Moong Dal Halwa

With the festive season rolling, its time to gorge on sweet dishes; and when it is sweet do it really sweet....

One of my personal favorites is 'Moong Dal Halwa'.I had this dish for the first time in Indore in chappan galli, which is a paradise for every food lover. This is a velvety soft yet granulated mix of flavors and ingredients wrapped in dollops of ghee.

Festivals+ Sweet Dishes = 'Happiness'

Recipe For Moong Dal Halwa

Ingredients:

1) 1 cup soaked moong dal

2) 1 cup ghee

3) 1/2 cup of sugar

4) 4-5 pods of cardamom

5) Few strands of kesar soaked in warm milk

6) 150 gms of khoya

7) Chopped almonds

Method:

1) Grind the soaked moong dal to a granulated consistency.
2) Heat ghee in a pan.
3) Once the ghee is heated add the moong paste and saute it until it leaves a distinct aroma and starts leaving sides of the pan.
4) While you are sauteing the dal, in another pan heat water and add sugar to it, making a sugar syrup with thick consistency.( The ideal consistency should enough to coat the back of the ladle)
5) Now add the sugar syrup to the sauteed dal again till the syrup dissolves with the dal.
6) Add grated khoya at this moment. Mix it properly.
7) Lastly add soaked kesar and chopped alomnds.
8) Keep stirring the dal until all things are incorporated well and the dal gets a crumbly texture.
9) Take the halwa off the pan and sprinkle some crushed almonds and serve hot.

Cheena (paneer) Matar

Cheena is a Bengali Speciality, which is a variant to paneer. This variety is little softer and grainy unlike paneer. I have tried replacing cheena with paneer in Matar Paneer recipe. Also i have eliminated usage of onion and garlic making it again a Jain Recipe and also ideal for many who avoid onion- garlic.

Forthcoming Friday+ No onion- garlic + Cheena Matar = 'Happiness'

Recipe For Cheena Matar:

Ingredients:

1) 1 cup boiled Peas (Matar)

2) 1 Tomato diced

3) 2 tbsp Mustard oil

4) 1/2 ltr Milk

5) 1 lime juice

6) Salt as per taste

7) 1/4 tsp Asafoetida

8) 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

9) 4-5 green chilly

10) 1 tbsp Cumin- Corainder powder

11) 1/2 tsp Red chilly powder

12) Whole spices ( 1 tej patta, 2-3 cloves)

13) 1 tsp turmeric powder

Method:

1) Bring the milk to boil and add lime juice to make cheena.

2) Drain the water from cheena and keep the cheena over a strainer until all water seperates from it.

3) When all the water is seperated from cheena add some salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and knead it well in order to remove any lumps from the mixture.

4) When the kneading is done arrange the cheena in a plate and cut cubes from it and shallow fry them.

5) To make gravy, heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add whole spices and let it splutter.

6) Add cumin seeds, asafoetida, cumin- corainder powder, red chilly powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder with some water and let the masalas simmer for 2 mins.

7) Now add diced tomatoes, cook until tomatoes are softened.

8) Now add the boiled peas and 1/2 cup of warm water, let the gravy simmer.

9) At this point add salt.

10) When the salt is incorporated in the gravy and the peas are tender add the fried cheena.

11) Serve with steam rice.

Boondi Rabdi

After all the spicy and complex recipes, here's the much needed breezer in the recipe index. This  recipe has  three ingredients,but very creamy and rich in its texture. It's a delight for the taste buds, to the hand as it is easy to make and eyes because of its vibrant saffron color.

Taste+Texture+Colour = 'Happiness'

Recipe For Boondi Rabdi:

Ingredients:

1) 5 Boondi laddu (Secret Ingredient)

2) 2 cup milk

3) 1 tsp ealichi (cardomom) powder

4) Sugar if required.

Method:

1) Boil milk until it reaches 3/4 th of its quantity.

2) Now crush the boondi laddus and add in the milk.

3) Add the elaichi (Cardomom) powder.

4) Simmer fot 2 mins and its done.

5) Garnish with some almonds.

Methi Malai Mattar ( Fenugreek with Green Peas in white gravy)

Methi Malai Matar ( Fenugreek with Green Peas in white gravy) an absolutely delectable dish for my Veg audience. This recipe is a savior for my hunger strikes on Fridays when i have to observe total veg as a religious belief. This dish is an excellent combination of sweet and salty  with a hint of bitterness from methi (Fenugreek); but trust this bitterness accentuates the overall experience of this dish.

Well this particular recipe has lot many variations; some use tomato and red chilli which gives it reddish tinge but i prefer it white in colour as it adds to the creaminess of the dish. I have also eliminated using any root vegetables like ginger, garlic or onions. This becomes an excellent choice for the jains also.

Methi Malai Matar + Jain Recipe + Fridays = 'Happiness'

Recipe for Methi Malai Matar

Ingredients:

1) 1 cup Boiled peas

2) 1 cup Methi (Fenugreek) leaves

3) 1 tsp Kasoori Methi

4) 1 cup milk

5) 1 tbsp Kaju (Cashew) and poppy seeds paste (2:1/2)

6) Pinch of Asofietida 

7) Pinch of crushed Methi (Fenugreek) seeds

8) Salt to taste

9) 1 1/2 tbsp fresh cream

10) 1/4 tsp sugar

11) Whole Garam Masala (See note)

12) 1/2 cup warm water

13) Fried Green Chilli for garnish

14) 2 tbsp Oil 

15) 1 tsp white pepper powder

16) 1/2 tsp green chilli paste.

To prepare Methi Malai Matar:

1) Heat oil in a Pan.

2) Now add whole garam masala, saute it until it releases aroma.

3) Then add crushed methi seeds and the dry methi leaves..

4) Now add the Green chilli and Kaju and Poppy seeds paste.

5) Simmer and let this paste release oil from sides.

6) Once done add the boiled peas and Methi (Fenugreek) leaves.

7) Let it coat the paste.

8) Now make a mix with water and milk and add it in the pan.

9) At this point add salt, sugar and white pepper powder.

10) Let the mixture simmer and incorporate all the flavours.

11) Once the gravy is thickened to 3/4 and starts leaving oil from side add fresh cream

12) Note add the fresh cream by removing the pan from heat or else the gravy might curdle.

13) When all the ingredients merge and create a harmonious taste complementing each other our Methi Malai Matar is ready to serve.

14) Add fried green chillies for garnish.

Note:

Whole Garam Masala: 1 inch cinnamon, 3 small cardamoms, 1 big cardamoms, 1 Tej patta, 1/2 tsp shahi zeera, 1/2 tsp zeera.