Sabudana Vada

sabudana vada

Here is a simple recipe of sabudana vada with no frills attached and with minimum of ingredients. If you follow the recipe completely, you can make delicious sabudana vada. BTW sabudana vada is a Maharashtrian  food which is mainly eaten in fast. You can make these vadas for Ekadashi or Navratra fasts. I have used sendha salt in this recipe as I made them for Ekadashi fast, you can use common salt if you are not making them in fast.
Recipe of sabudana vada
3/4 cup sabudana (sago)
5 medium sized potatoes
3 green chillies- finely chopped
Sendha salt to taste
Oil to deep fry
1. Wash sabudana under running water. Soak in 'just enough' water in which sabudana is immersed and no
more. Soak for at least 1 & 1/2 hour.
2. Boil, peel, cool and mash potatoes. Add soaked sabudana, salt and green chillies and mix well to form a dough.
3. Pinch a ball from the dough and flatten it between your palms to form a patty or tikki shape called vada. Similarly make rest of the vada from the dough.
4. Heat oil in a kadhai (heavy bottomed vessel) and when the oil is completely hot, add the vada to it. Deep fry till the vadas are reddish brown from both sides. Also fry in batches. Serve hot sabudana vada.
Note: Sabudana vada is fried on high heat. If the oil is not hot enough, your vadas will break in the oil.

Marathi Coriander Coconut Chutney

coriander coconut chutney

You can use this coriander coconut chutney in sandwich and with snacks etc.

Recipe of marathi coriander coconut chutney

1/2 fresh coconut (nariyal) - grated

1/2 cup coriander leaves

3-4 cloves garlic

3 green chillies

Salt to taste

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

3 tsp curd (yogurt/dahi)

1. In a blender, blend all the above ingredients except curd.

2. Add curd to the chutney and mix well. Your coriander coconut chutney is ready to be savored.

Masala Peanuts

masala peanuts

Masala peanuts or masala moongphali are a popular snack item which is mine and hubby’s favorite. I made blog posts about microwave masala peanuts earlier but this recipe calls for deep frying.

Recipe of masala peanuts

1 cup peanuts (moongphali)

Slightly less than 1/4 cup besan (gram flour/chickpea flour)

3/4 tsp salt or to taste

1/2 tsp chaat masala

1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Oil to deep fry

1. Take peanuts in a strainer (chhalni) and wet them under running water. Shake off excess water.

2. In a bowl, mix besan with all the spices and salt.

3. Mix peanuts with spiced besan so that all peanuts are coated with besan.

4. Deep fry these peanuts in medium hot oil till they turn golden brown. Drain on an absorbent paper and let masala peanuts cool completely before devouring them. Store remaining masala peanuts in an airtight jar. They stay fresh for long.

masala peanuts

Moth ki Dal (Turkish Gram Curry)

Moth ki dal

I cook moth ki dal once in a while as a variation to regular food. I serve it with roti but you can also serve it with rice. Moth dal is known as matki in Marathi and is very popular in Maharashtrian cuisine where it is sprouted and used in salad, usal and misal.

Recipe of moth ki dal

1 cup moth dal (matki/Turkish gram)

1 onion- chopped

2 tomatoes- chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

A small piece of cinnamon (dalchini)

2 big cardamoms (moti elaichi)

1 bay leaf (tej patta)

1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

Fresh chopped coriander leaves- for garnish

1. Wash and soak moth dal for 2-3 hours. Drain.

1. In a pressure cooker, boil moth dal with sufficient water and salt, turmeric and red chilli powders, dalchini and moti elaichi. Boil till moth dal turns soft. (At least 8 whistles will be required).

2. Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds and tej patta. When they splutter, add chopped onion.

3. Sauté onion till light brown. Add tomatoes and fry till oil begin to separate from the masala and tomatoes turn soft and mushy.

4. Add this tempering or tadka to the boiled dal. Mix and add garam masala. Let 1 boil come, then turn off the heat.

5. Serve hot moth ki dal garnished with coriander leaves.  

Papdi Chaat Recipe

papdi chaat

Who doesn't love chaat and that too homemade, hygienic chaat. Papdi chaat or papri chaat is also known as dahi sev puri in Mumbai. Papdi used in this chaat is readily available but it can also be made at home.

