Rajali Banana Bhaaji - Bananas in coconut gravy

Ever since I remember, I have loved this recipe. It is a typical GSB recipe, but I didn't find a mention of it anywhere on the net. All I could find was Rajali banana halwa.

Rajali bananas are a specialty of Vasai. These long bananas are yellow when raw, and black spots appear on their skin when they are ripe. The ripe bananas are used for this recipe, as against raw bananas which are commonly used in gravies. Although the bananas used here are ripe, do not substitute the Rajali bananas with the regular green-skinned variety. They won't hold their form and the mass will be reduced to a gooey mess.

The ingredients are such that you can easily have this recipe for a vrat or a fasting day too. The taste is an amalgamation of flavors, sweetness of the bananas and coconut, combined with the sourness of tamarind and hot spiciness of the chillies. The cumin seeds add a spicy quotient to this lovely recipe.

I am also posting a picture of Rajali bananas, so you can identify them when you see one.

Ingredients

• 3 ripe Rajali bananas
• 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
• half small lemon sized ball of tamarind (imli)
• 4 to 5 green chillies
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds for tempering

Peel the bananas, and chop them into one inch sized pieces. Make a slit on one side of each piece.

Blend the coconut, tamarind, green chillies and 1 tsp cumin seeds to a thick mixture with little water, salt and sugar. Fill this mixture into the slit on the sides of the banana pieces.

Heat the ghee in a wok and add one tsp cumin seeds.  Now add the stuffed pieces of bananas into the ghee and the remaining coconut mixture. Toss quickly for one minute on high heat. Lower the heat and cover the wok with a lid. Allow the bananas to cook for 5 minutes on simmering heat, stirring frequently.

Serve hot with chapati (or by itself if being made for a fast)

Happy Cooking!

Potato Rosti for Fasting

Two days ago, I saw this recipe on a food channel. The chef made it look so easy, I said zippety-doo-daa! I can make this with a few alterations for Monday Upwas.

With a great confidence, I woke up today to make potato rosti the upwas way. Not only did I not get the shredded potato look, the rosti kept falling apart! I guess that must be in part because the potatoes were overcooked and I grated them too fine. But the taste was good. I would definitely try making it again on a good day.

Psst... I went to Vasai yesterday, and at my humble demand my mother brought me some great 'Chicken Bhujing' the Vasai-Virar specialty. I was craving this preparation for a long time now, and since yesterday I feel soul satisfied. She had also made some mango custard with cream for dessert. My dietician had advised me to stay off mangoes, but come on man! This is the only time we get mangoes! It's not as if I am going to eat them everyday for the whole year! So please... I cut myself a break yesterday and gorged on the superb meal that my mom cooked for me. A big hug and a big thank you to Mom!


Ingredients

• 4 potatoes 
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp cashew nuts, broken
• 1 tbsp raisins 
• salt to taste
• oodles of desi ghee (clarified butter)

Place the potatoes in a pan and cover them with cold water. Bring to a boil on high heat. Now lower the heat and let the potatoes cook uncovered for ten minutes. (Only ten minutes, not more.)

Let them cool. Once cool, peel the potatoes and grate them. To this add the rest of the ingredients and 1 tsp desi ghee. Mix very carefully so as to not disturb the shreds of potatoes.

Heat a saucepan and pour one teaspoon of ghee on it. Now carefully place the potato mixture on the saucepan in the shape of a pancake. Cook on low heat for ten minutes. Now flip the pancake over and let the other side cook for ten minutes too. Both the sides should turn crispy.

Remove in a plate and cut it into wedges and serve with cold yoghurt. Yumm!!!

Happy Cooking!