Rajasthani Badaam Halwa

Rajasthani  Badaam Halwa this is the recipe for this month Indian Cooking Challenge. The recipe is simple with less ingredients. I know there is a Badaam halwa recipe in Tamilnadu that is cut in to pieces before serving. I never made it but I tasted it many times, this badam halwa have grains of badaam This I have tasted in my aunt's (atta) place. 
                                                                                      This Rajasthani recipe is almost same like Tamilnadu recipe. When Valli announced this delicious badaam halwa recipe for ICC I wanted to check the texture. I goggled a lot but didn't find any picture of typical Rajasthani Badam Halwa . There are many versions of badaam halwa but I need a picture of typical Rajasthani recipe picture. Finally I decided to make this Halwa with out knowing the texture. That came out so well, tasted delicious, but only this is my badaam paste is little over fried. So take care when you frying the Badaam paste. when I was frying the badaam paste Some body rang the bell and i keep on talking with them and for got about the halwa on the stove. So don't go any were when you are making the halwa. In my halwa only the color is little dark the taste was heavenly delicious.
Let's check the recipe...   
INGREDIENTS:---
Almonds  ---  1/4 cup
Ghee (clarifaid butter) ---  4 tab sp
Sugar  ----  4 tab sp
Cardamom --- a big pinch
Water or milk for grinding the almonds

                                                                    

METHOD:---
1. Soak almonds for over night.
2. Wash and peel the almonds, after peeling wash the almonds again.
3. Grind the almonds in to a fine paste using water or milk (I used milk to give the Halwa a rich taste.).
4. Heat ghee in a non stick pan and add the almond paste and roast till it turn in to pink color.
Keep the heat low and keep stirring till the almond paste turn in to pink color.
5. Once almond paste turn in to pink start adding water little by little to bring halwa consistency  keep stirring..
6. Add sugar and cardamom powder (I grind sugar with cardamom seeds and added to almond mixture.).
7. Mix well and cook till  ghee leaves from the sides.
What mistakes I made is :--
My Almond paste is not finely griended There are some pieces left in the mixee jar with out checking I added the almond paste to the ghee
My almond paste is little over fried, Don't leave it on the stove keep stirring till you finish the Halwa 

Pyaz Ki Kachori (Rajasthani)

OMG it's already the last day for this week blogging marathon.I can not be leave This I have posted 7 Rajasthani recipes for my theme regional recipes.I am realy enjoying this Marathon, for that thanks to Valli.This month Valli made a change in each group she made pairs of each 2 marathoners in that list I am paired with Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes a good friend friend of mine and a great cook. I have chosen this Pyaz Ki Kachori for my theme Regional recipes-Rajasthan from Priya's place. This pyaz Ki Kachori is very popular in Rajasthan. This is my 7th recipe for Blogging Marathon#6 here I go with the recipe and thank you so much for the delicious recipe Priya We enjoyed it a lot...

INGREDIENTS:---

Maida(all purpose flour) --- 2 cups

Ghee --- 1/4 cup

Salt ---- 1/2 tea sp

Oil for deep frying

For filling:---

Onions ---- 2 cups chopped

Nigella seeds(kalonji) --- 1 tea sp

Fennel seeds -- 2 tea sp

Bay leaves ----2

Green chillies --- 1 chopped

Chick pea flour --- 2 tab sp

Coriander powder --- 2 tab sp

Red chilli powder --- 1 tea sp

Garam masala -- 1 tea sp

Fresh coriander leaves --- 2 tab sp chopped

Oil ---- 2 tab sp

Salt ---- 1/2 tea sp

METHOD:---

1.Mix flour,salt,ghee mix well to combine every thing and turn like bread crumbs.

2.Add little by little water and make a stiff dough,knead well till soft set a side at least for half an hour.

3.Heat oil in a pan add nigella seeds,fennel seeds,bay leaves, chopped green chillies,chopped onions and fry till onion turns in to light brown

4. Then add chick pea flour,coriander powder,red chilli powder,garam masala,salt and fry for 3 minutes.

5. Now add chopped coriander leaves mix well and discard the bay leaves and remove from heat and let it cool completely.

6.Divide the dough in to equal portions

7.Now moisten palms with little oil and take one wheat flour ball and give it a cup shape with your fingers (or you can press these balls in to small puri )

Keep 1 tea sp full onion mixture in the middle of the puri and close from all sides and pinch to close.

