गणपती बाप्पाच्या स्वागतासाठी सगळे उत्सुक आहेत...तेव्हा त्यांना सगळ्यात प्रिय (आणि मला सुद्द्धा ) असलेले उकडीचे मोदक कसे करतात ते आपण बघूया...साधारणतः प्रत्येक घराची हे मोदक करायची एक विशिष्ठ पद्धत असते...आणि प्रत्येक घरातली "आई" हि मास्तर शेफ असते...तरीही माझ्यासारखे "शिकाऊ" उमेदवार कोणी असतील तर त्याच्यासाठी ही रेसिपी :

साहित्य : एक वाटी स्वच्छ तांदूळ धुऊन, सावलीत वाळवून, दळून चाळलेली पिठी, एक वाटी (साखर + गूळ), एक नारळ, चार चमचे तूप, वेलची पूड, तेल, आवडत असल्यास भाजून कुटलेली अर्धी वाटी खसखस पूड.

सारण: खोवलेल्या नारळाच्या चवात साखर आणि गूळ घालून मंद आचेवर शिजत ठेवावे.

Ingredients: 1-1.5 bowls of grated fresh coconut, 2 bowls of basamati or any aromatic rice (cooked), sugar in equal amount to coconut, green elaichi (cardamom), lavang (clove)- 4-5, kesar (safron), kaju (cashew nuts), kishmish (raisins), half bowl milk (add kesar, kaju and kishmish for 10-15 minutes at least)

Procedure: Cook the entire rice by putting some ghee in it. This disallows cake formation in rice. Take a thick bottomed vessel. Add ghee and put elaichi and clove in it. Then add grated coconut and sugar and stir it until the sugar is melted.

Ingredients

• Chicken - 1 kg
• Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Chilly powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Pepper - 1/2 tsp
• Cinnamon - 1" piece
• Cardamon - 4 nos
• Cloves - 8 nos
• Saunf - 1/8 tsp
• Onion (finely sliced)-1/2
• Garlic - 1 tbsp
• Ginger(finely chopped) - 1/2 tbsp
• Salt - As reqd
• Vinegar - As reqd
• Curry leaves - A few
• Yogurt - 1/4 cup
• Oil - 3tbsp
• Ginger-Garlic paste - 1tbsp
• Shredded coconut (Wet) - 4 tbsp

Seasoning:

• Oil - 3 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 2 tbsp
• Onion (sliced as thin and long pieces along the y-axis) -

Ingredients

• Fish (Halibut) 1 lb
• Turmeric powder: 1/3 tsp
• Red chilly powder: 1 tsp
• Salt
• Garlic paste: 1 tsp
• Tamarind pulp: 1 tsp
• Fresh coconut paste or coconut milk: 2 tbs
• Oil
• Garlic pod-3-4 cloves crushed

Procedure

1. Cut hallibut into 2"x2" pieces.
2. Marinate the pieces with turmeric, chilly, salt, garlic and tamarind for 1 hr.
3. Heat oil in a pan.
4. Add crushed garlic cloves, and a pinch of asafoetida.
5. Add fish, water, coconut paste.
6. Stir lightly, taking care not to break delicate fish pieces.
7. Boil for 3-4 min. 8.

Ingredients

Masala

• Cloves - 5
• Cinnamon - 2 sticks
• Saunf - 3 tsp
• Cardamon - 3
• Fresh sliced Ginger or Ginger paste - 2 tsp
• Garlic cloves - 2 or Garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Coconut (wet and shredded) - 5 tbsp
• Green chilli - 3 (according to the spice level you desire)
• Onion (finely cut into small pieces) - 1/2

Veggies

• Onion (finely cut into small pieces) - 1
• Cauliflower - 1 1/2 cup
• Potato (cut into small cubes) - 2
• Carrot (diced) - 1 cup
• Green peas - 1 cup
• Beans - 1 cup
• Curry leaves - 4
• Mustard seeds - 1tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Ingredients

• 1 bowl of medium size prawns
• Haldi
• Chilly powder + chilly flakes
• Salt
• Pinch of tamarind
• Besan atta
• Garlic - Ginger paste
• Oil
• Asafoetida

Procedure

1. Clean prawns.
2. Marinate it with Salt, Asafoetida (Hinga), Ginger-garlic paste, Haldi, Chilly flakes, Chilly powder, Tamarind paste and leave it aside for half hour.
3. Add little amount of oil in pan and cook the marinated stuff. Cool it.
4. Take besan atta add a pinch of Soda (Optional), dash of Haldi, Salt.
5. Mix it with water and prepare a semi thick paste. 6.

Ingredients

• ½ kg boneless chicken - diced
• 50g thick yoghurt
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 ½ tbsp oil
• 2 medium onions - diced
• ¼ tsp coriander powder, ¼ tsp cumin powder
• ¼ tsp chilli powder
• salt, pepper to taste
• 4 tomatoes - peeled, seeded, chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander

Procedure

1. Marinate chicken in thick yoghurt, chilli powder, garam masala, half of the ginger and half of the garlic.
2. Set aside for 1 hour.
3. Heat the oil. 4.

Chicken lollipops belong to the fare known as Indian-Chinese. The taste is unmistakably Chinese, but the preparation and handling are very close to Indian cuisine. This dish can be found at all Indian-Chinese restaurants worth their salt, and you can often judge the quality of the kitchen by this dish. Kids and adults favor this delicacy alike: kids especially like the convenient way of eating it -- meat with a handle.

Makes 4 Rolls.

Ingredients

• 4 pieces Udad Papads
• 1 bowl Grated Cheese
• 2-3 boiled and mashed potatoes
• 2-3 Finely chopped Green chillies
• A pinch of Sugar
• 2 tsp Finely chopped coriander
• 1 tsp Cumin powder
• 1 pinch Chat masala
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

Procedure

1. Take one papad at a time and brush it with little water just enough to make it soft so that it could be moulded.
2. Mix all the above ingredients.
3. Take the mixture and fill the soft papad with this mixture.
4. Roll the papad and stick the open sides of papad with water. 5.

All right, so I decided to post my first recipe. Hmm, lets see, I hope you folks like it. Baingan Bharta, the way my mom cooks it.

Ingredients

• 1 Baingan (Big Size)
• 4-5 Chillies
• 1 Onion
• 3 tbsp Oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp Jeera (Cumin)
• 3-4 Heaped Table Spoons Curd (Plain Yogurt)
• Coriander/ Cilantro

Procedure

1. I am assuming that you are stuck in the United States of America and do not have a Gas Stove. Pre-heat oven to 400 F.
2. Place baingan on centre rack with a tray to collect drippings in the bottom rack of oven. Cook for one hour and fifteen minutes.