Mungode - Moong daal pakode | Monsoon special Bite size appetizer

Hi Friends

Sharing a yummy snack which is probably prepared in almost every Indian household!

Ingredients

• Dhuli moong daal 1 cup
• Coriander leaves
• Coriander seeds
• Chili powder
• Oil to fry
• Salt to Taste

Method

Soak the moong daal for 4-5 hours drain the water and grind the daal and make a paste. Now add coriander seeds, chili powder salt to taste , garlic paste and mix the batter for few minutes.

Now heat up a frying pan add oil to deep fry, Make marble shape mungode and deep fry on medium heat and free till it turns into brown. Now the yummy tasty and crispy crispy and delicious Mungode is ready to serve

Best taste with Pudina or Coriander green Chutney with a hot cuppa tea!

Gond aata ladoo - healthy winter recipe

Hi friends. .as the mercury is dropping in this part of the world. .people are switching to foods that keep the body warm and provide the much needed nutrition for the bones.

These include.  Yummy carrot halwa..seasame ladoos..bajra khichdi..pakodas..and the all time hit gond ke ladoo. Gond Ke Ladoo, is a traditional Rajasthani sweet.'Gond' is the edible gum which is in crystal form in pearly yellowish translucent pieces of different sizes. This edible gum generates heat and that is why it is usually consumed in the winters. It comforts one as it helps to keep the body warm. Gond is fried in ghee, puffed up and added to roasted wheat flour to make Ladoos.

Prepared these over the weekend with mil. Here is the recipe :

Ingredients:

Wheat flour/ Atta, 1 1/4 cup

2tbsp rava

1tbsp besan

Edible Gum/Gond/Khatira- 3 Tablespoons

Powdered Sugar- 1/2 cup

Black pepper powder- 1/4 teaspoon

Cardamom Powder,-1/2 teaspoon

Ghee, 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons Mixed Nuts (cashew, almonds and raisins)- 1cup

2tbsp coconut powder

Method:

1. Heat 1/4 cup of ghee in a pan, add edible gum and fry till it is puffed up. Remove it from the pan and then drain excess ghee and roughly break them to pieces with a rolling pin and set them aside.
2. In the same pan add 2 tablespoon of ghee and roast all the nuts for 1 minute or till they become nice brown. Set aside.
3. Now, on a low-medium flame, heat the remaining ghee and add the wheat flour and roast it, stirring continuously till the flour starts to change its color. Add the rava and besan and keep roasting for 2 mins.
4. Turn off the heat. Let it cool lightly so that it is comfortable to handle. 
5. To the above roasted flour, add the crushed edible gum,black pepper powder, nuts, powdered sugar, cardamom powder, . coconut powder and mix well. 
6. Take this mixture and shape them into ladoos of the size you want.

Namak Paare | Easy diwali snacks

Hope you had a good diwali! Sharing one of the very popular diwali snack. .namak paare..these munchies are so addictive and so easy to prepare! 

You got to try these if not already! 

These are excellent with tea or pickle or on their own too :)

Ingredients -

• 3 Cup – APF(maida)
• 1 cup - Wheat flour
• 2 tsp – Carom Seeds
• 3 Tbsps – Oil for kneading the dough
• 2 tsp - crushed kasoori methi
• to taste – Salt
• Oil for frying

Method -

1. In a large bowl mix flour, salt, kasoori methi & carom seeds.
2. Add oil for knading mix gently. Now hold the flour in your fist, if it forms a loose clump, then the amount of oil is fine, if it doesn’t then add a bit more oil.
3. Using water knead the dough. The dough should be slightly hard to touch. Wrap in a wet muslin cloth & keep it aside for 1/2 hour.
4. Form big balls with the dough. Roll these balls using a rolling pin. Use a knife to cut square or rhombus shaped pieces.
5. Heat oil in a big wok, fry these pastry till golden brown.
6. Enjoy warm with tea or coffee or pickle.  It will store well in air-tight container at room temp for several days.

