Carrot Kheer

carrot kheer

My family enjoy carrot kheer immensely. It's not just tasty but also healthy. I borrowed this recipe from the 'Hare Krishnas' and made few changes while making it.
Recipe of carrot kheer/ gajar ki kheer
3 medium carrots (gajar)
1 liter milk (full fat)
4 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp each almonds and cashew nuts
How to make carrot kheer
1. Peel and chop carrots finely.
2. Place carrots, almond and cashews in a pressure cooker and add 2 tbsp water. Cook to 1 whistle. Open the lid when pressure drops down naturally.
3. Churn the contents of pressure cooker in a blender to a paste.
4. Boil the milk. Add carrot paste to milk and cook on a medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
5. Add sugar and cook till sugar dissolves. Take out carrot kheer in a bowl and serve warm or chilled.

Sama ke Chawal ki Vegetable khichdi

sama ke chawal ki khichdi

Earlier I blogged about sama ke chawal ki khichdi which had only samak rice but this recipe also contains healthy vegetables which can be eaten during fasts. Addition of vegetables add to the taste as well as nutritive value of this tasty vrat ki khichdi. Remember we don't eat beans and peas (matar) in any form during Ekadashi, Janmashtami and Navratra fasts.

Recipe of sama ke chawal ki vegetable khichdi

1/2 cup sama ke chawal (samo rice/shyamak chawal/samak chawal/vrat ke chawal)

1 tbsp desi ghee (clarified butter)

Sendha salt (rock salt) - to taste

2 green chilies- chopped

Vegetables like potato, carrot, spinach, tomato, cauliflower and capsicum- chopped

 2& 1/2 cups of water

How to make sama ke chawal ki vegetable khichdi

1. Wash and soak sama ke chawal. In the meantime you can chop the vegetables. Drain the water from the rice.

2. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and add green chilies. Sauté for a minute and then add all the vegetables, salt and sama ke chawal along with 2 and 1/2 cups of water. (Idea is to add 5 times water as sama ke chawal).

3. Cook to 2 whistles. Open the lid of the cooker when pressure drops down naturally. Your sama ke chawal ki khichdi is ready.

Kuttu ki Tikki (Buckwheat Flour Patties)

kuttu ki tikki

Kuttu ki tikki is a tasty dish which can be eaten during fasts as it is a 'falahari' food. I prepare them on Ekadashi fasts and offer them to Lord Krishna and have them as a prasad.

Recipe of kuttu ki tikki

1 cup kuttu atta (buckwheat flour)

3 medium sized potatoes (boiled, peeled and mashed)

2 green chillies- chopped finely

Sendha salt (rock salt)- to taste

Ghee (clarified butter)- to shallow fry

How to make kuttu ki tikki

1. Mix potatoes, green chillies and sendha salt to kuttu atta in a bowl.

2. Knead the atta using potatoes, no need to add water.

3. Pinch a lemon sized ball (peda) out of the dough and pat between your greased palms to make a tikki (patty).

4. Heat a non-stick tava (griddle) and smear ghee on it. Place this tikki on the tava and place rest of the tikkis from rest of the dough.

5. Roast kuttu tikki from both sides applying ghee. Place as many tikki on the tava as can be easily placed and prepare in batches.

6. Roast tikki till it turns reddish brown. Serve hot kuttu ki tikki with aloo ki sabzi or curd or both.

Til ki Barfi

Diwali is approaching fast and you can make this til ki barfi for your near and dear ones. This barfi is easy to prepare and doesn't take too much prep time. You can also garnish this barfi with chopped, unsalted pistachios. The choice is totally your's.

Recipe of til ki barfi

1 cup til

1 cup khoya (mawa) - grated

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp elaichi (cardamom powder)

Few cashew nuts- chopped

1 tsp ghee (clarified butter)

How to make til ki barfi

1. Heat 1 tsp ghee in a kadhai (heavy bottomed vessel) and roast cashew pieces in it till reddish brown. Drain and take out from kadhai.

