Rangoli...best means of passtime and decoration...

Gudhi Padwa 2014

Diwali 2013

Vijayadashmi 

Bhopal Gharge / Pumpkin Cookies

 

Recipe:  Bhopal Gharge / Pumpkin Cookies

Cooking time:  50 mins

Level:  Easy

Video: 

About the Recipe: Bhopal Gharge is a very well-known dish in Maharashtra. Its sweet but still can be enjoyed as a snack. It is simple to cook and is liked by everyone.  

Nutrient Benefit:  It’s a low calorie dish and can be enjoyed as a dessert with no sugar. Jaggery is healthier than sugar.   

Ingredients:

Pumpkin (Shredded)	1 big bowl
Wheat flour	3 to 4 Cups
Jaggery	½ Cup
Ghee (Butter)	2 tbsp.
Oil (EVOO)	For frying

Directions:

• In a deep pan take 2 tbsp. of Ghee or butter.
• Once the Ghee is heated put the shredded pumpkin in the pan. And keep on mixing till it becomes tender.
• Once pumpkin is tender add ½ cup jaggery in the pan. Mix it till the jaggery melts and gels with pumpkin.
• Take the mixture off the heat, and allow it to cool. (Approx. 10 min)
• Once cooled, add the flour to the mixture to form dough. (Start by adding little amount of flour and keep adding the flour until the mixture turns into soft dough like we make for preparing Rotis)
•  Make small round shape balls of the dough and roll it into shape of a cookie.
• Heat some oil and fry the cookies till it turns light brown.
• You can enjoy it either hot or cooled to room temperature.       

Variations:

• Those who want to avoid deep frying can try baking the rolled cookies in oven. Apply Ghee or butter on both sides of the cookie and heat at approx. 350 °F for about 20 min. In between turn it over once around 10 min since the start.

Palak Paratha / Spinach Paratha

Recipe:  Palak Paratha / Spinach Paratha
Cooking time: 45 mins

Level:  Easy

Video: 

About the Recipe:  Palak Paratha is a well known dish. Palak paratha can be made in several different ways. The way I am preparing is a simple and easy Maharashtrian style. It can be used as snack or even as a lunch item. It can stay well for 24 to 30 hrs so I always prefer to prepare some for the road trips or journey.     

Nutrient Benefit:  Wheat Flour used in this preparation is more nutritious than all-purpose flour mostly used in other preparations. Palak /Spinach is rich in fiber. Entire dish contains little amount of Oil. Prefer Extra Virgin Olive Oil [EVOO] than canola oil or vegetable oil. The Ajwain seeds (carcom seeds) are well known as a digestive aid, a relief for abdominal discomfort due to indigestion and an antiseptic.

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour	2 ½ Cup
Finely chopped Spinach	1 Cups
Dhane (coriander seeds) powder (optional)	1 tea spoon
Ajwain seeds (carcom seeds / bishop’s weed) (Ova in Marathi)	1 tea spoon
Sesame Seeds (Til)	1 tea spoon
Turmeric Powder	1 ½ tea spoon
Red Chilli Powder	2 tea spoon
Cumin Seeds (Jira )	1 tea spoon
Salt	2 ½ tea spoon
Garlic Petals (paste)	2 petals paste
Oil
Water

Directions:

• Add the following in a mixing bowl.

          1 cup spinach

          1 tsp Dhane (coriander) powder

          1 tsp Ajwain (ova) seeds

          1 tsp sesame seeds

          1 ½ tsp turmeric powder

          2 tsp chili powder

          1 tsp  jira cumin seeds

          2 ½ tsp salt

          Garlic paste

          2 to 2 ½ tsp Oil

          2 ½ cup wheat flour

          ½ cup of water  (to knead it into a dough). Add more if required.

• Mix all the ingredients to make a dough. Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 mins. You can also prepare the dough in a food processor.

• Make small round shape balls from the dough and roll them flat like a roti.

• Heat a pan on medium flame. Put the paratha on the pan. Apply oil on both sides and let it cook till little brown spots appear on both sides. Then take it off the pan and the Paratha is ready to be served.

• Serve it hot; either with pickle or tomato ketchup or with fresh homemade butter (loni) (traditional style)!

Variations: You can even try adding Dahi ( yogurt) to the mixture while making dough.

Sketching is fun...

Pencil 4B and 6B

Pencil 4B and 6B

Pencil 4B and 6B

Both sketches are inspired from paintings of an artist on orkut who have sketched similar paintings with gel pen.

