To finish up the Halloween Pumpkin I made this special treat that my mom makes and use to love it when we were kids. घारगे was one of my favorite after school snack. It surely pleases kids and comes in handy when they come home hungry after school. My mom suggested this easy method of making घारगे, it is so simple and quick that you can make it quite often. Somehow one of my whole Pumpkin from Halloween was still sitting windowsill because of my laziness :). But when my mom suggested this easy method, I thought it's about time to use up that Pumpkin. So here goes the recipe for घारगे.   Ingredients 1 Cup diced Pumpkin 3/4 Cup गुळ/Jaggery 1 Tbs बारिक रवा/Semolina 2 Tbs तांदुळ पीठी/Rice flour 1 Tbs oil Approximately 1 to 1 1/2 cup कणिक/whole wheat flour A small pinch of salt Oil for deep frying Method Microwave pumpkin with very little water in a bowl until soft, should take about 2-3 minutes depending on your microwave. Let it cool a bit and remove the excess water.

चिवडा/Chivda is a traditional snack item from Maharashtra made during Diwali. It is a spicy mixture of पोहा/flattened rice and peanuts, roasted chana dal etc. Easy to make with minimum ingredients, चिवडा needs a little preparation time and no cooking time at all. Ingredients 2 lb Thin Poha/Flattened Rice/पातळ पोहे 2 Cup Peanuts 1 Cup roasted Chana Dal 15 Green Chili's chopped 10-15 Curry leaves 5 Tbs Sugar 1 1/2 Tsp Chili powder 3 Tsp आमचुर/Dry Mango Powder Salt as per taste 3/4 Cup Canola Oil 1 Tbs Mustard Seeds 1/4 Tsp Asafoetida 1/2 Tsp Turmeric Powder Method First step is roasting पोहे /Poha. There are several method for roasting. But I find roasting in oven more convenient and gives good results. Preheat the oven to 360 F. First you will need a चाळणी to separate whole poha from crushed poha which is in the powder form, discard the powder that separates from चाळणी. Then arrange poha on cookie sheets. You may need to do it in batches. I used 4 cookie she

Another sweet prepared for Diwali is करंजी/Karanji. It is a kind of fried dumpling stuffed with sweet coconut filling inside. There are two types of stuffing for करंजी, one is made with fresh grated coconut and another is made from shredded dry coconut. I personally like fresh grated coconut filling so let's get started with it. Ingredients Oil for deep frying For Stuffing 3 Cup shredded fresh coconut( I used frozen shredded coconut, if using frozen don't forget to thaw it first) 2 Cup Sugar 2 Tbs milk powder 1/2 Tsp Cardamom powder Pinch of saffron(optional) Dough for करंजी/Karanji 1 Cup मैदा/Maida 1 Cup रवा/Semolina 1/4 Cup oil 1 Cup milk(approximately) cold or at room temperature Method For stuffing combine shredded coconut and sugar in a large non-stick pan and cook the mixture on medium heat for 20 min, stirring occasionally in between. Towards the end of cooking process add milk powder and stir. You will know it's done when coconut

Rich and sweet dessert snack, Ladoo is not only made for Diwali but any time of the year. It is made by roasting gram flour in pure तुप/ghee/clarified butter which gives them rich taste. Than you can add nuts like almonds or raisins to make them extra special. Though, I don't add raisins as it is not a favorite item at my house. I always use लाडु बेसन/ladoo bean as I don't like the texture of ladoo's made from regular besan. Ingredients 3 Cup Ladoo Besan 1 Cup तुप 1/2 Cup milk 2 Cup powdered sugar 1/4 Cup chopped Almonds Method In a pot combine together तुप and besan. Fry it on low-medium heat. This will take time, as you don't want to burn the mixture. Fry it until you get nice light brown color, will take about 20-25 minutes(it seems a lot but you will need to fry them on medium heat all the way through, color and taste of ladoo depends on this important step). Add chopped almonds half way through cooking besan so that they get nice and toasted. On

Recipe for sweet shankarpale is pretty simple and has same procedure like खारे शंकरपाळे /khare shankarpale. As the name suggests these shankarpale are sweet but not too sweet like लाडु /ladoo. Today's sweet shankarpale recipe will make approximately around 3lb. Ingredients 1 Cup Sugar 1 Cup Milk 3/4 Cup oil 4 1/2 Cup मैदा/All Purpose Flour/Maida Oil for deep frying Method Combine sugar,milk, 3/4 cup oil and bring it to low boil. Once boiled shut off the gas. Leave it aside for few minutes. Next add मैदा/Maida little by little into the liquid to make a stiff dough. You will need only that much maida that will fit into the liquid and stiff dough is formed. 4 1/2 cup maida was required for the above mentioned liquid but it will depend on how heaping cups of maida you take. So just remember to keep adding maida until you get a nice stiff dough. Keep this dough covered aside for couple of hrs. Here are couple of photo's to give you the idea.  After all maida

