Salt Cheedai

This a very nice after noon snack to munch. This is usually made in our community for Krishna Jayanthi. This is the first time I am trying and it was a success .
In india I have heard my mother's generation talk about cheedai which can betray you. If there are lumps in the rice or urad flour it might pop and spread the oil all over the working area.
So all these years I was not prepared to take a risk. My mother would send cheedais whenever somebody comes from India. My kids and hubby likes it so much whenever they are walking past kitchen counter they would take some and munch. So I thought why not I try it.
I included my small ones to help me make small balls from the dough. They had fun since they had a counting game.
Also I was very careful with the oil. So here it is from my kitchen for you to try.

Ingredients

Raw Rice – 2 cups
Urad dal – ¼ cup
Butter – ¼ cup
Salt to taste
Cumin seeds, pepper pdr – 2 tsp each
Asafoetida - a pinch
Oil for deep frying

Method

Wash and soak rice for 1 hr and drain it. Spread it over a piece of cloth. After 2-3 hrs grind it in the mixie into rice flour. In a kadai fry the flour till it is light brown in low heat. Sift through a coarse sieve so that there are no lumps.

Fry the urad dal till it is light brown. Grind it in the mixie into a smooth flour. Sift and Mix it to the rice flour.

Add the butter, salt to taste, asafoetida, cumin seeds and pepper pdr. Mix well. Add enough water to make it into a thick dough. Spread a wet towel. Pinch small balls of the dough and put it on the towel so that it does not get dry.

Heat the oil. Put the Cheedai(10-15 nos at a time) into the oil and fry it till golden colour.

PS: Instead of pepper pdr , chilli pdr can be used.

Rava Ladoo

I think of all the ladoos this is the easiest and very tasty. I always refer Meenakshi Ammal's Cook and See to make sweets and savouries. This is also adapted from her book. I have reduced the quantity of ingredients and made small differences in method.



Ingredients

Suji Rava - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Ghee - 1/4 cup
Cardamom pdr - 1 tsp
Cashewnuts - handful( broken)

Method

Heat a pan and fry the suji rava till it is golden brown. Keep on stirring it and adjust the heat when frying since it can burn fast. Spread it on a plate and let it cool down.
Grind the sugar in the mixie till smooth. Add the Rava and grind it again . Rava should nicely blend with sugar. It should not be too smooth.

1) In the same pan add 1 tsp ghee. Fry the cashewnut. Add rest of the ghee. When the ghee is hot off the heat. Add the ground ravasugar mixture and cardamom pdr. Mix well with a spatula. After 3-4 mnts try to make small balls of the mixture. If it is too hot for your hands even then wait till it is warm. The ladoos will be a little soggy, but it will set well after half an hour.

2) Another method you can use is mix the fried cashews, ravasugar mixture and cardamom pdr well. Heat the ghee seperately. Pour it in to the mixture little by little . Mix it and make the ladoos.

Methi Peas Curry

I buy Methi leaves(Fenugreek) at least once a month to make Methi chappathis. My kids always accompany me to the store and they would always remember to take Methi and coriander leaves. They like it since I allow them to pluck the leaves . I tell them who ever plucks more leaf would get a treat. So by the time I done putting all the other vegetables away, they would have separated all the leaves from the stem. So that job is less for me. I keep the leaves in a container in the refrigerator at least for 15-20 days.
The other day I was looking at Indira's site for some Methi recipes and saw her Methi MattarMalai. It looked really mouth watering. But I did not have cream with me. So I made my version with coconut milk. Also my method slightly varies from hers. After all cooking is about trying in different ways. So I am sharing it with you.

Ingredients

Methi leaves – 1 cup
Sweet Peas – 1 cup (frozen)
Potato( cubed) – 1 cup
Coconut milk – 1 cup
Onion- 1 medium
Ginger – a medium piece
Green chillies -1
Cinnamon – small piece
Cloves – 4-5nos
Salt to taste
Oil – 2 tsp

Method

Boil water and put the potatoes. When it starts to cook drain it and keep it aside.

Cut the onion and sauté it in 1 tsp oil. Grind it with ginger, green chilli, cloves, cinnamon and handful peas(for thickness) . Add little coconut milk to make it into paste.

Chop the methi leaves. In 1 tsp oil lightly sauté the peas and methi leaves (for 1 mnt). Add the potatoes and ground paste. Add rest of the coconut milk and salt to taste. Cook it in medium flame for 10 mnts.

Onion Tomato Parathas

Dough:

Wheat flour – 2 cups
Salt a pinch
Oil -1 tsp
Warm water to make the dough

Combine all the ingredients and make a thick dough. Knead the dough well . Keep it closed in a bowl for at least 30mnts.

Filling:

Onion , tomato – 2 cups chopped thinly
Sambar pdr – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Ghee – 1 tsp

In a pan add oil. When the mustard pops add onion. When it is lightly brown add sambar pdr, tomatoes and salt to taste. Let it cook nice and thick.

To Make Parathas:

Make 2 balls from the dough. Make very thin rounds(like we make chappathi) .

