Moong Dal Kachori

Dal kachori is a delicious, spicy, fried puffed pastry. Kachori is filled with spicy moong dal mixture and then deep fried. Kachori is flaky from outside and hollow inside. Kachori should be fried on low heat so it can cook through to have a nice crunch. kachori makes a mouth-watering appetizer and can be served with, Green Chutney and tamarind chutney.

Ingredients:

Dough

1 cup All Purpose flour (plain flour or maida)

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons oil

1/4 cup chilled water more or less as needed

Filling

1/4 cup yellow moong dal (available Indian grocery stores)

1 teaspoon fennel seeds coarsely grinded (saunf)

1 teaspoon coriander seeds coarsely grinded (dhania)

1 teaspoon red chilly flakes

1/4 teaspoon ginger powder

1/2 teaspoon mango powder (amchoor)

Pinch of asafoetida (hing)

1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to your taste)

1 tablespoon oil

2 tablespoons water

Oil to deep fry

Method:

To Make Dough

Mix the flour, salt and oil.

Add the chilled water slowly, mixing with your fingers as you pour.

Do not knead the dough. The dough should be soft.

Cover the dough and let it sit for at least fifteen minutes.

To make filling

Grind the moong dal dry, almost to a powder.

Mix one tablespoon of oil to the ground dal in a frying pan and roast over medium heat for about two to three minutes or until dal changes colour slightly. Stir continuously.

Turn off the heat. Add all the spices mix well. Let the mixture cool off.

Add two tablespoons of warm water and mix it well. Let it sit for ten minutes and cover with clean cloth.

To make the Kachoris

Take the dough and knead it for a minutes. Divide the dough in twelve equal parts.

Take one part of the dough and with your fingers flatten the edges and make into 3-inch circle. Leaving centre little thicker then edges.

Mould the dough into a cup and place 1 teaspoon of filling in the centre. Pull the edges of the dough to wrap the dal filling. Proceed to make all 12 balls.

Let the filled ball sit for three to four minutes before rolling.

Set the kachoris on a surface with the seams facing up. Using the base of your palm, slowly flatten them into about three inches in diameter.

Heat the oil in frying pan over medium heat frying pan should have about one inch of oil.  To check if oil is ready put a little piece of dough in the oil. Dough should sizzle, and come up very slow.

Fry them on medium-low heat. After they start to puff, slowly turn them over. Fry until golden-brown on both sides. If the kachoris are fried on high heat, they will get soft and will not be crispy.

Kachories can be stored for at least a week in an airtight container. This recipe makes 10-12 Dal kachoris.

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Additional Tips

Don’t roll the kachoris with a rolling pin.

Rolling pins can create small holes in the dough that let the oil seep into the kachoris, and they can also cause the kachoris to come out with one side thicker than the other.

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GulKand Cake

Gulkand is a sweet preserve of rose petals. It is believed to be from ancient Indo-Persia, and is an incredible body coolant. Its used in making metha paan, and various other Indian sweets. Today, I am presenting Gulkand Cake for all my readers. Hope you enjoying preparing and serving this delight to your guest this Holi....Holi Hai

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour / Maida/ wheat flour –  150 gms / 1 1/3 cup ( plus 1 tblspn for dusting over tutti fruity)
Gulkand –  ½ cup
Oil – 125 ml / ½ cup
Baking Powder – 1 tsp
Baking Soda – ½ tsp
Pan Essence – 1 tsp
Tutti Fruity – 200 gms / 1 1/3 cup
Raisins- 2 tsp
Condensed Milk- 60 ml / ¼cup
Whole Milk – 120 ml  / ½ cup
Sliced pistachio- 2 tsp


Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 360°F….Take a  baking pan (bread mould) and Put a parchment paper in the bottom. Oil all the sides and dust it with flour.
Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda together and set aside. Take 1 tbsp. of flour and add it over the tutti fruity and raisins and toss well..
Take oil, gulkand and pan essence in a mixing bowl. Beat it for 3 mins..
Now add in condensed milk, milk and mix well.
Now sift in the sifted flour again and mix well.. Add in tutti fruity and mix well. Grease the cake tin with 1tsp oil and 2tsp plain flour, sprinkle sliced pistachio.
Pour into the tin and bake it for 45-50 mins or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let it cool down..Now invert it over a plate and slice it..
Serve with a cup of tea/coffee..

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Bulgur wheat Pongal

Pongal is very popular and healthy dish of southern India. It’s one of the famous breakfast delicacies especially in Tamil Nadu. Normally Pongal is made with rice but today I will share My Style Pongal – made of Bulgur wheat and moong dal.

