Chudwa

                      Chudwa or chivda is a jar snack that you can have as an accompaniment to your tea or have it whenever you have a craving for tit bits. It is an ideal snack for long journeys or picnics and stays fresh for more than a week.

             

                       This chudwa is my Uncle's favorite past time and we owe him his share whenever we make it. This home made snack is comparatively healthier to the store brought ones and also all the ingredients used in this recipe have health benefits. To begin with, the main ingredient rice flakes are rich in iron, vitamin B and protein. The crunchy peanuts are also rich in proteins and various vitamins and minerals and so are the dalias or the split chickpeas. 

                       While preparing the chudwa make sure to use the right amount of oil that which will be just enough to fry the ingredients one after the other.

Ingredients:

1. Rice flakes - 200 gms
2. Peanuts - 1/2 cup
3. Dalia / split chickpeas - 1/2 cup
4. Dry Coconut (cut into small pieces)  -  1/2 cup
5. Dry red chilies - 6 to 7 nos
6. Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
7. Salt - to taste
8. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
9. Oil - 3 tbsp

Method:

• Heat oil in a kadai.
• Add dalia, fry on low flame for less than a minute. Drain from oil and set aside.
• In the same manner fry all the other ingredients starting with peanuts, followed by coconut, rice flakes, red chilies and curry leaves.
• Take all the above ingredients in a large vessel. Add turmeric powder and season with salt. Mix well.
• Cool it to room temperature and store it in an air tight container.

                If you are looking for more Indian style snacks recipes then do try Masala vada, Rava vada, Aloo bonda, Kheema cutlet and Chana dal snack 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. 

           Share your thoughts with me in the comments section below.

           Happy Cooking!!!

Eggplant & potato curry

                     

                              A friend of mine asked for a few vegetarian side dishes and this "Eggplant & Potato curry" is one among the lots that I'd like to suggest her. If you too are looking for a few more vegetarian side dishes then try Dondakayal curry (Ivy gourd curry), Aloo pyaaz, Onion capsicum masala, Vegetable khorma and Sweet corn curry from My Mom's Kitchen.

                           
                           Eggplant is rich in nutrients and in this curry it is paired along with potatoes and cooked with the two most important ingredients the red chili powder and turmeric powder. The curry tastes equally good with both chapathi and steamed rice.

While this is a vegetarian recipe if you'd like to try the non-veg style then go ahead for the Kheema baingan masala from My Mom's Kitchen.

Ingredients:

1. Eggplant - 250 gms
2. Potato - 1 large
3. Onion - 2 nos
4. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
5. Red chili powder - 1 tsp
6. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Green chilies - 4 to 5 nos
8. Coriander leaves - few
9. Salt - to taste
10. Oil - 2 tbsp

Method :

• Slice the potatoes and onions finely. 
• Chop Eggplant into small pieces. Keep them soaked in water with a pinch of salt till ready to use. (you can also preserve them with chopped potatoes)
  

• Heat oil in a deep bottomed vessel. 
• Add onions and fry till translucent.
• Add salt, ginger garlic paste, red chili powder and turmeric powder. Mix well to combine.
• Add in the potatoes, green chilies and eggplant and stir well. Add about half a glass of water, cover the vessel with a lid and let the vegetables cook.
• When the vegetables are done add coriander leaves and let it cook for another 2 minutes on low flame.
• Serve hot.

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

Happy Cooking..!!! 

Kheema curry

           
                    Kheema or Minced meat is almost always present at our home and I have shared almost a dozen recipes using minced meat as the key ingredient right from side dishes such as Kheema baingan masala, Aloo kheema, Kababcheeni ka kheema to mains like Kheema Seviyan biryani and Fitni pulao to starters like Kheema luqmi and Kheema cutlet but, today's recipe is the basic and simple Kheema curry.

                   My most special memory with today's dish is that this curry was my late grandpa's favorite so much so that he had nothing but Kheema curry for an entire month! This finger lickin' good curry will probably make you do the same as him ☺

               Kheema curry is usually made along with Khichidi for our elaborate sunday brunch (pic above) that which also includes my previously shared Pyaaz ka anda (onion omelette). Nevertheless Kheema curry is also made on other days as it tastes equally well with soft chapathis and steamed rice and is very easy to prepare.

