Shail

Meva ka Laddoo

2010-01-30T10:38:00.000+05:30

Another healthy supplement for new mother.
Works best with acup of milk, as early morning snack, when breakfast is still 2-3 hours away. But dont overeat it, as its very rich and can overload the digestive system.

100 gm Kaju
100 gm Kismis
200 gm Makhana
100 gm Gondh
200 gm Chuhara (Dry Dates)
200 gm Kajur (Soft/wet Dates)
100 gm Chirongi
100 gm Dry coconut, grated
10 gm Ajwain
10 gm Saunf
10 gm Saunt
10 gm Haldi powder
10 gm Khuskhus
250 gm Atta / Wheat flour

Deep fry Gond, as it needs more ghee. It will pop like popcorn.
Next Makana, lightly roasted in ghee.
Roast these in ghee - Kaju, Kismis, Khuskhus, Chirongi.
Blend the above in mixer along with Coconut, Chuhara and Kajur, to a coarse consistency.
Roast the flour with a little ghee and then mix them all.
Now to the most skillful part of it all - make laddoos of this mix.

Sarson Ka Saag

2010-01-09T07:29:00.000+05:30

An excellent tangy side-dish for lunch.

1/2 kg Mustard leaves (sarson ka saag)
4 med-sized Tomatoes

Boil them together, just till they are soft and not overcooked.

5 Green chillies
Ginger
4-5 Garlic cloves

Blend all of the above in blender/mixer.

100 gm Fresh Green Peas

Heat Ghee in pan.
Season with Jeera.
Saute the peas.
Add the blended mix.
Boil for 20 min.
Don't let the color darken.
Add salt as per taste.

Serve steaming hot with parantha. This combination tastes the best.

Farrah

2010-01-07T10:33:00.003+05:30

Our breakfast today.

Recipe in an older post.

Jirvani - Nutrition for New Mother

2009-12-23T06:26:00.003+05:30

Jirvani - an ideal homemade nutition supplement for new mother, after delivery, for quick and sound health. Enriched with all kinds of vitamin. As per our ancient culture of preparation. To be used after delivery. When the modern medicines were not developed. Prepared with complete spices and dry fruits.

100 gm Cummin (Jeera)
50 gm Ajwain
100 gm Ginger
5 Cloves (Lawang)
5 Cardamom (Elaici)
1 inch Dalchini
50 gm Sauf
100 gm Dates
200 gm Dry Dates (Chuhara)
100 gm Coconut
100 gm Cashew (Kaju)
100 gm Rasin (Kismis)

Soak the above overnight.Next morning, blend them all in mixer.

200 gm Jaggery (Gud)
200 gm Sugar
200 gm Ghee
1 tsp Cummin (Jeera)

Add ghee in a pan. When it heats up, season with Jeera.
Saute the blended paste on slow flame with continous stirring, till it starts leaving the sides of the pan.
After that, add sugar and jaggery. Do not add these before this point.
Stir again for sometime, till they dissolve.
Stop at that point and remove from heat, else all of it will toughen like stone.

Store carefully in clean place. Can be used for a week or 10 days.

Happy Birthday

2009-09-28T18:45:00.003+05:30

धिरेंद्रजी,

जन्मदिन की बहुत बहुत बधाई हो.
हर दिन शुब हो.
दोनों का जीवन सदा सुखमय हो.

आपके जन्म दिन की खुशी में , मैं खाजः, फेनी और मठ्री बनाई हूँ.
आपको भेज रही हूँ.

हमारे पुरे परिवार के तरफ़ से, आपको बहुत बहुत बधाई हो.

आपकी मम्मी शैल।

खाजः और फेनी

मठ्री

Papdi Chaat for Daddy-Jiiiii

2009-07-11T07:57:00.012+05:30

Daddy-ji, Wish You A Very Very Happy Birthday from all your near and dear ones from Banglore, Bhilai, Minneapolis and Tokyo. Also wishing you a long, prosperous and healthy life. I know mummy has made lot of your favorite dishes today, but I have also prepared some thing special for you and its "Papadi Chaat". We all know that you avoid eating out side junk food, but enjoy when prepared at home and I still remember how you used to tell me different stories to keep me away from eating outside. This plate is for you daddy-ji, totally hygienic and very tasty. Hope you like it.

For Papdi Chaat you need:

Semolina Puries
Cilantro chatni
Tamarind chatni
Bitten thick curd
Boiled potatoes 3 chopped
Boiled Peas
1 chopped onion
Hand full chopped cilantro
2 green chili chopped
1 tsp chart masala
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp pepper powder
1/2 dried ginger powder
1 tsp black salt or common salt

For Semolina Puries:

1 cup semolina or suji or rava
1 tbsp maida or all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp oil
Warm water
Oil for frying

Mix all the ingredients and make a tight dough with warm water and leave for 20 min. Then make small golf ball size puries and deep fry in oil till golden brown. Press the puries while deep frying.

For Cilantro chatni:

1 bunch of fresh and clean cilantro
2 green chili
2 garlic flakes
1 tomato
1/2 inch ginger
1 tsp mustard oil
Salt to taste

Put all the things in blender and make a nice and smooth paste and you are ready with coriander chatni.

For Tamarind chatni:

50 gm tamarind
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin powder
100 gm sugar

Soak tamarind in water for 2-3 hrs, extract the pulp & filter, mix all the ingredients and boil it till it becomes half. Add sugar as per taste.

