Pav Bhaji/ पावभाजी

Ingredients:

Capsicum – 1 medium

Cauliflower - 1 cup

Green peas – 1 cup

Potato – 2 medium

Onion – 2 large

Tomato – 2 medium

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tablespoon

Kashmiri red chilly powder – 1 teaspoon

Paav bhaji masala – 1 tablespoon

Oil – 1 tablespoon

Butter – 1/2 tablespoon

Buns (pav) – 4

Recipe:

• Pressure cook potato, cauliflower, peas and capsicum for 3 whistles.
• Heat oil and butter in a pan.
• Add finely chopped onion and saute until onion turns translucent.
• Now add ginger garlic paste and fry until raw smell goes off.
• Add red chilly powder, paav bhaji masala and saute till oil separates.
• Now add finely chopped tomatoes and fry till tomatoes are soft and mushy.
• Now add boiled and mashed veggies and salt to taste.
• Mix everything well and simmer for 10 mins.
• Add enough water to adjust the consistency.
• Serve hot with toasted buns.

Egg masala

Ingredients:

Eggs – 4 hard boiled, peeled

Curry leaves – 8 to 10

Onion – 2 medium

Tomato – 1 medium

Ginger garlic paste – 1 ½ teaspoon

Red chilly powder – 2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder – ¼ tespoon

Coriander cumin powder – 1 teaspoon

Garam masala – 1 teaspoon

Oil – 1 tablespoon

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Salt

Recipe:

• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add curry leaves and let it splutter.
• Add finely chopped onion and cook until onions soften.
• Add ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes off.
• Now add finely chopped tomato and cook for 4-5 mins.
• Once tomatoes are soft, add red chilly powder, coriander cumin powder,garam masala,turmeric powder and mix well.
• Saute till oil separates.
• Now add boiled eggs and salt to taste.
• Add water to adjust the consistency and cook for 5 mins on low flame.
• Garnish with coriander leaves
• Serve hot with roti.

Malavani Crab Curry/ मालवणी खेकडा करी

Ingredients:

Crab – 4

Onion – 2 medium

Malavani masala/Red chilly powder – 2 to 3 teaspoon

Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Black pepper – 7 to 8

Clove – 4

Cinnamon stick - 1

Grated fresh coconut – ½ cup

Garlic – 4

Ginger – 1 inch

Oil – 2 ½  tablespoon

Salt

Recipe:

• Clean the crabs under running water.
• Keep the crab abdomen and large claws in a bowl.
• Grind the small claws in mixer with ½ cup water.
• Strain the juice and keep it aside.
• Heat 2 tspn oil in a pan.
• Add 1 sliced onion, chopped ginger and garlic.
• Saute till onion is translucent.
• Add whole spices, coconut and roast till the coconut is golden brown in color.
• Keep it aside and let it cool down.
• Add this to blender and make a smooth paste.
• Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a non-stick pan.
• Add 1 finely chopped onion.
• Once onion is translucent add red chilly powder, turmeric powder.
• Saute till oil starts to separate.
• Now add coconut paste and mix well.
• Add little water and simmer for 2-3 minutes
• Add crab abdomens and large claws, mix well.
• Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
• Now add the strained juice , salt and cook for 4-5 minutes.
• Garnish with coriander.
• Serve hot with rice bhakari or steamed rice.

Steamed Modak/ Ukadiche Modak

Ingredients for filling:

Fresh grated coconut – 1 cup

Grated Jaggery – ¾ cup

Cardamom powder – ¼ teaspoon

Ghee – 1 teaspoon

Ingredients for cover :

Fine semolina – 1 cup

Water - 1 cup

Salt – 1 pinch

Recipe For filling:

• Heat ghee in non- stick pan.
• Add grated coconut and grated jaggery together.
• Cook on low flame for 5-6 mins or till the moisture from the jaggery begins to dry.
• The mixture should be loose and not sticky.
• Add cardamom powder.
• Switch off the flame and keep the mixture to cool down.

Recipe For cover:

• Boil 1 cup water in a pan.
• Add pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon oil.
• Lower the flame and add semolina.
• Mix everything well. Cover with the lid and let it steam for 2 mins.
• Switch off the flame and keep the pan covered for 5 mins.
• Apply some oil to your palm and knead the dough well.
• If you feel dough is hard, add little water and continue kneading.

Assembling and steaming:

• Take a small ball sized dough and spread to form a bowl.
• Press the edges of the bowl to reduce the thickness.
• Place the stuffing in the center. Pleat the edges and gather them to form a bundle.
• Seal the edges at the top.
• Steam modak in a steamer for 10 mins on low flame.

*You can place the modak on turmeric leaves and steam.