8.Now again press them to flatten in to small puri s with hand, repeat with the remaining dough.

9.Heat oil in a deep frying pan and keep the heat in low flame and droop this puri s in to hot oil and fry till golden color.(you have to heat oil till smoking stage switch off the flame for few sec. and then keep it in a low flame and then add puri s and fry them)

Serve with green chutney or mithi chutney and tea.

Let check the other marathoners here

Rajasthani Gatta Curry

Rajasthani Gatta Curry is again a chick pea flour based curry from Rajasthan.with out Gatta curry rajasthani meal is incomplete. This recipe I have noted from a small hotel cook in Jaipur.Two years back we visited Jaipur in our vacation and I ask my guide I need to have a traditional rajasthani meal.so My guide took me to a small hotel,where I had a rajasthani thali with dal-baati-churma, gatta curry, bajara roti,some beans curry,aloo bartha and lots of sweets.Realy that was a huge lunch that day, I could't walk back to my hotel.So that time I took the recipe from the cook and Today here I am with the recipe. This is the 6th recipe from my regional recipes theme for Blogging Marathon#6

INGREDIENTS:----

For Gatta s ---

Besan (chick pea flour) --- 1 cup

Turmeric powder -- 1/4 tea sp

Red chilli powder --- 3/4 tea sp

Coriander powder --- 12 tea sp

Fennel seeds --- 1/2 tea sp crushed

Carom seeds(ajwain)-- 1/2 tea sp crushed

Salt ----- 1/2 tea sp

curd(yogurt) --- 2 tab sp

For Gravy:----

Ghee --- 2 tab sp

Onion seeds(kalonji) --- 1/2 tea sp

Cumin seeds ----- 1 tea sp

Curry leaves --- 10 leaves

Curd --- 2 cups

Chick pea flour --- 2 tab sp

Turmeric powder --- 1/2 tea sp

Red chilli powder --- 1 tea sp

Coriander powder --- 1/2 tea sp

Salt -- 1tea sp or according to your taste

METHOD:--

For making Gattas:

1.Mix chick pea flour,crushed fennel and carom seeds,turmeric powder,red chilli powder,salt,curd mix well and make a stiff dough.

2.Roll this chick pea flour dough in to long strips(like sausage strips)

3.Boil water in a pan and drop this strips in to the boiling water, cook for 5 minutes.

4.Remove from heat and drain water, cut Gattas in to small pieces and set a side.

5.Take curd in to a mixing bowl add red chilli powder,turmeric powder,coriander powder,salt, chick pea flour and whisk well to combine every thing

6.Heat ghee in a thick bottom pan add cumin seeds, onion seeds and curry leaves fry for a while.

7.Now add the curd mixture and bring to a full boil, stir continuously to avoide to curdle the yogurt mixture

8.Reduce the flame add Gatta pieces and cook till the gravy comes in to medium thick consistency.

Remove from heat and serve hot with bajre ki roti or with steamed rice.

Lets check what our fello runners were cooking to day

Rajasthani Bhindi

Rajasthani Bhindi is a stir fry recipe which goes very well with Dal-Chawal(my favorite).when I started cooking this Rajasthani recipes in this Blogging Marothan I realize that most of the recipe's they cook in a healthy way of course they use ghee a lot and one more ingredient in there cuisine is Besan.In almost all recipes I think Besan is one of the Impartent ingredient.In that array This is one recipe From Rahasthan, Rajasthani Bhindi. This is the 5th recipe for Blogging Marothan#6 in my theme Regional recipes.Here I go.....

INGREDIENTS:---

Bhindi(okra) ---- 250g

Check peaflour(besan) ---- 3 tab sp

Red chilli powder --- 1/2 tea sp

Coriander powder --- 1 tea sp

Cumin powder ---- 1 tea sp

Dry mango powder(amchur)-- 1 tea sp

Turmeric powder -- 1/2 tea sp

Garam masala powder --1 tea sp

Salt ---- 1 tea sp or according to your taste

Kalonji(onion seeds) ---- 1/2 tea sp

Saunf(fennel seeds)---- 1tea sp

Cumin seeds (jeera) --- 1/2 tea sp

METHOD:----

1.Wash and wipe okra(bhindi) set a side to dry for 5 minutes.

