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roti ki sabzi

Happy janmashtami to all my readers. Roti ki sabzi may not be the best recipe shared on this auspicious day i.e. Lord Krishna’s birthday but this is the recipe I am sharing with you today (hehehe). If you have some leftover rotis from last night’s supper, then you can put them to good use by making roti ki subzi.

Recipe of roti ki sabzi

5 sookhi (dry) roti

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of asafoetida (hing)

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

2 tomatoes- chopped

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

2. Add tomatoes and all the spice powders and salt. Cook till tomatoes get mushy.

3. Break sookhi rotis into small pieces and add to the pan. Cook till rotis become soft. Serve roti ki sabzi hot.

mirchi ke pakore

My hubby and FIL love mirchi ke pakore. Here I have given the recipe of stuffing chilli with chutney but I also make them by stuffing aloo (potato) masala. Mirchi pakoda tastes great both ways.

Recipe of mirchi ke pakore/ green chilli fritters

8-10 bhavnagri mirch (large, broad not so hot green chilli)

1 cup besan (gram flour/ chickpea flour)

Salt to taste

Green (dhania pudina) chutney- for stuffing

Oil to deep fry

1. Wash and wipe mirchi. Make a slit on one side without separating from the base or slitting other side. Remove seeds of mirchi.

2. Take besan in a bowl and add salt. Add water little by little, mixing with other hand so as to prepare lump free batter. Batter consistency should be like pancake batter.

3. Stuff green chutney into each mirchi.

4. Heat sufficient oil in a kadhai/ wok. Dip each stuffed mirchi in besan batter and put in hot oil. Deep fry on medium heat, turning as needed till golden brown.

5. Drain bharwa mirchi ke pakore on absorbent paper and serve hot.

namak pare

Sometimes I like to enjoy my evening tea with homemade namak pare or mathri. Namak pare or namak para is a traditional Indian savory snack which is also loved by kids. When you get tired of ready made namkeens, you tend to remember how your mother or grand mother used to make these goodies at home with which you stuff yourself while playing. Once you get the hang of it, namak pare is not difficult to make at home.

Recipe of namak pare

2 cups maida (all purpose flour/ refined flour)

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp oil + for deep frying

1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)

1/4 tsp baking soda

1. Mix maida, ajwain, salt and baking soda in a bowl. Add 2 tbsp oil and mix with your hands. Rub between your fingers so that maida is well coated with oil.

2. Using warm water, knead all purpose flour into a stiff dough. Let the dough rest for 1/2 an hour.

3. Take a ball out of the dough and roll out on a lightly oiled surface into 1/2 inch thick round.

4. Cut into 1/2 inch strips lengthwise and then 1/2 inch across to get diamond shaped pieces. Do the same with rest of the dough.

5. Heat sufficient oil in a kadhai/wok or a frying pan and deep fry these namak pare on medium heat. Fry till golden from both sides. Also fry in batches.

6. Store namak pare after they completely cool down, in an airtight container. They stay fresh for weeks.
Note- fry namak pare on medium heat and not high heat and dough should be stiff otherwise they will not be crisp.

Palak kadhi

Palak kadhi is a healthier type of kadhi since we are adding palak instead of fried pakoras (fritters) as in kadhi pakora. Palak kadhi or spinach kadhi is made both in Rajasthan and Punjab. Spinach in yogurt and chickpea flour sauce makes for a satisfying meal with plain boiled rice.

Recipe of palak kadhi/ spinach kadhi

2 cups sour curd (dahi/ yogurt)

4 cups of water

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

Salt to taste

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1/4 tsp methi dana (fenugreek seeds)

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

3/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp oil

A very small bunch of palak (spinach) - stems removed, washed and finely chopped

1. Mix together curds, besan, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and water. Mix well using a blender.

2. Heat oil in a kadhai/ wok. Add cumin seeds and methi dana. When they change color, add hing.

3. Add curd besan mixture. Cook stirring till it comes to boil.

4. Lower heat and add chopped palak. Simmer on a medium-low heat, uncovered for about 25 minutes. Stir occasionally.

5. If it is too thick, add 1 cup of water and boil again. Serve hot palak kadhi with roti or rice.

bajre ki roti

Bajre ki roti is made a lot in Rajasthan. They eat it with a piece of gur and it is liberally smeared with pure ghee. Initially you may find it difficult to make bajre ki roti by patting between your palms so I have shown an easier way by using polythene bag or plastic sheets. This way even a novice can make bajre ki roti.

