Masale Bhat/ Maharashtrian Spicy Rice
Masale bhat, is a spicy and rich flavored rice. You have to trust me on this, that it is definitely more than just spicy rice with mix vegetables, cashews, ghee and ground masala paste laden with coconut, onions and handful of masalas. Yet, we maharashtrians lazily call it masala bhat. We should do a little more talking and selling of some good recipes for many of them are real treasures. Cannot claim for the community, hence will do it from my bit, by increasing the repertoire of maharashtrian recipes on my blog
It is normally served with mattha, or raita. Either of them is good to cool down the heat and making the experience more warm and cherish able.
Ingredients
2 cups basmati /long grained rice
3-4 medium size brinjals - cubed (do not discard the crown fully)
100 gms gherkins/ tendli -lengthwise quartered
1 medium onions finely chopped lengthwise
handful cashew nuts
2 tbsp Clarified butter/ ghee
2 tspn red chilli powder
1 tspn turmeric powder
for tempering
2 tbsp Oil
It is normally served with mattha, or raita. Either of them is good to cool down the heat and making the experience more warm and cherish able.
Ingredients
2 cups basmati /long grained rice
3-4 medium size brinjals - cubed (do not discard the crown fully)
100 gms gherkins/ tendli -lengthwise quartered
1 medium onions finely chopped lengthwise
handful cashew nuts
2 tspn red chilli powder
1 tspn turmeric powder
for tempering
2 tbsp Oil
1 tspn mustard seeds
2-3 bay leaves
for masala paste
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 inch ginger
5-6 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp grated dry coconut
1 tspn grated fresh coconut(optional , but lends nice freshness)
2 tbsp fresh coriander
1 tspn sesame seeds
1 tspn poppy seeds
1 tspn coriander cumin seeds powder
1 tspn garam masala (or kolhapuri kanda lasun masala - reduce red chilli powder if so)
salt to taste
Method
1) Wash the rice and let it stand until you prepare the other things
2) In a pan, take some oil, roast the onions for the masala, until they are pink or golden.
3) Remove the onions and roast the coconut, (fresh and dry both)
4) Dry roast the sesame seeds and poppy seds separately.
5) Ground the onion, coconut mixture, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, ginger, garlic, fresh coriander, garam masala, coriander-cumin seeds powder and salt to make a thin paste. Add water as needed but ground the mixture to a fine consistency.
6) In a large pan, heat oil.
7) Add the mustard seeds and bay leaf.
8) When they are roasted add the finely chopped onion. Saute till they are pink
9) Add the turmeric powder,brinjals ,gherkins and cashewnuts and roast well
10) Next add the ground masala , red chillipowder and saute till the vegetables are partially cooked.
11) Add the rice along with 4 cups water (add more if vegetables seem uncooked). Do not add more than 4.5 cups water in total
12) Add more salt if required ( I normally add to the masala).
13) Add the ghee and cover the pan
14) Cook for abot 12-15 min or until rice is cooked. Do not use spoon to check the rice often. It will break the rice grains. Use a fork
15) When done, garnish with fresh coconut and coriander and serve hot
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