CHATPATI BHEL

Bhel is a veyy popular street snack. Bhel is spicy, tangy and tongue ticker. There are two types of bhel-dry and wet bhel. This recipe of mine is for wet bhel where spicy and tangy chutneys are added. In dry bhel you simply do not add any chutneys.Also it is eaten with papdis or crisp fried pooris. At least this is how I have them at home but you can even have them with a spoon. Bhel is just a crispy, soft, sweet, tangy and spicy mixture of many edibles....Follow this instant and easy recipe and make yummy bhelpuri chaat at home in just few minutes. Bhel puri have to be served as soon as they made and immediately. Serving even after a couple of minutes will make the whole bhel puri mixture soggy and you won't enjoy it !

INGREDIENTS:

 3-4  Cups Puffed Rice [kurmura/ churmura]

2 Cups Namkeen Farsan [mix chivda]

½ Cup Chopped Tomato

½ Cup Chopped Onion

¼ Cup Chopped Coriander

2 Medium Potato, boiled and mashed

1 Cup Sprouted Mtaki  [moth beans/ matkichi usal]

½  Cup Teekhi Mint Chutney [as required]

½ Cup Meethi Khajur-Imli Chutney [as required]

½ Nylon Sev 
1 teaspoon Chaat Masala

6-8 Papdis / Puris Crushed

1 Lemon Juice

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Boil and  prepare sprouted moth beans / matkichi usal in advance.

STEP 2 – Take puffed rice with some farsan in a large bowl. Here I used readymade bhel mix also with puffed rice and farsan in some quantity.

But you can made it without this also. [you can get the readymade bhel mix in the supermarkets or any daily needs shop]

STEP 3 – Then add matki to it and mix well.

STEP 4 – After that add chopped tomato, chopped onion and chopped coriander one after the other.

STEP 5 – Now time to add chutneys, add meethi chutney first.

STEP 6 – Then add spicy mint chutney and mix well. Add some chaat masala for some tanginess.

STEP 7 – Now  with  a spoon, just swirl the whole mixture together well and be quick.

STEP 8 - Serve immediately after mixing all ingredients topped with some sev, lemon juice and not to forget the very Indian garnishing of coriander. Serve before the puffed rice becomes soft.

Serve tangy and chatpati bhel in individual bowls or plates on a rainy day and enjoy …

NOTE: If the puffed rice are not crispy then just dry roast them in a kadhai first and then use.

The bhel has to be served as well as eaten immediately. Otherwise the puffed rice becomes soft and you won’t get the crisp, crunchy texture as well as taste. If the puffed rice becomes soft , then the bhel is not enjoyed.

ROASTED ALMOND- CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

My goal for summer 2016 is to make more and more ice cream. I set realistic goals, no? It is not like it’s hard to make it. Not like giving up ice cream would be… yeah, that’s so not ever going to happen. Ice cream is my families utter  weakness. If I had to pick a favourite ….it would be chocolate chip or plain chocolate or any chocolate flavoure. With cute tiny pieces of roasted almonds in a simple ice cream base. I then waited patiently for it to freeze and then waited even more for it soften so I could scoop it out…all so I could happily spooned it right on into my face in few seconds.

  Creamy homemade roasted almond chocolate ice cream with a chocolate twist tastes like your favourite coffee shop frozen drink! It is smooth and packed with flavour …even the kiddos loved it ! This super creamy homemade roasted almond chocolate ice cream is an absolute must make this summer ! I fell in love with all the flavours but especially the roasted almond chocolat ice cream.  I tried different flavoured ice creams at home this summer and all turned yum. Kids love it and for that reason only I saved a small bowl for myself.  This happens to be my family’s favourite ice cream and my kids also want me to make different flavoured ice creams.

INGREDIANTS:

300ml Whipping Cream

200ml Sweetened Homemade Milkmaid[ you will find the recipe of this in my blog]

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

3-4 tablespoon Instant Coffee Powder

2-3 tablespoon Chocolate Syrup

15-20 Chopped Roasted Almond

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Blend  the whipping cream with an electric beater until it holds stiff peaks.

STEP 2 – Gently add milkmaid and mix it well with the help of spatula. This lightens the condensed milk and makes it easier to fold.

STEP 3 – Then add coffee powder and mix it in folding manner,

as well as add the chocolate syrup and mix properly.

