LAUKI / DUDHI HALWA (BOTTLE GOURD DESSERT)

Bottle gourd / lauki / dudhi halwa is a very popular dessert made by grated bottle gourd, mawa, sugar and clarified butter (ghee). Bottle gourd is a light vegetable with mild flavour, so many kids or adults are not much fond of eating bottle gourd, but trust me they will surely love this yummy dessert. When I saw this recipe on Homely Food, could not resist myself to prepare this toothsome sweet which I inherited  from my Mom, it is made in our house at the time of Durga puja or Lakshmi puja. As I saw, how she cooked this dessert in a fast way, I tried to follow her. Hope you will enjoy this traditional Halwa.

INGREDIENTS:
3 Cups Grated Bottle Gourd
4 Strands of Saffron Soaked in 3 tbsps Warm Milk
2 tbsps Clarified Butter (ghee)
Sugar 5-6 tbsps (as per taste)
1/3 Cup Grated Mawa (khoya)
1/4 tsp Coarsely Pounded Green Cardamom
5 Cashewnuts (chopped)
5 Almonds (chopped)
5 Pistachio (chopped)
1 tbsp Raisins
1 tsp Poppy Seeds/khus khus (optional)

METHOD:

Heat clarified butter in a wok or pan. Add grated bottle gourd in it. Saute for 2 minutes. Don't get bottle gourd brown.

Add saffron milk in it, mix nicely. As bottle gourd leaves lots of water, so cook on high flame. Stir continuously for 2 minutes. (Alternatively may use condensed milk too)

Add coarsely pounded cardamom powder in it. Stir for another 5 minutes till the excess water from bottle gourd evaporates.

Now add chopped nuts and raisins in it. Fold nicely.

Pour sugar and mawa in it. Mix well. Stir continuously for another 3 minutes on high.

Once the water evaporates completely, add khus khus, stir nicely and turn off the heat now. Take it out in a serving bowl. Garnish with cashew, almonds and pistachio. Serve hot.

Linking to:  Chandrani's Holiday Recipes

CHICKEN SEEKH KABAB

Chicken seekh kabab is the special delight of minced chicken and other Indian spices. Kabab is a traditional dish of sliced or minced meat originating in the Middle East and later adopted by the Central Asia, before spreading worldwide. The traditional meat for kabab is lamb, but depending on local tastes, it may be beef, goat, chicken, pork, fish and seafood or even vegetarian foods like falafel or tofu. In Iran or Middle East, kababs also serve with saffroned rice or Persian rice named 'KAPSA'. Kababs in India are more or less similar to most other kababs preparations along with their distinct taste i.e seekh, chapli, kakori, boti, kalmi, tikka, shammi all can be credited to the spices native to the Indian subcontinent.

INGREDIENTS:

500 gm Mince Chicken
1 Onion (finely chopped)

1 tsp Freshly Pounded Black Pepper Powder

1 tbsp Coriander Seeds (coarsely pounded)

1 tsp Red Chili Flakes (or chili Powder)

½ tsp Roasted & Crushed Fennel Seeds (Saunf)

1 tsp Roasted  Cumin Seeds ( Coarsely Pounded)

1 Egg White (Beaten till peak form)

1 tbsp Soya Sauce

½ Cup Very Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves / Cilantro

1 tbsp Finely Chopped Green Chilies

1 tbsp Rice Flour

1 tbsp Corn Starch

1 tbsp Melted Clarified butter (ghee)

3 tbsp Oil (for shallow frying)

12 Bamboo Skewers (soaked in water for 4 hours)

1 tsp Salt

METHOD:

In a large bowl, combine onion, black pepper powder, pounded coriander-cumin-fennel, coriander leaves, chili flakes, green chili, rice flour and corn starch with minced chicken.

Add salt, soya sauce and clarified butter (ghee) in it. Lastly add egg white and combine everything very well. Cover and refrigerate the chicken mixture for overnight or 7-8 hours.

Heat 1tbsp oil in a non-stick pan or tawa. Grease bamboo skewers with few drops of oil. Make seekh kabab by moulding some minced chicken around a skewer about 4" in length and place immediately on the heated pan, like the same way fry 4-5 kababs at a time. Brush with a little oil and keep turning time to time till each kabab is tender and golden brown from outer. After frying remove from the pan and place immediately on the serving plate.

Serve hot with onion rings, salad and chutney of your choice n enjoy!!!

