Easy to make Bakarwadi!

"Bakarwadi" is a favorite Maharashrian snack namkeen, liked by big and small and suits for afternoon tea time snacks.
I love to devour them to overcome my hunger pangs at any time or for that matter any occasion ;-)

To make Bakarwadi, you need to focus your efforts to make 1)the filling and 2)the outer covering.
Ingredients for Bakarwadi filling:-
1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
1/4 bowl grated fresh coconut
1/4 bowl grated dry coconut
1/4 bowl sev
1/4 bowl chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp amchur powder
some oil to help bind it together
salt to taste
sugar to taste

For the outer covering, we need:
1/4 cup maida
2 tsp besan
1 tsp rava/sooji
ghee used as mohan
salt to taste
and water to roll the above ingredients in the form of a stiff dough, not very soft

Now comes the fun part!!!
After the dough rests for some time (15- 20 mins), make small balls of dough and roll out flat in circular shape (like rolling out roti/chapatti)
Then with the help of a spoon, spread out the filling on top of the rolled out maida evenly.
Start with one end of  flat maida rolling it and tucking the filling inside the maida to form a cylindrical shape roll.
Cut small pieces of the rolled dough in size of your requirement or your preference and deep fry in frying utensil on medium-high till the turn light brown.

Enjoy hot bakarwadi !!!

 

Spicy crab masala

A lovely Sunday morning to all!

In todays post I wanted to share my love-sea food. I am a sea food fan and practically love all kinds of it:-)

One such dear crustacean friend of mine from this world is someone who is so versatile (soft shelled, hard shelled)that you will fall in love with it...familiar to many as their own sunsign and not so familiar to many being also the name of a small city in India!

He is known as khekda, curlya, chimbori and more commonly as the Crab!!!

This little buddy is full of protein, vitamins(especially Vitamin B12) minerals (salt and potassium) and assures you to rock your taste buds.

You can taste this magnificent shiny explosion of taste in multiple formats.

Use in salads, or add it to your favorite soup or stew recipe. Use it as a filling in sandwiches or stuff it in your whole chicken recipes...you can also try the way I like the best in which the crab is definitely standing out as the shining star...

The crab curry!!!

For this instance i picked up crabs from the Fremont Ranch 99 outlet. Always fresh!

My spicy crab masala recipe begins:-

Ingredients

4 crabs
1 cup onion paste
1 cup fresh coconut grated, fried and ground  into a paste
1 tea spn coriander seeds
5-6 red chillies
5-6 peppercorns
5-6 cloves
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
2-3 finely chopped garlic
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
½ tea spn tamarind extract
Oil 2 tea spns
Salt to taste

Instructions

Clean the crabs. If the crab is big, cut them into 2 pieces

Heat 1 tea spn of oil in a wok.

Fry coriander seeds, peppercorns, cloves and grind them with red chllies.

Heat remaining oil and fry onions till they are slightly brownish.

Grind the onions and coconut to a smooth paste

Now in the wok,add ground masala, garam masala, ginger garlic paste, chopped garlic, onion-coconut paste,tamarind pulp and add salt, red chilli powder and cook for 2-3 min. Add some water.

Now add the crabs and cook for around 12-15min.

Enjoy the spicy crab masala with rice or appam or neer dosa!

Ganpati Bappa Morya in California

Ganpati bappa morya!!!

A very happy celebration having Ganpati Bappa at our abode in California this year.

Though it has been only few weeks of me being here, the warm welcome that the state has extended has been overwhelming.

The ease at which welcoming bappa at our place was unimaginable.

You will find Ganapati Bappa idols ready for sale around 10-12 days before Ganesh Chaturthi at any of the places mentioned below:-
1)India Cash n Carry
2)Namaste Plaza
3)Namaste India amd many other India  Stores.

There are also specific shops like the "Pooja Store" in Fremont which offer Ganapati idols on sale as well as all the other things required to fulfill the Ganesh pooja at home. Banana leaves, mango leaves, beetle leaves, Suparis, diya, as well as all of the other puja material is available.

