Chocolate barfi

www.thanuram.blogspot.com

• Prep time: 10 min
• Cook time: 150 min
• Serves: 8

Main Ingredients:

1. milk
2. cocoa powder

Ingredients

• Khoya - 1 1/4 cups, unsweetened mawa
• Milk - 1/4 cup
• Milk powder - 2 tbsps
• Sugar - 1/3 cup, powdered
• Saffron - 3-4 strands soaked in a tbsp of milk (optional)
• Ghee - 1 1/2 tbsps
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cocoa powder - 1 tbsp
• Pistachios - few, crushed

Method     www.thanuram.blogspot.com

1. Prepare khoya by following khoya (mawa) recipe link provided above.
   
2. Add saffron strands to a tbsp of milk and set aside.
3. Heat ghee in a wide shallow non-stick pan. Once it turns hot, add the crumbled mawa and saute for 3 mts on low flame, stirring continuously .
   
4. Add the milk and sugar and mix. It will get liquidy. Keep stirring on low flame. Add milk powder, cardamom powder and saffron infused milk and mix.
   
5. Soon the mawa will thicken and leave the sides of the pan and form a large lumpy mixture. At this stage, remove three fourth of the mixture to a greased aluminum pan or steel plate.
   
6. Grease a flat ladle and spread the white khoya mixture and smoothen the top and set aside. Allow the white layer to cool down a bit, approx 5 mts.
   
7. Add cocoa powder to the remaining one fourth mixture and keep mixing for 2 mts. Turn off flame and allow the mixture to come cool down a little or warm enough for you to handle.
   
   
   
   
8. Spread the chocolate mixture on top of the white layer and smoothen it with a greased ladle. Allow to cool completely.
9. Run a greased knife through the set layers, cut into squares and remove carefully. Garnish with nuts and serve.

Tips

• You can use any cocoa powder or drinking chocolate powder.
• If you are running out of time, refrigerate the set mixture for 30 mts and cut into squares.
• If you do not have saffron on hand, omit it.
• Almonds or cashew nuts can also be used.

Lachha paratha

Lachha paratha recipe

www.thanuram.blogspot.com

• Prep time: 60 min
• Cook time: 30 min
• Serves: 8

Main Ingredients:

1. whole wheat flour

Ingredients

• Whole wheat flour - 2 cup, atta
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp (or ghee)
• Warm water - as required
• Oil for smearing on the rolled paratha and shallow roasting the parathas(or ghee)

Method   www.thanuram.blogspot.com

1. In a bowl, add atta and salt and mix well to combine. Add a tbsp of oil or ghee and rub into the dough. Slowly, add enough warm water to make a soft yet firm dough. Knead for a few minutes and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.
   
2. Pinch out small lemon sized balls off the dough. Place one ball of dough on the working surface and dust with flour.
   
3. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a 7"-8" diameter flat circle. Drizzle 1-2 tsps oil or ghee and smear all over. Sprinkle a little flour over the greased paratha.
   
4. Staring at one end of the circle, begin folding the rolled out flat bread into 1/2" pleats.
   
5. Once the pleats are formed, clutch the ends and swing it lightly in the air so that the pleated dough stretches in length. Begin at one end to twirl it around to form a spiral/coil like a swiss roll.
   
6. Make more spirals with the rest of the remaining dough. Place a coiled dough on the working surface and dust with flour.
7. Roll out the dough into 7"-8" diameter circle, smear with 1-2 tsp oil or ghee and sprinkle some flour.
8. Begin to pleat from one end of the circle to form a lengthwise long pleat. Stretch it lightly and form a coil shape out of it. Once all the spirals/coils are prepared, allow to rest for at least half an hour by covering with a damp cloth.
   
9. After resting, place a coiled dough on the working surface and dust it with flour.
   
10. Roll out into a flat round 7" diameter flat circle and place on a pre-heated iron tawa or griddle. Ensure that the griddle is hot before placing the paratha to shallow fry. Allow to cook on medium high flame for 20 seconds undisturbed before flipping it over. Now cook for another 20 seconds and flip it again and cook till brown spots appear. Use a flat ladle to press the paratha allowing the layers to form and puff up.
    
11. Flip once again, drizzle some oil or ghee and roast for a few more seconds before flipping over to the other side and roasting it till well browned and layers appear. You can gently crush the paratha to expose the inner soft layers.
12. Serve warm with dal makhani or palak paneer or mushroom masala or any curry of your choice.

Tips

• Ghee or butter gives a distinct aromatic flavor to the paratha. You can use ghee instead of oil.
• You can add 1/2 cup of warm milk along with some warm water. Vegans can avoid ghee and milk.

