Category: Recipes

Diwali is a festival of light which is celebrated with full positive energy in India. Diwali food section gives you a perfect idea about lots of delicious mouthwatering recipes across India. Here are some recipes which you can enjoy at Diwali.

DRY FRUITS BURFI-

Ingredients-

1 1/2 Cups – Anjeer/Dried Figs

1 Cup – Khajoor/Dates

1/3 Cup – Almonds/Badam

1/3 Cup – Cashew nuts/Kaju

1/3 Cup – Walnut/Akhrot

1/3 Cup – Pistachio/Pista

1/3 Cup – Raisins/Kismiss

1 tbsp – Gulkand (optional)

1/2 tsp – Cardamom Powder/Elaichi

1/4 tsp – Nutmeg Powder/Jayaphala

1 tbsp – Ghee or Oil

1 – Sliver Varq/Warq (optional)

Recipe- Soak anjeer/dried figs in warm water for 15 minutes, strain water and pat dry well. Meanwhile finely chop almonds, cashewnuts, raisins, walnut, pista and dates. You can also pulse in food processor or mixer but don’t make it powder, we need nuts in pieces. Grind anjeer/figs to smooth paste, don’t add water. Heat oil or ghee and add anjeer paste mix well and saute for a minute. Now add chopped dates and mix well, cook for 2 minutes. Add Chopped dry fruits and mix everything well, you will need another spoon or spatula to combine everything. Add cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, gulkand and mix everything well, cook for a minute and off flame. Line a plate or tray with greased butter paper and pour burfi mixture, level well with spatula and later with butter paper, allow mixture to cook completely. Add sliver varq if using and keep burfi in fridge for 20 to 30 minutes, cut in desire shape with greased knife. Store in air tight containers, this burfi stays fresh in room temperature for almost 2 weeks.

UPPU SEEDAI-

Ingredients-

Rice Flour – 1 Cup
Urad Dal Flour – 2 tbsp
Butter/Ghee – 2 tbsp
Sesame Seeds – 2 tsp
Asafoetida – 1/4 tsp
Grated Coconut – 2 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Water – To knead
Oil – For deep frying

Recipe- Heat a pan/wok and sauté rice flour for a minute or until it starts to steam.  Don’t let flour change its color. Sauté for a minute urad flour and coconut. In a bowl sieve both flours and add coconut, salt, sesame seeds, salt, butter/ghee, asafoedtida and rub with hands to get wet sand like consistency.  Now add water in small quantities and mix well to form soft pliable dough.  Keep aside for 5 minutes. Take a pinch and make into small ball and repeat same for rest of dough, arrange in newspaper or kitchen towel.   While making balls don’t apply any pressure, do it gently and don’t try to get perfect round shape.  Heat oil for deep frying and add seedai in batches.  Deep fry in medium-slow flame until golden in regular interval. Drain in paper towel.  Store in air tight container after seedai comes to room temperature.

SOOJI GUJIYA-

Ingredients-

For Outer Layer

2 Cups – Plain Flour/Maida

4 tbsp – Ghee or Oil

Oil – To Deep Fry

For Filling

2 Cups – Sooji/Semolina

3/4 Cup – Mawa/Khoya (optional)

