Til ka char

                        Til ka char, as the name says this recipe uses til as its main ingredient i.e. white sesame seeds. They are blended to a smooth paste mixed with tamarind pulp and cooked on low flame with a few regular Indian spices to give a flavorful side dish that which we call til ka char.

                          The recipe is a very simple one and easy to make. The consistency of the gravy is liquid like the dals. This side dish tastes best with steamed rice along with Mutton & cluster beans curry however you can also serve it with Chicken 65 (dry), Chicken stir fry, Tala hua ghosht (Mutton fry) or Mutton kebabs from My Mom's Kitchen. Now to the detailed recipe :-

Ingredients:

1. White sesame seeds - 3/4th cup
2. Tamarind extract - 2 cups
3. Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
4. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
6. Green chillies - 4 to 5 nos
7. Coriander leaves - few
8. Salt - to taste

For tempering:

1. Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
2. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
3. Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

• Grind sesame seeds to a fine paste and remove it to a cooking vessel.

• To it, add tamarind extract or juice. To get the tamarind extract soak a lemon sized tamarind ball in water for 15 - 20 minutes and then extract the juice using your fingers.
• Mix well to get a lump free mixture.
• Add salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder.
• Add curry leaves along with the twig. Slit and add green chillies followed by chopped coriander leaves.
• Now place the vessel on stove and let it cook on medium flame till it comes to a boil.
• Lower the flame and cook for few minutes and then turn off the flame.
• In a pan heat oil for tempering.
• Add cumin seeds, when they sizzle add curry leaves.
• Add this prepared tempering to the curry.
• Serve hot.

        For more recipes using til or sesame seeds do check out Aloo matar til, Til ki chutney, Maiqalya and Sweet n sour carrot salad from My Mom's Kitchen.

Just remember to take a snap and share it on our facebook page before serving it. 

Also check out other easy recipes from My Mom's Kitchen!

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Mutton & cluster beans curry

              
                       Cluster beans are known in Hindi as gawar ki phalli. They are rich in soluble fibre and good way of obtaining protein, it includes numerous important Vitamins, namely Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, foliates and has minerals namely, phosphorous, calcium, iron, potassium along with absolutely no cholesterol and fats.

                        In this recipe mutton is paired with cluster beans to get a delicious side dish. This curry tastes best with another side dish called Til ka chaar (as in the picture below) and they both together are just like a combination made in heaven. Have them with steamed rice and enjoy a divine retreat.

           My Mom adds fenugreek leaves to any beans curry that she prepares. Mostly it is the fresh small variety that she uses, but this time we used dried fenugreek leaves or Kasuri methi. You can use which ever is available to you. Here comes the detailed recipe :-

Ingredients:

1. Mutton - 200 gms
2. Cluster beans - 500gms
3. Onion - 1 no (medium sized)
4. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp 
5. Red chili powder - 1 tbsp
6. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp 
7. Kasuri methi - 1 tbsp
8. Coriander leaves - few
9. Green chillies - 4 to 5 nos
10. Salt - to taste
11. Oil - 3 tbsp

Method:

• Heat oil in a pressure cooker.
• Add thinly sliced onion with mutton washed, cleaned and cut into bite size pieces.
• Add salt, ginger garlic paste, red chili powder and turmeric powder.
• Add 1 glass of water, place the lid and cook for 2 to 3 whistles or till meat is cooked and tender.

                                           

• Break the cluster beans into small pieces. Wash and add these to the cooked meat.

                                                       

• Add half a glass of water. Place back the lid and cook for 2 to 3 whistles.
• Let the pressure subside on its own, then remove the lid and place the cooker back on stove. Adjust the salt according to taste.
• Add kasuri methi followed by coriander leaves, green chillies. Mix well. 
• Cook on low flame for 5 minutes.
• Serve hot with steamed rice.

                                                

                     You may also like to try Beans & potato curry, Beans & minced meat curry and Broad beans & potato curry  from My Mom's Kitchen.

           

Share what you think of it in the comments section below.

Happy Cooking!!!

Dry Urad dal

                   On our trip to Kashmir, the first night that we stayed at our hotel we ordered for whatever best they could serve and they brought in a plate full of tandoori rotis and a bowl full of dal. The next two days that we stayed there we had nothing but rotis and the dry urad dal, the recipe that which I am sharing today. In my recipe, I have made the dal completely dry, however the one we had at the hotel was of a slight gravy consistency.

