Murukku/Chakli
Besan Sev
Gujiya – Happy Holi
Holi is the festival full of fun (total masti) with no rules. This is the one festival we celebrate without taking shower and in clothes we don’t want to wear any more!
Holi is the festival to celebrate, victory of good over evil. Days before the festival people start gathering wood at open spaces to make a pyre with a effigy of Holika on top. Holika, sister of King Hiranyakashyapu who tricked Prahalad into the fire,Holika was burnt to death and Prahalad was saved. On choti holi every year this ritual signifies the triumph of good over evil. Loud music, delicious food and most important the spirit of togetherness defines this festival.
Colors is the most important part of holi other than gujiya. Holi is incomplete without Gujiya and colorful gulals.
To me, holi is more about array of food than playing with water and wet colors. Without much thinking about the calories and weight issues I like to celebrate Holi enjoying all delicious delicacies this festival is famous for…Gujiya, Shakarpare, Sev, Chakri, Kanji, Thandai, Dahi Vada, Chaat, Pakodas, just to name a few…
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 2 cups Maida (Refined flour)
- 1/2 cup Ghee (Clarified butter)
- Warm Water to mix
For the filling:
- 1 cup Khoya
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1 tsp Green Cardamom Powder
- Almonds, Pistachios, Cashew nut, Chironji nut – finely chopped
- 2 tbsp Roasted Semolina
- 2 tsp Coconut powder
- Ghee/Oil for deep-frying
Method
Rub 1/4 cup ghee into the flour and knead into a stiff dough with warm water.
Leave to rest for at least half an hour.
For the filling:
- Saute khoya in a pan over medium heat till it slightly changes color.
- Keep aside for a while, when it cools, mix in the sugar, cardamom, all chopped nuts, roasted semolina and coconut powder.
- Make balls of the dough and roll out into 1 cm / 1/8 in thick rounds (like small puris).
- Take a round, wet the edges with water and place a piece of filling over one half.
- Fold the other half over and press the edges together to seal.
- Either use gujiya maker or make a design by pinching and twisting all along the sealed edges.
- Make all the gujiyas in this way. Heat ghee/oil in a kadahi. Fry gujiya on medium/low flame till light golden in color.
- Fish out and leave to drain on absorbent paper.
- Serve hot or at room temperature and can be stored in air-tight containers.
- Enjoy gujiyas with your family and friends. Happy Holi.
Linking it to the event : Lets cook with seeds
Meethe Chawal – Saffron Rice
Basant Panchami (as we call it), is predominantly the day love for kites. Sky full of colorful kites, small and big and my favorite with a tail. Oh! How much I loved that tailed kite flying carelessly with a long tail made out of paper streamers. This is the only day when everybody are on rooftops before sunrise with all the energy and zest. The significance of the day lies in the worship of Goddess Saraswati, symbol of wisdom, knowledge and also the onset of spring season.
The color yellow plays an important role in Vasant Panchami as it is related to the bloom of mustard flowers during this period. Sweet saffron rice and yellow sweets are
more popular and relished on this day.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati Rice
- 3 tbsp Ghee
- 1/2 cup Sugar (little more or less, suitable to your taste buds)
- 1″ piece of Dalchini (Cinnamon Stick )
- 2 tbsp Milk
- 1/4 tsp Kesar (Saffron )
- 4 whole Laung (Cloves)
- 1/2 tsp Coarsely Crushed Elaichi (Cardamom Seeds)
- Pinch of Salt
- 3 tbsp sliced Pistachios and Almonds
- 2 tbsp Grated Coconut
- 1 Badi Elaichi (Black Cardamom)
Method
- Fry almonds, pistachios and coconut in a little bit of ghee on medium heat until nuts slightly change color. Set aside.
- Put the rice, water, cinnamom stick, cloves, badi elaichi and salt in a sauce pan over medium low heat.
- Let the rice cook for about 15 minutes, or until the water has evaporated and the rice is almost done.
- While rice is cooking, in a separate pan combine milk, ghee, sugar, saffron, cardamom pd and bring to boil on medium heat, stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Add the nuts mixture and sugar syrup over the rice. Fold gently into the rice with a spoon (I simply use my hands) gently to avoid mashing the rice.