Recipe of papdi (papri) chaat

15 papdi (papri/flat puri) made of maida or all purpose flour

1 big onion- chopped

2 medium potatoes- boiled, peeled and chopped

1 cup sev (shev)

Sweet tamarind chutney (imli ki chatni)

Green chutney (dhania pudina chatni)

1 tsp chaat masala

1 cup beaten curd (yogurt)

Fresh chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)

1. Arrange papdi in a platter. Place potato and onion over them.

2. Drizzle hari chutney, imli chutney and curd over papdi.

3. Sprinkle chaat masala  over them.

4. Sprinkle sev over papdi and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve immediately papdi chaat.

Misal Pav

misal pav

Misal pav is a famous street food of Maharashtra. Cooked sprouted dals also called ‘usal’ is served with chopped onion, sev, farsan on top of it along with pav bread is called misal pav or missal pav. It’s a very tasty food and if you don’t add sev or farsan over it, it’s a  low calorie food.

Recipe of misal pav

2 cups sprouted moong dal (green gram) and moth dal (matki/ brown gram)

2 onions- chopped

2 green chillies- slit

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1/2 cup farsan

Coriander leaves- chopped

1/2 tsp rai (small mustard seeds)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

Few curry leaves

1 tbsp oil

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

Lemon juice

Lemon cut into slices

6-8 pav

1. Heat oil in a pan and add rai. When it splutters, add hing. Add curry leaves and half of the chopped onions. Sauté till onion turn light pink.

2. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies. Saute for 1 minute.

3. Add sprouted dals. Add coriander, turmeric, red chilli and cumin powders. Mix well.

4. Add 3 cups of water and salt. Bring it to boil.

5. Add garam masala and cook covered for 10-12 minutes.

6. To serve the misal pav, place ladleful of cooked dal or usal in a bowl. Sprinkle remaining onion, farsan over the dal. Pour lemon juice and coriander leaves over it.

7. Serve it with pav and lemon slices.

Ragda Patties (Aloo Tikki Chaat)

ragda patties

Ragda patties are a famous chaat item of Mumbai. It is known as aloo tikki ki chaat in Northern India. In one of my earlier blog posts, I have given the recipe of preparing aloo tikki or patties and now have given its link below. You can also put chopped onion and green coriander leaves over the ragda patties.

Recipe of ragda patties (pattice)

Ingredients of ragda

1 cup safed matar (dry white peas/ white watana)

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

Salt to taste

Recipe of aloo tikki (patties)

Rest of the ingredients

1 tsp chaat masala

Green chutney

Sweet tamarind (imli) chutney

Beaten curd

1. To prepare ragda, wash and soak white peas overnight or for at least 6 hours. Drain.

2. Place soaked white matar along with water, salt, turmeric powder and hing. Pressure cook peas till soft. Mash them a little. Keep ragda warm.

3. Prepare aloo tikki or patties as given.

4. Place pattice in a plate and place warm ragda over it.

5. Spoon green chutney, sweet tamarind chutney and curd over the ragda pattice. Sprinkle chaat masala over it. Serve ragda patties hot.

Poha Chivda

poha chivda

Poha chivda or chivda or chidwa is a snack made in many parts of India but it's very popular in Maharashtra. You need a thin variety of poha for this healthy snack. It's an anytime snack or namkeen. You can also have it as a tea time munchie without bothering about the calories as it is not fried and does not use too much oil. You can store the chivda in an airtight container as it remains fresh for about a month.

Recipe of poha chivda/ chidwa

6 cups thin poha (beaten rice/ flattened rice)

2 tsp mustard seeds

4 tbsp peanuts

4 tbsp dalia (roasted chana dal)

3 tbsp oil

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

7-8 curry leaves

Green chillies (finely chopped) or red chilli powder

1. Put poha in a microwave safe bowl and microwave it for 2 minutes uncovered, stirring after 1 minute. Check if the poha has become crisp, if not cook for 30-40 seconds more. If you do not use microwave, then you can also dry roast the poha in a kadhai till they crisp out.

2. In a mortar using pestle, grind the salt into thin powder.

3. Heat oil in a kadhai/wok. Add mustard seeds. When they pop, add green chillies and curry leaves. Cook for a minute.

4. Add peanuts and dalia. When they turn somewhat brown, add turmeric powder and salt.

5. Add poha and mix quickly. Keep mixing it for 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat.

6. Cool the chivda and store in an airtight container.

Pav bhaji

pav bhaji

Pav bhaji or pao- bhajee is a popular Indian street food which originated from Mumbai but is now eaten all over India and also outside India. Pav means bread and bhaji is a term used for vegetable and curry dish. The pav bhaji masala used in this recipe is a special blend of spices. You can get it from any Indian grocery store. In the recipe below, I have added a variety of vegetables to the bhaji. If you want to add less variety, then you can just add potatoes, cauliflower, capsicum and green peas apart from onion, tomatoes of course.

