Rajasthani kadhi

I got this book Rajasthani Cooking by Tarla Dalal last year from Gayathri.I didn;t get a chance to thank her sending it over.My Mango kulfis won me this award.Those kulfis like my DH said were my one of my most successful trials.And a super duper hit.

Today's recipe is a rajasthani kadhi out of that book.I have tried many of these recipes which do not need coconut or any grinding while i was in London(since i didn't have a mixie there).So this was one really easy curry that was a good accompaniment to rice and chapatis equally!

Kadhi is the northie cousin of the southie more kuzhambu.We make our more(buttermilk) kuzhambu/curry with a variety of soft vegetables like ashgourd, pumpkins,green mangoes and even ladyfingers, while the kadhi is made with pakodas.It is a simple yet tasty dish which suits well with plain steamed rice, jeera rice or even chapatis.

I served it with steamed rice and roasted potatoes for lunch and with chapatis for dinner.

You need

For the kadhi

Yogurt 2 cups

Besan/chickpea flour 1 cup

Chilli powder 1 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Hing/asoefetida a generous pinch

For the seasoning:

Oil 2 tsp

Coriander seeds 1/2 tsp

Jeera/cumin seeds 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp

Dried red chillies 2

Curry leaves a sprig

For the pakodas

Besan 2 tablespoon

Chopped coriander leaves 2 tablespoons

Green chillies 1/2 chopped finely

Turmeric powder 1/4 tp

Baking soda a pinch

Salt to taste

Water to mix

Oil to deep fry

• Mix the ingredients for the kadhi in a bowl with a whisk so it stays lumpless.Set aside.
• Heat this on a low/medium flame and keep whisking it until gets nice and thick and the raw besan smell goes away for about 7-10 minutes.Turn off the flame and let it cool.
• Mix the ingredients for the pakodas, mix enough water so that it should just drop into the oil with a spoon.Not too runny not too thick.
• Deep fry the pakodas and drain on a tissue paper.
• Drop the pakodas into the kadhi.
• Heat oil in a pan, add the seasoning and pour in over the kadhi.
• Serve hot with rice and roasted potatoes.

The pakodas need to soak up the flavours of the kadhi so this tastes better after sometime of cooking.

Have fun enjoying Rajasthani food.

Sending this to ONLY cookbooks event at runner in the girl and Paris space 

Rajasthani kadhi

I got this book Rajasthani Cooking by Tarla Dalal last year from Gayathri.I didn;t get a chance to thank her sending it over.My Mango kulfis won me this award.Those kulfis like my DH said were my one of my most successful trials.And a super duper hit.

Today's recipe is a rajasthani kadhi out of that book.I have tried many of these recipes which do not need coconut or any grinding while i was in London(since i didn't have a mixie there).So this was one really easy curry that was a good accompaniment to rice and chapatis equally!

Besan/Chick pea flour Ladoos

I have been away from the blogging world for a while.I miss blog hopping and visiting/commenting on blogs -  and i have a reason :) we welcomed a little boy into our little family last month.i am resting while i can with my mom and so unable to make posts forget about cooking anything! I would like to celebrate our new bundle of joy with a sweet recipe.

My LM has a new craving she loves ladoos taking after her fav cartoon character Chotta bheem.So i tried to make these besan/chick pea flour ladoos. Half way through the process i was wondering why i even started making this because it was the first time i was making any indian sweet and it was confusing when to stop roasting the flour. 

But the efforts all paid off as the ladoos vanished in no time at all.

 

You need

Chick pea flour/besan/kadala maav 1 cup

Ghee 1/4 cup

Almonds chopped 2 tablespoons

Sugar powdered 3/4 cup

Cardamom powder a pinch

• Roast the chickpea flour in a pan until the raw smell goes away.
• Melt the ghee and keep aside.
• Once the flour has roasted, add the sugar,ghee,nuts and cardamom powder to this(do this while the flour is still hot)
• Mix all of this and roll into small ladoos.

