Shahi Tukda / Royal Bread Pudding

Shahi Tukda, is a royal Indian dessert from the Moghul cuisine of the Nawabs. I remember first having this dish some 10 years back when my younger sister made it. I asked her for the recipe sometime back. But she had almost forgotten it. Putting together of what all she could remember the most, I made this dessert last weekend and relished it with my family. It is prepared with bread slices that are deep fried in ghee and soaked in thickened sweet saffron flavored milk and garnished with roasted khoya and dry fruits. It is very easy to make and perfect to go for a dinner party dessert. This can be served in two ways - cold and slightly crunchy and warm and immersed in milk. You can choose whichever way you'd like to make it and enjoy it with your loved ones.

Ingredients:-

• 10-12 slices of bread
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1 ltr milk
• 400 ml condensed milk
• 100 gms khoya
• ½ tsp cardamom pdr
• ½ tsp rose essence
• a pinch of saffron
• ghee / clarified butter (for deep frying)
• handful of nuts - almonds, pistachios& cashews (finely sliced)

Method:-

• Cut the bread slices into half to form triangles.
• Heat ghee in a pan and deep fry on slow flame until both sides are brown and crispy.
• Remove and keep aside.
• In a vessel, take milk, sugar, condensed milk, saffron cardamom pdr, half of the khoya, rose essence and nuts. Cook on very slow flame stirring continuously until it thickens.
• Arrange half of the bread slices in a tray and pour half of the thickened milk over it.
• Arrange the remaining half of the bread slices on top of it and pour the remaining milk .
• Dry roast the remaining khoya and spread on top of the last layer.
• Garnish with finely sliced nuts.
• Refrigerate for at least an hour or two before serving.

Notes:-

• Do not use oil instead of ghee for deep frying the bread slices.
• If you like it warm, follow the same procedure, but just before spreading khoya add a thin layer of fresh cream and bake in a pre-heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes @ 180 degrees Celsius.
• You may omit the fresh cream and the khoya if you want.
• You may use almond or pistachio essence instead of rose essence.

Happy Cooking!!

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Tadka Chana Dal / Tempered Split Bengal Gram

Chana dal is low in fat and high in fiber content. I had this dal at one of my Punjabi friend's house and I absolutely loved it.. I tried this recipe yesterday night for dinner along with hot chapatis and it was immediately liked by all. It is very easy and simple to make for everyday cooking.

Ingredients:-

• 1 cup chana dal / split bengal gram
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp red chilli pdr
• ½ tsp turmeric pdr
• salt to taste

Ingredients for Tempering:-

• ¼ cup ghee / clarified butter
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp red chilli pdr
• ½ tsp coriander pdr
• ½ tsp all spice pdr
• ½ tsp amchoor pdr / dry mango pdr
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 1 tomato (finely chopped)
• 1 green chilli (slit)
• salt to taste
• coriander leaves (for garnishing)

Method:-

• Clean, wash and soak chana dal for 10 - 15 minutes.
• In a wok, add dal along with 4 cups water, oil, red chilli pdr, turmeric pdr and salt.
• Boil it till it becomes soft and tender but the grains should be whole and not mushy. 
• In a pan,  heat ghee and add onion and cumin seeds. Fry till onions turn golden.
• Add tomato, red chilli pdr, coriander pdr, all spice pdr, dry mango pdr, green chilli and salt.
• Saute till tomatoes are tender.
• Pour this tempering over the dal. Mix well.
• Garnish with coriander leaves
• Serve hot with roti or paratha.

Notes:-

• You can add finely mined garlic while tempering along with onions if you like.

Happy Cooking!! 

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Pav Bhaji / Spicy Vegetable Gravy With Shallow Fried Buns

Pav Bhaji is a mix of spicy vegetables served with shallow fried buns. It is a famous fast food in Mumbai available on every street corner.  There was a hotel near our house in Mumbai named Shabari where we used to have pav bhaji at least twice a month. I was crazy of the aroma especially when they add Amul butter in the end and each time it took me to a totally different world. Oh, I missed it so much after I left Mumbai that I had no choice left but to start cooking this at home. And now I prefer home-made pav bhaji than the restaurant ones. It is my all-time favorite and very easy to prepare too. My hubby loves to eat the leftover bhaji with chapati's for breakfast. If you are a pav bhaji lover like me, do try this recipe.. It's the best pav bhaji ever.

