Sev Barfi or Singhar Ji Mithai

गुढी पाडव्याच्या हार्दिक शुभेच्या !

Does it matter if I post a Sindhi sweet recipe on a Marathi New year? Would it taste different if I tell you I made it in Diwali and am posting it now? 

No, naa. Then here is the recipe. You have one more sweet recipe to try at home.

Since I spent the first few years of my life in Colaba where besides the Kolis the Sindhis have their base, I grew up feasting on a lot of sweets from the famed Sindhi Mithaiwalas, whether it was Kailash Parbat or Chandu halwai. Then 20 years later Jhama's had us swearing with the hot samosas, juicy jelabis and a lot lot more. The sev barfi was brought home as an odd time treat, never for the religious rituals or naivedya. For the naivedya it has to be pure milk based sweets and this sev barfi had chana atta in the form of sev so was meant only for human consumption.

I don't know what made me think I cannot make it at home. Then I chanced on Alka Keswani's Sindhi Rasoi it sounded so easy so how could I not give it a try. During Diwali I was visiting friends when I made it as gifts for them and packed it into pretty boxes. It definitely is an uncommon sweet and people love the little surprise of a sweet made from sev. 

The key to making it successfully is laying your hands on Feeka sev! That's salt free Sev. The sev is usually savoury snack or topping that goes on the chaats but for this sweet the regular sev will not work.

Again I got lucky to  get Feeka Sev at Jhama's itself and I bought it on stealth lest my Dad who was with me asked me to dump it and buy the ready made Singhar Ji Mithai instead. That would have been easier but a blogger never takes it easy when it comes to food gifts, what say?

So there I was loaded with a kg of Sev and I mean that's a lot. I was home and in the kitchen boiling sugar syrup to make my own Sev barfi. I doubled the quantities as I need a large batch to be given to 3 families. I used vanilla and dropped the food color. My barfi was richer with more mawa.

Ingredients

500 gms Feeka Sev

750 gms mawa

500gms sugar

3 cups water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cashews and almonds for decoration
5-6 cardamoms peeled, seeds separated

In a saucepan measure out the water and add sugar to it. Boil it till sugar dissolves. Add the vanilla extract.

Keep a greased tray ready.

Add the sev to it and stir to mix. Break the mawa into chunks but don't crumble it. Add it into the sev and sugar mix. Stir to even out. 

Transfer the mix into the tray. Level it out. Score the barfi. 

Chop the almonds and split the cashews, decorate as shown or just the way you like. Sprinkle the separated cardamom seeds over the top.

I do not use Varakh or silver foil. Its a choice I make, here is why?

Shahi Makhana

Hi!

It's been a month since the last post so it calls for a special one. Here I am with a recipe of a restaraunt style dish.

We move on to this celebration worthy recipe of Shahi Makhana that you are eagerly waiting for. The gravy is familiar but the Makhana in it is unusual you think, just give it a try and you will tell me you love it.

Ingredients

1 cup Makhana

2 large onions chopped lenghtwise

3-4 medium tomatoes

1/4 cup cashew nuts

2 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

salt to taste

handful of chopped cilantro

In a kadhai heat the oil, fry the onions to transluscent. Chop the tomatoes and add to the onions. Cook till tomatoes are mushy. Let it cool.

Remove the fried onions and tomatoes into a wet grinder. Add the cashew nuts in along with the spices. Blend to get a paste. Use a little bit of water to grind. Keep aside.

Now toast the Makhana on heat till crisp. Pour in the ground masala paste. Adjust water to a consistency you like. A thick gravy is the best. Finally add salt and cilantro and bring it to a boil. 

This Shahi Makhana pairs well with a crisp Naan/ Kulcha or Punjabi Roti and its lipsmacking with jeera rice or a veg pulao.

There that's my balti of Shahi Makhana, what are you waiting for pick up the ladle and take a dig.

Fig and Ricotta Pizza and Tomato Black Olive Mozarella Pizza

I was looking at my label for Pizza and realized I do not post too many pizza recipes and I do not eat too many pizzas anymore. Yes like everyone else my generation I was hooked to all those Pizza brands but one that I most loved was Sicillian. It was a small outlet in our cafeteria at work and they knew how to really bake the pizza base and the topping perfectly this while others used readymade pizza bases.

Recently I was browsing thru two recipe books actually I was just enjoying the pictures when I spotted a recipe for a thin crust dough. I just need to try it and it was so good I though I'd share it with you here.

We, that's Dad and me insist on crisp pizzas, limp will not do for us. So this recipe looked promising. Also I decided to try new toppings along with a standard veggie pizza of Tomato and black olives, dependable as it is.