2 Cups – Powdered Sugar

1/2 tsp – Cardamom Powder

1/2 Cup – Grated Dry Coconut/Khopra

2 tbsp – Raisin

4 tbsp – Chopped Cashewnuts

2 tbsp – Poppy Seeds

Recipe- For outer layer, in a wide bowl take flour, 4 tbsp oil and mix well, add water in small quantity and make stiff dough same like we make for poori, cover with a damp cloth and keep aside until required. In a wok or kadai add khoya/mawa and cook in slow flame for 2-3 minutes or until its melts, loosen up, off flame, keep aside. Dry roast sooji/rawa until light brown and aromatic, keep stirring so it doesn’t get burnt. Powder sugar with cardamom seeds. In a large bowl add roasted sooji/rava, cashew-nuts, raisins, poppy seeds (I didn’t used), dry grated coconut (khopra), powdered sugar and mix well. Add khoya/mawa and mix well with hands to combine khoya with sooji well. If you are not using khoya skip this step. Knead dough again for 4-5 minutes to make it soft and make big gooseberry size balls with dough, roll into thin roti/chapatti of 5′ diameter or size depends on the size of your gujiya/karanji mold. The dough has oil or mooyan as we call enough so I didn’t applied oil or flour for rolling but if you need apply drops of oil or slightly dust with flour to roll dough and don’t worry about the same of roti/chapatti. Grease gujiya or karanji mould with oil slightly and place rolled chapatti on top of it. Place 1 tbsp of filling on one side of partition. Bring another partition together and close it. Press the edges to seal gujiya well and remove excess roti portion from mould and keep it with rest of dough. Press again to make sure gujiya/karanji is sealed well, gently open mould and take out gujiya. Repeat same for rest of dough and prepare gujiya. Heat enough oil for deep frying and drop 3-4 gujiya at time and fry in medium to slow flame until both sides golden brown, do turn 2-3 times gujiya to cook it well both sides, use slotted spoon and drain oil, keep in kitchen tissue to drain excess oil and fry rest of gujiyas/karanji. Allow to cool completely before storing in air tight container.

Eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet. A whole egg contains all the nutrients required to turn a single cell into a baby chicken. Here some delicious and healthy recipes of egg which you can make at your home to give a healthy and tasty diet to your children.

EGG PULAO-

Egg Pulao Recipe is the delicious Indian Egg Dish which is made from boiled eggs and basmati rice. It can be easily made with few ingredients and enjoyed at dinner or lunch.

Ingredients-

1 cup Basmati Rice

4 Eggs

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 green cardamom

1 star aniseed

2 peppercorns

1 onion, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

2 tomatoes, fine chopped

2 green chilies, fine chopped

1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste

1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

2 tablespoon yogurt (curd)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek)

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon tandoori chicken masala or garam masala powder

Few coriander leaves, chopped

Few mint leaves, chopped

1 tablespoon fried brown onions (for garnishing)

2 cloves

Salt to taste

Recipe- Soak 1 cup basmati rice in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes. Boil with some salt, drain and keep aside. Make the onions brown. Keep it ready aside, as it will be used for garnishing this Pulao. Boil 4 eggs in water, cool down and then deshell them. Cut each boiled egg in 2 pieces and keep aside.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a deep shaped vessel and add 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 star aniseed, 1 green cardamom, 2 cloves, 2 peppercorns and 1 bay leaf. Saute for a few seconds, till the cumin seeds starts spluttering.

Now add 1 fine chopped onion along with 2 fine chopped green chilies. Saute for a while and quickly stir in ginger-garlic paste.

Cook on a low flame, till the onion turns little brown and then add 2 chopped tomatoes. Mix well and leave to cook for 2-3 minutes on low flame, till the tomatoes turns mushy and little watery. Now add 2 tbsp yogurt and mix well. Cook for one more minute. Mix in red chili powder, turmeric powder, tandoori masala powder and salt to taste. Carefully place the pieces of boiled eggs. Now stir gently and add boiled rice. Spread little oil all over on rice. It gives a nice texture to the Pulao. Finally garnish it with some brown onions, coriander leaves and mint leaves. Mix slowly and cover the vessel. Leave to cook on low flame for a couple of minutes. Egg Pulao is ready to serve with Salad and Raita or enjoy as it is.

EGG KEEMA-

Keema is traditionally a flavorful minced meat dish said to have originated in Persia but extremely popular in the Indian sub-continent.

