Daal Pakora Kadhi

Kadhi is an Indian cuisine, popular in Indian states of Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Recipe of kadhi in every state is little bit different from other states. Some make Kadhi with pakoras, some make without pakoras. There are different varieties of pakoras also for kadhi.

I cook kadhi with three different type of pakora

1. Kadhi with Daal pakora ( Daal pakora kadhi)
2. Kadhi with Veggie pakora ( Veggie pakora kadhi)
3. Kadhi with Mirch masala (Mirch masala kadhi)

Here I m sharing Daal Pakora Kadhi. Rest two recipes, I would share later.

Ingredients: Serving for 2

Daal Pakora

1. Split chickpeas (Chan Dal): 1/2 cup soaked
2. Garlic: 2 pods
3. Garlic: 1 small piece
4. Green chilli: 2
5. Gram Flour: 2 spoon
6. Salt:As per taste
7. Oil: for deep frying

Kadahi:

1. Curd: 1 cup
2. Gram Flour: 1/4 cup
3. Red Chilli powder: As per taste
4. Coriander powder: 1 tsp
5. Dry mango powder: 1 tsp
6. Turmeric: 1 tsp
7. Garlic: 2 pods
8. Ginger: 1 small
9. Black mustard Seeds:1 tsp+  some for tempering
10. Fenugreek seeds: 1/2 tsp
11. Cumin Seeds: 1 tsp + tempting
12. Asafoetida(Heeng): 1 tsp
13. Curry Leaves (Kadi patta): 4 - 5
14. Water: 500 ml
15. Oil: for cooking

Tempering:

1. Mustard seeds: 10 - 15 seeds
2. Cumin seeds: 10 -15 seeds
3. Asofetida: few pinch
4. Dry Red Chilli: 1
5. Coriander leaves: for garnish
6. Oil: 2 spoon

Method of Preparation:

Daal Pakora

1. Take half cup split chickpeas ( Chana Daal) and wash it. Soak it in water for at least 3 hours.
2. Now take soaked chickpeas, garlic, ginger and green chilli in a mixer just and grind it in a coarse paste using very less water.
3. Take out this coarse paste in a bowl and add Gram Flour and salt and mix it well so that no any lump is there.
4. Take a pan, Put it on gas flame.Add oil in the pan for deep frying. Heat oil on medium flame.
5. Put coarse paste in oil with the help of small spoon in round shape. Turn it after 30 second. Deep fry it until light brown or yellow. Take it out from pan and put it on tissue paper to absorb excess oil.
6. Daal pakora is ready. Keep it side.

Kadhi:

1. Take one cup curd in a bowl. Add gram Flour in the curd and whisk it either by hand blender or electric blender. Make sure that there is no lump of gram Flour. Add water and keep it side.
2. Take a deep pan. Put 2 - 3 spoon oil in this and heat it. Put mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves. Let it be sizzled in oil.
3. Now add ginger garlic paste in.oil and saute it.
4. Now put curd gram Flour mixture in oil and cook it on low flame.
5. Now add coriander powder, dry mango powder, Red Chilli powder, turmeric powder and mix it.
6. Cook it on low flame until thick and smooth consistency comes. It takes approx one hour for such consistency to come on low flame.
7. Now add salt and pakora and cook for 5 minutes on low flame.
8. Kadhi with daal pakora is cooked. Take it out in serving bowl.

Tempering:

1. Take a frying pan or tempering spoon. Put oil in it and heat it.
2. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, Dry Red Chilli and asafoetida and sizzle it.
3. Now pour this over the Kadhi serving bowl. Garnish it with coriander leaves.
4. Serve it with rice or chapati. It tastes well with Aachari alooo and rice.

Tips:

1. If you have no Curry leaves ,then you can use Curry leaves powder itself.
2. You can use grated ginger and garlic also.
3. You can adjust spice as per your taste.
4. Blend properly curd and gram Flour. I used electric blender for this.
5. Kadhi is a slow cooking food and generally it takes one and half hours to cook.

