लग्नापूर्वी कधी फारशी इंटरेस्टिंग न वाटलेली पण आता मात्र आवडीने खाल्ली जाणारी: उकडपेंडी!
उ.पे. कोणाच्या हातची खावी तर ती माझ्या आईच्या Anagha Melag च्या हातचीच. आजही मावश्या आईला आवर्जून उ.पे. ची फर्माईश करतात. मस्त खमंग भाजलेली, लसूण मिरचीची झणझणीत फोडणी दिलेली आणि वरून कच्चा कांदा व कोथिंबीर घालून सजवलेली ही उकडपेंडी म्हणजे अक्षरशः comfort food असते. पोटभरीची, तशीच पट्कन होणारी अन् पौष्टिक... मी पण करते अधूनमधून नाष्ट्यामध्ये, मात्र आईच्या हातची सर येत नाही. पण त्या वाफाळत्या उकडपेंडी मध्ये आईच्या मायेची ऊब जाणवते अन् पोट नी मन तृप्त होतात!
©Kirti Padhye
Kirti's window
Sunday, March 17, 2019
उकडपेंडी
Friday, August 25, 2017
Ganpati Bappa Moraya!
That includes Rain God too. It was raining the whole day yesterday, as if the rains were washing and cleaning everything to welcome Ganpati Bappa.
I was sitting in my balcony watching the rains and sipping tea and observing things in general, around. That's when I noticed two young girls on the road, one carrying an idol of Ganpati Bappa and the other with puja ingredients in her hand. Another woman behind them was carrying some decoration items. The glee and excitement on their face was visible even from my 3rd floor balcony.
I was just observing them when I noticed that they turned towards a construction site opposite to my house. Wondering where they were headed, I continued watching them. They headed to one of those temporary houses, made of tin sheets, that belonged to the site workers. One of the girls went inside and brought aarti thali to welcome the Lord of Wisdom in their house. I was overwhelmed at how peacefully the festivities had graced a temporary house amidst all the dhol-tasha & DJ banging for Bappa's arrival.
Maybe next year, those girls won't be here. They might be at another construction site with their families and the 'temporary houses'. But I'm sure the Lord will grace their homes with the same fervor and gaiety.
May Ganpati Bappa shower His blessings on everyone.
Ganpati Bappa Moraya!
Image source: Google
Monday, August 14, 2017
Kothimbir wadi
Yesterday I got a fresh bunch of coriander for 10 Rs and immediately decided to give it a go.
Clean a bunch of fresh and green coriander leaves. Wash well so as to remove all the dirt in it. Spread the washed leaves on a thin cotton cloth to dry.
After it dries well, chop the coriander finely. Take the chopped coriander in a bowl, add salt, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander & cumin powder, white sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon oil and a little bit of sugar. Add all the ingredients as per your taste, mix well and keep the mixture aside for 15 minutes.
Now, you will find that the mixture has become wet. We will now add besan (gram flour) to this accordingly, adding only a bit of water if needed. Roll it into a tight dough, oiling your hands.
In the pressure cooker, keep water for boiling. The water should not be less, or else the cooker bottom will burn. Take a utensil that fits in the cooker and grease it with oil. Put the coriander rolls in this utensil & put it inside the cooker. Put on the lid of the pressure cooker without the whistle and let it steam for 20 minutes.
Let the rolls cool down & then cut it into thin slices. Now deep fry or shallow fry these slices as per your liking. You can also have the steamed wadis if you are counting the calories.
Enjoy hot, crispy, fried kothimbir wadis with ketchup!
Friday, July 28, 2017
Mysore Bonda
When it's raining outside and you are sitting in the house admiring the nature, you most certainly wish to relish crispy kanda bhajji (onion pakoda) with hot tea/coffee. This is a must have menu in most households during monsoons.
But why make the same pakodas every time. Let there be variety. Of course, there are lots of varieties in those too. Like, you can use potato, cauliflower, mixed veggies instead of only onion. I tried something which does not use besan, and also no need for veggies (that means no chopping... yayyyy!).
Enjoy hot lip-smacking Mysore bondas with sauce or coconut chutney!
Monday, July 10, 2017
Chaha... Chai... Tea
Trrrringgg.....
The mobile alarm rings. I switch it off and laze around for few minutes. Then get up and pin up my hair with a clutcher, drink a glassful of water, put my feet in slippers and head straight to the fridge! No, no, I'm not that hungry... I open the fridge and take out the milk, ginger and lemon grass, put it on the kitchen counter. That's how my day begins!
As soon as I get up, the first thought is to have Tea! I cannot think of my day starting without the 'amrut-tulya' beverage. Even the WhatsApp day starts with loads of tea cups pouring in good morning messages.
So, the making of this drink is not everyone's cup of tea! It's an art. You need to put your heart and soul into making it. It needs perfectly boiled water, perfect combination of ingredients and perfect time. It shouldn't be over-boiled nor less boiled. And how do you attain this perfection? Practice! Practice and the love for tea will help you reach Nirvana!
Here's my recipe for 2 cupfuls of hot, steaming tea for a great start to your day.
Take a cup of water in a pan and keep it for boiling. Grate 2 teaspoons of ginger in that water. Cut 2 sprigs of lemon grass in small pieces and add to the boiling water. Now add sugar, as per your liking for sweetness. I have sugarless tea. As the sugar dissolves, put 2-3 tsps of tea powder and let it boil. Let it boil till the aroma engulfs you, and you start feeling the warmth of the tea inside you.
Now is the time to put in milk. Put milk only till you get the desired color of the tea. Let it simmer for 10 seconds. And voila! Your tea is ready.
Strain and pour it in cups. Enjoy this steaming cup (cup only, no mugs... Mugs are for coffee) of tea with your favorite person, in your favorite place, listening to your favorite music or reading your favorite column in newspaper!
Have a happy Tea...
Friday, June 30, 2017
Varan fal