Ingredients-

Oil – 2 Tbsp
Bay Leaf – 1
Cinnamon Stick – 1 inch piece
Black Cardamom – 1
Green Cardamom – 2
Whole Cloves – 2
Onion – 1 large, finely chopped
Ginger – 2 tsp, minced
Garlic – 2 tsp, minced
Green Chilies – to taste, finely chopped
Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder – to taste
Salt – to taste
Coriander Powder – 2 tsp
Cumin Powder – 1 tsp
Tomatoes – 2 large, pureed
Hard Boiled Eggs – 6, peeled and grated
Frozen Green Peas – 1/2 cup
Garam Masala – 1/2 tsp
Water – 1/2 cup or little more
Cilantro – finely chopped for garnishing

Recipe- Heat Oil in a medium non-stick pan on medium heat.  Add Bay Leaf, Cinnamon Stick, Black Cardamom, Green Cardamom and Whole Cloves. Stir for 30 seconds. Add Onions and a little salt, mix well, cover and cook for about 15 minutes stirring frequently. Add Ginger and Garlic, mix well and cook uncovered for another 5 minutes until Onions turn brown and oil starts to separate from the mixture.
Add Green Chilies and Tomatoes, mix well, cover and cook for about 10 minutes. Be sure to stir a few times in between. Remove cover and continue to cook until oil starts to separate from the mixture again. Add Red Chili Powder, Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder and Cumin Powder. Mix well.
Add grated hard boiled eggs, salt and a little water and mix well.
Add Green Peas (cooked in the microwave for 1 minute with a little water) and Garam Masala and cook for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with fresh Cilantro. Your dish is ready.

EGG PARATHA-

Ingredients-

2 cups wheat flour

7 eggs

1 tbsp ghee

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 small tomato, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

2 green chilies thinly chopped

Few coriander leaves, finely chopped

Cooking oil

Salt to taste

Recipe-Beat 6 eggs in a bowl and add 2 fine chopped green chilies, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder, chopped onion, tomato, few chopped coriander leaves and salt to taste.

Mix it well and keep aside.

Now take a big bowl and mix wheat flour, 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin seeds, ghee, coriander leaves and salt to taste. Also beat one egg in it.

Knead a smooth and pliable dough with help of water.

Heat tawa on high flame and make 6 equal sized balls from the prepared dough. Take one ball or portion and make a small roti out of it. Apply little oil, fold and roll again just like we roll Indian chapatti.

Drizzle few drops of oil on heating tawa, reduce the flame and place the rolled out roti in it.

Cook for 2 minutes and then spread some mixture all over on it. Spread only the egg mixture of one egg, so that we should be able to make 6 egg parathas out of it.

Cook on low flame till the paratha become fluffy and golden brown in color.

Fold and flip it. Cook from another side as well for 1-2 minutes.

Once the egg paratha is cooked well, that is when it is browned well, the egg mixture has also browned and cooked like an omlette, then the parathas are done.

Your egg paratha is ready. You can cut into some pieces just before serving.

Pakora is a fried snack. When the weather is rainy and you have your family at your home then the best way to enjoy the monsoon is by making Pakoras for them. Different people of the family have different tastes so, here are some recipes for you to make the monsoon days more enjoyable.

BESAN KE PAKODE-

Besan Ke Pakode is the most delicious snack dish made with besan, onion and other spices. It is all time and any time favorite dish of elder ones and younger ones. In my home twice a week it is a compulsory tea time snack in the evening. You can serve them as an evening snack or a morning breakfast, they are all time tasty and mouthwatering.

Ingredients-

1 finely chopped big onion, 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder, freshly chopped cilantro, salt for taste, 2 cups besan, 6 finely chopped green chillies, a pinch of baking soda, and oil to deep fry.

Recipe- Combine green chillies, onion, salt, besan, red chili powder, baking soda and lots of fresh cilantro in a mixing bowl. Mix all the ingredients well and add water to make a medium thick batter. Heat up a pan and add suitable quantity of oil to deep fry. As oil heats enough, then add a big spatula of prepared batter. Turn to fry from both the sides and when half fried, then take out from the oil. Then leave it to cool. Now again pour a spatula of batter in the hot oil and take out from the oil when half fried. Leave to cool. After few minutes when the half fried big pakoda is cool enough, then make small-small pakode from that big pakoda. Again deep fry in hot oil for few seconds, lower the flame. Turn and fry from all the sides. Take out from the oil and keep on absorbent paper. In this way make small-small pakode from each big pakoda. Serve hot with Indian flat bread and accompanied by green chutney or tomato sauce.

