Yes, I am spelling it with a ‘v’ because that’s how we pronounce it, and I did finally get the difference in the v and w sounds (thanks, Bruce) even if I don’t always remember while speaking. And all of us have a lot to do: clean the house (the curtains, the slip covers and cushion covers, and…), even get the house painted maybe (what a chore that is). And there are all the Divali goodies to be planned and cooked. I am sure most of the Indian food bloggers are going to put up quite a show. Is there time to put a good meal on the table? I read Nandita’s comment and how busy she has been and thought it was time for another post in the ‘under 30 min’ category. Something to help you along while you spring clean and still score with the MIL (or TH, or the wife?) 😀 . You’ll need to have access to one Maharashtrian spice though, the goda masala aka kala masala. There is no time to make it at home at the moment but you can find a recipe here (though not the way my MIL used to make). I

t is to Maharashtrian cuisine what the garam masala is to North Indian. Every family has their own variation and every shop (in Pune or Mumbai) seems to have its own recipe as well. This summer I had planned to re-stock in Mumbai but the shops failed me. None that I visited, carried the really black kind. Most were a deep brown and did not use any coconut. Nikea stockholm blad pair of curtains blueow why would it be called kala (black) masala if it was supposed to be brown! Sbergamo mohair curtainso I am going to have to make my own. Imontgomery curtains vogue taupe now have all the ingredients but have been putting it off. Ilapa curtains vanderbijlpark

am down to the last few teaspoons full. S You cannot substitute the kala masala with any other because of this one spice, the pathar phool (translated: ‘stone flower’), a kind of lichen! It gives the goda masala its distinctive taste and aroma. So, talk to your friendly Maharashtrian neighbour (hopefully, they have the black kind) and ask for some. Wfairmont lined thermal door curtainshile you are visiting, don’t be bashful, and ask for a little amsul or kokum as well. mostyns curtains administration This is a great dish with roti or dal-chaval. The big unpeeled chunks of pumpkin translate to one minute for vegetable preparation! Make the quick salad while it cooks and you have the sabzi and the salad in under 30 minutes! This will impress (visiting 🙂 ) MIL big-time! Baakar Bhaji (Pumpkin in a spicy curry with peanuts and coconut)

600gms ripe pumpkin, cut into 1″x1″ pieces 1/3 cup crushed roasted peanuts (do not grind very fine) 1/3 cup fine grated copra (dry coconut) 2 T khus khus (poppy seeds) 2 t goda masala 1/2 t red chilli powder (or more) 1/4 t (mild) heeng 1/2 t fenugreek (methi) seeds 1 t mustard or rai seeds 4-5 pieces kokum (use a little tamarind, if you must!) jaggery (or molasses) the size of a small Indian lemon Wash and cut the pumpkin. Dry roast the khus khus and grind. Dry roast the grated copra till golden, and crush with your fingers. Heat oil in a pressure cooker (if you want this done real quick 🙂 ) and add the methi and rai seeds and then the heeng. Drop in the pumpkin pieces and fry for 5 min., stirring occasionally. Add the rest of the ingredients. Add a 1/2-3/4th cup water and mix well. Pressure cook for 7 minutes. If cooking in a pan, cook till the pumpkin is tender (20-30 min), stirring occasionally. It should have just a little bit of gravy and not be watery. The

curry is full of flavours: the tart, the sweet, and the salty, all balanced deliciously with added texture from crushed peanuts and the coconut. Yum of my favourite Maharashtrian dishes. Def Variation: You may replace the copra with fresh grated coconut, and the kokum with tamarind juice, and use the spice mix to stuff small egg plants and whole onions. Throw in some potato chunks as well. Leave out the fenugreek seeds. And don’t pressure cook this time 🙂 . Cook in a kadahi or heavy bottom pan. June 15, 2007: And now you can have my recipe for Goda Masala! Tags: pumpkin, curry, Maharashtrian cuisineJust in time for Diwali another one of my mothers recipes for sweets follows: 1 cup flour /maida 1 cup powdered sugar Rub the ghee into the flour with your fingertips. Make into a ball of dough with a few tablespoons of water. Divide into 12 balls. Roll out into circles. Spread a little ghee on the rolled dough then sprinkle with some flour and add another circle on top of the first.

Repeat the process till all are stacked.Now roll the whole circle out again with a rolling pin. Roll up the chapathi formed and cut into 1/2 pieces. Flatten each piece with the cut side up. Roll into an oblong shape. Heat 1 cup oil and deep fry the pieces. Drain on kitchen paper.Sprinkle with powdered sugar  . Cool and keep in airtight containers. It is that time of year again.Curtains are being washed, cupboards organised, long forgotten corners swept clean and ceilings brushed. New clothes are bought and stocks of diyas inspected while paper thin layers of cotton are rolled to make wicks. Pungent bottles of mustard oil are stocked up, ready to fill the diyas for the the first day of Diwali. Besides the traditional meaning of the festival, the victory of good over evil and light over darkness, the beginning of a New Year, a prayer for the forces of light, prosperity and wisdom to enter our lives, it is , for me, a remembrance of time past, of family and ancestors with whom we each have celebrated this glorious season.

One way to do that is through food ofcourse. For us Diwali sweets mean just three of the best, all made in the old way like my mother made them. Her recipe and old notebook are pictured above. The Old Way is labour intensive and there's the joy, as it's a labour of love. The kitchen staff ( me) goes into high gear. First a mixture of coriander seeds and jaggery makes the Naivedya , an offering to the Gods.Then out comes all the paraphernalia for "The Making of the Sweets". The ghee, the gehu, the copra, the coconut, dried fruits, spices and sugar, sugar, sugar. There is nothing like cooking in quantity  that brings about a complete sense of  abundance and satisfaction. The cornucopia of ingredients are  ground,roasted, fried, stirred and fashioned into delicately garnished sweets. These are packed away in large boxes for the five wonderful days to come, when family arrive and lamps are lit  and we worship together for new beginnings with a glance over our shoulders to those who taught us all these things.

My Mothers recipe for Karanji- 1/2 fresh coconut ,grated 1/4 cup sugar, powdered 1/4 cup almonds, powdered 8 elaichi / cardamom, powdered. Mix all these ingredients and saute in a heavy bottomed pan or kadhai till all the moisture from the fresh coconut has dried up. 1/4 cup suji / semolina Mix these ingredients and add water to make a dough.Divide into 14 pieces. Roll out to make 3 " circles. Hold the circle in one hand and fill with a tablespoon of the filling.Fold over and seal the edges with a bit of water. Deep fry in hot ghee. Double , triple or quadruple the quantity depending on the number you want. 1 tsp mustard seed/ rai 1 1/2 tsp white sesame seeds/ til 1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds/khus khus 1 tsp fenugreek / methi seeds 1 tsp red chilli powder/ lal miri 2 tsps godha masala 1 green chilli (optional) 1 lemon sized piece of jaggery/ gur Cut pumpkin into cubes. Add mustard seed, then hing, then 1/2 tsp methi seed.