Cooking Time : 30 mins.
Preparation Time : 15 mins.
Makes 20 malpuas.
Ingredients
1 cup coarsely ground whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon fennel seeds (saunf)
10 peppercorns, crushed
¼ cup curds, beaten
½ cup milk
Other ingredients
ghee for deep frying
For the garnish
2 teaspoons chopped pistachios
Method
1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and add approx. 1½ cups of warm water. Mix well to make a smooth batter. Leave aside for 45 minutes.
2. Heat ghee in a shallow kadhai (the ghee should be approximately 25 mm. (1") deep).
3. Pour a spoonful of the batter into the hot ghee and deep fry over a medium flame. Cook on both sides till the malpua is golden brown.
4. Drain on absorbent paper.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the remaining batter.
6. Serve hot, garnished with pistachios.
Tips
You will find coarsely ground wheat flour at some provision stores.
You can use 2 tablespoons of semolina with 1 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta) instead of coarsely ground wheat flour for the above recipe.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
ATTE KA MALPUA
BHINDI DO PYAZA
Cooking Time : 15 mins.
Preparation Time : 10 mins.
Serves 4.
Ingredients
3 cups bhindi (ladies finger), sliced
1½ cups onions, chopped
3 teaspoons cumin seeds (jeera)
1 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
3 teaspoons ginger paste
1 to 2 green chillies, chopped
¾ cup thick curds, whisked
3 tablespoons oil
salt to taste
Method
1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds and nigella seeds and allow the seeds to crackle.
2. Add the onions, turmeric powder, ginger paste and green chillies and cook till the onions are tender.
3. Add the bhindi and salt and cook over a medium flame till the bhindi is tender.
4. Add the whisked curds and cook till the curds dry out.
5. Serve hot with parathas or rotis.
Tips
Bhindi tends to get sticky while cooking. Do not cover the pan while cooking and the stickiness will dry out without the presence of steam.
Cook the bhindi over a slow flame for best results.
Monday, July 28, 2008
FRUIT SANDESH
2 cups freshly made paneer
4 to 6 tablespoons icing sugar
a few drops kewda essence or rose water
1 cup fresh fruits
Method
1. Knead the paneer with the sugar to form a smooth dough. Add the kewda essence and knead again.
2. Divide the mixture into 2 parts and slightly saute 1 part in a non-stick pan for about 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Mix the sauteed dough with the remaining dough and knead again.
4. Roll out this mixture to 12.5 mm. (1/2 ") thickness.
6. Decorate with sliced fruits of your choice.
7. Chill and serve.
Tips
Best if freshly made. Try not to store for more than a day or two.
You can use a tablespoon of fresh cream to soften the paneer dough.
CHILLI GARLIC NOODLES
Preparation Time : 10 mins.
Cooking Time : 5 mins.
Serves 4.
Ingredients
2 cups boiled noodles
¼ cup spring onion greens, chopped
¼ teaspoon Ajinomoto powder (optional)
¼ cup Schezuan sauce
1 tablespoon chilli oil
1 tablespoon oil
salt to taste
Method
1. Heat the oil thoroughly in a large wok or pan.
2. Add the spring onion greens, Ajinomoto, noodles, Schezuan sauce and salt and sauté over a high flame for a few seconds.
3. Pour the chilli oil on top and toss well.
4. Serve hot.
CRISPY BREAD CUPS
For the toast cases
8 slices whole wheat bread
3 teaspoons low fat butter
1½ cups Green Giant Niblets Sweet Corn
2 tablespoons chopped onions
2 tablespoons chopped capsicum
2 teaspoons finely chopped green chillies
1 cup low fat milk
1 tablespoon cornflour
1 teaspoon oil
salt to taste
4 teaspoons grated cheese
For the toast cases
1. Remove the crust from the bread slices.
2. Wrap the bread slices in a muslin cloth and steam them for 5 to 7 minutes in a pressure cooker.
3. Roll out a little and press into the cavities of a muffin tray which is greased with butter.
4. Brush with melted butter and bake in a hot oven at 200°C (400°F) for 10 minutes or until crisp.
1. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, add the onions and sauté till they are golden brown.
