Gajar ka Halwa

It's so good to be back. And relaxing. I spent the last few days going through the updates on my Google Reader (and there were so many!) and I now feel much more at peace after moving the "unread" items to "read".

So, without much ado, we go straight to the Gajar ka Halwa, which is one of the most popular winter desserts, especially in North India. The dessert is best made from the "red" carrots which are available only in winters.

Like most Indian recipes, this too has several variations. The quickest way to prepare is using condensed milk. What I am sharing today is the more traditional method, which takes atleast an hour to prepare, if using a kilogram of carrots! The time can be reduced if you are making lesser quantity.

The dessert can be stored in refrigerator and will easily last for a week. Heat it everytime before serving.

Ingredients:

Red Carrots: 1 kg

Milk (preferably full cream): 1 lit

Sugar: 3/4 cup, or to taste

Ghee (Clarified butter): 1/2 cup

Nuts, raisins

Method:

- Scrape off the peel, and wash the carrots well. Grate them (or refer to the short cut below).

- Add the grated carrot and milk in a heavy bottomed pan (preferably non stick). Bring to a boil

- Let it simmer on low - medium heat till the milk evaporates, and the mixture becomes dry. This will take approximately 45 minutes. While the milk is in the process of drying, keep stirring in between to ensure that the mixture does not stick to the bottom

- Add the ghee and let the mixture cook in it on medium heat for 5 - 7 minutes. Keep stirring from time to time.

- Mix in the sugar. The halwa will become slightly fluid as the sugar melts. Stir it on low heat for another 10 minutes.

- Add nuts, raisins of your choice. Serve hot

Alternate to grating carrots:

Grating carrots manually (as it is still done in many kitchens in India), can be an extremely tedious task. My food processor ensures that I donot spend more than a few minutes on the grating bit. However, since my Mom's kitchen is bereft of the processor, my Dad has found an alternate.

Cut the carrots roughly in small - medium sized pieces. Pressure cook them with milk (2 whistles and a few more minutes should do the job). Mash the carrots using a fork / masher. Transfer contents to the pan and proceed with the rest of the recipe.

My Mom was initially sceptical about this short cut, but now is more than happy with it. There is no loss of flavour, and the halwa is as yummy as it can get!

This Carrot Dessert goes to Haalo's Weekend Herb Blogging # 221, the event originally started by Kalyn. This week, the event is being hosted by Cinzia from Cindystar.

Celebrating Indian Republic Day with Besan ka Halwa

Today is a special day for all Indians, as our country celebrates the 60th Republic Day. We celebrated the day by watching the "Republic Day parade" on Doordarshan, and with this rich and delicious Besan ka Halwa!

This halwa is my Grandmother's recipe and I learnt it from her. Its rich, full of calories and delicious. And doesn't really take much time to prepare.

Indulge yourself!

Ingredients:

Besan (Gram flour): 3/4 cup

Suji (Semolina): 2 tbsp

Ghee (Clarified Butter): 1/2 cup (or more :) )

Sugar: 3 tbsp (or as per taste)

Water: 3/4 cup

Almonds, to garnish

Method:

- Heat ghee in a kadhai / heavy bottomed pan

- Add the besan and suji. Reduce the heat to the minimum, and mix. The consistency of the mixture should not be dry, but slightly wet. If its too dry, add a bit more ghee.

- Keep stirring so that the besan cooks evenly

- When the color starts changing, and a beautiful aroma fills your house, the mixture is about to be done

- When the besan assumes a brownish tinge (as in the pic), add the water while stirring the mixture continuously, to avoid any lumps being formed.

- Mix well and let the water get absorbed by the besan

- Add sugar, and cook on low heat till the sugar dissolves, and mixes in with the halwa.

- Serve hot.

Chatpata Hara Chana (Green Chickpeas)

Which is your least favourite job in the kitchen?

- Washing the dishes?

- Cleaning the mess after cooking?

- Chopping the veggies?

- Any other?

Well, for me the clear winner will be cleaning and chopping the vegetables - esp. ladies finger / okra, cleaning "saag" (green leafy vegetables) like methi, shelling peas and the likes. Yup, I do not like shelling peas at all. Hence, I find it easier to resort to the frozen alternate available in the market.