Sending this to blogging marathon 58 hosted by Srivalli.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#58

Aam Ki Launji | Raw Mango Relish

Ingredients:

Raw mangoes -500 gms  *

Sugar -500 gms

Refined oil -2 tbsp

Chilli powder -1.5 tsp

Mustard seeds -1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds -1 tsp

Fennel seeds(saunf) - 1.5 tsp

Cardamom powder-a pinch of (optional)

Saffron-a pinch (optional)

Turmeric -1/2 tsp

Salt-1 tsp

Method:

Wash and peel raw mangoes and slice into long pieces.then weigh it  ( amount of sugar should be equal to the weight of peeled mango slices,but you can reduce the amount of sugar if you want to make it little sour)

Heat oil in a pan, add fenugreek ,mustard and fennel seeds.

When become golden add mango slices, turmeric and salt.mix well.

Cover and cook on low heat for approx 5-7 minutes or till cooked.(don't overcook and don't add water)

Add sugar and chili powder ,mix and cook on low heat (without lid) for approx. 10 minutes.

When gravy thickens then add a pinch of cardamom powder and saffron and mix.

Store in a jar ,when cool down completely.

NOTE- 

1-you can also use slightly ripen yellow mangoes  for making this chutney ,then add little less sugar .

2-Can also use jaggery/gur instead of sugar .

3-If you don't want to make it chunky and want a smooth chutney then cook it till it become soft at step 4 ,then mash it with the laddle and then follow the recipe.

4-If cooked properly stay fresh at room temperature for about 4 months.

serve with any snack,starter or as a side dish with any meal..

Gatte ki sabji | Gatta Curry | Chickpea flour dumplings in yogurt gravy | Marwadi cusine

Hi Peeps

Gatte ki sabji

For the day two of blogging marathon, no onion no garlic theme, sharing my favorite gatte ki sabji. If you have not tasted this, you definitely have missed something. I had not made this for quiet a while, and DH thought i dont know how to make it. Maybe it was always MIL who prepared it..I thought i need to remind DH of my culinary skills..ha ha just kidding. But to tell you the truth, this came out so amazing, hubby could not stop complementing. And I was all happy happy :)

Roll the gatta dough 

Boil the gatta

Cut the boiled gatte

Shallow fry gatte

INGREDIENTS-

For making gatta-
Gram flour-1.5 cup
Yoghurt-2 tbsp
Oil-3 tbsp
Asafoetida- a pinch
Baking soda- a pinch
Fennel seeds- 1 tsp
Coriander seeds- 1 tsp
Carom seeds/ajwain- a pinch of
Chili powder- 1 tsp
Salt- 1 tsp

For the gravy-
Yoghurt- 1.5 cup
Green chilies- 2
Grated ginger-1 /2 tsp
Chili powder-1 tsp
Coriander powder-1 tsp
Turmeric- 1/2 tsp
Garam masala- 1/4 tsp
Salt-1 tsp
Tempering-
Refined oil-3 tbsp
Cumin seeds- 1tsp
Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
Cloves -2
Bay leaf- 1
Asafoetida- 1/4 tsp

PROCEDURE-
For GATTA-
Coarsly crush coriander and  fennel seeds to add in the gatta dough (optional).
In a bowl add gram flour,crushed seeds and all the ingredients listed for making gattas.
Mix and make a tight dough,add some more yoghurt if needed.
Make 6 balls from the dough and roll them to make long and medium thick rolls.
Boil 2.5 glasses of water in a pan ,when it starts boiling then add the rolls in it.
Boil for around 5-7 minutes ,they will float on top of water when done.
Take out gatta from the pan and let them cool down for 5 minutes.don't throw the water, you will need this to add in the gravy.
Slice into medium size pieces and keep aside

For GRAVY-
Heat oil in a pan and add cumin,fenugreek,asafoetida and cloves .Add the gatta pieces. Stir fry them till it becomes little crispy. Add all the spices turmeric,coriander and chili powder. You can have these gatte like this..they taste awesome! You can store some in frizer and use later.
REMOVE the pan from heat and add whisked yoghurt and stir for a while ,now put the pan on fire and saute for a minute.
Now add approx. 1 cup water(in which you have boiled the gattas) and cook for some time,keep stirring the gravy
When gravy start boiling add the sliced gattas after 2 minutes.
Simmer for 3-5 minutes.add garam masala and fresh coriander. Serve hot.

