Moong Ki Kadhi (Whole Green Moong Kadhi)

The use of whole green gram or moong is very common in day-to-day Gujarati fare. Moong ki kadhi is a lovely recipe that features cooked moong simmered with curds and spices. The use of curds bestows a unique, sumptuous feel to this recipe. Garlic-lovers can even add a little garlic paste to add a whole new dimension to this item.
I personally love this kadhi with Besan Bhindi.....My favourite Lunch and we can enjoy it with Roti or Paratha and Rice also!!!

Ingredients
1 cup moong (whole green gram)
1 cup sour curds (khatta dahi), whisked
3/4 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tbsp besan (bengal gram flour)
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
3 to 4 curry leaves (kadi patta)
1/4 tsp Asafoetida (hing)
1/2 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
salt to taste

For Garnishing
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)

For Serving
rice /roti

Method

1. Wash and soak the whole moong in enough water for 2 to 3 hours. Drain.

2. Add 1½ cups of water and pressure cook for 2 whistles.

3. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Keep aside.

4. Combine the sour curds, chilli powder, turmeric powder and besan in a bowl and mix well. Keep aside.

5. Heat the oil in a deep non-stick kadhai and add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida and ginger-green chilli paste and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.

6. Add the cooked moong, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute.

7. Add the curds-besan mixture, salt and 1 cup of water, mix well and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

8. Garnish with coriander and serve immediately with rice or roti.

Gujarati Chana Daal Dhokla (Split Bengal Gram Dhokla)

Gujarati Chana daal Dhokla is a tempting dhokla made from soaked and crushed chana dal (lentils). Generally when people try to make this traditional Gujarati snack at home, it does not come out fluffy and soft. The secret of making them soft and fluffy lies in preparing perfect batter and using right amount of sodium bicarbonate. With carefully measured ingredients of this recipe, you can very easily make fluffy and mouth watering dhokla at home. Dhokla can be eaten for breakfast, as a main course, as a side dish, or as a snack. So, I born and brought up in Gujarat, I must have to share this traditional recipe with all you guys!!!

These dhoklas are my favourite!! Light, Fluffy and super tempting!!! sometimes my Taste buds litrally craving for having them, So, I make them either Instantly or by fermanting them!! Here, I am sharing the recipe with Fermented version!!!

Ingredients:

For Batter:
1 cup Chana Dal (Split Bengal Gram)
1 teaspoon Lemon juice
2 tablespoons Sour Curd
1 tablespoon Green Chilli-Ginger paste
1 teaspoon Eno Fruit Salt (or Sodium Bicarbonate)
1/8 teaspoon Turmeric Powder (haldi)
1 teaspoon Oil (to grease)
1 cup Water
Salt
For Tempering:
1 tablespoon Oil
1 pinch  Asafoetida (hing)
1/2 teaspoon Mustard seeds
4-5 Green Chilles, chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped Fresh coriander leaves

Method:

1. Wash chana dal and soak it in water for 6 hours.

2. Drain water and grind it coarsely. Add 1 cup water and grind again until medium coarse texture.

3. Mix crushed chana dal, lemon juice, sour curd and salt in a large bowl. Cover with a plate and keep it in warm place for 5-6 hours to ferment. Add green chilli-ginger paste and mix well.

4. Grease steamer plates with oil. Pour 2-3 glasses water in steamer and heat it on medium flame. Mix Eno fruit salt in batter and and stir it for a minute in one direction.

5. You will notice batter’s size is increased to double.

6. Pour it into greased plates until half of its height and place them the steamer.

7. Steam it for 10-15 minutes over medium flame.

8. After 10-15 minutes, open the steamer and insert a knife or toothpick in to dhokla and check if it comes out clean. If it does, then dhokla is ready otherwise cook it more for 2-3 minutes.

9. Take out thali from steamer and let it cool for few minutes and cut dhokla into small squares.

10. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds and asafoetida. When the seeds begin to crackle, add green chilies and sauté for few seconds. Turn off the flame and pour it over prepared dhoklas.

Enjoyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!

