Masala bhaath

Masala bhaat (traditional maharashtrian style)
Accompaniments- kadhi, shengdana koshambir, coconut chutney, beans sabji, sheera.

Aai was very proud and particular about her cooking, and why not, she made some utterly delicious dishes. She always insisted on spending time in cooking it on sim (which is now fashionable as the show cooker method 😁) and never allowed anything to get burnt. Tadka was as scientific as ever and so was the value of ‘mohun’.

Masala bhaath was something she made with a lot of love. Sharing the recipe here.

Some tips-
Always make the masala fresh.
Part fry the potatoes beforehand.
Add a dollop of ghee at the end.
Always serve with kurdya and saandge (if not, then crisps will do) 😜

Recipe –

Soak 2 cups rice in water
Heat 1tbsp ghee and brown 20 cashews.
Take the cashews out and brown cubed potatoes. Keep aside.
In the same pan, roast and make a fine powder of the following –
1tbsp coriander seeds
1tsp cumin seeds
1tsp poppy seeds
1tsp sesame seeds
Star anise1
Cloves 6
Peppercorns6
Dried coconut
3 garlic
Ginger

Heat oil, add mustard and cumin seeds.
Add bay leaf
Add chopped onion x1
Add chopped tomato / puree
Add the ground masala
Add mixed vegetables (peas, beans, carrot, potato)
Add rice
Add 4 cups of boiling water
Add salt and sugar to taste
Cover and cook till done.
Serve sprinkled with fresh coconut.