SUGIYAN

Sugiyan or Sukhiyan as it is called is a traditional snack in Kerala and Tamilnadu. It is also made in Andhra Pradesh and is called Boorelu. This snack is like a sweet version of the Aloo Bonda where the Aloo is replaced with a sweet Chana dal or Moong dal and Jaggery filling and instead of Besan Urad dal and rice flour are used as a batter to cover the filling(Poornam). Coconut is also added to the filling that enhances the taste. This is also a snack that people make for festivals. As the festival time is nearing blogging this recipe may be helpful. I usually make it around Navarathri and Diwali to serve it to guests who visit home.

As I  had mentioned that the poornam (filling) is made with Moong dal too, but I personally feel the chana dal filling is tastier. Some also use whole moong(payaru) to make the filling.

 I use this filling of Sugiyan to make Puran Poli(Boli/Bobbatlu/Hoolige) also. So what I usually do is make them both simultaneously. I use wheat flour majorly with a hint of maida to make Puran Poli, the Sugiyan is had the same day as it doesn't taste fresh or hold good the next day, it is like an instant snack, whereas Puran Poli can be consumed with 2-3 days if stored properly.

One needs to grind the batter carefully and the rest of the recipe is quite easy. In this recipe, I will also show you an easy way to make the filling.

While you are here check out my other dessert recipes like Pineapple Rabdi,

 Carrot Kheer, Chakkara Pongal, Atte Ka Sheera, Akkara vadisal, and more. 

Here is the recipe of Sugiyan for you--

 PREP TIME: 20 Mins(1 hr soak)                         COOK TIME: 40 Mins

TOTAL TIME: 60 Mins                                          COURSE:  SNACK

CUISINE: SOUTH INDIAN                                   SERVINGS: 6

                                                                              AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

Ingredients:

Urad dal 1 cup soaked for 1-hour 

Chana dal 1 cup roasted to light brown

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Rice flour 2 tbsp

Jaggery 1 cup powdered

Coconut grated 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder 1 tsp

Oil for frying

Directions: for the filling:

 Dry roast the Chana dal to a light brown, you will get a nice aroma of the dal. Switch off the flame, remove and cook in a pressure cooker with 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and adequate water for 2-3 whistles(not more), as we want the dal to be rightly cooked, not mushy. Once the dal is cooked and the pressure in the cooker has subsided, remove the dal and put it in a strainer for all the water to drain off for about 5 minutes. Now put the dal into the dry grinding unit of the processor and blitz. Open stir the contents well and blitz again to a fine powder. After grinding it will resemble wet sand. Now in a Karahi put in the jaggery and the ground dal, followed by grated coconut( add no water) and keep stirring, in low flame. The jaggery will start melting and within 5 minutes of stirring the filling will become well combined. Even if it seems a little dry, don't be tempted to add water. The jaggery will be enough to bind it. Add the Cardamom powder and keep stirring and when it forms a lump, put off the flame and let it cool. Once the filling has cooled, make small balls of them and keep aside.   

Directions for the outer crust:

Soak the Urad dal for 1 hour and grind. Don't allow it to soak for a long time, as then it soaks up a lot of oil while frying. The dal has to be ground to a smooth and thick batter, with water as required. The batter should stick to the filling and not roll off it, that should be the consistency. A runny or flowy batter will not stick to the filling. After grinding transfer to a dish, add 2 tablespoons of rice flour and 1/2 tsp salt. Now add little water if required as the rice flour would have absorbed all moisture from the urad dal paste. 

Directions to make Sugiyan:

Heat oil for frying to medium-high. Now take one ball at a time, roll it in the batter, or smear the batter all over the filling, it should be a thick coating or it will split in the oil and, drop them gently into the oil. Fry 4-5 of them at a time. Remove when golden brown in colour. Drain them on an absorbent paper. Repeat for the entire lot of filling. The delicious Sugiyan is ready. Serve with tea or make it as Prasad(offering) for Puja and enjoy it. Bon Appetit.

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. Assemble all ingredients. Soak the dal for an hour. Dry roast the Chana dal and pressure cook for 2 -3 whistles and no more.

2. For the Outer crust(cover)- Grind the soaked Urad dal by adding little water to a smooth but thick paste(idli batter consistency or a little thicker also is fine). Stir in 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of rice flour. If the batter gets too thick, add a little amount of water to get it back to the right consistency, given above. ( I forgot to take a picture of adding Rice flour, so please keep in mind and ad it).

