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.