" Tapioca Pancake [ Sabudana Thalipeeth ] "

" Tapioca Pancake [ Sabudana Thalipeeth ] "

" Tapioca Pancake [ Sabudana Thalipeeth ] "

By Chef Prashant Adsule.

A very very popular Maharastrian dish which is pancake like and made from Tapioca [Sabudana]. This is a perfect recipe for religious Fasting days or Navratri etc. Sabudana is also known as Sago or Tapioca Pearls. It is usually consumed on fasting days. I do make many different dishes like Sabudana Vada, Sabudana khichadi. Sabudana kheer, sabudana tikkis etc.

Ingredients:-

Tapioca [Sabudana] – ½ cup
Potato – ⅔ cups, tightly packed, boiled and mashed
Roasted Peanuts – ¼ cups roughly crushed
Green chilies – 2, chopped finely
Coriander leaves – 2 tablespoons, finely chopped
Cumin seeds – 1 ½ teaspoon
Lemon juice – 1 ½ teaspoon
Sugar – ½ teaspoon
Rock salt [Sendha namak] – to taste
Peanut Oil – to pan fry for Pancake [thalipeeth]

Method:-

1. Wash tapioca under running cold water till water runs clear. Soak the tapioca in enough water for 2-3 hours or overnight according to your tapioca type. Always use shallow bowl to soak tapioca. Never use deep bowl. Add enough water up to just 1 ½ inches above the tapioca.
2. After it get soaked, tapioca will swells up almost all the water and they will becomes almost triple in size. If you have added more water while soaking, tapioca will become sticky.
3. Drain any excess water from it using strainer. Let it drain at least 10-15 minutes. This is very important step to avoid stickiness of tapioca.
4.Let’s check tapioca is soaked properly or not. When you press one soaked pearl between your finger and thumb, it should mash very easily without any effort.
5. Mix all the ingredients ( Potato,Coriander,Chili,Peanuts,Cumin,Lemon juice, Sugar & Rock salt except oil) in a bowl with tapioca.
6. Mix them well and make the dough like ball. If it is too soft then you can add any fasting flour (rajgira flour or Shingara flour).
7. Divide it into 4 equal parts. And make a smooth ball using your palms. Take a piece of aluminum foil or plastic, grease it with oil and put that ball on top of it. while heat the frying pan on medium heat for pancake.
8. While pan is heating, make 4 inch diameter pancake by pressing the ball with your hand. Keep sealing the edges as you press if it breaks.
9. Once frying pan is hot, drizzle some peanut oil in the pan. Carefully take pancake in your hand with the help of foil and put it in the frying pan.
10. Let it cook light golden brown on bottom side, drizzle some more oil on top of the pancake and then flip it. Also cook on other side till it becomes light golden brown. Garnish with coriander leaves & serve hot with Sweet Curd or Chutney.

" Spicy Gram Flour Rollups " [ Khandvi ]

" Spicy Gram Flour Rollups " [ Khandvi ]
By Chef Prashant Adsule.

It's a mouth watering traditional Gujarati snack prepared with gram flour and butter milk and seasoned with sautéed sesame seeds and few other spices. It’s not only easy to make but healthy as well because it just involves steaming gram flour and butter milk and does not require any other complex cooking techniques. The simple yet aromatic seasoning of sauteed cumin, mustard, curry leaves, coriander and coconut makes it simply irresistible.

Ingredients:-

Gram Flour (Besan) - 1 cup
Yogurt - 1 cup
Water - 1 cup
Turmeric Powder - 1/8 tsp
Asafoetida - pinch
Ginger paste - blueberry size
Green Chilly paste - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Grated Coconut - 1 tblsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Sesame Seeds - 1 tsp
Dry Red Chilly - 1
Oil - 2 tblsp
Curry Leaves - 1 spring
Salt - to taste
Cilantro - for garnishing (finely chopped)

