Kachori Recipe

The Holy month of Ramazan has begun & Muslims all over the world are fasting & feasting at Iftar time. Intrestingly a lot of fried items are prepared.
However Ladies often look out for dishes that can be quickly made, served & savoured by all.

I said quick & kachori??? Yes make them & keep in refrigerator. Deep fry & serve. It tastes good, is loved by all & what more can one ask for?

Ingredients For the kachori Covering:

1. Plain  flour (Maida) - 1 1/2 Cup
2. Oil - 3 tablespoon
3. Salt - to taste
4. Cold water - to knead the dough

For the filling of kachori:

1. Yellow moong dal, washed & soaked for 1/2 hour - 1 cup
2. Oil - 1 tablespoon
3. Coriander Seeds, crushed coarsely - 1/2 tsp
4. Fennel seeds (Sauf), crushed - 1/2 tsp
5. Cumin seeds (zeera) - 1/2 tsp
6. Mustard seeds (rai) - 1/2 tsp
7. Asafoetid (hing) - 2-3 pinches
8.  Garam masala - 1 tsp
9. Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
10. Coriander leaves, chopped - 1/2 tablespoon
11. Salt - to taste
12. Oil - for saute & deep frying

Method of Making Cover of Kachori:

1. Mix the flour, salt and oil, with the water to knead into soft pliable dough.

2. Set aside the dough for 30 mins.

Method of making filling of kachori:

1. Boil the soaked moong dal in water for 5 mins. Drain & cool. Set aside.
2. Take the dal & mash. Do not mash the dal completely, but enough to make the mixture hold together well.

3. Heat the oil in a heavy pan. Add all the seeds ( whole & crushed) and allow to splutter.
4. Add the asafoetida (hing), garam masala, dhania powder & salt. Mix thoroughly.
5. Add the mashed moong dal to this & saute.
5. Add coriander leaves. Remove from heat & allow to cool.
6. Divide the filling into 15 portions.
7. Shape each portion into a small ball & keep aside.

Method of Making Kachori:

1. Make a paste using a tsp of flour & mixing it with water. Set aside. This can be used if the kachoris are tearing.
2. Roll a walnut-sized ball of the dough into a round of 10 cm diameter.

3. Place one ball of filling in the centre.

4. Cover & pinch into a pouch.

5. Break off the excess dough carefully. Be carefull it should not tear.
6. Press the ball with your palm, making it flat & round.

7. Repeat for the rest of filling & dough.
8. Heat oil in a deep bottemed pan (kadai) & deep fry the kachoris, over medium flame.
9. Fry till golden crisp.

10. Serve hot or cold with Green Chutney & Red Sweet Chutney.

Punjabi-Chole-Chickpeas-Curry-Recipe

We have been writing about all the famous cuisines across India and chole-bhature is one among the most relished dish from Punjab and is popular where ever the Panjabi’s have resided whether in India or overseas like UK, Canada etc.

This dish looks complicated but is simple to make and will for sure take your taste buds to a roller coaster ride. This is “The spicier the better “dish so if you are fond of spicy food than just by the smell of it your mouth will start watering. Oops mine has already started!!

So, let us hurry up and make the finger licking Chole.

Ingredients to be used to make Chole/ Chickpeas Curry:

Ingredients	Quantity
Chickpeas /Garbanzo beans (Kabuli chana/chola)	1 Cup (soaked overnight)
Tea Bags	2 bag
Oil	2 and 1/2 table spoon
Cumin Seeds/Jeera	1/2 tea spoon
Bay Leaf	1 big
Fennel Seeds (saunf)	1 tea spoon
Red Chillies	2 Dry & whole
Gram Flour(Besan)	1 tablespoon
Green Chili	1 chopped
Onion	1 (Finely chopped)
Garam Masala	1/2 tea spoon
Dry Mango Powder(Amchur)	1 tea spoon
Red Chilly Powder	1 tea spoon
Anardana Powder	1/2 tea spoon
Cumin Seeds/Jeera(Roasted & Powdered)	1 tea spoon
Coriander Powder (dhania)	1 table spoon
Black Salt	1 tea spoon
Turmeric Powder(haldi)	1 tea spoon
Black Pepper( kali mirch) Powder	1/4 tea spoon
Chola Masala	1 and 1/2 tea spoon
Salt	to taste
Lemon Juice( optional)	1 tea spoon
Cottage Cheese/Paneer ( optional)	1/4 cup cubed
Water	as needed