- Let the rice simmer for more 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave it covered for another few minutes.
- Garnished with dry fruits of your choice.
Pasta In Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
If you are looking for a super easy recipe on a lazy day, you are at right place. This is one of my favorite recipe for such days when you don’t want to cook elaborate meal but still dinner makes happy faces. I made this recipe last night for dinner and sharing as quickly as I can in the morning. The most important ingredient you needed for this is Roasted Red Pepper Pesto. Making pesto is always easy, as you have to put everything in the blender and make it in to thick purée. But yesterday I prefer store bought pesto and whip a quick pasta ever.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup Pasta of choice boiled until al dente
- 10 Mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup Spinach, chopped
- 4 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
- 1/4 Pine nuts, roasted
- 1/4 cup Parmigiano- Reggiano Cheese, grated
- 2 tsp Olive Oil
- Basil leaves
- 1 cup Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
Method
- Heat oil in a pan.
- Add garlic and sauté for 20 seconds.
- Now add mushroom and cook until the water cooks-off.
- Add spinach, salt and pepper.
- Give it a quick stir and cook for a minute. Pour pesto, pine nuts and cheese.
- Mix all together and serve garnished with basil and additional cheese.
Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 large Roasted Red Peppers
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 whole garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup roasted pine nuts
- 1/2 cup fresh basil
- 1/4 cup Parmesan-Reggiano, grated
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Sea salt
Method
- In a food processor, throw in the roasted red peppers, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, fresh basil, Parmesan-Reggiano, crushed red pepper, garlic and pine nuts, and pulse until mixture is smooth and thick.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Lemon Cupcakes With Whipped Cream Frosting
I love snow days, sitting cozily on a couch with a hot ginger tea reading or writing for a blog watching small cotton balls falling down. Freshly fallen snow, white all around looks immensely beautiful and so serene. Busy lives take a pause, with no errands outside, no school, no office small family get together without rushing or planning for things. Everything is so peaceful and calm. But not for long….all of a sudden a bleak voice ” mommy, I’m bored,” will break your dream and ‘bang’ fall in to realities.
Bored and hungry, these two words takes you out of this cozy setup into action. To kill the boredom, I made these Lemon Cupcakes with/for my son on this serene beautiful day….
Well, lemon because in this freezing temperature my small Meyer lemon tree giving me surplus sunshine with its bounty of fruits.
Lemon Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1-1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)
- 3 large Eggs (at room temperature)
- 1/2 tbsp Lemon Extract
- 1/2tsp Lemon Zest
- 1/4 cup Buttermilk (at room temperature)
Method
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and place liners in a cupcake pan.
- Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat sugar and butter together until creamy.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed, then mix in lemon extract.
- Add dry ingredients and buttermilk to mixture in alternating intervals.
- Turn speed up to medium, combining all ingredients until well mixed.
- Spoon mixture into cupcake liners, about half full.
- Bake for 18-20 min. or until cupcakes spring back to touch.
- Cool completely before topping with whipped cream frosting.
Whipped Cream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1/3 cup Cream Cheese
- 4tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 1 tsp Lemon Extract
- Few drops of Yellow Color
Method
- Pour heavy whipping cream, cream cheese and sugar into a chilled bowl and beat on low for 30–45 sec. or until well mixed.
- Add the lemon extract and increase speed to medium-high. Whip until soft peaks form.
- Add food coloring and mix thoroughly.
- Refrigerate topping until cupcakes have cooled.
- Decorate cupcakes.
Fresh Mangodis – Dal Dumpling Curry
If we google fresh mangodis, there are hardly any post on this recipe. Most of the recipes are for sun-dried mangodis. I believe this recipe is from western UP or Rajasthan, I am not sure about!. But for sure, this is a very popular recipe on our dinner table. This dish is very light (if the dumplings are soft) and tastes good with roti or rice. On cold chilly nights this dish is a one pot meal like a soup with dal dumplings.
