Methi Dhebra Recipe | Gujarati Methi Na Dhebra

Methi na dhebra is a gujarati snack dish.i tasted this during my recent alibag visit.my moms friend bhabhi had got it for me and i coudnt just resist myself.

An iron and fibre-rich snack made with fenugreek leaves and bajra flour, methi na dhebra is so scrumptious that the plate will be empty in no time—so, take my advice and make more than you think is needed! served with curds, this makes an ideal afternoon snack.

 i must admit that the deep-fried version tastes even better, so forget the health-watch slogans once in a while and indulge!

It is a delicious and healthy Gujarati dish suitable for diabetic patients generally prepared during cold winter season for evening snack or dinner and served with curd.

Ingredients :

 Bajra flour- (2 cup)
wheat flour - ( 1/4 cup)
 Suji(semolina) - 100 grams ( 3/4 cup)
 Cornflour - 50 grams (1/3 cup)
 Green Methi  leaves - 2 cup
1 tbsp besan (gram flour)
 Til(sesame seeds) - 1 tbsp
 Jeera(cumin) - 1/2 tsp
 Sour curd - 200 grams (1 cup)
 Gur(jaggery)/sugar - 1 tsp
 Salt - add to taste (1 tsp)
 Green chilli - 4
 garlic - 2 cloves
 Ginger- 1 inch long piece
 Red chilli powder - less than 1/4 tsp
 Turmeric powder - less than 1/4 tsp
 Oil - to fry Dhebra

Method: 

1.make  a paste of chilli,garlic & ginger .Filter Bajra flour, wheat flour, Suji , cornflour and keep it aside in a utensil.

2.Wash Methi leaves and chop them finely after removing water.. Mix Gur in curd and blend well.
 

3.Make a hole  in the middle of the flour, put Gur mixed with curd, 1 tbsp oil and all the spices. Mix all the ingredients properly and with the help of water knead a dough similar to that of a puri. Cover the dough and leave it aside for half an hour.


4 After half  hour press the dough well and make a good dough. Now  make lemon sized pieces from the dough and keep aside.
 

5.heat oil in a pan and heat. Take one piece of dough, using oil or dry flour roll into a little thick puri , 3 inches in diameter. Now put the puri in hot oil , pres it with a ladle to make Dhebra puffy.

6Fry till both sides turn brown. Place the fried Dhebra on a plate covered with a paper napkin. Repeat with the other Dhebra. You can fry 2-3 Dhebra at a time in the pan.

7. Serve Dhebra with pickle or Chutney



Tips:

For cooking dhebra on tava Place the rolled Dhebra on the heated Tawa and cook it by applying oil till both sides turn brown. Now place Dhebra on a plate and keep it in a casserole after it cools off.

Cauliflower rice |flower bhat marathi style|gobhi pulao recipe

FLOWER BHAT - Another classical maharashtrian dish .Very tasty one pot meal .Good option for those who dont like  Cauliflower

Cauliflower means flower in marathi or gobhi in hindi & bhat means rice.




I am very fond of one-pot meals,as is evident from the recipes of  rice dishes I've posted .
Flower Bhaat is a delicious one pot meal, a wonderful combination of eggplant and rice combined with lovely aromatic spices. This is a typical Maharashtrian cuisine  .

 

Flower Bhaat is a rice preparation,in which cauli flower florets are sauteed with  the spices along with the ground masala powder and mixed with the rice.The freshly ground masala powder is the key ingredient for this rice which gives the excellent flavor and taste .
You can call this as a cousin of masale bhat .Usually prepared during festivals like ganpati  or gudhi padva but you can enjoy it any time.

cauliflower is loaded with nutrients. Its low in fat, high in fibre contents. It has anti-oxidant & anti-inflammatory properties. It strengthens the immune system and protects against cardiovascular diseases. Also it’s a very good source of vitamin C and manganese & has cancer fighting properties

Today I am going to post Cauliflower maharashtrian recipe .The recipe for south style is same as marathi except the ingredients used for grinding masala.
 You can add brinjals,chopped potato & some peas to add more colour to this dish.

