Rajma Pulav

Rajma Rice in Marathi

Time: 35 to 40 minutes
Makes: 3 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Rajma, dried
1 cup Basmati Rice
2 Bay Leaves, 2 Cloves, 2 Cardamoms
1.5 tsp Garam Masala
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
2 tbsp Ghee
1/2 tsp Turmeric, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
Salt to taste
1/4 cup Cilantro, finely chopped

Method:
1) Soak Rajma in water for 7 to 8 hours. Pressure cook Rajma, add some salt. Cook Rajma beans firm but still not hard.
2) Soak rice in water for 10 minutes. Drain water. Heat oil into a deep pan. Add bay leaves, cloves and cardamoms. Add drained rice and saute until completely dry. While roasting rice, heat 2 cups water on another stove.
3) Once rice is roasted nicely, add hot water. Also add 1 tsp salt. Let it boil over high heat until water on the surface is almost evaporated. At that point, cover the pan and reduce heat to low. Let the rice cook. Give a gentle stir once or twice. Once rice is cooked, keep it aside until we make Rajma curry.
4) Heat 1 tbsp butter in a pan. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and ginger-garlic paste. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add tomatoes and little salt. Cook tomatoes until completely mushy.
5) Add cooked Rajma beans and around 1/4 cups water. Boil for few minutes. Add garam masala. Boil gravy until thick enough as we are going to mix it with rice.
6) Add rice to the gravy and mix well (tip). Cover and steam cook for 5 to 8 minutes over medium-low heat. This will help to infuse the flavors.
Garnish rajma rice with cilantro and serve hot with raita.

Tip:
1) Add Rice to the gravy in batches. It will be convenient for mixing and you will be able to mix in just enough rice proportionate to the gravy.

Bean Sprouts salad

Bean Sprouts Salad in Marathi

Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2 to 3 persons

Ingredients:
100 to 125 grams bean sprouts
6 to 8 thin slices of cucumber (peeled), cut in half and cut in half moon slices
1/2 tsp ginger, sliced
1 scallion, sliced thin
1 small carrot, grated on large holes
1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp oil
1 tsp soy sauce
1 green chili, finely chopped (optional)

Method:
1) Add 1 tsp oil to hot frying pan and quickly fry ginger pieces until crisp. Remove from the pan. Drain the oil and reserve.
2) In bowl, combine sprouts, cucumber, scallions, carrot, cilantro and green chili and mix well. Add lime juice, remaining oil from pan, soy sauce, fried ginger, and toasted sesame seeds. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Tip:
1) Sprouts are very delicate. Hence, do the mixing very gently. Also, do not over-mix, it will mush the sprouts.

mugachi usal

Mugachi usal in Marathi



Time: 20 to 25 minutes

serves: 2 to 3 persons



Ingredients:

3/4 cup dry mung beans

For tempering: 2 tsp oil, 2 pinches mustard seeds, 1/8 tsp hing, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, few curry leaves

2 big garlic cloves, crushed

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup fresh coconut

2-3 kokum pieces

1/2 tsp Goda masala (optional)

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp sugar or to taste



Method:

1) Soak mung beans over night in warm water. Next morning drain all the water. Pick and remove any hard bean or small stone. Take a clean cotton cloth and place the mung beans at the center. Gather all the edges and tie tightly. Put it someplace warm to sprout. It will take atleast 10 to 12 hours to sprout. And in winter this time period may lengthen. Once mung beans are sprouted, put them in cold water and drain immediately just before beginning to make sabzi. A little bit water will prevent mung beans from burning after putting them in hot pan.

2) Heat oil in the pan. Add mustard seeds, hing, turmeric, red chili powder, curry leaves. Add garlic cloves and saute until color changes to light brown. add onion, salt and cook until onion becomes translucent.

3) Add these mung beans, salt and kokum to the pan and saute well. Cover and cook over medium-high heat. Do not let the mung beans become dry. Also, do not add too much water at once. It will diminish the flavors. Occasionally, sprinkle 2-3 tbsp water to avoid drying. It will take around 15 to 20 minutes to cook the mung beans.

4) When mung beans are almost done, add fresh coconut, some salt and goda masala. Also add water to get the desired consistency. Add sugar and boil for couple of minutes.

Serve hot with Chapati.



Tips:

1) This sabzi can be prepared without onion and garlic. However, garlic and onion gives nice flavor to this sabzi.

