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Stir Fry Garlic Parval

in on 17th June 2022 17th June 2022

The best and quick parval recipe, you will absolutely love. Preparation of garlicky parval is effortless with very few spices. It makes a perfect side dish to serve with roti and rice or parathas for breakfast and lunch. Parval is also known as pointed gourd and one of my mum’s favourite veggies.

Personally, I love to cook and eat parval in many variations but this specific one is my favourite. I usually eat this dry curry with roti and papad. This parval sabji is dry curry but so much flavoursome. A very healthy and homely dish that can be made on an everyday basis.

Can You Make this garlicky Parval Curry in the Air Fryer?
Absolutely yesss. I love to make this parval curry in the air fryer. Using an air fryer for this recipe is easy and uses very little oil. There is a misconception that you cannot make Indian curries in an air fryer. Since this recipe is dry, making it in an air fryer is quite convenient. Just slice pointed gourd or parval into two slices, mix them with the spice mix and air fry them at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes.

Sugar-Free Dry Fruit Gujiya

in on 17th March 2022 17th March 2022

Gujiya is a traditional Indian sweet made at the festival of colours – Holi. It is a fried pastry. That stuffed with khoya (mawa), dry fruits, saffron, coconut, and sugar.

A crescent-shaped pastry filled with all the rich flavourful goodies like coconut, sugar and nuts. In the traditional ones, it is sweetened with a coat of sugar glazing.

These mawa Gujiya are the perfect festive treat, the addition of stevia makes them so special and healthier!

Nothing makes Holi complete like this homemade Gujiya. This recipe packed with the goodness of coconut and a delicious mawa filling and exotic dry fruits and saffron. This crispy and flaky deep-fried turnover pastry is a popular North Indian treat made during the festive season.

One bite of these hand-pie size sugarfree Gujiyas will leave you craving for more! Plus, these Gujiyas make the perfect festive gift to give to friends and family.

The sweet filling in the Gujiya recipe varies insignificantly across India, and it even goes by many different names, including:

Karanji in Maharashtra. This similarly shaped Gujiya is stuffed with a coconut filling that contains no mawa.
Ghughra in Gujarat
Nevri in Goa
Kajjikaya in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, and
Purukiya in Bihar.

These small sweet delicacies, which are crisp and soft on the top crust, and filled with a yummy stuffing of mava, is a thing to die for. I take a lot of pride in Gujiyas I make, and I am hoping that my mava or khoya Gujiya recipe is something that a Gujiya lover will enjoy.

Make these Gujiyas during Holi (festival of colours), Diwali or any occasion, and these Gujiyas won’t disappoint you.

Baked Herbed Halloumi With Broccoli

in on 6th February 2022 6th February 2022

A hearty, nutritious, traybake that can satisfy a healthy appetite and be assembled very quickly. Tender steamed yellow lentils, squeaky-golden, halloumi baked with broccoli floret, red onion and lemon slice. Well-baked or grilled halloumi is a delicacy. Golden brownish, crispy salty exterior with soft cheese inside that gives you perfect umami texture and flavour.

What is halloumi cheese?
It’s a semi-hard, unripened brined cheese from Cyprus. It’s made from a mixture of goat and sheep milk. It tastes like a combination of fresh Mozzarella and feta. What’s unique about this cheese is that it has a high melting point, which makes it an ideal candidate for grilling or frying. The beauty of halloumi is its ability to retain its shape under any form of cooking; grilled, baked or fried. It doesn’t melt and retains its shape, given its high melting point.

Can you eat halloumi without cooking it?
Yes, You can, but it won’t be very good. Without cooking it has a rubbery texture and it’s also VERY salty. Cooking improves its texture and mellows its saltiness. This low-calorie weeknight meal is easy to prepare and the delicious combination of broccoli, halloumi slices and caramelised onions with Italian herb makes this a winning dish for any occasion. This is our attempt to create that baked cheesy halloumi magic with one and only broccoli and onions.

