Maha yum mantras for the feasting

Sabudana khichdi

Ingredients

Sago (sabudana) 1-1/2 cups Peanuts 1/4 cup Green chillies 4-5 Potato 1 medium Ghee 3 tbsp Curry leaves 1-2 sprigs Cumin seeds 1 tsp Salt to taste Lemon juice 1 tsp Fresh coconut 2 tbsp (scraped) A few sprigs of fresh coriander leaves

Method Wash sabudana two to three times and then soak in one-cup water for three to four hours. Sabudana grains should be separate and moist. Roast peanuts on a hot griddle, peel off skin and grind coarsely.

Wash green chillies, remove stem and then chop finely. Peel and wash potato and cut into half cm cubes. Wash and chop coriander leaves.

Heat ghee in a pan, add curry leaves, cumin seeds and chopped green chillies. When cumin seeds crackle, add potato cubes.

Cook till the potatoes are done. Add sabudana, scraped coconut and ground peanuts, sauté for four to five minutes, stirring well.

Sprinkle a little water, add salt and lime juice. Mix well. Remove from heat. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot. (Recipe courtesy Chef Shaikh Istekhar, brand chef, Indian Kitchen)

Kootoo ke puri Ingredients Kootoo ka atta 1 cup Potatoes boiled 2 large Fresh coriander leaves 3 tbsp (chopped) Green chilli paste 1 tsp Rock salt (sendha namak) to taste Oil to deep fry

Method Place the flour in a bowl. Add potatoes, coriander leaves, green chilli paste, rock salt and knead into a stiff dough.

Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Divide dough into small pedas.

Place pedas, one at a time, on a plastic sheet and pat them into small puris with your fingers.

Slide the puris into hot oil and deep fry till golden. Drain on an absorbent paper. Serve them hot with vratwale alu.

Aarbi dahi kadi Ingredients Colocassia (arbi) 250 gm (boiled) Oil 2 tbsp to deep fry Sour yogurt 1-1/2 cups Water chestnut flour (singare ka atta) 1/4 cup Rock salt (sendha namak) to taste Red chilli powder 1 tsp Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp Dried red chillies broken 2 to 3 Fresh coriander leaves 1 tbsp (chopped)

Method Cool arbi slightly, peel and cut into half-inch thick slices. Take yogurt in a bowl. Add water chestnut flour and whisk well till properly blended.

Add rock salt, red chilli and turmeric powder and mix again. Add two cups of water and whisk well.

Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep fry arbi till golden brown.

Drain and place on an absorbent paper. Set aside. Heat two tbsp oil in a deep pan. Add cumin seeds and dry red chillies.

When cumin seeds begin to change colour, add yogurt mixture. Cook for five minutes, stirring continuously.

Add fried arbi pieces and mix. Continue cooking for five more minutes or till you get the desired consistency.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice.

(Recipe courtesy Manu R Nair, corporate executive chef, Billionsmiles Hospitality Pvt Ltd)