Amrakhand

Yes.. finally I bought myself a car – the new Zen Estillo, from Maruti Udyog ltd. (and by the way Estillo means Style in Spanish J) When I learnt driving 8-9 yrs ago, I used to practice on my dad’s vehicle. Most of the people are very possessive of their vehicles…my dad is the same..so I could drive only with him seated next to me and shooting orders like 2^nd..3^rd.(..that’s gears).break…see that cycle wala….nnnn….nnnnnn. I would get confused whether to follow him or  the traffic J

This left me being only an occasional driver.Hubby dear is no less than my dad. Only I guess he has to come back home in the evening and so he instructs in a softer tone!

Now when I drive my own car with no one shouting next to me…only Jagjit Singh humming melodious Ghazals…..it is satisfaction personified…and now I can see the cycle walas…very clearly and can navigate thro’ the traffic without much difficulty!

Here’s a recipe for Amrakhand (Mango Shrikhand) to celebrate my new car. I made this yesterday for Ram Navami.This is my mom’s recipe..very simple ..very delicious!

 

Amrakhand ,Cucumber Kosimbiri(salad),Green Mango Rice, Lime juice and Coriander Papad –for Ram Navami

For Amrakhand you need: 

½ kg Chakka (hung curds).

½ kg sugar or you can adjust the proportion to your taste.

1-1 ½ cup mango pulp 

For the hung curd-Tie curd in a clean muslin cloth till all the water has drained out. Keep some weight on it so that the water drains out faster.

 

                                 Chakka (Hung Curd)

                         Chakka-Sugar mix

Mix the sugar and Chakka in a vessel nicely and leave it like that overnight or at least for 3-4 hours. 

  

                          Puran Yantra (machine)

Take the Chakka-sugar mixture in a Puran Yantra (machine) (see photo), add the mango pulp, to blend and sieve the mixture. It is called as Puran Yantra since it is used to blend and sieve Puran for Puran poli –another delicious sweet. If you do not have this type of a machine tie a muslin cloth on a wide mouth vessel with a string and then press and sieve the mixture. The resultant mixture has a smooth and homogenous texture. Keep it in the fridge till cold and serve.

Shrikhand teams up well with plain wheat flour puris or you can eat just like that. Usually chopped nuts like Pistachios,Badam etc.or saffron  are added to Shrikhand/Amrakhand .But I like to savor the taste of mango in my Amrakhand! 

Related recipes : Shrikhand Vadi

Aloo Bhaat (Spicy Potato Rice)

Life has been very hectic here for the last month and I think  will continue to be hectic till March end (that’s the financial year end here). That’s the reason I was forced to stay away from blogging.

Oh yes..Wish you all a belated Gudi Padwa/Ugadi.

A special recipe to kick start the new year (Gudi Padwa/Ugadi is the New Year for many people in Maharashtra /Karnataka /AndhraPradesh etc.) – Aloo Bhaat.

                    Aloo Bhaat with Tomato Papad

This is my Mother-in-laws recipe which we tried for Ugadi.The Pudina (mint) lends a fresh minty flavour to this spicy rice- a welcome for the summer which is already here! 

For Aloo Bhaat you need:

1 ½  cups rice

3-4 medium sized potatoes boiled, peeled and cubed 

To be ground to a fine paste:

1 small bunch Pudina (mint )leaves washed

1 small bunch coriander leaves washed

4-5 green chillies chopped 1 tsp lime juice (optional)

For the Tadka Seasoning:

1” piece cinnamon stick broken into pieces

½ tsp cumene seeds

2 tsp oil 

Salt as per taste 

Wash the rice and soak in water for 30 minutes. Drain the water after 30 minutes and then cook in 3 cups of boiling salted water till done.Add a dash of oil if required so that the grains are well separated. Remove the rice in a plate and cool. 

Grind the Pudina (mint) leaves, coriander leaves and chillies together to a fine paste. (Don’t add water).Add little lime juice and salt so that the paste doesn’t turn black in colour. Keep aside. 

In a Kadai/Wok heat oil. Add the cumene seeds, then the cinnamon pieces. Add the Pudina paste and the potatoes. Cook for a few minutes. Adjust the salt for the potatoes.(Rice already contains salt so be careful) .Add the rice and mix nicely. Cook covered for 2-3 minutes. Serve hot.  

Protest against Plagiarism- March 5th Event

                                            

                                                       Icon credits – Sandeepa of Bong Mom’s cook

‘Nahi Chalega, Nahi Chalega PLAGIARISM nahi chalega’.

By now most of you must have read what happened with Inji Pennu of Ginger and Mango. And if you have not please read the details here.

Please join us in our Satyagraha  against Plagiarism.

Spread the word, protest on your blog…do whatever you can!-Protest against Plagiarism

And Inji…our sounds are not weak…together we are very strong!

Batatyacha Kees (Spicy grated Potato)

I am back after a short refreshing weekend trip to Pune – a much needed break from our hectic schedules.

I have just realized that February is already over (only 28 days !) and March 1 is already here and that’s the date for JFI –Potato hosted by Vaishali. I have been trying my best to participate in JFI (I have missed a few) and I didn’t want to miss this since it includes one of my most favourite vegetables. 

Potato (called Batata in Marathi) is a versatile and a very handy vegetable. It teams up well with most of the veggies or snacks. 

Today I have made Batatyacha Kees (Spicy grated Potato)-usually made during fasts here in Maharashtra. This is a traditional snack –traditional in the sense that even my grandmother used to make it J

Grated Potatoes are tossed with green chilies and crushed roasted peanuts to make a lip smacking and very filling snack-my entry for JFI – Potato hosted by apli Vaishali J 

For Batatyacha Kees you need:4 servings

4 Potatoes washed and peeled

3 tbsp coarsely ground (even crushed will do) roasted peanuts

5-6 green chilies chopped

½ tsp cumene seeds

2 tsp ghee (Ghee lends a delectable flavour to this recipe you may optionally use oil)

Salt as per taste 

                                Grated potatoes

For garnishing

Lemon juice / chopped green coriander leaves /scrapped fresh coconut-your choice 

Grate the potatoes (this is called as ‘Kees’ in marathi and hence the name ‘Batatyacha Kees’) directly in salt water so that they don’t oxidize and turn red. Meanwhile heat ghee in a pan, add the cumene seeds, green chilies and the roasted crushed peanuts. Fry for ½ a minute. Drain water from the grated potatoes (remove all the water so that the potatoes don’t become too mushy after they are cooked) and add them to the pan. Mix nicely cover and cook till potatoes are soft ,stirring ocassionally so that the potatoes do not stick at the bottom of the pan. Remove lid ,add salt and cook for few more minutes till the most of the moisture is removed from the potatoes.

Remove from heat. Garnish with lemon juice, chopped coriander or grated/scraped fresh coconut and serve with fresh plain curd/yoghurt.

I have garnished with only lemon juice since I wanted to savor the ‘Potato’ taste of this spicy dish.

You can also make this dish using Sweet Potato.

 

And now for some laughter to digest the Batatyacha Kees: 

“What do you say to an angry 300-pound baked potato?
Anything, just butter him up.” J  

– more potato jokes here