Malida - Chapati Laddoo

Basically, I am not that fond of very sweet things. So when my sister- in-law made this malida/ chapati ladoo, I was little cautious while taking taste of it. But after having a little bite, I can't control to eat whole laddoo. It was just delitious, also it was not too sweet and buttery. I just loved it.

After that, It became like ritual of preparing extra chapatis and having freshly made malida with my family.

Serves : 6-7 laddoos ( depends on size)

Time : 5 mins.

Ingredients:

5/6 Left over chapatis/freshly made chapatis

1 tsp roasted fennel seeds2tsp clarified butter(Ghee)
2 tsp grated jaggery or to taste
1/2 tsp Cardamom powder

Method:

1. Crumble chapatis in rough pieces.

2 In blender, add roasted fennel seeds, chapati pieces and blend coarsely till it will have even structure.

3. Mix vigorously chapati pieces, grated jaggery, butter, cardamom powder with hands.

4. Make balls out of it. Serve.

Note:

1. These can be stored for a week.
2. Some people doesn't like malida made using blender in that case use your fingers to make very small pieces of chapatis.

3. This is good option as snack for children as they like the taste but will not understand that they are eating chapatis .. so children's are happy as well as moms :-).

3. Malida made from Leftover chapatis is more tasty than freshly made chapatis.

Urad Dal Ladoo - An Experiment

In India, we have many types of ladoo, Rava ladoo, besan ladoo, moong ladoo many more. Each one has its own unique taste. Few days back, Smita Naram from Yoga for you(Zee tv) sharing benefits of urad dal and she told that we can prepare ladoo and have them. ohh! so urad flour can also be used in ladoo. I was curious how it will taste, so thought of giving it a try. And it come out good and has its own unique taste.

Time: 30 minutes

Serve: 8-9 ladoo

Ingredients:

1 cup Urad dal( split white gram lentil)

1 cup sugar powder

6-7 broken cashews

1/2 tsp cardamom powder
4-5 tsp clarified butter (Ghee)

Method:

1. Roast urad dal till golden brown on medium high heat.

2. Let it cool and grand into smooth flour.

3. Heat butter in non- stick pan and add urad flour and fry for about 5 mins on medium heat mixing continuously until a nice aroma comes out of it. Remove from heat.

4. Now add sugar, cashews, cardamom powder and mix thoroughly.

5. apply some ghee to hands and make laddoos.

6.Serve.

Note:

1. The cardamom powder should not be added till the end. If it is added before, the ladoos loose their aroma.

2. If the laddoo mixture becomes too dry then add milk at the end. Avoid this situation as much as possible. This decreases the shelf life.

3. You can make ladoo by mixing half the mixture of moong flour or besan flour with and other half with urad dal.

4. urad flour can be used instead of urad dal.

5. urad dal is good for building muscles. High in complex carbohydrates, protein and fiber. Important part of Vegetarian diet for complete protein.

Rajma masala

Last Thursday I wanted to try out Rajma masala, as it was the first time I am prepared Rajma masala dish, so I was curious about ingredients and procedure. I asked my maternal aunt as she is excellent cook, I followed her instructions and it came out just delicious.

Ingredients:

1 cups uncooked Rajma ( Red Kidney Beans )

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 medium tomato, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp ginger, garlic paste

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

2 green chilies

1tsp red chili chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/4 inch turmeric powder

1-2 black pepper, to taste

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon powder

1-2 small bay leaves

1 tablespoons clarified butter

salt to taste

water

Method:

1. Wash the kidney beans well and soak in water overnight.

2. Next morning, In Pressure cooker add soaked kidney beans. Pressure cook on high level for one whistle, then on low level cook for about 10 minutes or till the beans are soft.

3. Remove 1/4 cup of cooked beans, crush coarsely and keep aside.

4. Grind chopped tomato, ginger,garlic, coriander seeds, black pepper, green chilies, bay leaves, cinnamon to a very fine paste.

5. Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add cumin seeds, chopped onions and saute until golden brown.