Ingredients

For the dough (Reference: The Taj Magazine)

100 gms flour

1.5 tablespoons olive oil

salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon yeast

40 ml water

In the magazine all it says is knead the pizza dough and roll it out into a round base. Put on pizza tray.

However here is what I do from my experience of making pizza doughs.

Warm the water for 15 secs in the microwave. Add yeast and sprinkle some flour over it. Let it bloom for 10 mins. Now in a bowl measure out the flour. Slowly add the bubbled yeast liquid into the flour and bring it together in a ball. On a counter place 1/4 teaspoon salt and pour the 1.5 tablespoons olive oil over it. Now remove the dough on the counter and knead together with salt and olive oil for 5 mins. Make a smooth ball and divide into 2 portions.

Roll out the dough into two bases. I made one 8 inch base and another rectangular base.  Line the baking trays with foil if needed and place the base in it. Some trays do not have textured surface and it is tough to clean so I always line with foil.

Toppings for Pizza I

2 Sweet fresh figs sliced

1 cup Ricotta cheese, mine is homemade

2 pinches dried Thyme

2 pinches dried chili flakes

1/8 cup Balsamic vinegar

Bake the pizza base at 300 deg celcius for 15 mins. Remove from oven and sprinkle ricotta cheese. Place the fig slices over the ricotta. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar over. Sprinkle the thyme and follow in with chilli flakes. You can either put it into the oven for another 10 mins, till the ricotta bubbles or eat it straight once topped. 

The flavours of this pizza are amazing. Its not your everyday pizza and we loved it with the standard tomato black olive pizza. One was a main the other a wonderful dessert pizza!

Toppings for Pizza II

1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup grated mozarella and processed cheese mix
2 tomatoes sliced
a handful of olives sliced
2 teaspoons Itallian herbs
1 teaspoon dried chili flakes

On the second pizza base spread the tomato sauce, top it with cheese. Lay the tomato slices and spread evenly the olive slices. Dust with mixed Itallian herbs and chili flakes. 

Bake the pizza at 300 deg celsius for 20 mins or till desired crispness.

Enjoy the two pizzas!

Koli Food and Culture Experience

As it happens on the Internet Meera Sodha stumbled on my blog and messaged me through my FB page. Meera born and bred in England was here in India to research on Indian food. The food and culture that her grandparents took with them to Uganda and later to England. She herself was however brought up on Indian food with British influences. Her first book Mother India is infact under print right now in London and it captures that transition of recipes from India to Uganda to Britain.

Her message said, 

"I would love to talk to you about your community, Koli food and with any luck, ask you for a cookery lesson and a few recipes."

A few messages and calls later we decided to meet immediately the next day itself. Our meet up point fixed, outside the Colaba telephone exchange at 9 am. Both excited to share and learn from each other. I was to realize at the end of the day, we both are doing similar work, she in England and me in India.

Our plan

1. Shop for Seafood and other ingredients.

2. Go to Meera's place and cook up a a fiery storm.

3. Lots of talk on Koli food and culture thru the day.

4. Sit down to an authentic Koli meal.

Menu:

1. Coconut based curry

2. Fish fry

3. A Stir Fry

4. Rice roti

5. Steamed rice

(I chose the seafood for the menu based on Meera's preferences of what she wanted me to cook.)

Armed with the magic Koli Masala without which this day would not be the same and in tow my sous chef, Mad. Meera was there at our meeting point before me, we had started our day early to commute to Colaba so it was only natural to begin our meet with a chai at a nearby restaurant. Over with introduction and setting the expectations of a relaxed day and lots of chatter, we did not realize it was over an hour we sat there.

Meanwhile the Colaba market was all set to welcome visitors and buyers. This is one of the oldest and smaller markets in SoBo. The location is the oldest as it is in the Koli heartland of Colaba Koliwada however the premises have been renovated a decade ago to make it a Municipality run market. We went straight to S a relative of mine who sells fish there, confident that she would be able to help us choose the seafood according to our planned menu. It meant bringing in variety in a single meal, a challenge for the eater not the cook. One really must have a BIG appetite for fish!

There was Halwa (Black pomfret) and there was Saraga (Silver Pomfret) on display, the obvious choice was Halwa for the fry. A lone Mushi (baby shark) on the selling board was calling out to us so we picked that up too for the fry. We were told to wait till the fresh tiger prawns arrived from Sasoon dock, they were for the stir fry. Just then along came my childhood friend B and we bought some medium sized Suke Bombil (dried Bombay duck) from her, she curiously enquired what we had on mind. Ofcourse a Bombil Batata curry I told her. She smiled approvingly, saying "Khobra lavun?" to which I nodded back for she guessed it right.

