2 minutes Mango Kulfi / Indian mango ice-cream

Kulfi always evokes memories of childhood.
During our summer vacations,we used to wait for the ' kulfiwalllah' and the ringing bell from his cart brought us out running from the house. A 50 paisa kulfi bought us a lot of happiness. The joy of licking the stick clean of every morsel! And waiting for others to finish cos ours got finished too soon..Sometimes we used to ask him to dip our kulfi in the the thick and sweet Rabdi. That was a special treat for us. Mmmm....wish I could be there right now.




Summer is associated with mangoes in India. Its everywhere... in shakes, ice-creams, smoothies and juices. So why not in Kulfi ?!

This is an easy recipe for the busy working mommies who can make it in the morning and serve it up for kids post lunch.

You will need

Ingredients
Mango pulp- 1 and 1/2 cup
Sugar- 3 tbsp
Evaporated milk
Pistachios-1 tbsp, broken or chopped into thin slices

Method
Mix all the ingredients together in a electric mixer, except pistachios.
Check that the sugar has to be completely dissolved.
Put a pinch of pistachios in all the mold and then pour the mix. Top it up with the remaining nuts, if any.
Freeze till its set, overnight is best.
Enjoy on a hot sunny day...or anytime really :)

Makes 12 kulfis appoximately depending on your mold size.

Nimbu pudina sherbet / Lemon mint-ginger cooler

Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it
 - Russell Baker

Summer
It beats us down with heat......
We need solace from the hot winds and the harsh sun......
We need shady trees and cool evening breeze.....
We need a lot of breaks......

But mostly we need to quench our unending thirst time and again.
And thus, the season of lazing around begins....

Lemon mint ginger sherbet 

You will need
Indian lemon or lime- about 14 in number
Mint leaves- 1 cup, cleaned and washed well
Sugar- 250 gm
Water- enough to cover the sugar.
Ginger- 2" piece (optional)
Kala namak/ red salt- 1 tsp

Method
Take sugar and water in a pan. Keep it on low flame till the sugar dissolves. Bring it to a boil. Lower the flame and cook for a minute or so.
Remove from flame to cool till room temperature.
Remove the seeds and squeeze the juice out of lemons or alternatively, strain the juice.
Blend the mint leaves with ginger. Do not add water. Add lemon juice if required.
Add the lemon juice and mint-ginger mix to the sugar syrup and mix.
Your sherbet is ready!

To serve
Pour about 1 tbsp syrup in a glass.

Add ice cubes if not using chilled water.

Add water or soda (if you like)
Add some more red salt..adjust to your taste.

Garnish with mint leaf and serve. You can also add a slice of lemon to it.

Enjoy the summers!!

Lauki Ke kofte- Bottle gourd dumplings in tomato-curd gravy

Plant a radish, get a radish,

never any doubt, thats why I love vegetables,

You know what they are about!

-Tom Jones & Harvey Schmidt

Vegetables are the best thing to eat...everyone knows that. But sometimes you need to add a little twist to them for creating new...psst...also you need to hide it for little ones to eat.

That's when you take a homely bottle gourd and elevate it to the princely kofta status.

You will need

For koftas
Lauki/ Dudhi/Ghiya/ bottle gourd - 1, medium, grated
Besan/ chickpea flour- 4 tbsp
Green chillies- 1 or 2, chopped fine
Salt- 1/3 tsp
Adrak /Ginger- 1/2 " piece, grated
Coriander/ Dhaniya leaves - 2 tbsp (optional)
Oil- for frying

Method
Mix all the ingredients of koftas/ dumplings except oil and leave it for 5 min for the chickpea flour (mota besan) to absorb water. If your chickpea flour is ground fine then you don't need to leave it.

Heat oil in a wok/Kadhai.

Take the mixture in a spoon and pour in the oil. Cook on medium flame, till the kofta changes color to golden brown. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and keep aside on a paper towel.
Make in batches.

 For gravy
Tomatoes- 2, medium
Green chili- 1
Adrak /Ginger- 1" long
Curd- 1/2 cup
Coriander seed powder/ Dhaniya powder- 1 tsp
Salt- 1/2 tsp or to taste
Haldi/Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Garam masala- 1/4 tsp
Red chili powder- 1/4 tsp
Oil- 1/2 tbsp
Heeng /asafoetida powder- 1 pinch
Jeera / cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp

Method
Blend tomatoes. ginger and green chilli together in a blender.

Heat oil in a Kadhai.

