Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer is a staple Punjabi dish, given the area's richness in greens especially palak and saag; and paneer / cottage cheese is a given :)

It's a very simple, subtle, rich and delicious preparation that will go well with hot rotis, paranthas, bread or some even relish it with rice. 

Ingredients:

• Palak / Spinach                 : 1 small bundle
• Paneer / Cottage Cheese :  150 gm (1 cup of cubed paneer; dice it to the size you prefer)
• Green Chilies                     : 4-5 (as spicy as you prefer)
• Garlic                                   : 2-4 pods
• Ginger                                 : 1" piece
• Big Onion                           : 2 medium
• Tomatoes                           : 1  small [optional]
• Kasuri methi                     : to flavor
• Jeera / Cumin                   : 1/2 tsp (raw or powder, optional)
• Lemon Juice                      : 1 tspn  
• Garam Masala                   : 1/2 tspn
• Salt                                       : To Taste
• Butter                                  : 1 tbspn 
• Fresh Cream                      : 1 -2 tbspn

Method:

1. Clean the spinach well to remove soil (use running water) 
2. In a kadai add some water and salt. As it starts to boil, add spinach to blanch it for 2 mts
3. Strain it and immediately place in a bowl of chilled water for 1-2 mts (to retain the green color)
4. Allow it to cool and drain the water
5. Make a puree of the spinach with green chilies and set aside
6. In another mixer, make a paste of ginger, garlic, one onion and tomatoes (alternatively you can cut them into fine pieces and saute directly)
7. In a kadai, add a tablespoon of oil. To this add saboot jeera, one diced onion and saute it. As onion turns golden, add the ginger + garlic + onion + tomatoes paste and allow it to cook till the oil starts oozing out (till the raw flavor disappears)
8. Add the garam masala powder and salt
9. To this, add the spinach puree. Stir and cook for 2 mts over small-medium flame
10. To this, add some water and allow it to cook for a few more minutes with occasional stirring over small-medium flame  (till the raw flavor of the spinach disappears)
11. To this, add the cubed paneer (some prefer it raw while some saute it to golden colorbefore adding)
12. Allow the mixture to cook for 2 mts  (should be semi-gravy and not dried. so add water if needed while cooking)
13. Finally, add kasoori methi and lemon juice. Stir it and remove from fire.
14. Top it up with fresh cream and serve hot with rotis / naan / bread 

For this dish, we avoid turmeric, coriander and red chilly powder. 

It's an easy-to-cook dish as compared to many other... so, just go for it!

As a complimentary dish, you can make some Herbal Paneer: 

• Sprinkle some turmeric powder, red chillie powder, salt, dried herbs and mix well. 
• Shallow fry them to golden brown and have it hot!

Vada Pav : Indian Veg Burger

Vada Pav originated in the state of Maharashtra, India, but now is a staple food for many across... A simple yet most tasty dish that can be cooked in a few minutes. For many it serves as the breakfast, lunch and dinner along with a hot cup of tea!

It is almost similar to a burger, just that this is made out of simple and easily available pav (buns, small breads) with a Vada (potato based stuffing) in between along with some spicy and tangy green chutney accompanied by some green chili and spicy garlic chutney / powder.

After tasting at a few places, I always wanted to try my hands at it. Finally, my first attempt at making Vada Pav is a reality and a complete success with my dearies :)

Ingredients:

To prepare the Vada / Tikki:

• Potato                    :2 medium boiled and smashed 
• Green Chillies       : 2 crushed
• Garlic                    : 1 tablespoon crushed 
• Ginger                   : 1 tablespoon crushed
• Mustard Seeds      : 1 tspn
• Curry Leaves        :  a few
• Turmeric Powder  : 1/2 tspn
• Coriander Leaves  : 2 tbspn finely chopped 
• Salt                        : To Taste
• Oil                         : 1 tbspn
• Asafoetida             : a pinch

To prepare the Flour / Batter for Vada:

• Gram Flour / Besan : 3/4 cup
• Turmeric Powder     : 1/2 tspn
• Baking Soda             : a pinch
• Salt                           : to taste
• Oil                            : to fry