While we looked around the fish market for more, Meera went crazy clicking pictures of customers haggling with the fisherwomen, hunting for a woman dressed in the traditional Koli garb and even spotting a blacksmith outside the market sharpening the cleavers for the fisherwomen. How mesmerised she was yet absorbing everything like a sponge in her last work week in India.

A Koli woman draped in 12 yards saree and wearing the traditional jewelry.

Sparks flying as he sharpens the cleaver.

S meanwhile got busy cleaning up and prepping the Halwa and Mushi for the fries with a very surgeon like precision! The Kolbi (Tiger prawns) arrived and the Maushi deshelled and deveined the prawns with deft fingers as we watched her amazing skills.

We shopped for rest of the ingredients like rice flour, oil, onions, garlic, chilies, lime and fresh Cilantro. Unfortunately we could not get our hands on Ambe mohor rice that I insist for a meal like this. Meera mentioned she had kokum in her temporary kitchen and I was not surprised as she was here to explore the various community cuisines of Mumbai. Read further to know what adaptation happened by accident in that kitchen.

Laden with the bags of seafood, grains, flour and greens we hailed the yellow black Mumbai taxi and drove off to Meera's place. On the way passing thru familiar sights, by my school, along the Marine drive, up the winding roads of Malabar hill coming to a stop in front of our destination kitchen.

Suddenly we were excited with the challenge of cooking in this really basic kitchen. All it had was a small mixie, an old enamel coated gas stove and aged pots and pans. Both Meera and I agreed that is the way to cook in the real world in real India. Far from the conveniences of her hotel kitchen and my well equipped home kitchen. Infact some of these appliances are not available in the tiny villages in deeper country.

We started by washing, draining and then marinating the Halwa and Mushi with the Koli masala, turmeric and salt for the fries. The Kolbi  for the stir fry. Mad, my sous chef who played hesitant when she was helping me with the Catering order was showing considerable confidence on this day, it came from years of watching her Mum and Grandma cooking the Koli way. Even before I could instruct she was moving smoothly chopping onions, peeling garlic and selecting a pan for frying the fish.

In went the slices of Halwa and inbetween carefully flipping them, I broke the coconut and got Mad to wedge and slice it up for the masala. She was amazing at this point and did not require my guidance she made it all by herself. I felt quite proud of her and let her do the Suke Bombil Batata curry, ofcourse as I watched.

Later I chopped up a large amount of onions and got going with the Kolbi. This is a Koli favorite and is loved at any time of the day, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner. Yet when I cooked it for Meera, I adapted not just the look but cooked it keeping in mind that her palate was more British even though Indian. Now was the moment when I needed the kokum and out came the packet. I almost looked at it in disappointment! It was not Kokum at all it was the Coorgi Kadampulli in the dried fruit form. I stayed clear of it. Instead thought a squeeze of lime would be lovely against the sweetness of the onions and prawns. So you see the traditional Tallele Vale Sode got a completely new twist. So close yet new!

Meera was in a clicking frenzy handling 2 cameras, hers and mine and also helping us with finding things in the kitchen, which was hers during this stay. It was not the most comfortable ground for us both. She had this wonderful portable digital scale on which she carefully weighed each ingredients. The meticulous chef that she is was noting down the exact timing of when the ingredients went into a particular dish and at times correcting quantities as I adjusted my recipes to suit the international audience of her upcoming book to which I was contributing these recipes.

Once the fish was fried and the aroma of boiling curry filled the entire house we decide to take a break. Meera is a caring host, she ordered vegetarian food for us from a nearby cafe, as she knew I am vegetarian and even Mad was observing vegetarian Tuesday. We sat down to enjoy the chutney sandwiches and cheese toast and a lovely chocolate mousse too. She gave us company as she sampled the fish fries, Moi recommending to her to start with the center piece of Halwa, move on to the head piece and finally the tail, yes in that ordered. The girl loved the tail and that made me happy.

Post the break, She was kind to clean up the tiny cooking platform so that we could start making Chavlachi Roti and Dhaan, to be specific we made Yelnicha dhaan. I demoed the traditional method of making the rice roti on water and a quick trick to get a similar but not the same roti by rolling out on a floured surface. The patting method too for authenticity. So there one roti three ways, results were very close. Soft, gluten free rotis. Up for a switch to the Koli healthy diet?

