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Monday, 19 March 2012

Palak Pakore : Steamed N Fried


Ingredients -

Palak leaves - 12 - 16
Bengal gram flour (besan) - 6-8 tbsp
Garlic crushed - 3 cloves
Ginger grated - 1/2 inch
Carom seed (ajwain) - a pinch
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Green chilli minced - 1
Amchur powder (dry mango powder) - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Oil - to fry



Method -

1. Take medium sized, soft 
palak leaves and remove the hard stem and clean it thoroughly and dry it.
2. Mix all the ingredients in besan except palak leaves.
3. Make a smooth batter with the help of 1/2 cup of water.
4. Take a palak leaf and spread the besan mix on it covering it completely.
5. Put the second palak leaf and repeat the process until 4 palak leaves have been covered with the besan mix.
6. Fold it starting from the tip to the end part of it.
7. Fix it with a toothpick, prepare all in the same manner and put it in  a steamer for 8-10 minutes.
8. Take it out and slice it.
9. Heat a karahi with oil and fry the pakoras in it till golden brown and crisp.
10. Serve it hot with pudina chutney or sauce.


                                  Take palak leaves and besan mixture

                                Spread the besan mix on it


                                    Repeat the process with 4-5 leaves

                                          Fold it from the tip of the leaves

                                    put it in a steamer


                                        Take it out n let it cool down

                                                         Slice it n deep fry it     

                               Serve it with chutney n sauce
                                

Pudina Chutney


Ingredients -

Pudina leaves - 1 med size bowl
Garlic cloves - 3-4
Green chillies - 2
Tamarind pulp or lemon juice - 1 tbsp
tomato roasted - 1 small
coriander seeds roasted - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Salt - 1/2 tsp or to taste


Method -

1. Clean the pudina leaves by removing all the stems and wash it thoroughly.
2. Roast the tomato on gas and remove the burnt skin.
3. Now grind all the ingredients to a smooth paste  using little water either on a electric grinder or on a grinding stone (sil batta) if you want that special earthen taste.
4. This tasty chutney can be served with many snacks and main course also.



Wednesday, 7 March 2012

Khasta Gujias : Holi special


Ingredients -

All purpose flour (Maida) - 1/2 kg
Clarified butter or ghee - 1/2 measuring cup or  8-9 tbsp
Warm water - enough for the dough
Maida - 2 tbsp mixed in 1/2 cup water
Oil - for frying




For the filling -


Mawa - 1/2 kg
Semolina (optional) - 1/3 cup
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Cashew nuts chopped - 1 cup
Almonds chopped - 1 cup
Raisins chopped - 1 cup
Chirounji  (charoli nuts) - 3-4 tbsp
Green cardamom crushed - 5-6
Ground sugar - 1 1/2 cup or to your taste




Method -

 
1. Sieve maida in a large bowl and mix ghee in it 

    thoroughly, using your fingers.
2. Knead a smooth  and tight dough using enough 
    water and  keep it to rest, covering with a wet muslin
    cloth.


 For the filling -
 
1. Take a karahi and fry the mawa till light golden colour.

   Fry the semolina also in a separate karahi. Replace in a bowl and let it cool
     down. 
2. Take 1 tbsp ghee and slightly roast the chopped nuts also separately 
3 . Grind the sugar and mix every ingredient nicely listed 

    for the filling.
 
How to proceed -

1. Take small balls out of the dough and roll it about 

    4 inch diameter like a puri with a rolling pin.
2. Put 1 table spoon full of the filling in the middle,
    wet it on the edges, just the outer rim, using batter
    (maida mixed in water)  and close it. 
3. Put it in a gujhia mould and press it, remove the extra
    dough from the mould, it will come out in a ghujia shape,
    make sure the edges are sealed so it does not break while
    frying.
4. Make all in the same manner, keep it covered.
5. Heat a deep frying pan and fry all the gujia till golden 

    brown on a low - medium heat.
6. Serve it on this special occasion and enjoy it with family 

    and friends.




                                        

 














Crispy Methi ki Mathari : Holi Special




Ingredients -

All purpose flour - 300 g
Ghee - 150 ml.
Methi saag (fenugreek leaves) - 250g
Semolina (suji) - 1 tbsp (optional)
Salt - 1 level tsp or acording to taste
Carom seeds ( Ajwain) - 1/2 tsp
Warm water - enouth for the dough
Oil - for frying




Method -

1. Take out the leaves of methi and clean it thoroughly. 

    Chop it coarsely.
2. Put a cup of water in a pan and boil the leaves for 5 minutes. 

    Let it cool.
3. In the meanwhile Take a big shallow bowl and sieve the 

    maida and suji in it.
4. Put ghee, carom seeds and salt in it and mix it thoroughly 

    with your fingers for 5 minutes.
5. Take out the methi leaves from pan and discard the water, 

    mix methi in the flour.
6. Knead it to a nice, tight and smooth dough using warm water.
7. keep it to rest for 10 minutes, covering it with a damp cloth.
8. Take out small balls out of it and rool out with a rolling pin.
9. Prick it with a fork or a knife, make all the matharis and 

    keep it in a large plate.
10. Heat a deep heavy bottomed karahi with oil and fry all the               mathari in it until it turns beautiful golden colour. Take it 

      out on a napkin paper draining the excess oil.
11. Store it in an air tight container, it keeps very well for weeks.
12. Serve it with pickles. Enjoy this crisp and tasty mathari on 

      this special occasion with family and friends.


