Aloo paratha

Aloo paratha is a stomach filling and one of the most oftenly made in my family. The spiced aloo stuffing is stuffed in whole wheat bread, rolled and cooked on a pan. Using ghee or oil while roasting paratha gives a crispy and brownish spots on parathas.

A tip while kneading dough - Knead a smooth soft dough. This helps the aloo stuffing to stay intact and doesn't come out from the edges while rolling. I have experienced this myself.

If you are using previous day's dough, take it out of the fridge and let it rest till it reaches room temperature. Once it reaches room temperature start with your parathas.

Always boil potatoes completely and mash them properly as a small lump may cause your parathas to break.


Ingredients -

For stuffing -

1. Potatoes - 6 to 7
2. Coriander leaves - 3/4 th cup
3. Ginger paste - 1 Tb spoon
4. Garam masala - 1 tea spoon
5. Cumin powder - 3/4 th Tb spoon
6. Coriander powder - 1 Tb spoon
7. Green chillies -3


For kneading dough -

1. 4 cups whole wheat flour
2. Salt
3. Water as required
4. Oil - 2 Tb spoon


Procedure -

1. Knead dough, cover with a lid and keep aside.

2. Wash potatoes under running water. Boil them in a utensil or pressure cooker.

3. Peel and mash them and keep aside. I usually grate the potatoes so that there are no lumps left.

4. Grind green chillies and ginger.

5. Now add green chilly and ginger paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt and chopped coriander leaves in mashed potatoes and mix well.

6. Heat the tawa on medium flame and take a small ball (small onion sized) from the dough and dust it with flour and start rolling. Roll the dough into 5 cms and then add around 2 to 2 & 1/2 Tb spoon of aloo mixture in the center.

7. Now gently cover the aloo mixture by lifting the sides of the rolled dough and seal it tightly by pressing it gently at the center.

 8. Dust it again in flour and gently start rolling.

9. Once you roll the paratha, place it on hot tawa and apply ghee or oil. Flip the paratha and apply ghee or oil on another side as well. Parathas usually need more oil therefore it is necessary to apply more oil on both sides so that it becomes moist and crispy. A well made and well roasted paratha will puff up.

10. Once both the sides of parathas are roasted properly, serve hot with pickle, curd or butter.

Kaju katli

Kaju katli or Kaju barfi is the most popular sweet made with cashew nuts especially during festivals and marriages.

It is very important to use the exact proportion else your kaju barfi may not turn out well, though it takes very little time to prepare with easily available ingredients.

Frankly, making kaju barfi at home is not an easy task. I was successful only on my third attempt. On my first attempt, it was too sticky and the second time it turned out too dry. Finally, it was a success and tasted exactly like we get in the stores. I have not used silver foil or varak but if you wish to you can place it on the barfi.

Below recipe is the perfect way to make kaju katli at home.
Preparation time - 25 minutes

Serves - 4 (2 pieces each)

Ingredients (1 cup = 225 gms)-

1. Broken cashew nuts - 1 cup
2. Sugar - 1/3 cup or as per your requirement
3. Water - 8 tbsp
4. Rose water - 1 & 1/2 tsp
5. Ghee / oil - 1/2 tbsp.

Procedure -

1. Grind half cup cashews in a clean, dry jar to a fine powder. Do not grind it continuously for more then 10 seconds as the cashews will start oozing oil in the jar. Open the lid and with a spoon stir the cashew powder. Scrape the sides of the jar and again grind it for another 5 seconds. Open the lid and check if the cashews are ground into fine powder. If not again grind for another 5 seconds.
(I used small jar for grinding as quantity of the cashew was less you can use medium jar as well)

2. Repeat the same process for the remaining cashews.

3. Remember that the cashew powder should not turn oily or sticky while grinding. It has to be dry fine powder.

4. In a kadhai or pan add water and sugar to make sugar syrup.

5. Keep the flame on high and let the sugar dissolve completely.

6. Once the sugar dissolves, turn the flame to low and immediately add finely ground cashew powder and stir. You will have a batter like consistency at first.

