MALTA LEMON /EED / BADGAPULI PICKLE

MALTA LEMON

Malta lemon is basically very bitter in taste. When I was small my grand mother had prepared its pickle for my grand father as he was ill and he had just recovered from fever. My granny thought this lemon would help him get back his taste. My grand father never liked this fruit, but granny used to force him to have this. I always wondered why he was so reluctant to have this pickle. I got to know when I licked  my finger dipped in this pickle.
Now I have tried Malta lemon's pickle, but it is not that bitter. It really enhances the taste of your lunch or dinner. This pickle goes especially well with Paje.

CHOPPED MALTA LEMON

WHAT YOU NEED:


Malta/wild lemon 2
Crystal Salt 1 cup ( small tea cup)
Red chillies (whole) 55 nos.
Mustard seeds 1 tbsp
Hing/ asafoetida 3 pieces (3 kabuli chana size)

MALTA LEMON PICKLE

HOW TO MAKE:


Wash malta lemon and wipe with clean cloth.
Cut into small pieces. Then apply salt and keep in a vessel for 2 days, in between shake the vessel so that the salt will completely dissolve in it. 


Powder red chillies, mustard seeds and asafoetida. 
Mix chilli powder and Malta lemon pieces very well. Add little warm water and mix again.

BANANA HALWA

BANANA HALWA

WHAT YOU NEED :


Bananas 2 very ripe ones
Sugar 3/4 cup
Ghee 1/4 cup


HOW TO MAKE:


Peel off the skins of banana and make a smooth paste of it.


Transfer this paste in a nonstick kadahi. Keep on the fire and keep stirring for few minutes.
Reduce the heat. Add one tbsp of ghee and continue stirring till the paste changes to blackish color.
Add sugar and ghee. Keep stirring till the paste become bit hard.

KEPT FOR COOLING

NENDRA BANANA HALWA

Spread some ghee on a plate and pour halwa mixture. 
Apply some ghee on the spatula and spread evenly.
Cut with knife to your desired shapes.
Allow it to cool down.

MIXED VEG IN COCNUT MILK / VALVAL

This is one of the popular dishes from Konkani household. This is my father-in-law's fav curry.  He had requested me to prepare this many times and I had obliged too. When I prepared this yesterday, we all remembered him very much as he left us an year ago. Whenever he had it, he always used to say...'Wah! What a curry..' I hope you also will say Wah!!!!

MIXED VEGES IN COCONUT MILK

WHAT YOU NEED:
Pumpkin 3/4 cup
Long beans(Alasnado) 3-4 (cut into 2' long)
Yam , 1 inch cubes, 4-5
Potato, 1' cubes, 4-5
Sweet potato 1"cubes, 3-4
Bottlegourd, 4-5 cubes
Tender cashews 7-8
Green chillies 4
Curry leaves 5-6
Asafoetida a little, dissolved in little water
Salt
Coconut 1/2( Prepare 1 cup thick and 1/2 cup thin coconut milk)

VALVAL

VALVAL, MY FATHER-IN-LAW'S FAV.

HOW TO MAKE:


Wash all the vegs and cut all in one inch cubes.
Put all the vegs in a vessel and add slit green chillies and salt.
Pressure cook these vegs without water for 10 minutes. Allow it to cool naturally. Or you can cook all these veggies in thin coconut milk till done.


Take out the veges and keep on the fire in thin milk. Stir the veges  carefully. Then pumpkin pieces will become like paste and the curry becomes thick. The curry should be a little thick, but see that not all the pumpkin pieces dissolve in the curry.
Add thick milk, asafoetida, curry leaves and stir carefully. Switch off the burner.


A side dish

BUTTER PANEER MASALA

BUTTER PANEER MASALA

WHAT YOU NEED:

Paneer cubes 1' about 12-15
Onion 1 big
Tomatoes 2 big
Corinader powder 1 1/2 tsp 
Cumin/jeera powder 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric a little
Dried fenugreek leaves 1 tsp
Ginger paste 2 tsp
Garlic paste 1 tsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Butter 2 tbsp
Cream 1 cup
Water 1 cup 

SOFT PANEER CUBES IN BUTTER MASALA

HOW TO MAKE:

Keep paneer cubes in warm water for sometime. 