As the time approaches to bid Ganpati bappa adieu, one would wonder how to do the Ganesh visarjan.

While I have met and interacted with many families in California who have had Ganpati bappa at their homes for years, I have learnt:-
1) some worship the Ganesh idol at home year after year but dont do visrajan but welcome bappa home and chant "ganpati bappa morya pudhchya warshi kavkar ya" at the end of 1 and a half or 5 or 10 days as per their family tradition with same enthusiasm and excitement
2) some bring new Ganesh idols every year but dont do visarjan/immersion in water
3) Some do the visarjan in small water pool in their own backyards or some like I did
4) leave their dear Ganesh idols in safe custodies of the various Hindu temples in the area who then on the end of 10th day I.e. on Anant Chaturdashi, do the visarjan of all Ganesh idols in San Francisco bay.

Some temples like the Vedic Hindu Temple, Fremont or the Sankat mochan Hanuman temple in Fremont, also allow you to join the cruise into the Pacific Ocean and do the visarjan in person.

Charges for safe custody and in person visarjan are USD 51/-

The Indian communities also arrange for a variety of cultural activities ad competitions for children amd adults. Some of the interesting ones are those arranged by the Marathi Mitra Mandal of Bay Area. Do visit their websites to gather more information.

Hope this blog provides you with some information on how the Indian community celebrates the Ganesh festival in California.

Also sharing some photos from my celebration!

The Mumbai Food Festival

Hi Everyone,

Today's feedback I plan to share with you all is about The Mumbai Food Festival which was held in Mumbai from 9th to 11th May 2014. It was a twin expo with another Fashion Expo on the side.

The Venue was the MMRDA ground at the Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai.

With much excitement and anticipation I visited the Festival and though I won the Prize at the cooking competition which was also held as part of the event, that exuberance was overridden by the lack of the variety and scale of culinary Indian and International dishes that were promised of the event.

Few of the stalls which showed promise were the

·         Samudri Kanya - Seafood specialty

·         Fruitilicious – handcrafted fruit bouquets 

Some other stalls covered kitchen equipments for demo and sale which I personally felt were overtly priced.

The Don Bosco culinary school of Kurla had a wide spread of savoury and sweet and baked goodies with some unique food items like the Chicken Donut! Contact details were of Ms. Rebello.

Overall, the Festival could possibly have been much more as I personally felt it had a great potential but lacked stronger commitment and participation from stakeholders of the food industry and fell short on good execution!

I however look forward to the next in the series with my fingers crossed, hoping for the best!

P.S: Sharing some pictures of my dish and the event.

TheStarFoodies this week - our little ones!

Crispy chips with 3 yummy dips

For the chips

Ingredients:

½ cup nachni flour(rich in calcium), ¼ cup wheat flour (protein, carbohydrate, fibre), ¼ cup corn flour ((protein, carbohydrate, fibre), pinch of salt, 1 tea-spoon cooking oil, fresh pepper powder, water to mix

Recipe:

Mix all the above ingredients to form smooth dough. Let it rest aside for 15 minutes.

Roll it into a chapati. Cut into 8 pieces and deep fry till crispy chip like formations.

For the dip:

Dip1: Strawberry surprise

Hang one bowl of curd overnight to form hung curd.

Take the hung curd and strawberry crush to it. Add a spoon of honey. If curd found to be a little stiff, add milk to make it flow.

Mix well and strain, if required for smooth consistency of strawberry dazzle. Garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Dip2: Potato and Cream

Ingredients:

1 mashed potato, 2 spoon sour cream, 2 spoons cheese spread, 3 crushed peppercorns, and salt to taste.

