Tikhat Mitachi Puri / Khari Puri

Tikhat Mitachi Puri / Khari Puri, is a tasty puri, slightly spicy, it stay's good for  3-4 days, so it's good to carry while travelling.  Can have this with pickle or yogurt. It's excellent.

This is part of Akshaya Tritiya Veg Lunch Thali.

Ingredients  
2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 Tablespoons Heaped Besan/Chickpea Flour
2 Tablespoon Heaped Rawa/Semolina
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Sesame Seeds
1 Teaspoon Ajwain/ Carom Seeds
1½ Teaspoon Red chilly powder
½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
2 Tablespoon Hot Oil
Water as required for making the dough
Method

Mix all the dry spices , besan, rawa 

well into the flour, add hot oil and mix well

Add water little at a time to make a firm slightly stiff dough.

Keep this dough covered with a damp cloth aside for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes the dough will like this a little soft.

Divide the dough into small lemon size ball. 

 Oil the rolling board and take each ball and roll  them into small puris ( do not use dry flour or else the puris will absorb more oil).

Heat oil on medium high flame when the oil is hot, fry the puris depending on the size of the pan add one or two and fry, till they are golden on both sides. 

Remove them on to a kitchen towel, so that the excess oil can be absorbed.

They are ready, so puff and yum...

See the goollo mollo puris.

Enjoy!!

Labels : Flatbread, Puris, Maharastrian Cuisine, Maharashtra, Main course, Travelling Menu, Red Chilly Powder, Besan, Rawa, Whole Wheat Flour

Chirote - Festival Sweet / Snack

This is a sweet snack made from flour and dusted with powdered sugar. It is a Diwali special snack of Maharashtra. Its so flaky and mouth melting, that you can't stop at one!

Makes 25 - 30 Chirotes

Ingredients   

2 Cups Heaped All purpose flour 

½ Cup Fine Semolina /Rawa 

½ Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoons Powdered Sugar 
5 Tablespoons Hot Melted Ghee
2/3 Cup Water or as needed
For the Paste / Satta 

4 Tablespoons Ghee - at room temperature
2 Tablespoons Level Rice flour
For the Coating  

1 Cup Powdered Sugar
Ghee + Oil for deep frying
Almonds & Pistachios for garnishing

Method 

For the Dough

To make the dough in a large bowl add all purpose flour, semolina & hot ghee. Mix everything well with a spoon.
Then add water as required to make a soft dough. 

Keep this dough aside for 20 minutes.

In the meanwhile let's make the Paste/Satta

In a small bowl add ghee. Mix the ghee with your palms to make it creamy. - Then add rice flour and again mix well. Make a creamy and smooth thick paste. Keep this paste aside.

Take the dough and divide it into  equal parts. divide the dough in same size balls... you should make balls in multiples of 3. 

Start rolling out thin chapatis from each dough.Cover the rest of the balls while you are rolling the first one. Make the very thin chapati ... as thin as possible ... it should be almost paper thin. 

Slightly flour these and carefully set them aside.

Now take one chapati, apply the paste/satta on it evenly with your hand. Then place the next to chapati on top of it and again apply paste/satta on it evenly. 

Then then third one as shown and with a rolling ping lightly roll it. 

Now apply the paste/satta on it evenly on top.

Roll this 

into a tight roll.

Likewise make the other two rolls and cover them and keep aside for at least 15 minutes. 

Cut equal size pieces about an inch thick. 

See the layers..

Press one piece vertically so that all the 

layers of the roll look like this

Likewise make the other's and cover with a damp cloth and keep aside till all are done.

In the meantime place ghee/oil ( I used half ghee and oil) in a kadai.

 Start frying when the oil it medium hot on medium low flame two chirotes at a time on low flame by pouring oil on it till one side is done then flip and till done or just till it starts getting a light golden. 

Each layer should be nicely separated and crisp.

In a bowl add powdered sugar. 

Dip the chirote in the powdered sugar. Make sure they well coated with the sugar.

Garnish the chirote with almonds and pistachios.

 Serve these to neighbors and friends and you too enjoy the delicious and mouth melting chirotes.

