Amba ( Raw mango ) dal & Panhe

In Maharashtra Haldikunku is performed in the month of Chaitra as per Hindu calender. Amba dal & Panhe are served on this occasion with flowers!!  

Ingredients for Amba dal :

Chana Dal  ( chickpea ): 2 Cups

Grated green mango : 1 cup ( choose Totapuri green mango which is not very sour )
green chilli paste : 2 tsp
Curry leaves : 10-12
Salt : 1 tsp or as per taste
Sugar : 1/2  tsp
Chopped coriander : handful
Vegetable oil : 4 tbsp
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp
Hing : 1 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp

Recipe :

1. Soak chana dal in water for 4-5 hours. Drain the water. Grind the soaked dal coarsely.

2. Add green chilli, grated green mango & salt in the ground chana dal. Mix properly. Keep aside.
3. Add oil in a thick bottom pan.When oil becomes hot add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric powder & hing one by one. Add curry leaves.
5. Let it cool. Then add in the chana dal mixture. Mix everything properly.
6. Add coriander leaves & mix.

Amba dal is ready.

Ingredients for Panhe :

 Green mango pulp : 1 cup ( choose Totapuri green mango which is not very sour )
                                  I took 2 totapuri green mangoes.

 Jaggery ( gul ) : 1 cup ( finely chopped)
Salt : 1 tsp or as per taste
Cardamom powder : 1 tsp
Saffron threads : 10-12 threads

Recipe :

1. Remove the skin of green mangoes. Soak the saffron threads in 1 tsp of hot water.

2. Take the mangoes in a vessel. Add jaggery in the same.
3. Pressure cook the mango jaggery mixture for 3 whistles.
4. Let it cool. Remove the seeds of mango. grind the mango pulp with jaggery to fine paste.
5. Add cold water & adjust the consistency like sharbat or as you like. Add more jaggery if required.
6. Add cardamom powder, soaked saffron in the above mixture.
7. Mix everything properly.

Enjoy Amba dal & flavourful cool panhe !!

Egg less orange & tuti fruity sponge cake

Today I tried orange & tuti fruity sponge cake in my mini bundt cake pan !! It came out very soft & yummy !!

All purpose flour ( Maida ) : 1 1/4  cup 

Sugar : 1 cup  

Thick yogurt  : 1 cup

Orange rinds : 1 1/2 tsp ( I used fresh grated skin of orange )

Orange juice : 2 tbsp

Pineapple essence : 1 1/2 tsp ( you can use vanilla essence as well )
Any odourless oil : 1/2 cup

Tuti fruity : 1/4 cup

Baking Powder : 1  tsp

Baking Soda     : 1/2 tsp

White vinegar : 1/2 tsp

Recipe :
1. Powder the sugar in mixer. Add in a bowl. Add yogurt & mix well till sugar dissolves.

2. Add baking powder & baking soda & mix again. Add vinegar, mix & keep for 2-4 minutes. You will observe air bubbles.

3. Add oil & pineapple essence. Mix well. Add orange rinds & orange juice.

4. Add  maida & fold gently. Add tuti fruity.

5. Mix well.  Pour the  mixture in cake pan. Preaheat the oven for 10 minutes.
6. Bake the cake in greased tin in the preheated oven at 180 C for 20 to 25 minutes or till light brown.
This cake tastes awesome, soft & delicious. 

 Enjoy it with tea or coffee!!! 

Baked Stuffed mini kulcha

Enjoy this yummy homemade stuffed baked kulcha !!

Ingredients :

All purpose flour ( maida) : 1 cup
Wheat flour : 1 cup
Dry yeast : 1 tsp ( I used Blue Bird )
Sugar :1 tsp

Salt : 3/4 tsp
Olive oil : 4 tsp ( Any vegetable oil will do)

Black & white sesame seeds : 2 tsp ( for garnishing )
Coriander & mint leaves : 2-3 tsp  ( for garnishing )
Warm water : 1 1/4 cup or as required

For stuffing :

Mashed potato : 1 cup

crushed garlic : 1 tsp

Ginger paste : 1/2 tsp

Green chilli : 1 /2 tsp or as per your taste

cumin seeds : 1 tsp

salt : 1 tsp

Lemon juice : 1 tsp

Add all the ingredients in a bowl  & mix well to prepare nice stuffing.

