Gun powder or Molaga podi in Tamil

Gun powder ( Molaga Podi in Tamil)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup white sesame seeds ( til)

1/2 cup Bengal gram dal ( Chana dal)

1/2 cup black gram dal (Dhuli Urad dal)

2 cups dry red chillies( sookhi sabut mirch)

1/4 -1/2 tsf adafoetida( hing)

1/2 cup Dry coconut powder 

1 small lemon sized ball of tamarind ( Imli) deseeded and broken into tiny pieces.

2 tbsf powdered jaggery ( shakkar)

Salt to taste

Method:

• Dry roast sesame with constant stirring till golden.
• Then add both dals and roast on medium heat, with constant stirring till golden brown. Add asafoetida. Add red chillies and roast , stirring constantly till crisp.
• Add coconut powder and stir for couple of minutes.
• Take the pan off the fire. When slightly cool , add the tamarind otherwise it melts due to the heat and makes the mixture too sticky to grind.
• When cool, grind in a dry grinder. The way my mom makes it, which I rate as the world's best , is coarse, not too fine.
• Add powdered jaggery and salt to taste. Serve with Idli, Dosa , Oothappam . You can also have it with plain boiled rice, topped with a dollop of ghee ( clarified butter) ... Simply divine. Slurp!!!

MUTTON CURRY - REVA STYLE .Courtesy dear friend Kumkum Chaddha.

This is the recipe of  mutton curry we have been enjoying at Kumkum Chaddha, one of our very dear friend's home for many years. It is made by Reva in Kumkum's home. Reva cooks with lot of love and a desire to feed people, well. Hence the dish has been consistent in its quality, the innumerable times we have had it. Finally, my husband felt that we must get the recipe and make it at home. I have made it twice , in the last 10 days and received fabulous compliments from my family. So do try , but don't forget to add the key ingredient"LOVE". ENJOY. 
Thanks loads Kumkum and Reva


INGREDIENTS:

• Meat -1 kg
• Sarson ( mustard)oil-6tbsf
• Long ( cloves)2-3
• 1 inch dalchini/ cinnamon stick
• Moti elaichi ( Black cardamom)-1
• 1 tej patta ( bay leaf) broken
• Red onion ,chopped fine-6
• Ground paste of 5 big tomatoes,Ginger 1 inch, 8-12 Garlic cloves and 2 tsf jeera ( Cummin)
• Dhaniya(Coriander seeds) powdered -2 tsf
• Turmeric / haldi powder -1/2 tsf
• Degi mirch powder -1 tsf
• Salt -to taste
• 2 large potatoes , washed and peeled but not cut
• Ginger julienned -1 tbsf for garnishing
• Meat masala MDH or Shaan-2 tsf
• Dry red chillies -6 ,cut into big pieces- add with or without seeds , depending on how spicy you like.
• Kasoori methi( dry fenugreek leaves)- 2 tsf if using leaves and 1/2-1 tsf if using powder.(If slightly damp weather , heat methi leaves on hot griddle or tawa and add)

METHOD:

• Heat oil. 
• Add cloves,cinnamon, bay leaf,cardamom.
• Add chopped onions. 
• Brown well. 
• Now add ground paste to browned onion.
• Add dhaniya powder, Degi mirch powder , Salt to taste and haldi powder.
• Add potatoes.
• Saute till oil separates.
• Then add meat.
• Saute till oil separates.
• Add Water 400 ml.Pressure cook. After 1 whistle ,simmer for 7 minutes. Open cooker when pressure drops,after cooling down. 
• Remove potatoes carefully and keep aside.
• Cook and dry out if water is excess, as it should have thick gravy, little thinner than lipta hua. 
• Then add julienned Ginger . Bring to one boil. 
• Add Meat masala.Simmer for 5-6 mins.
• Add 6-7 sabut lal mirch  i.e dry red chillies.
• Add potatoes, which were kept aside to prevent being overcooked  and breaking.
• Add Kasoori methi  before serving.  
• Serve hot with roti/ naan /other Indian bread.

VARIATIONS:

1. Try with different kinds of masala like kadhai gosht, korma masala, etc from different brands , instead of Shaan / MDH masala.

