Ukdiche Modak (JFI Rice)

15th September is Ganesh Chaturthi and I am already in a tizzy. We are celebrating the Ganpati Festival this year at our home in the UK for the first time and boy are we excited about it. I have always celebrated this festival with the rest of my family so there was always either my mother or then later my mom-in-law who were in charge .This is the first time that I am going to be completely responsible for the way things turn out. So I am excited as well as nervous.

I already have visions of how I am going to decorate the room in which the Ganesh idol will be placed and what kind of sweets I can make for the daily Puja and Aarti. Speaking of sweets brings to mind the Show Stopper of the Festival Lunch,which are these Ukdiche Modak.

Ganesh Chaturthi and Ukdiche Modak have to go hand in hand. I cannot celebrate this day without these delicious creations. So best way to ensure that you can make these, is to take a trial run a few days before the actual day of the festival. And that's exactly what I did today. This was also my idea of a perfect entry for Sharmi's event JFI Rice .

Of course like every year I called Aai for the recipe and for the important tips to remember while making them. Although the recipe is very simple the actual procedure requires a bit of practice.

Here's how I went about it:

Ingredients (For 7 to 8 Modak):

For the outer cover:
1 katori (see pic) very fine Rice flour (sieve the rice flour to get a fine and soft flour),
1 katori water,
a pinch of salt,

Ingredients for the sweet stuffing:
2 cups fresh grated coconut,
1 cup jaggery (palm sugar)
1/2 tspn cardamom powder,
1/2 tspn grated nutmeg

Steel Katori used in all maharastrian homes


Procedure for Outer Cover:

1.In a steel container mix the rice flour ,water and salt to make a smooth paste(see pic)

2. Pressure cook this paste like you would do for dal in a pressure cooker, (thats about 3 whistles and simmer for 5 to 7 mins)

3. Let the pressure cooker cool for a while before opening it.

Uncooked Rice Flour Paste

Procedure for the stuffing:

1. While the pressure cooker cools down prepare the stuffing.

2. In a heavy bottom pan mix the grated coconut and jaggery and cook the mixture for 20 to 25 mins on a very low heat, stirring frequently

3. After switching off the heat add the cardamom and nutmeg. Let the stuffing cool

Coconut and Jaggery Stuffing

4. After the rice flour dough which is called Ukad has cooled down enough to handle ,oil your palms well and knead this dough till it becomes very pliable and soft enough to fill and shape into a modak. Along with oil also use water on your hands to further assist you with this.

5. Now make a lemon size ball of dough ,place it between two oiled plastic sheets and spread out the dough with your thumb to the size of a puri (see pic)

6. Place this puri on your wet palm and place a tblspn full of stuffing in the centre. Make vertical pleats in the dough by pinching it at regular intervals between your thumb and forefinger (I wish I could show you a pic but I was struggling so much at this stage that holding a camera was simply impossible)

7. Now close the modak from the top by creating tapering shape .(Gosh! I am so bad at explaining this) But I guess all marathi readers will know what I am taliking about and for others the final product should look like the modak in the main pic and the pic below. )

8. To steam these I used an idli cooker and idli moulds. Use any kind of good steamer. At home in India we normally place a soft muslin in a colander ,put all the modaks in it and then place the colander just inside the rim of the pressure cooker and steam for 15 to 17 mins. Alternatively they can be steamed in an electric rice cooker too. Imp Note: Before steaming, dip each modak quickly in water and then place in the steamer. This prevents the modaks from cracking

Serve with generous dollops of homemade ghee. No ! don't say no to Ghee. You must have Ghee (or Sajuk toop as we call it) with Modak.

I hope my post inspires many of you to try them out this year, that's the reason why I wanted to post these a little before the 15th and secondly let me now go over to Sharmi's for JFI: RICE

Paneer Tikka Kathi Rolls : My Contribution to the Picnic Hamper and Fun in the Sun: Grand Round-up

Hi all ! We are finally at our Picnic Spot. It could be anywhere .A nice sandy beach, a beautiful park or just a fresh green stretch near your house. Just take your pick. As long as the sun is shining ,butterflies are fluttering around and the bees are buzzing we are a happy lot. So are you ready for the Grand Picnic Spread we have all contributed to? Yessss!!! Then come along for our FUN IN THE SUN .