Imgredients:

1. Minced meat/Kheema - 250gm
2. Onion - 2 nos
3. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
4. Red chili powder - 1 tsp
5. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Green chilies - 3 to 4 nos
7. Coriander leaves - 1 bunch
8. Salt - to taste
9. Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

• Wash the kheema and drain the water well. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a kadai and add sliced onion. Saute till onion turns translucent.
• Add ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and combine well.
• Add kheema to it and mix to combine.
• Sprinkle little water and let kheema cook on medium to high flame.
• When the meat is cooked properly add green chilies (you can either slit them or chop finely) and coriander leaves let it cook for a few more minutes and turn off the flame.
• Serve hot.

                 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!!!

Aloo Bonda

             Monsoon has set its foot in the country and most of the places are in floods. Meanwhile, my place has got the perfect weather with just enough rain, moments of warm sunshine and cool breeze. All these making you opt for a warm cup of tea and some evening snacks. Today I am sharing one such evening snack recipe for Aloo bonda.           

              Also try other evening snacks such as  Masala Vada, Rava vada, Tomato soup, Corn fritters, Pyaaz ki pakodi/Onion fritters from My Mom's Kitchen and enjoy the rains!

           Aloo bonda / Potato stuffed dumplings is an appetizing snack that can be served over a cup of tea or coffee or just like that with a chutney or so. The potatoes which are first boiled and mashed are dipped into batter of rice flour and gram flour and fried till golden brown.

                 
                   

         Ingredients:

1. Potatoes - 2 nos.
2. Onion - 1 no.
3. Gram flour/besan - 1cup
4. Rice flour - 2 tbsp
5. Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
6. Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
8. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
9. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
10. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
11. Green chilies - 2 nos.
12. Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
13. Soda bicarb - a pinch
14. Salt - to taste
15. Oil - 1/2 tbsp + more for deep frying
16. Water - as required.

Method:

• In a vessel heat oil and add mustard and cumin seeds. When the seeds crackle add finely chopped green chilies, curry leaves and ginger garlic paste. Saute for a minute.
• Add sliced onion and let them fry till translucent.
• Add salt and turmeric powder mix well to combine.
• Add mashed potatoes, combine well and cook for a minute.
• Add coriander leaves and squeeze in the lemon juice. Stir and switch off the flame. Keep the mixture aside to cool.
• In another bowl take rice flour and gram flour. Add salt as per taste followed by red chili powder, soda bicarb and just enough water to form the batter.

                                          

• When the potato mixture has cooled down slightly make small balls and keep aside.

                                 

• In a heavy bottomed pan add oil for deep frying.
• Dip each potato ball well into the batter and slowly add to the hot oil. 
• Cook on medium to high flame till golden brown on all sides.
• Remove to an absorbent paper. Serve hot.

           
         Serve Aloo bonda with Til ki chutney or a chutney of your choice and enjoy...

        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. 

 

Share your thoughts with me in the comments section below.

Happy Cooking!

Masala Vada

                Masala vada - a classic vada with a unique taste and texture. It's my Mom's favorite vada and is quite famous down the South India. You can find them on roadside kiosks abundantly. These are sold alongside alu bhajjis, mirchi bhajiyas and vadas. I have previously shared the recipe for  Rava vada do check it out.

              Speaking of the vadas they are crisp on the outside being soft from inside. The vadas are made from chana dal (split chickpeas) combined with Rava or sooji i.e. semolina and onions. Most of them also like to add greens such as curry leaves but we sticked only to coriander you can add curry leaves if you wish to in the batter. Another recipe using chana dal is Chana dal snack (my favorite) do try it!

              These Masala vadas were served yesterday for Iftar along with Fruit chaat (God willingly, my next post) and jamun or black plums that were brought from our farm at the factory.May be it's time to try a few recipes with them too but for now let's head on to the recipe for Masala Vada.

Ingredients:

1. Chana dal - 1 cup
2. Onion - 2 nos.
3. Rava - 2 tbsp
4. Coriander leaves - 1 bunch
5. Red chili powder - 1 tsp
6. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
7. Salt - to taste
8. Oil - for deep frying

Method:

• Clean and wash chana dal. Soak it for about 2 to 3 hours. Drain the water completely and keep aside.
• Grind the chana dal to a coarse paste. A few grains can be left whole or if you wish you can add some whole chana dal to the batter directly. These add to the crispiness.
• Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add chopped onions, rava, chopped coriander leaves, red chili powder and ginger garlic paste with some salt to taste.
• Combine all the ingredients well. There won't be any need to add water viceversa if your batter is too runny add some more rava.

