(Deep Fried Pastry with Split Chickpeas)

Chana Daal Kachori

(Deep Fried Pastry with Split Chickpeas)

Ingredients:

For The Dough

2 cups plane flour
Salt to taste
Warm water
Oil for frying

For the filling 

1 cup Soaked overnight Chana Dal 
2 green chillies chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds 
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp ginger paste 
1 tsp chaat masala
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil

Method:

For the filling

Now heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan then add cumin seeds and fennel seeds and sauté for 1 minute.

Add the ginger paste and green chillies then fry again for 1 minute.

Add the boiled Chana Dal , all powdered masalas,lime juice and salt then cook for another 5 minutes covered.

Remove from the flame and keep it aside

Coarsely grind the dal.

Knead dough tightly with less water, 1 tsp oil and 1 pinch salt (or to taste).

Make balls of dough and make each ball first bowl shaped.

Then fill in the filling and close it. 

 Then make thicker puris of it. 

Deep fry them until golden brown and take them out and serve with a gravy dish.

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Pinto Beans Curry

Ingredients:

1 cup raw or 1 can cooked kidney/pinto beans

3 tbsp olive oil (or any other oil)

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 whole diced onion

2 cloves fresh grated garlic

1 tbsp fresh grated ginger

1 finely chopped green chilli (optional)

1/2 can diced tomatoes (or 1 diced fresh tomato)

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric)

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp coriander powder

Handful of freshly chopped coriander

1 Bay Leaf

1 Clove

1 cinnamon stick

Method:




1. If you are using raw pinto beans, soak them overnight.
2.Cook in pressure cooker or large pot until tender (usually about 10-15 minutes after first whistle in pressure cooker).Add a little salt in the water before you cook.

3. For the masala, in a pan (I use pressure cooker) heat the oil on medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, clove, cinnamon stick.

4. When they begin to sizzle add the onion. Once golden add the garlic, ginger and green chilli.
Cook for a 3-5 more minutes.

5. Then add the salt, garam masala, turmeric powder, coriander powder and paprika. Mix well.
Add the tomatoes and fresh coriander.

6. Mash them up and mix well to form the masala.
Cook for 3-5 minutes.

7. Add Tomatoes and cook until oil seperates.

8. Add the cooked pinto beans to the masala. Add 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil.

Check the salt and alter accordingly.

9. Sprinkle cilantro and delicious pinto beans curry is ready. :)

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Vegetable Broth for soups:

Vegetable broth ingredients

• 10 c water
• 1⁄2 med Onion, peeled and chopped
• 4 Carrots, peeled and chopped
• 4 Celery stalks, chooped
• 1 c Fresh parsley, finely-chopped
• Salt to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 6 oz Tomato paste (opt)
• Bay leaf
• Garlic cloves 6 to 7
• Cloves 2 to 3

Cooking Vegetable broth

1. Put olive oil in heavy bottomed big pot.

2. Put bay leaf, cloves, crushed garlic into oil and cook for 1 minute.

3. Place rest of all the ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer for 3 hours.
3. Strain mixture if you prefer a clear broth, if you leave vegetables in broth, you have a simple vegetable soup.

4. Serve hot. Per serving: 23 calories, less than 1 grams fat, 1 grams protein, 0. 8 milligrams iron, 5 grams carbohydrates, 28 milligrams calcium, 1. 9 grams dietary fiber.

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Home made dahi or Yogurt

Ingredients:

• Fresh Milk (as much you want yogurt)
• 1-2 tbsp natural yogurt.
• 
  

Method 1 :

1. Boil fresh milk in a heavy sauce pan.
2. Once its boiled, let it cool down to a warm state.
3. Transfer milk into a bowl with cover and add natural yogurt, stir well.
4. Place it in a warm place overnight or for at least 7-6 hours (longer time if weather is cool that day). Do not move the container during the setting period.

Method 2 :

Boil fresh milk in a heavy sauce pan.

Once its boiled, let it cool down to a warm state.

Transfer milk into a bowl with cover and add natural yogurt, stir well.

Place it wrapped inside dark Towel for 6 to 7 hrs.

Method 3:

Boil fresh milk in a heavy sauce pan.

Once its boiled, let it cool down to a warm state.

Transfer milk into a bowl with cover and add natural yogurt, stir well.

Warm water in large lidded container up to 120 F.

Put the bowl into water container and cover it and keep it for 6 to 7 hrs.

Keep warming water up to 120 F to maintain its temperature for 7 hrs.

If you want to prepare home made Ghee view it here

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Momos VEG

The mouth watering dish from Tibet, goes very well with soup........

For the covering( Sevres 4):
1 cup flour
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp. vegetable oil
100 mL cold water

Sift the flour and salt.
Add oil and mix properly with your fingers.
Add water gradually and keep mixing with your fingers till you get a firm dough.
Cover with a damp muslin cloth and keep aside for half an hour.

For the filling:
2 tsp. vegetable oil
pinch of cumin seeds
1 garlic clove, chopped finely
1 tsp. grated ginger or ginger juice
1 green chili, chopped finely
1 onion, chopped finely
½ cup finely chopped cabbage
1 carrot, chopped finely into tiny cubes
3 fluid oz water
salt to taste
¼ tsp. garam masala

For the salad:
½ cup fine strips of cabbage
½ cup fine strips of carrots
¼ tsp. lemon juice
Salt to taste

Mix together all of the ingredients.



Procedure :

Heat the oil and add the cumin seeds.
Add the garlic, ginger, green chili and onions and stir for a minute.
Add the cabbage, carrots and potatoes and stir again.
Add some water and cook covered for about 7-8 minutes until the vegetables become soft and the water is dried up.
Add the salt and garam masala and stir well.
Remove from heat and keep aside.

Making Momos:
Divide the dough into three portions.
Take one portion and make a ball of it and flatten it on your rolling board.
Roll evenly with a rolling pin trying to get a square of about 9-inches. (If the dough sticks to the rolling board then cover both the sides with some dry flour and roll again.)
Cut this square into 9 small squares of about 3-inches.
Put approximately 1½ tsp. filling in each square.
Lift one corner of the square and join it to the opposite corner to form a triangle.
Use water to glue the sides together.
Join the three corners of the triangle and gently twist to the tip.
If the side are not stuck together, reseal them with water.
Momos can be made into different shapes like little moneybags or envelopes.
Similarly prepare all the momos.
Steam the momos for about 15 minutes until they are swollen.
Place the salad in the center of the serving dish and arrange the hot momos on the sides.
Serve with tomato chutney as a dip.

If you do not have a steamer, here is an easy way to steam the momos:
Take a big pan with a tight lid. Arrange the momos in a steel plate. Put about 2 cups water in the pan. Place a steel bowl in the pan and put the plate of momos on it. Cover the lid and steam for about 12 minutes on medium flame.

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