Dal Mangodis (Dumplings)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Yellow Moong Dal
- 2 tsp White Urad Dal
- 1/2 tsp Hing (Asafetida ) generous amount helps enhancing the taste
- Salt to taste
- Oil for deep fry
Method
- Wash both the dals thoroughly with water and soak overnight or for 5-6 hours.
- Drain the water and grind dals with salt and asafetida. Try adding little water at a time (if needed ) while grinding.
- Grind it in to think smooth batter.
- Whisk the batter with hand or whisker for some time. The batter will become light and fluffy.
- Put the drop of batter in a cup full of water, if the drop is floating nicely the batter is ready to fry.
- Heat oil in a deep frying pan, take a scoop of a batter with wet fingers, and slide it gently in the oil.
- Fry both the sides on low/medium flame until golden brown in color.
- Remove them on the kitchen towel for some time to drain out the extra oil.
(For more flavor add green chilies, ginger, kasuri methi or spices of your choice.
Curry
Ingredients
- 1 Onion finely chopped
- 1/2 cup Tomatoes crushed or grated
- 2 Green Chilies finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp Ginger grated
- 1/2 tsp Jeera (Cumin Seeds)
- 1 tsp Dhaniya Pd (Coriander Seeds Pd)
- 1/2 tsp Haldi (Turmeric Pd)
- Red Chili Pd to taste
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp oil
Method
- Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan, add jeera.
- When they start to splutter add g-chilies and ginger.
- Add chopped onions and cook until light brown in color.
- Now add tomato purée and cook for some time. When it begins to boil add all the masalas and cook until oil starts to separate.
- Pour 2 cups of water and boil. Add salt and garam masala and cook for more 10 minutes.
- Now add fresh mangodis and cook for more 2-3 minutes till they become soft.
- Serve hot with a small dollop of pure ghee and garnished with fresh coriander.
Linking it to the event :
Thank you Gayathari
Dish it out- light Dinners
Cooks joy
Thank You
Til Ke Ladoo – Sakat Special
Sakat Chauth : Mothers fast for their kids for good fortune and wealth
This day is also called Sankat Haran Chauth. Sankat means trouble, Haran means to take it off. So by keeping fast on this day all kinds of problems are removed. Today is the day when Lord Ganesh and Moon is worshiped. This day is also known as Ganesh Chauth, Mahi chauth or Tilkuta Chauth. Til Ladoos (made from sesame seeds and jaggery) are the specialty of this day which are prepared by the mothers.
Mathari – Indian Salted Crackers
Mathari is a popular snack in north India. These deep fried Indian crackers mostly served with mango pickle. In the time, when snack defines varieties of cookies, cakes and other processed and packaged food. Traditionally in India snack is a food, cooked with the things easily available at home. Shakarpare, Mithi Mathari, Chivda, Besan ke Sev are the name of the few snacks in the list. Mathari is popular because it is easy to store for longer period. It’s salty, crunchy taste with spicy sour pickle tingles your taste bud in to instant action. Even now mathris are the must item on many festivals. Holi, Karwachauth, Diwali just to name a few.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Maida (All-Purpose Flour)
- 1/2 cup Atta (Whole Wheat Flour)
- 1/4 cup Sooji (Semolina)
- 1 teaspoon Salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Ajwain (Carom Seeds)
- 1 tablespoon Kasuri Methi (Fenugreek Leaves) , dried & crushed
- 4 tablespoons Oil
- 3/4 cup lukewarm Water (use as needed)
- Oil to fry(You can add crushed black pepper, red pepper pd, anardana pd for masala Mathari)
Method
- Take all-purpose flour in big bowl.
- Add whole wheat flour, sooji, ajwain, kasuri methi, salt and oil. Mix it well.
- Knead it into a stiff dough with a help of lukewarm water little at a time.
- Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
- Knead it slightly and make small balls from the dough.
- Roll the balls into small thick rounds and prick them with a fork all around, so they will not puff up while frying.
- Heat oil in a deep pan and fry mathris in small batches on low heat.(first add them on medium heat and after few seconds lower the flame).
- Fry till they become golden in color, drain on a kitchen towel when done.
- Serve with mango pickle when cooled.