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.

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.