Rasmalai

Preparation of Rasmalai

Time: 1-1 1/2 hours

Servings: 4 Preparation Time: 50-60 minutes

 Category: Veg

 Ingredients

Chhena

•Milk 10 cups

•White vinegar 8 teaspoons

•Refined flour (maida) 1 tablespoon

•Cornflour/ corn starch 1/2 teaspoon

•Sugar 1.2 kilograms

•Milk 2 tablespoons

Rabdi

•Milk 10 cups

•Sugar 6 tablespoons

•Saffron (kesar) a few strands

Method

For the chhenna, bring the milk to a boil over high heat. Set aside to cool slightly to 77°C/170°F. 

Mix the vinegar in one and three-fourth cups of water and add to the hot milk. Stir lightly till the milk curdles. Add three to four cups of water and a few ice cubes and stir.

Strain the chhenna through a piece of muslin and squeeze to remove all the water. You should have 250 grams of chhenna.

Transfer the chhenna onto a worktop. Mix together half teaspoon of refined flour and the cornflour and add to the chhenna. Knead, pressing with the heel of your hand, till the mixture is smooth. 

Divide into twenty-five portions and roll into balls and then press lightly to make patties, taking care that there are no cracks. Mix the remaining refined flour with half a cup of water and set aside.

To make the syrup, cook the sugar with five cups of water, stirring continuously till all the sugar dissolves. Add the milk and let the syrup come to a boil. Collect the scum which rises to the surface with a ladle and discard.

Continue to cook the syrup for a few minutes longer. Strain the syrup into a bowl.

Take one cup of the syrup, reserving the rest, in a deep, wide non-stick pan and add four to five cups of water. When the syrup begins to boil add the chhenna patties. Add half the flour-water mixture. The syrup will froth. Cook, gently agitating the syrup so that the balls do not stick to the bottom of the pan. 

Slowly drizzle half a cup of water along the sides of the pan every five minutes so that the syrup does not thicken. Continue cooking for fifteen minutes or till the chhenna patties spring back when pressed. This is a

sign that they are cooked.

Remove from the syrup with a slotted spoon and place in the reserved syrup. 

To make the rabdi, bring the milk to a boil in a deep, thick-bottomed non-stick pan on high heat Lower heat to medium and cook, stirring, till it reduces to three-fourth its original volume. Scrape off the cream that will collect on the sides

Aloo Paratha

Aloo Paratha

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 40 mins

Makes 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients

For The Dough

2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour (Godhuma Pindi)

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp ghee

For The Stuffing

4 boiled potatoes

1 chopped onion

1 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)

4 green chillies , chopped

2 tsp dried mango powder (amchur)

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

salt to taste

1 tsp ghee

Other Ingredients

1 tbsp ghee for cooking

Method

For The Dough

Sieve the flours with the salt.

Add the ghee and mix well. Add enough water and make a semi-soft dough. Keep aside.

For The Stuffing

Mash the potatoes coarsely or cut into very small pieces. Keep aside.

Heat the ghee in a vessel, add the cumin seeds and onion; and fry for at least 3 minutes.

Add the green chillies and fry again for 1 minute.

Add the potatoes, salt, coriander, chilli powder and amchur powder. Mix well and cook for 1 minute.

Cook the mixture. Keep aside.

How To Proceed

Knead the dough and divide into 10 portions.

Roll out one portion of the dough into a circle of 125 mm. (5") diameter.

Place one portion of the prepared filling in the center of the dough circle.

Bring togeather all the sides in the center and seal tightly.

Roll out again into a circle of 125 mm. (5") diameter with the help of a little flour.

Cook the paratha on a tava (griddle), using a little ghee until both sides are golden brown.

Repeat with the remaining dough and filling to make more parathas.

Serve hot.

Goan Fish Curry

Goan fish curry Masala Ingredients:

6 Kashmiri Chillies
1/2 Scraped Coconut
A Small Piece of Ginger
3 Flakes Garlic
5 - 6 Pepper Corns
1 Tea spoon Corriander seeds
A Pinch of Methi Seeds
Small ball of Tamarind if a raw Mango is used
1/2 Tea spoon Haldi Powder
1/2 Tea spoon Jeera
1 Green Chilly
Salt



Goan Fish Curry Main Ingredients:

1 Decent Sized Pomfret (You can also add Kingfish or Halwa)
1 Raw Mango

Slice, clean and salt the fish and keep the fish aside.
Sliced pomfret for the fish curry

Sliced pomfret 

Procedure:

Grind the masala ingredients mentioned above, in a mixer with a little water.

Add it in your cooking dish and add some more water, now there are two optional things depending on how rich and heavy you want your Xitt codi. The first one is you can bagaar some chopped onions before you add the masala to it.