This was my first attempt at hosting an event and I had nightmares about not getting any entries at all. But I got 23 grand entries and believe me I am a happy girl. Thank you all you dear people who took the interest and effort for me. This is immense encouragement for me to host further events. Without making you wait any longer lets open our hamper with:

Rahin's Walnut Cookies

Rahin says: If you have never made these cookies , I highly recommend trying out this recipe at least once. The whole process is so simple, and the aroma when these are baked is soooooo good ....you must try it to believe it.

I say: Rahin has a delicious blog going with a equally delicious name Lazzat.
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Praveena's Murukku

Praveena says: Murukku / Chakli is a savoury snack, popular in southern part of India. With a cup of tea, i munched on some of the murukku that my friend prepared and got the see how this snack is prepared.

I say: Praveena's blog Simply Spicy is steeped in tradition with some authentic recipes from Kerala. This lady loves spicy currys that's for sure.

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Nupur's Eggplant Caponata Sandwich

Nupur says: Caponata is wonderful at room temperature, making it perfect picnic food. It also tastes better if made a day before serving.

I say: Nupur's Blog One Hot Stove is just like it's name suggests One Hot Blog. It is a treasure trove for us foodies. It's immensely informative, well researched and beautifully presented. Need I say more?

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Elle-n-Chikki's Thengai Mangai Pattani Sundal

Elle Chikki says:The first thing that comes to mind when I hear "Thengai Mangai Pattani Sundal" (Coconut Raw-mango Green-peas sundal) is the Marina Beach.

I say: Elle- n- Chikki's blog "
Lemon and Chillies is a great effort of two friends in putting their culinary skills to the test and sharing their experiences with us. Just look at that pic. Doesn't it make your mouth water?

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Jyothi's Tortilla Pizza

Jyothi says: This is a mexican snack, and it tastes awesome. You can pack it easily for any picnic and also can serve it as a weekend snack. For this, we can use seasonal vegetables and some Indian flavours.

I say: Jyothi's blog World Wide Cooking has some fantastic cookery videos. I loved watching them. I think that's a fab idea Jyothi .

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Ketki's Veg Pears

Ketki says: The weather outside is Picnic Perfect and my mind is bursting with ideas of interesting eats that can be loaded in my picnic basket.This recipe is called 'Veg Pears'. It is comfortable finger food. No fuss.Tasty and Traditional.

I say: Ketki's blog My Two Cents is a very young blog which is just 2 months old. Ketki loves to talk about and share with us everything that really matters to her.

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Hima's Banana Nut Cup Cakes

Hima says: I am fond of muffins. Every now and then I try to make atleast half a dozen muffins and store in a box. Well, I called these as cup cakes because I followed the recipe for cake. I was very much pleased with the way they turned out, very moist and melting in the mouth. Simply Great.

I say: Hima's blog Snackorama is the blog to visit if you are searching for some great low fat muffins. She is a girl after my heart as I am a Muffin Maniac myself. Though my mania is more for eating them rather than making them. So keep the oven switched ON Hima and you know where to find a taster if ever you need one.

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Nag's Rich Dark Chocolate Cake

Nags says: I am a self-confessed chocolate addict. This cake is rich, dark and absolutely yummy. My mom makes it whenever she gets the chance and is in the mood.

I say: Nags 's blog For The Cook In Me is quite a delicious mix bag. Her recipes are quick and uncomplicated with some very interesting dishes from Kerala.

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Jyothi's Eggrolls

Jyothi says: These eggrolls are very simple to make and very good picnic food. They keep well and are easy to carry too.

I say: Jyothi's Andhra Spicy has a fantastic collection of not only Andhraite recipes but also some very good Chinese and Mexican recipes.

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Dhana's Mango Panha

Dhana says: My mango panha is a tribute to India's meteoric rise as well as the actual meteoric temperatures we are experiencing this summer. Its a refreshing drink to a refreshing start of the next set of glorious years for India!!

I say: Dhana's blog Fresh Kitchen (I just love this name) is one year old and her inspiration to blog came from her move into a new house with a gorgeous kitchen. Oh to have a kitchen that inspires you to cook lovely fresh food. What more could a food blogger ask for? Right Dhana?

