Karele Ki Bhujia

                                                                         

My daughter bought  karela while shopping for veggies and then called me " Mom, how do you cook karela? " I was surprised as I don't ever recall my daughter eating karela, willingly or unwillingly, at home. She breezily informed me that she had got bored of the usual veggies she used to make and so picked up karela for a change!! That's it!!??!! And here I had tried everything possible to coax her to eat it to no avail!!

We are fortunate that we get excellent quality of karela in Dar Es Salaam, even though the locals do not eat it. Roda, the girl who helps me with cooking and house work, enjoys all the Indian food I prepare, except karela. She says it tastes like dawa! (In Swahili, as in Hindi, dawa  means medicine). I thought that she would gradually get around to eating it but she steadfastly refuses. Her droll reply when I urged her to try some was," Mama, I would rather get an injection than eat this dawa ! " I got the message!

This recipe of karela is the way I make it most often, apart from Bharwa Karela, the recipe of which I have already posted. This is an easy and straightforward recipe in which karela is cooked with onion and mild spices. The addition of jaggery diffuses the inherent bitterness while the crushed garlic almost at the end of the cooking process gives a lovely flavour.

Ingredients: 

250 gm karela (bitter gourd)
1 big onion, finely sliced
1 tsp garlic, crushed
3 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp red chilly powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp amchur (dry mango powder)
1 tsp gur (jaggery)
1/4 tsp kalonji (nigella seeds)
1/2 tsp saunf (fennel seeds)

Method:   Cut karela in half lengthwise and then slice finely. Sprinkle salt over karela and leave it immersed in water for sometime. Before cooking wash well in fresh water. Finely slice onions and crush garlic.

                                                                         

In a heavy bottom pan heat oil and add karela. Stir over high flame for 3-4 minutes until karela loses it's raw colour and is lightly fried. Add onion, saunf and kalonji. Continue to saute for a minute. Lower flame and add the spice powders- turmeric powder, red chilly powder, and salt. Cover with a lid and let it cook on low flame until karela is tender. Add amchur, gur and garlic. Let it cook for a few more minutes and then close.

Immersing karela in salt water before cooking takes away part of it's bitterness so this is an important step in any recipe of karela.

Aloo Parwal Masala

                                                                             

Some months back, just before we were to leave for India, we got a call from my mother in law. She wanted to know if there was anything special we wanted to eat while in India. Without thinking twice I  said...." Parwal"!!

I never thought that I would one day miss parwal!!  But, living away from India since a few years, I have started to crave this humble, everyday vegetable. Here in Dar Es Salaam we get a wide variety of fresh vegetables but, sadly parwal is not available here.

The recipe I am sharing here is of parwal cooked with potatoes in a spicy curry.  It  is one of the preparations of parwal I enjoyed during my stay in India.

Ingredients:

8-10 parwal ( pointed gourd)
2 potatoes
2 onions
1 tomato
3 tbsp oil + to deep fry
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp red chilly powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder ( whole spice powder)
Salt to taste
Whole spices: 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 cloves, 1 small black cardamom, 1/2 inch cinnamon, 1 bay leaf
Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:    Finely chop one onion and blend the other onion with tomato, ginger and garlic. Finely chop coriander leaves. Lightly scrape parwal, wash, make a slit across one side and then cut in half. Peel potatoes, wash and cut in half or big cubes.  Heat oil in a pan and deep fry parwal and potatoes. Do not over brown. Fry lightly. Keep aside.

                                                                 

Remove excess oil leaving the required amount needed for cooking.  Add the whole spices- cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and bay leaf. As soon as it begins to crackle add the finely chopped onions. Saute until the onion turns light golden. Add the onion, tomato, ginger and garlic blended mixture. Also add the spice powders- red chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt.  Keep stirring until oil separates from the mixture.  Add the fried potatoes, parwal and garam masala powder. Saute for a minute or two to allow the spices to coat the vegetables. Add a cup of warm water and transfer to a pressure cooker. Switch off  the flame after the first whistle. Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.

