SHAHI TUKDA / DOUBLE KA MEETA

Double ka meeta is one of the special delicacy of hyderabad. First time when i had this dish in a restaurant i was really impressed with the taste. Next thing i know, i am trying to make it at home.

I found the shahi tukda recipe in many places which is very similar to the double ka meeta. I think the only difference is that the double ka meeta is served with bread slices crumbled and shahi tukda has a definite shape.

Whatever the differences it definitely is very tasty. so this time i prepared this for my birthday. A little treat for myself ;)

CHOCOLATE

This is the simplest chocolate recipe. It turns out quite good.
But i really don't know how to make it creamy, which just melts in your mouth, like the ones you get ready made.

Please let me have the recipe if any one of you know.

JALEBI

photo by Rohit Matto on flicker

CELEBRATING DIWALI WITH SWEETS




             

When we were kids my grandmother used make lovely jalebi's. We always used to help her out making them. Of course we used to get only one task! Dipping the jalebi's in the sugar syrup :)

I distinctly remember the festive mood there used to be when preparing for the jalebi. The batter was always prepared the previous evening.

KESARI BATH (SAFFRON RICE)

photo by Rohit Matto on flicker

CELEBRATING DIWALI WITH SWEETS

Kesari bath, as the name suggests is saffron rice and is a very popular sweet dish in my native place. In olden days it was kind of  a royal dish, which only the rich could afford to prepare in some social/cultural function.Well, i could say now it is not so royal as everyone makes it quite often.


I have often come across this dish prepared in restaurants, with semolina, in many places in southern part of india, but yet to come across the rice dish which comes from the western ghats region of karanataka (especially north canara dist.).

For this dish i have used a rice variety which is known as jeera rice. It is an aromatic rice very similar to basmati but relatively short grained.
If you are unable to locate this variety, basmati can be used instead.

MYSORE PAK

Chick pea flour(besan) -- 1/2 cup
Sugar -- 1 cup
Ghee (clarified butter) -- 1 cup
(OR
Ghee --1/cup + Sunflower oil -- 1/2 cup)
Water -- 1/2 - 3/4 cup just enough to dissolve sugar.

Sieve chick pea flour and keep aside.

In a thick bottomed wok add sugar and water.
Dissolve the sugar on low flame.

Bring this sugar syrup to boil on high flame. See to it that it doesn't overflow.
Once the syrup is bubbling and boiling again lower the heat and let it simmer for 6-8 minutes.

Now slowly sift in the chickpea flour. Keep stirring the mixture to avoid forming lumps.
Once all the flour is in, take ghee in a vessel and keep it on a slow flame.

Keep stirring the mixture to avoid burning. Pour a couple of tablespoons of hot ghee
on top of the mysore pak mixture every 3-4 minutes and keep stirring.

When the mixture becomes thick and starts leaving the bottom of the pan pour in all the remaining ghee and keep stirring.

When the mixture moves with the stirring spoon and feels kind of porous or bubbly turn off the heat and immediately pour it in flat plate. Don't try to level it off with the spatula. Just wait for 20-30 seconds and upturn it on a second plate.

Cut it into pieces after a couple of minutes. (Once cool it will not cut into smooth pieces.So it should be still hot.)

Serve it hot or at room temperature. Can be stored up to 3-4 days.

HOLIGE

for filling

Split chickpea (chana dal) -- 1 cup
Split pigeon pea (toor dal) -- 1/4 cup (optional)
Jaggery -- 3/4 cup or to taste (grated)
Cardamom -- 3-4 (powdered)

for dough

Plain flour (maida) -- 3/4 cup
Whole wheat flour -- 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder -- 1 teaspoon
Oil -- 4-5 tablespoons(i use coconut oil)
Salt -- a pinch

Rice flour/whole wheat flour -- for dusting

Soak chana & toor dal for 2-3 hours. Pressure cook it until overcooked and very soft.