Recipe - Varan Phal / Dal Dhokhali (Diamond shape wheat cuttings with Tuvar Dal)

Recipe:  Diamond shape wheat cuttings with Tuvar Dal (Varan Phal / Dal Dhokhali)

Cooking time: 30 mins

Level:  Easy

Video: Varan Phal Recipe (Dal Dhokhali)

About the Recipe:  This dish is very popular in regions of Maharashtra. It is commonly known as ‘Varan Phal’. It is also known as ‘Dal Dhokhali’ in Guajarati cuisine. This is a very simple and easy to cook dish. It is a good option for weekend cooking. It can be used as evening snack or a light dinner option. Believe me it is a best option when you are running short of time and can’t prepare entire meal. This single dish will incorporate all the nutrients of a full cooked meal. I remember my Granny preparing this dish for my Grandpa and we all kids used to jump in…easily she used to make the servings from 2 to 5. I love this dish.     

Nutrient Benefit:  Wheat Flour is more nutritious than all purpose flour. Toor Daal (Tuvar Dal) is rich in Proteins. Entire dish contains little amount of Oil. Prefer Extra Virgin Olive Oil [EVOO] than canola oil or vegetable oil.  This is a common myth that EVOO is not for Indian Cooking style due to excessive heating. But EVOO can still be used as Oil for frying.

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour	1 ½ Cup
Finely chopped Onions	1 Cup
Chopped Coriander /Cilantro leaves	For garnishing
Toor Daal / Tuvar Daal (Pressure cooked)	1 Cup (raw Daal)
Garlic Petals	1 to 2
Red Chilli Powder	2 to 3 tbsp
Turmeric Powder	2 to 3 tbsp
Garam Masala (kala masala)	½ tbsp
Salt	According to taste
Sugar	Pinch or two
Mustard seeds	1 tbsp
Oil	1 to 2 tbsp
Optional
Asafoetida, jaggery in cooked dal, Lemon for Garnishing

Directions:

• Pressure cook toor daal with a pinch of turmeric powder, asafoetida and water.
• Take 1 ½ cup of wheat flour. Add 1 tbsp of red chilli powder. ½ tbsp of turmeric powder, pinch of sugar and salt according to taste to the wheat flour.
• Add water to the wheat flour to make soft dough. (Note: if the dough turns out to be sticky, add a little oil and mix it again.)
• Roll the dough to make it flat circular like a Roti but thicker. (thickness of about 2 Roti’s)
• Cut it into Diamond shapes and keep it aside.
• Heat a pan. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil (EVOO) into the pan.
• Add mustard seeds when the oil is hot.
• Add chopped garlic / garlic paste into the oil.
• Add chopped onions.
• Fry till the onions turn golden brown.
• Add 1 tbsp of chilli powder, 1 tbsp of turmeric powder, 1 tbsp of garam masala.
• Add the pressure cooked toor daal to the pan. (sizzle is expected). Add little water to thin the mixture. (If needed).
• After a quick stir add the diamond shaped wheat cuttings in the daal one after one.
• Let the mixture boil for 10 mins. Stir 2 to 3 times in between.
• Garnish it with raw chopped onion, chopped coriander and lemon juice (optional).
• Serve Hot! 

                               

Variations:

• We can prepare the dish with lentil soup as well. (Instead of Toor Daal.)
• Can add some chopped spinach in the toor daal mixture while pressure cooking.
• While serving add some butter or ghee on top of it. It enriches the taste of the dish. 
 

A Happy Moment!

A Happy moment…

I was on my way to the grocery store on my bicycle. I usually see teenagers or some mom with the kids in strollers or some men returning from work to home. But today I got to see two faces from my country. Faces which are similar to mine. The skin tone, the features all were same. I see similar faces from my land daily but the surprising thing about these old faces were that they were wearing my land’s traditional dresses. The old man was wearing a ‘Dhoti’. Attire which I used to see my grandpa wearing all the time as I was growing up since being a kid till the time I was with him. That moment made me remind all the beautiful time I had with my entire family…my mother, my father, my grandparents and my sister. As I passed him on the road he looked at me and gave me a beautiful smile as if I was related to him. I really can’t find words to express how I felt seeing my lands culture in this foreign country. I was so proud of my own country, its culture. I loved it. I felt so close to my country. Few feet ahead his better half was leading the way, stopping often to look back and just check her husband is keeping the pace. I wanted to stop and talk to them and invite them to my place as I would do to my grandparents. Talk to them about things back home; listen to their past experience which is thrilling at times. But I think I have missed the moment. I am still hopeful to see them again and this time I am not going to lose the chance.