But, there comes a time when one is forced to slave and spend 3 hours (yes, 3 long hours) for the love of fresh green chickpeas aka hara chana / choliya. The chana, which grows in bushes (remember, chane ki jhaad?) is in the form of pods. The pods need to be individually opened to make way for the chickpeas, so that they can be cooked.

Image Source: http://www.plant-biology.com/

I love hare chane and aloo ki subzi (green chickpeas cooked with potatoes). My mom would make it when the chickpeas were in season, and it tasted yum. But I always refrained from buying it because of the work it would lead to. However, I could not stop myself this time when I visited the local super market. The pods were being sold in packets of 1 kilo each, and I went ahead and purchased it.

What ensued was a 3 hour work spent shelling the pods. I called my Mom the next day to ask her expert advice on how she does it.

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Excerpts of my conversation with Mom on Hara Chana:

Me: Mom, I bought hara chana yesterday at the supermarket yesterday.And guess what, I spent 3 hours shelling them!

Mom: Wow! That's a really long time

Me: I know. How do you do it? What's the trick?

Mom: I don't know.

Me: (confused)

Mom: Our vegetable vendor sells them all cleaned and shelled!

Me (In my mind): (Cursing the vegetable vendors in my city)

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So, I made hara chana - in two batches - once with potatoes, and the second time on their own, flavored with lemon and ginger. Sharing the second recipe with you.

Ingredients:

Shelled green chickpeas / hara chana: 2 cups

Oil (Mustard / Vegetable): 2 - 3 tablespoon

Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp

Ginger, finely chopped: 1/2 tsp

Green chilles, finely chopped: 2 - 3 (or as per taste)

Coriander powder: 1 - 1 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp (Optional)

Juice of half a lemon (or more)

Chopped coriander

Salt: To taste

Method:

- Boil the chickpeas in around 4 cups of water. If you are using the pressure cooker, it will take 5 minutes on low flame after the first whistle. Drain the water.

- Heat oil in a pan / kadai

- Add the cumin seeds. When they begin to splutter, add the ginger and green chillies. Lower the flame

- When the chillies begin to change color, add the coriander powder and turmeric powder. You may also mix the spices in a few teaspoons of water to prevent burning. Stir on low heat for a few seconds.

- Add the chana and salt. Mix well.

- Turn off heat. Add the lemon juice and coriander.

- Adjust salt and lemon juice. Serve hot

Serve it as a snack, as a filling breakfast or with parathas / rotis. You can also garnish it with chopped onions and tomatoes for added flavour.

I am sending this recipe to My Legume Love Affair - 19th Helping. The event started by Susan, is being hosted this month by EC of Simple Indian Food.

Grape Raita

Winter is my favourite season. Even when I was in North India - when it seemed a herculean task to get out of the confines of quilts and blankets in the morning - I still loved the winter months. But as I moved to the western parts of the country, the season became quite mild. In my current city, we have already started using the fans during the day, while my parents and in - laws in the north have not witnessed sunlight for the past 3 days.

But temperatures aside, winter still has its charms in terms of the fruits and vegetables it offers. Fresh green peas, cauliflowers, red juicy carrots, oranges, grapes, strawberries - the vendor's cart seems quite tempting. It is fun to shop for vegetables. My mind instantly associates each purchase with a recipe I would like to try.

This week we bought green grapes for the first time in the season. And after reaching home, I realised that the quantity was a bit too much for just the two of us. What I experimented with, and which was an instant success, was this Grape Raita. It is adapted from Sanjeev Kapoor's recipe of Grape & Walnut Raita. I skipped the walnuts since I did not have any, and substituted the mint with coriander.

The raita works well with pulaos and biryanis, and can also be had on its own. We had it with Coriander Mint Rice and the combination was just awesome.

Ingredients:

Curd / Yoghurt: 2 cups

Seedless grapes: 20 - 25, halved lengthwise

Fresh Coriander, finely chopped: 2 - 3 tsp

Sugar (preferably powdered): 1/2 - 3/4 tsp

Cumin powder: 1 tsp

Rock Salt (Kala namak): 1/4 tsp

Salt: To taste

Method:

- Whisk the curd to a smooth consistency

- Add the sugar, rock salt, cumin powder and salt. Adjust to taste

- Add the grapes and coriander

- Cool it in a refrigerator before serving

This recipe goes to Monthly Mingle, the event organized by Meeta of What's for Lunch, Honey? This month's mingle features Winter fruits and vegetables, and is hosted by Sudeshna of Cook like a Bong.