Gatte ki sabji

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#46

Also sending this to

http://www.simplysensationalfood.com/2014/11/announcing-eventlets-cook-with-yoghurt.html?m=1

Sabz Jaipuri | Vegetable Jaipuri | No Onion No Garlic

Hi friends. Sharing with you a very simple and yummy preparation without onion and garlic. 

Ingredients
Mixed Veggies - 3 cups chopped (You can use any blend of veggies here, there is no what to use and what not to - I used, peas, carrots, green beans, corn and potatos)
Haldi (Turmeric Powder) - 1/2 tsp
Lal Mirch (Red Chilli) Powder - 1 tsp
Laung (Cloves) - 3-4
Dalchini (Cinnamon Stick) - 1 inch piece
Salt - as per taste
Oil/Ghee - 1 tbsp
Dhaniya Patti (Cilantro) - few sprigs
To Grind
Jeera (Cumin Seeds) - 1 tbsp
Dhaniya (Coriander) Seeds - 1 tbsp
Kaju (Cashew Nuts) - 10-12
Tomato - 1 cup chopped
Preparation

Dry Roast dhaniya and jeera and then grind it to a paste (with little water) along with other ingredients under "To Grind".
Take a pan and add oil to it.
Add dalchini and laung and fry till nice aroma comes out of it.
Add chopped veggies and salt and saute for 5 minutes.
Now, add ground paste, haldi, lal mirch powder, 1 cup water and mix well.
Cover, reduce the heat and cook till veggies are cooked well.
Garnish with cilantro.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#46

Chuda | Chiwda | Snacks

My family loves to munch on this with tea..going to the recipe without much ado..

INGREDIENTS-
Flattened Rice/Chivda (Thin) /Poha-2.5 cup
Puffed rice / murmure- 2 cup
Corn chivda- 1 cup
Peanuts / moongphali -3/4 cup
Roasted chana daal/ daaliya - 1/2 cup
Green chilies, chopped - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves -10
Spice mix-
Chili powder/Lal mirch - 1tsp
Castor sugar/pisi hui chini - 2 tsp
Citric acid / tatri / Nimbu phool,powdered - a pinch of
Turmeric / Haldi -3/4 tsp
Salt - to taste

PROCEDURE-

Dry roast the poha on high flame else it is not crispy and crunchy. Roast the murmure/ puffed rice also on high flame. Remove the poha and murmure in a wide pan.
Roast peanuts in little oil on slow flame until they turn reddish. Similarly roast the daaliya and coconut pieces on slow flame. Remove them on top of the poha and murmure.
Heat enough oil in a deep and wide pan/kadhai .Fry the corn flakes in oil. Remove these on the poha and murmure.
Fry the curry leaves till they become crisp,drain on a colander.After it cools down, coarsly crush the fried curry leaves and mix with all the ingredients.
Now fry chopped green chilies till crisp and then drain.
Take a small bowl and mix all the spices in it and keep aside.When you finish frying all the ingredients, immediately add the spice mix in oil and add it to the chiwda and mix well.
Let it cool down completely then store in a air tight container.
Serving Suggestions - Serve with any hot or cold beverage.

Lets check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked today for BM# 45.

Dahi bade/ Dahi bhalle/ Dahi vada - fried and steamed version

Mom's tip : The secret to soft and melt in the mouth bhallas or vadas lies in beating the vada batter till light and airy. The consistency of the batter is extremely important and will decide how soft the vadas will turn out. And you should use the beaten batter immediately to prepare the vadas.

Recently made this yummy dahi vadas and enjoyed it. DH just looooved it!  Do try it out, you can make the steamed version to reduce the calorie intake, It does not have the same texture but the taste and softness is the same!!