Chop onion and make a smooth paste of it.
Wash tomatoes, chop and make paste.


In a kadahi put 2 tabsp of butter and melt.
Add ginger and garlic paste in a melted butter and saute for few mins.
Add onion paste and fry till it changes the color.
Put coriander powder, jeera powder, haldi powder and mix well.
Add tomato paste and cook for few minutes.
Then add paneer cubes, mix well with the masala and add red chilli powder, salt and 1 cup of water.


Cover the lid and let it cook for nearly 5 to 10 minutes or till paneer become soft.
Add fresh beaten cream, mix and cook for few more minuts.

Garnish with dried fenugreek leaves.


Very good combination with Fried rice. It can also be eaten with chappati or phulkas.

BEET DESSERT

I had a really good reason to make some sweet desserts today. Today, 26th November is my dear sister's wedding anniversary, a happy and great day for all of us. With lots of love and affection I have prepared this Dessert for her and her husband, a lovely couple.

BEET DESSERT

WHAT YOU NEED:


Beetroot grated 4 1/2 cups
Thick Milk 1 cup
Ghee 1 tbsp
Sugar 1 1/2 cups
Cashew bits 1 tbsp

YUMMIEST!!!

HOW TO MAKE :


Heat a nonstick kadahi. Add grated beetroot and let it boil on low heat till all the water contents go.
When it is completely dry then add thick milk. Let it boil till milk evaporates. Stir occasionally. 
Add sugar and stir till it becomes dry or its color changes into black. 
Add ghee and cashews and keep stirring till it becomes little hard.


Serve cold in a serving bowl.

TOMATO RASAM

WHAT YOU NEED:


Tomato 1
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Tamarind paste 2 tsp
Asafoetida little dissolved in little water
Water 4 cups
Rasam powder 2-3 tbsp
Salt


For the seasoning:


Mustard seeds 3/4 tsp
Curry leaves


For garnishing:


Coriander leaves finely chopped 2 tsp

HOW TO MAKE:


Wash tomato and chop.
In a vessel add 4 cups of water and put chopped tomatoes and boil.
Add turmeric powder and tamarind paste to it and let it boil till tomato pieces are soft.
Add rasam powder, asafoetida and salt. Boil it for few minutes.


Heat a small pan with little oil.
Add mustard, when it splutters add curry leaves. Pour this seasoning on the Rasam.


Finally add coriander leaves. Serve hot with steamed rice. 

RAS MALAI

RAS MALAI , ORIGINALLY FROM ORISSA

I adapted this recipe from INDIAN EXPRESS...I have done some variation..


WHAT YOU NEED: (makes 6)


Milk 1 ltr
Vinegar 1 tbsp
Water 1cup
Sugar half cup
Saffron a little, dissolved in little milk
Cashew nuts /pishtachio/almonds 8-10 

RAS MALAI, A MILK BASED DESSERT

HOW TO MAKE:


Boil half ltr milk. When it is boiling add vinegar till paneer is separated.
Switch off the burner and cover the lid for few min with a lid.
Strain the water away through a muslin cloth.
Remove the excess water by hanging it or keeping  weight on the paneer for few hours.
Remove the paneer from the cloth and knead it ( for 10 mins) till soft dough.
Divide the dough into equal parts  and make round balls, flatten a little.


In a pressure cooker, add 1/4 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Let it boil
Put the paneer balls in and cover the lid. Pressure cook till 1 whistle.
When it cools down, remove the paneer balls and keep aside.


Making of Malai, cream.....


Take the remaining 1/2 ltr milk in a thick bottomed vessel or kadahi and boil it.Remember to keep stirring the milk, or it will stick to the bottom and give a burnt flavour. Simmer on low flame and cook till it reduces to 2/3 of original volume. 
Add 1/4 cup sugar and saffron and mix well.
Add paneer balls in the milk cream and cook for another few more mins.
Decorate with Cashew bits or almonds or pistachio...as per your choice. I added cashew bits.


Serve cold.