets ready in hardly 10 minutes.

To make it more healthy one can loads of vegetables to it. And to make it more delicious you can garnish Sev and Serve it with coconut chutney.

[Note- You can use fine Semolina or Coarse as you like. I have used Coarse Semolina]

Servings:- 2

Ingredients:-

1 cup Sooji (semolina/rava)

2 tablespoon Oil or ghee

1 teaspoon Mustard seeds (Rai)

 Pinch of asafetida (Heeng)

4-5 Curry leaves

1 tablespoon Urad Dal

¼ teaspoon Fenugreek seeds (Meethi Dana)

¼ teaspoon Fennel Seeds (saunf)

1 Onion, chopped

1 green chili, chopped

¼ cup Curds or Yoghurt (Dahi)

½ teaspoon Salt

¼ teaspoon Sugar

2 Cups Water

Chopped Coriander

Method:-

1.       In a pan add Semolina (sooji/rava) and dry roast it for 4-5 minutes on medium flame. Now once the semolina changes the color remove it from the pan and keep it aside.

2.       Now heat oil/ghee add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, asafetida, curry leaves, green chilies and onions. Fry onions till it becomes little golden in color.

3.       Add semolina, salt and sugar and mix it well.

4.       Now add 2 cups of boiled water and yoghurt or curd to the rava. Reduced the flame and mix everything well.

5.       Cover it with lid and allow it to steam for 5 minutes on low flame.

6.       After 5-6 minutes remove the lid and check if the semolina is cooked properly.

7.       Once it is done. Garnish it with coriander. (you can even add Sev or some grated coconut)

8.       Serve it hot with coconut chutney.

A perfect dish to start a healthy day.

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 ! :)