Piyush is Maharashtrian, nutmeg and cardamom flavoured lassi. Janaseva Dugdh Mandir on Laxmi Road, Pune serves the best Piyush in the city. Its very simple to make and one of the best summer drinks on a hot sunny afternoon.
For this you need:-
1 cup Hung Curd
1 generous pinch nutmeg powder and Cardamom powder
1/2 cup Powder Sugar
Few strands of Saffron
3/4 glass slightly sour butter milk
Put all the ingredients in a blender and run for just a minute. Pour the frothy blend into a tall glass and chill in the refrigerator for an hour before you enjoy it. Adjust sugar as per taste if required.
This is a perfect Breakfast snack….Kakdi Thalipeeth. Its quite different from the famous Bhajani Thalipeeth that we maharashtrians relish, but taste equally delicious.Just Rice flour, Rava (Semolina, Sooji), Kakdi (cucumber), green chillies, fresh coriander leaves, salt, turmeric and a little oil is all it takes to make this spicy Kakdi Thalipeeth.
1 Kakdi (cucumbers) washed, peeled and grated
1/4 cup Rava ( semolina, sooji) 1 cup Rice flour
2-3 green chillies coarsely ground or chopped
fresh coriander leaves washed, cleaned and chopped Pinch of Turmeric
Salt and sugar as per taste
Oil for frying
1. Add a pinch of salt, sugar and turmeric to the grated cucumber and keep for 15-20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove the water from it, by pressing a portion of it in your palms and squeezing tightly. Don’t discard the water. Add a pinch of pepper and drink it. It’s good for health.
2. Now add Rava( rava makes them crispy) and rice flour to the cucumber, green chilli, chopped coriander leaves, salt (adjust the salt since the grated cucumber also has some amount of salt) and mix to form a dough (see photo, the consistency of the dough should be such that you should be able to pat the dough into a flat Roti)
3. Make golf-ball sized balls from the dough.
4. Lightly grease a tava/ pan with little oil. Keep one of the dough balls in the centre of the skillet. Using your palm and fingers flatten the dough into a round even roti. Dip your palm and fingers in water to make the patting easier.
5. Make one hole in the centre with the tip of your finger as shown in the photo below. Add 1-2 drops of oil in this hole- this ensures even cooking of the Thalipeeth. 6. Cover and cook on medium flame till the lower side is light brown and crispy. Turn over and cook for 1-2 minutes more.
7. Serve hot.
8. Kakdi thalipeeth does not require any accompaniments- it tastes quite good by itself. If you like, serve with a bowl of curd or some lime pickle.
Priya from Jihva - Wedding Feasts and Jihva for Ingredients post is hosting Jihva - Wedding Feast. One of the recipe I posted in the past is ready to dive in to the event ; so will be re-posting the same and also this new one.I am surely excited as this is my first participation for any blog event.
I love pasta salads. Colorful vegetables and sturdy pasta in a tasty dressing, to be served cold or at room temperature. A dish that can be made ahead of time and scaled up to feed a crowd. All of these sound like very desirable traits.
This is so easy to make, and is really light and delicious!
It makes a wonderful side dish or an entire meal any time of the year. It's the perfect food for parties,wedding buffets, packed lunches, a picnic, potluck dinner or barbecue. Pasta salad is so versatile, it can be made kid friendly or have grown up gourmet ingredients. You will find that the great thing about these salads is that you can follow the recipe exactly or you can get creative using whatever ingredients you have on hand in your fridge and pantry.
I am posting this as my entry into the event. I would have loved to include this into the menu for My Wedding; but for some reasons I could not. But trust me its perfect for the Reception parties of Wedding.
For this you need:-
(quantities for 2 people)
100 gms Penne or medium pasta shells, cooked, drained, cooled 1/8 cup Capsicum, sliced and Par-boiled 1/8 cup Potatoes, sliced and Par-boiled 1/4 cup fresh or frozen peas, cooked 1/8 cup sliced carrots Par-boiled 1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise (i used egg less) 1/4 cup milk and Beateb Curd mixed toghether 1 tsp. Finely chopped Garlic 1 small onion sliced 1 tsp. Oil / Olive oil fresh Coriander finely chopped Salt and pepper, to taste
Combine pasta, peas, potato and carrots in salad bowl. Heat oil and saute the sliced onion, capsicum and chopped garlic for a minute or two. Mix it into the salad. Add chopped coriander. Blend mayonnaise and milk beaten curd mixture together. Stir dressing into salad mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate covered for 2 to 3 hours to allow flavors to blend. You can add or omit the vegetables as per the availability.
Poha/Pohe is very simple, flattened and dried rice. It is a staple in the pantry of most maharashtrian kitchens.When seasoned with spices and gently steamed, it has a "melt-in-the-mouth" texture and fantastic aroma. It is typically served for breakfast and is quite light and nutritious. It's prepared in many different ways, this one is one of them. This actually is my mother’s recipe, I just made it with few additional veggies and one my friend just loves it.
for this you need:-
Poha/Pohe - 1 1/2 Cup
Onion - 1 big finely sliced
Tomato - 1 big finely sliced
Green Peas - 1/4 cup
Corn Kernels- 1/4 cup
Potato - 1 big peeled and sliced
Green chilly - Ginger - Garlic- 1 tsp. Finely chopped
Salt as per taste
Sugar as per taste
Kachcha Masala ( all spices ground together) - 1 tsp.