CHECK OUT FEW MARATHI RICE DISHES VARIETY BELOW

1 lagni bhaat/ masale bhat

2. marathi vangi bhat

3.marathi matar bhat

4 marathi kolambi bhat

5.marathi tondali bhat

6. marathi kobi bhat

7 marathi narali bhat

8 goda varan bhat

9. phodnicha bhat


Ingredients:

250 gms cauliflower/flower/gobhi
1 1/2 cup Basmati rice
10-12 cashewnuts
1 tsp sugar
salt as needed
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp jeere (cumin seeds)
1 tsp rai ( mustard seeds)
1 tsp hing
4-5 pepper( kali miri)
2 tamalpatra (bayleaf)
10-15 curry leaves
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp haldi (turmeric)
1 tsp goda masala
2 green chillies slit
10-12 groundnuts (soaked in water)(optional)
3.5 cup water

GARNISH
1/4 cup fresh grated coconut
1/4 cup fried cashewnut - kaju
1/4 cup kothimbir
2 tbsp ghee

Whole garam masala to grind
1 tsp dhane (coriander seeds )
1 tsp jeere (cumin seeds)
1 tsp shahjeera
1 inch dalchini (cinamom)
2-3 lavang ( cloves)
2 badi elaichi(black cardamom)
1-2 tsp dry coconut grated

 

Method :
 
1. Dry roast Whole garam masala ingredients above & grind to powder.Soak  rice for 30 minutes in water & keep aside.Fry cashews till golden brown.
 

2. keep water for boiling.add 1 tsp of turmeric & salt.now add cauli flower florets  in boiling  water & switch off gas after 1minute. keep aside till we make flower bhat.this is done to remove worms if any
 
3.Heat oil in a kadhai /pan ,once hot add  jeere,rai,hing,tamalpatra ,pepper,ground nuts,curry leaves,green chillies & saute for a minute .
 

4. Next add cauli flower florets & saute for minute . You can add brinjals,chopped potato & some peas at this stage .Add haldi,red chilli powder,grind masala ( in step 1),sugar & drained rice & saute for 2 minutes.


5.Now add boiling water & salt & allow the rice to boil.Once water is reduced & rice is 80 percent done keep a lid on the kadhai & allow it to cook on slow flame till done.Keep checking or else the rice might get burnt.
 


6.Now switch off gas  & garnish  rice with fresh grated coconut ,kothimbir & fried cashewnuts (kaju).
 
7. Add a spoonful of ghee on the hot flower  bhaat  just before serving
 


Variation:1. Add 2 1/2 tsp goda masala /kala masala if you are in hurry & dont have time to grind masala.

2.Add tondli, cauliflower , green peas to above recipe  to make  masale bhaat

Egg curry marathi style |anda masala rassa| Andya che kalwan alibag special

This is a simple egg curry maharashtrian style which is my moms method of making egg curry. kalwan means curry & anda means egg in marathi




 base  of this  is  kanda khobra vatan ie onion coconut paste .normally this  vatan is made in bulk quantities in maharashtrian homes & stored in freezer so that you can use it in jiffy
pls click here for recipe of   kanda khobra vatan.

This recipe does not uses whole garam masala while making onion coconut paste ,instead uses home made garam masala powder ,the spicyness comes from malvani masala or skp style lal tikhat & tanginess from tamarind juice

If you wish you can dry roast whole spices like 1 inch cinamom stick,1 tsp coriander seeds,3 cloves,5 pepper ,1 tsp sesame seeds & 1 tsp poppy seeds & grind it along with roasted onion & roasted coconut

You might even like to check spicy kolhapuri style tambda rassa recipe here

Ingredients

Eggs -2 (Hard Boiled & shelled) +1 egg
skp masala /malvani masala - 2 tbsp
garam masala - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
onion chopped finely -1
smashed garlic - 1tbsp
sugar - 1 tsp
hing - 1 tsp
water - 2 cups
 tamarind pulp - 1tbsp
Oil - 3 tbsp
Salt to taste

dry roast and grind
Onion (big) - 1 (sliced)
Dry grated coconut - 4 tbsp

garnish
coriander leaves




Method:

1.Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add sliced onion and saute till nice brown color. Let it cool down a little bit.Now, dry roast coconut till slight brown color cool & grind it to fine paste with little water to prepare  kanda khobra vatn

2. heat remaining oil, lower flame add hing , smashed garlic,1 tsp sugar ,turmeric,1 tbsp skp masala /malvani masala .next add chopped onion & saute till it turns pink ,now add ginger garlic paste & fry till raw smell disappears.
3.now add  kanda khobra vatan, remaining  skp masala /malvani masala ,salt & saute till oil separates.now add water,salt, tamarind pulp & break single egg in curry & cover with lid & let egg cook for 5 minutes till you get a boil
4.after 5 minutes remove lid and let the curry boil for another 5 minutes  till it reaches the consistency you need .switch off gas .now add 2 boiled sliced eggs
5.garnish with coriander leaves & serve with chapati/phulka /basmati rice


 

Rice Kheer|marathi Tandalachi kheer |Pal Payasam |Indian Rice Pudding

 A rich creamy kheer with simple ingredients  .tadul means rice and kheer is pudding .
This is the most fantastic and easy kheer anyone can make. It is just delicious and requires very few ingredients

It is also known as "Pal Payasam" in the South of India - "Pal" denotes milk and "Payasam" is for Pudding

 

The slow cooking of the milk along with rice creates that delicious thick rich flavour.
you can make this kheer with raw rice or even leftover cooked rice .

If  short of time then  pressure cook rice with milk for 2-3 whistles (takes about 10 minutes in small pressure cooker). Now pour this in another saucepan, add condensed milk, sugar and nuts.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Basmati Rice
10 tbsp Sugar  ( adjust more or less as per taste)
A few strands of Saffron
6 cup Milk
1 tsp Ghee
1.5 cup Water
1 tsp Raisins
1 tsp Cardamom Powder
1/4 cup Cashew Nut+1/4 cup almonds (thinly sliced)

Method:
1.Soak rice in water for 30 minutes. Melt ghee in pan,Add the chopped nuts along with raisins. Set aside when  nuts turn reddish brown.

2.in same ghee add rice and fry until it is clear.Add boiled water to rice and allow to rice to cook completely
3.Now add the milk. Increase the heat to med-high and let it come to a boil .

4 keep on stirring so that the milk does not stick to the bottom.  Also take care not to let the milk burn. Add sugar and give it a stir.
5.Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the milk has reduced in half. Keep stirring often.allow kheer to simmer on low heat for 5-7 minutes
6.Finally add - saffron, cardamom powder and half of the roasted nuts.mix well & switch off gas.
7.  serve warm or cold garnished with roasted dryfruits and pinch of saffron

Tips:
1 .If kheer thickens than Add warm milk to it.
2 you can grind half of dryfruits in powder & add that powder to kheer in step 4 .
3.If using left over rice .......The rice should be over cooked to get a more creamy texture for the kheer.


 

 


 

Paneer Aloo kofta recipe |mughlai panir Kofta | paneer kabab

Todays recipe is Paneer aloo kofta  or mughlai panir kofta recipe .These koftas can be served as a snack with tomato sauce or can be used to make malai kofta in white gravy .

