Mutter Ki Kachori

Kachori is popular snack in various parts of India.  Kachoris can be a great tea/coffee time snack or morning breakfast, that is how it is in many parts of India.  
Stiff dough of plain flour, ghee and salt for outer cover, different vegetables or lentils are stuffed with spices inside the outer cover, sealed and deep fried.  Nowadays even oven baked for healthier version.
Onions, Peas, Paneer and so on are used for stuffing. I have even heard sweet stuffing, which I have not tried.
Kachoris made in Gujarat, has a dash of sweetness in it. But for me generally kachoris are to be spicy.
The flaky crisp outer cover,  and a spicy inside mixture is just a perfect tea time snack or great for winter breakfast. These kachoris with spicy mint or coriander chutney is my way to enjoy it, a complete no no to ketchup or sauce.
This sounds me soo old fashioned ha ha...
There is also a variety of kasta kachoris which is very crisp outer layer.
Today it is Mutter Ki Kachori or simply fresh/frozen green peas kachoris.

Ingredients:
For Outer Cover:
Plain/All Purpose flour - 2 cups,
Ghee - 1/3 of a cup,
Salt,
Oil for deep frying.

For Stuffing:
Fresh/Frozen Peas - 2 cups,
Green Chillies - 2,
Ginger - 1 inch chopped,
Oil - 1 tablespoon,
Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon,
Red Chilly Powder - 1 teaspoon,
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 teaspoon,
Salt.

Method:
Mix plain flour, ghee and salt with water to make a stiff dough.
Keep aside, rest it covered for half hour.
Cook the peas in enough water until soft and cooked.
Drain the water completely. Cool. 
Pulse the cooled peas, with ginger and green chillies to a coarse mixture, without adding water.
You can pulse in a food processor or mixer.
In a pan heat oil and  add cumin, when it crackles, add coarse mixture and fry until it thickens, so you can make balls out of it.
Add salt, red chilly powder and garam masala powder.
Cook for a minute and remove from heat. Allow to cool.
Heat sufficient oil in a frying pan/kadai.
The oil should be medium hot.
Pinch a medium lemon size dough and roll it to your palm size.
Fill a medium lemon size stuffing mixture and and cover and seal well from all sides.
Now again roll to your palm size.
Repeat the same with rest of the dough and stuffing mixture.
Deep fry these discs on both sides to medium brown and serve hot with green chutney.

Iyengar Puliogarai From Scratch

Puliogarai or tamarind rice is a speciality of Iyengar cuisine. No celebration is complete without puliogarai.
When I was little, I have  seen the preparation of this puliogarai paste, the basic paste required to make this tamarind rice. Each and every ingredient was choosen carefully both in quality and quantity. The exact measure of all ingredients, the oil used and so on. The big iron kadai used to be used to boiling this paste. The aged tamarind will be used, mean to say that, tamarind which is bought atleast a year back, is cleaned, pounded and made into big size balls,dried in sun and then stored, after an year this tamarind would have turned to very dark, black colour. This tamarind may be around 3-4 kilograms, used to be soaked in water previous day.
The next step is to make the dry roast powder, well before and keep ready which will go to the puliogarai paste.
Then a stove will be lit in the backyard near to the tap and the big iron kadai is lit, given the seasoning, then add thick tamarind juice and allowed to boil for hours, until it reaches medium consistency.
Then salt and jaggery is added and boiled again to reach more thicker consistency.
Finally Powder is added and boiled in low flame to get lehyam thick, cooled and stored in sterlized air tight bottles.
So when you want to make puliogarai, cook rice and cool.
Add lehgyam and dry roast powder salt and mix and then give the tempering.
Add grated dry coconut and serve.
Now I live abroad, everytime I used carry this paste from My Mom's place and prepare the puliogarai.
But sometimes it used to get over early or due weight limitations I was not able to carry the basic paste, then I used to always think If I had the infrastructure I would have prepared it myself. That's when I started experimenting to make in very less quantity, say just enough to make once or two times.
I succeeded, though I have made a small changes in roasted powder by adding little bit of chana dal and urad dal, which is not used in original powder, but again I have added to give body to the mixture, since I make it in very less quantiy.
To get the exact taste I would suggest you use either sesame oil or groundnut oil only.
Also I would suggest you to make this paste in a week's advance and go ahead with preparing the puliogarai, the older the paste the better the taste.
I have seen storing this in my house for more than a year, without fridge.

Ingredients:
Rice - 250 grams,
Oil - 2 tablespoon(preferably sesame or groundnut oil),
Mustard Seeds - 1 tablespoon,
Asafoetida - fat pinch,
Tamarind - 1 large lemon size soaked in water for atleast 3-4 hours,
Jaggery - 2 tablespoons,
Salt,
Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoon.

