Breakfast, Paratha/Flatbread
Sanika Khadilkar
Aloo Paratha
Aloo Paratha

Bottle gourd Kofta Curry

Ingredients:

  • 1 Bottle gourd peeled (medium to large size)
  • 1 cup onion sliced
  • 1 cup tomato sliced
  • 3-4 garlic pods crushed
  • 1 teaspoon ginger grated
  • 2 tablespoon cashews
  • 3-4 table spoon Gram flour (besan)
  • 1 teaspoon ajwain
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspooon coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 3-4 green cardamom
  • 1 small cinnamon
  • 3-4 cloves
  • 1 cup of water
  • Salt to taste
  • Pinch of Kasuri Methi
  • 3 table spoon of oil for the curry plus oil for frying.

Method:

Kofta batter

  1. Peel the bottle gourd and grate it. Squeeze the grated bottle gourd and remove the water from it. Keep aside this water for the curry.
  2. Add salt, Gram flour, ajwain to the squeezed bottle gourd. Mix it properly. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add drop of grated mixture to the pan to check if oil is hot. If it sizzles, its ready for frying. Drop tablespoon sized balls of the mixture to the oil. Fry them turning once until the fritters are golden brown.
  3. Transfer the fritters on the paper.
  4. Heat 1½ table spoon of oil in a different pan. Add cloves, cinnamon and green cardamoms to it. When they start sizzling, add sliced onion and garlic pods. Saute for a minute. Add cashews and grated ginger. Saute continiously to avoid burning of onions. Add chopped tomatoes into the mixture. Slowly add all the masala powders and the salt. Saute the mixture until it blends together properly. Switch off the flame and let the mixture cool down.
  5. Transfer the cooled mixture into a grinder and make a smooth paste. Add little water if needed.
  6. Heat 1½ table spoon of oil in the same pan and add the smooth paste to it.
  7. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the water you kept aside with additional one cup of water to the paste and stir it properly. Boil the mixture for 10-15 minutes.
  8. Before serving, add fritters to the curry. Sprinkle Kasuri methi on it. Serve immediately.

Mango Modak or Ambyache Modak

Mango Modak or Ambyache Modak

Ingredients:

For outer covering

  • 1 cup rice flour
  • 1 cup water
  • Few drops of mango essence
  • Few drops of yellow colour
  • ¼ tsp unsalted butter or ghee
  • pinch of salt

For the inner filling:

  • 1 cup fresh grated coconut
  • ½ cup grated jaggery
  • ¼ cup mango pulp

Method:

  1. Heat coconut and jaggery on a low flame in a thick bottom pan. Add mango pulp after the jaggery melts.
  2. Stir at times and cook this mixture till it becomes dry. Don't overcook the mixture.
  3. Switch off the flame and keep it aside to cool.
  4. Heat the water, butter/ghee, mango essence, colour and salt in another pan . When this mixture starts boiling, reduce the flame and add the rice flour gradually.
  5. Quickly stir and mix the flour completely with water and cover it with lid for 2-3 mins.
  6. Switch off the flame.
  7. Take all the dough in a flat plate or bowl and begin to knead it. First knead it with the help of spoon or bowl since it will be very hot. Then apply some water and knead the dough very well to make it soft.
  8. Make small balls from the dough.
  9. Apply some oil on your hands. Take a ball and flatten it with your fingers to a shallow bowl shape and place the modak filling in the center.
  10. Press the edges together. Remove the extra portion of the dough from the top.
  11. Make all the modaks this manner. 12 Grease the steamer lightly with ghee. Dip the modaks in water and keep them in a steamer pan. This will prevent them from cracking.
  12. Cover the pan with a lid and steam for 10 to 15 minutes.
  13. Drizzle some ghee on the modak and serve it hot.