Pithla - Spicy Gram Flour Curry

When it comes to Maharastrian comfort food nothing beats garam-garam Pithla-Bhat with a dollop of lemon pickle. Pithla is an Maharastrian besan curry made in every household. There are numrous ways in which this spicy besan curry is prepared. Earlier I posted a pithla recipe with included onions with red chilly powder. 

The recipe which I am sharing today can be also enjoyed by those who do not eat onions & garlic. Very simple recipe with very less ingredients and can be made in jiffy.

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

• 2 cups Besan (Gram Flour)

• 1 Big Tomato (cut into 4 parts)

• 4-5nos. Green Chilles 

• 4-5nos. Curry Leaves

• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds

• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds (Jeera) Optional

• 1/4th tsp Turmeric Powder

• 1/4th tsp Hing (Asafoetida)

• 1/4th cup Coriander Leaves

• Salt to taste

• 1 tbsp Oil

• 1 1/2 cups Water to make batter

Method:

• In a mixing bowl add 1 1/2 cups of water and add besan. Mix besan well into water and see to it that the batter is lump free.

• In a kadhai add oil and mustard seeds. When mustard seeds begins to crackle add cumin seeds, hing, turmeric powder, curry leaves, green chilles and tomatoes. Saute tomatoes for 30 seconds. Be careful as the green chilles splutter a lot.

• Now add the besan paste and salt. Add water as per your requirement for the gravy. Normally this pithla consistency is quite thin. But you can adjust according to you preference.

• Keep on stirring continuously as due to besan this mixture do stick at the bottom.

• Check for seasoning. Add finely chopped cilantro and let this pithla cook on a high flame till raw smell of besan fades away and mixture becomes glossy.

• Pithla is ready. 

• Serve this pithla with garma-garam rice or bhakri.

Lal Math Amti / Red Amaranth Curry

A very healthy and nutritious leafy vegetable cooked with turdal and spices.

Ingredients (serves approx 4)

• 1 Bunch Lal Math leaves washed and finely chopped

• 1 cup Tur dal (split pigeon peas) boiled & mashed

• 1 tbsp Oil

• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds

• 1/4th tsp Hing

• 1/4th tsp Turmeric Powder

• 2 tsp Chilli Powder

• 2 Dry Red Chilles

• 5-7 Garlic cloves medium chopped 

• 3-4 Kokum

• 1 tbsp Gul (Jaggery)

• 1 tbsp Coriander Powder

• 1 tbsp Kasuri Methi Powder

• Salt to taste

Method:

• In a sauce pan add oil, hing, dry red chillies and chopped garlic cloves. Saute till raw smell of garlic fades off.

• Now add chopped lal math leaves and little water. Cook till leaves are tender.

• Once the lal math leaves are cooked add red chilly powder, turmeric powder and cooked tur dal. Add water as per requirement for the gravy.

• Now add kokam, gul, coriander powder, kasuri methi powder and salt. Check for seasoning.

• Let the amti/dal come to boil for 7-8 minutes.

• Lal Math Amti is ready.

• Serve this lal math amti with bhakri and rice.

Ambadi Chi Patal Bhaji (Sorrel leaves Curry)

Ambadi is one of the nutritious leafy vegetable prepared to a curry /patal bhaji and served with bhakri or rice. It has a distinctive sour taste which makes this vegetable more tangy to our taste buds. The addition of garlic adds incredible flavour to this dish. This is how Ambadi chi patal bhaji(Stew) is prepared at my home.

Ingredients: Serves 4

• 1 Bunch of Ambadi leaves

• 3 tbsp Besan (Cheakpea flour)

• 2 tsp Red chilly powder

• 10-15 Garlic cloves

• 2 tbsp Gul (Jaggery)

• 2 tbsp oil

• 1 tsp Mustard seeds

• 1/4th tsp Hing(Asafoetida)

• 1/4th tsp Turmeric powder

• Salt to taste

For Tempering:

• 2 tbsp oil

• 7-8 Garlic cloves

Method:

• First start with making garlic tempering(Fodni). Take a small kadhai and add oil, when oil is hot add 7-8 garlic cloves and let them cook in oil till light golden brown. Do not over cook. Keep this tempering aside as it will be used for garnishing the patal bhaji.

Actual Patal Bhaji preparation:

• Wash and chop the ambadi leaves and pressure cook until 4 whistles. When the pressure cooker cools off take out ambadi leaves and drain all the water from the leaves (Use this water for adjusting the consistency of the patal bhaji).

• Mash the ambadi leaves roughly with the help of masher. Add besan and mix well. Add 2 cups of water to this mixture. Make sure no lumps are formed. 

• Add red chilly powder, salt, garlic cloves and gul. Now on medium flame cook this besan ambadi mixture. Adjust the  consistency of the patal bhaji(stew) as per your preference.

• In a small kadhai, add 2 tbsp oil. When oil is hot add mustard seeds, hing and turmeric powder. Pour this tempering onto the stew. Mix well and let the stew comes to boil. Cook on medium flame till raw flavour of besan fades away. It should take around 7-8 minutes.(If you want to can dry roast the besan ahead of mixing it with the ambadi leaves).

• While serving garnish this patal bhaji(stew) with the garlic tempering and enjoy with bhakri & rice.

Lasnachi Amti - Garlic Dal

A very simple, nutritious and flavourful dal.

Ingredients: (Serves 2) 

• 2 cups Turdal (Pigeon Pea)

• 2 tbsp Oil or Ghee

• 1 tsp Cumin seeds

• 1/4th tsp Hing(Asafoetida)

• 1/4th tsp Turmeric powder

• 4-6nos. Curry leaves

• 2 tsp Red chilly powder

• 1 Whole green chilly (Optional)

• 7-8nos. Garlic cloves (thinly sliced)

• 2 tsp Garam masala powder

• Lemon Juice of 1/2 lemon

• Salt to taste

Method:

• Pressure cook the turdal to a thick consistency. When cooked mash with the help of a masher and keep aside. 

• In a saucepan, heat oil/ghee and add cumin seeds.Once cumin seeds crackle add hing (asafoetida), curry leaves, red chilly powder & turmeric powder. For extra spice you can add slit whole green chilly.

• Now to this tempering add thinly slit garlic flakes. Do not brown the garlic flakes, saute until the edges of garlic flakes turns slightly golden in colour.

• Add the cooked turdal and mix well. Add water to adjust the consistency of the amti/dal  as per your preference. Now add salt & garam masala powder and simmer the amti/dal on medium flame for 5-7 minutes till it comes to a boil.

• Turn off the flame and squeeze lemon juice over the amti/dal.

• Lasnachi Amti/Garlic dal is ready. Serve with roti or rice.

Note: Incase you don't have turdal(Pigeon Pea) you can use moong dal(yellow split lentils).