For Roasting and grinding:
Oil - 1 teaspoon,
Chana Dal - 1/2 teaspoon,
Urad dal - 1/4 teaspoon,
Coriander seeds - 3 teaspoons,
Red Chillies - 10-12,
Pepper Corn - 1/2 teaspoon,
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 teaspoon,
Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon,
Fenugreek seeds - 1/8 teaspoon,
Sesame seeds - 1 teaspoon,
Asafoetida - a pinch,
Curry Leaves - 5-6 leaves.

Method:
Though originally all the ingredients under dry and roast table is done without oil, as large quantities of ingredients are used and easy to dry roast.
But since I am using very less quantity so I am using oil to roastthe ingredients, with any oil of your wish.
In a pan add oil and heat it. Add all the ingredients under roasting table and in medium low flame fry until evenly browned.
Remove from heat, cool and grind it to fine powder and keep aside.
Strain the thick pulp from the soaked tamarind and keep aside.
In broad deep kadai, heat oil, add mustard seeds and allow to crackle.
Add the thick pulp, and allow to boil with turmeric.
When it reaches to medium thick consistency, add salt and jaggery and boil.
Continue to boil until it thickens to very thick paste.
Add the ground powder and boil for 3-4 minutes you see the whole mixture coming together as a big lump.
Remove from heat and store.

How to proceed:
Cook 250 grams of rice with enough water and spread with fork, to separate the grains, and completely cool it.
Spread the paste on the rice and mix with rice well.
Adjust the salt.
Tear around 10-12 fresh curry leaves into pieces and mix with rice.
In a kadai heat a tablespoon of sesame/ground oil(very important), add a teaspoon of mustard seeds and a pinch of asafoetida.
Add a tablespoon of grated dry coconut and mix.
When mustard seeds crackles, add 3 tablespoons of peanuts and 1 teaspoon of chana dal and fry until brown and add to the rice and serve and enjoy!!!!!!!!!

Potato Bread Rolls

Potato Bread rolls is a very tasty evening snack or can be a  good party starter. This is a very tasty filling snack. Very easy to make and preparations can be made ahead and store in the fridge and fry when required.  Again the filling mixture can be of anything of your choice,  I have used peas and potato, you can use, mixed vegetables with paneer and so on.
Instead of white you can also use brown bread.
This snack is a very big hit with my family and friends.
Do give a try and enjoy with your friends and family.

Ingredients:
Potato - 2 large cooked and mashed,
Shelled fresh/frozen Peas - 1/2 cup,
Oil - 1 tablespoon,
Cumin - 1 teaspoon,
Green chillies - 2 finely chopped,
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon,
Red Chilly powder - 1 teaspoon,
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 teaspoon,
Amchur Powder - 1 teaspoon,
Salt.
Bread Slices Brown/White - 6,
Oil for frying.

Method:
Boil fresh peas until soft, but holds shape, in boiling water with salt.
Drain water completely.
In a broad pan add oil and heat.
Add cumin seeds, when it crackles, add green chillies and saute.
Add peas and saute until, it turns pale green.
Add all the dry masalas and salt.
Mix well.
Add boiled and mashed potato and mix well.
Remove from heat and cool.
Divide into six equal size oblong balls, keep aside.
Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat.
Cut the four sides of bread, to remove the brown part of the bread.
Keep cold clean drinking water in a wide bowl.
Dip these bread in water, for couple of seconds, remove from water and press to remove excess water.
Take care not to tear the bread.
Stuff the filling of peas and potato into the bread slices and completely cover the stuffing and seal the bread from all sides.
Repeat the procedure with rest of bread and filling.
Deep fry these rolls, inn medium heat, until golden brown.
Remove from oil and drain the excess oil on tissue paper.
Serve with chutney or sauce of your choice

Rasagullas

Roshagullas as they are pronounced..typically called are famous bengali sweets made from fresh paneer or indian cottage cheese dunked in mild sugar syrup.
I have crush on bengali sweets right from my childhood, those cheesy melt in mouth texture mildly sweetened have always attracted me, also I love rasmalai, champakali, sondesh, malai sandwich and list goes on.
I wanted to try this sweet from very long, tried different recipes, like adding fine semolina, but nothing was to my liking, so finally tried this easy fool proof must try recipe. I came across this recipe in here. You can visit this site and check for more detail. Thanks Garimaji for posting this easy wonderful recipe.

Ingredients:
Milk - 1 liter,
Yogurt/Lemon/Vinegar - 2-3 Tablespoons,
Ice Cubes - 12-15.

