Pune365 Special: Shravan beyond the sabudana

August 12, 2016

Shravan is widely celebrated as the holy month in the Hindu calendar. The month of reflection and celebration is considered auspicious especially by Maharashtrians. The festival which marks the peak of monsoon season is celebrated by observing a fast and avoiding certain food items. To tantalise the palate of those who religiously follow the Shravan food framework, Pune365 offers the ultimate cheat code which will leave you satisfied and yet not guilty. We asked three of the city’s top chefs to dish up a Shravan special with an innovative twist.

Vegetable Potlis
Chef Mahesh Shinde, Four Points by Sheraton
Vegetable potlis is one of the most popular Maharashtrian recipe. In Marathi, it refers to mix vegetable stuffed puffs. Potli is one of the special recipes for the month of Shravan. These potlis are extremely tasty and will get over immediately.

Ingredients

Maida, 3/4 cup
Oil
Cashewnut, 1/2 tbsp
Raisin, 1/2 tbsp
Fennel Seeds, 1/2 tsp
Green Peas
Carrot
Beans
Green Chilli Paste, 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder, 2 tsp
Garam Masala, 1 tsp
Fresh Coconut, 2 tbsp
Fresh Coriander
Salt to taste
Besan, ¼ tbsp
Poha, ¼ tbsp
Lemon Juice, 1 tbsp
Sugar, ¼ tbsp

Method

Crust for veg potli

Take maida in the bowl, add salt and mix.
Add oil and mix it well and make sure there are no lumps in it.
Add water slowly and kneed it into a nice and even dough. Rest the dough for around 20 minutes.

Vegetable stuffing

Heat up oil in the pan.
Add fennel seeds, cashew and raisin, let it sizzle.
Add and cook it for a minute.
Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala and mix it well.
Add coconut and corianderand mix well.
Add green peas, carrot and beans. Cut them finely and add salt and small amount of water. Mix and allow it to cook for 10-15 minutes. Make sure to stir it in between to avoid sticking at the bottom.
Add sugar and lemon juice and cook it for three to four minutes.
Transfer vegetable stuffing into bowl and mash it.

Vegetable Potli Preparation

Take dough and divide them into small equal size balls.
Take one of the balls and roll it thin.
Add vegetable stuffing at the middle of the crust.
Apply small amount of water at the end of the crust and fold it to make it into a potli.
You can use your hands to make different shapes and designs.
Heat up oil in the pan for frying.
Take potlis and fry them till it gets light golden colour.
Vegetable potli is ready to serve.

Spiced cheddar stuffed Sabudana Wada

Chef Mandar Madav, Executive Chef, Conrad

Sabudana Wada is an all-time favourite Shravan snack and we wanted to give this classic recipe an innovative twist. The burst of cheddar definitely adds an element of surprise in this dish.

Ingredients

Grated cheddar, 50 gms
Sabudana (Sago), 100 gms
Curry leaves, 5 gms
Peanut, 20 gms
Cumin, 5 gms
Coriander leaves, 5 gms
Potato, 50 gms
Salt, 5 gms
Sugar, 5 gms
Yellow chilli powder, 2 gms
Ghee to fry
Method

Soak sago for three to four hours and strain the water.
Boil the potatoes with skin, peel it and grate it.
Roast the peanuts on medium flame to ensure even roasting and powder coarsely.
In a pan, temper some curry leaves and keep it aside.
Squeeze the sago properly without mashing it, add grated potato and all the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Make small balls and stuff it with spiced grated cheddar cheese.
Make equal-sized patties and arrange in a plate while the oil is getting heated.
Slide the patties and deep fry in medium flame.
Cook both sides golden brown and drain the excess oil with paper towels.

Pumpkin braised in Coconut Milk
Chef Ranjeet Jadhav, Malaka Spice

This dish has ingredients such as red pumpkin, spinach, lemongrass, bottle gourd, coriander which are sourced from our farm (Cherish Farm).

Ingredients

Red Pumpkin, 100 gms
Bottle Gourd (Doodhi), 50 gms
Sweet Potato, 50 gms
Carrot, 50 gms
Spinach leaves, 10 nos
Fresh Chilli, 3 gms
Lemongrass, 1 stem
Garlic, 5 gms
Lemon juice, 1 lemon
Fresh Coriander, 5 gms
Coconut Milk, 100 ml
Salt, to taste
Oil, 10 ml
Method

Cut red pumpkin, bottle gourd, sweet potato and carrot into 1 cm dice.
Blanch them individually with a little bit of salt, do not overcook.
Take only the white part of the lemongrass stem and slightly bruise it by beating with the handle of the knife.
Heat a pan with oil add sliced fresh chilli, bruised lemongrass. Stir for a minute.
Add chopped peeled garlic and stir, once slightly light brown add the blanched vegetables.
Stir the mixture for about two minutes. Add washed spinach leaves. Add fresh coconut milk (first extract). Reduce heat.
Cook for not more than two to three minutes. Add salt and lemon juice.
Remove from heat and garnish with freshly chopped coriander. Serve hot.

Do you have an interesting recipe for Shravan? Email us at editorial@pune365.com and we’ll publish it if our juror (a well-known Pune-based chef) finds it out of the ordinary.