Carrot Soup

                                                                       

Quite frankly carrot soup was not among the soups I used to make routinely. That was till my husband returned recently from an outstation business trip and announced that carrot soup was his new favourite soup! After some research and trial runs, this is the recipe of carrot soup that I came up with. My husband loved it so much that this is the most frequently made soup at our place now.

We have been having soup for dinner fairly regularly lately. Suits me! With summer setting in, Dar Es Salaam is getting to be so hot that, the less time spent in the kitchen in the evenings, the better I like it.  Soups take comparatively less time to prepare and are not only very light but rich in nutrition too, making them an ideal choice.

This is an easy soup to prepare, with very few ingredients.  No thickener is  used in the soup, with the thickening happening naturally as the carrot is blended to form a thick puree. I love the hint of ginger in the soup which is otherwise very simple, basic and yet amazingly tasty.

Ingredients:

1 cup carrots,chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 inch ginger, chopped
1 tbsp butter
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
3 cups water

Method:   Peel, wash and chop carrots.  Also, peel and finely chop onion and ginger.
In a pan heat butter and add onion and ginger. Saute only until onion is softened and ginger loses it's raw smell. Do not overdo. Add carrots and saute for a couple of minutes. Add a cup of water and let it simmer for few minutes. Switch off the flame and let it cool.  Transfer to blender and blend till smooth. Pour back into the pan and add 2 cups of water. Also add salt as per taste and black pepper powder.  Cook for few minutes on a low flame.  Serve hot.

Pineapple Bread Delight

                       
                                             

I had a tin of pineapple sitting pretty in my kitchen cupboard since a while. I had picked it up on impulse when I went grocery shopping, without any clear idea what I wanted to do with it. Every time I opened my cupboard there it would be staring at me and I would tell myself that I really should use it in some nice recipe. The thought would  recede almost as soon as I closed the cabinet door!!

But, finally I did get around to using up the pineapple in a simple but delicious dessert. I got the idea for this from a show on TV which I saw  only fleetingly and  so didn't catch the entire recipe with precise proportions and directions. I had to improvise but it turned out pretty good, even if I say so myself! I am sharing the recipe while it is still fresh in my mind. I am sure it will prove handy next time I am reminded of it. I can look it up right here!!

Ingredients: 

3 slices bread,
1 small tin pineapple (227 gms)
1 cup milk
2 tsp cornflour
1 tbsp sugar
200 ml fresh double cream
3 tbsp condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:   Mix cornflour in  a little cold milk. Heat the remaining milk and sugar in a sauce pan. When the milk begins to warm up, add the cornflour dissolved in milk. Keep stirring until the milk thickens. Switch off the flame and allow to cool. The white custard is now ready.Transfer to blender. Also add chilled cream, condensed milk and vanilla essence. Blend.

                                                                       

                                                                     

Cut the bread slices into four parts each. Heat oil in a pan and fry bread squares till golden. Cut the pineapple slices into small chunks.

                                                                             

                                                                             

In a serving dish place the fried bread squares. Put some of the pineapple pieces. Cover with the prepared white custard, cream and condensed milk mixture. Sprinkle the remaining pineapple pieces on top. Chill for several hours in the fridge before serving.

Instead of tinned pineapple you can use tinned peach or mixed fruit. Add more sugar to the custard if you prefer your desserts sweeter.

Aloo Ki Kachori

                                                                       

I made Aloo Ki Kachori recently and sent a picture of it on Whatsapp to my kids who got all nostalgic about it and promptly asked for the recipe.  I don't believe for a moment that they will try it anytime soon but it is a great recipe and I am happy to share it.

I don't make Aloo Ki Kachori all that often these days. The kids have grown up and moved out and we try to eat less of fried stuff. There was a time though, when the kids were growing up, that this was our family's regular Sunday breakfast. I remember how much my kids enjoyed  Aloo Ki Kachori as I served it hot and crispy to them. It was our little joke that every time I would tell them that this was going to be treated as brunch as they had got up so late and delayed breakfast. They would readily agree and tuck in.  A couple of hours later however they would be back to ask, " Mom, what's for lunch?" Of course I had something prepared!!