2. Substitute mutton with chicken.

3. Substitute mutton with small potatoes /  paneer with or without peas , mushrooms.

HALEEM

Haleem 

This amount suffices for 4-5 people

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup brown ( or white)rice, 

1/4 cup Red lentil or masoor sabut dhuli(pink) 

1/4 cup moong dhuli or split yellow lentil

1/4 cup chana dal ( Bengal gram dal)

1/2 cup daliya. ( broken wheat or bulgur)

Soak all for 1/2 hour

250 tiny boneless mutton cubes

Asafoetida or Hing 2 pinch ( optional)

Clarified butter or Ghee ( or oil)-2 tbsp

cloves (long)-2

Dalchini / Cinnamon- 1inch

Black cardamom (Moti elaichi)-2

Onion chopped-1

Ginger -1tbsp chopped.                                           

Garlic-3tbsp chopped. 

Ground cummin or jeera powder -1tsf , for

Roasted dhania or coriander powder-1tbsf

Shaan haleem masala-2-3 tbsf

GARNISH:

Julienned ginger

Chopped green chillies

Lemon quarter

Optional- 1 onion sliced and fried for garnishing

METHOD:

Heat 2 tbsp ghee. Add asafoetida or hing ,long or cloves , dalchini or cinnamon and black cardamoms or moti elaichi. Saute.

Add chopped onion, chopped ginger, chopped garlic. Bhuno or saute.

Add roasted and ground cummin or  jeera powder, roasted coriander ordhania powder,Shaan haleem masala. Bhuno or saute.

Add washed & drained meat cubes and bhuno or saute till brown.

Add soaked drained lentils or daals, rice and broken wheat or daliya. Bhuno or saute.

Add 1.25 litre water. 

Taste  and add salt. 

Pressure cook  30 mins.

Let pressure drop. Mash well like bharta. Consistency is little thinner than bharta.. Like a thick gravy dish.

Serve with julienned ginger, chopped green chillies n lemon. 

Optional- add fried onions.

Serve with roti or can have on its own as a meal by itself. Add little ghee on top for extra flavour.

ENJOY.

Healthy Sattu ( Horse gram flour) banana muffins

Sattu ( Horse gram flour)banana muffins

A staple from North India, Sattu was  originally made of roasted gram flour but has now evolved to include other nutritious flours like barley, wheat etc. Sattu is a perfect blend of balanced nutrients and is prepared in one of the healthiest cooking methods i.e roasting. In this method, the nutrient value is retained and the shelf life of the ingredients is increased.Its high fibre content makes it healthy for the intestines.Having a low glycemic index, is good for diabetics as well. Sattu has cooling properties.

How did I think of making a Sattu cake?? My younger daughter, who has recently turned very health conscious, was thinking of healthy dessert options and asked me if we could substitute refined flour with sattu and bake a cake.I told her ,one can try.She looked up the net and found a sattu cake recipe using curd, cream ( Malai) and jaggery.This meant someone had already tried & it would be possible to make a sattu cake. That was half the battle won.So i decided to experiment by partial substitution of wheat flour in my banana muffin recipe with sattu. I altered the amount of baking powder as I was slightly skeptical about the cake rising well. The experiment was successful and a great hit.So here we are... 

Ingredients:

Ripe Bananas -3 small /2 large

Egg -1

Oil-3/4 cup

Baking soda-1 tsf

Milk- 1/2 cup

Chana Sattu-1 cup

Whole wheat atta-1/2 cup

Brown Sugar-3/4 cup ( I used the Dhampur sugar which is non sticky as opposed to solar which is sticky.If using sticky one, 1/2 cup should suffice)

Baking powder- 2 tsf

Cinnamon powder-1 tsf

Method:

1.Heat milk.Add baking soda.

2.Mash bananas.

3.Add all the ingredients except the egg.Mix gently & wait for this mixture,which has hot milk in it,to cool down and then add the egg.Mix until just combined.

4.Fill well greased muffin pans 1/2 to 3/4 th with batter.

5.Bake at 200º C for 15 to 20 mins.

Variation:

1.Try adding walnuts , raisins, peel, candied fruit, chocolate chips etc.

2.You can use 1 & a 1/2 cup whole wheat flour instead of a combination of sattu & whole wheat flour.

Chicken / Vegetable Chow mein

Ingredients:

Red Ching's secret noodles- 2 packets.

Chicken breast boiled & sliced-1

Dry red chillies-3

Chilli oil- 1/3 rd cup ( Heat 1 cup i.e 200 ml sesame(til) oil and add 15 dry red chillies.Fry on high heat till black.Switch off gas.Leave overnight & strain in the morning to get chilli oil.Store in the refrigerator as it can get rancid)

Garlic sliced-3 tbsp

Spring onion -2 bulbs

Spring onion greens chopped- 3 tbsp

Cabbage medium sized sliced-1/4th

Green Capsicum sliced-1/4 th

Beans diagonally sliced thin- 150 gm

Carrot scraped and julienned-1/2

Baby corn diagonally sliced-4

Soya sauce-3 tsf

Vinegar ( prefer Ching's secret chilli vinegar)-1-2 tsf

Maggi chicken seasoning (optional)-2. If using reduce salt.

