My last post was a dessert that can be served during a fast. This post has savory recipes fit for a Fast and served as main course. The first recipe is 'Varyache tandul' also known as 'Bhagar' to some people. 'Varyache Tandul' are known as 'Samo/Moraiyo' in English and can be easily found in the Indian grocery stores. Normally, the rice is paired off with some 'Daanyachi Amti' which is nothing but a curry like sauce prepared with roasted peanut paste, but can also be enjoyed without the Amti. Now, as a rule all dishes prepared for a Fast use Tup (ghee), but you can also use Vegetable /Canola oil for these. Looking at the number of dishes we prepare for a Fast, one would think it to be celebration of some sort :). So ready to feast...oops, I mean Fast? ;)
(Our 'Fast' Food : Varyache Tandul, Daanyachi Amti, and Limbache God Lonche)For Varayche Tandul:Ingredients: (serves 2-3)
1 cup Varyache Tandul (Samo seeds)
4 cups Water
1/2 tsp Jeere (Cumin seeds)
1/2 tsp Tup
2 Green chillies chopped
1/2 tsp Daanyacha koot (Roasted peanut powder)
Salt to taste
Method:
Before you start cooking, pick over the samo for any impurities. Now, in a pan, toast the Samo till they turn slightly pinkish in colour. Keep aside. In saucepan/ kadhai, heat about 1/2 tsp tup (ghee) or oil. Once heated, add the cumin seeds and once they start sizzling, add the chopped green chillies. Fry for a minute or so and then add the toasted Samo to it. Mix well and then add the water. Salt this mixture and cover and cook till the the Samo is thoroughly cooked. Add more water if required. Garnish with chopped cilantro and some roasted peanut powder. Serve hot with a dollop of tup (ghee)(optional), and Daanyachi Amti (optional).
For Daanaychi Amti:
Ingredients :(serves 2)
1/2 cup Roasted Peanuts
1 1/2 cup Water
1/2 tsp Jeere (Cumin seeds)
2-3 Dried red chillies
2-3 Amsul/Kokum
2-3 tbsp Gul (Jaggery)
1 tsp Oil
Salt
Method:
Take the roasted peanuts (unsalted), and make a thick paste in the mixer (just like chutney). In a kadhai, heat the oil and add the cumin seeds. Once they start to sizzle, add the dried red chillies and fry for a minute. Next, throw in the Amsul and fry for a minute. Add about 2 tbsp water to this and cook the Amsul in it. After a few minutes, add the peanut paste and water to get a sauce like consistency. Next, add the gul (jaggery) and mix. Also add the salt. Let the Amti come to a boil and garnish with a little roasted peanut powder and cilantro. If the dried red chillies are not spicy enough, add a little cayenne pepper. Serve hot.
After a hot & spicy post, its time for something sweet, and not just a regular dessert, but something that can be consumed even when fasting. Normally, Yam, which is known to us as Sweet Potato and is called 'Ratala' in Marathi, is associated with 'ratalyacha kees'. What many people do not know, is, that this yam (sweet potato) can also be used to make an extremely simple dessert. I am cheating a little bit and taking advantage of the fact that Sweet Potatoes are called Yams here in the US :).The fancy title is nothing but my way of sending this entry for this week's 'Y' of Indian Vegetables, hosted by Nupur of One Hot Stove.
'Ratalyache Kaap' as I knew it as a kid, or 'Khatta' as my husband knows it, is a sweet dish prepared especially for an 'Upaas' (Fast). Of course, that does not mean that it cannot be made on other days :) Since yesterday was Ekadashi (one of the 2 big fasts observed), we had a host of 'Upasaache padartha' (dishes prepared during a fast), along with this simple dessert, which happens to be my husband's favourite --- Yam Caramelized in Jaggery Sauce. Enjoy ! :)
Ingredients:(serves 2)1 medium sized Ratala (Yam)
2 tbsp Tup (Ghee) --- I know its a lot, but this crucial for the dish :)
4-5 tbsp Gul (Jaggery)
Method:
Clean the Yam thoroughly. Do not peel the skin off, as that is the most nutritious part. Cut the yam into round slices like this,
Now, in a pan, heat the Tup (ghee). Throw in the Yam slices and stir till all the slices are coated with the tup. Cover the pan and let them cook on medium heat. Keep stirring in between. Once the slices are cooked, add the jaggery and mix together. Let the jaggery melt and coat the slices (make sure that you do this on medium heat otherwise, you will end up with a burnt dish). As this happens, the slices will get a little caramelized and turn dark brown. Once all the jaggery has melted and most of the moisture has evaporated, turn off the heat. Serve with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream or even drizzle some heavy cream on top, or enjoy its plain goodness as is...Enjoy !
Sabudana Wada is my all-time favourite Maharashtrian dish! In Pune (Maharashtra), there are a lot of places where you get hot, delicious Sabudana Wada. It is very easy to prepare and requires very little preparation. Sabudana (Sago in English), is normally associated with fasting, and so naturally, Sabudana wada is popular on such days. But any other day is just as good to enjoy this comforting food. In fact, as far as I remember, I have never made it during a fast...but then I don't even remember the last time I kept a fast ;). Anyhoo, just go ahead and try out this recipe when you are bored of the same old, same old, and I guarantee that you won't be disappointed.
