Muji Kael, Khatti mooli

This dish has a great importance in Hindu religion. It is prepared on Shivratri as one of the important  vyanjan (dishes) and is distributed among nearest relations along with Shivratri Prasad (walnuts).


Ingredients

1. 1 kg mooli (radish).
2. 300 ml mustard oil.
3. 2 table spoons kashmiri mirch powder (red chilly powder).
4. 2 table spoons saunf powder (fennel powder).
5. 1 tea spoons saunth powder (ginger powder).
6. 4 crushed moti elaichi (black cardamom).
7. 1 table spoon crushed ajwain (carom seeds)
8. 1 table spoon salt /salt to taste.
9. 1 table spoon zeera (cumin seeds).
10. 4 half crushed laung  (cloves)
11. 1 pinch hing (asafoetida)
12. 1 table spoon aamchoor (mango powder) / juice of two lemons / 1/2 katori imli paani (tamarind water).

Method

1. Clean the radish and cut it into finger like pieces.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and deep fry the pieces.
3. Drain off the excess oil and put the pan on low heat.
4. Put zeera and laung along with asafoetida in the oil and stirfor 30 seconds.
5. Add mirch powder and little water and stir again till water dries up.
6. Mix mooli in the red curry along with saunf, saunth, moti elaichi, ajwain and salt.
7. Add amchoor/lemon juice/imli paani to it along with a cup of water, mix it properly, and cook it till maximum liquid dries up.
8. The dish is ready to serve.