Perfect for vegetarians and cheese-lovers like me, halloumi is an impressively versatile ingredient to cook with. Unlike soft, melting cheese, halloumi holds its shape well, is mild enough to take on other flavours, and develops a crisp, golden crust when cooked, so is ideal if you’re looking for a cheese with substance. Try as a meat-free burger, stuffed into pastry or even cut into chips or put it in your fruit salad. There are many ways to eat this magical cheese. Whatever the weather is, always a good time to have halloumi in your meal.

Vegan Radish (Mooli) Curry

in on 30th January 2022 30th January 2022

Radish is a long white root vegetable that is crunchy and belongs to the radish family. It has a crisp texture and a peppery flavour that ranges from mind to strong. Radish comes in many varieties, the most common being the white radish-like the Red Globe variety. Radish (Mooli) curry is a traditional north Indian recipe. It is a simple, gluten-free, vegan dish made with fresh radish. The radish greens shed that pleasing pungent flavour as the winter passes away. So till there is a nip in the air, it is the right time to make Mooli ki sabzi.

Winter delicacies like mooli ki sabzi are the traditional recipes you will not find in any restaurant menu. The fresh, tender radish greens and white are cooked like a rustic stir-fry with a few basic spices and seasoning. As the summer approaches, the radish greens taste more like pungent grass than juicy leaves.

So the peak of the winter season is the right time to try this mooli ki sabzi recipe with radish greens. Rajasthani mooli palak sabzi is a simple and quick recipe that goes well with rice as well as chapatis. The use of dry mango powder gives the dish a unique tangy flavour. The crunchiness of the radish complements the soft radish greens and gives this vegan recipe a delicious flavour.

So, go ahead and get some fresh radish from the market to enjoy this delightful and healthy recipe.

This curry is…
• Vegan
• Gluten-free
• Super easy
• Quick meal
• Delicious
• Perfect for everyday meals
• A winter favourite

About Ingredients

Radish (Mooli) – Mooli or Radish is freshly available in markets during Winters. To make this sabzi, was and cut the upper leaf part of the radish, peel and then cut it in roundels.

Spices – Use some everyday spices such as coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, and salt.

Oil – I like to use mustard oil, as it adds a nice flavour. You can use any vegetable oil too instead of mustard oil. While using mustard oil, make sure to heat it properly otherwise it will give a raw taste to the sabzi.

Others – Apart from this, you will need ingredients such as carom seeds, garlic, dry red chillies, and fresh or dry kachri (Rajasthani sour melon).

Dry Fruit Pinni

in on 14th December 2021 14th December 2021

Soft sugar-free utterly delicious dry fruit pinni is pure love. Made with very few ingredients and a must-have winter delicacy. In Punjabi cuisine – pinni is wholesome and full of flavourful sweet. Pinni is very special in Indian cuisine and is made differently in various places of India. Punjabi pinni is made in a different style. It is cooked in ghee on a slow wood fire then some herb and edible gum with lots of dry fruits in it is added.

Punjabi Pinni is the healthiest and protein-packed snack and breakfast as they are packed with all nutrition like jaggery, ghee, ginger powder, edible gum dry fruits in it. It is essential in Indian homes during winter, because that will keep you warm inside and boost your immune system.

In my family, my baba used to make these and we call this sweet as gond ke laddoo. They are my absolute favourite winter snack. So, in this festive season, I thought to make and share some typical authentic sweet Gond ke Laddu or pinni known as desi energy balls. A popular Punjabi dish, also known as Panjeeri laddu or pinni, are considered a healthy winter delicacy as well.

What is Gond?

Gond also known as gund, is a natural edible gum obtained from the sap of the acacia plant and then dried for cooking purposes. It is white or brownish in colour and is known for its warming effect on our bodies.

