MAA LADOO/ MAA LADDU

Maa Ladoo/ Maa Urundai or fried gram Laddu is one of the most nutritious, simple, healthy, quick Laddus that one can make. It is made of fried gram (Pottukadali/Porikadalai) powder, Sugar, Ghee, Nutmeg powder, and Cardamom powder. The taste is simply delicious and it has a melt in the mouth texture. Simple ingredients make this sweet taste heavenly.

In South India especially Tamil Nadu festivals like Janmashtami, Navarathri, and Deepawali are incomplete without this sweet. I learnt the recipe of this sweet from my mother in law and she made them very well. During Navarathri what she would do is grind mix all the dry ingredients and store them in an airtight jar, so whenever guests dropped in, she would melt a little ghee and mix it with the Fried gram flour and offer it to them fresh. The taste of freshly prepared Maa Urundai is simply out of the world. To this day I follow her method of instantly mixing the flour with ghee when guests visit during Navarathri.

While you are here please do check out my recipes of other sweets like Carrot kheer, Atte ka Sheera, Pineapple Rabri, Sugiyan, Akkaravadisal, Chakkara Pongal and more...

Here is the recipe of Maa Ladoo for you--

PREP TIME: 10Mins                                      COOK TIME: 15 Mins

TOTAL TIME: 25Mins                                    COURSE: SWEET

CUISINE: SOUTH  INDIAN                           SERVINGS: 4

AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

Ingredients:

Fried Gram/ Pottukadalai/Chutney chana 1 cup (1 cup=150ml)

Sugar 1 cup

Cardamom 7 pods

Nutmeg a tiny piece

Cashewnuts 8-10 broken to bits

Ghee around 3/4 cup or as required

Directions:

Take 1 cup of fried Gram/Pottukadalai/Chutney Chana in a dry grinder and grind it to a fine powder. Pass this through a sieve and discard the residue. Now take 1 cup sugar in the dry grinder, add the cardamom and nutmeg and grind it to a fine powder. Add this powder to the fried gram powder. Now in a small Kadai melt 1 tbsp ghee and fry the brown cashewnut bits until light brown. Pour the ghee along with the fried cashewnuts into the flour and sugar mix. Now mix the contents in the dish nicely with your hands. Now melt the 3/4 cup ghee in the small Kadai. Now pour around 2-3 tsp of ghee each time with a spoon into the flour, mix nicely with your fingers and form small balls of them. For each 2-3 teaspoon of ghee, you can make around 2 laddus. Repeat this process until you form Laddus of all the flour. I am adding a small video of the Laddu forming procedure in the stepwise recipe. Hope it is helpful. The delicious Laddus are ready to gobble. Kids and adults alike will love the taste. Enjoy. Bon Appetit.

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. Assemble all ingredients. Take the fried gram/Pottukadali in a dry grinder and grind it to a fine powder. Pass the powder through a sieve and discard the residue. 

 

2. Now put the sugar along with the cardamom and nutmeg into the dry grinder and powder them finely.

3. Add the sugar powder to the fried gram flour and mix well. Now melt 1 tbsp ghee in a small Kadai and fry the Cashewnuts until light brown. Add the ghee along with the fried cashewnuts to the flour and using your fingers mix well.

4. Now in the same small Kadai melt 3/4 cup of ghee. Let it become warm. Now pouring 2-3 teaspoons at a time mix the ghee with a small amount of the flour and shape into a ball. With 2-3 teaspoons of ghee, you will be able to make 2-3 ladoos at a time, depending on the size. Posting a video below to show the procedure.

5. Repeat this process for the entire flour and store the ladoos in a container. The delicious ladoos are ready to gobble up.

WATCH VIDEO

NOTE:

1. Sieving the fried gram powder after grinding is important as it gives the Ladoo a smooth texture and also tastes better that way.

2. I have mentioned Sugar as 1 cup and not sugar powder, so take care of that. 1 cup of sugar will yield about 11/4 cup of sugar powder and I recommend you use this entire amount. 1 cup of sugar powder will be a little less for the Ladoo.

3. Further elaborating on note 2 if using store-bought sugar powder you can add between 11/4 to 1.5  cups of sugar powder. 

4. Sugar and Ghee are the binding agents of this sweet to better not to add less. Sugar also gives the shine to the Ladoo. Adding very little sugar will result in brittle ladoos which will break on touching as they would not have bonded properly.

5. Note 4 holds good for ghee also. Using very little ghee will also result in the ladoos not retaining form and will break. This said using too much ghee will also result in the ladoo slumping and not retaining form.