Red chilli powder-1/2 to 1tsf

Salt to taste

Method:

1.Boil noodles as per instructions on packet. Wash in colander with cold water. Apply chilli oil and keep.

2.Heat oil. Add broken red chillies n garlic. Saute till slightly brown.

3.Add beans , baby corn , carrot with 1 tsf sugar to preserve green colour & saute on high heat for 5 mins with constant stirring. Add boiled sliced chicken if making chicken chow mein .

4.Add cabbage, capsicum, spring onion white & green. Stir for 2 mins on high heat. Add boiled noodles, salt, soya sauce, vinegar, chicken seasoning. Mix gently but thoroughly.

CHICKEN IN ORANGE SAUCE

A very tasty simple healthy chicken. On a cold winter evening, after a hot soup , you can serve it with garlic bread. The warm dessert you can follow it with is chocolate brownie pudding.

Ingredients:

Chicken, cut into 12 pieces- 1

Ginger paste -1 tsf

Garlic paste-1 tsf

Salt to taste

Olive oil- 4tbsp

Garlic chopped small-2tbsp

Baby potatoes peeled-4

Mushrooms cut into 4-2

Carrot-1/2 cut into pieces of 1/2 inch size

Green Capsicum-1/2, cut into pieces of 1inch size

Beans -4 cut in a slanting manner ,each into 3 pieces

Baby corn 3-cut in a slanting manner ,each into 3 pieces

Spring Onion-White part-3-4 bulbs

Spring onion greens chopped-2 tbsp

Salt-To taste

Black pepper( coarse ground) -1-2 tsf

Tabasco -1/2 tsf

Orange juice-1/4 cup

Mustard sauce-1/4th tsf

Chilli flakes-1/2-1 tsf

Corn flour-1tsf

Oregano seasoning-1/2 -1 tsf

Soya sauce-1 tsf

Method:

1.Marinate chicken in ginger garlic paste after washing well & poking all over with a fork.Keep for 1/2 hour.

2.Heat oil.Add chopped garlic & brown.

3.Add chicken & baby potatoes and saute till slightly brown.

4.Mix orange juice, salt , pepper, chilli flakes,tabasco, soya sauce,corn flour, oregano, mustard sauce and mix well.

5.Add to the chicken in the pan & mix well.

6.Cover & cook till chicken is 3/4th done.

7.Now add all the vegetables except the green capsicum & spring onion greens. Don't overcook as vegetables should be slightly crunchy.

8.Dry on high heat if too much liquid is left.The finished product should be semi dry.

9.Add capsicum & spring onion greens ,before taking off the fire.

10.Serve hot with garlic bread.

Variations:

1.Can do the same with fish / meat but cooking time will change.

2.Can add broccoli / cauliflower / tofu / peas / zucchini.

CHOCOLATE WALNUT FUDGE

A hot favourite of my kids, their friends and my friends. My kids are now grown up, but even now, whenever I bump into their school buddies , they always talk of the fudge & how they salivate at the thought of having it.

INGREDIENTS:

Condensed milkmaid(I use Nestle Milkmaid)-1 tin

Melted Butter (Unsalted)-100 grams

Sugar(Regular granulated)-1 /4^th Cup

Cocoa powder-3/4^th cup

Refined flour/Maida-2 tbsp

Walnuts( shelled, broken into small pieces)-1 cup

METHOD:

1.Take a heavy bottomed pan( kadhai)

2.Mix all the ingredients except the walnuts and put it in the pan.

3.Cook on high heat , stirring all the time.If you are busy & cant keep stirring it constantly, cook it on low heat.

4.Keep cooking till it thickens considerably and when you take it in a ladle( Kadchi) & try to drop it back into the pan, it falls in sheet not drops & that too not drop easily.You can also put a drop into ½ cup cold water, take the fudge drop & try to roll it between your fingers into a ball.It should form a soft ball ,which retains its shape.Thats the end point.

5.Add walnuts and mix well.

6.Switch off the gas.

7.Pour the fudge onto a lightly greased ( with refined oil , not butter) tray 11 inch X 9 inch size- like a swiss roll tin.

8.Spread evenly.

9.Let it cool slightly.Mark lines on it about 1 inch apart( its called scoring), horizontally as well as longitudinally.

10.Leave it outside to cool, in winters & in a fridge in summer.

11.Cut into pieces , when set.