SABUDANA KHICHDI

This an authentic Maharastrian recipe prepared with sago, potatoes and crushed peanuts. Potatoes are optional, but sabudana khichdi cannot be prepared without peanuts.

The process of making khichdi is very simple. The main step to make soft, fluffy khichdi is to soak the sago in just enough water for the sago to bloom. Sago to water ratio is 1:2. This will fluff up the sago pearls perfectly. Too much water will make the khichdi sticky and less water will make it chewy.

The given proportions will serve for two persons. Preferably make the khichdi in a nonstick pan. Just before finishing the cooking, sugar can be added which is optional. I like it without the sugar.

This dish is a meal in itself. Kakdichi koshimbir (maharashtrian style cucumber curd raita) or plain curd goes very well with it.

Recipe for Sabudana khichdi

Ingredients for Sabudana khichdi

• 1 cup sabudana or sago
• 1 medium sized potato (finely sliced as shown in the picture)
• 1 cup peanuts (roasted and crushed)
• 4 green chillies (roughly chopped)
• ½ tsp jeera or cumin seeds
• ¼ cup coriander leaves (finely chopped)
• Half a lemon
• 1 tsp sugar (optional)
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp oil

How to make

Roast the peanuts and let it cool to room temperature. Coarsely crush them in a grinder.

Soak the sabudana overnight in 2 cups of water.

By morning it will double up in size. Gently run a fork in the soaked sabudana to check if all the water has been absorbed and that the sabudana pearls are dry and separate.

In the same bowl add the salt and crushed peanuts. Mix well with a fork.

Heat oil in a kadhai or skillet. Add cumin seeds in hot oil. As it splutters add green chillies. Saute for a minute.

Add the potatoes. Cover with lid. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until done.

Now add in the sabudana peanut mixture.

Saute for 5 minutes continuously. You may observe that the white pearls of sabudana will become translucent and lighter. If you see too many while pearls of sabudana, continue sautéing for two more minutes.

Squeeze half a lemon, add the sugar (optionl) and garnish with lots of coriander.

Serve with Kakdichi koshimbir (maharashtrian style cucumber curd raita) or plain curd.

MATKICHI BHEL/ SPROUTS BHEL

Matki or moth or Turkish gram is a legume which is eaten almost in all parts of India. It is a rich source of protein and a whole bunch of minerals. It can be had for dinner as a one pot meal or for breakfast.

I have grown up eating matki usal with jowar bhakri. Matki bhel has a childhood memory attached to it. There is a bhel wala who daily comes with his gaadi. He makes such delicious bhel that it used to be very often used as a bribe to get some work done from me. Also it is a treat to watch his onion chopping skills.

My recipe is inspired from the same bhelwala. The matki used in the bhel is boiled. It can also be  steamed with very little water in the pan, which helps to retain its nutrients. 

I add tomatoes and cucumber to increase its nutritional value. I also like to add raw mango and pomegranate. Feel free to add different types of sprouts. There are no specific measurements. You add or skip ingredients according to your choice. Steamed matki, lots of onions and lemon juice are a must to make this bhel very tasty.

Recipe for Matkichi bhel

Ingredients for Matkichi bhel

• 1 cup matki (sprouted and steamed)
• 1 cup puffed rice
• 2 cups onions (finely chopped)
• 1 cup tomatoes (finely chopped)
• 1 cup cucumber (finely chopped)
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• ½ cup coriander leaves (finely chopped)
• 1 lemon
• 5 green chillies (roughly chopped)
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup sev or farsan

How to make

Grind the green chillies in a mixer without water to get a coarse paste. Alternatively, finely chop the green chillies.

In a mixing bowl combine all the ingredients one by one.

Add green chilli paste and salt. Squeeze half a lemon. Mix well. Serve immediately.

BAJRA METHI MUTHIA/ VADA

Bajra or pearl millet gives excellent benefits when had during winters. It keep the body warm and helps to fight the chill. Bajra roti or bhakri with jaggery and ghee makes a tasty snack.

Muthia are bite sized,ball shaped snacks. This recipe of muthia has bajra flour and methi leaves with some basic spices. The same muthia can be used to make bajra vada which has been shown through pics.

Bajra methi muthia or vada can be stored in an airtight container upto two weeks.