Sift both flours into a bowl. Add salt and 3 tablespoon oil to it. Rub in the oil nicely with the flour.
Now add turmeric powder and water to make a dough.(Approximately a little less than 3/4 cup water is needed.The dought should be more watery than the roti dough.)Add one more tablespoon of oil and knead the dough nicely. Keep it covered for a couple of hours.

Drain all the water and run it through a processor to make a soft paste.(optional, u can skip this step if your dal is really soft.)

Heat jaggery in a thick bottomed pan. When the jaggery melts add the dal. Stir
the mixture to prevent it from burning. Slowly the mixture will become thick and the dal is dissolved with the jaggery.

When the dal starts leaving the pan, add the cardamom powder and stir for 5-6 minutes on low flame. Turn off the heat.(When cold you should be able to form round balls from the lentils.)

Make lime sized balls from the dal mixture when it is cold.

Knead the dough nicely again. Add one more tablespoon of oil if it is sticky. Pinch out small portions of the dough and keep it in a plate dusted with either rice flour or whole wheat flour.(about a little less than half lemon)

Take the stuffing and slowly cover it with the dough.(since we are using the covering should be very thin. Strech the dough slowly over the stuffing using your palm and seal it on top.)Dust it with the flour, keep the sealed portion facing down on the rolling board and slowly roll it out into thin disks.

Cook it on a slow flame until golden brown on both sides.

Traditionally it is served with a couple of teaspoons of sugar syrup and a teaspoon of melted ghee.

Entering this into Sanjeeta's

KADALE MADDI

SPLIT CHICKPEA WITH JAGGERY AND COCONUT


Split chickpea (chana dal) -- 1 cup
Jaggery -- 1 cup or to taste (grated)
Coconut -- 1/2 cup (freshly grated)
Cardamom -- 3-4 (powdered)
Clove -- 1 (optional)(powdered)

Soak chana dal 2-3 hours. Pressure cook it until overcooked and very soft.

Heat jaggery and coconut gratings in a thick bottomed pan. When the jaggery melts and starts bubbling on the sides add the cooked chana dal.(It works best if the dal is still hot)


Keep stirring the mixture to prevent it from burning. Slowly the mixture will become thick and the dal is dissolved with the jaggery.

When the spoon starts falling very slowly, when left erect in the maddi, add cardamom (and clove). Give it a couple of minutes stir on a slow flame to blend the aroma of the cardamom. Turn off the heat.

Serve it with a spoonful of ghee.

FRUIT CUSTARD

Milk --1/2 liter (2 cups)
Custard powder -- 2 tablespoon
Sugar -- 1/4 cup

Mixed chopped fruits -- a big bowl


Add a little milk to the custard powder and make a paste. (without lumps)

Boil the rest of the milk. once it is boiling add the custard and cook until it becomes thick. Keep stirring the mixture to avoid burning. Add sugar, stir for a couple of minutes until the sugar is dissolves.

Cool the custard and chill it in the fridge. Add fresh chopped fruits like apple, pear, banana, kiwi, orange, grape, pomegranate etc. to this custard and enjoy.

MANGO RASAYANA

Ripe mangoes -- 2 (big)
Coconut -- 1/2 cup(freshly grated)
Milk -- 1/4 cup(optional)
Sugar -- 1/4 cup
Cardamom -- 1/4 teaspoon (powdered)


Peel and chop mangoes into small cubes.

Grind coconut to a smooth paste.

Mix all the ingredients together and serve. (Can be chilled before serving)

HALASINA BELE BUDNA

JACK FRUIT SEEDS SWEET

Jack fruit seeds(j. f. seeds) -- 20-25 (washed and dried for a week after removing from fruit)

Jaggery -- 1/2 cup
Coconut -- 1/4 cup (optional)
Cardamom powder -- 1/2 teaspoon

Oil to grease the griddle

Peel and pressure cook j. f. seeds until it is very soft. Remove the brown husk and powder /grind them into as smooth a powder as possible.

