Rava Vada

                   If you talk of South Indian snacks it can seldom happen that you forget to mention "Vadas". Vadas can be made using different flours and dals but the most common one is the vada that has rice and pulse combination. But, today I am sharing with you a recipe for vada using rava or sooji i.e. Semolina.

       Crispy and fluffy Vadas taste best when served hot. They can be served with any desired chutney along with some sliced raw onions and/or fried green chilies.

       These vadas are made from semolina and curd batter and green chilies, onions and fresh coconut are added to give extra taste. You can also skip green chilies if you are making them for kids or like me chop the chilies into big sizes so you can remove them and safely eat the vadas.

Ingredients:

1. Semolina/Rava - 1 cup
2. Curd - 1/2 cup
3. Onion - 1 no
4. Fresh coconut - 1/4 cup
5. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
6. Baking soda - a pinch
7. Salt - to taste
8. Coriander leaves - few
9. Oil - for deep frying
10. Chaat masala - 1 tsp (optional)

Method:

• In a bowl take semolina add salt as required.
• Add cumin seeds followed by baking soda.
• Add chopped onions, green chilies, coriander leaves, coconut and mix well.
• Add curd little by little to get the right consistency. The batter shouldn't be too thick or too runny.
• Leave the batter to rest for approximately 15 minutes.
• Check the consistency and mix the batter again.
• Heat oil for deep frying.
• Take little batter and shape the vadas. With wet finger tip make a hole in the center and carefully leave the vadas in moderately hot oil.
• Fry the vadas in batches till golden brown on both sides.
• Remove to a paper napkin.
• Sprinkle some chaat masala from top and serve hot immediately.

       You may also like Kheema Luqmi, Aloo matar tikki, Corn fritters, Pyaaz ki pakodi/Onion fritters, Aloo palak tikki 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!!!

Orange kheer

                  Not Just Oranges...! It was a short story that I studied probably in my high school days. Though now I only have a faint idea of the story and absolutely forgot the author's name but the title, the title got stuck in my head ever since and every time I come across an orange that is what goes through my mind "Not Just Oranges!" And today I find it apt as it is not just oranges but orange kheer.

                    Orange kheer is an uber-delicious dessert that can be made in just few minutes neither does it require many ingredients.

                         

                   Oranges are an excellent source of Vitamin C and are full of dietary fiber. They are rich in carotenoid compounds that are converted to Vitamin A  and help in good eye health and protect vision.

                   My dad likes eating mangoes chopped and drenched in milk though I haven't tasted it replacing mangoes with oranges seemed a fine idea. Now going by the size of oranges that I had as you can see in the pic above only 1 orange sufficed me but depending on the size of the oranges that you possess increase the amount.

Ingredients:

1. Oranges - 2 to 3 medium
2. Milk - 250 ml
3. Sugar - 4 tbsp
4. Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Cashew nuts - 10 to 12 nos
6. Vanilla essence - 1 tsp (optional)

Method:

• Peel the oranges, deseed and chop into small pieces.
• Heat milk in a vessel.
• Add sugar (increase or decrease the amount by your preference) followed by cardamom powder.
• Add roughly chopped cashew nuts and bring to a boil.
• Remove from flame and allow it to cool.
• Add chopped oranges.
• Serve chilled.

  Serve this tasty n delicious Orange kheer on festivals or to your guests or simply to satisfy your sweet tooth.

You may also like to try other dessert recipes like Vermicelli kheer, Gajar ka 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. 

Happy Cooking!!!

P.S. Happy Holi to all those celebrating :)

Mixed Fried Rice

                  Fried rice is no doubt most common rice dish loved by teens. I generally make it when we want a simple dinner without much bothering in the kitchen. Today's Mixed Fried Rice is a different version of the regular veg fried rice as it has a mix of nuts and beans in addition to the randomly chosen vegetables. Randomly chosen, yes you read that right. Mixed fried rice came out of a flow and I say delicious flow.

               

           For this fried rice I selected carrots, yellow and red bell peppers apart from cashew nuts and green garbanzo beans you can include or exclude the veggies as per your preference. You can have this for lunch or dinner and it is also a great option for your packed tiffin lunch. The appetizing look of the dish will also get your kids drooling and finish their plate so go ahead and try this today...

          Before heading to the recipe you may also like to see Boot pulao, Bagaara Khaana, Lobia chawal, Carrot capsicum rice and Chana vegetable biryani from My Mom's Kitchen!

Ingredients:

1. Cooked rice - 3 to 4 cups
2. Cashew nuts - 1/2 cup
3. Green garbanzo beans (hari boot) - 1/2 cup
4. Red bell pepper - 1no
5. Yellow bell pepper - 1no
6. Carrots - 2nos
7. Salt - to taste
8. Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
9. Soya sauce - 1tsp
10. Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

• Dice the carrots and bell peppers.
• Cut cashew nuts into halves
• Remove the green garbanzo beans 

• Heat oil in a pan.
• Fry cashew nuts till golden brown. Remove to a plate.
• To the same oil (add some more oil if required) add the carrots, bell peppers and beans. Saute for a minute.
• Now add the cooked rice and give a stir.
• Season with salt and pepper. 
• Add soya sauce.
• Mix well and switch off the flame.
• Fluff the rice and serve hot.