 

 

• These ladoos stay well for a week in an airtight container.

Thanks to all my friends who keep coming to my blog and i will try to make a post every now and then when it is possible.Handling 2 kids is quite a handful.

Don't forget to check the blog for my first blog - event, the announcement has been scheduled to be posted on December.

Besan/Chick pea flour Ladoos

I have been away from the blogging world for a while.I miss blog hopping and visiting/commenting on blogs -  and i have a reason :) we welcomed a little boy into our little family last month.i am resting while i can with my mom and so unable to make posts forget about cooking anything! I would like to celebrate our new bundle of joy with a sweet recipe.

Sev/ Omapodi

Sev-A very versatile snack and garnish in Indian cooking.Any chaat/street food will have a generous sprinkle of this sev.Its so easy to be done at home that it would be a sin to buy it from the shops.

You can just chop some onions, tomatoes and cucumbers and add some sev,lime juice and chopped cilantro to go with it for a simple snack!

I have used sev as a garnish in some of my previous chaats here and here.

You need

Chick pea flour/besan 2 cups
Rice flour 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Asoefetida a pinch
Water required to make a nice dough
Oil to deep fry

You would also need the press to make the sev use the smallest holes your press has.

• Make a nice soft (not too dry dough because then it will be super hard to press out).
• Heat the oil in a pan to deep fry, fill the dough and press the dough in circular motion directly into the oil.
• Fry until golden brown.
• Drain on a kitchen towel.

• Store sev in a air tight container and this will remain fresh for more than a week.
• Enjoy crunchy sev with tea or on your chaats and snacks.

Sending this to Fun Fair food

Sev/ Omapodi

Sev-A very versatile snack and garnish in Indian cooking.Any chaat/street food will have a generous sprinkle of this sev.Its so easy to be done at home that it would be a sin to buy it from the shops.

Dhokla

This delicious snack is the trademark of Gujarati food :) and its not only healthy but tasty too.Dhokla makes a wonderful snack and also a great breakfast!

I like/make this dish for a number of reasons : its easy and quick to make, healthy (as its steamed), tasty :) ..
I make dhoklas for breakfast or as a snack.I've some fellow bloggers make a number of variations.This is the basic one i guess and one which i have made often.

You need
Besan/bengal gram flour 1 cup
Sour Curd 1/2 cup
Ginger garlic paste 1/2 tsp (optional)
Green chilli paste 1/2 tsp (optional)
Salt 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4tsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Oil 1 tablespoon
lime juice 1/2 tsp
Water 1/2 cup

Just before you pour into the vessel you steam, add 1tsp fruit salt(Eno)/ baking powder

For the tempering :


Oil 2 tablespoons
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
White lentils/urad dal 1tsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Curry leaves chopped finely a handful
Cilantro chopped finely a generous amount
Coconut scrapped 1 tablespoon(optional)

• Mix the all the above ingredients (Except eno like i have mentioned above) into a nice runny batter and let it sit for some time.
• Do the tempering and keep it aside.
• Get the vessel in which you want to pour the batter and steam.We have to use a bigger vessel in which you pour water and into which you put the smaller vessel with the dhokla batter to steam.Its better to cover the smaller vessel before you steam or else the steam will trickle into the dhokla.
• Steam the dhoklas for about 18 minutes until its completely done.Check if the centre is done with a knife/skewer.
• Once the dhoklas are steamed, cut them into squares or desired shapes.
• Now pour the tempering on to it.

• Serve with green chutney :)

Dhokla

This delicious snack is the trademark of Gujarati food :) and its not only healthy but tasty too.Dhokla makes a wonderful snack and also a great breakfast!

Bread Bhajji

I am a great fan of bread,not that we get too many in India so just play around with the ones we get.Bread bhajis taste with a masala chai :)

you would need

Bread slices (cut in 4s) 6 nos
Besan 1 cup
Water to mix
Salt to taste
Asoefetida a pinch
Coriander leaves (chopped) a tablespoon
Onions 1 tablespoon(finely chopped)
Red chilli powder 1/4 tsp (or as much heat as you need/can add chopped green chillies too)
oil to deep fry

- Mix all of the above except the bread.Mix it into a thick batter so that it gives a nice thick coating to the bread.
- Coat the bread in the batter and drop it in nice hot oil,fry until golden brown.

