Ram Navami & Sunday Feast 3

[Guest guest]

Dear Prabhus:

 

For the pleasure of Their Lordships Sri Sri Sita Rama & Laksman Hanuman, we

prepared the following feast for Their pleasure:

 

Subji: Asparagus, Zucchini, & Brussels Sprouts. Chaunce: Panch puran,

ginger, chiles, paprika, amchur. Then when asparagus tips were cooking, I

added coriander and curry powder and salt. I tossed in a few ghee solids for

good measure.

 

This preparation worked out nicely.

 

Subji: Palak Paneer. We boiled the spinach until it became limp, then we put

it in the Vita-mix (powerful blender). It came out creamy and smooth. We

added coconut milk. Then, we heated up ghee over medium heat and added garam

masala, hing, and cayenne pepper. Then we added a bit of whole wheat flour.

I added flour up to the point that it would absorb the ghee if I added more.

I stirred and then added the spinach puree and salt.

 

Unfortunately, I undersalted and everybody was too polite to tell me until

we served it all out. I tried a bit, which tasted salted, but it must have

been that I didn't mix the puree well and I just happened to offer and taste

the salted portion.

 

Samosas: Potato and green peas. Peeled, boiled, and mashed coarsely some

potatoes. I left some of that half potato, half water stuff in the pot.

After some time, it was just gooey potato. I added that as well. Then, I

added coriander powder, coriander leaves, salt, and black pepper. The peas

were chaunced with cumin and a healthy quantity of green chiles, and cooked

pretty well.

 

Dough: one 5 pound bag of flour (16 Cups), to one pound of butter (2 Cups).

 

These were great, better than the curd ones we made for Gaur Purnima.

 

Tomato Chutney: Chaunce: mustard, chiles, and hing. Add a little turmeric as

the tomatoes are cooking--and a touch of salt. When thick, add sugar.

 

This is a recipe from Ananda Maharaja, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati

Thakura Maharaja's cook. It sure is good.

 

Basil Chutney: Olive oil, hing, lemon juice, salt, sugar, chiles, and a

touch of nutmeg. A winner.

 

Papadams.

 

Sweet Rice. Mother Devahuti made it. I don't know the recipe.

 

Saffron Rice: 36 Cups of Basmati Rice, 1 1/2 pounds of butter, 54 Cups of

Water, 12 T. salt, and a good quantity of saffron. Perfect.

 

Caramel, Butterscotch, and Walnut Halava with a touch of vanilla.

Caramellized sugar (Florida Crystals), then add hot milk. I think Tara

Prabhu used 10 Cups of farina, 15 Cups of milk mixed with water, 10 Cups of

sugar, and 3 pounds of butter. He throws in the walnuts when the grains are

almost cooked. Tara is inspired.

 

Temblike: One of Maharaja's special preparations that devotees love. 16 cans

of coconut milk, some milk, some sugar, and 2 boxes of cornstarch make this

coconut pudding. Maharaja lays it on a buttered tray, sprinkles cinnamon

powder on top.

 

 

Sunday Feast:

 

Basmati Rice,

Tomatoes, Peas, and Eggplant. Tomatoes cooked down separately. Add salt and

sugar when thick. Eggplant seared in ghee with panch puram, green chiles,

and ginger. Mostly frying the eggplant in the ghee. When the eggplant

sticks, add water. Cook with lid on. Add powdered spices: hing, garam

masala, chile powder, and paprika. Throw in the peas at the end.

Vanilla Pudding (put on trays like temblike). Wasn't sweet enough so we

powdered the sugar in spice grinder and added it on top.

Ginger Tea

Puris

Apple Cinnamon halwa

 

Your servant, Ram Prasad