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.