SHEER KHURMA

INGREDIENTS:

·         2 litres milk

·         A handful of almonds, cashewnuts,1 tbsp pistas,  ( These have to be soaked in water for 4-5 hours, then slice them very thinly and let them dry completely.)

·         5-6 Dry Dates soaked in ½ cup milk. Deseed and cut coarsely 

·         1 cup sugar- (Can add more sugar as per your taste buds choice)

·         200 gms Condensed milk (My choice. Optional)

·         A handful of chironji, soaked and skins removed

·         ½ cup ghee

·         1 tsp rose water essence

·         2 cups seviyan (I buy roasted ones)

METHOD:

Heat ghee and fry the seviyan till they turn light brown, don’t burn them. Remove and keep aside.

Fry all the nuts in ghee except the pistas and dry dates.

Heat the milk. Allow to cook in low heat for 45 minutes till the milk reduced to three fourth it’s Volume. Add sugar, condensed milk and Ghee. Add saffron mixed in a tbsp of hot milk to the milk. After the sugar is completely dissolved add the seviyan. Continue cooking till the seviyan softens. Remove from flame. Now add the nuts and the rose water essence.

Serve it hot or serve it chilled. Tastes just Amazing….

Paya Shorba ( Lamb Trotter Soup)

INGREDIENTS

1kg Paya (Trotters)
2 tbsp Ginger and Garlic paste

FOR GRAVY

3/4 Onions (finely chopped)
1 tbsp Red chilli powder
1/4 tbsp Turmeric powder
(1tbsp of coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, black pepper corn, green cardamoms 1-2 cinnamon stick,1- 2 bay leaves, 1-2 Aniseed flower – Grind and tie it in a muslin cloth) Potli Masala
1 tbsp Garam Masala
2-3 tbsp Curd
1tbsp Lemon Juice (optional)
2-3 Green Chillies
Salt to taste
1/2 cup Oil

FOR GARNISH
Fry Onions
Lemon slice
Coriander and Mint leaves (finely chopped)

METHOD

Wash Paya in cold running water properly and drain well. Add Paya, ginger garlic paste and Gram masala in a pressure cooker at medium high heat, and cook for about 10 minutes or till the Paya is tender.

In a large saucepan at medium heat, 
add 2 cups oil, add onions and fry to golden brown, 
(keep few fried onions for garnishing).
Then add Paya, red chilli powder, Turmeric powder, green chilli, lemon juice, salt, 
and mix well and water. Add the beaten yogurt to it. Drop the potli masala in the mixture

Allow to cook in low heat for about 45 minutes (You can use cooker and cook for 3-4 whistles) till the thin layer of oil appears on the bottom surface and till the gravy is thicken. Now remove potli ka masala from the broth. Garnish with Fried Onions, Coriander leaves (finely chopped), Mint leaves (finely chopped)
Tastes Awesome with NAAN…. smile emoticon

Bhindi Masala

INGREDIENTS

250 grams bhindi/lady finger
1 tspany garam masala
1 small to medium tej patta or bay leaf
1 tsp fennel seeds (badishep)

A pinch of Haldi/Turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder/lal mirch powder
1 tsp coriander powder/dhania powder
½ tsp cumin powder/jeera
2 tbsp oil for frying bhindi
2 tbsp oil for making gravy
½ tsp kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves, crushed
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves/dhania patta
salt as required

TO GRIND:
3 medium ripe red tomatoes 
1 large onion or 2 medium onions
½ inch ginger/Adrak About 5-6 garlic cloves

5-6 Cashew nuts (Soaked in warm water)
 2 green chilies/Hari mirch
2 tbsp yogurt/dahi

2 Lavang an Ilaichi, ¼th “Cinnamon (Can also use ground garam masala)


METHOD:
 Wash bhindi well in running water,then drain them completely in a strainer. Wipe each Bhindi with a napkin. Make sure there is no moisture on them.
Chop the Bhindi into 1.5 to 2.5 inch pieces and keep aside. Grind ingredients mentioned and blend to a fine paste

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add bhindi and saute them on a low flame. Stir and saute them till they are lightly browned from the sides. Keep aside


Heat 2 tbsp oil in the same pan; add tej patta and fennel seeds and fry for 4-5 seconds. Now lower the flame. Add pinch of turmeric powder, ½ tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp coriander powder and ½ tsp cumin powder, stir the spice powders quickly. Make sure they don’t get burnt. Now add the ground paste/masala and salt on low flame. Sauté till the masala paste thickens and you see oil leaving the sides.


Add about ½ cup water for thick gravy or 3/4^th water depending on the kind of consistency desired by you. Now add the sautéed Bhindi. Stir again. Let the curry simmer on a medium flame. Cook for about 4-5 minutes. If you cook the Bhindi for long, it’ll turn mushy. Finally add ½ tsp kasuri methi .stir and then garnish it with coriander leaves.
 I’ve added a dash of sugar to balance the spice.

Dal Fry

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Moong Dal or Toor Dal

2 Tomatoes, finely chopped

1 Onions, finely Chopped

2 Green Chilies, finely Chopped

1/2 Tsp. Cumin Seeds

1 Tbsp. Ghee

Pinch of Hing/ Asefotidaa

Pinch of Turmeric Powder

Salt to taste

1/4 Tsp. Red Chili Powder

1/2 Tsp. Garam Masala

1 ½ Tsp. Coriander Powder

For Tempering/ Tadka

1 Tbsp. Ghee

2-3 Red Chillies

1/2 Tsp. Cumin Seeds

METHOD:

Wash and soak the dal in the water for 15-20 minutes. Boil this dal with water, salt and turmeric in pressure cooker till 3 whistles. 

Heat the ghee or oil in pan and add hing and coriander powder then add green chili and onions and cook till onions are translucent. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till to soft. When oil comes around, add red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well. Add this mixture to the Dal and adjust water as per your desired consistency.

FOR TEMPERING:

Heat the ghee in tempering pan, when it’s hot enough. Add cumin seeds when they splutter add red chillies and stir . Add this tempering to the Dal. Garnish with coriander leaves.