Pistachio Ghari(Pistachio Fudge)

Sweets

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Makes 24

Ingredients

  • 8             oz sugar
  • 2             cups homogenized milk
  • 1-1/2       cups chopped almonds and pistachios
  • 1             lbs finely chopped cashews for coating
  • 1/2          tsp Rose Water

 

Instructions

  1. Boil milk and sugar in a saucepan stirring, until mixture feels thick and sticky to the touch about 10 minutes.
  2. Add rose essence.
  3. Remove from the heat, add almonds and pistachios stirring continuously until mixture is thick and cool, about 10 minutes.
  4. Shape into walnut size round balls and coat with cashews and place on a tray.

Serve when completely cool.

Chocolate-Pistachio Torte

Sweets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for pan
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 8 oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped1
  • 1/4 cups sugar1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
  • 3/4 cup shelled, unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE AND TOPPING

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 4 oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped

Instructions

Make cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan; line bottom with parchment or waxed paper.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
  4. In a large heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water, melt butter and chocolate, stirring frequently, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove bowl from pan.
  5. Whisk in sugar and vanilla, then eggs, buttermilk, and pistachios.
  6. Fold in flour mixture just until combined.
  7. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 60 to 70 minutes.
  8. Let cool in pan 5 minutes; run a knife around edge, and invert onto a wire rack. Remove paper, and let cool completely, about 3 hours. (To store, wrap in plastic, and keep at room temperature, up to 3 days).

Make ganache:

  1. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a simmer; remove from heat.
  2. Add chocolate, and let stand 5 minutes; whisk until smooth.
  3. Let cool until mixture falls back in ribbons when lifted with a spoon, 2 to 6 minutes.
  4. Set cake on a serving platter; tuck strips of parchment paper under edge of cake to prevent ganache from dripping on platter. Pour ganache onto center of cake; using a table knife, spread evenly over the top and down the sides. Let set, about 30 minutes. Remove paper from under cake; sprinkle top with pistachios.

 

Habsi Halwa

Sweets

A very simple, delicious, and rich Halwa or fudge!  These kind of sweet meats are usually made for happy occasions, eg weddings, religious festivals and dinner parties. You will find different recipes for this.

 Ingredients

  • 3 1/2                    cups milk powder
  • 2                        cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1                        cup unsalted butter (room temperature)  
  • 1                        cup sugar
  • 1                        cup chopped or sliced almonds.

Instructions

  1.  Preheat  oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large saucepan mix all the ingredients except almonds and  it in the oven for five minutes.
  3. Stir and return the saucepan to the oven.  Do this every 10 mins. (It takes about 1 hour to make it)
  4. After half an hour add half the almonds and mix.
  5. The mixture will start to bubble and the colour will slowly change to dark brown.
  6. Pour the mixture in an 8 x 8 inch  cake tin, decorate with with remaining almonds and let it cool. 

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Note:

 

This Halwa can be made in a disposable pan(foil tray) and set in the same pan( pat it down with a spatula)          

 

You can use nuts of your choice instead of the almonds.

Spicy Chickpeas

Snacks & Appetizers, vegetarian

Serves 10

Ingredients

  • 2                tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2                tbsp ground corriander
  • 2                tbsp ground cumin
  • 1/2             tsp ground turmeric
  • 1/2             tsp salt
  • 1/2             tsp granulated sugar
  • 1                tbsp gram flour
  • 2                tomatoes chopped
  • 2                cans chickpeas(garbanzo beans)
  • 1/2             tsp crushed green chilli(to to taste)
  • 1/2             tsp crushed garlic
  • 1/2             tsp crushed ginger
  • 2                tbsp chopped cilantro
  •                   fresh mint sprigs, to garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan, over medium hot heat.
  2. Add curry leaves, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. When the seeds start to pop add corriander, cumin, turmeric, salt, sugar and gram flour. Stir for a couple of minutes, the flour will start to bubble.
  3. Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, green chillies, garlic and ginger.
  4. Mix, lower the heat to medium low and cook covered, stirring occassionally till the liquid has evaporated. (about 15 minutes)
  5. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and mint.
  6. Serve with Aloo Tiki, Tamarind chutney and Green chutney.

Batakiya

Snacks & Appetizers, vegetarian

Batakiya is vagarala chapattis or/and rotlo(curried rotli or rotla).  You take a day old or couple of days old chapatti or rotla, make it into batakiya and have it for lunch.  We would always ask our mother to make extra chapattis so, we can have batakiya for lunch.

