Karonde ki Sabzi

karonde ki sabzi

Karonda is a tangy berry and karonde ki sabzi is hot and tangy due to green chillies. Karaunde is cooked as a sabji and served as a pickle along with meals. karonde are a rich source of Iron and Vitamin C and this sabzi stay fresh for a long time when refrigerated.
Recipe of karonde/karaunde ki sabzi
250 gms karonde (karaunde)
4-5 green chillies- chopped
Salt to taste
2 tbsp mustard oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1. Wash and halve karonde. Deseed them.
2. Heat mustard oil to smoking point. Add mustard seeds.
3. When they pop, add karonde and green chillies.
4. Add salt and mix. Cook covered, on a low heat till karonde become limp. Take out in a serving bowl and serve karonde as a pickle.

karonde ki sabji

Sprouts Cutlet

sprouts cutlet

A delicious way to eat sprouts is to turn them into cutlet. I am sure even your kids will love sprouts cutlet. I have used moong and moth sprouts in this recipe.
Recipe of sprouts cutlet
2 cup sprouts (ankurit dal)
2 small boiled potatoes
Salt to taste
3 green chillies- chopped
1 tbsp cornflour
Oil to shallow fry
1. Steam the sprouts to 3 whistles. Semi mash them.
2. Peel and grate boiled potatoes or you can mash them with potato masher.
3. Mix all the above ingredients except oil. You will get a semi firm dough after mixing.
4. Form balls from the sprouts dough and flatten between your palms to get round or oval cutlets.
5. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry these cutlets in batches. Serve hot sprouts cutlet with  tomato ketchup or green chutney.

sprouts cutlets

Roasted Makhana (Fox nuts)

roasted makhana

Here I have given the recipe of roasted phool makhana as eaten during fasts. I have just seasoned makhane with sendha salt but if you want to eat roasted and salted makhana as any other snack (without fast), you can add ordinary salt and other spices like red chilli powder and chaat masala. Roasted savory makana is a good snacking option as it is rich in Calcium and other nutrients and taste absolutely great, crispy and crunchy.
Recipe of roasted makhana
2 cups makhana (fox nuts/lotus seeds/phool makhana)
Sendha salt to taste
2 tsp ghee (clarified butter)
1. Heat ghee in a pan or a kadhai. On a medium heat, add makhane.
2. Add salt and mix well.
3. Roast makhana on a medium heat, stirring constantly otherwise they will burn.
4. Roast till makhana turn pinkish. Turn off the heat and take makhane out of kadhai. Serve salted and roasted phool makhana.

Kesar Chawal (Saffron Rice)

Kesar chawal or saffron rice is an elegant rice dish which you can prepare for some special occasions or to make dinner extra special. It's a fragrant rice dish with rich aroma and rich taste.
Recipe of kesar chawal/saffron rice
2 cups basmati chawal (rice)
3 3/4 cup boiling water
1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 cup frozen green peas (matar)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cashew nuts
1 tsp kesar (saffron threads) soaked in 1/4 cup water
1. Heat ghee in a pan and add cashews. Saute till golden brown.
2. Add rice, saffron infused water, salt and boiling water. Also add green peas and mix.
3. Cover the pan and simmer on a low heat for about 12 minutes till the water is absorbed and rice grains are fluffy.
4. Gently fluff with the forks and serve saffron rice hot.

Mohanthal (Gram Flour Fudge) Recipe

Since it's festive time in India, I thought why not share a sweet recipe. Try this mohanthal and you will be delighted by it's rich taste.
Recipe of mohanthal
2 cups besan (gram flour/chickpea flour)
4 tbsp milk
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp + 1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter)
1/4 tsp elaichi (cardamom) powder
8-9 almonds- sliced
How to make mohanthal
1. Pass the besan through a sieve and discard the residue.
2. Heat 2 tbsp ghee and 4 tbsp milk.
3. Pour this over the besan. Mix with your fingers so that it is lump free and resemble bread crumbs.
4. Pass this again through a sieve and keep aside.
5. Make a syrup with 1 cup sugar and 3/4th cup water. Cook the sugar syrup till it reaches slightly more than 1 string consistency. Turn off the heat and keep aside.
6. Grease a thali with few drops of ghee and keep it aside.
7. Heat 1/2 cup ghee in a kadhai and add the besan from step 4. Cook on a low heat, stirring constantly till it gives nice aroma and turns golden brown. Add cardamom powder. Turn off the heat.
8. While the besan is still hot, add the hot sugar syrup. Mix continuously and make sure no lumps are formed. Keep mixing till it reaches setting consistency.
9. Pour this besan mixture on the greased thali and rap it on a flat surface so as to flatten it. Garnish with almonds.
10. Let it cool. Cut it into squares or diamonds and your mohanthal is ready.

Peethi Poori (Stuffed Fried Flatbread)

Peethi poori or peethi wali poori is a delicious Sunday brunch option. You can also make this poori on festive occasions like upcoming 'Rakshabandhan'.  Peethi poori is nothing but fried flatbread stuffed with ground urad dal.
Recipe of peethi poori
Peethi
1/2 cup dhuli urad dal (split, skinless black gram)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)

Dough
2 1/2 cup atta (whole wheat flour)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
1 tbsp melted ghee or oil
How to make peethi poori
1. Wash and soak the dal for 2 hours. Drain.
2. Grind the dal to a thick coarse paste to get peethi.
3. Mix in red chilli powder and salt. Beat well.
4. Take atta in a bowl and add all the ingredients under heading dough. Add 1 1/4 cup water and knead into a slightly stiff dough. Stiffer than chapati dough. Knead well and set aside, covered for 1/2 an hour.
5. Take a lemon sized ball from dough. Roll out into a 3 inch poori.
6. Place 1 tsp peethi (filling) in the center. Gather the edges and again reshape into a ball. Flatten the ball between your palms.
7. Roll it in dry flour and gently roll out into a 4 inch puri. Make few pooris in the same way and set aside.
8. Heat oil in a kadhai and gently place the puri on it. Let it remain untouched till it rises to the surface. Press the sides of the poori with slotted spoon (pauni, chhaari) till it swells. Turn.
9. Fry the poori till golden from both sides. Drain and serve hot peethi poori.

Bengali Aloo Patta Gobi (Potato with Cabbage)

aloo patta gobi

So you don't like cabbage? Try this bengali style aloo patta gobi sabzi and you will change your opinion. I had a first hand experience with my hubby who didn't much like patta gobi but when I cooked this sabzi, he asked for second helping. The original recipe asks for rich amount of ghee but I have used oil and in lesser quantity keeping health in mind.
Recipe of bengali aloo patta gobi
1 small patta gobi (cabbage) - finely shredded
2 medium aloo (potatoes) - peeled and cubed
1 large tomato- diced
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)
1/2 tsp cumin (jeera) powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
2 tbsp oil or ghee
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a kadhai or a pan. Add aloo and patta gobi.
2. Add salt and turmeric powder. Mix well and cook covered on a low heat till potatoes are 3/4th cooked. Stir occasionally.
3. Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in a separate small pan and add tomato. Add rest of the spices and cook till tomato is soft and mushy.
4. Add 1-2 tbsp water to tomato masala. Cook till it forms a paste.
5. Add this to aloo patta gobi and mix well.
6. Cook potato and cabbage sabzi till potatoes are well done. Turn off the heat and serve aloo patta gobi hot with roti, paratha, poori or rice.