STEP 4 - Add chopped roasted almonds in the ice cream mix.

STEP 5 - Transfer this in an ice cream mould and keep it for setting in refrigerator  for 4-5 hours.

STEP 6 –  After 5-10 minutes, cover the ice cream mould with a parchment paper or a silver foil paper.

STEP 7 – Now remove from the refrigerator and let it soften and scoop it and serve it.

Serve chilled roasted almond chocolate ice cream to your dear ones.

VARICHA BHAT / BHAGAR

‘Vari’ or ‘Varicha Tandul’ is also called as ‘Bhagar’. Traditionally it is served with shengdana amti. I make this Varicha Bhat often for breakfast but I usually enjoy it with shengdana amti. In that case I always add green chillies and some roasted peanuts roughly powdered into this preparation. If you are serveing it with shengdana amti tehn you can keep it plain. I am also posting the recipe for shengdana amti in my blog. Dinner meal seems to be quick deal in these rush times. What could be more enjoyable than sipping bowls of spicy and hot shengdana amti with varai bhat. Vari bhat in peanut amti are among the easiest thing to cook makes a complete meal in less than half an hour. My mom used to make it on every fasting and I love this bhaga. Today also she used to call me on fasting days and ask whether I made it or not. My elder daughter is same like me, love this varicha bhat and shengdana amti.  Try and enjoy this recipe at home and let me know how you liked it !!!

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Varai Tandul

3-4 Green Chillies Chopped

2 tablespoon Roasted Peanut Powder

Salt as per taste

1 ½ tablespoon Clarified Ghee

1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds [optional]

Chopped Coriander [optional]

3 Cups Hot Water

METHOD:

STEP 1 – First wash varicha tandul with water. Drain all the water and set aside.

STEP 2 – Heat clarified butter in a pan.

Add in cumin seeds and after they crackle add chopped green chillies. Saute for few seconds.

STEP 3 -  Then add roughly powdered peanuts in it.

Let them cook for a minute, keep stirring continuously to avoid burning at bottom and then add hot water in it.

STEP 4 – Add salt to taste and let it boil.

STEP 5 - Then add bhagar in it and mix well.

STEP 6 - Cover it for 4-5 minutes and do check at short intervals.

STEP 7 – Cook well for 3-4 minutes, stirring after short intervals. When cooked add chopped coriander and serve.

Serve hot bhagar eith spicy shengdana amti on upvaas day or at the time when you are in hurry and want some healthy stuff.

SHENGDANA AMTI / DANYACHI AMTI

In Maharashtrian houses upwas thali contains items specially made for fasts. Normally upwas thali has varaicha tandul/ bhagar, danyachi amti and sabudana khichadi/ sabudana thalipeeth along with puwas lime pickle for upwas.  It is a very simple and easy Mahrashtrian peanut curry recipe that is made on fasting days like Navratri.  Mahashivratri or Ekadashi. Since we are fasting on all nine days, people used to make this healthy food which is delicious too. It is made with roasted peanuts and very easy and it’s also called as shengdanyachi amti in Marathi where shengdana means peanuts and amti means curry. At my place I love to make this shengdana amti  on non fasting days too. As a child I used to love this amti and now a days my elder daughter love it and demands for it ,but she loves it with dry red chillies instead of green chillies.

INGREDIENTS:

¾ Cup Roasted Peanuts

2-3 Green Chillies

Salt as required

Chopped Coriander

1 tablespoon Clarified  Butter

1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds

Water as required

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Dry roast the peanuts in a pan on low flame till golden. Don’t burn them.

STEP 2 –  Let the peanuts cool. [some people used to remove the skin from the peanuts, but I prefer to keep it as it is]

STEP 3 – Now grind the peanuts with green chillies, salt and ½ cup water till fine paste.

STEP 4 – Heat a pan with clarified butter and let splutter cumin seeds.

STEP 5 – Add the peanut paste to it followed by water.

STEP 6 – Adjust the consistency of the curry and let it simmer for 6-7 minutes on low flame stirring at intervals.

STEP 7 – If the curry thickens, then add more water and make it thin. Add coriander and serve .

Serve hot peanut curry with chapatti, dal-rice in normal days but on fasting days you may serve it with sago khichadi and varicha bhat.