Ganesh Chaturthi, one of the most important Hindu festivals, is a time for introspection and prayers and bonding with the family. It's also a time for eating -- and masterchef Sanjeev Kapoor tells you how.Start with an adai, move on to a mixed vegetable and beet cutlet and round it off with a dal pakwan.
Adai
Ingredients
1 cup parboiled rice, soaked
¼ cup split skinless urad dal, soaked
¼ cup split skinless moong dal, soaked
¼ cup split chana dal, soaked
¼ cup split tuvar dal, soaked
Salt to taste
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon hing
1 tablespoon Nutralite + for drizzling
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
2 dried red chillies, seeded and chopped
7-8 curry leaves, chopped
2 green chillies, chopped
½ inch ginger, chopped
Method
1. Soak the rice and grams overnight or for at least eight hours. Drain and grind together the rice and grams with a little water. Add the salt, turmeric powder and grind till smooth consistency is obtained. Transfer into a bowl.
2. Heat one tablespoon Nutralite in a small non-stick pan. Add mustard seeds and when they splutter, add red chillies and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.
3. Add this tempering to the batter and mix well. Add the green chillies and ginger. Mix well.
4. Heat a non-stick tawa and grease it lightly. Spread a ladle of batter to a medium sized round adai and cook till the underside is golden.
5. Drizzle a little melted Nutralite over it, turn it over and cook till both sides are evenly golden and crisp.
6. Serve hot.
Mixed vegetable and beet cutlet
Ingredients
5 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed
5 French beans, blanched and chopped
1 small green capsicum, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, grated
2 tablespoons green peas, boiled and mashed
1 small beetroot, grated
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons ginger-green chilli paste
¼ cup cornflour
¼ cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons chaat masala
Nutralite for shallow-frying
½ cup breadcrumbs
Method
1.Put the potatoes in a bowl. Add the French beans, capsicum, carrot and peas. Mix lightly. Add the beetroot, salt, ginger-green chilli paste, cornflour, coriander leaves, lemon juice and chaat masala and mix well.
2.Divide the mixture into eight equal portions and shape them into balls. Flatten the balls slightly.
3.Heat some Nutralite on a non-stick tawa.
4.Coat the cutlets in breadcrumbs and place them on the hot tawa. Shallow-fry on medium heat, turning sides, till both the sides are evenly golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper.
5.Serve hot with tomato ketchup or mint chutney.
Dal pakwan
Ingredients
Dal
1 cup split chana dal, soaked
Salt to taste
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
¾ teaspoon dried mango powder
1 tablespoon Nutralite
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
4-5 green chillies, slit
8-10 curry leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves
Pakwan
1 cup maida
2 tablespoons atta
1 tablespoon suji
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
10-12 black peppercorns, crushed
2 tablespoons melted Nutralite
Salt to taste
Oil for deep-frying
Method
1. Drain the chana dal and pressure cook along with salt and turmeric powder, half the chilli powder, half the garam masala powder, dried mango powder and three and a half cups of water till the pressure is released thrice (three whistles). Open the lid when the pressure is completely reduced.
2. Heat one tablespoon Nutralite in a small non-stick pan. Add the cumin seeds. When they begin to change colour, add the chillies, curry leaves, remaining garam masala powder and the remaining chilli powder. Stir and pour over the cooked gram, mix well and take the pan off the heat. Keep it covered.
3. To make the pakwan, sift together the maida and atta in a large bowl. Add the suji, cumin seeds, crushed peppercorns, Nutralite and salt. Add four tablespoons water and knead into a medium-soft dough.
4. Divide the dough into eight portions and roll each portion out into a disc of four-inch diameter. Prick lightly with a fork.
5. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Slide the pakwans, one by one, and deep-fry on medium heat till crisp. Drain on absorbent paper and cool.
6. Garnish the dal with the coriander leaves and serve with the pakwan.