To prepare the Chutneys:

Green Chutney:

• Coriander leaves : a bunch (as much qty as you need)
• Mint leaves           : a bunch (I take it in almost equal qty)
• Green Chilies       : 4-6 (as spicy as you need it)
• Sour Curd            : 1/2 cup (to make the chutney tangy)
• Mango Powder    : 1 tbspn (optional; if used accordingly quantify the curd)
• Salt                        : To taste 

Red Coconut Garlic Chutney: 

• Coconut                      : 1 cup
• Garlic                          : 6-8 cloves
• Red Chili Powder        : 1 tbspn (as spicy as you like)
• Sesame Seeds (white)  : 1 tspn 
• Lemon Juice                : 1 tbspn

Method:

To make the Vadas:

• In a bowl, mix the mashed potatoes with chilies, ginger and garlic
• In a pan, heat the tbspn of oil and add mustard seeds. As they crackle, add curry leaves, asafoetida, and turmeric powder. Remove from fire immediately and pour it to the mashed potato mix. 
• To this, add the remaining ingredients including salt and mix. Make small round vadas and leave them aside for some time

To fry:

• In a bowl, mix the gram flour, turmeric powder, baking soda, salt and beat it to make a nice batter (consistency similar to making dosas)
• In a kadai (deep frying pan), add oil to fry. 
• Add a spoon of this oil to the batter prepared and mix.
• Dip the vadas in this batter, and add them to the heated oil. Fry them till golden brown and place them aside.

To make the Chutneys:

  Green Chutney: Just grind all ingredients and place it in a bowl.

  Red Chutney: 

  

     The way I prepared: Slightly roast the sesame seeds, and grind all ingredients to a  smooth mix. If you like, add a bit of lemon juice and mix well.

     Typical Method: Roast coconut to a deep brown color. Roast the sesame seeds to light brown color. You can roast the garlic and red chili powder as well. Cool them and grind them to a mix (with very less or no water).

To make the Vada Pav:

• I slit a pav (a bun) into two and slightly roasted them on a tava (this is optional; typically it is had raw)
• Apply the Chutneys you have made (green, red etc), and place a Vada / Tikki in between two loaves and serve it hot with green chilies.

Note: Green Chilies can also be slightly sauteed in oil and some salt and mustard seed powder can be sprinkled on it before serving. 

Serve it hot with the accompanying green chilies and chutneys, with a hot cup of tea or any of your favorite drink!

Amristari Chole : My first attempt

Chole is a staple punjabi / north indian dish that can be relished with pooris, rotis, rice etc. One variety is made out of kabuli channa / konda kadala / chickpeas (white). Different state gives this dish its own flavor and one such commonly available is "Amristari Chole".

Ingredients:

• White Channa (Chickpeas) : 1 cup (Soaked over night)
• Tea Bag                             : 1 (optional - for this attempt I didn't use it)
• Black Salt                          : 1/2 tspn
• Salt                                    : 1/2 tspn 
• Big Cardamom (badi ilaichi) : 2-4 (Optional)

       For Dry Masala

• Jeera                            : 1 tspn
• Black Pepper               : 1 tspn
• Coriander Seeds          : 1 tspn
• Clove                          : 4-6 pieces
• Cinnamon                    : 1 piece
• Anardana                     : 2 tspn
• Garam Masala             : 1/2 - 1 tspn

        Other Ingredients:

• Green Chillies : 3-4 Chopped
• Ginger            : 1 piece chopped
• Onion             : 1 big finely chopped
• Tomatoes       : 3-4 small chopped
• Red Chillie powder: 1-1.5 tspn (per your taste)
• Coriander powder: 2 tspn
• Bay Leaves     : 1-2 small
• Ghee               :1-2 tbspn
• Coriander        : Finely chopped to garnish
• Oil                   : 2 tbspn (To Cook)
• Aamchur (Mango Powder) : 1 tspn
• Lemon             : 1 medium (for juice)

Method:

