Anarse

No Diwali is complete without Anarse at our home. We are also content with store bought if it is not possible to make at home. My grandmother used to start her Diwali preparations 4 months ahead by making the anarse dough. Her quantities were huge, considering she had 12 siblings, 6 children their respective in-laws. Also she used to prepare the rice flour using the stone grinder. Patience !!! The one virtue I am in awe of people.

Coming to my tiny winy proportions, let us get on with work.


Ingredients (Makes around 20-25)
2 cups Basmati Rice 
2 cups Grated Jaggery
2 tbsp Clarified Butter/ Ghee
2- 3 tbsp Poppy seeds 
1/2 ripe banana (optional)


Method
1) Wash the rice under running water until the water becomes clear. Soak it in water and set aside. The rice should be soaked for 3 days ,changing the water every 24 hours. 

 2) Drain the water and let it dry under a fan (dont put under dun light directly- if u r lucky to get some in ur balcony). Roast the rice until the raw smell goes away - about 10-15 minutes for this quantity.

 3) Grate the jaggery and measure up to 2 cups.

 4) Using the ghee mix the rice flour and grated jaggery to form a stickly crumbly dough. Do not use any water.

 5) Wrap the dough using a plastic cling film and set aside until you want to use them. You can use it right away after 30 min or setting aside. The dough would stay good without refrigeration upto 3 months and 6 months in refrigerator.

 6) Knead the dough using tip of your fingers. To make it pliable use some ripe banana.

 7) On a flat surface, place a plastic sheet and grease it with ghee. Put some poppy seeds on it.

 8) Take a small ball of dough about the size of beetlenut (supari). Gently using the finger tips flatten in on the poopy seeds.

 9) You can cover the dough on top and also flatten it to get a thin roll.

 10) The surface will appear smooth when you use the plastic cover to roll it.

 11) Gently remove the plastic and drop the anarsa with the side covered in poppy seeds facing you. The oil temperature should be low to medium hot. Do not flip over the anarsa at any point, gently throw some oil on the top surface using a spatula.

 12) Remove when the below surface becomes golden, the color will change to copper red when you remove from heat so watch carefully lest it burns.

Your anarse will become crunchy when it cools down. To think of it , this is a durable maharashtrian version of Kerala's Adhirasam (Updated based on dear friends feedback).


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Karanji

During childhood I used to hate those days when mom was making karanjis for diwali. It seemed very time consuming effort. She tried to keep us busy by giving us small cores like cutting the edges of the karanji or sticking the ends together. I wonder how she managed 3 kids and yet make kilos of karanji. 
I have started making karanji ofcourse with some variations which are easier to manage. Like I do not make layers of the dough which is an effort similar to making puff pastry. Thinking about it , I could use puff pastry for the baked version next time.


Lets get around to see how I make it now.

3 baked and 3 deep fried

Ingredients
For karanji Dough
3 cups of All purpose Flour
1/2 cup Semonlina
3 tspn Melted Ghee / Butter
1 1/4 cup milk at room temperature
For filling
200 gms dessicated coconut ( I know people use dry coconut, but I prefer dessicated)
200 gms cashew powdered ( This is too much? I made dry fruit filling this time)
200 gms almonds powdered
50 gm pistachios powdered 
100 gms dried figs
2 tspn cardomon powder
1 pinch  saffron 
2 tspn poppy seeds (optional - I did not add)
2 tbsp fine semolina
1 tspn ghee
1 cup powdered sugar (as per taste vary the quantity)
Method
For Filling
1) Finely chop the figs, and powder the rest of the ingredients.

2) In a pan, using some ghee, roast the semolina till it is cooked well. 

 3) Add the powdered nuts to the semolina and saute for 2 minutes.

 4) Add the figs and switch off the flame. mix well.

 5) In a seperate pan, dry roast the dessicated coconut and then add to the filling.

 6) Add powdered sugar as per taste to the mixture and set aside.

7) In a large dish, take the all purpose flour.

 8) Add the semolina to it.

 9) Mix it with hand and make a well in the centre.

 10) Add melted ghee spoon by spoon and mix well.

 11) Add milk and mix to make a stiff dough

 12) The texture should be crumbly and not smooth. Keep aside for 10-15 min.