 

Recipe of pav bhaji

2 medium potatoes

½ small cauliflower (gobi)

1 medium capsicum (shimla mirch)

¼ baingan (eggplant)

A small piece of kaddu (pumpkin)

1 carrot

¼ band gobi (cabbage)

½ beet root (chukandar)

¼ cup shelled green peas (matar)

2 medium onions- chopped finely

4 medium tomatoes- pureed

3 green chillies- crushed

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp oil + 3 tbsp butter

Salt to taste

2 tsp Pav bhaji masala

1 tbsp tomato sauce

Butter to toast the pav

8 pav buns

Chopped onion and coriander leaves to garnish

Juice of 1 lemon

2 lemons- cut into wedges

1. Put roughly chopped vegetable pieces in a food processor to get very small pieces.

2. Place vegetables in a pressure cooker with ½ cup water and salt. Let 2-3 whistles come, then simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Open the cooker when pressure drops and mash the boiled veggies with the potato masher.

3. Heat oil and butter in a non- stick pan and add minced onion and green chillies. Sauté till light golden.

4. Add ginger- garlic paste and sauté for 1 minute. Add Pav bhaji masala and cook on medium heat for 1 minute.

5. Add tomato puree and tomato sauce. Cook on medium heat for few minutes stirring constantly.

6. Now add mashed vegetables and cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and squeeze 1 lemon in the bhaji and mix. Garnish bhaji with chopped onion and coriander leaves.

7.  Slice each pav bun horizontally into 2 and toast in butter and a little pav bhaji masala. Toast on both sides on a griddle (tava) till crisp and golden.

8. Serve pav with bhaji and lemon wedges. Serve hot.

Sabudana Thalipeeth (Sago Rotti)

sabudana thalipeeth

Sabudana thalipeeth or sago chappati is a delicious fasting food which you should not miss out on. You can also have it for a breakfast or snack item whether you are fasting or not. If you like sabudana just the way I do, you can also check out sabudana khichdi which also comes from Maharashtrian cuisine.

Recipe of sabudana thalipeeth

1 cup Sabudana (sago) - soaked

2-3 green chillies- chopped

2 medium potatoes- boiled, peeled and mashed

Salt to taste

1/2 cup dry roasted and grinded peanuts

Coriander leaves (cilantro) - chopped

Ghee (clarified butter) or oil to shallow fry

1. Mix together all the ingredients except oil or ghee.

2. Divide the dough into tennis size balls.

3. Grease a thick plastic sheet or polythene and place the ball at its center. Pat with moistened fingers to form a thick round. Make small holes in it.

3. Heat a tava (griddle) and grease it with ghee. Gently and carefully turn the thalipeeth onto the tava and peel the plastic off.

4. Put ghee in the holes. Cover the thalipeeth with a plate and turn the heat to medium. Cook it for 1-2 minutes.

5. Remove the plate and gently turn over. Cook it for another minute or two. Cook till sabudana thalipeeth is golden brown from both sides. Serve sago rotti hot.

Vada Pav

vada pav

Vada pav is a famous Maharashtrian street food. It’s an Indian version of burger. Call it batata vada or bonda, it is finger licking good. Earlier vada pav was a favorite street food of a Mumbaikar, now it is eaten all over India.

Recipe of vada pav

Vada

4 big potatoes- boiled, peeled and mashed

3-4 green chillies- chopped

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Juice of a lemon

Fresh coriander leaves- chopped

Batter

1/2 cup besan (gram flour/ chickpea flour)

1 tbsp rice flour (chawal ka atta)

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp soda bicarbonate

1 tbsp oil

Oil to deep fry

5 pav or any soft, unsweetened bun

Sweet tamarind chutney (Imli chutney)

Mint coriander chutney (dhania pudina chutney)

1. In a bowl, mix potatoes with rest of the ingredients of vada. Mix well using your hands.

2. Make ping pong sized balls from this mixture.

3. In another bowl, mix all the ingredients of batter. Add water little by little, mixing with other hand, to make a thick, smooth, lump free batter.

4. In a kadhai/ wok, heat oil for deep frying. Dip potato balls in the batter so that they are well coated with the batter. Shake off excess batter.

5. Turn the heat to medium. Put these balls in the oil. Do not overcrowd the kadhai. Fry vadas from both sides by turning. Fry vada till golden brown.