• Soak Chickpeas overnight. Remove water and pressure cook the chickpeas along with tea bag (optional), black & white salt. Ensure that the chickpeas are not overcooked but well boiled
• If you use tea bags, remove it after boiling the chickpeas. Strain the water and keep it aside.
• In a kadai, dry roast all masala mentioned under "Ingredients -> Dry Masala". Roast it till it becomes dark such that it gives a darker shade to the cooked channa. Make a nice powder of this
• In a kadai (or same pressure pan), add oil. As soon as it heats, add bay leaves. Then add chilly, ginger, onion and fry till golden brown
• To this add garam masala and tomatoes. Cook for 2 mts till it mixes well with all masala
• To this add the grounded masala powder. 
• To this add aamchur, salt, coriander powder, chillie powder and enough water to cook the chickpeas (you can add water as rqd. Some prepare this as semi-gravy while some make it solid)
• Mash some chickpeas to make it a bit thicker
• Allow this to cook for 5-7 mts in medium flame
• Add some ghee and then garnish with coriander leaves
• Remove from fire and add lemon juice before serving

Serve it with rotis, pooris, white rice etc. Btw, I forgot to mention a key point. My Little princess who otherwise is a bit finicky with her food loved this. She in fact requested it to be saved for her dinner as well:))

Stuffed Tawa Bitter Gourd

Bitter gourd though bitter is one of the most healthiest vegetable that one must include in their regular diet (Especially if any one in family has diabetics). They come in different sizes; I picked the small ones just to try out...however, the ideal ones for this style of preparation are the medium-long sized ones.

The "Tawa Style" preparation can be made using vegetables such as Bitter gourd, Ladies Fingers, Brinjal etc and is very famous in North Indian marriages etc... I tried making it by the recipe that I read in a recipe book a while ago. There are many other ways to cook the same.

Stuffed Tawa Fry Bitter Gourd

Ingredients: - For Stuffing

• Bitter Gourd : 4-6 medium length
• Onion : 2 medium 
• Ginger, Garlic Paste : 2 tspn
• Turmeric powder : 1 tspn
• Red Chillie powder : 1.5 tspn (As spicy as rqd)
• Coriander powder : 1.5-2 tsp 
• Mango powder : 1 tspn
• Salt: To Taste
• Roasted Gram powder : 1/2 cup (2-4 tspn)
• Cooking Oil : As required

Ingredients: - For Marination

• Hung curd : 1 cup (ensure there is no water)
• Turmeric Powder: 1 tspn
• Salt: to taste
• Chillie powder : 1/2 tspn (if rqd)

Method:

1. Wash the bitter gourds, and apply salt. Leave it in the fridge for 1 hour (To reduce the bitterness; optional)
2. Remove it from fridge, cut the end stems and scrap the skin
3. Make a slit at the middle of the bitter gourds ensuring the ends don't split up. 
4. Remove the seeds such that it can open up for stuffing
5. Apply salt again on the inside and outside of the bitter gourds and leave it aside for at least 30 mts (This is mandatory even if you skip Step 1)

      Stuffing:

1. Chop the onions into small pieces. In a kadai, add 2 -3 tspn of oil. To this add the onions and fry till they turn golden brown. 
2. To this add the roasted gram powder and fry it for 1-2 mts
3. Add Turmeric, Coriander, Chillie, and Mango powders as specified and salt
4. Add 1-2 tbspn of water and allow it to cook to make a mash
5. Allow it to cool

     Marination: In a bowl, mix curd with all other ingredients

     Preparing the bitter gourd:

1. In a kadai, add 3 cups of water. As it boils, add the bitter gourd with some salt and turmeric powder
2. Allow it to cook for 10 mts and remove from fire. Allow it to cool.
3. Stuff each bitter gourd with 1-2 tspn of the stuffing mix (As specified under the heading "Stuffing")
4. Ensure the stuffing doesn't spill out
5. Use a thread and tie each bitter gourd (optional)
6. In a tawa or a non-stick kadai, add 2 tbspn of oil. As it heats, place each bitter gourd. 
7. Allow each side to cook till dark brown

Tawa fry ideally is served hot along with rotis or with rice. In this style, the bitterness is almost removed. Treat yourself to some yummy bitter gourds :)

Cabbage and Potato Gravy

Years ago, at NIIT, one of my students had invited me for lunch. She was treating me to some north-indian style dishes. Of those, the taste and preparation of this dish is still afresh in my mind and taste budz...

