This year, thanks to the pandemic, Gudi Padwa celebrations may be low key. But that doesn't mean you can't celebrate with delicious food.
Two savoury recipes from Maharaj Jodharam Choudhary, of the Khandani Rajdhani restaurant group, to ring in the Maharashtrian New Year.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Khandani Rajdhani
Farali Pattice
Servings: 4-5
Ingredients
- 3-4 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed
- ¼ cup grated fresh coconut
- 1 tbsp chopped cashews
- 1 tbsp crushed roasted peanuts
- 3-4 raisins
- Sendha namak or rock salt to taste
- ¼ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp ginger-green chilly paste
- A handful of fresh dhania or coriander or cilantro, chopped
- 1 tbsp of arrowroot powder + extra for the coating
- Oil for greasing and deep frying
- Green chutney or sweet curd for serving
Method
- In a large bowl, combine the coconut, cashews, peanuts and raisins.
Add the sugar, lemon juice, ginger-green chilly paste and the chopped coriander.
Mix and keep aside. - In another bowl, combine the potatoes, arrowroot and rock salt.
Use your hands to knead the potato mix so it combines well. - Grease your palms with a little oil.
Sprinkle some arrowroot powder evenly on a plate.
Divide the potato mixture into 5-6 equal portions.
Roll the portions, with your hands, to make long rectangular rolls.
Flatten the rolls and spread a portion of the stuffing in each.
Bring the edges together and roll it again so that the stuffing is properly sealed within the potato mixture and it's a tube (please see the picture above)
Coat the pattice with more arrowroot powder. - Heat sufficient oil in a heavy-bottomed non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
Fry the pattice, three or four at a time, till golden and crisp. Keep flipping them so that all sides are evenly fried.
Once done, drain the pattice from the pan onto a plate lined with tissue or a paper towel.
Serve hot with green chutney or sweet curd.
Mirchi Vada
Servings: 8-9
Ingredients
- 8-9 large green chillies, called Bhavnagri chillies
- Oil for frying
For the batter
- 1 cup besan or gram flour
- 1 tsp haldi or turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- Water as required
For the filling
- 3 large potatoes
- 1 tsp red chilly powder
- Handful of fresh dhania or coriander leaves or cilantro, finely chopped
- Salt to taste + 1 tsp for boiling the potatoes
To serve
- Imli or tamarind chutney
Method
- Slit the green chillies in half, remove the seeds and keep aside.
- Fill a deep saucepan or pot with water and place over high heat.
Add a tsp of salt.
Add the whole potatoes. No need to peel the potatoes. But give a few slits to the potatoes so that it becomes easy to peel later.
When the water starts to boil, reduce the heat and let the potatoes cook in the boiling water for 20 minutes or so.
Insert a knife to check if the potatoes are cooked. If the knife passes through the potatoes easily, then they are done.
Take off heat, drain the water, peel the potatoes and mash them well.
Add the red chilly powder and the coriander leaves.
Using your hands, knead the potato mixture well. Keep aside. - In another bowl, combine the besan with the turmeric powder and salt.
Add some water and stir. Keep adding water, until it's a thick slurry. Make sure you don't add too much water or else the consistency will be too thin. Keep aside. - Heat enough oil for frying the chilles in a kadhai or wok or deep frying pan over high heat.
Fill the slit chillies with the potato mix. - Dip the stuffed chillies into the besan batter till it is completely covered with the besan slurry.
- Deep fry the stuffed chillies. Don't overcrowd the kadhai and fry a few chllies at a time till golden brown.
Drain and transfer to a plate lined with tissue paper or a paper towel. - Serve hot with sweet imli chutney.