Aloo Ki Kachori can be prepared in a few easy steps.  The first step is the dough, which is made from wheat flour and is fairly soft and elastic. Some people do make it from refined flour but I have always stuck to whole wheat flour.  The second step is the stuffing which is  made by mixing spices with boiled mashed potatoes. Third and final step is of the Kachori taking shape as a piece of dough with enclosed filling is rolled out and then deep fried till golden.

Very popular across UP, Aloo Ki Kachori  can be eaten as a snack with pickle or chutney or as part of a meal. It is best enjoyed hot but can also be eaten cold, making it a good option for a school lunch box or for a picnic / journey.

Ingredients: 

2 cups atta ( whole wheat flour)
2 tbsp yoghurt
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Water to knead
Oil to deep fry

Filling:
2 boiled potatoes
1/2 tsp red chilly powder
1/2 tsp saunf ( fennel seeds)
1/4 tsp or pinch of hing ( asafoetida)
1/2 tsp garam masala powder (whole spice powder)
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp amchur(dried mango powder)
1 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp green chilly, finely chopped ( optional)
Salt to taste

Method:   Sieve atta, add yoghurt, oil and salt to it. Mix and then gradually add water and knead well to form a smooth and soft dough. Using greased hands lightly put some oil on top of the prepared dough ( to prevent it from drying out). Cover and keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes.

Grate boiled potatoes and mash nicely so that no lumps remain. Add red chilly powder, saunf, hing, garam masala powder, coriander powder, amchur, salt, green chilly ( optional) and coriander leaves. Mix thoroughly.
                                                                         
                                                                         

Pinch out a small portion of dough and roll out into a small round with the help of a rolling pin. Make sure that the rolled out round is not too thin otherwise it will not be able to contain the  filling  which may break out, either in the rolling out phase itself or while frying.Place a heaped tsp or so of the filling over the rolled out round.

                                                                             

Bring the edges together at the top and press down to seal firmly and enclose the filling.

                                                                         
                                                                       

Carefully roll out again with gentle hands. The kachori is now ready to be deep fried in medium hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry one or two kachori at a time, depending on size of pan. Fry evenly on both sides till golden and crisp.  Remove on to an absorbent paper. Serve hot.

                                                                           

Easy Karahi Fish

                                                                       

My younger daughter called me while walking home from office the other day, " Mom, I have been invited for a pot luck. What should I make?" I suggested she browse my blog and pick out a recipe. That was one of the primary reasons for starting this blog, right? Apparently not!! My daughter said she had no time to go through the blog! She asked me to search my blog and just send her the link for the chosen recipe!! While her bizarre request was still sinking in, she added. " Oh, and Mom, I only have some fish at home." Great! That does narrow down the possibilities, doesn't it??

I had come across this recipe a while back and  liked it. With my daughter's request in mind, it seems like a good time to share it, not only with her but with everyone.  The sheer simplicity of this recipe is what attracted me to it initially. The surprise element in it is the use of spring onions instead of regular onions. This makes all the difference! The addition of spring onion greens gives a  nice finishing touch.  This is a very light recipe in which spices are kept to a minimum giving the dish a nice wholesome taste.

Karahi  is a heavy bottom wide pan commonly used for cooking in India. Sometimes, as in this case too, the recipe is named after the vessel it is cooked in.

Ingredients: 

1/2 kg fish, boneless
1 tbsp vinegar
1 cup  spring onions, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp ginger, chopped
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp red chilly powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1/2 tsp ajwain ( carom seeds)
1/2 tsp garam masala powder  ( whole spice powder)
Salt to taste
4 tbsp oil
2 green chillies, slit in half
2 tbsp green coriander leaves, finely chopped
2 tbsp spring onion greens, finely chopped
1/2 cup water

Method:   Place fish in a bowl and add vinegar. Mix and leave aside for few minutes. Wash fish well and pat dry. Finely chop spring onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, coriander leaves, spring onion greens and slit the green chillies.