For Padpdi Chaat:

Take 5 -6 puries in a plate and make hole from one side for filling the ingredients. Now fill it with boiled potatos and peas, ddd chopped onions and chili. Now fill it with the chatnies and curd. Then sprinkle all the masalas and salt. Garnish with cilantro and bhujiya sev. Yuuummmmyyy now you are ready with very tasty chaat. In some part of central India it is also called as SPDP (Sev Puri Sahi Puri).

Vegetable Instant Rava Idli

2009-06-28T07:04:00.001+05:30

Our saturday  breakfast is fixed. It is either Idli Dosa or Idli Dosa or finally Idli Dosa :-) But this weekend somehow I forgot to make the usual batter. Still wanted to have idli only, so thought of making  quick  rava idli. To make it nutritious, I added vegetables to it, which made it healthier and tasty too. My first encounter with rava idli was in Banglore restaurant, where they serve it with some creamy yellow color gravy (Not remembering what they call it). They used to serve giant size rava idli and even 1 rava  idli is enough to satisfy your hunger. To maintain the nutritional value of the vegetables I hopped them  finely and steam them only once while making the idli. Cooking vegetables short and fast helps in maintaining their nutritional value. 

Ingredients:

2 Cup rava or semolina or suji
1 Cup finely chopped vegetables (carrot, french beans, peas, capsicum)
Curd
Salt
1-2 tsp fruit salt
Oil (for tempering and greasing the idli dish)

For tempering you need:

1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp chana dal
1 tsp urad dal
1 tsp chopped ginger
Few curry leafs
1 tsp chopped green chillies
7 - 10 Broken cashews

Preparation:

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan.
Put all the tempering items in the pan and fry till light brown.
Then add rava and fry till light brown.
Then take this rava in a separate bowl and add vegitables, salt, curd and make a thick batter.
One the other side take idli container or pressure cooker and put 1/2 glass in it and boil it.
Once water starts boiling, put fruit salt in the batter and mix nicely and put it in the greased idli stand.
Now place it in the boiling water and cook for 7-10 mins as we do for normal rice and lentil idlis.

Tips:

Add fruit salt at the end.
Make thick batter.
If using cooker for making idli, then remove the whistle or weight.

My this preparation goes to Divya's Show me your Breakfast & EFM-June-Breakfast-Series of Me and My Kitchen.

Chili Chicken

2009-06-19T05:26:00.002+05:30

Indo-Chinese dishes are my favourites. The combination of Chinese style cooking with Indian style seasonings makes it simply awesome. Chili chicken, was the first chicken dish, I learned and that too from someone who was a GREAT LOVER of chicken dishes. No no, its not my mom, sister or friend, it is my eldest brother. He is really a great cook, when it comes to any chicken dishes. Chili Chicken made by my brother is by far the most sought after dish in my home. But later he became a complete veggie and following his path, most of my family members have turned veggie, so no more chicken preparation at my home now :-) . But there is no restriction at my own house or in-laws home. We all love chicken dishes, especially my father-in-law loves the Chili chicken prepared by me and enjoys the dish like anything, which gives me lot of satisfaction.

Ingredients:

500 gm Bone less chicken (small pieces)
2 Medium size bell pepper (Chopped length wise)
1 Big Onion (Chopped length wise)
2 Tbsp ginger garlic paste or chopped
1 Egg
3 Tbsp Cornflour/ corn starch
3 Green chillies chopped
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp chili sauce
2 Tbsp tomato sauce
2 Tbsp vinegar
1/4 Pepper powder
1/4 Chili powder
Salt
Oil to fry

Method:

Wash and dry the with the help of kitchen towel. Then add cornflour, 1 tbsp off all the sauce, egg and salt. Keep this marinate aside for 10 mins. Take oil in a pan for frying marinated chicken cubes. Fry by putting small amount of chicken cubes in the oil and do not over crowed it and fry till golden brown. Drain on paper
towels when cooked through. And also hide them after frying, as you family can finish it off, thinking it as chicken nuggets. :).
Now heat 2 tbsps of oil in a pan and then add chopped ginger , garlic and green chillies and saute for 2min. Then add chopped onions and bell pepper and fry them for 2- 3 mins. Then add all the remaining sauce , pepper powder and chili powder and salt (use little, as sauces have it own taste and salt) and fry for 1 min.Then finally add fried chicken cubes and fry for 3-4. Add now you are ready with yummy Chili Chicken.

Tips : Add some more cornflour if marination is very liquidy.
Adjust the ratio of sauce according to your taste.

My this entry goes to Potluck - Chicken hosted by Viki at Viki's Kitchen and AFAM-Bell peppers hosted by Priya's of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes event by Maheswari

Stuffed Dal Paratha and Strawberry Kheer

2009-06-15T11:05:00.023+05:30

Stuffed Dal paratha and strawberry kheer was our sunday breakfast. Dal Paratha is a traditional dish of northern India and is mostly prepared during the time of festivals. It is made like other parathas or can be deep fried too. Dal stuffed paratha is mainly famous as "Dal Puri" (even if it is not deep fried). It goes well with any type or curry, kheer, chatni or even with tomato ketchup.

