Raw Mango Saar - 2

Saar means extract. Saar is a very tasty extract of the key ingredients. Roti and Rice is the main diet of Mahrashrian people and to accompany it, various liquid curries like Varan, Aamti, Kaalvan, Kalan / Kadhan, Saar etc. are made. It is made from local available ingredients. The consistency of these curries also varies from region to region. Raw Mango Saar known as Kairiche Saar in Marathi is popular in Konkan region of Mahrashtra. There are various methods of making this Saar, but amongst the various methods, two methods are popular i.e. one without Coconut milk and the other one is with Coconut as given here. 

This Saar can be served with plain Steamed Rice with a dollop of Ghee on it or can be served as an appetizer before / during the meals 

Servings: 2-3 Servings

Approx. Time: 20 mins  (excluding pre-preparation)

Ingredients

For Tempering

1 tspn Ghee

3/4 tspn Cumin Seeds (Jeera)

1/4 tspn Asafoetida Powder

8-9 Curry Leaves

For Raw Mango Saar

1/2 cup boiled Green Mango Pulp
5 cups Water
1/2 cup Rice flour Slurry (i.e. 2 tbspns Rice flour mixed in 1/2 cup Water)

Salt to taste

2 tbspns Sugar
3-4 Green chillies (chopped or paste)
1 cup Coconut Milk

For Garnishing:

Chopped Coriander leaves (Cilantro)

To Serve with:

Plain Steamed Rice

Method

Pressure cook 2 medium sized raw green Mangoes for 3 whistles. Remove the raw mangoes and peel it when it is warm. Scoop out the mango pulp and mash it. If the pulp is fibrous (has strings) then blend it into a smooth paste. 

Transfer the Raw Mango Pulp in a large mixing bowl. Add 5 cups water to it and mix well. Then add the Rice flour slurry into it. Mix well. Then add the Salt, Sugar and chopped Green Chillies. Set it aside.

Heat Ghee in a a pan. Add the Cumin Seeds and saute. Then add the Asafoetida and Curry Leaves. Then immediately add the green mango puree mixture into the pan. Heat the mixture till it gets a boil. 

At the end add the Coconut milk and let it simmer for few minutes. Garnish it with chopped Coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed Rice. 

Notes

1. From the tempering ingredients, you may substitute Ghee and Cumin Seeds with Oil and Mustard Seeds.

2. The quantity of Sugar may be adjusted according to the sourness of raw Mango.

3. Alternatively, you may prepare the tempering separately and pour it on the Saar. 

Traditional Marathi

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Purple Yam Kheer

Purple Yam also known as Kanda / Konfal / Kan is usually available during Winters in India. Normally, it is used in Savoury dishes and very rarely in Sweets. But my mom told me that during her childhood, Kandachi Kheer was made during fasts. I learnt this recipe from her and tried it. Even with the use of minimum ingredients, it turned out awesome.

Servings: 3 Servings

Approx. Time: 15 mins (excluding pre-preparation)

Ingredients:
1 tbspn Ghee
1 cup Boiled Purple Yam
A pinch of Salt
2 tbspns soaked Cashews
2 tbsns soaked Almond flakes
2 Cups Milk
3 tbspns Sugar

For Garnishing
Pistachio Flakes
Ghee fried Purple Yam Pieces

Pre-preparation:
Soak Cashews and Almonds separately overnight in water. 
Peel off Almonds and grate it into flakes
Pressure cook Purple Yam till 3-4 whistles.

Method:

Peel the boiled Purple Yam and cut it into small pieces. Transfer it into a plate and mash it to make smooth paste. 

Then take Ghee in a non stick pan. Heat it on medium flame and add the paste of Purple Yam. Stir fry the paste for a 2-3 minutes and add a pinch of salt. Thereafter, add soaked Cashews, Almond flakes and saute it for a minute. 

Now add milk to the pan and bring it to boil. At the end, add Sugar and stir. Simmer it for some time. Adjust the consistency and sweetness as per personal preference.

Garnish it with Pistachio flakes and pieces of ghee fried Purple Yam. Serve hot or chilled.

Notes:

You may substitute Milk and Sugar with condensed milk to make it more rich.

A low fat version can be made by substitution of Sugar with Sugar Free and using low fat milk. Also, the ghee and dry-fruits may be avoided while making low fat version. 

I have avoided using Cardmom powder as it changes the taste. Cardamom lovers may add the powder to the Kheer.

Another version of this Kheer can be made by using Coconut milk and Jaggery.

Traditional Marathi

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Dahi ka Shorba

This recipe is a tribute to my long distance Guru and my inspiration Mrs. Tarla Dalal.  I have seen her many a times in Girgaon at Golden Star Thali, during Khetwadi festival, at Central Plaza,... but never had the daring to talk to her or obtain her autograph. Thereafter, I started visiting her website, participated in online Recipe contest and won many of her Cookbooks with her autograph on it.  I have created this recipe from one of her cookbooks 'Healthy Soups & Salads' received by me as a Prize for my recipe 'Tomato Kadhi'. Dahi ka Shorba is inspired from her recipe 'Curd Shorba'...

