Egg Gassi, Ukda Tandul and Gajbaje

Ingredients

• 2 cup Parboiled Rice (Known as Ukda Tandul in Marathi. Any medium or long-grain variety works.)
• 4 cup Water (For pressure cooking. Use 5 cups for an open pot.)
• 1 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste.)
• 1 tsp Ghee (Optional, but recommended for flavor and to prevent sticking.)

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse and Soak the Rice

   • Place the parboiled rice in a large bowl. Rinse it under cold running water 3-4 times, gently rubbing the grains with your fingers, until the water runs mostly clear.
   • Drain the water completely. Add enough fresh water to cover the rice by at least an inch and let it soak for a minimum of 30 minutes. This step is crucial for fluffy rice.
   • After soaking, drain all the water from the rice using a fine-mesh sieve.
2. 2

   Pressure Cook the Rice

   • Transfer the drained, soaked rice into a 3-liter or larger pressure cooker.
   • Add 4 cups of fresh water, 1 tsp of salt, and the optional 1 tsp of ghee.
   • Give it a gentle stir to combine the ingredients.
   • Secure the lid of the pressure cooker and place it on the stove over medium-high heat. Cook for 2 whistles.
3. 3

   Rest and Fluff

   • After the second whistle, turn off the heat completely. Do not try to open the cooker.
   • Allow the pressure to release naturally. This will take about 10-15 minutes. This resting period allows the rice to steam perfectly.
   • Once the pressure has fully subsided, carefully open the lid.
   • Use a fork to gently fluff the rice from the sides. This separates the grains without breaking them.
4. 4

   Serve

   • Let the rice sit for another 2-3 minutes before serving.
   • Serve the hot Ukda Tandul with your favorite Maharashtrian dishes like Varan (dal), Amti, or any vegetable curry.

Ingredients

• 500 g Mixed Vegetables (Use a mix of firm and soft vegetables like yam, raw banana, ash gourd, and drumsticks, cut into 1.5-inch cubes.)
• 1 cup Cooked Chickpeas (Canned (drained and rinsed) or boiled from dry.)
• 1 cup Fresh Grated Coconut (Fresh is preferred, but frozen (thawed) also works.)
• 5 pcs Dried Red Chillies (Byadgi or Kashmiri chillies are recommended for color and mild heat.)
• 1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
• 1 tsp Urad Dal (Split and skinned black gram.)
• 0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Tamarind Paste (Or a lemon-sized ball of tamarind soaked in warm water and pulp extracted.)
• 1 tsp Jaggery (Grated or powdered. Adjust to taste.)
• 1.5 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste.)
• 3 tbsp Coconut Oil (Divided use: 1 tsp for roasting spices and 2 tbsp for tempering.)
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 10 pcs Curry Leaves
• 0.25 tsp Asafoetida (Also known as hing. Use gluten-free if needed.)
• 3 cup Water (Approximately 2.5 cups for cooking vegetables and 0.5 cup for grinding the masala.)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the Vegetables

   • In a large pot, combine the harder vegetables (like yam, raw banana) with 2.5 cups of water and 1 tsp of salt.
   • Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until they are about 50% cooked.
   • Add the softer vegetables (like ash gourd, drumsticks) and continue to cook for another 7-8 minutes until all vegetables are tender but still hold their shape.
   • Gently stir in the cooked chickpeas and reduce the heat to low.
2. 2

   Prepare the Masala Paste

   • Heat 1 tsp of coconut oil in a small pan over low-medium heat. Add the coriander seeds, urad dal, and dried red chillies.
   • Roast for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously, until the dal turns light golden and the spices are fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.
   • Remove from heat and let the roasted spices cool completely.
   • Transfer the cooled spices to a grinder jar. Add the grated coconut, turmeric powder, and tamarind paste.
   • Add 1/2 cup of water and grind to a very smooth, fine paste.
3. 3