Method:-

1. Mix together the gram flour, ginger paste, green chilly paste, turmeric powder, asafoetida and required salt.
2. Add the yogurt and water gradually while stirring continuously to make a smooth paste.
3. Transfer this to a pan and cook the mixture for about 10 minutes stirring continuously.
Note : - There will be lot of splattering during the cooking process.
- You can also cook the mixture in the microwave for 5 minutes stirring after every minute.
4. After the besan mixture is completely cooked and it becomes like a smooth paste, switch off the flame.
5. Using a spatula take some of the mixture and spread it onto a smooth ungreased surface immediately. (It can be the back of a stainless steel plate, baking tray, cookie sheet or just an aluminium foil.)
7. Let it cool for about 5 minutes.
8. In the meantime heat a pan and make a seasoning of mustard seeds,sesame seeds, curry leaves and dry red chilly.
9. Sprinkle half of the seasoning over the mixture.
10. Cut into thin strips and roll up each strip into firm roll.
11. Arrange the rolls in a serving dish, garnish with the remaining seasoning, finely chopped cilantro and grated coconut.

" Stuffed Mushrooms with Cashew-nuts "

" Stuffed Mushrooms with Cashew-nuts "
By Chef Prashant Adsule.

Ingredients:-

21 nos. large button mushrooms, stems discarded
1/4 cup onion [finely Chopped]
 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
1 cup cooked wild rice 
1/4 cup shredded "cheese"
1 large carrot, peeled and grated 
1/2 cup cashews nuts, finely chopped 
2 tablespoons salsa 
1 teaspoons sea salt 
1/2 teaspoon black pepper 
3 chives, finely chopped

Method:-

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking dish with nonstick spray; set aside.
2. In a small skillet over medium heat, cook onions in oil until translucent, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add wild rice, cheese, carrots, cashews, salsa, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, or until warm. Remove from heat.
4. Using a teaspoon, fill each mushroom cap with the mixture.
5. Place stuffed mushrooms in a single layer on the prepared baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes, or until heated through.
6. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh chives, and serve hot !

" Idli Fry "

" Idli Fry "
By Chef Prashant Adsule.

Crisp Idli fry made with left over idlis. can be served with Coconut chutney or Sambar.

Ingredients:-

4-5 Idli pieces or as required
1/2 tsp Chaat masala
1/2 tsp pav bhaji masala
1/2 tsp red chilli powder as required
salt- to taste
oil to deep fry or shallow fry the idlis

Method:-

1.cut the refrigerated or day old idlis into cubes.
2. Heat oil in a kadi or pan till medium hot. add the cubes idli and deep fry till light golden or slightly more.
3.Ideally, the fried idli pieces should be crisp from outside and soft from inside. you can also pan fry or shallow fry them.
4. Remove the smaller pieces first as they will get fried quickly. drain the fried idlis on paper towels to remove excess oil.
5. Sprinkle the red chilli powder, pav bhaji masala, chaat masala, on top and some salt. just mix well so that masala coated evenly.
6. Serve the idli fry with sambar or coconut chutney.

" Puran Poli "

" Puran Poli "
By Chef Prashant Adsule.

Ingredients:-

For Puran:-
1 cup split Chana Dal
1 cup Light Jaggery / Gul / Gudh
Dash of Nutmeg powder
1/4 tsp Cardamom powder
1 cup Water

For Dough:-
1 cup Whole wheat flour
1/2 cup Maida / All Purpose Flour
1 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

Method:-

How to prepare Puran?

1) Wash and soak chana dal in enough water for 4 hours.
2) Add chana dal in pressure cooker, add a cup of water and pressure cook until 4 whistles.
3) Mash boiled chana dal, add it in to pan, add jaggery in to it, mix well and cook till mixture becomes thick and starts to leave sides of pan.
4) Add cardamom powder, a dash of nutmeg, mix well. Now Puran is ready.

How to prepare Puran poli Dough?

1) Take maida, whole wheat flour in to a deep bowl, to that add salt, oil and mix well.
2) Add water little by little and start to knead the dough.
3) This dough has to be little loose and soft.
4) Cover and leave it to rest for 1 hour.

