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.

Oats with Milk Recipe

oats with milk

Oats with milk or oats porridge is a quick to make, easy and healthy breakfast option. You can cook oats either in a pan or a microwave. I have shared the recipe for both. Having oats in the morning is a great way to start your day.
Recipe of oats with milk
2 cups milk
3 tbsp oats
1 tsp sugar/honey or to taste
How to make oats with milk
1. Take milk in a pan and add oats to it. If you are using sugar, add it. If using honey, add it after the porridge is ready.
2. Cook on a medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Your oats are ready.
                                           or
You can take milk in a microwave safe bowl and add oats and sugar to it. Cook on a micro high for 2 & 1/2 minutes. 

How to Make Paneer

paneer

Paneer is nothing but white colored Indian cottage cheese. Usually people buy it from store but it cannot be compared with soft, healthy and hygienic homemade paneer.  Here I have used  cow's milk with 4% fat but 3% milk or single toned milk will also do. Try it and I am sure you will start making your paneer at home from then on. What's more it's economical too.
Recipe of homemade paneer
1 ltr. milk
2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
1. Take a heavy bottomed vessel and put milk in it. Bring the milk to boil.
2. Lower heat and add lemon juice or vinegar to milk while stirring the milk.
3. Milk solids will curdle and greenish colored water will separate from them, which is called whey.
4. Line a strainer with muslin cloth or a very thin cotton cloth. Pour whey along with milk solids in it.
5. What you get now is milk solids or chhena. Gather the edges of cloth, tie them and hang from the tap (faucet) for about 20-25 minutes so that all water is removed from chhena.
6. Put this chhena in a plate and keep a heavy object on it (I use my marble chakla) for about 20-25 minutes.
7. Now, remove that object and untie the cloth. You get a block of homemade paneer. You can cut this paneer into pieces and use it for a variety of dishes like matar paneer, shahi paneer and palak paneer.

milk solids curdling      

chhena

homemade paneer

How to Make Ghee (Clarified Butter) at Home

home made ghee

Hello readers, I was gone for a long time and there was no blogging or very few and far between. But now I am back with some delicious recipes. In this post I am sharing the recipe of making ghee at home from malai. This recipe was shared by my sister-in-law Gunjan Gupta and yields excellent results.

Recipe of ghee from malai

1. Collect malai (top skin of milk) from milk everyday and store in the freezer till you collect sufficient amount.

2. The day you have about 2- 2&1/2 hour of spare time, take out malai from freezer 3 hours prior to making ghee.

3. Pour 250 ml of hot water in the malai so that malai gets melted.

4. Now beat malai with the help of a beater (or mathani). I use hand blender. Beat malai till white butter floats on top. If you use hand blender, it may take 10 minutes or more in this process.

5. Using a strainer, remove butter from the remaining milk and put in a kadhai (heavy bottomed vessel). Put the kadhai on high heat and stir occasionally.

6. When butter begins to boil, turn the heat to low and let it cook. Stir occasionally. You can attend to your other chores provided you remain nearby and stir the butter occasionally.

7. After some time, you will observe that ghee floats on top. Cook for some more time till more ghee comes on top.Turn off the heat and strain the ghee using a metal strainer in a clean utensil. You can start using this ghee right away or store in the fridge for later use.

Note: The milk residue that remains in the kadhai needn't go to waste. You can roast it in the same kadhai on a low heat till brownish and add powdered sugar to it. It tastes like a tasty mithai (sweetmeat).
The milk that remains after beating the malai and taking out butter, can also be used. You can put that milk on heat and when it comes to boil, pour some lemon juice and stir. The milk will curdle and you will get chhena. 
Strain it and you can make paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) from it. 

Matar ki Kheer (Green Pea Pudding)

Matar ki kheer is an unusual dessert but very tasty. Cook this kheer for your loved ones and let them be surprised!
Recipe of matar ki kheer
1 cup shelled green peas (matar)
4-5 tbsp sugar
2-3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
1 1/4 liter milk
1/2 tsp green cardamom powder
1 tbsp sliced pistachios (pista)
1. Boil matar for 5 minutes. Put matar in cold water so that it cools down. Drain.
2. Grind matar to a fine paste.
3. Heat ghee in a thick bottomed pan and saute green pea paste for a few minutes. Set aside.
4. Boil milk and add cooked matar paste to it. Let it come to boil.
5. Cook on a low heat for 15-20 minutes.
6. Add sugar, cardamom powder and sliced pistachios to kheer. Cook stirring continuously, on a low heat for 8-9 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let it cool down, refrigerate and serve matar ki kheer cold.