Ingredients:

Bulgur wheat – ½  cup

Moong dal – ½ cup

Salt – As needed

Ghee - to top

To temper

Ghee – 1 tbsp

Black pepper – 1 & 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp, heaped

Green chilli – 2

Ginger, very finely chopped – 1 tbsp

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Asafoetida – 1/8 tsp

Grated Coconut- 2 tsp

Cashew nuts – 8 (Optional)

Raisins- 5-6 (optional)

Method:

In a bowl take bulgur wheat and moong dal wash and soak for 30 mins.

Heat a small pressure cooker with ghee. Temper with pepper, wait for it to start crackle, add cumin, slit green chilli, ginger, curry leaves, coconut and asafoetida (add cashew, raisins if adding). Stir in medium flame for 30 seconds.

Add moong dal and roast for a minute.

Add bulgur wheat, required salt and 2 to 3 cups water (I added 3 cups).

Bring to boil and cook for 3 whistles in medium flame.

Notes

The water quantity depends on the texture you want.

You can add 1/4 tsp turmeric too if you like.

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Ragi Rava Dosa

Ragi Rava Dosa Recipe – Finger Millet Sooji Dosa Recipe 

Ragi rava dosa is quick and healthy dosa. A healthy way of making rava dosa. This dosa turns out crispy and taste very similar to regular rava dosa. Enjoy with sambar and coconut chutney.
Rava dosa is my all time favourite. I love it so much, that i make it atleast once a week. I love to serve it with sambar.

Ingredients:

Ragi Flour - 1 cup

Rice Flour - ¼ cup

Sooji - ½ cup

Green Chillies - 1 chopped

Zinger - grated 1/2 tsp

Spring Onion or Onion - ½ cup chopped finely

Curry leaves a sprig

Black Pepper pwd. - 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Grated coconut- 1 tsp

Coriander leaves- 4 tsp finely chopped

Chopped nuts- almonds, cashew nuts, pistachio (optional)

Salt to taste

Water as needed

Oil as needed

Method:

Mix all ingredients to form a thin batter. Set aside for 15 mins.

Heat a pan, pour batter from a height so it forms thin crepe like. Drizzle oil around the sides.

Let it cook on low heat till cooked.

Flip over and cook.

Serve with sambar.

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Carrot/ Gajar Halwa Shots

Carrot / Gajar halwa shots

Carrot halwa is very popolar indian sweet, it’s a near-universal treat during Festive season be it holi, dewali.  Here in Yuvika’s kitchen things are done differently keeping the traditional taste and presenting the dish in an unique and modern way.

Carrot halwa shots with rasmalai

Recipe for Carrot Halwa

Ingredients:

Carrot - 1 kg, peeled and grated

Milk -1 litre, preferably full fat

Sugar - 5 Tbsp

Clarified butter / Ghee - 2 Tbsp

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Condensed milk - 3/4 cup

Raisins- 8-10

Almonds/ pistachio to garnish

Method:

Traditional Way

Cook grated carrots with about a cup of milk till soft. You can do this in a thick bottomed pan. Once the milk starts boiling reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer.

Add the rest of the milk and continue to simmer. After 15-20 minutes, when all the milk is evaporated, add condensed milk to the dry mixture and tip in the sugar as well. Check the amount of sugar; you may require very less sugar as condensed milk is very sweet in itself. Let it simmer till condensed milk also is absorbed and mixture thick.

Add cardamom powder and mix well.

The next step is optional. In an another deep pan heat ghee, transfer cooked halwa to it and cook for another minute making sure you stir it without fail all the way through.

To serve: - Chop raw almonds/ pistachio, vertically if u can as it looks better that way, and layer them at the bottom of your presenting dish. Layer your halwa on top. This makes the almonds soak in the lovely juices from your halwa and combines the mixture. This is a tip I learned from my dear friend A. Thanks dear. :-). Feel free to sprinkle a few chopped almonds on top of your halwa too. - While serving scoop out large portions of your halwa on to your serving dish and serve it hot along with a scoop of yummy vanilla ice cream. Heaven!!!

Microwave method:

 Heat ghee in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute and add grated carrot. Cook for 2 minutes. Add milk and cook till milk evaporates, stirring occasionally. When the mixture thickens, add condensed milk and sugar. Again cook for another few minutes till mixture turns thick once again. Remove from microwave, add cardamom powder, garnish with almonds and serve.

