I remember when I was in school, sometimes my Mom used to give me Shengdanyachi chutney (Peanut Chutney) in my lunch box. She used to put Shengdanyachi Chutney in the middle of Chapati with some vegetable oil. I used to love it.
This is very easy and quick recipe to make. So here is the recipe of "Shengdanyachi Chutney".

Ingredients:

1 Cup Peanuts
2 - 3 Red chili, dried
3 - 4 Garlic pods
2 Tablespoon red chili powder
Salt to taste.


Method:
First roast the peanuts. Keep it aside. Let it cool.
In a grinder jar, add roasted peanuts, dried red chilies, garlic, red chili powder and salt as per your taste. Give some pulse until it became coarse powder.

Shengdanyachi Chutney is ready. Serve as a side dish or you can eat with hot Bhakri.

Tips:
You can add spices according to your taste.

Pallavi Mane

Chakli is very tasty and crunchy snacks usually made during festival seasons. It has very special place in Diwali Faral (Snacks). There are many ways to make Chakali.
In Maharashtra there is one kind of Chakli, it's called "Bhajnichi Chakli". It tastes awesome. I personally love the Bhajnichi Chakli.
My mom gave me very easy recipe of Chakli. It tastes like "Bhajnichi Chakli".

Ingredients:
2 Cups water
2 Cup Rice flour
1 Cup Besan (Gram) flour
1/4 Cup Moong flour
1 Tablespoon red chili powder
1 Tablespoon Cumin Powder
1 Tablespoon Coriander powder
1/2 Tablespoon Carom Powder (ajwain) or roughly Crushed
1 Teaspoon Turmeric
2 to 3 Tablespoon Sesame seeds
Pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste
Oil for frying.

Method:
In a mixing bowl, add Rice flour, Besan (Gram Flour), Moong flour, mix well.
Add red chili powder, cumin powder, carom powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, sesame seeds, asafoetida, and salt as per your taste. Mix everything together and keep it aside.
In a pan, add some water, add 3 to 4 tablespoon oil. Let the water boil. Turn off the heat and add all mixtures into the boiling water, mix with a spoon. Cover it and let it set for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, remove the mixture in a big bowl and knead the dough.

Cover it, let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Now heat the oil for frying. While the oil is getting hot, take a chakli maker. Apply some oil in it and place some dough in it.
Press the chakli maker and make a spiral shape on a plastic paper. Make 4 to 5 Chaklis and drop them into the hot oil. Deep fry them on Medium low flame from both sides.
Repeat the same for rest of dough.

 

 

Pallavi Mane

Here is the My first Diwali recipe, Besanache Ladoo. Besanache Ladoo is one of my most favorite. I remember when my Mom used to make Besanache Ladoo,  I used to stay with her the whole time so I can try as soon as it's ready :)

Ingredients: 
2 1/2 Cup Besan Flour
1 Cup Powder Sugar
1/4 Cup Ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 Teaspoon Cardamom powder
Raisins for Garnishing



Method:
Heat ghee in a kadai. Add besan flour and start roasting on low heat.
Stir often so besan will roast evenly.
When the besan color will change, you will also start to smell the roasted besan.
It will take 15 to 20 minutes.
Now you will notice that the consistency of besan will be thin.
Roast it for another 4 to 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool down to room temperature.
Now add sugar and cardamom powder. Mix well together.
Make Ladoos. Add Raisins to garnish Ladoos.

Pallavi Mane

Masala Dudh is delicious, sweet milk enriched with nuts, Saffron and a touch of nutmeg. It's specially served on the full moon night in the Ashwin month (Hindu Calendar) called Kojagiri Pornima or Sharad pornima.
Masala Dudh is a main attraction of Kojagiri Pornima for kids :)



Ingredients:
2/3 Cup Milk
3 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Cardamom powder
Pinch of nutmeg powder (optional)
Few Saffron

For Masala:
10 - 15 Almonds, unsalted
10 - 15 Pistachio, unsalted
8 - 10  Cashew nuts, unsalted

Method:
First grind all dry fruits and make powder.
Heat milk in a sauce pan. Add Sugar. let it boil.
Now turn heat on slow. Add Masala in it. Stir it well. Add Cardamom and nutmeg powder. crush the saffron and add in to the milk. let it boil agin.
Serve hot or cold.