6. Drain on an absorbent paper.

7. Warm the pav or bun. Slit the pav such that it is connected at the base and not separated into 2 parts.

8. Spread sweet tamarind chutney on one side and green coriander chutney on the other side of inside portion of pav.

9. Place vada inside the pav and flatten the vada a little. Similarly make other vada pav with rest of the vada and pav. Serve hot.

Tikhat Mithachi Puri (Hot and Savory Fried Flatbread)

tikhat mithachi puri

Tikhat mithachi puri is a marathi name meaning hot and savory puri/ poori. There are some variations in the common North Indian puri. You can have this tikhat mithachi puri with pickle as an evening snack or a Sunday Brunch.

Recipe of tikhat mithachi puri

1 cup atta (whole wheat flour)

3 tbsp sooji (semolina/rava)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

3/4 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)

1 tbsp oil + for deep frying

1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)

1. Mix salt in flour. Add sooji, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, ajwain and 1 tbsp oil. Mix well with your hands.

2. Add water little by little and knead the flour into stiff dough. Set aside for 20 minutes.

3. Take a lemon size ball from the dough and roll out on a lightly oiled surface into a 3-4 inch round puri.

4. Heat oil in a kadhai/wok and when it's sufficiently hot, turn the heat to medium. Deep fry puris in the hot oil till puffed up and golden brown from both sides.

5. Drain on an absorbent paper and serve tikhat mithachi puri hot with some pickle.

Chivda Recipe

chivda

This is a fried version of poha chivda unlike my earlier blog post of non-fried chivda. This chivda is very yummy and liked a lot by kids.

Recipe of fried chivda/ chidwa

6 cups poha (beaten rice/ flattened rice)

4 tbsp peanuts

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp mustard seeds

2 tbsp cashew nut halves

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tbsp Oil + for deep frying

1. Heat sufficient oil in a kadhai/ wok for deep frying.

2. Put the poha in a metal sieve (strainer) and dip it in the hot oil to deep fry the poha. Take small amounts of poha each time so that all grains of poha get fried and do not spill in kadhai. Repeat the process till all poha gets fried. Keep aside.

3. In a separate pan, heat 1 tbsp oil and add mustard seeds. Let them pop.

4. Add peanuts and cashew nuts and fry till golden. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt to it. Cook for few seconds. Turn off the heat.

5. Add this to the fried poha and mix everything well. Let chivda cool down, and then store it in an airtight container.

Shrikhand (Flavored Yogurt)

shrikhand

Shrikhand is a very popular dessert from ‘Maharashtrian cuisine’ and ‘Gujarati cuisine’. It is eaten either as a sweet dish or as a side with puris (Indian bread). Shrikhand is basically strained, thick curd which is sweetened and to which saffron, nuts and sometimes fruits are added. In Maharashtra, mango pulp is also sometimes added to the shrikhand to get 'amrakhand'.

Recipe of shrikhand

3 cups curd (yogurt/dahi)

1 cups grinded sugar

2 tbsp warm milk

A pinch of saffron

1/4 tsp green cardamom (hari elaichi) powder

1 tbsp pista (pistachios)

2 tsp chironji (charoli/sunflower seeds)

1. Tie curd in a muslin cloth and hang in the fridge overnight, with a bowl below to collect the excess water. This way you get thick curd.

2. Dissolve saffron in the warm milk. Soak pistachios in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain, peel and chop the pistas. Clean, wash and pat dry chironji.

3. Take thick, strained curd in a bowl and add grinded sugar. Mix till sugar dissolves completely.

4. Add saffron to the curd and mix. Add cardamom powder and chironji and mix well.

5. Garnish shrikhand with pistachios and serve chilled.

Sabudana Vada (Sago Patties)

sabudana vada

Sabudana vada is mainly eaten during fasting period especially Navratri or Ekadashi fasts (vrat). They are so delicious that I sometimes make them with our evening tea. Some vrat ka khana are so tasty that everyone wants to eat them fasting or non- fasting. Sabudana vada is more popular in Maharashtra.

Recipe of sabudana vada/ sago patties

1 cup sabudana (sago/ saboodana/ tapioca)

1/2 cup peanuts- dry roasted and coarsely grinded

2 potatoes- boiled, peeled and mashed

3-4 green chillies- chopped

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves (cilantro) - chopped

Oil to shallow fry

1. Wash sabudana in a colander or a strainer. Drain. Soak sabudana in that much water in which it is 'just immersed' and no more. Let it soak for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

2. Mix well all the above ingredients in a bowl except oil.

3. Wet your hands and take tennis ball size balls from the sabudana mixture. Flatten them to form patties.

4. Heat oil in a flat, wide pan and shallow fry these patties or wada in it till golden from both sides. Drain using a slotted spoon, on an absorbent paper. Shallow fry vadas in batches. Serve sabudana vada hot.