For Dal Puri you need :

2 cup Bengal gram or chana dal.
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 Cumin seeds or jeera
2 Green Chili
1 Medium size onion (finely chopped)
1 Tbsp ginger garlic paste or finely chopped
1 Tspn Kitchen king masala or any sabji masala
Wheat flour 3 cups

Oil
Salt

Preparation:

Soak Chana dal overnight or 5-6 hours. Boil chana-daal in cooker with salt & turmeric with very little water till it gets soft. Mash it with masher or in a mixer(without water). Heat oil in kadhai and fry jeera, green chilli, cut onions, Kitchen king masala . Then add mashed dal & mix together. Make medium consistency dough with wheat flour. Use this dal filling in making parathas with the atta dough as we do for making stuffed aloo paratha.

For Strawberry Kheer you need:

1 litre milk
100 gm rice
200 gm Sugar
Elaichi powder
Dry coconut powder
Kaju
5-6 Strawberry

Method :

Clean & wash rice. Add sugar in milk and boil. Take 1 cup of boiled milk and keep aside for cooling. Add strawberry in the 1 cup of milk and grind in mixer finely. Add rice in the boiled milk and cook in a medium flame. Continue to boil till it reduced to half and rice gets properly cooked. Turn off the flame once the kheer is ready. After 10 - 15 mins, add strawberry milk and cook for 2 min on a light flame. Garnish with dry fruits & dry coconut gratings. Serve hot or cold as prefered. I like it cold.

Dal Puri & Strawberry kheer goes to:

1. SHF- Fruits & Nuts event hosted by Mansi.
2. To Happy Cook's Strawberry Feast .
3. To Monthly Mingle #33 -Ravishing Rice Recipes hosted by Nags of Edible Garden. event by Meeta of What's For Lunch Honey?.

4. To FIC June Delectable combinations, hosted by Kamalinka of Dedicated to Janaki Patt ,event by SunshineMom's event.
5. To Divya's Show me your Breakfast .
6. To My Legume Love Affair event by Susan and hosted by Annarsa
7. To EFM-June-Breakfast-Series of Me and My Kitchen.

Grilled Fish

2009-06-10T05:08:00.018+05:30

Japan, hub of marine food, tremendous amount for sea foods are available here. Its like heaven for sea food lovers. You can get unlimited range of fish, weeds and other sea products. You name it and you get it, but the thing is you should know its Japanese name :). Japanese foods are considered as one of the best and nutritious food, as they do not perform much alteration with its original form. For example, 'Sushi', a world famous dish (considered to be very healthy and tasty) is created by putting raw pieces of fish or fish eggs over a rice ball.

Now coming to the topic, since I am brought up in central part of India, our consumption of marine foods were limited. We use to eat river fishes like Bangra, Rohu, Katla etc. My mother knows the real secret of making them with mustard paste and gravy, which I love a lot. Grilled fish which I have prepared is an inspiration from my brother's MIL (mother in law). She is an expert cook. My first experience of sea fish was at her place only in Bangalore. I can still taste that experience. She make this shallow fried fish with "Surmai" (name of fish) and I always forget this name and fill as it is called 'Sundari' :). This time also it happened the same way and corrected with the help of my brother. Here I have used her recipe with little alteration and with other fish. This recipe can be used with other fishes too but it should be thin sliced fish.

Ingredients:

Thin sliced fish 4 pieces
Ginger garlic paste 2 tbsp
Chili powder 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder 1/2 tsp
Kitchen king or sambar masala 1/2 tbsp
Vinegar 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Semolina or rava or suji 1/2 cup

Preparation:

* Wash fish slices nicely and drain extra water.
* Add every thing expect rava in vinegar and make paste like.
* Evenly spread this paste on fish slices and marinate for 1 hr.
* After an hr of marination, sprinkle rava evenly on every slice of fish.
* Roast in griller till nicely cooked, if needed brush with oil.
* You can also shallow fry it with oil.

I like preparing grilled fish with no oil but my husband insists me to brush few drops of oil while grilling over his servings. Squeeze lime juice over it and serve it hot.

Tehari with Boondi Raita

2009-06-08T08:55:00.033+05:30

Vegetable masala rice, is popularly known as "Tehari" in northern India. You can also call it "Vegetable Biryani" as my friends call it, when they forget its name ;) , and they are bit fair when they name it so. It goes well with any type of raita or any spicy chatni.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Basmati rice
Vegetables (French Beans, Carrot , Peas, Cauliflower) chopped
1 Large onion chopped
2 Tomato chopped
2 Green chilli chopped
1 Tbsp ginger garlic paste
4 Clove
1 Cinnamon stick of 2inches broken
2 Bay leafs
1 Tsp cumin seeds
1 Tsp ajwain
1 Tsp turmeric powder
1 Tsp red chilli powder
2 Tsp coriander powder
1 Tsp biryani masala
1 Tsp kitchen masala
Salt as per taste
Ghee

Method:

Take 2 tbsp of ghee in pressure cooker and add cumin, ajwain, Cinnamon, clove and bay leaf and temper.
Then put ginger garlic paste and saute till cooked.
Then add onion and fry till brown.
Now add all the vegetables and cook for 5 min.
Then add chopped tomato and cook for 2min.
Now add all the powder masala.
Fry for few mins.
Now add washed rice
Finally add salt as per taste.
Add water (double the amount of rice)
Finish it off with 1 tbsp of ghee and coriander leafs to get nice flavour.
Cook till done.

This is my entry for Monthly Mingle #33 -Ravishing Rice Recipes hosted by Nags of Edible Garden, event by Meeta of What's For Lunch Honey?

Baby Corn Potato Curry

2009-06-03T18:00:00.011+05:30

Finally!!!!! Finally, tender Baby Corns got the chance of escaping from the freezing temperature of my refrigerator and make them even more tender on my stove. I added roasted groundnut powder in the gravy , which enhanced its flavour even more. It is a good source of vitamin B1, B2, B6 and vitamin C . It is also rich in several other nutrients too such as Potassium, Sodium and other fibers.