Pineapple Raita Recipe

pineapple raita

Pineapple raita or ananas ka raita is a perfect accompaniment to meals in summers. Fresh sweet pineapple is best for this recipe. I forgot to add black pepper powder, hence it is missing in the picture.
2 cups curd (dahi/yogurt)
1 cup diced pineapple (ananas)
2 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1. Place curd in a bowl and add salt and sugar. Whisk till smooth and sugar dissolves.
2. Stir in pineapple pieces and black pepper powder. Mix well.
3. Place in refrigerator to chill. Serve pineapple raita cold.

kadhi pakora

kadhi pakora

My mom makes the best kadhi pakora  have tasted and I still ask her to prepare it for me whenever I visit her place. I try to replicate her method and get good comments when I make kadhi. It’s simple and always yields satisfying results.

Recipe of kadhi pakora

Kadhi

2 cups sour curds (yogurt)

1/2 cup besan (gram flour)

1/4 tsp methi dana (fenugreek seeds)

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of asafoetida

Salt to taste

3/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 inch piece ginger- grated

1 tbsp oil

Pakora

1 cup besan

1/4 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

Oil to deep fry

besan pakora for kadhi

1. For pakora, take besan in a shallow bowl and add ajwain by crushing between your palms. (This way carom seeds release their entire flavor). Add salt and red chilli powder.

2. Add water little by little, mixing, so that no lumps are formed. Add only that much amount of water so that the batter can be easily dropped by hand or a spoon. Beat it well till besan becomes lighter in color. Beating well is important to get light pakora otherwise they will be hard.

3. Heat sufficient oil in a karahi (heavy bottomed vessel). Drop small amounts of batter by your hand or a spoon. Fry on medium heat till they turn reddish brown. Drain on an absorbent paper.

4. For kadhi, mix together curd, besan, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and 4 cups water. Beat well. You can also mix it with a hand blender or any other blender or food processor.

5. Heat oil in a karahi, add methi dana and cumin seeds. When they change color, add hing. Add ginger and fry for 1 minute.

6. Add curd mixture. Keep stirring till it comes to boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 25 minutes. If it is too thick, add 1 cup water and boil.

7. Add pakoras, give 1 boil and simmer on low heat for 4-5 minutes. Serve hot kadhi pakora with boiled rice.

(Cucumber Raita) Kheere Ka Raita

cucumber raita

Summer is here and with it we feel the need for some cool, refreshing accompaniment to our meals. Cucumber or kheera comes in abundance in summers. Cool cucumber along with cool yogurt makes for a winning combination. Here is my recipe (actually my mom's) recipe of cucumber raita to beat the heat.

Recipe of cucumber raita or kheere ka raita

1 cucumber (kheera) - grated

2 cup curds (yogurt) - well beaten

Salt to taste

A pinch of black salt (kaala namak)

1/2 tsp cumin seeds- dry roasted and coarsely ground

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp black pepper powder

1. Add all the above ingredients to whisked yogurt. Also add the juice you get while grating cucumber. Mix well.

2. Refrigerate and serve cucumber raita chilled.

Dahi Wale Aloo (Potatoes in Spicy Yogurt)

dahi wale aloo

Dahi wale aloo are popular among Marwaris. They call it dahi aloo shak. Traditionally onion is not used in this dish but I think onion enhances the flavor of this sabzi. Also in the traditional recipe yogurt is added first, then aloo are added but in the given recipe I have added curd later. This is an easier way because if you are not used to cooking with curd, it might curdle and you may end up getting lumps.

Recipe of dahi wale aloo

3-4 aloo (potatoes) - boiled and peeled

1 onion- chopped (optional)

1 cup dahi (curd) - whipped

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp rai (small mustard seeds)

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

Salt to taste

1 tbsp oil

2 green chillies- chopped

1/2 inch piece ginger- chopped

1/4 tsp garam masala

1. Break aloo by hand to get unevenly broken pieces.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add rai. When they splutter, add hing and onion. Saute for 1 minute.

3. Add ginger and green chillies. Fry for 1 minute.

4. Add potatoes with 1 cup water and salt. Let it come to boil. Lower heat and simmer for few minutes.

5. Add beaten dahi and simmer for 1-2 minutes stirring. Add garam masala.

6. Turn off heat and serve dahi wale aloo hot with roti, paratha or poori.

Sweet Lassi (Indian Yogurt Drink)

sweet lassi

Lassi is a summer drink which originated from North India but is now popular all over India and abroad. There are many variations like sweet lassi, salty lassi and fruit lassi. Here, I am sharing the recipe of sweet lassi which really refreshes on a scorching day. If you are using full fat curd, you will have curd cream at the top. Reserve it to be added at the top of the lassi glass.