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Manasi's Cabbage Rolls and Salsa

Sabudana Wada

Manasi says: These rolls which are not only healthy and filling, but look great on a platter too!! So whether its picnic or you have invited guests for snacks, this one will surely be a hit!

I say: Manasi's Fun and Food is a multi-faceted blog from Silicon Valley . She has come up with not one but 3 yummy recipes

Cabbage Rolls and Salsa Recipe,

Sabudana Vadas ,

Bread Rolls

Fun and Food traverses reading,writing cooking travelling,singing and gardening . Manasi also hosts Cool Ideas and Gadgets .

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Zlamushka's Same Hummus Different Flavours

Zlamushka says: I love spreads! As simple as that, I decided to make hummus today. It is real hot, so cooked hot food is out of question. Plus, it is not a dumb idea to make a kilo of it to enjoy as the days go by.

I say: In Zlamushka's Spicy Kitchen her primary focus is on condiments .Pastes, Curries, Dips, Marinades, Pickles, Glazes and Sauces are what interest her the most. Having said that I think her blog is a mind-blowing fusion of Oriental, Indian and Western tastes.

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Aarti's Spiced Mamra

Aarti says: This is obviously a snack to be enjoyed during the journey, as a timepass snack, not as lunch since its not filling.. A snack that will be loved by all and will be finished off in minutes.. Thats too with minimul fuss and no fear of spoiling.

I say:Aarti's Corner is a yummy blog with loads and loads of authentic Maharashtrian specialities. I suspect Aarti also has a major sweet tooth as she has some of the most gorgeous sweet treats beautifully presented.

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Veggie Burgers by Priya

Priya says: This was the perfect bite of burger I have had in a very long time. Since I made the patty to suit my taste the final burger was just fabulous ....

What do I say about Priya's Akshayapaatram, a blog that is already so popular . A delicious vegetarian blog with a wide wide variety of cuisines and some stunning photographs.

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Masala Buns by Raaga

Raaga says: Since these buns are a meal in themselves, and they are non messy, they are very good companions for the lunchbox and definitely make for good company while on a picnic .

Raaga is The Singing Chef . Her blog reflects every bit of the enthusiasm that she puts in her cooking. She says "Experimenting is the name of the game for her" . Well keep up the experimenting Raaga as we are definitely benefitting from it. The cheerful mood of her blog starts right from her own smiley photo on her homepage.

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Potato Salad by Rajitha

Rajitha says: "I love Potatoes and I feel that they are given a bad rap and termed as unhealthy and bad for you. In my opinion, the way it is cooked makes a difference on it being healthy and a good source of carb or a phenominal source of fat . This potato salad though American in name is full of Mediterranean flavors. I love Mediterranean food esp. middle eastern food and I think this salad really packs in a punch for me."

I say: Rajitha's Hungerpangs is a relatively new blog on the blogosphere but her talent and creativity really come through. She has some very good quick-to-cook recipes accompanied by great pics.

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Priyanka's Hamper of a variety of Muffins

Priyanka says:These muffins are my first try at baking and i am happy to report that they came out pretty well. And the best part about them: they are eggless .

I say: Priyanka has the double advantage of firstly being a Maharashtrian and secondly being influenced by Gujarathi cuisine. Believe me these two regions have 2 of the best and most well-balanced cuisines in India so you can imagine the explosion of flavours when they come together. So Priyanka calling her blog Lajawab is most apt.

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Latha's Chocolate chip Cookies

Latha of The Yum Blog says: I have been baking these cookies or ghee biscuits alteast once a month for the past 25 years. Over the years many people have enjoyed these cookies that I bake. But the recipe received its ultimate seal of validation when Sunil, a chef at Taj and Anupama, his wife a professor in a Hotel management school said that my cookies are the best they have ever tasted. :DYay!!!

Delicious Soft Idlis with Mulagai Podi also from Latha
Latha would also like to share with us some delicious soft Idlis with Mulagai Podi .

Latha has some old rare recipes of mom and grand mom, which she wants to preserve for future generations through her blog. The food community definitely needs more veterans like you Latha to keep those traditional recipes fresh in our minds.

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Viji's Picnic Special Wheat Biscuits

Viji from the Yum Blog has brought her Picnic Special Wheat Biscuits.

