Moong Dal (Split gram) Halwa

Winters are soaring and so are the taste buds, there is that special place of pudding after every meal, and when sun's heat is not much around we need the heated puddings on platter. Out of which mung dal halwa is one of my i am sure everyone else's favourite too. 

Its one of those rich delectable dessert.

So here my mung dal halwa recipe which has experience of my mom's hand as she only taught me and now i m mung dal halwa expert in my family.

You will need:

2 cups yellow mung dal (dhuli) (split yellow gram)
300 gms ghee(clarified butter)
2 sp besan

3 & 1/2 cup water
2 & 1/2cup sugar

1 tsp elaichi powder
Sliced almonds, cashews, pistachio for garnishing.

Now how to make:

1. Soak moong dal in water for 3 to 4 hours. ( Dont leave too much water)

2.  Drain and grind to fine paste using very little water.
3. Pour and melt ghee in non-stick pan or kadhai.
4. Add Moong dal paste and stir the mixture continuously on a low flame.

    Initially the paste may stick to the pan but slowly when it becomes golden brown it will leave sides.
    Note - This strirring and roasting off dal is long process so ned ample of time and effort with your hands        and spatula.
5. On other burner in the meanwhile in a separate vessel add the sugar and water and give it a single boil.    
( Don't make chashni just one single boil is enough)
6.  Add the mixture or dal mixture which is now golden brown and ghee has left the sides. and keep stirring continuously again.
7. Add cardamom powder.
8. Take is serving dish and give layers of garnishing after every layer as dry fruits will give it body and character....

Serve HOT.

Instant microwave dhokla

Being in land of missiles...errr....remember 3 idiots yes the MISSILES i mean are dhokla, khakra, fafda, gathiya, well i never felt that they are missiles as i love these snacks or what gujju's call them "farsan" the ultimate namkin.
If u order a thali it accompanies the 'farsan' for sure so gujjus cant skip this be it any occasion, a regular thalli or a chai ki pyali, a marriage function or railway junction....

my aai cooks yum dhoklas, i will try them too but this generation which is always in hurry I thought of trying the instant version first. as it is microwave is there, soda is there so why waste and of course mom dont worry will try the traditional version too soon.

so here's the instant dhokla to save time but relish toungue.

Dhokla batter

1 big cofee mug of besan,

1 big cofee mug water ( same )

1/2 tea spoon citiric acid crystal

salt n sugar as per taste

mix all well..so that there are no lumps

1 sachet of non- flavored eno ( fruit salt )

pour it on batter and mix it vigorously....batter will rise almost double.

pour it in about 6 inch greased microwave plate

microwave it on high for 3.5 to 4 mins

 

then cut it into pieces after few minutes of resting out of oven....

  

Tempering
mustard seeds, hing , red dry chilli n curry leaves

ENJOY !!

Snaki'n Sprout

• Green Gram Sprouts - 1 cup 
• [for sprouts soak green dal overnight and then spread on seive and cover with damp cloth for 2 days and keep on soaking cloth in between, if the climate is normal sprouts will pop in 24 hrs
• If you don't want raw sprouts, steam it for three minutes and it will become soft; or microwave all the vegetables for a minute or two.  
•  
• Chopped onion - 1
• Chopped Ginger - 2 tsp
• Chopped Capsicum - Green, Yellow, Red - 1/2 cup as per availability
• Chopped Tomato - 1 cup
• Chopped Cucumber - 1 cup
• Grated or finely chopped Carrot - 1 cup
• Salt as required
• Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
• Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
• Chaat Masala - 1 tsp
• we can add nuts to add crunch to it.  

 
Method

• Mix all the ingredients and fill in canapes. 
• i made canapes at home in cone style.
• At the time of serving, add puffed rice or sev, tomato sauce, sweet chutney, boiled potato and so on. 

Singhare Ke cookies or fasting biscuits made of water caltrop

Fast.....Well i take it as cleansing of body and detoxifying system....

But when it comes to fasting only fruit diet gets boring as day moves ahead.

I'm one person who loves to have tea with that tag of biscuit along and when its fasting time i cant find my tea tasty without biscuits so i gave this thought and come up with this creative experiment of mine.

Here its Water caltrop or water chestnut biscuits and cookies to give fasting day that extra zing.

2 cups singhare ka atta
3/4th cup powdered suga
1/2 cup desi ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 tsp elaichi powder/ cardamom powder



Preheat oven at 180C
Knead batter/ atta with singhara atta + sugar and butter and a bit of water.

















Then I made the balls,
they were little uneven so i decide to cut them with biscuit cutter
and here i had more perfect or say creative cookies

 

Roll out dough like chapati, if it sticks either use lil singhara atta or roll between clean polythin sheet

 

Cut in desired shapes

 

Now put the tray in preheated oven for 10 mins for 180D

Ready to get baked and voila here its done in no time...

I wanted to ensure they are completely baked so I flipped them over and baked them for a further 10 minutes...



 And here they are the ready to bite vrat or say fast food oopps!!! not fast food but fasting food the biscuits for that special tea for those like me who cant have tea without dipping the biscuits into it.




                                     

Carrot & Walnut cake

INGREDIENTS

• Maida/ flour                    - 3 cups
• Baking soda(NaHCO3)  - 2tsp
• Salt                                 - 1 tsp
• Eggs                               - 3 numbers
• Powdered sugar             - 1.5 cups
• Refined oil                     - 1.5  cups
• Grated carrot                  - 2 cups
• cardamom powder          - 1 tsp
• vanilla essence                - 2 tsp
• Walnuts                          - handful

METHOD 

Sieve maida, soda, salt 5-6 times

Add lil coffee pdr, bkng soda and salt to maida

Beat oil, sugar and then add eggs one by one and beat till fluffy.

The more you sieve the more fluffy cake it will be as this way we incorporate air in mixture.

Add vanilla essence, grated carrot and beat again.

Finally add the maida mix and walnuts and with lil more beating the batter is ready to bake.

 Bake this batter for 60mins at 230 degree preheated oven.

Once cooled it ready to be served....and "ta-da" here'e hot and fresh carrot cake on platter....

Chakli

100 gm rice flour

50 gm refined flour    

1 tsp red chilli powder

pinch asafetida

1.4 tsp turmeric

1 tsp sesame seeds

2tbsp oil/ moan

salt to taste

Now using kitchen press give shape to the above dough