Ingredients

  • 6              day old chapatti or
  • 1              day old rotla
  • 2              tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/4           tsp jeera
  • 1              medium onion finely sliced
  • 2              medium tomatoes finely chopped
  • 2              tsp green masala
  • 1              level sp dhana jeera(coriander and cumin powder)
  • 1/4           tsp haldi
  • 1/2           tsp salt
  • 1/4           tsp red chillies 
  • 1              cup yoghurt
  • 1/2           cup water
  • 1              tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions

  1. With your hands tear the chapatti or rotlo into 1inch pieces.
  2. In a medium saucepan heat the oil, add the jeera(cumin seeds) and sliced onions.  Fry the onions till they are golden brown about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the tomatoes, green masala, dhana jeera(corriander and cumin powder) haldi(turmeric powder) salt, and cook for 5 min till the oil separates.
  4. Add the yoghurt, cook stirring for 2 minutes till the mixture starts to bubble.  Add the water and mix well.  Lower the heat to medium, add the torn chapatti, cook covered for 5 minutes.  The chapattis will have absorbed the liquid and the mixture should be moist not dry.
  5. Sprinkle the chopped cilantro before serving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aloo, Gobi and Mattar nu Shak

Entrees, vegetarian

Potatoes, Cauliflower and Peas Curry

Ingredients

  • 2                medium potatoes
  • 1                cup frozen mattar (peas)
  • 1/2             small Gobi (cauliflower)
  • 4                tbsp oil
  • 5                curry leaves
  • 1/4             tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/4             tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/4             tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 1                tbsp green masala
  • 1                tsp dhana jeera powder
  • 1/4             tsp haldi
  • 1                tsp salt
  • 2                tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions

  1. Peel potatoes and cut them in 3/4 cubes.
  2. Rinse the cauliflower in cold water and cut them in small florets
  3. In a Medium sauce pan heat the oil.
  4. Add curry leaves, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds.  When the seeds start to pop add potatoes and peas, green masala, dhana jeera, haldi, and salt and mix well.  Cook covered for about 5 minutes on medium heat.
  5. Add the cauliflower and mix.  Cover and cook for another 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and cooked.
  6. Sprinkle cilantro before serving.

Serve with Naan, Paratha or chapatti.

Square Paratha

Accompaniments

The Square Paratha is like a Roti Cannai, it will have a lot of layers.  The paratha is good on its own, or you can spread it with Jam and have it for breakfast.  It can be served with any kind of eggs for breakfast or with any curry.
It can also be eaten with a pickle or yoghurt for a light Lunch.  I learnt to make this when we moved to Kenya, from our neighbour who was from Punjab  This is a Punjabi style paratha.

Ingredients

  • 2           cups whole wheat flour(No Name Brand)
  • 3           tbsp vegetable oil
  •              water
  • 2           oz melted butter
  • 1/4        cup oil for frying
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl add the flour and oil.  Rub the oil into the flour
  2. Add enough water to make a soft dough.
  3. Kneed the dough for a couple of minutes.
  4. Divide the dough into 6 equal balls.
  5. Roll out the ball into a 6” round, brush it with melted butter, fold the top third to the centre, brush it with butter and bring the bottom third up.  Brush this with butter. (Diagram 1)
  6. Fold the right third to the centre, brush with butter and bring the left in to the centre, making it into the square. (Diagram 2)
  7. Roll the Paratha into a square, starting at the corners diagnally and then rolling it straight and sideways.  Roll it to 8” square.
  8. Cook on a medium hot tawa or a frying pan.  Cook on 1 side for about 1 minute, turn it, cook the other side for a minute, turn it again
  9. Brush with oil and cook for another minute on each side, pressing it with a spatula.
Square Paratha
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Diagram 1                                   Diagram 2

Square Paratha

square paratha

Dahi Vara Moong(Moong in Yoghurt Sauce)

Entrees, vegetarian


 Ingredients

  • 1               cup moong beans
  • 3               cups water
  • 1               tsp dhana jeera
  • 1/4            tsp (haldi)turmeric powder
  • 1               tbsp green masala
  • 1               tsp salt
  • 1/2            tsp chili powder(optional)
  • 1               cup yoghurt
  • 2               tbsp oil
  • 2               cloves garlic peeled and sliced
  • 6               curry leaves
  • 1/4            tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/4            tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 1               tsp sugar (optional)

Instructions

  1. Rinse Moong beans in cold water and soak it in cold water for 5 hours.
  2. In a medium saucepan boil the moong beans with 3 cups of water, for about 10 minutes.
  3. Add dhana jeera, haldi, green masala, salt,  red chili powder and yoghurt.  Mix well and cook for about 5 minutes. (The moong beans should be soft to the touch).
  4. In a small frying  pan, heat the oil.
  5. Add the sliced garlic clove, curry leaves, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds.  When the seeds start to pop, add this to the moong mix. 
  6. Add the sugar.
  7. Mix and cook for another 5 minutes.
  8. Add chopped cilantro before serving.