7. Keep stirring on low flame and once the cashew batter starts thickening, add 1 tea spoon rose water. Mix well.

8. After few minutes the mixture will start thickening and will reach below consistency.

9. This entire process from pouring the cashew powder into sugar syrup till thickening will take around 9 to 10 minutes.

10. Transfer the cashew dough in a plate or work area with a laddle. Let it cool half.

11. Once the cashew dough is half cooled add 1/2 tea spoon rose water and knead for 30 seconds. While kneading if the dough sticks to your hands apply ghee/oil and then knead.

12. Sprinkle a tea spoon milk and knead for another 30 seconds. (Sprinkle milk only if your dough is dry mine was a little dry) Kneading turns the grainy cashew dough to soft cashew dough. (If your dough still doesn't turn soft add more milk. But adding more milk would decrease shelf life of the barfis so once your kaju barfis are done refrigarate them)

13. While kneading, if the cashew dough releases oil, with a clean dry cotton cloth tap on the dough and sides of the dough. Just tap don't place the cloth on the dough completely as the dough might stick to the cloth.

14. Now grease your work area or plate with 1/2 Tb spoon oil and place the cashew dough on it. Slowly roll the dough. Remember not to roll it thin, roll it equally but thick. It has to be thisker then parathas.

15. Once the rolled cashew dough cools completely, cut into diamond size shape with a knife/butter knife.

16. Gently with a knife/butter knife remove the kaju katli pieces and serve or store it in an air tight container.

(If it becomes difficult to remove the kaju katli or breaks while removing, just gather the entire rolled dough together, knead for 10 seconds and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Roll again and cut into diamond shape. Remove gently with a knife/butter knife)

Chivda

Chivda is occasionally made in my family especially in Diwali it's a must. Chivda can be just consumed directly or by adding chopped onion, tomatoes, cucumber, green chilli, coriander leaves and lemon juice. If you are bored of chopping then just add curd on top of it and enjoy.

I have used white medium flaked rice but you can use thin flaked rice as well, both work well. Also I have not deep fried poha, just roasted them on medium heat for 30 minutes for the crispiness. You can store chivda for 12 to 15 days in an air tight container.

Preparation time - 45 minutes

Serves - 3 (for 10 to 12 days)

Ingredients (1 cup = 225 gms) -

1. Thin/medium flaked rice - 4 cups 
2. Curry leaves - 5 strings
3. Ground nuts - 1 cup
4. Fried grams - 1 cup
5. Broken cashew nuts - 3/4 cup 
6. Raisins - 1/2 cup
7. Asafoetida powder - 1 tea spoon
8. Cumin seeds - 1 Tb spoon
9. Red chilly powder - 1 & 1/2 tb spoon 
10. Turmeric powder - 1 Tb spoon
11. Coriander powder - 3/4 Tb spoon
12. Green chilli - 4  (Cut 1 into 3 to 4 pieces)
13. White sesame seeds - 1/2 cup
14. Powdered sugar - 1 & 1/2 tb spoon
15. Citric acid powder -  1 or 2 pinch  
16. Oil - 3/4 cup

Procedure -

1. In a deep bottomed kadhai / pot add flaked rice and roast on medium heat for 30 minutes. Stirring continuously. Once done keep aside. Do not cover with a lid till it completely cools down.

2. In another kadhai add oil, once the oil turns hot add cashew nuts and groundnuts fry till they turn golden brown. Transfer it in a plate or bowl.

3. Add raisins in oil and once they puff up transfer them in the same plate or bowl.

4. Now add Green chillies and curry leaves in the oil once the green chillies and curry leaves turn crispy transfer them in the same bowl.

5. In the same oil add cumin seeds and fried grams. Fry for a minute.

6. Now add asafoetida powder, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, coriander powder and fry on low flame for 30 seconds.

7. Add white sesame seeds, fry for 15 seconds and turn off the flame. Let it cool down.

8. Once roasted flaked rice cools down add salt, powdered sugar and mix well.

9.  Once the oil cools down add it in the flaked rice and mix well.

10. Now add citric acid powder and mix well. In a mortar and pestle and citric acid and crush it into a fine powder. Citric acid is strong and acidic in nature so just add a pinch first, mix and taste. If you feel more is needed then add another 1/2 pinch or a pinch.

