Panchamrut (a Maharashtrian Green Chilly delicacy) & Beetroot Raita

The Maharashtrian Lunch Thali is a delight to the eyes. A young daughter is trained by her mother to serve the food in the traditional way. The food is served from the left side of the person eating it.

It begins with salt moves on to pickles, chutneys and salads called koshambir. Papad and vegetables follow in a semi circle. The plain rice is placed in a small mould with plain dal on top overflowing with pure ghee.

Today I am sharing two recipes served on the left side.

"Panchamrut" , a tangy green chilli or green capsicum relish. My Aunt's favorite, she would make it so often that I think we ate it on a weekly basis. She was fond of chillies and a slight sweet sour taste would take the humble chilli to another level.

Ingredients :

• 4 to 5 large chillies + 1 small chilli for the spice, you can avoid. Small chilli if you don't like spice.
• 8 to 10 slivers of dry coconut + 1tbsp grated dry coconut.
• 6  cashew nuts.
• 1 tbs jaggery.
• 2 tbs imli (tamarind) pulp.
• 2 tbsp peanuts roasted and ground.
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds roasted and ground.
• 1 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder.
• Pinch of haldi.
• 1 tsp mustard seeds.
• 1/2 tsp hing.
• 1tbsp oil .

Method :

• Heat a pan, add oil, when hot add the mustard seeds, hing and haldi, stir for a second.
• Add the chopped green chillies and add 1tsp water to avoid masala burning,
• Add fried dry coconut  slivers, fried cashew nuts, peanut, sesame powders and 1 tbsp roasted and ground coconut, red chilli powder and 1/2 cup water.
• When the water boils add the jaggery and let it melt.
• Add imli paste and salt check seasoning,
• Cook till the gravy is soft and brownish and the chillis retain their shape .

 

 

Serve warm.

 

 

 

Beetroot raita.

 

Any vegetable cucumber, baingan or beetroot. Beetroot was my mother's favorite.

She would often keep a whole bowl aside for her to consume at leisure after all had finished their meal.

I can visualize her sitting on the backyard steps away from others  licking with her fingers the raita relishing the last bit as if there was no tomorrow.

This then is her recipe of the "Beetachi Koshambir."

 

Ingredients :

• 1 medium beet boiled and peeled then grated. I boil it for 3 whistles in pressure cooker.
• 2 cups fresh curds should not be sour.
• 1 green chilli into coarse paste along with a small piece 1/4 inch of ginger.
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds.
• 1/4tsp hing.
• 1/4 tsp chopped coriander leaves.
• Salt to taste.

 

Method:

• In a large glass bowl put  dahi and beat it well .
• Add beetroot grated and ginger chilli paste, salt and mix.
• Heat a tadka pot with 1 tbsp oil.
• When hot add the mustard seeds and hing.
• Place the chopped coriander leaves on the dahi mixture
• Pour the hot tadka on the coriander leaves and mix.

Serve cooled.

 

 

 

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