Gatte Ka Pulao

The yummilicious Gatte Ka Pulao, all the way from Rajasthan!! :) Warning for Weight Watchers - This can't be part of your regular diet; read below & you'll know why :P

You'll need:

For the rice -

* 2 cups basmati rice (if you want, you can replace this with a healthier version of rice)
* 6 tbsp ghee ;) (told ya!)
* 1 tsp cumin seeds
* 3 green cardamoms
* 2 black cardamoms
* 2 inch cinnamon stick
* 2 bay leaves
* 6 cloves
* 1/2 tsp asafoetida
* 1 tsp red chili powder
* 2 tsp garam masala powder
* 2 tsp coriander powder
* 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
* 3 tsp ginger paste
* 1 cup peas
* Salt to taste

For the gattas -

* Salt to taste
* 1/2 tsp red chili powder
* 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
* 1 cup besan
* 2 tbsp yogurt
* Cooking oil to deep fry
* 1 tbsp chopped mint leaves
* A pinch of soda bicarb
* 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
* 1/2 tsp chopped ginger

Let's get started:

1. First of, mix all the ingredients of the gattas with water to make a firm dough (Remember we made gatte ki sabzi?) Then, divide this dough into 6 equal parts & roll each part in a cylindrical shape. 

2. After this, stir fry these in 2 cups of boiling water for 15 min. Then drain, and let the gattas cool a bit. Finally, cut into 1" pieces.

3. Now, wash & soak the rice for an hour. Once done, heat the ghee & cumin seeds in a kadhai. When they begin to crackle, throw in the garam masala powder. 

4. Now stir fry for a minute & add the asafoetida, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder & ginger paste & stir fry for 3 min.

5. Iske baad, add the rice, stir fry for a minute, then add the salt & 4 cups of water.

6. Finally, when the water starts boiling, add the gattas & peas, then cover & let fry till all the water is absorbed.

GKP done!! Serve hot, and with love :)

Bhindi Anardana

Punjabi style Bhindi Anardana - perfect accompaniment of a winter meal :)

You'll need:

* 2 medium onions
* 1/2 cup cooking oil
* 400 gm ladyfingers
* 2 tbsp anardana powder
* 1 tbsp lemon juice
* 1 tbsp coriander powder
* 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
* 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
* 1/2 tsp red chili powder
* Salt to taste

Here's how:

1. Sabse pehle, wash, wipe & trim the ladyfingers. Then, make a deep slit on one side of each ladyfinger to create a pocket.

2. Now, finely slice the onions. 

3. Iske baad, mix the red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, anardana powder, garam masala powder & salt with 4 tbsp cooking oil & make a thick paste. Then, stuff the ladyfingers with this paste.

4. Now, heat the cooking oil & stir fry the onions for 3 min. TrickyPart - GENTLY slide in the ladyfingers & stir fry on a medium flame for 5 min. Keep turning occasionally, of course :)

5. Finally, sprinkle the lemon juice & serve hot with hotter chapatis :)

Chhena Jilabi

Merry Christmas! And here's a sweetheart from Orissa - Chhena Jilabi!

You'll need:

* 2 cups chhena (easily available at any halwai)
* 1/2 cup maida
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 1 tbsp ghee
* Rosewater
* Cooking oil

Let's get started!

1. Firstly, squeeze out the water from the chhena. Now, mix the maida, baking powder & ghee, and add the chhena to it. 

2. Then, mash this by hand & keep aside for half and hour. After this, divide this mixture in 10 parts.

3. Tricky Part - Make 6 cm long rolls out of each part, and make it into jilabis (what fin without the complicated cone!)

4. Now, add 1 cup water to the sugar & boil it to make the sugar syrup aka chaashni. Make sure the chaashni is thin; like thread thin.

5. Then, heat the cooking oil in a kadhai & fry the jilabis over a low flame.

6. Finally, dip the jilabis in the chaashni.

CJs done!! TipToEat - Serve hot jilabis with cold rabdi. Yum!!

Poha

Maharashtra's staple breakfast item, and one of my favorites, too ;) Presenting, poha!!

You'll need:

- 2 cups flattened rice (or chuda or poha)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 6 curry leaves (I gave them a skip) :P
- 1 medium, finely chopped onion
- 1 cup of chopped potatoes, carrots, peas & cauliflowers
- A pinch of turmeric powder
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- Salt to taste
- Coriander leaves to garnish

1. Start by placing the poha in a sieve & washing it under running water for 2 min. Then drain & keep aside.

2. After this, heat the cooking oil in a pan on a medium flame & add the mustard seeds. Once the spluttering stops, add the chopped onions & fry till they turn soft & translucent.

3. Now, add the vegetables & cook for 3 min, stirring constantly. Then add the poha, turmeric powder & BLEND WELL :P Cook for 1 min, then shut the flame.

4. Finally, pour the lemon juice over the poha, again MIX WELL :P & garnish with coriander leaves.

Poha done. TipToEat - To be served & relished piping hot!

