Ras Malai

A very easy homemade Indian Dessert with a fancy name. A special dish for all Sweet tooth people. If you make with zero calorie sugar and Skimmed Milk then it will be low calorie dessert:).Everyone is so fascinated with this name and they think it’s too difficult to make but with this recipe you can make and serve in just a very less time with very few ingredients.

Ingredients

· One liter Milk (low fat/Skim Milk)
· Cardamom/Eliachi seeds powder
· 1 ½ cup Sugar (Zero Calorie)
· A few saffron strands (10) soaked in 1 cup of water.
· ½ cup almonds grated
· 2 tsp. condensed milk (low fat)
· One big whole lemon or 4 tsp. of fresh lemon liquid

For Garnishing
· ¼ cup sliced Almonds/badaam
· few drops of Kewra liquid


Directions

1) Pour the milk in a pan and keep it in medium low.
2) Add sugar, cardamom powder, grated almonds mixture.
3) When milk is ready to boil add saffron water along with saffron strands.
4) Boil the milk and separate it in two portions.
5) Separate 1/4 cup milk from the pan and heat separately in low flame.
6) Add condensed milk till the milk thickens.
7) Cool down the milk and refrigerate it.
8) To the rest of the milk (3/4 portion), add lemon. After milk is all curdled up and is all separated from water, sieve the cheese and take out in an oven tray.
9) Place the cheese in the oven for 15 minutes 350 degrees or less depends on oven to oven (cheese should not change brown color).
10) Take out the cheese and rest it for 10 mins till it cools down, then cut the cheese in circles with help of cookie cutter or any round shape cutter.
11) Put 1-2 drops of Kewra liquid on each and every cheese balls and refrigerate them for an hour.

Serve in Individual Bowls with thickened milk and garnish with few saffron strands and chopped almonds.

- Chitra

Punjabi Kadi

One more Punjabi dish which is very common in every home, usually on thursday's.Kids love it, Elders love it, everybody loves it.

I learnt this one in India from my sister in law. But I have done lil bit variations in it :-), by using Buttermilk and no pakoras (for all calorie conscious people). Usually people make it with Curd.

Ingredients

1. 1 Pint Buttermilk
2. 2 cups of Besan/ Chickpea flour
3. 2 roughly chopped onions
4. Salt to taste
5. 2 tsp of red chili powder
6. 2 tsp. of amchoor
7. 1 tsp. of turmeric/haldi
8. 1 tsp. of azwain
9. 2 dry red chili
10. Veg oil
11. 3 cups of Boiled rice.

Directions

1. Blend / Mix Buttermilk, Besan, Salt , Chili Powder, Amchoor and Turmeric and keep aside.
2. Add oil in non stick pan.
3. Add azwain and onions.
4. When Onions turn golden brown add the Buttermilk mixture.
5. Simmer it to low heat and constantly stir after 5 mins each .Repeat the process till besan is fully cooked.It can take arround 40-50 minutes.
6. Take another pan and add 2 tsp of oil and add dry red chilli.
7. Take out the kadi in a bowl and add the red chili on top of the kadi and serve hot with Rice or Chapati’s

 

Njoy :) Chitra

Spicy Homemade Namkeen

Sometimes you crave for a spicy and tangy snack, specially on a rainy day.So this is the perfect dish to serve your loved ones.Serve with hot Tea/Coffee and njoy the amazing weather in your balcony or terrace.

A very easy, homemade namkeen made by Vermicelli / Seviyan made in few minutes.

Ingredients

· 3cups of toasted (brown) Vermicelli / Seviyan
· One small Onion chopped vertically
· Salt to taste
· ½ cup Green Peas
· ½ cup Peanuts
· ½ tsp. Red Chili Powder
· ¼ tsp. Turmeric
· 1 tsp. Vinegar
· 2 tsp. of Oil
For Garnishing
· Jalapenos or Green chilies dipped in vinegar (can get easily from Pasta section).

Directions

· Roast the Peanuts on low flame in a non stick pan without oil. Do not burn it, they should have brown color.
· Take another non stick pan and roast the Vermicelli till they are golden brown.
· Remove Vermicelli and add Onions in same pan add 1 tsp of oil.
· When onions are golden brown, add Peas to it.
· Now add Vermicelli back into pan and add Peanuts.
· Add Salt and Red chili powder and turmeric.
· Leave it on low flame by adding 2 tsp. of water

Serve hot or cold with Tea / Coffee.