In a heavy bottom pan heat oil on medium heat. Add the spring onions and fry lightly till they are softened. Add ginger and garlic and saute for a minute. Add tomatoes, carom seeds and spice powders...red chilly powder, turmeric powder,coriander powder, black pepper powder, salt and whole spice powder. Saute till oil separates. Add fish and stir, gently turning fish pieces a couple of times so that the spice mixture coats the fish. Add green coriander leaves, green chillies, spring onion greens and warm water. Cover and let it simmer on very low heat for five minutes. Serve hot.

Khajoor Ke Laddoo / Dates and Nuts Balls

                                                                         

I came across this recipe a few years back and since then I have made it several times. It has so much to recommend it. Unlike the other laddoo recipes I know of, cooking time needed for this is minimal, which means one can make it pretty quickly. It has no milk solids, so those who are lactose intolerant, can enjoy it. There is very little ghee used and no sugar added at all, making it an attractive option for those who avoid these two ingredients. Convinced of the many attributes of this sweet yet?? I have yet to mention that it is highly nutritious, delicious and great to look at too!!

Khajoor Laddoo is basically a combination of dry fruits and dates. It is an easy, stress free recipe that literally anyone can make. Often, one longs to serve a home made sweet on a special occasion but lack of time can prevent one from doing so. You needn't think twice before making this recipe. Also, you can make it ahead and store.

I am sharing this recipe specially for Jo Ann, my daughters' dear friend, who I am very fond of too. I have this memory of her packing a small container with dates to carry to her office as a snack. I am hoping she will like this recipe and try it out.

Ingredients: 

1 cup khajoor (dates)
3/4 cup mixed nuts
3 tbsp raisins
2-3 tbsp sesame
1 tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Method:   Remove seeds from dates and blend coarsely using a blender. Chop the nuts. Dry roast sesame and keep aside.

Take a heavy bottom pan and add ghee. Saute the nuts and raisins on low flame for a couple of minutes until they change colour slightly. Add the coarsely ground dates. Continue to stir over low to medium flame, mashing the dates with the spatula until the dates are well mixed with nuts and are lightly roasted. Add cardamom powder, switch off flame and allow to cool for a bit. Grease your hands, make balls and roll in the sesame. Allow to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container.

I used a mix of cashew, almonds and pistachio but you can use any nuts of your choice. Instead of sesame you can use desiccated coconut or even avoid any coating altogether. 

Tomato Chutney

                                                                       

                                                           


Come winter this tomato chutney used to be a regular feature at our home. Seemingly, no meal was complete without this chutney. As soon as one lot got over, another was quickly prepared without any delay.

What makes this chutney unique is that it balances the sour taste of tomatoes with the sweetness of jaggery. Grated ginger is an integral part of the chutney as also the tempering in mustard oil. The consistency of the chutney is not smooth, like a sauce. Rather, it is pulpy, as the tiny bits of softened tomatoes add to the appeal of the chutney.

Although you can make this chutney any time you please, for some reason tomato chutney tastes best in winter. Don't ask why, it just does! And it also happens to be the season when one gets the best possible tomatoes ( in India) . The juicy tomatoes you get at that time, tender skin and really sour taste, makes for the best chutney. Unfortunately one doesn't often get the desi ( local) tiny tomatoes. Those are the ultimate!

This is a fairly common chutney recipe in UP, that has been passed down from generations and is prepared in rural and urban belts. It's  appeal remains steadfast... as popular today as it must have been years back.

Ingredients: 

2-3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp  gur (jaggery ),grated
1 tsp ginger, grated
1/4 tsp black salt.
1 dry red chilly
Pinch of hing ( asafoetida)
Salt to taste
1/2 cup water
1 tsp panch phoran ( carom seeds, nigella seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds)
1 tbsp mustard oil

Method:  Chop the tomatoes, grate ginger and jaggery.

In a  heavy bottom pan add mustard oil and let it come to smoking point. When the mustard oil cools a little add panchphoran, dry red chilly and hing. As soon as it starts crackling add the tomatoes, ginger, salt, and black salt. Stir for a minute and then add 1/2 cup of water and let it simmer on low flame. When the tomatoes soften, add gur, check seasonings and close.