Another Faraal item that I made today was खारे शंकरपाळे. शंकरपाळे/Shankarpale come in 2 varieties, sweet and savory. Both have same diamond shape and you will need a special spoon or कातण as we say in Marathi to give that shape. शंकरपाळे is an all time favorite with kids be it savory or sweet.  Ingredients 2 Cup मैदा/All Purpose Flour 1/8 tsp turmeric powder 1/4 tsp chili powder 1/2 tsp जिरं/Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp मिरपुड/pepper Salt as per taste Water for kneading the dough(approximately little more than 1/2 cup) 4 tbs oil Oil for deep frying Method In a pan combine all the ingredients together except oil. Heat 4 tbs oil until smoking hot. Pour this hot oil in a pan with all the ingredients and mix. Now slowly add water little by little and knead it into a semi-soft dough. Keep it covered for 1/2 an hour.  Next divide the dough into equal balls. Roll out one ball into 7 to 8 inch thin circle. Now use that special spoon/कातण and cut horizo

'Diwali' popularly known as festival of lights outside India is the most awaited holiday for every Hindu. It is that time of the year where you shop for new clothes, clean and decorate the house with lights and lanterns. Whole house is filled with wonderful aroma of sweet and savory items known as फराळ/Faraal in Marathi  prepared for Diwali. There are five special days in Diwali, each having significance of it's own. 1.  धनत्रयोदशी 2. नर्कचतुर्दशी 3. लक्ष्मीपुजन 4. बलीप्रतिपदा 5. भाऊबीज I still remember Diwali celebrations from my childhood. Getting up early in the morning before sunrise, getting ready and then lighting up some fire crackers. After that we use to have फराळ made by mom. Those were some good old days. So on this auspicious holiday of Diwali I will be posting all the Faraal/फराळ items that I make.

I still remember eating कॉर्न कीस/Corn Kees in Indore at Sarafa Bazar.  Sarafa Bazar is actually a Jewelery market during day time but in the evening food vendors set up their eateries along the road. You get all type of chaat and snack items and sweets like Jalebi, malpua etc. Corn Kees being a Indore speciality I naturally tried that first and it was so creamy and delicious. The star of this recipe is of course 'Corn' and few more ingredients for tempering. Ingredients are simple but preparation might take some effort as we need to grate all the corn ears but the result is totally worth it.  Ingredients(Serves 4) 13 corn ears(Husk and silk removed) 1/2 Tsp chili powder 1 Tsp sugar Salt as per taste 1 Tbs Lime juice For tempering 2 Tbs Canola oil 1/2 Tsp Mustard seeds 1/8 Tsp Cumin seeds 1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder Couple of pinches Asafoetida 5-6 Green chili's Cilantro for garnishing Method Grate 11 corn and take corn out off the remaining 2 corn cobs. I li

This is a typical South Indian chutney. It tastes especially good with Idlis(Steamed round shaped cakes made with fermented rice and urad dal). This chutney is a must at my house whenever I make Idli. Two types of lentils are roasted with chili's and grinded  to make a coarse powder, later add in yogurt and pour over mustard seeds tempering. Ingredients 3/4 Cup Chana Dal 1/3 Cup Urad Dal 1 tsp oil 3 Green Chili's chopped 1 1/2 Cup beaten yogurt Salt as per taste 2 tsp Sugar For Tempering 1 tbs oil 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds Pinch of Asafoetida Small pinch of Turmeric powder Method Heat oil in a small pan. Add both chana and urad dal along with green chili's. Roast until light brown in color. Cool and grind it in a blender to make a coarse powder. Mix in Yogurt, Salt and Sugar. For tempering heat oil in a pan, add Mustard seeds, Asafoetida and Turmeric powder. Pour this tempering over chutney and mix well. 

