VARAN-BHAAT

Varan – Bhaat is a simple but an important dish of Maharashtrian cuisine. VARAN means dal made with tuwar/ arhar/ yellow lentil and BHAAT means simple steamed rice. Varan- bhaat is a simple, non-spicy dish. So we can call it satvik with no garlic and onion added to it. Here in my In-laws place, varan-bhaat is made only for naivedya in festivals like Satynarayan pooja, Ganesh festival or I can tell in almost all the Maharashtrain Festivals. This is the basic dish thought to girls when they learn to start cooking. Sada varan bhaat was also the very first dish I asked to cook when I came to my in-laws place as a new bride. You can have the dal with over hot steamed rice, goes well with a dollop of ghee/ sajuk toop on the top. It is the first course in a traditional Maharshtrian meal. My family love it too much and some days I make it for the entire meal…..!!! It goes well with potato bhaji or mango pickle or coconut, peanuts chutney, the lime wedge is essential. Take a small portion of rice, pour over the varan, spoon on some pure ghee and squeeze over some lime. Mix it all together with some chutney and relissshhhhhhh. 

For Making VARAN-

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Tuvar / Arhar Dal
Water as needed
½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
A pinch of Asafoetida
Salt as per taste
METHOD:
STEP 1 – Wash dal thoroughly under tap water until water comes out clean.

STEP 2 – Add enough water in dal, almost double the amount of dal, asafoetida and pressure cook on smaller burner at full flame.[see notes] Put the strainer/ trivet/ jail at the base, add 1” water in the cooker and then put the dal container in it
STEP 3 – Turn the flame to medium when full pressure had been attained or after first whistle.
STEP 4 – Cook on medium flame for next 3-4 whistles. Turn off the heat and wait till the pressure released.
STEP 5 - Open the pressure cooker, remove the vessel from cooker and transfer it in another bowl.

STEP 5 - Add turmeric powder, salt and mash it with masher/ ravi till really smooth.

Add more water to get desired consistency.

STEP 6 – Heat the dal on medium heat until it comes to boil.

Your varan is ready.  Keep it hot till ready to serve with plain steamed rice.

Serve it hot with lemon and a dollop of pure ghee.

NOTES: *You can soak dal for 20-30 minutes after washing it. Soaking ensures the dal will cook quicker and smoother. It takes little less time if you have soaked the dal.
              *There should be about 1/2”of water covering the dal.
              *Some people used to add turmeric powder and 1teaspoon oil in dal before pressure cooking. It also helps to cook the dal smooth.   
              *Varan is a thick dal, so much water is not added in it.
              *For variations, you can add green chillies/ tomato/ grated coconut/ jaggery.  

For Making BHAAT-[pressure cooker method]
Indian –style pressure cooker cook food very quickly at a high temperature and undera great deal of pressure, just like other pressure cookers. Indian pressure cookers are stove top rather than electric, they use weights to regulate pressure and they have whistles to let you know the cooker has reached a pressure. You can cook many popular rice dishes in an Indian-style pressure cooker, including plain rice, biryani, and other rice dishes.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Raw Rice [Ambe Mohor/ Sugandhi Chinnor / or any brand you prefer to use]
Salt as needed
2 CupWater
METHOD:
STEP 1 – Take the rice in a bowl, rinse in a few changes of water till the water runs almost clear. [see notes]

STEP 2 – Drain and add 2 cups of water and salt and mix it well. [see notes]
STEP 3 – Take 1” of water in the base of the pressure cooker, put a cooking slotted rack/ jali of pressure cooker and then put the container with rice in it.
STEP 4 – Close the pressure cooker lid and put the whistle on it and put the cooker on the small burner of your stove with full flame. After 1 whistle lower the flame.
STEP 5 – Cook on medium-low flame for next 2 whistles.
STEP 6 – Take the pressure cooker off the burner for a 10 minute natural pressure release, meaning the pressure built up inside releases naturally when take off of heat. The rice will continue to cook while the pressure is slowly released.
STEP 7 – After 10 minutes open the lid of cooker, carefully remove the bowl or pot and fluff the rice with a fork before serving. [see notes]

STEP 8 – Then serve the rice on its own, add it to other dishes or serve it as a side dish with your favourite meals.

SERVING-
On a serving plate, scoop the rice [bhaat], spoon over dal [varan] and top with a blob of pure desi ghee / sajuk toop or clarified butter and serve it with a lemon wedge or pickle of your choice or shengdana chutney.

NOTES:* If your rice is old then use 2-1/4 cup water. Rinsing rice is important because it prevents the rice from sticking together after cooking and it also helps to remove the layer of starch on the surface that would otherwise cause the grains to clump together.
              *Choose a staineless steel bowl for ideal cooking as it will conduct heat better than glass or ceramics.
              *Tilt the cooker away from you when opening the lid to avoid the hot steam.