2. In the same kadhai, add til and roast on medium-low heat stirring continuously. Roast till til begin to splutter and attain slightly brownish colour. Take til out of kadhai.

3. In the same kadhai, add grated khoya and roast on medium-low heat till khoya turns a little brownish. Take out from kadhai.

4. In a big bowl or any big utensil, mix khoya, til, powdered sugar and cashews.

5. Grease a big plate with few drops of ghee (clarified butter) and spread the til-khoya mixture evenly. Level with a big spoon.

6. Allow it to cool down for 15-20 minutes. Then cut it into squares or diamonds.

7. Let it harden for 2 hours.

8. Remove til ki barfi from plate with the help of a knife. You can eat it right away or store in the fridge for later use.

Makhane ki Kheer (Lotus Seeds Pudding)

This recipe of makhane ki kheer comes from my mom's kitchen. She makes it on the occasion of Janmashtami. This is a very delicious kheer, tastier than rice kheer. Makhane ki kheer can be made in fasts like 'Ekadashi' , Navratri'  and 'Janmashtami' as it is a falahari food.

Recipe of makhane ki kheer

1 liter full fat milk

1 cup makhane (lotus seeds)

2 tsp ghee (clarified butter)

2-3 pods elaichi (green cardamom) - crushed

Few chopped nuts like cashew nuts, almonds, pistachios and raisins

3 tbsp sugar

1. Heat ghee in a kadhai or a pan and add makhane. Roast makhane on a medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Roast till makhane turn a little pinkish. Turn off the heat and take makhane out of kadhai.

2. Put them in the jar of food processor or a mixie and crush them to small pieces by spinning the jar to 2-3 rounds. Remember makhane should not turn to powder.

3. Put the milk in a kadhai (heavy bottomed vessel) and let it come to boil.

4. Add makhane and turn the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally. Milk gets thickened and looks pinkish.

5. Add sugar, elaichi and chopped nuts. Cook for 5 more minutes till sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat and take out makhane ki kheer in a bowl. Serve hot or refrigerate and serve cold.

Dhaniya Panjiri Prasad Recipe

radha krishna

Dhaniya panjiri is made especially on birthday of Lord Krishna, that is Janmashtami. This panjiri is offered to the lord and then taken as a prasad. Some people also do the process of roasting dhaniya seeds and then grinding them but this is an easier and fast method. Dhaniya panjiri is also known as 'dhaniya kassar'.

Recipe of dhaniya panjiri prasad for Janmashtami

1 cup dhaniya (dhania/coriander) powder

1/2 cup grinded sugar or boora

Few chopped nuts like almonds and cashew nuts

1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

dhaniya panjiri

1. Heat ghee in a kadhai and roast dhaniya powder. Take out of kadhai.

2. Mix grinded sugar and chopped nuts in the roasted dhania powder.

3. Your dhaniya panjiri is ready. You can also add chopped cucumber and chopped fruits like banana, apple, orange and grapes to the panjiri.

Coconut Burfi (Nariyal ki Barfi)

coconut burfi

Coconut burfi or nariyal ki barfi is a popular Indian sweet which is made on festive occasions.  So many of us have fond childhood memories of our mothers or grandmothers preparing coconut burfi on festivals like Janamashtmi. Here is an easy recipe of coconut barfi.

Recipe of coconut burfi/ nariyal ki burfi

2 cups desiccated coconut

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder

1. Grease a thali (platter) with few drops of ghee or butter and keep aside.

2. In a kadhai/wok, take water and sugar and cook on medium-low heat till sugar dissolves and syrup (chashni) comes to boil.

3. Cook, stirring occasionally, till syrup reaches 2 thread consistency. To test this, take few drops of the syrup on a plate and touch with your thumb and forefinger. As you stretch the syrup, it should form some threads.

4. Add coconut and cardamom powder and mix well. Cook, stirring, till coconut begins to clump together and leave the sides of the kadhai.

5. Immediately pour this mixture on the greased thali and spread evenly with a big spoon.

6. Let it cool and harden slightly. Cut into diamonds or squares. Let the burfi cool completely. Store coconut burfi in an airtight jar.