Happy Makar Sankranti !!!!

TIL GUL GHYA GOD GOD (sweet sweet) BOLA (talk)

Makar Sankranti (Sanskrit: मकर संक्रान्ति) or Sankranti or Sankranthi. marks the transition of the Sun into Makar (Capricorn) on its celestial path. This is significant considering the Winter Solstice marks the beginning of the gradual increase of the duration of the day. Scientifically, the shortest day of the year is around December 21st-22nd after which the days begin to get longer, hence actual Winter Solstice begins on December 21st or December 22nd when the tropical sun enters Makara rashi. Hence actual Uttarayana is December 21st. This was the actual date of Makar Sakranti too. But because of the earth's tilt of 23.45 degrees and sliding of Equinoxes, Ayanamasha occurs. This has caused Makara Sankranti to slide further over the ages. A 1000 years ago, Makar Sankranti was on Dec 31st and is now on January 14th. 5000 years later, it shall be by the end of February, while in 9000 years it shall come in June. Traditionally, this has been one of many harvest days in India.

Due to the geography and size of India, this festival is celebrated for innumerable reasons depending on the climate, agricultural environment, cultural background and location.

In Maharashtra on the Sankranti day people exchange multi-colored tilguls made from til (sesame seeds) and sugar and til-laddus made from til and jaggery. Gul-polis are offered for lunch. While exchanging tilguls as tokens of goodwill people greet each other saying – ‘til-gul ghya, god god bola’ meaning ‘accept these tilguls and speak sweet words’. The under-lying thought in the exchange of tilguls is to forget the past ill-feelings and hostilities and resolve to speak sweetly and remain friends.

This is a special day for the women in Maharashtra when married women are invited for a get-together called ‘Haldi-Kumkum’ and given gifts (utensil, clothes, etc.), which the woman of the house purchases on that day. Typically, women wear black sarees or black colour dress on this occasion.

DABELI!

Ingredients :------------------

Boiled and mashed potatoes 3-4
Fresh Pomegranates seeds - 1 small bowl
Onion chopped - 1 small bowl
Fresh corriander leaves - 1 bunch
Chick peas (soaked overnight and boiled in salted water) - 1/2 bowl (optional)
Green chillies finely chopped
Chopped tomatoes - 1 small bowl
paneer/cottage cheese cubes - 1 small bowl (optional)
Salt to taste
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Amchoor powder/dry mango powder - 1 tsp
Chat masala - 1 tsp
Pita bread or Pav or Bun - 5-6
Butter to roast

Method:--------------------

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl except pita bread and butter.

Add little butter to this and microwave the contents of bowl for one minute on high. Although this is totally optional but it gives good taste.

Now take a pita bread/pav/bun and slit it open from middle. Make a pocket out of it.

Pocket should be large enough to stuff the bowl contents. Stuff each Pita Bread with 2-3 spoon full of stuffing and keep aside.

This can be prepared in advance, say 2-3 hours and as soon as the serving time is near all you have to do is roast with butter on both sides on griddle/tawa for 5 mins or till the time upper crust of bread becomes crispy.

Serve with green coriander chutney or with tomato ketchup.

bHeLpUrI !!!!

Bhelpuri is a a puffed rice dish with potatoes and a tangy tamarind sauce. It is a type of chaat or small plates of savory snacks, particularly identified with the beaches of Mumbai , such as Chowpatty.

There is much disagreement on what goes into the "original" bhel puri, even among chaat experts. Most recipes include puffed rice, sev, (a fried snack shaped like thin noodles made from besan flour) and mixture ( a mix of different types of fried snacks mixed together), as the base of the snack. Other commonly used ingredients include tomatoes, onions and chilis added to the base; northern recipes also add boiled and cut potatoes. Different chutneys impart a sweet or spicy flavour. There are two popular chutneys used, a dark purple sweet one made mainly of dates and tamarind, and a green spicy chutney made of coriander leaves and green chilis.

Another variation is to sprinkle the chat with chunks of diced sweet mango. The finished snack is often garnished with a combination of diced onions, coriander leaves and chopped green chilis. It is sometimes served with papri puris, a deep fried small round and crispy wheat bread. The result is a sour/pungent/sweet tasting evening snack that is a treat for the tastebuds and a good source of carbohydrates and minerals.

There are many variants of Bhelpuri:

• Sevpuri - a mixture of bhelpuri, chutney, papdi and sev
• Dahi puri - a mixture of bhelpuri, chutney, papdi and savoured with lot of youghurt.
• Sev papdi chaat - a lot like sevpuri but with 2-3 types of chutney, potatoes, chana masala

PanI pUrI!

PANI PURI!!!! Also known as Gol Gappa (North India), Phuchka, bataashaa or Gup chup is a popular street snack in the Indian subcontinent. It comprises a round, hollow "puri", fried crisp and filled with a watery mixture of tamarind, chili, chaat masala , potato, onion and chickpeas. Its size is small enough to fit in the mouth.

The term golgappa refers to the fact that crisp sphere ("gol") is placed in the mouth and eaten ("gappa") at one time, without biting. Pani comes from the Hindi word for water and puri (or poori), an Indian bread made by frying dough in oil. It is known as phoochka in Eastern Indian states like Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal and in Bangladesh, because of the bursting sound in the mouth when it is eaten. It is known as GupChup in Orissa and South Jharkhand.