Ingredients:

400gms Peeled Baby Corn
2 Medium size Potato
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 tbsp Roasted Groundnut powder
2 Onion medium size
2 Tomatoes medium size
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Chilli Powder
1 tsp Kitchen king masala
2 tsp Dry Methi leafs
Salt to taste
For Seasoning - Panch Phoran (1tsp of Jeera, Ajawain, Saunf, Methi and Sarso seeds together)
Oil

Method:

Boil Corn and Potato.
Cut it into approx 1 inches and fry in 1 tbsp oil till it gets light brown (optional).
Make paste of tomato and 1 onion.
Now heat 2tbsp of oil in a pan and temper panch phoran.
Then add ginger garlic paste and saute.
Add 1/2 chopped onion and cook till light brown.
Now add tomato and onion paste and cook till raw smell vanish.
Now add turmeric, chilli, coriander and kitchen king powder and cook for 3-4 mins.
Then add roasted groundnut powder and cook for 3-4 min.
Now add fried baby corn and potato and salt and cook for few mins.
Add dry methi leafs.
Add water for desired consistency.

Suji ka Chilla

2009-06-01T17:21:00.018+05:30

My today's quick morning breakfast was Suji ka chilla with mixed pickle and fresh orange juice. "Chilla" is a substitute word for dosa and is mostly used in northern and central India. Suji or rava or semolina chilla

is a tasty, easy and quick to prepare. It is a bit different from our normal Rava Dosa.

Ingredients :

Suji 2 cups
All purpose flour 2 tbsps
Curd or butter milk
Cheese (optional)
1/2 onion finely chopped
2 green chillies chopped
1/2 tsp cummin seeds (jeera)
1/2 tsp ajwain
Salt to taste
Oil or butter

Method :

Mix all the ingredients to make dosa like batter with out any lumps.
Brush your nonstick frying pan with butter or oil.
Preheat the pan.
Spread the batter as we do for dosa on pan.
Cover it with lid till the upper surface become dry.
Now brush it with oil and cook from both the sides.
Cook in low or medium flame.

Serve it with any spicy chatni or curry.

Chicken Seek Kebab

2009-05-27T16:17:00.020+05:30

Today for the first time (in 10 months), my hubby came back from office on time. Immediately after coming he asked: (dekho aaj tou mein jaldi aaya hun, tou aaj mujhe kuch special khana milna chahiye) See, today I have come on time, so I shall get something special to eat. So I prepared special menu for him, which included Chicken Tikka, Laccha Paratha, Dal Tadka and Chicken Seek Kebab.

In India I never felt like eating Chicken seek kebab (I'm still wondering... why). May be due to availability of soo many other varieties, but here in Japan your long range of item shrinks like any thing. So one day forcefully I tried "Chicken Seek Kebab" and was amazed by the wonderful hidden taste that was waiting for me. It did magic in my mouth. From that day onwards, I always order this dish whenever I go outside for feast.

Kebab can be made in different shapes, sizes, style (deep fry, shallow fry, baked) and with different types of meat. However, the roasting of meat on skewers is far more widespread. I used this widespread method today.

Ingredients:

250 gms finely minced chicken or boneless chicken
2 tbsp ginger and garlic paste or finely chopped
2 green chillies
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp red chilly powder
1 tsp coriander powder
4-5 sticks of chopped coriander leaves
6-8 pcs of mint leafs
1 tbsp cheese
Butter or oil
Salt

Method:

Wash chicken and dry them nicely with kitchen towel.
Mix together all the ingredients except butter and put in mixer and blend well to get fine thick paste (without using water)
If using minced chicken then make paste of other ingredients, add in chicken nicely and mix well.
You can add in little bit of cinnamon clove black pepper powder if you wish a strong flavour.
Grease the skewer (if metal).
Pre-heat the grill to maximum.
Take some mixture in your hand and using your palm and fingers, make a sausage shaped kebab over the skewers.
Grill the kebabs until cooked, brushing with butter or oil and rotating the skewers frequently.
Serve it hot and sprinkle chat masala and lime juice as per your taste.

I have not used coriander in the paste since I could not get for the past 1 month. Also, have used dry mint leafs.

TIPS:

Add bread Crumbs if you are not able to bind kebabs over skewers.
If using wooden skewers, then soak them in water for at least 20 mins.

This is my entry to Potluck - Chicken hosted by Viki at Viki's Kitchen.

Paneer Jalfrezi

2009-05-21T18:08:00.012+05:30

Panee Jalferzi is a quick, easy and very tasty dish to create at home. It is such a
easy dish that even a first time cook can make it with out looking at the recipe twice.

Ingredients:
200gm cottage cheese (paneer) diced
1 large onion diced
5-6 medium size bell pepper (any colour ) diced
1 medium size ripe tomato diced
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp cumin seed (jeera)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp Kitchen King masala or Sabji masala
2 tbsp vinegar or lime juice
Salt (as per taste)
Fresh coriander chopped (for garnishing)
2 tbsp cooking oil

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan and temper cumin seeds .

