Punjabi Kadhi

Punjabi kadhi is one of the versions of the kadhi which is a popular north Indian dish containing besan. It's usually served with roti or rice. The pakoras taste quite juicy...mmm!!...in the kadhi. Now onto the recipe!

Ingredients:
For pakoras:
Besan/Gram flour/Chickpea flour - 1.5 cup
Fenugreek leaves - 1 cup
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Green chilli - 1 (deseeded & chopped)
Ginger (grated) - 1.5 tsp.
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Baking soda - a pinch
Coriander leaves - 1/3 cup (finely chopped)
Salt (to taste)
Oil (for deep frying)

Method:
Add besan in a bowl. Mix red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt & baking soda.
Add the onion pieces by crushing with hands (so that it gets separated), ginger, coriander leaves and green chilli. Mix well.
Now take 7-10 leaves of fenugreek and tear them. Add it to the besan mixture. Continue the same process with the other leaves. Add water little by little till it becomes a very thick batter.
Pour oil in a deep kadai and heat it. Drop the mixture carefully with the help of a spoon. Deep fry till golden color. Remove and place them on an absorbent paper and keep aside. Continue the remaining in batches.

For Kadhi:
Ingredients:
Sour thick curd - 2 cups
Besan/gramflour - 1/2 cup
Water - 4 cups
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp.
Onion - 1 (sliced)
Dry red chilli - 3
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp. (crushed)
Ajwain - 1/2 tsp.
Ginger - 1.5 tsp. (grated)
Oil
Salt (to taste)
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp.
Coriander leaves - few

Method:
In a big bowl, add curd and whisk well. Now add besan and again mix well. Pour 4 cups of water, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and cumin powder and whisk (buttermilk mixture).
Heat oil in a thick-bottomed kadai and add cumin seeds, ajwain, dry red chillies and coriander seeds and saute till they splutter. Add ginger & onions and saute till onions become translucent.
Now reduce the heat and slowly pour the buttermilk mixture.
Then increase the heat and start to stir continuously. Stirring is done to avoid the curdling. Bring it to a boil by stirring. Now simmer and add the salt. Simmer for at least 25 to 30 minutes and stir occasionally. Once the kadhi is ready, i.e., when it becomes thick, add the pakoras, garam masala and coriander leaves. Again bring to a boil and remove from heat.
Enjoy with hot rice. Slurp!!

I'm letting two of my recipes to fly off to Chacko's "Best 30 Recipes of 2010". There are 4 judges who'll decide the judgement of 30 'best' recipes. They also have added a 'weightage of marks'. Click on the link to find out if you're puzzled. "Our Favourite Meal" and "Sprouted Green Gram Paniyaram" appear in Chacko's commentary section.

Sent Punjabi Kadhi off to "Flavours Of Punjab" event hosted by Pari and started by Nayna.

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Potato and Capsicum Curry

Ingredients:
Potatoes - 4 (medium)
Capsicum/Green bell pepper (big) - 1 (diced)
Tomatoes - 2 (chopped)
Garlic (big) - 2 cloves (peeled and crushed)
Green chillies - 1 or 2 (deseeded and chopped finely)
Onions - 2 (finely chopped)
My Mom's Sambar powder - 1 tsp.
Coriander powder - 1 tsp.
Cumin/Jeera powder - 1/2 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil - 2 tsp.
Butter - 1 tsp.
Saunf/Fennel seeds - 1 tsp.
Garam Masala -1/2 tsp.
Coriander leaves - few (chopped)

Method:
Boil potatoes and peel the skin.
Heat oil in a pan and add fennel seeds. Add onion pieces, garlic and green chillies. Saute till the onion turns translucent. Add capsicum and saute for 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and saute till mushy.
Add boiled potatoes and mash them. Add Sambar powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt to taste and mix well.
Add 1 to 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil. Let it cook in medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in between.
Finally add coriander leaves, butter and garam masala. Stir.
Remove and enjoy with pooris or rotis.

