CARROT HALWA

                                                     

                  

                                                         

RECIPE:  (10-12 servings)

INGR:

Carrots                     750 gms
Cream Milk              1 litre
Sugar                        400 gm
Nuts/Dry fruits         for garnishing
Silver paper/ virk    2 sheets (optional) 
Salt                            a tiny granule

Method:

1. Clean, peel and grate the carrots.
2. Take a thick bottomed pan/ pressure cooker and saute the grated carrots .
3. This can be done on high flame, provided you stir it regularly .
4. Do not add oil/ghee as there is lot of moisture content.
5. When the moisture dries up, pour in cream milk and let the mixture simmer on medium flame.
6. This will take around 20 mts. Stir once in a while.
7. Add a tiny peck of salt; this will blend the taste and brings out the sweetness. 
8. When milk evaporates, add sugar and mix thoroughly.
9. This stage needs constant monitoring to avoid sticking at the bottom.
10. After 10 - 15 mts, when halwa comes to a fine consistency with fat glistening all around, remove.
11. Add slices of pistachios/almonds/walnuts etc.
12. Serve hot decorated with virk if desired.

Note:

• No ghee has been added at any stage.
• The taste of the halwa is robust and healthy this way.
• The cream in the milk gives it a grainy texture.
• Sweetness can be adjusted as desired.
• You can store it in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

PANCH PULAO (5 VEGGIES) WITH GREEN CHUTNEY..

I

INGR:   (4 servings)

Basmati rice                         2 cups
Cauliflower flowerets         1 cup
Carrot rings diced                1 cup   
French Beans diced             1 cup
Baby potatoes                        a few
Peas                                          1 cup
Onion                                       2
Tomatoes                                 2
Garlic                                        5 pods
Ginger                                       1/2 "
Green chillies                          4-6
Bay leaves                                 2-3
Cinnamon                                 1"
Black cardamom                     3
Green cardamom                    4
Star aniseed                              2
Cloves                                         4-5
Coconut milk/plain milk        1 cup
Oil/ghee                                      4 - 5 tbsp  
Salt to taste


Method:

1. Wash and drain rice; keep aside. 
2. Slice onions and tomatoes finely lengthwise; crush garlic ginger.
3. Heat oil/ghee in a cooker and put in the whole spices.
4. Add ginger garlic - stir ; put in onions and chillies.
5. Saute till onions are golden brown at the sides, add tomatoes.
6. Stir till they are mushy, add salt and mix well.
7. Now add all the vegetables except for cauliflower and saute for 2 mts.
8. Stir in rice gently and fry till it is well coated with oil and spices.
9. Add milk and 2 cups of hot water. Check for taste to adjust the seasonings.
10. Lastly add the cauliflower flowerets and close the lid of the cooker.
11. Pressure cook on medium flame till the first whistle, remove from the stove.
12. Rest it till all pressure gets released on its own; this gives eenough time for the rice to get cooked.
13. Open and transfer to a shallow dish; rest it for 5 mts and fork gently to fluff up the pulao.
14. Serve hot with green mint chutney/raitha .

CRUNCHY CHICKEN PAKORAS...

RECIPE:

Ingr:

Bonelesss chicken chunks              500 gm
Thick curds                                        1 cup
Ginger garlic paste                           1 tbsp
Curry leaves                                      a bunch
Rice flour/Cornflour                           2 tbsp
Pepper pd                                           2 tsp
Cumin pd                                            2 tsp
Coriander pd                                      2 tsp
Red chilli pd                                       1 tsp
Red chilli flakes                                 1 tsp
Roasted Sesame seeds (white)       1 tbsp
Lemon juice/vinegar                         1 tbsp
Turmeric pd                                        1/2 tsp
Oats crushed lightly                           1/4 cup
Cornflakes crushed                            1/4 cup
Sesame oil                                           1 tbsp
Butter                                                    1 tbsp
Salt for taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Wash and dry the chicken pieces (pat them dry with paper napkins/kitchen towel)
2. Take a mixing bowl and put in curds, salt and turmeric.
3. Dip chicken pcs in it and let it rest for 2 hrs in the refrigerator.
4. This will soften the chicken and help to cook faster.
5. Take another bowl and mix together ginger garlic paste & all the dry powdered spices.
6. Chop curry leaves finely and add them to it; put in riceflour and rub in the butter.
7. Now squeeze in lemon juice, add sesame oil and a little salt. Make a dry marination with it. 
8. Take out chicken from the fridge and coat it with this dry marination.
9. Rest it for 1/2 an hour.
10. Keep a thick karahi with oil for deep fry. (Pour little oil and fry them in batches)
11. This will avoid wastage as reusing this oil is not advisable.
12. In a shallow dish rub in oats and cornflakes to crush them slightly. Add roasted sesame seeds. 
13. Take the chicken pcs and coat them all over with these crumbs.
14. Lower them in hot oil  and fry them on medium flame to golden brown.
15. The temperature of the oil determines the quality of the pakoras.
16. Too hot will brown them quickly but insides will remain uncooked.
17. So maintain the temp evenly and fry them carefully without overcrowding.
18. Once you lower them in oil, leave them undisturbed for 6-8 mts.
19. If they are tossed or turned around too soon the crumbs sticking to them will come off.
20. Remove them onto paper napkins to absorb excess oil.
21. Serve them hot with green chutney or ketchup. 

