GHAVAN - NEER DOSA - WHATEVER U SAY

In Malvani , it is called GHAVAN. Made from only rice and no fermentation required for this Dosa. It is prepared on an Cast Iron Griddle , something which can be found in every Malvani house. We have grown up consuming these dosas with a cup of hot CHAI. On festival days , it is accompanied with RAS , which makes it prefect as sweet dish also. On my recent trip to Malvan, i found out how lucky we are !!! We were visiting Tarkarli beach and in one of the nearby Hotel , 2 ghavans were sold for Rs.25/-. OMG and people were paying for it!! I think i have always understimated these pretty white beauties. Same day morning , my mom had prepared these white beauties with green mango chutney for breakfast. My husband did not count how much he ate. After looking at the price , he was little embarassed. But it actually doesn't cost that much. Here is the recipe :-

GHAVAN:-

Ingredients :-

Rice :- 1 cup (Soaked in water for 4/5 hrs)

Salt :- As per taste

Oil for applying to griddle

Recipe :-

• Grind the rice to paste with water . Add more water till you get liquid consistency. Add salt to it.
• Oil the griddle uniformely and pour the batter. Cover it and let it cook for 1 mins.
• With the help of a spatula , lift the dosa from one side till centre and fold it on the other half.
• Finally remove from the griddle and place it in dish. It taste best when served warm with chutney.

One can also serve the same with SWEET COCONUT RAS as a sweet dish.

COCONUT RAS :-

Fresh Coconut :- 1 cup

Cardamoom :- 3-4 crushed

Jaggery :- 3/4th cup

Cummins :- 1/2 teaspoon

Recipe :-

• Grind the coconut and cummins seeds.
• Add water to it and squeez the coconut milk.
• Now add jaggery and cardamom powder and mix it till jaggery melts in coconut milk. Add a bit of turmeric powder.

The Coconut Ras is ready to be served with GHAVAN.

TANDLACHE WADE - ACCOMPANIMENT TO SAGUTI (CHICKEN GRAVY)

"Chicken curry" and "Vade" is a special Malavani dish. Mostly "Vade" is a accompaniment for Chicken gravies . Every year on 7th June , if it is a day when we eat nonvegetarian food , the chicken gravies (Rassa and Sukka Chicken) are prepared to celebrate the "MIRAG". "MIRAG" is the starting of the Monsoon. It's a heaven on earth to eat the piping hot Chicken gravy and garamagaram TANDALACHE VADE. Simply mindblowing!!!!!
I ll post the Chicken Rassa recipe some other time. But here , is the recipe for Tandlache wade which is also called Kombdi Wade.
INSTRUCTIONs:-
Wash & soak the Ukada rice in water for 2-3 hrs. Then dry the rice in sun . Grind it.
RECIPE :-

• Mix the rice flour and wheat flour in 3:1 proportion.
• Add salt to eat as per taste.
• Knead it with sufficient water and oil and cover it with dampen cloth and leave it for 1 hr.
• Knead it again and divide the dough into equal sized balls.
• Apply little water to your palm and press the dough with ur right palm on the kitchen surface.
• Deep fry in hot oil.
• Garamagaram Vade are ready to savour with Chicken curry.

These Vades can also be used as accompaniment for "Kalya Watanyachi Usal"(Black Peas Curry)

Fish Fry- Its Rawa fry !!!!

A fish fry is must on plate . A fish taste best when it is fried. I personally prefer a curried fish. But my hubby likes a fried fish most. It is just like a side dish. Once I had called my office colleagues at my place for lunch.. a fishy lunch. I had prepared curry in the morning but decided to fry the fish just few mins before serving the meal. The GARAMAGARAM fried fish is always at its best when just out of TAVA ( griddle ). When i started frying the fish , the aroma just filled in my entire house.. giving quite a good competition to my colleagues patience. Biding adieu to all the so called tabel manners , they had to tell me to serve the food. Moral of the story is that a fish can be so much commanding to you. So beware !!! once you are trapped in this fishy affair , you will have to bear the consequences life long.. but it is worth it..
Ingredient :-
Fish :- 4-5 pieces (King fish/Pompfret/Backerel)
Flour( Rice/Wheat) :- 5 tsp
Rava ( Semolina) :- 2 tsp
Red chilli powder :- 1 tsp ( depending on the spicy tastebud)
Salt :- for marination
Kokum extract :- 1 tsp
Recipe :-

1. Clean the fish and marinate with salt for half an hour.
2. Mix the flour , red chilli powder and rava.
3. Clean the fish again and pour the kokum extract and mix.
4. Heat the oil in Pan for shallow frying.
5. Covered the fish with the mixture from all sides and put in pan. Fry the fish on low flame from all sides.

And Indulged yourself with it ......

Kokum extract is called "Aagul". I get a bottle of it from Malvan every now and then. Otherwise you can make a extract by mixing 7-8 kokums in half cup of water. The same is also used for preparing SOLKADHI.

Malvani Fish Curry

If you ask any of your Malvani friends - What is your staple food. The pat reply will be "mashyachi amati , bhaat ani Bhajlelo maso" . It means Fish curry, Rice and any fried fish. My hubby dear was almost a strict vegetarian before marriage ( Fish had no entry in his pantry ) . His romance with non-vegetarian food was restricted to Chicken. Poor thing me!! Before thinking about the same , I was already badly and madly in love with him, even thought of sacrificing my love for FISH. (All the fish in the sea might have rejoiced that particular day . ) But a little birdie whispered in my ear… “Just try your luck.. it might just work..” . A bit of culinary expertise in fish dishes to my credit , I just thought to give it a try. I just convinced him to have a bite at fish. He was quite skeptical . After a little bit of tu tu main main and emotional blackmailing…(We are just blessed with skill) , he was at it. First he tried only curry portion … and he liked it..( My first step towards the success). For days , he was trying only curry and somehow one fine day I got him into tasting Fish piece and he totally approved it. And that was the birth of a fishetarian !!!!!!
Today More than me , my hubby dear enjoys the fish. He knows them by their name. There are Fish , crabs, Shrimps, Prawns , Clams and what not…. Whole lot of sea varities to explore. My mother is a exceptional cook specifically sea food. My husband just relish her cooking . I just wish I ever could prepare fish like her… Her Fish curry is just the prefect… A perfect taste , A perfect Color …It just a Perfect fishy affair….
Ingredients :-
½ Kg Fish ( Pomfret, King Fish )
12-15 Whole Red Chilllies
1 Tsp Coriander Seeds
1 Cup Grated Coconut
1 Onion
½ Tsp Turmeric Powder
6-7 Kokum
Salt to taste

Recipe :-
First Clean and cut the fish into desired shape.

Marinate the pieces with salt for ½ an hour.
Soak the red chillies and coriander seeds for ½ an hour in water.
Grind the same with little water at the beginning. Add water as required .Grind to smooth paste. Add coconut ,turmeric powder and half onion into and grind further . Add water as required and grind to smooth paste.
Heat oil in a wok and add finely chopped half oinon. Saute till translucent. Add the grind masala . Add water as required . Add kokum and salt . Let it simmer in low flame.
Then add the fish pieces. Check for salt. If you want more tangy taste , add 3-4 more kokum. Let it simmer on low flame. Check for fish . Once the Fish is cooked properly , your Malvani Fish Curry is ready to devoured .

Fish Curry taste best when it is spicy and tangy . But those who are with not so spicey tastebuds can reduce the amount of chillies in gravy.I use Byadgi Mirchi. It gives the perfect colour and spicy kick....