Caramel Phirni

                                                                         

                                                               

                                                                           
Have you ever tasted milk that has been simmered all day long in an earthen pot over a woodfire stove? No? Well, I have...in my ancestral village. So anyway, that is what Caramel Phirni reminded me of when I first tasted it at my cousin's place. The caramel gave the colour and flavour of slowly thickened milk. Absolutely heavenly!!

I have made this recipe many, many times and it has always been appreciated. In fact, my elder daughter prefers it to the traditional kheer or phirni. It was her birthday recently and, although she is far away, I made a few of her favourite things to mark the occasion and this was one of them.

Basically phirni is a rice pudding which is popular in North India and is often made at festivals, weddings and special occasions. It is in some ways similar to kheer as both are  made by cooking rice in milk.  The difference is that in kheer whole rice is used where as in phirni rice is coarsely ground. The consistency of phirni is a little thicker than kheer too.Caramel phirni is a deviation from the classic version which is flavoured with  cardamom.

Ingredients: 
4 cups of milk
2 tbsps of rice
3 to 4 tbsps of sugar
1/4 cup nuts and raisins
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1 tsp almond slivers to garnish

Method:     Soak rice for 15 mins to an hour. Wash and  grind it coarsely.  Put 3 cups of milk to boil in  a heavy bottom pan.  Mix 1/2 cup milk with the coarsely ground rice and add to the boiling milk. Lower heat and keep stirring.  Meanwhile, add 3 tbsps sugar to a pan and let it caramelize.  Add 1/2 cup milk and keep aside.  Once the rice grains get softened and milk thickens add the caramel mixture. Close flame once right consistency is reached. The phirni will thicken further when it cools down so keep that in mind. Check sweetness and,  if required, add a tbsp more of sugar.  Also add cardamom powder, nuts and raisins. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with almond slivers. Chill before serving.

Phirni cooks faster than kheer but one has to constantly stir it so no lumps are formed nor does it stick to the bottom of the pan.

I have often served phirni in earthen clay bowls. Try it! 

Methi Aloo

                                                                             

Minimal cooking and maximum satisfaction! That is how I would describe this popular North Indian recipe of Methi Aloo.  The combination of fresh fenugreek leaves and potatoes requires very little spices as methi  itself is so full of flavour.

I have observed that even folks who generally do not like green leafy veggies love this recipe. My kids never needed any coaxing to have this dish  even when they were tiny and didn't eat too many veggies.

Ingredients: 

2-3 medium size potatoes
2 cups chopped methi ( fenugreek leaves)
1 tsp garlic
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste
3 tbsp oil

Method:   Peel potatoes and cut in small cubes. Wash methi well and  allow water to drain away completely before finely chopping it. Chop garlic.

                                                                           

In a heavy bottom pan add oil and let it  get heated before  adding the garlic. Stir till the garlic starts to change colour.

                                                                               

Add the potatoes.  Stir on high till potatoes are lightly fried.  Lower heat and add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt.

                                                                               

Add the methi, mix well and cover. Within a few minutes the methi will get cooked. Close flame and serve hot.

A couple of things to keep in mind while trying out this recipe.... Make sure that the methi leaves are well drained of water before cutting.  Secondly, fry aloo well before adding methi. The aloo will soften when methi is added but they should not get mashed.

This recipe works well with baby potatoes too. But with baby potatoes I boil the potatoes lightly first and then peel and fry.                                                                           

Lauki Raita

                                                                               

Everyone will agree that lauki ( bottle gourd) is a vegetable with a lot of health benefits but not many would like to eat it every second day!! Now Lauki Raita is one way in which you can include it in your diet on a regular basis. It can be an accompaniment to the main meal or you can have it after, in place of dessert.  Whatever you like. It tastes great with stuffed parathas and biryani too.

I usually grate and boil a whole lauki and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  Then, when I need to make raita, I use a few tablespoons and replace the container in the refrigerator. Delicious raita is ready in minutes!

