Carrot Halwa with Milk Powder n Evaporated Milk

Hello Guys,

I am back after a long break. Been very busy these days. But my passion for blogging is pushing hard to post my recipes. Today, i am back with a sweet to please you guys.. Carrot Halwa is one of my favorites. Rich in color n taste, carrot halwa is an eye catching desert that pleases taste buds.

Traditional carrot halwa recipe calls for koha/mawa(condensed milk solids) n vigorous boiling of milk to reduce it to half. But there are so many  variations in making this halwa. In these busy days making koha n boiling milk is a tedious process n we dnt have time to do all this. One can make this carrot halwa in mins without satisfying the taste by using milk powder n evaporated milk.  Here, i used fat free ingredients to make it light on body n rich on taste buds.So here is the recipe for all time favorite for many...

Ingredients:

Carrot: 3, large grated(makes about 2cups)

Dry non-fat milk powder: 1/2 cup

Evaporated milk: 1 12 Fl oz can( I used GV fat free evaporated milk)

Sugar: 1/4 cup or to taste

Nuts: 2 tbsp ( I used almonds) 

Butter: 3 tbsp, unsalted( I used Smart Balance butter)

Cardamom Powder: 1/2 tsp or to taste

Preparation:

1) Melt butter in a pan. Roast nuts for 1min n set aside.

2) In the same pan, stir in grated carrots n cook for 6-7 mins on medium heat, uncovered. Carrot must be soft by now, if not cook for another couple mins.

3) Add evaporated milk n cook for 10 mins or until halwa thickens. 

4) Now add dry milk powder n sugar. Cook for 3-4 mins or until halwa oozes oil from sides. Adjust sugar to your taste.If you want that grainy taste of milk powder little bit more, than try adding little milk powder.

5) Garnish with almonds n switch off.

Serve hot with puri or eat as it is..

Tip: Add sugar, once carrots are cooked. Adding sugar, makes carrot to cook for longer time.

Instead of sugar n evaporated milk, you can use fat free sweetened condense milk

This is going to be a part of  Priya's Cooking with seeds-Cardamom seeds and 
Sri Lekha's SWEETS AND SAVORIES FOR DIWALI

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Bean Pockets

Hello Guys,
Its been a while that i posted a recipe on my blog.. Been busy with some other stuff going on in my life,,
These Bean Pockets are my fav n been sitting in draft since 3 weeks. Sound's healthy, its very simple to make these Pockets. Instead of soaking overnight n then boiling n straining, i used canned beans n made this heart healthy n tasty pockets in minutes..
These simple bean pockets say NO to Soaking, Boiling &Straining,and also NO to Mixing Dough, Rolling Dough.
To make the process simpler use canned beans n a packet of tortilla's. Thats it u r ready to go..

Ingredients:
Canned Beans: 2-1big+1 small ( I used 1 400g Great Value Chili Kidney Beans n 1 250g Pinto beans)
Tortilla's: 10(1 packet)
Oil: To deep fry
Corn Flour/Maida: 1tbsp
Water: As needed

Preparation:
1) Strain the water from canned beans. Now grind the beans into a coarse paste without adding any water. Don't grind them into a paste. If you can mash them with hand, go ahead n do that. Mashing or grinding beans helps you to make pockets out of tortilla's n also easy to  eat.
2) Now heat a pan n add mashed beans. Cook for 10 mins or until water evaporates from beans.
Making beans paste dry is very important.
3) Now warm tortilla's. This is important because, tortilla' s form packet are dry n you can't make pockets out of dry tortilla's. so jus warm them as per package instructions or jus heat them as you do for chapathi. Don't brown them. Jus heat for 1min or until they are soft enough to make pockets.
4) Make a paste out of Corn flour/ maida by adding little water n keep aside.
5) Now take a scoop of beans paste n put in center of tortilla. 
6) Fold one end of tortilla to the center. Now apply Flour paste all around the edges of tortilla. 
7) Now fold the sharp edges of tortilla towards center. Apply paste as needed.
8) Now cover the center with the other end of tortilla.
All i am trying to say is, jus fold the tortilla in envelope style.
9) Repeat the same process for remaining
10) Now heat oil for deep frying at 400degrees.
11) Fry one at a time for 2 mins on each side or until golden color.Repeat the process for remaining.

One thing i love about these pockets is , they don't absorb oil. 
Serve this crispy, healthy n yummy beans with ketchup or eat as it is..