Add a pinch of heeng and jeera /cumin seeds. Let the seeds sizzle and brown.

Add the tomato mix and let it cook for a few minutes. Add salt and haldi powder.

Take curd in a mixing bowl. Add dhaniya powder and red chili powder. Mix it together.

When the tomato mix is cooked, add the curd mix and keep stirring for a minute or till it comes to a boil. Even if it does boil over, keep mixing for a few minutes. The oil will come on the top. If you feel the gravy is drying out, then add water. I added about 1/4 to 1/2 cup water.

Add koftas to the gravy and serve hot.

Enjoy hot with Rotis or paranthas.

Paneer curry - the way I make it

Paneer is almost the king of dishes in a vegetarian cuisine. With it chewy mouthfeel, lovely texture and an ability to take on various flavours...maybe it deserves to be just that.
Be it a festival, a party or a wedding, paneer dishes are served everywhere in India. The best part is that it can be used without any cooking in salads too!
Here is a regular paneer dish that I usually make when I feel like making something nice for dinner.

Ingredients

• Paneer- 200 gm approximately ( I make at home, but you can use store bought ones)-cubed
• Onion- 1, chopped
• Garlic- 2, chopped
• Tomatoes- 1 big or 2 small ones
• Green chillies- 1 ( you can increase the amount
• Ginger- 1" piece
• Oil- 1 Tbsp ( you can use butter also)
• Milk-1/2 cup
• Haldi (turmeric powder)-1/4 tsp
• Dhaniya (coriander seed powder)-  1tsp
• Salt to taste
• Red chilli powder- 1/4 tsp
• Garam masala- 1/2 tsp

Method

1. Make puree of tomatoes, garlic, green chillies and ginger.
2. Heat oil in a Kadhai/ wok.
3. Add chopped onions and fry till they are browned at the edges.
4. Now add the tomato puree mix and stir in all the spices.
5. Cook till the oil leaves the sides.
6. Now add 1/2 cup of milk and keep mixing. If it dries up too much i.e. its ticking to the bottom then add 1 tbsp of water.
7. Add the cubed paneer and add 1/2 cup water. Mix well and simmer for a few minutes.
8. Serve hot with chapati,naan or bread even!

Serves 2

Mixed vegetable - Potatoes, bell pepper and carrots

This is an everyday vegetable in which many variations can be made. Its a good lunch box option with paranthas or chapatis.  In fact this is one of the standard filling of the rolls that I make for hubby when he needs to be moving around in the car, the whole day.

Ingredients

• Potatoes- 3, boiled, peeled and chopped
• Tomatoes- 1, chopped into big pieces
• Carrots (orange)- 1, chopped
• Capsicum/green bell pepper- 1, chopped (big pieces)
• Oil-1/2 tbsp
• Heeng (asafoetida)- 1 pinch
• Jeera (cumin seeds)- 1/2 tsp
• Haldi (turmeric powder)- 1/4 tsp
• Dhaniya powder (coriander seed powder)- 1 and 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder- 1/3 tsp
• Garam masala (optional)- 1/4tsp
• salt to taste (I used 1tsp)

Grind the following with mortar and pestle and keep aside for use

• Dalchini (cinnamon)- half inch piece
• Badi elaichi (black cardamom)- 1, cracked open
• Laung (clove)-2

How to make:

1. Heat the oil. Add heeng & jeera. Let it sizzle.
2. Now add carrots and capsicum and fry for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add salt and let the carrots turn tender.Turn down the flame. Cover and cook for a few minutes. (If you are using the red carrots then it'll take less time to cook.)
4. Add the boiled potatoes and tomato. Add all the spices except the ones ground by mortar and pestle.
5. Mix well so that all vegetables are well coated with the spices. Cover and cook for a few minutes.
6. Now add the ground spice mix. This gives a beautiful aroma to the dish.
7. Mix well and serve.

Notes:
You can garnish it with coriander leaves.
If you are out of tomatoes (God forbid!) then use amchoor (1/2tsp) to add the sour flavor.

Khankhra ri khichri - an indian ratatouille ? or a spicy chapati porridge?

Indian mothers/homemakers have a knack of using leftovers; but what do you call a dish which is so delicious that people make sure that there are leftovers!

This khichri/porriage was perfected by my grandma who was lovingly called "baiji". All the kids of the house from my elder uncles to the youngest brother/sister totally loved it.

