Dryfruit Milkshake

Last week, I was sitting back and checking my emails and Facebook updates while I hear some noise in the kitchen. Noise as if someone was looking for something...boxes being opened. plastic bag rattling. freezer drawers going in and out. Basically it was my husband looking for something and when I asked him "what are you looking for?" he said, "do we have any dry fruits and nuts at home?"
So I immediately tell him the location. I normally store all dry nuts in the freezer to prevent them from getting rancid.

Next I hear him heat up something in the microwave and that is when I stood up to check what he was up to :) He said, "I am making dryfruit milkshake" I was impressed and I had this broad smile on my face...wow...for a change he was doing everything by himself!!! And I see a bowl full of dryfruits and nuts soaking in a bowl of milk.

So our dessert was a delicious glass of dryfruit milkshake which brought back all the memories from India.

The idea of soaking dryfruits and nuts was great. That made the milkshake more delicious and flavorful!

Ingredients (serves 2 people)

1+3/4 cup milk
2-3 tsp. sugar (or to taste)
2 dried figs/anjeer
5-6 unsalted raw cashews
5-6 unsalted raw pistachios
4-5 unsalted raw almonds

• In a bowl, heat half cup milk and soak all dryfruits and nuts in it for 30 minutes.
• Add soaked dryfruit and nuts into a smoothie jar with remaining milk and sugar.
• Grind them together till it is smooth.
• Serve!

Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:

In a bowl, heat half cup milk and soak all dryfruits and nuts in it for 30 minutes.

Add soaked dryfruit and nuts into a smoothie jar with remaining milk and sugar.

Grind them together till it is smooth.

Enjoy Chilled Dryfruit Milkshake!

Hot & Spicy Edamame

Edamame, soya beans in a pod. Protein rich food and apt for a vegetarian like me...yes, I am addicted to edamame :) Steaming hot and lightly salted edamame make a perfect afternoon snack for me. Even my mom, who is a fussy eater (she enjoys more of street food and chaat) loved edamame. I just couldn't believe she loved it so much and now misses it in India. 

If you have been to Yardhouse, Hot & Spicy Edamame needs no introduction.  Yardhouse is one of my favorite restaurants. This is one non Indian place where there is plenty of delicious vegetarian food served, especially appetizers. In fact, we just dine on various appetizers there. Their  brussel sprouts,  edamame, onion ring tower or peach and Gorgonzola flat bread, everything is just delicious. When I first tasted their edamame I was sure I can recreate this dish at home. My husband loved it too and now he no longer has plain salted edamame. He always asks for spicy ones :) Also, it in fun to push the beans out of the pods with your teeth and suck the spicy garlicy flavor on the pods. Just yum!!

Ingredients:

2 cups Edamame

2-3 tbsp. oil

2 tbsp. minced garlic

2 tbsp. coarsely ground red peppers or red chili flakes

1/2 tsp. chilli powder

1/2 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. vinegar or lemon juice

1/4 cup water

Salt to taste

• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add minced garlic, pepper flakes, pepper powder and fry for a minute.
• Add sugar, vinegar and fry for a minute.
• Add edamame and salt. mix well.
• Add water. Cover and let edamame heat up well.
• Mix well and serve.

Here is my favorite Edamame.

Enjoy!!

Raswala Muthia

Raswala muthia is a Gujarati cousin of dumpling soup :) LOL, but that is true, muthias are vegetable dumpling and in this recipe they are not steamed but boiled and cooked in yogurt and spice soup. They are so tasty and comforting...just what I wanted after Diwali meals. 

Adding Zucchini to make muthias not only makes it nutritious but gives it a great texture and bite. 

Ingredients

For Muthias/dumplings:

1/2 cup shredded zucchini 

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. tumeric powder

1 tsp. red chilli powder

1+1/2 tsp. coriander powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tbsp. oil

1/4 cup chickpea flour/besan

1+1/2 cup whole wheat flour

For Yogurt soup:
2 tsp. oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1-2 chopped green chillies
few curry leaves
1 chopped tomato
1 cup yogurt
3 cups water
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. chilli powder
2 tsp. coriander powder
Coriander leaves for garnishing

To make Muthias:
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl except chickpea flour and wheat flour, and let them rest for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, mix in the flours to make a soft dough and make small dumplings/muthias. Keep them aside.

