JALARAM JAYANTI CHARLESTON

                                                                                    JALARAM JAYANTI CHARLESTON

 

 

The celebration of Jalaram Jayanti took  place all over the world over the weekend and I was fortunate enough to get an opportunity to make Rotla, Boondi and Ganthia for the festivities here in Charleston.  Its such an honor and blessing.

Meanwhile in the UK, my niece Minu made this cake to celebrate Jalabapa at her local Lohana community in South London

The foods are the usual, kichdi shak rotla boondi ganthia recipes of which are all in my previous posts.

Corn Soup

CORN SOUP

1 cup corn kernels

4 cups water

1 cup vegetable stock or 2 cubes stock

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon salt

handful spring anion’s chopped

handful bean sprouts ( optional)

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon corn flour ( mix with little water)

1/2 cup mix vegetable ( optional)

Blend corn kernels in a blender, keep aside.

 

Place butter in a sauce pan and let butter melt on a low heat. Add corn and vegetables, sauté for couple minutes. Add water, salt and vegetable stock mix well.  Cover the lid and let simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes stir in  corn slurry and mix well. cook until soup begins to thicken. Garnish with chopped spring anions and moong sprouts . Serve hot.

 

 

STUFFED PEDA

                                                                   STUFFED PEDA.

We are having a penda week at the Jikoni.  I have created a few different varieties of Penda by simply using one common penda mixture, dividing it and giving each portion a new twist. This is a new take on my “surprise inside” penda.  Using classic flavours, such as chocolate orange, strawberry and coconut as the penda centres the humble Penda suddently becomes a party in your mouth.

Here is the recipe for the penda mix and the various centres that will have people praising your penda making skills. The idea is to create the penda mix and follow the recipe on how to make the penda and how to fill these in with the 3 different centers.

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RECIPE FOR PENDA CENTRES

(1) STRAWBERRY AND CASHEW NUT

1 cup crushed fresh strawberries

2 tablespoons  sugar

4 tablespoons ground cashew nuts

Combine crushed strawberries and sugar  in a sauce pan and simmer on medium heat and prepare  a thick syrup. Add ground cashew nuts and mix well, let cool and form small balls and set aside.

 

 

 

(2) BOUNTIFUL PENDA

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

2 tablespoons sweet condensed milk

In a bowl combine coconut and condensed milk, take a small amount of the mixture and form small balls, set aside.

 

 (3)CHOCOLATE AND ORANGE PENDA

1/2 cup meted chocolate

1 teaspoon orange zest

Combine melted chocolate and orange zest let cool until the mixture  thickens.Take a small amount and form small balls. Set aside.

 

PENDA – CLASSIC MIX

2 cups milk powder

1 can sweet condensed milk

1 stick butter

Combine  the condensed milk and butter in a microwave safe bowl, add milk powder  and stir well. Place the mixture in a microwave for 1 minute, remove and stir. Repeat 6 more times. ( that’s total 7 times). Remove from the microwave and stir well,  let it cool little.  Apply little ghee on your palms, take a spoonful of the mixture and form a round ball and lightly flatten with your palms. Place the filling in the center and bring the edges together. Form a round ball and Flatten.

Note : You can drizzle melted chocolate on bountiful peda .

 

 

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 🙂

 

 

 

LAPSI

LAPSI

Dhan Teras marks the start of Diwali Festivities.  It is the first of the five days followed by Kali Chaudash, Diwali, Padwo and Bhai duj or Bhai bij.  Each of the five days have their own significance and legends associated with it.  The foods prepared on this day are of traditional variety.Dhan Terash is the day on which we seek blessings from Lord Ganesha (always worshipped first in all auspicious events) and Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and good fortune.  It is customary to purchase items of gold  on this day and then use this in the puja.  The puja is done at an auspicious time of the day as per the panchang and generally involves bathing the dieties of ganesh and Lakshmi in panchamrit ie: milk, sugar, curds, honey and ghee followed by a gentle bathing in water.  After the bathing, the dieties are offered, kumkum, abil, gular, chokha and flowers.  The same process is followed for Riddhi Siddhi, Lord Ganesha’s consorts and the dieties are given a gracious welcome.  A silver coin is then bathed and anointed in the same manner followed by your purchase of gold .  The purpose is to bring the dieties, Riddhi. Siddhi, wealth and good fortune in the house. Ghee lamps are lit all over the house to enusre every nook and cranny is lit up.  Dhan means wealth.

i will be making moong lapsi to day on dhan terash and here is the recipe and method for  lapsi

In our household it is customary to cook moong and lapsi (broken wheat kernels) on this day.  In fact, moong lapsi are cooked in gujarati households on most important days and celebrations such as graduations, passing of exams, new jobs, new businesses, welcoming guests, saying farewell to visitors and so on.

 

 

 

    I made some lapsi, a sweet dish made with cracked wheat, ghee, gur, mawo, and garnished with slivered almonds, pistachios, cardamom raisins and mace.  In our household, the lapsi is readily devoured by the bowlful.