Cashew nuts and raisins stuffed soft malai kofta and that to with cashew nuts, curd and cream gravy sound too delicious.

paneer means cottage cheese and aloo means potato. these paneer aloo koftas taste delicious and are healthy too

Mughlai Paneer Kofta  uses all the traditional and most loved ingredients used in Mughlai cuisin namely  paneer (Indian cottage cheese), dry nuts and fruits,  and selection of spices

 

Ingredients
Paneer - ½ cup  grated
Mawa/milkpowder - ½ cup 
Corn flour - 2 tbsp  or bread crumbs - 1 cup
Cashew nuts - 8-10
Raisins(golden manuka) - 1 tbsp
Green cardamom powder - 1 tsp
potato medium boiled & grated - 2
Salt/black salt - ½ tsp
Black pepper(kali miri powder) or red chilli powder - 3/4 tsp
hyderabadi  garam masala powder -¼ or ½ tsp
chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
chaat masala - 3/4 tsp (optional)
Oil - to fry kofta

garnish
2 tbsp grated paneer (indian cottage cheese)
1 tbsp coriander leaves (kothmir)



Method:

Kofta
1.In a bowl add boiled grated potato, paneer, Mawa/milkpowder,half amount of corn flour,bread crumbs,coriander leaves and black pepper /red chilli powder ,chat masala,salt ,and mix all ingredients until you get soft dough.



2.Mixture for making kofta balls is ready.

3.For stuffing of the kofta balls mix cashew nut pieces, raisins and cardamom powder. Stuffing for kofta balls is ready.

4.Take lemon size mixture of dough and make round shape. Flatten it with you palms & make a dent(hole) in center with your finger and place 3-4 pieces of cashew nuts and 2 raisins. Seal it from all sides nicely so that they do not splatter while frying.Roll it to a round or flat shape ( i had made them flat as it needs less oil to fry .)



5 next roll the ball in corn flour nicely so that ball gets coated uniformly with cornflour and place on the plate. Like wise prepare all balls.


6.Heat oil in a pan. Make sure the oil doesn’t get heated up or is too cool. In medium hot oil place 2-3 balls. (see tip 1)


7 Cook until they get light brown color. Fry remaining balls also.






Below is the picture of malai kofta gravy made by using above paneer koftas .

Whenever you have a special occasion at your place try this mughlai malai kofta curry and surely everybody will find it tasty. It goes well with chapati, naan, jeera rice, all pulaos and parathas.

Your mouth will start watering and would love to eat it .

Best side dish for malai kofta curry are tandoori roti , naan ,triangle paratha , puri or
amritsari stuffed kulcha.

Flax Seeds| Lin seeds |alshi |health benefits of flax seeds - alsi

It may be tiny, but it’s mighty: The flax seed carries one of the biggest nutrient payloads on the planet.
 And while it’s not technically a grain, it has a similar vitamin and mineral profile to grains, while the amount of fiber, antioxidants, and Omega-3 fatty acids in flax leaves grains in the dust.
Flax (also known as common flax or linseed) (binomial name: Linum usitatissimum) is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is a food and fibre crop that is grown in cooler regions of the world.


Flaxseed also called 'Tisi' or 'Alsi' in northern India.flax seeds are also known as alseer in hindi & alshi in marathi

That's because they're so good for you, but do you know why? Check out the reasons you should be eating flaxseeds (if you're not already).

FLAX SEEDS are so good for you, but do you know why?

 Check out the reasons you should be eating flaxseeds (if you're not already).


1.Yes, flax seed is high in most of the B vitamins, magnesium, and manganese
2.Flax Seed is Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega-3 fatty acids are a key force against inflammation in our bodies.
Mounting evidence shows that inflammation plays a part in many chronic diseases including heart disease, arthritis, asthma, diabetes, and even some cancers.
 This inflammation is enhanced by having too little Omega-3 intake (such as in fish, flax, and walnuts), especially in relation to Omega-6 fatty acid intake (in oils such as soy and corn oil).
3.Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is one kind of omega-3s that is found in flaxseeds, and this fat helps promote bone health.
4 Flax Seed is High in Fiber: You’d be hard-pressed to find a food higher in fiber -- both soluble and insoluble -- than flax. This fiber is probably mainly responsible for the cholesterol-lowering effects of flax.
 Fiber in the diet also helps stabilize blood sugar, and, of course, promotes proper functioning of the intestines.
5.Flax Seed is High in Phytochemicals: Flax seed is high in phytochemicals, including many antioxidants.
 It is perhaps our best source of lignans, which convert in our intestines to substances that tend to balance female hormones.
6. There is evidence that lignans may promote fertility, reduce peri-menopausal symptoms, and possibly help prevent breast cancer. In addition, lignans may help prevent Type 2 diabetes.

