Maharashtrian Ratalyache Kees

Ratalyache kees is a traditional Maharashtrian satvik recipe that is especially popular during fasts. Ratala means sweet potato in Marathi and Kees refers to grated. I and my family do not fast much but I always try and buy sweet potato even though it is not a favorite in my house. Reason? Just because it is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals 🙂

One lone, big tuber of sweet potato was lying on my shelf for more than a week now. As usual, I googled up recipes to make it an more interesting eat. The very first recipe  that popped up was that of ratalyache kees . I remember my grandmother making it occasionally on her fasting days. 

The recipe is very simple almost like that of sabudana khichdi but so delectable. Fasts are definitely kept so that we can eat nutritious food time and again and also to break the monotony of our everyday meals.

The recipe is a keeper for a quick-fix and you can make it using our plain good, old potatoes as well!

Ingredients for Ratalyache Kees:

(Serves 4 people)

500 gms grated, sweet potato. Grate it thickly as shown in the picture.

Ghee – 2 to 3 tbsp

Finely chopped green chillies – 2 to 3

Jeera/Cumin seeds – 2 tsp

Hing/Asafoetida – A generous pinch

Curry leaves – A sprig of 5-6 leaves (optional)

Roasted peanut powder – 3 to 4 tbsp

Lemon juice – 2 tsp or more as required

Sugar/powdered jaggery – 1.5 tsp 

Finely chopped coriander leaves – To garnish

Grated fresh coconut – To garnish ( I did not use it today)

Water – to sprinkle, if required

Salt – to taste

Method for Ratalyache Kees:

Heat ghee in a kadhai and add jeera. Once the jeera starts spluttering, add the chopped chillies, hing and fry it for a few seconds till the flavours seep in the ghee. Then, add grated sweet potato, salt and mix it well. Cover the kadhai and stir fry it on a low flame. Mix intermittently and gently to make sure that the sweet potato does not stick to the bottom of the kadhai.

If required, sprinkle some water to make sure that the sweet potato gets cooked evenly. It takes less than 10 minutes for the grated sweet potato to get cooked.

Once the sweet potato is cooked, add peanut powder, sugar/jaggery, coriander leaves and mix well. Switch off the heat and add lemon juice. Adjust the seasoning as per your taste. Stir it again. The kees is ready. Savour it hot!

Check out my Sabudana Khichdi recipe which is again a fasting recipe and very much on similar lines.