Recipe for Bajra methi muthia/ vada

Ingredients for Bajra methi muthia/ vada

• 1 cup bajra or pearl millet flour
• 2 tbsp besan or Bengal gram flour
• 2 tbsp atta or whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp til or sesame
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 cup methi or fenugreek leaves (finely chopped)
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp oil for the dough
• Oil for deep frying

How to make

Take bajra flour, atta, besan, til, red chilli powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix well.

Add 2 tablespoon oil. Mix to form coarse texture.

Add methi leaves and mix again.

Add little water to form a stiff dough. Rest it for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough in small portions and shape them into balls.

Press gently between the palms before deep frying. Fry on medium heat till crisp.

Foe vadas take a portion of dough on your palm, shape it into a flat circle. Deep fry on medium heat till crisp.

Store in an air-tight container.

CORN CHIPS

One packet of corn chips bought from market is never enough. You can have loads of it ….Here is a simple to make recipe of corn chips at home.

Corn chips are made from corn flour or makke ka atta which is coarse in texture and yellow in colour, unlike the white corn flour which is fine in texture. Maida or all-purpose flour is added to corn flour to make the dough rollable or else it will tend to tear from the edges like makke ki roti.

Corn chips make a very good snack for your impromptu parties. Serve it with salsa or a quick dip or just pour some cheesy sauce over it. Also, it makes a nutritious option for your kid’s tiffin box.

I make these chips in large quantity as they are always high on demand. I like to fry the chips to get that nice crispyness and even colour on them. You can even bake these chips at 180 deg Celsius for 20 to 25 minutes.

Recipe for Corn Chips

Ingredients for Corn Chips

• 2 cups corn flour (yellow) or makke ka atta
• 1 cup maida or all-purpose flour
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

How to make

Mix the corn flour, maida and salt in a mixing bowl.

Add water in small quantities and knead a dough. Let it rest for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough in three equal portions.

Roll it into thin round rotis. Prick with fork.

Cut into desired shapes and size.

Fry in medium hot oil until crisp.

Store in airtight container up to a month. Serve with your favourite dips and salsa.

JODHPURI MIRCHI VADA

Nai sarak in Jodhpur use to be the hub for shopping and eating. Good shopping followed by a couple of mirchi vadas at Janata sweets is one of the many memories from Jodhpur.

Mirchi vada is the most popular rajasthani street snack. Its is similar to batada vada or alu bonda from south.

Mirchi vada big, fat green chilli stuffed and covered with spicy, tangy potato mixture; then coated with gram flour batter and finally deep fried.

One mirchi vada is quite filling. It can be sliced into three to four pieces and served with ketchup as an appetizer.

Any large and non-spicy variety of chilli can be used such as bhavnagari chillies. I have used jalapeno chillies here as these were the only variety available with the supermarket. I have deseeded the chillies to reduce its pungency. Depending on the chilli you can adjust the red chilli powder to be added. The given proportions are totally at level with the rajasthani palate.

The number of potatoes required is equal to the number of green chillies to be used for this recipe. This is my rough proportion of green chillies and potatoes. I find it easier this way than weight measurements.

Recipe for Jodhpuri mirchi vada

Ingredients for Jodhpuri mirchi vada

• 6 green chillies (fat and non-spicy variety)
• 6 medium-sized potatoes
• ½ tsp roasted cumin powder
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp dry mango powder/ dried pomegranate seeds
• ¼ +¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 cups gram flour
• 10 cashew nuts (chopped)
• ¼ cup raisins (chopped)
• ¼ cup coriander leaves (finely chopped)
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

How to make

Boil the potatoes. Remove its skin and lightly mash it. Avoid mashing it completely. Finely mashed potatoes, it does not hold on to the chillies and slips away.

Add salt, turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder, dry mango powder, red chilli powder, cashews, raisins and coriander leaves.

Combine all the ingredients and keep aside.

Make an incision in chillies and deseed them.

Stuff the chillies with the potato mixture and cover the chillies with the same. The thickness of the potato coating should be 3/4th to 1cm.

Make a smooth batter of gram flour with a ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder, salt and a cup of water.

The batter should be of coating consistency.

Now coat the chillies with the batter and deep fry for one minute on each side or until the coating is cooked.

Serve with sweet and sour tamarind chutney.