3. For filling- Dry roast the Chana dal until light brown in colour, you will get a nice sweet aroma when you are getting to that stage. Pour required water and add turmeric powder and pressure cook it for 2-3 whistles, and not more. Once the pressure reduces, take the dal and drain it completely of all the water and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.

4. Now put the warm Dal into the dry grinding jar and blend to a powdery texture, without any water. Give it a mix and spin again, the mixture should be fine and should resemble wet sand.

5. Put this ground Dal mixture in a Kadai and add the jaggery and grated coconut to it. Switch on the flame on low and start stirring this mixture. Do not add any water, the jaggery will start melting in the heat and help in combining. Add the cardamom and keep stirring until the mixture comes together and forms a lump. Put off the flame and cool the mixture.

6. To make the Sugiyan-  Heat oil in a karahi for frying. Heat should be medium-high. Now make lemon sized(or a little bigger too is ok) balls of the filling and keep it aside. Check if the oil is hot by dropping little of the batter into it. If it sizzles and rises immediately, it is ready for frying.

7. Now take the Urad dal - Rice flour batter and dunk each ball into it gently, use your hands to smear the batter on the filling if required ad cover the ball. Gently drop it into the oil and fry to a golden brown colour. 4-5 Sugiyans can be fried at a time. Drain them on absorbent paper. Repeat for the entire filling and enjoy them hot.

NOTE:

1. I recommend not soaking the Urad dal for more than an hour as it soaks in lot of oil while frying.

2. The jaggery can be reduced to 3/4 cup depending on how sweet it is.

3. I forgot to take a picture of adding the rice flour, so don't forget to add it if following only the pictures.

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PALAK PANEER

  Palak Paneer is a dish I have relished since childhood, as I love Palak and Paneer both. This dish is popular in North India and is one of the most popular Paneer dishes. It is usually served with Roti, Parathas, and other Indian Bread. It goes really well with Plain Rice, Jeera rice and Pulav too. In this dish, the Palak is pureed and made into a thick gravy with spices and the Paneer pieces are cooked in it. This dish is a great way to add Palak to your diet.

Spinach/Palak is loaded with Iron and fibre and the Paneer is rich in proteins and so this makes it a healthy recipe.

Well, there are loads of Palak Paneer recipes that recommend using cashewnuts or cream for a thicker or creamier gravy, I feel that this makes the dish heavy. Palak by itself when pureed after blanching has volume, plus the onions and tomatoes sauteed and ground also adds body to the dish, so adding cashew paste or cream is not absolutely necessary, though if one likes the taste of it, then no harm in adding them too. That said it does not make much of a difference to the dish. I usually use the cream only as a garnish, that too around 1 tsp.  

There are many other Palak recipes from different cuisines and I will try and bring them to you over a period of time. While you are here please go through my recipes of other Subjis like  Drumstick curry, Brinjal pepper masala, Kadai Paneer, Mixed vegetable curry,  Gutti vankaya Kura, Matar Paneer, Paneer palak steamed Koftas, Arbi masala and Lauki Kaddu ke Kofthey.  

Please do try out my Dal recipes like Rajma masala, Dal Makhni, Choley, Pakodewali Dal and Hari Moong ki dal.

Here is the recipe of Palak paneer for you---

     PREP TIME: 15 Mins                                            COOK TIME: 25 Mins

     TOTAL TIME: 40Mins                                           COURSE:  MAIN

     CUISINE:  NORTH INDIAN                                  SERVINGS: 4

     AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

Ingredients

Palak 1 bunch

Paneer 200 gm

Onion 1 large or 2 small

Green chillies 2

Tomato 2 large to medium size

Ginger- garlic paste 1 tsp

Cloves 2

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Salt as required

Garam masala powder 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder 2 tsp

Fennel Powder 1 tsp

red chilli powder 1 ts

Oil for sauteeing

Directions:

Chop the Palak roughly and blanch them, I usually put them in the microwave for 2 mins. Alternately just put them in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain the water and pour cold water over the Palak, this helps in keeping the green colour intact. Puree the Palak and keep ready.

Now in a karahi pour some oil and heat. Add 2 cloves followed by Cumin seeds and drop in the chopped onions. Saute for a minute, add the green chillies and continue to saute for 30 seconds, finally add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes turn mushy. Cool them. Now blend the onion-tomato mixture to a puree. In the same karahi take another 2 tsp of oil and heat.  Add the cumin seeds followed by turmeric powder and pour the onion-tomato mixture. Fry it nicely in the oil,  now add the Palak puree and stir. Cook for about 3 minutes on medium flame and add salt, followed by coriander powder, red chilli powder, fennel powder and continue to cook. Be careful as the palak splutters a lot while cooking, you can keep the karahi partially covered.  After about 3-4 minutes of cooking the Palak and tomato mixture will come together, at that stage add the cubed paneer and cook for another 2 minutes on medium flame so that the Paneer absorbs the masala. The delicious Palak Paneer is ready to serve.

