Zhanzhanit Thecha

Thecha is a maharashtrian dish - a spicy chutney with the main ingredients being chillies and garlic. It is traditionally made in a mortar-pestle(chakki). Thecha is called so due to its process of preparation. The deep roasted chillies and garlic are pounded (called "thechana" in marathi) along with other ingredients to make this chutney.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 kg Red Chillies (not the dried ones)
• Oil
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1/2 cup Lemon Juice (not mixed with water)
• Methi seeds(1/2 tspn) & Asafoetida(Hinga) OR Garlic (these are for fragnance, use one of the two)
• Jaggery (guda)

Preparation:

1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add the chillies & fry them for some time.
3. Take them out and then add (Methi & Hinga) or garlic to the remaining oil & het it till u get a good fragnance.
4. Add this the the chillies, along with Salt, jaggery & Lemon juice.and grind it in a mixie.

PS:

• You can use either Methi seeds & Asafoetida(Hinga) OR Garlic
• Tamarind can be used instead of Lemon Juice.
• Jaggery is added to reduce a bit of spiciness, some people add peanuts instead.
• Don't add even a drop of WATER, to preserve it for a long time.
• Remove the stems from the chillies before you use.
• It usually tastes better when you use chakki for grinding instead of Mixie.

Basundi

Ingredients:

full fat milk: 1 litre

sugar : 1/2 cup

cardamom: 3 pods

almonds: 5 (blanched)

Cashews: 5

pistachios: 3 (skinned)

saffron

Method:

1) Crush coarsely, the almonds, cashews and pistachios.

2) Peel and powder cardamom seeds.

3) Soak saffron in 2 tsp. hot milk, keep aside.

4) Run saffron with base of a mallet, in cup, till dissolved in milk.

5) Add to chopped dryfruit.

6) Put milk to boil in a large deep pan, stirring occasionally.

7) When it starts boiling, reduce heat and boil.

8) Stir frequently, till milk is 2/3 in volume.

9) Add all other ingredients to boiling milk.

10) Boil further for 3-4 minutes.

11) Take off the gas and cool a little.

12) Allow to cool completely, chill in refrigerator for 4-5 hours.

Serve chilled in individual cups & enjoy....... :)

Phodi

1) Make Slices of vegetables like potato,brinjal,radish,raw banana 

2) Make a Paste of red chilliy powder ,turmeric, salt,garlic ,ginger paste & turmeric extract.

3) Apply salt and keep it aside till it leaves lot of water.

4) Drain the water and apply this paste to slices and roll it in suji rava (optional). This is done get the crispiness.

5) Now shallow fry them on pan. Apply oil on the ridges of the slices so that they get boiled faster,