Food in Pictures!!!

Roasted Peanut powder

Ingredients:
Peanuts - as per requirement

How to proceed:
1) Take any quantity of whole peanuts in a utensil. Dry roast on medium high heat, mixing continuously. Roast till the skins become blackish in color.
2) Once roasted nicely skin comes of easily. Allow to cool.
3) Remove the skin by hand.
4) Get rid of the loose skins.
5) Grind coarsely in a grinder. Do not make into fine powder.

Lasun Chutney / Garlic chutney

This chutney tastes great with parathas, indian pancakes (dheerda) or vada pav. Traditionally it was always made in an iron mortar and pestle. It gets a very unique taste when made this way. But now grinding is the way to go!

Ingredients:
Garlic - 1 whole
Desiccated coconut (dry) - 3.5 cups
Chilli powder - 2 tsp.
Cumin Seeds - 2 tsp.
Sugar - 1 tsp.
Salt to taste

Before you start:
1) Peel garlic.
2) Roast coconut on low heat till it changes color. Take care as coconut can get burned pretty quickly.

How to Proceed:
1) Mix all the ingredients together and grind to a powder.
2) Store in an airtight container.

Vada Pav

Vada Pav is a tasty street food eaten in India. Its a perfect evening snack.

Ingredients:

For the Vadas:
Potatoes - 4 large
Fresh Ginger - 1 inch
Fresh Garlic - 10 cloves
Green chillies - 6 nos.
Oil - 3 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tbsp.
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry leaves - 10 nos.
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp.
Salt to taste
Hamburger buns / Indian pav - 1 packet or more
Oil for frying

For the batter:
Besan / Chickpea flour - 1.5 cups
Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp.
Oil - 1 tbsp.
Water - 1 cup
Salt to taste

Before you start:
1) Boil the potatoes. Allow to cool. Peel and mash evenly.
2) Clean ginger, peel garlic, wash chillies and coriander leaves. Grind finely together.
3) Wash and dry curry leaves.
4) For the batter : Mix besan and water nicely. Add turmeric powder, salt and oil. Mix well. Keep ready.

How to proceed:
1) For the Vadas : Take 3 tbsp. oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds.
2) When the mustard begins to splutter, add hing, curry leaves and turmeric powder. Saute for a few seconds.
3) Add the ground ginger, garlic, chillies and coriander. Allow to cook evenly till it gives a nice aroma and turn slightly brown in color.
4) Add the mashed potatoes. Add salt. Mix well. Saute for 2 minutes. Allow to cool.
5) Once cooled, make small balls in the palms of the hand. Flatten them down to make a diskette. Keep aside. Make diskettes of remaining mixture.
6) For frying the vadas : Take lot of oil in a kadai. Heat it up nicely. Check the temperature of the oil, by putting a tiny drop of batter in the oil, if it comes up immediately, the oil is nice and hot. Once the oil gets hot, lower the heat to medium high. Dip each diskette in the batter, coat completely on both sides and slide into the oil gently with a spoon. Be careful not to splash hot oil. Fry 2 or 3 vadas at a time. Using a spoon is very convenient, easy and lot less messy. 7) Once the vadas become a little darker in shade, turn them over once and fry on the other side.
8) Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and place on tissue to get rid of the extra oil.
9) Place on serving plate. Serve fresh.

How to serve :
1) Open the bun. Sprinkle dry garlic chutney. Place one vada inside the bun on the chutney, close it up and serve. The vada can also be eaten as is (without the bun) with ketchup, dry garlic chutney or green chutney.

Policha Ladoo / Leftover Chapati Laddoo

A quick snack to make, loved by all, especially the kids. I remember my mom making it for me and my siblings after coming home from school.

Ingredients:
Leftover chapatis / polya - 4
Sugar - 8 tsp. or Jaggery - 8 tsp.
Pure ghee - 1/2 cup

Before you start:
1) Grind the chapatis coarsely in a blender. Ensure that its not ground to a powder. This can also be done by hand, by breaking the chapati by rolling it between the fingers. This can be done very easily by hand when the chapatis are a day old.
2) Melt pure ghee by heating for few seconds.

How to Proceed:
1) In the ground chapati add the melted ghee and sugar.
2) Mix well and blend together.
3) Make into balls by hand.
4) Serve at room temperature.