Common Cold & Ginger Chai (Tea)

Common cold is so annoying. One sneezes, goes around with a runny nose, headache, fatigue and yet, one cannot be called technically ill. A day off from office requires a graver reason than “just” common cold!

And to think that science has still not been able to discover a cure for it. Hmph! Like my Dad says “Zukaam ho gaya hai? Dawa loge to 7 din mein theek ho jaayega, nahi to ek hafte mein”. (You have caught a cold? If you take medication, you will be fit in 7 days, else it will take a week).

So as you would have got the hint, I have “caught” a cold. And am not sure what medication to take. But what I did have in the morning, before leaving for work, was “Adrak wali Chai” – Ginger Chai (Tea). And trust me, it is really soothing.

Ginger is such a multi faceted tuber. Apart from enhancing the flavor of recipes, it has a high medicinal value as well. Wikipedia tells me that it is used in the treatment of diarrhea and nausea. And in several countries, including India, ginger is used for providing relief in common cold and sore throat.
So, what I am sharing today is a simple and age old recipe. Nothing creative, no experimentation whatsoever. But a sure way to keep warm in the cold weather.

Ingredients (For 1 cup):
Water: ¾ cup
Milk: ¼ cup
Ginger: ½ inch piece
Tea leaves: ¾ - 1 tsp or 1 tea bag
Sugar: To taste

Method:
- Wash the ginger piece and grate it with the peel on
- In a pan, add the water and grated ginger. Bring to a boil.
- When the water starts boiling, add the tea leaves / tea bag.
- Let it simmer for around half a minute so that color of the leaves seeps in
- Add the milk and bring the concoction to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer for another 30 – 45 seconds
- Remove the tea bag / strain and pour it in a cup. Add sugar to taste.
- Serve hot and consume while still warm.

Note: Ginger may not be suited for people suffering from ulcers.

This tea makes its way to Weekend Herb Blogging # 214, the event started by Kalyn and now nurtured by Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything Atleast Once. This week's edition is being hosted by Haalo herself.

Minestrone Soup

What is on the top of your list when you proceed on a vacation? Packing, you say? Ummm, that's on my list too. But what comes as a close second is clearing the refrigerator. And what a task it is. Advance planning really tires me, and hence i find this chore a bit intimidating. Making sure that milk is not purchased on the day before traveling, the fresh veggies are consumed and leftovers are dealth with saps me out of my energy.

This Diwali, we visited our parents for a few days, and the task of cleaning the refrigerator loomed ahead. What I encountered was this: boiled kidney beans (leftover from the Rajma Masala prepared a couple of days back), one boiled potato, a few tomatoes, and an assortment of veggies. What finally resulted was this filling Minestrone Soup.

Apparently, there is no fixed recipe for Minestrone Soup and can be made with any vegetables at hand. The method I have used is based more on my experimentation rather than any fixed source.

Ingredients:

Boiled kidney beans / Rajma: 3/4 cup

Pasta of your choice: 3/4 cup

Mixed Vegetables (potatoes, peas, carrots, beans, corn kernels, capsicum, cauliflower florets), chopped: 3/4 - 1 cup

Tomatoes: 2 medium, one chopped and one pureed

Onion: 1 small, finely chopped

Garlic: 2 small cloves, finely chopped

Oil: 1 - 2 tbsp

Salt, pepper: to taste

Water / Vegetable Stock: 4 - 6 cups

Method:

- Boil the pasta as per the instruction on the pack. Drain and wash with cold water. Keep aside. I used Macaroni since that was the only pasta I had in store.

- Heat oil in a pan. Add the chopped garlic and onions. Saute till the onions turn translucent

- Add the chopped and pureed tomatoes. Cook on medium heatfor 3 - 4 minutes. I prefer a more tangy flavour and hence used 1/2 a tomato more. You may adjust the quantity to suit your taste.

- Add the chopped vegetables and saute for another 2 - 3 minutes

- Add the kidney beans, pasta. Add water / stock and salt to taste. Bring to a boil.