Instead of adding water you can add coconut milk to make it rich, but we made this fish curry by adding water, to make it thick enough as per choice. You can then add some salt and slit the green chilly, remove seeds as per spice requirement.
Add salt and green chilly to the curry
Once the entire mixture reaches a boil you can add the fish to the curryAdd Fish Pieces
Along with the fish add the cut pieces of raw mango, to give it that nice tangy flavor that it has. I personally like to eat the cooked pieces of mango, the sour taste of it, my mouths watering as I write this :)
Add Mango Pieces to Fish Curry
Cook till the fish becomes edible, this is a relatively easy dish to cook and is not as time consuming as some of them.
Ready to eat Goan Fish Curry

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Dhokla

Khaman Dhokla

Dhokla or Dhokra is a vegetarian food item that originates from the Indian state of Gujarat. It is made with a fermented batter derived from rice and chickpea splits. Dhokla can be eaten for breakfast, as a main course, as a side dish or as a snack

Basic Info

Prep Time: 1 to 2 hours

Cook Time: Under 15 min

Serves: 4 people

Yield: Makes one 8 inch (2" deep) pan worth

Ingredients

For Batter:
Bengal Gram flour / Besan/ Chickpea flour - 250 gms (1 & 1/2 cup)
Curd/Yogurt - 1/2 cup (not very sour)
Water - 1/2 cup
Cooking/Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp

For seasoning to be mixed to the batter (to be added just before cooking)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Turmeric a pinch
Green Chili paste - 1 - 2 (or as per taste)
Sugar - 1 tsp
Citric acid - quarter tsp (or lemon juice)
Eno - 1 packet (green colour fruit lime) + some more for sprinkling on the plate
(Note: I dint know how much a sachet contains since I have a bottle so I assumed 1-1/4 tsp of Eno fruit salt)
Salt to taste

For tempering
Mustard Seeds
Curry leaves
Grated coconut
Coriander leaves
Little water + Oil to be topped on dhoklas

Method
1 Mix first 1/2 cup curds with 1/2 water.

2 To this add the besan and mix well to get a lump less batter, the consistency should be of idli batter, more of dropping not pouring consistency.

3 Slowly add more water if needed else, add the soda. Keep it aside to rise for 1 hour. If you are using a pressure cooker, fill the pan with water, place a plate over which you will have use a plate for steaming the dhoklas. Thali plate can be used for steaming To the batter mix in the citric acid, oil, salt, sugar, green chili paste and turmeric powder. Mix well. This has to be done just before pouring to the plate.

4 Meanwhile have the pan on stove, and let the water start boiling. When the water reaches the rolling stage, you can mix the eno to the batter (Save little of eno for dusting on the plate), mix gently, you will see bubbles coming out.

5 Notes : If you  don't have a thali plate which would fit your pressure cooker and those who would were too deep and narrow for making a proper Dhokla.  You can use your Baking tin which fit perfectly in your Rice Cooker and steam cooked the batter.
Dust or sprinkle the plate with eno. Then immediately pour the batter to the plate. Place the plate carefully inside the pressure pan and cover with lid. You need not use the whistle. After covering you will find steam coming out of the outlet, simmer and don't disturb for almost 5 -7 minutes. The batter should be filled to only 1/2 as it will rise up. After adding eno the batter should not rest. Amount of sugar can be increased on preference. Dhokla can also be steamed in kadai filled with water and a plated titled over it.

6 After 5 -7 minutes, remove the lid and proof it using toothpick or knife. If the knife comes out clean and

does not have any batter sticking, then its done. Cover back and let it remain on flame for 1 min and switch off the gas and allow it for 5 minutes.

7 In a bowl, mix 3 tsp of water along with a tsp of oil. Remove the plate from the pan, pour the water and oil mix over the top. For seasoning, heat a pan with oil, add curry leaves, sesame seeds, mustard seeds and finely chopped green chilies. When mustard starts popping, remove and pour over the dhokla

8 If you want perfect shaped ones and not the crumbling, cut and handle gently

9 Notes : Cut them out, after slightly cooling them, into squares.

Serve them with Tamarind Chutney and Green chutney. They are good on their own too.

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CHOLE BHATURE

CHOLE BHATURE RECIPE

Chole bhature is a an all time favourite Punjabi dish. Choley bhature can be eaten in breakfast as well as in lunch. Chole bhature is a combination of chickpea curry served with deep fried flour pooris. Here is a simple recipe.

