MEWA MISRI GHARI

 

MEWA MISRI GHARI

Dhanteras ni hardik shubh kamna!!

 

Puri

1 cup white flour

2 tablespoons ghee

1/4 cup milk (add more if needed)

Mix flour and ghee together, add  milk little at a time and bind the dough for puri. Cover the dough and set aside

 

For  filling

2 tablespoon ghee

15 pieces dates( deseeded)

1 cup grated mawo

1 cup  roughly ground mix nuts

5 tablespoons grated coconut

3 tablespoons   icing sugar

 

 

 

ghee for frying

Heat the ghee in a skillet and add dates, sauté  on a medium heat until nice and tender. Add the mawa sauté for a minute.  Turn the heat off mix all the other ingredients with dates and mix well. Divide the mixture in to about 20 balls and set  aside.

Divide the dough in to 20 balls and roll out each ball in the small puri. Place the prepared  dates ball in the center of the puri and pull up the sides. Remove the excess dough from the top and slightly press with your palms. Heat the ghee and deep   fry the prepared ghari on a low heat on both the sides, until golden in color. Remove and drain the excess ghee. Set aside on a kitchen paper and let it cool.

Garnishing

1 cup icing sugar

4 tablespoons butter

Whip sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Place a spoonful on prepared ghari and spread  on top, sprinkle pistachio’s sliver and enjoy .Chalo ben aje banawye  sawne bhawti Mewa Misri Ghari.

 

 

WADA

 

WADA

 

 

It is traditional amongst us Guajarati’s to make vadas on Narak Chaturdasi (Kali Chaudas). Not certain how this tradition was started but it is apparently something to ward off negativity from the household.

In our home, we don’t follow this ritual as mostly we are stuffing ourselves with other delicious delicacies at the home of one of my nephews or friends and we also  believe a clear conscience and good thoughts promote positivity;  not throwing vadas at a junction (waste of good food that could feed someone).

Vada for the Vithlani’s are not associated with negativity. They are a delicious morsels to dip into kadak masala chai, or a snack eaten with lasan ni chutney and dahi but I thought I’d still share my recipe for Vada with you all in case anyone follows the Kali Chaudas vada making tradition.

 

1 cup wada mix ( same as dhokra mix)

1 1/2 tea spoons  salt

3/4 turmeric powder

1/2 cup yogurt

1/2 teaspoon  garlic paste

1 teaspoon chili paste

cilantro

2 tablespoon wheat flower  + 1 tablespoons oil. ( Mix together)

oil for deep frying.

 

The mixture of the rice/lentil flour (readily available in most Indian stores) is mixed with sharp tangy yoghurt and left to marinate overnight.  Spices, garlic cilantro, chill paste and a tablespoon of oil are added to this firm paste and blended with a spoon or by hand (the texture is rather dough like).

The technique is unusual, as the mixture has to be divided in to about 40mm balls then patted and slightly flattened into discs on a damp tea towel.

Once the discs are flattened, they are deep fried until they reach a beautiful deep golden hue.  The deep frying process would also allow the wada to puff up, creating an air pocket which will then help keep these scrumptious snacks soft when cooled.

Why don’t you give these a try but make sure you have a cup of masala chai ready for when bite into these delectable little wada.

 

 

 

Happy cooking folks 🙂

 

 

 

DIWALI SANI

DIWALI  SANI

 

Diwali ni sani a tradition.

Diwali is a a time to celebrate with family and friends, a time when the household kitchens see delicious decadent food being prepared to be shared.  In Africa, both at my parents and my in-laws homes we followed a tradition of giving the “Diwali Sani” or Diwali platter (sahani as it is pronounced in Swahili is another word for platter).  The concept is to share all the good food with neighbours, friends and family and the tradition is to place each item of the specialy Diwali foods and mithais on the platter and deliver this personally to your loved ones.  In return the reciepient will either give you a platter they prepared for you, or put a shagun/blessing of a handful of sugar or money, depending on your relationship. The platter is never returned empty.

Here in Charleston we still carry on with the sharing of the food but now instead of a platter, these items are in food containers and gift boxes to be shipped far and wide.  I thought I would just share with you what the “Diwali sani” would have looked like had we been in Tanzania. Aap Sabko Shubh Diwali Vithlanis ki aur se.

FULI GATHYA

FULI GATHYA

 

 

 

2 cups gram flour

1/2 cup oil

1/2  cup water

1/2  teaspoon kharo (baking soda)

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed carom seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed black pepper

1/2 teaspoon asafetida

 

Whisk oil, water, salt and baking soda until it turns milky, set aside.  In a mixing bawl combine flour, asafetida, crushed black pepper, crushed carom seeds and pour the prepared milky mixture to the flour and mix well. The dough should be sticky. Once the dough is done, apply little oil in your palms and fill up the machine tube with the dough using chakri disc / nozzle, close the lid  and pipe this directly into the hot oil. Flip gently to  cook on both sides. Remove  the  gathya from the oil with slotted spoon onto a paper towel . Leave to cool and store in an air tight container.

 

 

 

CHAKRI

CHAKRI

 

 

Charleston ni dhamake dar Diwali. Saga snehi sathe besi jamye karye natnawi wangi.Peri odhi karye aanand, padharo amare gaam karye ame saw nu swagat!

 

 

2 cups rice flour

1 1/2 tablespoons green chilly paste

1 tablespoon ginger paste

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup  sour yogurt

3/4  cup water ( or as required)

oil for frying

In a bowl combine flour and butter and mix well. Add all the other ingredients mix well    adding little water at a time and knead   into a soft dough. Grease the chakri machine with little oil and place the prepared dough in the machine. Close the lid and press  about 2 inches  make the spiral shape  on the parchment paper.  lift with spatula and place in the kadai. Deep fry  chakris on medium heat on both sides until golden brown and  crispy on both the sides.Drain on the paper towel, Allow to cool  and store in an air tight container.

 

GULDAND

GULKAND

I realize I have been posting  many recipes which call for gulkand. How ever it appears that I had forgotten to share with you how to make gulkand. So gulkand is made with fresh  organic un spread  red rosses. The best thing about making gulkand is that it makes the entire home smell divine and using this freshly made  gulkand in the mithai creates an utterly delicious desserts.

 

4 cups rose petals

3 cups sugar

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup honey

 

 

Gently wash the rose petals and place them into the food processor. Pulse the petals just little. Place the petals, sugar and water in a heavy skillet over low heat until sugar is dissolved and petals softens, stirring until the mixture thickens. Turn the heat off ,add honey and mix well. Let is cool completely. Pour the gulkand into clean container and keep refrigerated.

 

 

Saragwanu shak

 

SARAGWANU SHAK / DRUM STICKS.

 

 

10 drumstick ( peel,cut and steamed)

1/4 cup gram flour

3/4 cup yogurt

1/2 cup water

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2  teaspoon garlic paste

 

In a bowl combine all the above ingredients and whisk until no lumps remaining . Set aside.

 

For tampering

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon asafetida

cilantro for garnishing

 

Heat the oil in a sauce pan, add mustard seeds and asafetida. Once it starts to crackle, pour the yogurt mixture into the pan and bring to boil stirring continuously until it starts to thicken .Add the steamed saragwo to the mixture, mix well and let it simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. Turn the heat off,transfer to the serving bowl and garnish with cilantro. Serve saragwa nu shak with rotli.