6. This is why I have recommended pouring ghee as required, which is 2-3 teaspoons at a time so that we don't end up adding too much, at the same time we will also know the required amount. 

THATTAI/NIPPATU

This savory recipe is a popular South Indian snack and is made during festivals like Janmashtami and Deepawali. In South India festivals are incomplete without making rice-flour based snacks and homemade sweets. 

Usually, the rice is soaked, the water drained, dried on a cloth, and then ground to a flour. Nowadays since most of us are busy both at home and work, I have used store-bought rice flour for this recipe, as it saves time. The most important step in this recipe is the proportion of rice flour and Urad dal flour, which I  have shared below in the recipe. Regarding the use of Butter and its substitutes please refer to the notes.  

In this recipe, Rice flour, Urad dal flour, butter, and spices are combined to form a dough, which is flattened and deep-fried in oil.

To give this recipe my twist I have added another ingredient- a little Pottukadalai/Chutney chana(fried gram)flour. This makes the Thattai crunchy. Grated or sliced coconut can be added, but in this recipe, I have not used them. 

While you are here please have a look at my other recipes like 

Vella Aval/Sweet Poha, Atte ka sheera, Sugiyan, Chakkara Pongal, Carrot Kheer,

Akkaravadisal and more...

Here is the recipe of Thattai/Nippatu for you--

PREP TIME: 15Mins                                       COOK TIME: 45 Mins

TOTAL TIME: 60Mins                                     COURSE: SNACK

CUISINE: SOUTH  INDIAN                            SERVINGS: 20 pcs

AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

Ingredients

Rice flour 1 cup (1 cup=200 gm)                  

Urad dal flour 1 tbsp 

Fried gram flour(Porikadalai/Pottukadalai/chutney chana) 1 tbsp

Butter 1 tbsp 0r 10 gm

Salt as per taste

Red chilli powder 1 tsp( add more for more spice)

Coarsely broken peanuts 1 tbsp

fried gram dal(Pottukadalai) 1 tbsp

Curry leaves around 10 finely chopped

Asafoetida 1/2 tsp

White sesame 1 tsp  

Water as required  

Oil for frying

Directions:

For Urad dal flour--Take a handful of urad dal and dry roast them in a Kadai until light brown and you get a nice aroma. Cool them and grind them to a fine powder and also pass it through a sieve, discard the residue.

For fried Gram flour/Pottukadalai flour- Put a handful in a blender and grind them to a fine powder. Pass it through a sieve and discard residue if any.

 Now in a dish take the rice flour and add the urad dal flour and fried gram flour. Add the butter, salt, chilli powder, asafoetida, coarsely broken peanuts, fried gram, curry leaves, white Sesame, and mix nicely. The flours, spice powders, and butter should combine well. Now add water little by little to make a stiff dough. 

Now in a Karahi take oil for deep frying and heat. While the oil heats up start shaping the Thattai. Take a plastic sheet or Aluminium foil and grease it with oil well. Grease your palms also with oil. Now pinch a small amount of dough(little bigger than lemon) and place it on the plastic/aluminum sheet and using your fingers flatten the ball to a thin circle. Take a fork or toothpick and prick holes all over the dough. Check if the oil is hot enough. To test take a small piece of dough and put it in the oil. If it sizzles and rises immediately then the oil is ready for frying. Now gently lift the foil in your left hand and ease the flattened dough into your right hand by reversing the foil and gently peeling it away. Now gently drop the flattened dough into the oil and fry flipping both sides. Keep flipping and frying until all bubbles in the oil subside and the Thattai is golden in colour. The Spicy and crunchy Thattai is ready to munch as it is or serve as a tea time snack or to offer guests during festivals. Enjoy. Bon Appetit.

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. Assemble all ingredients. Follow the method given above for Urad dal flour and fried gram/Porikadalai flour. Coarsely pulse the peanuts too.

2. In a dish take the rice flour, Urad dal flour, fried gram flour, butter, and all other ingredients excluding water and combine nicely.

3. Now add water little by little and form a stiff dough. Take oil ina Karahi to deep fry and heat. heat should be medium-high. 

4. To form the Thattai, take a plastic sheet or aluminium foil and grease it with oil. Grease your palms also with oil. Pinch a small portion of dough, form a ball, and place it on the sheet. Flatten it with your fingers to form a thin circle. Take a fork and prick all over the Thattai.

5. To check if the oil is hot enough drop a small bit of dough in the oil if it rises immediately then the oil is ready for frying. Using your left hand lift the foil and reverse it on your right palm and gently peel away the foil in a backward motion.

