Rajasthani Mirchi Vada

Rajasthani Mirchi Vada - This is a popular street snack of Rajasthan also known as Jodhpuri  Mirchi Vada. Green peppers stuffed with a masala aloo filling and deep fried. Serve with a tangy tomato chutney or white bread. Basic recipe from NDTV Cooks & Niru Gupta !!

Makes: 6

Ingredients

6  large green peppers (big size green chillies)

1/2 cup / 100 ml / 4 oz (Indian standard measuring cup)  besan (chick-pea flour / gram flour)

1/2 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon red chilli powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

¼ teaspoon hing (asafoetida)

Water (to mix the batter) approximately ½ to ¾ cup

Oil for deep-frying (250 – 300 ml oil)

For the filling:

1 big size or 2 medium size  potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed

½ teaspoon  salt

1/2 teaspoon red  chilli powder

¼ teaspoon  amchoor  (dried mango powder)

½  teaspoon coriander powder

1/4 teaspoon  asafoetida (hing)

1/2 teaspoon  saunf  (fennel seeds), crushed

2 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

Mix together the potatoes,  salt, chilli powder, amchoor, coriander powder, asafoetida, saunf and chopped coriander leaves.

For the vada:

Wash and wipe the peppers, slit lengthwise, and de-seed (better to wear a face mask and hand gloves to remove seeds from pepper).

Fill with the potato filling.

Sieve besan. In a bowl, mix the sieved besan with the salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, hing  and enough water to form a  medium thick and  smooth paste (like bajji batter).

Heat the oil till a drop of batter dropped in comes up at once.

Dip the pepper in the batter, and drop it into the hot oil (3 peppers at a time).

Lower the heat to medium and fry till a golden colour on both the sides.

Drain out from oil and place on kitchen towel to absorb extra oil. Serve hot with tomato ketchup or green chutney.

Rajdhani Thali

Rajdhani Thali @ Ampa Skywalk Mall, Chennai (Other dishes are plain rice, curd rice moong dal khichdi & maplua)

Lapsi

Lapsi

A very popular Gujarati / Rajasthani sweet, made of broken wheat, less ghee, sugar and cardamom powder. Recipe from Hawkins pressure cooker recipe book.

Serves: 12            

Pressure Cooking Time 1 minute

 Ingredients

¾ cup ghee

6 sticks (2 ½ cm each) cinnamon

2 ½ cups broken wheat

4 ½ cups water

2 ¾ cups sugar

6 green cardamoms peeled and powdered

15 almonds sliced

20 pistachio nuts sliced

My version

Serves: 4 - 6

Ingredients

Please use same measuring cup to measure broken wheat, water and sugar.

1 tablespoon  ghee

1 stick cinnamon

2 ½ cups broken wheat (Please measure in Indian  standard measuring cup of ½ cup / 100 ml / 4 oz capacity)

4 ½ cups water

2 ¾ cups sugar

2 pinches cardamom powder

Shallow fried 4 cashew nut splits and 6 raisins

   Method

 Heat ghee in cooker for about 3 minutes. Add cinnamon. Stir for a few seconds. Add wheat. Stir fry till light brown (approximately 5 minutes), stirring constantly. Add water. Stir.

 Close cooker. Bring to full pressure on high heat. Reduce heat and cook for 1 minute.

 Remove cooker from heat. Allow to cool naturally.

 Open cooker. Add sugar. Stir. Transfer all the ingredients into a non stick pan and  cook on a medium to low heat till sugar is dissolved  (approximately 10 minutes), stirring occasionally.

 Add cardamom powder. Stir. Serve hot, garnished with shallow fried cashew nut and raisins.

Masala Mathri

Masala Mathri

Mathri is a popular snack in Rajasthani cuisine and delicious with pickles. Basic  recipe from Manjulaji’s kitchen !!!

Makes : 20 - 22 mathris

Ingredients

1 cups all purpose flour (plain flour or maida) Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity

1 tablespoon sooji (rawa / semolina)

1/2 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)

¼ teaspoon til (black sesame seeds)

1/4 teaspoon ajwain (ayamodakam / carom seeds)

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder (optional)

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder (optional)

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

¼ cup + 3 tablespoon lukewarm water (use as needed)

Oil to fry (approximately 300 ml)

 Method

In a wide bowl, mix all the ingredients except the water.

Add the water little at a time (first start with ¼ cup water and later adjust with 1 – 3 tablespoon water and make a stiff dough), kneading into a firm dough.

Divide the dough into about 20 - 22 equal parts.

Take each part of the dough and make a flat ball shape. Roll them into 2 inch circles (or make exact round shape  mathris  with the help  a biscuit cutter or an inverted lid or with a katori. Then all the mathris will be in equal size and shape) See this photo.