Ingredients:

1 bowl of  dahi ( yoghurt)
2 to 3 tbsps of grated and boiled lauki ( bottle gourd)
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
1/4 tsp black salt
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
Few leaves of fresh mint ( pudina)
Pinch of hing ( asafoetida)
1/4 tsp cumin
Pinch of red chilli powder
1 tsp oil

Method:    Peel and grate one small lauki. Put about one cup of  water to boil in a pan and add the grated lauki. When the lauki is tender, but not mushy, remove from flame and let it cool.  Whisk dahi and add  black salt, black pepper powder, cumin powder, salt, sugar and chopped mint leaves.  Add 2 to 3 tbsps of the boiled lauki. Mix well. In a small pan add oil and when it gets heated add cumin and hing.  When the cumin changes colour remove from flame, add the red chilli powder and quickly pour over the yoghurt.  Cover the bowl with a lid to retain the aroma.

You can make the raita beforehand but try to temper it at the time of serving. The remaining boiled lauki can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It stays good for upto a week.  

Matar Paneer

                                                                             

A friend and I were talking the other day and the topic of my blog came up.  She advised me to add easy recipes that even a newbie to cooking could follow. She said that to a person just picking up cooking nothing is too basic or simple and they needed such recipes to start with, which would bolster their confidence and set them firmly on the culinary path. Sound advice I thought!

Accordingly, here is a lovely recipe for Matar Paneer, a huge favourite with everyone. The very simplicity of this recipe works in it's favour as it brings out the sweetness of green peas and paneer. I have kept spices to a bare minimum with just tomato and tomato paste providing the colour and depth to the dish. Go ahead and try it. You will love it!

Ingredients:

250 gms of Paneer ( cottage cheese)
1/2 cup green peas
1 onion
1 tomato
2 tbsps tomato paste
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp cumin
3 tbsp oil
Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:   Cut paneer into cubes and soak in luke warm water. Chop onion finely. Puree the tomato and mix the ginger garlic paste in it. Now in a heavy bottom pan add the oil. When the oil get a little heated add cumin. As soon as cumin changes colour add onion and fry till translucent. Then add the tomato ginger and garlic paste. Saute for couple of minutes. Add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt. Also add the tomato paste.  Fry till oil separates from the masala. Add green peas and warm water to make up the gravy. Lower the flame and cover. Let it cook for few minutes till the peas are tender. Uncover and add paneer. Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.

South Indian Style French Beans With Coconut

                                                                               

                                                                        
This is a lovely recipe for french beans that I am personally very fond of.  I like nothing better than to have it with sambar, steaming rice and papad!

 French Beans Poriyal is the actual name of this recipe which is very popular across South India. One can follow the same recipe to make cabbage, carrot etc also.

The recipe I am sharing here was given me by a friend's mother, who passed away a year back. Aunty was one of  the most affectionate persons I ever came across and a  superlative cook. Her cooking reflected her consummate knowledge of the culinary arts and her innate warmth. Miss you aunty!


Ingredients: 

250 gms french beans
2 to 3 tbsps grated coconut
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal
2 whole dry red chillies
2-3 cloves of garlic
Few curry leaves
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
1/4 cup water

Method:    Wash and cut french beans. Grate coconut. Wash and pat dry the curry leaves. Now heat a heavy bottom pan and add oil.  When the oil gets heated add the mustard seeds and urad dal. When the mustard seeds start spluttering, add the red chillies( broken in two), curry leaves and turmeric powder. Immediately afterwards add the french beans. Add crushed garlic, salt and mix well.  Pour 1/4 cup water and cover.  Let it cook on low flame, stirring from time to time, till french beans is tender. Switch off flame and add grated coconut.

If you like it more spicy, crush 1 or 2 green chillies with the garlic and add.

Mooli Ka Achar/ Radish Pickle

                                                                               
                                                                           

If pickle making intimidates you and you have never tried your hand at it, the recipe I am sharing here is a good one to start with! This seasonal pickle recipe from UP requires little effort and is ready in 2 to 3 days. Once you get used to having home made pickle to spice up your meals you will never want to buy branded pickles.