Recipe of sweet lassi

1 1/2 cups yogurt (dahi/ curd)

1 cup chilled water

5 tblsp sugar

1 tsp rosewater (optional)

Ice cubes

1. Blend all the above ingredients in a blender till smooth. Serve meethi lassi in a tall glass.

Salty Lassi

salty lassi

Lassi originated from Punjab and is now a favorite summer drink all over. It’s a perfect antidote to scorching summer sun. Salty lassi is in some ways similar to buttermilk but thicker than buttermilk.

Recipe of salty lassi/ namkeen lassi

2 cups yogurt (curd/ dahi)

1 cup chilled water

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp dry roasted cumin seeds- grounded

1/2 tsp mint powder

Crushed ice

1. Blend yogurt, water and salt in a blender till frothy.

2. Add ground cumin and mint powder and mix.

3. Add crushed ice to serve.

You can prepare the mint powder at home by picking mint leaves from the stems. Let them dry out in the sun covered with a flat metal sieve (chhalni). Then crush the dried mint leaves between your palms. Store this powder in an airtight container. You can also prepare cumin powder in advance by dry roasting the cumin seeds and coarsely grinding them. This can also be stored in an airtight container. This way you can prepare the lassi quickly anytime.

Mango Milk shake

mango milk shake

Mango is a fruit which almost everyone relishes. Mango truly is a gift of summer season. When making mango shake, adjust the quantities according to sweetness of mango, which type of milk you are taking etc. This recipe is handed down to me by my mother which works out fine for me.

Recipe of mango milk shake

1 1/2 cup sweet mango pulp

1/2 liter milk

1 cup water

3/4 cup sugar

1. Blend all the above ingredients in a blender till smooth. Serve mango milk shake chilled topped with ice cubes.

Healthy bytes- Mango provides the body with Vitamins A, B, C and E. It’s rich in Potassium that you lose through sweat. Its vitamins and antioxidants like Selenium and Zinc fight free radicals in your body and help you cope with stress.

Sooji Kheer (Semolina Pudding)

sooji kheer

Sooji kheer or suji ki kheer is an almost instant dessert. Today after lunch, I was craving something sweet so within no time, I prepared sooji ki kheer and polished it off as quickly. This kheer can also be called as 'Rava Payasam'. Sooji ki kheer is also good for infants as it is very light to digest.

Recipe of sooji ki kheer

1 liter milk

3/4 cup sooji (rava/ semolina/ suji)

1/2 cup sugar

A big pinch cardamom (elaichi) powder

Few threads of saffron

Chopped and toasted nuts like cashew nuts, raisins etc.

1. Dry roast sooji in a heavy bottomed pan (kadhai) over low heat till light brown. Soak the saffron threads in 1 tablespoon milk.

2. Bring the milk to boil. Add sooji little by little, constantly stirring with other hand so that no lumps are formed.

3. Cook over high heat till the mixture begins to thicken. Add sugar and cardamom powder and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add saffron and mix well.

4. Garnish with nuts and serve sooji ki kheer hot or cold.

Gajar ki Kheer (Carrot Pudding)

gajar ki kheer

Gajar ki kheer or carrot kheer is a delicious and healthy dessert. Kheer or payasam is my weakness and this one is a treat for me. It does not take too much time to cook gajar ki kheer.

Recipe of carrot kheer/ gajar ki kheer

1 cup grated carrot (gajar)

1 tsp ghee (clarified butter)

1/2 liter milk

4 tsp sugar

Chopped nuts

1. Heat ghee in a pan and stir-fry gajar for 5 minutes.

2. Boil milk till its quantity reduces to half.

3. Add carrot and boil for few minutes.

4. Add sugar and boil for few more minutes. Garnish gajar ki kheer with nuts. Serve hot or cold.

Rice Kheer (Pudding)

rice kheer

Rice kheer or chawal ki kheer is one of the most popular desserts of Indian Subcontinent. It is even offered as prasad. It’s very delicious and my family prefers it chilled. So after the kheer reaches room temperature, we refrigerate it.

Recipe of rice kheer (payasam)

1 liter milk

1/4 cup rice

1/4 tsp elaichi (cardamom) powder

4-5 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp almonds (blanched and slivered)

1 tbsp kewra water (optional)

1. Soak the rice for 1/2 an hour. Drain.

2. In a heavy bottomed pan, bring the milk to boil. Add rice and lower heat.

3. Cook stirring in between till rice is cooked and kheer thickens. Cook till the desired consistency is reached.

4. Add sugar and cook stirring till sugar dissolves. Turn off heat and add almonds and cardamom powder. When the kheer has cooled down somewhat, add kewra water. Serve rice kheer hot or cold.

kesari kheer

Phirni (Ground Rice Pudding)

phirni

Phirni is a type of kheer (rice pudding). In kheer, you add whole grains of rice to the milk whereas in phirni, ground rice or rice flour is used to make the dessert. Phirni is much quicker to make as compared to kheer but tastes equally good.