(For 4 servings)

You need:

• Leftover chapaties/ Paranthas- 6, Preferably sundried
• Onion- 1 big, chopped
• Potatoes- 1 medium, chopped
• Capsicum- 1 small, chopped
• Garlic- 2tsp, chopped
• Tomato- 1 small, chopped
• Tomato- 2 medium (for blending)
• Green chillies- 1 (for blending)
• Ginger- 1' long piece (for blending)
• Coriander seed powder (Dhaniya powder)- 2 tsp
• Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder (Haldi Powder)- 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Meat masala- 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Oil- 1tbsp
• Water as required

To make:

1. Blend tomato, green chillies and ginger.

2. Heat oil in a Kadhai/wok.

3. Add onions and fry till pink. Add garlic.

4. When onions acquire a reddess on the edges and garlicky smell is reduced (about 1-2 min) then add the tomato blend.

5. Add all the spices and mix. Let it cook for a few minutes.The mix will turn dry.You can add a few spoons of water if you feel that it is sticking to the base.

6.Now add Potatoes and capsicum and turn it so that the vegetables are well coated with the spices. Add 1/2 cup water , cover and cook till the potatoes are tender.

7. While this mix is getting cooked, tear the chapatis/paranthas into small pieces. Check if the vegetables are cooked.

8. Now add the shredded pieces in the masala mix and add 1 cup water. Add the chopped tomatoes.

9. Cook for 4-5 minutes more. Add water if you want a thinner porridge. Adjust for salt.

10. Garnish with coriander leaves (optional) and serve immediately.

The Capsicum which I added is optional, you can decide the veggies (think carrots, beans, peas etc.) which you want to put in it. You can also just stick to just potatoes.
It tastes good when you serve hot , but it still tastes great if you eat it the next day.

Paneer Bhurji - Scrambled cottage cheese

This is a very simple dish. It is yummy and an all time favorite. It also serves as a vegetarian version of egg bhurji (scrambled eggs).

It is especially good as a mess free filling in the rolled paranthas. So, pack your lunch honey!

You need:

1. Paneer (crumbled)- 200gm ( I make it at home...so this is an approximate measure)
2. Capsicum/green bell pepper- 1 tbsp finely chopped
3. Onion- 1 small, finely chopped
4. Tomato- 1 small, chopped
5. Salt to taste
6. Jeera (cumin seeds)- 1/2 tsp
7. Garam masala- 1/4 tsp (you can increase it to get a spiced up version)
8. Haldi powder (turmeric powder)- 1/4 tsp
9. Red chilli powder (optional)- 1/4tsp
10. Coriander leaves for garnishing
11. Oil- 1 tbsp

To make:

1. Heat the oil in a pan or Kadhai.
2. Add Jeera seeds and let them sizzle. 
3. Add onions and fry till they are translucent. You can add green chillies here if you like.
4. Add salt and turmeric. Mix well and add capsicum.
5. Fry for 4-5 minutes. Capsicum should retain its crunch.
6. Add crumbled paneer and garam masala. Also, red chilli powder if you have not used green chillies.Fry for a 2-3 minutes. Add Tomatoes.
7. Mix well and cover for a few minutes on low flame.
8. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
9. Serve hot with Roti or Paranthas or even as a filling for sandwich.

Note: If you have store bought paneer, then soak it in hot water for 8-10 min before using it. It softens the paneer and improves texture.

Enjoy!

Moong dal- a quick and healthy recipe

 When I need something light for lunch or dinner; something unpretentious and yet fulfilling, then I always end up making Dal- roti . Simple, delicious and easy to make.

So here is a super easy and quick version of moong dal.

Makes about 2 bowls of dal

Ingredients:
Yellow moong dal/ washed or shelled green gram - 1/2 Katori
Ghee- 1tsp
Jeera- 1/4tsp
Heeng (asafoetida)- a pinch
Tomato- 1 small, chopped

Method:

1. Wash the dal thoroughly. Rinse 3-4 times. 
2. Soak in clean water for 10 min (optional).
3. Put a pressure cooker on flame. Pour 1tsp ghee.
4. Add heeng and jeera. When jeera starts to sizzle than add tomatoes.
5. Now add the soaked dal. Add about 1 and 1/2 katori of water.
6. Close the lid and put the whistle on.
7. After about 2-3 whistles. Switch off the flame and let the pressure cooker cool down.
8. Garnish with a few coriander sprigs (optional) and serve with hot chapatis.

Enjoy !

Pattaghobhi/ Bandhgobhi - matar ki sabzi (cabbage-peas veg)

This is an easy and quick recipe. Pretty much a staple in our household.