6. Add the ground paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt and saute, sprinkling water occasionally, until the butter starts separating from the paste

7. Add the cooked beans (not the crushed beans), stir for a while.

8. Pour 3 cups of water and add the crushed beans.Mix well and bring to a boil. Garnish with coriander leaves

9. Serve hot over steamed rice, chapatis, or whole-wheat tortillas.

Note:

1. Always soak Rajma beans before cook otherwise till will much longer time to cook and heavy to digest.

2. You can skip tomato and increase quantity of onion this also turn out tasty dish.

Wiki - Red Kidney Beans

Mango Lassi

Summer has no fun without mango lassi. It is delicious quick and easy.

Ingredients:

2 Cup ripe mangoes

1 Cup curd (Yogurt)

1/2 Cup milk

4 tsp sugar as per taste

1/4 tsp cardamom powder

salt to taste

handful of ice cubes

Method:

1. Peel the mango skin and separate the pulp from the seed. Discard seed.

2. Blend mangoes,milk, curd, ice and sugar till ice incorporate well with other things.

3. Serve cool.

Note:

1. You can substitute 1 cup canned mango pulp in case you don't have fresh mangoes. If using sweetened mango pulp, reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe.

2. Any type of curd whole, 1%, 2% or fat free goes well in this recipe.

3. You can substitute cream, or ice cream instead of curd.

4. It is served in a tall glass with a straw, often with ground pistachio nuts sprinkled on top.

Mango Margarita

On Saturday night or in any occasion, mango margarita is just easy and quick drink. Just throw some things into blender and you will have your own margarita and yet alcohol free, still delicious :-).

Ingredients:

4 small mangoes (Ripe - fresh or frozen)

1 Cup mango squash

1/4 cup orange juice (optional)

4 tsp lemon juice

Ice as needed

1 tsp sugar (as per taste)

salt for applying on rims of glass

Method:

1. Cut mangoes into cubes. Blend mango cubes, mango squash, orange juice, lemon juice, sugar, ice till ice incorporate with all other ingredients in blender.

2. Apply lemon juice using small piece of lemon on the rims of glass.

3. Dip rim of glass in salt and remove.

4. Pour fresh chill mango margarita into glass.

5. Garnish with any tropical fruit mango, pineapple or a lemon slice and Serve.

Note:

1. You can replace mango squash with 1 cup tequila as per choice.

Moong khichadi

This is simple yet delicious recipe. This is nutritious, rich in protein/ carb balance, easy to make.

My mom always used to prepare when she ran out of time and we all kids were hungry.

As this is very light to digest this is suggested after you had a heavy lunch or snack. Also suggested for children as it is light and nutritious.

This recipe deserve a special space in my blog. Just Perfect for a lazy day.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Rice

1 Cup Moong dal

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp butter

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

a pinch of asafoetida

salt to taste

3 1/2 - 4 Cup Water

Method:

1. Mix rice and moong dal and wash and drain water thoroughly.

2. Heat butter in pressure cooker, add cumin seeds and turmeric powder, a pinch of asafoetida.

3. After cumin seeds started crackle, add rice and moong dal and add sufficient water.

4. Let it boil for 2-3 mins, check there is sufficient water is there for further cooking otherwise add some water.

5. pressure cook for 3 whistles.

6. Let the pressure drop of its own.

7. Serve hot with pickle, milk, ghee or plain yogurt, roasted papad.

Note:

1. You can make this khichadi using green moong dal, sprouted moong.

2. You can add curry leaves, green chilies, 1 tsp garam masala after adding cumin seeds for making spicy Khichadi.

3. To make really spicy instead of green chilies u can add 1 tsp Tikhat or 1 tsp red chili powder as per taste.

Chapati

Time: 1 hr(including resting time)

Serve: 15 chapati
Ingredients:

2 cup wheat flour
1 tsp oil
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Mix flour, salt, oil in deep flat vessel.

2. Add water little at a time, knead well to get soft dough.

3. Keep aside at least for 30-40 min, keep it covered.

4. Divide dough in to small balls.

5. Roll out like a puri and apply oil on it. Sprinkle a pinch of dry wheat flour on it.

6. Now fold it to get semicircular shape.

7. Again apply some ghee and dry flour on it. Once again fold it to get triangular shape.

8. Apply dry flour on it and roll out in to circular shape.

9. On non-stick pan, bake it from both sides by sprinkling oil on both sides.

10. Cook it till golden brown from both sides.

11. Serve hot with sabji, dal etc.

Shrikhand

On Long weekend I wanted to prepare some really special sweet for welcoming our guests. So I decided to prepare delicious shrikhand. Usually I prepare shrikhand from milk instead of ready made curd. You can use any milk, whole, fat free, 1% or 2% depending on your choice. I usually make from 2% milk. Also you can refrigerate for about 1 week without loosing its taste. Just Yummy!

You should have 1 days advance to make shrikhand ready to eat as it will take time to thicken the curd and it require 5-6 hr for making chakka(drained curd after hanging 5-6 hrs).

Shrikhand is just too smooth, soft and mouthwatering.

Ingredients:

1 liter milk

4 tsp room temperature curd.
300 gms Sugar (as per taste)
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
Few strands saffron
1 tbsp pistachio  and almond cashew crushed ( as per needed)

Method:

1. Boil milk in deep vessel.

2. Let it cool and it should be warm enough. Like lukewarm water.

3. Add curd to warm milk, stir it well and keep 7-8 hr in warm place. After 7-8 hrs (or more in winter) thick curd will be ready.

4. Tie curd in a clean muslin cloth overnight. (6-7 hours).

5. Put into a bowl and add powdered sugar. Mix it well.

6. Keep aside for 25-30 minutes to allow sugar to dissolve.

7. Rub saffron into 1 tbsp. milk till well broken and dissolved. Keep aside.

8. Beat well till sugar has fully dissolved into curd.

9. Mix in cardamom powder and dissolved saffron and half nuts.

10. Empty into a glass serving bowl, top with remaining chopped nuts.

11. Chill for 1-2 hours before serving.

Note:

1. As for preparing curd climate should be warm ,if its cold out then you then pre-heat oven for about 20 mins and turn it off. Now put milk+curd in oven for 7-8 hrs.

2. Ready made curd/yogurt can be used instead of making curd at home specially in cold winter.

3. Serve shrikhand with Indian chapatis, puris (Fried wheat bread).

Aloo Paratha(Stuffed Potato FlatBread)

Ingredients:

3 Potatoes

1 tsp oil

1 tsp cumin seed (crushed)

200gm Atta (Wheat flour)

2tsp all purpose flour

1 tsp Coriander leaves finely chopped

1 tsp Garam masala

3-4 green chillies finely chopped

1 small onion paste

water for preparing dough

salt to taste

Method:

1. Mix atta,all purpose floor with water in proper proportions to form a consistent dough, and let it so for 15-20min.

2. Cook potatoes in a pressure cooker for three whistles (about 15-20min).

3. Mash potatoes by hand.

4. In non-stick pan, heat oil add cumin seeds, onion paste, finely chopped chilies and stir well.

5. Add mashed potatoes, coriander leaves, garam masala powder, salt and mix well.

6. Cook for 1-2 mins.

7. Roll a slice of dough to a small circular shape. Put small ball of cooked aloo on center of rolled dough and close over stuffing.

8. Roll it till desired consistency.

9. Bake it on a hot pan flipping it on either sides on medium heat.

10. Put a little ghee over it (optional).

11. Serve Hot.

Note:

1. While baking avoid flipping frequently.

2. Red chili powder can be used instead of green chilies.

3. Size of aloo stuffing ball can depend on your choice, as per thickness of parathas.

Besan Ladoo

In Diwali, my mom used to make so many sweet and spicy dishes. We can't even wait for nayvedya/prasad. She always scold us to wait till aarti. My favourite dish was chakali, chivada, and besan ladoo. As soon as aarti is over we all eat till drop.