How to prepare Puran poli?

1) Again take just a tsp of oil and start to knead dough well.
2) Take small ball from dough and roll like puri.
3) Take small ball from Puran.
4) Stuff puran in to rolled puri, seal the edges and squeeze out excess dough from it.
5) Roll in circular direction like paratha.
6) Heat up pan on a medium heat, roast puranpoli from both the sides till it gets nice golden spots.
7) Once Puranpoli is about to done, apply ghee or butter.
8) Serve hot with a spoonful of ghee over it.

" Kawa karanji "

" Kawa karanji "
By Chef Prashant Adsule.

Ingredients

Serves: 3

1 cup maida or all purpose flour
Water as needed
Salt a pinch
1/2 tablespoon hot vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chopped almonds
2 tablespoons chopped cashews
1/2 teaspoon elaychi or cardamom powder
1/2 teaspoon khuskhus (poppy seeds)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup khoya

Method
1. Mix maida with a bit of water to make dough. Add salt and hot vegetable oil and kneed into dough with the maida. Set aside the kneaded dough.
2. In a bowl, mix almonds, cashews, elaychi powder, khus khus and sugar powder.
Heat a tawa. Roast khoya for 5 minutes.
3. Add khoya to above mixture of almonds and cashews. Mix the khoya well with the ingredients. The stuffing is ready, and set is aside.
4. Make small dough balls out of the dough. Roll out each ball into medium sized tortillas or puris. The puris should be as big as the diameter of a soup bowl.
5. Now add the stuffing on one half of the round puri. Cover the stuffing with the other unfilled half of the puri and make a shell shaped semi circular karanji. Dap and close the semi-circular end. Repeat to make more karanjis.
6. Heat a kadhai or deep frying pan with vegetable oil. Deep fry the karanjis until golden brown.

" Chivada "

" Chivada "
By Chef Prashant Adsule.

साहित्य-

भाजके पोहे पाव किलो,
पाव किलो दाणे,
100 ग्रॅम खोबरे पातळ काप करून,
100 ग्रॅम डाळ,
10 ते 12 मिरच्या,
पाव किलो तेल,
मीठ,
लाल तिखट,
धन्या-जिर्‍याची पूड,
1 चहाचा चमचा पिठीसाखर,
मूठभर कडूलिंबाची पाने,
फोडणीचे साहित्य.

कृती-
1] भाजके पोहे स्वच्छ निवडून घ्या.
2] मोठ्या पातेल्यात पाव किलो तेलाची फोडणी तयार करून घ्या.
3] त्यात कडूलिंबाची पाने, मिरच्या घालून थोडे परता.
4] हळद, तिखट, धनेपूड व दाणे घाला.
5] दाणे खमंग परतले कि खोबर्‍याचे काप व डाळं घालून परता.
6] नंतर भाजके पोहे घाला.
7] नंतर मीठ व साखर घालून मंद आचेवर चिवडा चांगला परता.
8] गार झाल्यावर डब्यात भरून ठेवा.

" चकली "

" चकली "
By Chef Prashant Adsule.

साहित्य:
१ कप चकलीची भाजणी
१ कप पाणी
१ टिस्पून हिंग
२ टिस्पून पांढरे तिळ
१/२ चमचा ओवा
१ टेस्पून लाल तिखट
१ टिस्पून तेल
चवीपुरते मिठ

कृती:
१) १ कप पाणी पातेल्यात उकळत ठेवावे. त्यात हिंग, लाल तिखट, तेल, ओवा, पांढरे तिळ आणि मीठ घालून ढवळावे.
२) पाणी उकळले कि गॅस बंद करावा, चकलीची भाजणी घालावी आणि ढवळावे. ७-८ मिनीटे झाकून ठेवावे.
३) कोमट पाण्याचा हात लावून पिठ मळावे.
४) चकलीच्या सो‍र्‍याला आतून तेलाचा हात लावावा म्हणजे पिठ चिकटणार नाही. सोर्‍यामध्ये चकलीच्या पिठाचा गोळा भरून चकल्या पाडाव्यात. मध्यम आचेवर चकल्या तळून घ्याव्यात.