Matki usal

Matki Usal in Marathi

Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 3 to 4 persons

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Matki
For Tempering: 2 tsp oil, 2 pinches mustard seeds, 1/8 tsp asafoetida, 1/8 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder
4-5 curry leaves
1/2 tsp goda masala (optional)
2-3 Kokum petals
1 tbsp jaggery
salt to taste

Method:
1) Soak matki in plenty of warm water overnight or for 7-8 hours. Put the soaked matki in a colander for 20 minutes and let the excessive water drain out.
2) Take a muslin cloth or any clean cotton cloth and mound matki at the center. Gather all the edges and tie tightly. Put this pouch at a warm place atleast for 10 to 12 hours. You may require more time if the climate is dry and cold.
3) Put the sprouted matki in water and then discard the water. It will prevent burning when added to hot kadai.
4) Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds. add hing once mustard seeds crackle. Then add turmeric powder, chili powder and curry leaves. Add matki and saute for few minutes. Add some salt.
5) Cover the pan and cook for few minutes. Sprinkle some water (few tbsps) whenever needed. Do not let matki become dry. Also, don't add too much water. Both will spoil the taste.
6) When matki is half way done, add kokum and goda masala. When matki is almost done, add jaggery and some water. Boil for few minutes. Let the matki cook completely.
Add some fresh scraped coconut and cilantro.
Serve hot with chapati.

Masoor Pulav

Masoor Pulao in Marathi

Time: 40 to 50 minutes
Serves: 3 to 4 persons

Ingredients:
:: To cook Rice ::
1 and 1/2 cup Basmati Rice
3 cups hot water
1 star anise, 2 bay leaves, 2 Cloves
1 tbsp Ghee
1/2 tsp salt
:: To make Masoor Gravy ::
1/2 cup Masoor
1 tbsp ghee
2 cardamoms, 2-3 black pepper
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder (I used 1/2 tsp kashmiri red chilil powder for color and 1/2 tsp normal red chili powder for spiciness)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1/2 cup yogurt
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp golden raisins, few cashews
salt to taste

Method:
1) Soak Masoor overnight or 7 to 8 hours in sufficient water. Pressure cook Masoor up-to 1 whistle without adding water (For details see tip below). Add little salt when pressure cooking.
2) Heat ghee into a pan. Add cardamom and black pepper. Saute for 10 seconds. Add turmeric powder, chili powder, and ginger garlic paste. Saute for 15 seconds. Add onion and saute till it becomes translucent.
3) Now add cooked Masoor and 1/2 cup water. Add little salt (remember- salt added while pressure cooking). Simmer for few minutes. Add garam masala, cumin-coriander powder, raisins, cashews. Check the taste and adjust the spices. Remove from the heat. gravy should be thick in consistency as we are going to add yogurt once it cools down.
4) Let the gravy cool down a bit. Add yogurt and whisk well. Add little salt if needed.
5) Soak basmati rice for 10 minutes into cold water. Then discard the water and keep the rice aside for 20 minutes.
6) Heat a medium saucepan. Add ghee and wait till it melts. Add star anise, bay leaves and cloves. Saute for 10 seconds. Now add rice. Saute continuously until rice becomes completely dry. You will also notice the changes in texture of rice.
7) Once rice is nicely roasted, add hot water and salt. Give a nice stir and let it boil uncovered over high heat. Turn the heat to low, the moment water on the surface disappears. Cover the pan and let the rice cook in steam until grains are almost done.
Let the rice sit for a while, because if we add gravy in hot rice, the grains are likely to brake.
8) Fluff the rice with a fork and mix in the gravy little by little. Mix well but gently.
9) Add some ghee. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes over low heat.
Serve hot with Raita

Tips:
1) Roasting rice over high heat for 6 to 8 minutes results in fluffy rice after cooking.
2) If you don’t have enough time for soaking, immerse the masoor in hot water for couple of hours.
3) Pressure cooking without adding water means - Add a cup of water at the bottom of pressure cooker and DO NOT add water in the steel container inside the pressure cooker. In this steel container we are going to put only soaked masoor.
4) To lessen the amount of ghee, use oil for making Gravy and skip adding ghee at the end.

Black eyed beans curry

Chawli Amti in Marathi

Serves: 3 to 4 persons
Time: 20 minutes (Excludes time for soaking chawli)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Chavli
1/4 cup Onion, finely chopped
1 big Tomato, pureed
2 garlic cloves, peeled
For tempering: 3 tsp Oil, 2 pinches of Mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds, 1 green chili, 4 curry leaves, pinch of asafoetida, 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp Kanda-Lasun masala
1 tsp Tamarind pulp
2 tbsp Fresh grated coconut
2 tbsp Cilantro, finely chopped + 1 tsp for garnishing
salt to taste

Method:
1) Soak Chavli beans for atleast 3 hours. Pressure cook upto 1 or 2 whistles.
2) Heat a Kadai over medium flame. Add 2 tsp oil. Add mustard seeds and wait till its crackle. Then add cumin seeds, green chili (slit), curry leaves, asafoetida, turmeric powder, red chili powder and cilantro. Saute for few seconds. Add onion and cook until translucent.
3) After onion gets cooked, add tomato puree. Cook over medium low heat for few minutes. Now, add cooked chavli beans and a cup of water. Stir and add Kanda lasun Masala, tamarind pulp, coconut and salt.
4) Adjust the consistency by adding required amount of water. Cook for few minutes over medium heat.
Once the Amti is ready, heat oil in a tadka pan (very small pan). Add whole garlic cloves, pinch of asafoetida and pour it on the Amti. Stir. Garlish with cilantro and serve the amti with White rice.

