Ingredients:
10 patra leaves with stems
1 small bunch ambat bhaji (sour greens)
3 green chillies
1 tbsp. peanuts
1 tbsp. channa dal
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 bayleaf
2 cardamoms
1 stalk curry leaves
1/4 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala
2 tsp. black maharashtrian masala (kala Masala)
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. sugar
salt to taste
2 tbsp. gramflour
5 cups water
2 tbsp. oil

Method:

1. Chop both greens coarsely. Peel stems and chop those too.
2. Wash, drain, place in container of pressure cooker with chillies.
3. Place channa dal and peanuts in another container of the cooker.
4. Add 1/2 cup water to each container. Pressurecook for 4 whistles.
5. Cool, remove and blend the boiled greens in a mixie or with hand beater.
6. Add gramflour to 1/2 cup water, make a smooth paste keep aside.
7. Heat oil, add cumin seeds, bayleaf, cardamoms, curry leaves and clove-cinnamon powder.
8. Stir a minute and add boiled peanut and dal whole, with the water.
9. Bring to a boil, add blended greens, masalas, salt, sugar, lemon.
10. Add remaining water, stir well. Bring to a boil. Add gramflour paste.
11. Stir continuously till boil resumes. Lower and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
12. The consistency should be like that of kadhi (refer khichidis).
13. Serve hot with masala bhath or bhakri.

Making time:45 minutes

Makes: 6-7 servings

Shelflife: best fresh .

Ingredients:
For pithala:
1 cup gram flour

4-5 green chillies finely chopped

2 sprigs spring onions finely chopped

1 onion finely chopped

1 stalk curry leaves

1 tbsp. coriander finely chopped

1/2 tsp. mint leaves finely chopped

1/2 tsp. ginger grated

1/2 tsp. garlic grated

1/4 tsp. turmeric powder

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. each cumin & mustard seeds

3-4 pinches asafoetida

3 tbsp. oil

2-2 1/2 cups water


For Bhakri:
2 cups bajri, jowar or maize flour

salt to tastewater to knead

Method:
For Pithala:

1. Make smooth paste of water, salt, turmeric, lemon and flour.
2. Mix in ginger, garlic, spring onion and green chilli. Keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a deep heavy vessel.
4. Add seeds, asafoetida, allow to splutter.
5. Add onions, curry leaves, coriander, mint and stirfry for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add batter, stirring simultaneously.
7. Stir non-stop with a large ladle till all the lumps break and boil.
8. When boil is reached, check taste for salt, chilli etc., adjust.
9. Cook covered loosely, on low for 6-7 minutes, stirring frequently.
10. Serve hot with bhakri.

For bhakri:

1. Add salt to flour.
2. Add water little by little, kneading dough very well.
3. It should become soft, pliable and smooth.
4. Kneading well is very important so the bhakri doesn't break.
5. Take a lump, dust generously with dry flour, pat with palm to flatter.
6. Use a rotating motion to make circular.
7. Use very little dry flour to pat.
8. Make thin or thick as desired.
9. Place carefully on warm griddle (tawa).
10. Apply a little water on surface and spread evenly.
11. When water dries, flip and roast.
12. Put on direct flame and crisper like naan.
13. Or semicook all and crisp as required.
14. Top with ghee (optional) if desired.
15. Repeat for others as desired.
16. Serve hot with hot pithala, pickles, curds and raw chopped onions.

Making time: Pithala: 20minutes,

Bhakri: 10-15 minutes for 4.

Makes:4 servings.

Note: If patting the dough is difficult, roll it using a plastic sheet underneath.If making all bhakris beforehand place loosely between two large clean cloth, to absorb excess moisture.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup yellow gram dal
1 stalk curry leaves
1 bay leaf
3 cloves
2 green chillies
1/2 tbsp. coriander finely chopped
1 tsp. black maharashtrian masala (refer masalas)
1/4 tsp. garam masala
1/4 tsp. dhania (coriander seed)
turmeric powder- a pinch
Salt to taste
6-7 kokams -soaked
(soaked in 1/2 cup water )
4 cups water
1 tbsp. oil or ghee
1/2 tsp. each cumin & mustard seeds


Method:

1. Wash and soak dal for 15 minutes.
2. Pressure cook till very soft (4 whistles).
3. Cool cooker and remove. Drain water from dal and save.
4. Knead the kokams between fingers.
5. Press out and remove. Keep the water aside.
6. Grind dal to a fine paste either on stone or in a mixie.
7. Mix with water and residual water of dal.
8. Blend well till smooth.
9. Heat oil in a deep saucepan. Add seeds, curry leaves, allow to splutter.
10. Add slit chillies, cloves, bayleaf, and saute one minute.
11. Add kokam water.
12. Make paste of masalas in 1/4 cup water.
13. Add paste, fry further one minute. Add dal.
14. Bring to a boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
15. Add chopped coriander.
16. Serve hot with puran polis (refer)

Making time: 30 minutes (excluding pressure cooking time)

Makes: 5-6 servings

Shelflife: Best fresh

Ingredients:
1 cup saboodana (sago)
1 cup peanut crush (coarse)
1/2 cup fresh coconut (finely grated)
5-6 green chillies finely chopped
1 med. potato, peeled & finely chopped
1/2 tsp. sugar1 lemon, juice extracted
1 tbsp. coriander finely chopped
1/2 tsp. cumin seedssalt to taste
1 1/2 tbsp. ghee

Method:

1. Wash, drain and allow sago to soak.
2. Lightly fluff up with fingers to loosen each particle.
3. Add all ingredients except ghee, potato, coriander and chillies.
4. Mix well with hands to blend. Heat ghee in a non-stick pan.
5. Add potatoes, stirfry till tender. Add chillies and stir.
6. Add sago mixture, toss gently with a wooden spatula, till well mixed.
7. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
8. Not tossing often will result in the khichidi forming a tough layer below.
9. The sago is cook when transparentish.
10. Garnish with coriander.

Serve hot and fresh for best taste.

Making time:20 minutes (excluding soaking time)

Makes: 3 servings

Shelflife: best fresh

Note: The soaking time should be for 20-15 min.

Ingredients:
1/2 kg. curds
300 gms. sugar
1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
few strands saffron
1/2 tbsp. pista & almond crushed

Method:

1. Tie curd in a clean muslin cloth overnight. (6-7 hours).
2. Take into a bowl, add sugar and mix.
3. Keep aside for 25-30 minutes to allow sugar to dissolve. Rub saffron into 1 tbsp. milk till well broken and dissolved. Keep aside.
4. Beat well till sugar has fully dissolved into curd.
5. Pass through a big holed strong strainer, pressing with hand or spatula.
6. Mix in cardamom powder and dissolved saffron and half nuts.
7. Empty into a glass serving bowl, top with remaining nut crush.
8. Chill for 1-2 hours before serving.

Making time: 20 minutes (excluding tieing and keeping time)

Makes: 6-7 servings

Shelflife: 3-4 days refrigerated.

Note: To make fruit flavoured shrikhand eg. mango, add pulp at the stage of adding cardamom and saffron.