Archive | February 2018

Karachi Halwa

Feb19

Karachi halwa is a chewy Indian dessert made with cornflour loaded with the goodness of dry fruits like almond and cashewnuts and sweetened with sugar.It is also known as Bombay Halwa.This recipe needs minimum ingredients but lots of patience as cooking time is more.More you cook the halwa more chewy it will turn out.

Here goes the recipe….

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Cornstarch

1 cup Sugar

2 cups Water

4 tbspn Ghee

1/2 tspn Cardamom Powder

2 drops Green Food Colouring

Chopped Dry fruits for garnishing (Almonds,Cashew nuts,sun Flower seeds.

Method:
Take a heavy bottom pan and add in sugar and 1 cupcup water.Mix well and heat till the sugar is dissolved completely.

In another bowl take cornflour and add in 1 cup of water and mix well so no lumps are formed.

Add food colour and mix well.

In melted sugar mixture ,pour the cornflour dissolved in water,mix well.

Add half of the chopped dry fruits.

On medium heat keep whisking the mixture till it is thick and glossy.

Add 2 tbspn ghee and keep stirring for 20 minutes.

Add remaining 2 tblspn of ghee and keep stirring on medium heat.

After 3 mins add another 2 tblspn of ghee and mix well.

After around 5 to 7 minutes the halwa will leave the sides of the pan now add cardamom powder  and mix well.

At this point halwa will leave the pan,  and the ghee will ooze from the sides of the pan.
Pour this mixture in a greased plate and  andgarnish with remaining dry fruits.keep aside to set.


Once it is set, invert it to a cutting board and cut it into squares.
Store in airtight container and serve as required.

Happy Cooking !!!

Sameera

 

 

Mixed Dal Handvo

Feb19

 

Handvo,is a very famous dish from state of Gujrat.It is a one pot meal which can be served  as breakfast,lunch or dinner.I have earlier shared  an instant version of Handvo, made using curd and rava,this version is made up of rice and mixed lentils and requires fermentation.Any available vegetables like dudhi (bottle gourd),methi leaves (fenugreek),Carrots,onions,tomatoes, peas or corns can be used.This is a very good dish for kids tiffin.traditionally it is cooked on a slow flame with little extra oil in a non stick pan but same can also be baked in oven to avoid the extra oil.This dish was on my mind for long,finally nailed it today !!

Ingredients : 

1/2 cup Rice

1/4 cup Chana Dal

1/4 cup Yellow mung Dal

1/4 cup Urad Dal

1/4 cup Tuvar Dal

1/4 cup Curds.

1/2 cup grated Carrot.

1/2 cup chopped onion.

1/2 cup boiled Corns

1 tbsp Green chilli,Ginger and Garlic paste.

1 tsp Dhana Jeera powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder.

1 tsp Sugar.

1 tbsp Lemon juice.

1 tbsp roasted Sesame seeds.

Salt to taste.

For tempering:

4 tspn Oil.

1 tsp Mustard seeds.

1 tspn Jeera.

1/4 tspn Asafoetida

2 tsp Sesame seeds.

Method : 

Mix,wash and soak all the dals and rice together in water for 3 hours.

Drain and grind to a smooth paste.

Remove in a bowl,cover and keep aside overnight for fermentation.

Once fermented,add all the remaining ingredients and mix well,add little water if required and make a thick batter.

 

Let it stand for 10 minutes.

Mix the batter well.

Divide batter into 4 portions.

Heat a non stick pan,add oil,mustard seeds,jeera,asaf asafoetida and sesame seeds, once they cracklea addone portion of the batter and spread well.

 

Cover with the lid and cook on slow flame for 8 minutes os till the sides turn brown.

 

Flip over and cook on other side for another 5 minutes.

 

Once crisp from both the sides,remove and cut into peices.

Make 3 more Handvo from the remaining batter.

Serve hot with green chutney.

Tip:Same can be made in oven,pour the batter in a greased plate and bake in preheated oven at 180 degrees celcius  for 20 minutes.Remove from the plate and add tempering on top.cut into pieces and serve.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

Puran Poli Icecream

Feb14

Puran poli is a delcacy made in every Maharashtrian household. · The perfect preparation of puran poli is considered a highly-skilled task… an art actually!

I have made a small effort to turn this art into a delectable dessert.

Ingredients : 

2 cup Condensed Milk (1 tin Milkmaid/Mithai mate)

2 cup Milk.

1 cup Puran Sauce

400 gm Whipped Cream.(Ref glossary no 14)

For Puran Sauce

1 cup Chana Dal(Bengal gram dal).

1 cup grated Jaggery.

pinch of Black Pepper powder.

1/2 tsp Cardamom powder.

1/2 tsp Jaiphal(Nutmeg) powder.

Salt to taste.

Method :

To make puran sauce:

Soak chana dal in 3 cups water for 2 to 3 hours.Pressure cook on medium heat for 10 minutes adding 2 cups of water till the dal becomes tender.

 

Dont Drain  excess water,mash the dal lightly using the back of the spoon.

 

Add grated jaggery.

 

and cook well till jaggery is completely dissolved .

 

Further cook till mixture thickens a little bitbit stir continuously.

Add the cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, and black pepper powder mix well.

Let it cool completely,

In a mixie,grind it well till it becomes soft and smooth like a sauce.

Keep it aside

 

For Ice-cream

Mix together milk and condensed mik in a pan and beat well.Add half of the puran sauce.reserve remaining sauce for garnishing.

 

Transfer to a plastic box and keep in deep fridge.

Let it set for 3 hours,remove and beat well with hand blender.

Add whipped cream and mix with light hand.

Transfer  back to plastic box and keep in deep fridge for 6 to 8 hours or till completely set.

Remove a scoop in serving bowl and garnish with remaining puran sauce.

Serve immediately.

Happy Cooking !!!

Sameera.