Almond/Badam Kheer and HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013!!!

I prepared this yummy kheer for my children today. Both were waiting eagerly during the photography session. Watching them rush and gulp  it down made me happy. Only one ladle of kheer is left for my hubby :)

Oh, and wish you lovely readers a very happy and prosperous new year.

Ingredients:
Almonds/Badam - 1/2 cup
Milk - 500 ml (Amul full cream)
Sugar - 1/2 cup (or as per taste)
Saffron strands - a pinch
Cardamom powder - a pinch (optional)
Warm milk - 1/2 cup (for grinding almonds)
Warm milk - 2 tbsp. (for soaking saffron strands)

For garnishing:
Saffron strands - few
Almonds (slivered) - few


Method:

Cover and soak almonds in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.

Soak saffron in warm milk. Keep aside.

Pour the milk in a pan and bring it to boil.

Once the milk continues to boil, stir the milk. This is to avoid burning of the milk.

Meanwhile peel the skin of the almonds by pressing at the tip of the almonds.

Add the blanched almonds in the blending jar.

Grind them into a coarse or soft paste by adding half a cup of warm milk little by little.

When the milk becomes thick,....

..........Add the sugar and mix well.

Now pour the ground almond paste and mix well. Cook them for 5 to 6 minutes by stirring continuously.

Now add the saffron milk and cardamom powder. Mix well (Those black spots are cardamom seeds)

Pour the kheer in a serving bowl and garnish with saffron strands and slivered almonds. Serve hot in the cold weather and cold in the hot weather.

P.S. The photos during cooking were taken under different lighting conditions in some step-by-step photos.

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Bitter Gourd Stir-fry

Every day, the weather gets colder and colder. It feels like as if we're in a freezer. Whenever there is a power cut, we end up shivering vigourously.

Now about the bitter gourd, which is my hubby's favourite vegetable, I used to avoid it at all costs due to its famous bitter taste.

But that was 6 months ago. When my hubby introduced me to Healer Baskar's method, believe me or not, I actually started to enjoy this bitterness of bitter gourd. Thanks to the healer, I'm getting better. If you're interested, do visit his site.

Now onto the recipe...

Ingredients:
Bitter gourd - 2
Onions - 2 (sliced)
Garlic (peeled) - 10 to 12 cloves
Sambar powder - 2 tsp.
Turmeric powder -  a pinch
Salt (to taste)

To temper:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Whole black gram (dehusked) - 1 tsp.
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp.
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Oil (sesame) - as required

Method:

Wash the bitter gourds.

Cut the bitter gourds into thin slices. Remove the seeds (removing pith is optional).

Heat the oil in a pan. Add the tempering ingredients and allow the mustards to crackle. Add crushed garlic and curry leaves and saute till the garlic changes to golden colour.

Add the onions and saute till they change colour.

Add the sliced bitter gourd pieces and continue sauteing.

Saute till the bitter gourd pieces change colour.

Cover the pan with a lid. Cook the bitter gourd till 80%. Stir now and then to avoid burning (at this stage I kept the flame at simmer mode).

Now add the sambar powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well.

Sprinkle 2 tbsp. of water. Sprinkling water is optional (I sprinkled it for the bittergourd to mix well with the turmeric powder and salt).

Mix well.

Continue sauteing till the bitter gourd is fully cooked (pinch and check), dry and crisp.

Serve with sambar rice or rasam rice or mix with white rice and consume.

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Kadhai Chicken/Murgh V3.0

Ingredients:
Chicken - 750 gms (skinless with bones)
Onions - 4 (medium-sized)
Ginger paste - 1 tsp.
Garlic paste - 1 tsp.
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 2 tsp.
Coriander powder - 2 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Dry fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) - 1 tbsp.
Cashew nuts (whole) - 10
Salt (to taste)
Oil (as required)
Bell peppers - 10 to 12 pieces of each colour
Tomato puree - from 3 plump tomatoes

For marinating chicken:
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Ginger paste - 1 tsp.
Garlic paste - 1 tsp.
Yogurt - 2 tbsp.

Garam masala:
Cinnamon - 2 sticks
Cardamom - 2
Cloves - 2
Cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp.
Fennel seeds (sombu) - 3/4 tsp.
Star anise - 1
Black peppercorns - 1/4 tsp.

To garnish:
Amul cream
Coriander leaves - few
Ginger juliennes - few

Method

Wash the chicken. Add a little turmeric powder and mix well. Wash the pieces again in water. Cut the chicken in required sizes. Wash again and drain all the water. To the chicken, add chili powder, ginger-garlic paste and yogurt.

Mix well. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes to 60 minutes.

Chop the onions and bell peppers.

Grind the spices from the "Garam masala" list into a coarse powder. Soak the cashew nuts in warm water for 30 to 60 minutes. Grind them with water.

Heat the oil in a kadai and add the diced bell peppers.

Sauté them for 4 minutes. Remove and keep them on a plate.

In the same kadai, pour the required oil and add the onions. Sauté them.

When the onions are half done, add little salt and sauté. When the onions change colour, add ginger-garlic paste.

Sauté till the raw smell (of ginger-garlic paste) fades away. Now add the tomato puree.

Add the required salt for the dish. Cover and cook the tomato puree. Stir in between. Sauté till the tomatoes become paste-like and release oil.

Add the chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder. Mix well.

Add the marinated chicken and continue mixing. Add the garam masala and mix.

Sauté in between till the chicken changes colour. Pour half cup of water and stir.

Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, remove the lid and stir well. Again cover and cook, till the chicken is cooked well.

Add the ground cashewnuts. Crush the kasuri methi and add to the chicken.

Add the fried bell peppers and mix well. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place the cooked chicken in a small kadai. Sprinkle coriander leaves, ginger juliennes and cream.

Serve with phulka chapathi, naan, roti or with white rice.

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Aval Payasam

A very simple and easy payasam. I didn't add any water instead I cooked poha with milk. Due to fog, I couldn't get clear shots.

Ingredients:
Aval/poha/red beaten rice - 1/2 cup
Milk - 2 and a 1/2 cup (Amul toned - 2% fat)
Sugar (granulated) - 1/3 cup (or as per taste)
Cardamom powder -  a pinch
Cashew nuts - 12
Raisins - 10
Ghee - 1/2 tsp.

Method:

Pour the milk in a pan and keep it on low flame.


 

Bring the milk to boil. Stir. Continue till the milk is reduced to 2 cups. Remove from flame and pour it into another bowl.

 

Meanwhile wash the poha in a strainer. Keep aside.

 

 

Melt the ghee in a pan.

 

 

Add the cashews and start roasting.

 

 

 

When the cashews are half-roasted, add the raisins and continue frying.

 

 

 

When the raisins become puffed up and cashews roasted, remove and keep them on a plate.

 

 

I cleaned the milk pan and placed it on stove in low flame. Strain the milk and pour it into the pan.

 

 

 

Add the poha and mix. Cook it for 5 minutes. Once they become soft, add the sugar and mix well. Bring it to boil.

 

 

Add the roasted cashews and raisins. Mix.

 

Add the cardamom powder and mix. Remove from heat and serve hot or cold.

 

 

 

 

 

Note: As I have used thin poha, I didn't soak them in water. Washing was enough to make them soft.

When the payasam gets cold, the poha will absorb the milk and the payasam becomes thick.

 

 

 

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