GAJAR HALWA

Gajar Halwa in Microwave

Gajar Halwa in Microwave is much easier as it avoids stirring. It has always been a great hit!

Ingredients

• 500 gms grated carrot
• 1/2 cup milk
• 100gm khawa
• 2-3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 25gms almond coarsely powdered (Roasted almonds in microwave for 2 min and powdered)
• 1/2 tsp crushed cardamom
• Raisins and cashew nut for garnishing

Method:

1. Take a microwaveable vessel mix carrot and ghee and microwave on high for 10minutes. Remove and stir.

2. Mix milk and microwave for 10minutes. Stand for few minutes.

3. Stand and stir, add sugar, khawa, cardamom powder and almond powder and microwave for 10 minutes.

4. Garnish with raisins and cashew nuts.

Banana Burfi

Banana Burfi

Very easy to make and its preparations is also very easy. Ingredients used are readily available in our house. Keep stirring the mixture while cooking and enjoy my homemade burfi :-)
Ingredients:

• 4 Ripe Bananas
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts & almonds
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• 1 tbsp milk powder
• 1 tbsp ghee

Method:

1. Peel Bananas and mash them properly.
2. Add milk to them and cook till the milk has dried up.

3. Add ghee and sugar and cook till the mixture starts turning brown.
4. Add coconut and milk powder and walnuts and mix well.
5. Grease a baking tray or deep plate.
6. Remove the mixture from the heat and pour into the greased tray.

7. Keep the layer of the mixture at least 1/2 inch thick.

8. Allow to cool and cut into diamond shape.

9. Garnish with nuts like walnut, almonds, pistachio etc. of your choice.

Beetroot Vegetables

Beetroot Vegetable

Very Healthy and nutritious vegetable. One of very tasty vegetable. Ingredients:

• 2 cup peeled and grated beetroot
• ½ tsp green chili paste
• 2 tsp oil/ghee
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1tbsp crushed groundnuts
• ½ cup chopped green coriander
• ½ cup grated coconut
• ½ tsp Jeera
• ½ tsp asafetida
• salt to taste

Method:

1) Roast groundnuts remove the skin and grind to small pieces.
2) Peel and grate the beetroot.
3) Heat oil in kadai, add jeera, when jeera starts popping add green chili paste, turmeric and asafetida.
4) Add grated beetroot to it. Mix well and let it simmer for 2 minutes.
5) Add salt, sugar, lemon juice, crushed groundnut, coconut and coriander. Mix Well.

Beetroot Raita

Beetroot Raita

This is an easy to prepare and a nutritious recipe. You can eat it as a side dish with rice or hot roti.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium size beetroots
• green chillies
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1tbsp crushed groundnuts
• 1 tbsp chopped green coriander
• 2 tsp pure ghee
• ½ tsp Jeera
• salt to taste

Method:
1) Roast groundnuts remove the skin and grind to small pieces.
2) Heat ghee in kadai, add jeera, when jeera starts popping add green chili pieces. Keep this tadka aside for cooling.
3) Peel and grate beetroot.
4) Mix beetroot, salt, sugar, crushed groundnut and coriander.
5) Pour the tadka over the mixture. Mix well.
6) Add curd to the above mixture and mix well.

Serve it with rice and dal or with just hot roti.
This wonderful and pinkish salad is a great colorful addition to any meal. A very different salad than the usual greens and whites.

Carrot Raita (Gajara chi Koshimbir)

Carrot Raita (Gajara chi Koshimbir)

Very healthy recipe. It's mainly good for eyes so should be kept in regular diet. I have made it with 2 combination one is normal and other is with curd.
Ingredients:

• 3 medium size carrots
• green chillies
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1tbsp crushed groundnuts
• 1 tbsp chopped green coriander
• 2 tsp pure ghee½ tsp
• Jeera
• salt to taste

Method:

1) Roast groundnuts remove the skin and grind to small pieces.

2) Heat ghee in kadai, add jeera, when jeera starts popping add green chili pieces. Keep this tadka aside for cooling.

3) Peel and mince carrots.

4) Mix carrots, salt, sugar, lemon juice, crushed groundnut and coriander.

5) Pour the tadka over the mixture. Mix well.

6) In above recipe for variation you can add 1 tsp curd instead of lemon juice and mix well.

Mostly kids like it with curd cobmination.