Now gently release the flattened dough into the oil and fry flipping both sides, until all the bubbles in the oil subside and the Thattai is a golden colour. Repeat this process for all the dough and store the Thattai/ Nippatu/Chekkalu in an airtight container. 

    

NOTES:

1. Butter is one ingredient that gives the Thattai its crunch and also it's colour. So do not exclude it.  Some recipes suggest using Ghee or hot oil in the dough. I recommend sticking to butter as ghee and hot oil turn the Thattai hard and also the colour turns too brown.

2. Any butter unsalted or salted is fine.

3. Using Pottukadalai/ fried gram powder gives a nice taste and crunch. If you don't have it handy, carryon with other ingredients. The Thattai will still turn out fine.

4. Using white sesame also gives a nice taste to the recipe. If you have it handy add some for sure 

5. Coconut gratings or small bits of coconut are also added, but this time I have not added them. 

If you tried this recipe and liked it please comment below. I would love to hear from you.

If you want the recipes emailed to you leave your id in the homepage near the📧

icon. Whenever we have a new post the recipe will be mailed to you. Thank you for showing interest in Rajjo's Kitchen.

SWEET POHA/VELLA AVAL

This recipe of the humble Poha(beaten rice flakes)/Aval cooked  in Jaggery syrup is one of my favourites.  I make it whenever I have a sweet craving or as an offering(Prasad) for Pujas at home. Healthy and filling at the same time. It makes for a good mid-evening snack(Tiffin) option. Sometimes I make with a combination of other Pohe recipes, to serve during Navarathri when guests visit home.

 Poha is also one of the main offerings during Janmashtami and Ganesh Chaturthi. Lord Krishna is known to have loved them and Pohe is what his friend Sudama got him as a gift. 

Usually, during these two festivals, people just offer the Pohe and jaggery with coconut scraping as a dry mixture for Prasad. I have observed that though there are few who like it this way, many don't enjoy it dry. So what I prefer doing is putting it in a jaggery syrup and stirring it dry, with a dash of ghee, cardamom powder and coconut scrapings it tastes just like Sweet Pongal, but it is dry in texture. 

 There are many variations of the Pohe like Kanda Poha(onion Poha), Masala Poha(tomatoes and onions), Lemon Poha, Puli Aval(tamarind Poha), Vella Aval(Sweet Poha) and  Dahi Pohe/Moru Aval. The Poha can be either thick or thin. For this recipe, I have used the thin one, but the same can be done with the thick one too, just that the soak time will vary. Thick Poha is used for recipes where the Poha is going to cook in a sauce so that it doesn't become soggy. The Sweet Pohe makes for a good and healthy recipe for kids too.

While you are here please visit my other Indian sweet recipes such as 

Atte ka Sheera, Sugiyan, Carrot Kheer, and Pineapple Rabri and more...

This Janmashtami or Ganesh Chaturthi try out this recipe of Sweet Poha or Vella Aval.

PREP TIME: 10Mins                                      COOK TIME: 15 Mins

TOTAL TIME: 25Mins                                    COURSE: DESSERT/SWEET

CUISINE: SOUTH  INDIAN                           SERVINGS: 4

AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

Ingredients:

Poha/Aval( Thin ) 1 cup

Jaggery 1 cup

Coconut gratings 1 tbsp

Ghee 1tbsp

Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp

Cashewnuts around 5 broken to bits

Raisins around 8

Directions:

Pass the Poha through a sieve that has medium-sized perforations, such that the Poha remains in the sieve and the dust and small flakes fall away. Now wash the Poha just once(may become soggy if done more than once)and drain all the water. Let the Poha rest for 10 minutes.

In a thick bottomed vessel put in the jaggery and 1/4 cup water and place it on the flame. Stirring continuously dissolve the jaggery. The syrup should boil for about 2 minutes. Now strain this syrup into a Kadai or thick bottomed pan and add a teaspoon of sugar and add the washed Poha. Turn on the flame and mix the jaggery and Poha well, such that the jaggery syrup has evenly coated the poha. Cook on low flame until all the moisture is absorbed. Now add the cardamom powder and put off the flame. In a small tadka, Kadai heat the ghee and fry the nuts and raisins and drop them into the Sweet Poha and give it a stir. The Sweet Poha/Vella Aval is ready to offer as Prasad or to your guests. This can be made ahead and warmed just before you serve. Enjoy.

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. Assemble all ingredients. Powder the jaggery and cardamom and keep ready. Break the Cashewnuts to bits.