This can be prepared either as a dry sabji or curry depending on your needs and taste.

Ingredients:

Vegetables:

Cabbage (Patha ghobi / Mutakose) : 1 cup - chopped into thin slices
Potato :  2-4 medium sized, peeled, and cut into cubes
Onion:    2 medium sized, cut into thin slices
Tomato:  2 medium sized, cut into thin slices
Garlic:     5-6 pods (per your taste)
Ginger:    A piece finely chopped
Green Chille: 3-4 slit at the center
Curry Leaves : 3-4
Coriander Leaves: Chopped for garnishing



Spices and others:
Jeera: 2 tspn
Refined Oil  : 3-4 tbspn (as per your usage)
Turmeric Powder: 1 tspn
Dhaniya Powder (Coriander): 3-4 tspn (2 tbspn)
Red Chillie Powder : 2-2.5 tspn (1-1.5 tbspn - as per the spice levels; balance it with the green chilies used)
Mango Powder (Aamchur): 1 tspn
Salt : to taste
Asafoetida - a pinch

Method:

1. In a pan (kadai), add oil and as it becomes warm, add jeera.
2. Allow the jeera to splutter, and add chillies, ginger, and garlic
3. Fry them till the garlic turns golden brown
4. Then add onion and fry till it turns golden brown (Tip: You can add a pinch of salt to quicken the process)
5. To this mix, add tomatoes and cook them for a mt or two
6. Now add the spices in the order of : turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chillie powder, and mango powder
7. Mix them well and leave for 1 mt (if rqd, you can add a few drops of oil when adding chillie powder)
8. To this mix, add hing and salt
9. At this point, add the curry leaves, chopped cabbage (I added a few pieces of chopped capsicum) and allow it to cook for 2 mts by sprinkling some water
10. Allow it for 2 mts, and then add the fried and sauteed potatoes (Refer to 'Preparation of potato' section below).
11. Add enough water to create the gravy consistency (or you can make it as a dry sabji by just sprinkling water to cook)
12. Add the coriander leaves before removing from fire.

      Preparation of potato

1. In parallel to Steps 3 to 6, in another tava, add oil to fry the diced potatoes
2. When the oil turns a bit warm, add the diced potatoes and fry them till golden brown
3. Saute them with a bit of salt and pepper or alternatively chaat masala
4. Keep them ready to add to the gravy

You can serve this as a side dish for Rotis, Paranthas, Dosas, Aapam, or even bread. When made as a curry, you can also have it with rice. 

Variations:

1) Instead of frying the potatoes, you can also boil, peel and cut them into dices

2) You can make similar preparations with Brinjal and Potatoes

Vepampoo aka Neem Flower Rasam

Rasam is an integral dish in a south indian lunch thali. Its a lighter version as compared to 'sambhar' and can be had with rice or drunk as a soup. A skill of a good cook is to constantly innovate. Our earlier generations initiated this practice and per me were experts in this art.

Of the many varieties known, this is 'Vepampoo alias Neem Flower' Rasam. As is common knowledge, neem is known for its medicinal value.There are two main dishes prepared using Neem Flowers : Mango Pachadi with neem flowers and Neem Rasam.

Dish: Neem Rasam : Preparation Time : 10 - 15 mts

Ingredients:

• Neem Flower : 1-2 Tbspn
• Tamarind        :  small - medium lemon sized
• Red Chillie      : 2-3
• Pepper Seeds : 1-2 tspn (as spicy as u need)
• Cumin Seeds  : 1 tspn
• Tomato          : 1 (small)
• Toor dal (Thuvaram) : 1 tbspn
• Ginger            : 1 small piece (mashed)
• Garlic             : 2-4 pods (mashed)
• Salt                : To taste
• Curry Leaves : Few to season
• Corriander Leaves: Few cut nicely to season
• Mustard seeds : 1/2 tspn
• Aseofotida     : 1 pinch
• Ghee              : 1-2 tspn

Method:

1. Make a powder of cumin, pepper, toor dal, red chillie (or u can add it as is). 
2. Mash Garlic & Ginger (these two are optional)
3. Extract tamarind juice and take it in a cooking vessel. Dilute it by adding 1-2 glass of water. To this mix, add the small tomato and mash it (break it using your hands or add diced pieces).
4. To the same mix, add the powder (Step 1) and ginger/garlic (Step 2)
5. Add a few curry leaves, aseofotida, and salt.
6. Allow the mix to come to a boil (the tomato should be cooked)
7. Add a bit more water and when it foams remove it from fire.
8. In a tava, add Ghee. To this add the neem flower and fry till it turns golden brown or black (the aroma is great). Take it aside. 
9. In the remaining ghee, add some mustard seeds and raw red chillie (if you didn't grind it). As it splutters, remove it from fire and along with the fired neem flower add it to the rasam.
10. Top it with coriander leaves and curry leaves.

Tips:

• Always remember to close the lid when the rasam is removed from fire to retain the aroma.
• Roasting Neem Flower in ghee gives the authentic taste (1 spoon of ghee daily is good for your health, so don't worry).
• You can avoid ginger, garlic, and tomato and follow the rest of the procedure as well. 
• This rasam is typically slightly more tangy than the rest. So you can choose the tamarind level and tomato based on your taste.
• Its a healthy rasam and can be stored easily for 1-2 days.
• If you have a neem tree you can collect the flowers, clean it & dry it. Else, should be available in provision stores.

அரிசி உப்புமா / Rice Upma

** Moved from my earlier blog **

Upma is a staple food of South Indians and finds it place in a breakfast platter without fail. But as is the human needs, variety is a must in every thing. So is the case for Upmaas too - you can make Upma using Rava(Sooji), Godumai Rava (Broken wheat / Dhaliya), Samea, Avil (Rice flakes - the famous poha), and ofcourse Arisi (Rice).

Off these, Rice upma is rarely prepared at least these days. But I remember this as one of the tastiest of the upmaas prepared by my Athai (Bhuaji - a great cook). Then they used to make it so often... It's a tummy filler and can be made interesting with suitable side dishes.

The measurements & ingredients below are my own - as you know 'customization' is the key to interesting cooking :)

Cooking vessel: Earlier they used Brass Vessel (Uruli or vengala panai). If you have one then do use it for this preparation because it adds a different taste; Else, you can cook it using the non-stick kadai or pressure cooker or pressure pan.

Ingredients (The following measurement can easily serve 2 people)

1. Raw Rice (Pacharisi preferred / Boiled Rice) - 1 Cup
2. Thoor Dhal (Arhar dhal)                                - 2-3 Tbspn
3. Cumin Seeds (Jeera)                                     - 1 Tspn (as you like the taste)
4. Pepper (Milagu)                                            - 1 Tspn (as spicy you want, I add a bit more)
5. Red Chillie                                                    - 4-5 (as spicy you want ; balance bet this & Pepper)
6. Curry Leaves                                                -  Few (Adds a great flavor)
7. Refined Oil                                                    - 2-3 tspn (for tadka & to ensure rice doesn't stick)
8. Asafoetida (Hing / perungayam)                     - 1/2 tspn
9. Mustard Seeds (kadugu)                               - 1/2 tspn
10. Bengal Gram                                                 - 1/2 tspn (for tadka)
11. Salt                                                               - Per taste
12. Water                                              - 2 Cups (as its grounded, a little lesser than you use for full rice)

Preparation Method:

1. Wash the rice and drain it by spreading it on a newspaper or pure & thin white cloth. This will absorb all water and dry the rice quickly.
2. Grind coarsely the dried rice along with Thoor Dhal, Cumin Seeds, Pepper (you can add red chillie here or during tadka). Ensure you don't powder it finely else it will be similar to Sooji-upma.
3. Place the Cooking vessel on fire and add the cooking oil.
4. Once the oil is warm, add Mustard seeds. After it splutters, add Bengal gram, and Red Chillie. Fry till they turn golden brown and then add curry leaves.
5. To this mixture add water and allow it to boil
6. As the water boils, add the grounded mix slowly with constant stirring. 
7. Once you smoothly stir the entire mixture in the water, add salt & asafoetida.
8. After a few minutes, close the container with a lid (if pressure cooker just give one whistle; Alternatively, you can just cook it in steam)
9. Cook it in simmer flame - you can check it once in a while by stirring. (in the brass vessel, we allow it to cook till it forms that 'kaandal' - the deep roasted coating in dark red /brown - if you like it)
10. Cooking time should be around 10 mts.
11. Remove from fire. 
12. Garnish with a few more curry leaves for fresh fragrance. Some might add grated coconut as well.

