Gajar (Carrot) Halwa

A mouth watering sweet Carrot Halwa. It very healthy especially for kids who are very picky about the veggies.

Ingredients

Carrots - 1/2 kg

Milk - 1 and 1/2 cups

Sugar - 6 - 8 spoons

Ghee - 2 to 3 spoons.

Process

1. Peel the carrots and cut in big chunks

2. Grind the carrots with milk.

3. In a pan but the carrot and milk mixture.

4. Let it cook in slow flame till all water evaporates, stirring occasionally. This process make take about 2 hours. (I do all of my other work or watch a movie while making halwa).

5. Once done add sugar and stir for another 5 - 10 minutes ...again occasionally.

6. Now add ghee and stir for another 5-10 minutes.

7. Halwa is ready.

It tastes very good with Gulab Jamun, Ice Cream. I usually make Halwa in big batches as it stays fresh in refrigerator for weeks.

Rajasthani Gaate

Another in Rajasthani series is Gatte. It is made from most common ingredient used in this cuisine Gram Floor , Curd. It is a perfect dish for those lazy days when you don't want to go out to get some fresh vegetables. They can be served with Roti , Poori or Rice.

Ingredients :

For Gaate

Gram Flour/ Besan 1 cup

Curd to knead

Salt to taste

Turmeric 1 spn

Ajwain Seeds 1 spn

Red Chilli powder 1 spn

Dhaniya powder 1 spn

Aamchur powder 1 spn

Oil 1 spn

For Curry

Curd 1 cup

Salt to taste

Turmeric 1 spn

Ajwain Seeds 1 spn

Red Chilli powder 1 spn

Dhaniya powder 1 spn

Oil 2 spn

Cumin seeds 1 spn

hing pinch

Process:

1. Mix all ingredients of gatte except curd in a bowl.

2. Add spoon by spoon to make a dough. It should take around 4 to 5 spoons to make dough.

3. Roll the dough in long fingers like below. The fingers shouldn't be very long . should be around 6 inches.

4. Boil lot of water in a big pan and let it come to rolling boil.

5. Add all the fingers and let it boil for 10 to 12 minutes.

6. Remove the gatte from Water and don't throw the water.

7. Cut the each finger in one inch pieces.

8. In another pan heat oil in medium flame.

9. after few seconds add cumin seeds and Hing.

10. Stir for few seconds and add all the dry masala and gatte and continuously stir for 2 mins.

11. Add Curd and keep sauteing till the mixture leaves oil..Should take about 2 minutes

12. Add the about 2 cups of water which was stored from boiling process.

13. Let it come to boil. You can made water to adjust the consistency.

14. Enjoy with your Rice or bread(Rooti/Poori)

Panchmel Daal Baati - Rajasthani Special

When it comes to Rajasthani food - Daal Baati comes first in the list. The Rajasthani cuisine adapts itself to the dryness and harshness of the local environment. There is scarcity of water so lot of green vegetation is not used in the cuisine. Very limited ingredients are used to prepare variety of dishes. The cuisine food is very rich as it uses lot of ghee (Clarified butter) and basic spices to enhance the taste. It is an experience to visit Choki Dhaani, Jaipur, Rajasthan. You enjoy the food and culture which is full of music and colorful dresses.

Daal Baati is all time favorite at my home. Simple to cook but it gives a nice satisfaction to your taste bud. Daal Baati is made in many ways, people uses various proportions of different flours .. and some times it is baked , steamed or fried. I usually make the baked ones as we like that type.

So here is my recepie to Panchmel Daal Baati.

Ingredients:

Baati ( For around 30 Baati)

Wheat Flour 2 cups

Semolina (Rawa) 1/4 cup

Gram Flour (Besan) 1/4 cup

Caraway Seeds (Ajwain) 1 tspn

Salt to Taste

Ghee 1/4 cup

Panchmel Daal

All the dry daal mixed in almost equal Proportions to make a total 2 cup

Toor Daal

Split Masoor Daal

Split Channa Daal

Split Udat Daal

Yellow Moon Daal

Turmeric 1 spn

Salt to taste

Onion 1 medium

Garlic 5 / 6 cloves

Tomato pate 1 big spoon

oil/Ghee 2 spn

Cumin seeds 1 small spoon

Hing a pinch

Garam masala 1 spn

Red pepper 1 spn

Process :

For Baati:

1. Knead the dough (not very hard) using all the ingredients of baati.

2. Pre heat oven to 450 F.

3. Divide the dough into equal parts.

4. Make small smooth balls of each part like below.

5. Place the baatis in oven for 10 minutes.

6. Open the oven and turn around all the baatis and bake for another 10 minutes

7. Turn off the oven and remove the baatis.

For Daal :

1. Wash all the daals together and soak for 30 minutes in water.

2. Put the daals, salt and Turmeric in a presasure cooker .

3. Add 3 times water and preasure cook it for 3 whistles.

4. In Another pan, heat oil on medium flame.

5. After few seconds add Cumin seeds, Hing.

6. Saute for 5 seconds and then add garlic and onion and saute for about 2- 3 minutes till translucent.

7. Add tomato paste , Garam Masal and red chilli powder.

8. After a minute add the cooked daal and about a cup of water and mix well.

9. Let it cook for 5-10 minutes till everything is nicely cooked and mixed.

10. Take it off the flame.

To serve:

Break the Baati slightly from top , add a little ghee and lots of daal and serve hot.

