Let's welcome 2014..

..with our authentic pahadi Urad dal pakode, which are made on all auspicious celebrations ! Along with that let's make a quick Ice-cream-rasgulla sweet dish as well !

Ingredients :-

Split Black gram ( Urad dal )  -  250 gram

Turmeric powder ( Haldi ) - 1 tsp

Red Chilli powder (optional ) - 1 tsp

Salt  - as per taste

Asafoetida (Heeng) - 1tsp

Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp

Oil  - for frying

Method:-

Soak dal overnight. Grind it into the fine paste with as less water as possible. Add turmeric, salt, chilli powder and heeng to it . Mix well. Make small ball on wet palm and flatten it . Make a hole in the middle with index finger. Stick sesame seeds on top. Deep fry till golden brown.

-----------------------

Icecream-rasgulla pudding

Ingredient :-

Vanilla Ice cream - 1/2 kg box

Rasgulla - 8/10

  Nuts - assorted finely chopped

Strawberry slices/ chocolate chips - optional

Creative variations - optional  /  plenty

Method

Squeeze sugar syrup from Rasgulla, cut them in halves with a knife and keep them aside. keep vanilla ice cream out for a while and let it melt. Layer a flatten dish with icecream. Top it with a layer of halved Rasgulla. Then goes in sprinkling of nuts and strawberry pieces. Repeat the layers and garnish it with nuts and chocoloate chips. Chill it for 4-5 hrs or overnight in chiller . Relish !

Pahadi Panch Phoran

By : Shalini kuriyal

Panch phoran is a mix of five spices which gives distinctive pickely flavour to the dishes they are added to. It's so interesting how this mixture enhances the taste and gives a zing to the regularly used daals (lentils)  and veggies. I have learnt this from my mother. She uses these spices chiefly with 'Karela' (bitter gourd) which always tastes divine !

Ingredients :

Fenel seeds   (Saunf)             -          2 tbsp

Cumin seeds  (Jeera)            -           1 tbsp

Nigella seeds (Kalonji)        -           1 tbsp

 Carom seeds    (Ajwain)        -            1/2 tbsp

Fenugreek seeds   (Methi)      -           3/4 tbsp

Three methods : 

1. Mix them all to use whole for tempering. 

  2. Dry roast them for a while and grind them . 

Store the powder in an airtight jar.  

3. While grinding a spoon ful of sugar can be added to

 balance the bitterness of Fenugreek seeds.

For giving it a bengali twist, Mustard seeds (rai) can be added. 

How to use panch phoran 

1. Wholeseed tempering (tadka) can be done in Karela / Pumpkin / Boiled Potato / Ladyfinger and Arhar dal.

2. The grounded masala can be used to make stuffed Karela / Brinjal (baigan) / Okra (bhindi )/ mushroom/ Indian round gourd (tinda) and pointed gourd (parwal).

You can be creative to use this spice-mixture in many different ways. The number and amount of any spice can be adjusted as per the taste and preference. 

Kodaa Onion Parantha

Koda / Mandua / Ragi / nachani or Finger millet flour , as we know, is highly nutritious and 10 times richer in calcium than rice or wheat. To enhance its flavour a twist can be given to it by adding few more ingredients.  

Ingredients :

Koda - 1/2 cup

Wheat Flour - 1/2 cup

Onion (chopped) - 1

Green chillies (chopped) - 1 

Coriander leaves ( chopped)  - a bunch

Kalonji (Onion Seeds) - 1 tea spoon

Ajwain ( Carom seeds) - 1 tea spoon

Salt - as per taste

Red chilli pd (optional) - 1 tsp

Method : 

Mix flours well and let it sit for a while so that the chopped onion leaves its juice. Now add water slowly and knead a soft dough. Quantity of wheat flour can be adjusted if you feel there isn't enough binding in the dough.

Roll out chapati and cook with ghee. Serve with Raita or Chutney !

P.S.  If kids (or grown ups in some cases) refuse to eat this because of it's texture and colour, perhaps a little cheat can help here ! Small ball of above dough can be stuffed inside wheat flour dough to give it a regular parantha looks ! 

Go, give it a try and sneak in some nutrition inside regular food ! :-)

Almondy Green Chutney

Raise your hands if you like dipping and dunking your finger food or snacks in green chutney before eating them.  Great ! Lets's churn a chutney charm with refreshingly green and healthy ingredients !   

Ingredients:

Dhaniya/Coriander leaves  - 1 bunch

Pudina/Mint Leaves   - 1 bunch 

Green Chillies  - 4/5

Ginger/Garlic    -   as per taste

Lemon Juice - 2 tbsp

Almond - 10-20 

Salt - as per taste

Roasted Jeera powder (optional) - 1 tsp 

Method

Mixie all the ingredients into a fine paste. Add water if needed. Adjust the seasoning. Relish it !  No snacks to eat it with? Just pop a papad in a microwave and enjoy chutney with it !

(Variation :  Raisins can be added to make it into a hot n sweet chutney.) 

