Butter Beans Bhaaji

Ingredients:


Butter beans (soaked overnight) - 1 cup
Finely chopped onion - 1 large
Chopped tomato - 1
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Finely chopped coriander - 2 tbsps
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Dried desiccated coconut - 3 tbsps
Salt - to taste


Method:


Pressure cook the butter beans with two cups of water and turmeric. Let it cook for 4 whistles.

In a separate pan saute the onions until browned. Then add the ginger garlic paste and continue to saute for another couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes, coriander, garam masala and dried desiccated coconut and continue to saute until you have a paste-like consistency. Now, add the cooked butter beans(with the water in which they were cooked) and salt. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for ten minutes.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve with chapatis.

Methi Batata Bhaaji

You almost never get Methi in Eindhoven barring the frozens packets that're available sometimes at the Indian stores. We both really like Methi and so I decided to try growing some at home. Just a little over a month ago I planted some methi seeds in a little pot to see if they'd grow. It's still quite cold here so I had to place the pot indoors on the window sill. In a month's time my methi was ready to harvest.

Methi is very easy to grow and usually germinates within a week. It is fast growing and needs little maintenance. You need to water the plants regularly and place the pot in a sunny position. In a months time you have fresh methi leaves ready to be cooked.

Last night I harvested my methi crop and made some Methi Batata Bhaaji. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:


Methi - One bunch
Potatoes - 4
Onions - 2
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Grated Jaggery - 2 tbsps
Salt - to taste
Oil

Method:


Wash and finely chop the methi leaves. Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces. Finely chop the onions. Saute the onions in a little oil until browned. Add the garlic paste and fry for another 2 minutes. Now, add the potatoes, the methi leaves, red chilli powder, turmeric, grated jaggery and salt ( the methi leaves shrink in size once they're cooked so you need to be careful with the salt). Cover the pan and cook until the potatoes and methi leaves are well cooked. You need to stir the bhaaji from time to time to ensure that it doesn't stick to the bottom or burn.

Note : Since I was growing Methi for the first time in Eindhoven( I've done it a few times in Mumbai) I hadn't planted enough to make a lot of bhaaji. You will notice in the picture that there are more potatoes in proportion to the methi.
        

Vatana-Batata-Kobi Bhaaji

Here is another simple recipe:

Ingredients:

Shelled peas - 1 cup
Shredded cabbage leaves - 1 cup
Potatoes (washed, peeled and chopped) - 4
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds (Jeera) - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Chopped green chillies - 2
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsps
Water - 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:


Heat oil in a pan and splutter the mustard and cumin seeds and then add asafoetida. Now, add the chopped green chillies, turmeric powder and garam masala and stir for a minute or so. Add the vegetables, half a cup of water & salt to taste and cook until all the vegetables are well cooked. You may have to keep stirring to ensure that your bhaaji doesn't burn and is evenly cooked. Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves.

 Enjoy with hot chapatis!!

Vatanyache Gole

This is my grandmother's recipe. My grandfather relished simple, homemade food and this was one of his favourites. I'm not sure how and why a simple batata vatana bhaaji came to be called vatanyache gole in our household.
It's over a year since my grandfather passed away and my grandmother is too old to cook now. I often cook a lot of simple things she's taught me over the years. And, as I sit down to eat I'm filled with very happy memories of a simple home-cooked meal and a lot of endless, meaningful conversations over lunch/dinner with my grandparents.

Ingredients:


Shelled peas - 250 gms
Medium sized potatoes (washed, peeled and chopped) - 4
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Asafoetita - a pinch
Green chillies (split into two) - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Corriander leaves (chopped finely) - 1 tbsp
Water - 1 cup
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:


Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the asafoetida and the green chillies. Stir for a minute. Now, add the turmeric powder, garam masala and red chilli powder and stir for another minute. Add the potatoes and green peas and a cup of water. Add salt to taste. Cook until both the peas and the potatoes are cooked. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Bharli Vangi

Bharli Vangi is one of my favourite Maharashrtian bhaajis. Every household in Maharashtra makes this delicacy but the recipe varies from region to region. I especially like the Kolhapuri version which is mouthwateringly delicious and so spicy that it sets your tongue on fire!
I asked my friend Bhairavi, whose family hails from Sangli-Kolhapur, for her recipe and the results were perfect!

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Baby brinjals - 6
Dry grated coconut - half a cup
Til (Sesame seeds) - 1 tbsp
Khus-khus (Poppy seeds) - 1 tbsp
Roasted Peanuts - 3 tbsps
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp
Kolhapuri Masala - 1 tbsp
Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsps
Large onion finely chopped - 1
Grated Jaggery - 1 tbsp
Tamarind pulp- 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tbsps

Method:

Slit the brinjals into 4 while keeping the stems intact. Sprinkle with a little salt and keep aside.
Roast the grated coconut in a kadhai until it changes colour to a golden brown while stirring continuously to ensure that it doesn't burn. Add the til and khus khus and roast for a little white longer.
Grind together (without water) the coconut, til, khus khus, turmeric, garam masala and roasted peanuts. Use a little less then half of this mixture to stuff the slit brinjals.
In a separate pan, heat oil and sauté the onions until they're browned. Now add the kolhapuri masala and continue to sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the rest of the ground mixture and sauté for another 2 minutes.
Now, add the brinjals and a little water and cover and cook on low heat.Stir in the jaggery and the tamarind pulp.Add salt to taste. Ensure that you turn the brinjals a few times so that they're evenly cooked. When the brinjals look cooked and turn soft your dish is ready to serve. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Bharli Vangi goes very well with both bhakri and chapati.

Note : I always stock my kitchen with kolhapuri masala that I buy at Patil stores in Chembur (Mumbai). I also usually stock their goda masala, koli masala and malvani masala.

Bhendi Chi Bhaaji

This is my grandmother's recipe and probably one of the first things I learnt to cook from her. It's easy to make and goes well with both, chapati as well as varan-bhaat.

Ingredients:

Bhendi - 250 gms
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tbsps

Method:


Heat the oil in a non-stick pan or kadhai and add the mustard seeds.When they splutter, add the asafoetida, turmeric powder, chili powder and garam masala.
Now, add the Bhendi (chopped to small round pieces- the thinner you cut them the crispier they'll become) and toss it around so that the masala mixes well with the vegetable and cook on a low flame. Toss the bhendi frequently so that it doesn't burn and is evenly cooked. The bhendi is ready to eat when it's soft but I would recommend cooking it slightly longer (on a low flame) until it's nice and crisp. Add salt to taste.
Serve hot.

Vangi Batata Bhaaji

Here is a very simple, Maharashtrian recipe.

Ingredients:

Small Brinjals - 4-5 (approx 200 gms)

Potatoes - 2 (medium to large)

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Red chili powder -1/4 tsp

Goda Masala - 1 tsp

Jaggery - to taste

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

Peel and cube the potatoes(half inch pieces). Chop the brinjals to a similar size. Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds to it. When they splutter add the asafoetida and turmeric and then the goda masala.

Add the chopped potatoes and brinjals and sauté for a minute. Now add the chili powder, salt, jaggery and a cup of water and cook on a low flame until the vegetables are well cooked. 

You can garnish it with chopped coriander or a little grated coconut. Serve hot with chapatis