Lasuni Prawns

Lasuni Prawns is a dry preparation prawns dish with garlic and curry leaves. Quickest dish and lip smacking…one can polish off in minutes. So here a quick take in lasuni Prawns.

Ingredients

Prawns 500 grams peeled and deveined. Garlic crushed 3tabsp, sliced onions 2medium, curry leaves 1/2 cup. Turmeric 1/2 tsp, red chilli powder 2-3tsp (depending on the spice tolerance), coriander cumin powder 1tsp, sugar 1/2tsp, salt to taste, juice of 1lemon, oil 2-3 tabsp. Coriander grated coconut for garnish 1/2 tsp each.

Method

Marinate the prawns with turmeric, chilli and coriander cumin powder. Keep it aside. Heat oil in a wok and crispy fry the garlic and curry leaves. Keep it in a bowl. In the same oil saute onions for 2-3 mins retaining it’s crunch. Transfer it in a bowl. Add marinated prawns in the same oil and season it with salt. Add sugar and cook till prawns are tender with lid on. Do not over cook the prawns , they become rubbery and chewy. Prawns take about 5-7 mins to cook. Now add the onions and half of the garlic and curry leaves, mix well for a minute, add the lemon juice and mix well. Transfer the prawns into a serving dish and garnish with the remaining crispy bits of garlic, curry leaves, coriander leaves and a hint of grated coconut.

N.

Ratalyachi bhaji

Ratalyachi bhaji is a sweet potato (Ratalu) stir fried in peanuts and chillies. The spicy kick from chillies, the tangy lemons, the crunch from peanuts and the sweetness of the potato…this is one of the most underrated dish in Indian cuisine.

On the auspicious occasion of Ashadi Ekadashi…. Ekadashi refers to the 11th Tithi of a lunar month. Ekadashis are devoted to the worship of Lord Vishnu. The Ekadashi that falls during the Shukla Paksha (Brighter fortnight), during the month of Ashadha is known as Ashadhi Ekadashi.

On this day the Hindus – Vishnu/Krishna/Vithal bhakts follow fast. Some don’t eat at all, but some make an elaborate spread of fruits, roots and nuts – sabudana khichdi, varicha bhat , Amti, upavasachi batata bhaji, rajgira roti, sabudana thalipeeth and ofcourse lots of kakdi with curds.

Ratalyachi bhaji is one of the highlight of such feast. So here’s my take on sweet potatoes.

Ingredients:

Sweet potato 1/2kg, green chilli 7/8 slit, cumin seeds 2tsp, peanuts 1cup, grated coconut 2tabsp, ghee 2tabsp and salt to taste. 1 Lemon.

Method:

Wash and boil the sweet potatoes and cut in medium slices. Roast and grind the peanuts roughly. Heat ghee in a wok and tamper with cumin seeds and chillies, add peanuts stir fry till aromatic. Add sliced sweet potatoes, salt. Stir-fry on high flame for a couple of minutes. Garnish with grated coconut and juice of 1 lemon .

Enjoy while it’s still hot.

N.

Aluwadi bhaji

Alu leaves, colocasia leaves grows in abundance in the monsoon. These leaves bring in Aluwadi or Alu Aamti (recipe posted previously). I learnt this unique and rare recipe from my Ma and sharing this gem of a recipe with you all. It’s like deconstructed Aluwadi stir fried on the bed of sauted onions. Eat one and you cannot stop at one I guarantee.

Ingredients:

Alu leaves Small tender ones (if possible) 12 or 2 large ones – deveined and cut into rectangular shape 6×4 inches. Chickpea flour 2cups, 1 1/2 cups of Tamarind jaggery chutney (recipe posted earlier), sesame seeds 2tabsp, onions 3 medium finely chopped, coriander leaves for garnish, asafoetida 1tsp, cumin and mustard seeds 1/2 tsp each. Red chilli powder 3-4 tsp, turmeric 1tsp, coriander cumin powder 2tsp, salt to taste and oil 3tabsp.

Method

Clean and cut Alu leaves in rectangular shape 6×4 inches and keep it aside. In a bowl take chickpea flour, add 2/3 tsp of red chilli powder, turmeric, asafoetida, coriander cumin powder, salt coriander leaves chopped and 1tabsp oil. Mix the seasoned chickpea flour with tamarind chutney and make it into a thick custardy consistency. Apply approximately 1heaped teaspoon of this mixture on the Alu leaves, fold like a packet individually and keep it in a plate neatly arranged. Now take a broad thick bottom pan/wok, heat oil and tamper it with asafoetida cumin and mustard seeds, add sesame seeds and onions, season with salt, red chilli and turmeric 1/2 tsp each and saute for a minute, arrange the packets of alu leaves neatly over the bed of onions and cover it with the lid, keep it on low heat. After 7-8 mins uncover the pan and with a spatula slowly stir the alu leaves, mixing it with the onions. Again cover it and allow it to cook for 10mins.

