A delicacy from Konkan cuisine, Gajbaje is a dish of mixed vegetables in a spicy coconut curry. The dish is quite easy to prepare – veggies are cooked till soft and then flavoured with a peppy coconut paste and finally topped with a traditional tempering, which instantly boosts the flavour and aroma of the dish.
The coconut paste has a self-contained flavour, with the spiciness of red chillies and the tanginess of tamarind. Together with the tempering, this paste gives the assortment of veggies a totally fabulous taste! Some communities of the Konkan belt make this traditional delicacy on Aashad Ekadasi day, using a unique mix of veggies like amaranth stem, taro leaves, bamboo shoots and jackfruit seeds.
It is believed that during their sojourn in the forest, one of the Pandavas, Bheema made this dish on Ekadasi day using the ingredients available in the wilderness they were residing in. Nevertheless, you can feel free to just open your fridge and use whatever veggies you find in it!
Startling though it may seem, here is a wonderful and healthy modification of the famous festive Gujarati dish which is ordinarily loaded with oil. I've changed this recipe and cut down on the oil along with the invisible fat which you get from coconut. The methi muthias added to this recipe are baked to a wonderful rich golden brown colour that are very appealing and also cut down a lot of the calories you get in the fried version. A good amount of iron and calcium is available from this hearty dish and this is sure to become your family favourite.
The sweet potato and spring onion soup is much more than a flavourful appetiser. It is actually a sumptuous meal in its own right. Energy-giving and wholesome sweet potatoes are combined with aromatic spring onions in this delectable soup, which gathers its rich texture and mouth-feel from a cuppa of milk and oodles of fresh cream. It is a wonderful selection for kids as well as elders as it not only satiates hunger but also gives enough energy to handle the action-packed day.