fastindianrecipes.com

palak pakora

Usually pakora is not considered too healthy since it is deep fried but this one has a health angle to it. If you are craving pakoras then why not have palak pakora. At least you are consuming healthy palak this way and you are not compromising taste since palak pakora are delicious too.

Recipe of palak pakora/ pakoda

3 cups palak (spinach) - washed and chopped

1 cup besan (gram flour/ chickpea flour)

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)

Oil to deep fry

1. Mix besan with salt and all the spices.

2. Take palak in a bowl and add besan mixture. Mix well. Add 1-2 tablespoon water if needed. The mixture should be thick and such that round balls can be made from it.

3. Heat oil in a kadhai/ wok and when the oil is hot, turn the heat to medium.

4. Drop small portions of the palak mixture in the oil. Fry palak pakoda till golden brown from both sides turning as needed.

5. Drain on an absorbent paper and serve hot palak pakora with komato ketchup or chutney.  

Medu vada

Medu vada is a delicious South Indian tiffin item. I love most South Indian food and medu vada is no exception. It takes a little time and practice to make perfect medu vada but you won’t regret it, I’m sure.

Recipe of medu vada/ wada

1 cup dhuli urad dal (split, skinless black gram)

1 tsp ginger paste

3 green chillies- finely chopped

1 tsp black pepper powder or freshly ground black pepper

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

1. Wash and soak urad dal for atleast 6 hours or overnight. Drain.

2. Coarsely grind the urad dal in a blender adding as little water as possible otherwise vadas will not hold shape. Grinded dal should not be too smooth but a little coarse.

3. Add salt, green chillies, ginger and black pepper to the dal. Beat well so that air is incorporated in the batter and vada turn out fluffy.

4. Heat oil in a kadhai/ wok or a frying pan. When the oil is hot, turn the heat to medium.

5. Wet your palms and take a small portion from the batter. Shape it into a ball and then poke your thumb in the center so that a hole is formed. The idea of the hole is to increase the surface area where oil reaches so that vada is evenly cooked from all places.

6. Gently invert the vada in the oil. Similarly make other medu wada and place them in oil. Remember not to overcrowd the wok.

7. When the medu vadas are cooked from underneath, turn them over with a slotted spoon (pauni/ chhari). Vadas should be golden brown from both sides. They should be fried on medium heat otherwise they will be golden from outside and doughy from inside.

8. Drain on an absorbent paper and serve medu vada hot with sambhar and chutney.

methi mathri

Methi mathri or methi mathi’s recipe was somthing I wanted to post for quite some time now. I made them few days back and took the pics but somehow it got delayed. Methi mathri is a perfect tea time snack and kasoori methi gives a wonderful taste to the already delicious mathri.

Recipe of methi mathri/ mathi

2 cups maida (all purpose flour)

2 tbsp oil + for deep frying

1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) - crushed between palms

rolled out methi mathris

1. Take maida, salt, baking soda, ajwain and kasoori methi in a bowl. Add 2 tbsp oil and mix with your hands. Rub the mixture with your fingers so that oil evenly coats maida.

2. Little by little, add warm water so as to knead the all purpose flour into a stiff dough. Let the dough rest for 1/2 an hour.

3. Take walnut (akhrot) sized balls from the dough and roll out on an oiled surface into thin rounds. With the help of a fork, pierce these rounds or mathis here and there so that they don’t puff up upon frying.

4. Heat sufficient oil in a kadhai/ wok or a frying pan. When the oil is hot enough, turn the heat to medium. Wait for 2 minutes, and then start putting these rolled rounds or mathris in oil.

5. Fry them on medium heat turning as needed till they begin to give a cooked look. For the final touch, increase heat so that they become golden brown. Fry the mathri in batches.

6. Drain on an absorbent paper using a slotted spoon (pauni/ chaari). Let them cool down completely before storing them in an airtight container. They stay fresh for long.

Note- Do not fry the mathri in very hot oil because then they will remain soft and not crisp.

gajar ki kheer

Gajar ki kheer or carrot kheer is a delicious and healthy dessert. Kheer or payasam is my weakness and this one is a treat for me. It does not take too much time to cook gajar ki kheer.

Recipe of carrot kheer

1 cup grated carrot (gajar)

1 tsp ghee (clarified butter)

1/2 liter milk

4 tsp sugar

Chopped nuts

1. Heat ghee in a pan and fry carrot for 5 minutes.

aloo ka halwa

Aloo ka halwa or potato halwa is an unusual dessert. If you are making it for the first time, you will be surprised that how good it tastes. Potato halwa is also eaten in some fasts. If you roast it really well, it will not give a potato taste but some unique taste. Try it and be ready for surprise!

Recipe of potato halwa

1 cup boiled, peeled and mashed potato

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp elaichi (cardamom) powder

1/4 cup milk

4 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

Toasted nuts like cashew nuts and raisins

1. Mash the boiled potatoes while still warm. Heat ghee in a kadhai/ wok. Add mashed potato and roast on a low heat.

2. Keep stirring the halwa as it tends to stick to the bottom. Roast for 10-15 minutes.

3. Add milk and sugar. Again keep roasting till sugar dissolves and halwa thickens to desired consistency. Turn off the heat.