Aachari Aaloo

Aachari Aaloo is easy to cook recipe. Generally we are not sure what to cook and potatoes are readily available at home anytime. Aachari aaloo will be a tasty alternative potato recipe which will be different than regular routine potato recipes.
Aachari Alooo is coated with spices and also good alternative for party and get together. It goes well with Panchmel Dal, chapati and Rice.

Ingredients: serving for 2

1. Potato(Aaloo): 2 medium
2. Red Chilli powder: 1 tsp
3. Termeric powder: 1 tsp
4. Garlic: 2 pods
5. Ginger: 1 small piece
6. Salt: As per taste

For Aachari spice:

1. Cumin seeds (Jeera): 1 tsp
2. Fengruek seeds(Metthi): 1 tsp
3. Yellow Musterd seeds (sarso):1 tsp
4. Fennel seeds(Saunf): 1 tsp
5. Ajwain: 1 tsp
6. Asofetida(heeng): 1 tsp
7. Dry Red Chilli: 1

I always keep prepared aachari spice in my pantry. So I have shown aachari spice powder in the pic.

Method of Preparation:

1. Take potatos and wash them properly. Boil the potatoes in pressure cooker untill cooked.
2. Mean while you can prepare aachari spice. For this, take all spices (mentioned as ingredients in aachari spice) in pan and roast it lightly. When roasting aroma starts to come switch off flame and cool it. Grind it in mixer grinder in a fine powder.
3. Now when potato is boiled and cooled, cut potatoes into cube size.
4. Take a pan, add oil and heat it. Add dry Chilli and grated garlic and ginger and saute it for 30 seconds.
5. Add aachari spice, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and  potato cubes.  
   
6. Now mix and coat all potato pieces with spice. Add salt. 
7. Add some drops of water and cover it for 2 minutes.
8. Aachari Aaloo is ready to serve.

Tips

1. Adjust spice in aachari alooo as per your taste.
2. You can also keep prepared Aachari spice for longer time in your kitchen.

Khatta Mittha Karela (Bitter Gourd)

Everyone knows that Karela (Bitter Gourd) is full of health benefits and nutrition but knowing health benefits of karela is one thing and eating karela due to its bitterness is other. Here I am sharing recipe of Khatta Meetha Karela which removes the bitterness of karela and give its a unique taste.
Khatta Meetha Karela is liked by one and all. Its easy to cook and is full of nutritional benefits. Even you can serve this as party dish also to surprise guests with the Khatta Meetha version of Karela. You can also make Karela Fritters. I have shared the recipe of Karela Fritters already in my blog.

Ingredients:

1. Bitter gourd(karela): 2 medium sized chopped
2. Onion: 1 medium sized chopped
3. Tomato: 1 medium
4. Garlic: 2 pods
5. Ginger:
6. Turmeric powder: 2 tsp
7. Red Chilli powder: 1 tsp
8. Kitchen king/ Garam Masala: 1 tsp
9. Jaggery: 2 small lemon size
10. Tamarind : 1/2 of lemon size
11. Salt: As per taste

Method of Preparation

1. Take bitter gourd in a pressure cooker,add turmeric powder, salt and water. Cook it until one whistle.
2. Mean while, soak the tamarind in 1/4 cup water.
3. When pressure comes out from cooker, take the bitter gourd in a strainer and drain all water.

4.  Now take a pan and heat it, add oil in this pan, Add grated garlic, chopped onions and stir it.
5.  Now take a grinder jar, add tomato in this and make a paste of it.
6.  Now add this tomato paste in to pan and cook it until oil separate from onion and tomato mixture. 7.  Add red chilli powder, kitchen king/garam masala in onion tomato mixture.
8.  Add strained bitter gourd in pan and saute it for 1 minute on medium flame.

9.  Meanwhile, mash the soaked tamarind and take out all wastage from tamarind juice and keep juice aside.
10. Now add jaggery and tamarind juice to bitter gourd in pan. Cover it and cook it on medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes.
11. Take it out in serving bowl and serve it with hot chapatis and parathas as a side dish.