Serves 2
Ingredients:

1. Cabbage - Chopped, 1 and 1/2 cup
2. Peas- 1/2 cup (I used baby peas)
3. Green chilies- 2, chopped finely
4. Tomato- chopped, 1 medium sized.
5. Turmeric Powder (Haldi) -1/4 tsp
6. Mustard seeds (rai)- 1/2 tsp
7. Oil- 1 tbsp
8. Dhaniya powder (powdered coriander seeds)-1/2tsp
9. Salt to taste
10. Garam masala (optional)- 1/4 tsp
11. Amchoor (dried mango powder)-1/4 tsp

Method:

• Heat water in a pan. Blanch the chopped cabbage in the water. Drain and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a wok (Kadhai).
• Add mustard seeds. When they start to splutter, add green chilies and turmeric powder.
• Follow by adding dhaniya powder.
• Add the cabbage and turn to coat well with the spices. Add salt. Cook for a minute or so.
• Add tomatoes and peas. Mix well, cover and let it cook on a slow flame for a few minutes.
• Add garam masala , mix, cover and cook again for a few min.
• Turn off the flame and sprinkle amchoor . Mix and cover for a few minutes. 
• Garnish with Coriander leaves if you wish.
• Serve hot or cold as a side.

Since I used baby peas, it took less time to cook. If you are using fresh peas, then boil them in salted water for a while before adding them to the vegetable. 

Enjoy!

Vegetable pulao/rice (open pan cooked)

I like pulao/pilaf.

They are easy to make and yummy (unless you under-cook the rice). They can be made into a simple wholesome meal.

Also you can hardly go wrong with it. My picky 1 year old has never refused any rice preparation..:)


You need:
Ghee/Clarified butter- 1 tbsp
Rice- 3/4 cup
Baby Peas- 1/4 cup ( you can use normal peas too)
Carrot- 1 medium , chopped into small pieces
Onion- 1 medium, chopped finely
Tomatoes- 1 , chopped
Cloves-2-3
Bay leaf- 1
Cinnamon- 1" piece
Salt - to taste
Water to cook rice ( It'll more or less depend on the kind of rice you use, the regular everyday rice takes about 2 cups)
Lemon- 1/2 (optional)
 ( You can add any kind of vegetables that you have at hand in this recipe)

How to make:
1. Wash the rice thoroughly and soak for about 20-30 min.
2. Heat ghee in a Kadhai (wok). Add cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf.
3. Add onions and cook until translucent. (If you want a spicy version, please add whole red chillies before adding onion). Now add carrots and cook for a few minutes.
4. Drain water of rice and add to the kadhai. Turn the rice gently otherwise the grains will break.
5. When the rice starts drying out add peas and salt. Cook for some time.Add water and tomatoes. Let it come to slight boil at a medium high flame. Lower the flame and cook till the rice are done.
6. Squeeze half lemon on it and fluff it with fork. Enjoy with raita or plain curd. I could eat it just like that, no sides required.

PS: I've posted a similar recipe previously. You can make your version too!!

Potato and onion curry (aloo-pyaz ki sabzi)

This dish transforms the everyday veggies like potatoes and onions into a delicacy. The spices are intense and completely blended. It has rich aroma which fills the house with warmth. This is an occasional indulgence as it is rather heavy. 

I don't know the origin of the recipe, but we used to eat this in winter weddings in our hometown. It was so tasty that we skipped the whole bouquet just to hog on this one.

I've made a few changes and reduced the use of oil. 
Serves 2 very hungry mortals :)
Recipe adapted from Supriya's blog
You will need: 

1. Potatoes - 1 large
2. Onions - 4 small onions+2 medium sized onions (since i did not have baby onions, i just removed the outer layers of normal sized potatoes and used them to blend for the gravy)
3. Tomatoes - 3
4. Garlic - 7 cloves (you can use less if you want less garlicky flavor)
5. Ginger - 1" piece
6. Green chillies - 1
7. Curd - 3/4 cup (preferably sour)
8. Black Cardamom (badi ilaichi) - 1
9. Cinnamon (Dalchini) - 1 stick
10. Peppercorns (kali mirch) - 2-3 corns
11. Cloves (laung) - 2
12. Salt - to taste
13. Red chilli powder - 1  tsp
14. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
15. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
16. Garam masala - 1 tsp
17. cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
18. Asafoetida (hing) - 1 pinch
19. Oil to fry
20. Fresh coriander to garnish

How to:

1. Remove the peel of small onions and make a slit lengthwise
2. Boil the potatoes. Peel and cut them into big pieces.
3. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the small onions. Keep aside. 
4. Make fine paste of the medium onions, tomatoes, green chillies, garlic, and ginger in a mixer.
5. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add asafoetida and cumin seeds and temper
6. Add the tomato-onion paste. Cover and cook well for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and add water if needed
7. Tie the cardamom, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns and cloves in a muslin cloth and add to the pan
8. Mix the remaining spices in the curd. Add this to the pan and mix well.
9. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes till the oil leaves sides. Stir occasionally and add water when needed.
10. Remove the muslin cloth of spices.
11. Add the boiled potatoes and onions and cook for another 15-20 minutes.
12. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with rotis or laccha parantha.

Sooji upma as baby gruel

Sooji upma is an amazing dish in itself. I love it. We make it almost every week as breakfast. 

Here I'm giving a recipe which I have adapted to suit my baby's need. It's easy and made quickly. Moreover, it can be improvised to suit the taste of each child. It is one of the staples in my kitchen.

Ingredients for 1 serving

1. Sooji - 2tsp
2. Ghee/clarified butter- 1tsp
3. Salt to taste
4. Jeera powder- 1 pinch
5. Haldi/turmeric powder- 1 pinch
6. Baby carrot-1 (boiled and mashed)
7. Peas-5-6 (boiled and mashed)
8. Onion- 1 tsp (grated)
9. Water - 2 tbsp

Method

1. Take a thick bottomed wok/Kadhai and put it on the flame. Put ghee and let it melt.
2. Boil the peas and peeled carrot in a pressure cooker and mash them. Do not drain any extra water.
3. Add sooji to the ghee and roast till it smells cooked and is slightly golden brown.
4. Add the onions , immediately follow by adding the mashed veggies and water.
5. Add salt, Haldi and jeera powder.
6. Combine everything and cook till it thickens on a medium low flame.
7. Serve hot or at room temperature.

 Other vegetables of your choice can also be added.

Sheera / Halwa/ Sweet semolina pudding

There is something about the rainy weather. You feel nostalgic. 


You want to eat something hot/warm and gooey. 


The only word i can think of now is  Sheera. It is a thick-yet-flowing sweet goodness.


I like that....I feel like making it…


So let's get started.


Ingredients (1 serving)
1. Fine Semolina/ Sooji- 2 spoons (3 tsp)
2. Ghee (clarified butter)- 3tsp (if you want, you can put more)
3. Milk (full cream)- 50 ml+ additional to thin consistency
4. Almonds/ badam- 2-4 (make coarse powder by pounding)
5. Kesar /saffron- 1-2 strands
6. Green cardamom/elaichi-2, remove seeds and crush them
7. Sugar- 2 tsp




Method
1. Take a small thick bottomed kadhai/wok. Heat ghee in it.
2. Add sooji and cook while continuously stirring. It avoids burning of the semolina.
3. When the color and smell of sooji changes to a darker shade and a cooked smell then add milk and cook. The semolina will swell. If it gets too thick, add more milk. You can add water also.
4. Now add sugar and mix well.
5. Add kesar, badam and elaichi.




Footnotes:
Sheera is a common Indian sweet and you will find a number of variations to it.
6. Jaggary /gur also can be used instead of sugar.
7. Water can replace milk in the above recipe.
8. Other dry fruits like raisins, pistachios etc. can also be added to this recipe.
9. Whole wheat flour  can be used instead of semolina.
10. Some people add a small amount of rosewater to it to add a touch of royalty and beautiful fragrance.
11. You can soak saffron in warm milk before adding, I skipped the step.


Enjoy the wholesome goodness of this Indian sweet pudding and appreciate life.
Life is good.

Happy holi! (and how to make mathari at home)

Holi!!

pic

The festival of colors reminds me of soooo... many good things. The colors, the Dhol(Drum) music, the dancing, the pranks we played, and the food....ahhh..the sweet Gujiya made by mom, the cool thandai at my nani's house and a variety of mathries (flaky, salted or spiced biscuits).

Today for holi, I have made these special mathris which my mom used to make. Can't say that it's easy; but it surely is worth all the effort...:)

Ingredients

1. All purpose flour- 2 katori (measure 400ml volume upto the brim)
2. Ghee (clarified butter)-1/5 of the flour
3. Ajwain seeds- 1& 1/2 tsp (you can add cumin seeds also)
4. Salt- 1 tsp (you can increase it to get a more salty flavour)
5. Oil for frying
6. Water for making dough

(Mathari's can be made by adding varied type of spices, this is a simple Ajwain mathari/mathri)

Method

1. Add ghee,ajwain and salt to the flour and mix thouroughly. Add water and knead a little hard dough. Set aside for 15-20 min.