A variation to the recipe is adding mewa/ khoya.

Simple Pressure cooker and Baking Method:

 In a pressure cooker / Instant Pot add rougly chopped carrots, 1 cup milk, sugar, green cardamom, 1 tbsp of ghee. Now pressure cook for 15mins. With the help of hand blender, blend the mixture. Do not puree it. Blend it coarsely. Now take mixture into an oven safe bowl, and cook in pre heated oven for 25 mins at 180 degree C. Now take a pan add 1 tbsp ghee add the chopped nuts and raisins, fry till golden and pour this mixture over carrot halwa also add the green cardamom powder mix. Again cook this mixture for 6-8 minutes in oven. It’s ready to be served.

Plating my style:

Carrot halwa Shots

In a glass add 1 tsp of chopped nuts, then two scoop of carrot halwa. Now pour 1 spoon of rasmalai garnish with chopped pistachio. (Rasmalai recipe coming soon)

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Mango Rabri

Mango rabri recipe is a simple, a dessert with minimal ingredients yet high on flavour. A rich, creamy, fruity, traditional Indian dessert with a soft pudding like texture. A heavenly combination of creamy rabri, fruity mango and aromatic saffron.

Ingredients:

  Full cream milk - 1 litre

  Sugar - 2 tbsps (adjust)

  Mango puree - 1 cup, fresh and thick

  Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

  Saffron - 5-6 strands (soaked in 2 tbsps of warm milk)

Method:

Boil milk in a large heavy bottomed wide vessel. Once it comes to a boil, reduce to low heat and allow to simmer. Keep stirring at regular intervals, pushing the layer of malai (top of milk) that forms on the top towards the sides of the vessel. Continue to do this till the milk is reduced to less than half of the original quantity.

Keep scraping the sides of the vessel and mix it with the thickening milk.

After almost 60-70 mins or so, the milk would have reduced considerably to a thick mass. Add sugar and mix. Allow the sugar to dissolve and continue to simmer the mixture till it reaches a third of the original quantity.

Add cardamom powder and saffron and mix well. Turn off heat and allow to come to room temperature.

Add the mango puree and mix well till well combined. Remove to a bowl and chill for a couple of hours. You can also serve at room temperature.

Garnish with the  scooped mango pieces.

Ladle the mango rabri into serving bowls and serve.

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Three coloured Gujiya

Holi hai ....
Festival of colours is incomplete without this sweet #Gujiya. Every halwai and homemakers across specially north India makes lots of crispy golden brown stuffed sweet dish to celebrate the festival of colours. Here I present my holi special Fried #ThreecolourGujiya and Baked ones also. Jor se bolo holi hai...kya aap ko yeh rangeen #Gujiya khaani hai... phir recipe try karlo please. 

Gujiya prepared with semolina and dry fruits taste really scrumptious.

These gujiyas have longer shelf life then other gujiyas.

Ingredients

Refined flour - 3 cup

Ghee - 1/2 cup

Curd or Milk – 1 ½ tsp each (4 ½ tsp)

For three Colour:

Beetroot juice: 1 tsbp

Peas paste: 2 Tsp

Carrot paste: 2 tsp

(you should boil when separately , drain and make a smooth paste)

For stuffing

Semolina - 3/4 cup (150 grams)

Powdered sugar - 3/4 cup

Dry fruits - 1 cup (cashews, walnuts, almonds, raisins, hazelnut, pecans, sliced dry apricots, pistachio)

Desiccated coconut: 3 tsp

Green cardamom - 7 to 8

Ghee - for frying gujiyas and roasting semolina

You can also Bake them. Baking three coloured Gujiya’s instructions at the end.

Method to make Sooji Dry Fruits Gujhiya:

Take flour 1 cup flour in three separate vessels add: beetroot, peas paste, carrot paste separately ghee(1 tbsp each) and curd (1 ½ tsp each) in to it. Mix all ingredients really well.

Now add water only if required and knead stiff and tight dough, same as required for making pooris. Cover the dough and keep it aside for one hour.

For making stuffing:

Finely chop all dry fruits. Peel cardamom and make powder. Take 2 tbsp ghee in a wok and heat it sufficiently. Add semolina in ghee and stir it constantly. Roast until semolina turns golden brown in color. After roasting semolina, add chopped dry fruits into it. Roast for 1 to 2 minutes and mix all ingredients. Turn off the flame and keep stirring the semolina. Take out semolina in a bowl and allow it to cool.