Another sweet made during Ganpati festival. Unlike Ukadiche Modak these Modak are fried and not steamed. Stuffing for these modak is same as Ukadiche Modak but outer covering is different. It is made of  मैदा /all purpose flour. Since stuffing is same I have not included it's ingredients in this recipe. But you can click on link of Ukadiche modak where you will find recipe for stuffing. Stuffing can be made 2 ways using jaggery or sugar. For Ukadiche Modak stuffing is made with गुळ/Jaggery but for fried modak it can be made using either Jaggery or Sugar. I have used Jaggery though for both modak. As we had guest coming over for गणपती आरती/ Ganpati celebrations I made a big batch of these fried modak. Below recipe will make 55 small size modak. Ingredients Saran/Stuffing for modak Ingredients for outer covering 4 cup मैदा /All Purpose Flour 1/3 cup गरम तेलाचे मोहन/ heated canola oil Water/Milk as required for kneading the dough Oil as required for deep frying Method K

                                          गणपती बाप्पा मोरया !!! उकडीचे मोदक   /Ukadiche Modak is a sweet dumpling made with coconut and Jaggery filling. It is very popular in Maharashtra. Usually made during Ganpati Festival which lasts for 10 days, this Maharashtrian delicacy has special importance to widely worshiped Hindu God 'Ganesha' called as 'गणपती' in Marathi. After the worship ceremony 21 or 11 उकडीचे मोदक/Ukadiche Modak are offered to Lord Ganesha. Modak/मोदक can be steamed or deep fried. Outer covering for both kind of Modaks are different but stuffing is same, made with Coconut and Jaggery. Today's recipe is for Steamed Modak. So let's get started! This recipe will make 21 medium size Modak. Ingredients for सारण/Stuffing  4 Cups Shredded Coconut(I use frozen coconut which works out just as great as Fresh Coconut, saves me the hassle of breaking and then shredding the coconut) 2 1/2 Cup गुळ/Jaggery 1 Tsp Cardamom powder Ingredients for

This is a perfect kid friendly meal. Kids love this combination of tomato carrot soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Soup is simple and delicious. Grilled cheese sandwich is an all time favorite in kids. Just by pairing it up with nice tomato and carrot soup they will have a nice and filling meal. Grilled cheese sandwich is also good when your kid needs a quick snack. I have used American cheese slices as it is mild in flavor and kids can easily adapt to its taste. But if you want to try different kind it is perfectly all right. Ingredients(serves 2) (For Soup) 3 Fresh Tomatoes quartered 2 Carrots washed, peeled and diced Salt as per taste Sugar 1 tsp Pepper as per taste (For Grilled Cheese Sandwich) Makes 2 sandwiches 4 slices of bread 2 slices of American cheese slices Butter as required for grilling Method Cook tomatoes and carrots in a pressure cooker along with water. After 3-4 whistles shut off the gas. Let the pressure drop and let tomatoes and carrots cool a bit

This sandwich is simple and delicious. I would love to share a story about this sandwich :). Couple of weeks ago we were on Vacation in Blue Ridge Mountains. On our way to a hike we stopped at this old Country store to pack us some sandwiches for lunch. We asked the old lady in that store if they have any Vegetarian Sandwich on menu, they didn't had any. But that sweet old lady made this customized sandwich for us which I re-created when we came back home from our Vacation. The sandwich was made with simple ingredients as mayo, cucumbers, onions etc but it was so delicious and Celery added a nice crunch to the Sandwich. Ingredients(Make 5 sandwiches) 10 Bread Slices wheat or white(lightly toasted) 2 Medium tomatoes sliced 1 Cucumber sliced 2 Stalks from Celery (washed, peeled and cut into 3 inch sticks) 1 Red Onion sliced 5 Cheese slices Iceberg Lettuce Leaves Mayonnaise as required Salt and pepper as required Method Spread mayonnaise on all the slices of bread. Take

Another recipe for dry chutney. This spicy peanut chutney can add a nice kick to your everyday meal. Make it even more special by adding तुप/ghee, oil or plain yogurt on it while enjoying your meal of पिठलं भाकरी  or as simple as आमटी भात/Dal Chawal. I sill love this chutney as much as I use to love it in my childhood. Ingredients 1 Cup roasted peanuts 1 1/2  tsp chili powder(or according to your taste) 1/2 tsp sugar 1/8 tsp cumin seeds Pinch of amchur powder                                   1 tsp oil                                   Salt as per taste                              Method Method can't get any easier than this. Just grind all the ingredients together in blender and your chutney is ready. Don't grind it too fine keep it little bit coarse, it should have a little bite to it.