Tips:

1. Step no. 1 in method of Preparation is very important. Cooking in pressure cooker with salt and turmeric powder removes all bitterness of bitter gourd. Cooking until 1 whistles is enough. So don't skip this step.
2. You can take garlic paste instead of grated garlic.
3. If you have no tamarind then you can use 2 tsp dry mango powder (amchur) instead of tamarind.
4. You can add 1 lemon size of jaggery instead of 2, depending on your taste and health point (for calorie conscious or diabetic).
5. Adding salt and turmeric in pan separately is not required as we have already added them in pressure cooker.

Mexican Veggie cheese basket (Wonton Cheese Cup)

Mexican Veggie Cheese Basket or Wonton Cheese Cup is easy to cook and tasty snack. You can serve this snack in breakfast at home or in get together with friends. Veggie Cheese basket will be liked by all kids or adults. The taste is a combination of spring roll and pizza.

For Wonton Cheese Cup or Mexican Veggie Cheese Basket, we need Spring Roll Sheet. You can use readymade spring rolls sheet too or you can home made spring rolls sheet. I made Wonton Cheese Cup both way using readymade spring rolls sheet and homemade spring roll sheet and here I shown both photos below. I usually make spring rolls sheet home. This is simple to make and great satisfaction too for family but it takes time to make and pre planning too. Spring Room Sheet, sometimes in market, comes in the name of Pastry Sheet. If you are in hurry or have very busy life schedule but want to serve new things to your family or guests then use readymade spring rolls sheet or pastry sheets. It tastes best either ways.

I simply fill vegetables and cheese in this cup but you can explore more new things to fill the cup like potato masala, fruits with cream or salad too. It is upto you,how you explore new things to fill the cup or basket.

Ingredients: Serving for 4

For filling:

1. Cabbage : 1/2 cup grated
2. Carrots: 1/2 cup grated
3. Beans: 1/4 cup finely chopped
4. Paneer: 4 to 5 cubes
5. Tomato sauce: 2 spoon
6. Red Chilli sauce: as per taste
7. Salt: 1 or 2 pinch
8. Oil: As required for cooking vegetables
9. Mozzarella cheese: 100 gram grated
10. 
    

For basket:

1. Readymade Spring Roll (Pastry) sheets or homemade spring roll sheets

Method of Preparation:

 For filling:

1. Take a pan. Add oil and heat it on medium flame.
2. Put grated cabbage in it and stir. It might leave some water. When all water disappears then add rest of vegetables. Stir it and cook it for 1 minutes.
3. Now add salt, tomato sauce, Chilli sauce and stir it.
4. Switch off the flame and leave it for cooling upto room temperature.

For basket:

1. Preheat the oven at 180 degree C.
2. Take out Pasty sheets from refrigerator and leave it to come at room temperature.
3. Now take muffins stand and grease it with oil and brush.
4. Take one pastry sheet, sprinkle few drops of water of it and keep this inside the muffins stand pressing down towards base of muffins stand with light hand.
5. Now put vegetables in this with spoon. Put mozzarella cheese over cooked vegetables and spread it. Do same with other muffins shells.

6.  Place the muffins stand inside the oven and bake it 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

7.  Veggie Cheese Basket is ready. Take the stand out from oven and serve the veggie cheese basket hot with ketchup. Sprinkle some Italian seasoning or organo with red chilli flakes on topping. Enjoy the taste of melting cheese with vegetables. This is so heavenly taste..

Tips:

1. You can use any vegetables of your choice.
2. Sometimes if I am in hurry and cook for large, then instead of cooking vegetables on gas stove, I take fine chopped onion and 🍅 tomato,add ketchup and grated cottage paneer and just fill in pastry sheet in muffins stand. Topping with mozzarella cheese and bake it. This also a good options and good for party of large number of people.
3. Sometimes ready made pastry sheets  start breaking when  you put in muffin mould. If pastry sheet are breaking then sprinkle some drop of water on pastry sheet and press gently in muffins stand. This type of problem arises when you purchase pastry sheet or spring roll sheet made from wheat flour. Generally homemade pastry sheet or spring roll sheet does not break. 
4. Serve it hot only. When it comes to normal temperature, cheese turns chewy and hard.

