KamalabaiI Ogale - RUCHIRA : SELECTED MAHARASHTRIAN VEGETARIAN RECIPES

RUCHIRAKamalabai Ogale, a culinary expert, became a household name in Maharashtra after Ruchira was published in Marathi. The book has been a consistent best-seller for twenty-five years. Published by Rupa Publications India Pvt. Ltd 2013 7/16, Ansari Road, Daryaganj New Delhi 110002 Copyright Kamalabai Ogale 2005, 2013 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in a retrieval system, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. ISBN: 978-81-291-2973-4 Third impression 2016 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 The moral right of the author has been asserted.

Typeset by Innovative Processors, New Delhi This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated, without the publisher's prior consent, in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published. Contents FOREWORD Kamalabai Ogale is a household name in Maharashtra. Her fame as a culinary expert grew with her excellent book, Ruchira. The popularity of this gourmet book was largely due to a growing interest in vegetarianism. The lucidity of the recipes is another attractive feature of the book, differentiating it from the complicated recipe books available for Indian regional cooking. The book does away with cumbersome weighing scales and uses a katori (small bowl) and teaspoon, easily accessible in Indian kitchens. As long as the size of the katori is consistent, the result will be the same.

Ruchira will give much needed confidence to novices, with its simple explanations and wide variety of delicious regional specialities. More experienced cooks will find Ruchira an excellent reference book. It seemed only natural that the author wished to reach out to non-Marathi cooking enthusiasts by way of an English version of the original book. Ms Usha Jategaonkar has done a commendable job of translating the simplicity of Kamalabai Ogale's book. Phodni and Masalas Phodni (Tadka/Baghar /Seasoning) OIL BASED INGREDIENTS:

Saut the asafetida and remove. In the same oil saut coconut pieces till lightly coloured. Remove. Saut the rest of the ingredients separately. Grind sesame, coconut and asafetida separately. Then grind the rest of the ingredients.

Mix all powders and add turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. Grind all ingredients together. Store the masala in a jar with an air-tight lid. If this masala is required to be kept for several months, spread a little salt on top of the masala before closing the lid. Garam Masala INGREDIENTS:cup coriander seeds10-15 cloves4-5 3-inch pieces of cinnamon2 tsps cumin seeds2 tsps caraway seeds (shahjeera)6 large cardamoms1 tsp mustard seeds1 tsp fenugreek seeds6-7 bay leaves10-15 peppercornsoilMETHOD: Roast cloves, peppercorns, fenugreek seeds in a little oil. Roast the rest of ingredients separately.

Then grind all ingredients separately and mix them well. Grind the mixture one more time together. Store in an airtight jar. Curry Powders INGREDIENTS:katori coriander seeds1 tsp cumin seeds4-5 clovestsp fenugreek seedstsp black peppercornstsp mustard seeds2 tsps poppy seedsMETHOD: This masala should be prepared fresh. It cannot be stored. Combine all ingredients and grind.

If desired, one onion, 5-6 garlic cloves, green or red chillies can be added while grinding. South Indian Curry Powder INGREDIENTS:1 tsp each of split pea (chana daal), split black beans (urad daal), toor daal and rice grains1 tsp each of cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, black peppercorns and turmeric powdercup coriander seedscup chilli powdertsp asafetida powder50 curry leavesMETHOD: Dry roast the lentils (daals) and rice grains till light brown. Add the rest of the ingredients. Saut curry leaves and chillies in a little oil. Grind together all the ingredients. Onion-Garlic Masala INGREDIENTS:

Add the coconut and saut for a few minutes. Next add chilli powder and salt and saut on slow heat for about ten minutes. This mixture can be used as it is or finely ground. Pav-Bhaji Masala INGREDIENTS:cup black peppercornskatori cloves10 3-inch pieces of cinnamonten cardamoms (large black special variety)1 katori coriander seedskatori cumin seedstsp ajwain (oregano seeds)25 dried red chillies1 tsp aniseeds (saunf)