Jeera- 1/2 tsp.
Hing - 1/2 tsp.
Coriander- Finely chopped
1. Wash and rinse Poha/Pohe under running water. Drain all the water and keep aside for 5-10 mins.
2. Rub some salt and sugar to the Poha/Pohe.
3. Put oil in a pan, when oil becomes hot enough add Jeera and Hing.
4. After frying for a few seconds, add onion and then fry it for another couple of seconds till it becomes translucent.
5. Then add finely chopped ginger, garlic and green chilly and fry it well.
6. Now add all the vegetables one by one except tomatoes and fry it for few seconds.
7. Fry the vegetables well and allow them to get cooked. (Do not over cook the vegetables).Then add the soaked Poha/Pohe and finely chopped tomatoes, kachcha masala and mix everything well. Adjust the seasonings.
8. Cover the pan and let the whole thing cook for few minutes (around 5 mins). Give it a good stir.
9. Garnish it with chopped coriander and serve hot.
A fresh bowl of soup is something for which I can skip my regular meals and just gorge myself with it, be it any time of year and day. This Soup is very healthy apart from the fact that it has white sauce made up of Refined flour which is soooo not healthy. (but you can also prepare white sauce with wheat flour)
The soup was ready in twenty minutes, and I must admit that the outcome was a delicious. Make a bowl for you and savour the warmth in the cold winter or on a gloomy rainy day...
you will need:-
Finely chopped Cabbage - 1 cup Finely chopped Onion - 1 medium Finely chopped Tomato- 1 medium Finely chopped Carrots - 1/4 cup Finely Chopped French Beans - 1/4 cup Finely chopped Capsicum - 1/4 cup Corn Kernels slightly crushed - 1/4 cup Grens Peas slightly crushed - 1/4 cup White sauce - 1/2 bowl ( small) Crushed Garlic - 1 tsp. Salt as reqd. Pepper as reqd.
In a vessel, take about 2 cups of water and add little salt.(Salt will help the veggies cook faster) Now add all the vegetables one by one including onion, tomatoes and garlic. Let the mixture boil for about 7-8 minutes or till the vegetables are just about cooked. I actually like a little crunch to my vegetables in my soup, the crunch acts as croutons for me.
Now add the white sauce gradually stirring the soup continuously till you get the exact consistency of the soup. Let it boil for 3-4 minutes. Adjust the seasonings. The Vegetable soup is ready to serve.
Note:- To make this soup more nutritious and healthy, just add the raw Spinach paste/puree as a base along with water.
15th April is and will always be a special day for me. I do not want to furnish any details here. Anyway, so to make this special day more special were the gold coins….I just love them.
Sesame gold coin is a delicious and mouth watering Indian snack.(Try them in Marigold Restaurant, 3D destination, Pune….they are just amazing) This recipe is good for tea time snack. It can also be served as a starter before meal.
The name itself is soooooo inviting especially when the gold prices are already touched 16 K + ...
Lets get straight to the Recipe:-
White/Brown bread 10 slices
Sesame seeds (til), Roasted ¼ cup
Corn kernels, boiled and crushed ½ cup
Potatoes, boiled & grated 2 medium
Green capsicum, seeded and chopped ¼ cup
Green peas,par-boiled and crushed ¼ cup
Carrot, par-boiled and chopped ¼ cup
Onion , chopped 1 medium
Garlic, chopped 4-6 cloves
Green chillies, seeded and chopped 2-3
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 1 tbsp.
Ginger, chopped ½ inch piece
White/black pepper powder 1/2 tsp.
Soy sauce 1/2 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Cornflour/ corn starch 1/2 cup
Oil to deep fry
Whew!! thats quite a list.
1. Cut the bread slices into roundels using a steel vati.( Grind the remaining edges and dry roast them, the home-made breadcrumbs are ready. Store and use them as and when required).
2. Take potatoes in a bowl. Add green capsicum, carrots, peas, onion, garlic, green chillies, coriander leaves, ginger, crushed corn, white pepper powder, soya sauce and salt and mix well.
3. Spread the mixture on each bread roundel generously.
4. Sprinkle some sesame seeds over the potato mixture and press gently.
5. Lightly roll in cornflour. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep fry the gold coins till golden.
6. Drain and place them on an absorbent paper. Serve hot.
Love Strawberries? The Strawberry Ice-cream? The taste? Well then read up........One more recipe containing strawberries........ You will love it.....Strawberry Barfi...
This is the list of Ingredients that you need:-
Grated Strawberries (fresh) - 1/2 Cup
Ghee 1/2 tbsp.