Prick each mathri with a fork in 5 to 6 places, so the mathris do not puff when frying.

Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat.

The frying pan should have at least 1 1/2 inch of oil. To check if the oil is ready, put a small piece of dough in the oil. The dough should make the oil sizzle and come up slowly.

Fry a few matris (6 – 7 mathris) at a time. Make sure to place just enough mathris to cover the frying oil.

Fry the mathris until both sides are a light golden-brown. Drain out from oil and place on kitchen towel to absorb extra oil. Serve with lime pickle or mango pickle or with tea / coffee. Mathris are fantastic snacks and tastes better than Kurkure / Lays / other packaged snacks. 

Cooking Tips: Mathris can be stored for a week in airtight containers. If the mathris are cooked on high heat, they will be soft.

Mathri

Mathri is a popular snack in Rajasthani cuisine and delicious with pickles. Basic  recipe from Manjulaji’s kitchen !!!

Here's the recipe of Masala Mathri !!

Makes 20 - 22 mathris

Ingredients

1 cups all purpose flour (plain flour or maida) Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity

2 tablespoon   sooji (semolina flour/ rawa)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ajwain (ayamodakam / carom seeds)

2 tablespoons oil / ghee

½  cup lukewarm water (use as needed)

Oil to fry (approximately 300 ml)

 Method

In a wide bowl, mix all the ingredients except the water.

Add the water little at a time (first start with ¼ cup water), kneading into a firm dough.

Cover the dough and set aside for 15 minutes or more.

Divide the dough into about 20 - 22 equal parts.

Take each part of the dough and make a flat ball shape. Roll them into 2 inch circles (or make exact round shape  mathris  with the help  a biscuit cutter or an inverted lid or with a katori. Then all the mathris will be in equal size and shape).

Prick each mathri with a fork in 5 to 6 places, so the mathris do not puff when frying.

Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat.

The frying pan should have at least 1 1/2 inch of oil.To check if the oil is ready, put a small piece of dough in the oil. The dough should make the oil sizzle and come up slowly.

Fry a few matris (6 – 7 mathris) at a time. Make sure to place just enough mathris to cover the frying oil.

Fry the mathris until both sides are a light golden-brown. Drain out from oil and place on kitchen towel to absorb extra oil. Serve with lime pickle or mango pickle.

Cooking Tips: Mathris can be stored for a couple of months in airtight containers.If the mathris are cooked on high heat, they will be soft.

Panchmel Dal

Panchmel Dal

A tasty dal, goes well with rotis / Rajasthani Bati … Recipe from Good Homes India !!!

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

50 g urad split dal

50 g urad mogar dal

50 g chana dal (Bengal gram dal)

50 g masoor dal (pink color dal)

50 g tur dal

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

500 ml water (2 ½ cups water – standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity)

Seasoning ingredients

1 tablespoon oil (or up to 50 – 100 ml)

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

2 onions, finely chopped

2 tablespoon thick ginger – garlic paste

3 green chillies, finely chopped

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Extra 100 ml hot water

2 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

Wash and soak dals in 500 ml water for 4 – 6 hours and pressure cook with turmeric powder for 20 minutes (reduce the heat from high to medium after 3 rd whistle and cook for 15 minutes. Allow the cooker to cool naturally. Reserve dal stock - may be half cup).

For seasoning:

Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped garlic and sauté until light golden color. Add chopped onion and fry on a medium to low heat until golden color.

Add ginger – garlic paste and chopped green chillies. Stir on a low heat for 2 – 3 minutes until the raw smell goes and brown in color.

Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder. Saute on a low heat for 2 – 3 minutes until well combined with onion and ginger – garlic paste.

Add cooked dal (along with dal stock) and salt to taste (if the cooked dal is thick in consistency, adjust with ½ cup (100 ml) hot water. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 12 – 15 minutes until dal thickens. Serve with rotis / Rajasthani bati. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves when serving.

Rajasthani Dal

Rajasthani Dal

Serves: 3

You will need

For dal:

1 cup (100 g) rajma (red kidney beans)
1/2 cup (50 g) urad dal
1 onion, chopped
1 - inch piece ginger, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped and crushed
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
4 cups water (400 ml) water

For seasoning:

2 teaspoon oil / ghee
1 tomato, chopped
2 green chillies
2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (make a paste of green chillies and chopped coriander leaves)
3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Extra 50 ml (1/2 cup) warm water (optional)
1/4 teaspoon garam masala powder
1 teaspoon fresh cream (optional)
2 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

For dal:

Wash and soak rajma and urad dal for 6 hours or overnight in 4 cups water. In a pressure cooker, mix soaked dal and rajma with chopped onion, ginger, red chilli powder, water and pressure cook for 25 minutes or till done and soft (reduce heat to medium after 3 rd whistle and cook for 20 minutes). Do not open the cooker. Allow to cool naturally. Open the lid and slightly mash the dal mixture.

