Gulab Jamun

Making home made gulab jamun is not as hard as it looks. Try the recipe below and enjoy the sweet delight. 

Gulab jamun through different phases of preparation

Ingredients 

• 1 cup powder milk
• 1 Tbs ghee
• 1 Tbs flour
• 2 tsp baking powder 
• 1 egg
• 1 and 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• Some cardamom seeds
• oil for frying 

Directions

Gulab jamun in the making ;-)

1. Add the water, sugar and cardamom seeds together to prepare the sheera. Let it simmer while you go ahead with the rest of the procedure.
2. Mix powder milk, flour and baking powder in a bowl. 
3. Add ghee and oil to the mixture. Mix together to form a dough.
4. Make small balls and put in the refrigerator for 5 minutes.
5. Heat up the oil. It should only be mildly warm before you add the balls to it. 
6. Deep fry the balls on low flame till they turn brown. Do not overcook to a dark shade.
7. Immediately transfer to the hot sheera.
8. Let the balls absorb the sheera for 30 minutes and then take them out or you can just let them soak up the entire sheera. 

Aloo Qeema

This tempting and spicy desi dish is everyone's favourite:-). I particularly enjoy it with Paratha. Do try it!

Ingredients

• 1/2 kg mutton or beef mince
• 3 medium sized potatoes
• salt according to taste
• red chilli powder according to taste
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 2 tsp garlic paste
• 2 tsp ginger paste
• 2 large tomatoes
• 1 medium sized onion 
• 2-3 chopped green chillies 
• some chopped coriander leaves
• ghee or oil for cooking

Directions

1. Grind the onion to make a fine paste.
2. Heat oil in a cooking utensil. Cook till light brown.
3. Add 1 tsp ginger and 1 tsp garlic paste. Stir. The contents and cook for 1-2 mins.
4. Add the mince. Turn the flame high otherwise a lot of water will be released from the mince and it will turn hard.
5. Cook the mince till it turns brown. Turn the flame to medium now and keep cooking till the color becomes darker.
6. Grind the tomatoes and add the paste to the mince. Add all the spices along with the remaining ginger garlic paste.
7. Cut the potatoes into small cubes. Add them right after the tomato paste.
8. Cook till the tomato paste thickens and separates from the oil. Now add only a little water and close the lid.
9. Cook till the all the tomato paste and water has been absorbed and the potatoes have been cooked.
10. Add the chopped green chillies and corriander leaves. Turn the stove off and close the lid to let the flavour fuse.

Enjoy with raita and fresh salad :-)

Spicy Moong Daal Fried

If you are in the mood of something desi, spicy yet simple, try this moong daal recipe for lunch and serve it with bondi raita :). Plus, as it is full of protein and fiber, it serves as a great meal option if you are on a diet. 

Spicy Moong Daal Fried Served with Boondi Raita

You just need a few ingredients and the cooking procedure is very simple. So, on days when you are not in the mood of spending too much time in the kitchen, just prepare this tasty daal.

Delicious and Healthy Moong Daal

INGREDIENTS: 

• 2 cups Moong Daal 
• 2 large tomatoes
• Salt according to taste
• Red chilli powder according to taste
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp corriander powder (dhania powder)
• 2 fresh green chillies
• 1/4 tsp chaat masala
• Ghee or oil for cooking

DIRECTIONS

• Soak the daal in luke warm water and let it stand for at least 1 to 2 hours before cooking.
• Grind the tomatoes and make a paste. 
• Heat up ghee/oil and add all the spices (salt, red chilli powder, turmeri powder and corriander powder) to it. Do not add the chaat masala yet.
• Cook the spices on medium heat for just one to two minutes to get rid of their raw flavour. Stir once or twice to distribute the heat evenly.
• Add the tomato paste and cook on medium flame till the tomato paste thickens and the ghee/oil separates. Keep stirring from time to time to prevent the contents from sticking to the bottom of the cooking utensil. There is no need to add water.
• Add the daal now. Add only 1/4 cup of extra water, stir the contents well once and close the lid. Cook on low flame. The extra water will be absorbed and the daal will become tender. Avoid stirring the contents too much as the daal might get mashed up. Stir only occasionally if needed. Do not add extra water until necessary. 
• When all the water has been absorbed and the daal looks dry, add finely chopped green chillies. Close the lid to let the flavour of the chillies fuse with the daal. Cook for one minute on very low flame. Then turn the stove off but let the lid remain closed till its serving time.
• Take out the daal in a serving dish. Sprinkle chaat masala over it.
• Serve with boondi raita. 

 Moong Daal