Milkmaid- 100 ml
Sugar If required
Milk - ½ Cup
Cashews – Finely sliced for Decoration
Cashew Powder-1 ½ tbsp.
Salt a pinch
Heat Ghee. Add grated strawberries and fry well for 5-6 mins.
Now add the cashew powder and fry again for a min. Then add the condensed milk
(milkmaid) and milk and fry till the strawberries are cooked completely. Sugar can also be added if required at this stage.
Now add a pinch of salt ( just a few grains) and mix it well. Remove from fire when it becomes a thick mixture.
Apply ghee on a plate and spread the mixture on it evenly. Sprikle sliced cashews on top.
Leave it to set for some time. When set firmly, cut the burfi into pieces of desired shape. Store it in the refrigerator.
An Apple a day keeps the Doctor away…..and if the doctor is handsome….keep the apple away….:p
Few days back I saw a video of Making Apple Barfi using Khoya. I have just modified the recipe a bit , as I added milkmaid instead of Khoya and some dry fruits. (:-( you know….our so called Indian shop here…does not sell Khoya)
And it came out really good, than I expected it would be :) !!
So this is the list of Ingredients that you need:-
Grated Apple2 nos. (small)
Ghee 1 tbsp.
Milkmaid 100 ml
Sugar If required
Milk ½ Cup
Cinnamon Powder 1 tsp.
Almonds Finely sliced for Decoration
Almond Powder 1 ½ tbsp.
Salt a pinch
1. Heat Ghee. Add grated apple and fry well for 5-6 mins.
2. Now add the almond powder and fry again for a min. Then add milkmaid and milk and fry till the apple is completely cooked.Sugar can also be added if required at this stage.
3. Now add the cinnamon powder, a pinch of salt ( just a few grains) and mix it well. Remove from fire when it becomes a thick mixture.
4. Apply ghee on a plate and spread the mixture on it evenly. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top.
5. Leave it to set for some time. When set firmly, cut the burfi into pieces of desired shape.
Hi everybody! I am back with wonderful memories from my long weekend trip. But now I have been back since a week and things have fallen back into a routine activities and I am definitely back on the blogosphere as I do not want to get into the annoying habit of taking long breaks. Anyway What I have for you today is a very healthy and a Perfect Breakfast Drink made with Strawberries and Yoghurt.
Strawberries are good source of vitamins and nutritional value. These are things that stress can deprive us of and drinking fruit smoothies containing strawberries can help replenish us and keep us healthy.
Although Germany is still in the grips of cold spring weather, people back home in India are probably already in the depths of a hot summer. Pune my hometown used to be a city with moderate summers till about 10 to 12 years back but no more. Summers of Pune are something to reckon with these days . The sun starts blazing down on you practically from eight in the morning and relief in the form of a cool breeze can be experienced only late in evening after sunset. So what to do that will make your summer tolerable ?? Easy! Concentrate on the delicious recipe……………
So for this you need:-
(these quantities are for One glass)
1/2 cup Fresh Strawberries (I froze them for an hour before using them) 3 to 4 Ice Cubes (If you are using Ice cubes, then no need to freeze strawberries) 150 gms plain yogurt, 1/4 cup chilled milk, 2 to 3 tsp sugar
1 tsp. Finely chopped Strawberries
In the blender first put in the milk and yogurt and then put in the frozen strawberries and sugar and ice (optional). Putting the liquids first prevents the strawberries from jamming your blender mechanism. Give it all a good blitz until nice, smooth. Now add the finely chopped strawberries in the serving glass and pour the smoothie on top. Decorate it and serve. Similarly you can also make Mango smoothie, Banana smoothie, Raspberry smoothie. Try them too.
One more thing that you can add in this is mint leaves. Just add 5-6 fresh mint leaves while blending. Mint leaves gives a different flavour all together to the smoothie.
Every time I make gharge I need to call my maternal grandma for the recipe, the reason is I don't remember the recipe I used last time. :-) So this time I am documenting it down so that I won't forget it. 'Gharge' is a traditional Maharashtrian sweet that slowly is getting lost in time. I love this sweet for two reasons: First, its just so yummy --- its not too sweet and even people with a limited sweet tooth will enjoy this, and the second reason is that this is something my maternal grandma made a lot for us. Gharge is basically a sweet puri that has pumpkin as one if its major ingredient.
So lets get straight to the recipe...
Wheat Flour - 2 1/2 Cups
Pumpkin - 1 Cup ( Grated)
Rice Flour - 1/4 Cup
Jaggery (Gud)- 1 1/2 Cups
A pinch of Salt
Oil for Frying
1. Grate and pressure cook Pumpkin.
2. Combine grated pumpkin and jaggery.
3. Add the hot oil(in marathi, we call it” Mohan”), cardamom powder(optional), salt, wheat flour and rice flour. Knead well to make a tight dough.
4. Make small balls of this mixture. Roll out the puris.
5. Deep fry them till golden-brown in hot oil.
6. Drain on paper towels. When gharges are cool, store them in an airtight container.