This is my entry for Nupur's 'S' of Indian Vegetables (I hope she will accept this one as there really aren't that many veggies in here). Since this is a Maharashtrian recipe, this is also going for RCI- Maharashtrian Cuisine.
Ingredients: (makes about 20 wadas)
Sabudana (soaked in water for at least 5-6 hours) 1cup
Boiled Potatoes 1 medium
Daanyacha koot (roasted peanut powder) 2 tbsp
Cilantro chopped 1 tsp
Cayenne pepper 2-3 tsp (as per taste)
Salt
Oil for frying
Method:
To make Sabudana wadas, it is extremely important that the sabudana is soaked properly (at
least 5-6 hours) in water. Rinse the sabudana in water and leave water just enough to cover. Once soaked, the sabudana will puff up and be soft to touch.
Boil 1 medium sized potato. Mash it and add to the soaked sabudana. Add roasted peanut powder, cayenne pepper, salt and chopped cilantro and mix together. You can also use green chillies instead of cayenne pepper. Check for taste. Now, make small flat patties and fry in oil till golden brown. Serve hot with green chutney.
To make green chutney:
Grind together green chillies, lots of cilantro, a tsp or two of roasted peanuts and 1 tsp of jeera. Add salt and a little plain yogurt and serve.
'Ratala' which is the Marathi name for 'Sweet Potato' is a starchy root vegetable. It is relatively low in calories and has no fat or cholesterol. It is rich in beta-carotene, and has five times the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A. It is also loaded with potassium. More on the Sweet Potato here.
When I first came to the US, I had great confusion regarding this vegetable. I am sure you are curious as to why...well, I knew this vegetable as 'Ratala' in my native language and as 'Sweet Potato' in English. So whats the problem, right? The problem was that the Sweet Potato is called 'Yam' in the US of A and the 'Yam' as Sweet Potato! So much confusion! Finally, I turned to a source which I knew would not let me down...Google, and as was expected got all the answers I needed. What a happy ending! :)
Moving on...'Ratala' for Maharashtrians is always associated with fasting (Upaas). It is one of the few vegetables that is allowed to be consumed during a fast.Some of the few days when a majority of Maharashtrians observe a fast are Ekadashi, Mahashivratri, Sankashti chaturthi, etc...
When I was growing up, I used to love it when my mom & dad were fasting. There were two good reasons for this; one, I would not have to eat poli- bhaaji (chapati -vegetable), and two, the spread that was laid out on the table during a fast was much more delicious...there used to be 'ratalyacha kees', sabudana (sago) khichadi, 'kakdichi koshimbir' (cucumber salad), 'daanyacha ladoo' (peanut laddoo-- I will post this recipe soon), 'upaasachi batata bhaaji' (stir- fried potato)...I think you get the picture. All the dishes were generally cooked in homemade ghee and the minimal of spices were used, mainly, green chillies cumin seeds and salt! It was a feast in itself!!! And I am sure you are wondering as to why is this called a 'Fast'? ;) But we have a saying to justify our behaviour, 'Ekadashi ani duppat khaashi' , which simply means that during a fast, people eat double of what they normally would eat. I must warn you though, that eating huge quantities of these dishes on a single day might give you a little bit of acidity due to the generous use of crushed peanuts.
My husband and me both enjoy these recipes frequently even if we are not fasting. They sometimes make for a quick breakfast or brunch and are always delicious. So today, as part of Nupur's 'R' of Indian Vegetables, I am going to share my recipe for 'Ratalyacha Kees' which is nothing but stir-fried grated Sweet Potato. This recipe is also going for 'RCI- Maharashtrian Cuisine'.
Ingredients:
Ratali (Sweet Potatoes) 2
Jeera (Cumin seeds) 1 tsp
Hirvi Mirchi (Green chillies) 2-3 chopped
Crushed peanut powder 1 -2 tbsp
Oil / Saajuk Tup (ghee) 1 tbsp
Salt as per taste
Kothimbir (Cilantro) to garnish
Method:
Wash the sweet potatoes thoroughly, wipe them dry with a cloth and then grate them. You can either peel the skin off or leave it. I generally do not peel off the skin. Make sure that if you are not going to cook the grated sweet potatoes immediately, cover them with water like this...
In a pan/kadhai, heat the oil/ghee. Add the jeera and then the green chillies. Fry for a minute
or so, and then add the grated sweet potatoes (make sure to squeeze out the water from the potatoes before adding to the pan). Mix well, cover with a lid and cook for about 3-4 minutes till white steam escapes from the pan. Once cooked, add the crushed peanut powder (make sure the peanuts are roasted), and salt to taste. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot. To enjoy it even more, serve a little plain yogurt on the side.
(Our 'Fast' Food : Varyache Tandul, Daanyachi Amti, and Limbache God Lonche)
Method:
