Gajar ka Halwa

                             Happy Republic day to all Indians! Today I have brought up a nation wide loved sweet dish Gajar ka Halwa that needs no introduction. This rich dessert is made on special occasions and it wouldn't be wrong if I say that it becomes a special occasion when Gajar ka halwa is made at home.

                             Few weeks ago in my local supermarket I simply picked up a tin of condensed milk not sure what to use it in...there were too many things going on in my head and I was actually out for a fancy shopping that means picking up anything that fancies my eyes. The tin remained unused unopened for a couple of weeks and one fine evening Dad brought up a kilo of carrots and there I and my condensed milk tin had a purpose in life. The next morning tasty Gajar ka Halwa was ready to be digged into!
                          
                            Grated carrots cooked in milk and garnished with rich nuts make an exemplary treat anytime of the day.

       The carrots used in the preparation of halwa are the red or pink variety carrots that are much thin and slender than the common orange carrots. 

Ingredients:

1. Carrots - 1 kg
2. Milk - 5 cups
3. Condensed milk - 1 tin
4. Sugar - 12 tbsp
5. Ghee - 2 tbsp
6. Nuts - to garnish
7. Raisins - to garnish (optional)

 Method:

• Grate the carrots.
• Soak cashews and almonds in water for half an hour or boil them if you are short of time. Peel the almonds and sliver.
• Take milk in a pan add grated carrots to it and bring to a boil.
• Lower the flame and cook stirring occasionally till milk dries up.
• Add condensed milk I have used Nestle milk maid 400gm tin.
• Add sugar and cook on low flame till dry. It took me about 25mins.
• Add ghee and cook for another 10 mins.
• Remove from flame. Garnish with nuts and raisins of your choice and serve hot.

Also view my last year Republic day's post Carrot capsicum rice.

You may also like to try Sooji ka halwa, Oats halwa, Bread rasmalai, Bread kaja, and Aloo ka meetha from My Mom's Kitchen!

Hope you give it a try. Will love to listen from you. You can also email your thoughts to lubnamoin666@gmail.com

Happy Cooking!!!

Pyaaz ka Anda (Onion Omelette)

                 Today's post Pyaaz ka anda/Onion omelette is very simple and easy to make. Honestly, I wanted to upload a main dish a little complicated one but Mom's busy these days and has no time to share the recipe and I am to play the role of a good girl by not disturbing her.

                 Pyaaz ka anda as far as I can recollect from my childhood days was served every sunday alongside Khichidi with other accompaniments that forms our grand holiday brunch and the tradition continues till date however these days we make it less than before.

                 Pyaaz ka anda compared to the other Green omelette or the simple classic salt omelette is my favorite one so much so that I start hovering around the kitchen when Mom's ready to make it. She makes it in the end after preparing everything else to keep the omelette warm.

Ingredients:

1. Egg - 1 no
2. Onion - 1 (small)
3. Coriander leaves - few
4. Green chilies - 2 nos (optional)
5. Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
8. Salt - to taste
9. Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

• Chop the onions and green chilies very finely.
• In a bowl mix all the ingredients except egg and oil. Use the tips of your fingers to combine everything well.

                               

• Beat in the egg

                              

• Mix well.
• Heat oil in a pan and fry the egg till brown on both sides. You can have it as a whole or cut it into pieces.

                                  

• Serve warm

You can also have it with chapathis or steamed rice or you can also stack it between your bread slices and have as a sandwich ☺

Also try Khageena, Macaroni, Kheema cutlet, Chicken stir fry and Til ki chutney from My Mom's Kitchen.

If you have tried any of the recipe from My Mom's Kitchen you can upload the pic of your dish on our facebook page or tag @lubnamoin on Instagram.

Share your thoughts with me in the comments section below or email  to lubnamoin666@gmail.com

Happy Cooking!!!

Boot pulao (Green garbanzo beans pilaf)

               Boot or hari boot (green garbanzo beans) are seasonal beans and during it's season, the winter. You can find them almost everywhere on every kiosk in Hyderabad. I sometimes wonder why it's named boot as it once led to confusion between me and my friend who thought I was talking about a pair of boots. Recently I also came to know that it's also called harbhara in marathi and I would love to know what you call it in your vernacular.


               Garbanzo beans are an excellent source of dietary fiber and are packed with magnesium, potassium and iron. You have to pop them raw out of their shells. While many prefer to eat them roasted or shallow fried at my place we prefer them cooked with rice in the form of pulao.

                                 The recipe is very similar to that of Bagaara khaana and can be served with Dahi ki chutney or Hyderabadi khatti dal and Mutton kebabs or Chicken stir fry.

  Ingredients:

1. Rice - 500 gms
2. Hari boot / garbanzo beans - 250 gms
3. Mint leaves - 1/2 bunch
4. Coriander leaves - 1 bunch
5. Green chilies - 5 to 6 nos
6. Onion - 1 no
7. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
8. Salt - to taste
9. Oil - 3tbsp

Method:

• Wash rice grains well and leave it soaking for half an hour.
• Pop out the beans and wash well.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel.
• Add onions and saute till golden.
• Add ginger garlic paste, mint and coriander leaves and slit green chilies. Saute for two minutes.
• Add rice and enough water for cooking rice. You should be able to stir freely.
• Add salt as per taste.
• Cover the vessel with a lid and cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
• When the water comes to a boil add the hari boot or garbanzo beans.
• Cover and cook on slow flame for another 5 minutes till there is no more water left.
• Serve hot.

Do share your views with me in the comments section below.

Happy Cooking!!!

