Ashtamir Niramish Ranna!!

On Ashtami, mostly vegetarian food is consumed in most of the households, atleast one meal:-)..Niramish as we call it. Here are some of my choicest recipes for Ashtami!!

Puja Special Jhinge-Posto

Ingredients: 350gms ridgegourd, 10tblspns poppy seeds, 1tblspn roasted peanuts w/o skin, 1tblspn raisins, 1/2tblspn kalonji/kala jeera/Nigella seeds, 1/2tblspn turmeric powder, green chilli as per taste, salt and sugar as per taste, mustard oil, 1tblspn ghee, chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:
1) Cut the ridgegourd into small bite size pcs
2) Make a paste of poppy seeds, peanuts and green chilli with a little water
3) Heat oil in a pan
4) Throw in the kalonji and let it splutter
5) Now add the ridgegourd along with the turmeric powder and let it cook for a minute or so
6) Add the poppy seed paste at this stage and cook for 3-4 minutes
7) Add 1/4 cup water, raisins. Cover and cook till ridgegourd is done
8) Season with salt and sugar
9) Sprinkle with ghee, coriander leaves on top
10) Serve hot with rice

The Inevitable & Everpopular Bhaja

Ingredients: Brinjal/ Bittergourd cut into strips, 1/2cup besan/gram flour, 2tblspn poppy seeds, 1/4tblspn onion seeds/kalonji, salt and sugar as per taste, 1/4tblspn red chilli powder, 1/4tblspn turmeric powder, refined oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Cut your favourite vegetables into thin squares/rounds
2. Marinate with salt and sugar and keep aside for 10 minutes
3. Squeeze out the excess water and pat dry the vegetables
4. Make a batter with all the other ingredients
5. Dip the vegetables in this batter and deep fry

Quick N Easy Mishti  Pulao

Ingredients: 1cup scented rice, 1cup assorted choice of cubed vegetables, vegetable oil, 2 tblspns ghee for garnishing, 2 green cardamoms, salt and sugar as per taste, 2 bayleaves, 1tblspn minced ginger, handful of raisins, cashew nuts and almonds, 1 stick cinnamon, 1/4th tblspn nutmeg powder, 1/2tblspn turmeric powder

Method

1. Wash the rice in advance and let it rest in water with 1/4th tblspn salt for 1 hour
2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker
3. Throw in the bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, dry fruits and lt then fry for a minute or so till they start to turn brown
4. Add in the ginger, vegetables and turmeric
5. Saute till they start to get brown and well cooked on the surface
6. Add the rice and nutmeg powder
7. Keep frying the rice for good 7-10 minutes in low flame all the while stirring
8. Season with salt and sugar
9. Add water upto 1.5 inches above the rice level, close the lid and lower the flame
10. Normally I give 1 whistle and wait till almost the 2nd whistle is about to come.
11. The rice should not be mushy, that's the whole idea
12. Once done, remove the lid, sprinkle ghee on top and serve hot

Tomato Chutney

Ingredients: 4 ripe tomatoes chopped, 1/2 cup jaggery, 1spn oil, 1pinch fenugreek/methi seeds, 1dry red chilli, 1 pinch salt

Method:

• Heat the oil in a kadhai
• Add the fenugreek seeds. Once the seeds release their aroma, discard them with the help of a spoon or spatula
• Add the dry red chilli
• Now add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt
• Saute for 1minute before adding the jaggery
• Let it cook till the tomatoes turn completely mushy
• Now add the required amount of water, infact sort of runny

Note: There are various types of tomato chutney. This one is a sweet, runny chutney which can also be eaten with rice as a gravy.