For seasoning:

Heat oil or ghee in a wide pan. Add chopped tomato and stir well on a medium heat for 3 - 4 minutes or until thickens.

Add chilli - coriander paste and stir well.

Add cooked dal mixture and salt to taste (add extra 50 ml warm water if required). Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 15 minutes / dal mixture thickens. Stir occasionally.

Sprinkle garam masala powder and chopped coriander leaves. Add fresh cream (optional) when serving. Serve hot with Rotis / Rice.

Rajasthani Laal Maas

Rajasthani Laal Maas .... Must Try !!!!

Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

3 tablespoon oil
2 big onions, finely sliced
2 tablespoon ( 30 g ) ginger - garlic paste
2 cloves
2 bay leaves
2 black cardamoms
300 g mutton ( lamb ) leg, cut into 1 - inch pieces ( or boneless mutton )
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoon coriander powder
5 black peppercorns, crushed

2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
50 g ( 3 tablespoon ) hung yogurt
3/4 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )
45 ml ( 3 tablespoon ) thick tomato puree
Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
1 teaspoon ginger juliennes for garnish ( optional )

Method

Wash and clean lamb pieces. Drain out water completely.

Heat the oil ( 2 tablespoon ) and brown the onions in a heavy saucepan on a medium heat. Allow to cool for 10 - 15 minutes and make a smooth paste in a mixer.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil again and add ginger - garlic paste and saute for 2 - 4 minutes until the raw smell disappears. Add brown onion paste and fry for 5 - 7 minutes.

Add bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, crushed peppercorns, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder. Mix all the spice powders well.

Add the cut mutton pieces, salt to taste and stir well.

Pour the yogurt and tomato puree into the mutton, do not add extra water, check for seasoning and continue cooking until the meat is tender and done / gravy thickens / leaves from the sides of the pan / red in color / fragrant ( approximate cooking time for tender meat 45 minutes and stir occasionally )

When done, garnished with chopped coriander leaves, ginger juliennes ( optional ) and serve with Chapatis / Bajra Roti / Rice / Pulao.



How to make soft Chapati ?



Add curd / yogurt instead water when making dough for chapati and keep aside in an airtight container for one hour.

Bajra Roti

Bajra Roti

Basic recipe credit - Tarla Dalal

Bajra flour available @ Nuts N’ Spices and Fisn N’ Fresh store, Anna Nagar, Chennai

Makes: 4

Ingredients

1 cup ( 200 g ) bajra (black millet) flour
80 g whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
65 - 75 ml medium hot water
2 - 3 teaspoon ghee for frying
1/4 cup extra bajra flour

Method

Combine the bajra flour, wheat flour and salt and add 65 - 75 ml hot water to make a soft dough.

Divide the dough into 4 equal portions.

Roll out each portion into a thin roti of 150 mm. (6") diameter.

Generously dust the rotis with dry bajra flour to make the rolling easier ( roll very carefully ).

Cook the rotis on a hot tava / griddle ( medium heat ) till both sides are light brown in colour ( same method of chapati ).

Brush one side of the roti with melted ghee and serve hot with Rajasthani Garlic pickle or any other gravy dishes or pickles of your choice.

Methi Thepla

Methi Thepla

Delicious, soft methi ( fenugreek leaves ) rotis of besan and atta kneaded with curd and spice powders. A tasty Gujarati / Rajasthani dish.

Makes : 6 - 8 theplas

You will need

1 cup ( 100 g ) curd
1 cup - 1 1/2 cup ( 100 - 150 g ) finely chopped methi leaves
1 cup ( 200 g ) atta
1/4 cup ( 50 g ) besan ( gram flour )
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon ginger paste ( optional )
1 teaspoon green chilli paste
1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
Warm water ( 2 -3 tablespoon ) for making dough if needed

Method

Wash and clean methi leaves.

Mix chopped methi and curd in a bowl and leaves the mixture for 1 hour.

Add atta, besan, oil and all other ingredients to the mixed mixture. Make a dough, like for chapatis. If required use some warm water ( 2 -3 tablespoon ).

Divide this dough mixture into equal size balls and roll out like chapati.

Heat a roti tawa on medium heat. Cook on both sides.

Put little oil on both sides of the thepla and fry like a paratha but not so crisp.

Keep aside. Theplas can be serve warm or cold.