Eggplant-Potato Stir Fry

Eggplant and potato go very well together. This vegetable cooks quickly and tastes good. The quantity of jaggery can be adjusted as per taste. Maharashtrian recipes are slightly sweeter in taste. The consistency of the vegetable can be easily adjusted by increasing or decreasing the water added during cooking. If a stir fry version is preferred add less water and if a wetter version is preferred add more water. The peanut powder and sesame powder will take care of the runny water.

Ingredients:
Small Round Green or Purple Eggplants - 6 nos.
Potato - 1 large
Chilli Powder - 1 tbsp.
Maharashtrian Goda Masala or Kala Masala - 1 tbsp.
Peanut powder - 3 tbsp.
Sesame powder - 3 tbsp.
Oil - 3 tbsp.
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Hing/Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.
Jaggery - 1 inch cube
Water - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste

For the garnish:
Coriander leaves, washed and chopped finely.
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp.

Before you start:
1) Take water in a utensil. Add 1 tsp. of salt to it.
2) Snip of the stem of the eggplants and make 1 inch cubes. Put them in the salted water.
3) Peel and cut potatoes into 1 inch cubes. Put in another bowl of water.
4) Dry roast sesame till the color changes to light brown. Cool. Grind and store in an airtight container.
5) Dry roast peanut 1 cup of peanuts till the skin becomes loose and comes off easily. It will take about 10 to 15 minutes on medium heat. Keep mixing them often so that they do not stick to the utensil and get burnt. Allow them to cool. Remove the skin of the peanut by moving it in between the finger tips. Get rid of these loose skins by blowing air over them over the kitchen ink. Grind and make coarse powder. This can be stored in an airtight container for a few days. Use as needed.

For the tempering/Fodani:
1) Take oil in a kadai and heat on high heat.
2) Add mustard seeds.
3) When the mustard seeds begin to crackle, add cumin seeds, a pinch of hing and turmeric powder.

How to Proceed:
1) Add the eggplant to the oil above. Saute for 1 minute.
2) Add the potatoes. Saute for 2 minutes.
3) Add chilli powder, goda masala and salt. Mix well. Cook for 7-8 minutes, mixing often.
4) Add water, jaggery, sesame powder and peanut powder. Cover and simmer till it is evenly cooked. Eggplant gets cooked quickly, so take care that those are not over cooked and mushy.

5) Garnish and serve hot with chapatis.

Methi / Fenugreek with Besan

Ingredients:
Methi / Fenugreek leaves - 2 bunch
Besan / Chickpea flour - 1/2 + cup
Oil - 4 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp.
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp.
Chilli powder - 1 tsp.Salt to taste

For the Garnish:
Coriander leaves, washed and cut finely

Before you Start:
1) Cut off the lower portion of the Methi leaves (atleast 2 inches above the roots), get rid of it. Then clean the Methi by removing the leaves from the stems. Its okay to keep thin, fresh stems but remove all the hard stems and dried or wilted leaves.
2) Wash, dry and chop the Methi leaves.

For the Tempering/Fodani:
1) Take oil in a kadai and heat it on medium-high heat.
2) Add mustard seeds, when these start to splutter, add a pinch of hing and turmeric powder.
3) Sauté for a few seconds.

How to Proceed:
1) Add the methi leaves. Saute for 2 minutes.
2) Add chilli powder and salt. Methi will reduce in quantity while cooking and besan will be added to it, so chilli powder and salt should be added adequately.
3) Add the besan. Reduce the heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Keep mixing often. If you prefer to add more besan, add it now.
4) Check to see that the besan has cooked nicely. Simmer on low heat for few minutes if needed.
5) Garnish and serve hot.

Tooriche Varan / Plain Toovar Dal

'Varan' is the basic recipe for making 'amti'. When the dals are pressure cooked, in marathi we call this 'varan'. After tempering, 'varan' becomes Amti or Dal. This is also a traditional maharashtrian recipe, eaten everyday in most homes even today . This dal is served piping hot over plain rice with a spoonful of ghee and a wedge of lemon. Jaggery can also be added to this plain dal if a sweet taste is prefered or omit it alltogether.

Ingredients:
Toor / Toovar Dal - 1 cup
Hing/Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.
Jaggery (optional )- 1/2 inch cube
Lemon - cut into wedges, 1 wedge per serving
Salt to taste

Before you start:
1) Wash the dal by lightly rubbing between the fingers. Change the water. Put in a steel utensil. Add the turmeric powder and a pinch of hing. Pressure cook the dal. Allow to cool.
2) Once the dal cools a little, remove from pressure cooker and mash with spoon.