Knead the dough again until smooth. Make 25 small dough balls and cover them.

Important step: When semolina cools, add powdered sugar, coconut and cardamom powder into it. Mixture for stuffing gujiyas is ready.

Take one dough ball roll, do same with other two. Now make plait. Cut then in equal parts and roll it out in a poori with 3 to 4 inch diameter. Place the rolled poori in a plate. Roll out at least 10 pooris. Now stuff these pooris for making gujiyas. For this, take one poori, place it over the mold and stuff it with 1 or 1.5 tsp stuffing. Spread some water on the corners. Close the mold, press gently and remove the extra dough from it. Open the mold, take out gujiya and place it over a plate.

Likewise, prepare all gujiyas and place them in a plate. Cover them so that they don't dry.

Fry the Gujiyas:

Take ghee in a wok and heat i sufficiently. Place gujiyas in medium hot ghee and fry on low-medium flame until they turn golden brown in color from both sides. Take out the fried guijyas in a plate with absorbent paper. Likewise fry all gujiyas.

Mouth drooling Gujiyas are ready. Serve these tantalizing and piping hot gujiyas with Mango Rabri. Or just serve three coloured gujiya on its own. 
http://yuvikasrecipes.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/mango-rabri.html

Baking instructions:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and put the ghee glazed Gujiya tray on the wired stand. Set the oven at 200 degrees for 10 minutes. Take the gujiyas out after 10 minutes and check them. They should be brown from the top. Then turn at cook for another 4-5 minutes. It should be golden from both sides.

Another option to get glaze on the gujiya: you can coat the gujiya with condensed milk to glaze it. It’ll look shiny and tempting. Dilute the condensed milk a little using regular milk. Coat the gujiyas with this sweetened milk using a brush. Turn it over and coat it from the other side too, now bake it for another 5-6 minutes, making sure that you don’t overcook them. It takes 15-18 minutes to bake gujiya. Serve the gujiyas hot and piping and enjoy the taste. When they cool down, you can put them in an air-tight container and store them for up to a week.

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Beetroot Saagu/ gravy

Ingredients:

Beetroot (boiled) - 1/4 kg (Finely chopped)

Onion-  1 finely chopped

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tbl spn

Oil - 2/3 tbl spn

Curry leaves - 5 -6 nos.

Salt to taste

To Grind

Fried Channa dal - 2 tbl spn

Onion- 1 roughly chopped

Tomato -1

Poppy seeds - 1 tbl spn

Green Chillies - 4-5 nos.

Cinnamon stick - 1/2 inch stick

Fresh Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup

Fresh coconut - 1/2  cup

Method:

1) Dry roast all the spices listed under ‘to grind’(except onion and tomato). Fry onion and tomato in oil then once cool. Grind all the ingredients to a smooth paste, and keep aside.

2) Take a heavy bottom vessel, and add oil, once hot add mustard and curry leaves.

3) To this add chopped onion fry for 6 mins, then add beetroot fry for 2 mins, then add water and little salt and cook for 3 mins.

4) Now add the ground mixture to this and add some more water if required to bring to desired consistency.

5) Cook till beetroot and the masala is cooked well.

6) Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with dosa, rice, pooris or chapatis.

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Brown Bread Appo/ paniyaram

Bored of eating bread butter/jam or bread sandwich. Here is one quick and simple breakfast/ eveining snacks No oil recipe. 

Ingredients:

Bread slices: 4 (I used brown bread)

Rava (semolina): 2 tsp

Oats: 3 tsp

Yoghurt: 3 tbsp

Onion: 1 (finely chopped)

Green chillies: 3 (chopped) (optional)

Cumin seeds: 1tsp

Curry leaves: Few (optional)

Hing (asafoetida): 1/2tsp

Coriander leaves: Few (chopped)

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak the bread slices in water. Squeeze dry and grind in a mixer for smooth paste using yogurt.

2. Add the semolina, oats and chopped onions to the bread and mix well. Keep aside.

3. Add water and make a paste of pouring consistency.

4. Add the coriander leaves , asafoetida, curry leaves and salt. Rest the batter for 10  minutes.

5. Make the appos pouring a ladle full of the mixture into the appo pan. Nicely brown on both sides. This has to be done on a medium to low flame and covered, so that the appo cooks properly.

6 Serve hot with chutney of your choice , I served it with avocado , roasted red belle pepper salsa. For the fresh morning taste. It also goes well with Milagai podi ...  http://yuvikasrecipes.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/metkut-and-milagai-podi.html

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