Handvo [ Gujarati Dish ]

Ingredients :

• Dhokala Flour - 1 cup
• Curds - 1 / 2 cup

Masala :

• Ginger chilli paste - 2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Papad khar - 1 / 2 tsp
• Oil - 2 table spoon

For seasoning :

• Oil - 3 to 4 tbl.sps.
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
• Seasame seeds - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Curry leaves - little
• Peanuts - 1 / 2 tsp [ roasted ]

Method :

Add curds to the dhokala atta. Prepare a thick batter. Keep the batter covered for 10 hours. Add salt, ginger chilli paste to the batter. Then add papad khar and 2tbsp of water to the oil. Mix well and pour it over batter. Mix well again. Then pre-heat oven at 250 C. Heat the oil for seasoning. Add mustard seeds, seasame seeds, peanuts, and coriander seeds. When the seeds splutter, add asafoetida and curry leaves. Pour the seasoning in an empty baking dish. Pour the batter in the dish over the seasoning. Keep the baking dish in the pre- heated oven for 10 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 200 C. Bake till the top layer turns into a reddish brown.

Note :

Grated vegetables like cabbage, carrot, white pumpkin can be added to the batter before baking.

Masala Bhindi

Ingredients :

• Bhindi [ ladies finger ] - 1 / 2 k.g. [ cut into 1 / 2 inch pieces ]
• Onions - 2 to 3 [ peeled and chopped ]
• Tomatoes - 2 [ cut into small pieces ]
• Grated fresh coconut - 1 / 2 cup [ grind into smooth paste ]
• Oil - as required 
• Salt - as required
• Mustard seeds - 1 / 2 tsp
• Green chillies - 2 to 3 [ make to a paste ]
• Fresh coriander leaves - little
• Turmeric powder - 1 / 2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 / 2 tsp

Method :

First keep a kadai, add some oil and fry bhindi till it change in colour. [ light brown ] remove and  keep  aside.
Then keep the same kadai, and  add  mustard seeds. When its pop add chopped onions and fry till it turns into pink, then add chopped tomatoes and fry till it become soft. Add salt, turmeric, chilli powder, green chilli paste and fry for 5 minutes more  in  low flame. Then add the ground coconut paste, and fry till all the masalas mix well together. Finely add fried bhindi and fry 3 minutes more in low flame. Then  add chopped coriander leaves. Garnish with little fresh grated coconut.  Serve hot with rice and roti.

Tomato Chutney

Ingredients :

• Tomatoes [quartered] - 3 [medium size]
• Oil - 2 tbl sp
• Whole dry red chillies [broken]
• Curry leaves - 10-12
• Ginger [chopped] - 1 inch piece
• Salt - To taste
• Coconut [grated] - 3 tbl sp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method :

Heat one tablespoon oil in a pan. Add whole red chillies, six curry leaves, ginger and tomatoes and cook stirring for three to four minutes. Transfer into a mixer jar. Add salt and coconut and grind to a thick paste. Heat the remaining oil in another pan. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter add the remaining curry leaves and pour the tempering over the  chutney.

Mor Kooz [Mor Kali]

Ingredients :

• Rice flour - 1 Cup 
• Buttermilk - 3 Cups
• Salt for seasoning 

For Seasoning :

• Oil - 2 tbsp 
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• More Milagai (1) - 6-7 no's
• Urad Dahl - 2 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Method :

Mix butter milk and rice flour (3:1). Heat a pan and add the tempering ingredients. 

Pour the mixture and keep stirring it continuously. It will start thickening within few minutes and in about 7-8 minutes it starts leaving the pan. 

Pour it in a dish and make them into small pieces. Since this is sticky, it is better to eat when it is in small pieces.  

Notes :

1. Butter Milk should be sour in order to get good taste.
2. You can also have Mor Koozh without pieces.

Bhindi Bhaji [ marathi style ] This Vegetable can be eaten during Fasts.

Ingredients :

• Bhindi - 1 / 2 kg. [ sliced into 1 / 2 inch piece ]
• Green chillies - 2 to 3 [ sliced ]
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Butter milk - 1/ 2 cup
• Roasted peanut powder - 1 / 2 cup
• Ghee - 2 tsps
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Fresh grated coconut - little
• Salt - asrequired
• Coriander leaves - little
• Curry leaves - little

Method :

Heat the ghee. Add cumin seeds and green chillies. Add the sliced bhindi and the rest of the ingredients. Cook uncovered. When the subji  completly done and become dry remove from the gas. Garnish with fresh grated coconut and coriander leaves.

Red Pumpkin Bhaji [ marathi style ]

Ingredients :

• Red pumpkin - 1 / 2 kg. [ unpeeled ]
• Poppy seeds - 1/ 4  cup
• seasame seeds -  1 / 4 cup
• Dry coconut [ copra ] - 1 / 4 cup
• Fenugreek seeds - 1tsp
• Asafoetida - 1 / 4 tsp
• Kala masala - 3 tsp
• Oil - as required
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 / 2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 1 / 2 tsp
• Salt - asrequired
• Jaggery - little
• Tamarind paste - 1 / 2 tsp

Method :

Heat oil, and add mustard seeds, 1 / 4 tsp of asafoetida and the turmeric powder.Add fenugreek seeds and saute till it become brown. Then add pumpkin pieces and mix well. Add 1 cup water and cook till the vegetable become soft. Roast and powder poppyseeds, seasame seeds and coconut. Add roasted powder, salt, jaggery, chilli powder and tamarind to the pumpkin. Add kala masala and cook for 5 minutes more. When the subji completly done remove from the gas.Garnish with kurry leaves and coriander leaves.

Rasmalai

Ingredients :

• Paneer [ prepared from cow's milk ] - 1 litre

For sugar syrup :

• Sugar - 500 gms.
• Water - 3 1 / 2 cups

For malai :

• Milk - 1 litre
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Saffron - little
• Blanched & sliced almonds,pistha - 2 tablespoon

Method :

Prepare paneer and knead it to a smooth dough. Then make balls and flatten it. Then cook it in sugar syrup like rosogollas. [ u can see the recipe in my blog. ] Cover and keep it in the syrup for at least 10 hours. Then boil 1 litre milk in heavy kadai, till it is reduced to half of its quantity. Add saffron, sugar, and stir well till dissolved. Then remove boiled ras malai from the syrup. Press gently to remove excess syrup. Put  in cold water and squeeze again. Then put it in boiling milk and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the fire. Garnish with fried almonds, pistha, Serve chilled in individual cups.