Kaali Gajar ka Halwa

A mouthful of usual red Gajar ka halwa tastes heavenly especially in winters and this dish adds a twist of kaali gajar to it (deep purple carrots). This is an exclusive dish from Banaras (Varanasi) in the northern India and stands out slightly different in taste than the traditional red halwa although equally mouth-watering. So get your hands on this unusual variety of carrots this season and try out this recipe!

Ingredients

• Black Carrot                            1/2 kg
• Milk                                         1 liter
• Khoa                                        150 gm
• Sugar                                       1 cup
• Pure Ghee                                2  tbs
• Cashew nuts                            8-9 pieces (broken into tiny pieces)
• Almonds                                  4-5 pieces (Soaked in 1/2cup of water)
• Raisin                                      9-10 pieces
• Pistachios                                4-5 piece (shredded)
• Green Cardamom Powder      1/4  tsp
• Grated coconut                        2 tbsp  

Method

1. Grate the carrots after peeling.
   
2. Add 2 serving spoons of milk to the grated carrot and put it for boiling in a pan (or use a pressure cooker till one whistle). Once boiled, keep aside for cooling. 
   
3. Take rest of the milk it in a deep frying pan or a cooking pot and bring it boil.
4. Simmer the milk to a thick consistency (quantity may reduce to almost 2/3rd).
5. While the milk simmers, check if the carrots have cooled down (shouldn't be too warm), then grind them lightly in the mixer.  
6. Add the carrots to the boiled (thick) milk and continue to cook till the mixture appears to be dry (carrots have soaked in the milk).
   
7. Add ghee and stir fry at a low flame for 2-3 minutes.
8. Add grated khoa and stir thoroughly for 4-5 minutes.
   
9. Add sugar and continue to stir lightly until it is dry again. 
10. Last but not the least, add dry fruits and mix well. Now, Halwa is ready!
    
11. Serve warm with some extra dry fruits on the top to make it more tempting.   

Fish Pakora || Fish Fry

Bringing this delicious and crispy recipe from our new year's eve tradition at home. With my kids usually preparing for upcoming exams, my husband loved to serve these warm for the starters along side some cozy drinks. Hope enjoy these while you welcome the new year!

Ingredients

• Deboned fish fillets cut into small pieces           500 gm

         (Rohu or any flaky/white fish)

• Wheat flour                                                          2 tbsp
• Asafoetida(heeng)                                               1 pinch
• Mustard oil                                                          1 tsp
• Lemon juice                                                        1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder                                                 1 tsp
• Gram flour (besan)                                              1 tea cup
• Rice flour                                                            1/2 tea cup
• Yellow mustard powder                                      1 tbsp
• Red chilli powder                                               1/4 tsp
• Kashmiri redchilli powder(optional)                  1/4 tsp                       
• Ginger                                                                 2"piece
• Green chilies                                                       3-4 pieces
• Garlic                                                                  4-5 cloves
• Dry garam masala                                              1/2 tsp
• Chat masala                                                        1 tsp
• Oil                                                                       3-4  serving spoon                                               

Preparation

1. Wash the fish with water 2 to 3 times and rinse the water. Then add asafoetida in a cup water and soak the fish in it for few seconds and rinse. Gently rub wheat flour on the fish and rinse again.
2. Initial treatment to get rid of the smell-

                    Salt.                         1 tsp
                    Mustard oil              1 tsp
                    Lemon juice            1 tbsp
                    Turmeric powder     1/2 tsp

        

         Take a big bowl, remove the water thoroughly. Sprinkle above things on the fish and mix well.    

         Keep aside for 30 minutes cover with cling wrap, later wash it thoroughly.

Marination

1. Take gram flour and rice flour in a deep bowl.
2. Grind ginger, garlic and green chilli into a thin paste.
3. Add the paste to the bowl along with turmeric powder, mustard powder, red chilli Powder and dry garam masala. Add water slowly in small quantity till you get a thick batter (thickness can be compared that of a cake batter).

1. Add salt.
2. Take the rinsed fish pieces and drain any excess water. Now add fish into the batter and evenly coat on both sides of the pieces.
3. Cover the bowl with lid and keep it aside for 10 to 15 minutes for marination.