Spread the filling on it .

Cover with the other round. Press the sides well with wet finger tips.

Put it on hot tawa. Spread butter on both sides and shallow fry it.

Cut into half. This is good to eat with plain curd.

Cauliflower-Capsicum Fry

I always like sukha subji with my rotis. I like to see the colours of vegetables we add. Also the masala will be very mild. Any way this took only 15 mnts to prepare.

Ingredients

Cauliflower – 2 cups ( florets)
Capsicum – 1 cup chopped(green)
Onion -1/2 cup chopped
Green chillies – 2
Garlic – 4-5 cloves
Garam masala – 2 tsp(I used parampara tawa mix)
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method

Wash the florets . Boil water. Add salt. Put the cut florets in and keep it closed for 7-8 mnts.

In a pan add 1 tbsp ghee. Add chopped onion. Let it fry. Then add the capsicum. Fry it till it is soft.

Then add the green chillies , garlic and little salt to it. Also sprinkle the masala pdr.

In the end add cauliflower florets. Fry till the everything comes together.

Turn off the heat when a light brown coating starts to appear on the cauliflower.

Split Peas and Spinach Dal

Split peas is pale green colour and has a very mild flavour. It retains the colour even after we cook. It is also usually used in soups and stews. I just tried it with the same ingredients we add to make moong dal. To add more green to it I have added spinach to it. Instead of making it into a paste we can also chop it thinly and add to the dal.

Ingredients

Green split peas – 1/2 cup
Spinach – 1 cup chopped
Onion, tomato – 1 cup chopped each
Green chillies – 2
Ginger – grated 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds,cumin seeds – 1 tsp each
Oil – 2 tsp
Asafoetida – a pinch

Method

Wash the lentils, soak in water for 15 mnts and pressure cook it(4 whistles).

Boil water and add the spinach. When it is soft, grind it into a smooth paste.

In a pan add 2 tsp oil. Add the mustard and cumin seeds. When it pops add the onion and fry. When it turns light brown add green chillies, ginger, asafetida and tomatoes. Fry till the tomatoes are soft. Then add the cooked lentils and spinach.

Add salt to taste. Add little water if necessary. Cook it for 6-7 minutes.

Aloo Mattar

Its been quite some time I blogged. Joined for some classes. So totally tied up. Yesterday I was surfing and saw that Potatoes were the Ingredient for Jhiva this month. Since I was late I am just posting my recipes here. Green peas is one thing my kids love especially my older one. He says it is green peanut. I am okay with whatever name they give unless they eat it. Any way this was one of the first NorthIndian dish I learned when I started cooking.

Ingredients

Potatoes – 2 medium
Green peas – 1 cup(I use frozen)
Onion – 2 medium
Tomato – 2 medium
Cumin , Sauf – 1 tsp each
Garlic -3-4cloves
Ginger – a small piece
Green chillies -2
Ghee – 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Garam masala pdr – 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves to garnish

Method

Peel the potatoes. Wash well . Cut into cubes. Cook it in boiling water adding salt.
Drain it. Keep some of the water aside for later use.

Cut one onion and tomato. In a pan add 1tsp ghee and fry it adding garlic , cumin and sauf. When it is fried nicely let it cool . Then grind it with ginger, green chillies and garam masala pdr.

Cut the other onion and tomatoes finely. Add 1 tsp ghee and fry the onion when it is lightly brown add the tomatoes and and fry till the raw smell is gone. Then add the ground mixture to it. Also put the cooked potatoes and peas into it. Add the cooked water and salt to taste to it. Close it 3/4^th and let it cook for 7-8 mnts in medium flame.

Garnish it with coriander leaves.

PS: If you are using the dried Mattar soak it for at least 5-6hrs in warm water. Then pressure cook it.

Aloo Dum

Ingredients
Small round potatoes – 8-10nos
Onion – 2
Cumin – 1 tsp
Green chillies – 1 tsp
Redchilli pdr – 1 tsp
Ginger - 1 small piece
Turmeric pdr – ¼ tsp
Badam – 5-6nos
Clove – 3-4 nos
Cinnamon- small stick
Cardamom – 2 pods
Garam masala pdr – 1 tsp
Curd – ¼ cup
Salt to taste
Oil – 4 tsp

Method

Cook the potatoes adding salt in the cooker . Off the cooker just before the first whistle.
When it cools down peel it . Prick it with toothpick.
Add 2 tsp oil in a pan. Add turmeric pdr and chilli pdr. Add the potatoes and fry it . See that a light brown coating appears. Keep it aside.

For the Gravy.

Cut the onions. Fry lightly in 1 tsp oil.Add badam,cumin seed and cinnamon. Grind it along with cloves,cardamom and green chilli. Beat the curd also with the paste.

Pour it back to the pan. Add some water, garam masal pdr and salt to taste and cook it for 5 minutes keeping it closed. In the end add the potatoes and cook for another 2-3 mnts open. Keep it closed.

Before serving garnish it with coriander leaves.