Enjoy these delicious sweet, sour, spicy packets of Alu.

N.

Lal Maath

Amaranthus cruentus is a tall annual herb topped with clusters of dark pink flowers. The plant can grow up to 2 m (6 ft) in height, and blooms in summer to fall.
Amaranth leaves are nutritionally similar to beets, Swiss chard and spinach, but are genetically closer to their wild ancestors and offer a far superior source of carotene, iron, calcium, protein, vitamin C and trace elements.

Our Alibaug farm is loaded with these pink beauties especially after the first rains. I make a simple stir fry to go as a side dish with Bhakri.

Ingredients:

Laal maath 1 bunch, green chilli 2/3, garlic 2/3 pods, onion 1 medium finely chopped, sesame seeds 1tsp, asafoetida, cumin and mustard seeds 1/2tsp, salt to taste. Oil 2tsp.

Method:

Clean the maath by plucking only the leaves, wash and drain. Heat oil in a wok and tamper it with asafoetida cumin and mustard seeds. Add chillies sliced and sesame seeds, add onions and stir-fry for a minute. Add the maath leaves with some salt and stir fry for a couple of minutes. Serve hot.

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Chicken Pyaza

Sunday calls for some therapeutic cooking. Lovely monsoon mahol and chicken for lunch. Today made a different kind of chicken using loads of onions in different form. No curry paste, no dry masalas, just simple whole garam masala tossed in different layers of onions at different time while cooking. So here’s my take on Chicken Pyaza …

Ingredients:

Chicken legs 6 cut into 2pieces.         6 onions sliced, 3  medium onions paste and 1 cup of fried onions.  Ginger garlic paste 2tabspoon, green chilli paste (7/9 chillis), whole garam masala : 8-9 cardamom, 1 stick cinnamon, 2 tsp Shah jeera, 4-5 cloves, 15-17 black pepper, 2 piece mace( javitri), 1-2 inches of stone flower( dagad phool). Coriander cumin powder 2 tsp. Curd 2 cups mixed with 2 tabsp of sugar. Hot milk 300 ml. Salt to taste. Oil 3-4 tabsp, ghee 2-3 tabsp.

Method:

Heat oil in a heavy bottom broad and deep wok/kadhai/pan. Add chicken and fry till it changes colour on high flame. Remove the chicken in a seperate bowl. In the same oil add sliced onions , saute for 5 to 7mins. Add  whole garam masala, ginger garlic paste, chilli paste, onion paste and coriander cumin powder. Saute till onion becomes translucent and the masalas leave oil. Add curd sugar mixture and saute more till it leaves oil again. Add chicken and mix well, stir fry for 7-8 mins. The bottom masala may get burnt but don’t worry, continue to stir fry till it dries up a little. Add salt and hot milk. Add fried onions. Mix well, cover and cook for 20-25 mins till the chicken is cooked tender. Drizzle ghee and some fried onions before serving.

Enjoy with rumali roti, jeera rice.

N.

Sangria

Sangria is not just a drink….it’s an experience, emotions and laughter riot. I make it for my friends for our meet ups. Not just wine the fruits soaked in with goodness of wine makes it soulful.

Fruity, Sweet, Dry, Lush, Smooth, Refreshing & Boozy is a complete experience. So here’s my take on Sangria.

Ingredients

Red wine 750 ml
1 cup rum (classic old monk)
Sugar syrup – 1cup sugar with 2cups water
Soda 500 ml
Thinly sliced 1 orange
Finely chopped 1 apple and 1/2 cup grapes

Method

In a large glass jar or a jug add the sliced oranges muddle it a bit and add the apple and grapes. Pour in the red wine.

Make the sugar syrup and allow it to cool completely. Add it to the wine and fruits mixture. Add the rum.

Keep it in the fridge for 5-6 hours. Just before serving add chilled soda.

Cheers!

N.