2 cups cracked wheat

1 1/2 cups jegerey

3 table spoons ghee

6 cups water

1/2 cup grated mawo

handful raisins

 

 

For garnishing

1/2 tea spoon cardamom powder

few strands saffron

handful almonds and pistachios slivers

 

 

Boil the water add jagary  keep on the side. Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker, add the lapsi mix ( cracked wheat) and sauté on medium  heat till it turns little golden brown. Add the hot jagary water top with raisins. close the lid and pressure cook on high heat for 3 whistles. Let it cool before opening the lid. Add the mawa mix well and  Pour the lapsi in the serving bowl and garnish with almonds, pistachios and saffron .

 

 

UNDHYU

 

UNDHYU

 

So this is a dish that was made at the Vithlani household (my in-laws) every year on Besta Varas (the Hindu new year).

My MIL was a stickler for tradition where the menu would be daal bhaat, undhiyu, puri/rotli, a sweet dish, fasans salad papad and athanas.

Whilst Manu and I were discussing our own Diwali dinner, something that we host each year for our friends and family Manu mentioned undhiyu and how it was made at the Vithlani house. I figured that Manu was craving this traditional meal so I decided to have undhiyu on the menu and calle dup his sister, Jyoti Sangani to see if she could share Baa’s (MIL) recipe.  So here it is, the all famous Africa style Vithlani house Undhiyu.  Packed with green veg, beans, muthiyas, pieces of tender corn, whole aubergines stuffed with peanut masala.  A dish that has many different textures and is bursting with flavours. You really should try to make this.

 

 

1/2 cup pigeon peas

1/2 cup walor cut

1/2 cup French beans

1/2 cup peas

1/2 cup guwar

5 aubergine

4 baby potatoes

4 fresh corn cut into small pieces

 

Masala for stuffing aubergine and baby potatoes

2 tablespoons ground peanuts

2 tablespoons dhana jeeru

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon oil

handful cilantro chopped

2 to 3 tomatoes chopped

 

Wash and clean potato and aborigine, slit from the center stuff the mixture into potato & aborigine.  keep on the side. Heat   the oil in a pan,add mustard seeds and asafoetida when it stars to splutter place stuffed potatoes in the pan and stir gently.cover the lid  turn the  heat on low and simmer  for about 5  minutes  Add aubergine and sprinkle  the remaining masala ,stir to combine  and cover the lid stirring occasionally till its done,  set aside.

 

 

Masala for the muthya

1/2 cup gram flour

1/2 cup wheat flour

2 tablespoon’s millet flour ( optional)

1/3 cup fresh fenugreek chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon chili powder

3 tablespoons oil

1/2 teaspoon sugar

pinch soda by carb

 

Mix all the above ingredients and prepare firm dough. Divide into small portions and shape into about and inch oval shape roll. Deep fry and set aside.

 

For tempering

4 tablespoons oil

3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon asafetida

Heat the oil in the pressure cooker. Place mustard seeds and asafetida, once it starts to crackle add all the vegetables except aubergine  and potatoes. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Add chopped tomatoes, approx. 1/4 cup water and the remaining masala /spices and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Once cooled open the lid, add prepared aubergine , potatoes  and fried muthyas. Mix gently. Remove in the serving bawl and garnish with chopped cilantros.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PANEER SPIRAL

 

PANEER SPIRAL

 

 

2 white plain roti

1 cup paneer crumbled

1 potato ( boiled and grated)

4 tablespoons green chatni

2 to 3 finely chopped green chilies

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

handful chopped cilantro

In a bowl, combine flour, corn starch ,salt and oil and mix well.  Add little water at a time and prepare firm dough. Cover for about 10 minutes. Divide the dough in to two parts and roll each into thin roti, spread a tablespoon of green chatni all over the roti. Take half of the paneer  mixture and spread over the roti. Press lightly with your palms .Roll the roti tightly, cut into 1 inch pieces and press them gently. Set aside. Heat the oil in kadai and deep fry   until they turn golden brown and crispy. Drain on a paper towel and transfer in a serving plate. Serve garam garam  paneer spiral with chatni of your choice

 

Prepare dough

1 cup white flour

1 tablespoon corn starch

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons oil

little water as needed

 

Oil for frying

 

Deep fry until they turn golden brown and crispy. Drain on a paper towel and transfer in a serving plate. Serve garam garam  paneer spiral with chatni of your choice.

 

HUMMUS

HUMMUS

Home made hummus. Easy to make, tastes better, fresh, creamy and yummy.

 

1 can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2/3 cloves garlic

2 tablespoon’s lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon cayenne powder

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup water

 

Place garbanzo beans, salt, cumin powder, garlic, cayenne powder, sesame seeds  lemon  juice and water in the food processor and give it a few pulses for about 30 seconds.  While blending, drizzle oil  and blend until  you get nice and smooth consistency. Remove in a bowl and serve as dip or eat with vegetables. Also can spread on tortilla.