2. Now break the dough into small ball-like pieces.

3. Heat the oil in a wok/kadhai at a low flame.

4. With the help of a rolling pin, flatten the pieces of dough individually into 4 or 5 inch diameter circles. Pierce these circles with a knife or fork in a random manner.

5. When at least 5-6 are done, fry them at low flame. Remove when they become golden brown. Since frying will take time, you can continue rolling the remaining ones. (You can also roll and pierce all of them and then start with frying, but that just increases the time.).

6. Keep them on absorbent paper/paper napkin. Store in an air tight jar. They keep well for a few weeks.

These are usually served with spicy and yummy pickles, but taste pretty good all by themselves. I love them with my evening cup of tea.

Tamatar ka salan (Blanched tomatoes in creamy cashew gravy)

When you are bored stiff of cooking the same things again and again..and again..what do you do?


I try a new recipe!


Fortunately, this one came out to be very tasty and for the keeps. The aroma of the curry cooking on the stove was mouth watering.


My hubby had 3 second helpings ;P
And now you know why I dont have pics of this one. I'll click them next time...promise.


Tamatar ka salan 
For blanching tomatoes
Take 2 firm tomatoes and immerse them in boiling water. Remove from flame when the skin cracks. Drain water and remove the skin. Let it cool a bit. Keeping them joint at the base, make 2 cuts crossing each other.


For the gravy
You'll need:
1. Tomato-1
2. Cashews- 1 Tbsp, Steeped in water for 30 min.
3. Green chillies- 1
4. Ginger- 1" piece
5. Whole white pepper (Safed mirch)-5-6
6. Cloves (Lavang/laung)-2
7. Cinnamon (dalchini)- 1/2" piece
8. Black cardamom (badi elaichi)- 1
9. Musturd seeds (rai) -1/4 tsp
10. Cumin seeds (Jeera) - 1/4 tsp
11.Asafoetida (Heeng)- 1 pinch
12. Red chilli (Lal mirch) powder-1/4 tsp
13. Coriander (dhaniya) powder- 1/2 tsp
14. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
15. Salt- 1/2 tsp or as per taste
16. Oil- 1 Tbsp
17. Milk (I used full cream)- 1 Tbsp


Let's start cooking:

1. Cut tomatoes, green chillies and ginger and grind it to a paste in a blender.
2. Take a wok/kadhai and dry roast white pepper,rai, jeera, cinnamon and cloves.
3. Drain the cashews, mix them with the roasted spice mix and black cardamom. Blend them with about 1 spoon of water.
4. Pour oil/ghee in the wok/kadhai. Add Heeng and jeera. When jeera crackles and rises, stir in the tomato paste and cook in moderate flame for about a minute. Lower the flame a little and cook till the oil seperates on the sides.
5. Now add the cashew spice mix and milk. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add water (as per your preferance) to adjust for the consistancy of the gravy and let it boil.
6. Now add the blanched tomatoes and let it cook for 1 min. Don't overcook as they might become soggy. Just let the flavors seep in.
7. Serve hot with roti, rice or any favorite bread.

You can use black pepper instead of the white ones. 
Makes for 2 hungry people.
 Tasty tips
1. Instead of using blanched tomatoes, you can use boiled potatoes, paneer or even tofu !
2. For a richer gravy, use cream instead of milk.
3. Perfect for a party, people will be marvelling at your cooking for days.

Panchmel dal (mom's recipe)/ Five lentil mix

My mom is expert in vegetarian cooking and used to make a lot of varieties, which I appreciate more and more now. Sometimes a seemingly simple recipe is so delicious and requires so little effort that you are surprised by it. So when I asked my mom what to cook ( yeah, I keep poking for ideas), she told me this recipe.