Recipe :
1. Take yeast & sugar in bowl.

2. Add warm water in yeast & sugar mixture. Mix well.
3. Add 1/4 cup wheat & 1/4 cup all purpose flour in that mixture. Mix well & Keep aside for 15 minutes.

4. You will observe bubbles & mixture will be fluffy.

5. Add salt,olive oil, flour & maida in the above mixture . Mix to make a nice dough.

6. Transfer the dough on clean greased platform. Knead the dough about 2-3 min. to form soft dough.Use little  olive oil if required. .  

7. Keep  in a greased bowl .Cover the bowl  . Let it rest for 1 hour.
8. After 1 hour the dough will be double of original size.

9. Punch the dough & again knead for about 2 minutes.
10. Prepare 8-12 small balls. With the help of rolling pin or even with hands prepare discs about 1/8 inch thick.

11. Take a small portion of potato stuffing & fill in the disc. Close the disc from all sides with stuffing & again spread it to make about 4 to 6 inch disc kulcha or the size you want. sprinkle with sesame seeds, coriander leaves & mint leaves.
11. Bake the kulcha  in preheated oven at 180 C for 10 minutes or till  light brown .
15. Apply butter on the kulcha when it is hot. Keep in the basket covered with napkin.
   Enjoy hot home made soft kulcha with any vegetable or with yogurt !!
Or  you can it it simply with butter or desi ghee.

Metkoot ( Traditional maharashtrian recipe )

Metkoot is a tradional Maharastrian recipe. It is very tasty & healthy aromatic powder goes well with hot rice, little salt & desi ghee. Mixing metkoot with yogurt can be a side dish with your meal. Do try this homemade healthy recipe !!

Ingredients :
Split Bengal Gram ( Chana dal )  : 1/2 cup
Split black gram ( udid dal : 1/4 cup
Lentil dal ( Masoor dal) : 2 tsp
split green gram ( moong dal ) : 1 tbsp
Rice : 1 tbsp
Coriander seeds : 1 tbsp
Hing powder : 1/2 tsp
Cloves ( lavang ) : 3-4
Cinnamon powder : 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder : 1/2 tsp
Dry ginger ( sunth ) powder : 1/2 tsp

Recipe :
Dry roast all ingredients separately except hing, cinnamon powder,  red chilli powder & sunth .
Roast till light brown. Let all the ingredients cool. Mix all & grind in mixer grinder jar to a fine powder. Heavenly aromatic Metkoot powder is ready to eat.

Enjoy metkoot with hot rice!!

Bhajnicha sanja

This is one of the recipes my grandmother used to prepare!! Very healthy & tasty recipe good for breakfast!

Ingredients :

Chakali or Thalipithachi bhajni : 1  Cup

Chopped onion : 3/4 th cup
green chilli : 2-3 cut into small pieces
Curry leaves : 5-6
Salt : 1 tsp
Sugar : 1 tsp
Fresh coconut : 2 tsp ( to garnish )
Chopped coriander : 2 tsp
Lemon juice :2 tsp
water : 1 cup or as required
Vegetable oil : 4 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp
Hing : 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
Chopped carrot, fresh beans, green peas or any other veggies you like can be added.

Recipe :

1. In a heavy bottom pan add oil. On the gas stove.
2. When oil becomes hot add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric powder & hing one by one.

3. Add green chilli & curry leaves. Add onion & cook it till soft.
4. Bhajni is prepared with all roasted cereals. so it is directly added in above mixture. No need of roasting like suji.
5. Mix everything properly.
6. Add salt, sugar & lemon juice.

8. Add 1/2 cup of water. Mix properly. Then add remaining water if required.
9. Cover the pan with lid. After 5 minutes open the lid, sanja should not be sticky.
10. Turn off the gas. Garnish with coriander & fresh coconut.

Enjoy this healthy & tasty breakfast with dahi.