ONION PAKODAS-

Ingredients-

5 large onions, 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger, 4 teaspoons chopped cilantro, 2 teaspoon red chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, salt to taste, 3 teaspoon rice flour, water as per needed, 3 green chillies, 2 teaspoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoon chopped curry leaves, 1/2 teaspoon coriander seed powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/2 cup besan, 1/4 teaspoon cooking soda, oil 3 teaspoon to deep fry.

Recipe- Peel, rinse and slice onion. Finely chop green chillies, coriander leaves, curry leaves, mince or grate ginger.  Meanwhile in a wok start to heat oil. In a wide bowl take sliced onion, green chillies, coriander and curry leaves, ginger, red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander seeds powder and salt. Mix everything well. This step helps to mix onion with all spices and onion pieces gets separated nicely. Now add chickpeas flour/besan, rice flour. Mix again everything to combine flour with onion pieces. Now start to sprinkle water and mix well to bring everything together. Go easy on water as onion and salt release water too. Add lemon juice mix and then add 3 teaspoon of hot oil and mix again. Check for salt, spices and adjust anything if required.  Drop around small amount of mixture in oil with hand or using a spoon, make 6-7 pakoda in a batch. Make pakoras of the size you prefer small, medium or big and cook in medium flame until all sides are golden brown. Drain pakoda in kitchen tissue and cook remaining pakoda in batches. Serve them hot with chutney or tomato sauce.

HARI MIRCH KE PAKODE-

Ingredients-

4 chillies, oil for deep frying

For the batter- 1 cup besan, 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste, salt to taste, cold water, 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste.

For the filling- 1 boiled and mashed potato, 1/2 teaspoon zeera, 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste, salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste, 1/2 teaspoon sugar.

Recipe- In a bowl mix all the filling ingredients. In another bowl mix all the batter ingredients. Adjust the water amount keeping the consistency medium-thick. Batter should not be too runny. Fill the deseeded chillies with the prepared filling. Dip in the batter and deep fry till golden and crisp. Serve with pudhina chutney or sauce.

ALOO PAKORA-

Ingredients-

2 large potatoes, 2 rice flour, 1 teaspoon red chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon cooking soda, water as needed, oil to deep fry, 1 cup besan, 1 sprig chopped curry leaves, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, salt and 2 teaspoon hot oil.

Recipe- Peel, wash and dice potatoes, transfer in a large bowl and add rest of ingredients except oil. Give a good stir, now add water 1 teaspoon at a time and mix until everything comes together, this doesn’t require so much of water so keep adding water only in less quantity. Heat oil, take 2 teaspoon of hot oil and mix with potato mixture.   Scoop a spoon of batter and drop in oil, do this 4-5 times to get 4-5 pakoras and fry until golden brown in medium heat.
If using hand, scoop around 4-5 pieces of potato for one pakoras and deep fry. Have it with coconut chutney, sauce or just with hot tea/coffee.

PANEER KE PAKORE-

Ingredients-

1 liter milk, 1 lemon, 4 teaspoon tomato sauce, 6 teaspoon bread crumbs, 2 teaspoon flour, salt, finely chopped green chili, 2 teaspoon finely chopped green coriander, 4 big size boiled potato, 4 teaspoon green chutney, 1 packet potato wafers, oil and black pepper powder.

Recipe- First, boil the milk, add green coriander, green chili, lemon juice and curdle the milk. Remove the water, put the cottage cheese in muslin cloth and place some weight on it. When the paneer sets, cut them into 5 cm pieces. Mash the potato and add salt and pepper to it. Add water to the flour like it is done when bhajiyas are made. Now, take two pieces of paneer, apply green chutney on one side and stick them together. Take mashed potatoes on a palm and spread it. Apply tomato sauce on it. Place the paneer on it and cover the paneer with the mashed potato-sauce mix. Shape the paneer. Dip this into batter and coat with bread crumbs. Deep-fry it. Serve with green chutney and potato wafers.