2.Cut the ends and make a slit one side.

3.In a mixing bowl take chick pea flour,red chilli powder,cumin powder,coriander powder,turmeric powder,dry mango powder,garam masala powder,salt,1 tab. sp. oil mix well to combine every thing.

4.Now fill this masala in to the okra and set a side.

5.Heat oil in a fry pan or kadai(deep frying pan)add fennel, onion and cumin seeds, fry for a minute then add the stuffed okras cover and cook for 10 minutes

6.After 10 minutes remove the lid and mix gently and stir fry till okras turn in ti nice golden color this will take another 10 - 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and serve hot with Dal-Chawal or with roti.

Lets check what our other blogger friend were cooking to day.

Chane Jaisalmer Ke

Jaisalmer- Jaysalmer The city of sands the city of forts.this beautiful Golden city lies in the middle of the desert so that it is surrounded by sands.The city of jaisalmer has it's own distinct food culture and cuisine which is little different from other Indian cuisine.There are so many special dishes from this area few are like Ker sangri, Kadhi pakode, banon aloo and this Chane ki sabji from jaisalmer I have chosen for today s Rajasthani recipe for Blogging Marathon#6.

INGREDIENTS:---

Kala chana (black chick peas) ---- 1 cup

Yogurt ----- 1 1/2 cup

Besan (chick pea flour) --- 1 tab sp

Turmeric ---- 1 te asp

Salt ---- 11/2 te asp

Asafoetida ---- 1/2 tea sp

Green chillies -- 4 slit

Red chilli powder --- 1 tea sp

Coriander powder --- 1 te asp

Garam masala powder -- 1/2 tea sp

Chat masala ---- 3/4 tea sp

Cinnamon -- 1 inch stick

Cloves --- 4

Green cardamom --- 3

Cumin seeds -- 1 tea sp

Ghee --- 2 tab sp

Sliced onion -- 1 tab sp

Chopped coriander leaves --- 1 tab sp

METHOD:----

1. Wash and soak chane for over night in enough water.

2.Pressure cook chane for 3 whistles in the same water.

3. Mash chane lightly and set a side.

4.Take yogurt in a mixing bowl whisk well to give smooth texture.

5.Add chick pea flour,red chillie powder,turmeric powder,garam masala powder,chat masala powder,coriander powder and again whisk well that no lumps form.Add green chillies Asafotieda and mix well.

6.Heat ghee in a pan add cinnamon.cloves,cardamom and cumin seeds when they begin to change the color add yogurt mixture, salt mix well.

7.Now add chane and 1/2 cup water if required,mix well and bring to a full boil and cook for 5 more minutes.

Remove from heat,garnish with coriander leave and sliced onion.

Serve hot with puri...

Lets check what our friends were cooking today.

Rajasthani Dal - Baati

Dal-baati-churma these three are the most popular and traditional dishes From the beautiful and color full state Rajasthan.These three dishes are commonly eaten on the special occasions like wedding ceremonies and also some religious occasions. Baati is a hard, unleavened bread which is made by whole wheat flour and cooked on coals and then served with ghee and dal. It is considered as a long shelf life and nutritional food.When you cook them on the coals they turns heard from out side but soft and sponge from in side.Break cooked hot baati with your hand pour lots of dal and ghee over it and enjoy it hot.

Dal-Baati is my 3rd dish from Rajasthan for Blogging Marathon-6

I didn't cook the baatis on coals,I baked them in the oven at 220C for 45 minutes.

let's check how I made them....

INGREDIENTS:--

Whole wheat flour --- 1 cup

Suji ----- 1 tab sp

Salt ---- 1/2 tea sp

Saunf -- 2 teasp

Ajwain --- 2 tea sp

Water to make a soft dough

METHOD:---

1.Take flour,suji, saunf, ajwain,salt in to a mixing bowl add enough water and knead in to a soft dough cover and leave a side for 1 hour.

