DESCRIPTION:
Khichdi or khichri, is a South Asian preparation made from rice and lentils (dal). Khichdi was the inspiration for the Anglo-Indian dish kedgeree, and is also commonly considered to be the inspiration for the popular Egyptian dish, kushari. In Indian culture, it is considered one of the first solid foods that babies eat.
The Greek ambassador of Seleucus mentioned that rice with pulses is very popular among people of South Asia. The Moroccan traveller, Ibn Battuta mentions kishri as a dish in India composed of rice and mung beans, during his stay circa 1350. Khichdi is described in the writings of Afanasiy Nikitin, a Russian adventurer who travelled to the South Asia in the 15th century. Khichdi was very popular with the Mughals, especially Jahangir. Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century document, written by Mughal Emperor, Akbar’s vizier, Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak, mentions the recipe for khichdi, which gives seven variations. There is an anecdotal story featuring Akbar, Birbal…
DESCRIPTION:
Malpua is a pancake served as a dessert or a snack, popular in India and Bangladesh. It is a very popular dish of Odisha and is also served to Lord Jagannath of Puri in his Sakala Dhupa (morning food served to the lord). Apart from other dishes like Pheni, Rabidi, Kheera sara and other cheese or chhena based items malpua is one of the most popular buyouts in the streets of Puri in Odisha. Malpuas are also prepared in Odia homes during Raja sankranti.
HISTORY:
Barley was the most prolific grain eaten by the arya of the Vedic period. One preparation was a sweet cake called apūpa, where barley flour was either fried in ghee or boiled in water, and then dipped in honey. Malpua preserves both the name and the essentials of this preparation.
PREPERATION:
Preperation time: 25 mins
Cooking time: 25 mins
INGREDIENTS:
-1 ¼ cup maida / plain flour
-2 green cardamoms
-1 tsp fennel/ saunf crushed
-½ cup milk
-¼ cup water + more water if needed
-Ghee or oil…
DESCRIPTION:
Gulab jamun (also spelled gulaab jamun) is a milk-solid-based South Asian sweet, particularly popular in India, Myanmar, Nepal (where it is known as lalmon), Pakistan and Bangladesh. It is also common in Mauritius and the Caribbean countries of Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname and Jamaica. It is made mainly from milk solids, traditionally from freshly curdled milk. It is often garnished with dried nuts like almonds to enhance flavour.
The word "gulab" is derived from the Persian words gol (flower) and āb (water), referring to the rose water-scented syrup. "Jamun" or "jaman" is the Hindi-Urdu word for Syzygium jambolanum, an Indian fruit with a similar size and shape. The Arab dessert luqmat al-qadi is similar to gulab jamun, although it uses a completely different batter.
PREPERATION:
Preperation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins
INGREDIENTS:
-1 cup milk powder
-¼ cup
-2 tbsp all-purpose flour / maida
-1 tsp ghee
-1 tsp ghee for greasing
-1…
DESCRIPTION:
Mattar paneer is a vegetarian north Indian dish consisting of peas and paneer in a tomato based sauce, spiced with garam masala. It is often served with rice and an Indian type of bread (naan, paratha, poori, or roti depending on region). Various other ingredients are often added, such as "aloo" (potato), corn, yogurt or cream.
In the UK it is often referred to as 'cheesy peas'.
PREPERATION:
Preperation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
INGREDIENTS:
TO MAKE A PASTE
-1 cup chopped onions
-1 ¼ to 1 ½ cup ripe tomatoes
-8 to 10 cashew nuts
-1 green chili
FOR GRAVY
-1 to 1.5 tbsp butter
-1 ½ tsp ginger garlic paste
-½ cup green peas
-1 ½ cups paneer(indian cottage cheese)
-2 green cardamoms
-½ tsp cumin / jeera
-1 bay leaf
-half inch cinnamon stick/ dalchini
-2 cloves/ laung
-½ to ¾ tsp kashmiri red chili powder
-¾ to 1 tsp garam masala
-salt as needed
-¼ tsp kasuri methi
-Coriander leaves chopped finely
-¼ cup cream
STEPS:
…
DESCRIPTION:
Laddu or laddoo are ball-shaped sweets popular in the Indian Subcontinent. Laddus are made of flour, minced dough and sugar with other ingredients that vary by recipe. They are often served at festive or religious occasions.
Common flours used for laddu include gram flour (chickpea flour), wheat semolina and ground coconut. These are combined with sugar and other flavorings, cooked in ghee and molded into a ball shape. Some laddu recipes are prepared using Ayurvedic medicinal ingredients, including methi laddu, multigrain and resin laddu. Nuts such as pistachios and almonds are commonly stuffed into laddus.
Whole wheat ladoo as the name suggests are made from whole wheat ( Atta ).