To make yogurt soup:
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds,  chopped chilies, and curry leaves.
Add tomatoes and fry for a minutes.
Mix yogurt and water together and add it to the frying tomatoes.
Add salt, turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder and bring the mixture to boil.
Add Muthias to boiling liquid.
Lower the heat and simmer the muthias for 10 minutes or till they are done.
Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl except chickpea flour and wheat flour, and let them rest for 10 minutes. 

After 10 minutes, mix in the flours to make a soft dough and make small dumplings/muthias. Keep them aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds,  chopped chilies, and curry leaves.
Add tomatoes and fry for a minutes.
Mix yogurt and water together and add it to the frying tomatoes.
Add salt, turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder and bring the mixture to boil.

Add Muthias to boiling liquid.
Lower the heat and simmer the muthias for 10 minutes or till they are done.
Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Enjoy this Healthy Comfort food!

Mohanthal

Mohanthal, a delicious sweet made of chickpea flour is the specialty of Gujaratis. Yes, all Gujaratis love mohanthal and my husband likes it soft and warm. Heating up a piece or 2 of this mohanthal/besan barfi with a table spoon of milk makes it soft and super delicious. That is how my mother in law first served me Mohanthal when I got engaged to my husband. My mother in law makes the best Mohanthal. Last time she was here, I made it a point to learn the exact technique of making danedar mohanthal, and this was the one I made it myself. I was so amazed and excited on my first ever trial of making successful mohanthal that I made a new batch the next day. It is easier than what I thought it would be!! 

I know I have got various requests for posting Mohanthal recipe. I am sorry for not being able to post this recipe last week. I was busy with prepping for the Annakut celebration. Check out pictures here.

Ingredients
1 cup besan/chickpea flour/ચણા નો લોટ
3/4 cup sugar/સાકર

1/2 cup ghee/ઘી 

1/4 cup mawa/khoya/માવો 

1/4 cup milk/દૂધ 

1/4 cup water/પાણી 

pinch of saffron/કેસર 

1/4 tsp. cardamom powder/એલચી નો ભોકો 

Slivered almonds and pistachios for garnishing/બદામ અને પિસ્તા ની કતરી

• Mix sugar and water in a container and keep it aside till it is time to make the sugar syrup. Keep few strands of saffron and 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder ready. You will need some slivered almonds and pistachios for garnishing. 
• In a broad heavy bottom pan or nonstick pan heat ghee on low heat till it melts and slightly warm.
• Take chickpea flour/besan in a plate. Add milk and 3 tbsp. of warm melted ghee to it. Mix lightly and rub between your palms. This steps creates tiny granules which will make mohanthal granular in texture and delicious to eat. Mix well for 3-4 minutes.
• Add the granulated besan mixture to the remaining ghee in the pan and roast it on low to medium heat till it browns. This should take around 15 minutes. 
• While this is roasting. Heat sugar water mixture. Bring it to boil on high heat and then simmer while the besan mixture is roasting. Add saffron strands and cardamom powder for flavor.
• When besan mixture has nicely browned, turn off the heat and add mawa/khoya to it. The heat will help it to warm nicely. Mix well for a minute.
• Gently add sugar syrup to the roasted besan mixture. It will start bubbling and maybe turn liquid. Do not worry. Keep on mixing it well. As the mixture cools it will start to thicken. Mix well for 3-4 minutes. 
• Pour and spread the mixture into a greased plate. 
• Garnish with slivered almonds and pistachios. Press them in well with flat surface of a greased spoon.
• Cool slightly and cut into pieces.

In a broad heavy bottom pan or nonstick pan heat ghee on low heat till it melts and slightly warm.

Take chickpea flour/besan in a plate. Add milk and 3 tbsp. of warm melted ghee to it. Mix lightly and rub between your palms. This steps creates tiny granules which will make mohanthal granular in texture and delicious to eat. Mix well for 3-4 minutes.
Add the granulated besan mixture to the remaining ghee in the pan and roast it on low to medium heat till it browns. This should take around 15 minutes.

While this is roasting. Heat sugar water mixture. Bring it to boil on high heat and then simmer while the besan mixture is roasting. Add saffron strands and cardamom powder for flavor.

When chickpea flour is roasted turn off the heat

Add 1/4 cup of fresh soft mawa/khoya to the mixture. 

Mix well for a minute.

Add sugar syrup to roasted mixture and stir well. The mixture will bubble, but do not worry.
As it starts to cool it thicken. Add slivered almonds and pistachios. Pour and spread the mixture in a greased plate. Garnish with slivered almonds and pistachios. Press them into mohanthal mixture. Let Mohanthal cool slightly and then cut into pieces.

Wishing you all A Very Happy Diwali!!