Sugar Syrup for cooking Roshagullas:
Sugar - 1 and 1/2 cup,
Powdered Cardamom - 1/2 teaspoon,
Water - 6 cups.

For Final syrup to dunk the rosahgullas:
Sugar - 1/2 cup,
Water - 3/4 cup,
Saffron Strands - few,
Chopped Pistachios - few.

Method:
Start the recipe by making paneer, the original recipe calls for boiling the milk and cooling and remove the malai or cream layer formed on the top of the milk.
Again boil the milk, when it boils add lemon juice/vinegar/yogurt, keep adding until, milk curdles and the water and whey separates clearly.
As I had previous day boiled milk, I removed the cream and proceeded further.
Once whey separates, do not heat any further, immediately transfer to colander.
Here I have used the tip from the original recipe, If you are using lemon juice or vinegar to curdle the milk, then immediately dump the ice cubes into the colander, when you strain it, but if you are using yogurt to curdle milk, you can skip this dumping of ice cubes.
Place a cheese cloth and pour the cheese into the cheese cloth and run under cold water and wash well and squeeze the cloth well, the water from cheese has to be completely drained, its very important.
Hang the cloth for 15-20 minutes.
Once the water drains completely, collect the cheese on a plate and start kneading it with the heals of your fingers, the fat in the cheese will help to knead, within 6-8 minutes on kneads, you will see crumbled cheese coming together into a smooth dough.
Now pinch small balls and roll into smooth balls without any cracks.
I got 13 balls.
While doing this, you can bring light syrup ingredients, that is 1 and 1/2 cup sugar and 6 cups of water and cardamom powder to boil in a thick bottom broad pan.
Here again, when you take pan to boil the sugar syrup take a deep broad/wide pan to boil the syrup, as we will be cooking the cheese balls in this, so we need enough space for balls to boil, again they double up in volume, so need enough space.
If they do not have enough space, then they will not bloat up and will lose shape.
I cooked my roshagullas in two batches.
Once the syrup starts to boil, slip slowly/gently the balls and cover and cook for 12-14 minutes.
Mine took approximately 13 minutes.
It is better to check after 10 minutes.
To check if they are cooked, take a glass of clean drinking water, drop  the cheese ball, if it sinks then it is cooked, if it floats then needs to be cooked for couple of more minutes.
Now again take a broad/wide deep bowl with clean drinking water.
As the cheese balls get cooked drop in this clean water, until the whole of all balls are cooked.
Again this bowl should be wide enough to hold all balls, otherwise it will shrink and lose shape.
Once all the cheese balls are cooked , remove to the cold water bowl.
Now with the left over sugar syrup, add 1/2 cup of sugar and 3/4 cup water and allow to boil, just to melt the sugar.
Once sugar melts, add saffron  and remove from heat, cool it to be warm.
Once the sugar syrup is warm, gently squeeze the roshagullas from water and add to sugar syrup. 
Chill in refrigerator for atleast  3 hour before serving.
Garnish with pistachios and serve and enjoy!!!!!!!!!

Kalakhand

Kalakhand is a basic sweet recipe from nothern part of India..but now available in and out of India.
There are different ways of making it..or atleast I know three different ways.
One is completely reducing the milk , until it becomes thick and grainy and pour on a greased plate, and cut into squares.
The Second is half reduced milk and half fresh home made Paneer and again reduce to thick and grainy.
The Third method is using milkmaid and paneer.
Today I am following the second method, which is very easy, but a bit time consuming.
But all the worth, when you taste the melting in the mouth this kalakhand.
I sometimes use this left over kalakhand in my halwas, instead of khoya/mawa.
But since this is a milk based sweet, of course the shelf life is short, I would say 2-3 days if stored in fridge.

Ingredients:
Milk - 2 liters,
Sugar - 2 tablespoons,
Cardamom powder - a pinch,
Juice of 1 lemon,
Chopped pistachios - 1 tablespoon,
Saffron stands - few.

Method:
Grease a plate with ghee and set aside.
Boil 1 liter of milk, continuously stirring, once it boils, keep adding the lemon juice, until the milk curdles and whey separates from water.
Alternatively you can use yogurt or vinegar to curdle the milk.
Pour this curdled milk on a cheese cloth and add 10-15 Ice cubes to cool it.
After few minutes wash this paneer in running cold water to remove any sourness in the panner caused by lemon.
Drain the water very well, tie in a cheese/muslin cloth and hang it to drain water completely and keep aside.
In a thick bottomed pan, heat remaining 1 liter of milk and boil by constantly stirring, until it is reduced to half its original quantity, that is milk is reduced to 1/2 liter.
I literally measured  and then proceeded further.
Once the milk is reduced, add paneer and sugar and keep stirring in low flame.
After say 8-10 minutes the mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan, comes together like a mass.
Pour the mixture into the greased plate, and pat with back of spoon to smoothen the surface and even it.
Let it cool for sometime, until it is warm.
Sprinkle cardamom powder, saffron strands and pistachios.
Cut into squares and enjoy!!!