She says: The kids especially love these sweet creations.

I say: Viji dear ,where picnics are concerned I turn into a kid myself. So don't be surprised if the biscuits disappear too soon.

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Aloo Patties from Anupama of What's Cooking

Anupama from What's Cooking brings yummy Aloo Patties for our Picnic
Anu is a working mom and has recently started blogging. She likes fast to cook ,easy and healthy recipes.

I say:All the best and welcome to food blogging Anu!

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And finally here's what I have brought along . Paneer Tikka Kathi Rolls. I made them for the first time speciallly for our picnic and I hope you all enjoy them. It's again a hit recipe from Tarla Dalal's Collection.

These rolls make a complete meal by themselves. The recipe recommended wholewheat flour for the chapatis but I was in an indulgent mood and used plain flout instead. I also increased the amount of chilly powder and such snacks do taste better when made a little spicier than normal. Cooking Time : 20 mins.Preparation Time : 15 mins.Makes 9 rolls.

For the paneer tikka filling:

1 cup paneer cubed

½ cup tomatoes, deseeded and diced

½ cup capsicum diced

1 teaspoon oil

To be mixed into a marinade:

1/4 cup curds beaten

2.5 teaspoon chilli powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon ginger paste

¼ teaspoon garlic paste

¼ teaspoon chickpea flour

½ teaspoon chaat masala

½ teaspoon kasuri methi

½ teaspoon garam masala

salt to taste

For the chapatis:

1 cup plain flour

Just enough milk to make a soft dough

Salt to taste

For the paneer tikka filling:

1.Add the paneer and tomatoes to the prepared marinade and toss lightly.

2.Leave aside for 10 minutes.

3.Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, add the capsicum and sauté for 2 minutes.

4.Add the paneer mixture and sauté over a high flame for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

For the chapatis:

1.Combine all the ingredients and knead into a soft dough.

2.Divide the dough into 9 equal portions.

3.Roll out each portion into a thin chapati.

4.Cook each chapati on a tava (griddle) on both sides. Keep aside.

How to proceed:

1.Divide the paneer tikka filling into 9 equal portions.

2.Spread one portion of the filling in the centre of each chapati and roll up tightly.

3. If eating at home , cook the rolls on a hot tava (griddle). But for a picnic do not cook as they will get chewy by the time you eat them. So cold rolls are just fine for outdoors. Enjoy !!!

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Two more very good recipes for our picnic are :

1. Crispy Bread Rolls: These I have already blogged about but they are so tasty that everytime I make them at home I wish I could blog about them again. So do take a look. I know you wil love them.

2. Mini Cappucino Muffins: I told you I am somewhat of a muffin maniac too . So I had to include these.
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Hope you enjoyed reading the Round-up as much as I enjoyed doing it.

Centrepiece for an Asian Table-Setting

My Aai (Mom) always says : "Good food must be accompanied by a great setting. They have go to hand in hand. Before a guest actually tastes the food, it is the setting of the table that should appeal to the eyes."

Since childhood I have seen my mom come up with the most delightful table centre pieces in a matter of minutes using very simple accessories easily available. She mostly works with flower petals and lamps and has beautiful ethnic centrepieces particularly during Diwali and Dassera. Now thankfully her penchant for these beautiful decorations has rubbed off a bit on me.

Now my problem is my dining table which is small . I mean calling it small is actually an understatement. It can barely accommodate the three of us with our plates and glasses. So having a centrepiece on the table when I have guests over is possible only if I lay out a buffet. Even then it has to me a small arrangement . I mean how much ever I love to have one the guests would definitely like to have some food on the table as well,won't they?

So I created this small centre piece which suits a small dining table perfectly. Its great particularly with the evening meal because the lights look particularly pretty. For added effect you can sprinkle some some glitter on the water . The lights I have used are simple tea lights which I bought at IKEA. They can be easily substituted with Indian diyas or floating candles. Use any coloured petals of your choice. As I have limited resources here in my UK home I just used a glass dish I had at hand, but if you have any old silver or brass platters lying at home, give them a good polish and give them a rebirth.

I am happy to send this Centrepiece over to Janelle for Centrepiece of the Month. I hope she likes it.

