Aai's chutney pitti.

We all have some memories, some things that hold a special place in our hearts, almost like a sacred thing. You never want to do anything to spoil it. Some things like your comfort foods from your childhood or people who hold a special spot in your hearts. I know I do....

One of my favorite recipes, is the taste of Aai's chutney pitti. Incomparable to anything or anyone else's in my mind. For years, I wouldn't want to even try anyone else's for being disloyal to my memories of her concoction :-) (Not that she cared or even knew about this silly notion of mine). I didn't even want to ask her the recipe because year after year, I made sure she sent it to me. That was the only thing I would ask for her instead of the delectable mithais or shimmering sarees!!. Now, that T has gotten this ajji's chutney mania (She will NOT eat any other chutney pitti. Nope...doesn't match up to Ajji's she says !!), I had to do something...I had no excuses left to not make it here. I have a fully grown kadi patta tree in my yard.

We get all the ingredients .. However there was still one glitch. Aai's recipes are never measured. It's always "thode Kobre, thode dalia...so on". So, how was I to get that exact taste? I beleive I won't ever get that but as close I get to it, would be just as good.

I had to take the challenge of producing a close enough copy so I could supplement the chutney pitti when the original gold mine would get depleted before the next batch arrived from the Mistress of Chutney pitti. So, I tried the following recipe. I had to make it several times to get the consistency and mix of sweet,tangy and hot. Of course, had to make some substitutions. But my ultimate acceptance was when both C and T said that it was just a step below Aai's ...That was a high enough praise for me :-)

Ingredients

2 cups Dalia

2 .5 cups of dry grated coconut

3 tablespoons mirchi powder

2 tsps amchur powder (Aai uses amsan but I didn't have any)

2 cups of kadi patta leaves( washed and dried)

Hing, salt, sugar to taste

Method

Roast the dalia, coconut, mirchi powder,hing and kadi patta on slow fire, one at a time. Grind them to a fine powder and add salt, sugar and amchur powder to the mix and then enjoy....

Next to master is Aai's mashli ambat :-) ..I think Akka has already mastered it so maybe she can post her experience...What say, Akka?

Shaadi Mubarak Ho.....

Our Best wishes to dear Gauri and Ketan. The little girl who sat next to me and probably a couple of other cousins coz she was the littlest girl in the family is now the bride. Showers of blessings from all of us.....

And Thankyou mami and Smi for the shaadi ke laddoo recipe :-) sounds yummy... except I have to come and see baby Anika and have a real-live demonstration of the recipe. I tried the kothimbir vadis except that i substituted the kothimbir with palak. They turned out really good.

To a sweet beginning.....BOONDI LADDOOS

Dear Gauri and Ketan,

Here's to a wonderful couple who start a 'fun'tastic life together.

To celebrate the occasion we treat you to aai's delightful 'Boondi ladoos'.

Here's the recipe....

7 cups Besan
Oil for frying
% cups sugar for syrup
3 cups water
2 tspn cardammon powder
4 tspn raisins
a pinch of saffron
10-12 cloves

Mix the Besan and add water to the flour to make it of paste consistency( for the boondis). Prepare sugar syrup of one string consistency(got to check on this one for a better explanation)
Start preparing boondis in a frying pan. Collect the fried boondis in a strainer when light brown and dip these boondis in the sugar syrup. Stir well. When done frying all the boondis add saffron, cardommon, cloves and raisins (slightly pounded). When the boondis in the syrup cool down and the syrup is all absorbed, make the laddoos and enjoy them. Ekdum Saras lage laddoo!!

To a sweet beginning and the very best in life forever and ever!!!

Best wishes from the Shanbhags