Serve it with chapatti or paratha.

InstantPot Instructions

Connect the power code.  The Led displays OFF, indicating the cooker is on standby.

Select the Sauce program.

Add 2 tbsp vegetable oil, when hot add sliced garlic, curry leaves, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds.  When the seeds start to pop add the yoghurt, dhana jeera, haldi, green masala, salt and chilli powder, mix well.

Rinse the moong beans in cold water and add this to the yoghurt mix.  Add the water, place the lid and lock it.  Turn the Steam release handle to Sealing position. 

Ladoo (Bundi)

Mithai
Ladoos are called Bundi Ladoo because the batter is poured through a ladle or sieve with perforations while frying, these give rise to round shaped droplets, called as bondi(derived from the word “boond”in Hindi meaning water droplets).

Bundi Ladoo is a good mouth watering snack-time dessert and is a must have at all special occasions all over India.  Bundis are very small, round deep fried balls that have been soaked in fragrant sugar syrup.  After soaking, the bundis are formed into ball(ladoo)

Ingredients

  • 2                lbs chana flour
  • 1                cup ghee
  • 1/2             cup evaporated milk
  • 1/8             tsp orange food colouring
  •                   few strands saffron
  • 1/4             tsp freshly ground nutmeg
  • 6                cups oil for frying
  • 1/4             cup slivered almonds,
  • 1/4             cup slivered pistachios
  • 1/4             cup golden raisins
  •                   few strands saffron
  • 1/4             tsp crushed elechi
  • 1/4             tsp freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1                cup butter
  • 1/2             cup milk

Syrup

  • 2                lbs sugar
  • 1                cup water
  • 1/4             tsp orange food colouring

Instructions

  1. Rub 1 cup ghee into the chana flour.
  2. Make a dough (running  consistency) using evaporated milk and homo milk.
  3. Deep fry batter by passing through a ganthia jaro* until cooked but not too crisp.  This is called Bundi.
  4. Let the Band  cool down then blend it coarsely in a Food Processor.
  5. Make a syrup with sugar and 1 cup water and food colouring to 1 string.
  6. Add this to the blended bhundi.  Add slivered almonds, Pista, golden raisins saffron, elechi and nutmeg.
  7. Add 1 cup melted butter and enough milk to bind the mixture.
  8. Let the mixture cool.
  9. Shape into ladoos, decorate with almonds and Pistachio.

Bundi Mix

Bundi Frying

Fried Bundi

Blended Bundi

Strawberry Pistachio Semifreddo

Entrees

Semifreddo marries the richness of ice cream with ethereal texture of frozen mousse.  Both dramatic and easy, it makes a Great Dinner-Party Dessert.
Semifreddo does not require the use of an ice cream maker.  Your freezer does all the work.
This is a recipe I found in Martha Stewart magazine and the recipe is by Greg Lofts.

Ingredients 

  • 1/2 cup unsalted roasted shelled pistachios
  • 8 oz strawberries, hulled( about 2 cups)
  • 1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp sugar, divided
  • 3 egg yolks, room tempreture
  • 1 1/2 cups cold whipping cream
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla essesnce

Instructions

  1. Line a standard 5 x 9 inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 2 inch overhang on all sides.  Pulse pistachios in a food processor until coarsely chopped (Some will break down to a coarse grind).  Transfer to a small bowl; do not wipe processor clean.  Place strawberries and 3 tbsp sugar in processor; puree until smooth and transfer to a fine sieve set over a bowl.  Stir puree, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids.
  2. Combine egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water.  Beat on high speed (or vigouously by hand) until pale yellow and tripled in volume, about 3 minutes.  Transfer bowl to a larger bowl of ice water; stir until mixture is very thick and cool, about 3 minutes.
  3. Beat together cream and vanilla in a large bowl until soft peaks form.  Whisk 1/3 of whipped cream into egg mixture, whisking until smooth, then fold into remaining cream with a rubber spatula just until throughly incorporated.
  4. Pour 1/2 of cream mixture into strawberry puree.  Gently fold together until thoroughly incorporated, then pour into loaf pan and smooth top.  Fold pistachios into remaining cream mixture and pour evenly over strawberry cream;  smooth top.  Fold plastic wrap over surface and freeze at least 12 hours and up to 3 days.
  5. To Serve:  peel plastic from surface.  Invert pan onto a cutting board. Unmould semifreddo, remove plastic, and cut crosswise into 3/4-thick slices.                

Note:  you can also use a mould and make individual servings.