DALIMBYACHI USAL|VALACHE BIRDE | pavtyachi -amti|Field Beans Curry

 

Vaal usal is a special preparation from the Konkan coast. It's often prepared during weddings. Vaal are also referred to as Dalimbi or Birdya.Its also prepared during ganesh chaturthi. As a child I used to hate this curry.I remember refusing to eat food whenever my mom made birde..
 

The beans are germinated by soaking them for about 12 hours in water and then wrapping them up in a moist cloth till they sprout. The sprouted beans are then shelled and cooked in a spicy  red curry.

Health Benefits: phosphorus, potassium, vitamin K, vitamin A and iron, Thiamine( vitamin B1), low in calories and fat, dietary fibres. The Fava bean has high concentrations of an amino acid known as L-dopa (dopamine), which works as a neurotransmitter in the brain.

 It is mainly made in the costal areas of Maharashtra. That's why it contains lots of coconut and use of Kokum. You can have this usal with chapati, bhakri, or with rice. It is also call Dalimbi Usal in some part of Maharashtra.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cup field beans (dalimbi/kadwe val/surti val),
1 tbsp shredded dry coconut,
2 tsp cumin seeds,
4 green chilies,
1 onion chopped
1 potato diced
6-7 curry leaves,
1 tbsp jaggery or sugar,
1 tspn tamarind extract
salt to taste,
2-3 cloves garlic
2 tsp mustard seeds,
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin coriander (dhania jeera) powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida,
1 tsp turmeric powder,
1 cup fresh grated coconut,
coriander leaves/cilantro,
1 tbsp oil,

 

METHOD

1. Wash and soak the beans overnight in plenty of water. Next morning, drain all the water and rinse beans until the water runs clear. Tie the beans in a muslin cloth or place them in a strainer. Keep them in a warm place for 24 hours or till they sprout.

2. Now soak the sprouted beans in lukewarm water for an hour so that their skins can come out easily. The best method to remove their skins is to press each one between thumb and index finger and pull the skin off.

3. Once they are peeled, wash and keep them aside.

4. In a skillet, toast dry coconut and cumin seeds lightly. Grind toasted coconut, cumin seeds and green chillies ,garlic into a fine paste. Chop coriander leaves.

5. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add mustard seeds,cumin seeds When they splutter, add asafoetida, turmeric powder,coriander cumin powder,red chilli powder and curry leaves.Add chopped onion  & minced potatoes & fry for few seconds

6. Add beans and fry them for 2-3 minutes. Cover with lid add litte water just enough to immerse the beans& let vaal cook & become tender.when potato is cooked & beans are tender Remove the lid and add 2 cups water. Also add ground paste, salt,tamarind extract and jaggery. Adjust the amount of water depending on the thickness of curry.Let the curry get a boil. Add half of the fresh coconut and simmer for sometime.

7. Remove and garnish with the rest of fresh coconut and coriander leaves.

TIPS

Jaggery or sugar reduces the bitterness of lentils. However, you can increase or decrease the amount according to your taste.

TALLELE (FRIED ) CRISPY MODAK |Fried dumplings with coconut jaggery filling

 Presenting another variation of modak -TALLELE CRISPY MODAK  / FRIED MODAK (FRIED DUMPLINGS WITH COCONUT & SUGAR FILLING) (GANESH CHATURTHI SPECIAL)

This variety is my personal favourite .

A modak (Devnagari:मोदक) is a sweet dumpling popular in Western an.d South India. It is called "modak" in Marathi and Konkani, "modhaka" in Kannada, "modhaka" or "kozhakkattai" in Tamil, and "kudumu" in Telugu. The sweet filling is made of fresh coconut and jaggery while the shell is of rice flour. The dumpling can be fried or steamed. . Modak has a special importance in the worship of the Hindu elephant god, Ganesh. Modak is believed to be his favorite food and hence is also known as modakapriya. Ganesh worship ceremony (puja) sometimes concludes with an offering of modaks to the deity.

INGREDIENTS

COVER

2 cup wheat flour (Kanik)

1/2 cup semolina (rava /sooji)

salt pinch

FILLING

2 cup desicated coconut

1-2 tsp roasted poppy seeds khas khas

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp elaichi (cardamom ) powder

1 tbsp  roasted dryfruits  (almond,cashew,pista)

1 tsp ghee

METHOD

1. Soak semolina in equal quantity of water for 15 minutes.Mix soaked semolina with wheat flour add salt & knead to a medium consistency dough (neither too hard not too soft). Keep covered under damp cloth for 15-20 minutes.
2. Mix coconut & powdered sugar in a bowl & add 1 tsp of milk & keep aside for 10 minutes.Add 1 tsp ghee in a kadhai  add roasted poppy seeds .Next add desicated coconut & sugar mixture & stir on a low flame till the mixture turns golden brown
3. Modak making is an art and needs lots of patience and practice.
4. Divide the dough into equal sized balls.
5. Simply roll out the ball into a 3 inch diameter thin circle with help of a rolling pin.
6. Spoon some stuffing at the center of the bowl.
7. Make small pinches side by side all along the outer surface of the bowl.
8. Gather the periphery at the top and join to form a peak. The pleated shape looks like a whole garlic.
9. 
10. Remove excess part of the peak & make it pointed as shown in above picture.
11. Heat oil in a frying pan & fry the modak in batches till golden brown on a medium flame.