In a thick pan heat jaggery and coconut together until the jaggery melts. Now add the powdered j. f. seeds and keep stirring the mixture until it starts leaving the pan. (should take about 10 minutes on medium flame.)
Once done turn off the heat and cool it a bit.

Make small patties from this dough and shallow fry them on a hot greased griddle. Brown them on both sides.

Serve hot with ghee/butter.

MILK BURFI

Milk -- 2 liters (around 8 cups)
Lemon juice -- 2-3 tablespoons
Sugar -- 2 1/2 cups (more if u like it sweet)
Vanilla pod -- \1 / cocoa powder -- 2 teaspoon -- for flavoring (optional)
Coconut -- 4-5 tablespoons ( grated )



Boil milk and simmer it for 5-10 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Add lemon juice to the milk once it is a bit cool. Now reheat the milk, which will curdle.

Continue to boil the milk on low flame stirring once in 2-3 minutes until almost all the water evaporates.

Now add the sugar and the vanilla or cocoa flavoring and coconut.
Keep stirring the mixture until it thickens and starts leaving the bottom of the pan.
When the mixture starts rolling around in the pan like a ball turn off the heat and spread it in a greased plate. Parchment paper and rolling pin can be used to give burfi a smooth look. Cut in to any shape of your liking.

Cool it to room temperature and serve.

RAS MALAI

Milk --1 1/2 liters.
Lemon juice --of 1/2 lemon
Sugar --1 cup.
Cardamom --3-4 powdered.
Sugar --1 tbsp.
Semolina --1/2 tsp.
Creamy milk --1 liter.
Rose essence--few drops.(optional)
Saffron -- few strands

Boil milk. Let it cool a bit. Now squeeze the lemon juice and reheat it slowly until it curdles. Hang up the milk curds for 2 hours. Knead thoroughly and keep aside.

Put sugar with 2 cusp of water in a deep pan. Bring to a fast simmer. Once the sugar is dissolved completely, turn the heat to low and let the syrup simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Take the hung milk and add the semolina as well as the rose essence to it. Knead well and make small balls (around 20)and flatten them a little.


Bring the sugar syrup to simmer once again and drop the balls in to it. Adjust the heat to let the syrup simmer slowly for 5 minutes. Now turn the heat up and bring the syrup to a brisk simmer. The syrup should not boil over. Sprinkle 2 tablespoon of water, cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the paneer balls are swollen up.


Uncover and sprinkle the paneer with 2 more table spoons of water. Cover and cook on high flame for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat.


Place these paneer balls in a flat dish while still hot. Pour the warm creamy milk over it and let the paneer soak the milk for about 3 hours.


Now take out the paneer balls gently and boil the remaining milk with saffron until it is reduced to about 2 cups. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and cardamom powder to this milk. Pour it over the paneer balls and serve chilled.

BASUNDI

Milk (full fat)-- 1 liter (around 4 cups)
Sugar -- 1/2 cup (or more according to taste)
Cardamom powder -- freshly ground from 2-3 pods
Saffron -- few strands
Almond OR Pistachio -- 1 tablespoon (sliced)

Take milk in a wide, thick bottomed pan. Heat it on medium heat.
Keep stirring the milk continuously.

Once the milk is thick and about less than 1/2 liter in quantity and becomes thick add sugar and cardamom powder. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, bring the milk to boil and turn off the heat.

Chill it in a refrigerator. Serve garnished with saffron and dry fruits.

RASGULLA

Milk --1 1/2 liters.
Lemon juice --of 1/2 lemon
Sugar --1 cup.
Semolina --1/2 tsp.
Rose essence--few drops.(optional)


Boil milk. Let it cool a bit. Now squeeze the lemon juice and reheat it slowly until it curdles. Hang up the milk curds for 2 hours. Knead thoroughly and keep aside.

Put sugar with 2 cups of water in a deep pan. Bring to a fast simmer. Once the sugar is dissolved completely, turn the heat to low and let the syrup simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Take the hung milk and add the semolina as well as the rose essence to it. Knead well and make small balls (around 20).