-Chitra

Rabri Faluda

An Indian Dessert served in many ceremonies.A special dish for all Sweet tooth people.If you make with zero calorie sugar and Skimmed Milk then it will be low calorie..dessert:)

Ingredients

· One litre Milk (low fat/Skim Milk)
· Cardamon/Eliachi seeds powder
· 1 ½ cup Sugar (Zero Calorie)
· 2 bread slices (wheat)
· 1/2 cup condensed milk or use Half and Half(low fat)
· Faluda / Bean Thread Noodles(can easily get these white thread noodles from an Asian Store for 1-2 $)

For Garnishing

· 1 cup Almonds/badaam
· ¼ cup pista
· A few safforn strands
· Kewra liquid

Directions

· Heat 1 cup Thread Noodles in microwave with ¼ water with 2 tsp. sugar and
1 tsp. kewra liquid.
· When Noodles are softened,cool it down and refrigerate it till Rabri is ready.

· Discard crusts from bread slices.
· Grind these slices in a processor and prepare fresh bread crumbs.
· Boil milk in a pan by simmering in low flame.
· Add bread crumbs, condensed milk and sugar altogether.
· Simmer on a medium flame, stir continuously for about 10 minutes.
· Remove from the fire.
· Add safforn and cardamon powder and mix well.
· Keep it in a refrigerator for 2-3 hours.

· Rabri is ready to serve,take out the cold Faluda.

Serve in Individual Bowls with few saffron strands and kewra drops, chopped Almonds and Pista and Faluda.

Hope you will enjoy cooking as i did with my hubby :) as this one his favt ...

- Chitra

Colorful Veggie Spirals Pasta

This recipe is specially for all non pasta lovers. It's so tasty that you will not only start loving Pasta you will be cooking again and again and share with all you friends who are Pasta Lovers. It’s hearty and comforting Italian favorites, it's ready in a fraction of the time and with much less effort. So are you ready to make a tangy and refreshing Pasta with Indian twist.

Ingredients

For Sauce
1. 3 cups Spiral Pasta (preferably Rainbow Color)
2. 1 nos. medium Onions (chopped)
3. 2 cups/one can Roasted Tomato Puree/ Paste /Sauce
4. Half Red and Yellow Bell Pepper chopped thinly vertically
5. 2 cloves Garlic (chopped)
6. 2 no. Green Chilies chopped (Number can vary according to taste)
7. Salt to taste
8. ½ tsp. Red Chili Powder
9. 2 tsp. Vegetable Oil / Extra Virgin Olive Oil
10. ¼ cup Water


For Garnishing
1. One finely chopped Green Chili
2. One finely chopped green Onion/Scallions
3. Coriander/Cilantro
4. One finely chopped Tomato
5. One Lemon Zest

For Dressing
1. 3 tsp. Vinegar in which Jalapenos are dipped
2. 1 fresh Lemon Juice


Directions

1. Heat a large pot of water to boil for pasta for 10 minutes and add some Salt (only time to flavor the pasta).
2. Add Pasta and turn heat to low.
3. Heat Oil in non stick pan on Medium low heat.
4. Add Garlic and Onions.
5. When the Garlic & Onions turn light brown season salt and red chili powder.
6. Add Bell Peppers.
7. Add roasted Tomato Sauce and stir it well let it simmer for 3 mins.
8. Add Water and stir and bring it to a bubble. (Turn heat to Low and cover the pan)
9. Drain the Pasta and toss it in the sauce. Stir it well into the sauce so that pasta gets the entire flavor.
10. Add Pasta in serving bowl and toss with Jalapenos Vinegar and fresh Lemon juice.
11. Garnish with chopped green Chili, green Onion/Scallions, Coriander/Cilantro, chopped tomato and Lemon Zest
12. Quickly divide into individual bowls and Serve bowlfuls of Veggie Spirals Pasta with extra Vinegar on top.

- Chitra

Checkout recipes by Chitra Ahluwalia Pal at KhanaKhazana.com

I am also sharing my recipes at KhanaKhazana.com, a premier site for food lovers, especially South East Asian recipes.

http://khanakhazana.com/recipes/k_user.aspx?uid=57129&name=Chitra%20Ahluwalia%20Pal

Please visit and share your thoughts.....