How to proceed:
1) Bring the pressure cooked dal to a boil after adding 1 cup of water.
2) Add salt, jaggery (optional). Stir.
3) Serve hot with rice.

How to serve:
1) Serve plain rice.
2) Pour hot toor varan on it.
3) Add 1 spoonful of pure ghee.
4) Squeeze a lemon wedge on the rice for a sour taste (optional). Its worth a try as it tastes yummy!!

Fodanichi Poli / Leftover Fried Chapati

If you have leftover chapatis, you can put them to good use, by making 'fodanichi poli'. Fodanichi poli basically means tempering leftover chapatis to add flavor and spice. It a very simply and easy to make dish.

Ingredients:
Leftover chapatis - 6 nos.
Onion - 1 large
Green chillies - 4 nos.
Peanuts - 1/4 cup
Oil - 3 tbsp.
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Hing/Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.
Plain yogurt - for serving (optional)
Sugar - 1 tbsp.
Salt to taste

For the garnish:
Coriander leaves, washed and chopped finely.

Before you start:
1) Coarsely grind chapatis in a blender till the pieces are about 1 cm in size. This can also be done by hand. Simply press chapatis in between the fingers, roll and break into small pieces.
Continue to work with the fingers, repeating over and over again till the desired size is achieved.
2) Chop the onion finely.
3) Wash and cut chillies into half.

For the tempering/फोडणी:
1) Take oil in a kadai and heat on medium high heat.
2) Add mustard seeds.
3) When the mustard seeds begin to crackle, add a pinch of hing and turmeric powder.
4) Immediately add chillies and saute for 2 or 3 seconds.

How to Proceed:
1) Add onion. Mix well. Cook for 2 minutes.
2) Add peanuts. Mix well. Cook for 3 minutes.
3) Add the chapatis. Lower heat. Cover and cook for 2 or 3 minutes.
4) Garnish and serve with plain yogurt.

Toor-Masoor Amti / Dal

Amti or Dal is an all time favorite in my family. We like to eat amti as soup. This is a traditional maharashtrian recipe. To serve, take plain rice, pour amti over the rice and add 1 tsp. of pure ghee. The flavor when it is eaten hot is amazing. It is also served with 'poli' / chapati.

Ingredients:
Toor/Toovar Dal - 1/2 cup
Masoor / Red Gram Dal - 1/2 cup
Green chillies - 3 nos.
Maharashtrian Goda Masala or Kala Masala - 1 tbsp.
Tomato - 1/2 cupOil - 3 tbsp.
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Hing/Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves - 6 nos.
Amsool / Kokum - 2 nos.
Jaggery - 1 inch cube
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp.
Coriander leaves, - 2 tbsp.
Salt to taste

Before you start:
1) Mix Toor and Masoor dal. Wash the dals by lightly rubbing between the fingers. Change the water. Put in a steel utensil. Add the turmeric powder and a pinch of hing. Pressure cook the dal. Allow to cool.
2) Once the dals cool, remove from pressure cooker and mash with spoon. Add 1 cup water. Keep ready.
3) Wash and cut the tomato and coriander finely.
4) Cut green chillies in half.

For the tempering/Fodani:
1) Take oil in a kadai and heat on high heat.
2) Add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to crackle, add cumin seeds, curry leaves and green chillies.
3) Saute for a few seconds.

How to Proceed:
1) Add the cooked dal. Mix well. Take care since dal splutters when it is added to oil.
2) Add goda masala, salt, amsool (kokum), jaggery and tomato. Stir.
3) Bring to a boil. Add grated coconut and cut coriander leaves.
4) Serve hot.

Palak with Moogh Dal

Ingredients:
Palak / Spinach - 1 packet
Onion - 1 small
Moogh / Moongh lentil - 1/4 cup
Oil - 3 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp.
Chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Salt to taste

For the Garnish:
Coriander leaves, washed and cut finely

Before you Start:
1) Wash, dry and chop palak leaves.
2) Soak moogh dal in water for 15 to 20 minutes.
3) Chop onion finely.

