Poori ka Halwa

I know its weird name.but i can't help this time !This dessert is actually very close to my heart as many memories are attached with it.This used to be cooked in villages mostly after some big dinner parties (marriage mostly) when there must be 100's of poories(deep fried flatten bread dough) fried in pure ghee..So,this was the ultimate way to finish them in one go ! (smart huh !! )

At my grand parents home,my Grand Mom used to make them like no one else..(ahh,,miss you Dadi !) and she never told us what exactly it was as she knew we ll make faces instead of having. I still remember how she used to dry poories under sunlight then grind them using stone chakki !

This halwa is packed with nutrition like any other indian halwa...And best way to finish leftover Poories according to me. 

I made it bit thick in texture,but it totally upto you how you like your halwa..Just add more milk as per your taste n liking !  It doesn't need any ghee as poories are already full of them.But if you are using poories fried in refined oil,then add 1 tbsp pure ghee once it cooked.this will give it a very nice aroma.

INGREDIENTS

8-10 Poories (refined or ghee fried)

2 Glass Milk

1/2 Cup Chopped nuts

4 tbsp Sugar

3 Green Cardamom(powdered)

DIRECTIONS

• Keep Poories in open air for overnight or in sunlight for a day Untill it become hard and crispy.
• Crush them then coarsly grind using grinder.(like rava/Semolina)
• Place grinded Poories in deap pan over high heat.
• After heating up,add milk.Keep stirring n cooking on medium heat untill it get thicken and soft.
• Now add sugar,nuts,cardamom powder.Mix and close the lid.Let it cook for another 2-3 minutes on low heat.
• By now all milk will be absorbed.Now you can add some more milk if you find it dry.
• Serve hot !

# It will become dry while getting cold..Just add some milk and reheat before serving.

Cheese Puffs

Remember Mac-Puffs from Mc-Donald's !!(yea yea 90% ppl love them)...I was planning to try them in my kitchen for a while now.So on my last time visit to home i made these for my patidev as evening snack..and u know what..he skipped the dinner that night !

It was almost same in taste like Mc-Puffs.(according to Pankaj,these were better).These can be made in advance and stored in fridge in closed lid container for few days.So,this make them perfect for evening parties (make in advance,just fry when u wanna serve)!

I used Onion,capsicum,corns,carrot,peas..but other veggies like beans,mushroom,broccoli etc can be used too.Using egg make the skin fluffier.It can be removed to make full veg version.I ll give try in baking them next time..

INGREDIENTS

2 Cup All Purpose Flour
3tbsp Butter/Oil
1 Egg(optional)

1/4tsp Salt

For Stuffing:

3 Cup Mix Veggies(small cubes)
3/4 Cup Shredded Cheese(mixed is better)
1/4 tsp Baking soda
6 Cheese Slices
1/4tsp Black pepper
1/2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
1/2tsp Salt
Oil for deep fry

DIRECTIONS

• Mix Flour with butter,salt and baking soda properly.Break egg in it and mix(if using).
• Knead to firm dough using cold water.
• Let it rest for 15 minutes.
• Mean while make the stuffing.
• Boil veggies for 3-4 minutes in water then drain and dry them.
• Now mix in cheese,salt,pepper powder,ketchup and keep aside.
• Now divide dough in 12 equal balls. Cut each cheese slice into half(u ll get 12 cheese slice)
• Roll each dough into thin chapati.First place 1cheese slice on one side of it than top it with 1tbsp of veggies mix.
• Spread few drops of water on edge.Fold press the edges using fork.Repeat same process for all 12 dough balls.
• Keep them in fridge for half an hour.
• Heat oil in heavy bottom pan.Fry 2-3 in one time for 3-4 minutes each side on medium heat.
• Serve hot with ketchup.

# I rolled dough balls in square shape.Round is ok !
## You can add more cheese is u like.
### I mixed cheddar,mozzarella in equal quantity.

Muskmelon Pudding

There was a time when Melon were available in peak summer season only in India..but now a day u can see them through out the year in Fruit Market !Yesterday my brother was telling me about different types of melons,They are of 3 kinds.Muskmelon(white),Cantaloupe(orange) and Honeydew(green) !

Now,coming back to my pudding,,i was just searching if any dish can be prepared using one of my favorite fruit..but nothing was there ...so finally decided to try making pudding.its very easy and give quite different dessert !

