Saturday 30 May 2020

Watermelon Rose Drink - Sherbet E Mohhabat.


Those were the days!! When Summer months meant shopping outdoors at Crawford market in the hot afternoons.  All drenched in sweat, hands filled with shopping bags, and looking out for a thirst quencher cum cooling drinker. Instant refreshment can be achieved from street vendors selling different kinds of milk juices, mango, apple, and yes, this one Sherbat E Mohhabat.



 

Sherbet E Mohhabat.



Watermelon is the main ingredient, along with rose flavoured milk. Together, it is blended to make a delicious and beautiful pinkish. Freshly small pieces of watermelon chunks are added to the milk, which gives it a refreshing bite and character. Some people even add falooda seeds for a really cooling effect on the tummy.  I made the drink with just three basic ingredients and ice cubes.





Ingredients 


Half a watermelon
1 cup rose syrup ( Roohafza)
Half litre milk
1 cup of ice cubes
Falooda seeds optional




Method



1. Boil the milk and then set aside to chill.
2. Deseed the watermelon and cut it into small pieces like tutti-frutti
3. While assembling the drink, mix the ice cubes in the milk to chill it further.
4. Now add the rose syrup and mix well.
5. In the end mix in the water melon pieces.
6. Pour it in a glass and further top it with more chopped watermelon.
7.  Serve it chilled.

A super easy and quick recipe that is popular as pyar Mohabbat sharbat in the streets of Delhi. It can be enjoyed during Ramadan and hot summers too. Here is my Youtube video of the making of the sherbet.



Thursday 21 May 2020

Easy Gujarati Style Dal Dhokli Recipe


 Gujarati Style Dal Dhokli


Dal Dhokli is a traditional dish usually prepared in Gujarati as well as Rajasthani households. While in Rajasthan it is tempered with whole garam masala and is spicy the Gujarati version is sweet and tangy yet bursting with the right delectable flavours. 


Gujarati Style Dal Dhokli


 It is a wholesome meal made by simmering whole wheat flour bits in Dal along with various other spices and condiments. This one is prepared in my kitchen with the help and demonstration of Ms. Meena Parikh is a real pro at this dish. But guess what? My dish turned out so well, that I perfectly know how to make it again, thanks to this easy recipe.

Ingredients


For dal:
1 cup Toor dal (wash and soak for an hour)
4-5 cups water
1 tsp oil
1 tsp ghee
2 tbsp peanuts
1 tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin/jeera
1 chili, broken
A pinch of asafetida ( hing)
1 tsp grated ginger paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp lemon juice
¾ tsp red chili powder
½ tsp coriander powder
4-5 cloves
1 stick cinnamon
Small piece jaggery / gud
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnish 

For the dhokli:

1 cup wheat flour / atta
¼ tsp turmeric
½ tsp red chili powder
½ tsp salt
2 tsp oil
Water for kneading


Method 


1. First put the toor dal in the pressure cooker with 2 cups of water, salt and turmeric powder for 15 minutes to cook till it’s mushy. 

2. Now knead the dhokli dough. Take a flat dish, add the atta, salt, chilli powder, turmeric powder, oil and slowly add water to knead into thick dough. Keep aside till dal is ready. 

3. Take a kadai and add the cooked dal, 2 to 3 cups of more water to it. Add the grated ginger, peanuts, jaggery ,  whole red chillies and 1 tsp lemon juice to the boiling dal. You will ask me, why is the dal so watery? well it is fr the dhokli to soak up the water and cook.



4. Now roll the dhokli dough like a chappati and cut it into rectangular strips as shown in the picture. 

5. Once the dal begins to a boil, drop in dhokli pieces one by one and give a gentle mix.



6. Let it simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.

7. Take a tiny vessel, add the half oil and ghee to it. Now to this heated oil add cumin and coriander seeds, Asafetida powder, cloves, and cinnamon. Switch off the gas, add coriander and chili powder to the oil.

8. Pour this over the dal and mix it well. By now the dal dhokli must have thickened by absorbing the water in the dhokli.