As long as mooli  ( radish) is in season I make this pickle regularly. I make a couple of bottles at a time and when they are about to finish I make another batch. This way it isn't too much work and there is a constant supply.  Apart from enjoying the unique pungent taste of the pickle it feels good to know that one is having something that has detoxifying and cleansing properties and is supposed to aid digestion. In India  it is also widely believed that mooli helps in recovering from jaundice.

Ingredients: 

1 bowl of mooli ( radish)
1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
1tsp haldi ( turmeric powder)
1/2 tsp red chilly powder
Salt to taste
1tbsp mustard oil

Method:    Let's get started.  First thing to do is to wash the mooli well and pat it dry.

                                                                     

Grate the mooli and cut  thin round slices.

                                                                             

Add salt, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, mustard seeds and mustard oil to the mooli and mix well.

                                                                             

Transfer to a glass bottle and place in a sunny spot on the terrace or verandah for two, three days. If that is not possible just leave it in a warm dry spot inside the house. Shake the bottle few times a day so that all the slices get equally soaked by the juice released by mooli.

After 2 to 3 days the pickle is ready to eat. This pickle stays good for a week to ten days. Generally I keep the bottle in the fridge after it's ready to eat.

Lemon Rice

                                                                           

This recipe needs no introduction to people from South India where it is a popular and much loved dish. To those not so familiar with it, Lemon Rice is a simple but  delicious rice preparation. This is a dish you can easily put together in a hurry and enjoy as a snack or a meal in itself.

I remember sharing Lemon Rice from my class mates' lunch boxes while at school in Andhra. I would happily trade my puris, parathas or sandwiches for this tangy and aromatic rice!

 Ingredients: 
2 1/2 cups cooked rice
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal
1 tsp chana dal
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Few curry leaves
1 tsp grated ginger
2 whole red chillies ( broken)
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

Method:    Grate ginger. Wash and pat dry curry leaves. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan or non stick pan. Add the mustard seeds and wait till they start crackling and then add urad and chana dal.  Saute for a minute. The dals should just change colour lightly and not blacken.  Add curry leaves, ginger and  red chillies broken in two pieces.  Add the turmeric powder and immediately afterwards add the rice. Mix nicely. Add salt and lemon juice. Lower heat, cover with a lid and cook  for two minutes. Serve hot.

If preferred, you can add roasted peanuts to the rice before serving. You can garnish with grated coconut.


                                                                                 

Rainbow Sandwich

                                                                           

I learnt how to make this sandwich from a dear sister in law while I was still in college. However, it wasn't till my kids were of school going age that this recipe really came into it's own. It became a hot favourite for lunch boxes, birthday parties and evening snacks. After the kids grew up and left home I hardly ever made this sandwich. Recently I made it just so that I could post the recipe on the blog and enjoyed it all over again. I am definitely not going to wait so long to make it next time. I am hoping my young friends and nieces might also like the recipe and make it for their kids.      

All it takes to make this rainbow sandwich is a few slices of bread, tomato sauce, green chutney, besan and loads of love. The broad smiles of appreciation will be well worth the effort! Get going!

Ingredients: 

4 slices of bread
Few tbsps of green chutney
Few tbsps of tomato sauce
4-5 tbsps gram flour ( besan)
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
Oil to fry

Method:   Make a thick paste of besan adding few tbsps of water.  Add red chilli powder and salt to taste.

                                                                             

Spread tomato sauce liberally on one slice of bread.

                                                                               

Cover with another slice on top.  Spread green chutney on this.

                                                                             

Repeat with another slice on top.  Spread tomato sauce on this.

                                                                             

 Cover with another slice.

                                                                             

Heat oil in  a  heavy bottom pan/ karahi. Apply besan paste on all sides of the sandwich. Lift it gently and place in the hot oil. Fry the sandwich, turning it from time to time, to let all sides get evenly browned.

                                                                               

Take out  and keep on an absorbent paper.  Let it cool down a little.  Cut slices and serve.