(Potato) Aloo Bonda

aloo bonda

Aloo bonda is a famous Indian deep fried savory snack. It’s crispy on outside and soft inside. Aloo bonda or potato bonda is liked by adults and kids alike.

Recipe of aloo bonda

4 (potatoes) aloo - boiled, peeled and mashed

1 1/2 cups besan (gram flour/ chickpea flour)

1 tbsp oil + for deep frying

2 onions- chopped

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

2 green chillies- chopped

Salt to taste

Few curry leaves

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Coriander leaves- chopped

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they pop, add green chillies, curry leaves and onion. Fry till onion turns translucent.

2. Add aloo, turmeric powder and salt.

3. Cook for 2 minutes and add coriander leaves. Mix and turn off the heat. Remove in a bowl and let it cool.

4. Make lemon sized balls out of the potato mixture.

5. Now for the batter, mix besan, red chilli powder and salt. Add water, mixing with other hand to get smooth, lump free batter of dropping consistency.

6. Heat oil in a kadhai/wok. Dip the aloo balls in the batter and deep fry in the oil. Fry till golden brown.

7. Drain on an absorbent paper and serve aloo bonda hot with tomato ketchup or some chutney.

Basundi (Sweetened Condensed Milk Dessert)

Basundi

 

 

Basundi is an Indian milk dessert popular in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka. Basundi is traditionally eaten with puris.

Recipe of basundi/ basoondi

1 1/2 liter milk

1/2 cup sugar

A pinch of saffron (kesar)

1 tbsp chironji (charoli seeds) for garnish

Sliced almonds and pistachios for garnishing

1. Place milk in a heavy bottomed pan and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat to medium and cook milk till it is reduced to half in quantity. Stir milk frequently.

2. Add sugar and saffron. Cook till sugar dissolves completely.

3. Let the basundi cool down, then refrigerate and serve basundi chilled garnished with chironji and sliced almonds and pistachios.

Kanda Bhaji (Onion Pakoda)

kanda bhaji

Kanda bhaji is onion pakoda or pyaz ka pakora. Kanda bhaji is quite popular in Maharashtra and is also known as khekda bhaji or kanda bhajia. During heavy downpours, it's bliss to have a plate of kanda bhaji with a hot cuppa tea.

Recipe of kanda bhaji/ onion pakoda

2 onions (kanda/pyaz)

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

Besan (gram flour/chickpea flour) - just enough

Oil to deep fry

1. Peel and cut onions or kanda into halves. Then thinly slice them.

2. Sprinkle some salt over onions and set aside for few minutes. Onion will leave some water.

3. Add red chilli powder and just enough besan to coat the onion well.

4. Add little water and make a batter of dropping consistency.

5. Heat sufficient oil in a kadhai/wok. When the oil is hot enough, turn the heat to medium.

6. Drop small portions of onion batter in the oil and deep fry till golden. Remember the heat should not be too high otherwise bhaji will burn out from outside and remain uncooked at the centre. Serve kanda bhaji hot with chutney or tomato ketchup.

Sabudana khichdi (Sago pilaf)

sabudana khichdi

Sabudana khichdi is a popular Maharashtrian breakfast.Sabudana or Sago is mainly a fasting food in india and eaten in fasts like Ekadashi and Navratri. If you are buying sabudana, buy medium sized pearls for this recipe.
   
     Recipe of Sabudana khichdi

     2 cups sabudana (sago)
     1/4 cup peanuts
     1/2 tsp mustard seeds (kaali sarson)
     7-8 curry leaves
     3 chopped green chillies
     1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)
     1 tsp lime juice
     salt to taste

1. Wash sabudana in a colander or a strainer (big chhalni) and soak for 3-4 hours in 1/4 cup of water. Sabudana should be soaked in 'just enough' water in which it is just submerged and no more.

2. Roast the peanuts and grind them coarsely.

3. Mix ground peanuts with sabudana.

4. Heat ghee in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add curry leaves and green chillies. After a few seconds add sabudana mixture. Add salt.

5. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring all the time. Do not cover the pan otherwise you will get thick lumps. Each pearl of sago should be separate.

6. Add lime juice. Serve sabudana khichdi hot.

sabudana khichadi

Poha Recipe