Mushroom pulao

Mushroom pulao recipe

www.srinainika.blogspot.com

• Prep time: 10 min
• Cook time: 30 min
• Serves: 5

Main Ingredients:

1. mushrooms    www.srinainika.blogspot.com

Ingredients

Mushrooms - 200 gms, cleaned, washed and sliced

• Basmati rice - 2 cups, washed and soaked in water for 15 mins
• Onions - 1, large, sliced
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Green chilis - 3, slit lengthwise
• Fresh mint leaves - 1/4 cup packed
• Fresh coriander leaves - 1/4 cup packed
• Yogurt - 1/4 cup OR (thick coconut milk 1/4 cup)
• Water - 1 1/2 cups
• Cloves - 3
• Green cardamom - 2
• Black cardamom - 1
• Cinnamon - 1" stick
• Shahjeera - 1/2 tsp
• Nutmeg powder - 1/4 tsp
• Star anise - 1
• Mace - small piece
• Bay leaf - 1
• Cashew nuts - 10
• Oil - 2 tbsps
• Ghee - 2 tbsps

Method www.srinainika.blogspot.com

1. Heat ghee and oil in a pressure cooker. Add shah jeera, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, green cardamom, black cardamom, star anise mace, nutmeg and stir for a few seconds. Add the cashew nuts and saute till they turn golden.
2. Add the sliced onions and slit green chilis and saute for 5 mins. Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for 4 mins till the raw smell disappears.
3. Add the coriander and mint leaves and saute for 2-3 mins. Add the sliced mushroom and cook for 7-8 mins.
4. Add the drained basmati rice and carefully mix. Saute for a min and add the yogurt OR coconut milk. Mix well.
5. Add water, place the lid and pressure cook up to 2 whistles on medium flame. Turn off heat.
6. Once the pressure has eased, remove the lid and lightly fluff up the rice with a fork. Remove to a serving vessel and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
7. Serve warm with raita or korma.

Tipswww.srinainika.blogspot.com

• If using normal everyday rice instead of basmati rice, use a little less than 2 cups water for 1 cup rice.
• Vegans can omit ghee and yogurt and use coconut milk instead.
• If cooking the pulao in a cooking vessel, follow the same procedure till Step 4. Bring the rice to a boil, reduce flame to low-medium heat, place lid and cook for 18-20 mins. Do not remove lid for 10-12 mins after turning off heat.

Bread gulab jamun 

www.srinainika.blogspot.com

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 15 min
• Serves: 20

Main Ingredients:

1. bread
2. sugar

Ingredients

• White bread slices - 8, large, brown sides cut
• Khoya - 1/4 cup (mawa/reduced milk solids) - unsweetened
• Milk - as required to make a smooth dough
• Cardamom powder - 3/4 tsp
• Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
• Water - 3 cups
• Pistachio - for garnish

Methodwww.srinainika.blogspot.com

1. First prepare the sugar syrup by heating the sugar and water. Allow the sugar to dissolve completely and add cardamom powder and mix. Simmer on low-medium heat for 7-8 mins or till the syrup turns slightly thick.
2. While the sugar is simmering, prepare the bread dough. Cut the sides of the bread and make a fine powder of the bread in a mixer grinder.
3. In a bowl, add the bread powder, mawa and cardamom powder and mix well. Slowly add a tbsp of milk at a time and make a smooth dough. Add enough milk to make a smooth, soft and pliable dough.
4. Heat enough oil for deep frying in a wide heavy bottomed vessel. While the oil is heating, make small balls of the dough.
5. Make gooseberry sized balls of the bread gulab jamun mix and ensure that there are no cracks. Roll into smooth balls between your palms without applying too much pressure. Cover with a damp cloth till you deep fry them.
6. Reduce heat to low and very gently place the bread balls in the oil. Do not overcrowd the vessel. Leave them undisturbed for a min. Gently move them around for even cooking. Allow them to turn a beautiful golden brown shade.
7. Use a slotted spoon to remove the golden fried bread jamun and immediately place them in the simmering sugar syrup.
8. Allow the fried bread gulab jamun to simmer in the sugar syrup for 2 mins. Turn off the flame and allow the bread gulab jamun to soak up the syrup. They will swell in size and appear heavy.
9. Remove to a serving bowl, pour some sugar syrup over them and garnish with chopped pistachios or almonds.

Tips  www.srinainika.blogspot.com

• Always deep fry the bread balls on low heat or low-medium heat only.
• You can also add 1/4 milk powder along with khoya for a richer flavor.
• If you do not have khoya on hand, add 1/4 cup milk powder.
• You can add ricotta cheese in place of khoya.