Done in 1 hrs 30 mins. It's no mean achievement to cook up a meal right from grinding the masalas, making the rotis, steaming the rice and cooking seafood 3 different ways! We did feel accomplished.

We were now waiting for the moment of truth. Both Mad and me agreed that since Meera is a chef herself we would love to see her plate up the meal. She happily did, and here it is Tadah!

When she sat down to taste the complete meal it was interesting to hear what she had to say. It was a lot of seafood on a single plate, completely authentic Koli meal, I reminded her. She has grown up as a vegetarian and switched to non vegetarian due to her profession so she obviously prefers only one seafood dish at a time included in a veg thali meal but she was sure that those who have grown up on non veg would completely love this.

The curious researcher in her asked me why there was no dessert in the meal. Simple because Kolis never eat dessert at meal time. Plus there are very few sweet dishes mostly associated either with some ritual or are offered as naivedya.

It was fun to watch her pressing the steamed rice between her finger to check if it was cooked thru the grain. As she picked the morsel of rice roti and wrapped it around the stir fried prawns, she commented, "Nice sweet and sour." I would have loved her to try them tinged dark with the kokum juice but for that Kadampulli. Lime on the other hand is easiest found substitute for sourness anywhere else in world for this recipe that she wants to take back to England with her.

She found the dried bombay duck curry nice with rice for its coconuty flavours but the bombil was chewy for her preferences. There is a trick to eating Bombils which I missed warning her about before she dug her spoon in. One need to press the bombil between the fingers to expose the centeral vetebrae and remove it before eating, else you end up chewing on the bones than the flesh. Also remember that dried fish even after soaking and cooking is still chewy in texture unlike fresh fish which has delicate texture. Tell a Koli or a Saraswat that there is Suke Bombil Batata Kalvan for lunch, I swear they will come following the aromas to get a taste. You just cannot hide the aromas of dried fish cooking in your home so be prepared for polarized reactions from neighbors; either they will come asking for their share or they would be disgusted with the smells emanating from your kitchen. You are treading volcanic grounds here be warned!

Finally we concluded the day with tips about the work we are doing and  promises to keep in touch. Really both of us are doing the same thing she in England and me in India, documenting the food and cultures of are ancestors and how it has evolved to this day.

Here's wishing Meera success with her first book, Mother India. Can't wait to see it in print even though I got a glimpse of it on the computer.

Hope to see you again soon, Girl!

P.S. June 29, 2014
Meera's book Mother India has been renamed and is being published as Made in India

__________________________________________________________________________

I am doing Customized packages of Koli Food and Culture Experience

Write to annaparabrahma@gmail.com to get a quote.

The things we do together:

1. Learn to select and shop for seafood and other ingredients for Koli cuisine.

2. Learn Koli style cooking and ofcourse feast on it that too in the comfort of your own kitchen and home.

Free with this package 

250 gms Koli Masala

While we are together you will be treated to stories about the Koli community, what they eat, how they celebrate, who they worship and much more. A complete Food and Culture experience.

To keep this experience intimate a small group of 4-5 people is best.

A Mango Mousse And My First Catering Experience

A week ago after my music class as Chitra, Sangita and Me walked back home together, Chitra reminded me to block my calendar for 1st Feb as it was her son, Anurag's birthday. I nodded and almost did not believe her request, "Won't you help me with the party?"

She was uneasy the next few days, then on 30th Jan, Sangu asked me what's my suggestion for the dessert for the party. I suggested mango mousse or bhapa doi and this order just fell into my lap.

Chitra called up and told me that I have full freedom to decide the menu and also the flexibility to cost it out! Only friends allow you this kind of freedom, I know! I grabbed the opportunity and went shopping to my favorite market for the ingredients and the serveware for the party.

 

That evening I called Chitra over to my home to show her pics of the menu I was going to make for Anurag's party. There would be only 5-6 close friends of his but most adults were Chitra and her husband's friends. She was suggesting pav bhaaji but Sangu recoed continental to her. Sangu is my all time guinea pig hence the right person to veer Chitra to a good menu.

We finalized all the recipes from here itself!

Penne In Arrabiata

Grilled Herbed Baby Potatoes
Hasa Al-Khadr Maa Hummus (Chunky Veggies and Chickpeas Soup)
Pull Apart Garlic Rolls
and 
Mango Mousse 

You can recreate this entire menu in your own home for your families.

Chocolate truffle cake was bought out as I did not have time for baking and decorating the cake.

Drink was plain water as majority of the people were singers and were to perform at the party. 