Panchmel dal /five lentil mix

Ingredients

1. Split green gram dal-1/4 cup
2. Chana dal- 1/4 cup
3. Washed yellow moong dal- 1/4 cup
4. Washed urad dal- 1 tbsp
5. Toor/arhar  dal -1/4 cup
6. Ginger- 1" piece,grated
7. Onion-1, medium, chopped
8. Green chillies-1 chopped
10. Salt to taste and turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

For tadka/tempering

1. Garlic-2 cloves sliced thinly
2. Heeng/asafoetida- 1 pinch
3. Jeera/cumin seeds- 1 tsp 
4. Ghee/ clarified butter- 1/2 Tbsp

Method

1. Take all the dals in a container and wash them thoroughly.
2. Put these together in a pressure cooker and add water.
3. Add ginger, chopped onions, green chillies, salt & turmeric powder.
4. Cook on high flame till 2 whistles and then on medium low flame for few minutes till its done.
5. For tadka, heat ghee in a tadka pan.
6. Add jeera and heeng. When the jeera sizzles , add sliced garlic.
7. Sauté for a few minutes.
8. Pour the tadka contents in the cooked dal and stir.
9. Heat for a few seconds and serve hot with roti/ indian flatbread.

Karela fry/ fried bitter gourd

Karela or bitter gourd is not a vegetable which I relish much. The reason is obvious; it's bitter. 

When I learnt this recipe from my mother-in-law and was expected to make it, I was a little apprehensive....but I'm so glad I tried. This preparation is marvelous (even though it's common in north India) as it removes the bitterness and brings out the flavor of Karela beautifully. Though it requires some pre-prepration, its a must try especially for those who don’t like bitter gourd.  

Pic

Ingredients
1. Karela/ bitter gourd - 6, small
2. Sarson oil/ Mustard oil (for frying)
3. Onion- 1 medium
4. Garlic-3
5. Ginger-1" piece
6. Green chillies- 2
7. Salt for marinating + for cooking
8. Red chilly powder- 1/2 tsp
9. Coriander powder-3-4 tsp
10. Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
11. A simple string 
Method
1. Wash the gourds thoroughly.
2. Make a slit in the middle and remove the seeds.
3. Fill in some salt and also rub salt on the outside thoroughly .
4. Keep overnight.
5. Make a coarse paste of onion, garlic, ginger & green-chillies.
6. Add the spices- salt, Red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder as per your taste to the paste. (Quite a lot of people fry this paste but I chose not to)
7. Wash the karelas thoroughly in order to remove all salt.
8. Fill them with thespice  paste and tie  with a string in order to close the opening firmly
9. Heat oil for frying.
10. Fry all the filled and tied karelas till they lose their green color and become brownish.
11. Serve as dry veg with roti (indian flatbread).

Dal baati choorma (Rajasthani special)

Today I bring to you the special preparation of Rajasthan (dharti dhoraan ree or Land of the sand dunes). This large state in the west of the Indian subcontinent has a unique cuisine of its own. Its capital happens to be my hometown and thus this dish of dal- bati brings back the memories of the scant rainy season or the cool season of September to mid October (just preceding the teeth chattering winters) when it was best enjoyed. It also brings warmth and joyous laughter back with the whole family seated together enjoying the hearty meal.

Rajasthani's do not skimp on their favorite ghee/clarified butter especially while serving to guests. I've tried using less, but there is really no limit to how much you can add on the top of a bati or dal.

DAL BAATI & CHOORMA (CHURMA)

For Dal
Ingredients:
Urad dal-100 gm
Moong dhuli dal-50 gm
Chana dal- 50 gm
Ghee (clarified butter) - 2 tbsp
Heeng (asafoetida)- 1-2 pinch
Jeera (cumin seeds)- 1 tsp
Haldi (turmeric powder) - 1/2 tsp
Lal mirch (Red chilli powder)- 1/2 tsp
Garam masaala- 1/2 tsp
Dhaniya powder (coriander seeds powder)- 1 & 1/2 tsp
Tomatoes- 3
Green chili-2, chopped
Ginger- 1" piece

Method
1. Wash thoroughly and soak all the dals together for 1-2 hours. You can soak it for longer also.
2. Grind tomatoes, green chillies and ginger togehter
3. Take dal in a pressure cooker, add salt, haldi and twice the water. Put on high flame to cook.
4.After 1-2 whistles, lower the heat and continue to cook till done.
5.The cooked dal should not be total mush, it should hold some shape and should be easily pressed by fingertips.
6.Heat ghee in a khadhai/wok, add cumin seeds and heeng. When they sizzle then add dhaniya powder and pour the tomato mixture in it. Add lal mirch and cook until the ghee is left on the sides. Now add garam masaala and stir.
7. Pour the boiled dal on this mixture. Stir and check the salt. Add more if required.
8. Serve hot with batis

For Bati

Ingredients
Wheat flour- 400 gm
Semolina/rava/suji- 100 gm
Melted Ghee (clarified butter) - 100 gm
Jeera (cumin seeds)- 1 tsp
Ajwain (carom seeds)-1 tsp
Baking powder- 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method
1. Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Add a little lukewarm water and make hard dough (like that of poori). Don't make it very hard.
3. Cover and keep for 1/2 hour.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 250 degree centigrade.
5. Make round medium sized dough balls.Keep them on a baking tray.
6. Place tray on the medium rack for 25-30 min. Turn baati every 5-7 min.
7. Take out from the oven and pour some more melted ghee (optional) before serving.

