Olya Narlachi Karanji ( Fresh Coconut Karanji)

It was 'NARLI PORNIMA' yesterday followed by Raksha bandhan today. Missing my brother who is at Indian Military Academy, Dehradun......undergoing his Army Officers Training.
Was super excited yesterday after office.......as after going home it was time to prepare one of my favourites Narli Pornima special sweet..........
Here is the one which i prepared for this special festive.....
For Narali Pornima the sweets are mainly cooked from 'NARAL' (Coconut)........like Narali Bhat (Coconut Rice), Naral Vadya (Coconut Barfi) etc.......
But for this Narali Pornima..I Prepared..........Olya Narlachi Karanji......
'Karanji' is a traditional Maharashtrian sweet that is prepared mainly during Diwali. Karanjiis also called as ' 'Gujiya' in north India and is prepared during the festival of Holi.

Here is the look at have i Prepared it.........

Ingredients:
For Covering:
 3/4th cup Semolina (बारीक रवा )
3/4th cup All purpose flour-Maida (मैदा )
3/th cup wheat Flour (गव्हाचे पीठ )
1/2 cup Pure ghee
1/2 cup Milk
Water

For Stuffing:
1 Whole Fresh Grated Coconut (approx- 3-31/2 cups)
2 cups Grated Jaggery  (one can use sugar as well, but i prefer jaggery in most of the traditional sweets as it give more authentic taste)
1/2 cup pure ghee.
1 tsp Cardamom Powder
5-6 sticks of Saffron (optional.....i used it as i like the flavour & the essence of saffron)
 Oil for Frying

Method :
For Covering:
Mix Wheat Flour, Maida & Semolina in a bowl. Heat the ghee, once its liqufied add it to the mixture of flours. Add Milk and knead the dough. If required add Water and knead it. see to it that the dough is soft.
Keep aside for almost 1/2 an hour by covering it with moist cloth so that it doesnt dry and become hard.

For Saran (Stuffing) :
Add ghee in a heated Pan. Once Ghee is melted add Grated Coconut and Jaggery in to it. keep stiring on a medium flame so that it doesnot stick at the bottom of the pan. Cook till the jaggery melts and it gets well mixed with coconut. It takes almost 10 mins to get cooked. Once it is cooked You will get a nice Essence.....this indicates that its cooked. Now add saffron sticks and cardamom powder. and mix well. cook for 2 mins on low flame.
The stuffing is Ready.

For Karanji :
Take a Small Ball of Dough. Roll it into a puri sized circle. Now add the stuffing in the center , add fold the puri downwards making a Semi circle enclosing the stuffing. Apply milk or water at the edges to seal it. Now Cut the Excess edge with the help of a cutter (You get a cutter for Karanji Cutting in any utensilis store commonly called "CHIRNA' in Marathi).

Heat the Oil in Kadai and deep fry the karanjis, till they become golden Brown.
Olya Narlachi Karanji is ready.

Cheers,
ashu

Olya Kajuchi Usal (Tender cashew nuts curry/masala)

I just cant wait for this.................trying myself to avoid non-veg recepies (as shravan is going on) but being a pure malvani by roots......shravan really doesnt bother me & my love for sea food......but still as  decided i am not going to post a non- veg recepie today (giving respect to my veggie hubby)........... but yes.....here come the most desirabale recepie for the picturesque & scenic Kokan.....a costal belt region in maharshtra.......my hubby's favourite............cooked atleast once a week during the season when tender cashewnuts were available.....here i present mine & my entire family's favourite....OLYA KAJUCHI USAL (Tender cashew nuts curry/masala)


Ingrediants:

250 gms Tender Cashew nuts.
2 onions.
1 bowl freshly grated coconut.
2 tea spns Malvani masala (one can also use red chilly powder & garam masala instead of malvani masala)
1/2 tea spn turmeric powder.
2 Table spns oil.
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander
Salt to taste.

Method:
For Vatap (Masala- vatap is generally used for masala in malvani households)
finely Chop 1 onion. Place a Frying pan on heat and add one Tablespn of oil. Then add finely chopped onion and fry till its golden brown.Add grated coconut to it and fry till both the ingredients are mixed properly and turned golden brown.Make a fine paste of this mixture by adding 1/4th cup of water to it.
Now in another pan, heat 1tablespn of oil and fry the remaining onion till it turns golden brown. Add cashewnuts to the onions and continue frying. Then add Malvani Masala and turmeric powder and keep frying on low flame. Allow to cook for 10-15 mins by adding 1 cup of water on low flame. Once the Cashewnuts are cooked,add Vatap (Masala) to it and mix well.Add salt. Allow to Cook for 10 mins on medium flame till it gets mixed well. Add water as per desired thickness of masala. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Kaju Curry is mainly eaten with rice bhakri, malvani vade or chapati & plain steamed rice..

cheers.....
Ashu....

Corn Bhaji (Corn Pakodas)

Monsoons are here....and here is the 'Bhajias' or 'Pakodas' with that.........i am starting today with 'Corn Pakodas' or 'Corn Bhajias'. This corn flitters make a best tea or coffee time snack.


Ingredients:

1 full bowl (approx 250 gm)of corn kernels.
3-4 green chillies (depending upon how spicy one wants)
1/2 inch ginger
A bunch full of fresh coriander leaves (my self & my hubby loves corriender....so i take more of it)
2-3 cloves of garlic.
1/2 teaspn coriander powder.
1/2 teaspn cumin (jeera) powder.
2 table spns besan (gram flour)
2 table spna rice flour
salt to taste
oil to deep fry.

Soak the corn kernels in water for 10-15 mins. Grind green chillies, fresh coriander leaves, ginger & garlic to make a fine paste. Coarsly Grind the corn kernels. place the corn kernels paste in a bowl and add the ginger, garlic, chilli & corriander paste to it. Also add the cumin powder & corrinder powder to it. Add Besan & Rice flour in to it and mix well to get a sticky paste. Add water if required. (my hubby Mit also added chilli flakes & oregano in to it). Heat sufficient oil in Kadai for deep frying. Drop small portions of Bhajias or Pakodas in to the oil and fry till golden brown on all the sides.( first fry it on low flame till it cooks from inside & then increase the flame to make it crispy). Drain the oil and place it on a tissue or any other absorbent paper. Serve hot with Green chutney and Tomato ketchup.