- Cover and cook on low heat till the vegetables are cooked, but still a little crunchy. Add more water if required to achieve the desired consistency.

- Adjust salt, and pepper

- Serve hot

Note: You can also add grated cheese to enhance the flavor.

This soup is my contribution to JFI: Rajma, the event created by Indira of Mahanandi, and hosted this month by Divya of Dil Se.

It also makes its way to Presto Pasta Night # 137, created by Ruth from Once Upon a Feast, and hosted this week by Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything At least Once.

Amla ki Chutney

Amla, or Indian Gooseberry, is a spherical fruit widely known for its medicinal properties.

Appearance: Light green in color with longitudinal stripes, it is smooth and hard in texture. It is usually the size of a table tennis ball, but may be larger. It has a seed in the center which is removed when the fruit is eaten / used for cooking
Taste: The primary taste is sour and bitter. The fruit leaves a sweet tinge on the tongue when swallowed.
Properties and benefits: Amla is a rich source of vitamin C and is a widely used ingredient in Ayurvedic and Unani medicine. It is known to benefit digestion, cough and cold, diabetes and blood pressure. It also increases immunity and reduces hair fall. Some benefits of amla for common ailments are listed here.
Recipes and preparations: Though fresh amla is available in autumn, it is usually dried or pickled to be used throughout the year. Fresh amla is used in chutneys and preparation of side dishes. Another common recipe is "Amla ka Murabba" - whole amla pickled with sugar - which can be preserved for a long time.

As for me, I am completely hooked on to this wonderful Amla ki Chutney. I got the recipe from my Mother - in - law, and she had prepared it when we were home for Diwali.

Ingredients:
Amla: 6 - 8
Coriander leaves: a small bunch
Green Chillies: 2, or as per taste
Salt: To taste

Method:

- Wash the amla, and cut it in small pieces. Remove the seed.
- Clean and wash the coriander
- Finely grind the amla, coriander leaves, green chilies and salt in a blender. Add a few table spoons of water while grinding.
- The consistency should be smooth and not too dry. Adjust salt and add some more water if required.
- Serve it as an accompaniment with snacks or curries.
- The chutney can be refrigerated, and lasts for around 7 - 10 days

This chutney heads to the Weekend Herb Blogging # 206, the event presided over by Haalo of Cook Almost Anything Atleast Once, and hosted this week by Yasmeen from Healthnut. The weekly event was originally started by Kalyn.

Colorful Vegetable Soup

This was a favorite soup when I was in UK during winters. It’s relatively easy to make. Especially simple if you have frozen veggies at hand.

Adapted from Sanjeev Kapoor’s recipe of Celestial Vegetable Soup, with come variations of my own.

Ingredients:
Frozen Peas: ¾ Cup
Mixed vegetables (chopped Carrots, Broccoli florets, cauliflower florets): 1 cup
Mushrooms (Sliced / quartered): 8 – 10
Capsicum (Red / Yellow / Green): 1 cup (cut in cubes)
Onion (chopped): ½ cup
Spring Onion greens (chopped): ¼ cup
Corn flour: 1 tbsp
Oil: 2 tbsp
Salt: To taste
Vegetable Stock / water: 3 cups
Whole dry red chili (crushed) / Chili flakes: ½ tsp

Method:
- If you are using fresh vegetables (peas, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower), microwave them in 2 cups of water for 5 min, or boil them on the gas stove for 5 – 7 min
- Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan. Add the chopped onions, and sauté till they turn translucent
- Add the (frozen) peas, mixed vegetables (frozen / boiled) and stir fry on medium heat for 2 – 3 minutes
- Add the mushrooms and capsicum and stir fry for another 2 – 3 minutes
- Add half the spring onions and stir fry for another minute
- Add the vegetable stock / water and bring to a boil. Add the salt, and lower the flame
- Dissolve the corn flour in half cup of water and add, stirring continuously
- Add the crushed red chilies and the rest of the spring onions
- Boil on high heat for another 1 – 2 minutes.
- Serve immediately

Why I recommend this soup?
- Apart from being colorful, I find it different than the rest of the “Mix Vegetable Soups”. The crushed chili adds that zing to the flavor, which is very different from the pepper normally used
- It allows flexibility and you can add corn niblets, tofu, paneer and / or french beans based on your choice.