Tip

1. While frying the modaks in oil place the tip of modak pointing downwards & base should be on top. once the tip turns golden brown flip the modak  so that the base goes in downward directionThis will allow the tip of modak to get cooked .

2.You can even use maida instead of wheat flour for cover

RAVA SHEERA RECIPE | SUJI ( Sooji) HALWA | PRASADACHA SHEERA|satyanarayan pooja sheera

Sheera (Suji halwa) is a desert made at lot of  Maharshtrian homes for  special occasions, like Satyanarayanchi Pooja It is a simple sweet dish which is easy to make and the ingredients are easily available in most Indian homes.

Though I don't have a sweet tooth, I to manage to eat the prasadacha sheera especially the sheera which is given as prasad during Satyanarayan Puja .

During ganesh chaturthi daily a sweet is prepared daily as an offering (navvaidya) to lord ganesha (ganpati) .Hence thought of posting this fantastic recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Cream of Wheat(Rava/Sooji/Semolina)
3/4 cup Sugar ( Take 1 cup if you like sweet more)
1 cup Milk
1 Ripe Banana, chopped
1 cup Water
2-4 tbsp Ghee (Clarified Butter)
1 tbsp Cashews
1 tbsp Raisins
¼ tsp Cardamom Powder
Saffron(optional) a pinch

METHOD

1.Roast the rava in 1 tbsp of ghee over a low flame till it lets out a lovely aroma and turns light brown.
2.In a separate vessel, heat the milk and water & safron sticks.
3.Add sugar to roasted rava & stir till sugar dissolves.Next add mashed ripe banana & mix it well with semolina.
4.Add boiled water,saffron & milk mixture to semolina slowly .Keep on stirring so that no lumps are formed.
5.Next cover pan with lid  and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium heat.Remove lid & stir the mixture .Place lid & again cook for 2-3 minutes taking care that sheera doesnt stick to pan.
6.Remove lid mix cardamon powder add remaining ghee to sheera mix well .Switch off gas
7.In a frying ladle, heat 1 tbsp of ghee and fry the cashews,almonds until brown. Add the raisins and take the ladle of the heat. Add this to the cooked semolina mixture.

8.Add the remaining ghee to the sheera and mix well. Enjoy this fresh. Garnish with few saffron strands

Tip

You can skip the banana & prepare halwa .Normally banana is added when its made for satyanarayan pooja.

KARANJI |GUJIYA RECIPE |GANESH CHATURTHI | DIWALI SPECIAL

As Ganesh Chaturthi has commenced, it is time to prepare sweets and get ready for the festive mood. Karanji is one of the special recipes for Ganesh Chaturthi. It is very easy to cook and great to munch.

This is a popular sweet made during diwali festival too.

Karanji is what this preparation is called in maharashtra and north karnataka. It has a very easy-to-make filling, and is extremly common in karnataka and maharashtra homes during festivals. Three variety of fillings are listed here.

Lets start !!!!

INGREDIENTS

DOUGH

•1 cup All Purpose Flour / Maida

•1/4 cup Sooji / Rawa

•2 tsp Oil

•1/2 cup warm Milk

•pinch of Salt

Any one of the following fillings may be used:

KHOBRA FILLING

•1 tsp Poppy Seeds / KhasKhas

•1 tsp Sooji / Rawa

•1 cup Dry Grated Coconut

•1 cup Powdered Sugar

•1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

•Assorted Nuts

COCONUT FILLING

2 cups freshly grated coconut

2 cups grated jaggery

2 tsp roasted poppy seeds (khuskhus)(optional)

½ tsp cardamom powder (elaichi)

¼ cup raisins, cashewnuts, pistachios

2 tbsp ghee

METHOD

For Khobra Filling:

. Dry roast sooji and poppy seeds separately till the time they get light brown color.

. Add coconut to dry roasted sooji and poppy seeds, add sugar, cardamom powder, dry fruits and mix well.

For Coconut Filling:

.Heat ghee and add coconut and jaggery.

.Cook on medium heat with stirring, until the jaggery has melted and mixed well with the coconut.

.Take care that the flame is not so high that the mixture gets burnt.

.Add poppy seeds, cardamom powder and raisins. Mix well and take off heat.

For the cover:

. Heat up 2 tsp oil. Mix all purpose flour, sooji, salt in to a bowl and pour hot oil over it. Mix well till the time mixture becomes crumbly.

. Pour warm milk slowly to make medium consistency dough, not too hard and too soft.

. Cover and keep the dough for 30 mts.

KARANJI METHOD:

1. Take a small ball of dough and roll it into a circle of about 3" diameter.
2. Place a spoon of the filling in the center,
3. Apply milk around its edges where you have placed filling and fold the circle in a half-moon shape.
4.  Apply a little milk on the edges and seal.  Use fork and make some design around karanji.
5. Or else u can cut the extra flour on the edge of karanji with karanji cutter to get a wavy border
6. Cover with a damp cloth.
7. Repeat with the remaining dough.
8. Deep fry on medium heat  in batches of 1-2 at a time until crisp and brown, and serve.
9. Take out and place in tissue paper to avoid haivng extra oil. Let it cool. Karanjis are now ready to serve...