Ukadiche Modak is another popular Maharashtrian sweet dish. Ukadiche Modak means "Steamed Modak". This Ukadiche Modak is made specially on Ganesh Chaturthi. Ukadiche Modak is also known as Lord Ganpati's favorite food. We offer this Modak to lord Ganesha as Naivaidya/ Prasad. In this Ukadiche Modak outer cover is made with Rice flour and the stuffing is made with coconut, Jaggery and sesame seeds.

Ingredients:
For the Saaran (stuffing):
1 1/2 cup grated coconut
1 cup grated Jaggrey
1/3 Cup Sesame Seeds
1 Teaspoon cardamom powder

For the Outer Cover:
1 cup water
1 cup rice flour
1 Tablespoon Ghee
Pinch of salt.

Method For Saaran/ Stuffing:

First roast the sesame seeds till it turns light brown and grind it coarsely. In a hot pan, add 2 tablespoon ghee. Add coconut, saute it for 2 - 3 minutes. Add jaggery, saute till jaggery melts. Add cardamom powder and mix well. Turn off the heat and keep it aside.

For the outer cover:

In a vessel, add 1 cup of water. Add 1 tablespoon ghee, pinch of salt. Let it boil. Once water starts boiling, turn off the heat and add rice flour and mix well. While mixing make sure there are no lumps in the mixture. Cover this mixture. Keep it aside for 6 - 8 minutes.

To Make Modak:
Take the mixture and knead into the dough.
Take 1 tablespoon ghee on to palm and grease it. Take a small portion of dough and make a small ball. Press the ball little bit and start giving the shape of bawl with the help of thumb. Make a small bowl/cup shape. Do not make it very thin or very thick. Add stuffing. Now slowly fold the cup sides with the help of thumb and one finger. Make small 8 - 9 plates on the edges of the cup.
Once plates are done, bring them together with circular motion. Seal it and keep it on a plate. Make all Modak and keep it aside.

Modak Steaming:
Heat 2 - 3 cups water in a big vessel. Once water starts boiling, put a small pot/bowl in the middle of the vessel. Now place the steamer, put wet cotton cloth on the steamer. Place all Modak on cotton cloth, cover the Modak with leftover cotton cloth. Put the cover and let it steam for 8 - 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, wait for 2 - 4 minutes. Remove the Modaks from steamer. Serve it hot.

Ukadiche Modak is ready!!

Tips:
You can use any kind of steamer to steam the Modak.

Pallavi Mane

In Maharashtra "Prasadacha Sheera"(Sooji Halwa) is the must for "Satyanarayan Pooja". This Sheera is offered as Prasad in Pooja.  This sheera called as Narayan Sheera too. We offer this Prasad with "Panchamrit".
I remember when we were kids, we love to sit next to Satyanarayan Pooja to offer Prasad to guests, so that we get a chance to eat more Prasad ;)

Ingredients:
1 Cup Semolina/Sooji
1 cup Sugar
1 Cup Ghee (clarified butter)
2 Cups hot milk
1 ripe Banana (Sliced)
1 tablespoon Cardamom powder
Raisins (As per your need)
Pinch of Saffron

Method:
Heat Ghee in a pan. Add Semolina and roast it for 2 minutes. Add Banana and roast Semolina till it becomes little brown. Add hot milk into the Semolina and stir till semolina absorbed the milk.
Add cardamom powder, raisins, saffron.  Stir it well. Add sugar and mix well.  Cover it and let it cook for 5 minutes on slow heat.

Prasadacha Sheera is ready!!

Pallavi Mane

Most of the people loves Batata (Potato). You can add Potato with any other vegetable to give a little bit different test to your dish. In Maharashtra we have many recipes for potatoes. Here is the one of my favorite curry recipe of potato it's called "Batatyacha Rassa".  When I am in a hurry or I don't have many options for curry then "Batatyacha Rassa" is like my savior :)

Ingredients:

2 Medium Potatoes
1 Medium Onion
2 Tomatoes
1 1/2 Tablespoon red chili powder
1/2 Tablespoon Garam Masala
1/2 Tablespoon Coriander powder
1 Tablespoon shredded Ginger Garlic
2 - 3 Tablespoon Peanut Crush
Curry Leaves
Fresh Coriander
Salt to taste

Method:

Heat Oil in a Kadai. Add mustard Seeds, Cumin seeds, Curry leaves, shredded Ginger, Garlic and saute it for a few seconds. Add chopped Onion and saute it till it becomes brown. Add red chili powder, garam masala, coriander powder, saute it for 1 minute. Add chopped Tomatoes and let the tomatoes become soft.

Add chopped Potatoes, mix all together and add 2 - 4 cups water. Add salt as per your taste and let it boil. Once curry started boiling, add Peanut crush, mix well, cover it. Let it cook on medium heat for 8 - 10 minutes. Sprinkle some fresh cilantro.

Batatyacha Rassa is ready.
This Potato Curry goes very well with almost everything. e.g. Puri/ Bhakri/ Roti/Rice.

Pallavi Mane

Methichi Bhaji, One of the most favorite bhaji in my family. My little girl loves this bhaji very much!!! Methi (Fenugreek Leaves) is healthy and good for your digestive system. This dish is very simple and quick to make. This is a delicious combination of Peanut Crush, Garlic, and Methi Leaves.