Typically, panipuris are served in 5–8 quantities, constituting a "plate". The plate is constructed out of dry sal leaves and has a triangular shape. Some places offer panipuris pre-made into a whole plate, but the popular way is to be served them one at a time from a road-side vendor. Customers hold a small plate and stand around the server's cart. The server then starts making one panipuri at a time and gives one to each individual. Panipuri servers have to remember each customer's preferences: e.g. sweetened pani, more filling, more onions. The server must also keep count of how many panipuris each person has had. Panipuri servers are renowned for remembering choices and numbers served, even when serving an entire crowd.

Traditionally, panipuris are eaten by placing the entire puri into the mouth in one go and biting into it. This releases a barrage of different tastes. Panipuris may be finished off with a cup of the pani, sweetened or tartened to taste.

A recent emergence in the presentation of panipuri involves the use of vodka as an intoxicating substitute for the more traditional stuffings. Typically, this serving method is confined to privately-hosted parties, and is seldom (if ever) seen practised among street vendors.

In Maharashtra, the recipe is usually spicier, and also contains 'boondi' or sprouts in addition to other ingredients.

Misal Pav !

Misal Pav (Spicy curry with bread) is a traditional Indian dish sold in the streets of Mumbai, Pune and parts of Maharastra, India. It consists of spicy curry usually made of chick peas and chilly powder gravy. The final dish is topped with Punjabi mix or sev (Indian noodles), onions, lemon and coriander (cilantro). It is usually served with bread toasted with butter. The dish is inexpensive and a poor man's meal.

The best Misal Pav available is at Thane outside Mamledar Office. Usually the Pav served is a Bun Pav, but in Kolhapur it is a Sandwich bread. Puneri Misal, as name suggest from Pune is also tasty.

Shree Datta Guru Snacks at Panvel delightfull Misal Pav.

Misal Pav in Shree Datta Snacks Spot near Goregaon Station (East) is also very tasty.

The PAV BHAJI!

Well well.... what should I say about this PAV bhAJI.... I have spent a life time eating it LOLZ hahahahahaha.

The small filling and spicy dish and ofcourse in budget always .... hehehehahahahha LOLZ

The origin of this dish is traced to the heyday of the textile mills in Mumbai. The mill workers used to have lunch breaks too short for a full meal, and a light lunch was preferred to a heavy one, as the employees had to return to physical labor after lunch. A vendor created this dish using items or parts of other dishes available on the menu. Roti or rice was replaced with pav and the curries that usually go with Indian bread or rice were amalgamated into just one spicy concoction-the 'bhaji'. Initially, it remained the food of the mill-workers. The dish found its way into restaurants and spread over Central Mumbai and other areas. Such is popularity of this dish, that it is common to find it on the menu of most Indian restaurants serving fast food in Asia (especially Singapore, Hong Kong), America, UK (London), Switzerland and elsewhere.

To make bhaji, potatoes are mashed on a flat pan called a tava, and made into a thick gravy after adding diced tomatoes, finely grilled onions, green peas, capsicums (green pepper) and other vegetables like cauliflower. A special blend of spices called the pav bhaji masala is added to this thick gravy. The gravy is then allowed to simmer on the pan for a few minutes and is served hot in a flat dish with a tablespoon of butter on top.

The pav (bread) is roasted on the same pan with an ample amount of butter and masala. The Bhaji is garnished with diced onion and a slice of lemon and served with the pav.

In restaurants some more varieties are available including Cheese Pav Bhaji with added cheese on top, Paneer Pav Bhaji with added paneer (cottage cheese), Mushroom Pav Bhaji, Khada Pav Bhaji(vegetables not mashed, but small pieces cooked with masala), and Dryfruit Pav Bhaji with added dryfruits, Jain Pav Bhaji (mostly in Gujarat) replacing the potato with unripe bananas, as Jains do not eat any food which is grown underground.

THE WADA PAV!

Welcome to the very first post of MUMBAI EATERY!




Well there is so much to start with.... about Mumbai.... its history....and blah blah blah blah....but when you are on job and have no time to for anyone and also short on cash.... you really have to eat something becoz you are HUNGRY and have no time to wait. What are you gonna do then.... the best ever thing you must never forget to eat in Mumbai is the Wada Pav!

Almost the staple food of all the Mumbaikars....

The potatoes are mashed or diced, made into patties, coated and mixed with green chilies, ginger and a phodani (tempering) of mustard seeds and turmeric. These balls are then dipped in an herb-seasoned batter made with gram flour, then it is deep-fried. The finished vada is then placed between the halves of a small bun called a pav, a word borrowed for a bun borrowed by Marathi from the Portuguese pão (lit., "bread") served with condiments such as various chutneys, red chili powder or green chilis (sometimes fried and salted). The chutneys are often made of coconut, tamarind pulp or garlic.

The Vada Pav is considered staple teatime snack in Maharashtra, particularly in Mumbai, where it has been popularized as street food. Vada Pav is available on hand carts, popularly known as Vada Pav chi gadi. They are seen everywhere in Maharashtra and also served at tea time in many of the state's small eateries and on long distance trains.