Few ways to include flax seeds in your diet
 •Sprinkle seeds or ground flaxseed on your cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, salad, or sandwiches.
 •Add flaxseeds or ground flaxseed to pancakes, waffles, smoothie too.
•Use ground flaxseed as an egg substitute in baked goods. Just mix one teaspoon of ground flaxseed and 1/4 cup of water for every egg to be replaced.
 •Look for products that have added flax such as cereals, bread, and crackers.
 

Kolambi fry alibag style|Crispy spicy pan fried prawns malvani recipe |shrimp tava stir fry|talleli kolambi

KOLAMBI  FRY  is a popular fish dish from the coastal part of maharashtra mainly from konkan region.

 Konkan being a coastal area, it has its own distinct way of cooking food.
But mainly Fish dishes dominate the Konkani / Malvani cuisine. The fiery seafood curries may be a bit too spicy for some people but you will definitely like the taste.
You would find a lot of similarity between the Konkani / Malvani cusine and Goan or Coastal South Indian Cusine.

Alibag is a seafood lovers’ paradise. Fishes like pomfret, surmai, prawns, lobsters, etc are part of regular cuisine here.
Crispy Prawn fry taste great with fish curry (kalwan) and rice, a malwani feast.You can use the same recipe for bombil , ghol ,paplet  fish fry.

pls click here for malvani masala powder recipe.

Ingredients:

15-20 pieces of kolambi /prawns
To grind into paste
 2-3 garlic cloves
1 inch piece ginger
1-2 small green chilies
1 cup cilantro/coriander

Spices
2-3 tsp malwani masala or red chilli powder ( use as per your taste)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt as per taste
3 tsp tamarind extract or 1-2 tsp lemon juice

For Coating
1 tbsp semolina
4 tbsp rice flour
½ tbsp turmeric
½ tbsp red chilli powder
Oil for shallow frying


Method:
1 Shell the prawns carefully so that the tails are left unbroken. Devein and rinse the prawns with water. Pat them dry.Apply a little salt, 1 tsp tamarind extract and turmeric and keep aside.
2.Grind  together  green  chilly, garlic, ginger and  corriander  leaves.Now   mix  together  tamarind  pulp, malvani masala  and  ground  paste with salt  .
3. rub this  mixture  to  the  prawns  thoroughly  and  keep  aside  to  marinade at  least  for half to one  hour.
4.Take oil in a pan and let it heat on medium heat.
5. In a dish combine semolina and rice flour and add salt and little red chili powder & turmeric to it.
6. Take the  prawns pieces and dip it in the flour mixture and ensure it is coated on all sides with it.
7. Shallow fry in a pan on medium heat for 2-3  min on each side till the cover is crisp.



Tip:

1.You can substitute malwani masala with red chilli powder and garam masala.

2.You can skip rava  and use only rice flour for coating.

4. Same process can be used to fry other fish like paplet or surmai.

5.Leftover rice flour mixture afterKOLAMBI  fry can be used to make tandalacha pithachi vadi ie rice flour pancakes which can be served as a side dish .

Punugulu | Punukkulu | leftover dosa batter bonda|urad dal fritter

Had balance dosa batter lying in fridge.while surfing on net came across this recipe on chef & her kitchen
Punugulu / Punukulu is a common street food in the coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh.
Some make them sour tasting using fermented batter, while some make them with fresh batter. i made them with fermented batter.

Ingredients:
2 cups left over dosa batter(fresh or fermented)
3-4 tbsp Rice flour
2  tbsp rava (sooji)
1 medium Onion,finely chopped
1-2 tsp Green chili paste(to suit your taste)
3-4 tbsp tiny pieces of fresh Coconut  (optional)
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tsp finely chopped Curry leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped Coriander
a fat pinch of cooking Soda
Salt to taste


Method:

1.Let the dosa batter comes to a room temperature.



