POTATO SHIRA

                        

                   POTATO SHIRA

                                                         (Serves 3-4)

This dish is mostly prepared during fasting. It is an easy and quick dish to prepare. Grated potatoes are stirred fried in ghee then sweetened with sugar and flavored with cardamom powder and garnished with shredded almonds.

INGREDIENTS:

·      3 Medium Potatoes (Use Russet Potatoes, it is good for baking, frying, mashing and grating) OR 3 cups, boiled, peeled and grated (Grate through the larger hole of the grater, DO NOT MASH)

·      ¾ cup Ghee (Clarified Butter)

·      1 T Ghee to top on hot shira

·      2 T Golden Raisins

·      1 cup Milk, boiled

·      1 cup Sugar or as per taste

·      ½ tsp. Cardamom Powder

·      7-8 Almonds, shredded, divide in two portions

Click on the link below to like my "RASOI" Page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/RASOI/294579340553283  

LET’S COOK:

Boil potatoes in enough water until knife pierce through potatoes without any resistance.

Peel while it’s hot. (Careful not to burn fingers) or place boiled potato in glass bowl and cover top with plastic wrap/saran wrap/cling wrap and let potatoes to sweat then peel, it will be easy to peel.

Allow them to cool completely then grate through the big holes of the grater. DO NOT MASH POTATOES. (NOTE: It is easy to peel potatoes while they are hot but grate when its completely cool to avoid getting them sticky.)

Heat milk for 3 minutes in microwave oven or on stovetop until milk is hot.

While milk is getting hot, meanwhile heat ghee in heavy bottom non-stick pan on medium heat.

Once ghee is hot add golden raisins and stir-fry on medium heat until it plums little bit without scorching its skin to white.

Add grated potatoes and cook on medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until boiled potato taste goes away with stirring.

If potatoes are well cooked in ghee then shira will taste better.

Add boiled milk and continue cooking on medium heat until milk gets absorb completely with occasional stirring.

Once milk gets absorbed add sugar and continue cooking until sugar water absorbs, with occasional stirring.

Once sugar water gets absorb then add half portion of shredded almonds and cardamom powder and mix.

Switch off the heat and keep it covered for 3-4 minutes.

Transfer in a serving bowl and add one-tablespoon ghee on top to finish off and sprinkle remaining half portion of shredded almonds.

Shira tastes better when it’s served hot.

Serve hot Shira with Jeera Aloo, Rajgara Poori or Rajgara Bhakhri or Rajgara Paratha and Banana Raita on side during fasting.

Enjoy...Click on the link below to like my "RASOI" Page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/RASOI/294579340553283 

NOTE:

This shira can also be made from Sweet Potatoes (Shakkariya), but you will need less amount of sugar as sweet potatoes are very sweet in taste compare to potatoes and they add up lots of sweetness to shira.

GARLIC CHUTNEY # 2

               GARLIC CHUTNEY # 2

Thepla is very popular as travel food for Guajarati’s. It stays goof for few days at room temperature during traveling. This Garlic Chutney in thick paste form stays good for long time too, so it’s easy to pack and eat with Thepla during traveling.

INGREDIENTS:

·      5 Big Garlic Cloves or 2 T, chopped

·      1 T Coriander Leaves, chopped

·      1 Small Green Chili, chopped  

·      1 tsp. Coriander Powder

·      1 tsp. Cumin Powder

·      1 ½ T Kashmiri Red Chili Powder or as per taste

·      2 tsp. jaggary or as per taste

·      1/8 tsp.Salt

·      1 tsp. Lemon Juice  

·      DO NOT ADD WATER

Click on the link below to like my "RASOI" Page.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/RASOI/294579340553283

LET’S PREPARE:

Combine garlic, coriander leaves and green chilies and salt in mortar and pestle and crush them first then add all remaining ingredients and crush until smooth paste forms and all dry masalas combines well with garlic, coriander leaves and green chili paste.

Use as such in a thick paste form or take small amount of chutney and add some yogurt and mix it and use it.

Eat garlic chutney with Methi Thepla, Bajri Vada, and Bajri Rotla, Makai Rotla or use as spicy garlicky spread for Dabeli, Vada Pav or for Sandwich.

Enjoy...

NOTE:

This chutney in thick paste form stays good for 1 to 2 weeks in refrigerator.

You could replace Lemon Juice with ¼ tsp. Aamchur Powder (Mango Powder)Click on the link below to like my "RASOI" Page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/RASOI/294579340553283

SUKHDI (GUD PAPDI)

                                 SUKHDI (GUD PAPDI)

                            (Yield: ½ cm thick, 4 by 4 cm size 16 pieces)

Sukhdi is a famous Gujarati sweet made from whole-wheat flour that is roasted in ghee/clarified butter and sweetened with jaggery. Authentic Sukhdi is made from these 3 ingredients only. Mahudi Jain Temple, Mahesana District is famous for authentic sukhdi. Do not add cardamom powder or even dry nuts to alter original sukhdi taste.

INGREDIENTS:

·      ¾ cup Whole Wheat Flour  (Roti Flour)              

·      ½ cup Ghee (Clarified Butter) + 1 T more for extra softness

·      ½ cup Jaggery or as per taste, grated         

Click on the link below to like my "RASOI" Page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/RASOI/294579340553283 

LET’S COOK:

Grease small square pan/container with ghee and keep it aside.

Heat ghee in a heavy bottom non-stick pan on medium low flame. Once ghee melts, add whole-wheat flour and roast flour on medium low heat with continuous stirring until golden brown in color and fragrant. It will take about 12 minutes. (Time may vary).

Switch off the heat. (At this stage of cooking mixture will be very runny but do not worry, as soon as you add jaggery it will thicken up and become one big mass)

Remove pan from hot stove and add grated jaggery and mix well until jaggery melts and mixture turns smooth.

Transfer and spread sukhdi in a greased pan/container.

Use back of the small bowl or spoon to smooth out top surface.

Add tsp. ghee to smooth out top surface of the sukhdi if needed.

Cut into desire shape.

You can serve hot sukhdi if you prefer, as it has unique taste while served hot.

OR

Let it set and cool completely. Ghee will get absorb and sukhdi will harden.

Store in an airtight container.

It should stay good for 1 week.

Enjoy…

Click on the link below to like my "RASOI" Page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/RASOI/294579340553283

NOTE:

Add 1 ½ T milk when you add grated jaggery to make extra soft sukhdi.