Best part is,when u ll serve this to some-one,they will keep thinking about the unique taste but ll not b able to figure out what exactly is in it !

INGREDIENTS

2tbsp Rice Flour

3Cup Milk

1/2 Cup+2tbsp Melon Puree

2tbsp Sugar

DIRECTIONS

• Boil milk in heavy bottom pan.Add rice flour and cook on low flame for 10 minutes.
• Mix in sugar and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
• Switch off the flame.Mix in melon puree.
• Transfer in closed lid bowl and keep in fridge.
• Once chilled top it with 2 tbsp of pureed melon.
• Serve !

# It taste best when chilled.

## Don't cook pudding after adding puree.It will reduce the flavor of fruit.

Harissa

Harissa is a chili based paste with some spices which is very popular in south africa,Tunisia,Moracco.Main ingredient of this paste is roasted peppers.Any red pepper can be used to make this as per your liking.Every house has totally different recipes to prepare this.
This paste can be use to make meat dishes or serve as dipping sauce for kababs.I even used to make sandwich spread and salad dressing.After making this once and trying its versatility,it got a permanent place in my fridge along many other chutney and spreads.

This time added some coriander stems..will try adding other spices in my next batches.This can be stored in fridge for 2 months.Just spread a thin layer of oil on top and use dry spoon !

INGREDIENTS

6 Red Peppers
5 Dried Red Chilies
6 Cloves Garlic
1/2tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2tsp Caraway seeds
1tsp Coriander seeds
3tbsp Olive oil
1tbsp Lemon juice/Vinegar
1/4tsp Salt
Bunch of green coriander stems (not leaves)

DIRECTIONS

• Roast the red peppers and wrap them in aluminium foil.Let them rest for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile soak chilies in boiling water for 10 minutes.
• Now remove the skin of roasted pepper and remove stems and seed from soaked chilies.
• Take all ingredients in a blender and make fine paste.
• Store in dry container.

# Make a thin layer or olive oil after every use to increase its shelf life.
## Any dried chilies can be used.Removing seeds reduce the hotness.

Velvet Chicken / Reshmi Murg

This time m updating here after ages...it doesn't imply that i was nit cooking..in fact right now m having n number of photos in my drafts.. now i have decided to upload from my phone itself.

Now coming to this dish,i prepared it just a week back at my home.its really really smooth in texture,in Pankaj's version simply slips through throat !

On Google,recipes were asking for  simply cornflour as thickening agent but according to me that ll not make gravy silky but just thick..so to make it trullyyy velvety i did my trial and it came out as blockbuster!!
So without further delay i present you all my trully Velvet Chicken !! 

INGREDIENTS

1Onion paste
1tomato puree
2tsp gg paste
1tsp garam masala
.5tsp chili,trmric,coriander powder each
1tbsp salt

1"Cinamon stick

2 Green Cardamom

1tsp Cumin seeds

1 Back Cardamom

.5 tsp Garam Masala powder(optional)
1tbsp ghee/butter
1.5cup water
1cup milk
1tsp cornflour
2tbsp cream
1tsp vinegar
3-4green chillies

DIRECTIONS

• Marinate chicken in 1tsp ginger-garlic paste,1 tbsp vinegar,1tsp salt,.5tsp turmeric coriander n chili powder each for atleast 1 hr.
• Boil marinated chicken with 1.5 cup water on low heat until its tender(around 15-20 minutes).
• Remove chicken pieces from stock.than strain the stock once its on room temperature.now add 1 cup milk in it.
• Heat 1tsp ghee/butter in pan.Add cinnamon,cardamoms,cumin seeds.then add 1 onion paste,1tbsp ginger-garlic paste and tsp garam masala pawder,saute on low heat for 5 minutes.
• Add 1 tomato puree n cook for another 10minutes on low heat
• Now switch off the heat n let the masala cool down n a bit,Now add stock n milk.place it on very low heat.cook fr 10 minutes.Remove from heat.strain again.once it on room temperature again add 1tsp cornflour n mix properly.place it again on heat n add chicken pieces.it ll thicken in 5minutes.finally add green chilies and cream.
• Serve with Bread of your choice.

# Straining twice is the key for making this gravy silky and smooth.

## Its MUST to bring stock on room temperature  before adding milk otherwise milk will curdle.Similarly spice paste must come to room temperature before adding stock-milk mixture.