Ingredients: 

2/3 bunches of Methi
3 - 4 Tablespoon Oil
1/3 Cup roasted Peanut crush
Salt to taste

Method:

Clean and rinse the Fenugreek leaves. Heat oil in a Kadai. Add chopped Garlic and saute until it becomes brown. Add Methi leaves into the kadai saute it over medium heat for 1 or 2 minutes. Add salt as per your taste, saute it. Cover the bhaji and let it cook until Methi becomes little dry. Now add crushed Peanut. Mix it well. Let it cook for another 2 minute.

Methichi Bhaji is ready!!

Pallavi Mane

There are several different styles for making Egg Curry. Here is the Maharashtrian style Egg Curry recipe for you. This is a quick and easy recipe that can be made in few minutes. This is spicy and delicious preparation of the egg in coconut, Ginger, Garlic and Cilantro based Masala paste. It goes very well with Roti or Rice.


Ingredients:

6 hard boiled Eggs
4 - 6 Tablespoon Oil
6 - 8 Curry Leaves
1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
3 Tablespoon Kolhapuri Masala
(Substitute: 1 1/2 Tablespoon Red chili powder  + 1/2 Tablespoon Garam masala + 1/2 Tablespoon Coriander powder)
Salt as per taste
Fresh Coriander

Ingredients For Masala Paste:

1/2 Cup fresh/ Dry grated Coconut
2 Tablespoon grated Ginger
1 1/2 Tablespoon grated Garlic
Fresh Cilantro

Method:

First, take the all Masala Paste ingredients together and grind into smooth paste. Keep it aside.  Heat oil in a pan. Add Curry Leaves and Cumin seeds, add the Masala paste and saute it for 3 - 4 minutes. After that add Red chili powder, Garam masala, Coriander powder and mix well.  Saute this masala for another 2 - 3 minutes. When masala is roasted properly, add water as per your need. Add Salt as per your taste.  Let it boil. Now add Eggs into the Curry, cover it and cook it for 4 - 6 Minutes. Sprinkle Some fresh Cilantro.

Serve it with Roti or Rice.

Pallavi Mane

Sabudana Vada also called Sago Vada. This is deep fried traditional fasting food from Maharashtra. Sabudana Vada is the best option to have when fasting. Sabudana Vada is very easy to make with very few ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cup Soaked Sabudana
1 Medium Boiled Potato
1/2 Cup Roasted Peanut Crush
7 - 8 Finly Chopped Green Chilies
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:

Wash Sabudana and soak it in 1/2 cups water for 5 - 6 hours.
Once Sabudana is soaked, take a bowl and add Soaked Sabudana + Peanut Crush + Boiled Potatoes. Add Salt as per your taste.
Mix well together and knead into the dough (If you want, you can add little water). Make the small balls with the mixture. Flatten them a bit and keep aside.
Heat sufficient oil in a Pan/ Kadai, and deep fry vadas till it becomes golden brown.

Serve hot with Curd!!

Pallavi Mane

मुंबईच्या रस्त्यावर चौका चौकात ठाण मांडून बसलेला गरमा गरम वडापाव. सर्वांच्या खिश्याला किंवा खिशे नसणाऱ्याला देखील परवडणारा. कधी कुणाच्या प्रेमात तर कधी कुणाच्या मैत्रीत मध्यस्ती करणारा. कधी आपलेपणा जाणवणारा, असा या गर्दीतलाच, काहीसा वेगळा आणि नाव घेताच जिभेवर रेंगाळणारा "मुंबईचा वडापाव" :)

Vada Pav don't need any introduction. Vada Pav, has iconic status in India specially in Maharashtra. Vada Pav is known as common man's food in Mumbai. This is one of the most humble street food of Mumbai.

Ingredients:
For Batata (Potato) Bhaji:
4 Medium size boiled Potatoes
6 - 7 Green Chillies
4 - 5 Garlic Cloves
1" piece of Ginger
2 - 3 Tablespoon Oil
7 - 8 Curry Leaves
1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
Freshly chopped Coriander
Salt to taste

For Gram Flour Batter:
1 Cup Besan (Gram Flour)
1/2 Teaspoon red chili Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
Pinch of Baking Soda
Salt

Oil for deep Frying.

For Final Serving:
6 - 8 Pav
Fried Green Chilies (Optional)
Peanut/Garlic Chutney

Method:

Batata Bhaji:

Take a bowl and mash boiled Potatoes or you can cut into small pieces.
Grind Green chilies + Ginger + Garlic together and keep aside. Now heat oil in a pan, add Cumin seeds, Mustard seeds, Curry leaves, Green chili, Ginger, Garlic paste and Turmeric. Saute it for a few seconds. Add mashed Potatoes and mix well. Saute this mixture for another 2 - 3 minutes. Add fresh Cilantro and mix well. Turn off the heat and let the Batata bhaji cool down completely.

Gram Flour Batter:
Take a bowl. Add 1 cup Gram Flour, red chili powder, turmeric, baking soda and Salt. Add  water as per your need, mix well and make it a smooth paste/ batter.

Batata Vada:
Heat enough oil in a Kadai for deep frying vada. Make Small balls from batata bhaji and add this into batter. Deep fry vada until it turns golden color from all sides.

Final Serving:
Take Pav, slice it into 2 halves. Put some peanut - Garlic chutney on the Pav. Place the hot Vada between the Pav. Serve Vada Pav with some fried Green Chillies.
Garma Gram Vada Pav is Ready.

Pallavi Mane