StepWise - Sabudana/ Sago Khichadi With My Granny’s Kokam-Dalchini Aamti / Dry Mangosteen- Cinnamon Soup| Fasting Recipe | Gluten Free

Hi All!!

The festive and the fasting days have begun, so let me start by saying ‘ A Happy Navaratri’ to all my readers. I have  explained the significance of the Navaratra and Dussehra previously here and have posted a few fasting recipes earlier, which to my delight many of you have tried, liked and appreciated.

Since the ‘Navaratri’ have begun and many people are fasting, I thought of sharing a fasting food recipe. I was amazed at myself that I had never managed to post the most commonly eaten fasting food till date here…I gently admonished myself and steered the foodie in me to cook & post it right away.

Sabudana/ Sago khichadi is loved by all my family members and I cook it quite frequently in my kitchen. As a matter of fact, I stay quite away from fasting and my family does not need any special occasion or a reason to savour this preparation.

As a child I would always prefer sabudana over mordhan/ sama rice during any fasting meal for a simple reason that the sabudana was served with the kokam-dalchini aamti and mordhan with yogurt/dahyatli amti. I would demand my mom to make the kokam-dalchini aamti for me whenever she made sabudana. I loved the combination of the fairly plain khichadi with the spicy- tangy aamti to the core and I was pleasantly surprised when my both the kids also loved it  and started demanding that I should make the aamti if I’m making the sabudana.

The kokam-dalchini amti or the Mangosteen-Cinnamon soup is a recipe that I learnt from my mother, which she had learnt from her mother, who was fondly called ‘Akka’ by all of us. It is a recipe that has come to us from my Granny’s mom’s side, passed through generations. I do not want to sound pushy but still I can’t resist myself saying, please do try it, I highly recommend this aamti/ soup to all my readers as the combination is unusual and absolutely worth a try..

Sabudana Khichadi &Kokam- Dalchini Aamti

Soaking Time: 4-5hrs | Preparation Time:15mins | Cooking Time:30mins | Serves: 4-5| Difficulty Level: Moderate

Ingredients

For Khichadi
3-1/2cups dry sago
8-10green chilies l(spicy)
250gms roasted peanut
3 small potatoes, finely sliced or boiled & cubed
1tsp sugar
salt to taste
1/2 - 3/4cup refined oil for vegan version or ghee (melted)
For Aamti (non vegan preparation)
a large fistful of roasted peanuts
1/4”piece ginger (optional)
a few strands of coriander leaves with stem
1tsp roasted cumin
1/4cup-1/2cup kokam agal or 5-6 kokam soaked in 1/2 cup warm water
1small green chili
10-12 black pepper corn
3-4 cloves
salt to taste
For tempering
2tsp ghee
1/2tsp cumin

Method for Sabudana Khichadi

Wash the sago 3-4 times with plain water to remove excess starch. Decant all the water completely and keep covered for 4-5hrs. Separate the sago with hands.

Grind the roasted peanuts. Mix it with soaked sago. Also mix in sugar and salt to taste.
  
Heat oil and splutter the cumin.

Add green chillies and sauté for few seconds, so that the flavour gets infused in the oil.
 
Tip in the sliced potatoes (I do not peel my potatoes) and also add salt to taste. Mix and cook covered.
 
Add the sago mixture and mix thoroughly. Cook covered for 5-8mins or till done.
Mix in some chopped coriander for more flavour.
Serve hot with the aamti.

Method for Aamti

 
Grind the pepper, cloves and cinnamon first. Now add the remaining ingredients other than the kokam juice and salt.
  
To the ground mix add the kokam juice, salt to taste and about 2-3cups water.
 
Bring it to a boil and simmer for 10-12mins.
 
Make the tempering with ghee and cumin seeds and pour on the aamti.
Serve hot.


Sending both the recipes to my event ‘ONLY’ Traditional Recipes Guest hosted by Jiya's Delicacy.

Tips

1. While making sabudana khichadi get hold of good quality sago else the khichadi can turn gooey.
2. Sago is very starchy so do ensure that the excess starch is washed off thoroughly and all the water is drained off too after rinsing.
3. Another way of soaking sago which I normally follow and was taught to me by my Grand Mom’s sis is as follows…Rinse the sago thoroughly 3-4 times. Pour water in it such that it has water filled up completely soaking the sago. Keep it half an hour and not more. After that place a big plate on the container containing sago and invert the container and remove all the excess water. Leave the container inverted for 4-5hrs.
More Falahari/ Fasting Recipes
1. Sweet Potato Patty
2. Akka Panji’s Thalipeeth For Fasting
3. Batyatacha Kees
4. Watermelon Rind Thalipeeth For Fasting
5. Authentic Maharashtrian Style Sabudana Vada
6. Raw Banana & Tapioca Pearls Patty

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Akka Panaji’s Thalipeeth For Fasting Version I, Step Wise/ Upavasache Thalipeeth

 

Nine days of fasting, the ‘Navaratra’ have recently got over. Many people fasted through all the nine days and a few on selected days. I wanted to post fasting recipes that time but things at home kept me away from active blogging. But this week again has few fasting days which also includes Hanuman Jayanti falling on the 25th, so thought of posting this fasting food, which I loved and now my family likes it too..