                 Dry Urad dal is much like the  Khadi dal (lentils with dill) recipe that I shared earlier here in all cases khadi meaning firm. Moong dal or yellow dal is also used in making khadi dal, the recipe for which I will share soon, however today's recipe that uses Urad dal is a north Indian style. In South India it is mostly used for tempering rice and curry dishes along with chana dal and gives a crunchy taste but, in this recipe it is soft and completely cooked. Dry Urad dal tastes best with chapatis. The dash of lemon at the end does the entire magic so don't skip it.

Ingredients:

1. Urad dal - 1 cup
2. Onion - 1 no
3. Tomato - 2 nos
4. Garlic cloves - 3 to 4 nos
5. Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
8. Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
9. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
10. Green chili - 3 nos
11. Coriander leaves - few
12. Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
13. Salt - to taste
14. Oil - 2 tbsp 

Method:

• Wash and soak the dal for 20 to 25 minutes.
•  Pressure cook the dal with salt, turmeric powder and just enough water for two whistles.
• Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, green chili and chopped garlic cloves. Saute for a minute.
• Add chopped onion and saute till translucent.
• Add chopped tomatoes and cook till pulpy.
• Add red chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well.
• Add the cooked dal to the pan, mix thoroughly and let all the water dry up completely.
• Add coriander leaves and lemon juice. Stir again and serve hot.

                    If you are looking for more such simple side dishes to go by your chapatis for everyday meals then do check out Cabbage sabzi, Aloo matar til, Gobi matar, Eggplant & potato curry and Dondakayal curry (Ivy gourd curry) from My Mom's Kitchen.

Do try and share your thoughts with us...

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Chocolate vanilla marble cake

                        Chocolate and vanilla are two basic flavors that are loved by all and found widely. And there are times when we land in a quagmire when we are asked to select one out of the two and for those moments comes as a saviour, this delicious chocolate vanilla marble cake.

                  This cake like my previous posts of other cakes is very simple and easy to make. An ideal one for the beginners and also again egg-less! Combining both the worlds of chocolate and vanilla this cake is beautiful, delicious and moist and will be a great accompaniment to your evening tea. The most enjoyable part in making of this cake is making the patterns by simply swirling the chocolate batter mixed in the vanilla batter using a fork to give the desired marble effect.

                 You may also like to try Egg-less chocolate cake, Chocolaty coconut bites, Mango sponge cake, Mexican hot chocolate and Chocolate pudding from My Mom's Kitchen. Now onto today's recipe :-

Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour - 1 cup
2. Butter - 70 gms
3. Condensed milk - 200 ml
4. Milk - 1/2 cup
5. Cocoa powder - 1 & 1/2 tbsp
6. Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
7. Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Method:

• In a mixing bowl beat together butter and condensed milk.
• Add milk and vanilla essence. Mix well.
• Starting with flour, sieve and add all the dry ingredients one by one to this except cocoa powder. Mix well till the batter looks well incorporated.
• Pour 3/4th of this prepared vanilla batter into a greased cake tin.
• To the remaining batter in the bowl add cocoa powder and mix well. 
• Add this prepared chocolate batter also to the tin.
• With the help of a fork swirl the cocoa batter into the vanilla to create mosaic patterns for the marble effect.

                                                         

 

• Bake this in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 25 minutes. Remember, every oven has different settings so keep a check after 20 minutes. Insert a toothpick to check doneness, if it comes out clean the cake is ready. 
• Remove from oven and place it on wire rack to cool down.

• Transfer to a plate. Slice and serve.

 

Don't forget to pour in your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Oats Halwa

                 Supposing, you have planned to stay on a diet or eat only healthy foods and stacked up your cupboards with oats only and a sudden craving hits for something sweet and then what do you do? Well, prepare Oats Halwa and that you can do otherwise too 😀

          On a serious note, Oats Halwa is an under 15 minute recipe. It is delicious while also bringing you all the health benefits of Oats and an interesting way to consume them specially if you are bored with the regular ways. It is an absolute fuss free recipe and one of those which you can make in a jiffy while also attending your guests at the same time, so next time when somebody visits you, do give this one a try.  You may also like to try Vegetable Oats Kofta from My Mom's Kitchen.Now, onto today's recipe :-

Ingredients:

1. Oats - 1/2 cup
2. Milk - 1/2 cup
3. Sugar - 1/2 cup 
4. Cashew nuts - few
5. Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Water - 1 cup
7. Ghee/Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

• Heat Oil in a vessel.
• On medium to low flame add oats. 
• After a minute or two add water. Mix well.
• When the mixture comes to a boil add milk and cardamom powder.
• Keep stirring and when the mixture thickens add sugar. Mix well to combine. Turn off the heat.
• Garnish with cashew nuts and serve warm.

 Looking for some more quick dessert recipes? Then do check out Bread kaja, Sooji ka halwa, Beetroot halwa, Gajar ka halwa and Aloo ka meetha from My Mom's Kitchen.