Ingredients

For preparing Vadas:
1 cup urad dal without skin, washed, soaked for 3 hours
2 tbsps Yellow moong dal, soaked along with uad daal
Salt to taste
oil for deep frying
To prepare dahi bhalla chaat:
Fresh curd - 2 cups, thick yogurt (it should not be sour)
Water - 1 1/2 to 2 cups
Powdered sugar - 1/2 heaped tbsps
Red chilli powder - 1 heaped tbsp
Roasted cumin powder - 1 heaped tbsp
Sweet tamarind and dates chutney - 3/4 cup
Sev for garnish
Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
Bhujia sev

Method

Preparing the batter:
Rinse and soak urad dal and moong daal overnight or for 5-6 hours, rinse well and grind it in mixer or grinder into smooth fluffy mixture. Use 2-3 tbsp of water only if required, which you will required if you are using mixer to grind.
Grind the dal until the batter becomes light and fluffy. Sprinkle water if the mixer making lot of noise.
Take out the batter in a wide bowl and start beating it with hand for 2-3 minutes, it will make the batter more light and fluffy, after beating continuously you can see the colour of batter will be white instead of pale white or yellow.
To test if the batter is ready to make vada in a bowl of water drop a small bowl of vada if it’s floats on top of water then it’s ready to use. If the batter ball sinks a bit inside water then you have to beat it with hand for a minute more. Repeat the test until the batter ball floats on top of water. If you skip this step the bhalla or bada will not be soft.
Add asafoetida and salt and mix well.

Fried Version:
Heat oil in a wok for deep frying. Take a dollop of dal batter (i used a serving spoon for this) and carefully drop it in hot oil, drop 5-6 vada at a time in wok so it doesn't stick with each other.
Make sure you use enough oil for the full vada to be in oil, if upper part of the vada/bhalla doesn't cook in oil then when you turn them it will stick together. Don’t worry about the shape very much, it doesn't has to perfect round, once we soak the vada in curd it will get shaped.
Fry until golden brown in medium flame, turn over and fry until another side gets golden brown too.

Steamed Version:
Keep the steamer ready ( I used Idli maker), add Baking Soda(i missd adding the baking soda :( ) to the mixture and steam it for 10 minutes.

Soak the vadas:
Meanwhile in a wide pan heat 4-5 cups water. Add fried and steamed vadas in this water and let them soak for min of 10 -20 mins. You can soak for 1 to 2 hours too (soaking makes vada soft and absorb curd), take them out of water and squeeze water out carefully to retain the shape, try not to break vada.

For Assembly
In a wide bowl whisk together curd, salt with a pinh of sugar. Arrange th esqueezed vadas ina erving dish, pour the curd mix ovr this. Sprinkle red chilli powder, cumin powder, drizzle sweet tamarind and dates chutney and green chutney (i did not use green chutney, you can add as per you taste) in small dots all over vada. Garnish with coriander leaves and bhujia sev.

Keep refrigerated and serve chilled :)

Linking it to Harini's Event , Only summer foods and drinks event by shailaja and pari's giveaway.

http://www.fullscoops.net/2014/06/event-announcement-favorite-recipes.html?m=1

http://www.simplysensationalfood.com/2014/06/announcing-event-lets-cook-for-fathers.html

Crispy Mathri/Suhali

Mathri or Suhali is a delightful rajasthani snack to eat with tea or coffee or with some pickle. DH just love it with a hot cuppa tea!
Last year when my mom visited us at sydney, she brought some mathri in a tupperware box..till date whenever my daughter sees that box she would call it suhali box!! She remembers nani brought suhali in that box a year back!
This is a all time favorite snack, made with love by mom during our growing up years. It is so tempting too..cant stop eating while making it!