2.Add rice flour to it and mix well and leave it aside for 5 mins.Feel free to add an extra tbsp of rice flour or sooji(rawa) to the batter to make it slightly thick.The consistency should be thicker as Idli batter and have dropping consistency.

 

3.Add soaked and drained moong dal,tiny pieces of fresh coconut(or finely chopped onion),green chili paste,chopped curry leaves,chopped coriander and required salt and mix well.



4.Add a fat pinch of soda to a tsp of water and mix well and mix in the batter until well mixed.

5.Mean while heat oil in a thick kadai over medium flame.

6.Drop a spoonful of batter using a spoon or hand.We your finger in between for easy dropping of batter.

7.Drop 6-8 at a time and fry them over medium flame for 2 mins and turn them over and fry them until they turn golden brown and crisp.



Serve them hot with coconut chutney or tomato sauce.they taste delicious on their own.


Variations:
1.You can prepare these bondas with fresh dosa batter(before or after immediate fermentation) or 2-3 day old batter which has turned sour.
2.You can add a couple of tbsp of rawa to the batter which gives a crisp bondas.In that case leave the batter aside for an hr and proceed with the same above mentioned process.
3.If making bondas during festival add soaked moong dal and coconut pieces instead of  finely chopped onions
4..You can even add soaked and drained sago(1/4 cup) to the batter instead of soaked moong dal and you can add either coconut pieces or chopped onions to it along with sago as both goes well.

Carrot sambharo | gajar marcha no sambharo|gujarati carrot chilli salad

Carrot Sambharo is an accompaniment to the Gujarati main meal. Sambharo is a traditional Gujarati side-dish.

 

Sambharo and farsan chutney go well with almost all Gujrati snacks.

 

sambharo is a stir fried salad often made with either cabbage,carrot,raw papaya ,where the veggies are sauted with mustard and green chilies. green chilies add some heat and spice to the salad.

 

you can also make sambharo with both cabbage and carrots

 

 

 

 

 the flavors of fried mustard seeds also enhances the taste.lemon juice give the tanginess & sugar gives sweetness.

another unique point in this recipe is the crunchiness of the carrots. they are cooked but not completely.
This salad is served  even with snacks like dhokla, fafda and besan papdi

 

INGREDIENTS-

 Carrot - 1 medium
 Green Chillies - 8
 Curry leaves - 6
 Refined Oil - 2 t.s
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 t.s
 Asafoetida - 1/4 t.s
 Salt - 1/2 t.s
 Turmeric - 1/2 t.s
 Sugar - 1 t.s (optional)
 Lemon juice - 1 t.s

 

Method:

 

 1.Peel and chop carrots into thin long slices and make small slits in the chillies.

 2.Heat oil in a pan and add mustard and asafoetida.

 

 

 3.When the seeds start crackling add curry leaves and whole green chillies.
 4.Stir fry for a few seconds and then add turmeric and carrots.

 

 5.Stir and add sugar salt.
6 .stir and saute for 3-4 minutes on a low flame.the carrots should have crunch and crispiness in them and not be cooked completely.
7.lastly add lemon juice.

 

Hyderabadi Mutton Dum Biryani |authentic kachche gosht ki biryani

Wow! Are you thinking of a Biryani? Then the first thing that flashes in your mind is the Hyderabadi mutton biryani.

This dish is an authentic recipe with the elements of Mughlai cuisine mixed with Telangana style. It originated from the historic era of Nizam of Hyderabad where Mughlai and local cuisines were blended together in the Royal Kitchens.

Slowly it became part of Hyderabadi Cuisine. Today it is a well known in the entire south Asia particularly in India and Pakistan. It is often served with Bagara Baigan, Mirchi ka salan and Raita.

 

 

Dum means cooking on very low flame in sealed containers. This allows the meats to cook, as far as possible, and in their own juices and bone-marrow. The spices used are less than those in traditional Indian cooking, with fresh spices and herbs for flavoring. In some cases, cooking dough is spread over the container, like a lid, to seal the foods.

