Recipe:  Masala Tea / Ginger Tea / Masala Chai
Cooking time: 7 to 9 mins

Level:  Easy

Video: 

About the Recipe: Simplest way of making ginger tea. It's very refreshing especially when it's raining outside...

Ingredients:

Water	½ Cup
Milk	½ Cups
Sugar	1 tea spoon
Tea powder	1 tea spoon
Ginger grated	1 tea spoon full

Directions:

•  Add 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of water into a container.
• Add 1 tea spoon of sugar and 1 tea spoon of  tea powder in the mixture
• Place the container on the stove and give a stir
• Once it's comes to a boil, add the grated ginger to the mixture
• Let it boil for more 60 mins and turn the head off
• Let it rest for 5 to 7 sec and the strain it.
• Masala Ginger Tea is ready
• Enjoy it hot

Recipe:  Matar Paratha / Green Peas Paratha
Cooking time: 30 mins

Level:  Easy

Video: 

About the Recipe: Green Peas Paratha or Matar Paratha is a very simple to make dish. When we are too hungry and out of options, go for it. All ingredients are usually available and we can make this. Can have as snack, or lunch or as you wish.

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour	2 ½ Cup
Green Peas	1 ½ Cups
Coriander powde	1 ½tea spoon
Cumin Powder (Jira )	1 ½tea spoon
Green Chilies	2
Ginger	½ Inche
Salt	2 ½ tea spoon
Garlic Petals (paste)	2 petals paste
Oil
Water

Directions:

•  Make a past of          1 to 2 chilli
  
    3 to 4 garlic petals
    1/2 inc of ginger 
    1 1/2 tbsp cumin powder
            1 1/2 tbsp coriander powder
• Make a coarsely grained paste of Green peas and Salt
• Add the ginger garlic past to green peas.
• Knit a dough 
• Make small round balls and spread it like a bowl
• Add the filling to the dove bowl and enclose it 
• Roll it till it forms a paratha
• Place it over a hot pan 
• Apply oil to both sides 
• Heat it till it becomes golden brown from both sides. 
• Serve got with tomato sauce

Home made mouth freshener Tambul

 Home made mouth freshener ( Tambul )...

Text coming soon.

 

Recipe:  Ghavan / Pasarat / Pesarattu

Cooking time:  30 mins

Level:  Easy

Video:

About the Recipe: This dish is popular as Ghavan, Pasarat or Dhirdha in Maharashtra. In South India it is well know as Pesarattu. This is a very healthy snack and can be enjoyed in the evening.

Nutrient Benefit:  It’s a low calorie dish and rich in protein and fiber. Green Split Gram is considered as a very healthy as it is easy to digest. 

Ingredients:

Split Green Gram	2cups
Garlic Petals	4 to 5
Chilli Powder	1 to 2 tbsp
Cumin Powder	1 tbsp
Salt	As per taste
Sugar	As per taste
Oil	-
Chopped Onion	1

Directions: 

• Soak 2 cups of split green gram in water for more than 4 hours.
• Retain the water well enough such that its just an inch above the soaked green grams. 
• Add 4 to 5 garlic petals in the above mixture. 
• Add 2 tbsp of chilli powder.
• Add 1 tbsp of cumin powder. 
• Salt as per taste (2 and 1/2 ) tbsp.
• Add a pinch of sugar in the mixture. 
• Grind the mixture of Green Gram in a mixer.
• If required you can add water. But be a little careful while adding. 
• More water will make the batter loose its constancy.
• The mixture should be thick enough like dosa batter.
• Once the batter is ready, heat a pan on medium high.
• Add few drops of oil and make dosa from the batter.
• Let it be golden brown from both sides. 
• For garnishing, fry the chopped onions in very little amount of oil.
• Fry them till they become golden brown. 
• Spread almost 1 to 2 tbsp of fried onion on one of the semicircle of dosa and fold.
• Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Variations:

• Instead of Green Gram you can also use Yellow Split Gram (mong dal).

Kadhi

Recipe:  Puneri Kadhi

Cooking time: 30 mins

Level:  Easy

Video: Kadhi

 

About the Recipe:  Kadhi is a very popular dish. It is one of the main dish of a complete Maharashtrian Thali. We can prepare this dish in many different ways. I have made kadhi in one of the ways in Pune Maharashtra.

Ingredients:

Buttermilk	3 Cups
Besan	1 Big Spoon Full
Hing	1 tea spoon
Clove	1
Cinnamon	1 small
Hing	1/2 tea spoon
Meethi Seeds	1/2 tea spoon
Cumin Seeds (Jira )	1/2 tea spoon
Salt	As per taste
Sugar	As per taste
Ghee	2 tea spoon
Curry Leaves
Green Chillies	2 Chopped
Ginger	Small Piece
Garlic	2 to 3 petals chopped

Directions:

• Add the following in a mixing bowl.
• 2 Cups Buttermilk
• 1 spoon full beasn
• Salt as per taste
• Sugar as per taste
• Ginger
• Garlic Chopped

• Heat 2 table spoon of ghee in a container. 
• Add cumin seeds, meethi seeds, hing, curry leaves, chilli, clove and cinnamon.
• Either add this mixture to the buttermilk or add buttermilk mixture in this container. 
• Heat till it thickens and boil.
• Turn off the head and serve hot!

Recipe:  Banana Raita 

Cooking time: 10 mins

Level:  Easy

Video: 

About the Recipe:  This recipe is a perfect blend of sweetness, saltiness and spice. It is very simple and easy to make. It can go well with plain roti as well. It serves good as a raita. 
 

Ingredients:'

Banana	2
Coriander Leaves	For garnishing
Salt	As per taste
Sugar	As per taste
Chopped Green Chilies	1 to 2
Yogurt / Curd	2 to 3 spoons

Directions:

• Add the following in a mixing bowl.

          2 Banana moderately thick chopped
          Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

          Chopped green chilies

          Salt as per taste

          Sugar as per taste

          3 to 4 table spoon Yogurt / Curd

• Mix all the ingredients well.

• Dish is ready. Refrigerated raita tastes good.

Recipe:  Kothimbeer Vadi / Coriander Fry 

Cooking time: 45 mins

Level:  Easy

Video: 

About the Recipe:  Kothimbeer Vadi is a well known dish in Maharashtra. It can be good as a starter or even as evening snack. It can stay well for 24 to 30 hrs. It is a part of a complete Maharashtrian thali generally preferred with curd.
 

Ingredients:'

Roughly Chopped coriander	1 Bowl
Sesame seeds (till)	2 tea spoon
Salt	As per taste
Sugar	As per taste
Turmeric Powder	1 tea spoon
Red Chilli Powder	1 1/2 tea spoon
Khas khas (poppy seed)	1 tea spoon
Besan	3 to 4 table spoon
Oil
Water

Directions:

• Add the following in a mixing bowl.

          1 bowl chopped coriander leaves

          2 tea spoon sesame seeds

          1 tea spoon khas khas

          1 tea spoon turmeric powder

          1 ½ tea spoon red chilli powder

          salt as per taste

          sugar as per taste

          3 to 4 table spoon besan

          add little water  (to knead it into a dough).

• Mix all the ingredients to make a dough (sticky).

• Take a container with edges. Apply oil to the container. Add this mixture dough to this pan. Spread it to have constant thickness.

• Pressure cook the container for 5 to 10 mins. One whistle of the pressure cooker will be enough for it to cook. 

• Cut the pressure cooked dough,which will be somewhat tough, in little squares.
• Heat oil in pan. When the oil is hot fry the squares till it becomes brown. Serve the kothimbeer vadi hot along with curd or tomato sauce. 

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.

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.