2. Add ginger and garlic paste and fry until well blended.

3. Add onion and pepper and saute for 4-5 mins.
Stir frequently to prevent scorching.

4. Now sprinkle in turmeric powder, chilli powder,
coriander powder and pepper powder and cook for 2 mins.

5. Add diced tomatoes and cook for 2-3 mins.

6. Now add sabji masala and salt.

7. Then add paneer and cook for about 2 minutes until soft and stir
with soft hand so that it remains in shape.

8. Add vinegar or lime juice just before turning off the heat.

9. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Panee Jalferzi should be served hot and it goes well with Indian breads like phulak,
naan, tandori roti , rumali roti etc or with basmati rice too but my personal
favorite which blends with it and triggers my taste gland is namkeen pori.

Rasmalai

2009-05-14T19:42:00.008+05:30

Daddyji & Mummyji.....

Your near and dear one's from Bhilai, Minneapolis and Tokyo are wishing you both

A Very Happy Anniversary !

In Tokyo, we celebrated you anniversary by making your favorite dessert, Rasmalai.

We all are greatful to you both for making our life happy, you both are the charming
Baghban who make our soul blossom.

We all love you Mummy & Daddyji....

Mummy no one can match your culinary excellence but I hope you will like it.

Rassgulla

2009-05-14T19:03:00.004+05:30

Happy Anniversary to Pankaj bhaiya & Poonam bhabhi

Sweet occasions should be celebrated with sweets. So here comes Rassgullas, which may fill your today with happy memories of the past and bright hopes for the future .

Dahi Vada

2008-12-18T08:16:00.001+05:30

Happy Birthday Pintoo !

Dahi Vada, usually made on special occasions like Diwali, Holi, Birthdays or after fast feast.

Tasted good when served with a topping of Chilly powder, Jeera Powder and Imli chutney.

Method:

Soak 2-3 glass of Urad daal for 4-6 hours or overnight.

Make a thick or granular batter. It should not be of flowing consistency.

Add green chillies, chopped onions, chopped ginger, small coconut pieces & roughly torn curry patta.

Heat a pan of oil of deep fry.

Scoop a handful of batter, use thumb for center hole and slide into the heated oil.

Once all are ready, drop some of them i na bowl full of water.

Leave some vadas as sukha. Most of children would love to chomp on that.

Once all vadas have soaked water, take them off and press water out of each of them.

And drop the vadas in a bowl of curds.

Before serving, add fresh curds, and sprinkle chilli powder, jeera poder and a spoonful of imli chutney.

This is my entry to FIC - White, hosted at Yummy Food.

Cutlet

2008-11-26T21:04:00.000+05:30

I was remembering Pintu, who likes these chatpat cutlet. But no problem, my Grand-daughter liked them very much :)

Method:

Boil aloo & beetroot.

Mash potatoes and grate beetroot.

Fry potatoes with some seasoning, grounded ginger, green chillies & salt.

Take a lump of potatoes in palm, flatten it & fill in grated beetroot. Close it.

Shape it into heart, round or oval shape.

Loll it in cornflour batter and roll over bread crumbs.

Shallow fry on both sides in a flat pan.

Serve hot with green, tomato and/or Imli chutney.

Sunday breakfast - Dhokla

2008-11-09T11:01:00.005+05:30

Prepared Dhokla for this Sunday breakfast. It is very filling breakfast and easy to make. Only timely preparation is required. But each do not take much time or effort, if you remember to do it.

And here is one for you. Please help yourself.

RECIPE UPDATE:
For making Dhokla as Sunday morning breakfast, preparation may have to start pretty early.

Ingredients :

For Dhokla
3 glass Channa daal
2 glass Rice
1 glass Urad
1 bowl curds
1 tsp baking soda
Green chillies
Ginger
Salt to taste

For tempering:
Oil
Mustard seeds
Til seeds
Curry patta
Green chillies - sliced
Onion - chopped

Method :
Soak the foll. on Friday night:
3 glass Channa daal
2 glass Rice
1 glass Urad

On Saturday morning, Mixie all 3 of the above separately and then mix them together in large bowl.

Leave in a warm place for fermenting.

Sunday morning, mixie green chillies & ginger. Blend in this, salt, 1 tsp baking soda and 1 bowl curds in the batter. This will make it soft & fluffy.

Grease a plate with coconut oil and pour in the batter.

Put the plate in a steaming vessel and cook for 25-30 minutes.
If you dont have large steamer, you can use the Idli mould and pressure cooker (without whistle weight).

Once done remove immediately and cut across the plate to form cubes. Or halve or quater each of the idlis. Do this when hot or warm. Else it will form a cold layer on top later and cutting will get messy.

For tempering, heat oil in kadai. Add mustard & til seeds. Once mustard start crackling, add curry-pattah, chopped onions and chillies. Once done roll in the cut Dhoklas.

Serve hot with green chutney and Imli chutney.

Happy Diwali

2008-10-28T13:26:00.005+05:30

Happy Diwali to One & All !

Wishing you & family prosperity, health and wealth !

Sharing some freshly made sweets with you, especially for my children & family in Bhilai, Tokyo, Minneapolis & Bangalore !

Shakar-para or Khurma

Besan k Laddu

Namkeen

Chivda

Jivitputrika Vrat

2008-09-23T06:46:00.006+05:30

Yesterday was Jivitputrika Vrat or Jiutiya. This vrat is done for the welbeing ofour children. Previous evening, we prepare Thekuwa and Gheya ki sabji for our anscestors.

Complete day is spent in no-food, no-water fasting (nirjal upwaas). Ladies who fast, do not use knife or scissors (to cut) or break wood or twigs (for fuel). Basically stay away from hard kitchen labour. So in our village, men get together and make Putheri-Choka on campfire for their meals.

