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10 days of Ganesh Utsav are now over. In the state of Maharashtra, where I am from, it is the most popular festival and the celebrations are indeed grandiose! The highlight of the festivities is, without a doubt, Ganpati Bappa’s favorite – steamed modak! Everyone simply loves this Maharashtrian delicacy that’s made with the soft, white steamed outer covering and the delicately spiced jaggery and coconut filling inside! While I ate yummy mom-made modak, some of my friends dared to make their own, like my friend, Soni. Her perfectly shaped decadent modak look so tempting!
During the Ganesh festival, other than the “modak“, there are a few other Maharashtrian sweet dishes like Sheera (Cardamom-saffron Semolina with Almonds), Shrikhand (Cardamom-Saffron spiced Yogurt) and Basundi (Creamy Milk Pudding) that I made and offered to Ganpati Bappa.
Now, you don’t have to wait for Ganesh festival to come back next year! Give these recipes a try the next time you are in the mood for something sweet!
The recipes that I am sharing today reflect the characteristic “Brahmin” cooking style from my native state in India – Maharashtra. The traditional cooking emphasizes on creating uncomplicated dishes in which the veggies or legumes are delicately spiced and cooked by using simple methods like sautéing or braising. I believe it is these culinary techniques that preserve the true flavor of the food and give this cuisine it’s intricate flavors, intoxicating aromas and succulent textures of home-style Indian food.
Being a Maharashtrian, it’s no surprise that these and many such authentic dishes are on the list of my “constant cravings”. Time and again, I find myself cooking this food and relishing every bite of it!
Mix ‘n’ match or pair them with steamed basmati rice or any kind of Indian breads for a well-balanced meal!
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Who doesn’t like to sit back, relax and have fresh, homemade food make it’s way to you?! I sure do! It usually happens once in a while when mom comes over and takes over the kitchen.
I have to admit; as much as I love cooking, I love it more when I can get mom to make all my favorite things like lip-smacking chutneys, crunchy pohe chivda, spicy hot green chilli pickles that I can relish for a long time after she’s gone back home and not to forget her very own signature concoction. While I make all the dishes she makes, somehow they taste better when mom conducts the orchestra!
Of course, when she’s in my kitchen, I too join her and get a crash course on Maharashtrian cooking and we have our impromptu recipe exchange sessions – some old, some new, and some that are created together on the spur of the moment. Only this time, we had one more chef putting her little nose in our soup!
Now, this last trip, she got the blogger bug from me and created a few recipes that are internet ready!…So, for Mother’s day this year, I am sharing a couple of concoctions that mom whipped up, right here, in my kitchen. Join us as we have fun cooking with my mom!
Read on … »
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