I’m posting today a recipe I grew up with, this is my great grand mother’s recipe. Whenever she used to fast, she would make thalipeeths of various kinds and we would eye her as we used to get a bite to taste. I must confess, I’ve never eaten a better thalipeeth than what she made.

 

Telling you more about her and her fond memories….She was an excellent cook but at the same time well educated too. By education, I do not mean that she went to college and all but she had the urge and desire to learn new, she was hungry for knowledge. My great grand father was a freedom fighter, while he was in Vellore Jail my great grand mother who was a follower of Vinoba Bhave would lead the rally of ‘Prabhat Pheri’ every morning.

I still remember in my childhood, during our visits to our hometown, my day would start hearing shlokas and bhajans which my great grand mother would sing early in the morning while she worked on the stone mill (jaata). She was very hard working and at the same time a strict disciplinarian. At the age of 82 too, whenever we would have guests at home, she would sit on the floor  to make ‘ghadi chi poli’ which was her specialty. Till she was alive, she had a strong influence on the kitchen and all the three generations after her were benefitted by her skill.

This thalipeeth not only makes a tasty fasting food but it is great as breakfast item, for lunch box and even for snacking.

Upavasache Thalipeeth

Soaking Time:4hrs

Preparation Time: 30mins

Cooking Time: 5mins per Thalipeeth

Makes: 8

Serves: 3-4

Difficulty Level: Moderately Easy

 

Ingredients

3medium sized potatoes boiled and peeled

2-1/2cups soaked sabudana/sago

4-5 green chilies, finely chopped

2-3tbsp sour yogurt

2tsp cumin seeds

3/4cup coarsely pounded roasted peanuts

6-7tbsp rajgira flour/ amaranth grain flour

sendha namak/ rock salt

1/2tsp sugar

2-3tbsp chopped coriander

water for mixing

ghee/oil for cooking

Method

Wash and remove all water from the Sago and let it soak for 4-5hrs. Separate the grains of sago using finger tips.

To the sago add grated, boiled potato, finely chopped green chilies, pounded peanuts, cumin seeds, sugar.

Now add the sendha namak/rock salt.

Add yogurt and chopped coriander.

Finally add the rajira flour and mix thoroughly. Use some water and bring it to a consistency that can spread easily on patting (soft dough consistency).

Smear the griddle with ghee or oil (I used ghee for an authentic taste) and then pat a large lemon size thalipeeth dough to an 8inch circle using hand, if required, wet the hand while spreading. Make a hole in the center for oil to spread evenly. Cook on medium flame covered till one side is nicely cooked and roasted. Flip to the other side, smear some more ghee and cook open till done. Cool the griddle and repeat the process for the entire dough. If one wants to cook on hot griddle continuously, one can spread the thalipeeth on a greased banana leaf and then transfer it on to the griddle. Usually one thalipeeth needs about 2tsp oil or ghee but one can make it in very low oil or oil free too, if using a non stick pan.

 

This thalipeeth has a large portion of peanuts which are leguminous plants, hence sending it to my event ‘Only’ Cooking With Legumes hosted by Nalini.

Tip:

This thalipeeth needs gentle handling especially while flipping. Flip only when one side is cooked and roasted thoroughly.

Thalipeeth tastes better if the green chilies are spicy and have good flavor.

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Sweet Potato Patty/Cutlet, For Fasting Days/ Ratalyache Cutlet..Navaratri Special

Hi all!

It is just another week to go for the festive days of Navaratri to begin. Navaratri literally means ‘nine days’; it starts immediately after the full moon of Mahalaya i.e. the 17th October. The idea behind Navratri is the time for cleansing our own evil characteristics like hatred, jealousy, ignorance, anger, greed, violence, etc. inside and outside of us. In the West India, the divine feminine is referred to as Goddess, but in the East, she is referred to as Shakti, or Power and hence celebrated as Durga Puja. She is your own consciousness as well as the Supreme Consciousness.The Nine Nights/Moon Phases of the Goddess is an important time period wherein the energy of 3 primary Shaktis of the Divine Feminine, the Supreme Goddess, is invoked.

In North India, Maharashtra and Gujarat, people observe a seven day fast during Navratri and break their fast on Ashtami (the eighth day of the festival) by worshiping young girls. However, some people observe fast until the Ashtami and break their fast only on Navami (the ninth day).The devotees, who have observed fast, would get up early in the morning, take bath and offer prayers to the deity. People follow a specific diet for Navratri, if they haven't observed a nirahar (waterless) fast. Most people nowadays perform partial fasting. They would abstain from non-vegetarian food, alcohol and those dishes that are made of common salt or any kind of spice. Singhare ka atta (kuttu ka atta) is used to prepare rotis or puris, for the fast. (ref festivals.iloveindia.com)
One may drink beverages like tea, coffee and milk, on Navratri. Dishes made of sago and potato is generally consumed by the people, when they observe fast on Navratri. Sendha namak (rock salt) is used instead of common salt, for cooking on the festival. All fruits and foodstuff made of fruits are eaten during the seven days.