2. Sieve, wash the Poha twice drain the water and let it rest for 10 minutes.

3. Now in a thick bottomed vessel put in the jaggery, add 1/4 cup water and switch on the flame. Stirring continuously dissolve the jaggery. The syrup should cook for 2 minutes on low flame. 

4. Now strain this syrup into the Kadai or pan in which you are going to make the Poha. Add a teaspoon of sugar. Add the washed and soaked Poha to the syrup in the Kadai, and switch on the flame. Start stirring and cooking this mixture until the jaggery syrup coats the poha well. Continue to stir until the moisture dries up and the Poha is almost dry. Add the cardamom powder and switch off the flame.

5. In a small tadka, Kadai dry roast the grated coconut gratings until light brown. One has to stir continuously as the coconut will burn if left unattended. Add the roasted coconut to the Sweet Poha and mix well.

6. Now in the same Kadai, the coconut was roasted, add the ghee and fry the nuts and raisins. Put this into the Sweet Poha. The dish is now ready to offer for Puja or to serve guests.

NOTES:

1. If using thick Poha there is no need to sieve the Poha, just wash it around 3 times and then rest it for 10 minutes.

2. Sometimes this recipe I also made by soaking the poha in jaggery water, but I personally do not recommend this as the dish does not last long. The jaggery water is not cooked like unlike the recipe above, so the chances are the Poha will give out a fermented smell in a short time.

3. Since in this recipe, I have boiled the jaggery and made a syrup the Poha can be made ahead, if you have made extra, it can be put in the refrigerator and warmed up the next day. So this method stays good longer.

4. Adding a teaspoon or two of sugar accentuates the taste of jaggery. I always follow this in my jaggery based recipes.

5. More grated coconut can be added if you like the flavour.

If you tried this recipe and liked it please comment below. I would love to hear from you.

If you want the recipes emailed to you leave your id in the homepage near the📧

icon. Whenever we have a new post the recipe will be mailed to you. Thank you for showing interest in Rajjo's Kitchen.

CREAMY TOMATO PASTA

Well, who doesn't love pink Pasta? Yes, pink pasta. Usually, pink pasta is made with a combination of white sauce and tomato pasta sauce. In this recipe, I have used a lot of tomato puree and milk, some cream, and loads of Parmesan cheese. The sauce is extremely slurpy and delicious. The sauce can be used as it is or one can add-in as per their preference.

I am also letting you into a little secret of how restaurants get that creamy texture. I have also used Pangritato(toasted bread crumbs) which takes this dish to a completely different level. This Pasta sauce is very easy to make and the dish gets done very quickly. 

I  have used Spaghetti and a few pieces of Macaroni just for some aesthetic effect and nothing else. You can avoid it completely, or use only Macaroni instead of Spaghetti or use both like I did. Children are sure to love this recipe and adults too and the bowl will be clean.

The use of parmesan cheese gives a nice sharp taste to the sauce. Feel free to add other herbs like Basil, I have used only Italian seasoning. 

While you are here visit other recipes of mine like Schezwan Fried rice,

 Homemade Schezwan sauce, Apple Crumble, Blueberry cheesecake, and more...

Here is the recipe of Creamy Tomato pasta for you--

PREP TIME: 20 MINS                                          COOK TIME: 20 MINS

TOTAL TIME: 40 MINS                                        SERVINGS: 4

 CUISINE:  WORLD FOOD                               AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

Ingredients:

Spaghetti 1 packet (300 gm)

Macaroni 1 handful(optional)

Tomato puree 200 to 250 ml

Cream (medium or high fat) 1/2 cup

Milk 1 cup

Parmesan cheese 1 cup and a little more

Bread slice 1(for the Pangritato)

Pepper powder 1 tsp

Red chilli powder 1 tsp

Garlic 5 pods crushed

Onion 1 finely chopped

Chilli flakes 2 tsp(divided)

Oregano or Italian seasoning 2 tsp(divided)

Cilantro/Coriander leaves finely chopped 2 tsp

Olive oil/butter 2 tbsp

Directions:

Cook the pasta aldente( a little undone- just put off the flame 2 minutes than the recommended time on the pasta packet). Reserve 2 cup of the water in which the pasta cooked and drain the remaining. Pour cold water over pasta, drain it completely and place the pasta in a colander. 

Put 1 tsp of chilli flakes and Italian seasoning in 1 cup of the reserved pasta water and pour this water over the pasta in the colander, the water will drain away but the flakes and the seasoning will stick to the pasta. This step is what gives that flavouring in restaurants( 1 secret revealed).

