*Fasting Food

Fasting is a ritual followed all over India. Every state has its own specific fasting foods.

In Maharashtra too certain food items are allowed during fasts. In vegetables preparation made from potato , lady’s finger, red pumpkin, suran (yam), sweet potato , cucumber, lemon are consumed.

Green chillis and fresh coriander can also be used. Curry leaves are not used

Roasted peanut powder is an integral part of our fasting food.It is added in almost all the dishes.

Milk and curds are used too .

Rajgira, Sabudana, Variche tandul ( vrat ke chawal as they call in North India ) make up the main meal.

Cooking medium is pure ghee, oil is avoided .

Yesterday I saw Trupti’s post on Vari che Tandul, a fasting food recipe. This reminded me that I had not made this dish for long. Like I had said earlier in my previous post there is some magic in her post. This time again I headed towards the kitchen to make that dish.I did not stop here I also made Potato bhaji (fasting), and Cucumber koshimbir to compliment Vari che Tandul

So this was our dinner last night.

For VARI CHE TANDUL RECIPE click HERE.

POTATO BHAJI -For Fasting

2 big potatoes or (250-300 gms potatoes) Boiled peeled and cubed.

2 tsp ghee ( you can use less )

1/2 tsp jeera /cuminseeds

2 green chilis slit or chopped

2 Tbsp roasted peanut powder

fresh coriander leaves

1/2 tsp red chilli powder (optional)

1 Tbsp lime juice.

salt to taste

METHOD-

Heat ghee, add jeera. Once the jeera changes colour add green chillis , boiled cubed potatoes, salt, red chilli powder, fresh coriander leaves. Saute for few mintutes. Add lime juice and mix well and serve hot with Vari Che Tandul.

KAKDI CHI KOSHIMBIR ( Cucumber raita for fasting)

Firstly remove extra water from finely chopped cucumber.

Mix together 1 cup of chopped cucumber with 1 cup thick fresh curds, salt and sugar to taste.

Add 1 green chilli finely chopped or slit, some fresh coriander leaves, 1 Tbsp roasted peanut powder.Mix and chill.

You can make this without curds too.

Substitute the curds for Lemon juice around 1Tbsp juice and accordingly adjust the sugar.

How to make roasted peanut powder-

Microwave a handful of peanuts for 2 minutes. Cool, remove the skin and powder coarsely.

For short cut take ready made salted peanuts without skin and powder.

RCI was first started by Lakshmi of Veggie cuisine, and now it is guest hosted by Nupur of One Hot Stove .

This is my second entry for RCI.