Just a small REMINDER : The last date for entries to Fun in The Sun is 22nd of August. Those interested please send in your entries so I can include them in the round-up. Thank you!!

Sweet and Sour Vegetables with Egg Fried Rice

Yes! I know I have broken my promise. Said I would share the recipe on Saturday,but just couldn't bring myself to type so much. Blogging is so much more time-consuming hard work than the actually cooking. I just realised that although my blog is about food and cooking, many a times I find myself rushing through the morning with the cooking and other tasks in the kitchen just so that I can get more time to blog. But that's the funny part of it. Create more and more fast to cook recipes so you have maximum time left to blog about them and show off what you have created.

Anyway I think I have rambled enough and should now get down to the actual sharing of the recipe. These two dishes are most liked by me in my family because 1. they are really delicious and 2. they have a restaurant feel to them without having to toil too much over the hob. I have also managed to thoroughly convince my husband and son that although it is only rice and vegetables it is a very filling and satisfying combo. Gosh ! Have I started rambling again? So Sorry! I don't know what's come over me today.

OK first the rice:

You need:

11/2 C Brown Rice, (Use white rice if you prefer)

4 C water,

salt to season

2 eggs (scrambled),

3 spring onions chopped,

2 tblspns Soy Sauce,

1 to 2 tspn Chilly Sauce,

3 tblspn oil

Method:

Now brown rice is something completely new to me. I was basically experimenting with it for the first time. I cooked it in the microwave. In a MW proof container I put the rice with 4 C of hot water ,seasoned it with salt ,covered it and cooked it for 25 mins. After every mins I used open the MW and check to see whether it was done and give it a gentle stir. After 25 mins of cooking I was convinced that it was nicely cooked. I removed it and spread it out in a large plate to cool it down a bit and separate the grains.

While the rice is cooking scramble the eggs in a pan . Season with a tiny bit of salt and some pepper

In a wok heat the oil and saute half the chopped spring onions . Add the soy sauce and chilly sauce. Next add the rice and the scrambled eggs and give it a good toss. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper or any of the sauces if you like.

Before serving garnish with the remaining raw chopped spring onions .

For the Sweet and Sour Vegetables you need:

2 spring onions chopped , 4 cloves of garlic chopped finely 1/2 inch piece of ginger chopped , 2 small carrots, 3 to 4 baby corn, 5 to 6 button mushrooms diced, half a sweet pepper, 1/2 cup cauliflower florets, 1/2 cup green beans thinly sliced , 2 tspns Soy Sauce, 1 tspn chilly sauce , 1 tblspn brown vinegar, 3 tblspns tomato ketchup, 1 tspn sugar, 4 C water, 1&1/2 tblspn cornflour dissolved in a little water , salt and pepper to taste, 2 tblspn oil.

Method:

In a saucepan mix the soy sauce, chilly sauce ,vinegar, ketchup, sugar, and the 4 C of water. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok and fry the chopped garlic and ginger. Next fry the spring onions and all the other veggies for a few mins on high flame . Typical to Chinese cooking the vegetables should be cooked but still have a bite to them.

Now pour the mix of water and sauces into the wok and bring to a boil. After it begins to boil lower the heat and simmer for 10 mins. At this stage add the cornflour dissolved in water. Add the salt and give it a taste. Adjust all sauces as per your taste. The sauce should be slightly thick have a nice sweet and tangy taste .

When serving garnish with chopped spring onions and serve piping hot with the fried rice. Its a delicious and healthy light supper .

India celebrating 60th Independence Day Anniversary

WISHING ALL MY INDIAN BLOG PALS A HAPPY 60TH INDEPENDENCE DAY ANNIVERSARY !

Today I would like to share with you something that my dear friend Rasika has put together. Its such a great compilation that it deserves to be seen and enjoyed by all of us on the blogosphere. Thank you Rasika.