Gujiya - Holi Special

Gujiya is a cuisine of North India particularly Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan is a sweet dumpling made with suji or Maida flour wheat flour and stuffed with khoya.

The packaging of a gujhia is very much like that of a samosa, however the gujiya has a very distinct shape. The gujiya is filled with a mixture of grated and roasted dry fruits, khoya, coconuts and to add a grainy texture, a little suji (coarse ground wheat flour).


Ingredients

For the dough:

2 cups refined flour
1 cup clarified butter
Water to mix

For the filling:

1 cup khoya
1 cup sugar
1 tsp green cardamom - powdered
1 Tbsp almonds - finely chopped
Ghee for deep-frying

For the syrup:

1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Method

1. Rub 1/4 cup ghee into the flour and knead into a stiff dough with water.
2. Leave to rest for at least half an hour.


For the filling:

1. Saute the khoya over medium heat till it looks slightly fried.

2. Take off the heat and when it cools, mix in the sugar, cardamom and almonds.

3. Shape the filling into round puris and put another puri on it and seal them.

4. Take a round, wet the edges with water and place a piece of filling over.

5. Either cut off the edge with a fancy cutter or make a design by pinching and twisting all along the sealed edges.

6. Make all the Gujiya as in this way. Heat ghee in a kadahi. To check if the ghee is hot enough put a piece of dough in it. If it comes up at once, add as many gujiyas as fit in comfortably.

7. Turn them over and lower the heat to medium. Fry till golden brown on all sides. Lift out and leave to drain on absorbent paper.

8. Make sugar syrup by cooking water and sugar together, till one thread consistency

9. Dip the gujiyas in it, lift and let dry on a plate.

10. Fry the rest, increasing the heat for a few seconds before adding the next lot.


Can be eaten hot or at room temperature and can be stored in air-tight containers.


Happy Holi to All My friends!!!

French Fries

French fries or frites or French-fried potatoes are batons of deep-fried potato. In the United States and most of Canada, the term fries refers to any thin, elongated pieces of fried potatoes, while in the United Kingdom, Australia, long, thinly cut elongated strips of fried potatoes are sometimes called shoestring to distinguish them from the more thickly cut strips called chips.

French fries are served hot, either soft or crispy, and generally eaten as part of lunch or dinner, or on their own as a snack, and they commonly appear on the menus of fast food restaurants. French fries are generally salted and are often served with ketchup; in many countries they are topped instead with other condiments or toppings, including vinegar, mayonnaise, or other local specialities. Fries can also be topped more elaborately, as in the dishes of poutine and chili cheese fries. Sometimes, fries are made with sweet potatoes instead of potatoes, are baked instead of fried, or are cut into unusual shapes, such as curly fries, wavy fries, or tornado fries.

I always have french fries at McDonalds because cant resist myself by having them....They are must for me!!! I know many of you have same addiction of french fries.....Here's the recipe for it to make it at home...Yes, They can be made at home with same texture of McD......Wanna Try?? Take a tour of Recipe!!!!

Ingredients:

Potato - 500 gms.
Oil - to fry.
Salt - 1/2 tea spoon.
Chat masala - to sprinkle.



Method

1. Peel the potatoes with the help of a peeler and wash them.

2. Now cut them into long pieces. You can use french fries cutter that can be easily bought from the market also. You will be able to cut the pieces quickly and in equal shapes.

3. Put the cut slices into the water so that they do not turn black while you are cutting the other potatoes. Wash the cut french fries one more time with water.

4. French fries are boiled before frying them. You can boil them into the water or can microwave them for 3-4 minutes.

5. To boil the potatoes take a pan filled with 1 ltr. water. Put salt to it and let the water boil. Once the water starts to boil put the fries into it  and boil for another 2 minutes. Now cover the pan and leave it for 5 minutes. Take out the french fries from the pan and spread on a clean cloth. Let them dry for 2 hours.

6. Heat oil in a pan after 2 hours and put the french fries into it to fry. Make sure that the oil is extremely heated to fry the french fries. Fry them till they turn brown in color. Your French Fries are ready.

Enjoy these crispy and flavory French Fries!!!!!!!!!!!!!