*For stuffing you can also use poppy seeds

Rajma Masala

Ingredients:

Rajma/ Red kidney Beans – 1 cup

Onion – 1 medium

Tomato – 2 medium

Ginger garlic paste – 2 teaspoons

Kashmiri Red chilly powder – 2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon

Garam Masala powder – 1 teaspoon
Cumin coriander powder -  1 teaspoon

Oil – 2 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Recipe:

• Wash and soak rajma overnight.
• Pressure cook soaked rajma for 3 whistles and keep aside.
• Heat oil in non-stick kadhai.
• Add finely chopped onion and saute until onion is light brown in color.
• Now add ginger garlic paste and cook until raw smell goes off.
• Add tomato puree, Kashmiri red chilly powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder,cumin coriander powder and mix well.
• Cook on low flame for about 5 minutes or until oil starts to separate.
• Now add boiled rajma and salt to taste. Mix well and cook on slow flame for about 15 mins.
• Finely add chopped coriander and serve hot with steamed rice. 

Egg Dum Biryani

Ingredients:

For Gravy :

Eggs – 4 (boiled and peeled)

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tablespoon

Green chilli – 2 to 3

Coriander leaves – ¼ cup

Mint leaves – ¼ cup

Onion – 2 medium

Tomato – 1 medium

Red chilli powder – 2 teaspoon

Coriander cumin powder – 2 teaspoon

Yogurt – 2 tablespoon

Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon

Biryani masala powder – 2 teaspoon

Oil – 2 tablespoon

Salt

For rice:

Basmati Rice – 3 cups

Caraway seeds/ shahi jeera – 1 teaspoon

Cinnamon stick – 1

Cloves – 2 to 3

Bay leaf – 1

Black pepper corn – 7 to 8

Green cardamom – 2

Star anise – 1

Water

Salt

For garnishing the biryani:

Fried onion – ½ cup

Mint leaves – ¼ cup

Coriander leaves - ¼ cup

Ghee – 2 teaspoon

Kewara water - few drops

Rose water – few drops

Recipe:

For cooking rice:

• Wash and soak basmati rice for 1 hour.
• In a deep pan add sufficient water to cook the rice.
• Add whole spices, salt and bring it to boil
• Now add soaked and drained basmati rice.
• Once rice is half cooked, strain and keep it aside.

For Dum:

• Heat oil in a non-stick kadai.
• Now add sliced onion and fry until it is nice brown in color.
• Make paste of ginger, garlic, coriander and mint leaves.
• Add this paste to fried onion and cook until raw smell goes off.
• Add chopped tomato and cook until tomatoes become soft.
• Now add red chilly powder, biryani masala, turmeric powder, coriander cumin powder.
• Saute until oil starts to separate.
• Add yogurt and mix everything well.
• Cut the boiled eggs into half and place them on top of the gravy.
• Now spread fried onion, coriander leaves, mint leaves over the egg gravy.
• Now spread half of the cooked rice.
• Spread fried onion, coriander leaves, mint leaves.
• For the last layer spread remaining cooked rice.
• Spread fried onion, coriander leaves, mint leaves and sprinkle rose water, kewara water.
• Finally add ghee on the top.
• Cover the pan with aluminium foil and keep the lid on.
• Cook under dum for 15 mins on low flame.
• Serve hot with raita.

Potato curry/ potato Rassa Bhaji

Ingredients:

Potato – 2 medium

Tomato - 2 medium

Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon 

Oil - 1 tablespoon

Red chilly powder- 1 teaspoon 

Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon 

Water – 1 ½ cups

Salt

Recipe:

• Heat oil in a pressure cooker.
• Add cumin seeds.
• Once Cumin seeds starts to crackle, add tomato puree.
• Fry until raw smell goes off.
• Now add red chilly powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder.
• Saute until oil starts to separate.
• Now add peeled and cubed potatoes and mix well.
• Add water and salt to taste.
• Mix everything well.
• Pressure cook for 2 whistles.
• Garnish with coriander.
• Serve hot with rice or with chapati.

Beetroot Pulao

Ingredients:

Beetroot (grated) – 1 Medium

Rice – 1 cup

Bay leaf – 1

Cinnamon - 1 stick

Black pepper – 5

Cloves – 2

Green chilly – 3

Red chilly powder – 1 tea spoon

Coriander- cumin seeds powder – 1 tea spoon

Fennel seeds powder – ½ tea spoon

Onion – 1

Oil – 1 Tablespoon

water - 2 cups

Salt

Recipe:

• Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes.
• Heat oil in pressure cooker.
• Add bay leaf, black pepper, cloves and cinnamon stick. Saute for 2 mins.
• Now add sliced onion and cook until onion is translucent.
• Add slit green chillies, red chilly powder, coriander- cumin powder and fennel seed powder. Mix well and saute for 5 mins.
• Then add grated beetroot and soaked rice. Mix everything well.
• Add 2 cups of water and salt to taste .
• Pressure cook for 2 whistles.
• Serve hot with raita or salad.

