SEMOLINA SIRO

SEMOLINA SIRO is an extremely popular mithai often cooked in most Asian households.  It is basically a mixture of coarse semolina, sugar, milk, ghee and butter.

I prepare this very frequently when I have guests for dinner, when making last minute mithai for celebratory occassions or festivities and Prayers.

Simply delicious served warm or at room temperature and made even more mouthwatering by the addition of saffron, cardamom, nuts and raisins.  A perfect Indian dessert!

Here is what you need to make this siro and the method too 🙂

1 cup semolina

3 cups milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/4  cup ghee

1/2 stick butter

pinch seffron

pinch cardamom powder

1 tea  sp grated almond

1 tea sp grated pistachio

hand full raisins

In a pot put semolina, ghee and butter( butter is optional)and saute on a medium heat till the semolina turns creamy and ghee  oozes out. Add warm milk (be very care full while pouring milk as it splutters and can burn your skin).

Cook on a low heat for couple minutes or till the milk is almost dissolved . Add sugar and raisins and let it cook for appx 15 min . Garnish with saffron,almonds,pistachio and cardamon powder and serve.

Barfi

Happy Festivities everyone!!! What with Navratri, Dussehra going on I thought I would make some Barfi this week to offer at the temple and share amongst family and friends.  This barfi is rather uncomplicated to make so I hope you will enjoy making and then eating this mouthwatering, rich creamy mithai.

I use mawa or khoya which is basically dried milk usually made by boiling the milk to a consistency similar to that of ricotta cheese or in some recipes, cooked futher to form a more dough like form which can be grated. It takes hours to make khoya the traditional way as you would need to gently simmer full fat milk until the water content has vaporised leaving coagulated mixture in the pan.  Khoya/Mawa is used in a lot of Desi mithai such as barfi, penda, gulab jamun, sometimes in halva too.

Khoya or mawa is readily available in local Indian stores and this is what I have used in my recipe.  It save hours of prep time which is just perfect for me as I have to juggle between the Jikoni and our store.

The trick is to keep stirring the mixture constantly one you have added the khoya, fruit, nuts to the syrup otherwise you will scorch the mixture.

Once the mixture begins to solidify, and cools down (toa temperature warm enough to handle with your hands) lightly oil your hands and start forming shapes

Ingredients and method

3 cups mawa / khoya

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup dry fruit

pinch cardamom

Mix sugar and water boil this to make a syrup .

Syrup should be of  three threads.  For those who do not understand  the thread method, simply take a small bowl with water when syrup starts bubbling put drop of this syrup in the water.  If sugar doesn’t dissolve then its done.

Add mawa and continue stirring for approx 5 min. Turn the heat off keep stirring every few minutes until it stards to solidify. Add the codomom,fruits and   make small balls or  shape shape them as I have.

KACHORI

KACHORI

Mouth watering moong daal kachori.Enjoy these kachoris with chatni.

1 cup moong daal

1/2 cup water

2 tea sp chili powder

1 1/2 tea sp salt

1 tea sp turmeric powder

1/2 tea sp garam masala

2 tea sp sugar

3/4 tea sp citric powder

1 onion.

Soak the daal for 4 to 5 hrs.Wash and drain all the water ………

WAGHAR

3 tab sp oil

1 tea sp mustard seed

Heat oil in the pan,add mustard seed .When it crackle add the moong daal,water,chili powder,salt.Cook on low heat until done.Let it cool,add sugar, citric acid,finely chopped onion,garam masala,hand full cilantro.mix well,make small round balls keep on the side.

2 cupwhite fl

3/4 tea sp salt

5 tab sp oil

In a bowl mix fl ,salt and oil .Bind the fl with water knead the dough well and divide in small balls.Roll out dough into small puris,place the filling in the center put together the puri and make small ball.Remove excess dough from the top. Deep fry over a medium heat until golden brown.

Bajra Thepla

Thepla are always available in Gujarati households and come in a variety of flavours. They make good travelling companions as they store well for a few days without refrigeration and taste delicious with chai, curry or yoghurt. The basic thepla and methi thepla are pretty much on the menu in all Gujarati homes and served with lasan ni chutney or pickles of some sort.

My recipe is for the bajra thepla ( made with bajra/millet flour) and is quite a basic method.

Bajra na thepla

1 cup bajra flour

2 tab sp wheat flour

1 tab sp gram flour

1 tab sp oil

1/2 tea sp ginger paste

1/2 tea sp chili paste

1 tea sp salt

1/2 tea sp turmeric powder

1/2 tea sp black pepper

2 tab sp curd

cilentro

ghee or oil for roasting (about 3 tab spoons.

Mix all the above ingredients in a spacious bowl. Bind with the help of  a little bit water   into firm but pliable dough.

Divide in to 3 to 4 balls

roll out into discs (fairly thin) and roast  in oil or ghee.

Makai with coconut milk

This is a recipe that I obtained from my neighbours in Dar, a muslim family that used to prepare this dish very often during the month of Ramadan.  Whenever this dish was prepared, the neighbour would bring over a potfull to our house.  This dish favours summer flavours and is great in the all consuming hot weather in Dar.

The aroma of the coconut permeates throughout the house and makes one suitably hungry.  It is a bit like the Thai coconut/corn chowder except that the corn is still on cob and in bite size pieces.

It is a mildly spiced coconut and sweetcorn stew which can be eaten without other accompanied foods eg: bread, rice etc.  The corn and potatoes make this a very filling meal.

Here is how you make this super stew!!

4 corn on the cobb

1 potato

1 tea sp salt

1/2 tea sp turmeric powde

1 tea sp lemon juice

cilentro (handful washed,chopped)

3/4 tea sp ginger paste

1 tea sp green chili paste

1 cup coconut milk

Cut the corn in to small pieces,boil  till tender(add 1/2 salt and 1/8 tumeric power)

boil potato separet ( not over cook)

drain all the water from both the above.

In a pot put boiled corn, cut potato ,add the salt & turmeric ginger,chili paste and coconut milk heat this and keep stiring until starts bubbling.Turn heat off add lemon juice.Garnish with cilantros.

DHOKRI

I cannot write this blog without a special mention of my lovely bhabhi Naina Kotecha who shared this recipe with me years ago. Naina makes the best Dhokri (or this variety of dhokla).  It is incredible to just watch her patiently mix the batter, add the spices then pour it into a greased pan to steam.  Making Dhokri is an art.  This dish has to be very fluffy, spongy and light and Naina’s recipe hits the target every time.   I have been using this recipe for many years especially for the jamanvars I host (celebratory feasts) at home.  Served with green chutney this savoury snack is a perfect accompaniment to the jalebis and ganthias that we all adore. so a great big thank you to Naina for this awesome receipe.

By the way, a cup or two of masala chai wont go amiss with this dish.

DHOKRI

1 cup gram fl

1/2 cup curd

3/4 tea sp salt

1/8 tea sp turmeric powder

1 tea sp eno

1/2 tea sp ginger paste

6 tab sp oil.

In a bowl take gram fl add curd,make smooth batter.If its too thick add little water.Keep on the side

Heat the steamer .Once the steamer is hot add all the other ingredients to the batter mix really well.

Pour the batter in a greased stray and steam for 12 to 15 min.

WAGHAR/ GARNISH

2 tab sp oil

4 curry leaves

1 tea sp mustard seed

2 green chillies (cut round )

1 tab sp dry coconut

hand full chopped cilantro