It feels so warm and cosy in a rainy day to have Daal Baati. Enjoy!!

Mexican Feast

It was start of a long weekend and thought this is the best time to try something new. I have never tried Mexican but always use to think it is a cuisine which is so close to Indian food and could be made extra spice for my sweet husband. So thought of entering the world of Mexican cuisine.

Started searching recipes over net. But couldn't find very satisfying vegetarian version. May be I didn't do my research enough but it was Friday and I had to make something so thought let me try out and will see how the outcome would be. Also did a daring of calling a friend for dinner with a disclaimer trying out for the first time :)

Whenever I think of Mexican first thing comes is Guacamole. I had learnt this from a friend (Sangeeta) long time back and always wanted to make this but never got a chance . But today was the day to try my Guacamole. I love Quesadillas so that was one of my menu item. And if we talk about having spicy than what can be better choice than Enchiladas.

I started with Guacamole:

Avacado - 1

onion - small 1

lime - 1/2

salt and pepper

tomato - 1/2

I read it lot of places that for this we have to get a nice avocado which is not very ripe nor very raw.

1. Cut the Avocado in half .

2. From each half scoop the pull out of avocado with spoon.

3. Mash the pulp in a bowl and mix it with onion, lime , salt and pepper.

4. Just before serving add the tomatoes.

Guacamole is ready. That was not hard and came out pretty good. Next was preparing sauces for enchiladas and a veg mix for Quesedillas

Mix for Quesedillas/ Enchiladas:

Squash -1 cut in cubes

Zucchini - 1 cut in cubes

Onion - 1 small cut in cubes

ginger - 1/2 inch

green bell pepper (capsicum) - 1/2 small cut in cubes

oil - 1 tbspn

salt per taste

green chilies per taste cut

Zeera - 1/4 tspn

1. Heat oil in a wide mouth pan on medium flame

2. Once hot add zeera and stir for 3-4 seconds.

3. Add all the veggies and stir fry on low flame till they are cooked .

4. Add salt per taste and remove off the flame.

This made the mix. It was tasting good.

Now it was turn for sauce:

Onion - 1 small

Garlic - 3/4 cloves

Chilies - 3/4.

ginger

tomato paste - 2 Tbspoon

chili sauce - per taste

water - 1/2 cup

salt per taste

mix for above - 1/2 cup

oil - 1 spoon

1. Heat oil in a pan .

2. Add onion , garlic and saute for few minutes.

3. Once translucent, add tomato paste and cook for another 2 - 3 minutes.

4. Once done add salt and water and cook for about 2-3 minutes on low flame.

5. Now add the mix and chilli sauce and cook for another minute and remove from pan.

The sauce was already ready. Now it was turn for actual show that is putting everything together.

Quesedillas with my twist :) I can call it Dosadilla's

1. I used Dosa instead of Tortilla

2. Put the one ladle of Dosa batter on hot pan and spread to make dosa.

3. Spread Guacamole, the mix , little chili sauce and cheese on half side of Dosa.

4. Till then dosa would be cooked from bottom.

5. Fold the dosa into half and press.

6. Remove from pan and cut in 4 triangles.

7. Serve with Sour cream.

Enchiladas:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F

2. In an oven pan, place 4 Tortillas such that each one can be folded in half.

3. In each tortilla spread the guacamole and mix (I skipped the cheese here other wise it would be too cheesy) and fold in half.

4. Cover all the tortillas with the sauce.

5. Sprinkle the cheese.

6. Once oven is preheated put the pan in oven and cook till cheese melts (will take about 10 minutes)

7. Remove from pad and serve each enchiladas with sour cream.

It turned out to be good. i was satisfied so was my family and friends. Complimented dinner with a nice masala sprite and a relaxing movie Kuck Kuch Hota Hai.

Besan Ladoo for Ganpati

It was Ganesh Chaturthi... Every year on Ganpati I will make Besan Ladoo. They are so simple but mouth watering and wouldn't need any special preparation or ingredients.

Ingredients

Besan 4 measures

Sugar 2 measures

Ghee (Clarified butter ) 1 measure

cardamom and any other dry fruits chopped) if interested.

Process:

1. Melt the Ghee is in a pan on medium flame.

2. Add Besan and saute it for 15 to 20 minutes. It should look like this.

3. You have to saute besan till your kitchen is filled with a nice Aroma.

4. Now remove the pan off the fire and add sugar and any dry fruits .

5. Let it cool for sometime and then make in shape of ladoos.

Dish 2 - Kachhi Dabeli - Dish in demand

Have you ever tasted Dabeli on streets of Mumbai . If you have, you will agree it is one of the best street food. It is originally a Gujarati dish but very popular as street food in mumbai.