Kolhapuri prawns curry

Ingredients:

Prawns – 250 grams

Dry coconut (grated) – ½ cup

Onion – 2 medium

Cumin – ½ tablespoon

Sesame seeds – ½ tablespoon

Star anise – 1

Green cardamom – 3

Black cardamom – 1

Black pepper – 7 to 8

Cinnamon – 1 stick

Cloves – 3 to 4

Ginger – ½ inch

Garlic – 3 to 4

Onion garlic masala – 2 teaspoon

Kashmiri red chilly powder – 2 teaspoon

Turmeric – ¼ teaspoon

Lemon juice – 1 teaspoon

Coriander – ¼ cup

Oil – 2 tablespoon

Salt

Recipe:

• Wash the prawns and de-vein.
• Marinate prawns with turmeric, salt and lemon juice.
• Heat ½ teaspoon oil in a pan and fry 1 sliced onion till it is nice brown.
• Take out the onion in a plate.
• Now in the same pan dry roast all the dry spices along with coconut, till the coconut is slightly brown.
• Grind coconut along with fried onion, ginger, garlic and coriander. Make a fine paste.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add 1 finely chopped onion.
• Saute onion until it gets nice brown color.
• Now add coconut, onion paste and saute for 5 mins.
• Add onion garlic masala and red chilly powder and saute till the time oil starts to separate.
• Now add marinated prawns and mix everything well.
• Adjust the consistency by adding water.
• Finely add salt and cook for 10-15 mins.
• Serve hot with rice or chapati.

Rose coconut Ladoo

 Ingredients:

Desiccated Coconut – 2 cups

Sweetened Condensed Milk – 1 cup

Rose syrup/ Roohafza - 2 tablespoon

Cardamom Powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Recipe:

• Into a thick bottomed pan add desiccated coconut and sweetened condensed milk.
• Heat the mixture, stirring constantly.
• Cook till the time mixture starts leaving the sides of pan (approximately 5 minutes)
• Add rose syrup and cardamom powder. Mix it well.
• Remove in a plate and let it cool down.
• Take a small portion and press into ball/ladoo shape.
• In another plate take desiccated coconut.
• Roll the ladoo with dry coconut all over, if required slight roll again to shape it.  

*It stays good for around 2-3 days in room temperature. If you want to keep for longer,then refrigerate.

Ragi Idli

Ingredients:

Idli Rice – 1 cup

Flattened rice – ½ cup

Urad dal/ split black gram – ½cup

Ragi flour/Finger millet flour – 1 cup

Fenugreek seeds – ½ teaspoon

Salt

Oil

Recipe:

• Rinse and soak rice and flattened rice for 4-5 hours.
• In a separate bowl rinse and soak urad dal and fenugreek seeds for 4-5 hours.
• Now drain the water and grind urad dal and methi seeds to smooth paste.
• Grind rice and flattened rice to smooth paste.
• Now in a deep bowl mix together urad dal and rice batter, ragi flour and salt.
• Mix well so that no lumps remain.
• Cover and ferment in a warm place for overnight.
• Grease the idli mould.
• Pour the batter in idli mould and steam idlis for 10-12 mins.
• Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.

Pepper chicken.

Ingredients:

Chicken – 250 grams

Onion – 1 medium

Tomato – 1 medium

Black pepper powder – ½ tablespoon

Red chilly powder – 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon

Garam masala powder – ½ teaspoon

Ginger garlic paste – ½ tablespoon

Coriander powder – ½ teaspoon

Cumin powder – ½ teaspoon

Yogurt – 1 tablespoon

Oil – 1 tablespoon

Fresh coriander leaves

Salt

Recipe:

• Clean and cut chicken into small pieces.
• Marinate chicken with yogurt, salt, black pepper powder (half of quantity), red chilly powder, turmeric powder.
• Heat oil in a non-stick pan.
• Add finely chopped onion and saute until they turn golden brown.
• Now add ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes away.
• Add finely chopped or mashed tomatoes and cook for 3-4 mins.
• Once tomatoes are soft ,add cumin powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder, garam masala powder and mix everything well.
• Saute till oil separates.
• Now add marinated chicken pieces , mix well.
• Cover with lid and cook for 10-15 mins or until chicken turns tender, keep stirring in between.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with roti or rice.

Rice idli

Ingredients:

Idli Rice  – 2 ½ cups

Whole Urad dal– 1 cup

Rice flakes/ thick poha – 1 cup

Fenugreek seeds – 1 teaspoon

Oil/Ghee – 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Water

Recipe:

• Wash and soak urad dal with fenugreek seeds.
• Wash and soak rice in a separate bowl.
• Cover with lid and keep it aside to soak for 4-5 hours / overnight.
• Wash and soak poha for about 30 mins before blending.
• Drain the water of lentils and blend in a mixer to a smooth paste, add just enough water while grinding.
• Urad dal batter has to be soft, light and fluffy.
• Transfer urad dal batter to a large bowl.
• Blend rice and poha in a mixer.
• Transfer this to urad dal batter.
• Add salt and mix very well with your clean hands.
• The batter should not be too thick or too thin, it should be of pouring consistency. 
• Cover with a lid and keep aside to ferment in a warm place for 8-9 hours or till well fermented.
• Once fermented, mix batter well.
• Grease the idli mould with some oil/ ghee.
• Now pour spoonful of mixture into idli mould .
• Steam in an idli steamer for about 10 mins on medium flame.
• Serve hot with sambar or coconut chutney.

*I use this same batter to make Dosa, Appe and Uttapam.

*In winters ,keep the batter in the oven with the light on or preheat the oven for about 2-3 mins and then keep the batter inside.