Gond is packed with nutrition and is used in making bakery items, ice creams and Indian sweets. It has great medicinal properties. It helps in strengthening our immunity, helps in relieving constipation and helps in maintaining good skin. Due to its health benefits and heat-producing properties, pinni or gond laddoo are given after delivery to new mothers to regain energy and immunity. Ginger powder/saunth is another warming spice that makes it perfect to consume in winter.

Bajra Methi Dhebra

in on 24th October 2021 24th October 2021

Savoury, herbalicious, perfectly spiced and soft methi bajra dhebras are so delicious that you can enjoy them as snacks or breakfast. I like to enjoy these dhebras at any time of the day with a hot cup of tea and pickle. Methi bajra dhebra is a staple food of Gujarati kitchen – an unleavened flatbread made of wheat and millet flour, fine chopped aromatic fenugreek leaf, yoghurt-ginger-garlic paste, some spices and little sweetness of jaggery. Typically it is served in breakfast or lunch with yogurt or sweet pickle. Dhebra comes in very handy for the lunch boxes as well. Methi bajra dhebra is best when enjoyed either right after making them or later the same day. Even good for long travel as well.

Simply knead the dough with water and yogurt. Store cooled dhebras in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature. You can also prepare them in various varieties as per your choice. If you want to freeze them, make sure first to let them cool down totally. Then place them into the freezer-proof container with placing butter paper in-between each dhebras.

Re-heat dhebras in a hot pan before consuming them. You may freeze the dough in the freezer and thaw properly before making the dhebra.

Papad Bhel

in on 18th September 2021 18th September 2021

Basically, bhelpuri is a popular Indian street-style snack made using puffed rice as its base ingredient. This tangy and very slightly sweet chaat can be made in just 10 minutes if you have the ingredients ready. This papad bhel is a different version of regular bhel. Here is my easy recipe to make at home.

I have a habit of eating papad a lot. This delicious Papad Bhel is most wonderful easy recipe. Actually, papad bhel is an made with chopped onion, tomatoes and boiled potatoes, to which crushed fried Papad adds crunchiness, turning it into an irresistible evening snack. It’s a very handy snack when you want to eat something light and healthy.

The best part is that you can customize it as per your taste. Preparing this healthy and easy evening has a definite way, with the papad cut into long strips of about ¼-inch thickness. To ensure healthy eating, I usually take out the excess oil from the fried papads by soaking the surplus oil with absorbent paper. If you are health-conscious then skip the frying, just roast the papad.

For the tanginess and tartness, I have added spices like chaat masala to it and for freshness the almighty zesty lemon, all of which are easily available. However, make sure that the fried papad does not get crumbled and soggy; otherwise, the chaat will lose crunchiness. To ensure this, Papad should be added to the eclectic mixture just before serving it to guests. This way, the crispy element remains intact and the appetiser taste heavenly delicious.

Alwar Ka Milk Cake

in on 31st August 2021 31st August 2021

This Indian sweet is an entirely milk-based dessert and good full-fat milk is a key to make the best Indian Milk cake. For this recipe, the creamier the milk, the better texture it is. This very elegant yet delicious sweet requires only 4 basic ingredients that are easily available at home:
• Full Cream milk
• Sugar
• Ghee
• Milk Coagulant

Kalakand or Alwar ka mava has its origin in the city of Alwar from where its popularity has spread across the globe.

Alwar Kalakand or Alwar ka Kalakand or Alwar ka Milk Cake as this is more popularly known as is created by the curdling of milk giving it its beautiful brown coloured centre.

Alwar Ka Mawa cake is a sweet-milk fudge with a grainy texture made with solidified cream milk, sugar, ghee, and some acidic agent. Milk is reduced to 1/3rd, and then it is cooked further with some milk coagulant. Once reduced it is then cooked with sugar, and lastly, some ghee is added to this thick milk solid. This sweet is entirely cooked in a heavy bottom pan. This mithai is also known as Kalakand.