Ingredients :

2 cups gram flour (besan/chickpeas flour)

1 1/2 cup sugar (grinded)

1 cup clarified butter (ghee)

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

1 tsp each almonds, cashew nuts (chopped)(optional)

Method:

1. In a deep non-stick pan, mix gram flour and ghee over a low heat.

2. Keep constantly stirring to avoid lumps.

3. When it releases an appetizing smell, it is ready.

4. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.

5. Add sugar, cardamom powder and nuts to the gram flour and mix thoroughly.

6. Apply some ghee on hand and make ladoo of the mixture using hand.

7. Serve.

Suralichi Wadi

Ingredient

1 Cup besan (chickpea flour)

2.5 Cup buttermilk
0.5 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste

Aluminium foil sheet

Filling:
0.5 Cup grated coconut (fresh or frozen)0.5 Cup packed fined chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2-3 green chillies, finely chopped (or to taste)
salt to taste
Tempering:
1-2 tsp oil2 tsp mustard seeds
pinch of asafoetida
Method:

1. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the filling and set aside.

2. Grease aluminium foil.

3. In a large microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the besan, buttermilk, turmeric and salt

making sure there are no lumps.

4.Cook the mixture by microwaving for 30-45 second spurts and stirring in between make sure each time no lumps are there. Mix well with hand blender if you find any lumps.

5. When the mixture appears to thicken into a paste. Cook it until it is can be rolled properly once smeared on a foil.

6. Spread portions of the cooked mixture onto the aluminium foil and spread it thinly, using a gentle using flat end spoon.

7.Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes or so. Then sprinkle the filling evenly on the surface

8. Use a knife to gently cut the sheet into strips (an inch wide). Then gently roll each strip into a tight roll.

9. Set the rolls on a platter.

10.Make the tempering by heating oil and spluttering mustard seeds and asafoetida in it. Pour the tempering evenly on the rolls.

11. Serve.

Kothimbirichi Wadi

This can be done with besan/ moong dal or chana dal. As besan and chana dal are heavy to digest so its better to use moong dal

instead.

Ingredients:

2 bunch of green coriander (kothimbir)

1 1/2 cup of besan (chickpeas flour) / moong dal

1-2 tbsp rice flour

2-3 tsp of red chilly powder

1/4 baking soda

1-2 green chilies

1/2 heaped tsp of turmeric

1 tbsp coriander powder

4-5 Garlic cloves

1 inch ginger piece

Salt to taste

Oil (to fry).

Method:

Using Besan :

1.Wash the coriander and finely chop it. also fine chop green chilies

2.In a vessle, add besan rice flour,red chilly powder,chopped green chilies, turmeric, coriander powder, salt, ginger garlic paste,baking soda.

3. Add the finely chopped coriander leaves to it and mix well.

4. Slowly add water to this

mixture till it becomes a thick paste.

5. Take a plate, grease it lightly with oil. Pour the mixture and pat it to make a medium layer.

6. In a pressure cooker, add some water, place the plate on a stand (like the one used to keep hot utensils).

7.Remove the whistle of the pressure cooker and let it cook on steam for 10-15 minutes on medium flame.

8. Once it is cooked, let it cool. Cut into 1 inch peices.

9. Shallow fry in a non- stick pan, using very little oil.

10. Serve hot with hot sauce / tomato ketchup.

Using Moong dal / Chana dal :

1.soak moong dal / chana dal overnight.

2.Finely chop one bunch of coriander.

3.Make a fine paste of channa dal/Moong dal, green chillies,garlic and ginger.

4. Mix finely chopped coriander to this along with salt as per taste, baking soda,rice flour,coriander powder.

5. Take a plate, grease it lightly with oil. Pour the mixture and pat it to make a medium layer.

6. In a pressure cooker, add

some water, place the plate on a stand (like the one used to keep hot utensils).

7.Remove the whistle of the pressure cooker and let it cook on steam for 10-15 minutes on medium flame.

8. Once it is cooked, let it cool. Cut into 1 inch peices.

9. Shallow fry in a non- stick

pan, using very little oil.

10. Serve hot with hot sauce / tomato ketchup.