Cooking Method

1. Heat oil in a deep frying pan on high flame for few minutes or till you see fumes coming out.
2. Very carefully add 3-4 pieces of battered fish in the hot oil to fry. Reduce flame to medium and fry the fish till they become golden brown on both sides (take about 2-3 minutes for each piece to cook on both sides)

1. Continue  this process till all fish pieces are fried properly.
2. Now Fish Pakoras are ready. 
   

To serve

Take all fish Pakoras in a serving dish, squeeze some lemon juice over them and sprinkle chaat masala. Garnish with coriander leaves or mint leaves.

Serve hot with mint and coriander chutney, along with your favorite drinks!

Phalsa sharbat

Phalsa (also known as Falsa), is a small berry fruit that comes from the shrub-plant Grewia asiatica and is native to India and South Asia. This fruit is full of anti-oxidants and is known for its high nutritional value. Bringing you this flavorful home-made drink to enjoy this summer!

Ingredients (Servings: 7-8 of 200 ml)

• Phalsa                                         250gm
• Sugar                                          6-8  tbsp
• Water                                          1Lit 
• Powder Roasted cumin seed      1/2tsp
• Black salt                                   1tsp
• Ice cubes or crushed ice             (to serve it chilled)
• Mint leaves                                (for decoration)

Method  

• Take Phalsa in a dish and wash thoroughly with water.
• Soak in water for 4 to 5 hours in bowl.
• Mash thoroughly with spoon and pour into other bowl through a strainer. 
  
  
• Continue straining through until pulp(mostly seeds) is remaining,
  keep adding a little amount of water slowly as needed to help with the straining process. Dispose of the leftover pulp. 
  
• Now Phalsa juice ready.
  

• Add sugar ,black salt and cumin powder and stir thoroughly and Phalsa syrup is ready.
• Keep it in fridge for cooling.

To Serve

• Take glasses as per your requirement.
• Add 1/4 glass of crushed ice, 1/4 Phalsa syrup and pour water.
• Decorated with mint leaves and straw.
• Serve  chilled.
  

Shalooli Tikki

 

Shalooli Tikki is a nutritious product of shaljam and mooli,as main ingredients and other vegetables.

Ingredients

Turnip(Shaljam)

• Turnip (shaljam)           2 piece(medium size)
• Radish(mooli)              1 piece (medium size)
• Carrot                          2 or 3 pieces (medium size)
• Onion                          1 small piece
• Ginger                         1 small piece
• Garlic                          3-5 flakes
• Cinnamon Stick           1 small piece
• Mace(Javitri)                2 small piece
• Green chilli                  2-3 pieces
• Garam masala              1/4 tsp
• Coriander leaves          1 bunch

• Salt to taste
• Oil                               2 tbsp
• Roasted gram powder  1 tbsp
• Cornflour                    1tbsp

Preparation

• Grate Turnip,Radish,Carrots and Ginger.
• Keep grated vegetables in one bowl or plate.
• Cut green chilly into small pieces
• Chop onion into fine pieces.
• Cut coriander leaves and garlic into small pieces.

 

 

 

 

 

    Method

• Take a deep pan or cooker,add grated vegetables,cinnamon stick,garlic and javitri. Boil it for 15 to 20 minutes or 1 whistle.
• Cool it,then strain extra water. Squeeze it so that water is drained out from the mixture totally.
• Add to the above mixture salt,garam masala,roasted gram powder and cornflour and mix. Make a smooth dough.
• Make small balls of similar size from the dough. 
• Take one ball,keep it on one palm,flatten it with another palm,hollow it in middle and fill it with some chopped onion and Coriander. Mould it into a ball again,press lightly in middle giving shape of patty with care so that mixture does not come out of ball. Keep aside.
• Repeat the process with other balls.
• Now heat a flat pan,spread 1 tsp oil on the surface. Keep  4-5 Patties at a time on the pan.
• Cook both sides till golden brown.

Serve hot with green Coriander chutney

Tricolor Sandwich

     Tricolor and multi flavour sandwich for family members in breakfast on a holiday or to arouse taste buds of your esteemed guests.