Now in a wok or pan add 2 tbsp Olive oil/butter and heat. add the crushed garlic and saute for 30 seconds and add the onion. Continue to saute until the onions turn transparent. Now reduce the heat and pour in all other ingredients into the pan, like tomato puree, cream, milk and 3/4 cup of parmesan cheese. Stir the contents nicely over a medium flame until the cheese melts completely and the sauce starts bubbling. Add the reserved cup of pasta water to the sauce and dilute it, this is what gives the sauciness when the sauce becomes thick again( secret 2 revealed😃). Now add the pepper powder, red chilli powder and salt to the sauce and continue to cook. The sauce will now become dense ad thick if it's too thick then dilute again by adding 1/4 cup water. The sauce should be thick and stick to the pasta and not run all over it. Now add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix nicely. The sauce should have covered all the pasta nicely. Now add the chopped Cilantro, Italian seasoning and top up with the remaining Parmesan cheese, cover and cook for a minute. Put off the flame and serve immediately. Yummy saucy pasta is ready. Enjoy. Bon Appetit. 

For the Pangritato: Toast one bread slice with a little butter until crisp and powder it. this powder is Pangritato, basically toasted bread crumbs.

They are used a lot in  Italian cooking.

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. Assemble all ingredients.

Cooking the pasta perfectly- Take about 2 litres of water in a big vessel( I prefer a flat and broad one) and boil it. When it begins to boil add a teaspoon of salt(reduce heat before you add salt or the boiling water will overflow), a teaspoon of oil and add the pasta. Keep stirring and cooking it and keep checking in between if it is done. Remember that you have put off the flame while it's still a little undone or let's say when it is 3/4 done. Remember to reserve 2 cups of this water and drain the rest. Immediately pour some cold water over the pasta and drain it. Place the pasta in a colander. Add 1 tsp of red chilli flakes and oregano seasoning to 1 cup of the reserved pasta water, a pinch of salt and pour it over the pasta that is cooling. This step ensures that the pasta is full of flavours.

2. In a wok/pan add 2 tbsp butter or olive oil and heat. Add the crushed garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Now add the onions and saute until they turn translucent.

3. Now reduce the flame to low and add the tomato puree, cream, milk and 3/4 of the  Parmesan cheese and cook until the cheese melts. Keep stirring. The sauce will thicken. Now pour the remaining pasta water or regular water is fine too if you don't have enough pasta water and dilute the sauce.

4. Now add the salt, red chilli powder, pepper powder, chilli flakes and simmer the sauce until it thickens again. Now put in the pasta into the sauce and mix it nicely, the movement should be from bottom to top so that the sauce spreads evenly over the pasta. 

5. Finally, reduce the flame and top up the pasta with the remaining cheese and cook covered for a minute until the cheese melts. Now put off the flame and add the Pangritato. Enjoy this yummy pasta piping hot.

NOTES:

1. For any pasta recipe to turn out well, cooking the pasta carefully is very important.

2. Zucchini, Broccoli, Red onions etc can be added to the sauce. if adding them, add after sauteeing the onions and saute them also for 3 minutes.

3. If Parmesan is not available Cheddar also can be used, but definitely, there will be a difference in taste.

4. The sauce I made was just enough to put the pasta in, you can make more if you like it very saucy.

5. If you forget to reserve the pasta water, it is fine. Just continue with regular water or vegetable broth if you have. 

6. I have added Macaroni only for the aesthetics, it fine if the recipe is made without it too.

 

If you tried this recipe and liked it please comment below. I would love to hear from you.

If you want the recipes emailed to you leave your id in the homepage near the📧

icon. Whenever we have a new post the recipe will be mailed to you. Thank you for showing interest in Rajjo's Kitchen.

BEETROOT PARATHA

Parathas are flatbreads stuffed with grated or mashed vegetables. Sometimes the vegetables are not stuffed but mixed in with the dough. This Paratha is one such recipe.

I resisted making these parathas for a whole month. I like Beetroot Poriyal( dry subji) a lot and I love Beetroot Halwa, but the thought of Beetroot in paratha sounded a little off track. My girl kept trying to convince me that I should give it a try and I kept dodging, saying I couldn't imagine a sweetish paratha. The internet has a quite many beetroot paratha recipes, but I refused to look at them. Then one day when I ran out of options to cook dinner, I thought why not give it a try. But the challenge was to balance the sweetness with some spice and at the same time the beetroot is a mild vegetable and also spices do not go very well with it, so I decided to keep it simple.

I am more than willing to say I don’t regret making the Beetroot Paratha at all. It tasted so good and the lovely aroma while cooking the parathas was difficult to resist. So much so RK who isn’t a beetroot liker at all gave the parathas a thumbs up. Beetroot paratha is definitely becoming a regular at my house.