For Gravy:

Ingredients	Quantity
Onions	2 ( roughly chopped)
Tomatoes	3 (roughly chopped)
Ginger	1 tea spoon( chopped/paste)
Green Chili	1 big
Ginger	1 tea spoon( chopped/paste)

For Garnish:

Ingredients	Quantity
Green Chilli	2 sliced long way
Coriander Leaves	2 table spoon (chopped)
Lime	1 Sliced

Method of making Chole/Chickpeas Curry:

Precooking:

1) Take a big cooking bowl boil 5-6 cups of water with tea bags in it. 

2) Once it is boiled turn down the heat to medium and let it cook for 2-3 more minutes and then put the bowl aside remove the tea bags from it.

3) Clean and wash the chole (chickpeas) well and soak it in the tea water overnight (around 8-9 hours)

While cooking:

4) Take a pressure cooker add chole(chickpeas) along with the water they were soaked in and also add 2 more cups of water & pinch of salt and then cook it on medium heat till it starts steaming and then turn heat down and cook it for another 14-15 minutes.

5) You need to wait till the steam stops to open the cooker so in the meantime you can make the gravy for the curry

6) Take the mixer grinder jar and add chopped onion, ginger, tomato, chili, garlic, ginger

7) Grind them all to make a smooth paste 

8) Now open the pressure cooker and check as the chole (Chickpeas) should be soft.

9) Then take a saucepan and heat the oil in it. For beginner, you can test the heat by adding one-two cumin seeds in it and if the seeds crack as soon as you pour; that means the oil is ready.

10) Add cumin seeds, Bay Leaf, Fennel Seeds (saunf), Red Chillies, chopped green chili, chopped onions and sauté it 

11) Then add and stir-fry basen (gram flour) and make it light golden brown.

12) After that add the gravy and put all the other powders in specified quantity and stir of 2-3 minutes  {Garam Masala, Dry Mango Powder (Amchur), Red Chili Powder, Anardana Powder, Cumin Seeds/Jeera (Roasted & Powdered), Coriander Powder (dhania), Black Salt, Turmeric Powder(haldi), Black Pepper( kali mirch) Powder, Chola Masala}

13) Finally add chole (Chickpeas) and salt to it. You can also add panner( cottage cheese) to it if you want the dish to be more rich.

14) Then if you want add lime juice and water after which mix it well

15) Simmer it for around 35-40 minutes, the long we simmer the better the taste get as the masalas get absorbed better.

16) Keep string in between 

17) Take a serving bowl, put the chola in it and sprinkle coriander leaves 

18) Decorate it with green chili and sliced lime.

You can serve these chole with bhaturas/bhatooras (fried bread),Puris (fried wheat bread), or eat it as a snack with aloo tikki or roasted papad!

Sev Batata Puri Mumbai Style

We Indians love chaat-pata ( spicy and tangy) street food and sev puri is one among the most loved chaats served on the road side stalls and chaat shops.

In fact anytime anywhere you can pleasure your taste buds with this easy to make healthy snack recipe.

Ingredients to be used to make Sev Puri:

Ingredients	Quantity
Crispy Puris/Pooris	4-6 pieces
Sev	1/4 cup
Potato/aloo (boiled and cubed)	1 cup
Onion/pyaz (finely chopped)	1/4 cup
Tomato/ tamatar (finely chopped)	1/4 cup
Sweet Chutney or Red Chutney	1-2 tea spoon
Green Chutney	1-2 tea spoon
Coriander/Cilantro ( dhaniya) Leaves (Chopped)	1/2 table spoon
Chat Masala	1/4 tea spoon
Lemon Juice	1/2 tea spoon

Method of making Sev Puri

1) Take a nice medium sized serving plate.

2) Break the puris in the plate 

3) Add all the other ingredients like potato, tomato,onions etc

4) Finally sprinkle all the spices and mix it with the red chutney, green chutney and lime juice.