           

WATER MELON JUICE...

RECIPE:

INGR:

Water Melon       as desired    
Black Salt           a pinch   

1. Cut water melon and scoop out the fleshy part.
2. Remove the seeds with a knife/fork.
3. Cut them into pcs and put into blender.
4. Blend it till smooth and frothy.
5. Do not add any water.
6. Pour the juice into serving glasses.
7. Sprinkle with a pinch of black salt and serve chilled.
8. There is no need to add any sugar. Black Thunder variety is best for this.

Note: 

1. To get chilled water melon juice w/o adding ice cubes/water:
2. Either you can store the juice in fridge before serving or
3. Store the water melon as a whole or the pcs in refrigerator.
4. Just before serving, take them out and blend them in juicer. 
5. This way you get chilled/undiluted juice (as its water content is already high). 

RASGULLA...

RECIPE:

Ingr:    ( 20 pcs )

Skim milk                           1 litre
Milk                                     2tbsp
Lemon juice/Vinegar        1 1/2 tbsp
Sugar                                  400 gm
Water                                  1 litre
Cardamom pd                    1/4 tsp
or Rose essence               a few drops

Method:

1. Bring milk to a boil. Add a tablespoon of lemon juice to it to curdle the milk. 
2. Keep stirring, add remaining lemon juice until the whey separates  completely. 
3. Switch off the heat and strain the paneer in a muslin cloth. 
4. Wash paneer with fresh water to wash away the sourness of the lemon. 
5. Bring edges of the cloth up and tie it together. 
6. Squeeze all excess water and hang the cloth above the sink for 30 minutes. 
7. Take out the paneer and mix in 2 tsp of sugar in it (grains in the sugar help in kneading).
8. Knead paneer & sugar till smooth & pliable for about 10 mts.     
9. Divide dough into equal portions, shape them into a smooth round ball.
10. ( on cooking it increases by 4 times )
11. Take a steel thick bottomed vessel, add sugar and water and bring to a boil.
12. Pour 2 tbsp milk into it and add the paneer balls carefully.
13. Cook on high flame, covered with a lid for 10 mts.
14. Open the lid occasionally and check.
15. Now add cardamom pd or rose essence (do not add both ).
16. Remove from the stove and let them cool completely. 
17. Refrigerate and serve chilled garnished with nuts.

Note:

1. Skim milk is best as cream tends to break the rasgullas on cooking.
2. Kneading the dough determines the quality.
3. The balls should be smooth without any cracks.
4. Whey water is very rich in nutrients; never waste it.
5. Can be stored in fridge and used to curdle milk the next time you make rasgullas. 
6. This is how they do traditionally in Bengal while making them.
7. I use whey water as base to make curry/gravy.It gives a silky texture and adds a rich flavour to it.
8. Rose essence works best (never mix two different essences )

AAMRAS...

RECIPE:       ( 4 servings )

INGR:

Ripe mangoes                  2 big

Cream milk                       1/2 cup

Sugar                                 2 tbsp

Cardamom pd                   1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Peel the skin and extract the pulp from the mangoes.
2. (Can cut them into big pcs and scoop out the pulp neatly with a knife.) 
3. Put in the mango flesh, sugar, cream milk and cardamom pd in a blender.
4. Blend it for a minute till smooth and silky.
5. Remove and serve with a few ice cubes mixed in for chillness.
6. Can serve it with any fruit of choice or ice cream.
7. This is served with puris in Gujrati households.
8. It can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

Note:

1. At times I use thick coconut milk in place of cream milk.
2. It gives a distinct flavour and tastes delicious.

MOJITO...

RECIPE:     ( 2 SERVINGS )

INGR:

Lime                                   2
Fresh mint leaves             4 - 6 sprigs
Sugar                                  2 tbsp
Soda water                         1/2 cup ( 100 ml )
Ice cubes                            1 cup

Method:

1. Crush mint leaves very gently to release the mint oils and place them in serving glass.
2. Cut lime into slices and wedges. Place a few on top of the mint leaves.
3. Take a couple of wedges and squeeze them over it.
4. Put in sugar and fill the glasses with ice cubes almost to the top.
5. Pour soda water over the ice cubes to fill the glasses.
6. Stir and check for taste, can add more sugar if desired.
7. Serve chilled garnished with more mint and lime slices.