DAL PAKHTOONI

I saw this recipe at www.sanjeevkapoor.com. After triedout I literally fallen love on it, a delicious, buttery, creamy dal, simply awesome! Though I made little alteration according my tastebuds, yet it was truely fingerlicking good. This is an amazing dal curry from North-West Frontier province of undivided India, which is mostly located in Pakistan. Tryout in your home with nearer and dearer ones, definitely recieve loads of compliment for this delightful dish.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Cup Black Urad Dal
1/2 tbsp Ginger Paste
1/2 tbsp Garlic Paste
1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
2-3 Chopped Green Chilies (according to taste)
2/3 Cup Tomato Puree
1/2 Cup Fresh Cream
1 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves / Cilantro
2 tbsp Butter
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Wash and soak dal in water for overnight. Drain water completely and rinse 3-4 times.

Pressure cook dal with chopped green chilies and little salt upto 4 whistles or till it is tender. Lightly mash the cooked black urad by using a spatula.

Heat 2 tbsp butter in a pan. After melting butter completely, add ginger-garlic paste and 1 tbsp water in it. Mix well. Saute for 2-3 minutes, till it leaves oil from the sides. Add turmeric powder, kashmiri red chili powder in it.

At this moment, add tomato puree and little salt in it (be causious of adding salt, as we added it before while pressure cooking dal). Fold nicely for 4-5 minutes.

Now pour cooked urad onto it. Fold well. Add garam masala powder, stir nicely and cook for 2 minutes.

Add fresh cream and give a nice stir. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle coriander leaves on top and turn off heat now.

Serve hot with warm chapati, paratha or plain rice.

Sending to:  Cook with Comfort ~Blog Anniversary Event,  Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

VEGETABLE PANEER KABAB

I am posting today an easy and quick recipe for making paneer and vegetable kababs, may call it as tikkis. This is a very tasty and mouth watering kababs. This is a very perfect appetizer for those, who doesn't like potato or aloo. Tryout this perfect tea-time snack specially on a rainy or cold evening, its light and delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Hung Fresh Paneer / Channa (Crumbled)
1/2 Cup Grated Carrot
2/3 Cup Green Peas (Coarsely Pounded)
2 Slices of Bread
1 tsp Minced Ginger
1 tsp Finely Chopped Green Chillies
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Cilantro / Coriander Leaves
1 tsp Roasted Cumin Seeds (Powdered)
2 tsp Dried Mango Powder (Amchur)
1 tsp Black Pepper Powder
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Lemon Juice (Preferably Gondhoraj Lemon)
1 tsp Sugar (for increasing its flavor)
1 tbsp Clarified Butter (ghee)
3 tbsp Oil for Shallow Frying The Kababs
Salt to taste
1/3 tsp Chaat Masala

METHOD:

Dip bread in the water and squeeze out excess liquid from it.

In a large bowl, mix bread and all other ingredients (except oil and chaat masala) nicely. This must be lightly tight mixture. Mix every thing nicely. Refrigerate the dough for atleast 1 hour.

Now take a small portion from this dough, give a shape of ball. Press it gently to make a small flat round pattie or kabab. Repeat the precedure for all pieces.

Heat oil in a pan, fry kababs till crisp and golden brown from both sides. Drain on a paper towel.

Sprinkle chaat masala on the top, serve hot with your favorite chutney or ketchup.

Sending to:  Cook with Comfort ~Blog Anniversary Event, Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

BESAN LADOO - MICROWAVE VERSION

Recipe Source & Acknowledgement: Homely Food

This is a very popular ladoo among North Indians. Besan ladoos are made from gently roasted gram flour or besan. My mom mostly prepared it at the time of Navratri, Holi and Diwali. She made it very perfectly and tasty. Anytime, without any occassion we can have it. Yummy and delicious, yet easy to make ladoos are loved by all!!!

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Gram Flour (besan)
3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
8 tbsps Clarified Butter (ghee)
1/2 tsp Cardamom Powder

METHOD:
Heat clarified butter in a microwave safe bowl at 100% MW power for a minute.