Hyderabadi biryani is one of the most popular dishes over the globe. It is one of the signature dishes of Hyderabadi. This is an authentic meal of Hyderabad invariably includes mutton, chicken or lamb or vegetables but mutton is one of the most popular dishes.
 Any person who visits Hyderabad would not leave till they taste the Biryani, in its original form or in its alternate Vegetarian Form. The Nizams served some 26 varieties of biryanis for their guest. The biryani is cooked in two ways: Pakhi biryani and the kachche biryani.
 The kachche gosht ki biryani is a traditional style of making the biryani by cooking the raw meat with spices for couple of minutes and then covered with rice and put on dum.



There are two traditional methods of preparing the Hyderabadi Biryani.
Kachchi yakhnni Biryani is prepared with raw meat which is marinated in yoghurt and then cooked along with the rice by sealing the handi (vessel) cooked on Dum (slow cook).

Pakki Aqni ki Briyani (cooked gravy),the meat is cooked before being layered with the rice and cooked in a dough-sealed vessel already cooked before baking.

today we will see kacchi biryani method adapted from chef sanjay thumas vah re vah.com


INGREDIENTS
 
Marinade for mutton
500 gms  Bone/Boneless Mutton / Lamb shanks
 1 tbsp. meat tenderizer – ( or you can use raw papaya grind it and mix 2 tbsp into the meat)
 4 green chili – chopped
 1 tbsp. Salt
 1 tsp. Chili powder
 1 tsp. Black cumin
 small handful of chopped Coriander
 small handful of chopped Mint
 2 tsp. Coriander powder
 1 tsp. Cumin powder
 5 Onions – sliced and fried (use half in marinating and half later during layering)
 1 tsp. Black pepper
 whole garam masala - mace, bay leaf, black cardamom, 1 green cardamom, cloves
 juice of half of a lemon
1 pinch saffron
 2 and ½ cups yogurt
 ½ cup oil

Rice:
2.5 cups basmati Rice – soaked for 30min in water
 Water
 1 tbsp Oil - for rice
 Salt – for rice
 any whole spices of your choice for added flavor, shahi jeera like cinnamon stick, green cardamom pods and cloves
 
For Garnish
 2 tbspGhee
3 tbsp Coriander (finely chopped)
 3 tbsp Mint ( finely chopped)
 Yellow colour /milk with half tsp. soaked saffron
2 boil Eggs (optional)
 2 tbsp Toasted sliced Almonds/cashews  (Optional)

METHOD:
1.In a large bowl ,Add the Mutton along with all ingredients mentioned above under marinade.Cover and leave in the fridge for atleat 2 hours .overnight would be best

2.In a large kadhai at medium heat, add 2 cup oil.Add onions,salt and fry to golden brown.reserve half for for garnishing). fry almonds in same oil & keep aside

3.In a large cooking pot pour in 8 cups water along with cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, caraway seeds and salt.let it come to a boil,add the drained rice

  When the rice is about 40% cooked, remove half of it, drain and set aside...then continue boiling the remaining rice until it is about halfway or 50% cooked. Drain and set aside.

4 In a thick bottomed vessel pour a bit of ghee & oil  and spread the marinated meat. On top of this spread the 40% cooked rice followed by some of the Toasted sliced Almonds, yellow colour &Ghee,fried onions, coriander leaves, mint leaves and lemon juice

5.Spread the 50% done rice over this, then sprinkle the milk with saffron and a bit of ghee or oil.

6 Then Cover the vessel properly with aluminium foil or cover with cotton cloth or seal with wheat dough,then place a heavy weight over the lid ,so that no steams can escape so the nice steam can formed inside.

7.Cook on high flame for 10-15 minutes, till the steam escapes from the sides.

8.Transfer the vessel to a hot old tava (griddle ),Lower the heat to minimum and cook for 1 hour or till done.