 13) Take the dough and soften it using a heavy pestle like object. Make small balls of the dough and roll it out. Fill it with the filling and cover it to form half moon.

 14). Seal the ends using little milk and cut the edges or seal them by twisting and pasting method. Line them up by covering with damp cloth until they are ready for frying.

 15) In a medium hot oil, deep fry the karanjis.

 16) For baking them, place them on a non stick baking sheet or lined baking sheet. Bake fpr 15 min. Brush the surface with oil for color.

 17 ) Karanji are ready when they become slightly golden in color. The cover would appear soft when hot but will eventually harden when it cools down.

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Mahalaxmi Chivda

This is the only name I know of. Mahalaxmi temple at Kolhapur is a famous temple of the Ambadevi deity. The city is very popular for its cuisine and is a culinary delight. Not sure why this is being called so. It is available very easily outside the Ambadevi mandir and all across kolhapur. 

BesanKaju barfi

A little twist to the regular besan laddoo and kaju barfi, enjoy it together, we are enjoying the delectably lethal combination.

Ingredients (for 100 pieces)

1 Kg Coarsely ground Chickpea flour

250 gm Finely ground Cashews

450 gm Powdered sugar

500 gm Clarified Butter (Ghee)

2 tsp cardamom powder

1 tbsp crushed nuts

100 gm raisins

5 Silver leaves

Method

1) In a large wok/ kadhai heat the butter until it is very hot. Reduce flame.

2) Add the sieved chickpea flour and stir immediately.

3) Keep roasting till the color changes and the raw smell vanishes. This would take about 45 min or so. Be patient and stir constantly on low flame.

 4) Add the powdered cashews and quickly stir in. Keep roasting for another 5 min. Switch off the flame.

 5) On a small spoon, heat some kesar until it is crispy. About 30 seconds.

6) Add little milk to it and see the kesar bleed beautiful color (** tip from MIL)

 7) Let the mixture cool off completely. Now add the powdered sugar (finely sieved).

 8) Mix the mixture well. Taste at this stage and check for more sugar.

 9) In a deep dish, pour some ghee and and grease it well. Add the mixture and smoothen using the back of the spoon.

 10) Apply the silver leaves to cover most of the surface.

 11) Add the chopped nuts and let it sit until it sets. About couple of hours.

 12) Cut the pieces as per your preference.

Watch it disappear gleefully!


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Chivda (Roasted) Type 1

Popularly maharashtrians make 2 types of chivda for diwali. The roasted (भाजलेला) chivda is made round the year. During Diwali we deck it up a little more than usual. 

For the diet conscious check my lite version here. 

Others read further

Ingredients

500 gms Beaten rice (Poha- Thin)

250 gms ground nuts

1 cup sliced dry coconut

2 tbsp cashews

2 tbsp raisins

4 green chillies cut in small pieces

3-4 sprigs of curry leaves

2 tspn mustard seeds

2 tspn cumin seeds

1 tspn asafoetida (you can add this liberally)

2 tspn turmeric powder

2 tbsp powdered sugar

salt to taste

Oil to deep fry the nuts

2 tspn Oil for tempering

Method

1) In a deep frying pan, heat some oil and deep fry the following in batches, ground nuts, cashews, raisins.

2) Next deep fry the green chillies until they turn crispy and white in color.

3) Now, you have a choice, roast the poha in microwave (4 -5 batches for 500 gms in 10 inch dish). Micorwave on high for 4 min, stirring every 1 min. For the last minute watch stir every 15 sec. The final outcome should be crunchy.
 Else, you can roast them for 20-25 min on low flame stirring constantly using a spoonful of oil.

4) They should come out nice and crunchy.

5) In a large wok/ kadhai, heat 2 tspn of oil and add the curry leaves (loads) and fry them till they are crispy.

6) Next add the mustard seeds , let it crackle, add the asafoetida, then add cumin seeds and turmeric. Also add the sesame seeds when each of the above.

7) Next add the poha and stir gently.

8) Next add your fried goodies and stir well.

9) Let it roast for another 10 min.

This is ready to serve and store.  This stays well for a month just ensure that you pack it only when this is completely cooled off.




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