Recipe of Phirni

½ cup rice (chawal)

1 liter milk

¾ cup sugar

½ tsp green cardamom powder

10 pistachios (unsalted)

8 almonds

7-8 strands of saffron

1. Soak rice for ½ an hour. Grind to a coarse paste.

2. Blanch pistachios and almonds in hot water. Remove skin and slice. Dissolve saffron in a little hot milk.

3. Boil milk. Dissolve rice paste in a little cold milk and add this to the boiling milk.

4. Stir continuously till the rice is cooked completely. Stirring constantly is important otherwise thick lumps will form which will stick to the bottom of the pan.

5. Add sugar, cardamom powder and saffron. Cook till sugar dissolves. Pour this into earthen bowls and decorate with sliced pistachio and almonds.

6. Refrigerate phirni and serve chilled.

Sabudana Kheer (Sago Pudding)

sabudana kheer

Sabudana kheer or sabudana payasam is mainly eaten in fasts including those of Ekadashi and Navratras. It takes a short time to cook after soaking and tastes absolutely divine.

Recipe of sabudana kheer (payasam)

3/4 cup sabudana (sago)

1 liter milk

1/2 cup sugar

3-4 strands saffron (optional)

A big pinch elaichi (green cardamom) powder

Nuts like almonds, raisins and cashew nuts

1. Soak sabudana for 2 hours in just enough water so that sago is submerged.

2. Soak saffron in a little milk. Soak almonds.

3. Heat milk in a pan and let it bring to boil. Add sabudana and lower heat. Cook stirring continuously as sabudana has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan. When the sabudana turns transparent, that means it is cooked.

4. Add sugar and cook stirring for 2-3 minutes. Cook till you get the desired consistency of the kheer. Turn off the heat.

5. Add saffron, elaichi powder, slivered almonds, raisins and broken cashew nuts. Serve sabudana kheer hot or cold as per your liking.

Doodhi/ Lauki ka Halwa (Bottle Gourd Halwa)

Doodhi or lauki ka halwa is a rather unusual dessert. It’s nutritious since it contains lauki and milk. We are using very little ghee unlike other halwas. Lauki ka halwa is a very simple recipe yet very tasty.

Recipe of doodhi/ lauki ka halwa

1 medium lauki (doodhi/ ghiya/ bottle gourd/ milk gourd)

2 cups milk

1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp green cardamom powder

7-8 almonds- blanched and slivered

1. Peel lauki, remove its seeds and grate.

2. In a heavy bottomed pan, heat ghee and add grated lauki. Sauté for 6-7 minutes.

3. Add milk and cook till liquid gets dried up, stirring occasionally.

4. Add sugar and cardamom powder and cook stirring constantly.

5. Serve lauki ka halwa cold or hot garnished with almonds.

Charnamrit

charnamrit

Charnamrit is a sweet drink offered after hindu prayer meetings both in temples and at home. 'Charan' means feet and 'amrit' means nectar from God's feet. I am sharing here the simple recipe of this divine drink called ‘charnamrit’.

Recipe of charnamrit

200 ml cold milk

1 tbsp curd (yogurt/ dahi)

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp honey

1-2 tsp Ganga jal (holy water from river Ganges)

1 tsp basil (tulsi) leaves

1. Take milk in a bowl and mix sugar. Stir in rest of the ingredients. Remember to just stir and not beat. Curd appear in the form of lumps in this drink. Offer 1 tablespoon charnamrit to each devotee after prayers or pooja.

Dahi Pudina Chutney (Curd Chutney)

dahi pudina chutney

I first ate dahi pudina chutney at a restaurant. It was unique in taste and ever since I wanted to try this at home. It turned out good and had the same taste, in fact better!

Recipe of dahi pudina chutney

1/2 cup hara dhaniya (coriander leaves/cilantro)

1/2 cup pudina (mint leaves)

1 small onion

2 green chillies

1 cup curd (dahi/yogurt)

Salt to taste

A pinch of black salt (kala namak)

1/4 tsp roasted cumin powder (bhuna jeera powder)

1. Hang dahi in a muslin cloth for 15 minutes or put dahi in a strainer with a bowl below. This way you get thick curd.

2. Grind together dhaniya, pudina, onion, green chillies with little water to a paste.

3. Beat dahi till lump free and smooth.

4. Add pudina paste, black salt, cumin powder and salt to hung curd. Mix well to get dahi pudina chutney. Enjoy with your meals.

This dahi poodina chutney can also be called curd chutney.