Kolhapuri Missal Pav

One of my friends, Prerak Vyas, had asked me to make this recipe, a really really.... really long time ago. Ever since then, making it has always been in the back of my mind, but I never got around to bringing the it to the front. Yesterday though, something happened, and I began craving for it. Then I got enlightened, the only way you ever do anything, is if you are craving for it. That's the recipe for success!

I did make a few changes though. After all, what's the point of posting a recipe, if all you are doing is copying it from another source. First of all,I used moong sprouts and white peas instead of matki (moth beans), and secondly, I added a little sugar in the usal. It offsets the tanginess and spiciness of the missal.

Ingredients

For the usal

• 1/2 cup moong sprouts soaked overnight
• 1/2 cup white peas (safed watana) soaked overnight
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/4th tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4th tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 1/2 onion finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp sugar
• salt to taste

For the kat (Spicy curry)

• 2 onions chopped lengthwise
• 1 tomato chopped
• 1/4th cup grated fresh coconut
• 1/2 cup oil
• 3-4 peppercorns
• 3-4 cloves
• 1 small stick of cinnamon (about 3 cms)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 4 tsp red chilli powder
• 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 3 cups water
• salt to taste 

For serving

• 6 pavs
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 tomato finely chopped
• mixed farsan
• Spicy peanuts
• fresh coriander finely chopped

First make the kat. Make a paste of peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf cumin and coriander powder and ginger garlic paste. Heat the oil in a wok and add this paste. Fry well for five minutes. Now add the onions and saute for five more minutes. Add the tomatoes and coconut, red chilli powder and half a cup of water. Saute till oil leaves the mixture, then once again blend it into a smooth paste. Add the remaining water and salt to this paste. Bring it to a boil.


Now make the usal. 

 Boil the moong and peas separately. Heat oil, add the mustard seeds, hing, onions and fry till the onions brown. Now add the sprouts, turmeric powder, chilli powder, tamarind paste, salt and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil.

To serve, take a ladle of usal in a bowl, add the kat according to how spicy you like it, add the farsan, and top it off with onions, tomatoes and coriander.

Serve hot with pav or bread.

Happy cooking!

Jhatpat Pasta

I was tired of eating the regular chapati and bhaji, and didn't know what to eat that could be made in a jiffy. So I whipped up this recipe. It's not real Italian in the sense that it doesn't have a name like Alfredo, or Carbonara, or Arrabiata. It does however, have taste. Oodles of it. The best part? I made it in ten minutes flat!

Ingredients

• 100g uncooked spaghetti

• 4 tbsp tomato ketchup (forgive me Lord, for I have sinned!)
• 1/4th tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/8th tsp garam masala
• black olives

• a couple of sun-dried tomatoes
• OR veggies of your choice
• 3  cheese slices (or shredded cheese)
• coupla cloves o' garlic
• coupla sausages (chicken or pork, whichever u like)

Cook the  spaghetti according to manufacturer's instructions. Drain and keep aside. This takes about 8 minutes (the cooking I mean, not the draining!)

Fry the sausages and garlic. Chop the sausages.

Add the tomato ketchup to the spaghetti, all the spices, all the veggies, sausages and cheese.

Run in the microwave for a minute.

Yummy spaghetti ready in a jiffy!

Happy Cooking!

Spicy Potato Soup

I found this recipe on The Pioneer Woman and was intrigued. I have made many soups before, but making a soup out of the humble potato just never crossed my mind. I decided to try it, but made a few changes of my own. I didn't use the bacon, because my husband doesn't like it.

You can find the original recipe here.

Ingredients

• 2 medium potatoes finely chopped
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 10 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 2 carrots finely chopped
• 2 spring onions chopped
• 1 sprig of parsley finely chopped
• 2 tbsp plain flour (maida)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 litre chicken stock (I made mine out of maggi soup cube)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat the butter in a soup pot, and add olive oil to prevent the butter from burning. Add the garlic and saute till it turns brown, but don't burn it. You can save some for garnishing.

Add onions and saute till soft. Add the remaining veggies, salt and pepper and saute for five minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Let the veggies go soft.

Now mix the flour and milk and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, and drain out all the veggies. Remove half the vegetables and blend them to a paste. Put the vegetables and the puree back into the soup. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Garnish with cream, shredded cheese or burnt garlic.

Serve hot.

Happy Cooking!