Bombay Karachi Halva

     Though the history of this recipe is not known to me much as the name is rather a confusing one, but I am sure there is no confusion regarding the taste. Taste is always best and is loved by many..

Ingredients:

Corn flour - 1 cup

Water - 3 cups

Sugar - 2 cups

Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Cashew chopped - 1 cup

Food colour - 1/4 tsp

Ghee - 4 tbsp

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Take a large bowl and put corn flour in it. Add 2 1/2 cups of water to it and mix well without forming lumps. 

Heat a non stick pan and add rest of water and sugar to it. Mix well. Once the sugar is dissolved and starts to boil, add this corn flour mix to it. Mix well and cook  on low flame. Keep stirring. The mixture forms a lump within few minutes. Add 2 tbsp ghee to it. Also add lemon juice and mix. 

After another minute, add the rest of the ghee and mix well.Add half of the chopped cashews, cardamom powder and food colour and mix well. Keep stirring until the mix becomes single lump and starts to leave ghee from sides. 

Grease a pan with little ghee and pour in the mixture. Decorate it with the rest of the cashew pieces. Allow it to set for an hour. Later cut it with knife into pieces and serve.

Note:

The longer you cook, the more the mixture becomes chewy, so adjust accordingly.

Enjoy Cooking :)

Curd Rice

   Always wondered whether you need a recipe for curd rice too, but when every ingredient is used correctly, you get a tasty dish. So here is the recipe for the most humble dish and very soothing for both mind and body..curd rice.

Ingredients:

Cooked rice - 1 bowl

Curd - 1 cup

Milk - 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

For tempering:

Ghee - 2 tsp

Oil - 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - around 10

Coriander chopped - for garnishing

Cashew nuts - 10 to 15

Raisins - 10 to 15

Fresh grapes - 1/2 cup chopped

Pomegranate seeds - 1/2 cup chopped

Red chillies - 3 to 4

Method:

Take cooked rice in a mixing bowl and allow it to cool. Add required amount of salt and mix well. Add curd and milk and mix. Add 1/2 cup of water according to desired consistency. 

Heat ghee and oil together in a pan. Once hot add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add curry leaves and coriander chopped. Also add asafoetida. Mix well. Add cashew nuts and raisins to it. Once they turn golden, switch off the flame. Now add chopped red chillies and mix. Add this tempering to the curd rice bowl.

Add the pomegranate and grapes to it and mix. Enjoy it with mango pickle.

Note:

1. I have used both ghee and oil but oil is optional.

2. Frying coriander along with curry leaves gives it a good taste.

3. Fruits are optional.

4.Adding little water maintains the consistency.

Enjoy cooking .. :)

Coconut Barfi

          Whenever you visit lot of temples and you have fresh coconut as a result, the best way to consume it is making barfi. We even call it khobri mithai (khobri is coconut and mithai is sweet in kannada). This sweet is made only with three ingredients and the fourth is optional. So here is the recipe..

Ingredients:

Coconut (scraped) - 1 cup

Sugar - 1 cup

Milk - 4 tbsp

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Ghee - for smearing the plate

Method:

Mix both coconut and sugar and leave this mix for half an hour. The sugar leaves water and the mix turns out little watery.

Take this mixture in a heavy bottom pan and heat it on a low flame. Add milk to it and mix well. Let it cook in its own time. Keep stirring occasionally. Once the sugar dissolves and starts forming syrup, turn the heat to medium flame and mix continuously. Once the coconut mixture leaves oil from sides, add cardamom powder and mix. 

Grease a plate with ghee and pour onto it. Flatten it and cut into pieces when it is semi hot. 

Enjoy this whenever you have sweet cravings. This remains fresh for a week, but I promise it will be emptied within minutes. :)

Note:

1. Use only freshly scraped coconut for this.

2. Dip your knife in cold water before cutting into pieces. The pieces come out neat and clean.

Enjoy Cooking :)

Paneer Butter Masala

    The most sought after side dish in restaurants. Whenever you visit a new restaurant and are skeptical about ordering the dishes, you can always rely upon this one. I am sure this tastes good in any restaurant you visit.

Ingredients:

Paneer (cubes) - 1 bowl

Tomato - 3 to 4

Onion - 2

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Cashewnuts - 8 to 10

Honey - 2 tsp

Cardamom - 2

Cinnamon - 1" piece

Cloves - 2 to 3

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1tsp

Kashmiri Chilli powder - 2tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Kasuri methi - 2 tsp

Cream - 1 tbsp

Butter - 1tbsp

Oil - 2tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

        Heat oil in a pan. Add roughly chopped tomatoes, onion and ginger garlic paste to it. Fry till tomatoes turn soft and mushy. Add cashews to it. Now add chilli powder and turmeric to it. Mix well and turn off flame. Once cool blend the mix to smooth paste.

        Heat butter in a pan. Add cloves, cardamom and cinnamon. Now add paneer cubes to it and fry for a minute. 

        Add the gravy to the pan. And saute. As the gravy is already cooked it doesnt take much time. Add water according to consistency if required. 

        Now add all the dry masala powders cumin, coriander and garam masala. Mix well. Crush the kasoori methi between your palm and add to it. Add salt and honey to it. Mix well.

            Garnish with cream and serve hot.

Note:

1. Adding chilli powder and turmeric directly to oil gives gravy nice colour.

2. You can even deep fry the paneer and add to the gravy.

Enjoy Cooking !!