Rajasthan ki Kadhi

Ingredients

1. 1 cup of besan / gram flour

2. 3 cups of chaaj / butter milk (or mixture of 2 cups of yoghurt +2 cups of water)

3. 3 green chilies chopped

4. Red chili powder

5. Turmeric powder

6. Salt to taste

7. ½ tsp f coriander powder

8. Pinch of Asafoetida

9. ½ tsp of ajwain / carom seeds

10. ½ tsp of cumin / zeera seeds

11. Oil

12. 1 tbsp of ginger minced

13. About 10 curry leaves

Directions

1. Heat 4 cups of oil in deep dish non stick pan for pakoras.

2. In a bowl add 2 tbsp of besan with 1 green chili chopped. Add ½ tsp of red chili powder and ¼ tsp of turmeric powder.

3. Add 2tbsp of yoghurt.

4. Add cumin seeds, ajwain, coriander powder, ginger and asafetida and salt.

5. Mix it well till it turns to thick batter for pakoras.

6. Drop the pakoras one by one when the oil is hot and cook all of them.

7. Keep the pakoras on tissue paper or kitchen towel for excess oil to drain.

8. In another bowl add Butter milk and rest of the besan.

9. Add ¼ tsp of turmeric powder and salt and mix it well.

10. In a non stick pan add 2 tbsp of oil and add the butter milk mixture.

11. Cook till it turns little thick.

12. Now in a non stick pan prepare the tadka.

13. Add 1 ½ tbsp of clarified butter or vegetable oil and add ½ tsp of red chili powder and curry leaves and green chilies and sauté them.

14. Pour the tadka to kadhi and add pakoras to it.

15. Serve hot with steamed Rice or zeera rice or paranthas.

-Chitra

Saffron Besan Halwa

Ingredients

1. 2 cups of besan ( gram flour)

2. 2 cups of sugar

3. 1 tbsp of saffron soaked in 1 cup of water

4. 2 green cardamom seeds(break it down)

5. 1 cup of toasted almonds and cashews

6. ½ cup of kish mish

7. 1 ½ cup of desi ghee / clarified butter

8. 1 tbsp of rose water

Directions

1. In a non stick pan roast the besan until dark orange yellow on medium low heat.

2. Now add ghee and cardamom and roast until brown.

3. Add sugar, and mix it well.

4. Does not increase heat instead reduce it to low heat now and let it cook for 2 minutes.

5. Now add kishmish and half of cashews and almonds.

6. It’s time to add saffron water along with saffron soaked and additional 2 ½ cup of water. While adding the water stir continuously. Be careful halwa does not stick and cook till it leaves ghee alongside the pan.

7. When cooked turn down the heat and transfer in bowl.

8. Garnish with rose water and rest of almonds and cashews.

-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