2. Take the dough and roll in to small lemon size balls and leave a side for few minutes.

3. Cook this wheat dalls on hot coals till they puffed up and golden in color.

4. if you would like to bake them in the oven then preheat the oven at 200 C for 10 minutes.

5. Place the wheat balls on a baking try and brush with ghee and bake them at 220C for 45 - 50 min.Here the baking time depends on your oven heat my oven took 45 min so check in between and turn off the heat

Serve hot Batti s with lots of dal and ghee enjoy.

Check my Dal recipe here

Lets check what my other friend were cooking today

Rajasthani Panchmel Dal

Panchmel dal a perfect blend of 5 different lentils cooked in fragrant spices and thempered with asafotida,cumin and coriander powder.when you serve this dal with roti and a subji that will be a protein packed full meal.when first I read this recipe I thought ok we are using 5 lentils and which flavour we get in this dal.But really it is delicious .it goes very well with any roti and even with rice.We enjoyed this with palak and cabbage parathas, pickle. To day is the second day of Blogging Marathon 6,this is my second recipe for regional recipes from Rajasthan. Hope you all enjoy my recipes..
Recipe source from Priya of Mharo Rajasthan's Recipes....

INGREDIENTS:-----
Toor dal(split pigeon peas) --- 1/4 cup
Moong dal (split mung bean or green bean)--- 1/4 cup
Chana dal(split chick peas or garbanzo beans) -- 1/4 cup
Masoor dal(split red lentils) ---- 1/4 cup
Green hole moongdal(hole green mung beans)---- 1/4 cup Wash and soak this green mung beans in enough water for 8 hours.
Soak all other dals for 10 minutes.
Onion ---- 1 finely chopped
Tomato --- 1 big finely chopped
Red chilli powder --- 1 tea sp
Turmeric powder --- 1/2 tea sp
Coriander powder -- 1 tea sp
Cumin powder --- 1 tea sp
Garam masala 1/2 tea sp
Salt ---- 2 tea sps or according to your taste.
Oil -- 1 tea sp

FOR SEASONING:---
Mustared seeds -- 1 tea sp
Cumin seeds --- 1 te asp
Green chillies --- 2 finely chopped
Onion --- 1/2 cup finely chopped
Ginger --- 1 inch piece very finely chopped or crushed
Garlic ---- 6 cloves finely chopped or crushed
Ghee --- 2 tea sp
Fresh coriander leaves --- 1/2 cup finely chopped.
METHOD:---
1.Heat oil in a thick bottom pan add 1 chopped onion and fry till translucent then add chopped tomato and cook for few minutes.
2.No add red chilli powder,coriander powder,cuminpowder,salt and fry for 2 minutes.
3.drain dal's from water(drain water in to othe bowl sothat you can use the same waster for cooking the dal)and add ths dals to onion and tomato mixture,fru for 3 minutes.
4. Then add enough water to cook dal, cook till they are done(if you like to cook dal in apresure cooker then cook for 2 whistles.)
5.Add more water to bring a desire consistency,add garam masala powder bring to a boil.
6. In the meanwhile heat ghee in a other pan add mustard seeds let them popup then add cumin seeds,chopped green chillies,ginger,garlic,onion and fry till nice arom comes out.
7. Add this seasoning and chopped coriander leaves to cooked dal mix well.
Serve hot with roties or plain steamed rice.
Let's check what our other friens were cooking to day

Lapsi

I again joined in Blogging Marathon. I don't want to miss this marathon because I learnt a lot from this.Last month I missed this but this month again I am in the marathon
Rajasthan the land of King's, palaces and Desert. Rajasthani cuisine is very much influenced by life style and availability of ingredients. Most of the Rajasthani recipes they could last for several days and could be eaten with out heating. So for this month's marathon I have choosen my theme Regional Recipes from Rajasthan.
Sweet dishes are never referred as a dessert in Rajasthani cuisine, because Rajasthani sweets are had before, during and after the meal. There are a wide range of sweet dishes in Rajasthani cuisine, Sweets are relished as much as the spicy curries.Sweet dishes have an importent place in Rajasthani meal. In that list Lapsi is one of the famous and traditional sweet dish in Rajasthan.Let's check how to make Lapsi in Rajasthani style.......

