BHANOLE

Bhanole is an easy to make delicious and healthy savoury cake which can be had as a snack or as a Starter……..

INGREDIENTS : 1 small Cabbage, 1 onion, 1-2 green chillies, fresh coriander, 1 coconut, 1 tsp jaggery, 1/2 cup besan (chickpea flour), 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 1/4 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp coriander powder, 1/4 tsp Goda Masala, a pinch is asafoetida, salt to taste, 1 tbsp oil.

DIRECTIONS : Slice the cabbage to get 1 cup……… Slice the onion too……. Chop the green chillies finely…….. Chop fresh coriander to get approximately 1/4 cup……… Grate the coconut…….. Add hot water and keep aside for some time…….. Extract thick coconut milk through muslin cloth to get about 1/4 cup…….. Oil a container and keep aside…… Now mix sliced cabbage, sliced onion, chopped green chillies and coriander, jaggery, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, Goda Masala, asafoetida and salt……… Add thick coconut milk…… Crush and mix thoroughly with hand……. Now add besan and baking soda to get a batter……. Pour the batter in the oiled container…….. Take a pressure cooker……. Pour some water in it…… Keep the container in the pressure cooker…….. Steam it in the pressure cooker without whistle for about 50 minutes to 1 hour……..When it is done let it cool……. Cut bhanole into squares and serve.

NOTE : Bhanole can be served as it is or it can be shallow/deep fried……. The batter should have the consistency a little thicker than fritters…… Instead of steaming, one can bake bhanole at 175*C for at least 1/2 an hour.

PANGOJI

A SKP speciality, Pangoji are deep fried plump fritters which are traditionally served with tea in the evening….. Can be served as starters too.

INGREDIENTS : 4 potatoes ( medium sized), 2-3 green chillies, 1/4 cup coriander, 1-2 tsp jaggery, 3/4-1 cup coconut water, 1 cup wheat flour, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, salt to taste, oil for frying.

DIRECTIONS : Boil the potatoes…… When cool, crush the potatoes……. Chop the green chillies and coriander……. Add chopped green chillies, chopped coriander, jaggery, wheat flour, turmeric powder, baking soda and salt to crushed potatoes…..Mix thoroughly adding coconut water little by little….. Cover and keep aside for at least two hours….. Fry the resultant batter like fritters…… Serve hot.

NOTE : Increase/ decrease green chillies and jaggery according to taste…… Add enough coconut water to form batter of fritter consistency…….. Goes very well with green chutney.

One can turn these into pancakes by adding more coconut water……Though not the traditional version, it actually comes out very well….. Serve hot chutney.

SKP MASALA

Integral part of Somvanshi Kshatriya Pathare cuisine is the spice mixture – SKP Masala…….. As in every cuisine, each family have a variation of their own.

INGREDIENTS : 50 gm Chana dal, 300 gm whole red chillies, 30 gm turmeric rhizomes, 60 gm cumin, 100 gm coriander seeds, 60 gm mustard seeds, 25 gm black pepper corns, 3-4 gm asafoetida.

DIRECTIONS : Except for asafoetida, keep rest of the ingredients in hot sun for 5/6 days……. Pound the turmeric rhizomes into very small pieces…. Grind…… Dry roast Chana dal, red chillies, cumin, coriander seeds, mustard seeds & black pepper corns separately in a pan on low heat till they release their aroma…… Cool……. Except for mustard, grind all the roasted ingredients…… Separately grind the mustard…….. Mix mustard powder, turmeric powder and asafoetida with rest of the ground spice mix thoroughly…… Store the resultant SKP Masala in an airtight container.

NOTE : For longer period, one must store the masala in the refrigerator.

SOMVANSHI KSHATRIYA PATHARE (SKP) CUISINE

SKP cuisine is simple and flavourful……… Except for coconut curries, very little coconut is used…… The main flavour come from a traditional spice mixture – SKP Masala…… This cuisine is a potpourri of vegetables, eggs, fish and meat……. But SKP’s are partial towards seafood…….. Seasonal vegetables like drumsticks, brinjals, turnips, etc. are found in some seafood preparations……. Koshimbir is a must with every meal……. A Maharashtrian yoghurt based salad, koshimbir is served as an accompaniment as it balances the spices of the main course……..SKP cuisine has some unique koshimbirs………. Regular fresh vegetables are prepared with simple basic spices……. Interestingly, SKPs love adding sprouts to fresh vegetables….. This community prefer to cook desi chicken (free range)…… As accompaniments rice, chapatis and rice ghawan (crisp rice pancakes) are more common…….. Kombdi wade (mixed flour poori) are preferred with richer curries.

Gujarati influence can be be seen in some dishes……. During Sankranti, Ukad Handi is made…… Ukad Handi is very similar to Gujarati recipe Undhiyu…….. Both dishes are made during winter as a wide variety of seasonal vegetables are available during this period……… Literally meaning Boiled Pot, Ukad Handi is made by marinating vegetables like potatoes, raw bananas, beans, brinjals, suran, etc. with spices and pastes and filling them in earthen pots…….. These pots are sealed and placed in bonfire……. The vegetables cook in their own juices acquiring a lovely smoky and earthy aroma resulting in a healthy meal.

SKP cuisine is very simple and rustic making use of local ingredients and flavours.

SOMVANSHI KSHATRIYA PATHARE COMMUNITY

Somvanshi Kshatriya Pathare (SKP) community is one of the few original residents of Mumbai……… Somvanshi literally means Descendants of the Moon……. They were highly educated and great philanthropists……. SKPs were very progressive in their outlook……. They promoted widow remarriage at a time when it was looked down upon.

SKP community have a unique history…….. This community seems to be an amalgamation of various clans migrating in from Utkal (now Orissa), Magadha (Ancient kingdom in present day Bihar), Mahishmati (Ancient city in present day Madhya Pradesh), Telangana, Dekkhan (Devgiri or Mungi Paithan) and Anhilvaad (Gujarat)…… Later all these clans united and inter-married……. Their Guru is Jagadguru Shankaracharya……. The descendants of Utkal Somvanshis worship Bhuvaneshwari Mahalakshmi……… Worshippers of Vajreshwari Mata belong to Anhilvaad and Magadha clans……..Dekkhan Somvanshis worship Ekvira Mata……. Mahikavati Mata is worshiped by the descendants of Mahishmati Somvanshis…….. SKP community is also known as Panchkalshi, Choukalshi, Vadval or Panmali.

SKP cuisine is highly influenced by the coast and its wide range of seafood.