Kheema Baingan Masala

                      When it's the season of peas they are included in almost every recipe through out the season and one recipe that is made without fail is  this Kheema Baingan masala. The Kheema Baingan masala actually has four main ingredients they are - potatoes, kheema, baingan and fresh green peas. Now, it was difficult for me to pick a name as it has 4 main ingredients and including all of them would lead to a really big and confusing name but why fear when Mom is here it was she who suggested the name for the recipe as "Baingan masala" I modified the name to "Kheema Baingan Masala" to avoid confusion for my vegetarian followers.

                                   

 
                       The Baingan used in this recipe are what we call in English the "eggplant". Eggplants are a good source of dietary fiber, copper and is a rich source of various Vitamins which include Vit C, K, B1 and B6. It also contains phytonutrients and it's skin is rich in antioxidants. So presenting the recipe for my Mom's special Kheema Baingan Masala.

         Kheema Baingan Masala at my home is served for breakfast with chapati or phulkas. You may also have it for lunch with steamed rice alongside Hyderabadi khatti dal.

Ingredients:

1. Eggplant / Baingan - 250 gms
2. Potato - 150 gms
3. Kheema / Minced meat - 200 gms
4. Green peas - 1 cup
5. Onion - 2 nos
6. Fenugreek leaves (small) - 2 bunches
7. Coriander leaves - 1 bunch
8. Green chilies - 5 nos
9. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
10. Red Chili powder - 2 tsp
11. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
12. Salt - to taste
13. Oil - 3 tbsp

Method:

• Chop Eggplant into small pieces. Keep them soaked in water with a pinch of salt till ready to use.

• Similarly preserve the potatoes too.
• In a pan heat oil and add the chopped onions. Saute them till they turn soft and translucent.
• Add ginger garlic paste, salt, turmeric and red chili powder. Mix well.
• Add washed and drained kheema or the minced meat and fry till it turns golden brown.
• Now add the drained potatoes and eggplant or baingan. Combine.
• Add in the green peas and give a good stir .
• Add half a cup water followed by fenugreek leaves, coriander leaves and slit green chilies.
• Cook on low flame for 5 to 7 minutes.
• Serve hot with chapathis.

                      You may also like to try other kheema recipes like Aloo kheema, Kababcheeni ka kheema, Shami kebab, Beans & minced meat curry and Kheema cutlet from My Mom's Kitchen.

Do try the recipe and spread the joy of taste with your loved ones...

Happy Cooking..!!! 

Tomato Spaghetti

                    Mid-week and I was all alone for dinner. There had to be something to cheer me up and there, I found in my kitchen a box of spaghetti. Soon I hunt in my refrigerator and gather tomatoes and red bell pepper and get workin' in My Mom's Kitchen. Boiled the spaghetti and worked with the vegetables in another wok and voila I was all set to enjoy a delicious dinner all by myself - Tomato Spaghetti. I gave it a slight Indian touch with onion and ginger garlic paste and also kept it low on spice but you may increase the heat as per your preference.

Ingredients:

1. Spaghetti - 150gms
2. Tomato - 2 to 3 nos
3. Red bell pepper - 1 no
4. Onion - 1 no
5. Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
6. Tomato ketchup -2 tbsp
7. Red Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Salt - to taste
9. Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

• Cook spaghetti according to the package instructions.
• Heat oil in a pan and saute the onions with ginger garlic paste for around 2 minutes.
• Add the chopped and de-seeded bell pepper and saute for another minute.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and little water about a tbsp or so and cook on low flame till tomatoes are done. 
• Add ketchup, salt and chili powder and mix well.
• Add the cooked spaghetti mix well until combined. 
• Serve hot with your favorite sauce.

      

Tomato spaghetti is very easy and quick to prepare and requires minimal ingredients so next time when you are home alone or are bored with regular dinner give this spaghetti recipe a try and also share in with me in the comments section what do you love to have in your lonely yet easy breezy yummy dinner.

Also try other one pot dishes like Lobia chawal, Lemon seviyan, Sutriyan, Macaroni and Carrot capsicum rice from My Mom's Kitchen.

Happy Cooking!!!

Lobia chawal

            Lobia chawal or black eyed pea rice is a winter comfort food at my home that is made quite frequently and specially for my 5 yr old niece whenever she visits us. It's her favorite dish and you won't find her complaining even once. My Mom adds capsicum when she prepares it for me but this time I added red bell peppers as I had them on hand you can use any colored bell peppers.

                                             

            Lobia (black eyed peas) are a power house of protein, good source of soluble fiber and helps in preventing anemia. Red bell peppers are an excellent source of Vitamin A in form of carotenoids, Vitamin C and B6. Paired perfectly with rice and seasoned with ajwain and black pepper powder Lobia chawal is a delicious treat.

Ingredients:

1. Lobia - 2 cups
2. Rice - 1 1/2 cups
3. Bell pepper - 1/2 cup
4. Onion - 1 no
5. Bay leaf -1 no
6. Garlic cloves - 4 to 5 nos
7. Ajwain - 1tsp
8. Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Salt - to taste
10. Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

• Pressure cook the peas with enough water, garlic cloves, ajwain and bay leaf. Keep aside.
• Meanwhile cook the rice. Keep aside.
• In a pan heat oil and saute onion till soft add a little salt to fasten up the process.
• Toss in the rice and give it a good mix.
• Add chopped bell peppers and stir.
• Add in the black eyed peas and combine well.
• Cook on low flame for about 10 mins.
• Serve hot.

                              

 Also see Carrot capsicum rice, Bagaara khaana, Chana vegetable biryani, Lemon rice and Fitni pulao from My Mom's Kitchen.

            Here's wishing you a healthy 2018!

Happy Cooking!!!