Sakharamba- The Murraba in Maharashtrian style

The sight of raw mangoes really makes my mouth water. And like every year, I am tempted to try something new and more with mangoes.
This time I have made the jam or muraaba of raw mangoes. This is a traditional preparation. My mom and grand-mom used to make, a yearly stock, like pickles and store them. I love it with chappati. Especially some days when you don't have a vegetable and if you are okay with eating something sweet. This is a great hit with kids. You can apply it on bread too.
You need-

Green Mangoes- 1kg (preferably the Totapuri breed. They are oblong and really long and sweeter in taste. You can use the other variety too but they are slightly more sour and you will have to adjust the sugar quantity).

Sugar- 1.5 Kg.
Green Cardamoms- 12 -14.
Few strands of Saffron/ Kesar
A clean glass sterilized glass jar.

Select fresh green, firm mangoes. They should not be yellow inside. Wash and dry mangoes thoroughly. There should be no water left or else the jam will get go bad.
Peel the skin from the mangoes and grate them. Discard the seed. You need 1.5 times sugar to the grated mango quantity. So if your grated mango is 1 cup, you will need 1.5 cup sugar. Put sugar and the grated mango is clean dry kadhai/wok on gas stove. Keep stirring, so that it doesn't stick the bottom or burn. Once the sugar is dissolved, lower the flame cook it for 8- 10 minutes. Till the sugar syrup is slightly viscous. To check if the syrup is done.
Try this test with out burning your fingers. Test it by taking one drop between your index finger and thumb, try moving the fingers apart. You will see a stickiness makes a single wire. That's when it is done. Lower the flame and add cardamom powder and saffron strands.Take it off the stove. Voila your Murraba/Sakharamba is ready. Cool it and store it the jar.

This can be also prepared with jaggery ( gud)  instead of sugar. Same proportion as sugar.

Remember not to let any water touch the preparation.The jar and the lid also should be sun-dried the prior day. The laddle and the wok should have no water droplets on it.

This stays for almost 8-10 months.

Dahi Begun

I had this awesome dish called Dahi Begun that I had eaten at a Oriya friend's house. It is ideal for summers and has cooling effect on body.

Ingridents-
Take 250gms of brinjals, preferably big purple ones.
1/2 tsp nigella seeds/kalonji ( or you can use paanch phoran)
2 dry red chillies
1tbsp of oil
 pich of aesofotida / hing
1 slit green chilly
 Salt to taste
Some coriander
150 gms of curd.

Method.
Cut brinjals lengthwise into thin slices. In a wok, heat the oil, add kalonji/nigella seeds or paanch phoran. Add dry chillies. Let them splutter. Add hing, then add the brinjals. put the green chilly in. Saute for some time and keep the lid on it after adding salt. Ensure that the slices get cooked and remain firm. Don't overcook else they will become squishy.
Cool it and mix it curd. Serve it with rice.And garnish with little coriander.

Its quick and easy vegetable to make or should we say raita. I loved it. Hope you too like it.

Peeli Dal or Yellow Dal

Yellow Dal or Meena ki yellow dal

 Ingredients

 3 fistfuls of Tuar Dal ( pigeon pea split)

 1 big tomato-finely chopped

2-3 green chillies

4-5 sprigs of green coriander leaves

1tsp- mustard (rai) seeds

½ tsp- cumin (jeera) seeds

1 tbsp ghee

1tsp- turmeric  powder

Salt to taste

Method

Pressure cook the dal. This one needs a little time and should be cooked till it can be mashed easily.

Heat the kadhai( pan), put red chilies then add mustard seeds. And then Cumin (Jeera) seeds. The seeds should crackle and then add tomatoes. Care should be taken that the oil is hot enough for the mustard seeds to crackle and they should not burn, else the dal will get a burnt flavor. Sauté the tomatoes till they become soft, add the coriander leaves.  Leave some coriander leaves for the last leg of garnishing. I cook a bit of coriander leaves in the oil as it lends a wonderful flavor to it. Let it cook for 2 minutes. Add the boiled dal. Add turmeric and salt to taste. Add whole  green chilies. Let the dal boil for at least 10 mins. The more the dal boils the better it tastes. Then add balance coriander  and serve hot with rice.

This is one of the most easiest and yummiest dal preparation. I learnt it from my maid Meena. All credit to her.

Masoor Dal in Bengali Style

My friends love my dals. This is one thing that I learnt from my mom-in-law. I am married into a Bengali family so learnt a lot of bangali food. She made some awesome dals. My in-laws are from East Bengal and so their cooking style is a bit different. Here is the all time favorite Masoor Dal ( pinkish split lentils) in Bengali style. My measurements are simple and so no grams and ounces etc here.

Masoor Dal.

3- fistfuls of Masoor Dal or split lentils
2- Green Chillies slit lengthwise/ whole
2 - Dry Red Chillies
1/2 tsp of Mustard seeds
1- small onion thinly sliced lengthwise
1 tsp- turmeric powder
1.5 - tbsp oil
Salt to taste.

Method

Wash and cook the dal. The water level should about 3 cms above the dal. This one cooks easily. If you are using small pressure cooker. Take two whistles and lower the flame for 5 mins and turn the gas off. I like to keep a little grainy texture to the dal. The problem with masoor or mung dal is it becomes a bit lumpy if over cooked. So don't overcook in cooker.

In a separate kadhai( pan). heat the oil. Put the dried red chillies, let them smoke a bit. Add mustard seeds.  When they crackle. Add onion slices. Saute till they turn soft. don't let it burn. Add the boiled masoor dal. Add turmeric powder and salt to taste. You can add a little water if you want to dilute the consistency. Put green chllies. I prefer putting whole one without slitting. This lends a very nice flavour to the dal. Let it simmer for 10 mins. Add finely chopped coriander. Cook for 2 minutes more and your wonderful dal is ready!
Serve it hot boiled rice and enjoy the wholesome dal rice from Bengal.

I hated cooking

My cooking adventure started with me becoming a mom..I was never a great cook and frankly I hate slogging over cooking. Takes all the fun out of me. I sincerely feel that if you work smartly and with a lil heart in place you can be great cook.
I feel there are small steps in any recipe that people either miss to tell you( or deliberately don't tell you). So your recipe never turns like the one that you tried for. So here are my secrets and I sincerely wish that you can discover a hidden side to our own self. The recipes are simple and yummy and with no fuss..My friends who eat often my food will vouch for it.