While you are here please check out other recipes on Rajjo’s Kitchen like

 Chinese Paratha, Missi Roti, Adai, Rava Dosa and more...

Here is the recipe of Beetroot Paratha for you—

PREP TIME: 15Mins                                COOK TIME: 25 MINS

TOTAL TIME: 40 MINS                            COURSE:  BREADS 

CUISINE: INDIAN                                    SERVINGS: 6

                                                                  AUTHOR: Rajni Ram     

Ingredients:

Beetroot 1 Medium  grated

Whole wheat flour 3 cups

Ginger 1 inch piece chopped

Green chillies 3 

Salt as per taste

Red chilli powder 1 tsp

Coriander powder 1 tsp

Water as required for making dough

Ol for cooking Parathas

Directions:

Grate the Beetroot and keep ready. In a mixer grind the green chillies and ginger to a fine paste without adding water. Now in a bowl/dish take 3 cups of wheat flour, salt as required, red chilli powder, coriander powder and the green chilli- ginger paste. Now add in the grated beetroot and start combining with your hand. Do not add any water at this stage. The beetroot also will release some moisture. So once you have combined the flour, spices and the wheat flour nicely, then start adding water little by little. The consistency should be like that of Chapati dough. Rest the dough for 15 minutes and then pinch small portions of the dough and form balls. This quantity yields 12 Parathas. Now dust each ball with flour and roll out to form a medium-sized Paratha. The dough must be rolled out a little thick. The colourful and delicious Beetroot Paratha is ready. Enjoy this colourful and flavourful Paratha. Bon Appetit.

 

Serving Suggestions: Usually parathas are served with pickle, butter and raita or curd. For this particular paratha, I suggest excluding the pickle as they will be very diverse in taste.

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. Assemble all ingredients. Grate the Beetroot, make a paste of the green chillies and ginger and keep ready.

2. In a bowl or dish take 3 cups of whole wheat flour. Add the red chilli powder coriander powder, salt plus the chilli- ginger paste to this.

3. Now add the grated beetroot and mix well. Don't add any water at this stage keep mixing it with your hands until all the moisture of the beetroot is absorbed by the wheat flour.

4. Now add water a little at a time and start combining to form a dough. The dough should neither be stiff not too loose. It should resemble the Chapati dough in consistency.

5. Now pinch small portions of the dough and shape them to balls. This quantity gives around 12 of them. Now dust each ball with flour and roll it out into a thick Paratha. Cook both sides on a hot girdle drizzling some oil, until tiny light brown dots appear. The yummy beetroot paratha is ready to tuck in.

NOTES:

1. The flavour of this Paratha is very subtle, so the spice powders should be used minimally.

2. This is a no onion- no garlic paratha, it is best kept that way as the pungency of garlic may not go with the taste.

3. Coriander leaves could be added if you prefer, but I have not used them in this recipe.

If you tried this recipe and liked it please comment below. I would love to hear from you.

If you want the recipes emailed to you leave your id in the homepage near the📧

icon. Whenever we have a new post the recipe will be mailed to you. Thank you for showing interest in Rajjo's Kitchen.

PAV BHAJI

Pav Bhaji the popular food from Maharashtra is everyone's favourite. It is also the most popular street food. Everyone has their favourite outlet for this yummy street food variety. Mine is Elco Arcade in Mumbai and Gangotree in Chennai. If you visit these places please try them out.

The bread also called the Pav has to be fresh and the Bhaji the Maharashtrian word for Subji, tangy and spicy. Pav is a term that fills me with warmth because I have many childhood memories associated with it. When in Mumbai my aunt would decide to make us her yummy Pav Bhaji, we kids would be sent to these narrow bylanes in Bandra where the Pav was made fresh. here was this whole colony of Pav(bread) bakers and the whole area would smell so good. Just for this fact we kids would never refuse to go. This place was very close to my aunt's house and we would take a morning walk to this place and would be handed over a fresh and hot batch of Pav for our evening Pav Bhaji. I just cannot forget the aroma of fresh bread just out of the oven. 

In this dish, mashed potatoes are the main ingredient along with a tomato base. Onions and spices are also added which gives it the iconic taste. Topped with a dollop of butter a squeeze of some lime, this is could the best food ever.

I like to add more vegetables apart from the Potatoes and so I add a tiny carrot, few finely chopped pieces of cauliflower, peas, and capsicum. I also like to add a puree of tomato instead of chopped tomato. 

So when the demand at home is to make something special yet simple I mostly opt for Pav Bhaji.

