Adrak ki Subzi and Dhaniya Poori / Ginger stew and puffed spiced bread

Hot and tangy ginger soup served with spiced pooris -Perfect for winters

Adrak ka shorba, Saunth ka saag or Ginger soup are some of the many names for this hot and delicious preparation. It is very popular in my family, specially made during chilly winters and monsoons. This is also a post-natal food, specially given to new mothers after child birth as it is very good for warmth, aids digestion and improves appetite and cures gastric problems.

This thin ginger curry can be served along with meals as an appetizer, digestive or as a side dish, but my mother always serves this with dhaniya ki poori and fried potato chips, which make a great combo.

Even Dhaniya ki Poori is also a post-natal food which is very good for lactating mothers. The dried spice mixture (coriander, cumin, carom and ginger powder) which is added in the poori is called kayoka. So you can use this combo as a winter food or as a a post- natal food.

Prep time- 10 min
Cooking time- 15 min
Difficulty level-easy
Spice level-medium
Cuisine- Indian
Type- Main , breakfast
Serve-3

SAUNTH KI SUBZI

INGREDIENTS-

• Ginger/Adrak, grated and tightly packed -2 .5 tbsp
• Dried ginger powder/Saunth- 1tsp *
• Yogurt /Dahi -1/2 cup
• Water- 2.5 cup
• Lemon juice- 1 tsp (optional)
• Fresh coriander- 2 tsp
• Black salt /Kala namak- 1/3 tsp
• Salt- to taste

Tempering / Waghar

• Ghee -2 tsp
• Cumin /Jeera-1 tsp
• Carom seeds /Ajwain- 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida /Hing- 1/4 tsp

PROCEDURE-

1. Grate ginger with a fine grater or grind to make a  paste.
2. Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin,carom and asafoetida.
3. When cumin start crackling add the grated ginger and saute for 30 seconds on low flame
4. Add saunth powder and saute for about 30 seconds or till it start giving a nice aroma.
5. Blend yogurt and water with a whisk or hand blender.
6. Pour the yogurt mixture in the pan and cook(keep stirring)
7. Cook till it comes to a rolling boil.then boil further for 2 more minutes (keep stirring to avoid curdling)
8. Switch off the flame and add lemon juice (optional) and chopped fresh coriander.
9. Serve hot.

NOTE-

* If dried ginger powder is not available then add 2.5 tbsp of fresh grated ginger.

DHANIYA  KI  POORI

INGREDIENTS-

• Wheat flour/atta-1.5 cup
• Semolina/sooji-1/4 cup
• Cooking oil -1.5 tbsp
• Asafoetida /Hing- a pinch of
• Salt-to taste

Grind together(keyoka)

• Coriander seeds / Sabut Dhaniya -2 tbsps
• Dried Ginger powder/Saunth- 1tsp
• Cumin seeds /Jeera -1 tsp
• Carom seeds /Ajwain -1 tsp
• Black pepper/Kali mirch -1/2 tsp

PROCEDURE-

1. Take all the spices listed in (Keyoka) the mixer jar and grind to make a powder.
2. In a big bowl add wheat flour,semolina, salt, oil and ground masala powder(kayoka)
3. Mix well and then add warm water to make a medium hard dough.
4. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
5. Now knead it well and make small balls from the dough.
6. Roll to make medium thick pooris /discs.
7. Heat ghee or oil in a deep pan and gently slide the rolled poori in it.
8. Press gently to help it puff from both sides.
9. Fry on medium heat to a nice golden colour .drain on a paper napkin.
10. Serve hot with fried potato fingers and saunth ki subzi.

Gobhi Matar ka Keema

Grated cauliflower cooked with green peas,tomato and mild spices

Most of us love the beautiful,delicious and versatile vegetable-cauliflower and is also a favourite veggie of my family.I often make stir fries,curries and parathas with cauliflower.

This quick and easy gobhi matar ka keema is my favourite and the left over can be used to make sandwiches or by adding little gram flour or bread crumbs,delicious gobhi cutlets or koftas can be made.