For the Tempering/Fodani:
1) Take oil in a kadai and heat it on medium-high heat.
2) Add mustard seeds, when these start to splutter, add a pinch of hing and turmeric powder.
3) Sauté for a few seconds.

How to Proceed:
1) Add moogh dal. Cook for 2 minutes. Mix well.
2) Then add chopped onion. Fry on medium heat while mixing continously. Fry for 3 minutes. 3) Once the dal and onion are evenly cooked, add the palak. Mix well. Saute for 1 minute. When cooked the dal will appear lighter in color and the onion will turn brown in color.
4) Add chilli powder and salt. Mix well.
5) Garnish and serve hot.

Fried Leftover Rice / Fodanicha Bhaat

The best way to get rid of leftover rice is by making "fodanicha bhaat". This is a very simple recipe but the flavor is amazing. My kid loves this rice so much that I give it to him in his tiffin
regularly. The only change I do for him is that I do not use leftover rice. I cook rice in a rice cooker in the morning and immediate temper it to make it into 'fodanicha bhaat'.

Ingredients:
Leftover rice - 4 cups
Onion - 1 medium
Peanuts - 1/4 cup
Green chillies - 4 nos.
Oil - 3 tbsp.
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp.
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt to taste

For the Garnish:
Coriander leaves, washed and chopped finely

Before you Start:
1) Chop onion finely.
2) Cut green chillies into half.

For the Tempering/Fodani:
1) Take a kadai and heat it on medium-high heat.
2) Add oil and after a few seconds add mustard seeds.
3) Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add a pinch of hing, turmeric powder and green chillies.
4) Sauté for a few seconds.

How to Proceed:
1) Add onion. Saute for 2 minutes.
2) Add the peanuts. Cook till the peanuts and onions get cooked evenly, covering with a lid if needed.
3) Add the leftover rice.
4) Mix well.
5) Add salt. Cook on medium heat without a lid for a few minutes till it is nicely blended. Garnish with coriander and serve hot.

Gavar Subzi / Gavarichi Bhaaji

Ingredients:
Gavar - 1/2 Kg.
Potato cubes - 1 cup
Chili Powder - 1 tsp.
Maharashtrian Goda Masala or Kala Masala - 1 tsp.
Oil - 3 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp.
Roasted Peanut Powder - 1/4 cupJ
aggery - 1 inch piece
Salt to taste

For the Garnish:
Coriander leaves, washed and cut finely
Grated Coconut

Before you Start:
1) Wash, dry and snip off ends of the Gavar with a knife. Then cut Gavar into ½ inch pieces width-wise.
2) Peel the potato and cut into ½ inch cubes. If using pumpkin then wash and cut off the thick skin of the pumpkin with a knife and cut into ½ inch cubes.
3) Dry roast 1 cup of peanuts till the skin becomes loose and comes off easily. It will take about 10 to 15 minutes on medium heat. Keep mixing them often so that they do not stick to the utensil and get burnt. Allow them to cool. Remove the skin of the peanut by moving it in between the finger tips. Get rid of these loose skins by blowing air over them over the kitchen sink. Grind them and make coarse powder. This can be stored in an airtight container for a few days. Use as needed.

For the Tempering/Fodani:
1) Take a kadai and heat it on medium-high heat.
2) Add oil and after a few seconds add mustard seeds.
3) Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add a pinch of hing and turmeric powder.
4) Sauté for a few seconds.

How to Proceed:
1) Add Gavar.
2) Add chili powder, goda masala and salt.
3) Mix well and cook for 5 minutes with a lid. Add ½ cup water. Gavar can be pressure cooked beforehand instead of cooking it this way. Any of the above method of cooking Gavar can be used.
4) Add potatoes and mix well. Add ½ cup water more if you want the subzi to be a little watery.
5) Add roasted peanut powder.
6) Add jaggery.
7) Mix well.
8) Add salt to taste.
9) Simmer on low heat with a lid for a few minutes more till it is evenly done. Keep checking and mixing every few minutes. Garnish and serve hot.

Dry Potato Fry

Ingredients:
Potatoes - 4 large
Onion - 1 medium
Garlic - 5 cloves
Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp.
Oil - 3 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Hing / Asafoetida -a pinch
Turmeric Powder -1/2 tsp.
Salt to taste

For the Garnish:
Coriander leaves, washed and cut finely

Before you Start:
1) Peel the potatoes and chop them into thin slices.
2) Chop the onion finely.
3) Mince the garlic.