Dates Figs and Nuts Roll

This is one of the sweets I love to make and eat with less guilt. 
This roll does not have any added sugar or honey, all the sweetness comes from dates and figs, which is natural, at the same time it is not too sweet, you can gobble on second piece of roll with less guilt. 
This roll is easy to make and has a long shelf life compared to other sweets, can be made ahead. I think that's because of all natural ingredients that go in making of this roll. Loads of nuts of your choice can be added to make it more healthy, I have added cashew in my roll, but completely optional.
Rest of the nuts are loaded with nutrients,can be also used as energy bars. Perfect to send with lunch boxes for snack time.

Ingredients:
Ghee - 1 and 1/2 tablespoon,
Dates - 300 grams,
Figs - 200 grams(dried),
Pistachio - 1/4 cup,
Almonds - 1/4 cup,
Cashew - 1/4 cup,
Walnuts - 1/4 cup,
Poppy Seeds - 2 Tablespoon.

Method:
I have used medjool dates as they are supposed to be the best dates.
Chop all the nuts and dry roast, until it gives out nutty flavour. Keep aside.
You can either dry roast each nut separately or like me, mix all the nuts and dry roast.
Dry roast poppy seeds, until it is slightly browned and gives the roasted flavour. But take care not to burn it and it turns black. As poppy seeds turns black very fast. Keep aside. 
Chop figs and dates finely and pulse them in mixer or food processor.
In a broad thick pan, add ghee and heat it.
Add pulsed figs and dates, and fry in medium low flame, constantly stirring.
Within 3-5 minutes the figs and dates turn pulpy.
Add roasted nuts and mix well.
Remove from heat.
Allow it to cool to room temperature, or just warm.
Rub a little ghee on your hands and roll them into logs.
Roll these logs on the roasted poppy seeds, so they logs are coated very well.
Refrigerate this logs for at least 2 hours in the fridge.
Cut them in rounds and enjoy.

Note:
Adding poppy seeds is completely optional, rest of the procedure can be followed and make a tasty roll.
Adding nuts can be of your choice, you can also add any other nuts of your choice.

Curry Leaves Rice

Curry Leaves/kariveppilai/karibevu/kadipatha is a very flavourful herb extensively used in Indian cooking for its wonderful aroma and as a natural taste enhancer, no South Indian Rasam, Sambhar, Kootu, stirfry, and the list goes on....is complete without tempering with curry leaves. Not only for tempering, but also important ingredient is masala powders.
But this humble curry leaf is just not only flavourful, but loaded with carbohydrates, fiber, calciuum, phosphorus, iron magnesium, copper, even here the list goes on, for the load of nutrients it has.
So more reasons to love this humble leaf.
The recipe which I am sharing with you is from my mil's recipes, but with same ingredients and method she makes citron/narthangai/heralehannu rice...this rice is given during postpartum and I love the taste.
So decided to use the same recipe inn curry leaves rice, everybody in the family loved, So I am sharing  the recipe with all of you.

Ingredients:
Rice - Cooked and Cooled 1 Cup,
Salt.

To Roast and Grind:
Oil - 1 teaspoon,
Chana Dal - 2 teaspoon,
Tuar Dal - 2 teaspoon,
Urad dal - 1/2 teaspoon,
Coriander Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon,
Red Chillies - 2,
Pepper Corns - 1 teaspoon
Curry Leaves - 2 cups loosely packed,
Tamarind - a Small Piece,
Dry Coconut - 2 Tablespoons grated.

Tempering:
Oil - 2 teaspoons,
Ghee - 2 teaspoons (optional),
Mustard - 2 teaspoons,
Urad dal - 2 teaspoons,
Cashew - 1 tablespoon.

Method:
Cook rice with 1:2 water, that is for 1 cup of rice add 2 cups of boiling water and cook.
Once cooked, Spread the rice with fork and allow to cool.
Roast the ingredients under roast and grind table, except tamarind, curry leaves and tamarind.
In my mil's recipe, she will not add coriander seeds, chana dal,and urad dal.
But I have added , as I felt this will enhance the taste.
When the dals are browned, add tamarind and curry leaves and switch off flame and remove from heat.
The heat is just enough to fry the curry leaves.
Powder these first, and then add dry copra and powder it. Keep aside.
Mix this powder with cooled rice and mix well. Add salt and mix well.
Temper the ingredients under tempering table and add to rice and enjoy.