The house has been looking so beautiful all decorated for Christmas; the small tree, the fairy lights and the wreath. It was my 3 year olds idea, but yes, we just had to have a Christmas party, and we had the extended family over.
Here’s the menu, we had a rather un-Christmas meal – Potato Mayo salad, Chicken Farchas, White rice and Spicy Prawn Curry with Kachumber and easy Chocolate Banana Crepes for dessert.
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Chocolate Banana Crepes Serves 6
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INGREDIENTS
5 bananas at least 6 inches long
2 tablespoons drinking chocolate powder
1 tablespoon coffee
3 tablespoons cinnamon powder
Hershey’s Chocolate Sauce

For the crepes
4 eggs
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 banana

PREPARATION
- Beat together all the ingredients for the crepes except the bananas. Mash one banana smoothly and mix in only just before making the crepes.

- Slice the 5 bananas down the center and then chop into 1/2 inch pieces. (more…)

Kheer is made in all sorts of ways, usually cooking a dal, rice or vermicelli, or even a combination, in milk. This is a really simple recipe, a favourite. It can be eaten hot with Puris; – part of the main course, or cold as dessert.
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VERMICELLI KHEER Serves 6
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INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp ghee ( butter can be substituted)
1 litre whole milk
7 tbsp vermicelli
2 tbsp broken cashews
2 tbsp raisins
8 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp ground cardamom
2 pinches saffron

PREPARATION
Heat the ghee and fry the vermicelli, cashews and raisins till golden brown (watch out, the color changes quite suddenly).

Add milk, sugar, cardamom and saffron and bring to boil. Simmer till it reduces a bit, about 15 minutes. The vermicelli will thicken it further.

Serve sprinkled with some saffron , cardamom powder and more nuts if you like.

Happy New Year Maharashtra!
Today is Gudi Padwa, homes will be resplendent in flowers, rangoli and celebration. And what’s a fesival without food and sweets. What’s a Maharashtrian fesival without Puran Poli or Kheer?

Happy New Year Maharashtra!
Today is Gudi Padwa, homes will be resplendent in flowers, rangoli and celebration. And what’s a fesival without food and sweets. What’s a Maharashtrian fesival without Puran Poli or Kheer?
Incidently Gudi Padva, or rather the New Year in Andra Pradesh is called Ugadi. And they have their own foodie celebration!
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PURAN POLLI Makes about 10
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INGREDIENTS
For the Pran
2 cups chana dal
1 cup jaggery
1 cup sugar
Nutmeg as per taste
4-5 saffron strands
A pinch of cardamom ( elaichi ) powder
2 tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp salt
A pinch of turmeric
(more…)

Anyone who likes bananas, will love Banana Fritters, though there’s no denying they’re not exactly ‘healthy’ or for the diet conscious. But what the hell, sin!
This version is without eggs, unlike version 1
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BANANA FRITTERS – Version 2 Serves 6
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2 cups flour
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt or to taste
1 cup water
6 firm bananas
1 tsp cinnamon powder
5 cups vegetable oil (for deep frying)

In a large bowl combine 1 1/2 cup of flour, all the baking powder, soda and salt. Gradually blend in the water and beat with a whisk until smooth.

Cut each banana crosswise into 6 or 8 pieces depending on size and roll them in a saucer full of the remaining 1/2 cup of flour.

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Dip banana pieces in flour-water mixture, coating well. Cook 4-6 pieces at a time until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.

Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with cinnamon powder and serve.

The Besna is a sweet ceremony to celebrate a baby sitting up independently for the first time. Similarly, the Puglarva is a simple little custom to celebrate a baby’s first steps. Two large ‘Khaman na ladva’ shaped into feet – two had little charoli nuts for toe nails, are placed on a wooden board and the child is made to step on them.
My beautiful niece is now sitting up and we made small round larvas for her to sit on, and more larva were served to all the guests.

I’m using Katy Dalal’s recipe as a basis here. It isn’t easy, needs a lot of patience, but I have made these and they come out awesome.
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KHAMAN NO LADWA
Cornflour Coconut Balls Makes 20-25
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INGREDIENTS
For the Stuffing
1 grated fresh coconut
8 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp almonds, blanched, skinned and sliced
1 tbsp pistas blanched, skinned and chopped
2 tbsp raisins
1/2 tsp cardamom – nutmeg powder
4 tbsp water
1 tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

For the Outer Covering
Coconut milk from 1 freshly grated coconut
150 grams corn flour

PREPARATION
Place the grated coconut, sugar, ghee and water in a pan and allow it to cook over a slow flam until the coconut looses all its water but is still moist.

Add the raisins, nuts and spice powders and stir well for a couple of minutes.

Remove from heat, add the vanilla exxence, stir and set aside.

Put the cornflour in a skillet. Add the milk and coconut milk and stir well.

Add ghee, sugar and rose water.
Place on a low heat and stir constantly till the mixture thickens and solidifies.
Take out into a flat plate and knead till totally smooth.

Greace a metal colander and set aside.

Oil your hands. Make about 20-25 small balls from the mixture. Place them in your palm, flatten, spoon in a tablespoon of coconut mixture, close the cornflour mixture over it and smoothen the ball with a little liquified ghee. Continue till you’re done with all the mixture.

Place 5-6 balls in the greased colander (depending on its size). Place the colander over a pan with about 2 inches of water.

Heat the water with the colander over it, and the coconut balls covered with a damp muslin cloth.
The water mustn’t come anywhere near the bottom of the colander even when it boils. Choose a size of pan so that no steam will escape from the sides.

Steam for at least 30 minutes.
Cool and chill the ladwas before eating.

More Parsi food