- Serve with tomato sauce and hot tea :))

Bread Bhajji

I am a great fan of bread,not that we get too many in India so just play around with the ones we get.Bread bhajis taste with a masala chai :)

you would need

Bread slices (cut in 4s) 6 nos
Besan 1 cup
Water to mix
Salt to taste
Asoefetida a pinch
Coriander leaves (chopped) a tablespoon
Onions 1 tablespoon(finely chopped)
Red chilli powder 1/4 tsp (or as much heat as you need/can add chopped green chillies too)
oil to deep fry

- Mix all of the above except the bread.Mix it into a thick batter so that it gives a nice thick coating to the bread.
- Coat the bread in the batter and drop it in nice hot oil,fry until golden brown.

- Serve with tomato sauce and hot tea :))

Onion Bhajis

I can eat this any time all time, such a tasty and easy to make snack!Especially on a cold rainy day.Ever since we moved to Chennai haven't had a cold rainy day yet!So just a weekend tea snack!I made a bhajji platter :)

You need
Besan/gramflour half cup
Rice flour 1 tablespoon
Onion 1 big sliced thinly lengthwise
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves chopped finely 1 tablespoon
Red chilli powder 1/4 tsp (or as required)
Asoefetida/hing a pinch
Oil to deep fry

- Add the onions, coriander leaves to a mixing bowl and add the besan, rice flour to this along with salt.Now you would need to mix well (with your hands) and as you do so the onions will let out water which is sufficient
to mix the bhajjis.You can sprinkle a little water if you need.
- Mix in all the ingredients.
- Heat the oil in a vessel to fry the bhajis, once the oil heats before you fry the bhajjis add a tablespoon of hot oil to the bhajji mix.(helps to make the bhajjis crispy)
- Deep fry the bhajjis.

- Ready to eat with tea and sauce!

Onion Bhajis

I can eat this any time all time, such a tasty and easy to make snack!Especially on a cold rainy day.Ever since we moved to Chennai haven't had a cold rainy day yet!So just a weekend tea snack!I made a bhajji platter :)

You need
Besan/gramflour half cup
Rice flour 1 tablespoon
Onion 1 big sliced thinly lengthwise
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves chopped finely 1 tablespoon
Red chilli powder 1/4 tsp (or as required)
Asoefetida/hing a pinch
Oil to deep fry

- Add the onions, coriander leaves to a mixing bowl and add the besan, rice flour to this along with salt.Now you would need to mix well (with your hands) and as you do so the onions will let out water which is sufficient
to mix the bhajjis.You can sprinkle a little water if you need.
- Mix in all the ingredients.
- Heat the oil in a vessel to fry the bhajis, once the oil heats before you fry the bhajjis add a tablespoon of hot oil to the bhajji mix.(helps to make the bhajjis crispy)
- Deep fry the bhajjis.

- Ready to eat with tea and sauce!

Khandvi

Khandvi is a popular savory snack from Gujarat.I've had it a few times in some fast food joints.One rainy day I got all excited about making it.And so the 'Googling' began...and it wasn't as easy as it looked though!

Its made of besan (gram flour) and curds.The knack lies in making the right mix so it dries up and you can cut it and roll it into tiny rolls.If you do it right, its simple obviously.Everyone loves it at home.Since I made it a few times now I love the adventure of making it :) thrilling to see if it turns out right :) and the end product is yum!