2. Add the capsicum and green chillies and fry for 1 minute.
3. Add the corn, milk, cornflour and salt and cook till the mixture thickens. Keep aside.
1. Fill a little mixture in each toast case, sprinkle cheese on top. Bake in hot oven at 200°C (400°F) for 5 to 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.
2. Serve hot.
KATORI CHAAT
1/2 cup plain flour (maida)
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mixed sprouts (boiled)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
a pinch asafoetida (hing)
2 teaspoons chilli powder
2 teaspoons coriander-cumin seed (dhania-jeera) powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric (haldi) powder
1 teaspoon amchur (dry mango powder)
1 teaspoon chole masala (chana masala)
2 tablespoons oil
salt to taste
beaten curds
khajur imli ki chutney
green chutney
sev or nylon sev
chaat masala
For the katoris
1. Combine the flour, butter and salt and make a stiff dough using a little water. Knead very well. 2. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions.
3. Roll out each dough portion into a sheet of 6 mm. (¼") thickness.
5. Prick all over with a fork.
6. Bake in a hot oven at 230°C (450°F) for 10 to 15 minutes.
7. Cool the tart cases.
1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. When they crackle, add the asafoetida.
2. Add the sprouts, chilli powder, coriander-cumin seed powder, turmeric powder, amchur, chole masala, salt and 2 tablespoons of water and mix well. Cook on a slow flame for 4 to 5 minutes. Keep aside.
1. Fill each tart with a portion of the filling.
2. Top with curds, khajur imli ki chutney, green chutney, sev and chaat masala.
3. Serve immediately.
DAL BAATI
Cooking Time : 1hour
Preparation Time : 20 mins.
Serves 5.
For the panchmel dal
1/3 cup split Bengal gram (chana dal)
1/3 cup toovar (arhar) dal
1/3 cup green moong dal (split green gram)
1 tablespoon urad dal (split black lentils)
1 tablespoon whole moong (whole green gram)
3 teaspoons chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
1 teaspoon coriander (dhania) powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
3 cloves
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
2 green chillies, slit
a pinch asafoetida (hing)
2 teaspoons amchur (dry mango powder)
2 teaspoons tamarind (imli) pulp
3 tablespoons ghee
salt to taste
For the baatis (for 10 baatis)
1 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
1/2 cup semolina (rawa)
2 tablespoons Bengal gram flour (besan)
8 tablespoons milk
4 tablespoons melted ghee
salt to taste
For serving
melted ghee
Method:
For the panchmel dal
1. Clean and wash the dals and add 4 cups of water. Pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles or till the dals are cooked.
2. In a bowl, combine the chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala with 3 tablespoons of water and mix well. Keep aside.
3. Heat the ghee in a pan and add the cloves, bay leaves, cumin seeds, green chillies and asafoetida. When the cumin seeds crackle, add the prepared masala paste and saut for 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add the cooked dals, amchur, tamarind pulp and salt and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Adjust the consistency of the dal before serving and if required, add some water.
For the baatis
1. Mix all the ingredients and knead into a firm dough. Knead well for 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Divide the dough into 10 equal portions and shape each portion into an even sized round. Flatten the rounds lightly using your thumb to make an indentation in the centre of the baati.
3. Boil water in a broad vessel and drop the baatis in the boiling water. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes over a high flame.
4. When the baatis are done, drain and keep aside.
5. Heat a gas tandoor and put the baatis on the grill of the tandoor. Cook them on a medium flame for 20 to 25 minutes. Cooking the baatis over a medium flame will ensure that the baatis are cooked on the insides also.
6. Arrange the baatis on a serving plate, break each baati into two pieces and pour melted ghee on the baatis.
How to proceed
1. Pour hot panchmel dal over the baatis.
Tips
You can cook the baatis in a gas tandoor (without boiling them).
Alternatively bake the boiled baatis in a pre-heated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 10 to 15 minutes turning them over occasionally.
Or even deep fry them in hot ghee instead of cooking them in a tandoor.