HARE DHANIYA KI CHUTNEY (CORIANDER LEAVES CHUTNEY)

HARI DHANIYA CHUTNEY (Simple ‘n’ delicious)

This is the chutney which I relish most…and every household have it’s own version. But here I am going to tell my mother’s version. It has a very desi feeling…it goes well with samosas, pakoras, sandwiches ,our very humble dal n rice and what not..…once u make and eat this chutney….u will be very soon addicted to it.

SERVES:

1 bunch hara dhaniya (coriander leaves) (roughly chopped)

4-5 garlic cloves

2-3 green chillies (depends how much chilli you can tolerate, I go upto 4)

½ nimbu (lemon) juice

1 tb raw mustard oil (when I say raw, that means straight from your container and not perused…like left after frying your pakoris..)

Salt

PREPARATION:

Take your chutney grinder (the smallest one which you have got).

Put in hara dhaniya, green chillies, garlic cloves. Grind it.

Now, take out it in a bowl.

Add mustard oil. I know, some of you will cringe at the thought of it…my husband’s friend used to do…but after tasting it…they approved it..:) 

Add lemon juice and salt. Mix

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Goes with everything…..

Do you have any other version of this chutney? Please share. I would love to try it.

Moong dal pakode

MOONG DAL PAKODE (baarish ka anand)

So, monsoons have arrived well before the expected date and guess what, I love to enjoy it with hot pakodas along with garmagaram adrak chai (most of you will do the same, right?), sitting in the balcony on Sunday morning when it’s raining heavily outside (At least for half an hour, I won’t think about Monday…gosh)…So let’s celebrate this season wid this treat….I know, I know…this is a deep fried snack, but it’s ok …one hour session in gym/park will compensate this….so, don’t think much, just try it out…

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 cup Dhuli (without outer cover) Moong dal (green gram)

1 big onion (finely chopped)

½ tb Zeera (cumin)

1 pinch heeng (Asafoetida)

3-4 green chilli

2 tb coriander leaves (finely diced)

½ tb garam masala

½ tb ginger (finely chopped)

Salt (according to taste)

1 cup mustard oil (to fry) (trust me, it tastes best in mustard oil)

PREPARATION:

Wash and soak moong dal for 5-6 hours (you can soak it on Saturday night so that you can have it as Sunday breakfast).

Grind the dal (not very fine, let it be coarse).

Add all the ingredients except mustard oil.

Mix the batter with your hands. Add water only if required. We don’t want a runny paste. Keep the consistency somewhat thick so that it can be dropped in oil. More you beat the batter, more fluffy and light it will become. So, beat well.

Now, heat oil in a kadhai. Check whether oil is hot enough by dropping a drop of batter in it, if it sizzles and come on the top, then it’s perfectly ok to start making pakoris.

Using your hands, drop the batter in the oil making small pakodis (see the photo, mine is not a perfect ball. But it all tastes the same....). Deep fry on both sides on medium heat. If the flame is high, all through, then maybe it will not cook well inside.

Take out and drain on a tissue paper.

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Serve with hari chutney (Click here for the recipe) and hot adrak vali chai.

So, how are you planning to celebrate this monsoon season…..please share..

Paneer Butter Masala (Creamy red curry)

Paneer butter masala (creamy red curry)

You must be enjoying this rich curry often in restaurants…but this time surprise your family by dishing out this recipe in your kitchen on a rainy afternoon with some hot Naan.

SERVES : 4

INGREDIENTS:

4 tb butter

2 tb Oil

2 tejpatta (bayleaf)

2 laung (cloves)

½ inch dalchini (cinnamon stick)

2 whole dry red chilli

1 large onion(finely chopped)

1 tb ginger-garlic paste

1 tb dhaniya powder

½ tb red chilli powder

½ tb garam masala

6 medium sized tomato (finely chopped)

250-300 gm paneer (cut in triangles)

1 tb kasooi methi leaves

2 tb malai/cream

Salt

PREPARATION:

Take a kadhai (wok).Put half amount of butter and oil in it(oil is a must, else you have to be very careful that butter won’t  burn).

Toss in bayleaf, cloves, cinnamon, red chillies. Saute for a mnt (or till fragrant).

Put in onions.Fry for one mnt.

Add ginger garlic paste.Fry for ½ a mnt.

Add dhaniya powder, red chilli powder, garam masala, kasoori methi, tomatoes. Cook till oil seperates from masala (this step is invariably repeated for most of the Indian cooking).

Now take it down from the heat. Puree the masala mixture into a smooth mix.

Again, place a kadhai on heat.

Put rest of the butter and oil.

Put in the pureed mix. Saute for 2 mnts on low flame.

Put in paneer pieces. Toss gently in masala so that masala coats the paneer well. Wait for 1 mnt.

Add water and mix till desired consistency is achieved. Add salt.

Sim and cook for 5 mnts. Remove from heat. Add cream and mix n now the most important step : Just dig in....

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Garnish with some drops of cream and a twig of coriander leave (dhaniya patti) in the centre.

Serve with Naan(it’s recipe will be provided soon) or if you are having a time crunch, then go with rotis topped with some desi ghee.

If you have another version of this recipe,please share...I would love to try that...

Gajar Ka Halwa (Kuch Meetha Ho Jaye…)

GAJAR KA HALWA (KUCH MEETHA HO JAYE…)

(Microwave cooking)

Since this is first post on my blog, I will do shubh-aarambh by some meetha (sweet) as this is considered auspicious in Indian culture.

Gajar ka halwa is an Indian dessert that almost every North Indian household prepares as soon as winter approaches. I remember cosying up in rajai (blanket) in winter nights while mummy prepared it on a heater all evening and then we got to relish it right after our dinner. But,since city life does not give us so much time to invest in one single dessert. So,here I am sharing microwave style of cooking. Gajar ka halwa is damn easy to make in microwave, believe me. you can switch it on and simultaneously do other chores in the kitchen. But then the job of getting your carrots grated is also gigantic one. So, you can either convince your husband to do that (lure him of the end result: halwa) or if you have invested in a food processor then you should immediately head to your kitchen, to make this treat.

Serves : 4

Ingredients:

½  kg Carrots

2 cup Milk (Full cream)
3/4 cup sugar (or as per your sweet tooth)

½ cup khoya

4 tb ghee

1 tb hari elaichi (green cardamom) peeled & powdered

¼ cup dry fruits :kishmish (raisins), kaju (cashews), badam (almonds) (washed & chopped)

Preparation:

Wash and grate the carrots.

Take a large bowl. In this, mix grated carrots, milk and sugar. Microwave for 20 mnts.

Take out the bowl (at this time, you can check for sweetness and adjust the sugar accordingly).

Add ghee, nuts, elaichi powder and khoya. Mix well. Again, microwave for 20 mnts.

Take out and serve hot and enjoy the sinful treat……

Serving suggestion:

For more taste, you can add rabdi on the top while serving…..

 So,what are your memories attached with gajar ka halwa....