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.

Methi Thepla Recipe

Delicious and flavorful fenugreek flatbread - a specialty from Gujarat

Methi thepla is a very popular Indian flat bread of India ,a specialty and staple from the state of Gujarat.Fresh chopped fenugreek leaves are mixed with flour and few spices 
,kneaded with yogurt and then rolled out to make thin parathas. 
They have a great shelf life so also good as a travel food.You need just a bowl of yogurt and little pickle to go with this.

You can also try these stuffed parathas-

• Moong daal Paratha
• Mooli paratha
• Papad paratha
• Aloo methi paratha
• Gobhi Paratha
• Chana daal Paratha

Prep time-10 min
Cooking time-10 min
Difficulty level-easy
Cuisine-Indian,Gujarati
Type-main,bread
Serve-3

INGREDIENTS-

• Wheat flour /atta-2 cup
• Gram flour/besan-1 cup
• Fresh fenugreek/methi ,chopped-1.5 cup
• Green chili,finely chopped-1 tsp
• Yogurt-1/2 cup
• Cooking oil-2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder-1 tsp
• Chili powder-1/3 tsp
• Sugar-1/2 tsp
• Salt-1 tsp

PROCEDURE-

1. Take a big bowl  and add both the flours and spices,mix well
2. Now add oil and rub and mix well in the flour.
3. Now add chopped chilies and fenugreek leaves and green chilies and gently mash the mixture.
4. Add yogurt and make a medium soft dough. (Add a few tsp of water only if needed, or use some more yogurt)
5. Cover the dough and keep aside for 15 minutes.
6. Knead the dough ,you can add some dry flour if it become little softer and sticky.
7. Make round balls of same size from the dough.
8. Dust the balls with dry flour and roll to make medium thick parathas/discs.
9. Place the paratha on a hot griddle and lightly cook from both the sides.
10. Now apply 1 tsp oil and gently press with a flat spoon and cook  till golden spots start appearing on the side.
11. Turn the side and repeat the process and cook till it become golden from both the sides.
12. Remove the paratha from the griddle and serve hot.

Serving suggestions - serve with yogurt, pickle, or just with a cup of hot chai.

How To Make laapsi /Sweet Daliya

Healthy and delicious dessert made with broken wheat

Laapsi is a very popular sweet dish from the state of Rajasthan.It is quick ,easy and delicious dish made with broken wheat,ghee and sugar or jaggary,This is also very popular in North Indian states specially in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. It is specially made during wedding or any big or small festive occasions and a winter special recipe.

Though making laapsi is quite easy but often the cooked grains become little chewy if you directly add the sugar in the cooked daliya ,so add sugar in little water and boil till sugar dissolves and then adding it in the daliya makes a perfect laapsi.You can add any nuts of your choice but almonds and raisins taste great ,addition of saffron also gives a wonderful flavour.

Prep time- 5 min
Cooking time-15 min
Difficultylevel -easy
Spice level-sweet
Cuisine-North Indian
Type-dessert
Serve-5

INGREDIENTS-

• Broken wheat/ daliya/fada- 1 cup
• Clarified butter/ghee- 1/2 cup *
• Cloves/lavang- 3
• Green cardamom /elaichi -4
• Cinnamon stick/daalchini -1/3 inch
• Sugar/chini -1 cup
• Saffron /kesar - few strands
• Milk /dudh- 2 tsp
• Water/paani -3.5 cups
• Almonds /badam -12
• Raisins /kishmish- 3 tbsp
• Cardamom powder- 1/2 tsp

PROCEDURE-

1. Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan.
2. Add cloves ,cardamom(crush lightly to open it up) and cinnamon 
3. Add daliya and roast on low heat till it become pink and start giving a nice aroma.
4. Now add raisins and chopped almonds and just give a stir.
5. Add 3 cups of water and pressure cook for 3 whistles or cook till done.
6. In a separate pan add sugar and water and cook till sugar melts.(A)
7. Soak saffron in 2 tsp of milk and crush in a mortar and pestle.
8. When cooker cool down completely then open it.
9. Add sugar water(A) and mix it.
10. Now give it a boil and then simmer on low heat,till it almost drys up.
11. Now add cardamom powder and saffron and mix.
12. Serve hot garnished with pista and almond slices.

My Notes-

1. Use thick grain/coarse daliya to make laapsi ,don't use the fine variety otherwise it may become mushy.
2. The amount of water and pressure cooking time also depends on the quality of wheat used so adjust accordingly.
3. Traditionally a good amount of ghee is used in making laapsi but you can easily reduce the quantity of ghee if you want 
4. You can also use jaggary /gur instead of sugar.
5. It will become dry after some times,so its fine to have some moisture after finishing it.