Servings: 2 Servings

Approx. Time: 15 -20 mins

Ingredients:
1 cup Curds (Dahi)
1 cup Water
1 tbsn All purpose flour (Maida)
Salt to taste
2 tbspns finely chopped Cucumber 
2 tbspns finely chopped tomato
1 tbspn chopped Coriander leaves
1/2 tspn Rock salt (Kala Namak)

For Tempering:
1 tspn Butter
1/2 tspn Cumin Seeds
1/2 tspn Ginger Paste
2  finely chopped cloves of Garlic
1 tspn chopped Green Chillies

For Garnishing:
Chopped Coriander 

Method:

Take Curds in a mixing jar. Add Water, All Purpose Flour and Salt to it. Blend it together for a minute.

Heat Butter in a pan. Add Cumin Seeds, Ginger Paste, chopped Garlic and chopped Green Chillies and saute it for a minute. Then pour the Curd mixture into the pan. Cook till the mixture starts boiling i.e. approx. 3-4 minutes.  Once it is boiled, add Rock Salt, chopped Cucumber, chopped Tomato and chopped Coriander Leaves. Immediately switch off the flame. 

Garnish it with chopped Corriander leaves and serve hot.

Notes:
Do not overheat the mixture as it may curdle.
You may also add a pinch of Turmeric Powder to get colour.

Soups

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Watermelon Cold Soup

Watermelon Cold Soup is a quick ten minute recipe. This can be served as an appetizer before meals.

Yield: 1 Serving

Approx. time: 10 min.

Ingredients:

1 Bowl Water melon Pieces

1/4 tspn Pepper Powder

1/2 tspn Ginger Paste

1/2 Chopped Green Chilly

1 tbspn Honey

1 tspn Tobasco Sauce

Salt to taste

2-3 Mint leaves

Method:

Take Water-melon pieces in a blender and blend it. Pass the mixture through a Siever. Then add all the balance ingredients and mix. Refrigerate it for an hour. Serve Chilled.

Note:

You may also add Orange Juice to enhance the taste.

Stepwise Pictures:

Soups

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Mattha

Mattha (spiced butter milk) is a traditional Maharashtrian drink traditionaly served with Jalebis. It can also be served as an appetizer as it is good for digestion.

Yield: Approx. 6 small glasses

Preparation Time: Approx. 10 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cups Curds
1 tspn Ginger paste
1-2 chopped Green Chilles / paste
1 tspn Cumin powder
Salt to taste
1 Glass water
2-3 tbspns chopped Coriander leaves

For Garnishing:

Chopped Coriander leaves

Method:

Take curds in a mixing bowl. Add Ginger paste, chopped Green chillies or Green Chilli paste, Cumin powder, Salt and mix. Add a glass of chilled water and blend it well. 

Then pass the mixture from a strainer. Add chopped Coriander leaves and transfer it into serving glasses. Serve chilled.

Notes:
You may skip the step of passing it through strainer. 

Stepwise Pictures:

Traditional Marathi

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Mango Kadhi

Sweet Kadhi  is a Gujarati speciality, which has a sweet, sour and pungent taste. Gujarati kadhi itself has a wonderful taste and adding mango pulp only it makes it more rich and aromatic. Mango Kadhi is very simple to make and can be served with plain roti, khichadi or steamed rice.

Servings :
4 persons along with main course 

Ingredients :

For chickpea slurry :
2 tspns chickpea flour (Besan)
4-5 tspns water

For Tempering :
1 tspn ghee 
1 tspn cumin seeds (Jeera)
1/4 tspn fenugreek seeds (Methi)
1/4 tspn asafoetida powder (Hing)
1/2 tspn ginger paste
1-2 green chillies  (Chopped)
7-8 curry leaves

For Mango Kadhi :
1 cup alphanso mango pulp
1 cup semi-sour curds
1/2 cup water
2 tbspns sugar (or as per taste)
Chickpea slurry (as above)
1/2 tspn turmeric powder
Salt to taste

For Garnishing :
Chopped fresh coriander leaves

Method :

To make chickpea slurry :
Take chickpea flour in a bowl. Add some water to it. whisk it to form smooth paste. 

To make Mango Kadhi :
Take curd in a bowl. Whisk it with the help of blender. Add some water and again whisk it. Then add chickpea slurry to the curds and blend it. Also whisk the Mango pulp separately and set it aside. 

Now heat ghee in a pan. Then add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida powder, ginger paste, green chillies and curry leaves to the ghee. Pour curd mixture and stir it. After a minute, add mango pulp to the mixture and mix it. Thereafter add turmeric powder, sugar and salt. Simmer it for 4-5 minutes. Garnish it to chopped fresh corriander leaves.

Serve hot with roti, rice or khichadi. 

Notes :

1. You may also add clove powder to enhance the taste of Kadhi. 
2. If you remove the key ingredient - Mango pulp, then it becomes regular Gujarati Kadhi

Soups

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