5) Garnish the dish with chopped coriander leaves

And here we go the delicious sev puri is ready to jump upon J

Bhel Puri Recipe

Mumbai Beech, Chowpatti & Bhel are inseparable. This Indian snack is very very very easy to make. The Kolkata variant of Bhelpuri is called Jhaal Muri & when it reaches Banglore its called Churumuri. So its famous all over India e it north or south.

Very very easy to make & takes just a few minutes.

Ingredients of Bhel Puri:

Ingredients	Quantity
Puffed rice/Pori	1 1/2 cups
Nylon Sev	1/2 cup
Green chutney	1 1/2 tbsp(as needed)
Sweet chutney	2 tbsp(as needed)
Chilli Garlic chutney	1/2 tbsp(as needed)
Boiled potato chopped into chunks	1
Onion chopped finely	1 small
Tomato,chopped finely	1 small
Raw Mango,finely chopped	3 tbsp
Coriander Leaves	2 tblsp
Lemon juice	1 tsp
Chaat masala	1/2 tsp
Papdi, broken roughly	6-7

Method of Making Bhel Puri:

1. Fry puffed rice in a tsp of oil if it is not crisp.

2. Keep the ingredients of Bhel Puri ready before you start. Take a bowl,large enough to mix all ingredients. Add the Green chutney , Red - Sweet Chutney,  Chilli Garlic Chutney, chat masala powder and lemon juice & Mix well.

3. To the chutneys mix add chopped onion,tomatoes, raw mangoes & potatoes and mix well.

4. Now add the puffed rice, papdi and lemon juice,then  toss(mix) well. 

5. It's time to garnish with crumbled papdi, sev and coriander leaves and mix well.

6. Serve immediately.

Note: There are no hard and fast rules, you can adjust the ingredients according to your liking.

Red Sweet Chutney Recipe

The sweet and sour tamarind - dates red chutney is very popular in India and is served along with almost all the snacks like kachori, samosa, dahi puri, dhokla, raj kachori etc.

This chutney is easy to make and can be preserved for more than a month if stored in an air tight container in controlled temperature (refrigerator).

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE RED ( TAMARIND & DATES) CHUTNEY:

Ingredients	Quantity
Dates(de seeded) ( khajur beej nikale hue)	6-7 pieces
Tamarind ( Imli)	1/2  table spoon
Jaggery ( gud)	1/2 table spoon
Red chili powder( pisi hui lal mirch)	1/2 tea spoon
Chaat masala	1/2 tea spoon
Cumin Seeds (jeera) Powder & Roasted	1/2 tea spoon
Salt (namak)	to taste
Water (pani)	As needed

METHOD TO MAKE RED ( TAMARIND & DATES) CHUTNEY:

1) Cook dates and tamarind with little water in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles 

2) Extract a thick juice from tamarind once it cools down and also grind the now half boiled dates in a mixer to make smooth paste

3) then boil dates paste, tamarind extract, jaggery and water with jeera powder 

4) let the consistency of the chutney be thick add all the other masala( spices) lastly and mix well.

The sweet and sour red chutney is ready to tempt your taste buds :)

Green Coriander Chutney Recipe

If you make chaats( street food) like sev puri, paani puri, dahi puri, bhel puri, raj kachori, raagda, dhokla, sandwiches etc at home than this green chutney is a must have ingredient. It is easy to make and preserve. Just few fresh leaves grinned together with a touch of lime to it!

So, here we go..

Ingredients needed to make Green Chutney:

Ingredients	Quantity
Coriander/Cilantro leaves( dhaniya patta), cleaned & chopped	1 cups
Green chillies ( hari mirchi)	2  pieces
Tomato (tamatar)	1/4medium size
Ginger Paste(optional)	1/4 tea spoon
Almonds( badam)	4 pieces
Lemon juice ( nimbu ka ras)	from 1/4 lemon
Cumin Seeds (jeera) Powder & Roasted	1/2 tea spoon
Salt (namak)	to taste
Water (pani)	As needed

Method to make Green Chutney:

1) Grind the cleaned chopped coriander along with the tomato,cumin powder and other ingredients except salt and lime juice

2) Add water as required for grinding 

3) Add salt and lime juice then mix it well

4) Store the chutney in refrigerator in an air tight container.