For the Tempering/Fodani:
1) Take a kadai and heat it on medium-high heat.
2) Add oil and after a few seconds add mustard seeds.
3) Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add a pinch of hing and turmeric powder.
4) Add garlic and sauté for a few seconds.
5) Then add onion. Mix well. Cook till onion and garlic turn slightly brown in colour.
6) Then add red chili powder.

How to Proceed:
1) Add the chopped Potatoes.
2) Cover with a lid. Lower the heat. Keep checking and mixing often.
3) Cook for about 10 mins or till evenly done.
4) Garnish and serve hot.

Black-eyed Beans Usal (method 1)

Ingredients:
Black-eyed Beans - 1 cup
Dry red chillies - 3 nos.
Grated coconut - 3 tbsp.
Maharashtrian Goda Masala or Kala Masala - 1 tsp.
Oil - 3 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp.

Jaggery - 1/2 inch cube
Salt to taste

For the Garnish:
Coriander leaves, washed and cut finely
Farsan mix or sev and
finely chopped onion

Before you Start:
1) Soak black-eyed beans in water for a few hours. Pressure cook them beforehand. These beans cook easily and can be directly pressure cooked when there is shortage of time.

For the Tempering/Fodani:
1) Take a kadai and heat it on medium-high heat.
2) Add oil and after a few seconds add mustard seeds.
3) Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add 1/4 tsp. cumin seeds, a pinch of hing and turmeric powder.
4) Add red chillies and sauté for a few seconds.

How to Proceed:
1) Add the pressure-cooked beans.
2) Add grated coconut , goda masala and salt. Mix well.
3) Cook for a few minutes.

For serving:
Put beans in a bowl. Sprinkle with farsan or sev and finely chopped onion. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chapati.

Bhendi-Potato Fry

Ingredients:
Ladyfingers / Bhendi -1/2 Kg
Potato -1 medium
Red dry chilies -3 nos.
Kokum/Amsool -2 pieces
Peanuts - 2 tbsp.Oil -2 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds -1/2 tsp.
Hing / Asafoetida -a pinch
Turmeric Powder -1/2 tsp.Salt to taste

For the Garnish:
Coriander leaves, washed and cut finelyGrated Coconut

Before you Start:
1) Wash and dry Ladyfingers beforehand. Dry them completely before chopping; else they become too sticky during cooking. These can be wiped clean with a wet cloth or tissue when there is shortage of time.
2) Wash, peel and cut the potato in 3/4 inch cubes.
3) Snip off the ends of the ladyfingers and cut into thin slices width-wise.

For the Tempering/Fodani:
1) Take a kadai and heat it on medium-high heat.
2) Add oil and after a few seconds add mustard seeds
3) Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add a pinch of hing, turmeric powder and dry red chilies.
4) Add the kokum and sauté for a few seconds.

How to Proceed:
1) Add the cut potatoes and sauté for 2 or 3 minutes.
2) Add the cut ladyfingers and mix well.
3) Add Peanuts.
4) Add salt to taste.
5) Cook on medium heat without a lid for a few minutes till it is evenly done. Keep checking and mixing every few minutes. Garnish and serve hot.

Gajar Halva

This is a very simple Gajar Halva recipe. This recipe does not depend on the availability of the 'khava' or 'mawa'. But it tastes just as great and can be made on short notice.

Ingredients:

Carrots - 15 medium

Sweetened Condensed Milk - 1 can

Pure Ghee - 1/2 cup

Veldoda Pood / Elaichi powder - 1/2 tsp.

Saffron - few strands

Raisins, almonds, cashewnuts - as per liking

Before you Start:

1) Wash, clean and grate carrots.

2) Take cardamom seeds out of the pods by removing the shell and grinding to a powder in a mortar and pestle.

3) Chop almonds and cashewnuts coarsely. Raisins can be used as is.

How to Proceed:

1) Heat pure ghee in a kadai on medium high heat. Add grated carrots. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, checking and mixing often.

2) Once the carrots are half cooked, add the sweetened condensed milk. Mix well.

3) Add the elaichi powder, chopped dry fruits and saffron. Mix well.

4) Cook till the condensed milk thickens up and the carrots blend. Mix well. Allow to cool. Refridgerate.

5) Serve cold.

