Masaale Bhaat

(Spicy Maharashtrian rice, a must-have in wedding menus)

It's so difficult to get hold of authentic traditional maharashtrian style masaale Bhaat. I wish I had appreciated it more in the past! Now I crave for it :P

A few years back I had masaale bhaat for the last time in waadi (a pilgrim place in Maharashtra). We were there for my cousin's threading ceremony, and they make it at the temple kitchen! And it was soooooo good, I got up at 6.00 am to watch them make it from scratch for someone else's wedding :P

Of course I had to hear a bit from my mom for disappearing like that! But she melted when I made it for her after we got back to Pune using a packet of masala the sweet lady over there gave me :)

Now that masala of course is the soul of this dish and unfortunately I finished all of the sample she gave me :/ so I made this using regular maharashtrian goda (kala) masala.. And it tastes good.. Not as good as the waadi one, but quite good!
This recipe serves 6 ppl. U can make half too. In the pictures I have made double of the following recipe.

You will need:
2 cups rice-washed, soaked for a bit and drained
Medium size chopped/cubed vegetables:
Cauliflower, potatoes, peas, tondli (tinda), are typical to masaale bhaat. (a total of 1.5- 2 cups of vegetables)
1/2 capsicum cut in squares


Oil
6-8 Curry leaves
Turmeric
extra Asafetida
2-3 dried red chillies
1-2 green chillies- slit
1 heaped tablespoon+ Goda masala
1 tbsp Coriander powder
1tsp Cumin powder
Whole spices: cumin seeds (1 tsp), bay leaf (2), black pepper (6-8)
sea salt or normal salt
1/4 cup minced Jaggery
Chopped cilantro

For garnish:
Fresh grated coconut
Chopped cilantro
Ghee :)
Wash and soak rice for at least 30 min. Then strain dry.

boil 3 cups water in a pan.

in another pan Heat oil (in a heavy bottom metal pan (if you have brass, perfect))

Add cumin and other whole spices
Add a little extra turmeric and asafetida (very important for the typical flavor profile)
Add curry leaves, chillies, chopped cilantro and capsicum

Add the other vegetables and fry or a bit
Add the masala and the powdered spices, followed by sea salt.
Stir in the strained rice. 

After a couple of minutes add the boiling water (with jaggery and salt mixed in for uniform mixing) to the rice and veggies.
Once it starts boiling, add minced jaggery stir and cover with a lid.
Cook on low flame for about half an hour.

Serve hot topped with cilantro, ghee and grated coconut if you like :)

I made this for my lab potluck dinner and got the opportunity of witnessing this! Masaale bhaat being eaten by chopsticks :) Thanks for posing Lin!