• Make equally sized vadas out of the batter.

• Heat oil for deep frying.
• Add vadas slowly one by one. Fry in batches till golden brown on both sides.
• Serve hot.

You may also like to try Lobia salad, Kheema luqmi, Aloo matar tikki, Corn fritters and Pyaaz ki pakodi/onion fritters from My Mom's Kitchen!

Wish to hear from you...

Happy Cooking!!!

Chana dal snack

                   Chana dal snack is a recipe that is widely made only during Ramadan at our house. However, I would love to have it outside Ramadan too but Chana dal is one thing that is the rarest item in our pantry. This chana dal is one of my favorite dishes of Ramadan which I look forward to and yesterday it was packed for our Iftaar party and this also eventually leads me to the idea that it can also be packed for Kids tiffin boxes.

                  Chana dal or split bengal gram or split chickpeas are high in fiber and helps to lower cholestrol. It is a good source of Zinc, folate, calcium and ofcourse, protein.


               

                 I didn't knew how and what to name this post as we usually call it "Dal" only and I didn't want to confuse my readers with the dals, the usual curries. Talking of dals do check out the recipes for Khadi dal (lentils with Dill), Dahi wade, Shami kebab and Hyderabadi khatti dal that uses one dal or another.

                Chana dal snack is very easy to make with just one main ingredient Chana dal and if you have soaked chana dal prior to cooking it's just a cake walk!

Ingredients:

1. Chana dal/split chickpeas - 1 cup
2. Salt - to taste
3. Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
4. Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
5. Coriander leaves - few

Method:

• Soak dal for atleast 30 mins this will ensure fast cooking.
• Pressure cook dal with just enough water till done, approx 2 whistles (if you have skipped soaking like we did pressure cook for about 4 whistles). The dal should still be a little firm and retain its shape and shouldn't be too mushy.
• In a medium bowl take dal season it with salt and pepper, adjust to liking.
• Drizzle lemon juice.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve warm.

          Like this chana dal, Moongdal kachori, Kheema luqmi, Gulgule, Lobia salad and Rava wada are a few more Ramadan special dishes from My Mom's Kitchen do try them too.

           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. 

           Share your thoughts with me in the comments section below.

           Happy Cooking!!!

Fruit Custard

                 Fruit custard a thick creamy dessert filled with plenty of fruits. It's one of my favorite desserts and  a very common one and also very easy to make. It is also an interesting way to make kids consume fruits.

                   Fruit custard is a common dessert at our parties lately they have been modified being added with a layer of sponge cake and a topping of vanilla ice cream but original will always be original - the BEST!

                     You can add any desired fruits of your choice however, my favorite among the lots is Banana the rest of the fruits that are usually added are the common fruits apples, grapes, pomegranate, sweet lime and oranges. Do check out Orange kheer from My Mom's Kitchen. Once I even had a chance of having pears in the fruit custard so you can add any fruit you wish to have.

Ingredients:

1. Milk - 3 cups
2. Apple - 1 no
3. Bananas - 2 nos
4. Sweet lime - 1 no
5. Orange - 1no
6. Grapes - few
7. Pomegranate - 1/2
8. Sugar - 6 tbsp
9. Custard powder - 3 tbsp
10. Pineapple essence - 1 tsp

                          {I did not have pineapple at hand so instead added a tsp of pineapple essence you can skip it or instead add vanilla essence and that too is completely optional. Also if you wish you can add pistachios and cashews too}

Method:

• To a heavy bottomed vessel add milk and heat it on low flame.
• From it take 1/4 cup of milk and to this add custard powder. I used vanilla flavored custard powder. Stir well so that no lumps are formed.
• Add this custard mix to the boiling milk and mix well.
• Add sugar and essence that you are using and stir to avoid lumps formation and cook till the mixture thickens.
• Switch off the flame and let the mixture cool completely. The mixture will thicken further as it cools down so do not cook till too thick.
• Add chopped fruits to the cooled mixture and mix till well combined.
• Refrigerate and serve chilled.

                         Also try other dessert recipes like Sooji ka halwa, Gajar ka halwa, Bread rasmalai, Bread kaja and Aloo ka meetha from My Mom's Kitchen.

                        Hope you give this a try. Will love to listen from you. 

Happy Cooking!!!