Yup your yummy rich green chutney is ready to serve with any type of chaat

Tip for variation in Green Chutney Recipe: 

You can add mint leaves (pudina) and chaat masala & garlic paste for variation; few people also add onion in this chutney.

Sitaphal Pudding Recipe

As a kid I used to bid good bye to my fav mango season & welcome sitaphal. Like me a lot of people are fond of these two fruits.

Sitaphal has a typical buttery, delicate flavour that often made me think why not make an icecream or pudding with it.

And then one fine day I came across this Sitaphal pudding... Trust me you will be lost in its taste.

Ingredients Sitaphal Pudding Recipe:

1. Sitaphal (custard apple) pulp - 1 1/2 cup
2. China grass - 1 packet
3. Water - 1 cup
4. Cream cheese - 500 grams
5. Powdered sugar - 3/4 cup
6. Fresh cream - 1 cup
7. Almond - Finely chopped, to garnish
8. Pistachios - Finely chopped, to garnish
9. Walnuts - Finely chopped, to garnish

Method of Making Sitaphal Pudding Recipe:

1. Cut china grass into small pieces.
2. Boil water in a vessel & allow china grass to dissolve in it over low heat.
3. Continue stirring till dissolves completely. Allow to cool.
4. In another large bowl, place the cream cheese, china grass & powdered sugar; and beat with an electric blender till smooth.
5. Fold in the fresh cream & sitaphal (Pudding Recipe) pulp.
6. Blend again.
7. Pour the entire mixture into pudding cups & set in refrigerator.
8. Garnish & serve chilled.

Gujarati Dhokla Recipe

Gujarati Dhokla is one dish I bank upon when I have unexpected guests or when kids have hunger pangs. This is easy to make with readily available ingredients & tastes delicious.


P.S. This dish is light on plate & even on stomach!!! So what are you waiting for. Happy Cooking, Serving & Relishing...

Ingredients For Batter of Gujarati Dhokla: Quantity Gram Flour (Besan/Chickpea Flour) 1 cup  Semolina (Rava/Sooji) 1 tablespoon  Lemon juice 1½ teaspoons Antacid Powder ( I have used Eno Fruit Salt) 1 teaspoon  Crushed Green Chilli & Ginger 1 teaspoon  Water 3/4 cup  Yogurt (Dahi) 1/4 cup Oil (for greasing) 1 teaspoon Salt To Taste Ingredients For Tempering  of Gujarati Dhokla: Quantity Oil 2 tablespoons  Curry Leaves 1-2 Mustard Seeds 1/2 teaspoon  Cumin Seeds (optional) 1/2 teaspoon Sesame Seeds (til) 1 teaspoon Sugar 1 tablespoon

Suji Ka Halwa Recipe

I was asked for this recipe by a dear friend on Facebook & then I realized how could I miss out on the very very famous Suji ka halwa. A lot of childhood memories are associated with it :) So here is how we make Semolina Halwa or Suji Ka halwa.

Ingredients  for Making Suji Ka Halwa

Ingredients	Quantity
Semolina (Sooji/ Rawa)	3  cups
Clarified Butter (Ghee)	1 cup
Cashews Nuts (Kaju)	Handful
Whole raisins (sultanas/Kishmish)	Handful
Hot water	5 cups
Whole/ full cream milk	2 cup
Sugar	1 cup
Green cardamom (Elaichi)	5 pods
Saffron (Kesar)	A few

Method of Making Suji Ka Halwa 

1. Take another deep bottomed pan & put it on stove at medium flame. Boil Milk with water. Add Cardamons & saffron to this & let the sugar get dissolved. Stir at regular Intervals. 

2. Take a thick bottom pan (Kadhai) & put it on the stove at medium flame. When the pan become hot add ghee (Clarified Butter).

3. When the butter melts, add Semolina  (Sooji) to it & saute/roast on low flame.Stir constantly using spatula till  Semolina (Suji) turns golden brown & give off a faint aroma. When roasting Semolina  make sure you don't leave it unattended as this may burn it.