Protein Packed Pulao

This dish is for one of those lazy winter Sundays when you want to fix something simple and quick . So here is a one-pot meal which is wholesome, nutritious, quick-fix and filling too ! Loaded with available veggies, it's  moong-dal sprout that makes this dish high in protein.   

Rice - 11/2 cup

Onion ( Chopped) - 1/2 cup

Sprouted moong - 1/2 cup

Peas (Fresh/Frozen) - 1/2 cup

Carrot (diced) - 1/2 cup

Pulao Masala - 2 tsp

Salt - as per taste

Red chilli pd (optional) - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric (optional )- 1/4 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Green Chillies - 1

Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp

Oil/Ghee - 1 tbsp

Water/ vegetable stock - 3 cups

In a pan heat Ghee/oil.  Add jeera, green chillies and onion. Let it turn dark brown. Add  Veggies and saute for a minute. Add washed, soaked and drained rice and let it cook for a minute or two. Add spices and bhuno for 2-3 more minutes. Add water and further cook it on slow flames. Once the water dries, cover it and let it simmer for couple of more minutes. Adjust the cooking time by pressing/checking the grain of rice. Once done, turn off the gas and let it cook in its own steam . 

Sprinkle coriander leaves. 

Serve it with Raita, Papad, Salad, Ghee and Achaar.

 Have a home picnic ! Carry the pots and plates out 

where your house gets rays of bright afternoon sun.

Now spread a sheet and get ready to overeat.

Complete this meal with some sweetmeat.

and remember, without a afternoon nap this treat is incomplete !

So Zzzzzz and enjoy your Sunday !!!!

Tip: 

This make-ahead dish can be prepared in a rice-cooker as well. The tempering and sauteing part of the cooking can be done on the gas stove while having breakfast in the morning . Transfer it in the rice cooker, add required water and leave it . Just switch it on 20 minutes before you are ready to eat lunch !   

The Kingly Kafuli

      By

Prema Kuriyal 

Kafuli is a thick green gravy dish. Traditionally, it is prepared with "Pahadi Palak" or "Rai". Eaten mainly with steamed rice, it is a perfect dish for Sunday lunch. This iron-supplementing dish is undoubtedly one of the yummiest, simplest and humblest gharwali dishes. 

  

Ingredients : 

 Desi Palak - 1 Bunch

Sarson - 1 Bunch

Garlic - 6-7 Cloves

Ginger  - 1/2 inch

Green Chilli - 1/2

Salt - as per taste

Turmeric pd - 1 tsp

Coriander pd - 1tsp

Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

For Thickening (optional)

Atta / besan / chawal ka atta paste (Wheat/Rice flour) - 1 tbsp + 2tbsp water 

For Tempering :

Mustard oil - 1 tbsp

Dry Red chillies - 2-3

Jhakiya - 1 tsp

Heeng - a pinch

Method : Clean and wash Palak/ Rai/ mixture of both. Pressure cook it along with ginger, garlic and chillies. Let it cool for a while and then grind it into coarse paste with hand blender/mixer. 

In an iron-kadai , heat mustard oil and add Red chillies. Once the chillies turn brown, remove them and keep aside. Heeng and Jhakiya goes in next. Add palak-paste and required amount of water. Next add spices. Mix in the thickening paste and bring it to the boil. Cook for 5-7 minutes on slow flames. Flames can be turned off now. To get the authentic irony-smoky flavour, let kafuli sit in iron-kadai for a while.Crush one of the tempered red chilli between fingers. Sprinkle these flakes for garnishing the plate.  Relish it with  steamed rice.

Enjoy !

Chana Kabaab

By Swati Nautiyal

Want to make a quick yet scrumptious starter for your next get together? Here is a recipe of a very healthy vegetarian Chana Kabab which not only is one of my instant-hit party appetizers but is fairly easy to prepare as well . 

Ingredients:

Kala Chana (Black Chickpea) - 1 cup

Onion (chopped) - 1

GingerGarlic Paste - 1/2 tsp

Meat masala - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1tsp

Green chillies (Chopped) - 1

Chopped Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Soup Cubes - 1

Cornflour- 2 tbsp (for binding)

Oil - for frying.

Method : Soak Chana dal  in water overnight. Drain the water, wash thoroughly and pressure cook with some water and salt till it's done. Mixie the dal into a fine paste. Add all the ingredients and mix well. Now make it into small round flat patties and shallow/deep fry them. 

Serving suggestions: Serve with green chutney/ mint-yogurt chutney/ onion ring salad or tomato sauce. 

Relish the Kebabs!

Mini 

Photo courtesy : Sanjeev kapoor

Jhangore ki Kheer

Jhangora (Barnyard millet ) kheer is a traditional and a very 

delicious, nutritious and yummiest gharwali dessert . This healthy 

and finger-licking dessert can be prepared in a jiffy to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Washed and soaked Jhagora

Ingredients :

 Jhangora - 2 tbsp

Milk - 1 kg

Sugar - as per taste

Cardamon (Eliachi) powder  - a pinch

Dry fruits - (optional) /as per taste

cinnamon powder - (optional)/ a pinch/1 tsp

Saffron strings - (optional) / few

Method:

 Wash and soak Jhangora for 1/2 an hour.