Recipe:

Mix all the above ingredients and take it out of a blender to form a sooth mixture

Dip3: Hummus

Ingredients:
1 cup kabuli chana-soaked over night, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or more as needed, plus more for garnish
Juice of 1 lemon

½ spoon chilli powder
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves, plus more for garnish
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 spoon jeera powder
10 black pepper
1/4 cup water

Recipe:

Put in mixer and combine all the above ingredients. Keep cut coriander leaves to be used for garnish. Blend on low speed until smooth.
Remove in dip bowl and sprinkle cut coriander leaves, drizzle lightly with olive oil and serve.

            LOVE FOOD!

My encounter with the WALL!

My encounter with the WALL!

The WALL- as he is popularly known as is an absolute personification of humility, poise and talent!

Those 5 minutes in his presence and hearing his rapid fire Q&A responses, surely left me in high spirits -charged , motivated   – that’s what the celebrity personalities do I think, they INFLUENCE  YOU! And in whatever that you do, you will find yourself focused with a new renewed energy and zest!

Thought of sharing this with my dear friends hoping that you all also find your own motivation influenced by your ideals and personalities!

The winning recipe of TheStarFoodie contest this week by Dr. Rupali Jain- Aloo Phool Gobhi

The winning recipe of TheStarFoodie contest this week by Dr. Rupali Jain

Aloo Phool Gobhi

Main Course
Indian Veg

Serving: 2 portions

Ingredients:
2 medium sized potatoes, peeled cut into cubes and deep fried

2-3 big florets of cauliflower broken into smaller florets and deep fried

2-3 tablespoon mustard oil
1/2 teaspoon cummin

2-3 bay leaves
1 tomato finely chopped
1 teaspoon cummin poweder

1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon garam masala powder

1/2 teaspoon sugar tablespoon

Finely chopped fresh coriander
3 slit green chillies

2 teaspoons ghee
Salt to taste

Method

Take a deep frying pan and fry the potatoes and cauliflower florets in mustard oil and remove to set aside.

Take a cooking pan and add ghee. Add jeera, bay leaves, corainder, cumin powder. Sprinkle some water and let it cook till the oil seperates.

Add the fried vegetables and mix well.

Add water, the chopped tomato, salt, sugar, chillies, garam masal powder and cook till done.

Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Best tasted with paranthas.

Enjoy and LOVE FOOD!

Restaurant Review: Shout "Sanman" anywhere in Alibag and you will never be lost!

"Sanman"restaurant in Alibaug, Maharashtra is truly a sea-food lovers paradise!

In my recent visit to the region, I truly loved 2 places and I recommend all my friends to definitely try these- one is off course Sanman and the other is a Pure-Veg restaurant called "Suruchi". Suruchi doesn't offer typical Malvani style cuisine ( but they also do serve off the menu dishes- which you could order typical to the region)but will taste very good to your palate and will be very light on your wallet. For that matter both these places are extremely light on your pocket. I thoroughly enjoyed  a big crab masala(Chimbori masala)@ just Rs. 160/- Would you believe it?!?! 

In Alibaug you end up asking anyone , for their guidance -on which is a good place to enjoy authentic Malvani food in the region and you will hear only one name- SANMAN!

And you will know why? Check some of the pictures below of what all I and my family could devour at two occassions at the restaurant and you will agree with me:-)

And yes the show stopper at one occassion did end up to be a fresh bowl of "aamras". Can you believe it! Fresh delicious mango pulp in November-It happens only in Alibaug!!!

TheStarFoodie Winning Recipe this week- The Surprise Lot!

The winning recipe of TheStarFoodie contest this week by Ms. Chaya. Mr. Potato- YOU ROCK!

The Surprise Lot!

Starter
Indian Non-Veg

Serving: 3 pieces

Ingredients:
2 medium sized potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed

2 medium sized green chillies finely chopped

2 table spoons of mozzarella cheese
1 cup cooked and ready chicken kheema (chicken kheema recipe to follow shortly)
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon cummin powder

1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon garam masala powder

1 tablespoon corn flour powder mixed in water ready to be used a coating
Finely chopped fresh coriander
1 cup bread crumbs

Oil to fry
Salt to taste

Method

Take a mixing bowl and mix the mashed potato and the green chillies. Add the garam masala, coriander, cummin, turmeric powder. Mix well. Add the ginger - garlic paste and salt to taste and mix well.

