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.   

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

Green Khichdi [ हरी खिचड़ी ]

      

 Spicy and non veg dishes are generally in demand in winter season.Even veg dishes ought to be hot and aromatic! But here is one veg,slightly spicy & easy to cook recipe for wintery days when one does not prefer much venture in cooking.

 

Ingredients:

Rice  1 cup
Green peas  2 cup  
Turmeric powder  1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder  1/2 tsp
Hing  1 pinch
Cumin seeds  1/2 tsp
Ginger  1 small piece
Green garlic  3 sticks 
Green chili  3-4
Green coriander leaves  1 bunch
Tomato  3-4 medium
Potato  2 medium
Salt to taste
Pure ghee or refined oil  2 tbsp
Water  3 cup
Serves: 4 persons

Preparation:

• Peel off green peas,wash and grind to thick grains [dardara] along with garlic & ginger. 
• Chop tomatoes & green chili.
• Peel off potatoes and chop in small square pieces.
• Soak the rice for 1 hour.

Method:

• Heat ghee in a pressure cooker.
• Add hing & cumin seeds.Fry till cumin seeds turn brown.
• Add tomato & green chili,fry till cooked.
• Add turmeric powder,garam masala and peas paste,mix and stir for 2-3 minutes.
• Add potato pieces,mix and keep stirring.
• Add rice after draining water,mix well and fry again for 2-3 minutes.
• Add water,chopped coriander leaves and salt.Mix.
• Cover with the lid.Cook till one whistle.Close the flame and let the cooker be cool.
• Remove lid.
• Hari khichdi is ready.Remember more water is used in this khichdi than normal khichdi.

Serve the matar khichdi hot with roasted papad,coriander chutney and mango pickle.

Quick Breakfast:Egg Roti

         While living alone at another city for some time my husband developed "quick to make"recipes.One of his favourite is Egg Roti which he makes with left over Rotis,a short cut snack.He feels pleasure in sharing the same with me as well as my blog brethren.

Ingredients:

• Eggs  2
• Roti [left over or fresh]  4
• Onion  1 medium
• Green coriander leaves  1 small bunch
• Green chili  2-3 pieces
• Ginger [grated]  1/2 tsp
• Garam masala powder  1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste.
• Refined oil  4 tsp

Serves: 2

Method:

• Beat the eggs in a bowl.Mix salt & garam masala and beat well again.

• Chop finely the onion,green chillies and coriander leaves.
• Mix these and grated ginger into beaten eggs. Whisk this mixture quite well.
• In case of left over rotis,warm them on a pan.
• Now Heat the pan on high flame,spread 1 tsp of oil in size of a roti.Heat for 2 seconds.
• Pour 1/4th of egg mixture with a table spoon on the pan,spread it in size of roti.Let it cook till it becomes golden brown.
• Paste a roti on it and press lightly with spoon on different parts of the roti.
• Now flip and let the base cook for some time.
• Remove it from pan.
• Repeat the process with the rest of items.
• 
  

Eat or serve hot with chili sauce [ or,with tomato sauce if you like less spicy].