Moong Dal Halwa

Note: This dish is NOT meant for the calorie-conscious, mostly because it has 6 tbsp of ghee. And a cup of sugar. Bwahahahaha!!

You'll need:

* 1.5 cups soaked moong dal
* 1.5 L milk
* 1 cup sugar
* 3/4 cup well-crumpled khoa (or mawa)
* 1/2 tsp saffron soaked in milk
* 6 powdered cardamoms
* 6 tbsp ghee
* Chopped almonds

And here's how:

1. Sabse pehle, grind the moong dal coarsely. Then, heat the ghee in a dekchi & fry the moong dal till it turns golden.

2. Now, add the milk & cook till it is absorbed. Then, add the khoa & cook on a low flame, STIRRING CONSTANTLY :P till the moong dal & khoa blend together. Once done, remove from flame & keep aside.

3. Iske baad, make a thin sugar syrup & add the saffron & cardamom powder to it. Finally, add the moong dal & stir quickly till it mixes WELL :D Then garnish with the chopped almonds.

MDH done!! TipToEat - Piping hot is when you want to have it ;)

Jeera Rice

The slightly fancier plain rice ;)

You'll need:

- 1 cup basmati rice (if you are weight conscious but can't resist rice, use Arise from Saffola - a healthier rice option)
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 sliced onion
- 2 tbsp cashew nuts
- 3 peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 tbsp ghee
- Salt to taste
- Coriander leaves

And here's how:

1. Sabse pehle, wash the rice & drench it in water for half an hour.

2. Heat the ghee in a saucepan. Then add the cashew nuts & fry till they turn brown & take them out & keep them aside.

3. Now, to the same ghee, add the onions, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon sticks, cumin seeds & peppercorns and fry for a while.

4. Then, add the rice, salt & water, and stir. Now cover it & simmer the flame. Keep cooking till the rice is done.

5. Finally, garnish with the coriander leaves & serve with love!

TipToEat - Jeera Rice goes best with any spicy gravy :)

Khandvi

The yummylicious Khandvi!! Here goes.

You'll need:

* 1/2 cup besan
* 1 cup thin buttermilk
* 3 pinches turmeric powder
* 2 tbsp cooking oil
* Salt to taste
* 1 tsp sesame seeds
* 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
* 1 tbsp scraped coconut
* 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander
* 2 pinches asafoetida
* 2 finely chopped green chilies
* 1 stalk curry leaves
* Cumin

1. First of, mix water, besan, salt, buttermilk & turmeric powder to form a batter. Then, heat the cooking oil in a pan & add the batter to it. Keep stirring to avoid lumps. No one wants lumpy khandvi!! :P

2. After 8 min, pour this mixture on a large plate. Spread this out as this as possible with the back of a flat spatula. For better ease, use circular outward movements (remember Dosa?) :)

3. When this cools down, cut it into 2" wide strips. Then, carefully roll each strip. Repeat for the remaining strips. And, sprinkle the scraped coconut & coriander on to these. 

4. Then, heat oil in a small pan & add the cumin, mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves & green chilies. Finally, add the sesame seeds & immediately pour this on to the rolls.

Khandvi done!! TipToEat - Serve with garlic or mint chutney. Smack!!

Badami Phirni

The quintessential almond kheer :D Super simple to make, super awesome to taste!!

You'll need:

- 2 tbsp rice
- 2 cups milk
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp crushed green cardamom
- 1/4th cups blanched & sliced almonds
- 1/2 tsp kewra essence

Here's the recipe:

1. Soak the rice in water for a few hours. Then, drain the water & grind the rice in a smooth paste.

2. Now, in a stick pan, boil the milk. Then, bring the flame to low & add the rice paste, sugar, kewra essence & cardamom.

3. Keep stirring till the milk turns thick. Then finally, remove from flame & add the almonds.

BP done. TipToEat - Serve cold; as cold as your ex's heart ;)

Paalak Paneer

Apparently, PP has some Pakistani origin, too. Yikes!! :P However, my version is from Chattisgarh.

You'll need:

* 1.5 cups pureed spinach

* 500 gm paneer, cubed & lightly fried

* 1 tsp finely chopped ginger

* 1 tsp finely chopped garlic

* 1/2 cup grated onions

* 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes

* 1 tsp cumin seeds

* 2 bay leaves

* 1/4 tsp garam masala powder

* 1/2 tsp red pepper powder

* 1 tsp coriander powder

* 2 tsp salt

* 1/4 cup cooking oil

Here's how I made it:

1. In a kadhai, heat the oil & add the cumin seeds. When it begins to sputter, add the bay leaves, ginger, garlic & saute till it turns light brown.

2. Then, add the  onions & saute again till it turns golden brown. This, followed by adding the tomatoes & stir frying over a medium flame.

3. When this mixture begins to leave moisture, add the salt, garam masala powder & red pepper powder. Key - stir & mix well ;)

4. Finally, add the spinach, saute for 3 min then add the paneer. Turn around a few times till then paneer absorbs a tad bit of the mixture.

PP done!! TipToEat - We had it with roti jaise parathe (don't ask me what that means) :P