Take the cooked and ready kheema and shape it as a ball. Place pieces of mozzarella cheese in the center of the chicken kheema ball.

Now cover the kheema ball with the ready potato mixture to shape it as a bigger ball.

Dip the potato ball in the corn flour mixture.

Roll this into mixture of bread crumbs and little salt.

Take a frying pan and add oil enough to deep fry the potato ball till golden brown.

Serve hot with green chutney or tomato ketchup.

The chicken kheema inside the crispy potato ball and the melting cheese inside the chicken kheema ball will be a surprise in a surprise lot!

Enjoy and LOVE FOOD!

My Diwali special- Paneer Tikka Masala

Paneer Tikka Masala

Main Course
Indian Veg

Serving: 2 portions

Ingredients:
500 grams paneer cut into medium sized pieces 

1 medium sized onion cut into 4 halves and then separated into individual layers (peel) from each half
1 tomato cut into 4 halves

1 medium sized onion,finely chopped, fried and pureed into a fine paste
1/2 a cup fresh tomato puree (boiled, peeled and pureed)
1 tablespoon curd
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon garam masala powder

2 pinches of kasuri methi leaves
Finely chopped fresh coriander
1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon jeera

1 pinch hing (asafoetida)

2 teaspoons fresh cream
Oil to fry
Salt to taste

Method
Take a frying pan and add oil enough to fry the paneer cubes, cut tomato and onion pieces till all turn golden brown/get little char on the surface. Remove from heat and keep aside. 

Take a cooking pan. Add oil to the pan. Add the asafoetida, onion paste ginger-garlic paste and fry till nice aroma is released. Add the tomato puree and curd and mix well. 

Now add turmeric, red chilli, coriander and garam masala powder, salt and mix well.

Add the crushed kasuri methi leaves and mix well. Add the fresh cream.

Add the fried paneer, tomato and onion pieces to the gravy and let it simmer.

Add finely chopped fresh coriander leaves and mix well.

Serve hot with paranthas or tandoori roti. 

Tip: To maintain the crispiness and shape of paneer so that it doesnt get converted into paneer bhurjee ;-), as it tends to get soggy sitting in the gravy, do the following. Immerse the fried paneer cubes immediately out of the frying pan in to a bowl of ice cubes/ice water and let it rest for sometime. Then use it in the gravy.This helps paneer maintain its crispiness and shape.

My recipe presented at Dabur Hommade Homestar- Raw Banana Tower!

Raw Banana Tower
Starter
Indian Veg

Serving: 2 portions

Ingredients:
2 medium raw bananas, boiled, peeled and mashed evenly
1 medium sized onion,finely chopped
1 teaspoon tamarind pulp
1 cup semolina
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon curry leaves powder
Finely chopped fresh coriander
Dessicated fresh coconut in to coconut powder
Oil to fry
Salt to taste

Method
Take a mixing bowl. Add the cooked and mashed raw banana and mix it with finely chopped opinions. Add the tamarind pulp, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, red chilli, coriander and curry leaves powder, salt and mix well.

Add finely chopped fresh coriander leaves and mix well.

Take semolina in a plate and add some salt to it for taste.

Form triangular towers of the mashed banana mix and sprinkle semolina readied on the tower. Coat the banana towers nicely and evenly from all sides.

Take a frying pan on gas stove.

Add oil to pan. When hot deep fry the banana towers. Lower the flame to medium intensity.

Let it till brown from all sides.

Remove from heat and garnish with  fresh coconut powder.

Serve hot with green coconut and mint chutney.

