Cauliflower Rassa

Rassa usually defines a thin watery curry and is especially popular in the state of Maharashtra. This recipe is a little different from the usual as it uses ground onions in its base. The curry goes well with any type of bread or rice.

Ingredients

Half a cauliflower, cut into florets
1 cup peas
1 large potato chopped
1 large onion
2 large tomatoes
2 tsp tomato paste
1 inch ginger
2 pods garlic
1 stick cinnamon
2 cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
1 tblsp lime juice
3-4 cups water
salt to taste

Method

Grind together the ginger, garlic, onion, fresh tomatoes and tomato paste into a smooth pulp. Heat oil in a pot. Add cinnamon and cloves as it heats. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When seeds sputter add ground mixture. Add spices and cook till the onions are well cooked and the paste does not stick to the sides of the pan. Add cauliflower, peas and potato. Add 3-4 cups water. Add salt and lemon juice. Stir and cook covered on medium heat till all the vegetables are cooked. Garnish with chopped cilantro .

Bharleli Vaangi (Maharashtrian style Stuffed Eggplant)

My mother-in law taught me this classic maharastrian dish made with small baby eggplants. The dish is slightly sweet and goes amazingly well with chapatis.

Ingredients

Baby eggplants- 8 to 10
One large potato
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp asafoetida
1 tsp turmeric
1 tblsp oil

For filling and paste

a small bunch cilantro
1 tsp tamarind pulp
1 1/2 cups grated coconut
1 cup ground roasted peanuts (optional)
4 to 5 tblsp goda masala
1/2 cup jaggery
salt to taste
1 pod garlic
1 inch piece of ginger
1 tsp turmeric

Method
Cut tips of small eggplants. Make a slice midway on one end with a knife. Make another slit on the other side perpendicular to the previous slit. Soak in water. Cut potatoes length wise and also soak in water.


Meanwhile add all ingredients of the paste into a blender and grind with very very little water to make a thick paste/filling. Fill the filling into each slit of the eggplants. Reserve remaining filling.





Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric and asafoetida. When seeds splutter add eggplants and potatoes. Fry on medium high heat for 2-3 minutes. Lower heat to medium and cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Add remaining filling and about 1/2 cup water. Mix well. Cook till eggplants and potatoes are done. Serve hot garnished with cilantro.

Easy Healthy Shrikhand

I visited my aunt this past month. After a long drive we came home to a yummy Konkani dinner. For dessert she had made Shrikhand,a popular dessert in Maharashtra. Its a sweet yogurt pudding made with strained yogurt and saffron. There are many variations to the shrikhand like adding mango puree to it to make what is called "amrakhand". Since my Uncle and aunt are very health conscious in their diet, this shrikhand was fat free and sugar free AND it was delicious. I couldn't taste the Splenda in it or even tell it was fat free (no believe me i'm the first one to detect the fat free versions of dishes:this one you can't tell). Try it yourself if you don't believe me. This recipe uses a store bought greek yogurt (which is strained) cutting the time to make this dish down by almsot 70 percent.

Ingredients (serves 2)

1 small package 0% fat greek strained yogurt (look for it in your organic/health food section in the grocery store), cheaper variety is available in walmart in the yogurt aisle



5 to 6 strands of saffron, a little goes a long way, the picture shows more saffron because I had doubled the recipe
1 tblsp milk
3 tblsp splenda (or 4 to 5 tblsp sugar)
1 tblsp shelled pistachios, blanched and chopped

Lightly toast saffron. Add 1 tblsp warm milk to the saffron and let it sit.

Empty yogurt into a bowl. Add saffron-milk mixture and splenda. Blend with an electric whisker for a few seconds, the yogurt will become creamy. Add pistachios and mix. Refrigerate for atleast an hour. Mix well before serving. For amrakhand, omit saffron and reduce sugar or splenda by half. Add 4 to 5 tblsp of mango puree and blend.

Tomato saar with coconut milk

This recipe is absolutely delicious. Its tomato saar with a twist. You add coconut milk to it and its slightly sweet, typical of cuisines from where my husband is from. I love it and since its so easy to make its a simple way to my husband's heart.



Ingredients

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup water
2 tblsp gud (jaggery shredded)
1 tsp red chilly powder
1 tsp asofetida
4 to 5 curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
salt to taste

Blend diced tomatoes to a pulp. Add water. Keep aside. Heat oil in a pot. Add curry leaves, mustard and cumin seeds and asofetida. Wait till spices crackle. Add blended tomato. Add jaggery. Let it come to a boil. Add coconut milk. Stir. Heat for a minute more. Serve hot.

Another Okra dish (Cheench gulachi bhindi)

My continuing search for a good bhindi (or okra) indian dish has probably ended. This is a classic Maharashtrian dish and tastes really good with chapatis (see previous post). So here it is

Ingredients

1/2 pound okra. Wash, dry well and cut into rounds.
2 pods garlic, peeled and diced into two pieces
2 green chillies, diced
one onion, chopped
1 tsp tamarind
1 tblsp gud (jaggery), can add sugar in place
jeera or cumin powder 1 tsp
Turmeric 1 tsp
Asofetida or heeng 1/2 tsp
mustard seeds 1 tsp
cumin seeds 1 tsp
Oil 2 tblsp
salt to taste

Heat oil. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asofetida, green chillies, garlic. Heat for 3o seconds. Add onions. Cook till transluscent. Add okra, tamarind, gud. Stir. Okra will release a gooey sticky thread like substance. Don't worry the tamarind will take care of it. Add salt, mix. Cover and cook till done stirring occasionally.