Sneha's Recipe

Dal Sultani - Mughlai Cuisine

In: Dal, Lentils, Moong dal

This yummy dal is a Mughlai cuisine of Uttar Pradesh. Its rich and creamy . Goes well with both rice/pulao or chapattis.

Ingredients

1 Cup Moong Dal - washed and soaked for an hour
2 Cups Water
1 Tablespoon Red Chilly Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt

For the Gravy

200 Grams Yogurt
200 ML Milk
100 ML Fresh Cream
6 Cloves - coarsely ground
6 Small Cardamoms - coarsely ground
1/2 Teaspoon Saffron Strands - mix in a Tablespoon water

For Tempering:

1/2 Cup Butter or Ghee - I used half of each
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
8 Cloves Garlic - chopped
For garnishing coriander leaves - finely chopped
A Piece of Coal for dungar

Method

Soak lentil for half an hour, add in it water, salt, chily powder and boil the dal till its cooked.

In a bowl mix, yogurt, milk and malai, beat well , add the cardamon and cloves powder mix well.

When lentils is cooked, add in creamy mixture, stir the dal well, cook on slow flame for 10 minutes stirring it so that it does not burn at the bottom. Switch off flame, add the saffron water give it quick stir.

Prepare the tempering

Heat ghee and butter in a pan add the cumin, chopped garlic when the garlic starts to brown take off flame and pour on dal . Cover with a lid. Lastly place the lighted coal in piece of foil or a small bowl pour ghee over it and keep it over the dal covered for 5 minutes. Open garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot. We had this thick, rich, creamy and yummy dal with Yeasted Jowar Naan.

My Notes:

This dal is not spicy so do add more chilly powder, this will ruin the taste and color of the dal.

Do skip giving dungar to the dal, as this enhances the flavor.

You can use split pigeons peas / tur dal too instead of moong dal

Labels : Dal, Moong dal, Lentils, Mughlai Cuisine, Uttar Pradesh

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Ribbon Pakoda / Ola Pakoda

In: Chickpea flour, Festival Sweets, Savory Snacks

This is another addictive savory snack. Ribbon Pakoda is a snack that I enjoyed in my young age and still love eating it. When my daughter was schooling this was a regular snack that was in her tiffin. This is also called Ola Pakoda in Tamil. During festival eating to many sweets one gets tried, you want something spicy and this snack balances that sweetness. Try this addictive and super easy snack.

Ingredients

2 Cups Chickpea flour / Besan
1 Cup Rice flour
A pinch Asafoetida
1 Teaspoon Red chilly powder - adjust to taste
1 Tablespoon White butter
1 Teaspoon Salt or to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method

Sieve the rice flour and besan thrice.

In a bowl mix all the above ingredients together, add water little at a time and knead it into the soft dough.

Make the dough a little soft so that the it can be squeezed easily from the murukku maker. This is plate that is used to make the ribbon / ola pakoda.

Heat oil in a kadai.

Grease the inside of murukku press with oil. Make a ball and put in the murukku press and press it directly in the oil. When they turn light golden brown, flip the side and cook till light golden. Remove pakoda and place it on a tissue paper to drain the excess oil.

Let it cool completely and then store it in an airtight container. Repeat the same for the remaining dough too. You can keep this for a month and enjoy this as a tea time or tiffin snack.

Labels : Savory Snacks, Festival Sweets, Chickpea flour, South Indian, Tamil Nadu

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Thai Red Coconut Chicken Curry

In: Asian Cuisine, Chicken, Fish Sauce

As I have already shared with you in my previous post here, that my daughter and me love Thai Red Curry and this a another delicious dish. So let's go to the recipe.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Red Curry paste - I used Pantai
1(400ML) Can Coconut Milk
Small Eggplants, cut into quarters

2 Garlic cloves - minced
1 Teaspoon Ginger - chopped

3 Teaspoon Fish sauce
1 Tablespoons Brown sugar
1 Cup Chicken stock
1 Onion - chopped
300 Grams Chicken - cut in curry pieces

A few Lime leaves

A few Basil leaves

2 Tablespoon Oil

Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil to wok, stir-fry eggplants, onion, garlic, ginger and curry paste until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Then add the chicken pieces and stir fry again for about 3 minutes. Pour in chicken stock, coconut milk and bring to boil stirring it continuously. When it comes to a boil reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.

Add fish sauce, sugar, lime leaves , salt, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened about 10 minutes. Add basil and serve hot with steamed rice enjoy.

Labels : Chicken, Thailand, Red Curry Paste, Fish Sauce, Asian Cuisine

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Baked Beans and Olives Salad

In: Healthy, Salads

My daughter loves baked beans, this salad is often made and she has this has her dinner. This is a filling and super healthy. Its easy to make. Make this salad just when your ready to serve to preserve the crunchiness and nutrition.

Ingredients

1 Tin Baked Beans
2 Small Tomatoes - seeded cut into squares
2 Cucumbers - cut in roundels
1 Small Iceberg Lettuce - torn in pieces

1⁄3 Cup Black Olive, sliced - can use green too
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
3 Tablespoons Olive oil

1 Teaspoon Pepper powder or to taste

Salt to taste

Method

Prepare the salad dressing by mixing the vinegar, mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper powder in a small bottle. Shake the bottle well until an emulsified mixture is formed.

In a large serving bowl. Place the lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber. Top it with the baked beans and olives. Drizzle the salad dressing over it and just enjoy...

this is bliss ....

Lables : Salads, Healthy

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MURTABAK – A Savory Pan Fried Bread of SAUDI ARABIA

In: Breads, Chicken Mince, Continental Cuisine

In Mena's Cooking Club, this month we are going to make a savory pan fried bread of Saudi Arabia called Murtabak .

Murtabak, is a stuffed pancake or pan-fried bread. The name Murtabak in Arabic means "folded". This is a savory pan fried bread filled with minced meat and eggs which can be served as snack or a complete meal. This bread originated in Yemen, but also spread to Asian Countries.

Let's see the ingredients to make this....

Ingredients
For the covering

3 Cups All Purpose flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Oil
1 Teaspoon Sugar
Warm Milk or Water to make a dough

For the Filling

500 Grams Minced Meat (mutton/beef/chicken)
2 Onions – finely chopped
1.1/2 Teaspoon Ginger - Garlic paste
4 Green chilies - finely chopped
2 Teaspoon Meat Masala powder
1.1/4 Teaspoon Chilly Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Oil
A pinch of Sugar

3 Tablespoon Coriander leaves – finely chopped
4 to 6 Eggs - beaten

For the Pickle

1 Small Cucumber
1 Small Onion
1 Tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1/4 Cup Water

A pinch of Salt

Method
First Let's Make the Pickle

Mix all the ingredients and keep in fridge.

To Make the Filling

To make the filling I, used chicken mince.

Mix chili powder, turmeric, meat masala powder and ginger garlic paste with a little water to form a paste.

Heat oil in a pan, add onions and saute till translucent, add masala paste and saute for 2 minutes then add the mince and saute till the colour changes. Add salt mix well cover and cook till the mince is done. Open and check if the mince is cooked and it is completely dry. Keep aside to cool. Add chopped coriander.

Let's Make the Dough

Sift the flour and salt together.

Take the flour, sugar, oil in a bowl and knead with milk (a little at a time) to make a soft and smooth dough. Let it rest covered for 30 minutes .

Let's Assemble the Murtabak
Divide dough into equal parts. Shape it into balls.

Divide the Mince into equal portions depending on the size of murtabak and dough balls.