Khamang kakadi (Indian Cucumber Salad)
A delicious maharashtrian salad, side dish, very cooling too.
2 Mavli Kakadi/ 4 Small cucumbers/ 1 medium English cucumbers
½ Cup Roasted Peanuts crushed 
½ tsp Salt,
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ghee/oil
2 green chilies medium chopped
1 pinch of hing
1 Pinch of Love
Fresh chopped cilantro for garnish
Cross mince the peeled cucumber by rotating while mincing from the top, and squeeze the excess water out
Add the roasted peanuts powder, salt, sugar and mix well
Heat the ghee ( oil if vegan) in a small wok, add cumin seeds and bloom, add a pinch of hing and a pinch of love, turn the heat off right away, add chopped green chili last, so that it doesn’t burn.
Add this seasoning to the mix, and stir well.
Serve with anything that is spicy, goes well with Pulao, Khichdi, or even hot rotis.
Tag: Vegan
Soya Kala Masala
Soya Kala Masala
1 cup soya chunks
2 medium onions
7-8 garlic cloves
3-4 dry red chilly peppers
1/4 cup cilanto hand shredded
2 tbsp grated dry coconut
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
1 pinch of love
—————–
Soak the soya chunks in warm water. You can add a pinch of salt to the water, gives a good flavor to the chunks
Pound the garlic in a pestle
Flash roast the grated coconut, add the chili peppers in the end and take it off the heat. 1 min is plenty
Roast the onions directly on the flame for 5 mins, let it cool.
Grind the roasted coconut n chilies in the grinder, add the roasted onions and cilantro to the same mix and grind to a coarse paste.
Chop the soaked soya chunks to smaller size if you like
Heat oil in a pan
Add the cumin seeds and bloom them
Add garlic, turmeric, garam masala and stir
Add the onion coconut paste and fry well until it looks glazed
Add the soya chunks and stir fry until the masala coats each piece, stir and fry on low heat for a couple mins.
Add salt, stir and cover, cook on low heat for 5 mins.
If you like to have a runny curry, add 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil.
Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro, a pinch of love and serve steaming hot.
Serves 3-4 people
This is a good cheat meat curry ! Wonderful for Vegans
Classic Aloo Sabji
Classic Aloo
3-4 medium boiled potatoes
1 onion Julienned
2-3 green chilies julienned
1 tsp Urad dal/ popped chana daal
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ginger garlic rough chopped
1 tsp fresh cilantro
2-3 sprigs kadhipatta/ indian curry leaves
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp black mustard seeds
1 pinch Asafoetida/ hing
1 tsp lemon juice ( optional)
1/4 tsp salt
1 pinch of love
——–
Peel and cube the boiled potatoes upon cooling
Heat oil and add the Urad dal, bloom the mustard and cumin seeds
Add ginger garlic paste, chilies and kadhipatta
As soon as it sizzles add the onions
Add turmeric and Hing, flash fry the onions for one minute.
( should stay crunchy, but not raw)
Add the potatoes and stir gently, folding the mix outside in
Takes altogether 5 minutes to assemble this when the potatoes are already cooked.
Add salt, fresh cilantro, a pinch of love and lemon juice.
Fold it once more and it is ready to be served.
with Masala Dosa also.
Akkhaa Massoor (lentils)
Akkhaa Masoor
1 cup whole Masoor ( common lentil)
1 tomato cut in 8 pcs
1 onion chopped fine
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 ” fresh ginger root
6-7 peeled garlic cloves
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp coriander seeds powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp salt / as per taste
Cilantro fine chopped
————
Wash the Masoor and put it in a container, add the chopped tomato in it with enough water to cook. Average 2 cups
Pressure cook the masoor lentils for 15 mins/ or boil until soft
Bruise the fennel seeds slightly to release aroma
Grate the ginger root
Garlic to be rough pounded
( if you are using frozen garlic, grate it frozen, on the braiser strip)
Heat the oil in the pan
Add the bruised fennel seeds and black mustard seeds
Quickly add the ginger garlic, followed by chopped onions and stirr
Add turmeric and chilli powder
Leave the onions slightly crunchy
Add the cooked Masoor and add salt
Sprinkle part of the chopped cilantro to add aroma
Cook for 3-5 mins
Serve hot with buttered rice or Parantha
PS: you can also add more water to it and make it soupy, enjoy with a warm buttered dinner roll or a slice of Sour dough
Raseelii Gobhi
Cauliflower in tomato sauce
1 small head of fresh cauliflower
( sorry the Fleurette dont work the same)
2 large ripe roma tomatoes/ or country tomatoes if you like a sweetish flavor
1″ piece of fresh ginger root grated
1 purple onion medium cubed
1 tbsp coriander seed powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder ( preferably kashmiri mirch)
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp roasted cumin seeds powder
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp besan
2-3 cups of warm water
1/2 tsp salt
1 pinch of love
————
Cut the stem off and cut out 1″ Fleurette, cube the remaining stems too, you can use the core of the center stem
Boil a pot if water. Add the turmeric in the water.
Blanch the cauliflower lightly in boiling water, turn the heat off. Let it sit for two minutes and drain the water. Let it cool
Grate the tomatoes, and add the coriander seeds powder and chili powder and mix well until the powders soak the juice in
Heat the oil in the pan
Bloom the mustard seeds,
Add the grated ginger, saute for 1 minute and add the Besan, and bay leaves,
stirr around and add the diced onions. Flash fry for one minute, as soon as the onions are all coated with a sheen of oil, add the grated tomato mixed with the masala
Saute till the tomato paste starts glistening.
Add the cauliflower Fleurette and stir till all pieces are wrapped in the sauce
Add salt and a pinch of love
Add the warm water, stir well and bring it to a boil
Garnish with fresh cilantro
Serve with hot buttered rice.
BHARWAAN TINDE’
This is my dad’s recipe. I can never best him in taste nor perfection.
Tinde (Apple Gourd)are called Dhemse in maharashtra ( which i feel is really an ugly name)
7-8 very tender Tinde
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp salt.
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
———–
Wash the tinde and scoop the top out
Core the inside and save it aside.
Remove the tough seeds if any.
Add the dry ingredients to the cored mass. Crush it well n blend it with fingers.
Stuff the Tindas with this mixture and put the tops back on, sealing it gently.
Heat oil in a fry pan
Bloom the cumin seeds, add a dash of turmeric
Gently place the Tinde in the pan
Roll them around gently till all are coated with oil
Cover the pan with lid and steam for 10 mins.
Turn them around till all sides are golden fried.
Garnish with fresh cilantro and a pinch of love.
PS: if you dont get much of cored mass, too many seeds, add a fine chopped onion to make up.
Alternatively you can also stuff it with moong dal soaked n dry cooked. With a tinge of garam masala. Or stir fried soya chunks.
Serve hot with paraanthas