Chitra doing the Aukshan for Anurag

She started counting at 20 people, then after the menu was finalized she added 5 more then on the 31st Jan she made it 30! I added my 10% grace to it. So the entire menu was made with 35 people in mind.

Meanwhile I informed my neice M who has chosen culinary science as her career to come over to help me. Her grandma, my aunt decided to join in. So I had three Sous chefs to help me including Dad.

I began the day with chopping the tomatoes and pureeing them on the 1st Feb. That's the advantage of evening parties it allows cooking thru the day at a relaxed pace.

Pressure cooked the chickpeas and as the whistle blew I sliced the carrots in the FP for the soup.

M and Gopi aatya arrived around 8.30 am and immediately started helping me out.

I boiled the baby potatoes and cooled them under running water in a colander. Then set the colander filled with potatoes on the bay window seat. Setup a stool for my Aunt, Gopi aatya and let the bro-sis duo yap as they peeled them. 

The onions were done is two ways too, for the soup and the pasta sauce. The food processor did a fab job and in mins my prep was done. M did the peeling the skins.

Once the seniors were out of the way, I got the yeast started. Used the FP to knead the dough. As I worked I was training M in all the nitty gritties after all this is going to be her future career. I want her to learn things at home that no one will ever teach her at the institute!

The potatoes were peeled so we tossed them in olive oil and herbs and lined single layers of them on a tray and grilled them. We stopped short of golden as they need to be redone in the evening before serving.

The soup was set for cooking in large tapela. I used the entire bottle of Za'atar that Manisha gifted me when she visited (Ok I have to tell you the story, yet!)

The pasta sauce was cooking and boiling over, so divided it into 2 pots. I'm learning to handle larger quantities of food now. Learning #1

While this was happening the dough proofed and doubled so before we took a break for lunch I rolled out the dough and made the pull apart buns and filled one tray and 3 springform cake tins. Letting them sit for the second bulge on, we sat down to a lunch of masale bhaat that M made with papads on the side.

The afternoon saw us baking the bread and whipping the mascarpone for the mousse side by side and filling up the cups. Shoved the cups onto a tray and into the fridge for chilling.

I used both my ovens to finish off the baking quickly. Pasta was boiled and kept ready for final mixing. Cheese, two types Mozarella and Processed, shredded in the FP for the pasta.

We had a very long cooking day starting from 6.30 am to 7 pm. Finally at 7 we reheated all the food before Chitra's hubby came to pick us up and transport the food. 

Even though the drive was just 5 mins the soups spilled a bit. Next time I will transport it in a steel bin with a tight lid. Learning #2

Chitra insisted I buy the serveware myself for the party as I would know what's best for the menu. I bought Thermacol plates for the mains, thick paper cups for the soup, plastic cups for the mango mousse, dessert spoons and large spoons.

As soon as the cake cutting was done there was a round of singing and then the kids were served first. Later the adults were served. M and me were serving so another girl came to help. I don't like this part at all. I'd rather lay everything on the table for a buffet but Chitra wanted us to serve so we did!

Here is the recipe of the mango mousse which was a hit in the party besides the other favorites of pull apart garlic bread and grilled potatoes. 

Ingredients

Serves 10 people

1 kg Mascarpone cheese

1 cup milk

300 gms icing sugar

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tin Mango pulp

First remove Mascarpone cheese, milk, vanilla extract to a mixing bowl and on slow speed add  icing sugar little by little,whisk till stiff peaks are formed. 

Open the mango pulp tin. Use a ladle to portion out the pulp into each cup. Swirl around the mango pulp. 

Scoop or pipe neatly into the cups the whipped creamy mousse. The mango pulp will give a marbled effect on the sides. On top add a drop of the pulp and run a stick thru it to give it a design.

Chill till you are ready to serve. This picture was taken today but for the party I used smaller cups and stuck a chocolate wafer stick in the cups for effect.

Decadent dessert for the 11 year old Anurag's party. 

I owe Chitra and family for having the faith in me and giving this order and complete flexibility to execute the menu; A Big Thank You!

That is the menu: 

Chunky soup in the cup, cake, Penne in arrabiata, grilled herb potatoes, pull apart garlic buns.

Most of the guests came up to tell me they loved the food and that they were stuffed to the gills.  I have a happy customer and happy guests. Especially I loved how my friend Snehal's daughter Sakhi went 'HAW!' when she got to know I baked the Garlic pull apart buns too besides all the other stuff on the menu!! Every one was gushing about the mango mousse, the bread, grilled herbed potatoes too!

Frugal living Or Smart Spending?