Ingredients -

• 3 Cup – APF(maida)
• 1 cup - Wheat flour
• 2 tsp – Carom Seeds
• 3 Tbsps – Oil for kneading the dough
• 2 tsp - crushed kasoori methi
• to taste – Salt
• Oil for frying

Method -

1. In a large bowl mix flour, salt, kasoori methi & carom seeds.
2. Add oil for knading mix gently. Now hold the flour in your fist, if it forms a loose clump, then the amount of oil is fine, if it doesn’t then add a bit more oil.
3. Using water knead the dough. The dough should be slightly hard to touch. Wrap in a wet muslin cloth & keep it aside for 1/2 hour.
4. Form small balls with the dough. Roll these balls using a rolling pin. Use a knife or fork to make small holes/ slits in the rolled pastry.
5. Heat oil in a big wok, fry these pastry till golden brown.
6. Enjoy warm with tea or coffee or pickle.  It will store well in air-tight container at room temp for several days.

Sending this to Gayathri's - Walk down the memory lane
http://gayathriscookspot.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/maa-inji-oorugai-ginger-mango-pickle.html



http://cooking4allseasons.blogspot.in/2014/06/come-join-us-for-breakfast-june-event.html
 

Celebrating Teej Sinjara with Panchmeli Daal & Churma

Like so many festivals, Teej is a lovely festival for Hindu women, mainly amongst the Marwari community.It takes place on the third day of Shukla Paksha (bright moon fortnight) of the Shraavana or Saawan month of Hindu calendar that normally falls from late July to early September.

 It has great significance in Rajasthan as it is observed to provide relief from the scorching heat of summer. Thus, it is popularly called the Sawan Festival.

The significance of Teej comes from two main reasons, first, the advent of monsoons and second, the union of Shiva- Parvati.

Dedicated to the Goddess Parvati, commemorating her union with Lord Shiva, the festival is celebrated for marital bliss, well-being of spouse and children and purification of own body and soul. The festival is a three-day-long celebration that combines sumptuous feasts as well as rigid fasting. It also celebrates the arrival of monsoon after a season of oppressive heat. "Teej" is a small red insect that comes out of the soil during rains.

The women enjoy this break from heat and daily chores with swings and songs.

Married women generally visit their parents place and receive gifts from their in-laws and spouse.
On the day of Teej, women pay special attention to their appearance by wearing colorful Leheria Sarees and applying henna on their hands.

There are different yummy preparations for this festival like kheer, malpua, jalebi, gulgule..at our home we prepare daal churma. This is a yummy combination, the panchmeli daal with the ghee laden churma tastes just awesome!
Here in australia I could celebrate it by making this traditional recipe. Miss the days when I used to go to the Teej mela(fare) with my Mom. Loved shopping all the handmade stuff, we had a gala time on the swings tied to huge trees and enjoyed a hearty street food! We also used to buy our rakhis from this fare as after teej, rakhi is the next on the calender :)

Trying to apply mehendi/hena on the tiny hands of my sleeping beauty..

Now for the recipe..
Panchmeli dal

Ingredients :
1/2 cup toor dal ( arhar dal )
2 tbsp urad dal ( white split lentil )
2 tbsp moong dal ( yellow split moong lentils )
2 tbsp green chilke wali dal ( green split lentils )
2 tbsp chana dal ( yellow grams )
2 tbsp masoor daal
1/2 tsp turmeric pwd
salt to taste

For tempering 
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)

2 tbsp ghee
3-4 curry leaves
3-4 cloves
1-2 whole dry red chillies
1 green chilli,chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp red chilli pwd
1 tsp garam masala

corriander leaves for garnishing
lemon juice to taste

method :
Wash and soak the lentils together for atleast half an hour. Pressure cook them with little salt and turneric pwd on slow flame and cook till the daals are soft and tender(3-4 whistles) .Once the daal is cooked , prepare for the tadka. Heat ghee,add bay leaf,red chilli,clove,mustard seeds,cumin seeds,hing,curry leaves and green chillies.Turn off the heat and add red chilli pwd. Add this tempering to the daal ,add garam masala, lemon juice and corrinder leaves and simmer the daal for 5-7 mins.Serve hot with churma

Churma 

Ingredients
Wheat flour 200 gm
Ghee 400 gm
Semolina(rawa) 100 gm
salt 1 tsp
Sugar (grounded) 200 gm
Soaked almond (finely chopped) 50 gm
Cardamom (small) 4
Dalchini 1"