Happy Cooking!!!

Maiqalya

                  After posting a variety of vegetarian recipes today I'm here with a mutton curry from the Hyderabadi cuisine called Maiqalya. A delicious mutton curry with a true blend of spices. This curry tastes best with steamed rice. Another point to be noted here is that the curry keeps good for a long time and with time the taste enhances. So, when you try this recipe make sure you have some left for the next day and then you'll experience what I'm saying.

                    If I'm to believe, there is an interesting anecdote for how the curry got its name. I happen to pick up a few words while casually over hearing when one of my aunt was narrating the story. Too unfortunate for me that I could not gather the entire tale but, the bottom line of it was that it was cooked by a mom and an aunt, Mom being Mai in Hindi and an aunt in Urdu is qaala so probably the name MaiQalya and what wonderful way to bring in both Hindi & Urdu together and on a broader perspective the cultures that which make India.

                    Speaking of the curry, my Mom does not use onions in this particular recipe while some people like to add onions and if you also wish to do the same then simply slice a large onion and fry in hot oil till brown or caramelized just like you would for garnishing and keep aside. Add this to the curry in the final step after adding green chilies. Now, to the detailed recipe :-

Ingredients:

1. Mutton - 250gms
2. Tamarind - fistful
3. Dry coconut - 1 no
4. Sesame seeds (Til)- 2 tbsp
5. Peanuts - 2 tbsp
6. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
7. Red chili powder - 1 tsp
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
10. Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
11. Coriander leaves - few
12. Green chilies - 4 to 5 nos
13. Salt - to taste
14. Oil - 3 tbsp

Method:

• Dry roast in a pan sesame seeds remove and keep aside. Repeat the same with coconut and peanuts.
• Soak tamarind in water for atleast 15 minutes. Extract the tamarind juice and keep aside.
• In a grinder, grind together roasted sesame seeds, coconut, peanuts, red chili powder, turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste to get a smooth masala paste.
• Heat oil in a pressure cooker
• Add cumin seeds followed by curry leaves.
• Add cleaned mutton pieces. 
• Add the masala paste along with a glass of water. Give a good mix.
• Season it with salt.
• Cover the cooker with the lid and let it cook for 2 to 3 whistles or till the meat has cooked.
• Remove from flame, when the steam has subsided remove the lid and place the cooker back on stove.
• Add tamarind juice. Mix well.
• Add coriander leaves and green chilies.
• Cook on low flame for about 5 minutes.
• Serve hot.

                    Hyderabadi cuisine has much more to offer, you may also like to try Dalcha, Hyderabadi kofta curry,   Hyderabadi khatti dal, Chicken 65 and Meethi dal from My Mom's Kitchen.

Share the picture of the dish when you give it a try on our Facebook page.

Don't forget to leave a comment below.

Happy Cooking!!!

Chocolate pudding

                Attention chocolate lovers! presenting a chocolate pudding so rich, moist and chocolaty that it will make you fall in love with chocolate all over again.

                   With four main ingredients and under 15 minutes you will have the chocolaty world to relish. Fifteen minutes, oh yeah, but you will have to patiently resist for a few hours till the pudding sets in the refrigerator for a few hours, although you can serve it warm if you wish to but chilled is highly recommended. Lastly, you can give it your own personal touch for garnishing I used some dry fruits and Ferrero rocher chocolates my cousin had gifted me you can use anything you like such as chocolate shavings, chocolate wafers or kit-kat bars.


                    You may also like to try  Chocolaty coconut bites, Eggless chocolate cake, Chocolate vanilla marble cake and Mexican hot chocolate from My Mom's Kitchen. Now onto today's recipe :-

Ingredients:

1. Cocoa powder - 3 tbsp
2. Corn flour - 3 tbsp
3. Milk - 2 cups + 1/4th cup
4. Sugar - 10 tsp
5. Vanilla essence - 1tsp (optional)
6. Nuts - to garnish

Method:

• In a mixing bowl whisk together cocoa powder, corn flour and 1/4th cup milk. Keep aside.
• In a vessel heat milk.
• When milk has turned warm add sugar. Adjust the sugar levels to your liking.
• After the sugar has dissolved completely, reduce the flame and add the prepared cocoa powder mixture.
• Stir continuously till the mixture thickens and coats the spoon.
• When it has reached medium - thick consistency turn out the flame and add vanilla essence.
• Whisk it once and transfer to serving bowls. The bottom part is comparatively more thicker than the rest of the pudding.
• Cover the bowls with foil and refrigerate for about 3 to 4 hours or more.
• Garnish just before serving and enjoy.

   

 

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