Narali Bhat

Narali Bhat (Sweet Coconut Rice)

Cooking time (approx.): 45 minutes
Style: Maharashtrian Vegetarian
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 300 grams Sugar
• 2 tablespoons Oil
• 200 grams Rice
• 200 grams Grated coconut
• 10-12 Raisins
• 2 teaspoons Cardamom powder
• 5 strands Saffron
• 4 Almonds/Cashew Nuts
• 1 pinch Salt
• 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
• 4 teaspoons Ghee
• 7 Cloves

Method:

• Wash the rice thoroughly. Drain in a colander for at least 2 hours. Soak the saffron in 1 tbsp warm milk.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add 1 cup of water and cook the rice till the grains are separate and tender but not over cooked.
• Add the sugar and coconut while the rice is still hot. Cook over a low flame, stirring occasionally but and gently.
• When the rice starts to boil, reduce the heat to minimum and stir in the lime juice. Cover the pan and let the rice steam for 4-5 minutes.
• Take off fire and mix in the cardamom powder, saffron and 3-4 teaspoons of ghee.
• Serve hot or chilled, garnished with raisins and slivers of almonds.

Chicken Malvani Masala and Vade

Chicken Malvani Masala and Vade (Kombadi Vade)

Cooking time (approx.): 2 and half hours
Style: Malvani (Maharashtrian) Non-Vegetarian
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• Chicken - 1 kg
• Coconut - 2 Nos
• Green Chillies - 15 Nos
• Garlic 20 flakes
• Ginger 20 grams
• Garam masala - 2 tsps
• Chillie powder - 1/2 tsps
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsps
• Coriander leaves - a few strings
• Onions (chopped) - 4 Nos

For Vade:

• Rice flour - 200 gms
• Urad Dal - 50 gms
• Chana Dal - 20 gms
• jowari - 20 Nos
• Methi Seeds - 5 gms
• Refined oil for frying

Method:

1. Add grated coconut to a little oil and saute.
2. Then, grind it to a paste with 2 onions.
3. Make a paste by grinding 4 chillies, ginger, garlic, and marinate the chicken.
4. Heat oil, add to chopped onions and saute. Add the other masalas and cook.
5. Add the chicken pieces and cook.
6. Finally add coconut paste with water and cook until done. Garnish with coriander leaves

For Vade:
1. Make a dough of all the ingredients using very little oil and salt.
2. Roll out flat roundels (like a puri) and deep fry it, to get fluffy vades.

Malavni Mutton Curry

Malavni Mutton Curry (Mutton Rassa)

Really spicy but lovely dish to be eaten with chapatis or vadas.

Cooking time (approx.): 2 hours
Style: Malvani (Maharashtrian) Non-Vegetarian
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg mutton, cleaned and cubed
• 4 potatoes, peeled and cut into halves
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 8 cloves
• 6 red chillies
• 1/2 coconut grated
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 cup coriander leaves
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon anise seed
• salt to taste

Method:

• Marinate the mutton in the salt, turmeric, and the ginger-garlic paste for an hour.
• Roast the cloves, peppercorns, poppy seeds, coriander seeds, aniseeds and red chillies in a little oil till brown and fragrant.
• Add onions and stir till they are golden brown.
• Add coconut and tomatoes and stir well.
• Cool Grind to a paste.
• Heat remaining oil in a pressure cooker and add meat and potatoes.
• Stir fry till brown.
• Add the ground masala paste.
• Add water and cook for 1 whistle and simmer for 7 minutes or till meat is soft.
• Release pressure and serve hot garnishing with Coriander leaves.

Malvani Chicken Curry

Malvani Chicken Curry (Malvani Kombdi Masala)

Chicken (called kombdi in the Malvan region of Western India) cooked with roasted coconut and spices. A big hit with spicy food lovers.

Cooking time (approx.): 1 Hour
Style: Malvani (Maharashtrian) Non-Vegetarian
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 8 medium sized pieces (about 800 grams) of chicken
• 1 coconut(s) grated
• 4 onions chopped
• 1 teaspoon(s) red chilli powder
• ½ teaspoon(s) turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoon(s) hot spice mix (garam masala) powder
• 8 green chillies chopped
• 2 tablespoon(s) each of ginger and garlic pastes
• 2 tablespoon(s) oil
• salt to taste
• finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

• Grind half of the green chillies to a paste and mix it well with the ginger and garlic pastes. Make cuts on the chicken pieces, rub this mixture on to them well and marinate for about an hour at least.
  Roast coconut shavings in a little hot oil till light brown. Cool and grind along with half the onions to a paste.
• Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and saute the onions on medium level for about 2 minute(s) or till they are light brown in color.
• Add the remaining chopped green chillies, spice powders and fry for a few seconds. Add the marinated chicken pieces and fry on medium level for about 3 minutes or till they are lightly browned.
• Add the paste, salt and mix well. Add water according to the desired level of consistency and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low level for about 25 minute(s) or till the chicken pieces are tender and fully cooked.
• Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

TIP:

If it is difficult to obtain fresh coconut, it can be replaced by desiccated coconut shavings. For this recipe, there is no need to soak it in warm water. Roast it directly.

Serve hot withwhite rice or Indian bread (Roti/Vade).