वांग्याचे काप / Eggplant Cutlets

Ingredients:

Eggplant - 1 full sized

For the mixture:

Besan / Chickpea Flour - 1.5 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.

Chilli powder - 1 tsp.

Ova / Ajwain seeds - 1 tsp.

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

For the garnish:

Coriander leaves, washed and chopped finely.

Grated coconut

Before you start:

1) Wash and dry the eggplant. Cut width-wise into 1/4 inch circular slices.

2) Mix the besan, turmeric powder, chilli powder, ajwain and salt in a flat bowl. Remember this is a powdered mixture and not a paste. Hence no water or oil is used to mix it.

How to Proceed:

1) Dip each slice of the eggplant in the mixture. Coat both sides evenly. Brush off any extra mixture.

2) Heat an oil coated non-stick pan on medium-high heat.

3) Place the eggplant dipped in the mixture on the pan. Put as many slices as possible.

4) Dot the pan with more oil if needed.

5) Keep checking. Once the slices turn brown in color turn them over and fry the other side.

6) Once evenly done on both sides, remove from heat and arrange of serving plate.

7) Garnish with coriander leaves and fresh grated coconut. Serve warm.

Roasted Sesame Powder

Sesame powder is added regularly to maharashtrian recipes to enhance the taste of the food. It can be made ahead of time and can be stored in an airtight container for a month or two.

Ingredients:
Til / White Sesame - as per requirement

How to proceed:
1) Take any quantity of til as required. Dry roast on medium high heat, mixing continuously. 2) Once roasted nicely the til turn light brown in color. Allow to cool.
3) Grind. Do not make into fine powder. The texture should be slightly coarse.
4) Use in any recipe which requires 'tilache koot' or sesame powder.

Maharashtrian Goda Masala/Kala Masala

This recipe for making goda masala is directly taken from a very famous maharashtrian cookbook called "Ruchira". Goda masala is readily available in the market. In the US, it may not be available in all the indian grocery stores, hence sharing this recipe. All or most of the ingredients required to make this masala will surely be available in most indian stores. Any person who loves, cooks or eats maharashtrian food should have this in their pantry.

Ingredients:
Coriander Seeds - 4 cups
Desiccated coconut slices - 1 cup
Til / Sesame seeds - 1/2 cup
Jeera / Cumin seeds - 1/4 cup
Shahajeera - 3 tbsp.
Lavan / Cloves - 2 tbsp.
Dalchini / Cinnamon - 4 or 5 sticks of the size of a finger
Hing / Asafoetida - 2 tbsp.
Bay leaves - 4 to 5 leaves
Dagadphool - 2 to 3
Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp.
Chilli powder - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/4 cup
Oil - 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp. (optional)
Methi / Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tbsp. (optional)

How to proceed:
1) Roast til / sesame seeds.
2) Take oil in a kadai. Roast hing / asafoetida in that oil.
3) In the same oil, roast dessicated coconut till it becomes brownish in color. Remove from oil.
4) Then roast each of the following in the same oil in the following order : cloves, cinnamon, cumin seeds, shahajeera, bay leaves, dagadphool, methi seeds (optional), mustard seeds (optional), and coriander seeds.
5) Then grind til, coconut and hing separately.
6) Then roast all the other ingredients together. Pass through a sieve.
7) Mix all of the ground ingredients together. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. Mix well.
8) Store in an airtight container. If it needs to be stored for a long time, sprinkle salt over the masala after it is put in the airtight container.

Black-eyed Beans Usal (method 2)

Ingredients:
Black-eyed Beans - 1.5 cup
Onion - 1 small
Tomato - 1 small
Garlic - 3 pieces
Dry red chillies - 3 pieces
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/4 tsp.
Cumin Powder - 1/4 tsp.Oil - 3 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp.
Salt to taste

For the Garnish:
Coriander leaves, washed and cut finely
Farsan mix or sev and
finely chopped onion

Before you Start:
1) Soak black-eyed beans in water for a few hours.
2) Chop the onion and tomato into 1 inch size pieces. Pressure cook beans, onions, tomato and garlic. These beans cook easily and can be directly pressure cooked when there is shortage of time.

For the Tempering/Fodani:
1) Take a kadai and heat it on medium-high heat.
2) Add oil and after a few seconds add mustard seeds.
3) Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add a pinch of hing and turmeric powder.
4) Add red chillies and fry for a few seconds.