Recently a discussion with friends led me to thinking is frugal living a solution for the economic downturn? Definitely not because we do not live frugally, like they do in the villages of India. Metropolitans and city breds need to be smart in their spending. Here are a few tips that will get you thinking on how to save as you spend.

Scene 1: My cousin Akki was visiting us and Dad noticed he was wearing a nice pair of square cut shoes. He asked where he bought those from, Jabong was his prompt reply. He is one of those smart kids that spends some time online to look for coupons and what better place than Indiancoupons.com

It's easy to use, they have 43 categories to look up and 103 stores offering good deals. As I write this their statistics show 37,513 coupons used in the last one month! That's some cool no. of users, I'd say!

Scene 2 : Right now there is wonderful deal from Dominos, if you have a party on the weekend use this coupon on a Wednesday. Freeze the pizzas and heat them up for the party on the weekend!

Wednesday Offer: Buy 1 Pizza and Get 2nd for Free

The site shows the popular stores as well as top categories. That makes it easy for search. Look for what's hot on those widgets on the RHS. Also look up and share with your friends on FB and rate the best deals. It saves so much time than being lost in the deals maze on the internet.

Talking about saving time, if you are interested in just a particular store or a few of them; awaiting the best deals to feature then all you got to do is subscribe for the coupons and have them delivered to your Inbox!

Scene 3: I bought 10 kgs of fresh peas from APMC market, its a winter ritual for me. I buy the bulk, shell and freeze. It lasts me thru the year and the quality is superlative I need not mention it obviously compared to the branded frozen peas which are so meh!

In season peas cost me Rs.9 per kg and I have 7.5 kgs of shelled peas. Do your calculations now!

This is what my deep freezer looks like now!

You would have heard about a guy who is famous for living without money. The joke is that man is raking in money now for sharing his experience of 'living without money' for a few years that he did!

I can tell you that living without money is not a sustainable living unless you live like the adivasis, grow your own food and plant back what you have taken from nature.

I myself have lived really frugally while in Blr, about a year without TV, few years with just a mixie as the only gadget in my kitchen and so on. I felt deprived at the end of 3-4 years and I started indulging myself. Yes but that experiment taught me to be careful with money and prioritize my needs. Avoid financial liabilities. I am lucky to have none!

We all know that reality is something else, we need to earn and save money to sustain our lifestyles so the smart thing to do is to indulge in luxuries a little less and adopt SMART SPENDING! 

Go coupon hunting on  Indiancoupons.com, most of all have fun!

Honey Peanut Butter

I make peanut butter once in a while but mostly without the addition of any sweet element. That's because I use honey for a drizzle or jam in the sandwich when I make Peanut butter and banana fried sandwich.

But for this 

Banana Cashew Bread, Honey Peanut Butter and Pear Sandwich

I needed a sweetish peanut butter so I made a honey version. If you are used to the American brands this will work well.

Ingredients

1/2 cup roasted n shelled peanuts

2 tablespoons honey

2-3 tablespoons peanut oil

a pinch of salt

Grind the peanuts to powder. Add the oil and salt and make a paste. Lastly add the honey and blend into a creamy spreadable paste.

Remove it to an airtight jar. This stays good without refridgeration for a month. Always make small batches for freshest comsumption.

Banana Cashew Bread, Honey Peanut Butter and Pear Sandwich

Ha ha! Such a long name for the sandwich. It does sound like a call out for Emperor Akbar! Jokes apart this is a sandwich we loved and so here to share.

Some time ago I made a Cashew version of my Banana bread, its a large loaf for a family of two. So after enjoying warm slices of a fresh baked banana bread on it's own, I wrapped the loaf and stored it in the fridge for later.

Then after few days on a chill evening we wanted to indulge in a high tea. So I made fresh Honey Peanut butter and sliced some pears to sandwich between the lovely bread. What came together was a gourmet sandwich and thought you guys might like it.

So here is the recipe and a half that it is, yeah its simple assembly but a brilliant combo. 

Method

Slice the banana bread thick. 

Toast it on both sides. 

Spread a generous amount of Honey peanut butter on one slice.

Wash and slice pears. Remove core and stem.

Layer the pear slices on the peanut buttered slice.

Cover with the second toasted slice of banana bread.

Enjoy along with a mug of warm milk or your choice of a steaming hot drink!

This picture was clicked for 365project. 

Yes I jumped onto the wagon. So many things keeping me busy and how I am loving this life! Go check out my project. Do leave comments I'd like to hear what you have to say.

Black N White Tilgul

Happy Makar Sankrant!