These are some videos which we grew up watching.
They evoke a sense of nostalgia in our minds about the times when our families used to sit and watch these shows and commercial on Doordarshan.
Old Advertisements/Jingles



Mile Sur mera tumahara – Original
Hamara Bajaj ad
Milcent Aata ad
Tata tea
Doodh Doodh ad
Cadbury ad
Ek Anek Chidyaa

Audio Tracks
He Man – Audio Track (Original)
Chanakya Title song – Audio Track (Original)
Byomkesh Bakshi Opening Sound track (Original )
Title music of “Darpan”
Download Link 1 / Download Link 2 – Tipu Sultan ( Remix not original)

Old TV Shows
Malgudi Days – Watch Online [Courtsey- Rajshri Website]
Surabhi Episodes [ Chk out more stuff on http://www.amul.tv/amultv/viewtvshows.php?episode=surbhi259
MahaBharat http://www.rajshri.com/mahabharat/nowplaying.asp?band=low&fileID=tvshowsMythological1
Paying Guest [ Chk out more stuff on http://www.rajshri.com ]

Amul Ads
Amul Cheese
Amul Pizza Cheese
Amul- That’s an Order
Library Ad
Hamara Bajaj

Enjoy them!

Dal Dhokli (Can we call it Indian Pasta?)

The other day a few friends came over for a little tea party at my place . Actually calling our get-togethers "little" is a big joke. I'll tell you why. We meet once every week at someones place and since last year our group has slowly and gradually become quite large (we are 7 ladies and 10 kids). The agenda is that the kids play for 2 to 3 hours and we ladies get to chat,laugh and generally let our hair down. There's also plenty to eat, so much so that we have made and eaten all possible popular snacks till date and quite often run out of ideas.

Now we have very solemnly decided on numerous occasions that the main aim of our meeting on a weekly basis is that the kids get to play together and since all of us have exhibited their cooking skills by now ,henceforth we will have only tea and biscuits for us ladies and a few dry snacks for the kids. As soon as we make this resolution all of us earnestly nod our heads and agree that the next tea will be strictly tea and biscs only and nothing else. So we even tried it out a couple of times. (Honest! Cross my Heart!!) Tea Biscuits and a little something extra for the kids ,but..... .... .and that's a very big BUT, it took out half of the charm from our weekly teas.

And secondly we also felt that 4.00p.m to 7.00 p.m is a long span of time in which it was very "normal" for all of us to feel like snacking. We did not need too much convincing. That's for sure!

The heavy snacks is one of the best parts of the get together. Tasting different kinds of foods made by someone else is a dream for all of us isn't it? You might be making that same snack at home but it tastes so deliciously different when someone else makes it for you and serves it nicely all ready to eat. So we all unanimously came to the decision (with big smiles on our faces) that the snacks had to stay.

Now you might be wondering what all this talk has to do with the recipe at hand. The thing is during this tea we normally ask each other what we have prepared as dinner for the poor hubbies who are left out of these dos. So when I said "Dal Dhokli" there were a couple of nods and a couple of puzzled looks. When I explained what I meant by "Dal Dhokli" one friend quipped "Oh ,we call it Varan Phala and another said " Oh! You mean Chakolya" . This was a new word for me. And when I actually making it I thought "Hey this is just like Pasta. You have a sauce and you have diamond shaped pieces of dough " But it's much much tastier and more nutritious than Pasta. So do you think it can be called Indian Pasta in English?

Here's my version :

Things needed:

For the dal:

1 and 1/2 C Toovar Dal ,

1 C Fresh Tomato puree (If you use the concentrated Puree 1 T is enough)

1 and 1/2 t mustard seeds,

1 t cumin seeds,

2 t goda masala, (this is made in all maharashtrian homes),

1 1/2 t coriander powder,

1 t asafoetida (hing),

1 T jaggery,

2t chilli powder,

1 t turmeric powder,

3 T oil ,

salt to taste,

8 C of water.

For the dough :

2 C wholewheat flour,

1 t carom seeds,(ajwain or owaa in Marathi),

1 t salt,

2 t fennel powder,(powdered saunf),

a pinch turmeric,

1/2 t chilli powder,

1/2 t baking soda,

3 T very hot oil.

Mix all the above and knead into a dough which is not to soft and not too stiff. Later you can make about 5 to 6 dough balls the size of a golf ball.

Preparing the Dal:

1. Pressure cook the dal . On opening the pressure cooker stir the dal vigorously when hot to break down all the grain and make it smooth,

2. In a large kadhai, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds , hing, cumin and wait only till the mustard splutters,

3. Next add the tomato puree, chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric ,goda masala, jaggery and salt. Cook this on a moderate flame till the tomato is thoroughly cooked.