How to Proceed:
1) Add the pressure-cooked beans.
2) Add garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt. Mix well.
3) Cook for a few minutes.

For serving:
Put beans in a bowl. Sprinkle with farsan or sev and finely chopped onion. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with parathas.

Green Peppers with Besan

Ingredients:
Green Peppers - 2 whole
Besan / Chickpea flour - 1/2 + cup
Oil - 4 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp.
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp.
Chilli powder - 1 tsp.Salt to taste

For the Garnish:
Coriander leaves, washed and cut finely

Before you Start:
1) Wash, dry, deseed and chop the green peppers into 1/2 inch pieces.

For the Tempering/Fodani:
1) Take oil in a kadai and heat it on medium-high heat.
2) Add mustard seeds, when these start to splutter, add a pinch of hing and turmeric powder.
3) Sauté for a few seconds.

How to Proceed:
1) Add the chopped green peppers. Saute for 2 minutes.
2) Add the chilli powder and salt. Even though the vegetable will reduce in quantity once the water content is lost while cooking, we need to add the chilli powder and salt adequately since we will be adding besan to it.
3) Add the besan. Reduce the heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Keep mixing often. If you prefer to add more besan, add it now.
4) Check to see that the besan has cooked nicely. Simmer on low heat for few minutes if needed.
5) Garnish and serve hot.

Spring Onions with Besan

This vegetable tastes good when adequately flavored. It is quick to make. This is a dry subzi and cannot be made watery by adding water.

Ingredients:
Spring Onions with the greens - 2 bunches
Besan / Chickpea flour - 1/2 cup
Oil - 4 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp.
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp.
Chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Salt to taste

For the Garnish:
Coriander leaves, washed and cut finely

Before you Start:
1) Wash, dry and chop spring onion greens and onions width-wise into thin rings. The lower portion has layers, so care should be taken while washing. If needed chop first and then wash so that all the dirt is washed away.

For the Tempering/Fodani:
1) Take oil in a kadai and heat it on medium-high heat.
2) Add mustard seeds, when these start to splutter, add a pinch of hing and
turmeric powder.
3) Sauté for a few seconds.

How to Proceed:
1) Add spring onion and the greens. Saute for 2 minutes.
2) Add the chilli powder and salt. Even though the vegetable will reduce in quantity once the water content is lost while cooking, we need to add the chilli powder and salt adequately since we will be adding besan to it.
3) Add the besan. Reduce the heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Keep mixing often. If you prefer to have more besan, add it now.
4) Check to see that the besan has cooked nicely. Simmer on low heat for few
minutes if needed.
5) Garnish and serve hot.

Carrots-Peas-Corn Fry

My son loves vegetables and he loves this recipe. He enjoys eating this subzi as a snack without a paratha or as a sandwich filling! This can be used as a filling in a sandwich; just add shredded cheese and put in a sandwich maker! It is a very healthy option for a kids Tiffin.

Ingredients:
Carrots - 1/2 cupPeas - 1/2 cup
Corn kernels - 1/2 cup
Heavy Cream - 3 tbsp.
Dry red chillies - 3 pieces
Tawa Fry Masala - 1/2 tsp.
Chat Masala - 1/4 tsp.
Oil -3 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds -1/2 tsp.
Turmeric Powder -1/4 tsp.
Salt to taste

For the Garnish:
Coriander leaves, washed and cut finely

Before you Start:
1) Wash, clean carrots. Chop into 1/4 inch cubes.
2) Thaw green peas if using frozen. Else shell fresh peas.
3) Cut off corn kernels from the cobs or thaw frozen corn.

For the Tempering/Fodani:
1) Take a kadai and heat it on medium-high heat.
2) Add oil and after a few seconds add mustard seeds.
3) Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add turmeric powder and red chillies.

How to Proceed:
1) Add the carrots, corn and peas.
2) Add tawa fry masala, chat masala and salt
3) Mix well.
4) Cook for about 5 to7 minutes on high heat stirring continuously.
5) Stir in Heavy cream.
6) Simmer on low heat till vegetables are cooked evenly.
7) Serve with parathas or use as filling in a sandwich.