Paratha's are gaining popularity worldwide. Most popular name for Paratha is Indian flat bread.  Gobhi paratha is a type of paratha which is stuffed with spicy cauliflower mixture. I had them at my friend's house for the first time few years ago. Serve it up with some nice cool plain yogurt and it tastes scrumptious! Kids  love these gobhi parathas , rather than plain old gobhi ki sabzi. Ingredients 3 cup grated Gobhi/Cauliflower 2 tbs oil 1/8 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 tsp fennel seeds 1/4 tsp turmeric powder Salt as per taste 1 1/2 tsp chili powder 1/2 tsp amchur powder(dry mango powder) 3 tbs chickpea flour 2 tbs freshly chopped cilantro Oil as required to pan fry paratha's For The Dough 1 1/2 Wheat whole wheat flour(Approximately) plus more for dusting Water as required to knead the dough Couple of pinches salt 1 tsp of canola oil + few for kneading Method Combine wheat flour, salt, oil and water as required little by little to make a soft dough. Rub som

पिठलं/pithla is a comfort food for most of the Maharashtrian  people. Pithla made from chickpea flour is more common than Kulith Pithla. Many Maharashtrian people are unaware of kulith pithla. English name for kulith is horse gram. In Kokan region kulith is more popular, it is used to make pithla as well as उसळ . Kulith powder is easily available in market in India. I have looked for it here in US but still no luck, have to get it from India every time I visit. For some people it takes time to adjust to its nutty and strong flavor. When you need a quick bite of comfort food, Kulith pithla will certainly satisfy your taste buds and plus it will come together in minutes. Serve it hot with white rice or पोळी/roti. Ingredients(Serves 3-4) 1/2 Cup Kulith Powder 1 Small onion chopped 2-3 Garlic cloves(diced if big) 1 Tbs oil 1/4 Tsp mustard seeds 1/8 Tsp turmeric powder Pinch or two of asafoetida 2 Amsul(dried Kokum) 1/2 Tsp chili powder 3 Cups water Fresh cilantro chopped for

In Indian Chinese Cuisine all the Chinese seasoning and techniques are adapted and used to suite the Indian Palate. All the Chinese flavors in this recipe blends perfectly with Paneer and peppers. Good to eat with plain white rice or fried rice. Spiciness can be adjusted by adding more green chili's and chili sauce. The  colors in this dish are so tempting that you should definitely try this out. Ingredients 1 cup diced  Paneer 1/2 cup diced green peppers 1/3 cup diced red peppers 1/2 cup red onion diced 3 green chili's slit lengthwise 1/2 tbs oil Salt and pepper as per taste 1/2 tbs green chili sauce 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce 1 1/2 tbs ketchup 1 tbs sugar 3/4 cup water 2 tbs cornflour mixed with 1/4 cup water Method Heat oil and saute peppers and onions until nicely charred but crisp to eat. Add green chili's and saute for couple more minutes. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Mix together green chili sauce, soy sauce, ketchup and sugar. Add this mixture t

Avocado is this soft and buttery fruit which is green in color. When hold and squeezed gently it should feel soft then it's the perfect ripe avocado. If you buy green one it will ripe in 3-4 days. The flesh of the fruit is prone to go brown in color if not consumed immediately, although that can be delayed by adding lime juice to peeled avocados. Avocados are base for famous Mexican dip called "Guacamole". This recipe is super easy to make, serve it as a appetizer with tortilla chips or along side Quesadilla  your guests are sure going to love this tasty dip. Ingredients 2 ripe Avocado 1 small onion diced finely(preferably red) 1 small ripe tomato chopped finely 1/2 jalapeno chopped(if not handy use two green chili's) 1 1/2 tbs lime juice Salt and pepper as per taste Chopped fresh cilantro Method Cut avocados in half remove the pit. Dice the flesh of avocado and scoop out the pulp using a spoon into a large Ziploc bag. Add chopped onion, toma

Few days back I was in World Market, which is a home furnishing and decor store but it also has food and drink section. That's where I came across Quinoa . I had seen few cooking shows in which Quinoa was used to make salads and more. So I bought it and tried making this citrus salad as there was grapefruit and orange left in my fruit basket. Citrus Quinoa Salad is  light and refreshing and very high in protein. Perfect for hot summer days. It has light and fluffy texture and small tail can be seen on each grain once cooked.  Don't overcook quinoa, should still have a bite to it. Ingredients(Serves 2) 1/3 cup dry Quinoa(wash and rinse 2-3 times until water runs clear) 1/2 cup water 1/8 tsp salt 1 Orange peeled and segments removed(reserve juices while segmenting) 1 Grapefruit peeled and segments removed(reserve juices while segmenting) 1 tbs toasted and chopped walnuts 1 tsp cilantro chopped 1 tsp mint chopped For Dressing 1/4 cup juices from orange and grapefruit