Hope you are flying kites, eating tilgul and enjoying the last bit of the winter chill. 

It's been quite cold in Mumbai like we did need to pull on a light cardigan thru the day. Yeah the tropical climate will come back starting with Sankrant today. The long nights will be gone and the long days will begin. 

During the winter we did indulge with lots of goodies carrot halwa, high teas with Banana bread sandwich, sounds interesting? Come again for the recipe.

Today I am here to post a Black n White Tilgul recipe. Black has a significance for Sankrant in Maharashtra. Black is worn on this day to retain body heat. Black is also the abolisher of evil so on this day we wish that all evil be absorbed by wearing black so that the rest of the year is full of Positivity!

That said I wonder why it is traditional to use only white til or sesame for making the til gul ladu? Until a few years ago I was ignorant and thought black and white til are 2 different varieties but was educated by a friend that Black til is the sesame with the husk and when it is dehusked rather to be exact it is decorticated it gives white sesame. But wiki does mention that other shades of sesame exsist. Then I wonder all the more. Why have I never seen tilgul ladu with black til. 

This is the very reason I chose to make black n white tilgul this Sankrant. Anything with husk is healthier and richer in iron and don't they look pretty! So the label of My Kitchen Lab is justified.

As I set out to make tilgul Dad as usual had doubts. He wondered aloud "hope you get the candy state tilgul". Yeah its been years since I made tilgul successfully. I blame it on bad quality jaggery. Nevertheless I am not one to give up. So a flip of the pages of Ruchira, don't remember if I mentioned it here, I had won it for this post. Then I came up with the recipe I wanted to make. 

Ingredients

3/4 cup Black sesame or til

3/4 cup White sesame or til

1/2 cup coarse ground roasted peanuts

1/4 cup roasted chana dal/ Dahale/ Phutane

1/2 dry shredded coconut

1.5 cup grated jaggery

1/2 cup water

4 pods of cardamom

In a kadhai toast the sesame seeds on sim. Add the coconut shreds, toast to pink. Now follow in with coarse ground roasted peanuts and dahale stir for 30 secs just to make them eminate the aromatic oils.

Keep the kadhai aside. Now in a saucepan add 1/2 cup water and grated jaggery. Boil till all jaggery dissolves and gives a bubbly syrup. 

Meanwhile peel the cardamom. Pound the seeds with a teaspoon of sugar in a mortar and pestle. Save the pod peels in the tea leaves tin for later use. Add the powdered cardamom to the above toasty mix.

Carefully pour the hot jaggery syrup into the kadhai. Mix well to coat the toasted mix with the syrup. Let it cool till the mix is hot enough to handle and a ball can be shaped. Roll pinches of the mix into large marble sized ladu. 

There is a reason why tilgul is marble sized and not as large as boondi or rava or anyother type of a ladu. This seed has astringent effect on the gut and if consumed in large amounts causes loosies.

So eat a small ladu in intervals and let it generate enough heat to keep you warm in the final days of this winter.

Catch all the TV channels broadcasting the Uttarayan special effects like the Gavi Gangadhareshwar temple where the Sankrant sun beam floods the Shivalinga in Bangalore.

Have a lovely rest of the Sankrant!

Our Sankrant Naivedya 

Clockwise: Lime pickle, sweet curd, Masur aamti, Cashew curry, Rice sevai pulao, Malvani vade, papad and Black n white tilgul!

Malvani Kaju Curry

In December we travelled to Malvan, a region in the Sindhudurg district of coastal Maharashtra or as it is locally known, the Kokan.

I need to be writing a lot on Swachchanda God promise, I will this week!

When you travel in the coastal region of Maharahstra you see the abundance of Cashews. The season for fresh Cashews is in summer but we get dried and toasted ones all over Malvan through the year. I source mine from Mhapan a village in Malvan.

This curry tastes awesome with fresh cashews but don't worry even the dried ones work nicely for this curry. 

Malvani curries require a little bit of roasting, frying and grinding and some smart prep. So if you are in a rush divide the activity over time. If you are in the weekend mood of cooking leisurely then you bet this is a therapeutic recipe both for the mind and soul!

Lets get prepping.

Ingredients

1/2 cup soaked cashews or fresh

2 onions sliced

2 red chilies

2 teaspoons oil

salt to taste

chopped cilantro 

For the masala

2 onions sliced

1/2 fresh grated coconut 

4 red chilies

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 teaspoon Malvani masala or Garam Masala

Start of in the morning by soaking half cup of cashews in hot water. Let them rest over atleast 2 hours while you soak in the bath tub.