Cauliflower-Potato-Peas Fry

Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 1 whole
Potato - 1 large
Green peas (frozen or fresh) - 1/2 cup
Green Chillies - 4 pieces
Oil - 3 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp.
Sugar - 1/2 tsp.
Salt to taste

For the Garnish:
Coriander leaves, washed and cut finely
Grated Coconut

Before you Start:
1) Wash, dry and cut Cauliflower into 1 inch florets.
2) Thaw green peas if using frozen peas. Else shell fresh peas.
3) Peel the potato and cut into ½ inch cubes.
4) Cut green chillies into 2.

For the Tempering/Fodani:
1) Take a kadai and heat it on medium-high heat.
2) Add oil and after a few seconds add mustard seeds.
3) Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add a pinch of hing, turmeric powder and green chillies.
4) Sauté for a few seconds.

How to Proceed:
1) Add the green peas and cook for 2 minutes.
2) Add the potatoes and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes by covering with a lid.
3) Add cauliflower florets.
4) Mix well.
5) Add salt to taste. Add sugar.
6) Cook on medium heat without a lid for a few minutes till it is evenly done. Keep checking and mixing every few minutes. Garnish and serve hot.

Onion-Tomato Koshimbir (Raita)

In Marathi raita is a called 'Koshimbir'. It very healthy, as it contains vegetables and no
oils. It tastes good and very easy to make. Traditional some of type of koshimbir is
always included in the meal in a maharashtrian home. Make a variation by adding plain non-fat yogurt to the vegetables.

Ingredients:
Red Onion - 1 medium
Tomato - 1 large
Roasted Peanut powder - 2 tbsp.
Green Chillies - 2 nos.
Plain yogurt - 1/2 cup. (optional)
Sugar - 1/2 tsp.Salt to taste
Coriander leaves

Before you Start:
1) Chop onion and tomato finely.
2) Chop chillies into half.
3) Wash and cut coriander leaves.
4) Dry roast 1 cup of peanuts till the skin becomes loose and comes off easily. It will take about 10 to 15 minutes on medium heat. Keep mixing them often so that they do not stick to the utensil and get burnt. Allow them to cool. Remove the skin of the peanut by moving it in between the finger tips. Get rid of these loose skins by blowing air over them over the kitchen ink. Grind them and make coarse powder. This can be stored in an airtight container for a few days. Use as needed.

How to Proceed:
1) Mix onion and tomato together.
2) Add chillies, salt, sugar, coriander leaves and roasted peanut powder.
3) Add plain non-fat yogurt (optional).
4) Serve cold.

Sheera / Sooji Halva

Sheera can be made as a evening time snack or as an accompaniment to your menu. A version of this sheera with banana is made as a traditional 'prashad' for satyanarayan pooja. This
can also be given to kids in their tiffin. Since sheera is made in pure ghee, you can expect it to have lot of calories.

Ingredients:
Coarse Rava (Sooji/Semolina) - 2 cups
Ghee - 1/2 cup
Whole Fat milk - 2 cups
Water - 2 cups
Veldoda (Cardamom/elaichi) powder - 1/2 tsp.
Almonds, Cashewnuts, Raisins - as per liking
Saffron - a few strands

Before you Start:
1) Roast rava/Semolina in ghee on medium heat. Take care that it does not stick to the bottom of the utensil as it can get burnt quickly. Keep mixing with spoon often to get it evenly roasted. 2) Mix milk and water together in a saucepan. Keep it for boiling, while the rava is roasting in another utensil.
3) Chop almonds and cashewnuts into small pieces. Raisins can be used as is.
4) Take green cardamoms. Remove the shell and get the seeds out. Using a mortar and pestle, make into powder. This can be stored and used as needed. But its flavor is best
when it is freshly powdered.

How to Proceed:
1) Once the rava is roasted, add sugar. Continue to cook for a 2 or 3 minutes.
2) Add chopped almonds, cashewnuts, raisins and saffron.
3) Mix well.
4) Turn up the heat and add the milk-water mixture. Take care as this mixture can splutter a lot.
5) Cover it immediately.
6) Let it cook for 2 or 3 minutes and then mix it up. Lower the heat to medium-low.
7) Allow it to simmer for another few minutes.
8) Serve hot.

For serving:
1) Take sheera in a small bowl. Press it down with a spoon and add more to the bowl till it gets full.
2) Put the bowl with the sheera upside down on a serving plate.
3) Lightly bang on to the bowl so that the sheera falls onto the serving plate and keeps the shape of the bowl.
4) Serve warm as is or with indian pickle.