If you love cauliflower then do try these recipes-

• Malai gobhi
• Gobhi matar ki subzi
• Dahi wali gobhi
• Khasta gobhi
• Gobhi paratha

Prep time-15 min
Cooking time-25 min
Difficulty level-medium
Spice level-medium hot
Cuisine- Indian
Type-side
Serve-6

INGREDIENTS-

• Cauliflower/phool gobhi  -500 gms
• Green peas/matar ,boiled -3/4 cup
• Tomato,chopped -250 gms(4 medium)
• Green chili,chopped -1.5 tsp
• Ginger, grated - 1.5 tsp
• Yoghurt - 1.5 tbsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tsp (optional)
• Chili powder -2 tsp
• Turmeric /haldi -3/4 tsp
• Garam masala -3/4 tsp
• Kasoori methi -1 tsp
• Salt -to taste
• Cumin seeds/jeera - 1tsp 
• Asafoetida /hing-1/4 tsp
• Cloves/laung -2 
• Cooking oil -3 tbsp+3 tbsp

PROCEDURE-

1. Wash and soak cauliflower florets in turmeric water for 10 minutes.
2. Wash and wipe well to remove the moisture and then grate coarsely or shred finely.
3. In a heavy pan and add 3 tbsp oil or ghee,when become warm then add cumin seeds.
4. When cumin become golden then add the grated cauliflower and mix.
5. Now stir fry grated cauliflower on medium flame till become pink and get slightly cooked.(6-8 minutes)
6. Remove the stir fried cauliflower from the pan and keep aside.
7. In the same pan add 3 tbsp oil,when become warm add grated ginger,asafoetida,cloves and green chilies and saute for few seconds.
8. Add chopped tomatoes and salt,cover and cook till tomato become soft.
9. Now add kasoori methi,turmeric and chili powder and saute till oil start seperating from the tomato puree,
10. Add yoghurt and garam masala and mix well.
11. Add cauliflower and boiled peas in the tomato masala and mix well,now cover the pan and cook on low flame for approx 5 -8 minutes or till cooked well but remain crisp(take care not to over cook it,otherwise it will look like a mash.)
12. Now add fresh coriander and lemon juice and mix gently

Serving suggestions-serve as a side dish with any Indian bread or rice or use as a sandwich filling.

Kachchi Haldi Ki Subzi

Fresh turmeric and yogurt curry - a winter specialty from Rajasthan

Turmeric /haldi have numerous health benefits.From thousands of years Its used in India  for its health properties and to give colour to the food. It is a very good source of antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory benefits.It also improve brain function and lower the risks of brain diseases, cancer and heart diseases. It also cure and prevent Alzheimer's disease.helps the patients of arthritis as it has  inflammatory properties, not only this but recent studies shows that it also works as a antidepressant.

So its a miracle herb to cure many diseases and is very easily available on a reasonable low price.In western countries they didn't use turmeric in their food so after the recent research about turmerics health benefits, turmeric capsules have become very popular their.

In India we use turmeric on daily basic in our food but during winters fresh raw turmeric is very easily available in the market so its a good ides to use the seasonal fresh turmeric. Kachchi haldi looks like yellow ginger.This kachchi haldi ki subzi is easy to make and taste good.

As turmeric is quite dry and hot in nature so a good amount of ghee and curd should be added to balance the heat and dry nature of haldi.This is a Rajasthani specialty and often made on special and festive occasion in winters
This subzi should be taken in moderation like a pickle or chutney.

Prep time-10 min
Cooking time-12 min
Difficulty level-easy
Spice level-medium
Cuisine-North Indian
Type-side,pickle

INGREDIENTS-

• Fresh turmeric /kachchi haldi -170 gms
• Ghee/clarified butter- 4.5 tbsp
• Cumin seeds / jeera- 1tsp
• Chili powder/lal mirch- 3/4 tsp
• Salt-to taste
• Yogurt/dahi- 1 cup

PROCEDURE-

1. Scrape fresh turmeric with a knife to remove the skin.
2. Grate with a thick grater or chop in a electric chopper.
3. Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan.
4. Add cumin and when it become golden then add the turmeric.
5. Saute on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
6. Add beaten yogurt,salt and chili powder.
7. Keep stirring till it start to thicken.
8. When ghee start floating on top of the subzi then remove from heat.
9. Stays well for a fortnight.