This is going to be a part of 
Sunday snacks-Healthy snacks of Dilse hosted by Divya
My legume love affair guest hosted by Ruchikaooks started by Susan and also to Sri Lekha's SWEETS AND SAVORIES FOR DIWALI last but not least to my own event Vegetable Marathon-Beans

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Missing......

hello Guys,

Been very busy these days. I missed blogging a lot.. Going thru some interviews,  i am brushing all the languages i know. Being busy, i am not able to blog these days.. So i kept my passion aside for some time to get a hold on my life.. Hope everyone is doing good. will be back in few days with full pace..

Until then Happy Blogging...

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Ridge Gourd Chutney

Here i am with my fav chutney. I love roti pachadi/ Stone n  Mortar chutney. Unfortunately, i dnt have that..Back in India, we used to have this chutney's  in meal for at least 3 times a week. I love them so much bcoz they taste gr8 n healthy too. My mom used to make chutney with all kinds of veggies. She used to make chutney, even with peels of veggies. They taste very gr8 with hot hot rice n a touch of ghee. They taste gr8 even with dosa, idli or any fried fritters..From that combination, i made Ridge Gourd n Bottle Gourd Peel Chutney. Today's chutney is made with whole ridge gourd.. 

Ingredients:
Ridge Gourd : 1, chopped into Medium sized cubes
Tomato: 1 medium, halved
Green Chili: 3-4, halved,
Red chili: 2
Channa dal: 1tsp
Urad dal: 1tsp
Cumin Seeds: 1tsp
Mustard Seeds: 1tsp
Coriander Seeds: 1/2 tsp
Tamarind Paste:  2tsp or small lemon size raw tamarind
Salt: to taste
Oil: 1tsp
Cilantro: 1 cup, finely chopped
Preparation:
1) In a skillet, heat oil n add ridge gourd cubes. Don't peel the skin..
2) Fry for 2 mins uncovered.
3) Add remaining ingredients except salt, cilantro n tomato. if  using tamarind use it now.. If using tamarind paste don't add it now. 
4) Fry for 10 mins on medium heat, covered.
5) Add Tomato n tamarind paste n cook for 2 mins uncovred.
6) Switch off n add half cup cilantro. Let it cool .
7) Grind it in a mixer to a smooth or coarse paste.
8) Spoon it into a bowl n add cilantro n remaining cilantro

Enjoy ridge gourd chutney with rice..

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Egg Pulusu/ Egg in Tamarind Sauce

Egg Pulusu is one of my fav dishes.. Even though i ma not a big lover off boiled egg. I love this dish.. whenever it is egg curry, my mom used to sit beside me, jus to make sure i am eating all the egg. I used to eat only yellow, n the rest of the egg will be in my sunny's mouth.. I dnt know how he knows, but whenever it is egg curry, he used to take rounds around me. When my mom is nt there, Jus in a blink of eye  he snatches my egg white n leaves from there. God, i miss him so much.. So to avoid this  my mom used to make an omelette for me, so that i can get all nutrients of egg. Poor sunny.. But, he always had his share.. 
Here is the  picture of my darling sunny...

Anyways, coming to our toady's dish..The main ingredient, when it comes to 'Pulusu" is Tamarind, famous for its sweet tangy flavor...  When added along with jaggery or sugar, tamarind gives a very aromatic flavor to the dish...So todays dish of tamarind sauce holds eggs in it..

Ingredients:
Eggs: 4 boiled n peeled
Onion: 1 big. finely chopped
Tomato: 2 small, cubed
Green Chili: 3-4,  chopped diagonally
Tamarind paste: 2 tbsp, adjust according to your tangy taste
Red chili powder: 1tsp
Coriander powder: 1tsp
Salt: to taste
Jaggery: 2 tsp or to taste
Oil: 2 tbsp
Channa dal: 1tsp
Mustard seeds: 1tsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Curry leaves:1
Garlic: 2 pods, finely chopped
Coriander leaves: 1/2 cup chopped

Preparation:
1) In a pan heat oil, n add channa dal. Fry for 30 secs. Add mustard n cumin seeds n curry leaves. fry for 30 secs.
2) Stir in onions, garlic n green chili's. fry for 5 mins or until onions are transparent.
3) Add tomato n fry for 1min. Now add all spices n mix well.cook for 2 mins
4) Stir in tamarind paste n 11/2 cup of water. Mix well n bring to a boil on medium heat.
5) Add jaggery n boiled eggs. Mix well. cover n cook for 10 mins or until desired consistency, on medium to low heat. Adjust spices according to your taste..
6) Switch off n garnish with cilantro.
Serve hot with rice..

Tip:
Make  small small markings on egg with knife. This helps egg to absorb tamarind flavor..

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