Serves : 2

Total time : 1 hr + fermentation time

Calories per serving: 475

Ingredients:

 

Bhature

1 cup Flour (Maida)

1/2 cup Suji (Semolina)
1/4 cup Dahi (Curd)
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Sugar
Water to make dough

 For Chole:
1 cup boiled chole
1 big onion grated
1 tsp Anardana/ pomegranate Seeds 
1 tsp giner paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1/4 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Coriander powder
3 medium tomatoes
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1 tblsp Green Coriander chopped

For tempering
2 tsp Ghee
1 small onion
1 small tomato
1 green chilly 
1 tsp Chana Masala
1/4 tsp Red Chilly Powder
1 tblsp Oil

Preparation
 

• To Make Bhature :Soak suji in 1/2 cup water for 15 - 20 minutes to make it soft.
• Then in a mixing bowl add all the ingredients under the bhature section along with soaked suji and mix well. Then little by little add water and knead a soft dough.
• Now take a fresh bowl and transfer the dough in it and apply a thin layer of refined oil on the dough. Cover the bowl with a cling sheet and keep it aside for fermentation for 2 - 3 hrs in a warm place. Once it is ready it will be double in size.
• Now remove the cling sheet and press the dough in the center to remove all the excess air and knead again.
• To make the bhature, heat the oil and take a small ball of the dough and roll like puri but this needs to be kept thicker than poori. Fry like poori till both sides are golden brown. Serve with chole and mix pickle.
• Remember 1. Heat the oil well so that bhaturas do not absorb extra oil and they fluff well. 2. Drain the bahturas on a tissue paper to drain out excess oil.
• To Make chole :After the chole have boiled separate the chole from the water. Keep the cooking liquid for later use.
• Grind together garlic, ginger and anardana in a grinder.
• Heat oil in a kadhai and add the grated onion. Stir fry till little golden brown. Then add turmeric, coriander powder and the grinded masala.
• Fry for a 1 min and then add finely chopped tomatoes. Cook it till the masala leaves the side.
• Now add only the choley and let it simmer for 5 - 7 minutes. Finally add some chole liquid and further cook for 10 minutes.
• When the chole get be thick add the garam masala and chopped green coriander.
• Now take a separate pan for tempering and add 2 tsp of ghee. When it gets hot add cubed onion and tomato pieces. Cook for 15 secs and then add green chilly and the chana masala and red chilly powder. Mix well ensuring that red chilly does not get burnt and then add to the chole and mix well.
• Transfer the choley to a serving dish and garnish with a piece of lemon split up into 4 pieces and finely chopped corainder leaves.

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Dal Kachori

Crispy Kachori with Moong Dal

Crunchy snack with spicy filling that has a good shelf life.Cooking 

Time: 20-30 minutes

Servings: 4 

Preparation Time: 1-2 hours

Category: Veg

Ingredients
FOR COVERING

• Refined flour (maida) 2 cups
• Ghee 1/4 cup
• Salt to taste

FOR FILLING

• Split green gram skinless (dhuli moong dal) 1/2 cup
• Oil 3 tablespoons + for frying
• Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
• Asafoetida 1/4 teaspoon
• Ginger-green chilli paste 1 teaspoon
• Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon
• Garam masala powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Dry mango powder (amchur) 1/2 teaspoon
• Gram flour (besan) 2 tablespoons
• Salt to taste

Method
Combine all the ingredients for the covering and knead into a semi-soft dough using a little water. Divide the dough into twelve equal parts and keep covered with a damp muslin cloth. Soak moong dal for an hour. Drain. Heat three tablespoons oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida. When the seeds begin to change colour, add the drained moong dal and sauté for a few seconds. Add the ginger-green chilli paste,

red chilli powder, garam masala powder, amchur powder, gram flour and salt and stir for five minutes till the masalas are cooked. Cool and divide into twelve equal portions. Shape each portion into an even sized ball and keep aside. Roll out each portion of the dough into a small diskette. Place one portion of the filling in the centre of the diskette. Cover the filling with the dough by slowly stretching it over the filling. Seal the ends tightly and remove any excess dough. Roll out each filled portion lightly into a small circle ensuring that the filling does not spill out. Gently press the centre of the kachori with your thumb. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Deep-fry the kachoris in hot oil over low heat till golden brown on both sides. The kachoris should puff up like puris. Cool and store in an air-tight container.

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Bobbatlu

Ingredients:

For Covering:

    Maida – 100gms (3/4Cup)

    Semolina – 5gms (1tsp)

    Salt – A Pinch

    Ghee – 1/2tsp

    Oil – 1/2Tbsp

    Water – 75ml Or 75gms

For Filling:

    Bengal Gram – 100gms (1/2Cup)

    Grated Jaggery – 115gms (1/2Cup)

    Grated Coconut – 35gms (1/4Cup)

    Cardamoms – 4

    Sugar – 1tsp

    Water – 1Cup (200gms) Divided {100gms (1/2cup) + 100gms (1/2cup)}

(Online Conversion utility to convert Gms to Cups & Temperatures etc)

Preparations:

Into a mixing bowl take maida, semolina, salt and ghee and mix well till mixture is crumbly. Add water (75ml) slowly and make sticky dough. Add oil and smoothen the dough and cover the bowl and rest dough for one hour.