4. When the Semolina (suji) is properly roasted,slowly add the boiled milk & water syrup. Keep stirring persistently even when you are adding boiled milk & water syrup to avoid any lumps.

5. If any lumps are formed, make sure to break them with the back of the stirring spoon so you get a smooth paste-like consistency. As much as possible one should try to ensure no lumps are formed.

6. Add cashews and raisins to the Sooji / Semolina  and mix well.

7. Cook on low flame till the mixture leave the sides of the pan.

8. Lets do the plating & serve with love.

Veg Rogan Josh Recipe

Rogan Josh or roghan josh as it is popularly known is the signature recipes of Kashmiri cuisine. It forms an important item in the highly respected wazwan menu of kashmir. This dish has the aroma & the spices of kashmir. Its rich colour & creamy texture is symbolic of the kashmiri tradition.

As they say "What remains endlessly in the memory of the people visiting kashmir; heaven on earth, is the shikhara ride on the Dal Lake, ski lessons at Gulmarg, giggling geetru performances, saforn fields and endless plates of steaming rogan josh."

So lets cherish the kashmiri Roghan Josh in a vegetarian style!!

Ingredients for making Rogan Josh

Ingredients	Quantity
3 cm fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped	1
garlic cloves, peeled	8
Vegetable oil	150 Ml
Potato	1 kg
Cardamom pods	10 whole
Bay leaves	2
Cloves	6 whole
Peppercorns	10 whole
Cinnamon sticks	3 cm
Brown Onions, finely chopped & grinded to paste	4 medium sized
Coriander	A few
Cumin seeds	1 tsp
Paprika	1 tsp
Cayenne pepper	2 tsp
Salt	To taste
Plain yogurt	1 ltr
Garam masala	3 tsp
fresh ground pepper	2 tsp

Method of Making Rogan Josh

Directions:

1. Clean & boil the potatoes

2. Blend ginger, garlic with 4 tablespoons of water to make a smooth paste.

3. Fry the potato cubes till golden

3. Add cardamom, bay leaves, cloves, peppercons and cinnamon into the same hot oil which we used to fry potato. Stir once and wait till the bay leaves begin to take on colour & the cloves swell.This will add aroma.

4. Now add the finely chopped & pasted onions & Stir fry for about 5 minutes. Let the onions turn medium brown in colour.

5. Add ginger garlic paste and stir fry for 30 secs or so till its raw smell is gone.

6. To this add the coriander, cumin, paprika-cayenne, and salt. Stir fry on medium flame.

7. Once the masalas are cooked add the fried potato cubes.

8. Add 1 tablespoon of yogurt, stir until it blends with mutton & the gravy.

9. Add the remaining yogurt, 1 tablespoon at a time in the same way. keep Stir and fry for another 3 minutes.

10.Now add 275ml of water if your cooking potato. Bring to the boil, scraping all the browned spices off the sides and bottom of the pot. Cover and cook for 5 minutes

11. Every 10 minutes give the mixture a good stir. When the potato is tender take off the lid, turn the heat up to medium, and boil to evaporate the excess water.

12. Mix well

13. Sprinkle the garam masala, black pepper and  coriander & mint leaves over to garnish.

14.Serve hot with lachcha Paratha.

Gajar ka Hawal Recipe

Gajar ka halwa is one desert known for its royalty..

Ingridients

1. Carrot ( Grated ) - 500 grams
2. Sugar - 350 grams
3. Milk - 1/2 ltr
4. Ghee - 5 tablespoon
5. Cardamon - 5-7 6. Cashew nut - to garnish
7. Almond - to garnish
8. Raisons - to garnish
9. Chandi ka warq - to garnish
10. Khoa - 150 grams

Method of making Gajar ka Halwa:

1. Boil milk with cardamons.
2. Add grated carrots to it & cook till milk reduces to half. Let the milk get absorbed fully.
3. Lower the flame & add sugar. Mix well till sugar gets disolved.
4. To this add khoa & ghee & mix.

5. Stir on low flame, be carefully not to keep it slightly in liquid state as we are making Halwa & not barfi.
6. Decorate with almonds, raisans, & Chandi ka warq.
7. Eat & share with you loved ones