Recipe of bajre ki roti

1 cup bajra atta (millet flour)

Salt to taste

Ghee (clarified butter)

rolling out bajre ki roti

1. Mix bajra atta with salt. Add warm water little by little to knead bajra flour into medium soft dough. There is no need to knead the dough too much.

2. Take a ball from the dough, wet your palms and pat this ball between your palms to make 4-5 inch roti. OR alternately tear a polythene bag into 2. Place 1 half on the rolling surface and place the ball on it. Cover it with the 2nd half of polythene bag.

3. Roll it into as thin round as you can. Remove the above polythene, take the roti on your right hand removing from the lower polythene.

4. Place it on a hot non-stick griddle (tava). Cook bajre ki roti from both sides till browned.

5. Remove it from the tava and smear it with ghee. Serve bajre ki roti hot with some gur (jaggery).

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.

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.

moong dal halwa

Moong dal ka halwa is a Rajasthani sweet, Marwari in particular. Now it is popular everywhere. You can find moong dal halwa in winter in Indian wedding buffets and many parties. It is quite heavy so a small serving usually suffices. It is very delicious and best enjoyed hot in a cold winter night.

Recipe of moong dal halwa

1 cup dhuli moong dal (split, skinless green gram)

1 cup sugar

1 cup ghee (clarified butter)

1/2 cup water

Chopped and toasted nuts like cashew nuts, raisins and almonds

1. Wash and soak moong dal in hot water for 2 hours. Drain.

2. Grind moong dal to a coarse paste using very little water. Set aside.

3. Heat 1/2 cup water in a pan and add 1 cup sugar to it. Cook till sugar dissolves and you get syrup of 1 thread consistency (ek taar ki chashni). Keep aside.

4. Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan/ kadhai. Add moong dal paste. Fry on a low heat till moong dal turn golden brown and aromatic.

5. Add sugar syrup (chashni) to the moong dal and mix well. Cook on a low heat till they blend well. Turn off the heat.

6. Serve hot moong dal ka halwa garnished with chopped and toasted nuts.

bharwa mirchi

The mirchi or peppers used in this recipe is thick, large one which is not very hot. These peppers are also known as ‘Bhavnagri Mirch’. This mirchi is widely available. This recipe of bharwa mirchi is absolutely lip smacking and me and my husband’s favorite. Since we remove fiber and seeds from the mirchi, their heat is considerably reduced and hence can be eaten by those of you who don’t like very hot food.

Recipe of bharwa mirchi (stuffed peppers)

200 gms bhavnagri mirchi (large peppers)

1/4 cup besan (gram flour/ chickpea flour)

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)

2+2 tsp oil

mirchi (peppers)

1. Make a vertical slit on one side of peppers. Remove all the seeds and fiber from inside. This reduces heat of mirchi.

2. Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan and add besan. Roast besan, stirring, till nice aroma comes out of it. Add all the spices and salt and roast for 1 more minute. Take out besan mixture from the pan.

3. Let the besan mixture cool down a little. Stuff this mixture into the peppers.

4. Heat 2 tsp oil in the same pan and place stuffed peppers in it. Lower heat and cover the pan with a lid.

5. When the mirchi gives a roasted appearance from underneath that is look brownish, turn over and cook from other side also. Cook till roasted from both sides. Serve hot with parathas.

Mathri

Yesterday I was craving for some home made savory snack with my evening tea. I remembered mathri which I was pretty good at making even before marriage. My hubby had asked me to make mathri several times but I was worried about the calories as it is a deep fried snack. Yesterday I thought what the heck! Don’t I eat other high calorie stuff bought from the market? So I went ahead.

Recipe of mathri (mathi)

2 cups maida (unbleached all purpose flour)

1 tsp salt or to taste

1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)

2 tbsp oil

1/4 tsp baking soda

Oil for deep frying

1. In a bowl, mix maida, salt, baking soda and ajwain. Add 2 tablespoon oil and rub mixture between your hands so that oil is evenly mixed in the all purpose flour.

2. Add warm water little by little so as to knead it into stiff dough. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

3. Take walnut (akhrot) sized balls from the dough and roll out into a small rounds. Prick these rounds here and there with a fork so that mathris don’t puff up like poori.

4. Heat oil in a kadhai (wok) or a deep frying pan and when the oil is hot enough, turn the heat to medium. Wait for a minute.  Fry these rounds in the oil turning as needed.

5. When the mathris give a cooked look and rawness disappears, increase heat so that they become reddish brown. For further batches, keep the heat to medium when frying and increase for the final touch. Drain on an absorbent paper by a slotted spoon. Serve when they cool down and store the rest in an airtight contianer. They stay fresh for weeks.

Mathi