Add it to the boiling milk and  keep stirring it. 

Let it cook for 15-20 min in low flames.

Sugar can be added once the consistency becomes thick.

Mix in optional ingredients to give it a richness.

Relish the dessert hot or cold as per the preference. 

P.S  For the cooks :-Transfer the kheer in a bowl. Garnish it with nuts and keep it aside. To taste the authentic part of the kheer, take the empty pot in which the kheer was cooked. Sit down comfortably. Now devour scrapings of the dessert stuck in the pot. Grab a spoon and scrape through the residue ! :-)

Lazeez Lauki

After days of gorging party or heavy oily food, simple light veggie with few ingredients sounds divine. Lazeez lauki gives much required respite to overworked and overloaded tummy.

Ingredients:  peeled and cubed lauki ( bottle gourd) - 1

Ghee - 1/2 tbsp

Jakheeya seeds - 1 spoon

Green chillies - 2

Red chilli flakes- 1 spoon

Salt and turmeric powder

Bunch of Coriander leaves

Kari patty- optional

Method:  In a kadai put jakheeya in ghee and let it splutter.

Add all other ingredients one by one and let it cook for 15 minutes.

Deliciously simple lauki is ready .

Enjoy with roti !

Bitter Sweet, naturally !

Relishing 'karela' is an acquired taste. And I acquired it pretty late but once I did develop taste for it I don't mind eating it day, noon and night. So, to give karela a twist , I thought of using the natural tastes of karela and sweet potato and mixing them together ! 

* warning* :- This recipe has not many takers...it  is tailored for my taste buds only so in case you do take risk to make it, be prepared to eat it alone! )

Karela and Shakkar kand ( Bitter gourd and sweet potato) !

Ingredients:

Bitter Gourd - 250 grams

Sweet potato - 250 grams

onion - 1 ( chopped )

Aniseed ( Saunf) - 1 tsp

onion seeds ( Kalonji ) - 1 tsp

Cumin seed ( Jeera) - 1 tsp

Carom seeds (Ajwain) - 1tsp

salt, chili powder, coriander powder, mango powder ( amchoor ) 

Sugar - (optional )

Method : Take 2 tbsp hot oil in a non-stick pan. Tip in all seeds and immediately add onion . Saute it for a while and let it brown. Add karela. Stir and let it cook for 5 minute in low flames. Sweet potato can be added now along with all spices except amchoor and sugar . Cook for 15 min and keep stirring it. Now add remaining spices and cook for further 5 minutes. Serve hot with parantha. 

Enjoy !

Roat

by Prema Kuriyal

Roat is our one of the famous traditional dishes.

 It is prepared with Atta (whole meal wheat flour) and Jaggery. 

A special roat mould, time, preparation and ethusiasm is needed to make it. 

But once you have a big batch ready , then " no one can just eat one" ! 

Ingredients 

Atta - 2 cups

Jaggery - 1 1/2 cups

Aniseed (Saunf) - 1 tbsp (whole/grounded) 

Sesame seeds ( til ) - 1 tbsp (whole) 

ghee/refined - 1 cup

Desiccated coconut - optional

First make Jaggery syrup : Add jaggery in water, stir, strain 

and keep it aside. Mix refined/ghee in the flour and sift/mix it well with 

your hands. Add all other ingredients and gradually adding jaggery syrup 

knead it into a nice stiff dough. Once it's done it needs to be made 

into small balls and then moulded in special roat makers!

Deep fry them and enjoy with evening cup of tea !

Twist 

(if mould is not available.)

1. Cookie moulds or simple katori can be used. 

2. It can be made into yummy sweet parantha .

(Add to the list if some new ideas come up in your creative mind .)

Pisaa Namak - 1

By Swati Nautiyal (Mini)

Here is the simple way to turn plain salt into a flavoured 

one by adding few easily available things in the kitchen. 

I

Salt : 1 cup

Jeera (cumin seeds) : 2tbsp

Green chillies : 4

Red chillies : 2

Garlic : 10 -15 cloves

Dry roast jeera in a pan till it is fragrant ( take care not to burn it).

Mixie all things together and voila! you've got your pissa namak ready!

Enjoy it with salads (specially lengthwise cut cucumber) , raita or fruit chaat !

Moong Mooli ki Bhujji

It's easy. It's quick. And it's tasty too.

We do make usual mooli and patte ki bhuji but 

A twist is given to it by adding moong dal . why? Just like that !

Mooli (diced)- 2 nos.

Mooli leaves (Patte) - a cupful

Soaked Moong Dal (optional) - 1 tablespoon

Jakheeya - 1 teaspoon

Chopped Green chillies- 2 

Salt - as per taste

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

mustard/refined oil - 2tsp

1. Let jakheeya splutter in the heated oil.

2. Add dal and saute for a minute.

3. Mooli and patte can be added next.

4.Season it with other ingredients and let it cook for 5 minute.

5. Serve it as a side dish, specially with Kadi-chawal.

Welcome Back !!

Welcome Back after a long two-year hiatus !
We will make a collective effort to keep this place interesting and informative.
Keep visiting us !

Love
Kuriyals daughters-in law and daugters !