Serving suggestions: with Rotis, Parathas, Kulcha, with rice varieties like Jeera rice, Mayar Pulav, 

Flavoured rice, vegetable pilaf etc;

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. Assemble all ingredients. Blanch the Palak, cube the Paneer, chop onion and tomatoes.

2. Puree the Palak and set aside. In a karahi take oil and heat. Put in the cloves and cumin seeds, and as the cumin splutters add turmeric powder followed by onions and sauté for a minute. Add the green chillies and sauté for 30 seconds and now add the tomatoes and sauté until mushy. Cool and grind to a purée, along with 1 tsp ginger garlic paste.

3. In the same karahi take 2 tsp oil and heat. Now add the cumin seeds and pour in the tomato and onion paste and fry nicely in the oil. 

4. Now pour the Palak purée and stir nicely. Add the salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder, fennel powder and stir. Cook on medium flame until combined, approximately 4 minutes.

5. Now add the cubed Paneer pieces to the gravy and cook covered for 2 minutes. Finally, add garam masala powder and turn off the flame. The delicious Palak Paneer is ready.

NOTES:

1. Blanching ( putting the Palak in hot water) is a critical step followed by dipping it in cold water.

2. I don’t usually fry the paneer before adding it to a subji or gravy unless the recipe demands it. While you are readying the gravy just put the cubed paneer in fresh water until it’s time to put it in the gravy. It will absorb the flavours better.

3. Don’t overcook the Palak, it loses its colour and taste.

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

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KOTHIMBIR VADI

Kothimbir Vadi is a savory Maharashtrian snack. It is made of Fresh coriander leaves and Besan/gram flour. Coriander as I have mentioned in my previous posts is my favourite herb. So when there is a recipe predominantly with coriander leaves how could I let it go and hence the post.

This recipe is very simple, flavourful( this word is used many times across this blog if you notice, as I believe the flavour is a very important entity to any food.) and healthy. This snack has a strong resemblance to Gujarath's Muthias( will blog this soon).

Traditionally this snack is deep-fried, but now one can shallow fry or saute in a small amount of oil too. This dish is cooked twice as it is steamed first and then shallow fried. It is soft and moist when steamed and develops a nice crunch when fried. It goes very well with the sweet chutney and garlic chutney and makes for a great tea time snack. Made to bite-size pieces can be served as a starter in get-togethers. I have really wanted to try this recipe for a long while and I'm happy I did. Everyone at home was pleased by this dish😊.

While you are here please view other recipes by Rajjos kitchen like 

Semolina Cheese balls, Dahi Pohe, Stuffed Kuzhi Paniyarams, 

Moong dal Kachoris, and more...

here is the recipe of Kothimbir Vadi for you--

PREP TIME: 15 Mins                                            COOK TIME: 25 Mins

TOTAL TIME: 40 Mins                                          COURSE:  SNACK

CUISINE: MAHARASHTRIAN                             SERVINGS: 4

                                                                              AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

Ingredients:

Fresh Coriander finely chopped 2 cups

Besan/Gram flour 1 cup

Green chillies 2-3

Ginger 1 inch piece

Garlic(optional)

Salt as per taste

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Red Chilli powder 1 tsp( or as per taste)

Jaggery 1 tsp

Tamarind pulp 1 tsp

Curd 1/2 cup

Water as required

cooking soda 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Jeera/cumin seeds 1tsp

Asafoetida 1 tsp

Grated coconut 1 tbsp

sesame seeds(white) 1 tsp

Directions:

Get the steamer/ pressure cooker ready for steaming. By the time the batter gets ready, the water would have heated and the batter can be steamed immediately, after mixing.