Pallavi Mane

Basundi is a Maharashtrian dessert which is made from milk. It's sweet thickened milk, flavored with cardamom, saffron, and dry fruits. This is usually made in festival days.
Basundi is quite similar to Rabdi.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 liter whole milk
1/3 Cup Sugar
1 tablespoon Cardamom powder
Saffron, few strands
1/4 Cup chopped Almonds and Pistachios

Method:
Take a heavy bottom pan. Add milk. Let it boil. Once milk started boiling, reduce the heat. Simmer until the milk reduces to half and thickens. Just make sure to Stir often.
Once milk, reduced to half, add Sugar, Cardamom powder and mix well. Now add chopped dry fruits, mix it and let it cook for another 6 to 8 minutes.
Basundi is ready.

Serving Suggestion:
Before serving keep the Basundi in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.

Pallavi Mane

If there is Poori to eat then, "Batatyachi Bhaji" is must in my menu.
For this recipe you need is boiled potatoes and some spices, that's it :)

Ingredients:
3 - 4 boiled potatoes
5 - 6 green chilies, chopped
4 - 5 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
Curry leaves
Fresh coriander, chopped
Salt to taste

Method:
Cut the boiled potatoes into the cubes. Keep it aside. Heat oil in a Kadai. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, green chili, turmeric powder, saute it for 1 minute. Add boiled potato cubes and mix well.
Add salt and saute it for another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and sprinkle some fresh chopped cilantro.
Batatyachi Bhaji is ready.

Serve with Poori/ Roti.

Pallavi Mane

Pithla Bhakri is called as a farmer's meal in Maharashtra. Pithla is made from Besan and it tastes best with Bhakri.
So here is the authentic Maharashtrian recipe of Pithla. Very simple & very quick to make.

Ingredients:

4 - 5 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 Medium onion, chopped
2 Tablespoon green chili, ginger, garlic paste (4 - 5 green chilies + 1 inch piece of ginger + 4 Garlic cloves)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 Cup besan (gram flour)
1 Tablespoon Kolhapuri masala (Substitute = 1/2 Tablespoon red chili powder + 1/4 Tablespoon Garam masala)
Fresh coriander, chopped
Salt as per your taste
Water as per your need

Method:

Add Besan and Kolhapuri masala, mix well. Add water as per your need and make a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, onion, green chili paste, onion and turmeric.
Saute onion until it turns brown.
Add the besan paste on it. Stir it continuously. Make sure there are no lumps. When mixture becomes little thick, cover the pan and cook it for 4 - 5 minutes on medium heat. Pithla is ready!
Sprinkle some fresh coriander.

Serve it hot with Bhakri.

Tips:
You can adjust your spices according to your taste.
You can adjust the water consistency as per your requirement.

Pallavi Mane

गणपती बाप्पा मोरया!!
Ganesh Chaturthi is the festival celebrated in honor of the God Ganesha. This is also known as Vinayak Chaturthi. This is an important festival of Maharashtra.
And today is the first day of "Ganesh Chaturthi", so made Bappa's favorite sweet "Talniche Modak" as Prasad.

Ingredients:
For filling/Saran
3 - 4 tablespoon ghee 
2 Cup dry coconut, grated
1 1/2 Cup Jaggery, grated
1/2 Cup Sesame Seeds (Roast it and roughly grind it)
2 teaspoon Cardamom powder

 For Outer Cover:
1 1/2 Cup wheat flour
2 - 3 Tablespoon hot oil
Salt to taste

Method:
In a bowl add wheat flour and salt (as per taste). Heat oil and add in the wheat flour. Add water as per your need and knead the dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the Saran/ Filling for Modak.
 

Heat Ghee in a pan. Add coconut, saute it for 2 minutes. Add jaggery and mix well. Add Sesame seeds and Cardamom powder and saute it for another 2 minutes. The filling is ready.

Take a small size ball and roll it into small puri. Place filling on it. Start folding the edges. Gather all edges together and seal it nicely. Just like that follow the same steps to make all Modaks.

Now heat enough oil for frying. Once oil is hot, deep fry the Modaks on medium heat until it turns brown.

Modaks are ready!!

Tips:
You can adjust the sweetness according to your taste.
You can use fresh coconut instead of dry coconut.
You can use all purpose flour instead of wheat flour.

Pallavi Mane