PREPERATION:
Preperation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins
INGREDIENTS:
-2 cups atta / whole wheat flour
-¾ to 1 cup sugar
-¼ cup solid ghee
-½ cup desiccated coconut
-¼ tsp cardamom powder or 3 elaichi
-½ cup raisins
-½ cup cashews
STEPS:
1. Heat ¼ cup…
DESCRIPTION:
Halva is any of various dense, sweet confections served across the Middle East, South Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, the Caucasus, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Balkans, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Malta and the Jewish diaspora.
Suji halva is slightly gelatinous and made from grain flour, typically semolina (suji- India). The primary ingredients are clarified butter (ghee), flour, and sugar.
Halva can be kept at room temperature with little risk of spoilage. However, during hot summer months, it is better kept refrigerated, as it can turn runny after several days.
PREPERATION:
Preperation time: 2 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
INGREDIENTS:
-½ cup suji / rava / semolina
-½ cup sugar
-3 to 4 tbsp ghee
-1 ¼ cup water
-2 generous pinches of green cardamom -powder / elaichi
-8 to 10 cashew nuts
-8 to 10 raisins
STEPS:
1. Add half cup sugar to a pot.
2. Add 1 ¼ cup water to the pot. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Heat it up.
3. While…
DESCRIPTION:
Kalakand is an Indian sweet made out of solidified, sweetened milk and paneer. The dish originated in Alwar, Rajasthan, India. This sweet item is most popular in India and it's sub-continents but few said it is rooted to Arabic cosine. Kalakand is a rich milk cake and one of the famous Indian desserts. The traditional process of making Kalakand takes long time. But now a days there are many quick recipes available and can be prepared in 10-15 minutes. The color of Kalakand is milky-white, most popular North and East India. The fried version of Kalakand is popular in West India which is also known as Ajmeri Kalakand.
Kalakand can be made off different type of flavors, like vanilla, Rose-water, saffron, etc. Kalakand is available in different sweet shops in India and the subcontinent of Indian during festivals and celebrations, such as Holi, Diwali, Navratri and Eid.
PREPERATION:
Preperation time: 2 mins
Cooking time: 8 mins
INGREDIENTS:
-1 can (392 gms)…
DESCRIPTION:
Jeera rice or Zeera rice is an Indian dish consisting of rice and cumin seeds. This rice dish is known as "Zeera rice" in Pakistan. It is a popular dish in North India, an everyday rice dish. It is easy to prepare, unlike a biryani. "Jeera" is the Hindi word for cumin seeds, a mispronunciation of the Urdu word, Zeera. The ingredients used are rice, cumin seeds, vegetable oil, onions and coriander leaves.
Jeera rice is generally garnished with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves, but is also garnished with onion rings in some Indian hotels and restaurants.
PREPERATION:
Preperation time: 10 mins
Cooking time : 20 mins
INGREDIENTS:
-2 cups basmathi rice
-2 ½ to 3 tsps. Jeera / cumin
-1 bay leaf
-1 strand mace
-2 to 4 green cardamoms
-2 inch cinnamon stick
-4 to 6 cloves
-Salt as needed
-2 tbsp ghee
-1 large onion thinly sliced
-2 to 3 green chili slit
-3 ½ cups water
STEPS:
1. Wash basmathi rice properly and soak it for 20 mins. Drain…
DESCRIPTION:
A samosa, samoosa, sambusa, or samboksa is a fried or baked dish with a savoury filling, such as spiced potatoes, onions, peas, lentils, macaroni, noodles, cheese, minced lamb or minced beef. Pine nuts can also be added. Its size and consistency may vary, but typically it is distinctly triangular or tetrahedral in shape. Indian samosas are usually vegetarian, and often accompanied by a mint chutney. Samosas are a popular entrée, appetizer or snack in the local cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Southwest Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, the Mediterranean, the Horn of Africa, North Africa and South Africa. Due to cultural diffusion and emigration from these areas, samosas in today's world are also prepared in other regions.
PREPERATION:
Preperation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 25 mins
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE DOUGH
-2 cups maida / plain flour
-¼ cup oil
-¼ cup + 2 tbsp water
-1 tsp ajwain / carom seeds
-¾ tsp salt
FOR THE…
DESCRIPTION:
Namak para / namakpare / nimki / nimkin / namkin is a crunchy savoury snack eaten in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Namak para is ribbon-like strips of pastry delicately seasoned with ajwain, cumin seeds, carom seeds, and caraway seeds and deep fried in pure ghee (clarified butter). It requires approximately 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
The name derives from namak ("salt"), the main seasoning for the pastry, other ingredients include atta flour (whole wheat), maida flour (refined) or semolina and baking powder and baking soda.
PREPERATION:
Preperation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins
INGREDIENTS:
-1 ½ cups maida / all purpose flour
-1 ¼ tbsp oil
-⅛ tsp hing/ asafoetida
-Pinch of soda
-¾ to 1 tsp salt
-1 ½ tsp ajwain /carom seeds
-½ to ¾ tsp pepper crushed
-Oil for frying
STEPS:
1. Add flour, salt, ajwain, pepper, hing,
oil to a mixing bowl and mix well.
2. Add water slowly as needed and mix
well.
3. Make a…