Besan Paratha

I am sharing the recipe for Besan Paratha today. This recipe I learned from one of my Rajasthani friend. It tastes good whether you consume it directly from the Tawa or even long time after cooking. When consumed hot it is crunchy and soft.

You can wrap it in foil and keep it in air tight container in fridge for 1 week, so next time if you are going out on a long tour you can keep these parathas for ready consumption. Crunchiness, softness and layering gives taste and texture like malabar parathas.

Besan parathas are liked by children as well as adults alike. As per my experience anyone who has tasted the Besan Parathas have liked it and asked for the recipe. You can give them in breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a snack.

Ingredients: Serving for 2

For dough:

1. Wheat Flour: 1 cup
2. Oil: 2 to 3 spoon
3. Salt: 1 pinch(optional)
4. Water: For kneading

For stuffing:

1. Gram Flour(Besan): 1 cup
2. Salt: 1tsp
3. Oil: 1/2 cup

For Paratha:

1. Dough 
2. Gram Flour(Besan) stuffing
3. Ghee: For cooking Paratha
4. Butter : For serving(Optional)

Method of Preparation:

For Dough:

1. Take wheat flour,oil,salt in a big bowl and mix it properly. Take water and knead it little tight.
2. Cover it with wet towel and keep it side for 20 minutes.

For stuffing:

1. Take Gram Flour, Salt and mix well.
2. Now add oil in Gram Flour slowly slowly and keep it mixing with spoon and make a batter which shall neither be thick nor should be flowing. Somehow, it should be like toothpaste type consistency.
3. Mix well gram flour and oil so that there should not be any lumps.

For  paratha:

1. Take small portion of dough and make round shape using palm.
2. Roll it like chapati using rolling pin

3.  Now put one spoon of batter over rolled chapati and spread it over whole chapati leaving round edges. As shown below.

4.   Now joint side edges with each other and make again round shape using palm. Do it with light hand. As shown in figure below.

5. Now roll this round shape stuffed dough in to chapati with the help of rolling pin. Be careful of using the rolling pin slowly so that batter does not come out.

6.  Take a pan or tawa and heat the tawa on high flame. Put the parathas on this and turn the paratha after one minute. Add ghee on both sides and cook it properly for one minute.

7.    Take it in serving plate and garnish it with butter. Besan paratha is ready to serve with raita, Chutney and any kind of sabji.

Tips:

1. Keep batter consistency proper.
2. Don't add any spicy or anything in batter. This will not give the exact taste of besan paratha.
3. Make batter only with refine oil. Don't make batter with water. This will not help to make exact besan paratha which is fluffy and crunchy and even you can't spread the batter over chapati and roll it. It is advisable to make batter in oil instead of ghee. Solidification nature of ghee create problem on spreading and making batter.
4. It might be in first attempt u can face little difficulties in rolling after stuffing. But in second or third attempt you would find it very easy to make it.

Okra (Bhindi) in Mustard Seeds Gravy

The Okra or Ladyfinger (Bhindi) is a very low calorie vegetable. Okra is rich in Vitamins A, B, C, K and Minerals like magnesium. Okras is good source of folates and is high in dietary fibers.

The recipe I am sharing today is Okra in Mustard Seeds Gravy. This has a strong sour taste, if you follow the recipe step by step along with tips you will enjoy this delicious recipe.