Spicy Moong

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 cup sprouted Moong
• 1 tsp Green Chili Paste
• ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
• ½ tsp chaat masala
• 1 tsp Chili Powder
• Salt as per taste
• 1 tsp finely chopped tomato for garnishing
• 1 Onion (finely chopped) for garnishing
• 1 tsp chopped Coriander for ganishing
• 1/2 tbsp shev

Method:
1. Take a pan heat the oil and toss in the mustard seeds.
2. When mustard starts popping add green chili paste.
3. Add turmeric powder.
4. Now add sprouted moong to it. Mix well.
5. Now mix chili powder, chaat masala and salt. Cook for 1 minute.
6. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander, onion, tomato and shev. Serve hot.

SPICY Moth Beans (Spicy Matki)

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 cup sprouted moth beans (Matki)
• 1 tsp Green Chili Paste
• ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
• ½ tsp chaat masala
• 1 tsp Chili Powder
• Salt as per taste
• 1 tsp chopped Coriander for ganishing
• ½ Onion (finely chopped) for garnishing

Method:
1. Take a pan heat the oil and toss in the mustard seeds.
2. When mustard starts popping add green chili paste.
3. Add turmeric powder.
4. Now add sprouted moth beans to it. Mix well.
5. Now mix chili powder, chaat masala and salt. Cook for 1 minute.
6. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander and onion and serve hot.

Cabbage Raita (Kobi chi Koshimbir)

Cabbage Raita (Kobi chi Koshimbir)

Cabbage Raita/ Koshimbir/ Salad can be served with any Indian meal. It’s quick and easy to make with just a few ingredients. Ingredients:

• 1 medium size Cabbage grated
• 4 green chillies
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1tbsp crushed groundnuts
• 1 tbsp chopped green coriander
• 2 tsp pure ghee
• ½ tsp Jeera
• salt to taste

Method:

1. Roast groundnuts remove the skin and grind to coarse in to small pieces.
2. Heat ghee in kadai, add jeera, when jeera starts popping add green chili pieces. Keep this tadka aside for cooling.
3. Grate the cabbage.
4. Mix cabbage, salt, sugar, lemon juice, crushed groundnut and coriander.
5. Pour the tadka over the mixture. Mix well.nut and tadka.

Cucumber Raita (Kakdi Chi Koshimbir)

Cucumber Raita (Kakdi Chi Koshimbir)

Cucumber Raita/ Koshimbir/ Salad can be served with any Indian meal. I simply adore it for its simplicity and crunchy texture. It’s quick and easy to make with just a few ingredients.
Ingredients:

• 3 medium size Cucumber/ Kakdi
• 4 green chilies
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1tbsp crushed groundnuts
• 1 tbsp chopped green coriander
• 2 tsp pure ghee
• ½ tsp Jeera
• salt to taste

Method:

1. Roast groundnuts remove the skin and grind to small pieces.
2. Heat ghee in kadai, add jeera, when jeera starts popping add green chili pieces. Keep this tadka aside for cooling.
3. Peel and mince cucumbers.
4. Mix cucumber, salt, sugar, lemon juice, crushed groundnut and coriander.
5. Pour the tadka over the mixture. Mix well.
   

Chili Sauce

CHILI SAUCE

Chili Sauce or Hot Sauce is used all over the world as a condiment to spice up meals. There are hundreds of brands of chili sauce but I think there is nothing more satisfying than a homemade chili sauce made to your personal taste.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 dried red chilies
• 1 large garlic clove
• 2 crushed cloves
• 2 black ground pepper
• ½ tsp salt to taste
• 1 tbsp Olive oil

Method:
1. Working on one chili at a time, use a knife to cut a slit all the way down one side of a chili. Open up the chili and remove the stem and seeds. Remove as much of the veins as you can. Reserve a few of the seeds or veins for adding later if you want added heat.

2. Heat a pan on medium heat. Flatten out the dried chilies and place on the pan to heat. Press down on the opened chilies and leave for a few seconds. Turn the chilies over and heat a few seconds more. We do not want to toast or burn the chilies, just heat them enough to draw out more of the flavor.
3. Add the chilies to a small saucepan and add enough water so that they are just covered. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes, until the chilies have softened and plumped up.
[OR] Place the chilies in a small saucepan and pour boiling water over them to cover. Let sit for 15 minutes, until softened.
4. Reserving the soaking water, remove the chilies from the pan and place in a blender. Add the garlic, salt, ground pepper, ground cloves, and 1 1/2 cups of the soaking liquid (taste the soaking water first, if it seems bitter, use water instead).
5. Puree for 2 minutes, until the sauce is completely smooth. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. If you want more heat, add in a few of the seeds or veins and purée some more. Add more salt if needed.
6. Take a pan and heat olive oil in it. Add the sauce into a pan. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to maintain the simmer, cook for 10 minutes. Skim off the foam.

7. Remove from heat. Use immediately or pour into a glass jar and refrigerate.