Lapsi (Sweet Dalia/ Broken Wheat)

Lapsi or sweet dalia is a nutritious dessert. I have added much less ghee and sugar than the traditional recipe calls for. If you want a richer lapsi, you can increase their quantities. Sweet dalia is made both by adding water and milk. This recipe is with water.

Recipe of lapsi

1 cup dalia (broken wheat)

1/2 cup sugar

3 cups hot water

2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

2 tbsp almonds (blanched and chopped)

3/4 tsp elaichi (cardamom) powder

1. Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan. Add dalia and stir-fry on a medium heat till it turns light brown.

2. Add 2 1/2 cups of hot water and cook partly covered on medium heat. Cook till most of the water gets evaporated.

3. Add sugar, cardamom powder and 1/2 cup water to the daliya and give it a stir. Place a griddle (tava) below the pan. Cook on a low heat for about 8-9 minutes.

4. When ghee starts oozing out from the sides of the pan, your lapsi is ready. Garnish with almonds and serve hot.

Bandh Gobi Matar (Cabbage with Green Peas)

bandh gobi matar

Bandh gobi matar is a very tasty side with rotis or parathas. I also use the left over veggie as a filling in sandwich. Crunchy bandh gobhi imparts a slightly sweet flavor to this simple dish which is quickly made and quickly polished off.

Recipe of bandh gobi matar

1 bandh gobi (cabbage/ patta gobi)

1 cup matar (green peas) - fresh or frozen

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

3/4 tsp coriander powder

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1/2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)

1 tbsp oil

1. Remove 2 outer leaves of band gobi, wash and chop.

2. Heat oil in a wok (kadhai) or a pan. Add cumin seeds and when they change color, add hing.

3. Add chopped bandh gobhi and matar. Add salt and all the spices except amchoor. Mix well.

4. Turn the heat to medium-low. Cook covered and stir occasionally. Cook till peas are tender. Just remember that band gobi should retain some of its crunch.

5. Add amchoor and mix. Increase heat and cook uncovered, stirring, till the sabzi gets a roasted look. Serve hot bandh gobi matar with rotis.

Aloo Beans Sabzi (Potato with Green Beans)

aloo beans

Beans are known by many names like French beans, green beans and phalli. Aloo beans sabzi tastes absolutely delicious. We enjoy it with hot phulka but it can also be eaten with boiled rice.

Recipe of aloo beans (phalli) sabzi

150 gms French beans (green beans/ phalli)

2 medium potatoes- peeled and cubed

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)

1/4 tsp garam masala

french beans

1. Remove tips and tails of green beans and string them if there is a need. Chop them in 1/2- 1 inch pieces.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add hing.

3. Add beans and potatoes. Add salt and all the spices except amchoor and garam masala. Mix well. If you cook this subzi on a low heat, you don't need to add any water. Cover with the lid.

4. Stir occasionally and cook till potatoes are tender. You can cook a little further if you want a well roasted sabji. Turn off heat and add amchoor and garam masala. Mix well. Serve hot aloo beans sabzi with roti or rice.

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.

Tadka Dal (Dal Fry)

tadka dal

There are many ways to cook tadka dal or dal fry but this is the one I use as it suits our palate. Tadka means tempering and I have used a standard Punjabi tadka with few variations. You can avoid adding tomato and can use lime juice instead. It won't matter much to the taste. You can also skip onion if you want.

Recipe of tadka dal/ dal fry

1 cup dhuli moong dal (split, skinless green gram) or dhuli masoor dal (red lentils)

1 onion- chopped

1 medium tomato- diced

2-3 green chillies- chopped

2-3 cloves garlic- crushed

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

Salt to taste

Chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) - for garnish

1. Cook the dal with salt, turmeric powder and enough water in a pressure cooker till just done. Dal should not be too mushy.

2. Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. When they splutter, add hing.

3. Add onion and sauté till transparent. Add garlic and green chillies and fry for 1 minute.

4. Add tomato and cook till tomato become soft and pulpy. Pour this tadka or tempering over the cooked dal. Garnish the dal tadka with coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Methi Wali Poori

methi poori

These methi wali poori were something I made for Diwali feast but somehow forgot to post. They were easy to make and liked by everyone. Since we are methi loving people, these poori are always welcome.

Recipe of methi wali poori

2 cups of atta (whole wheat flour)

1 cup methi (fresh fenugreek leaves) - stems removed and leaves washed and chopped

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)

1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)

2 tbsp oil + for frying

1. In a bowl, mix atta, salt, red chilli powder, ajwain and 2 tbsp oil. Rub flour between your fingers so that oil is evenly spread.

2. Add methi leaves and knead it into stiff dough by adding water. Poori dough should be stiffer than chappati dough. Let the dough rest for 1/2 an hour.

3. Take a small ball (peda) out of the dough and roll it into a 3-4 inch round on a lightly oiled surface.

4. Heat oil in a kadhai/ wok or a deep frying pan. You know the oil is hot enough when a small portion of the dough dropped in kadhai sizzles and rises to the surface. Turn the heat to medium. Poori will be fried on medium heat.

5. Gently slide the rolled puri in the hot oil. Gently press by a pauni (slotted spoon/ chaari). The poori will puff up. Turn over and fry from other side also till golden brown from both sides. Drain by the same slotted spoon on an absorbent paper. Similarly fry other methi poori from rest of the dough.

Aloo Wadi (Potato with Sun Dried Spicy Lentil Dumplings)

aloo wadi

Wadis in the recipe of aloo wadi are Amritsari wadiyan. Wadi is sun dried spicy urad dal (black gram) dumpling or nugget. When you make aloo wadi, take care not to add too much salt or spices as wadi is already very spicy. I prefer not to add any red chilli powder or garam masala powder. It’s basically a Punjabi dish and very tasty.

Recipe of aloo wadi/ wadiyan

2-3 large wadi (dried spicy urad dal dumplings)

3 medium potatoes- peeled and cubed

1 onion- chopped

2 tsp ginger-garlic paste

2 tomatoes- pureed

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2+2 tsp oil

1. Break urad dal wadiyan into small pieces.

2. Heat 2 tsp oil in a pressure cooker and roast wadi pieces till aromatic but don't roast too much otherwise they will burn. Drain. Soak the roasted wadi pieces in 1 cup of water.

While you make rest of the preparations, let them be soaked.

3. Heat 2 tsp oil in the same pressure cooker and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add hing. Add onion and sauté till onion become pink.

4. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 1 minute. Add tomato puree, salt, turmeric and coriander powders. Fry for 2-3 minutes.

5. Add potatoes, wadi and enough water. Mix well. Close the lid of the cooker.

6. Let 1 whistle come, then turn the heat to medium. Let 3 more whistles come. Turn off the heat. Open the lid when pressure drops down naturally. Serve hot aloo wadi garnished with coriander leaves.