Coconut Barfi

Coconut barfi is one of my few favourite sweets but I had not learnt preparing it. I tried this recipe from internet and it did come out well; it is in fact a simpler recipe of coconut barfi. Some people like it flaky while some like it fudgy; some like it very sweet that it melts in mouth while some like it chewy; this worked well from both of our preferences.

Ingredients:

1. Grated coconut - 3 cups
2. Condense milk - 1 can
3. Sugar - 1/2 cup
4. Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Ghee - 2 tbsp
6. Chopped almonds - 2 tbsp

Method:

Step 1: Mix grated coconut, condensed milk, sugar in a pan and keep on low heat
Step 2: When thickens add ghee and roll for few min
Step 3: Switch off and add cardamom powder and mix well.
Step 4: Pour on a greased plate and let it cool a bit
Step 5: Sprinkle almonds and cut into squares when warm and take out only when completely cool.

Rice Kitchadi

My mother-in-law seemed to have learnt this dish from someone long long ago. Since then eating rice Kitchadi as Sunday breakfast had been a custom in my in-law's home. I was christened into the family kitchen by learning this everyone’s-favorite dish ;) It was heavy on spice and grease for me but I got used to it and now am also a part of Kitchadi loving family. 

Serves: 2

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 min

Ingredients:

1. Raw rice – 1 cup

2. Tur dal – 1/3 cup

3. Turmeric powder - 2 pinches

4. Salt as required

5. Oil - 3 spoon

6. Ghee – 1 spoon

7. Fennel seeds – 1 spoon

8. Cinnamon - 1 “

9. Cardamom – 2

10. Cloves – 3

11. Bay leaf – 1

12. Tomato – 3

13. Onion – 3

14. Ginger – 3 “

15. Green chillies – 3

16. Garlic – 1 big pod

Method:

Step 1: Wash and soak rice and dal with slightly more water than required so that it cooks slightly mushy. Add to it salt and turmeric powder.

Step 2: Heat oil in a pan and temper with fennel seeds and other dry spices.

Step 3: Add onions, green chillies, ginger, tomato and sauté for few minutes.

 Step 4: Mix this to the soaked rice & dal with enough water and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles.

Step 5: Peel garlic cloves and roast them till brown in oil & ghee mix. 

Step 6: Stir in this with cooked Kitchadi and serve with plain thick curds.

Besan Ka Puda

Chickpea flour is very rich in protein and in north I’ve heard people feeding this to babies that start eating solids. In the paying guest accommodation I stayed in, they used to prepare bread omelettes for breakfast and during those days vegetarians were served besan ka puda to replace the omelettes. I had it for the first time and was cool, huh.

Ingredients:

1. Bengal gram flour or besan – 1 cup
2. Potato grated – ½ cup
3. Onion chopped – ½ cup
4. Garam masala – 1 tsp
5. Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
6. Salt
7. Oil

Method:

Step 1: Mix all the ingredients except oil with water and make a thin dough
Step 2: Heat tawa and apply oil on it generously
Step 3: Now pour a ladle of dough on to the tawa and spread by rotating the tawa
Step 4: Roast it on low flame till done and toss it to cook other side similarly; sprinkle some more oil if required.
Step 5: Serve by sandwiching inside two raw bread slices or toasted ones
Step 6: Green chutney is a great combination with besan ka puda if had separately or even with bread, you can apply chutney on one side of bread.