I have posted most of the recipes that are  commonly made during the fasting days like the Batatyache Kees, Sabudana Vada, earlier.To increase the variety of food that can be eaten during fasting, recently I posted a very new kind of thalipeeth/Indian Pancake using watermelon rind. Today I’m posting yet another different recipe for fasting using an ingredient which is normally used for making sweet dishes.

I was skeptical during the preparatory stage but once the mix was ready and tasted, all tensions were thrown outside the window. I knew instantly it is going to be a hit dish.. There was no sweetness from the sweet potatoes, the flavors were perfectly balanced!!

Preparation Time :30mins

Cooking Time: 3-4mins per batch

Makes:14-15

Serves:3-4

Ingredients

5medium sized sweet potatoes
2-3green chilies (check on the spice level, mine were spicy)
3tbsp chopped coriander
1/2cup soaked mini sago/mini sabudana
1tsp grated ginger
1tsp cumin seeds
sendha namak to taste(salt for fasting days)
1to1-1/2tsp lemon juice
3-4tbsp roasted and ground peanuts
sago flour/ sabudana peeth, for dusting
oil/ghee for pan roasting

Method

Boil the sweet potatoes in water. Once cooked peel off the skin and grate.

To the sweet potatoes add all the remaining ingredients and mix properly.

Make small balls and then pat them to make patty.

Coat the patty on all sides with sago flour.

Pan roast the patty on medium flame using a little ghee or vegetable oil on both the side till nicely golden in color. I used ghee for roasting.

Serve with green chutney.

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Watermelon Rind Thalipeeth..a treat for fasting days

Hi.

In a traditional Maharashtrian family fasting is quite regular. fasting on Ekadashi, Chaturthi is quite common, apart from that some people do fast on Tuesdays/Mangalwar or Thursdays/Guruwar or any one day of the week. On such days they stick to fasting food i.e no grains are eaten and only satvik food is eaten like sabudana, bhagar, potatoes, sweet potatoes. Even salt used is not the common salt but sendha namak is used. In these months, many people fast for Shravan Somvaar  i.e. the Mondays of Monsoon and a few few fast on Fridays too.

Today’s recipe is for people who are fasting. During fasting the food can get very monotonous and one needs a change. This thalipeeth is definitely a change from the regular sabudana, variche tandool/mordhan, sabudana vada, batatyache kees etc. It needs very basic ingredients which are normally present in the kitchen during the fasting days. Moreover, it makes use of the part of the fruit which is normally discarded.

I have already mentioned in my post of Watermelon Rind’s Jhunka, the benefits of the rind, it’s flavor. This is yet another post which makes good use of the rind in a very tasty and healthy way. This is an effort from my side to make best out of usually considered a waste. If you have more suggestions on how to make best out waste, do pass it on to me. I’m all ears..

This preparation is not only useful during fasting days, it is a great lunch box item and can also be served for breakfast  as it is quite filling.

Watermelon Rind’s Thalipeeth

Preparation Time:20mins

Cooking Time:5mins per thalipeeth

Serves:3

Makes:7-8

 

Ingredients

1cup watermelon rind (grated)

1tsp cumin

3-4 green chilies, finely chopped

2tbsp curds

2-3tbsp coriander stems, finely chopped

1/2cup coarsely ground peanuts

3/4 cup rajgeera atta/ Amaranthus flour

3tbsp- sago flour

1/4cup Singhada atta/ water chestnut flour

1/4cup samo rice atta/ mordhan flour

salt to taste

oil/ghee for cooking

Method

Take the rind in a mixing bowl add cumin, green chilies and coriander stems.

Add salt to taste. Adding salt in the beginning, helps release water from the rind and which can be later used for binding the flours.

Add the peanuts.

Add all the flours and curds, mix to form a dough. If required add a little water for binding.

Smear oil or ghee on a non stick pan or griddle. Take a plum size dough and using wet fingers, pat it into 6-7inch disc of 1/4th inch thickness. This patting is to be done on a cold pan and not a hot pan unless you are very comfortable with hot pans. The other method to make this is to pat the thalipeeth on moist cloth or greased polythene sheet and then transfer it over the pan. I personally use very less oil for roasting (about 1tsp) but one is free to use more.

Once transferred, puncture it at three four places in the center and spread more oil/ghee. Roast it over a medium flame till you get roasting spots on either side. Preferably cover it while roasting, this fastens the process of cooking.

Serve it hot with a lemon pickle for fasting or green chutney without garlic-ginger and curds.

 

Also, reposting two of my old recipes which were made in the Royal Kitchen of Nizams, Dum Arvi and Hyderabadi Baghare Baingan for my event ‘Only’ Recipes From The Royal Kitchens, guest hosted by Divya.

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