4. Add elaichi powder and garnish potato halwa with toasted nuts.

Note- The more you roast the aloo ka halwa, the better it will taste. Take medium sized potatoes for this halwa.

baby corn pakoda

Baby corn pakoda or bhutte ka pakoda is something exotic to most people. I once had them at a party as a starter. I asked the hostess about the recipe of baby corn pakoda and she was happy to oblige. Here I am sharing her recipe with you with few changes made.

Recipe of baby corn pakoda

10 baby corns (small,slim and tender bhutta)

1 1/2 cup besan (gram flour/ chickpea flour)

1/4 cup makki atta (cornmeal/ maize flour)

1/2 tsp green chilli paste

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

2 tsp lemon juice

Oil to deep fry

baby corns

1. Clean baby corns of peel and fiber etc. Cut them lengthwise into 2 parts.

2. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl except baby corns and oil. Add water little by little, mixing with other hand, to get pakora (fritter) batter like consistency. Beat the batter well so that you get fluffy pakodas.

3. Heat sufficient oil in a kadhai (wok). Dip each baby corn piece in the batter and drop gently in the oil. Fry pakoda till golden brown and crisp. Drain on an absorbent paper by slotted spoon (pauni/ chhari).

4. Serve baby corn pakoda with tomato sauce or chutney.

gajar ka paratha

Gajar ka paratha or carrot paratha is a super nutritious food since it is loaded with Vitamin A. It’s both healthy and tasty. It’s also a healthy breakfast option and good way to start your day.

Recipe of gajar ka paratha/ carrot paratha

1 cup atta (whole wheat flour)

4-5 carrots- grated

½ tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

1/4 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)

A pinch of turmeric powder

Oil to shallow fry

1. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together. Add water to knead it into pliable dough.

2. Take a ball (peda) out of the carrot dough. Roll it into a 6 inch round dusting with dry flour as needed.

3. Heat a tava (griddle) and place this round or parantha on it. Cook from both sides applying oil till gajar ka paratha turn golden brown with brown-black specks in it. Serve hot carrot paratha with curd or pickle.

bharwa pyaz

Bharwa pyaz is made from small sized red onions. My mother-in-law used to cook them really well. Our family likes this sabzi of pyaz as we like to eat onion in all its form.

Recipe of bharwa pyaz

6-7 small sized red onions- peeled and washed

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp saunf (fennel) powder

1/2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)

1/4 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp oil

pyaz stuffed with spices

1. Make cross like slits in the onions without separating from the base (as shown in the picture).

2. In a small bowl, mix salt and all the spices except turmeric powder. Stuff this spice mixture in the pyaz using a clean knife.

3. Heat oil in a pan and add turmeric powder. Cook for 2 seconds and spread it in the oil using a spatula. Add stuffed onions.

4. Lower heat and cook covered. Turn the pyaz over when the underside is cooked so that onions are roasted from all sides. Do not overcook.

5. Serve hot bharwa pyaaz with roti or paratha.

Paneer paratha

Paneer paratha is something which is relished by adults and kids alike. It’s a good breakfast option. You can enjoy paneer paratha with some curry or all by itself. It tastes absolutely great and liked especially by paneer lovers.

Recipe of paneer paratha

Filling

100 grams paneer- grated or finely crumbled

3 green chillies- finely chopped

Coriander leaves (cilantro) - finely chopped

1/4 tsp garam masala

Salt to taste

Dough

2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)

1/2 tsp salt

1. In a bowl, mix atta with salt. Add water slowly to knead it into smooth, pliable dough. Cover with a damp cloth and keep aside for 1/2 an hour.

2. Mix well all the ingredients of the filling except salt.

3. Take lemon sized ball (peda) from the dough and roll out into a 3 inch round. Grease this round lightly by an oiled spatula.

4. Place 2 tsp paneer filling in the center and add salt to it. Mix. Gather the edges of the round and reshape into a ball. Flatten the ball between your palms.

5. Roll out, dusting with dry flour as needed, into a 6-7 inch round.

6. Heat a griddle (tava) and shallow fry this parantha from both sides applying oil. Cook till golden brown from both sides with brown- black specks in it. Similarly make other paneer parathas. Serve hot paneer paratha with curd or pickle of your choice.

gobhi ke danthal ki sabzi

Gobi ke danthal ki sabzi is mainly made in Punjabi households. It’s full of nutrition since it has high fiber content. It’s like putting vegetable waste to good use since most people throw away the stalks. I find it as a nice side with rotis.

Recipe of gobi ke danthal ki sabzi

Danthal of 1 or 2 gobi (stalks of 1 or 2 cauliflowers) - depends on how much stalk cauliflower has

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

1 tbsp oil

danthal (stalks)

1. Peel the hard outer covering of gobi danthal. Wash and chop them into pieces.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add hing.

3. Add gobhi danthal, salt and all the spices except amchoor and garam masala. Mix well.

4. Cook covered on a low heat till danthal or stalk pieces turn tender. Add amchoor and garam masala and mix. Turn off the heat. Serve hot danthal ki sabzi garnished with coriander leaves. Serve with roti or paratha.