While you are here please do check out my other recipes like Pakode wali Dal, Semolina Cheese balls, Dahi Pohe, Pineapple rasam, Chinese paratha, and more...

Here is the recipe of Pav Bhaji for you-

PREP TIME: 20 Mins                                               COOK TIME: 20 Mins

TOTAL TIME: 40 Mins                                             COURSE:  SNACK

CUISINE: MAHARASHTRIAN                                SERVINGS: 4

                                                                                AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

                                                                     

Ingredients:

Pav- Store-bought 

Potatoes 4 medium boiled and mashed

Tomatoes 2 large(pureed) used the local variety(desi) if available

Onion 1 large finely chopped

Green chillies 3 finely chopped

Cauliflower 3 florets finely chopped

Carrot 1 medium finely chopped

Capsicum 1 medium finely chopped

Green peas 1/2 cup ( I have not used here as could not find fresh ones)

Ginger -garlic paste 1/2  tsp

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder 1 tsp(or more if you prefer)

Coriander powder 1 tsp

Fennel powder 1 tsp

Amchur powder 1 tsp

Salt as required

Garam masala powder 1/2 tsp

Oil for sauteeing

Butter for toasting the pav and a dollop for the bhaji

Directions:

Boil the potatoes and mash them. Puree the tomatoes in a blender. In a karahi/pan take 1 tbsp oil and heat. Add the cumin seeds and as they crackle add the green chillies and saute for 30 seconds. Now add the onions and saute for a minute. Add the turmeric powder and continue to saute for 30 seconds, now add the ginger-garlic paste and saute until the onions start turning light brown. Now add in the capsicum and saute for a 1 minute. Remember that all sauteeing to be done on high flame. Now add the cauliflower and carrot and saute for 2 minutes. Now add the tomato puree, followed by red chilli powder, coriander powder, fennel powder, and salt and stir nicely. Cook for a minute. Now add the mashed potato and using a masher keep mashing and mixing all the veggies in the pan. Repeat the process until all are well combined. Now add 1 cup(can add up to 1.5 cups) of water and cook for 2 minutes on low flame. Now add Garam masala powder and turn off the flame. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves, finely chopped onions and a dollop of butter. Toast the fresh Pav with a liberal amount of butter and serve hot with the Bhaji. Enjoy. Bon Appetit.

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. Assemble all ingredients. Boil and mash Potatoes, puree the tomatoes. Chop onions and green chillies.

2. In a pan take 1 tbsp oil and heat. Add in the cumin seeds and as they crackle add the green chillies and saute for 30 seconds.

3. Now add the onions and saute on high flame for 30 seconds followed by turmeric powder, ginger-garlic paste and saute for 1 minute. Now add in the capsicum and saute for a minute. Add in the cauliflower and carrots and green peas(if using), add salt and continue to saute for 2 minutes.

4. Now pour the tomato puree, followed by red chilli powder, coriander powder, fennel powder, amchur powder and stir nicely. Cook for 1 minute and add in the mashed potatoes and mix well. Using a masher mash the potato-veggie mixture in the pan until all are well combined. Now add about 1 cup water and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Check for salt and spice and if less add at this stage.

5. Finally, add the garam masala powder and turn off the flame. The bhaji should not be lumpy nor should it be runny. The spicy and tangy Pav Bhaji is ready to feast on. Toast some fresh Pav with a liberal amount of butter and serve the bhaji topped with finely chopped onion, coriander and a dollop of butter.

NOTES:

1. I recommend you use some green peas. As I could not find any on that said day I have made my Bhaji without it. If using boil them ahead. 

2. Be liberal with the butter it really enhances the taste.

3. one can also sprinkle some grated cheese over the Bhaji, to make Cheese pav bhaji.

4. If you don't want to add other vegetables it is fine and the dish will still taste the same.

If you tried this recipe and liked it please comment below. I would love to hear from you.

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BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE(BAKED)

This is an epic post because I love Blueberries(any berry for that matter) and I  have perfected this Blueberry cheesecake finally. And for a recipe to feature on my blog, I should have perfected it before I put it out before you, and that is when I have tried it out 3 times without any mishaps. 

Over the years I have tried this recipe quite many times and it would taste fine but,  consistency wise there would be some glitch or the other. Also in India, we don't get fresh Blueberries very often, and even if we do they are expensive. So in this recipe, I have used dried Blueberries that are available in all departmental stores. I wanted to give you a recipe in which things are accessible. The Cream Cheese I have used here is also available at all outlets with a Chiller isle. The recommended one is Philadelphia Cream cheese but I have not used that, just to try if other brands work fine, and yes they do. 