9. Let the biryani rest for 15 minutes before serving

10.Serve  Biryani with Dahi ki chutney,Baghare Baingan, dahi raita ,mircha-ka-salan.




 

NARALI BHAAT RECIPE | KESARI BHAAT |MARATHI SWEET COCONUT RICE

Coconut Rice which is also known as Narali Bhat is prepared mostly on the occasion of Narali Poornima that is Raksha Bandhan, Onam, Pongal and many others .

I had  fresh coconut which I got as a prasad from pedamma temple,jubilee hills ,hyderabad in navratri .next thing that came to my mind was which recipe to prepare from fresh coconut.I decided to make narali bhaat which turned out  superb.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup basmati rice
3/4 cup sugar
2-3 lavang (cloves)
1 tbsp ghee
8-10 strands kesar soaked in milk
1/2 cup freshly ground coconut
pinch salt
2 cups water
1 tsp elaichi powder
1 tbsp roasted dryfruits ( cashew , almonds , pista)

METHOD
1) Wash and soak basmati rice for 30 mts.
2) Heat ghee in a pan add cloves & saute it for 2-3 minutes .Add  soaked rice & saute it for 3 minutes.
3)Heat water in a pan & let it boil .
4) Add coconut & stir for 2 minutes .Mix sugar & kesar strands & stir well.
5) Add  boiling water & cook rice till done
6) Mix `cardamom powder & add fried dryfruits for decoration.

TIP
1) Traditionally jaggery is used to prepare Narali Bhat, you may make use of jaggery instead of sugar.
2) Use orange color instead of saffron.


 

Narala chi wadi |Coconut Burfi Recipe| Diwali faral

As a teenager I never liked to get involved in making sweets  except tilgul laddos & karanjis. I found the process  tiresome.    However i enjoyed eating them  .

One such recipe is coconut barfi |narala chi wadi |nariyal fudge .

Coconut means naral  in marathi & wadi /vadi means fudge/Barfi .Naral Burfi is an easy to make sweet and a quick recipe too.  You can have it as a dessert or as a sweet snack or just like that.

Normally this is prepared during narali pournima / raksha bandhan.

 It has a shelf life of about 10-15 days so you can make in advance and keep it ready to serve when needed.

Mom prepares a wide range of wadis like batata wadi  ,beetroot wadi,matarchi wadi/tomato vadi/AMBYACHI vadi   .

 
Again moms recipe .mom had made them on my uncles  75th birthday .So here we go  .

Adding food colour is optional .mom had added orange food colour so the wadis appear orangish but you can keep the naral wadis plain white also


Ingredients:

 Fresh Coconut (ola khobra)  grated - 1 cup
 Sugar - 3/4 cup
 Ghee - 2 tsp
 Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Orange colour - 1 tsp (Optional)

Garnishing
Cashews /pista/almonds - 1 tbsp

Method:

1.Add little ghee, roast the broken cashews till golden brown and keep aside.

2 Keep non-stick pan on medium heat,add half tsp ghee .Let it melt and add grated coconut, sugar roast it for 5 mins. keep stirring continuously.Keep a close watch on it or the mixture will burn in two seconds.

3.After half an hour(or more) you will see  mixture & will get converted in form of a lump or mass (gola).Mix orange food colour .Add cardamom powder,keep stirring at least for another 2-3 minutes.It should not be total dry or thin,should be thick and sticky too.

4.Now turn off the heat and take one plastic sheet and apply some ghee on it .Place the mixture on it with spoon.Place another plastic sheet on it and spread down all the mixture evenly(1 inch thick) with the help of a rolling pin . second plastic is placed so that mixture doesnt stick to rolling pin while spreading it .

5. With help of knife make cuts on the mixture to form diamond shape/rhombus shaped wadis .You can even use different shaped moulds to cut the vadis Place sliced badam or pista or tuti fruity on each wadi.

6.Let it cool down for say 2-3 hrs.Take out all pieces & enjoy.

7.They stay fresh outside in an airtight container for 4-5 days  after that they must be refrigerated.