Tips:
1) Add boiled, peeled and cubed potato to this curry to make it more flavorful.
2) You can add Goda masala or any other curry masala instead of Kanda Lasun Masala.

Tendli Dalimbi - Ivy Gourd and Vaal beans

Tendli Dalimbi Bhaji in Marathi

Serves: 3 persons
Time: approx 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 to 1 and 1/4 cup Dalimbya (soaked, sprouted and peeled) (Step 1)
12 to 15 Ivy gourd (tondali)
For Tempering:
1 tbsp oil, 1/4 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds, pinch of Hing, 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp Red chili powder
4 curry leaves
2 tbsp dry coconut, grated
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp jaggery
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh grated coconut
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Soak dry Vaal beans into warm water for 10 to 12 hours. Drain after around 12 hours. Put them into clean cheese cloth, gather all the edges and make a tight parcel. Place this parcel at a warm place for sprouting. It will take atleast 10 to 12 hours to get approx 1 cm long sprouts. Put the sprouted beans into warm water. Peel them gently without crumbling the beans. Immerse peeled beans into cold water.
2) Wash the tondli. Cut off the tips. Slice each tondali lengthwise and make 4 to 5 wedges. Immerse them into cold water.
3) Heat a pan, Add dry coconut (grated) and roast over medium heat until color changes to light brown. Remove it from the pan and add cumin seeds. Roast it until color turns to dark brown. Crush the cumin and coconut coarsely.
4) Heat oil in a wok. Add mustard seeds and allow them to pop. Then add cumin seeds, asafoetida, turmeric powder, and red chili powder. Also introduce curry leaves and cilantro. Saute for few seconds and add sliced tondali. Saute, cover and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat. Drain the peeled beans and add to the wok. Saute gently. Cover the pan and let the beans cook nicely. You can put steel plate on the pan and add some water in it. This will help to steam-cook the sabzi. Add Kokum and salt. Also add crushed cumin and coconut.
5) Once tondli and beans are almost cooked, add jaggery and cook for a minute.
Add fresh coconut, garnish with cilantro and serve hot with Chapati.

Tips:
1) For sour taste, little tamarind pulp can be used instead of kokum.
2) Some people prefer this vegetable with little watery consistency. To make it little watery, add little water while cooking the vegetables.
3) Add a tsp of Maharashtrian goda masala or garam masala for make the vegetable more flavorful.

Samosa Chaat

Samosa Chat in Marathi

Serves: 3 persons
Time: 30 to 40 Minutes (Excluding Samosa preparation)

Ingredients:
6 Samosas (medium) - Click here for Samosa Recipe
1/4 cup Green chutney
1/4 cup Tamarind chutney or Dates Chutney (click here for the recipe)
1/2 cup yogurt + pinch of salt (beaten)
1 tsp Chat masala
1/2 tsp Rock salt
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped tomato
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro,
1/4 cup fine sev
Chana Masala Gravy
1 cup boiled white chickpeas
For tempering: 1 tsp oil, 2 pinches cumin seeds, pinch of asafoetida, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp red chili powder
Make a paste of = 1/2 cup finely chopped onion + 2 garlic cloves + 1/2 inch Ginger + 1 green chili
1 medium tomato, pureed
1 tsp Chole masala
1/4 tsp Amchoor Powder (Dry Mango Powder)
Salt to taste



Method:
Chana Masala Gravy
1) In a pan / wok heat oil. Temper with cumin seeds, asafoetida, turmeric and red chili powder. Then add onion paste-ginger-garlic paste. Saute until onion paste gets cooked. Now add tomato puree and cook over medium heat. Add cooked Chana, amchoor powder, chole masala and salt to taste. Add little water, cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
Samosa Chat
2) Keep ready 3 serving plates. Place 2 samosas in each serving plate. Crush them a little. Pour 1 ladle of Chana gravy over it. Add chopped onion and tomatoes. Sprinkle Chat masala and rock salt. Then add green chutney and tamarind chutney. Drizzle yogurt. Then again add tamarind chutney and green chutney. Sprinkle little red chili powder. Garnish with cilantro and fine sev. Serve.