Nendra Kaaya Kaalan

This is a quick version of my kaalan with Nendra kaaya, has a classic sweet-sour taste...

What goes in?

• 2 large Nendra kaaya - almost ripe (kerala banana), cut into small pieces, you would first slice it vertically into 4 parts and then keep slicing it to get small triangular pieces
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• 1/4 tsp jeera
• 4 tbsp beaten thick curd
• salt to taste
• pinch of turmeric powder
• 2-3 red chillies for seasoning
• curry leaves for garnishing

What to do next?

• Microwave the Nendra Kaaya for 5 minutes on High - you can check in-between around 2.5 to 3 mins to ensure that it doesn't get baked, the idea is to cook it a bit
• Grind the coconut and jeera to a fine paste, with minimum water
• Mix Nendra Kaaya and the coconut jeera paste and cook it on a low flame, with salt and turmeric
• Once the coconut is cooked and mixed well with the Nendra Kaaya, add curd and let it cook for 2-3 minutes
• Season it with red chillies and garnish with fresh curry leaves

Time it takes?

20  minutes

Kaanda (Onion) Bhajji

A common fast food in Maharashtra...Jeev and I tried this last weekend and this was yummy!!!

What goes in?

2 Large Onions chopped
1 cup Besan - Gram Flour
2 tbsp Rice Flour
pinch of turmeric
salt to taste
chilly powder
1 tsp corriander powder

What Next?
Mix all ingredients except onion with very little water to form a dry mixture, Add Onion to this. Deep fry small portions in hot oil till crisp and brown.

Serve Hot with Tomato Sauce, Pudina Chutney and Hot Chai :)

Tip: Rice Flour is added to make it crisper, and don't keep the mixture aside for long before you fry, else onion will let out water and the mixture will be too watery to stick to the onion.

How much time does it take:
Not more than 20 mins

Orange Pancakes

2 cups maida
2 tbsp orange marmalade
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp orange rind
1 tbsp sugar

Mix all of the above into a batter just right to be made into pancakes.
Once done heat a pan, pour some batter and flatten it just like dosa
Add a bit of butter to the sides and a bit on top to make it a bit crisp
Cook it well on both sides
Serve hot!

Sabu Dana(Sago) Khichdi

This is one long story, it took me ages to get it right. But now I think I know what exactly needs to be done. Thanks to Amma for having demonstrated this to me multiple times :)

What goes In?

Sabudana 2 cups (Soaked overnight - now there is a trick to this, use a flat bottomed vessel and soak in enough water to be just above the Sabudana. When you use it in the morning you will see that all the water is soaked and each grain of Sago is nice and round, yet separate, drain excess water before you use it)

2-3 green chilles
1 tsp cumin seeds
salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
3/4 cup roasted groundnut crushed - dont make this a fine powder, instead use pestel and mortar and leave it half crushed.

What Next?

Heat 2 tbsp oil
Add cumin seeds and allow it to splutter
Add Green Chillies
Add Soaked Sago, salt, sugar and mix well
Add the crushed groundnuts
Cook until the Sago gets transluscent, Add more oil if necessary.

How much time does it take:
30-35 mins.

You can also add Potatoes to this if you like it.

Kothimir Bhajji

Another popular Maharashtrian snack...

What goes in?

Bunch of Fresh Corrainder Leaves finely chopped
1 cup Gram Flour
2 tbsp Rice Flour
1 tsp Chilly Powder
Pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste

What Next?

Mix all of the above with very little water to form a dry mixture. Deep fry small portions of this in hot oil.

Seve hot with Chai :)

How much time does it take?

About 15 mins.

Cracker Snacker

Cracker biscuits
Dry potato sabji (or any other sabji..)
tomato sauce
pudina chutney

All you have to do is place the cracker...put the sabji on top and garnish with a bit of pudina chutney and tomato sauce...this snacker was a total hit :)

Spaghetti in red sauce..desi version

2 cups spaghetti
For the sauce:
2 tomatoes
1/2 a spoon calonji
1 onion sliced
2-3 red chillies
1/2 inch ginger
3-4 cloves of garlic

grind all of the above except onion and basil to a fine paste..finally add onion and grind to leave a few pieces of onion intact...

1/2 cup basil leaves
Garnishing:
2/3 types of cheese (I used gouda and regular cheese)

Cook spaghetti in the required amount of water with a few drops of olive oil and salt to taste.
Once this comes to a boil - keep it aside
Cook the sauce in olive oil till it leaves a nice aroma
Add the basil leaves
cook for 2-3 mins
add the spaghetti
and finally garnish with grated cheese