You would need

• Besan/bengal gram flour - 1/2 cup 
• Buttermilk - 1 cup yogurt + 1 cup water
• Turmeric powder/haldi - 1/4 tsp
• Asoefetida/hing - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - 1 tablespoon
• Salt to taste

For the tempering

Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Ural dal - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves few
green chillies 1 chopped finely

To Garnish
     Coconut scrapped 1 tablespoon
     Coriander leaves 1 tablespoon

-  Mix the besan ,buttermilk and oil and whisk into a lump-free batter.
-  Now add the salt,haldi and hing.
-  Grease a few metal plates the back side of it, and leave it ready.
-  Now the tricky part, you need to transfer the besan buttermilk batter to a heavy bottom saucepan, and keep stirring for about a few minutes and keep stirring or it will get lumpy.
-  Once the batter starts leaving the sides of the sauce pan.This step has to be right if you don't get this mix right the khandvi will not happen!tricky!
- Now you have to work fast and with a flat spatula take spoonfuls of the hot batter and spread it as thin as you can on the greased metal plates.
- Spread all the mix and leave it to dry, if the mixing is done properly it will dry in about 10 minutes.
With a sharp knife cut the dried khandvi into about an inch long strips, and from the edge of the plate you need to roll it slowly to form small yellow rolls - khandvi.

- Heat oil in a pan and do the tempering with mustard,urad dal seeds,green chillies and curry leaves.Pour this tempering over the assembled rolls.And garnish with coconut scrappings and coriander leaves :)

Serve with tea :) or just as it is!

Khandvi

Khandvi is a popular savory snack from Gujarat.I've had it a few times in some fast food joints.One rainy day I got all excited about making it.And so the 'Googling' began...and it wasn't as easy as it looked though!

Its made of besan (gram flour) and curds.The knack lies in making the right mix so it dries up and you can cut it and roll it into tiny rolls.If you do it right, its simple obviously.Everyone loves it at home.Since I made it a few times now I love the adventure of making it :) thrilling to see if it turns out right :) and the end product is yum!

You would need

• Besan/bengal gram flour - 1/2 cup 
• Buttermilk - 1 cup yogurt + 1 cup water
• Turmeric powder/haldi - 1/4 tsp
• Asoefetida/hing - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - 1 tablespoon
• Salt to taste

For the tempering

Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Ural dal - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves few
green chillies 1 chopped finely

To Garnish
     Coconut scrapped 1 tablespoon
     Coriander leaves 1 tablespoon

-  Mix the besan ,buttermilk and oil and whisk into a lump-free batter.
-  Now add the salt,haldi and hing.
-  Grease a few metal plates the back side of it, and leave it ready.
-  Now the tricky part, you need to transfer the besan buttermilk batter to a heavy bottom saucepan, and keep stirring for about a few minutes and keep stirring or it will get lumpy.
-  Once the batter starts leaving the sides of the sauce pan.This step has to be right if you don't get this mix right the khandvi will not happen!tricky!
- Now you have to work fast and with a flat spatula take spoonfuls of the hot batter and spread it as thin as you can on the greased metal plates.
- Spread all the mix and leave it to dry, if the mixing is done properly it will dry in about 10 minutes.
With a sharp knife cut the dried khandvi into about an inch long strips, and from the edge of the plate you need to roll it slowly to form small yellow rolls - khandvi.

- Heat oil in a pan and do the tempering with mustard,urad dal seeds,green chillies and curry leaves.Pour this tempering over the assembled rolls.And garnish with coconut scrappings and coriander leaves :)

Serve with tea :) or just as it is!

Kharachev- Spicy Sev

A savory snack-you can call it deep fried spicy noodles.In India everyone is a big fan of these sevs and mixtures of nuts and dried fruits.Its super easy to make these sevs.Makes a great teatime snack,a garnish or a festive goodie.
I first started making it because my daughter loves these fried stuff not to forget my dear better half too.What better way to feed them indian junk food and not feel guilty-I make them!
You would a metal murukku press, a tool to make these kind of chaklis and sevs.I have the one which has a rotating screw on top, I find it easier than the pressing types.