I had lot of leftover Pav's (thanks to Costco for it's size :) ) , so thought of preparing this dish. I remember when I was pregnant I had always carving for Dabeli, but there was Dabeli Masala recipe that time and it was not available in any Indian stores ..so my craving for it lasted. One day Sanjeev Kapoor posted the masala recipe on his website and Bingo it turned out perfect. Thanks a lot Sanjeevji for posting the masala recipe for many Indians like us who stay away from India and crave to eat the food from there.

Here goes recipe:
Ingredients :
Potato (boiled) - 4 medium
Tamarind/Date Chutney - ~ 1 cup
Garlic chutney - 1 spoon
Zeera powder - 1 tspn
Salt to taste
Garam masala - 1/2 tspn
Dabeli Masala - 4 spoons ( Refer Sanjeev kapoor's site or get it from Indian Store)
Oil - 5 spoons
Lemon (squeezed) - 1/2
Water - 1 cup
Pav - 8
Chili powder (optional if u like extra hot)
Sugar (optional if u like extra sweet)

Garnishing
Chopped onion
Chopped Cilantro
Sev
Pomegranate
Honey Roasted Peanut

Procedure:
1. Mash potatoes , Mix all masalas , and Date tamarind chutney ( reserving two spoons of chutney for later) in a bowl
2. Heat oil in a pan for 30 seconds on medium flame , then add above mixture.
3. Saute for few seconds and then add water and let it cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
4. Once cooked , Add Chili , sugar , lemon as per taste.
5. Take it off the flame.
6. Mix Garlic and Tamarind/Date chutney with two spoons of water.
7. Slit pavs and apply chutney on both side. Add the filing in pavs.
8. Heat a Pan, apply little butter on both sides filled pav and heat it for couple of seconds each side. (you can heat multiple pavs in one batch)
9. Remove from pan, open the Pavs add Chopped onions, Sev , Peanuts, Pomegranate and close and serve hot.

Enjoy!!!

Dish 1 - Starting from a comfort Zone (Pav Bhaji)

I will start my journey from my home town Mumbai (King of street food) and an all time favorite from my childhood Pav Bhaji. I remember every year it was my birthday ritual that my mom will cook it for me. When I grew up I kept the ritual till I got married I would make this for my friends on my birthday.

Ingredients:

Onion 1 large
Tomato 2 pureed
Bell Pepper 1 small
Garlic 6 cloves
Ginger 1/2 inch
Butter little
Veggies cut 5 to 6 cups
(Cauliflower, Peas, Beans, Carrots, potatoes, broccoli, spinach (shocked), name it and add it – my strict no’s for cabbage, cucumber – doesn’t taste good in pav bhajji )

Everest Pav Bhaji Masala – 4 spoons
I would not make if I don’t have it. It is the BEST.

Oil 3 spoons
Cilantro
Salt
And Extra red Chilli powder (for my dear hubby)
Paavs as Required

Procedure:

Cut all the veggies very coarsely and put it to boil in pressure cooker with water covering veggies till top, a dash of salt and a pinch of turmeric. It should take around 30 minutes on medium flame or 3 whistle whichever is earlier.
Chop Onions separately and Garlic, Ginger, Green Chilies together.
Chop Bell Pepper.
Heat oil for 30 seconds in a pan. Add Ginger, garlic, onion, sauté for 2 minutes
Add onions and sauté till translucent.
Add bell pepper and saute for few minutes.
Add tomato paste or crushed tomato and cook till it leaves oil.
Now add the Pav Bhaji Masala
Drain the boiled veggies and keep water for later.
Mash the veggies and add it to the onion tomato gravy.
Mix well, add a bulb of butter, salt and little water reserve.
Simmer it and let it cook for good 10-15 minutes …and keep adding water as and when it evaporates.
Bhaji is ready
Now its turn to make bhaji extra spicy and get pav ready …
Heat tava…add a bulb of butter put a ladle of bhaji (and red chilli and extra pav bhaji masala for the person eating spicy). Mix it and remove in a plate.
Cut the pavs and put it on same tava where the bhaji was heated to give paav the taste.
Serve it hot. Repeat process for each plate …this enables to customize spice level ;)

Enjoy the delicious Pav Bhaji...I was lazy taking a photo. Will take a photo next time.

My cooking Journey

Bored of a daily routine life of cooking something quick for lunch, running to school and office , coming back tired , dull cooking of dinner , going out either in neighborhood or shopping come back and day over ..… somewhere in midst of motherhood and being a wife and getting all professional certifications and office work I have lost my passion for cooking and my thirst of trying out new recopies.

Guess to bring back spice in life it’s time to bring back spice in food. My daughter who is 5 and loves good food would be my critique.

Let me challenge myself cooking something new every week at least three times or more for a year. That would mean 52 times 3 different recipes that will be more than 156 various foods. I will challenge myself finding best vegetarian dish for all the states of India and famous cuisines around world. In this journey I will start with my specialties and then move to new adventures around the world and come back to my comfort zone on and off.