" Wrap Up Lunch "

‎" Wrap Up Lunch "
By Chef Prashant Adsule.

Wraps are a great way to combine a multitude of ingredients and flavours. This week I've combined Mexican tortillas with Asian chicken for a delicious wrap that would work for a casual weeknight meal or lunch. You can use your basic flour tortilla for this recipe or venture into the healthier multilingual versions.

Ingredients:

1 medium carrot, grated
1 tablespoon cumin
1 medium zucchini
1 medium sweet red pepper
2 cooked sliced boneless skinless chicken breast halves (optional)
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
4 ounces cream cheese spread
4 whole wheat tortillas (8 or 9 inch)
8 large romaine lettuce leaves

Method:

1. First, combine cream cheese, grated carrot and cumin, in a bowl, stir until well combined.
2. Then, spread 1/4 of the cheese mixture on each of the 4 wraps.
3. Next, leaving 2 inches bare at the bottom of the wrap.
4. Then, press 2 lettuce leaves on top of cheese mixture on each wrap.
3. Divide the chicken slices among the 4 wraps, lay down the middle of the wrap, on top of the lettuce leaves, if using.
4. Cut the ends off the zucchini, do not peel, cut in half, cut each half into sticks, divide the sticks among the 4 wraps and place on top of the chicken slices, down the middle of the wrap, to one side.
5. Cut in half and seed the sweet red pepper, slice the halves into sticks, divide between the 4 wraps and place beside the zucchini, in the middle of the wrap.
6. Place the pine nuts on a cutting board. With a chef’s knife, press the flat side of the knife on the pine nuts until most of the nuts are cracked.
7. Sprinkle 1/4 of the cracked nuts over each wrap.
8. To wrap: Fold the bottom of the wrap up over the contents, holding it there while you fold the side over, then the other side overlapping the first side.
9. Take a paper towel or napkin and wrap it around the bottom half of the wrap to hold it together.
10. There will be an open “V” at the top of the front side. Enjoy the crunch!

" Espresso Soy Milk Shake "

" Espresso Soy Milk Shake "
  By Chef Prashant Adsule.

     I'm a fan of soy milk and ice cream. This satisfying shake is a speedy dessert. It's also a way to enjoy the health benefits of caffeine, which may help lower your risk of diabetes and Parkinson's disease and this shake is vegan-friendly.  

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons fat-free chocolate syrup
2 1/8 teaspoons instant espresso granules or instant coffee granules, divided
1 1/2 cups vanilla soy ice cream (such as Soy Dreams) 
1/2 cup low-fat plain soy milk.

Method:

1. Combine syrup and 1/8 teaspoon espresso granules in a small bowl, stirring well. 

2. Using a spoon, drizzle half of syrup mixture around the inside rim of 2 small narrow glasses. 

3. Combine remaining 2 teaspoons espresso granules, ice cream, and milk in a blender; process until smooth. 

4. Pour 1 cup ice cream mixture into each glass. Serve immediately.

" Coconut Shrimp "

" Coconut Shrimp "
  By Chef Prashant Adsule.

Ingredients: [ makes 6 servings ]

 1 egg
 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
 2/3 cup beer
 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
 2 cups flaked coconut
 24 shrimp
 3 cups oil for frying

Method:

1. In medium bowl, combine egg, 1/2 cup flour, beer and baking powder. 
2. Place 1/4 cup flour and coconut in two separate bowls.
3. Hold shrimp by tail, and dredge in flour, shaking off excess flour. 
4. Dip in egg/beer batter; allow excess to drip off. 
5. Roll shrimp in coconut, and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 
6. Meanwhile, heat oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) in a deep-fryer.
7. Fry shrimp in batches: cook, turning once, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. 
8. Using tongs, remove shrimp to paper towels to drain. 
9. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.