Kadabu

Time 15 min

Ingredients

For stuffing

Chana daal 1 cup

Jaggery 3/4 cup or more as per the taste

Cardamom / Velchi powder 1/2 tsp

Dough

Wheat flour 1 cup

Semolina 1 tsp

Oil 2 tsp

Water 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Method

For dough

First prepare dough. Add oil, salt and water to the semolina and wheat flour. Then knead the dough. It should be not hard or soft. Keep it aside.

For stuffing preparation

Pressure cook chana daal for 4 whistles. After the lid is removed take daal in non stick pan. 

Switch on the flame. Then add grated jaggery and cardamom powder. Let jaggery melt. Mix well. It should not stick to pan. Your stuffing is ready.

Actual method

Now make 7-8 balls  of dough of 1 inch in size. Roll one ball with rolling pin round in shape for about 4 inch. Add stuffing at the center and then put half of on the remaining half portion of kadabu. Using fingers gently press at the corners. Follow the same procedure for remaining balls. Deep fry till golden brown in colour. Serve hot.

Kalela Fritters / Bhajis

Time 20 min

Ingredients

Bittergourd 2-3 small size
Gram flour (Besan) 2 tbsp

Makai flour 2 tbsp
Rice flour 2 tbsp
Red chili powder 1/2 tsp

Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp

Water 3-4 tbsp or more

Pinch of baking soda

Salt to taste

Oil fry frying

Method

Make thin slices of bitter gourd. Apply turmeric powder and salt. keep it aside for 15 min.
To make batter, mix all ingredients (keep in mind that you had added salt to bittergourd too) in a mixing bowl. The consistency of the batter should be in such a way that if you hold it in spoon it should not fall so easily. It means it should not be very watery. Keep batter for 2 -3 min aside. Heat the oil in kadai. Then take one slice apply batter and then drop them in kadai, deep fry till golden brown. Remove from oil and soak in the tissue paper to remove excess oil.

Tondli Rice

Time 30 min

Ingredients

Basmati rice 1 cup

Tondli 1 cup cut lengthwise into two

Onion 1 medium size chopped lengthwise

Garam masala 1/4 tsp

Red chili powder 1/4 tsp

Ginger Garlic paste 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

Bay leaves 2-3

Pepper 1 tsp

Cloves 5-6

Cumin seeds 1/4 tsp

Big cardamom 1

Ghee 2 tbsp

Hot Water 1.1/2 or 2 cup (Depending on how old is rice)

Salt to taste

Method

Wash the rice with water. Drain the water keep rice aside. 

Heat the pressure cooker (1.5 or 2 lit). Add ghee after it becomes hot add cumin seeds, bay leaves, pepper, cloves, big cardamom, ginger garlic paste. Saute for few minutes. 

Add tondli and saute for about 3-4 min. 

Then add red chili powder, turmeric powder and garam masala. Mix well.

Then add rice saute for 3-4 min. Then add hot water and salt to the rice, stir well. 

Cover the lid of pressure cooker then whistle for 2 whistles, then switch off flame.

Then immediately release pressure, turn rice upside down and cover the lid (it will become soft) or keep without lid (it will become dry). Serve with tadka daal.

Tip

Tondli takes time to cook so best to use pressure cooker.

Mango Burfi

 Time 30 min  
Ingredients
Chickpeas flour /besan 1 cup
Mango pulp 2 cups
Sugar 3/4 cup
Ghee 1/4 cup 
Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp

Method

Blend in blender mango pulp and sugar. Pour this pulp into thick bottom pan, stir continuously atfer 5-6 min, water of mango will go away and it will become condensed. Allow it to cool. Keep it aside.

Grease the plate with ghee. Keep it aside.

Take thick bottom pan, dry roast besan for 5-6 min. Then add ghee and roast continuously ( low flame throughout the procedure). Roast around 6-7 min till it turns light brown and spreads nice aroma. To this add mango pulp & Cardamom powder. Mix well. stir for 6-7 min, till it becomes like halwa. 

Pour this mixture on greased plate sprinkle sliced almond and pistacho. Allow it to cool. Cut into pieces. 

Mango Condensed Pulp

Time 10 min  
Ingredients
Mango pulp 2 cups
Sugar 1/2 cup

Method

Blend in blender mango pulp and sugar. Pour this pulp into thick bottom pan, stir continuously after 5-6 min, water of mango will go away and it will become thick/condensed. Allow it to cool. Store in air tight container.

You can keep this in refrigerator for 4-5 months. Use this for making amrakhand, mango icecream etc.

Mint Rice

Time 10 min

Ingredients

Cooked Basmati rice 1 cup

Paste: mint leaves (2 heaped tbsp)+green chilies 1+ginger 1/2 inch+ garlic 2+1tbsp water

Curry leaves 3-4

Cumin seeds 1/4 tsp

Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp

Pinch of asafoetida

Ghee 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Method

Cook rice with salt and ghee in pressure cooker till it is cooked completely. (remember to add less water so that rice will be dry). Allow it to cool. 

Heat ghee in thick bottom non stick sauce pan. Then add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, pinch of asafoetida, and curry leaves. After mustard seeds pops out, add paste. Saute for 1-2 minutes. Then add cooked rice and little salt. Mix well. Simmer on low flame for 2-3 min. Serve hot with cucumber raita. 

Dudhi Kheer

Time 10 min

Ingredients

Peeled grated doodhi/Bottlegourd 1 cup

Cardamom powder 1/4 tsp

Sugar 1/4 cup or more as per your taste

Warm full fat milk 2-3 cups

Ghee 1 tbsp  

Almond and Pista sliced  1 tbsp

Method

Heat ghee in thick bottom pan. Add dudhi. Dudhi will leave water. Continuously stir till it turns translucent.  Then add warm milk. Mix well. Cook for 7-8 min. Then add sugar, cardamom powder and dry fruits. Mix well. Cook for another 4-5 min.. Serve hot.