Diwali 2020: Chef shares lesser known, authentic Mumbai festive recipes

The best thing about lesserknown delicacies is that they are hyperlocal and are ingrained in the ecosystem of the region they originate from They are not only the source of undiluted local flavours but are also an embodiment of the history and culture of a place Speaking of which festivals are one of the most loved ways to celebrate the culture and heritage of a city So this Diwali MidDay brings to you two authentic Maharashtrian dishes that may not be very popular nowadays but can definitely be called the ldquosoulfoodsrdquo of MumbaiDadpe Pohe coconut infused spiced pohe and Anarsa rice and jaggery sweet fermented are two recipes that have got lost amid the wave of fusion recipes However Satyajit Kotwal Food Expert with The Resort Mumbai revives these recipes for the local foodloving MumbaikarsAbout the dishesDadpe Pohe Unlike the usual Poha this dish is made with thin flattened rice It is not cooked Raw poha is mixed with fresh grated coconut ginger and lime juice After mixing the ingredients are covered with a lid and a weight is kept on top so that the flavours are well absorbed Dadapne in Marathi means ldquoto pressrdquo or ldquokept underweightrdquo Hence Dadpe PohaAnarsa Anarsa is an authentic Maharashtrian sweet dish specially made for festivals like Diwali and Dussehra Famous for its pastrylike shape Anarsa is a snack made from soaked powdered rice and jaggery or sugarLost recipesDadpe pohe and Ansara are not commonly cooked in Maharashtrian households nowadays thatrsquos why they are among the many authentic yet lost recipes of Mumbai Chef Satyajit Kotwal says ldquothe cooked version of Poha usual Kanda Poha is more popular and also Dadpe Pohe has very short shelf life so one cannot store it even for few hoursrdquo He adds ldquoAnsara is not very famous only because the process is relatively complicated and lengthyrdquoLetrsquos cookAnarsaIngredients Kolam rice 1frac12 cupJaggery Gur grated frac12 cupGhee 7 tablespoonsSemolina Rawasuji 2 tablespoonsSugar 2 tablespoonsMethod Wash the rice twice Fill with water till all the grains are immersed Soak the rice for 5 days change the water daily On the 6th day drain the water and spread rice grains on cloth Let them dry out Grind them to a dry powder Make a fine powder Sieve the powder through a fine mesh Add jaggery and ghee to the powdered rice and start kneading Add milk to make the dough pliable It should be semisoft Divide into 1214 equal portions and make balls out of it Take poppy seeds in a plate press a dough ball on it Now roll the dough ball like a thick puri Heat ghee in a kadhai Deep fry the anarsa in the ghee till golden brown Drain the excess ghee and serveDadpe PoheIngredients2 cups Poha Flattened rice thin variety1 Onion finely chopped1 Tomato finely chopped1 tablespoon Coriander Dhania Leaves finely chopped2 tablespoons Sev thin variety2 tablespoons Fresh coconut grated1 teaspoon Sugar1 tablespoon Lemon juiceSalt to tasteIngredients for tadka1 teaspoon Mustard seeds12 teaspoon Cumin seeds Jeera14 teaspoon Asoetida hing1 sprig Curry leaves2 tablespoons Raw Peanuts Moongphali1 Green Chilli finely chopped2 teaspoons Sunflower OilMethod To begin making the Dadpe Pohe recipe dry roast the thin variety of poha or flattened rice and keep aside Now take a bowl add the roasted poha chopped onion tomato grated carrot grated coconut lemon juice sugar and salt and mix well with the hands Leave it to soak in the juices for 10 minutes Heat oil in a small tadka pan add the mustard seeds asafoetida and let it crackle Add the curry leaves and let it splutter Add the green chili peanuts and saute until the peanuts are roasted well Add this tadka over the softened poha and mix well To serve take a portion of the prepared Dadpe Pohe in a bowl or plate garnish with the remaining chopped onion tomato grated coconut coriander leaves nylon sevKeep scrolling to read more newsCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news