My first attempt at making Arisi Upma

Tips: You can store the coarsely powdered rice for future use as well. Probably, you can make some & store it for 15 days or a month.


Side Dish:

You can serve this with Coconut chutney, Brinjal gothsu, Sambhar, or any other spicy chutneys. I made a onion/tomato chutney kerala style:

Ingredients:

1. Small onions - 10 - 12 numbers if really small (or 5-6 would suffice)
2. Tomatoes - 2-4 (big - small)
3. Garlic - 4-5 cloves
4. Curry Leaves - a few
5. Red Chillie - 4-5 (depending on how spicy the chillie is)
6. Asafoetida
7. Tamarind (Imli) - just a pinch
8. Salt - to taste
9. Oil - 1 tspn

Method:

1. In a pan, add the oil, and fry garlic, onions for a few mts followed by tomatoe - till the raw smell is lost
2. Grind the fried mix with the remaining ingredients - coarsely or smoothly as you like it.
3. Garnish with curry leaves if you like it. 

Onion/Tomato Spicy chutney

Dal Makhani - A Punjab delicacy

** Moved from my earlier blog **

Been years since I've been thinking of cooking 'dal makhani' @ home. Its a simple yet rich dish & is a regular in any of the north-indian menu. Again, its taste varies with each cook's style & hand :) I followed recipes prescribed by popular chefs Sanjeev Kapoor & Tarla Dalal. At the cost of sounding little less humble :) I would say I was impressed by my preparation. Rest, will ask my QA team to report back (they have no option but to taste whatever I make :))


Here is what I used:

• Black Lentil (uzhundu / urad dal) - 1/2 cup
• Kidney beans (Rajma) - 2 tbsp (2 fistful)
• Milk - 1 cup
• Ginger - Chopped
• Garlic - 5-10 flakes
• Onion - 1/2 - 1 cup chopped (as per your taste)
• Tomato - 1 cup chooped (as per your taste)
• Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1/2 tsp
• Green chilies - 2 chopped
• Chilli powder - 1-1.5 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder (dhaniya) - 2 - 2.5 tsp
• Saunf - 1/4 tsp
• Butter 
• Oil - to fry
• Salt - to taste
• garam masala - if you like it
• Coriander leaves - chopped (for garnishing)

Here is I how I prepared:

1. Clean, and soak the urad dal & rajma for 6 hours, preferably overnight. 
2. Drain the soaked dals, add salt (1 slit chilli if you like it), 2 cups of water and pressure cook it. 
3. Ensure the dal is cooked well -should be soft & you should be able to mash them easily.

1. To this cooked mix, add milk & little water and keep it on 'low fire' for say 7-10 mts (stir it now & then). Remove from fire.
2. In a kadai / pan, add some butter & oil. When hot, add cumin seeds (you can add a bay leaf if you want). After they crackle, add garlic flakes. When they are a little fried, add ginger, chilli, and onions. Fry till golden brown.
3. To this, add turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilli powder, and required salt (add less because you would have already added to the dal). Stir, and add tomato. Mash the tomato well. All masala should mix together & mashed - 5 mts.
4. After 5 mts, add the dal mixture, some saunf if you want and leave it on 'sim' for 10 mts. Add water to dilute the dal (don't dilute much) 
5. After 10-12 mts, the dal will become thick and creamy. Remove from fire, add butter or cream
6. Garnish with Coriander leaves 
7. Serve hot with chappatis, paranthas.