9. Lastly, add the chopped coriander leaves. 

Gujarati Style Dal Dhokli


10. Serve it hot with rice and a tall glass of chaas (buttermilk). Do not forget a squeeze of lime and a drizzle of delicious Desi Ghee before you sit for your meal to relish the Gujarati Style Dal Dhokli

Monday 11 May 2020

Easy Punjabi Chole Recipe

Cooking without any house help for over a month now.  The other day I was craving restaurant-style chole like crazy. So I went through my school days recipe book to realize it's not so difficult at all. While I soaked up the chickpeas one night in advance, I also searched my kitchen pantry for the ingredients and yes, I did have most of them.


Easy Punjabi Chole Recipe


So here is my modified lockdown Easy Punjabi Chole Recipe.

Ingredients


2 tbsp cooking oil
2 cups of chickpeas (before soaking)
2 finely chopped or grated onions
5 pureed tomatoes
1 teabag
3-4 cloves
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 tbsp Chole Masala powder
1 tsp cumin powder
 3/4 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp anardana ( or Amchur powder)
1 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp ginger juliennes
Coriander for garnish
Salt to taste

Ant Chole Lovers in the house?


Method


1. The next day or after 12 hours of soaking you can add the chickpeas to a pressure cooker with a pinch of salt and the teabag.

2. Let it cook for 15 minutes in the cooker. Once cool, open the lid of the pressure cooker.

3. Discard the tea bag, but do not throw away the water.

4. In a Kadai heat 2 tbsp of oil. Once it is hot, add the cloves and grated onions. Fry the onions until they turn golden brown in color.

5. Now add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 3-4 minutes till the smell of ginger-garlic diminishes.

6. Lower the flame and add the tomato puree, stir and let it cook for 12-15 minutes on medium-low flame.


7. Now add the chole masala, red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, salt and stir it well.

8. Add the chickpeas and add them to the tomato-onion mixture, stir till all the chickpeas are coated with spices, around 2 minutes.

9. You can add the water if the gravy thickens up while cooking.

10. Add the anardana powder and simmer for another 15 minutes.

12. Now in a separate small pan, add ghee and the ginger julienne to it. Fry till the juliennes are golden brown in color and add to the chole.

13. Now garnish with coriander leaves and serve it hot with bhatura,  puri or rice.

Easy Punjabi Chole Recipe


However, I served it up with fresh protein bread, salad, and some raita. It tasted equally delicious. And you can plus or minus masalas according to the availability in your kitchen. Don't forget two steps, add a teabag while cooking the chickpeas and the ginger in ghee step for that delicious Punjabi Chole Recipe.




Friday 1 May 2020

Z- Easy Zafrani Murg, Mughlai Style


Hello Foodie and friends,

Wish to have a rich Mughlai type gravy dish? Do you think the process is very elaborate and difficult? Well, not if you work smart and follow the easy steps listed below. I made this delicious Zafrani Murg with cashew nuts, garam masala,  yogurt and saffron as the main flavouring agents.





Ingredients



    500 gms Chicken (boneless cooks faster)
1 tsp Red Chilli powder
100 gms curd
1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
10-12 strands Saffron Soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
10 Cashew Nuts Soaked in warm water
1 cup Fried Onions (Birista)
1 tsp chicken tandoori masala
3-4 drops Kewra Essence
2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tsp Coriander Powder
½ tsp cumin powder
1 tbsp ghee
3 tbsp Oil
Whole Garam Masalas (3-4 Green Cardamom, 4-5 Black peppercorns, 3-4 Cloves, 1 inch Cinnamon)
Salt to taste



Method


1. First, marinate the chicken with curd turmeric and salt and keep aside till needed.

2. Then take the fried onions and cashew nuts and blend in a mixer to make a thick paste. You can add a little water to make it easier.

3. Heat the ghee and oil in a pan. 

When this is hot, the dry whole spices of green cardamom, black peppercorns, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Fry for a few seconds.

4. Now add the paste in the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes on low flame.

5. Now add cumin powder, ginger garlic paste, yogurt, red chili powder, coriander powder,garam masala powder, and salt.

6. Cover the Kadai and cook on low flame for another 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Now add the chicken and blend it in, stir and cook covering the pan for 10 more minutes.

8. Open the pan to add the saffron in milk and kewra essence and cook for another two minutes till chicken is done.

9. Now garnish with coriander leaves and fried onions. Serve hot with naan or rice and a dash of lime.



With this recipe postbI complete my BlogchatterA2Z Challenge 2020. 

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