Thursday, September 18, 2008

Pav Bhaji

Ingredients:
8 pavs (squarish soft buns about 4" x 5" size)
butter to shallow fry.
For Bhaji
1 capsicum chopped fine
2 onions chopped fine
2 tomatoes chopped fine
2 1/2 cups chopped mixed vegetables (beans, carrots, cauliflower, potota, beans, bottle gourds, etc.) 
1/2 cup shelled peas
2 tbsp. butter
2 tsp. pavbhaji masala
1 1/2 tsp. chilli powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. sugar
salt to taste
1 cup water (in which vegetables were boiled)
1/2 tsp. each ginger grated, garlic crushed
juice of 1/2 lemon.
To Garnish
1 tbsp. coriander chopped
1 onion chopped
small pieces of lemon
Method:
Pressure cook mixed vegetables and peas till well done.
Mash them coarsely after draining.
Heat butter in a pan.
Add ginger-garlice, capsicum, onion, tomatoes.
Fry for 2-3 minutes till very soft.
Add pavbhaji masala , chilli powder, turmeric, salt  and fry further 2-3 minutes.
Bring to boil.
Simmer till gravy is thick, stirring and mashing pieces with masala, in between.
Add lemon juice, stir.
Garnish with chopped coriander and a block of butter.
For Pavs
Slit pavs horizontally leaving one edge attached. (To open like a book).
Apply butter (as desired) and roast open on a griddle till hot and soft with the surface crisp on both sides.
Serve hot with bhaji, a piece of lemon and chopped onion.

Note: For jain avoid the use of onion, garlic and carrot.
   Instead of potato use raw banana.

Monday, September 8, 2008

Shrikhand

Ingredients:
1/2 kg. curds
300 gms. sugar
1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
few strands saffron
1/2 tbsp. pista & almond crushed

Method:
Tie curd in a clean muslin cloth overnight. (6-7 hours).
Take into a bowl, add sugar and mix.
Keep aside for 25-30 minutes to allow sugar to dissolve.
Rub saffron into 1 tbsp. milk till well broken and dissolved. Keep aside.
Beat well till sugar has fully dissolved into curd.
Pass through a big holed strong strainer, pressing with hand or spatula.
Mix in cardamom powder and dissolved saffron and half nuts.
Empty into a glass serving bowl, top with remaining nut crush.
Chill for 1-2 hours before serving.

Note: To make fruit flavoured shrikhand eg. mango, add pulp at the stage of adding cardamom and saffron.
A complete Jain Recipe