Aamras Poori

While the mango season is still on, I guess the timing is just apt for posting this famous Maharashtrian dish, ‘Aamras Poori”. The most obvious combinations all along (at least the ones that I know of) have been ‘poori with aloo bhaji’, ‘poori with channa masala’ or ‘poori sagu’ but poori with Aam (mango) ras(juice/ syrup)…this sounded and is truly a tantalizing combination. 

My hubby (with his ever-growing Mumbai loyalty) talked so much about this dish that I thought I should give it a try…the drive was, even if I can’t have this dish with pooris, I could always have it for dessert:) . It is in fact very simple (all you need is a few ripe mangoes and the rest you’ll find at home). To my surprise and a pleasant one at that, I instantly fell in love with the combination…and the hangover continues :) …so here’s sharing the hangover with you…!

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes (actually, blending time)
Serves: 5-6

You need: 

3 big ripe mangoes
1/3 cup cold milk
¼ cup sugar (depending on how sweet or sour the mangoes are)
3-4 green cardamoms

To garnish:
A few strands of saffron (optional)

Step-by-step:
Wash, clean and cut the Mango into pieces and set it aside (size doesn’t matter as you are going to blend them) 

Squeeze out all the remaining pulp / juice from around the seed (don’t waste any bit of the juice) 

Grind the mango pieces, sugar, cardamoms and milk in the mixer/blender to a thick consistency and transfer the contents (now called aamras!) to a serving bowl 

Garnish with a few strands of saffron

Serve with pooris or relish the ‘aamras’ as a dessert! 

Sending this recipe to “food for little champs" hosted by Indu get cooking (Indu Mathew) 
Yours tastefully!

Sabudana Khichdi

I tasted “Sabudana Khichdi’ for the first time at my aunt’s place almost a decade back. And this was the first time I was introduced to this divine dish! I instantly learnt how to make it. It was easier ‘cos I watched her through the entire process (didn’t take long) It’s a Maharashtrian breakfast which is very tasty and extremely filling. In fact, Maharashtrians have sabudana khichdi, milk and fruits on their days of fasting. (What an awesome way to fast! It’s got most of my favourite ingredients like potatoes, peanuts, and coconut) It’s a very tricky dish ‘cos if it comes out well, it tastes heavenly or it can get soggy and sticky (first timers be a little careful!) 

Preparation time: 20 minutes plus time to soak sabudana
Cooking time: 15minutes
Serves: 3-4

You need: 

2 cups sabudana
½ tsp sugar
salt to taste
3 potatoes (peeled and cubed)
½ cup peanuts
few coriander leaves
1 tbsp grated coconut
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
2 green chillies (chopped fine)
juice of half a lemon
2tsp ghee

Step-by-step:

Wash sabudana thoroughly (till all the fine powders are removed) Leave very little water in the bowl so that the sabudana can soak it up and become soft (do not leave excess water or the sabudana pearls will stick to each other) Leave it overnight (or for 8 hours) 

First thing in the morning, run to check your sabudana (am sure it’s looking perfect!) just give it a toss, add a little salt and sugar

Take a pan and roast half a cup of peanuts (the more the yummier!) When they turn dark brown, take it out from the fire and spread them on to a plate. Once cool, peel them (keep some aside for garnishing) coarsely grind the rest (just one rotation in the mixer’s fine or you’ll powder them) 

Simultaneously, put the potatoes in the microwave (of course in a microwave safe bowl) on high, for just 5 minutes 

Chop coriander; toss it along with the peanuts and grated coconut into the sabudana 

Take the same pan (in which you roasted peanuts) heat 2tbsp oil (keep the flame low) wait for the oil to heat up, then add the cumin (Warning:turn on your chimney, you’ll know why!) once the jeera starts changing colour throw in the green chilles and give it a stir. Now drain and add the partly cooked potatoes

Sprinkle a little salt on top of the potatoes 

Let it fry for a couple of minutes. Add this into the sabudana and give it a mix

Squeeze the juice of half a lemon and mix again 

Transfer into a microwave safe bowl and let it cook for 4 minutes. Pull it out and give it another mix (so it’s evenly cooked) and put it back into the microwave for another 4 minutes. (the sago would have turned translucent from white, which is when you know it's done) 

Let it remain in the microwave for 2minutes 

Take it out, pour the ghee on top and decorate it with a couple of lemon wedges, roasted peanuts and a few coriander leaves 

Serve steaming hot sabudana khichdi for a delicious day!!!

Tips:

• ALWAYS, savour steaming sabudana khichdi ‘cos cold sabudana tastes horrible (don’t even try it!) 
• NEVER cover the bowl during the cooking process since you might end up with a rubbery khichdi 
• DO NOT add or sprinkle water in this dish at any time 
• GO ON and blindly follow this recipe to make sumptuous sabudana khichdi 

Yours tastefully!!

Sending this to Srivalli's Breakfast Mela.