             Serve Mixed fried rice with Chicken stir fry or Dahi ki chutney alongside Fresh green salad for a complete meal.

I would love to hear from you in the comments section or you can also mail me to lubnamoin666@gmail.com

Happy Cooking!!!

Fresh Green Salad

                                Fresh green salad that is fresh literally in all senses. A three ingredient dish that is all fuss free. This recipe (if it is to be called a recipe) is my aunt's. She made it while she stayed at my place and given how much I love capsicum this became my favorite.

                                It is one of those salad dishes which you can make up at last moment and when served at table the color quotient gives you brownie points!  All you need for the salad is capsicum or green bell pepper, spring onions and cabbage.

                                I have already discussed the health benefits of capsicum in Carrot capsicum rice and now speaking of cabbage and spring onions they both are an excellent source of Vitamin K and Vitamin C.Cabbage is also a very good source of potassium, manganese, dietary fiber, vitamin B1, folate and copper. The sulphur compounds in spring onion help in reducing risk of coronary heart diseases and colon cancer and also lowers blood sugar levels.

Ingredients:

1. Green cabbage - 1 cup
2. Spring onions - 1/2 cup
3. Capsicum - 1 no.

Method:

• Shred the cabbage and rinse it very well. Drain the water.
• Chop the bulbs of the spring onion finely and cut the greens lengthwise.
• Slice the capsicum lengthwise.
• Toss all of them together in a bowl and serve!

You can increase or decrease the amount of veggies as per your liking. 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!

Happy Cooking!!!

Mint Cucumber Sandwich

               
                      I love mint! Its aroma is just wow and the fresh green color makes me feel cheerful. Mint is a herb used abundantly along coriander in cooking and medicinally is mostly used to aid upset stomach or indigestion. In today's recipe it is paired along with cucumber for an appetizing snack. Cucumber is best known for keeping you hydrated in summer it fights heat both inside and outside provides minerals like magnesium and potassium and both these ingredients mint and cucumber helps you in preventing the risk of cancer.


                     At my place the afternoons are scorching already before April yet the nights are chilly as in december in this confused weather of half summer n half winter I give myself a summer special treat of Mint Cucumber Sandwiches.

Very easy to put together these sandwiches make a great evening snack you can also have them for breakfast or carry them to your family picnic. I have used white milk bread you can use any variety of bread and if you like you can also toast the bread in a toaster.

Ingredients:

1. Bread - 1 loaf
2. Cucumber - 1 no
3. Mint - 3 sprigs
4. Butter - 3 to 4 tbsp
5. Lemon - 1 no
6. Salt - to taste
7. Black pepper powder - to taste

Method:

• For every sandwich take 2 slices of bread and apply a thin layer of butter.
• Arrange the cucumber slices on one of the bread slices in one or two layers.
• Add a layer of fresh mint.
• Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper
• Cover with the other slice. 
• Repeat the process to make the remaining sandwiches.
• Remove the crusts and cut diagonally to make two sandwiches. If you wish cut further diagonally to get four finger sandwiches.

Also try Vegetable macaroons, 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!!!

Kheema luqmi

                   A very very soft outer covering and a crisp filling of fried kheema makes today's Kheema Luqmi. The covering is very soft a melt in mouth one and the kheema filling is rich in spices that gives you a delightful taste.

                 Kheema Luqmi is a must made dish in my home during Ramadan. And since it is made mostly in Ramadan my Mom uses a shortcut trick and makes triangle luqmis which requires very less time rather than the usual square ones.

                                 

                    The addition of milk to the dough keeps them soft and more whitish than brownish even after frying.

Ingredients:

1. Oil - for deep frying

for the dough:

1. Maida - 300gm
2. Milk - 1/2 cup
3. Water - 1/2 cup (or as needed)
4. Salt - to taste

for the filling:

1. Kheema - 200gm
2. Oil - 1 tbsp
3. Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
6. Salt - to taste
7. Coriander leaves - few

Method:

• Wash and drain kheema well.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add kheema and all the ingredients listed under the 'for the filling'
• Fry till dry.
• Remove to a plate and leave aside.

•  In a bowl take maida add milk and just enough water with a little salt and knead a soft dough.
• Divide the dough into equal portions of small round balls.
• Take 1 portion on a floured surface and roll out into a thin disc.
• Put little kheema mixture on the two ends as shown in the picture below. 

• Cover the filled portion with the other half of disc.

• Dip your tip of the finger in water and seal the end by this wet finger.
• Using a sharp knife divide the disc into two.
• Again the seal the newly cut end.

This should give you two luqmis.

Repeat with the remaining dough.

•  In a heavy bottomed pan heat oil for deep frying.
• Add 1 luqmi at a time and fry till golden on both sides.

• Remove to an absorbent sheet.
• Serve hot with your favorite accompaniment.

  Check out other Kheema recipes like Kheema baingan masala, Aloo kheema, Kheema seviyan biryani, Fitni pulao and Kababcheeni ka kheema from My Mom's Kitchen 

Happy Cooking!!!

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!!!