Add bengal gram into a bowl and wash well. Add water (100gms-1/2cup) to the bengal gram and place the bowl in pressure cooker and cook on high flame. After first whistle, cook the bengal gram on low flame for 10 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to cool completely and then remove the cooked dal bowl from it. Place a strainer in a bowl and add the cooked dal into the strainer and allow it to cool. Observe that the bengal gram appears to be JUST cooked---press a cooked dal grain between fingers and observe that it is soft but not mushy. Once cool, grind the cooked bengal gram to a powder in a mixer grinder.

Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, make powder of cardamom seeds and 1tsp sugar and cover the powder till used to retain the fragrance.

Take a bowl and add grated jaggery and water (100gms-1/2cup) and heat it. Stir the jaggery mixture till it dissolves completely in the water. Strain the jaggery mixture through a fine mesh to remove any impurities. Heat the jaggery mixture on high flame stirring occasionally till the mixture is thick and foamy. Reduce flame to medium and cook stirring till syrup reaches 122oC on candy thermometer (that is between hard ball stage and soft ball stage). Check the consistency of the syrup by dropping a portion in water and observe---the syrup should form a ball and if the ball is thrown from a distance into a plate it should make sound indicating that it is slightly hard. Switch off the flame and add the cardamom powder and mix. Then add the grated coconut and cooked dal powder and mix well to form soft dough. Spread the dal mixture into a plate and cool.

Method:

Make balls of the filling dough and make equal number of balls with the covering dough. Covering ball size should be half of the filling ball size.

Heat an iron griddle on low flame.

Take a parchment paper and smear it with oil. Place a covering ball and press to flatten and form a small flat disc. Place a filling ball in the centre of the covering flattened disc and bring edges together to form a dumpling. Place the ball with seam side down on the parchment paper and start to flatten it with oiled fingers---apply oil in between for easy flattening. See that the disc is flattened in even thickness. Flatten the disc as thinly as possible as maida shrinks and bobbattu appears thick once placed on hot griddle. Now hold the parchment paper on which the disc is flattened and invert it on the hot griddle and wait for few seconds. Lightly pressing on the parchment paper, slowly lift the paper leaving the disc on the griddle. Roast the bobbattu on low flame only. After few seconds, flip the bobbattu using a flat ladle. Fry the bobbattu on both sides till light brown spots appear on it and it is fully roasted without any rawness in it. Once done, take the bobbattu on to a serving plate and spread some ghee on both sides and serve hot. Similarly make the remaining bobbatlu and serve hot with ghee.

Points To Remember:

Bobbatlu are traditionally made using maida. But health conscious people also make them with wheat flour and less oil.

Adding a pinch of salt enhances the taste of bobbatlu.

Bobbatlu are made using jaggery. However if jaggery is not available, use sugar---but jaggery bobbatlu tastes better.

Adding grated coconut gives some crunch and a nice taste.

If one is regularly making sweets at home and requires cardamom powder, then take sufficient quantity of

cardamoms and sugar in a mixie jar and grind to a fine powder. Store this cardamom powder in airtight bottles and use as and when required.

After straining cooked bengal gram observe that only few drops of water would be drained through the strainer.

It is always advisable to add mentioned amount of water to the jaggery and cook while making syrup. Many may get the doubt that when water is to be evaporated to make syrup then why to add that much water. Jaggery when cooked in water melts completely and tastes better. It is something similar to bajias when fried in hot oil on high flame gets color fast but will not be cooked properly from inside. Similarly jaggery needs to get cooked properly first and then thickened to make syrup.

While making portions of covering and filling, covering ball should be half the size of filling ball. As maida is easy to stretch, half quantity of covering is sufficient to cover a filling ball. Also if the covering is too thick, it would be difficult to break the bobbatlu (PEEKKOVALASI VASTUNDI). On cooling, maida roti would become hard unlike wheat flour rotis. So the covering should be just sufficient to coat the stuffing. While making bobbatlu observe that the pressed bobbattu appears dark in color (filling color) with a very very thin layer of covering on the stuffing. After roasting observe that bobbattu is soft to break as maida covering is just coated as a thin layer on the stuffing---so babbatlu would be soft.

Serve the bobbatlu smeared with hot ghee. Ghee adds additional flavor to the flavorful bobbattu.

Do not make more bobbatlu as they do not have much shelf life. As bengal gram and grated coconut are used in stuffing, they get spoiled soon. Even if they are stored in refrigerator, as maida is used as a covering, it would be difficult to eat them. So make in small batches and enjoy as and when desired as all the ingredients used are common things in our kitchens and would be available easily. Another option is to make stuffing and keep a portion of it in refrigerator and make use of it next day with fresh covering dough---but fresh is always tasty than leftovers.

Warm the bobbatlu in a closed container in microwave oven for 7 to 10 seconds and serve hot with ghee.

Enjoy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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