   

Try @ your end and share your feedback. Happy eating :)

Beetroot Halwa : For the sweet-toothed

** Moved from my earlier blog **

Hey sweet-toothed people, here is a recipe for a halwa from my kitchen. If I can do it, so can you all :) Try it & share feedback:

Ingredients: Quantity mentioned below are my measure... But you can choose based on your headcount & taste.

1. Beetroot - 1 cup grated 
2. Milk - 2 cups
3. Dates - 4 soaked & make a watery paste of it.
4. Sugar - 1 cup (per your taste)
5. Ghee - 4-5 tsp (1/4 cup kinds)
6. Cardomom - 2-4 pounded
7. Dry fruits - Raisins, Cashew (as you need to season)

Method:

1. In a pan, heat some ghee. To it add the grated beetroot and saute it for a few minutes (till little bit of raw smell goes off and beetroot softens a bit). 
2. To this, add milk; Keep stirring to avoid sticking to the pan. Cover the pan & allow the beetroot to cook.
3. When the above mix thickens, add sugar. 
4. Cook till the sugar dissolves and starts to leave the sides - would like strings when you stir. The mixture will start to thicken further.
5. In parallel, fry cashew, raisins in ghee (alternatively, you can add them dry).
6. Cook till you get a semi thick consistency. The ghee will be absorbed and the sugar strings will start appearing. As it cools down later, it will thicken further; So, remember to remove it from fire when in a little loosen state - to avoid making 'beetroot bar' instead of 'beetroot halwa' ;)
7. Season the halwa with the fried dry fruits. Add cardamom powder at the end.

         Tasty halwa is ready to be served. I included dates to make it a little bit more healthier & tastier :)

 Note: You can follow the same procedure and make yummy Carrot halwa too... but preferably using the 'red carrots' rather the orange ones.

Posted 14th June 2011 by Sri

Baigan ka bharta

Good to be back sharing another recipe and this time from North Indian basket! Yes, one of the most cherished take away from my 17 years in Delhi are the recipes of some of their interesting dishes. Am surely not a master of it but can make some of those dishes decently. Here is the recipe for 'baigan ka bharta' - a very popular dry curry taken with rotis. 

Ingredients:

1. Brinjal - 1 BIG Sized (either they are fat & longer or far & rounder)
2. Onion - 1 medium sized, finely chopped
3. Tomato - 4-5, finely chopped
4. Ginger - finely chopped 
5. Green chillies - 4-5 finely chopped
6. Cumin (jeera)- 1 tspn
7. Turmeric powder - a pinch
8. Dhaniya powder - 1 tspn
9. Chilli powder - 1 tspn (based on ur taste)
10. Aamchoor - 1 or 2 pinches (based on how ripened / khatta tomatoes are)
    
11. Salt to taste
12. Oil to cook

Method

1. To the brinjal, apply oil on all sides including the stem. The specialty of this dish is the brinjal needs to be roasted and mashed. To do so, place the oiled brinjal on the burner and on low flame. Keep turning and cooking till all the skin on the eggplant is charred and the inner flesh looks really soft. A good sign to watch for is that the eggplant seems to 'cave in' on itself! 
2. Place the roasted brinjal in a bowl of water to cool it down. Peel the skin.
3. Coarsely mash the flesh with the seeds (discard seeds if they are ripened & hard)
4. In a pan, add 2 tbspn of cooking oil. When hot, add cumin seeds and wait till they splutter.
5. To this, add chillies, ginger and fry for a few seconds
6. Next, add onions and fry till soft
7. Add tomatoes and ensure you break the tomatoes nicely
8. To this mix, add the spices mentioned along with salt and cook for 3-5 mts. Keep stirring the mix (Only if rqd, just sprinkle a little water - mostly won't be rqd)
9. When cooked, add the brinjal mash and mix well. Break & ensure they all mix together. Cook for 1-2 mts max.
10. Garnish with coriander leaves (avoid curry leaves because that usually tends to give a south-indian dish flavor)

Hot Bharta ready to serve with hot rotis. You can accompany this with a dhal variety, pickle, and curd.

 
 
Note: Bharta refers to dishes with ingredients that are coarsely mashed. You can make bhartas out of any kind of vegetables that taste good when mashed.