Once you are done with your bath and breakfast get the masala roasted.

Heat oil in a nonstick pan. Add the sliced onions and fry till pink. Then add the fresh grated coconut and roast till reddish. Throw in the red chilies. Fry till coated with oil.

Let the masala cool completely. Add the Malvani Masala or if you do not have it use regular garam masala.

Now grind to a paste with some texture. This masala can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or freezer for a month.

When you are ready to make the curry, start by heating oil. Drop in the red chilies for tadka. Fry the onions till translucent. Add the ground masala followed by the soaked cashews. Top up with water, the consistency has to be thickish. Salt the curry as per taste. Boil till the masala is bubbling. Throw in the chopped cilantro in the hot curry so that it wilts in the curry and enhances the flavors.

Enjoy the delicious curry mixed with hot rice or dip your roti in it. Delicious!

Need Cashews? Order right here!

Note: This was the first post mentioning the AnnaParabrahma's Eshop. Though I launched with only Koli masala and a little later added Malvani Masala.

Updated on 30 Oct2020 : Oley Cashews are in season only in summer. I get mine from the Dadar plaza guy when they are available. This Oley kaju and tondli usal is very popular in konkani cuisine.  

Christmas Cake

Plum Cake or Fruit cake is a must in Christian households. In India no matter what religion we follow we share our festivities and sweets with neighbors and friends. So every year there is enough Christmas cake to eat. It is only recent or may be a decade ago that I started making my own Christmas cake. I know Christmas cakes are rich and boozy. I make mine rich and citrusy. Dry fruits and nuts soaked in honey for atleast a month. Try it and tell me if you really miss the booze in it?

Adapted for vegetarians from Joy of Baking

Ingredients

1 cup softened butter

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup demerera sugar

3/4 cup caster sugar

3 teaspoons flax seed powder (soaked in 9 teaspoons water)

3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup fresh curd or 1 cup Orange juice

3/4 cup ground almonds

750 gms of *soaked dry fruits and nuts*

Soaking dry fruits and nuts in advance.

Chop up all sorts of dry fruits and nuts. I used Turkish apricots, Nectarines, White peaches, Figs, raisins, cashews, almonds etc. You can use any combo of fruits and nuts. Traditionally atleast raisins and cashews.

In a 1 litre jar put 2 cups of chopped dry fruits and nuts and add a cup of honey. Add 1 cup Homemade orange marmalade. Leave it to soak for atleast a month. I soaked these for about 2 months. Since you are using honey you will not need to drain the fruit.

On the baking day

Begin with creaming the butter and the two types of sugars together. Add the Balsamic vinegar, flax seed powder that has been soaked in water and gelatinized. Add the curd and whip till light and fluffy wet mix.

Now in a big bowl measure out the flour, ground almonds and baking powder. Whisk to mix evenly. Slowly add the mix into the creamed wet mix. Whip in the stand mixer on slow.

Next take the *soaked dry fruits and nuts* dredge them in a handful of flour. Add to the batter and mix with spatula till distributed well in the batter.

Prepare a 9 inch springform round tin by lining it with greased parchment or foil both at the bottom and sides. This is a must as this cake needs a long baking time at lower than usual temperature. Pour the batter in the tin and tap the tin on the counter to even out the batter. Level out the top with the spatula.

Preheat oven for 10 mins at 180 degrees Celsius and put the tin in for baking for the first 60 mins. You should get a nice golden colored cake by the end of the hour. For the next 1 hour of bake cover the golden cake with foil or parchment to avoid charring. At this time lower the temperature to 160 degrees Celsius. A skewer inserted in the cake should come out clean to prove the cake is well done inside.

Let the cake cool completely in the tin itself. Once cooled upturn it on a plate lined with a nice doily or decorative paper napkin.

I dusted the Christmas cake with confectioners sugar and added a ribbon for the festive feel. Yeah we are past Christmas but the cravings made me make this cake else I had started to dig into the honey marmalade soaked dryfruits and nuts after meals. 

Good thing is I am taking this cake for Akshada's BD party today. Recently our families traveled together and ever since I have grown fond of this lovely girl. Hope she enjoys it.

Special Note:

Incase, you do not have the time n patience for soaking the fruit. Then just cook the fruit in honey and and water till its all plump.

If the fruit and nut are dry the cake crumbles when slicing. The soaked or cooked fruit holds the crumbs together as this is a cake with as much dry fruits and nuts as the flour.

Updated after the birthday party : 6 Jan 2014

Sliced and enjoyed by the Birthday buddies Akshada and Tejas!