Maharashtrian

Posted in Desserts, Entertaining, Maharashtrian, Spring - Summer Special

आम्रखंड / Amrakhand / Mango Mousse

Alphonso mango with thick creamy yogurt – divine delight! Admittedly, my whole family has a sweet tooth – I just have the biggest! Whenever my mom asked my preference for dessert I answered with only one word – Amrakhand. Alphonso mango pulp mixed with very think yet very smooth yogurt and sugar with some cardomom and saffron, who wouldn’t like it? For me it’s simply a divine pleasure! It’s very famous in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. Gudhi padwa (Hindu New Year) was the perfect occasion to prepare this special dessert at home. Making this at home does have…

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Posted in Maharashtrian, Smoothie, Upvasache Padarth

ताक / Chaas / Buttermilk

A pure, simple summer refresher Buttermilk has always been an integral part of traditional Maharashtrian meal. Imagine coming home from scorching heat and sipping on a glass of cold, lightly spiced homemade buttermilk. There is no better thirst quencher!   It’s very simple, just takes 5 minutes to mix everything together. [purerecipe] Surprisingly not everyone knows about buttermilk. One of my colleagues thought it was made by adding milk to butter. It actually referes to the liquid left over after extracting the butter from churned yogurt. The churning process causes some of the lactose – milk sugar, to be converted into lactic…

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Posted in Breakfast, Maharashtrian, Snacks, Upvasache Padarth

साबूदाण्याची खिचडी / Sabudana Khichadi

Scrumptious Maharashtrian Delicacy It was the very first time, since our marriage, when my husband was visiting me in Pittsburgh; I wanted to make something he loves. He asked for “साबूदाण्याची खिचडी” (Sabudana Khichadi). I somehow managed to serve him what he wanted but I was not at all happy with my attempt. I knew I had to learn the trick from my mom to make him happy. And now I have excelled it 🙂 I made it again after almost a year and I am really proud of myself 🙂 [purerecipe] The most important part is amount of water used…

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Posted in Maharashtrian, Quick n Healthy, Salad, Winter Special

बीटाची कोशिंबीर / Beetachi koshimbir / Beet Salad /

Sweet, salty, tangy, crunchy beet salad  Beets are highly nutritious and calorie friendly root vegetables. They are a unique source of phytonutrients called betalains which provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxification support. These betalains undergo a steady loss as cooking time increases, so make sure you keep steaming time for beets under 15 minutes. Reference –whfoods.com This is a simple, easy to make, yet a tasty recipe from my mom.   Ingredients 2 cups shredded steamed beet (around 2 medium beets) 1/4 cup ground roasted peanuts 1/4 tsp fennel seeds (optional See Notes below) 1 tsp lemon juice 2 tsp तिळाची चटणी or 1 tsp sesame…

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Posted in Maharashtrian, Quick n Healthy, Salad, Winter Special

गाजराची कोशिंबीर / Gajarachi Koshimbir / Carrot Salad

Eating salad is a proven way of cutting down calories without compromising on necessary nutrients. A typical Maharashtrian Koshimbir is the best example of such a salad. Even if you don’t like raw carrorts, I bet you will enjoy this Gajarachi Koshimbir –   Ingredients 2 fresh medium carrots, grated 1 medium tomato, chopped 2 tb spoon peanut(groundnut) powder 1 tb spoon sugar 1 tb spoon fresh lemon juice 2 medium green chiliis, finely chopped salt to taste 4 springs of cilantro, finely chopped This is the simplest recipe so far. Grate carrots , chop tomatoes and ground roasted(optional) peanuts. Mix everything…

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Posted in Maharashtrian, Subji / Curry

Moong, Kale Chane, Chavali Usal

Usal is a very common main dish in Maharashtrian homes and especially useful when you don’t have a full pantry. It contains any sprouted grains such as moong, kale chane or Chavali (black eyed peas) mixed together with sautéed onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic. The special Maharashtrian touch comes from Goda masala + grated coconut and a bit of jaggery. This recipe can be used for any grains or combination. The other day I didn’t have enough moong or kale chane so I mixed them and it turned out just perfect! You need to soak moong and kale chane overnight…

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