11. Now add fried cashews, raisins, groundnuts, chillies and curry leaves in the chivda and mix gently. Serve or store it in an air tight container.

Malpua

Malpua is a popular north Indian sweet dish. The main ingredients are milk, sugar and refined flour. 

Traditionally malpuas are made by mixing the flour in thickened milk, frying and dipping them in saffron sugar syrup.

Some regions in India add fruits (banana/pineapple) in malpua. The recipe which I made doesn't contain fruit and this is how they make in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan.

I made malpua with a reduced milk and garnished with rabri and nuts. 

Preparation time - 2 hours

Serves - 2

Ingredients -

Milk - 3 cups
Refined flour - 20 gms
Sugar 3/4 bowl
Water - 1 bowl
Almonds - 5 pieces
Cashews - 5 pieces
Saffron - 5 - 6 strands
Ghee (Clarified butter) - 200 gms
Cardamom - 1/4 tea spoon


Procedure -

1. In a deep bottomed pot add milk and boil till it reduces to half Stirring frequently.

2. Pour 1/2 reduced milk in another utensil. and let the remaining milk boil on low flame for another 15 minutes or till it converts to rabri. Stirring frequently.

3. Once your rabri is done turn off the flame and immediately add saffron strands, stir and keep aside.

4. Once the reduced milk cools down, make a batter of pouring consistency by adding refined flour. You can add extra milk if needed. Stir till the flour dissolves properly.

5. Cover with a lid and keep aside for an hour.

6. In another pan add water and once the water starts boiling add sugar. Boil it for 15 to 20 minutes or till you have a sticky or one string consistency sugar syrup. It is important to keep your sugar syrup warm so that it doesn't crystallize, so keep the sugar syrup bowl in another hot water pan.

7. Now in a kadhai add ghee.

8. Once the ghee turns hot add the small amount of batter and fry.

9. Fry both sides properly.

11. Add the malpua in sugar syrup and coat the syrup on both sides.

12. Below are the malpuas dipped in sugar syrup.

13. Garnish with chopped nuts and pour rabri on top of it. Serve hot or warm.

Chicken tikka masala (Restaurent style)

This delicious aromatic chicken tikka masala is made with chicken tikka and spicy sauce.

For this recipe, you can cook the chicken tikkas half (Half cooked both sides) on tawa and cook completely in a sauce while making chicken tikka masala.

In this recipe a spicy sauce is made using tomato puree and cream.

Serves - 2

Ingredients -

Chicken tikka - 250 gms

For sauce -

1. Oil - 3 Tb spoon
2. Cardamom - 2
3. Finely chopped onion - 1 (Small)
4. Finely chopped tomato - 1 (Small)
5. Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 Tb spoon
6. Tomato puree - 1 cup
7. Kashmiri chilly powder - 3/4 Tb spoon
8. Cumin powder - 1 tea spoon
9. Coriander powder - 3/4 Tb spoon
10. Garam masala powder - 1/2 Tb spoon
11. Cream - 1/4 cup
12. Kasuri methi - 2 Tb spoon
13. Cashew nuts - 5 pieces
14. Poppy seeds - 3/4 Tb spoon

Procedure -

1. Soak cashews and poppy seeds separately overnight in the water.

2. Grind it together to a paste and keep aside.

3. In a kadhai, add oil and once the oil turns hot add cardamom. Fry it on low flame for 30 seconds.

4. Add chopped onion and fry till translucent.

5. Add chopped tomatoes and fry till the tomatoes are cooked.

6. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for another 30 seconds.

7. Now add cumin powder, coriander powder, kashmiri chilly powder and 1/4 Tb spoon garam masala powder. Mix well. Let it cook for a minute on low flame.

8. Add tomato puree and stir for a minute.

 9. Add cashew and poppy seeds paste and stir. Cover with a lid for a minute.

10. Now add cream and stir for another 30 seconds.

11. Add remaining garam masala powder and salt. Mix well.

12. Now add chicken tikka, mix and cover with a lid for 3 to 5 minutes or till the chicken tikkas are cooked.

13. Add kasuri methi and mix well.

14. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with naan, chapati or rice.