Evening we have a Katha session, where stories related to Jiutiya are recited for all. Next morning we wake up at 4am, cook all goodies and proceed to break the fast. It is a very festive atmosphere in our village, where all women gather together for all the celebrations & katha sessions. Cooking starts almost at 1am in the next morning.

Before eating, we have a clean bath & pooja. To break the fast, we start with tea and fried goodies like Pyasa-Aloo Bhajiyas (Onion Potato Fritters). On such days, we have almost tumbler full of tea. Then we can have water. It is better to go slow while breaking fast. If we suddenly have water or any sharp tasting food, it can come as shock to our throat & system. गला छिल जायगा.

For meals, we prepare Dahi-Vada, Kadi-Bari & Channa ki sabji. But first, we make Maad-Chawal. For this we cook rice in a deep bowl filled with water. After rice is cooked, this wtaer is not thrown away or evapurated. Instead, we have a glass of this water (maad) along with rice (chawal).

Aloo-Pyaz Bhujiya

Dahi Bari Pulovra, along with Pulovra

Channa ki Sabji

COOKING
For cooking these many items which involve frying, boiling & many common ingredients, we have to multi task to save time.

While overnight soaked Brown Channa be put on one burner in pressure cooker to boil till soft, we can fry on another burner.

First, mix besan with water along with salt, tumeric & basking soda. Set it aside. This is for bari.

Take overnight soaked urad dal in mixie & make a batter along with salt, curry leaves. Once done add sliced green chillies & little chopped onions.

Slice potatoes and chop onion for Bhujiyas.

Set tea on another burner.

Set oil in kadai or deep flat pan, for frying.

Scoop small balls of besan batter & leave in oil for frying. These are the Bari. Put it in a bowl of hot water.

Fry potato & onion Bhujiyas as fritters.

Tea & bhujiya are ready for the breakfast. Kids will be more than eager to sample the same :)

In mixie, blend chopped ginner, garlic, tomatoes, green chillies, coriander seeds, jeera.

Once Channa is boiled, set it aside and heat some oil in the same pressure cooker. Add panch phoran (jeera, mustard, methi, saunf). Once that starts crackling, add the paste. Heat sometime, then add turmeric. Once the oil starts leaving the sides, add channa without water. Add salt. Once all are mixed & sufficiently heat, add remaining water & cook for 1-2 whistles.

In deep frying oil, add balls of Urad batter. Do not make holes inthe middle. That would be Vada. Without holes, it's Pulovra. Put some in a bowl of hot water. Set aside some, as kids love Sukha baris too.

Once all frying is done, set excess oil aside and use some for making kadi.

Heat oil and add panch phoran. Meanwhile, mix Dahi (curds) with water & add Besan. Keep stirring with fingers, so there are no Besan lumps. Once panch phoran starts crackling, add chopped chillies & garlic. And when that is browned a bit, add turmeric & then dahi-besan mix. Keep stirring so no lumps are formed. Add enough water, cause the Bari-Pulovra with soak more water. Let it cook for sometime. Set aside and add bari & pulovra from the hot water.

Boil rice in another

There you go, full meal is ready.

Baigan ka Bharta

2008-09-20T11:03:00.002+05:30

Baigan ka Bharta or Chokha. Is generally eaten with Litti or Paranthas. Some in our family love it, but some are very wary of it. But Baigan always turns of tasty.

Very simple recipe.

Fry mustard, jeera seeds in oil.

Add chopped garlic, ginger & onions.

Saute for sometime.

Then add chopped tomatoes.

Add tumeric & chilli powder.

Once all this is soft, add peeled & chopped brinjal.

Cook till all are soft & mash them.

Add salt to taste.

Here is my entry for 'Fresh produce of the month: Eggplants'

Gujjiyas & Kajuriya

2008-09-02T21:50:00.000+05:30

Today is Hartalika Teej. On this day, married ladies fast for the entire day. They do not have food or water. Ladies apply mehendi and deck up in their best finery, jewellery & cosmtics (solah-singar). Parvati-Ganesh Puja is performed in the evening. We get up at 4am next morning, and break the fast after Puja.

We make Gujjiyas & Kajuriya sweets.

Gujjiya:
Maida
Sooji / Rava / Wheat Semolina
Sugar
Ghee
Kismis (raisan)
Kaju (Cashewnut)
Coconut (dry or fresh)

Add 3-4 tsp of hot ghee in Maida flour & make a tough dough.

Roast Kaju-Kismis slightly in hot ghee and continue to roast Sooji. Once color changes remove of the heat. Once cooled, add sugar. And add grated coconut.

Roll thick maida rotis and with a cutter, cut small round pieces.
Fill in Sooji filling & seal along the edges with water.

Deep fry them all.

Khajudiya

Mix together Atta (Wheat flour), few spoons of sooji, kaju, kismis, sugar and prepare tough dough. Roll small balls, flatten with kajuria mould.
Deep fry each of them till golden brown.

Gujjiyas & Kajuriya are my entry for the Paajaka - Sweet Series

Dal Pitha

2008-08-22T22:56:00.001+05:30

"दल पिता" ! उसे "दल पिठोरी" भी कहा जाता हैं ! और "दल का दूल्हा" !

Being a complete meal, it is the ultimate comfort food, on a busy tiring, late working day. On par with steamed momos.
You can have Tamatar chutney or curd & pickle along with this.

