Dal Baati

Recognised as a Rajasthan speciality, Dal-baati, is a wholesome Rajasthani meal. Dal, or lentil curry, is made of two kind of lentils which are cooked along with the masalas to make a tasty dal or curry . Baati, a rounded of stuffed flour that's baked in a charcoal fire or oven. Baati comes in many varieties as a substitute for rotis. You could opt for plain baati, or try the more exotic masala, dry fruit or missi baatis. Baati is made out of wheat, flour, millet or a mix of maize and wheat flour, with loads of ghee.

Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

For baati (dumplings):

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup besan (gram flour)

3 tbsp ghee, melted

1/2 cup curd

salt to taste

For the dal (lentil curry):

2/3 cup split green moong dal

1/2 cup channa dal

4 dry red chillies
10 - 12 curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1 tsp tumeric powder
2 tbsp chilli powder
2 tbsp corainder powder
salt to taste
2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
2 cup water
juice of half lemon

Method:
For the baati:
1. Knead a soft dough with flour, besan (gram flour), ghee, curd, salt and just enough water.



2. Divide the mixture into 6 equal parts. Roll into lemon-sized balls. Cover and keep for one hour.
3. Then bake in the oven at 350* F for about 30 - 35 mins approximately till puffed and golden outside and spongy inside. Remove and glaze it with ghee. Serve hot.



For the dal:
1. Wash and soak the dals together for atleast 1 hour. Pressure cook the dal till it is cooked. Beat the dal to form a consistent paste.



2. Heat the pan with ghee. Add mustard seed, cumin seeds(jeera). When they start to crackle.

3. Add curry leaves, pinch of asafoetida (hing), dry red chillies. Fry it for few minutes.


4. Add chilli powder and tumeric powder to it. Fry for little while till the oil separates out. Add the corainder powder, salt to taste and the cooked dal and the remaining water, bring to a boil.




5. Add lemon juice is needed. Garnish with corainder leaves.



Note: You can make dumplings up to 2-3 hours before upto the point of cooking. Then place on a greased tray, cover with a cling film and keep aside. Start cooking 30 minutes before serving
The temperature to cook the baati may vary when you see the baatis are golden brown break open a little and check the inside is cooke or not. That way you will know it is done or not.

Rajasthani-Style Mixed Vegetables

This side dish or subji is eaten with Dal-batti or just with Chapati/Roti (Indian bread). It is made with any variety of vegetables, but usually consists of onions, peas, tomatoes and capsicum. Spices are then added to the sabji to give it a very distinct taste.

Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, chopped into big pieces

1 small capsicum, chopped into big pieces

1 big tomatoes, chopped into big pieces

1/2 cup cucumber, chopped into big pieces

1/4 cup peas, boiled

10 - 12 curry leaves

3 green chillies, finely chopped

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tbsp coriander powder

a pinch of tumeric powder

1 tsp amchur powder

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

a pinch of asafoetida (hing)

salt to taste

1 tbsp of oil

1/4 cup water

Method:

1. In a pan add oil, mustard seeds and cumin seeds (jeera). When they start to crackle.

2. Add asafoetida (hing), curry leaves, green chilli and onions. Fry them till they are translucent.

Add capsicum. Fry till they are half cooked.

3. Add peas. Fry for few minutes, then add tomatoes. Cook for sometime.

4. Add the chilli powder, tumeric powder, corainder powder, amchur powder and salt to taste. Mix well

5. Add the cucumber and water and cook with the lid on, simmer for few minutes till the vegetables are cooked.

6. Garnish with corainder leaves. Serve hot.

Black Chickpeas Salad

This channa salad is my favourite. It is very easy to make and tastes really nice. The salad is not only a starter but also a side dish in itself. Infact, Salads - if dished up interestingly, can be a meal by themselves. And with a few smart combinations of the vegetables you like and the dressings, you can make this salad attractive. Here is my way:

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: No cooking time

Ingredients:

2 teacups kala channa (black chickpeas) ( http://www.foodsubs.com/Lentils.html )

1/4 cup cucumber, finely chopped

1/4 cup onions, finely chopped

1/4 cup tomatoes, finely chopped

1/4 green mango, finely chopped

4 green chilli, finely chopped

juice of 1 lime

salt to taste

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp jeera powder

1 tbsp chopped corainder leaves

Method:

1. Soak the channa in plenty of water for 6-8 hours, preferably overnight.

2. Wash and pressurecook in good amount of water, since the channa will first bloat a third it size on soaking, then double that on pressurecooking. So it is imperative that soaking is done, and not direct pressurecooking for best results.
3. Pressurecook for at least 5-6 whistles, to be done. If channa has for some reason not been soaked in advance, then add a pinch of soda bicarb to the water, while pressurecooking, to aid cooking from within.

4. When done remove the water and cool the channa.

5. In a bowl combine all ingredients with channa. Mix well.

6. Ready to eat.

Mysore pak

Mysore Pak is a popular South Indian sweet dish. India has a huge collection of sweets and desserts that one can never resist... and someone with a sweet tooth, like me, needs the least reason to eat or to make these sweets...Mysore pak, Jalebi, Laddu, Jhangri,different varieties of Halwa, Jamuns, Rasagolla,....will the list end any where....and will I ever stop drooling over them?!!...Enjoy!!

Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 30 - 45 mins

Ingredients:
1 cup Besan (gram flour)
2 cup sugar
2 cup ghee (clarified butter)
1 cup milk

Method:
1. Mix all the above ingredient together in a heavy bottom pan.

2. Cook it with a medium - high flame stirring continously.
3. Cook until the ghee starts to leave the sides of the pan and the mixture starts to thicken till it becomes frothy and light gold in color.





4. Spread out on a greased plate and evenly level it out with a spatula.



5. When it is still hot, cut into square pieces. Makes about 10 to 12 pieces.

Paneer buttter masla

This is my version of making a delicious dish which is very rich in flavour. The soft paneer chunks which are dunked in onion tomato gravy with a splash of cream is a must for all those who love paneer. Serve with naan or roti to make it a complete gratifying meal.

Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cup paneer (cottage cheese)
1 big onions diced
2 small tomatoes diced
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
10 - 12 pieces of broken cashews
25mm. (1'') of ginger
4-5 cloves of garlic
4 green chillies
1-2 piece of clove
1-2 cardamom
1 bayleaf
1-2 piece cinnamon stick
1 tsp chilli powder
a pinch of tumeric powder (haldi)
1/4 cup curd
1/4 cup cream
pinch of citric acid (nimbu ka sat)
1 tsp of cinnamon powder
salt to taste
2 tbsp of oil or butter

For garnish:
Chopped corainder leaves

Method:
1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan, add cumin seeds. When they start to crackle.
2. Add the clove, cardamom, bayleaf, cinnamon stick, garlic, ginger, green chillies, cashews and the onions.

3. Fry the onions till they are translucent. Then add tomatoes and fry for few minutes.





4. Grind the onions and tomatoes into fine paste.

5. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan, add the ground paste, chilli powder, tumeric powder, cinnamon powder, citric acid (nimbu ka sat), salt to taste and cook it 4 - 5 mins or until oil separates.



6. Add the curd and the cream to the mixture and allow it to come to a boil.



7. Add paneer. Garnish with corainder.
8. Serve hot with naan or roti.

Kalakand

Kalakand is very popular sweet dish of India. A milk based sweet made by rapidly boiling chena (paneer) and sugar till it attains the desired thickness and colour. This sweet is golden brown in colour and has a distinctive flavour. This is an absolutely simple and mouth-watering dessert that I have learned from my MOM!!! Try it, you will love this SWEET!!!

Preparation time: 5 mins

Cooking time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

2 cups of milk

4 1/2 tbsp of sugar or sugar to taste

4 drops of lemon juice or a pinch of citric acid (nimbu ka sat) dissolved in 1/4 cup of water

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

a pinch of saffron

For Garnish:

Chopped nuts (almond and pistachio)

Silver foil (optional)

Method:

1. Boil milk on low flame stirring continously.

2. When milk starts boiling, slowly add the citric acid dissolved in hot water or lemon juice.

3. Stir continously while adding it. Keep stirring until the water evaporates and becomes a thick lumps.

4. Add the sugar and continue to cook, stirring all the while till softly thickens in a lump. Add cardamom powder and saffron mix well.
5. Set in a tray, apply silver foil and sprinkle the chopped nuts.

6. Cool it and cut into square pieces.

Karela ki sabji

There are some vegetables that never make it to our favourites' list. Most gourds, especially the bitter gourd for obvious reasons. But this recipe is very easy to make and is liked by many;even those who do not like the bitterness in karela (bitter gourd). Try it out and I hope you really like it. In this version, tamarind is used, instead of green mangoes, to help to reduce some of the bitterness.

Preparation time: 5 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

5-6 pieces Bitter gourd (Karelas)

1 tbsp mustard seeds (rai)

1 tbsp cumin seeds (jeera)

pinch of asafoetida (hing)

4-5 curry leaves

2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated or chopped small.
4-5 green chillies, finely chopped.

1 tsp chilli powder, more if you like it hot.

1 tbsp corainder powder (Dhanai powder)

2 tsp turmeric powder

salt to taste

2 tbsp cup tamarind pulp

1/4 cup water

Method:

1. Scrape the rough skin off the karelas gently. Top and tail and slice into 1/2-1 cm. thick slices.

2. Take all the karelas and apply some salt and haldi to these pieces and leave it for about 1/2 an hour.

3. Then wash the karelas and drain out the water completely.

4. In the pan, heat the oil add mustard seeds (rai) and cumin seeds (jeera). When they start to crackle.

5. Add pinch of asafoetida (hing), curry leaves, ginger, green chilli, turmeric powder and chilli powder in the oil and add the tamarind pulp and water to it. By stirring continously add corainder powder (dhania), salt to the mixture.

6. When all the water is evaporated and oil begins to separate. Add karela pieces to the mixture and if needed add little water to cook the karelas. Cook it until the karela are soft and tender.

7. Garnish with corainder leaves and serve hot with roti or paratha.

Notes: Making tamarind pulp; soak approximately 2 inch piece of tamarind block in warm/hot water. Mash it well. Remove seeds and fibre by straining through a metal sieve. The end result should be a thick pulp. This dish freezes well and can be made in bulk.