If the tomatoes you have on hand are hard skinned and not juicy, you could blanch, peel and then chop them. Also, if the tomatoes are not sour enough, add a tsp of tamarind paste. If you don't have, or don't like, one or other of the five spices that make up panchphoran, then just add cumin seeds.

Sooji Ki Kheer / Semolina Pudding

                                                                               

This is a favourite dessert of my younger brother. I like it a lot too! Growing up, it was one of the simple desserts...along with sewai, phirni, custard etc, that we had after dinner. Hard to imagine now that we had dessert every evening! And nothing out of a can or ready to eat. It was made from scratch every single time. I remember how much we relished it.....savouring each spoonful. Even if we didn't care for the main meal we would look forward to the sweet dish served after as a high treat!

 Sooji Ki Kheer is an easy dessert that requires little skill or effort but is immensely satisfying. All it involves is roasting sooji in ghee till golden and then cooking in milk until thick. Sweeten with sugar, add some cardamom powder for a pleasing flavour, garnish with nuts and....it is ready!

This dessert can also double up as infant food or a breakfast cereal with a little tweaking of the recipe. Instead of roasting sooji in ghee, dry roast it and cook in water till thick. Add a little warm milk and sugar at the time of serving. This process makes it lighter and far more easily digestible.

Ingredients:   

3 cups milk, full cream
3 tbsp sooji ( semolina)
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1 tbsp raisins
1 tbsp cashew nuts, chopped
1 tbsp almonds, chopped

Method:  In a heavy bottom pan heat ghee and fry the nuts and raisins. Remove and keep aside. In the same pan add sooji.Stir over low flame until sooji turns golden. Add milk and cook, stirring constantly. Gradually the milk will thicken. Add sugar and cardamom powder and stir for another minute or two. Switch off flame and transfer to serving dish. Garnish with nuts and raisins and chill before serving.

In case you want a richer taste, add condensed milk or add more milk and let it reduce.  If  the dessert becomes too thick after cooling, add some milk.


                                                                             

Kale Chane Ke Kebab / Black Chickpeas Kebab

                                                                       

The first time I had these kebabs I thought they were made from mincemeat! Believe me, if you don't tell folks beforehand, chances are, they won't know that these are vegetarian...made from kala chana or black chickpeas.

I nearly always  have kala chana at home. It  makes a nice change once in a while and it is good to know that it also has numerous health benefits....excellent source of protein, high in fibre content, low glycaemic index....to name only a few. I have previously posted a kala chana curry recipe and a dry preparation called kale chane ki ghughni. This is  yet another delicious and easy recipe which anyone can make.

I find these kebabs make an excellent evening snack.  In fact,  teamed  with garlic bread or a nice paratha it can make a complete  healthy and wholesome meal.

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup kala chana ( black chickpeas)
1 tbsp  chana dal
3-4 cloves
3-4 whole black pepper
1/2 inch ginger, chopped
1 dry red chilly
2 slices bread, dipped in water and squeezed
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp red chilly powder
1/2 tsp amchur ( dry mango powder)
Oil to fry

Filling:
1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1 green chilly, finely chopped
1/2 inch ginger, finely grated
1 onion, finely chopped
Salt to taste
             
                                                                         

                                                                   

Method:   Soak kala chana with chana dal  overnight or for 6 to 8 hours in plenty of water.  Pressure cook kala chana , chana dal, whole black pepper, ginger, cloves and dry red chilly together in 2 cups of water. Lower flame after first whistle and let it cook for 20 minutes. On opening the cooker if there is some water remaining then let it dry out over slow flame. There should just be a little water, enough to grind mixture coarsely.

                                                                         

To the prepared mixture add  soaked bread, salt, red chilly powder and amchur. Mix ingredients for filling together. Make a small ball of the mixture, flatten and put 1 tsp of filling and shape into a ball again. Flatten slightly. Make the others in the same way. Heat oil and deep fry 4 - 5 kebabs at a time in medium hot oil. Serve with chutney.

If you like you can shallow fry  the kebabs or  use a non stick pan brushed with oil.