Ingredients: Serving for 2

1. Okra or Ladyfinger (Bhindi): 200 gram
2. Yellow mustard seeds: 50 gram
3. Coriander powder: 4 to 5 tsp
4. Dry Red Chilli: 4 to 5
5. Turmeric: 1 tsp
6. Tomato: 1 big sized
7. Garlic: 6 to 7 pods
8. Kasuri Metthi: 2 tsp
9. Lemon : 1 small size
10. Salt: As per taste
11. Oil : For cooking
12. Water: As required

Method of Preparation

1. Take okra (bhindi) and wash it properly. After washing cut okra in to 2 inches long pieces.
2. Take mustard Seeds (keeping 1 tsp separately for sizzling in oil), garlic, dry Red Chilli, Coriander powder in grinder jar and make a fine paste using water.
3. Take a bowl and transfer above paste in it. Take tomato in same grinder jar used above. Make fine paste of tomato.
4. Take a pan and put oil in it. Heat it on high flame. Add mustard seeds and Kasuri Methi and let it be sizzled in oil.
5. Add mustard seeds paste, tomato paste and saute it. Cook it on medium flame until it become dry.
6. Add Okra and saute it on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Add turmeric powder and salt.
7. Add water as per required consistency of gravy. (If flowing consistency of gravy required then add 2 cup water, otherwise 1.5 cup).
8. Cover it and cook for 5 minutes on medium flame.
9. When it is cooked, add lemon juice in it and cook for 30 second.
10. Take it out in serving bowl and serve it with hot chapati and paratha.

Tips

1. If you have fresh fenugreek (Methi) leaves then you can use it instead of Kasuri Methi.
2. Dry Mango powder (Amchur) can be also used in place of lemon juice.
3. It tastes best after 3 - 4 hours of cooking. So serving immediately is not recommended.

Moong Daal Mangore (Moong Dal pakore) along with Dahi Mangore

Moong Beans (Dal) is high source of Vitamins and minerals. They are high in protein, resistant starch and dietary fiber. High nutrient density quality of moong beans are helps in defending against heart diseases, cancer, diabetes and obesity.

Moong Dal Mangore is a north Indian dish. They are sumptuous in taste. Moong Dal Mangore are really easy to cook snacks, can be served as starters in get together or as evening snacks. Whenever I cook Mangore, they just vanish off the table. You can cook them and give as kids tiffin or snacks tiffin for hubby. It takes some planning to cook as you have to soak beans before cooking.

They can be baked as well as fried. Baked Mangore will consume less oil and hence will be more healthy. I have shared below recipe for both the fried version and baked version. Apart from eating baked and fried Mangore, you can also make Dahi Mangore.

Fried Mangore

Baked Mangore

           
                               Dahi Mangore

Ingredients: Serving for 2 

Fried and Baked Mangore

1. Yellow Moong Beans (Dal) : 1 cup
2. Garlic: 2 pods
3. Ginger:1 inches pieces
4. Green chilli: 2 nos.
5. Cumin Seeds Powder (Jeera): 1 tsp
6. Salt: As per taste
7. Oil: For frying

Dahi Mangore

1. Fried or Baked Mangore
2. Curd- 1 cup
3. Cumin Seeds (Jeera) powder - 1 tsp
4. Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
5. Chat Masala - 1 tsp
6. Black Salt - 1 tsp
7. Sugar - 2 tsp
8. Green chutney - As Reqd
9. Sweet Chutney- As required
10. Sev or Besan Bhujiya (optional)
11. Coriander Leaves

Method of Preparation

1. Take Moong Beans and wash it properly. Soak it at least for 3 hours.
2. Take soake Moong Beans in grinder jar,add garlic, ginger, green chilli, salt and make a paste without water or using very less water.

For Fried mangoes:

1.   Take a pan, heat it on high flame. Put enough oil so that mangore can dip in oil properly. Heat this oil.
2.   When oil is heated, put beans paste in to oil in the form of small round shapes of mangore with the use of table spoon.

3.   Put flame on medium and turn all mangore. Cook it until it turn to golden brown.
4.   Take it out on kitchen tissue paper to absorb extra oil.