Lemon Drizzle Cake

This lemon cake is my husband’s all time favourite. So I make it a point to bake this on his birthday. The flavours I normally change to Rum and Coke, Caramel or simple orange one. This one is the lemon one – sweet and tangy.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar or castor sugar
3/4 oil
2 TSP vanilla
4 eggs
half cup milk
2 cups maida/ all purpose flour
2 TSP baking soda
nuts or rose petals
Icing sugar 2cups lemon extract 1/4 tsp zest of 2 lemons and juice of 2 lemons

Method:

Take two bowls

In 1 bowl add sugar, oil, vanila, lemon extract and 1/2tsp of lemon zest, eggs and milk. Mix well till it becomes lite. In another bowl mix all purpose flour and baking soda. Mix it to the wet ingredients (egg, sugar, oil and essence). Fold gently.

Pre heat the oven for 15mins on 180deg. Grease and line 12 inches rectangular cake tin. Pour the mixture carefully and bake it for 35- 40 mins on 180deg.

It turns beautifully golden and is spongy on touch. Allow it to cool. While it cools make the icing. In a bowl take 2 cups of icing sugar, add zest of 2 lemons and juice of 2 lemons. Mix well.

Transfer the cooled cake on the serving dish and drizzle the lemon icing all over the cake. Decorate it with a few rose petals.

Enjoy the sweet and tangy goodness!

N.

Varan Bhat

For us, food is a source of comfort, connection, memories and control. Our food is the food that makes us feel good – satisfied, calm, cared for, and loved. Food and love is the most primitive form of comfort. One of the most comforting food is Dal Chawal/ Varan Bhat… Bengal gram /dal cooked and served with soft and hot rice, drizzled with generous amount of ghee. This is the simplest recipe I am posting, but I want to take into account the newbies to the cooking world or the students who live by themselves abroad try cooking basic meal. So here’s my take on Varan Bhat.

Ingredients:

Dal – Bengal gram /tur dal 1/2 cup, asafoetida 1/4tsp, turmeric 1/2tsp, oil 2tsp, jaggery or sugar 1tsp, salt to taste. Ghee

Rice – 1 cup rice salt to taste and 2 cups water.

Method:

Dal

Wash and rinse dal, add 2 cups water, asafoetida, turmeric and oil. Pressure cook it to three whistles or slow cook till tender and breaks off easily.

When fully cooked transfer the dal in a heavy bottom pan, add salt and jaggery, mix well and allow it to boil. Simmer it for 5 – 7 mins. Keep it aside.

Rice

Wash and rinse off the rice. Add water and salt and pressure cook it for 2 whistles. Or you can cook it directly in a deep pot/pan for 10/15mins on low heat.

Serving –

Serve hot rice and pour dal over it. Drizzle a generous amount of ghee. And simply enjoy the heavenly meal. Some add a ting of lemon juice, some enjoy with methkut while some with pickle.

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Pech – Rice water concoction

Tandalachi pech is something my Mil makes when I am under the weather. During flu one don’t have the appetite and tends to feel weak due to dehydration. A couple dose of this piping hot pech पेच magically improves your health. This is best for people with digestion problems, simply rich in minerals, vitamins and important nutrients and it’s super easy to make. I am posting this recipe for the record as most of the time I forget the remedy and run after allopathy. So here’s my take on Pech.

Ingredients:

Rice 1 cup , mung dal 1/4 cup, salt to taste, sugar 2teasp, asafoetida 1/2 tsp. Ghee 1/2 teasp per serving.

Method:

Wash the rice and dal thoroughly and drain the excess water. In an iron pan/kadhai roast the rice and dal on low flame till they turn golden, light and fluffy. Tranfer it in a grinder and add salt sugar and asafoetida. Grind into a fine powder. Store this powder in an airtight container.

Heat a mug full of water and add about a table spoon of this powder. Bring it to boil and simmer for 5 mins. Add some ghee and serve hot with a healthy vibe.

N.

Tamarind Candy

Life is like a Tamarind, sometimes sweet, sometimes sour but in the end we all enjoy it.

One of my favourite kinda candy….sweet and sour. We have tons of tamarind trees at the farm, we use for the Paisley food as a souring agent and also some of it in making it into candies. So here’s a quick recipe using only three ingredients.

Ingredients:

Tamarind 1cup peeled, de-seeded, and clean without the small veins. Sugar 2cups, castor sugar 2/3 tabsp and 1/2 tsp of salt

Method:

Add the tamarind pulp without the fibres, sugar and salt in a grinder and grind it till it comes to a smooth shiny and thick paste consistency. Make tinu balls and roll them in a plateful of castor sugar. Store it in an airtight container.

Enjoy whenever you feel like.

N.