Methi Thepla with Grated Cheese

Tamatar Ki Launji

Tamatar Ki Launji

Spicy Rajasthani dish. Goes well with rice and parathas

Recipe credit - Nita Mehta

Serves: 3 - 4

You will need

5 large red tomatoes
2 tablespoon ghee / oil
1/2 teaspoon jeera ( cumin seeds )
10 curry leaves
2 green chillies, chopped
1/4 teaspoon hing ( asafoetida )
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder ( or to taste )
1 teaspoon sugar ( or to taste )
3/4 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon jeera powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoon fresh coriander leaves

Method

Blanch tomatoes by boiling 4 cups water. Add tomatoes. Boil for 1 - 2 minutes. Drain and remove skin. Chop into small pieces.

In a pan, heat ghee / oil. Add jeera. When brown, add hing. Fry a little.

Add curry leaves, green chillies, chopped tomatoes and all the spice powders.

Add 1/2 cup water, salt to taste and cook for 5 - 8 minutes.

Serve hot , garnished with chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Rajasthani Kadhi ( without pakodas )

Rajasthani Kadhi ( without pakodas )

Recipe credit - Nita Mehta

Serves: 4 - 5

You will need

2 cups sour curd
14 teaspoon level besan ( gram flour )
3/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon each mustard seeds & jeera
2 pinches hing ( asafoetida )
1/2 - inch ginger, finely chopped
3 - 4 green chillies, chopped
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
3 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon oil or ghee
10 - 12 curry leaves

Method

Mix together curd, salt, turmeric powder & 4 cups water. Beat well and sieve.

Heat oil or ghee. Add mustard seeds and jeera. When they brown, add hing. Fry for 1 minute.

Add green chilli, ginger and curry leaves. Fry for 1 minute, add red chilli powder. After a few seconds, add curd mixture.

Go on stirring till it boils. lower heat and simmer till the consistency of kadhi is reached ( not too thin or thick ).

For extra tadka ( seasoning ) - optional

Heat 1 tablespoon ghee, add 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds and 1/4 teaspoon jeera. When brown, add 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder. Fry for 1/2 minute and pour over the kadhi. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice.

Rajasthani Panchmel Dal

Rajasthani Panchmel Dal

A combination of five dals. This is the most famous dal of Rajasthan. Goes well with rotis / rice.

Serves: 4 - 6

You will need

For dal:

50 g ( 1/4 cup ) moong dal
50 g tur dal
50 g urad dal
50 g channa dal
50 g masoor dal
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon cooking oil
1 teaspoon ginger, chopped
5 1/2 cups water

For seasoning ( tadka ):

1 tablespoon oil ( or ghee )
1 teaspoon jeera ( cumin seeds )
2 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
2 big cardamom
2 green chillies, chopped
6 curry leaves
1/4 teaspoon hing ( asafoetida )
3/4 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
2 teaspoon fresh chopped coriander leaves

Method

For dal:

Mix all the dals. Wash well. Boil in pressure cooker with 5 1/2 cup water, turmeric powder, chopped ginger and 1/2 teaspoon cooking oil ( reduce heat to medium after 2 nd whistle and cook for 20 minutes ). Allow the cooker to cool to cool naturally. Open the cooker ( Add extra 1/2 cup water to dilute the cooked dal if required and blend dal well - cooked dal should in smooth consistency ).

For seasoning:

In a wide pan / kadai, heat ghee or oil. Add jeera. When it turns brown, add cinnamon, cloves, tej patta and cardamom. Fry for 1 minute.

Add chopped green chillies and curry leaves. Fry for 1 minute.

Add hing. Fry for 1 minute.

Add red chilli powder. Fry for a few seconds on a low heat and add cooked dal immediately. Care should be taken that the red chilli powder do not get burnt.

Give 1 - 2 boils and serve hot garnished with fresh coriander leaves.

Flowers in Urli - Smart lifestyle tip

Water is very effective in keeping a place cool, so if you can incorporate a water-body or even a large pot or ''urli'' filled with water ( and flowers or petals to make it more attractive and add a fragrance to the air), it will help in causing the temperature in a room to drop. Better suggestion is keep ''urli'' in your living room.

Rajasthani Red Garlic Chutney

Rajasthani Red Garlic Chutney (Recipe from Nita Mehta's cookery book)

Makes: 1/4 cup

You will need

1/4 cup garlic flakes ( 3 garlic pods )
14 - 15 dried whole red chillies or 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )
1 teaspoon oiL
1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar or water for grinding

Method

Grind together in a mixer / blender, chillies / chilli powder and garlic using lemon juice or vinegar or water for grinding.

In a small pan, heat oil. Add garlic chilli paste. Add salt to taste. Cook for 1 minute. Cool and serve with Bajra rotis, Kichhri or any other snack.