5.   Fried mangore is ready. Serve it with coriander leaves tomato chutney or any of your favorite chutney

For Baked Mangore:

1. Preheat the oven 170 degree C
2. Take baking tray. Grease it with oil .
3. Put small round shapes of beans paste with the help of spoon.
4. Brush this with oil and bake it for 10 minutes.

5. When baked, take the tray out and serve it with  coriander leaves tomato chutney or any other chutney of your choice.

Baked Mangore

Dahi Mangore - 

1. After frying or baking the Mangore as per the above steps. Soak them in cold water.

2. When you want to serve Dahi Mangore, take them out of water and squeeze the water.

3.  Whisk the curd and add salt and sugar. Whisk again.

4. Keep the Mangore in plate, spread whisked curd over it, garnish with green chutney, sweet chutney, red chilli powder, chat masala powder , cumin seeds powder, coriander leaves.

5. Top it up with Sev or besan bhujiya and coriander leaves.

Paneeri Moong Daal

Paneeri Moong Dal is my own recipe, the need to prepare the same came due to reluctance of my kid to take dal. He threw all tantrums and use all his baby tricks and try to avoid dal. Then I thought why not do some variation in Dal so that he loves it. This recipe came out of this thought and believe me everyone who has tasted Paneeri Moong Dal has become fan of it. It has rich creamy texture of Paneer and goodness of moong dal.

Paneer is full of calcium and protein and Moong is rich in Protein, fibers, vitamins and minerals. This dish is heavenly in taste and full of nutrition

Ingredients:

1. Green Moong Beans (Hari Moong Daal): 1 Cup
2. Yellow Moong pulse (Peeli Moong Daal): 2 Spoon
3. Paneer: 4 to 5 cubes
4. Cooking Cream: 150 gram
5. Onion: 1 medium sized chopped
6. Tomato: 1 big sized
7. Garlic : 4 pods
8. Ginger: 1 inches piece
9. Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
10. Red Chilli powder: 1 tsp
11. Dry Red Chilli: 1
12. Dry Mango powder(Amchur):1tsp
13. Garam Masala Powder: 1 tsp
14. Asafoetida( Heeng): 1 tsp                            
15. Cumin Seeds: 1 tsp
16. Ajwain: 1 tsp
17. Ghee: 4 to 5 spoon
18. Salt: As per taste
19. Water: As required
20. Coriander leaves: for garnish
21. Butter: 1 tsp (Optional)

Method of Preparation

1. Take a bowl, put green Moong beans and yellow Moong beans wash it and soak it at least 3 hours,preferably overnight.
2. Boil this soaked beans in pressure cooker up to 2 whistles or until cook.
3. Take tomato, garlic and ginger on grinder jar and make a fine paste grinding it.
4. Take a pan, heat it, put ghee, cumin seeds, ajwain, dry red Chilli, asafoetida and let it be sizzled.
5. Add onion in oil and saute it. Add few pinch salt and cook it. It take 2 to 3 minutes to cook on medium flame.
6. Now add tomato garlic ginger paste and mix with onion and cook it until whole mixture become little dry.Add turmeric powder, Red Chilli powder, garam masala powder, Amchur and mix it properly.

7.  Add cooking Cream and cook it for 2 to 3 minutes.

8.   Add boiled Moong beans and stir it.cook it for 2 to 3 minutes on medium flame.
9.   Meanwhile take a another pan and put 1 tsp ghee in it and heat it on low flame.
10.  Cut paneer cubes in small pieces as shown in figure.
11.  Add these paneer pieces into heated ghee and saute it for 2 to 3 minutes on low flame.

12.   Now add these paneer to Moong beans mixture and stir it.
13.   Now add 1 glass of boiled water in pan and cover it for 2 minutes on low flame.
14.   Paneeri Moong Daal is cooked now. Take it out in serving bowl and garnish it with coriander leaves and add butter and serve it.

Tips:

1. You can adjust spice as per your taste.
2. You can adjust quantity of boiled water in moon daal as per greavy consistency required.
3. If you have no cooking Cream home then you can also use malaii taken out from milk. Whisk it before adding in to pan

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