Bring the sugar syrup to simmer once again and drop the balls in to it. Adjust the heat to let the syrup simmer slowly for 5 minutes. Now turn the heat up and bring the syrup to a brisk simmer. The syrup should not boil over. Sprinkle 2 tablespoon of water, cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the rasgullas are swollen up.


Uncover and sprinkle the rasgulla with 2 more table spoons of water. Cover and cook on high flame for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Serve chilled with the sugar syrup.

CARROT HALWA

Red carrots -- 2-3 medium
Milk -- 1 1/2 liters (full fat)
Cadamom powder -- 1/4 teaspoon
Sugar -- 1/2 cup (or according to taste)
Ghee -- 3-4 tablespoons.
Dry fruits

Wash peel and grate carrot. Fry it in 2-3 tablespoons of ghee until it is wilted. Add 1/2 liter milk to it and cook it covered on low flame.

Heat the rest of the milk and reduce it to 1/4 liter.

Once the carrot is done, add sugar, reduced milk, cardamom powder and cook it until the halwa becomes thick, keep stirring the mixture all the while. Once it becomes thick remove from flame.

Roast the chopped dry fruits in ghee for a couple of minutes. Serve halwa hot garnished with dry fruits.
Carrot halwa is also served topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

VERMICELLY KHEER

Vermicelli -- 1 cup
Ghee -- 3-4 tablespoons
Milk -- 2 liters (full fat)
Sugar -- 1 cup (or more according to taste)
Cardamom powder -- 1/4 teaspoon
Mixed dry fruits for garnish

Boil 1 1/2 liter milk in a thick pan and reduce it to about 1/4 th of the original quantity.

Fry vermicelli in 3 tablespoons of ghee until it turns light brown.
Pour in 1/2 liter of milk and let the vermicelli cook for 5-6 minutes. Once done add sugar,cardamom and the reduced milk to the vermicelli and cook for 2-3 minutes more.

Take 1 tablespoon ghee in a pan and roast all the dry fruits( cashew nuts, dry grapes and almonds) . Pour it over the kheer before serving.

COCONUT BURFI

Coconut -- 2 cups (freshly grated)
Milk -- 3/4 cup
Sugar -- 1 cup (more if you like it really sweet)
Cardamom -- 4-5 (powdered)

In a thick bottomed vessel heat milk. Add sugar and stir it slowly until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Now add the coconut and mix well. Keep stirring on low flame until all the mixture becomes thick and starts leaving the bottom of the vessel.

Add cardomom powder and mix it with the burfi. Remove it from fire and Spread the mixture on a greased plate. Cut into y shape.

Cool it to room temparature before serving.

DOODH PEDA (MILK PEDA)

Milk (full fat)-- 1 litre
Sugar -- 1/3 cup
Cardamom powder -- freshly ground from 2-3 pods (optional)


Take milk in a wide, thick bottomed pan. Heat it on medium heat.
Keep stirring the milk continuously.

If you take a thick bottomed pan then it is okay to stir it every 2-3 minutes until the milk is reduced to half the amount.

If the pan is not thick the milk will stick to the bottom and burn easily. So be careful when choosing the pan.

Once the milk is thick and about 1/2 liter in quantity, lower the heat and keep stirring the milk more often.

When the milk is reduces to 1/4 of a liter, (1 cup) (it starts to become thick and starts bubbling without forming the film on top) add the sugar and freshly crushed cardamom powder.

Keep stirring the mixture. Once the sugar is added it should be mixed continuously.

Once the mixture starts leaving the pan (you can see the bottom of the pan while stirring), turn off the gas. Stir for another couple of minutes as the pan is still hot. Let it cool down. Once it is of bearable temperature, make the pedas. (pedas will have a smoother finish if it is done when it is slightly warm)


You can make 15-18 medium sized pedas with 1 litre milk.