Method
In a bowl mix in the wheat flour, semolina, 150 gms. of ghee, salt . Make a stiff dough using very little water.  Make about 15-20 balls with the dough and roll it out into chapati. roast these on the girdle applying ghee generously on both sides(like parathas) (traditionally the round balls are deep fried in ghee, but i prefer this method to avoid the calories)
Churn these chapatis in grinder after it cools down. Heat 1 tbsp. ghee in kadahi and add to this mixture along with cardamom seeds and dalchini. Add sugar and chopped almonds. Mix well. Serve in a plate. You can enjoy the taste of churma for 3-4 days.

Sending this to the lovely event, Celebrate - Monsoon of India, hosted by two of my favourite food bloggie friends. This is an event by Jagruti, guest hosted by Sayantani

and Celebrate - Month of Shravan again by Jagruti, guest hosted by Sangeetha.

Amle ka achaar - gooseberry pickle

I love amla for all its health benefits and lovely sweet tangy taste. Amla or gooseberry is rich in Iron and vitamin C.

This pickle is quiet new to me. It tastes simply amazing!! Learnt it from my SIL recently when she and the rest of my SIL's visited us along with kids.

It was fun...full house..lots of masti..action...drama :)

This piquant amla delicacy is spiced with chilli, fenugreek, fennel and mustard. Instead of boiling the amlas, we cooked (lightly roasted) in a frying pan with little oil. This increases the shelf life of the pickle, sine no water is included in the making.

Ingredients

10 (250 grams) amla (indian gooseberries)

3 tsp fenugreek seeds (dana methi)

3 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)

1 tbsp yellow mustard

1 tsp black mustard (rai)

1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)

3 tsp chilli powder

2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

100 gram groundnut/mustard oil

4 tsp salt

Method:

Grind the fenugreek and fennel seeds into a powder. Take 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Roast the amlas on medium for around 5-10 mins (till they appear lightly cooked). Cool the amla. Now they can be easily broken with hands. Separate out the slices and remove the seeds. Let the amla dry for 15 - 30 mins.

In the frying pan take the remaining oil. Heat it and add black mustard(rai), asafoetida. Turn off the gas. Add turmeric powder salt, ground fennel and fenugreek, yellow mustard. After the oil cools down, add the chilli powder ( to avoid the chilli powder getting burnt)

Now mix the amla with this and store it in a glass container.

Mix the pickle with a spoon for 3-4 days, so that all the spices and oil gel well. For preserving this pickle for long time, the amla should be immersed in oil.

The best part of the pickle is that it is healthy, tastes yummy and it is ready to be consumed immediately.

Sending it to Kavis Healthy cooking challenge

Aalo mathe (buttermilk) ki sabji

This is a very yummy curry with simple ingredients. It is a quick recipe and the taste is simply heavenly! Sorry for the not so good pictures as it was already dinner time and didn't have the patience to click !!

Here comes the recipe without much ado..

Ingredients:

3-4 Boiled potato

1/2 finely chopped tomato

2-3 cup buttermilk

1/2 tsp turmeric pwd

salt to taste

coriander leaves for garnishing

3-4 curry leaves

1-2 whole dry red chilies

1 green chili,chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp hing ( asafoetida pwd )

1 tsp red chili pwd

1 tsp garam masala

1 tbsp oil

method:

In a pan heat oil, add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and hing. after they splutter add the curry leaves and green chili. Add the finely chopped tomato and cook till the oil comes on surface. Add salt, all the masala and boiled potato. Cook for 2 mins. Add the buttermilk and keep stirring (This step is important, do not leave the pan, continue stirring for 5 mins else the buttermilk will precipitate)

Garnish with coriander leaves/cilantro and serve hot with chapati/rice.

Sending it to

Flavours of Rajasthan - Sonu's Palate Corner & Simply.Food

http://www.simplysensationalfood.com/2014/11/announcing-eventlets-cook-with-yoghurt.html?m=1