Make a coarse paste of green chillies, ginger, and garlic(if using).In a dish take the Gram flour/besan, add the ginger-green chilli paste, followed by salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, jaggery, tamarind pulp. Mix nicely. Now add the curd and stir with a spatula. It will be a semi-wet mixture. Add in the chopped coriander leaves followed by a little water( around 1/2 cup) and make a thick batter. The batter should not be runny, so add water little at a time. Grease a plate or flat vessel with oil and before pouring the batter into the greased plate/ vessel add the cooking soda and stir nicely so that the soda combines well with the batter. Immediately pour the batter into the greased plates, tap the plate lightly, so that the batter settles evenly and place it into the steamer. Steam for 15 minutes. After steaming, remove and cool completely. Cut them into squared or diamonds and keep aside. Heat sufficient oil in a flat pan and put in the tempering of mustard and cumin seeds. As they splutter, add asafoetida and place the cut vadi pieces and fry until they turn brown. Keep turning sides for equal cooking. Remove when all sides are lightly brown and crisp. In the same pan drop the grated coconut and seame and roast until they turn light brown. Now scatter this on the fried Kothimbir Vadi for nice flavour.  Kothimbir Vadi is ready to serve with garam chai...Enjoy. Bon Appetit.

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. Assemble all ingredients. Wash the coriander leaves well and drain all moisture, chop them finely.

2.  Pour water into a steamer and get it going, so that by the time the batter is ready the steamer is ready. Make a coarse paste of the chilli and ginger(and garlic too if using) and keep ready.

3. Now in a dish take the besan and add the green chilli and ginger paste, salt, followed by turmeric powder, red chilli powder, jaggery, tamarind pulp. Add the curd and mix well with a spatula. It should be a semi-wet mixture.

4. Now put in the chopped coriander and mix well. Add water little at a time to make a smooth, yet thick batter. The batter should not be runny. Grease a plate or a flat dish with oil.

5. Now just before pouring the batter into the plate, add the cooking soda and mix well. Pour the batter into the greased plate and set it in the steamer for 15 minutes.

6. After steaming, remove the plate and cool completely. Cut into squares or diamonds and set aside. In a flat pan, pour sufficient oil for shallow frying. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafoetida and place the cut Vadi pieces into the oil. Fry each side until light brown and crisp. Remove from pan. Repeat for all the pieces. 

7. Now in the same pan put in the grated coconut and Sesame seeds and saute until light brown. Put this on tempering on the vadi for a nice flavour. The Kothimbir Vadi is ready.

NOTES:

1. The ratio of coriander leaf to Besan is 2:1, stick to that. More quantity scale up the measures in the same proportion.

2. Wash and drain the coriander leaves well before chopping.

3. I have not used garlic, but it can be added.

4. If you like the Vadis deep-fried, go ahead and fry them. 

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

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

STUFFED KUZHI PANIYARAM(SAVORY)

Kuzhi Paniyarams are basically Lentil and rice batter dumplings. The batter is fermented and then poured into a Paniyaram pan which gives them the shape. Most often in South Indian homes the Kuzhi Paniyaram or Kuzhi appam as we call it is made from the Idli batter itself. When the batter becomes a little sour it is made into Paniyaram. That is because the Idli/Dosa batter is made for a whole week as a quick breakfast or dinner option. So day 1 is Idli, day 2 Dosa and day 3 onwards its Paniyaram and dosa with the batter, as sour Idlis are not that great to taste. However, when I have guests over I prefer making the batter especially for this as it makes the crust crisp and enhances the taste of the Paniyaram to a different level and the texture on the inside of the Paniyaram is lovely.

There are many variations of the Paniyaram batter. It is usually made with Urad dal and rice, Raagi(Finger millet)flour, Jowar(Sorghum) flour, Bajra(Pearl millet) flour, etc can also be used in the batter. The proportions of the Dal and rice also vary from home to home. The Paniyaram batter is used as it is or sometimes, finely chopped Onion, grated Carrots, and other vegetables can also be added. 

I have stuffed the Paniyaram with a mashed potato spicy stuffing which tastes wonderful, I have also added finely chopped onions, green chillies, ginger and curry leaves to the batter. This combination of onion in the batter and the Potato stuffing within is a perfect one.

I personally don't like using the non-stick Paniyaram pan for this dish, as the traditional brass or iron ones give the Paniyaram its crispy exterior. If you have only the non-stick one with you, that's fine too. 

Kuzhi Paniyarams can be served as Breakfast, starters or even for dinner with any chutney. 

While you are here please check out other recipes of mine like  Dahi Pohe, Adai,

Kuthiraivali Pongal, Veg Kothu Parotta, Rava Dosa and many more.

