Dal Ka meetha

Dal ka meetha is a traditional sweet which we make during weddings, eid and family gatherings.

The best dal ka meetha is made by my mom. :)

This is her recipe which i followed.

Ingredients:

• Chana dal - 1 cup
• Almonds - 2 cups
• Khova - 250gms
• Milk - half litre
• Sugar - 2 cups
• Kesar food colour - a pinch
• Vanilla essence - 2 - 3 drops
• Cardamom - 2
• Cinnamon stick - half inch
• Ghee - 2 tbsps
• Almonds - blanched & sliced (for garnish)
• Raisins

Method :

1. Soak almonds in enough water for 6 hours minimum. Peel and grind the almonds to a fine paste, use few tbsps of milk while grinding it. Do not add water.
2. In a cooking pot add the dal and one big glass of water and soak it for 2 hours.
3. Now keep the pot on the stove and cook it until the dal is soft and make sure the water dries up while cooking the dal. If needed you can add more water for the dal to cook but don't add too much water as it has to dry up during the cooking process of dal.
4. Grind the cooked dal, now add khova and milk and grind it again. The consistency should be slightly thick and not watery.
5. Take a thick bottom vessel, add the dal mixture, almond paste, sugar and food colour, give it a good mix , cover the vessel and cook it on medium to low flame for 20 minutes, keep stirring every 5 minutes, add vanilla essence in the last and keep it on simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Once it is cooked turn off the stove and keep aside.
7. Take a separate pan, add ghee and fry cardamom, cinnamon, raisins and almonds (blanched & sliced) on low flame and add it to the dal ka meetha and its ready to serve.
8. Tastes good hot and cold :)

Note: Adjust the consistency of the dal mixture with milk while grinding and cooking. Add more milk if the mixture is getting too thick while cooking. Also adjust the quantity of sugar as per taste.

Chicken Shashlik

My first attempt on pan fried Chicken Shashlik, must say this dish is worth cooking often :)

Ingredients:

  
For chicken marination:

• Boneless chicken cubes - 500gms
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Soya sauce - 2 tsp
• Vinegar - 2 tsp
• Red chili powder  - 1 tsp
• Tandoori chicken masala - 2 tsp
• Black pepper powder - half tsp
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala - half tsp
• Chat masala - half tsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Salt as per taste

Marinate this chicken and refrigerate it for 6 hrs or overnight marination would be the best.

 

For veggies marination: 

• Onions cut in to cubes
• Capsicum cut in to cubes
• Tomatoes cut in to cubes
• Soya sauce - 1 tsp
• Red chili powder  - half tsp
• Tandoori chicken masala - 1 tsp
• Black pepper powder - half tsp
• Cumin powder - half tsp
• Garam masala - a generous pinch
• Chat masala -  a generous pinch
• Salt - half tsp
• Oil - 1 tsp

Marinate veggies and refrigerate it for an hour before cooking.

 

Method:

1. Take wooden skewers and soak it in water for 30 minutes.
2. Thread cubes of marinated capsicum,onion, tomato and chicken in the skewer, repeat the process depending upon on the length of the skewer. 
3. In a non stick pan add 4 - 5 tbsps of oil and shallow fry it, keep it covered and cook it on medium to low flame, keep turning it every 5 minutes until it is cooked.

Paneer Fry

My kids favorite paneer fry !!

A quick and tasty paneer recipe when you are in a hurry, also it needs only a few basic ingredients from your pantry :)

Ingredients:

• Paneer - 300 gms
• Olive oil - 2 tbsp
• Chat masala - 1 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - half a tsp 
• Cumin powder - half a tsp
• Garam masala powder - half a tsp
• Black pepper powder - half a tsp
• Salt as per taste 
• Oil for frying

Method:

1. In a bowl add olive oil and rest of the ingredients (except paneer) and mix well.
2. Now add paneer cubes to the above mixture and mix well.
3. Refrigerate this for one or two hours .
4. In a frying pan, add 3 - 4 tbsps of oil and shallow fry the paneer until golden in colour and its ready.

Sweets and more sweets :)