Best coagulant for milk cake:
For this sweet usually, alum powder is used to curdle the milk. But you can also use any from the below list:
• teaspoon lemon juice
• teaspoon citric acid powder
• cup yogurt

The texture and the size of milk protein granules vary with the different types of coagulant agents and their amount.

Some tips and tricks:
Milk cake’s ideal texture is grainy. If you want grainy, yet melt-in-mouth and soft milk cake then you need to make sure you add only a little coagulant in the milk. If you would add so much acidic agent, then the milk cake would turn rubbery and chewy. Always use full-fat milk.

If you want a good grainy texture of milk cake, then make sure you are adding lemon juice only after the milk has reduced to 1/3 of its quantity.

So enjoy this festive season this very special mithai from Rajasthan – Alwar ka mava or milk cake.

Boondi Laddoo

in on 14th August 2021 14th August 2021

Boondi laddoo is one of my favourite sweets from childhood. On every occasion, my baba used to bought these laddoos from a specific sweet shop in town. The most of time I have eaten delicious boondi laddoo from that shop.

Boondi is sweet round pearls, which made from chickpea flour (besan). Small pearl-sized, round balls are deep-fried in the hot ghee and it is known as boondi. These boondis are soaked in saffron flavoured sugar syrup and black cardamom that gives ladoos a very special flavour. And last then formed into the shape of a ladoo or ball.

Boondi ladoos are made on special occasions or festivals like Holi, Diwali, Raksha Bandhan or Ganesh Chaturthi. Laddoos are also necessary for north Indian weddings.

How to Make Perfect Boondi Ladoos

One of the most important things that you need to make the perfect looking Boondi ladoo at home is a “boondi laddoo jhara”. It’s a kind of a ladle (usually made with iron or other metal) with fine holes. You need the one with medium holes for this recipe. Make a thin flowing batter for these ladoos that should fall from the jhara as you tap on it. The batter is poured through a ladle or sieve in hot ghee for frying. These give rise to round-shaped droplets, called boondi (derived from the word ‘boond’ in Hindi which means water droplets.

Do not over-cook or crisp the boondis. These are medium-sized boondi, so it needs to be fried for like 40 seconds only. Make sure the colour should not change. Don’t look for any consistency in sugar syrup. Just let the sugar dissolve and the mixture come to a boil. Then turn off the heat, and add the fried boondi. Then let it boondi sock all the syrup.

I have made laddoos in desi ghee. But, if you want to cook in oil then also fine but frying boondi in ghee is key to these delicious laddoos. Actually, Indian desserts and sweets have a very distinct flavour that comes from ghee.

Falahari Makhana Chivda

in on 25th July 2021 25th July 2021

Falahari makhana chivda is a very light snack and easy to make and I love it. It’s so handy when you want something to snack on, makhana or lotus seeds are a powerhouse of nutrition, rich in fibre and low in calories too. Makhana is widely used in Indian cuisine like roasted makhana, makhana kheer, raita, curry, etc. I made this super easy and delicious makhana chivda. We all love sweet and tangy chivda recipes or mixture recipes at home. This healthy yet delicious snack is made with sago, makhana, dry fruits, peanuts, coconut chips, and some basic spices that are easily available at home.

What is makhana?
Makhanas is also known as fox nuts, Euryale Ferox, lotus seeds, gorgon nuts, and Phool makhana. These seeds are often used in quite a few Indian sweets and savouries like kheer, or makhana curry, roasted as well. Also eaten as an evening tea-time snack.

Read my Makhana Kheer recipe here: Makhana kheer

I usually make simple ghee roasted makhana for my munchkin. This is a mixture version of makhana with different nuts and usual spices. Making this is a mixture so quick and easy. You just need few minutes to make this crunchy snack. Make a big batch and store it in an airtight container and enjoy whenever required. Makhana chivda is a crunchy, delicious, light and easy snack to prepare at home.