For the kharachev(tamil name for spicy-sev)

• Besan/gram flour 1 cup
• Rice flour 3/4 cup
• Dalda 1 tablespoon
• Salt to taste
• Hing powder
• Chilli powder 1/2tsp or as you need
• water as required
• Oil to deep fry

1. Add the besan,rice flour,chilli powder,hing,salt and dalda in a broad bowl and mix it to make a not to tight dough.(the tighter the dough will be the harder it will be to press the dough out)
2. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a kadai to deep fry.
4. the murruku press has a variety of plates to select.You can choose your shapes.I selected the one for thick noodle like ones.
5. Just press the dough into the oil into a broad disc of noodles and then once its fried and cooled you can break it into smaller bite sized pieces.
6. Once the kharachev cools, serve it with hot Tea!

Kharachev- Spicy Sev

A savory snack-you can call it deep fried spicy noodles.In India everyone is a big fan of these sevs and mixtures of nuts and dried fruits.Its super easy to make these sevs.Makes a great teatime snack,a garnish or a festive goodie.
I first started making it because my daughter loves these fried stuff not to forget my dear better half too.What better way to feed them indian junk food and not feel guilty-I make them!
You would a metal murukku press, a tool to make these kind of chaklis and sevs.I have the one which has a rotating screw on top, I find it easier than the pressing types.

For the kharachev(tamil name for spicy-sev)

• Besan/gram flour 1 cup
• Rice flour 3/4 cup
• Dalda 1 tablespoon
• Salt to taste
• Hing powder
• Chilli powder 1/2tsp or as you need
• water as required
• Oil to deep fry

1. Add the besan,rice flour,chilli powder,hing,salt and dalda in a broad bowl and mix it to make a not to tight dough.(the tighter the dough will be the harder it will be to press the dough out)
2. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a kadai to deep fry.
4. the murruku press has a variety of plates to select.You can choose your shapes.I selected the one for thick noodle like ones.
5. Just press the dough into the oil into a broad disc of noodles and then once its fried and cooled you can break it into smaller bite sized pieces.
6. Once the kharachev cools, serve it with hot Tea!

Naankatai cookies

Naankatais are simple-Indian-eggless cookies.They turn out so crispy and light.They can be made almost instantly.I tried them on a rainy afternoon as I was itching to bake something.So I looked up the internet for a few measurement of ingredients and as usual tweaked them to get the ones right for my family's taste buds.I loved them and will definitely make them often.

Served hot with Tea 

To make Naankatais you need 


Flour/maida 1/2 cup
Semolina/Rawa 1/2 cup 
Besan/Gram flour 1/6 cup (about 2 tablespoons)
Baking soda 1/8th tspn
Green elaichi/cardamoms 5 nos
Softened Butter 1/4 cup + Dalda 1/4 cup(you would need as much to make a smooth dough that will form nice round cookies)
Sugar powdered 2/3 cup
Cashews 10 numbers(chop 5 into small pieces to garnish the cookies)

Served hot with Tea 

•  Preheat the oven to 250C.Grease the baking tray.I'm using a convection oven its the same as a gas oven maybe the timings will vary.I baked for 10 mins the gas oven may take lesser time.
•  Powder the sugar,cashews(4-5) ,elaichis and keep aside.
•  Add all the dry ingredients to a plate.
•  Add the butter dalda mix and make a smooth dough such that you can make little balls of dough smoothly.And flatten them and pinch in a piece of chopped cashew at the centre of each cookie.
•  Arrange them a few inches apart as the cookies will expand as they bake.

On the baking tray

•  Put the tray into the preheated oven,change the oven temperature to 180C and bake for about 10 mins or till they are done. 
• Allow them to cool and store in a airtight container.Serve with Tea :)

Naankatai cookies

Naankatais are simple-Indian-eggless cookies.They turn out so crispy and light.They can be made almost instantly.I tried them on a rainy afternoon as I was itching to bake something.So I looked up the internet for a few measurement of ingredients and as usual tweaked them to get the ones right for my family's taste buds.I loved them and will definitely make them often.

Served hot with Tea