The traditional choorma recipe calls for more ingredients like almonds, raisins, pistachios etc. and more ghee too. It involves both roasting and frying the dough. I however have restrained from making it too 'fatty'. Fortunately, I got a result similar to the original (I thank my mom for the improvisation tip). Also, since I did not have Gur/ jaggary or Bhura/ a variety of ground sugar, I used brown sugar I had.

For Choorma

Ingredients:
Wheat flour- 400 gm
Semolina/rava/suji- 100 gm
Melted Ghee (clarified butter) - 200 gm
Elaichi (cardamom)- ground, 1 tsp
Brown Sugar - 400 gm (one can adjust for taste)

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Add a little lukewarm water and make soft dough.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 250 degree centigrade.
4. Make medium sized flattened dough balls.Keep them on a baking tray.
5. Place tray on the medium rack for 25 min. Turn flat pieces every 5-7 min.
6. When they are roasted well. They should not be too dry.
7. Let then cool a bit, till you are able to handle them with your hands.
8. Break them into small pieces, alternatively grind in a food processor till powdered.
9. Add Sugar & ground elaichi and mix well.
10. Sieve though a mesh for same granule size and better texture.
11. Serve on side with dal bati.

Note: I make the dough for both bati and choorma and keep them in seperate baking trays in the oven, since I bake them at the same temperature.

Sometimes we like to mash batis in the dal, top it up with ghee and relish it by eating with hands (yeah, no spoons!) and it is fingerlicking tasty..:)

Enjoy!

Lauki with chana dal (gravy preparation of split bengal gram and bottle gourd)

Lately the days have been dragging by, so I needed some good ol' recipe to cheer me up. Thankfully, my husband reminded me of this one and I made it the very day. I was happy that it came out well in spite of the fact that I mostly made it from memory.

Serves 3-4 people
Ingredients
1. Chana dal (split bengal gram)- 1 katori (200ml approx volume)
2. Bottle gourd (Lauki/dudhi) - 2 cups, chopped in medium sized pieces.
3. Oil-1 tbsp
4. Onion- 1 medium sized, blended or chopped finely
5. Tomato- 1 big, chopped finely
6. Garlic- 2 cloves + ginger (1" piece)- made into a paste
7. Green chilly-1 chopped finely or ground with ginger & garlic paste
8. Dalchini (cinnamon)- 1 cm stick
9. Lavang (clove)- 1

Spices
10. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
11. Salt- 1 tsp/ as per taste
12. Coriander powder (dhaniya)- 2tsp
13. Garam masala- 1tsp
14. Red chilli powder- 1/4 tsp

Method
a. Keep chana dal soaked overnight or in warm water for 3 hrs. In tropics even room temperature water is ok for soaking.
b. Take a pressure cooker and heat oil in it.
c. Add cinnamon and clove in it. Add onions, ginger-garlic paste & green chilly and fry on medium high flame till it leaves oil on the sides.
d. Now add tomatoes, all the masalas (spices) and mix well. Lower the flame a little and cook till tomatoes are mushy. Add some water, if required here (I added some 2 tbsp of water).
e. Now add the soaked and drained chana dal and mix well with the gravy made. Add about 1 cup of water and close the cooker. Adjust the flame to high.
f. After 3 whistles, lower the flame to medium. After one more whistle, switch off the gas and let it cool.
g. If you are the impatient kind like me, you can just release the pressure of the cooker and open it.
(Note: the number of whistles may vary according to the amount of water and the time for which the dal was soaked. Basically the dal has to be cooked but still hold its shape)
h. Add Lauki to the dal and close the cooker again. Keep it on fire till 1-2 whistles come. No need to add more water as the vegetable will release its own.
i. Switch off the flame and let it cool before opening.

Serve it with chapati (Indian flatbread) and rice.
Note: Please check the Lauki(bottlegourd) before using it for the recipe. Bitter ones will spoil the preparation completely.