Ingredients:-

• 200 gms cauliflower (cut in florets)
• 2 - 3 potatoes 
• 1 carrot (peeled & roughly chopped)
• 3 tomatoes (finely chopped)
• 2 onions (finely chopped)
• 2 - 3 green chillies (slit and chopped finely)
• ½ cup green peas
• ¼ cup coriander leaves (finely chopped)
• ¼ cup mint leaves (finely chopped) 
• 3 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp pav bhaji masala
• 1 tbsp garlic (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp all spice powder / garam masala powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• butter as required

Method:-

• Boil potatoes, carrots, cauliflower and green peas with enough water. 
• Drain and reserve the stock (boiled water) aside.
• Heat oil in a wok.
• Add garlic and fry till golden.
• Add onions and green chillies. Fry till onions are soft.
• Add tomato and ginger-garlic paste.
• Cook till tomatoes are soft.
• Add chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, all spice powder, pav bhaji masala and stir till oil leaves the masala.
• Add boiled vegetables and potatoes and mash them.
• Pour in vegetable stock.
• Add in coriander and mint leaves.
• Garnish with butter.

For serving:-

• 8 - 10 buns (pav)
• butter for frying

Method:-

• Heat 1 - 2bsp butter in a pan.
• Fry the buns on both sides till light brown.
• Serve hot with bhaji and finely chopped onions.

Notes:-

• Adjust pav bhaji masala according to your taste.
• You may use garlic paste instead of finely chopped garlic.
• You may also use vegetables like cabbage and capsicum.

Happy Cooking!!

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Tahiri / Tomato Vegetable Rice

Tahiri is a simple and spicy pulao from North India made with potatoes, tomatoes, green peas and spices. This dish always brings back sweet old childhood memories. My Mom used to make this usually on Sunday's and drizzle lotts of ghee on top with it accompanied with mint-coriander chutney. This is my favourite and a real comfort food to me. It is really an easy and quick one-pot meal. I usually make this when I'm lazy or not in the mood to cook. It is worth a try and believe me you will end up making it quite a few times.

Ingredients:-

• 1 cup rice
• ½ cup green peas
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 3 tbsp yogurt (whisked)
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder 
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 3 tomatoes (ground)
• 3-4 peppercorns  
• 2  green cardemoms
• 2 cloves 
• 1 bayleaf
• 1 inch stick cinnamon
• 1 black cardamom
• 1 onion (sliced)
• 1 large potato (peeled & cut in big chunks)
• salt to taste

Method:-

• Wash and rinse rice well. Soak in enough water.
• Meanwhile, heat ghee in a wok.
• Add onions, cloves, green cardamom, black cardamom, peppercorns and bay leaf.
• Saute till onion turns brown.
• Add ginger-garlic paste. Mix well.
• Grind together tomatoes and cumin seeds.
• Add this ground paste along with turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix well.
• Add potatoes and green peas.
• Cook on slow flame till the raw smell of the masala's disappear.
• Add yogurt and cook on slow flame till oil separates the mixture.
• Drain the excess water from the soaked rice and add it.
• Saute for a minute.
• Add 3 cups water and cook on fast flame.
• Stir once or twice in between.
• When water evaporates, simmer the flame.
• Cover and cook on slow flame for 8 -10 minutes till done.
• Serve hot with raita or chutney.

 Notes:-

• You may always substitute oil for ghee. 
• You may use different vegetables such as cauliflower, carrots, french beans and capsicum.

Happy Cooking!!

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Rajasthani Gatta Curry

I love Rajasthani cuisine and when I came across the gatta curry in Mrs. Anjana Chaturvedi's blog, I immediately bookmarked it. Gatta curry is a very popular Rajasthani dish. Gatta is a chickpea flour log boiled, sliced and cooked in a yogurt curry. It is quite simple, easy to prepare and almost all ingredients are readily available at home most of the times. The curry was really delicious and yummy. My hubby and son both liked it a lot. 