This Cheesecake turning out so well is a dream come true for me, as its always been my wish to make one. Since I love berries I have loaded my Cheesecake with a lot of them, one can reduce the quantity too if they desire. 

This recipe is a no-mess, one-bowl recipe so not much of clean up is required. It is light and creamy with a blueberry topping. The thing about them being baked is that they hold well at room temperature, but since I am using a blueberry topping I had to refrigerate for 2 hours. The topping is just an option and is not at all mandatory.

I have simplified the recipe quite a bit. In this recipe, I'm giving stepwise instructions directly.

while you are here please try my other recipes like Apple Crumble, 

Pineapple Jam tarts, Nutella fudge brownies, Berry Smoothie Icecream, and more...

Here is the recipe of Blueberry Cheesecake for you-

 

     PREP TIME: 20 Mins                                          COOK TIME: 40 Mins

     TOTAL TIME:60Mins                                           COURSE:  DESSERT

     CUISINE:  WORLD FOOD                                  SERVINGS: 6

     AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

Ingredients for Base:

 Marie Biscuit 1 sheet(20 nos)

Unsalted butter 100 gm

Sugar 2 tbsp(powdered or fine sugar)

Ingredients for Filling:

Creamcheese 320 gm softened(keep out of the refrigerator for 1 hour)

Plain flour/Maida 1 tbsp

Sourcream/Curd 1/3 cup

White Sugar 1/2 cup 

Vanilla extract 1.5 tsp

Zest of Lemon- Grate the rind of one whole lemon

Eggs 2

Blueberries(dried) 250 gm (soak in warm water for 30 mins and drain the water)

Icing Sugar for dusting(optional) (refer note2)

* Reserve some blueberries(unsoaked) for later.

Ingredients for Blueberry topping/Sauce:

Blueberries(dried) 1 cup (soaked for 30 mins in warm water and drain water)

Sugar1/4 cup

Cornflour 1 tbsp

Lemon Juice 1 tbsp

Butter 1 tbsp

Blueberry preserve 3/4 of a 240 gm bottle(around 180 gm) 

Directions for Sauce:

Place the Blueberries and remaining ingredients(except the preserve) in a saucepan and cook over medium flame. Bring them to a simmer and cook until few of the blueberries burst, around 3 minutes. Keep stirring. Now add the preserve ad stir again. The sauce will come together and become jammy. Remove from flame and cool completely.

Directions for Base:

1.Grease or spray a round baking tray/mould with oil and line with parchment paper/butter paper. Place the biscuits in a blender and powder them. Add the butter and sugar to the powdered biscuits and blitz again. It should look like wet sand.

2. Put this mixture into the baking mould and using something flat press it down into the base and also rise in the sides, as this is going to hold the filling and topping, it needs some height. See pictures for reference.

Directions for filling:

1. Firstly preheat the oven to 160 C or 320F. Now start making the filling. Beat Creamcheese(just a spatula will do, stand mixer or electric beater not required, remember I said it a one-bowl recipe😉) until smooth, it need not become fluffy. Now add the flour and beat again until just combined.

 

2. Add sour cream/curd, sugar, vanilla and the lemon zest and beat until combined. Add the eggs one by one beating in between, until just combined. Do not overbeat.

 

3. Now ensure you have drained all water from the soaked blueberries and add the berries to the cream cheese batter and fold gently. Now pour this batter into the prepared base and top with the reserved unsoaked blueberries.

4. Bake for 40 minutes at 180 C or until the cheesecake is set, but the middle of the cake should wobble when you shake it and when you stick in a toothpick it should come out clean. There can be little cracks on the cake, so don't worry.

5. Cool the cake completely and spread the Blueberry sauce over it( the sauce might have thickened, just microwave it for 20 seconds and it will be spreadable again). Refrigerate for 2 hours and its ready. Enjoy the Berrilicious flavour. Bon Appetit.

  

NOTES:

1. If using Fresh Blueberries use 1/2 cup sugar for the filling and the entire bottle of the preserve.

2. Topping the cake with Blueberry sauce is optional. If not topping it dust icing sugar over the cake before storing.

3. Try using a spatula for beating as we don't want the batter to air up and rise. If the batter becomes fluffy, the cake will rise while baking and then go limp on removing it from the oven.

4. If topping the cake with sauce, don't forget to refrigerate it, only then the topping will set, otherwise when you cut the cake it will drop everywhere.

If you tried this recipe and liked it please comment below. I would love to hear from you. If you have a query about the recipe email us and ill respond as soon as I can.

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