4. Now add 7 C of water , increase the heat and boil. Once the water starts boiling add the cooked dal and continue boiling for next 5 mins. Give it a taste. At this point all the seasoning should be completed.

5. Now while the Dal is merrily boiling away roll out one ball of dough at a time thinly like in the pic below,

6. Separate the diamonds and start dropping them in the boiling dal . Continue doing this till you have finished all the dough. Add the eighth C of water now and boil the entire contents of the kadhai for 7 to 8 mins stirring once in a while so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

7. It is important to add that last C of water at the end because the dal tends to become too thick after adding the dough pieces. Another important thing is not to cover the cooking pot or kadhai with a lid as that too tends too thicken the dal to the point where it becomes impossible to reheat when ready to serve. So leave the pan uncovered after you have swiched off the gas.

Just 2 of my favourite gadgets used while making this dish (A wooden ravi and a brass wheel cutter)

8. Now to serve: This dish is eaten with a variety of accompaniments

a. Simply chop some onions finely to go with it.

b. Make a simple salad of onions ,tomatoes and cucumber. This acts as a coolant.

c. Drizzle a tspn of ghee or oil over individual servings of dal dhokli .

d. The fourth is my favourite . I make a tempering of garlic and red chillies in a couple of T of oil and drizzle the same over my plate of dal dhokli. This definitely is no coolant.

This is one of the best one dish meals I have eaten till date. Try it out and do give me your opinions. Yes all those silent visitors too.

Matar Paneer, Frozen Phulkas and Cucumber Spirals { Summer Express Cooking Event}

When I read about Shaheen's Summertime Express Cooking Event (Meals under 30 mins) my first thought was "Oh but that's what I do practically everyday when I cook an entire lunch for my husband's tiffin . Yes he does carry a complete Indian Lunch sans rice almost everyday to office.(Barring those days when he is out of office all day and has to MAKE DO with a delicious baguette sandwich from Upper Crust.

I admit it needs a bit of pre-planning to cook a meal in 30 mins or less but thats no hassle once you are in the habit of doing it. Besides the daily tiffin lunch the other times when I want a good meal on the table in a very short time is on weekends. Yes being a full-time home-maker I spend quite a lot of my time during the week in my kitchen, (in fact most of my elaborate meals are made during the week because I do have the time for them ).So its only fair that I want to spend more time relaxing with my family on weekends , but at the same time have a delicious meal on the table ,which is everybody's favourite when hunger beckons.

One way I save on cooking time during the weekends is my using frozen phulkas. No not the store-bought variety. I make my own during the week and store them in batches of 10. That's how many the three of us consume at one meal. This cuts down amazingly on cooking time .

So whenever you have the time make extra phulkas or chappatis whatever your preference and freeze them in batches of 10 or 12 in stack in freezer bags. Put the date on which you are freezing them and a use by date on them . I normally use them up within a week to 10 days. When you want to use them just wrap them in kitchen paper and pop them into the microwave for 10 to 12 secs and you have a soft phulka ready to eat.

The meal I have here today is a firm family favourite and although the total items in the meal are just 3 ,the meal as a whole is so satisfying that you don't need anything else. The Matar Paneer here tastes so good that it will give any Punjabi Dhaaba a run for its money.

So here's how :

Ingredients for Matar Paneer:

200 gms Paneer cubed (Store bought or Homemade ),

2.5 cups frozen peas,

2 large onions, (just cut into chunks)

4 cloves of garlic,

1 inch piece of ginger, (to save on time peeling garlic cloves and grating ginger just use 2 tspns of ginger garlic paste),

1 can chopped tomatoes,

10 cashew nuts,

1/2 a cup of milk,

1 generous handful of fresh coriander, (washed but no need to chop)

1 tspns each of Coriander and Cumin powders,

1 tspn Kitchen King Masala (if this is not available substitute with 1 tspn Kasoori Methi),

1 and 1/2 tspn chilly powder,

1/2 tspn turmeric powder,

4 black pepper corns,

1 small stick cinnamon,

1 bayleaf,

4 cloves,

3 tblspns of ghee (you can use oil instead but believe me it tastes awesome when cooked in ghee) I know all dieters are shaking there heads with disapproval.

salt to taste.