Ingredients for gatta:-

• 1½ cups gram flour / besan
• 2 tbsp yogurt
• 3 tbsp oil
• a pinch of asafoetida
• a pinch of baking soda
• 1 tsp fennel seeds / saunf
• 1 tsp coriander seeds / akha dhania
• a pinch of carom seeds/ajwain
• 1 tsp chili powder
• salt to taste

Method:-

• Coarsely crush coriander and  fennel seeds.
• In a bowl, add gram flour, crushed seeds and all the ingredients listed for making gattas.
• Mix and make a tight dough. Add some more yogurt if needed.
• Make 6 balls from the dough and roll them to make long and medium thick rolls.
• Boil 2½ glasses of water in a pan. When it starts boiling, add the rolls in it.
• Boil for around 5-7 minutes. The gatta's will float on top of water when done.
• Take out gatta's from the pan and let them cool down for 5 minutes. Don't throw the water, you will need this to add in the gravy.
• Slice into medium size pieces and keep aside.

Ingredients for gravy:-

• 3 tbsp refined oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
• 2 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ tap asafoetida
• 1½ cups yogurt
• 2 green chilies- 2
• ½ tsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp garam masala
• few chopped coriander leaves (for garnishing)
• salt to taste

Method:-

• Mix turmeric powder, coriander powder and chili powder with 2 tbsp of water and keep aside. (A)
• Heat oil in a pan and add cumin, fenugreek, asafoetida and cloves .
• When cumin become golden then add the spice mixture(A) and stir for few seconds.
• Remove the pan from heat and add whisked yogurt and stir for a while, now put the pan on fire and saute for a minute.
• Now add approx. 1 cup water (in which you have boiled the gattas) and cook for some time. Keep stirring the gravy.
• When the gravy starts boiling, add the sliced gattas after 2 minutes.
• Simmer for 3-5 minutes. Add garam masala and coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with chapati bajre ki roti or rice.

Notes:-

• Don't throw the left over water in which you have boiled the gatta's, as the cooked curry may thicken after some time so you can add this water to adjust the consistency. 
• You can add chopped fresh fenugreek leaves in the gatta dough.

 Happy Cooking!!

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Paneer Butter Masala

I make Paneer Butter Masala very often as my son is a huge fan of paneer.  It is also among his favourite paneer dishes and a huge hit among all my family & friends. Thanks to my lovely Mom for teaching me this yummy and irresistible dish as it's a huge life-savour especially when I have unexpected guests at home. It is very easy and quick to prepare. I recommend this dish to everyone.. Do try it once at least.

Ingredients:-

• 200 gms paneer (cut in cubes)
• 1 onion (sliced)
• 3 tomatoes (cut in quarters)
• 4 tbsp butter 
• 4 tbsp fresh cream
• 1 tsp oil
• ½ tsp red chilli pdr
• ½ tsp cumin pdr
• ½ tsp pepper pdr
• salt to taste
• few chopped coriander leaves (for garnishing)

Method:-

• Saute paneer cubes in 1 tbsp oil and keep aside.
• In a pan, add tomatoes, onions, cumin pdr, red chilli pdr and 3 cups water.
• Boil till tomatoes and onions are tender.
• Keep aside to cool.
• When the mixture is cooles, blend it well. Keep aside.
• In a wok, heat oil and add 2 tbsp butter.
• Add the blended puree to the butter and stir well.
• Add pepper pdr and salt. Mix well. 
• When the raw smell disappers, add the remaining 2 tbsp butter and paneer cubes and fresh cream. Mix well.  
• Cook on slow flame for 1 or 2 minutes.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with zeera rice or naan.

Notes:-

• You may add ½ tsp of kasuri methi at the time of adding fresh cream.
• You may add 4 tbsp milk along with 1 tsp curd instead of fresh cream.
• You may add 2 tbsp cashew pdr for a more richer taste. 

Happy Cooking!! 

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