- Chitra

Egg Curry

Ingredients

For Gravy

1. 4 Boiled Eggs
2. 2 nos. medium Onions (chopped)
3. 2 tomatoes (finely diced/chopped) and 3 tsp. of Tomato Puree/ Paste /Sauce
4. 2 cloves Garlic (chopped)
5. 1 ½ tbsp. Ginger (paste)
6. 3 no. Green Chilies chopped (Number can vary according to taste)
7. Salt to taste
8. ¼ tsp. Turmeric powder
9. 1 ½ tsp. Red Chili Powder
10. 1 tsp. Coriander powder
11. 4 tsp. Vegetable Oil / Extra Virgin Olive Oil
12. ¼ tsp. Garam Masala Powder (Can get this from any Indian Grocery store for 2 US$)
13. 1 ½ cup Water

For Garnishing
1 chopped Green Chilies and Onion Rings

Directions

1. Heat Oil in Pan/Skillet on Medium high heat.
2. Add Garlic, Ginger Paste and chopped Onions and add a pinch of Salt and fry till they turn brown. (Adding salt while frying Onions makes it quicker to fry Onions)
3. When Onions turn golden brown add coriander powder and turmeric powder & chili powder and Salt to taste and fry for 1 minute.
4. Add Garam Masala again fry for 1 minute.
5. Add Tomatoes and Tomato Paste/Puree/Sauce stir it well and fry till the oil leaves from the sides.
6. Add 2 chopped Green Chilies.
7. Add Water and let it simmer for 10 mins.(turn heat to Medium Low)
8. Cut Eggs in Half (vertically) and add to the gravy and stir it slowly so that it gets dipped in gravy.
9. Cook the Egg Curry for 5 mins. or till very little water is left.
10. Garnish with 1 chopped Green chilies and Onion rings.

Serve with Paratha’s, Chapati’s or Rice.

- Chitra Pal

Punjabi Chole (Chana Masala)

Yummy Punjabi breakfast...this one is dedicated to my family.

Ingredients

For Tadka

1. 2 cups Chole/Chana/Garbanzo Beans (soaked overnight in salty warm water with two tea bags)
a. [adding Tea Bags will turn Chana Black from White in Color].
2. 2 tomatoes (chopped)
3. 1 cup Tomato Puree or Paste (you can buy any brand Tomato puree)
4. Puree the chopped Tomatoes and Tomato Puree/Paste in Chopper together
5. 3 nos. medium Onions (finely chopped in chopper)
6. 2 cloves minced Garlic (optional as per taste)
7. 1 tbsp. Ginger paste
8. 2 no. Green Chilies chopped
9. Salt to taste
10. ¼ tsp. Turmeric powder
11. 1 ½ tsp. Red Chili Powder
12. 1 tsp. Coriander powder
13. 4 tsp. Vegetable Oil / Extra Virgin Olive Oil
14. ¼ tsp. Garam Masala Powder (Can get this from any Indian Grocery store for 2 US$)
15. 3 tsp. of Chana Masala Powder (Can get this from any Indian Grocery store for 2 US$)
16. ¼ tsp. Cumin Seeds

For Garnishing

1. Coriander leave
2. 2 nos. small Onions and 1 Tomato chopped in Rings

Directions

1. Boil Chole/Chana along with tea bags in pressure cooker/Microwave till they become soft.
2. On Medium Low Heat, Heat the Pan first and put Oil in Pan.
3. When oil is ready (you can throw one cumin seed if it sizzles then oil is ready) add Cumin seeds.
4. When Cumin Seeds splutter add minced Garlic and Ginger Paste.
5. Add chopped Onions and add a pinch of Salt and fry till they turn brown (Adding salt while frying Onions makes it quicker to fry Onions)
6. Add coriander powder and fry for some time till it becomes light brown.
7. Add turmeric powder & chili powder and Salt to taste.
8. Add Garam Masala and Chana Masala and again fry for some time.
9. Add Pureed tomatoes and fry till the oil leaves from the sides.
10. Add chopped Green Chilies.
11. Take out the Tea Bags and Add Chole/Chana into the Pan without water and stir so that it gets mixed up well.
12. Add the same water which was left in pressure cooker while boiling Chole/Chana .
13. Cook the Chole/Chana with gravy for 8-12 min’s till gravy dries (but Chana or Masala should not burn).
14. Garnish with Coriander Leaves and ring Onions and Tomato.

Serve with Puris, Parathas, Chapatis or Rice.

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- Chitra Pal