For plain Mathari -

1. Remove the methi leaves and follow the same procedure 

    as  given above.
2. This plain mathri can be used in making papari chat as well.



For Namak para -

1. Remove the methi leaves and knead a smooth and pliable dough following the same instructions given above for methi mathari.
2. Roll out a big round chapati shape  with a rolling pin and cut it first straight with the help of a knife and then cut it diagonally.
3. Fry it in a hot oil until golden brown.
4. Take it out on a paper towel and store in an air tight contain
er.







                                                                        
                                        
                                           




Tuesday, 6 March 2012

Malpuas : Holi Special


Ingredients -

All purpose flour (maida) - 2 cups
Semolina - 1 tbsp
Sugar ground - 8 tbsp
Milk - 1 cup
Dry coconut grated - 3 tbsp
Cashews chopped - 3-4  tbsp
Almonds  chopped - 3-4  tbsp
Dry dates chopped -  3-4
Chironji (
charoli) - 1 tbsp
Raisins chopped  - 2-3 tbsp
Fennel seeds (saunf) - 1/2 tsp
Oil - for frying






Method -

1. Mix the semolina, flour and milk and keep it overnight

    or for 5-6 hours. 
2. Mix all the other ingredients nicely to make a smooth 

    batter.
3. Heat a deep karahi with oil in it.
4. Drop a laddle full of batter in the hot oil and fry it till 

    golden brown, fry 2-3 at a time.
5. Fry all the malpua in batches, take it out in a paper 

    towel draining all the oil.
6. Serve it hot.
7. If you want you can dip it in a sugar syrup, by boiling 

    1 cup of  sugar  and 2 crushed green cardamom in 
    1 cup of water. Take care to reduce the amount of 
    ground sugar from malpuas if dipping in the syrup.



Sunday, 4 March 2012

Dahi Vada : Holi Special




Ingredients -


Black gram ( dhuli urad dal) - 250 g
Curd - 1/2 kg
Soda bi carb - a pinch
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Fresh roasted cumin powder (jeera) - 1/2 tsp
Chopped raisin - 4 tbsp (optional)
Chopped almonds - 4 tbsp (optional)
Granulated sugar - 2 tsp
Oil - for frying
Imli Chutney - a bowl




Method - 


1. Soak the dal overnight or for 6-8 hours.
2. Wash and drain it and grind it to a smooth paste using 
    very little water.
3. Add salt, soda and mix it nicely to incorporate some 
    air into it, to make it soft.
4. Heat oil in a pan for frying the vadas.
5. Wet your palms and put around 2 spoonfull of batter
     on it.
6. Place little chopped raisin and almond in the middle 
    and close it.
7. Slide it slowly into the hot oil and fry 2-3 vadas at a 
    time, until golden brown.
8. Take it out in a paper napkin and fry all in the same 
    manner.
9. Take water in a bowl and put little salt and the vadas 
    in it for 2-3 minutes.
10. Squeeze the water out and arrange it in a serving dish.
11. Blend the curd and put granulated sugar and mix well.
12. Pour the curd over the vadas and cover it completely.
13. Garnish it with imli chutney, roasted jeera and red 
      chilli powder.
14. Keep it in the fridge for sometime and serve it with 
      imli chutney.









Imli Chutney - ( Tamarind chutney) : Holi Special


Ingredients -


Tamarind - 200 g
Jaggery - 150 g
Sugar - 4 tbsp
Panchforan (five spice- carom, fennel, Fenugreek, nigella and mustard seeds) - 1 tbsp
Red chilli whole - 2
Raisin chopped - 1 tbsp
Dry coconut chopped - 1 tbsp
Dry dates chopped - 1 tbsp
Dry ginger powder (saunth) - 1 tsp

Black salt - 1/2 tsp
Cornflour - 1 tsp
Oil - 3 tbsp


Method -

1. Soak tamarind in 2 cups of water.
2. Mash and squeeze it and sieve through a strainer.
3. Heat a deep frying pan with oil in it.
4. Put the panchforan and chilli and let it splutter.
5. Pour the tamarind pulp in it and let it cook for 5 minutes in

medium heat.
6. Add the jagerry and sugar and again let it cook until it reduces a bit.
7. Dissolve the cornflour in 2 tbsp water, add into it.
8. Add raisin, coconut, dates and dry ginger powder and boil for 2 minutes.
9. Take it off the heat and let it cool.
10 Keep it in the fridge and serve it with Dahi vada, Chole, Matar masala, chat or papari chat.


Masala chole: Holi Special


Ingredients -


Chole ( chick peas) - 250 g
Onions chopped - 3
Tomatoes chopped - 2 large
Garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Ginger paste - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Chole masala powder - 2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - a bunch

Oil - 5 tbsp
Tea bag - 1 (optional)


Method -

1. Soak chole overnight in sufficient water.
2. Boil it in a pressure cooker putting 2 cups of water and the tea bag if you want a dark brown colour.
3. Wait for 3-4 whistels or until it is soft, let it cool down.
4. Heat the oil and put onions into it, fry until dark golden.
5. Add the ginger-garlic paste, cumin, coriander, black pepper, turmeric and red chilli powder and fry it for few minutes.
6. Add chole masala, garam masala and tomatoes and fry it until oil separates and it has turned to a golden brown colour.
7. Add the chole and fry it for a while until all are mixed well.
8. Add the water which was used for boiling and  let it cook until it is soft and has thickned.
9. Garnish it with coriander leaves, onion rings and serve it hot with
 poori, bhature, kulche or rice.