PREP TIME: 20 Mins(+4 hrs soak)                    COOK TIME: 40 Mins

TOTAL TIME: 60 Mins                                      COURSE:  SNACK/TIFFIN

CUISINE: SOUTH INDIAN                               SERVINGS: 4

                                                                              AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

Here is the recipe of Stuffed Kuzhi Paniyaram--

Ingredients for batter:

Urad dal/black gram(whole without skin) 1 cup

Idli Rice/Boiled rice 1.5 cup

Raw rice(any variety except Basmathi) 1.5 cup

Methi seeds/fenugreek seeds 1 tsp

Ingredients for stuffing:

Potatoes 4 medium(boiled)

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder 1 tsp

Mustard seeds/Rai 1 tsp

Cumin seeds/jeera 1 tsp

Asafoetida 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves a few (finely chopped)

Salt as per taste

oil for tempering and for greasing the Paniyaram pan.

Directions for Batter:

Soak the dal and both rice varieties along with a teaspoon of methi seeds in a huge vessel for 3-4 hours and grind to a smooth paste to a batter of medium consistency(should resemble Idli batter). Add salt, and leave to ferment for 6-8 hours for a perfect texture of the Paniyaram. While grinding add little water at a time, the batter should be a smooth one, but not runny.

Directions for Stuffing:

Boil the potatoes, peel the skin and mash them well. Now in a pan pour some oil and heat. Add the mustard seeds, as they crackle, add the Cumin followed by turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt, asafoetida and curry leaves. Nicely fry the masala in the oil for 30 seconds and drop the mashed potato into the tempering and mix nicely, so that the tempering is evenly distributed. Cool the mixture.

After it ferments temper the batter with mustard seeds and asafoetida.

Directions for Paniyaram:

Chop Onions, green chillies, ginger and curry leaves finely and add them to the fermented batter and stir well.

Put the Paniyaram pan on the flame and let it heat up. Pour oil into the moulds(if using a traditional metal pan, only the first round will need 1 tsp oil per mould, rest of the batches will need only a few drops). Wait for 1/2 a minute, let the oil heat up, now reduce the flame and with a small round ladle pour 1 scoop of batter into each mould, now take the stuffing little at a time with a spoon and drop it in the centre of the batter. Now cover up the stuffing with  1/2 scoop of batter and increase heat. Drizzle little oil around the corners of each mould, reduce the flame and slowly loosen them from the sides. Now flip each Paniyaram and cook the other side. When done loosen it from the mould and remove it. The crispy and tasty Kuzhi Paniyarams are ready..serve them with Tomato Coconut chutney or Tomato onion chutney. Enjoy. Bon Appetit.

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. Soak the dal and rice along with 1 tsp methi seeds for 3 hours minimum and grind to a smooth paste of medium consistency(Idli batter consistency). Add the salt, mix and allow to ferment for 6 to 8 hours.

2. Preparation of stuffing--Boil Potatoes, peel and mash them. In a pan take 1 tbsp oil and heat. Now add the mustard, followed by cumin, turmeric powder, salt, red chilli powder, asafoetida and curry leaves. Fry the masala for 30 seconds and add the mashed potato to the tempering and mix well. The tempering should have coated the potatoes well. Check for salt and spice. The stuffing should be a little spicy.

3. To the fermented batter add finely chopped onions, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves and stir nicely. Temper the batter with mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafoetida.

4. Now put the Paniyaram pan on the flame and heat. Pour 1 tsp oil in each mould. Once the oil is heated, using a small round ladle, pour 1 scoop of batter into each mould. Now with a spoon drop little of the stuffing in the centre of the batter, now pour more batter to cover the stuffing. Drizzle some oil in the corners and cook for 1/2 a minute. Now loosen the edges of the paniyaram using a fork/ spoon or thin metal wire to flip them around, cook them and remove them from the pan when done. For doneness when you stick the metal wire or toothpick in the centre of the paniyaram, it should come out clean. 

(I have included a short video so that you understand the process of cooking the Paniyaram in the pan.)

5. Repeat this process for the entire batter or how many ever you wish to serve, the remaining batter can be stored in the fridge and used to make uthappam.

The Paniyaram is ready to serve. It goes well with all chutneys or just by itself as it has a stuffing. It can be served with Sambar too.

How do make this recipe without a Paniyaram pan?

well, make a thicker batter, and also make small balls of the stuffing. Now take the stuffing and drop it in the batter, use your hands to coat the stuffing with batter and deep fry them in a Kadai of oil.