Remove the bowl from microwave, add gram flour and mix it very well, there should not any lump.

Microwave at 100% MW power for 4 minutes, stirring it after every 1 minute. Again microwave at 50% MW power for 3 minutes, stirring it after each minute.

Remove from oven add sugar and cardamom powder in it. 

Mix it thoroughly. Let it cool. 

Divide into small portions and give them a shape of ladoos. Store it in air-tight container.

Sending to:  Chandrani's Holiday Recipes

METHI NA THEPLA (GUJARATI FLAT BREAD WITH FRESH FENUGREEK LEAVES)

'Methi Na Thepla' is a staple flat bread from Gujarati cuisine and very famous in Western India. I am really fond of Gujarati dishes such as dhoklas and theplas. I have already posted Methi Paratha recipe here, but I make methi theplas oftenly in my kitchen, as it is soft, moist, thin and this theplas stay good for long. This is an ideal dish for travelling, you can eat them simply with pickle or chutney. Whole jeera (cumin seeds) or sesame seeds can be added to enhance the taste of theplas. This theplas are easy to prepare when compared to stuffed parathas. I prefer to make them when I am in no mood to cook elaborate meals.

INGREDIENTS:

3 Cups Washed & Finely Chopped Fresh Fenugreek Leaves (Methi Greens)
4 Cups Whole Wheat Flour (atta)
2/3 Cup Curd / Yogurt (dahi)
1 tsp Minced Ginger (adrak)
1 tsp Minced Green Chillies (hara mirch)
1/4 tsp Carom Seeds (ajwain)
1/4 tsp Asafoetida (Hing)
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder (haldi)
1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder (lal mirch)
1 tsp Cumin Powder (jeera)
2 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt (namak)
3 tbsp Clarified Butter (ghee)
1/4 Cup Refined oil (for frying theplas)

METHOD:

Take a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients including fenugreek leaves in it.
Add 3 tbsp clarified butter and yogurt, knead into a firm smooth dough, if water is required, add very little.
Cover with a wet cloth and set it aside for 20-30 minutes.
Divide dough into 30 equal sized balls.
Heat non-stick tawa on high flame and start preparing theplas one by one.
Lightly flour a rolling board or clean counter surface, take one ball and flatten it with your palms and start rolling it on the rolling board into round shaped circle of 7"-8" diameter. (It must be thin like chapati only)
Place rolled thepla on the heated tawa. Do the first flip when you see tiny bubbles rise on the top surface.
As soon as the first flip is done, drizzle few drops of refined oil and spread all over the surface of thepla. Flip again after 30-40 seconds and drizzle few drops of oil on this side too and spread evenly with a flat spatula and press gently.

Take off from tawa. Theplas should be soft and moist. Serve warm theplas with pickle, chutney or simply with yogurt.

Do give your feedback in the comments below....
Sending to: Cook with Comfort ~Blog Anniversary Event, Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

BEET CARROT SALAD

This salad I have prepared and relished on the weekly basis. I saw this recipe on Khana Khazana, by Sanjeev Kapoor. Actually it is an Italian salad with yummy dressing. Very simple and can be prepared in 10 minutes.  Healthy delicious and very light as a side to chicken, mutton or turkey. So, here is the recipe of tasty toothsome cumin flavoured simple salad by beet and carrot.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Beet root (peeled and parboiled/baked)
1 Carrot (peeled and parboiled/baked)
2 tbsps Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Sesame seeds
1/3 tsp Grated Ginger
1/3 tsp Sea Salt
1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
Few Slices of Cucumber (for garnishing)

METHOD:

Dry roast sesame seeds.

When it turns to change colour, remove from heat and set aside.

Dry roast cumin seeds for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.

In a mortar, place the grated ginger, roasted cumin seeds and sea salt. Pound it coarsely. Now add olive oil and lemon juice in it. Mix nicely. Now salad dressing is ready.

In a bowl, place chopped carrot and half of the dressing in it. Mix well.

Add the beet root slices in it and the remaining dressing. Mix thoroughly.