Ingredients :
Wheat flour
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Jeera
1 tsp Saunf
1 tsp Tumerc powder
1 tsp chilli powder
2 Onion
2 Tomatoes
3 Green chillies
1 glass Toor/Arhar dal
1/2 glass Masoor dal
Salt to taste

Method :

Make wheat dough. Let it be tough.

Take a dough ball & roll to slightly thick roti.

Cut small round rotis with a cutter.

Fold each roll into a "Dal ka Dulha" as in the below pic.

Heat oil in cooker.

Once oil starts smoking, add mustard seeds, jeera & saunf.

Add chopped onions & green chillies

When onion is slightly brown, add tomatoes

After sometime, add tumeric & chilli powder

Let it cook still slightly meshy.

Add washed dal & mix till all Dal is covered. Let it cook for sometime.

Then add water & salt, & shut the cooker for 2 whistles

Switch off the gas and one steam is off, open the lid.

Gently drop the "Dal ka Dulha"

Close lid & cook again for 2 whistles

Then its ready to eat.

Sunday breakfast

2008-08-17T16:57:00.000+05:30

Sunday Morning Breakfast was:

Aloo Paratha with

Dhaniya-Tamatar chutney

Curds &

Maggi Hot & Sweet Tomato Chilli sauce

And for Lunch we had these desert. Ok we didn't make it, but it was at the E-Inn Lunch buffet.

Saturday (Chicken curry receipe)

2008-08-16T23:31:00.007+05:30

Today we had a grand lunch of:

Channa Chole

Chicken curry

Ghee Rice

Rotis

For Dinner, we rerused earlier made Rice flour dough and chicken to make Momos.
And had Rice rotis with Chicken curry & Chole along wiht Rice.

For Chicken Momos, just fry the cooked chicken pieces in oil with onion & add a dash of vineger & soya sauce. Fill it in tiny rolled Rice rotis and seal with water. Steam these for 1/2 an hour.

Update: On special demand, here is the Recipe for Chicken curry

Ingredients :
Chicken
3 Onions
2 Tomatoes
Green chillies
Ginger
Garlic cloves
Whole garam masals: Pepper corns, cloves, Dalchini, Tej patta (Bay leaf)
3 tsp Garam masala powder
2 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Chilli powder

Method :

Clean chicken and chop into medium sized peices.

Chop 1 onion into long pieces.

In mixie, make a paste of tomatoes, green chillies, ginger & garlic.

Heat mustard oil in cooker.

Once smoking add Jeera, pepper corns, cloves, dalchini, tej patta & other whole garam masala.

Cook for sometime and then add onions & fry till mild brown.

Now add the gravy paste, cook for sometime.

Now add garam masala powder.

Let all this cook till oil starts leaving form the sides.

Add Turmeric & Chilli powder

Keep stirring so it does not stick & burn.

Add chicken pieces.

Gently mix till all are covered with the masala.

Let it cook in its steam for sometime.

Then cover with lid & let it cook for 2 whistles.

That's it.

Sawan mein Deviji ka Pooja

2008-08-15T21:35:00.000+05:30

सावन के आखरी स्क्रवर या सोमवार को देवीजी का पूजा होता हैं
भोग में २१ पूवा और २१ पुरी बनता हैं

आटे का हलवा

2008-08-14T20:06:00.001+05:30

आज शाम को नाश्ते में आटे का हलवा बना था।
फोटो चाहे जायसा हो, स्वाद में बड़ा अच्छा था

फरा या गोझा

2008-08-13T22:52:00.004+05:30

Farrah, also called as Gojhah in Bhojpuri.
Is usually made on Bhaiya Dhooj day.

For the Filling:
500 gm Channa dal
Black Pepper
Garlic
Ginger
Green chilly
Coriander seeds
Cummin / Jeera
Turmeric
Amchur powder
Salt
Curry leaves

Soak 1/2 kg Channa daal for 6-8 hours.
Mix all & blend in mixer to coarse paste.

For the cover:
Rice flour
Hot water

Make rice flour dough with very hot water.
You can also do this by boiling water & adding rice flour in it. Keep stirring till no lumps. And then make dough with hands.

For Farrah:
Roll tiny rotis of rice dough.
Add a spoonful of daal mixture and fold flat.
Daal mix should not flow out.
You can seal the rice roti with water.
Stem these Farrah's for 15-20 minutes. You can use the Idli steamer.

Tempering:
Ghee
Onions - chopped
Curry leaves

Heat few spoons of Ghee in kadai.
Add chopped onions & bunch of curry leaves.
Heat till onions turn crisp brown.
Add the steamed Farrah's and mix till all are covered. Be careful so they dont break. Or if the Farrah's are too large, they can be cut into half before tempering.
You can leave it on heat till the Farrah cover gets a crisp brown shade.

पूजा भोग

2008-08-08T21:53:00.002+05:30

आज सोखाबबा का पूजा था।

भोग में यह सब बना था:

पुआ
पुरी
खीर
मुरुकू
आलो गोभी

Samosa

2008-08-06T20:39:00.003+05:30

आज मंटू के जन्मदिन के अवसर पर समोसा बना हैं !
मंटू को जन्मदिन की हार्दिक बधाई !

