Til Gur Ladoo

Lots of childhood memories are attach to the festival of Markar Sankrati. As childhood was spend in Maharashtra, all memories are also based from there.  This season was the time of kite flying, crushing glass to make manjaa (sharp thread), kite flights etc. Evening were time for haldi-kunku (literally meaning turmeric and vermillion) where the married women were invited to one house. The lady of the house would apply small bindi’s of haldi and kumkum on every women’s forehead, who is visiting her house and would give handful of goodies which include a peas, ground nuts,  popcorn, and a small utensil (like a steel spoon, steal box, etc). We as kids would accompany our mothers and wait for our turn.  The excitement was all about the gifts which normally was a handkerchief, hairclips, hairbands etc.

 People and traditions were so simple those days.  I miss all of this in today’s metro life.

Finally we were served til gud’s ladoos the highlight of this festival. Small ball made of crushed til and jaggury, with a flavor of cardamom.  The ladoos melted in the month. It felt heavenly. I have tried to make it in a similar ways but no comparison to those maharastrain aunties (kaku).

 Ingredient
White til/ sesame seed – 200gm
Gur/ jaggery – 150gm
Cardamom powder – 1tsp

Method

1.     Roast til it is lightly brown in a low heat. And cool it.
2.     Grate the gur.
3.     In a mixture coarsely grind til and keep adding little gur at a time so that it mixes well.  ( I mix it in a vegetable cutter, it mixes perfectly)
4.     To this add the cardamom powder, mix well.
5.     Take lemon size portion and bind it into small balls.
6.     Make similar ladoo’s with the rest of the mixture
7.     Note: if the mixture is not binding together, you can just heat the mixture and shape it. Don’t over heat the mixture and the jaggury will melt.

Earchi Achar / Meat Pickle

This is my favorite pickle. And the recipe is a family recipe passed from my mother to me. I love eating it with hot rice or paratha.  Always a saver when there is not nonveg at home.

 

Ingredients

Tender beef/mutton - 1 kg (cut in small pieces and washed)

Ginger – 1 tbsp. (cut lengthwise)

Garlic – 15  (cut lengthwise)

Mustard seed – 2tsp cup

Fenugreek seed – 1 ½ tsp

Turmeric powder – 1tsp

Red chilli powder – ½ cup

Vinegar – approx 1 ½ cup

Salt as per taste

Curry leaves – about 20 leaves

Oil for frying -

Method

1.     Pressure Cook meat along with 2 tbsp of vinegar, 1tsp salt and ½ tsp turmeric powder for 1 whistle and 5 min.  remove the access water after it cools.

2.     Heat about 1 cup oil in and pan and fry the meat still it is crisp brown from outside. 
3.     Dry roast mustard seed and fenugreek seed.
4.     Coarsely grind the roasted mustard & fenugreek seed.
5.     Heat 2 tbsp. oil. To this add ginger & garlic and fry till is light brown. Add curry leaves and saute. 
6.     Remove the pan from the heat and add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, salt, ground mustard and fenugreek.  Mix well.
7.     Get the pan back to heat, add the fried meat pieces and mix well.
8.     Now add ½ to 1 cup of vinegar (according to the thickness of the gravy you want).
9.     Boil the mixture for 2 min.
10.    Remove from fire, cool and bottle it.

Eggy Muggy (Toddler Special)

I got this recipe from a colleague of mine when my little one was 15 months old and my elder son was 9 yrs.  There was no name for this recipe, so my sons christened it as Eggy Muggy. Both my kids like it even today when they 6 and 13 years old.   Whenever my elder son feels like eating something sweet they team up and make it together, so it’s that simple.

Ingredients

Egg - 1

Milk powder  - 4 tsp ( you can use children milk powder (lactogen) also)

Milk - 1 cup

Sugar - 1 to 2 tsp

Nutmeg power – 1 pinch ( optional while make for toddlers )

Or Vanilla essence – ½ tsp  ( don’t add it while make for  toddlers)

Method

1.     Beat milk powder and egg nicely till it becomes a thick paste and all the milk powder dissolves.

2.     Boil the milk with the sugar. 

3.     When the milk starts boiling, low the flame.

4.     Now start pouring the egg mixture slowing without steering ( spoon by spoon).

5.     If you adding nutmeg powder or vanillas essence, this is the time. 

6.     Let it cook for 2 mins (it takes a curdle form ).

7.     Stir it well and it is ready to eat. 

8.     It can be eaten warm or cold.