GUDI PADWA SPECIAL -SRIKHAND-POORI

Gudi Padwa is the first day of Chaitra month to mark the beginning of the New Year according to Hindu calendar. Most of the Indian festivals have a very special and intriguing history and it is interesting to see the manner in which they are celebrated. This Maharashtrian festival is also no expectation and provides you many tales and stories related to it.

Gudi Padwa is one of the most auspicious days in the Marathi Hindu Calender. Farmers make it a point to plough the field on the Gudi Padwa day and they believe it will help in having a good harvest in the resulting agricultural season.

Tasteful sweet dishes like srikhand poori, jalebi, basundi are savoured by the people. The primary sweet dish for Gudi Padwa is Srikhand, served with pooris. So I made this gooey, creamy srikhand laced with saffron and elaichi, topped with mixed nuts and served with steaming hot poories. This is my hubby and elder daughters favourite combo. 

1.SRIKHAND:

INGREDIENTS:

½ kg Full Fat Curd

½ kg Powdered Sugar

1 teaspoon Cardamom Powder

A few Strands of Saffron dissolved in 1 tbsp warm water.

For Garnish:

Chopped Almonds, Cashews, Raisins and Pistachios

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Place the curd in a muslin cloth, squeeze the curds in the muslin cloth to remove all the excess water and discard it.

          STEP 2 - Take 1 tablespoon milk and soak saffron strands in it .

STEP 3 – Transfer the hung curd in a deep mixing bowl, add the powdered sugar and mix well with a whisk or hand blender.

STEP 4 – Add cardamom powder and saffron mix in it and mix again .

STEP 5 – Pour this ready shrikhand into a serving bowl, garnished with chopped nuts.

STEP 6 – Refrigerate it in refrigerator for an hour and serve chilled.

Enjoy the chilled shrikhand with the steamed hot pooris.

NOTE: *You can add different flavours in it and make different flavoured shrikhand like mango, strawberry by adding the puree of mango and strawberries.

          2.POORI:

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

1 ½ Tablespoon Oil

Salt as per required

Water

Oil [for frying]

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Combine all the ingredients and knead into a dough   using water. Make the dough stiff.   Keep it aside for 15 minutes.

STEP 2 – Knead it again and divide it into equal portions.

STEP 3 – Roll out the pooris with each portion.

STEP 4 – Heat the oil in a kadhai and add few pooris at a time. Fry them till golden brown in colour from both the sides.

STEP 5 – Drain the extra oil on a kitchen towel and serve them hot.

3.BATATA BHAJI:

INGREDIENTS:

3 Medium Sized Potatoes

2 tablespoon Onion-Coconut Paste

2 teaspoon Ginger-Garlic Paste

2 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder

¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder

2 teaspoon Garam Masala or Maharashtrian Kala Masala

1 ½ teaspoon Dry Coriander Powder

Salt to taste

½ teaspoon each Cumin-Mustard Seeds

1 ½  tablespoon Oil

Water

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Boil the potatoes and let them cool. Peel them off and cut into big sized pieces.

STEP 2 – Now take a pan, heat it and add oil to it.When oil heated add cumin-mustard seeds and let them crackle.

STEP 3 – Add the ginger-garlic and onion-coconut paste and sauté for a minute.

STEP 4 – Now add spices one by one, turmeric, red chilli powder, dry coriander powder, kala masala and salt and roast it.

STEP 5 – Add potato cubes in it and mix well.

STEP 6 – Add very little water and cook for a minute mixing it well.

STEP 7 – After a minute add required amount of water according to your liking consistency and cover the pan.

STEP 8 – Cook for next 3-4 minutes and then switch off the gas. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and serve.

4. KANDA BHAJJI:

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Besan Flour / Gram flour

1 Medium Onion

4-5 Green Chillies

Coriander

½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder

Salt as per taste

¼ teaspoon Carom seeds [Ajwain]

½ teaspoon Sesame Seeds [Til]

1 tablespoon Rice Flour [Optional]

Oil for frying

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Take a bowl, add besan flour, finely sliced onion, chopped green chillies and other ingredients in it and mix well.

STEP 2 – Now add a little water to it and make a batter. Keep aside for 10 minutes.

STEP 3 – Heat oil in a kadhai on medium flame for deep frying.

STEP 4 – Once oil is hot, add spoonful hot oil in the pakoda mixture and mix well.

STEP 5 – Make sure that oil is hot enough. Drop small pakodas in oil and deep fry them from both the sides till golden brown.Turn them around while frying for even cooking.

STEP 6 – Then remove from oil and put them on a paper towel to drain excess oil and serve hot.

You can serve the kanda bhajji hot with a hot cup of tea or coffee or simply with tomato sauce..

NOTE: Onion pakodas should be served hot, as it cools, it loses its crispiness.

  Oil should not be much hot, if so then only outer part of pakodas will get burn and inside stays raw.

Make sure that oil is enough hot , otherwise pakodas will absorb too much oil.

This is how I served the full plate on Gudi Padwa.