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Methi Leaves Rasam (T&T) - Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes

This rasam is very healthy and unique as it contains methi. I didn't chop the fenugreek leaves for I was afraid that my fussy kids would not drink them. However, when I made enough amount of this rasam for lunch, the cauldron (not exactly, I actually meant the sauce pan and I'm just using this word for exaggeration) was simply empty, empty, EMPTY!!! Not even a single drop was left and the vessel was perfectly clean. I had prepared the rasam not only for lunch but also for dinner :'-(. Thanks, Priya.

Original recipe here

Ingredients:
Methi/fenugreek leaves - 1 cup
Tomato - 1 (crushed)
Garlic - 2 cloves (crushed)
Home-made rasam powder (recipe below) - as required
Lemon juice - from a lemon
Dal water - 1 cup (1/2 cup boiled dal + 1/2 cup dal water)
Water - 2 to 3 cups or as required
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Whole dry red chillies - 2
Asafoetida - a pinch
Coriander leaves - chopped few
Salt (to taste)
Oil

Method:
In a bowl add dal water, crushed tomato, crushed garlic, water, salt (to taste) and rasam powder.
Heat oil and add mustard and cumin seeds. When the seeds splutter, add red chillies and asafoetida. Fry for a few seconds. Add the fenugreek leaves and saute till they are tender. Now add the dal water mixture and let it cook till it forms foam on top of the rasam.
Simmer for 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and coriander leaves. Remove from heat.
Serve immediately with hot rice.

Home Made rasam powder
Original recipe here

Ingredients:
Toor/Arhar dal - 1 tsp.
Coriander seeds - 1.5 tsp.
Channa dal - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Black peppercorns - 1/2 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds - 4
Dry red chillies  - 2
Curry leaves - 5
Turmeric powder - a pinch

Method:
Dry roast all the ingredients separately except turmeric powder. Cool and powder them. Mix the turmeric powder. Use the powder with the rasams.

Sent off to "T&T-Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes" hosted by PJ; event owned by Lakshmi.

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Brownies (Low-Fat Version)

Ingredients:
APF/Maida - 1 cup
Cocoa powder (unsweetened) - 3 tbsp.
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp.
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp.
Caster sugar - 1 cup
Skimmed milk - 1/2 cup
Egg whites - 2 (beaten)
Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp.
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp.

Method:
Sift the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and soda together.
Stir in the caster sugar, beaten egg whites, vanilla essence and oil till incorporated.
Pour the mixture in an 8 inch square pan.
Bake at 180°C in a pre-heated oven for 25 minutes or until firm to touch.
Remove from oven and cool completely. Cut them and remove carefully.
Enjoy!!
Recipe: Sanjeev Kapoor

Sent off to Priya's "Bookmarked Recipes-Every Tuesday (Volume-17)" event.

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Gajrela/Gajar Ka Halwa/Carrot Halwa (Version 4.0)

We get the reddish variety of carrots (and inexpensive too) in this bleak season. This is the traditional Punjabi carrot halwa mainly prepared in the  winter season and also in grand and opulent Punjabi weddings.

Ingredients:
Grated carrots - 2.5 cups
Sugar - 3/4 cup (or as per taste)
Milk - 2 cups
Khoya (sweetened) - 1/4 cup (grated)
Green cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp.
Ghee (as needed)
Nuts and raisins

Method:
Add grated carrot in a non-stick pan. Pour milk and cook till the milk evaporates in low flame (this takes a lot of time).
Add the sugar and khoya. Let the sugar melt and allow to cook till it becomes thick.
Meanwhile roast the nuts and raisins (which I didn't add). Add this to the halwa. Add 2 tsp. of ghee and stir till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.

Enjoy warm or cold!!
Note: Peel the outer skin and grate the carrot.


Carrots

Sent off to "Flavours Of Punjab" event hosted by Pari and started by Nayna.

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Carrot Milk

Ingredients:
Carrots - 4 (small)
Milk - 2.5 cups
Saffron strands - a pinch
Sugar - as per taste
Green cardamom powder - a pinch

Method:
Cut the carrots into pieces and steam them. Grind the steamed carrots.
Boil the milk and remove from heat. Allow the milk to be warm.
Now blend the mik, sugar, ground carrot, cardamom powder and saffron.
Enjoy this carrot milk warm during the biting cold of winter and chilled during the blazing heat of summer.
You can add some dry fruits and nuts to make it more enthusiastic with crunchiness.

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