Ingredients
500gm Maida
1.25 kg Potato
1 tsp Amchur powder
1 tsp Chilly powder
2 tsp Dhanya powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 sp Groundnut
Panch phoran
1/2 litre Oil for deep frying
50 gm Ghee for dough
Coriander leaves
For 40 samosas

Method
Boil potatoes, skin & mash lumpy.
Heat oil in kadai & when smokey add pacnh phoran. Roast groundnut (or fresh peas).
Add all the masala powders & last add mashed potatoes.
Keep stiring & fry till moisture vanishes & potato leaves the pan.
Garnish with chopped Coriander leaves.

Mix the 1/2 kg Maida with 50 gm Ghee, Oil & lukewarm water.
Make dough into oval shape.
Roll into flat roti & cut it into half with a knife.

Fold the half roti into a pyramid & for sticking use water. Place a spoonful of potato filling in the inverted pyramid.

Deep fry them in low-medium heat, till they turn crispy golden brown.

They are ready to eat with Green chutney, Tomato suce & Imli Chutney.

Sattu ka Parantha

2008-08-04T22:29:00.004+05:30

Sattu is staple in UP region. It is a roasted Chana flour. As compared to Besan, which is non-roasted Chanaflour. Any true UP-ite will swear by Sattu.

Sattu Parantha is best eaten with Aloo Choka.

To quote Wiki:

Sattu, powdered baked gram, is a high energy giving food. It is taken mixed with water or with milk. Sometimes, sattu mixed with spices are used to prepare stuffed 'chapattis', locally called as 'makuni roti'
Litti/Choka, a fast food item that can be prepared with minimum of utensils by people who away on tour. It is prepared with Sattu and Wheat flour and taken with mashed potato and brinjals.

The filling is usually Sattu flour mixed with masala. The Masala is chatakdaar, made of:

crushed garlic cloves

finely chopped coriander leaves

finely chopped green chilly

lemon juice

and the typical UP style Mircha ka achaar.
Onion can give it a sweetish flavour.

Besan ke Chilla ki Sabji

2008-08-03T17:14:00.005+05:30

Besan ke Chilla ki Sabji. It is also called as Papra ki sabji, in Bhojpuri. Mostly eaten in Savan mahina or Barsaat ke dino mein. There are tens of type of Besan ke sabji that can be made. This is one of them.

For Chilla
100 gm Besan
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Chilly Powder
Salt to taste

For Gravy:
2 medium-sized tomatoes
Garlic
Green chilly
Ginger
Jeera
Turmeric

Serves 2

Method

Mix Besan in batter into a watery batter. Add tumeric, salt & chilly powder. Mix it all in water with your hands, so there are no lumps.
Use this bater to make broad, tick Besan Chilla.
Fold the Chilla from sides, like shown in the image.
Make mroe of these Chilla
Slice pieces of the folded Chilla
Make a paste of all Gravy ingredients
Heat oil & add panch phoran. When heat add chopped onions. When slightly brown add the gravy paste. Continously stir so it does not stick & fry till the masala is cooked in oil. Color will change to a lovely brown.
Can add pinch of sugar to get caramelarised brown.
Add the Chilla piece and stir gently. Add water to cook into gravy.
The folded & cut chilla pieces can be dropped in the hot kadai once the gravy is cooked properly. Then let it simmer for few minutes.

Serve with rice.

Dal puri, Aloo Bhaigan sabji & Kheer

2008-08-02T09:44:00.004+05:30

Today my husband & daughter came home from a long journey. I prepared Dal-puri, Aloo Bhaigan ki sabji & Kheer. This combination is usually prepared on special occasion like festivals, family members visiting home. Makes a filling meal, whether as a breakfast or lunch or dinner.

Dal puri

400 gm Wheat flour.
200 gm Chana daal
1 tsp Jeera
Gren chillies
Tumeric
Salt to taste
Serves 4.

Method
Soak Chana dal overnight or 6-8 hours.
Make soft consistency dough with wheat flour.
Boil chana-daal in cooker with salt & turmeric till soft. Mash it.
Heat oil in kadai and fry jeera, green chilli, cut onion, daniya powder.
Once brown, add mashed dal & mix together.
Simpler version can be made with mixing daal with powdered roasted jeera.
This filling is used to make parathas with the atta dough.

This is a simpler version. More grander is the deep fried Dal puri.
Heat the paratha on tava. Then deep fry in oil as it will fluff up like puri. This is Dal puri.

Aloo-Bhaigan ki Sabji

200gm Potato
200gm Brinjal/Aubergine/Eggplant
Carrots (optional)
Panch phoran (Sarsoon, Jeera, Methi, Saunf, Aijwain, Mangrel)
Oil
1 tsp Tumeric
Salt to taste

For gravy:
Few cloves of garlic
2 green chilly
Piece of Ginger
2 tsp Dhaniya seeds
2 tsp Sambar powder

Method
Chop vegetables into medium sized.

Heat oil & add Panch phoran. Fry veggie pieces till mildly crisp or browned. Remove from kadai.

Make a paste of gravy ingredients, in mixie.
Heat oil & fry the gravy paste.
Once browned & leaving oil, add veggie pieces.
Let it heat for some time, to absorb gravy flavor.
Then add water & let it cook into thick gravy.

Bhaigan sabji tastes better without using Onion in the curry paste.

Kheer

1 litre milk
100 gm rice
200 gm Sugar
Elaichi
Kaju
Kismis
Badam
Dry coconut

Method
Clean & wash rice.
boil rice in double water. All water should get absorbed.
Sametime Boil milk.
Add rice in the boiled milk.
Continue to boil till reduced to half.
Garnish with dry fruits & dry coconut gratings.

Serve hot. Is tasty even when served cold. Each kid has his/her preference.