Now what do you do with all these:

1. Before you actually start the cooking immerse the paneer in some warm water and leave it that way until its time to put it in the gravy,

2.. In a kadhai heat the ghee and put in the cinnamon, cloves ,peppercorns and bayleaf. Fry until they release a spicy aroma,

3 Next add the ginger -garlic paste and fry it for few seconds,

4. After that come the onion chunks. Keep the heat moderately high so they turn a nice golden brown,

5. When the onions are golden tip in the chopped tomatoes and at this stage also add the cumin coriander powders,chilly powder, kitchen king masala, turmeric powder and the handful of coriander. Putting coriander inside a curry gives the entire dish a sensational aroma. Now let all this cook for 10 mins .( Add a little water if necessary)

6 After ten minutes switch off the gas remove the bayleaf from the mixture and tip in the entire contents of the kadhai into a deep container in which you can use a hand blender to blend everything to a paste. (By using a hand-blender you do not have to wait for the mixture to cool down at all)

7. Before blending add the cashew nuts and the milk and then blend it all together.

8. Pour the gravy back into the kadhai, add the paneer cubes,frozen peas , a cup of water, and salt to taste. Give it another boil for 5 mins and your matar paneer is ready to serve.

Now that almost 20 mins have been taken by the matar paneer you can use the remaining 10 mins to cut the cucumber (I cut them into spirals ) and microwaving the frozen phulkas. Plate it all up and what you have is a delicious hot meal ready in 1/2 an hour flat.

Note:To make the cucumber more interesting mix it with some plain yogurt and chaat masala or another idea is to rub some mango pickle on the cut cucumber to make it nice and spicy. Take your pick.

Now let me just pop over to Shaheen's Malabar Spice with my ideas for her Summer Express Cooking Event

Mirchi Bhaji /Batter-fried Chillies (A Special Farmaish)

My hubby although a food lover doesn't frequently request (read that as pester) me to make any particular kinds of food . He loves everything I make and eats it with gusto. So once in a while when he has a craving for something it's simply impossible to ignore. Then even if it is a deep-fried item like bhajis (which I normally completely avoid making) I oblige.

His craving was for Moong dal bhajis which we all know are simply irresistible. So I made them. Now anytime we speak about foods like bhajis or batata wadas my hubby always tells me " Aai always fries a couple of chilli bhajis in the last remaining batter and they are simply awesome . They give a kind of kick to the whole batch of bhajis. " So I too fried a couple of them dipped in the same moong dal batter. And although I simply could not bring myself to eat any, hubby dear definitely ate them with great relish. Just watching him eat them gave me immense satisfaction. He even asked me to pack some in his lunch box the next day.

For the Moong Dal Bhajis I used:

1.5 cup yellow moong dal, soaked in water for 2 to 3 hrs,

4 tblspn semolina,

2 green chillies,

1 tblspn saunf powder (powdered fennel seeds)

1 tblspn ajwain,

1/2 tspn turmeric powder,

1/2 tspn sugar,

1/2 tspn baking soda,

a nice generous handful of fresh coriander chopped,

salt as per taste.

Oil for frying

Procedure:

1. Blend the soaked moong dal , chillies, and all the spice powders to a not very smooth paste. Its nice to have a coarse textured batter for the bhajis.

2. Add to the batter salt ,sugar, baking soda, semolina and the chopped coriander and give it a good stir. Add a lilttle water if the batter is too thick.

3.Heat the oil in a kadhai and drop teaspoonfuls of batter in the oil and deep fry. Remove bhajis on a kitchen towel to drain off the excess oil . Serve hot with ketchup.

4. For the Mirchi bhajis take whole green chillies (as many as you want).

5. Slit them vertically and deseed them. Dip each chilli in the batter and immediately drop into the hot oil. The batter tends to slide off the chilli so hold the chilli horizontally . The bhaji looks very pretty with some of the green chilli peeping out of the fried batter.

6. Serve the chilli bhajis with a cool minty yogurt dip and not with any chutney or sauce.

7 Prepare the dip by adding some chopped mint to a bowl of yogurt and a pinch each of salt and sugar. It soothes the pallete.

Well enjoy and let me know how you liked it.