Besan wali arbi
Besan wali arbi or besani arbi is a dish from Rajasthani cuisine. You can increase the quantity of amchoor to turn it into ‘khatti arbi’. This is a very tasty side with roti or paratha made frequently by me as it is liked much by my family.
Recipe of besan wali arbi
250 gms arbi (arvi/ colocasia/ taro root) – boiled, peeled and cut into rounds
1/2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
1 tsp ginger- garlic paste
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)
Salt to taste
2 tsp besan (gram flour)
3 tbsp curd (yogurt)
3/4 tsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp oil
1. Mix together curd, besan, red chilli, coriander and garam masala powders and amchoor. Keep aside.
2. Take a non-stick pan and heat oil in it. Add ajwain and when they splutter, add hing.
3. Add arbi and roast on medium heat till golden brown.
4. Add ginger-garlic paste and salt and cook for about 3 minutes.
5. Add curd- besan mixture and cook on medium heat till almost dry. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with phulkas.
Besani arbi
Aloo sowa ki sabzi
Sowa is not an everyday ingredient in Indian cooking. Sowa is known as Dill in English and suva and shepoo in Indian languages. Sowa or dill is very nutritious being green, leafy. Sowa has carminative properties and helps in digestion. Dill also has anti- cancer properties. Consuming aloo sowa ki sabji is a great way of having sowa in your diet.
Recipe of aloo sowa ki sabzi
3 medium potatoes- peeled and cubed
1 small bunch sowa (dill/ suva/ shepoo) - washed and chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)
1/2 tsp kuti saunf (crushed fennel seeds)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)
1 tbsp mustard oil or any other oil
Sowa (dill)
1. In a pan, heat mustard oil to smoking point that is till vapors start coming out of it. Add cumin seeds.
2. When cumin seeds change color, add sowa and potatoes. Add salt and all the spices except amchoor. Mix well and lower heat. Cook covered on medium-low heat.
3. Cook till potatoes are tender. Uncover and increase heat. Cook stirring till potatoes get a roasted look. Turn off heat and add amchoor and mix. Serve hot aloo sowa ki subzi with roti or paratha.
I am writing after about half a month. I am dedicating this post to my late father Mr. Sat Prakash Gupta who expired on 9th of this month.
I remember him not just because he was my father but also because he was a source of inspiration to me. A true ‘karmayogi’, he lived the teachings of ‘Gita’ through his life time. He taught me that one should do his or her ‘karma’ without attachment to its result which is not in one’s hand but God’s hands. He also taught me the virtue of persistence even during the adversity. I pray to God that may his soul rest in peace.
Recipe of chane ki dal
1 cup chana dal (split Bengal gram)
3 cups of water
2 green chillies- chopped
1 onion- chopped
2 medium tomatoes- chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 inch piece ginger- chopped
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
Chane ki dal
1. Wash and soak chane ki dal for 1 hour. Drain.
2. Place chane ki dal in a pressure cooker along with 3 cups of water, salt, ginger and turmeric powder. Pressure cook to 5 whistles and let the pressure drop down before opening the lid of the cooker.
3. For the tadka or tempering, heat ghee in a small pan and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add hing. Add onion and green chillies. Sauté till onion turn light brown.
4. Add tomatoes and cook till tomatoes turn soft and pulpy. You can also cover the pan so that tomatoes turn soft quickly.
5. Add this tadka to the dal and cover with a lid so that tadka seep through the dal.
6. Add garam masala and give 1 boil to the chana dal. Let the dal simmer on a low heat for 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat and garnish chane ki dal with chopped coriander leaves. Chane ki dal tastes great with both rotis and rice.
Meetha pooda
Meetha pooda or sweet pancake is made in many parts of India including Punjab and Rajasthan. In Punjab, it is served as breakfast. You can also make it as an anytime sweet.
Recipe of meetha pooda (chilla)
1 cup whole wheat flour (atta)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp saunf (fennel) powder
2-3 green cardamom (hari elaichi) - crushed
Ghee (clarified butter) or oil to shallow fry
1. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except oil or ghee. Add water slowly mixing with other hand. Add enough water to make lump free batter of consistency thicker than that of pakoda (fritters). Beat well.
2. Heat a non- stick tava (griddle). Grease it and turn the heat to low. Pour a ladlefull or 2 tablespoon batter in the center of the tava.
3. Spread it gently in the outward circular motion like you would do for a chilla or an omellete. Spread it with the back of a ladle (karchhi). Turn the heat to medium.
4. After 2 minutes, drizzle some oil or ghee on the pooda. Remove it with the help of a wide, thin spatula and turn over.
5. Cook the other side also for 2 minutes and remove from the tava. Your meetha pooda is ready. Similarly make other poodas from rest of the batter.
Always spread the pooda on low heat and cook it on medium heat.
If the first pooda sticks to the tava, don’t get disheartened. It usually happens with the first puda. As the tava get seasoned, rest of the meetha puda will turn out fine.
