From the streets of New York

Chocolate dipped bananas, strawberries and marshmellows...

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Rajashtan on a platter

"kesariya balam, aao ni padharo mhare des..."

My bestest friend S hails from Rajashtan :). She is a marawari jain and though her family has been residing in Mumbai for the past many years, her love for "Marwar" is more than intact. Nobody can miss the passion and excitement with which she talks about everything that is Rajasthan - colorful turbans and the kalidar ghagras in bandhani and leheriya prints, traditional silver jewellery, the havelis of jodhpur, pretty princesses and the valor of rajputana....so exotic!

I did get a taste of this exotic land and its myriad cuisine during my college study tour. Its been more than 8 years, yet it all seems so fresh in my mind. Dal Bati dinner in the middle of the desert, lunch thalis with 5-6 varieties of vegetables, moong wadas and delicious thick rabdis for breakfast ...mmmmm I loved it all. And the two things which always made Rajasthani food experience extra special : Lots of Ghee and manuhar or manvar. :)

So here I present my entry fro RCI Rajasthan- A simple platter consisting of two Rajasthani Jain favorites - Panchmela Dal and Sev Tamatar ki Tari.

Panchmela Dal, Basmati Rice,Sev Tamatar ki Tari, Mirchi Pickle and Papad

Panchmela Dal

1/3 cup Toovar dal
1/3 cup Chana dal
1/3 cup Split Moong dal (green)
1/3 cup Split Urad dal with chilka
1/3 cup Whole Moong dal
Chilly powder
Turmeric powder (haldi)
Dhania jeera powder
Garam masala
3 cloves
2 bay leaves
Cumin seeds
Amchur powder
Tamarind pulp
A pinch of asafetida (hing)
Salt
2 green chilies slit
Ghee

1.) Wash the dals and pressure cook them in 4 cups of water till completely cooked

2.) In a bowl combine the chilly powder, haldi, dhania jeera and garam masala and some water to make a paste

3.) Heat ghee in a kadhai and add jeera seeds, bay leaves, cloves. When the jeera starts to splutter add hing and cur green chilies. Now add the masala paste and fry for 1-2 minutes

4.) Add the cooked dals, amchur powder, tamarind pulp and salt and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add water as needed.

4.)Garnish with cilantro and dry red chilies. Add a drizzle of ghee before serving..

Sev Tamatar ki Tari

2-3 Tomatoes chopped
Green chilies
Jeera (cumin seeds)
Red chilly powder
Turmeric
Dhania jeera powder
Asafetida
Sev (a thicker kind)
Ghee

1.) Heat some ghee in a pan, add jeers seeds. When the jeera starts to splutter add the hing, green chilies, turmeric and red chilly powder and chopped tomatoes

2.)Once the tomatoes are semi cooked and soft add salt and dhania jeera. Mix well and cook till the tomatoes are completely cooked.

3.)Mix the sev to the curry right before serving.

This is for S and her wonderful family - thanks for everything. Love you..:D

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Simple Comforts

Dahi Bhaat

(Yogurt mixed with Rice, tempered with mustard seeds, dried red chilies, curry leaves and Urad Dal )

Serve at room temperature, topped with lots of fresh cilantro

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Kachi Dabeli

Dabheli! One of my most favorite street food. Living away from home during my student days I literally survived on Dabeli, Vada Pav, Ragda pattis and all sorts of (not so) junk food. There is a street in Nashik ( Sharanpur road ) which used to turn into an ultimate street side food bazaar after 6.00 in the evening. (Now they have stopped allowing vendors..:( ), bustling with activity with Carts selling everything from Bhurji pav to Indian Chinese and the oh so delicious Pista kulfi!

There were two carts which we frequented the most. A sandwich cart selling desi style grilled sandwich loaded with veggies (Boiled Potatoes, capsicum, cucumbers), Green chutney,cheese and topped with thin sev and cut onions. Ah! always so tasty and satisfying. The other was the Dabeli stall. Both these were owned by a group of Marwari brothers who knew us so well that many a times they allowed us to eat at their stalls on credit! An Amul Dabheli would cost 5 rupees. But whenever we had some extra money on hand, we loved indulging in the Rs. 7.5 Cheese Dabheli! And I remember always asking for more grated cheese on mine...

Those were the days..:)

So basically I had to had to make Dabeli to satisfy my street food cravings here in the US. And Here is the quick recipe I used:

Boil potatoes and mash them fine. Add Salt, red pepper ,finely cut cilantro and green chillies to the potatoes. Heat some oil in a kadhai and add the potato mixture and Kachi Dabeli masala to the potato mixture . I used "Rajesh Dabeli Masala" (available in larger Indian stores) . Set aside.

Cut Pavs (dinner rolls) in halves. On a girdle, heat some butter and heat the rolls till they turn brown on both sides. Apply Tamarind sauce (I used Maggi Tamarina) on one side of the pav. Fill in the potato mixture. Add some chopped onions, peanuts and pomegranate seeds. Top it all with a generous amount of grated cheese. Eat hot!

One bite, and everything came back to me- the glorious days of architecture school, the submission nightmares, late night movies, 2.00 AM bhurji pav, triples on Kinetic, chai ki tapri and yes! the twice a week Dabeli Dinners..

And the best part, I did not have to check my pockets to eat more than One.:)

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