Labels : Chirote, Diwali Faral, Festival Sweets, Maharastrian Cuisine, Flaky, Deep Fried

Ambat Varan

This is a CKP Special Maharashtrian Dal.  Tur Dal / Pigeon Lentils cooked with tamarind and jaggery. It has a delicious sweet and tangy taste, a comfort , soul food and everyone's favorite,  especially my daughter's. She had this at a restaurant and would pester me to prepare it, made it for our Diwali lunch. She enjoyed it with just steamed rice. After having her lunch she exclaimed Ma! over ate my lunch today, it was delicious and real soul food, loved it!

Here is the recipe for this simple and delicious soul filling meal.

Ingredients
1 Cup Tur Dal / Pigeon Lentils
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
A pinch of Asafoetida / Hing
1 Medium Onion -chopped
2 Big Light Green chilies - made into pieces
1 Tablespoon Jaggery
2 Tablespoon Thick Tamarind paste
1 Teaspoon Salt or to taste

To Grind to paste

1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Coconut 

1/3 Cup Fresh Coriander Leaves  

4 Curry Leaves

For Tadka / Tempering
1 Big Curry Spoon Oil
1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
A pinch of Asafoetida / Hing

Method

Wash and soak the dal for at least 30 minutes .

Pressure cook the dal with turmeric powder, pinch  of asafoetida, onion, green chilies and sufficient water till  soft and tender.

In the meanwhile as the dal is getting cooked, lets grind the  coconut paste.

In a blender jar add coconut, coriander and curry leaves, add  2 tablespoons water and grind it to a fine paste. 

Once the dal is cooked transfer the dal to large pan / kadai add coconut paste and  water enough to make a thick consistency, then add  salt, jaggery and tamarind paste. Keep it on high flame stirring till it come to rolling boil, reduce the flame and  let it simmer, stirring at intervals so that the dal does not settle at the base of the pan and get burnt. Let simmer for 7 to 10 minutes on low flame,  keep stirring at intervals.  Taste for salt and the sourness of dal, add more of either if necessary. 

Now let's prepare the Tempering / Tadka

Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds when it crackles take off flame, add the asafoetida and immediately pour this on to the simmering dal. Cover with a lid, switch off the flame and let is stand for 5 to 7 minutes.   Ambat Varan is ready.

Serve hot with rice or chapatti and a teaspoon  of desi ghee on rice... hmmm delicious.

The next day with the remaining dal.  I, had it with stale chapatti broken into pieces, heated the Ambat Varan poured it over the chappati pieces,  added  a teaspoon of desi ghee. Let it soak for a couple of mins and then relished it.. hmmm.. delicious....

Labels : Dal, Vegetarian, Vegetables, Ambat  Varan, CKP Cuisine, Maharashtra,  Maharastrian Cuisine, Healthy, Complete Meal

Tomato Saar - A Soup of Maharastra #Soupswappers

Our Host Ashley Ramaker Lecker for Soup Swappers asked to share a recipe unique to your state, city, or even your neighborhood! Today I, am sharing a recipe from my very own state.. Maharashtra.

Maharashtrian Tomato Saar is a spicy tomato soup made with curry leaves, coconut and chillies. This soup is staple food in every Maharashtrian household, it's light and usually had with Masale Bhaat , This combo is must in Maharastrians wedding menu.

Ingredients

4 Red Ripe & Firm Tomatoes
1/2  Cup Packed Freshly Grated Coconut 
3  Dried Red Chillies  - soaked in warm water
1'' Piece ginger
1 Teaspoon Jaggery
1 Teaspoon Tamarind paste 
Salt to taste
A Spring Curry leaves
1 + 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
2 Tablespoons Desi Ghee
A Pinch Asafoetida (hing)

Method

Cook the tomatoes in a pressure cooker, add 1/2 cup  water. Take 2 whistles and let the cooker cool. After cooking remove the tomatoes and peel the skin.  Then blend it along with the water in which they were blanched.

In a small blender jar add grated coconut,1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, soaked dry red chillies, ginger and make a fine paste. 

In a large pot or skillet add this paste, tomato puree, tamarind paste, salt, jaggery and bring it to boil. Reduce the flame to sim and let it simmer for a few minutes for all the flavors to blend.  
In the meantime let's prepare the tempering /tadka 

Heat ghee in a small pan, adding cumin seeds, curry leaves, when they sizzle take off flame  and then add the asafoetida.

Pour this immediately into the Tomato Saar and cover it . Let is simmer on medium flame for a few  minutes.  

 Serve hot and enjoy with Masale Bhaat.

Labels : Soup, Tomato Saar, Maharashtra, Maharastrian Cuisine, Soup Swappers, Healthy

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