Mouhalabieh

Mouhalabieh

A very delicious milk pudding in Lebanese / Middle Eastern cuisine, made of milk, fresh cream, corn flour paste, sugar and dry fruits. Recipe from BBC Good Food India, October, 2012 !!!

Serves: 3 - 4

Ingredients

2 cups / 400 ml boiled milk (Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity)

3 tablespoon fresh cream (or 100 g)

4 tablespoon sugar (or 100 g)

1 teaspoon corn flour (or 30 g)

1 tablespoon cold water

10 g blossom water or rose water or vanilla extract or orange extract

3 teaspoon any type of dry fruits (or 50 g pistachio flakes, peeled)

Method

In a non stick pan, heat the milk, fresh cream and sugar on a low heat stirring from time to time, bringing it to a gentle simmer.

Mix the corn flour with little cold water to get a thick paste, add to the milk mixture slowly whilst constantly whisking.

The milk mixture will thicken, add the blossom water or vanilla extract and stir thoroughly.

Pour the mixture into serving cups and place in the refrigerator to set (approximate time 2 - 4 hours).

When set, sprinkle with dry fruits or pistachio flakes and serve immediately.

Ajwain Mini Puris / Pooris

Ajwain Mini Puris

A delicious snack !!! Smart snack for Birthday parties / Kitty parties …

Ingredients

200 ml / 1 cup wholewheat flour (gehum ka atta) or maida (all purpose flour) or a mix of whole wheat and maida 1:1 ratio (Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon ghee

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ajwain (caram seeds / ayamodakam) ajwain is good for digestion 

2 tablespoon chopped mint or coriander leaves (or a mix of mix of mint and coriander leaves) optional

½ cup water (100 ml – 115 ml)

250 ml oil to deep fry

Method

Sieve flour (or atta and maida) and salt. Rub with 2 teaspoon ghee to the flour mixture. Mix until well combined with ghee. Finally mix with ajawain and chopped coriander leaves (optional). Add water slowly (1/2 cup /100 ml – 115 ml) and knead to a soft dough. Divide this dough into 2 parts, make round balls and roll out into a  big roti / chapati of 6 - 7 inches in diameter. Cut pooris of about 1 1/2 -  2 ‘’ – inch diameter with the help  a biscuit cutter or an inverted lid or with a katori. Then all puris will be equal size and shape.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Reduce heat to medium.

Deep fry pooris  7 – 8 at a time, until golden color on both the sides. Drain out from oil and place on kitchen towel to absorb extra oil. Serve hot  as a snack or with pickle / curd.

Murukku (made of Kai murukku dough)

Murukku (made of Kai murukku dough)

A very popular deep fried snack in Tamil Nadu. Recipe from Mrs S Mallika Badrinath, Chennai !!!

Makes: 175 – 200 g (14 – 16 nos)

Please use same measuring cup to measure gram flour and water.

Ingredients

1 cup rice flour (Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity)

¼ cup dry roasted urad flour

3 teaspoon butter or ghee

1 teaspoon black til (black sesame seeds) or 1 teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds) or coarsely crushed pepper and cumin seeds (jeera)

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

50 ml to 75 ml water

300 ml oil for deep frying

Method

Heat an iron kadai and dry roast urad dal until fragrant and golden color on a medium heat. Transfer dry roasted urad dal into a small mixer bowl and make a fine powder in a small mixer bowl. Keep aside.

In a wide bowl, mix rice flour, urad dal powder, salt, butter, til or coarsely crushed pepper and jeera. Mix well nicely until well combined with butter. Then first add 50 ml water and later adjust with extra 1 – 3 teaspoon water if required to make a soft dough (not very soft).  Prepare murukku immediately.

Put this dough in a murukku / chakali mould and press it to chakali shapes ( or desired shapes and sizes ) on a paper.

Heat oil in a wide kadai / frying pan and reduce heat to medium. Transfer this chakkulis / murukku into the cooking oil ( or fry directly in hot oil with chakali mould) and fry on a medium heat until light golden color in 2 batches. Drain out oil and place it on kitchen towel to absorb extra oil. Serve as snack or with tea / coffee.

Paneer in Ginger & Tomato Gravy (without onion and garlic)

Paneer in Ginger & Tomato gravy (without onion and garlic)

A delicious main curry, goes well with rotis and pulao / rice varieties !!!

Serves: 2 – 3

Ingredients

2 teaspoon oil

1 – inch piece ginger, very finely chopped

¾ teaspoon red chilli powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

¼ teaspoon saunf powder (fennel powder) (optional)

3 tablespoon tomato puree

150 ml water (please measure in Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity), less than 1 cup

½ to 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

200 g paneer (cottage cheese),  cut into cubes or any other shape

1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

3 teaspoon fresh cream (optional)

Method

Dilute red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and saunf powder in 2 tablespoon water and keep aside (spice mix).

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Add  very finely chopped ginger and fry till golden color.

Add diluted spice mix and stir well on a low heat for  2 -3 minutes until the raw smell goes and water dries up.

Add tomato puree, 150 ml water (less than 1 cup / 200 ml) and salt to taste. Mix well. Cover with a tight lid and boil on a medium to low heat for 5 – 7 minutes.

When the gravy starts boiling nicely, add paneer cubes, cover with a lid and cook on a medium to low heat for another  5 – 7 minutes. Open the lid and check the texture of the paneer. If it is spongy in texture, switch off the heat. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and serve with rotis / rice / pulao.

Recipe tip for restaurant style gravy – Finally mix with 3 teaspoon fresh cream when serving (1 teaspoon fresh cream for each serving bowl). Adding fresh cream will make a creamy gravy and less spicy. This type of paneer gravy available @ Rajastani / Gujarati  restaurants in Chennai.