Serving suggestions- Serve a tsp of turmeric subzi with your daily meals.Goes well with rice or any bread.

NOTE-

1. You can also add 1/4 cup of boiled peas at step 6.
2. The consistency of curry can be semi thick to dry,depends on your preference.

Kela Methi Nu Shaak

Mildly spiced banana and fresh fenugreek stir fry

Fresh fenugreek is available in abundance in winters.Its a good source of Iron,Vit K, roughage, nicotinic acid and protein so very good to include in your daily diet in different forms.we make different recipes with fresh methi and the most popular is Methi aloo subzi and Methi Thepla

This kela methi nu shaak is a typical Gujarati specialty its quick and easy to make and taste so good .It have all the taste-sweet from banana,bitter from methi,hot from the chilies and sour from lemon juice.
You have to make it just before serving and then it taste best. Best served with with bajra roti and aloo shaak.

Prep time-5 min
Cooking time-5 min
Difficulty level-easy
Spice level-mild hot
Cuisine-Indian,Gujarati
Type-side,curry
Serve-2

INGREDIENTS-

• Ripe banana -3
• Fresh fenugreek,chopped /methi- 1.5 cup
• Green chili,chopped -1.5 tsp 
• Ginger chopped -1/2 tsp
• Lemon juice - 2 tsp
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Turmeric -1/4 tsp
• Chili powder- 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala -pinch of
• Cooking oil - 2.5 tbsp
• Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida- pinch of

PROCEDURE-

1. Pick tender  leaves of methi and wash them well and chop finely.
2. Peel and slice banana in medium thick roundels and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin and carom seeds.
4. Then add chopped green chilies and asafoetida and stir till cumin become golden in color.
5. Now add chopped fenugreek leaves and 3 tbsp of water.
6. Cover the pan and cook till leaves get cooked.
7. Now add sugar,salt,chili powder ,garam masala and lemon juice in banana slices
8. Add turmeric powder in the pan and stir to mix.
9. Now add banana slices in the pan and stir gently.
10. Cook for few seconds or for a minute.
11. Serve hot with bajra or wheat roti.

Gajar Ka Halwa /Carrot Pudding

A popular and traditional Indian dessert made with carrot and milk.

Gajar halwa/Gajrela is a very delicious dessert /sweeet of North India especially popular in Punjab.Grated carrots are cooked in milk and sugar and then pure ghee and nuts are added to give a nice taste and crunch,addition of khoya is optional as you can make this only with milk,or can add some condensed milk.

Prep time- 10 min
cooking time 20 min
Difficulty level-easy
Cuisine-Indian
Type-dessert

INGREDIENTS-

• Carrot-1 kg
• Full fat milk-1 liter
• Sugar-250 gms
• Khoya/solidified milk-1 cup*
• Cashew pieces /Kaju-1/2 cup
• Cardamom powder-1/2 tsp
• Ghee-5 tbsp
• Pistachio -to garnish

PROCEDURE-

1. Scrape the carrots and grate them .
2. Heat  2 tbsp ghee in a heavy bottom pan,add the grated carrots and saute for a minute on medium heat.
3. Now add milk and cook on medium heat till the moisture almost dries up .
4. Add sugar and cook till it thickens again.
5. Add grated mawa ,cashew pieces and cardamom powder.
6. Mix and add 2-3 tbsp of ghee and stir fry for few seconds.
7. Serve hot .

Instant khoya/Mawa Recipe:

Take 2 cups of full cream milk powder in a glass bowl, add 2 tbsp of ghee or butter in it and mix well. Add some water and make a soft dough. Cover and microwave for 1 minute or steam in a closed container for 3-4 minutes. You may now mash or grate it and use it as required.

Note-

1-Use red Indian carrots for a nice and bright red colour,I used the American orange carrots,hence it has a orange red colour..
2-In U.P we use a good amount of ghee to fry the carrots(approx. 1 cup) and that truly enhance the taste:)