Pav Bhaji

 

Pav bhaji is a fast food dish from India. It consists of a thick vegetable curry, with a soft bread roll, which may be toasted, and served with butter, cut onion and lemon. The origin of this dish traces back to textile mill workers in Mumbai in the 1850s. They had lunch breaks too short for a full meal, and a light lunch was preferred to a heavy one, as the employees had to return to strenuous physical labour after lunch.

My children love this dish and I used to make for dinner quite frequently. They would insist on preparing extra, for taking to school lunch the next day.

Ingredients

100 gms French beans

100 gm potatoes

100 gm green peas

¾ cup cauli flower pieces

1 small carrot

Salt to taste

2 tbsps oil

3 big tomatoes cut fine

3 onions cut fine

1 green chilli slit

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

½ tsp red chilli powder

½ garam masala powder OR pav bhaji masala powder

2 tbsps cut coriander leaves

1 lemon

Instruction

-          Wash, clean, peel and cut all vegetables into small pieces. Pressure cook all vegetables except onion and tomatoes, with 1 ½  cups water for one whistle. Let it cool and then open.

-          While the vegetable is cooking, heat a thick bottomed pan, pour the oil, add cut onion (keep aside some for garnishing later), reduce the flame and stir in between.

-          When the onion is transparent, add the ginger garlic paste and slit green chilli. 

When nice aroma comes, add the cut tomatoes and keep stirring in between till the tomatoes become mushy.

-          Now add the cooked vegetables, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and salt. Keep mashing the vegetables on low fire. If needed add some more water. After about ten minutes, remove from fire.

-          Serve with cut lemon, and garnish with cut onion and coriander leaves, along with toasted pav (soft buns) and butter.

Modak

                                        

Lord Ganesh is called “Modakapriya”(lover of modak) because modak is considered to be his favourite sweet.  The word modak means "small part of bliss" and it symbolises spiritual knowledge. According to mythology, Goddess Parvati’smother Menavati used to feed modaks to her grandson Ganesha to fulfill his insatiable appetite.  Devi Parvati also started preparing modaks to keep his stomach full and then there is the tradition of making modaks on Ganesh Chaturthi.

Modak is rich in saturated fats, vitamins, and minerals, all of which can contribute to a robust immune system. It is a nutritious choice during pregnancy. These sweet dumplings consist of a good amount of iron, magnesium, and healthy fats.

Ingredients

For the covering:

1  cup Rice flour – for 6 modaks

Salt to taste

1 cup boiling water

For the filling:

3 tbsps jaggery

¾ cup grated coconut

½ tsp cardamom powder

Instruction

-          Boil the water and add it to the rice flour and salt. Mix with a spoon and leave it covered for ten minutes.

-          Meanwhile, keep the coconut and jaggery on low fire in a thick bottomed pan and kepp stirring. First, the jaggery will liquefy and then it becomes a soft solid, ready for the filling.

-          Add cardamom powder, mix well and remove from fire. Let it cool.

-          Now knead the rice flour water mix ad make into a smooth dough. Divide it into 6 portions.

-          Take each portion and rotate between the palms applying some pressure.

-          Flatten it between the palms. Holding it in the left hand, flatten it further with right hand fingers.

-          Gently make it cup shaped, keep some filling in the center and bring the periphery towards the center, join them and give the shape of the modk.

-          Boil water in a vessel, over which we will keep a plate with holes in it. Smear oil on the plate and arrange the modaks over it.

-          Cover it and steam for ten minutes. You can also steam the modaks in the pressure cooker without the valve, just like we steam idlis. Or you can even deep fry the modaks and enjoy a different taste.

-          Offer the modaks to Ganeshji and then enjoy!

 

  

Caramelized Sheera

 

This has a very inviting color and a nice flavor. I just love this dish!

Ingredients

1 cup sooji(semolina)

2 cups water

½ cup milk

1 cup sugar

¼ cup ghee

¼ tsp cardamom powder

Instruction

-          Soak sooji in 2 cups water and half cup milk for half hour.

-          Take sugar in a thick bottomed pan, keep on low fire and keep stirring till it is liquefied  and gets a brown color.

-          Slowly add the ghee and stir. Be careful as it may splatter.

-          Now slowly add the soaked sooji. Keep stirring on low flame till it becomes a homogenous mix with the consistency of sheera.

-          Add cardamom powder, mix well and remove from fire. Serve hot.