DATES & CHILI FRITTERS

DATES & CHILI FRITTERS

 

 

 

6 green chilies  ( Slit the chilies lengthwise and remove all the seeds)

 

5 pieces dates soften

4 tablespoons gathya crushed (can use darya as well)

1 teaspoon amchur powder

1 medium size potato ( boiled and mashed)

3/4 teaspoon salt

handful finely chopped cilantro

 

 

 

In a bowl combine all the above ingredients and mix well. Set aside.

 

 

For the batter

1/2 cup gram flour

2 tablespoons rice flour

pinch turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

pinch of soda by carb

water as needed

1 teaspoon hot oil ( add lastly)

 

6 to 8 green chilies

Slit the chilies lengthwise and remove all the seeds. stuff the chilies with the prepared masala  set aside. Heat the oil for frying. Dip the stuffed chilies in the batter and deep fry until golden brown . Drain  on a paper towel  and enjoy masala daar garma garam bhajya with chatni.

 

 

 

KAJU KARELA SHAK

KAJU KARELA SHAK

  

 

 

4 medium size karela ( bitter gourds)  Scrape the skin and cut them into semi circle.

 

 

In a bowl mix karela and little salt and mix well, keep on the side for about 15 minutes. Squeeze out all the excess water and  deep fry on high heat and set aside

 

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup cashew nuts small pieces

3  tablespoons raisins

2 tablespoons desiccated coconut

2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon dhana jeeru

1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

 

 

 

FOR TEMPARING

1 tablespoon oil

1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/4 teaspoon asafetida

 

Heat the oil in a skillet, add mustard seeds and asafetida. As soon  as it starts to crackle add raisins mix and will puffed up. Add the fried  karela  and cashew nuts, sprinkle turmeric powder, salt,  dhana  jeeru , chili powder and desiccated coconut mix well, cover the lid and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.  add cilantro ,Transfer in a serving bowl and enjoy with garma garam fulka.

 

 

 

 

 

MITHI SEV FOR RAMADAN

MITHI SEV  FOR RAMADAN

 

 

 

2 cups vermicelli ( broken in to small pieces)

3 tablespoons ghee

4 1/2 cups hot water

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cardamom powder

handful chopped nuts

 

 

 

Melt the ghee in a pan. Add vermicelli and stir fry  for about 5 minutes on a medium heat or until golden brown. Add hot water and let it simmer till almost all the water is absorbed. Add sugar and cardamom powder mix well and cover the lid. Cook for about 5 minutes on low heat stirring frequently. Sev will thicken and leave the edge of the pan.Turn  the heat off ,transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle chopped nut.

 

 

 

DAAL BHAJYA FOR RAMADHAN

DAAL BHAJYA  FOR RAMADHAN

Posting this recipe specially for my friends and readers  who are fasting this month.

 

 

Here’s how you make the Dal Bhajia

Dal Bhajia

1 Cup Chora Dal (split black eyed peas) rinsed and soaked in 2 cups water overnight

1 Large onion – finely chopped

handful of chopped cilantro (washed n drained)

salt to taste  (approx 1 level teaspoon is right for me)

4 green chillies ground into a paste

1/2 an inch piece of fresh ginger – ground to paste

oil for deep frying

Here’s how you make the bhajias:

Once the dal has soaked overnight, rinse it again in a few changes of water then drain into a colander.

In a food processer, mince the dal (without adding any water). The mixture will be wet as the dal is already moist from the overnight soaking.

Tip the dal mixture into a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients listed above.

Heat the oil in a karai or fryer and test by dropping a small pinch of the dal mix into the hot oil (it is ready if the dal mix floats to the top almost immediately it is put into the karai or fryer).

Now use a teaspoon to drop the batter into the hot oil and use a slotted spoon the turn the bhajias to ensure they are golden brown all over.  once the Bhajias are a deep golden color, use your slotted spoon to remove them from the hot oil and onto a plate onto which you have place some kitchen paper.

Serve these piping hot with a Nariyal (coconut) chatni.

 

 

MANDHAZI ( Recipe for Ramadhan)

.                                                                                 MANDHAZI  ( recipe for Ramadhan)

 

There are of course many variations to this dish but I have used the basic recipe, obtained from the locals.  I do not use coconut milk to bind the dough, or for that matter milk.  Mildly sweet these can be served with chai, kahawa or even with savoury food like Bharazi.  The Mandhzi differ from the regular doughnuts as they are not glazed or drenched in sugar or syrup or injected with sticky jam but they are delicious nonetheless.

I do hope you will try making these at home and let the delicious aroma take you to East Africa…..

MANDHAZI

2 cups white flour

4 tab sp gree

6 tab sp sugar

1 1/2 tea sp baking powder

water.

oil for  frying

Mix all above ingredients with warm water.Knead the dough well until its nice and soft.Cover and set aside for an hr or two.Divide the dough in to balls .Roll in to circle appx 1/2 an inch,cut in to four pieces,keep on the side for 30 min.Deep fry.

PINEAPPLE SHEERO

 

PINEAPPLE SHEERO

Here is tasty little treats. Love the combination of the tart and sweet together.These  dessert will sweeten all your togetherness with  family and friends.

 

1 cup crushed pineapple ( cut in to small cubes)

1 cup semolina

2 1/4 cup warm water

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup mawa

4 tablespoons ghee

3 tablespoons raisins

1 teaspoon cardamom powder

pinch saffron strands

hand full almond  slivers

 

Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan add semolina and sauté on medium heat till light pink color.  Add pineapple cubes and mix well, turn the heat on low and cook for about 2 minutes. Add  saffron, raisins, grated mawa , cardamom powder and  sugar . mix well and cover the lid. Cook for about 8 to 10, stirring occasionally  until all the liquid is absorbed and it does not stick on the sides.Transfer in a serving bowl and sprinkle almond  slivers.

 

Enjoy !!

 

MAKAI WITH COCONUT MILK

MAKAI WITH COCONUT MILK

 

I have been going through my recipes and wanted to share again some of my favorite foods cooked during the month of Ramadan. Whilst living in Dar, our Ramadan observing friends would prepare a feast for the Iftar or what the locals there called, Futuru, the breaking of the daily fast.  Foods cooked in rich sauces, biryanis, bhajias, and sweet vermicelli noodles were made and shared with neighbor’s who also made special preparations for their friends in return regardless of race or religion. We were lucky to live in an era when everyone lived as one happy community, doors to each others homes were always open and lasting relationships were built.  This month I want to share with you all shudh vegetarian futuru specials, some of these recipes were shared with me by friends and some I made for them. I remember the neighbor’s cooking vegetarian foods especially to share during Ramadan and the excitement I felt when I was cooking for them.

It is purely for nostalgic reasons that I will re-post and cook these recipes this month

 

 

 

Here is how you make this super stew!!

4 corn on the cobb

1 potato

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon lime juice

3/4 teaspoon ginger paste

1 teaspoon green chili paste

1 cup coconut milk

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

boil potato separate ( 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.