MALAI KOFTA

MY 200^th POST

Malai kofta………. the name itself is mouth watering. This recipe is so tempting and you cannot forget the taste once you eat it. Deep fried Paneer and veggie dumplings are served with a silky smooth sauce made with cashews and cream the main base. Now you can make this rich and creamy curry at your home. Give it a try.
INGREDIENTS

• Grated paneer                     1/2 cup
• Boiled potato                        1
• Boiled carrot                        1
• Gram flour                            2 Tsp.
• Green chilies                         2 finely chopped
• Salt                                         to taste
• Oil                                          for deep frying

for the gravy

• Onion                                  1 medium
• Tomatoes                          2 small
• Cashews                            3 Tsp.
• Cream                                 4 Tsp.
• Milk                                    3-4 Tsp.
• Salt                                     to taste
• Sugar                                 1/2 tsp.
• Black pepper                     to taste
• Whole garam masala      1 Tsp.
• Butter                                 2 Tsp.

PROCEDURE
Pre Preparation
Soak the cashews in water for 15 minutes and grind to a paste.
Fry the onions and tomatoes separately and  grind them to different pastes.
Making the dumplings
Mix in the grated paneer, boiled and mashed potato, carrot. Add salt , chilies, gram flour. Mix well and make the dumplings.
Fry them into golden perfection. If you are not able to make the dumplings add some more flour.

Making the gravy
Heat butter in a pan, add the whole garam masala. Fry for 1/2 minute and  add the cashew paste. Fry for a minute on a slow flame.
Add the onion paste and tomato pastes also.
Cover and cook for another 5 minutes on a very slow flame.
Add enough salt, milk and a half cup of water. While adding milk stir continuously.
Cook for one more minute.
Finally add the sugar, black pepper powder and cream.
Switch off the flame.
Before serving place the fried koftas onto a serving dish and pour the hot gravy on the top.
Serve with any Indian bread or flavored rice.

BEETROOT HALWA

A simply easy dessert which is made with the gorgeous red color beets. Made in the same manner as the carrot halwa, this dessert can also be served hot with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream. For those who cannot eat the beets curry for what ever reason, this halwa is a best alternative. Give it a try.
INGREDIENTS

• Beetroot                      1 cup grated
• Milk                              1 cup
• Condensed milk          3 Tsp.
• Sugar                           1/2 cup
• Ghee                             2 Tsp.
• Nuts                             2-3 Tsp.

PROCEDURE
Heat ghee in a pan and fry the nuts and set aside.
In the same ghee add the grated beetroot and fry on a low flame for about 10 minutes or till the raw flavor and moisture is gone.
Now add the milk and let the beetroot absorb all the milk and the whole thing forms a lump.
Now add the sugar and condensed milk and keep cooking till a thick halwa is formed.
Can add a couple of spoons of ghee at the end.
Now garnish with nuts and serve.

SHAHI TUKDA(DOUBLE KA MEETHA)

 In my older posts’ I have posted the Low fat double ka meetha recipe. Although it is the recipe which I make often, I cannot resist myself from making the mouth watering Shahi tukda, the traditional way, now and then. It is a rich dish with all the ghee, nuts, rabdi etc,  simple to make. One should eat this lavish Hyderabadi delicacy  at least once. Give it a sure try.
INGREDIENTS

• Bread slices                7-8
• Milk                             4 cups
• Sugar                          1+1/2 cup
• Dry fruits                    a hand full
• Ghee                             to deep fry the bread pieces
• Cardamom powder   1 tsp.

PROCEDURE

Make a sugar syrup with a cup of sugar and half cup of water. The syrup should be same as the gulab jamoon syrup.
Keep it aside.
Boil the milk and reduce it to half. 
Remove the cream(meegada in Telugu) layer from time to time and set it aside.
After reducing the milk to half the quantity, add the sugar and cream layers(meegada).
Keep on mixing and reduce the rabdi till it becomes thick.
Heat the ghee in a pan(no oil please!!).
Fry the dry fruits, remove them onto a tissue paper and when the excess ghee is removed, mix them with the rabdi. Add the cardamom powder too.
Cool the rabdi, if possible chill it for an hour.
Now cut the bread slices into required shape  and deep fry them( 2 or 3 at a time) in the ghee till they turn crisp and brown.
Dip them for a few seconds( not minutes, otherwise they’ll become soggy) in the sugar syrup and place them on the serving platter.
Pour the rabdi on the pieces and serve the royal dessert.