INGREDIENTS:---
Lapssi (broken weat) --- 1 cup
Sugar ----- 1 cup or you can use 3/4 cup grated jaggery
Hot water --- 2 1/2 cups
Almonds -- 2 chopped (I used 10 cashew nuts)
Raisins ---- 10 no.
Ghee --- 3/4 cup

METHOD:---
1.Heat ghee in a thick bottom pan and add broken weat to ghee, fry till it turns in to pinkish color.
2. Add 2 cups of hot water mix well, cover and cook in alow flame till all the water evaporated and lapsi is almost done.
3. Add sugar mix well add remaining 1/2 cup water mix well.
4. Now place a tawa under the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook for 8-10 minutes, mix in between when ghee starts oozing from the sides of the pan remove from heat.
5. Garnish with blanched almonds or fried cashew nuts and risins and serve hot.

Lets check what the othe marathoners are blogging to day

DEEPAVALI SWEET SERIES - CHURMA LADDU

Daal Batti, missi roti,Lahsun ki chutney and churma....... mouthwatering is't it, yes Rajasthani cuisine. In Rajasthani cuisine Daal batti and churma will take the first place. Sweet dishes are never refferred to as dessert's in Rajasthan because they had them with meal, before or enven in the end but not ofter meal.In this treditional cooking food that could last for several days and cold be eaten without heating was preferred. Insted of oil they use Ghee (clarified butter )a lot in there cuisine especially in sweets and most of the sweets are made by Wheat, chick pea flour, milk products. Coming to todays sweet Churma laddu is made by wheat flour, ghee and mawa which is made by condensing the ful cream milk. Traditionaly this churma laddu is served with Daal batti in a powder form but in some places I have seen they are making laddu s with that powder and they taste just awesome.Here I am with the recipe of a treditional Rajasthani Sweet CHURMA LADDU.......
One more thing I want to share with you all, I got this recipe from my friend she is from Jodhpur. she told me that normaly they make this churma by mashing the batti balls for every day meal, but in special occasions they deep fry the wheat balls in pure ghee and make the powder for laddu s. So Thank you so much for the Delicious recipe dear Sonal. This churma laddu s will stay for 1 month and very helthy and very healthy snack for growing children...
INGERDIENTS:--
WHEAT FLOUR -- 200 g.
Ghee -- 400 g.
Khoya/Mawa - 100g.(condensed milk, pachi kova in telugu.)
Sugar -- 200g
Almonds - 50g(soaked, pealed and chopped)
Cardamom powder - 1 tea sp
cinamon - 1 inch piece (dalchina chekka, dalchini)
Milk -- 1 - 2 tab sp(when you are making laddu s sprinkle and see if you meed more milk to make balls then you can add but don't add more milk that the powder become like a paste just sprinkle 1 tab sp hold and see it you are able to make laddu then stop adding milk.For me it took 1&1/2 tab sp)
METHOD:--

Melt 150g of ghee in a pan,take wheat flour in a bowl and add the melted ghee and mix well if you hold this mixture that should form in a ball like in the picture.

1. Then add very little water and make a stiff dough.
2. Heat rest of the ghee in a deep frying pan.
   

3. Now make 20 small balls out of the wheat flour dough and make dippreshion with your fingers(if you fry the balls round in sahape some times there are chances the balls will blast in the oil and also they don't cook properly in side so give a impreshion in the middle.)

4. Deep fry this wheat balls in hot ghee in a low flame untill they become nice golde brown in color(here you can use normal cooking oil alos for deep frying this ball s but they don't taste like ghee)

5. Now remove from the ghee and let them cool to handel, then make small pieces out of this balls with hand ans make apowder in the grinder or coffe grinder.

6. Heat 1 tab sp of ghee in a pan add cinamon and cardamon powder,mix khoya and wheat flower mixture mix well and add the to pan which we heated 1 tab sp ghee with cinamon and cardamom powder and fry it for a minute.

7. Remove from heat and let it cool to handle.

8. Now add chopped almonds and sugar mix well.

9. Serve as it is like a powder treditionaly Rajasthani people serve with Daal batti

10. If you want to make laddus then sprinkle milk and make laddu s

11. It will stay for more then 1 month in powder form,if you add milk and made laddus the they will stay for 1 week because of milk.