NOTES:

1. As the recipe involves soaking and fermentation, plan your time. In winters give more time for fermentation.

2. The onion, green chillies, ginger and curry leaves can also be sauteed in oil and added to the batter.

3. If using a nonstick paniyaram pan, I recommend drizzling it with some oil for a crunchy exterior. 

4. Only small amounts of the stuffing as to put in the center of the batter, not too much of it. 

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

  

NUTELLA FUDGE BROWNIES

 Well, this is one of those recipes where the intent was to make the Brownies a   certain way, ended up forgetting an ingredient and remembered it only after tossing the batter in the oven, and waited out the bake time to find out the result of my blunder, and guess what, forgetting the ingredient was well worth it as I   stumbled on to something so so yummy😊. I found it blog-worthy and hence the post.

 There are many Brownie recipes and various proportions out there if you browse,   but what one actually wants is an easy one, which is non-messy and not much washing up to do later. Agree? This is one of those recipes where I combine everything in a single bowl, stir or whisk with a hand whisk(no electric mixer mind you), pour it into the baking tray and pop it in the oven. Wait 27 to 30   minutes and there you get a platter of such gooey goodness. 

 All that fudge came from bits of chocolate I threw into the batter, before popping it into the oven. The chocolate bits melt and make it fudgy. I prefer a fudgy moist   Brownie to a cakey one, and a warm Brownie is always welcome. This recipe takes about 12 minutes to prep and around 27 to 30 minutes in the oven and its done.

  Another recommendation is to use dark eating chocolate and not baking ones.

  I leave you all to guess what ingredient did I miss out?😀 

  While you are here please check out my other dessert recipes like 

Pineapple Jam  Tart, Pineapple Rabri, Berry Smoothie Icecream, Apple Crumble, Carrot Kheer, and more.

Here is the recipe of Nutella Fudge Brownie for you--

      PREP TIME: 15 Mins                                          COOK TIME: 30 Mins

     TOTAL TIME: 45Mins                                           COURSE:  DESSERT

     CUISINE:  WORLD FOOD                                    SERVINGS: 5

     AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

Ingredients:

Dark choco chips 50 gm

Nutella 150 gm

Unsalted butter 200 gm chopped

Refined flour/Maida 3/4 cup

Eggs 3

Brown sugar 1 cup loosely packed

Vanilla essence 1/2 tsp

Dark chocolate 50 gm chopped

Directions:

In a deep heat resistant dish put in the choco chips, the Nutella and the butter and microwave in short spurts of 30 seconds each removing the dish and stirring each time until the butter and chocolate melt completely and you have a smooth mixture. It takes around 3 rounds of 30 seconds for the chocolate and butter to melt. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Now while the mixture is still warm put in the sugar and stir. Now add in the eggs one by one and stir nicely until they are well combined. Next comes the flour, put it in, and combine nicely without any lumps. Add the vanilla essence, followed by the chopped dark chocolate. Stir very lightly, grease a baking tray/Brownie tin, and pour the batter into it. Give 2 taps lightly to the tray and put it in the oven. Bake at 180 degrees for 27 minutes. Stick a toothpick in the center of the brownie and check for doneness. If it comes out with a little smear of the chocolate, it is fudgy enough. If there is too much smear on the toothpick then bake for another  3 to 5 minutes and don't go beyond that.

Let it cool completely, cut into bars or squares, and devour them. Yummy Nutella fudge Brownies are ready. Enjoy them warm. Bon Appetit.  

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. Assemble all ingredients.

2. In a deep heat resistant dish put in the dark chocolate chips, Nutella and the butter. Place it in the microwave for 30 seconds, remove stir and place it again for 30 seconds and repeat the process once more. In all 3 times to get a smooth mixture. Every time you remove it from the microwave be sure to stir. Once this is done, start preheating the oven. Preheat to 160 degrees.

3. Now while the mixture is still warm add the sugar and stir nicely until it dissolves.

4. Add the eggs and combine well with a whisk or spatula. Now slowly add in the flour and combine well to form a smooth batter.

5. Now add the vanilla essence followed by the chopped chocolate(use any dark eating chocolate and not the baking one). Grease a baking tray or Brownie tin and pour the batter in. Tap it lightly twice and place it in the oven and bake at 180 degrees for 27 minutes. 

when you stick n a toothpick it should come out with a slight smear. That's the consistency we want. If there is a lot of smear bake for another 3 minutes or so.

NOTES:

1. Dark chocolate works best for this recipe. Buy good quality ones for best results.

2. In case you go beyond 27 minutes, don't worry, it may a little less fudgy that's all.

3. As soon as microwaving the chocolate and butter mixture is done, remember to preheat the oven.

4. If not using a microwave melting of butter and chocolate has to be done in a double boiler.

5. Adding the sugar when the butter-chocolate mixture is still warm is what gives the brownie its paper-thin crust and glaze. This is a crucial step.