Indian style basic potato sabji

Tutorial for beginners

Indian cuisine:

Potato vegetable (dry)

Serving: 2 portions

Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and chopped into medium sized pieces

1 medium sized onion,finely chopped

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon Cummin seeds

1-2 green chillies, finely chopped

1 teaspoon turmeric powder 

1 teaspoon coriander powder

2-3 curry leaves

Finely chopped fresh coriander

Oil to fry

Salt to taste

Method

Take a cooking pan on gas stove

Add oil to pan. When hot add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and letit splatter. Lower the flame to medium intensity.

Add turmeric powder, green chillies, coriander powder and fry.

Add the finely chopped onions to it and fry till onions are golden brown.

Add the potatoes and salt and mix well.

Let it cook for two minutes.

Remove from heat and garnish with chopped fresh coriander.

Serve hot with chapati/ Indian bread.

Tip-Can also add crushed peanut powder for a crunchy and enhanced taste.

Coconana halwa

Coconana Suji ka halwa!

A different twist to the traditional Suji ka halwa. A must try for food explorers!

Ingredients:

Suji-1 cup

1 whole riped banana

100 gms khoya

1/4 cup grated fresh coconut

1 tsp ghee

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup milk

Cashews (broken into two halves)and raisins as per liking and for garnish

Procedure

Take a deep pan/ kadhai, add ghee to it.

Add Suji and fry till light brown.

Add grated khoya, 1mashed banana and mix well.

Add grated coconut and fry till nice aroma is released by fried coconut.

Add the sugar and mix well.

Add fried cashews and raisins as per liking and mix.

Then add milk and mix till all milk gets absorbed in the dish.

Remove from heat and serve with garnish of additional cashews and raisins.

Best taste when served hot.

Do send your comments and suggestions. Most welcomed!

Eat Street continued...

Dadar West:

Sugarcane juice at stall opposite Sena Bhavan, behind bus number 46,200 bus stop

Wada pav at Chabildas school

Dadar East: Unusual but yummy indeed-

Try "veg hot dog" and "batata wada" at King George (now I.E.S English Medium School) at Hindu Colony Dadar East.

Bandra Bandstand

Do not forget to try the sandwiches at this place. The grilled potato plus cheese sandwich is truly divine.

National College

All sandwiches are best at stall outside the college

Innovative "dosas" near Matunga Station East

"Chicken tikka roll" at outlet opposite powai KFC 

"Wada pav" at stall in lane near Hotel Swarna, Powai

Non-veg frankies At Vashi station

I am sure there are many more such wonderful street eating joints that you ,use have come across and cherished in your life.

Give credit to those bhaiyaji's and bhau's and share/send in your inputs to this blog:-)

Let's expand this and continue to enjoy "Eat Street"

Roadside khavayyegiri

Eat Street Mumbai!

Through this series, I will share some of the best street food, small eating joints of Mumbai which may not have seen the light of the tabloids.

In the next series, I plan to cover some "hit" eating outlets as well around central and suburban Mumbai.

Being born and brought up in Mumbai, i have been lucky to have tested these for some tasty gastronomy experiences :-)

Dadar West:

Awesome dosa near Ranade Rd (first right lane after )

Variety of south Indian delicacies at unbelievable affordable prices. Sambar overpowers the yumminess of green coconut chutney. A must try!

"Panaah" (an awesome sweet drink made out of raw mango and available only during season)

I have tried panaah at multiple places across Maharashtra but no one till date has beaten the taste that this street vendor offers.

When it's not the mango season, this vendor sells great lime juice/nimboo paani which also is too good to miss!

Kulfi

Outside Gypsy and Nebula, @Shivaji Park

Yummy sitaphal, mango, chocolate, malai, kesar pista at your service;-)

Tibbs Frankie, Shivaji Park

On way towards park

Frankie had become a crazy fast food option for everyone. The veg and non-veg options are both wonderful.

Dabeli at Dadar East, near Khodadad Circle

The Gujrati specialty at easy access.

The buttery version better than regular

Sandwich at Hindu colony, next to bus stop number166, outside Raja Ashivaji Vidyalaya

Masala sandwich must try

More to come next...

