If you feel you are tired of cooking borscht, hummus, salads with beet then read on…

The word kebab is usually used for non vegetarian recipes. Did you know that there are many vegetables that cooked in a particular way will give the non vegetarian version a run for money. This is one of them. I have added very few spices and kept it on the milder side. It can be taken a notch higher on the spice scale by adding a few more ingredients. I feel once we are confident with the basic recipe changing it to either direction will be a child’s play.

Here is the recipe. Made 16 pieces.

Ingredients:

Beets 6 medium

Potato 1 large

Chana Dal ( Split Chickpeas ) 1 cup

Ginger, grated 2 tsps

Green chillies 2 cut in very small pieces

Salt to taste

Corn flour 2 Tbl sps

Canola oil to fry

Method:

Soak the dal overnight. Next morning drain the water. Boil the dal, beets and potato till soft. I used a pressure cooker and waited for three whistles.

When warm enough to handle, peel the beets and potato. Mash all the three ingredients together. I used a hand blender.

Take a table spoon of oil in a pan on medium high heat. Add some cumin seeds, wait for them to get a light colour, then add the chillies and ginger. Saute this for a half a minute on low flame and throw in the mashed ingredients and salt. Continue cooking on low flame until all the water evaporates and it forms a dough. Put the gas off, collect this in a bowl.

Take the cornflour on a plate. When the above mixture is safe to work with, make small patties about an inch and a half in diameter, seat them on the plate with cornflour, coat both the sides. Shallow fry them on low medium flame turning them once. Collect them on kitchen towels. Enjoy them with mint chutney or any other condiment of your choice.

Bon Apetit!

The story of Summer will be incomplete without Mangoes. The beginning of spring, the air is filled with a heady scent from the mango blossoms. The Nor’easters that follow bring the tiniest green fruits to the ground, much to the delight of the neighbouring kids. As the temperatures soar, the king of fruits makes its appearance. It wouldn’t be wrong to say there comes a time when mangoes are included in breakfast, lunch, tiffon and dinner menus in different forms.

Kulfis are similar to ice creams here in the west. I have used ‘Matka’ or earthen pots to serve. With only five easily available ingredients, these can be made way ahead for parties, picnics or just because.

I hope you give this a try friends.

Recipe: Serves 10

Ingredients;

Half and half cream 3 cups

Milk powder 11/2 cups

Sweetened Condensed milk 11/2 cups

Mango puree 3 cups

Nuts like Almonds, pistas, cashew etc 1/2 cup and some

Cardoamom powder, Rosewater for flavour Optional

Method;

If using fresh mangoes, skin them cut in pieces and puree. Store bought puree can also be used.

Coarse grind half the nuts, leaving some for garnishing

Take the cream in a heavy bottomed pan and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, reduce the milk to half, stirring frequently. Add the milk powder. Whisk properly so that there are no lumps. This will further thicken the milk. Add half of the the coarsely ground nuts. Switch the gas off. Add the condensed milk and mix thoroughly. When cooled to room temperature , add the mango puree and flavouring agents if using. I have used half a teaspoon of cardamom powder. Check the sweetness and adjust to your taste. Pour this in small pots, I have used earthen pots here. Garnish with more nuts, rose petals, cover with foil and freeze for eight hours.

On a hot day bring these babies out to serve or just enjoy yourself!

‘Bhag korey khao”, my Ma would remind us, Sharing is caring. Sometimes it proved to be difficult decision though. Although it was a very very long time back , I have vivid memories of an instance where this advice was too tough to follow. A neighbour had handed me a few delicious chocolates wrapped in very attractive foils. In keeping with Ma’s advice I did bring them home to share with my siblings. In spite of my very best efforts I put all the four chocolates in my mouth, ‘Bon ke ki dibi ?’  What about your sisters?  Ma enquired. I extended my hand with the colourful wrapping foils and said “Silver paper’! Trust me I had all good intentions…..

…..Sandesh is a very popular sweet made of milk solids. My blog has a variety of Sandesh recipes that can be found here, here, here and here.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did here.

Recipe : Made  15  pieces

Ingredients;

Ricotta cheese                                2 cups

Milk Powder                                    1 cup

Ghee                                              4 Tbsps

Milk Chocolate                               50 grams ( half of a 100 gm slab )

Sugar                                             1/4 cup

Method;

In a non stick pan on medium heat take the ghee, wait for it to  melt. Then add the cheese, milk powder, chocolate pieces and sugar. keep stirring gently, until everything starts to come together, about 30 minutes. Put the gas off. When cool enough to handle, knead once and then make one tablespoon portions. You can give them any shape you want, disc, square or press it in a greased silicone mould like I have done here.

I did not add any flavour, as I just anted the chocolate flavour to be dominant. You can add any flavour you prefer.

No need to wait, dig in !