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

MOONG DAL KACHORI(KHASTA KACHORI)

Kachori is a savory snack with stuffing that has lip-smacking flavours. It is a very popular dish in North India.  It can be served as it is with green chutney or can be made into a chaat and served topped with curd, green and sweet chutney and some crisps.

The Kachori has many variants of stuffing the outer cover remaining the same. Khasta Kachori, Aloo Kachori, Pyaaz Kachori, Matar Kachori, and Mawa Kachori are some of its variants. 

I have made Khasta Kachori with Moong dal stuffing. It can be made with an Urad dal stuffing too and some use a combination of both Urad and Moong dals to make this kachori.

 I have used only Moong dal as I  like the texture of this stuffing and find this tastier.  A perfect Kachori is one which is crisp and flaky on the outside and well puffed and hollow on the inside and with the stuffing stuck to the crust.

In some regions, the Kachori is served with an Aloo subji, like I did today. Kachoris keep well up to 4 to 5 days if kept in an airtight container. I have wanted to make these Kachoris for a long time now and as dal Kachoris are my favorite,  decided to start with them.  

Whenever we visit Jaipur there is a particular sweet shop we visit and no one makes Kachoris as good as them. Tried recreating the magic, as creating the perfect crust and flakiness is a truly technical job, and believe me, it improves with practice because then you start understanding how each element behaves.

While you are here please check out my other snack recipes like------

Semolina Cheese balls, Savoury muffins, Veg Kothu Parotta, and more.

Here is the recipe of Moong dal Kachori for you--

  

     PREP TIME: 20 Mins(1 hr soaking)                    COOK TIME: 40 Mins

     TOTAL TIME: 40Mins                                         COURSE:  SNACK

     CUISINE:  NORTH INDIAN                               SERVINGS: 6(12 Pcs)

     AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

     Ingredients for Dough:

     Maida/ refined flour 1.5 cups

     Butter/ghee 3 tbsp 

    Salt 1/4 tsp

    Baking powder 1/2 tsp

    Lemon juice 1 tsp 

    Coldwater(refrigerated) as required

    Oil for frying

    Ingredients for Stuffing:

    Moong dal 1 cup soaked for 1 hr

    Salt as per taste

    Coriander powder/dhania powder 2 tsp

    Red chilli powder 1.5 tsp

    Fennel Powder/Saunf powder 1 tsp

    Tamarind paste 1 tbsp

    Jaggery 1/2 tsp

    Asafoetida 1 tsp

    Jeera powder 1/2 tsp

    Mustard seeds 1 tsp

    Cumin seeds 1 tsp

    Ginger 1 inch finely chopped

    Oil 1 tbsp

    Coriander leaves finely chopped 1 tbsp

    Oil for frying

   Directions for dough:

 Take the Maida/ refined flour in a dish and add the salt, pour the butter/ghee and mix well. When you take the flour and close it in your fist, it should hold shape without breaking. Now start adding the water little by little and combining to form the dough. Form a Roti kind of dough, not very stiff. Cover and let it rest for a minimum of 15 minutes.

   Directions for stuffing:

 Drain all water from the soaked moon dal and put it ina blender. Give it 2 small spins in the mixer so that it forms a coarse mixture. Take oil in a Karahi and put in the mustard seeds and the cumin seeds, as they crackle add the ginger and fry.   Now add all the spice powder to the oil and fry for 30 seconds. keep stirring, they should not burn. Ensure there is sufficient oil for frying the masalas. Now add the coarse moong dal mixture to the oil and mix well. Add the tamarind paste and   Jaggery. Keep mixing until the masalas have evenly mixed with the dal stuffing.   Remove from flame and cool.

   Directions for Kachori:

 Pinch the dough into small balls. This quantity will yield around 12 balls. Now take one ball at a time, dust with some flour and roll it into a small Puri. Put in a   little of the stuffing in the center of the ball, you can also make small balls of the stuffing and keep ready if that's convenient. Now bring together the edges of the rolled puri and seal nicely. remove excess flour and seal well. After sealing the roll out the stuffed ball into a small puri and deep fry in oil that is heated to a  medium-high. Fry until nicely browned and remove from oil. Kachoris should be fried in medium heated oil for best results, only then will they turn crisp and flaky.  The Khasta Kachori is ready to serve.

   Serving suggestions:

 Serve with sweet and green chutney, or with Aloo Rassedar subzi, or as chaat with sweetened curd and combination of chutney and Sev. Kachoris can be relished just by themselves too and can be stored in an airtight container for 4 to 5   days. Enjoy. Bon Appetit.

   STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

  1. Assemble all ingredients. Soak Moong dal for 1 hour.

   2. For the dough--take the Maida, salt, baking powder and ghee in a dish and combine well. When you clump the mixture in your fist, it shouldn't break. Now add cold water little by little and knead to form a dough. Leave to rest for 15     minutes.

  3. For the stuffing -- drain all water from the Moong dal and put it in a blender along with some salt and grind coarse such that some dals are whole.  

  4. Take oil in a pan and add the mustard and cumin seeds, add the chopped ginger followed by all dry masalas. Fry the masalas in oil for 30 seconds. Now add the ground Dal and mix nicely such that the masala coats the dal mixture, now add the tamarind pulp, jaggery and cook for 2 minutes. Any moisture in the mixture should evaporate. leave the mixture to cool.

 5. To form the Kachoris knead the dough again and pinch small portions and make small balls of them. Take one ball at a time and dust with some flour and roll it into a small puri. Put the filling in the center and bring the edges together and seal well. Roll out the puris a little thick with put much pressure or the covering may break in oil spreading the stuffing in the oil. Repeat for all balls likewise and keep aside.

  6. Now heat oil for frying the kachoris. The oil should be medium hot. Take one flattened puri at a time and drop it in the oil gently. fry in low- medium heat until the Kachoris puff up, turn crisp and brown. Remove from oil and drain on absorbent paper. The hot Kachoris are ready to serve. 

   NOTE:

  1. Use cold water to knead the dough, it results in a nice flaky crust.

  2. The ghee for the dough can also be heated and poured into the flour before kneading as it gives a crunchy crust. Be sure to allow the oil to become warm before you knead or you might burn your hand.

  3. The temperature of the oil is very important as very hot oil will result in soft crust. Low to medium oil gives a crunchy crust. To test the oil, drop a small bead sized ball of flour in the oil. It should sizzle but not rise on top immediately. This is the right temperature for the oil.

  4. If you wish you can shape the stuffing into small balls too for filling, so that it is not messy or if you are comfortable;le using a spoon to fill that is fine too. 

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

RASAM POWDER

Rasam South India’s most popular food often served with rice, had as a soup or beverage, or also served as a welcome drink in some restaurants, is one most the simple preparations. Comes to the rescue when one has a Cold as the pepper in the Rasam powder gives relief from the symptoms.

Talking about rasam powder, it is, in fact, the one that gives the Rasam its flavour. In South India, every household has its own recipe of the Rasam powder which is passed on sometimes from generation to generation. Just 5 everyday ingredients make this powder so rich in flavour and it is the proportion of these ingredients that matters the most. 

I am sharing with you my version of the Rasam powder and can assure you that it makes a really good pot of Rasam. While you are here please check out my recipes of Pineapple Rasam and Vetrilai/Betel Leaf Rasam. I will shortly add different variations of the Rasam too for which this powder is the same. 

Here is the recipe  of Rasam Powder--

PREP TIME: 5Mins                                      COOK TIME: 25Mins

TOTAL TIME: 30 Mins                                COURSE:  MAIN 

CUISINE: SOUTH INDIAN                        QUANTITY: 250 GM APPROX

AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

Ingredients:

Dhania seeds/Coriander seeds 1 cup ( approx 150-200gm)

Jeera/Cumin seeds 1 tbsp 

Peppercorns 1 -1.5 tbsp

Tuvar dal 1 tbsp

Dry Red chillies 10

Asafoetida 2 tsp

Curry leaves 3 sprigs( leaves separated)

Directions:

Dry roast the Dhania, Tuvar dal and Jeera separately in a karahi until light brown.

Dry roast the peppercorns until a few start popping. Dry roast the dry red chillies until they become crisp, take care not to burn them. Cool all roasted ingredients and transfer to a blender. Add the asafoetida to this and grind them to a fine powder. The curry leaves must be washed and dried and should have no moisture. After roasting all other ingredients put off the flame and put washed and dried curry leaves into the Kadai and roast it for a few minutes. Add this to the ground powder. Cool the powder and bottle it in an airtight container. This quantity yields about 200 to 250 gms of powder.

NOTES:

I am not giving step by step photos for this recipe as the steps are quite easy to follow.

1. Wash and dry the curry leaves quiet in advance as they should not retain any moisture.

2. Dry roasting to be done on low flame only and keep stirring constantly so that there is even roasting.