The Bhogi meal

Bhogi is generally the 13th of January, the day before Makar Sankranti and eagerly awaited in the New Year for the delicacies made on this day.

The Bhogi menu at home would be:
Vangyache bhareet (Brinjal Bharta)
Lasnachi chutney (garlic chutney)
Mugachi khichadi (khichidi with green gran dal)
Kadhi
Bajri chi bhakri


The bharta menu is already posted on the blog. Vangi as the brinjals are called evoked a variety of emotions and Dadima talked emotionally about 'Krishna kathchi vangi' (brinjals grown on the banks of the Krishna river)which were supposed to be beyond compare.

The lasnachi chutney is a simple chutney that can be stored for a week or so.
You need
3 bulbs of garlic (peeled)
20 red dried chillies
1 cup peanuts (roasted)
1/2 of one dried copra (grated)
salt to taste
1/2 tsp cumin

Heat a teaspoon of oil and roast the cumin and dry chillies and grated copra. Add all the ingredients together and grind them coarsely. Store in an air-tight container. This is Dadima's recipe but Nanima preferred more peanuts. You can try different permutations and combinations too till you find the one that suits you best.

The Kadhi is still my favourite its status as comfort food remains at the top of my list. Those days curds were made at home with full- cream milk and then the butter churned from the buttermilk. While serving the bajra roti there would be a dollop of home-made butter melting on it. The kadhi would be made from this buttermilk and it had a creamy texture and a slightly sweet taste.

The Kadhi recipe is really simple. To 2 cups of buttermilk add a tablespoon of gramflour. Chop 2 green chillies fine and also coriander leaves (fistful). Blend well! Add a teaspoon of butter to a heated wok, half a teaspoonful of cumin, the chopped chilles, a pinch of asafoetida and about 20 curry leaves. These are the most important ingredient as they change the flavour of the curry. Add the buttermilk-gramflour mixture to this and then as it boils add salt to taste.Eat with warm white rice for the best meal ever tasted!


So what are you making today?

Oops forgot to tell you about the udadachey papad - they would be Lijjat brand! Crunchy and yum!