TIPS: Chicken should be very fresh. Soya sauce gives a nice smokey flavor to kababs. Seekh kababs are not supposed to an uniform shape, while making  people are usually using their hands and shape accordingly. So shape can be varied. You may bake, fry, grill or BBQ the kababs.
Sending to:  Cook with Comfort ~Blog Anniversary Event, Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

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

MACH ER (FISH) KOFTA CURRY

Today I am here with a mouth-water fish dish from Bengali cuisine. Truly speaking, a Bengali meal is incomplete without fish. Fishes are prepared in the very delightful ways in Bengali daily meal or occassion. But those Bengali kids, who brought up in abroad are hard for them to cop up with fish bones. This recipe is the great solution for those kids, who avoid fish scaring of fish bones. Tryout once, you will never forget its taste.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR KOFTAS (I made 18 koftas):

500 gm Medium Sized Pieces of Rohu Fish (you may use Catla, Buffalo Carp, Bhetki or Barramundi or Pomfret)

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 Medium Onion (finely chopped)
3 Finely Chopped Green Chilies
2 Slices of Bread
2 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves / Cilantro
1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder (freshly pounded)
Salt to taste
3-4 tbsp Oil to shallow fry koftas

FOR GRAVY:

1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Coconut
2 tbsp Onion Paste
1 Medium Onion (finely chopped)
1&1/2 tsp Ginger Paste
1 Bay Leaf
1 tsp Dry Roasted Cumin Seeds (powdered)
1 tbsp Red Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1&1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
1/4 tsp Powdered Nutmeg & Mace
2 tbsp Finely Chopped Fresh Coriander Leaves / Cilantro
3 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Clarified Butter (ghee)
Salt to taste

METHOD:

TO PREPARE FISH KOFTAS:

Wash fish pieces nicely and make those pat dry. Marinate fish with turmeric powder and salt. Keep aside for 15-20 minutes. Fry fish pieces nicely (both sides) and remove from oil.

Discard bones and skin from the fish.

Take fish, onion, bread, coriander leaves, chilies, garam masala and salt in a bowl. Mash and mix everything well.

Form the fish mixture in small balls, shallow fry them both sides slightly till those turn into golden brown. Keep them aside.

TO PREPARE GRAVY:

Add chopped onion in hot oil, fry till it changes its turns translucent. Add onion paste, ginger paste, chili powder, turmeric powder, grated coconut, coriander powder, nutmeg-mace, bay leaf and salt one by one. Fry the spice mixture for 2-3 minutes.

Add 2 cups or enough warm water to cover the koftas. Bring it to boil. Add the koftas, lower the heat and cook it covered for 2 minutes. Turn the koftas. Sprinkle coriander leaves, clarified butter (ghee) roasted cumin powder. Remove from heat.

Serve hot with steamed rice or pulao or biryani. Have this toothsome dish on your lunch or dinner table and enjoy Bengali delicacy!!!

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

LEMONY BUTTERY FISH

This is a classic fish recipe, which is pretty simple but tastes delectable. While making butter sauce, take care of not to burn the butter. It looks golden still tastes nutty. Fish cooked with lemon & butter is yummy and flavorful, very easy to cook.

INGREDIENTS:
1lb 4OZ  Salmon Fillet (may take Tilapia, Bhetki, John Dory or any white fish fillet)
1 parboiled Potato
1 medium Onion
2 tbsps crushed and minced Garlic
2 tsps Ginger juice
1 tsp Black Pepper powder
1&1/2 tsp Paprika flakes/powder
3 tbsps fresh Lemon juice
3 tsps all purpose flour
4 tbsps Olive oil
2 tbsps finely chopped Parsley
150ml warm water
1 tbsp Butter
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Cut fish fillet in cubes, marinate with 1 tbsp minced garlic, ginger juice, 1/2 tsp black pepper powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1 tbsp lemon juice, little olive oil and salt. Keep refrigerated for 30 mins to 1 hour.

In the mean time, cut potatoes and onions into thick slices. Set aside.

Dry roast flour for 2-3 minutes, keep stirring, don't burn it. Remove from heat and keep aside. Let it cool.

Heat 3 tbsps olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add fish pieces in it, keep the juice of marination aside. Fry fish pieces till those turn into light brown from both sides. Remove fish pieces from the heat.

Now mix potatoes and onions well with the remaining juice of marination. Add potatoes and onions in hot oil, fry for 3 minutes on high heat, so that potatoes and onions get crisp and flavored with the spices too. Remove potatoes and onions from the pan, leave aside.

Now, heat remaining 1 tbsps olive oil in same pan. Add flour, 1/2 tsp black pepper powder, 1 tsp paprika in it.  Fold well. Add 150ml warm water in it. Stir continuously for 2 minutes, so that no lumps formed within gravy. Put fried fish pieces, parsley, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 2 tbsps lemon juice and butter in it. Add salt to taste. Cook for another 2 minutes on low heat. Dont heat for prolonged time. Once everything mix nicely and gravy is thicken, remove it from heat.

Pour gravy along with fish pieces on the center of a palate and arrange fried potatoes and onions surrounded to it. Serve immediately.

Serve hot with pasta/spaghetti or simply with rice as a side dish.
Sending to:  Chandrani's Holiday Recipes