Kadhai- Paneer, Mushroom,Baby corn

Kadhai- Paneer, Mushroom,Baby corn

Ingredients:
250 grams fresh Paneer- cut into fine cubes (Cottage cheese)
10-12 pieces of fresh mushrooms cut into medium size pieces
6-7 baby corns cut into diagonally slit mid size pieces
2 onions
2 small tomatoes/1 big tomato
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp garam masala powder
Salt to taste
Finely chopped coriander
1 tsp mustard seeds
Pinch of hing (Asafoetida)
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander-cummin powder
1 tsp fresh cream
2 tsp cooking oil to fry


Recipe:
Cut the onions into pieces and fry in oil till golden brown.
Make a fine paste of the onions.

Boil the tomatoes in water and puree them.

In a shallow pan, fry the paneer pieces till golden brown.

Take a Kadhai (medium size- heavy bottom cooking utensil) and add some cooking oil to it. Add pinch of asafoetida. Add the mustard seeds.

As the seeds pop, add the ginger-garlic paste and fry till the aroma lingers around. Add the fried onion paste and cook till some oil leaves the paste mixture.

Now add the pureed tomato paste and mix well.

When mixed well, add the spices- the coriander-cummin powder, garam masala powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and mix well.

When the mixture is uniform in consistency, add the cut mushrooms, baby corn pieces.

After some time the mushrooms will leave water and provide the gravy consistency. Add water to adjust the gravy consistency as per your liking.

Now add the fried paneer and mix well.

Add salt.

Cover the kadhai and let the vegetablecook at low flame.

Once cooked, add fresh cream to it and mix well. Garnish with finely chopped coriander.

Kadhai- Paneer, mushroom, baby corn is ready to serve.

Tender Cocount bhaji- Shahalyachi Bhaji- Simple and Yummy recipe

Zara Hatke Food Recipe which I am sure you would all enjoy.

I am sure most of us would enjoy drinking Coconut water - Shahalyache paani, but do we make the full use of it once we slurrppp all the water it witholds?

Try this simple recipe which is can act as a good accompaniment to main course.

For this you would need
Ingredients:
1 Tender coconut- the tender coconut/malai/khobra which is left inside the coconut
3-4 curry leaves
1 finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
2 tsp ghee
1 pinch asafoetida
chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp chilli powder
Some water to steam
Salt to taste

Recipe:
Take a deep cooking vessel and add ghee to it.

Add pinch of asafoetida and the mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Once the mustard seeds and curry leaves splutter add finely chopped onion to it.

When the onion turns pink add ginger garlic paste.

Also add the garam masala powder and chilli powder.

Add the chopped tender coconut pieces now and fry.

Add sugar.

Splash water (habka of water) and let it steam for sometime.

The tender coconut doesn't take long to cook. Once removed from fire, sprinkle the finely chopped coriander on it.

Kulith Pithi- Typical konkan delicacy

Ingredients:

1 bowl of powdered horse-gram/Kulith

1-2 Tbsp oil

1 pinch of Asafoetida

1/2 spoon mustard seeds

1-2 garlic flakes, crushed

3-4 Curry leaves

1-2 green chillies chopped

1/2 red onion chopped

1/4 tsp turmeric

Salt to taste

A handful of cilantro/coriander leaves, finely chopped

Recipe

Dissolve powdered horse-gram in water with turmeric and salt -- mix around until there are no lumps and the mixture is of thin, pouring consistency.

Heat oil in a pan or wok, add mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves and chopped green chillies till they crackle. Add crushed garlic, and stir around until the flakes turn golden. Stir in chopped onion and saute until onions are pink and golden around the edges.

Kulith has a tendency to settle down at the bottom when dissolved in water, so give it a quick stir or two before pouring over onion. Bring to a simmer and add the chopped coriander leaves.

Best served with high quality basmati rice with a chunky raw onion and some pickle on the side.