 Ingredients:

Sandwich bread
  [white or brown]        4 slice  for 1 sandwich

Paneer               50 gm
Cucumber or cabbage.    1

Capsicum.         1

Carrot.          2piece 
Tomato        2medium      

Green coriender or mint chutney.     2 -3 tbsp
Tomato sauce.     2-3tbsp
Lemon juice.        1 tsp
Chilli sauce.          1tbsp
Cheese.                 3-4 cubs

Black paper powder.    1 tsp
Butter               2tbsp
Salt to taste

Preparation:

Remove the side crusts off the slices if necessary.

Grate the paneer.

Grate the cheese.

Slice the tomatoes finely.mix black paper powder and 1 pinch salt

Peel off and grate cucumber. Mix 1/2 tsp lemon juice and   finnly chopped capsicum

Prepare green coriander chutney using green chilli.

Method:

Place one slice on a plate,.Add a layer of grated paneer & cheese.Place second slice over first one.Spread green chutney and add grated cucumber all over.Sprinkle salt.Add chilli sauce.

Place third slice on second one,spread tomato sauce and then tomato slices all over.
Take a fourth slice,spread thin layer of butter and place it as cover with buttered side down.

Once assembled,cut each one into 2 triangles and wrap each triangle with paper napkin.

Tricolor sandwich is ready.

     Serve immediately otherwise the sandwich will become saggy and difficult to hold.

Special Recipes for Holy Navratra

       

        

       With blessings of Ma Durga, the holy days of Navratra have begun and will end on 2nd Oct,2014.Many of us observe fasting in this period and depend on phalahari meals.In this blog many recipes have been posted from time to time for such occasions,which are listed below:

• Lauki-ki-kheer
• Makhane ki kheer
• Aloo ki kadhi
• Sabudana ki khichadi 
• Potato fry

     I am sure these recipes will make anyone's fasting a worthwhile experience!

Handi Paneer

 

  Handi Paneer is a very spicy,nutritious and delicious paneer recipe.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Paneer.                    250 gm
Thick Curd             1 cup
Turmeric Powder.   1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder.  1/4 tsp

Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder   1/4tsp
Bayleaf.                   2 pieces
Black Peppercorn   7-8 pieces

Cinnamon stick       1"(approx size)
Cloves                     3-4 pieces

Mace [javitri]         1 small piece 

Green cardamom.     2-3 pieces

Black cardamom.     1 pieces

Red pepper corn ( whole red chilli) 2
Garam masala powder  1/2 tsp 

Onion.                      3-5 pieces
Tomato                     3-4 pieces
Ginger.                      2" small  piece
Green coriander leaves 1small bunch
Green chilli.             3-4
Salt to taste
Oil.                           2tbsp

Preparation:

Cut the paneer into 1 inch size cubes.
Beat the curd.
Cut into 2 halves then slice very fine
Slit green chillies into two parts.
Grate ginger. grated thickly into long shreds
Finely chop coriander leaves.
Chop tomatoes very finely.

Break coarsely the black pepper corns,black & green cardamoms.

Method:

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan or 'cook n serve' handi.Add paneer cubes and fry on low flame on all sides till slight brown.Keep flame on,take paneer out and keep aside.

To hot oil in same pot,add cinnamon stick,bay leaf,javitry,green & black cardamom,cloves,red pepper corn,black pepper corn.Fry till these pop up.

Add immediately sliced onion,stir-fry till onion turns golden brown.Add tomato pieces.Again stir-fry and cook on low flame for 8-9 minutes.

When tomato cooked properly,mix onion & tomato like a paste. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and garam masala powder,mix well.

 Add beaten thick curd. Cook for 5-6 minutes till dry.Add salt,Kashmiri red chilli powder and chopped green chilli.

Now add  paneer cubes and 1/2 cup water,cover with lid. Cook on low flame till thick gravy is formed.Close the flame and remove handi.

Serve hot,in a small copper or clay handi,garnished with coriander leaves and grated paneer. Nan,Rumali Roti,Missi Roti,jeera ric etc. are ideal companions.