With out milk also you can make laddu s with this powder,when it is hot add sugar and mix well and leave for few min. then make balls when the mixture is warm once it is cool them you can not make balls so that you have to add little milk in this case. Hope you all under stand this point.

If any doubts feel free to leave a comment.

ALOO STUFFED MIRCHI BAJJI

Mirchi bajji means green chilies stuffed with some spices and dipped in the chickpea flour and deep fried in hot oil.These mirchi bajji s are very famous in India as a tea time snack but every one makes it with a little different stuffing Amma (my mom) use to make it with ajwain(vamu) and fried chickpea(veyinchina sengapapu, porikadali) and little salt she use to grind all these ingredients in to a fine powder and stuff it in to the slit green chilies. After deep frying again she use to slit the bajji and again stuff with chopped onion with little lemon juice. But my MIL use to makes this in almost the same way but she use to mix the filling with very thin tamarind juice my MIL wont add onion to this, she use to say if you add onion then you don’t find the real taste of mirchi any way that is her opinion. And one more person who makes the mirchi bajji very delicious that is a tiffen center fellow near my house in vijayawada. He is a MSC degree holder, he didn’t find the job then he started tiffen center morning he makes idlis and dosas and in the evening from 4 o clock he starts making mirchi bajjis and punugulu believe me those mirchi bajjis and punugulu taste just perfect but after 6oclock you don’t get any thing all of them will be finished by that time.

And coming to this aloo stuffed mirchi bajji I learnt this from a Chat Bandar fellow in Jaipur. Last year when I went to Jaipur for tour one evening I went for shopping, I finished shopping and when I coming back I saw this Chat Bandar fellow who is making mirchi bajji with stuffing of aloo . First I was surprised he is stuffing aloo in mirchi bajjis and he is making them very super fast means he is frying 50 or more bajjis at a time. So I was very impressed with how he is making bajjis and also so very tempted with the aroma of mirchi bajjis .so I went to there and ask that fellow can you tell me the recipe first he didn’t agree to give me the recipe. But I am not going to leave this person with out knowing the recipe. I gave him a100 rs and told him that I am not from Jaipur, I am from Andhra so his business wont effect and I liked this bajjis very much and I wanted to make them at home After this he gave me this recipe. Thanks a lot to that Chat Bandar owner for this delicious snack. And here I go with the recipe………….

INGREDIENTS:-----
Green chillies --- 10 no. ( you can use any bajji chilies like banana peppers or any long variety green chilies)
FOR STUFFING:----
Potatoes ---- 2 big
Green chillies – 3 finely chopped
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder – 1/2 tea sp
Coriander leaves --- 1/2 cup finely chopped
Dry mango powder (amchoor) ---1/2 tea sp
Onion --- 1 medium finely chopped
FOR BATTER:---
Besan (chick pea flour, sengapindi)
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder --- 1/2 tea sp
Baking powder – 1 pinch
Water for making batter
METHOD:-----
1. Slit the green chilli its entire length and remove seeds and leave a side.
2. Boil potato and peel and mash well and mix all other stuffing ingredients and mix well and divide in to 10 small parts and stuff this aloo mixture in to chilies
3. Now mix chick pea flour, salt to taste , red chili powder, and baking powder then add water and make a batter like fitters batter or thick dosa batter
4. Now heat oil for deep frying in a deep frying pan to check the oil heat drop a small drop of batter in to the oil and see if the batter comes up immediately the oil is ready for frying.
5. Now dip the stuffed chilies in this batter and slowly drop them in to hot oil and fry till nice golden color.

6. Remove from the oil and set a side for few min. s and again cut them in to 2 inch pieces and fry this bajji pieces in hot oil in a low flame till crisp remove from the oil and sprinkle some lemon juice on them and serve with slice onion
7. Serve with green chutney or imli chutney .
8. If you want to serve this mirchi bajji after a long time then after removing them from the oil keep them a side and again fri one more time in hot oil till crisp and golden color just before you serve.
This MIRCHI BAJJI S are going to participate in JFI - CHILLI event at Cardamom - The Queen of spices and event by Indira of Mahanandi.