To serve, Place carrot beet mixture on the middle of the plate or tray.

Decorate with cucumber slices and sprinkle roasted sesame seeds on the top and serve chill. Enjoy this yummy and healthy salad.

Sending to:  Chandrani's Holiday Recipes

VEGETABLE RICE

One of my favorite food is vegetable rice or vegetable pulao. There are so many different styles to make and customise vegetable rice, i.e. vegetable pulao, vegetable biryani or vegetable fried rice. But I have tried my own variations over the years too. This rice dish is simple, flavorful and have a good amount of vegetables. A medley of veggies add colour and flavor to this spicy rice dish. Here is my simple vegetable rice recipe...

INGREDIENTS:

3 Cups Basmati Rice (or any aromatic rice
Some Whole Garam Masala
2 tbsp Clarified Butter (ghee)
Whole Garam Masala
(2-3 Bay Leaves, 2" Cinnamon Sticks, 3 Black Cardamoms, 6 Cloves, 8 Pepper Corns)
6 Cups Water
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 Cup
1 Cup Roughly Chopped Carrot
1 tbsp Julienne Ginger
3-4 Chopped Green Chillies (as per taste)
1 Cup Chopped Green Beans
2/3 Cup Sweet Corn (frozen)
2/3 Cup Green Peas (frozen)
3-4 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Wash rice 4 to 5 times and soak in water for 30 minutes. Drain excess water completely now and set it aside.

Heat 6 cups water in a deep pan or wok. Add rice in it and give a nice stir. Let it start to boil. Adjust heat into medium. At this time add 2 tbsp clarified butter, whole garam masala and salt. Give a stir once again.

Put the lid on and cook it for just 15 minutes on medium low heat. Remove from heat now. Open the lid, rice is now tender but each and every grain is seperated, not sticky.

In another pan or kadai, Add cumin seeds, ginger, green chillies in it. Saute for 40 seconds. Mix chopped carrot in it. Fry for another 2 minutes. Add green beans, sweet corn and peas in it.

Sprinkle little salt on it, fold well. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Now this vegetables are tender. Pour this sauteed vegetables onto cooked rice. Mix with a fork, so that everything incorporated very well. Cover the lip again and keep it as it is for 5 minutes.

Open the lid and serve warm vegetable rice with any spicy curry or simply with yogurt or raita. It is simple but delicious!

TIPS: Addition of clarified butter (ghee) keeps each grain of rice

          seperate.

Sending to: Cook with Comfort ~Blog Anniversary Event, Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

VEGETABLE TIKKI

'Aloo Tikki' is a famous North Indian street food. I made little variation with this recipe and loaded with mashed green peas, carrot, coriander leaves with a various of Indian spices. You may use this tikki as a patties in Burger. Though it is a street food, but while made it in home, is very healthy and delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Potatoes
1/2 Cup Green Peas (blended in mixer)
1/2 Cup Grated Carrot
2 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves / Cilantro
2 Green Chillies (finely chopped)
3-4 tbsps Bread Crumbs
1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tsp Cumin Seeds (roasted & powdered)
1/3 tsp Chaat Masala
1/3 tsp Garam Masala
Salt to taste
1/2 Cup Oil For Frying

METHOD:

Boil, peel and mash potatoes nicely.

In a large bowl, combine mashed potato, green peas, carrot, coriander leaves, green chilli, bread crumbs, lemon juice, roasted cumin powder, garam masala and salt. Mix the whole thing together nicely. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.

After that, take a small portion from this dough, give a shape of ball, press it round gently to make a flat round pattie or tikki. Repeat the procedure for all pieces. I made 15 tikkis from this entire dough.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Fry tikkis till crisp golden brown from both sides. Drain on a paper towel.

Sprinkle chaat masala on the top. Serve hot with your favourite chutney or ketchup.

Sending to:  Lets cook Christmas party food,  Favorite Recipes: Christmas Recipes 2013,  Let's cook for Christmas event, "Eat Vegetables Stay Healthy" & JUSTEAT,  Cook with Comfort ~Blog Anniversary Event, Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event