Sunday, November 22, 2015

Ratalu No Shiro | Sweet Potato Pudding | Shakarakand Halwa

Ingredients
Sweet potato (Japanese yam / Ratalu) - 3,
Milk - 3 -4 cup,
Sugar - 1/3 cup,
Saffron - 1/8 tsp,
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp,
Ghee (clarified butter) - 2 tbsp.


Method
Steam sweet potatoes until it cooks well. Let it cool down and peel off the skin.


Grate them and measure 2 cup.


Heat 1 tbsp ghee along with milk in sauce pan and let it boil.


Now add grated sweet potato and cook until half the quantity.


Add sugar and mix well.


Cook and stir until mixture becomes thick and lumpy.


Now add rest of the ghee along with cardamom powder and saffron. Mix well. Cook for couple of minutes and serve.


Notes
Sugar can be replaced with jaggery.
Amount of sugar depends on natural sweetness of sweet potato.
Saffron gives nice color and flavor.
Add any kind of nut of your choice.
Milk gives nice creamy texture and flavor to this dish so adjust accordingly.




Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Masala Mathri | Farsi Puri | Tea Time Delicious Indian Snack

Ingredients
All purpose flour -  2 cup,
Semolina (Suji/Rava) - 1/4 cup,
Gram flour - 2 tbsp,
Salt - to taste,
Asafetida - 1/8 tsp,
Peanut oil - 5-6 tbsp,
Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp,
Carom seeds - 1/2 tsp,
Black pepper - 1 tsp,
Warm water - 3/4 cup,
Oil - for deep fry,
Chat masala - 1/2 tsp(optional).



Method
Slightly crush cumin seeds, carom seeds and black pepper in mortar & pestle.


In a mixing bowl, add all purpose flour followed by semolina, gram flour, asafetida, crushed black pepper, carom seeds and cumin seeds mixture.


Now add oil and mix well. Quantity of oil should be enough.


Add warm water gradually and form semi stiff dough. Cover dough with damp cloth and let it rest for 10 - 15 minutes.

Take small portion from the dough and roll out in round shape. Prick a fork all over on rolled roundel.


To get equal size, cut with a jar lid or cutter. Remove excess and reuse.


Fry prepared discs over low to medium flame until light golden color.


Remove in paper towel, sprinkle some chat masala and let them come to room temperature. Store in airtight container up to 22- 25 days.

Notes
Quantity of water may vary on quality of flour.
For flaky puri, roll little thick.
Adjust the amount of of black pepper, carom seeds and cumin seeds as per taste.

FOR VIDEO RECIPE 





Monday, November 16, 2015

Stuffed Okra Curry | Bhinda Nu Bharelu Shak

Ingredients (2 serving)
Okra (Bhinda) - 19 - 20,
For stuffing
Coriander (finely chopped) - 1/4 cup,
Garlic paste - 1 tsp,
Red chilli powder - 1 1/2 tbsp,
Coriander & cumin powder - 1 tbsp,
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp,
Asafoetida - 1/8 tsp,
Oil - 1 tbsp,
Salt - to taste,
For tempering
Oil - 3 tbsp,
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp,
Asafoetida - 1/8 tsp,
Tomato (finely chopped) - 1/3 cup.

Method
Wash okra and dry them properly using kitchen towel. Trim top and end of okra. Make a slit in okra without cutting into two pieces.


In a bowl, add all the ingredients listed under for stuffing section above (coriander, garlic paste, red chilli powder, coriander & cumin powder, asafoetida, turmeric powder, salt, oil). Mix well.


Stuff prepared stuffing in okra one by one.



Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, asafoetida followed with stuffed okra along with remaining stuffing, if any.



Give gentle mix and cook covered for 2-3 minutes.


Now add tomato and mix well. Let it cook covered for 10 to 15 minutes over medium low flame till it gets well cooked. Stir in between for even cooking.


Serve with your meal.

Notes
Tomatoes can be replaced by amchur powder.
Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top for more flavor.
Cooking time may vary as per size and quality of okra.
Add pinch of sugar in stuffing for good taste.

For video recipe - 


Thursday, November 5, 2015

Homemade Milk Masala

Ingredients
Almonds - 1 cup,
Cashews - 1/2 cup,
Pistachios - 1/2 cup,
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp,
Dry ginger powder - 1/8 tsp,
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp,
Nutmeg powder - 1/2 tsp,
Saffron strands - 3/4 tsp.



Method
Dry roast almonds, cashews and pistachios together on low flame for 1-2 minutes. Remove in a plate and keep aside until room temperature.


Now grind all dry nut in mixer grinder or food processor.


Grind in pulses so nut would not release its oil. Do not grind in fine powder. Take out in a bowl, add turmeric powder, nutmeg powder, cardamom powder, saffron strands and mix well.


Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

To Serve
Heat 1 glass of milk in a pan until boil.


Take out hot milk in a glass and add 1 tbsp prepared milk masala and stir. Add sugar according to taste and serve warm.




Notes
Store masala in refrigerator up to 30 to 45 days.
Roasting process of nut can be skipped.
Fennel seeds and black pepper powder can be added.
Add or omit any nut of your choice.






Monday, November 2, 2015

Chana Bateta Nu Shak (Black Chickpeas & Potato Curry) - A delicious kathiawari dish.

Ingredients(serves 4-5)
Potato - 1,
Black chickpeas (kala chana) - 1 cup,
Tomato puree - 1 cup,
Garlic paste - 1 tbsp,
Ginger paste - 1 tsp,
Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp,
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp,
Coriander & cumin powder - 2 tsp,
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp,
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp,
Chilli flakes - 1/2 tsp,
Curry leaves - 2-3,
Water - 2-3 cup,
Tamarind paste - 2 tsp,
Jaggery - 1/2 tsp,
Chana masala powder - 1 1/2 tsp,
Coriander (finely chopped) - 1/4 cup.


Method
Wash and soak black chickpeas overnight or 5-6 hours. Pressure cook them until well cooked. Now boil potato, peel and cut into pieces. In a mixing bowl, add tomato puree followed by turmeric powder, cumin & coriander powder, red chilli powder, ginger and garlic paste. Mix well.


In a pan, heat oil, add chilli flakes followed by mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves.

As they splutter, add prepared tomato puree mixture and let it cook until oil oozing out.



Now add boiled black chickpeas and potato.


Mix well and mash some potato with spatula.


Cook for few minutes and add water along with tamarind paste.


Cook covered for 10-15 minutes in medium flame. Now add jaggery, chana masala powder and finely chopped coriander. Mix well and serve with rice, roti or puri.



Notes
Skip garlic paste and chilli flakes, if you wish.
Adjust amount of water according to desire consistency.
Tamarind paste can be replaced by lemon juice and jaggery by sugar.