Moong dal ka halwa

This halwa is considered auspicious for diwali and holi in rajasthan. It requires a lot of patience and time to saute the dal for this halwa and it requires some extra ghee too though i have tried to make it with minimum amount of ghee... this halwa is usually made in winters as it keeps the body warm... this is a classic rajasthani recipe...

Preparation time - 10 mins
Cooking time - 40 mins
Serves - 6-8




Ingredients

Moong dal- 300gms
Ghee - 225 gms
Yellow food colour - 5-6 drops
Kesar - 1 pinch soaked in
              2 tbsp of warm milk
Mawa - 225 gms
Sugar - 250 gms
Water - 1 cup
Chopped almonds 8-10(chopped)

Method

1.Soak the dal for 5 -6 hrs.
2.Grind it well.
3.Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan.
4.Now switch off the flame and when warm put in the dal and switch on the flame.
5.Now we cook it in low flame continuously stirring it till the ghee separates and we get an aroma of  the roasted dal.
6.Now add the colour and saffron and stir for some time.
7.Add mawa and cook for 5 mins and keep aside.
8.Now heat a wok and add water and sugar.
9.Add 6-7 strands of saffron and cardamom.
10.Make 2 string chasni and switch off the flame and mix the prepared dal mixture and mix well.
11.Garnish with almonds and serve...
Happy eating ..

 

Note Step 1 - step 6 can be done and kept in a  refrigerator for 2-3 days and rest part can be done on the day of consumption.

Red sauce or salsa sauce

Ingredients

Tomatoes - 7 - 8
Dry red chillies - 16-17
Garlic 5-6 cloves
Ginger - 1 inch
Tomato ketchup - 4 tbsp
Vinegar -  3 tbsp
Sweet chilli garlic sauce - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Method
Boil the tomatoes and chillies together.
Remove the peel of boiled tomatoes.
Add garlic and ginger with the tomatoes and chillies and grind to a fine paste.
Heat oil in a pan and add the paste and cook for some time.
Add vinger and sauces and salt and cook till properly cooked.

Moong dal tori ki sabji.

A very healthy, simple and low oil veggie. A perfect vegetable with hot rotis. Very good for children too and tastes yummmy ...

Ingredients

Tori (ridge gourd) - 1/2 kg
Moong dal - 1/2 cup  
(soaked for 1/2 an hour)
Green chillies - 2 slit in pieces
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Red chilli pd - 1 tsp
Dhaniya powder - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
Haldi - 1/2 tsp

Method

Heat oil in a wok.

Add cumin seeds and green chillies.
Add tori and cook for 5 mins.
Add moong dal, salt and haldi and cover the wok with a plate on a low flame till the dal and tori is tender.
Now add chilli powder and dhaniya powder and cook for next 2 mins on a high flame.
Serve hot with chapatis.

Veg parshiani...

A very tasty and easy rice based bake...The perfect combination of creamy and cheesy white sauce mixed with rice and hot and spicy red sauce in vegetables.You can add the vegetables according to your taste.

Ingredients

Rice- 2 cups ( cooked)

White sauce - 3 cups ( not very thick)
Herbs - 2 TSP ( oregano or mixed herbs)
Chat masala - 1/2 tsp
Cheese - 2 cubes

Red sauce - 2 cups 

Oil - 2 tbsp
Mixed vegetables - 1 cup ( chopped and blanched)
Vegetables( carrot, beans, zuchinni, peas)
Onions - 3 minced
Capsicum - 2 minced

For the garnishing
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Capsicum - 1
All sliced and coated with black salt

Method

Take a wok and prepare the white sauce and grate 1cube of cheese into it.
Add herbs and chat masala.
Add rice and mix well and keep aside.
Heat oil in a wok, add onion and capsicum and fry for sometime.
Add the mixed vegetables and cook for some time.
Now add the prepared red sauce.
Add salt if needed.
Add some water if the red sauce is very thick.

For the layering
Grease a bake dish.
Put a layer of prepared rice and then a thick layer of red sauce mixture.
Top it again with a thin  layer of rice.
Grate cheese over it and garnish with sliced capsicum, onions and tomatoes.
Bake it in a preheated oven at 150* for 10-15 mins.