The Indian Foodie, Author at The Indian Foodie

In Dessert

Gajar ka Halwa (Carrot Halwa)

Gajar Ka Halwa/Gajrela or Carrot Halwa (a sweet, creamy, rich pudding from Punjab, with the aromatic taste of cardamon) is a dessert that is a popular dish served at festivals. It is a warm dessert and is best enjoyed in winter. It is an easy dish with few ingredients but not a quick one (unless you use a pressure cooker). Like most halwas, it requires attention while cooking. Being a warm dish, it was a perfect dessert for cold winter days. The carrots in this recipe are regular store-bought carrots rather than the sought-after deep orange carrots normally found in wintertime in Northern India.

Print Pin

Gajar ka Halwa

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings 6

Gajar ka Halwa is a creamy, rich dessert with the aromatic taste of cardamom.

Ingredients

10 medium carrots
2 cups whole milk
1 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 whole green cardamom
¼ tsp fresh ground green cardamom powder
1 tbsp golden raisins
½ cup granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
12 blanched almonds (save half for garnish)

Instructions

Scrub the carrots with a vegetable brush and peel them.
Using a hand grater or food processor, grate the carrots.
Transfer the grated carrots, milk, and whipping cream into a heavy-bottomed medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil on medium heat. About 10 minutes.
Add the whole cardamom and cardamom powder. Simmer on medium-low, occasionally stirring, until 75% of the milk is reduced. About 20 minutes.
Add the sugar and golden raisins. Stir in half the nuts. Cook for another 10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated, but the halwa is still moist.
Carefully transfer the cooked dessert to a serving dish and garnish with the rest of the nuts. Serve hot or warm.

Notes

You can use sautéed cashew nuts instead of almonds. If you are not sure of nut allergies when serving to guests, you can omit cooking the halwa with the nuts and just serve them on the side.

You can also garnish with silver foil to get that traditional, authentic feeling!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: carrots, dessert, pudding

Your Next Recipe

In Bread

Bread Uppama

By The Indian Foodie

Sometimes I get into the mood to bake bread, and I take the easy route. Years ago, when volunteering at our church thrift shop, I picked up an almost brand-new bread machine for less than half the market price. Now when the mood hits for fresh homemade bread, I pull it out and go for it! Today I have a half loaf lying around— a product of five days ago. I decide to fix Bread Uppma for breakfast. Most Indians refer to bread as ‘double roti,’ or simply bread.

Bread uppma is great for breakfast or a tea-time snack. It is savory and tangy, and, of course, who doesn’t love bread!!

Print Pin

Bread Uppama

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings 4

Bread uppama is great for breakfast or a tea-time snack. It is savory and tangy, and, of course, who doesn't love bread!!

Ingredients

12 slices bread (preferably stale, toasted, and cut into 1-inch cubes)
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 Serrano chili (chopped one whole red chili optional—to your taste)
½ tsp black mustard seeds
8-10 curry leaves
1 cup onion (chopped finely, yellow or red)
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 medium tomatoes (chopped-about 1 cup)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp lemon or lime juice (only)
½ cup cocktail or sautéed peanuts or cashew nuts
1 tbsp fresh cilantro (coriander leaves) (washed and chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium heat.
Add the chopped green chili or red chili. Stir a couple of times and add the mustard seeds. Be careful as they splutter.
Give it less than 30 seconds, and add the curry leaves. Stir and add the onions.
Sauté the onions for about 6 minutes until they are translucent and start to turn reddish in the corners.
Add the tomatoes and sauté for another 4 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and the oil starts to surface.
Add your choice of nuts (optional) and give them a stir.
Now stir in the toasted bread cubes until they are nicely coated with the onion and tomato mixture.
Add a ¼ cup of water. Lower the heat and cover the skillet. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
Remove the lid, sprinkle the juice of half a lemon/lime, and stir. Cover and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Remove to a serving dish and garnish with the chopped cilantro.

Notes

You can add the nuts as a garnish as well.

If you are gluten-free, you can make it with gluten-free bread.

Course: Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: semolina, uppama

Your Next Recipe

In Recipes

A Valentine’s Day Menu

By The Indian Foodie

One legend of Valentine’s Day is that a priest in the third century performed secret marriage ceremonies for couples as Emperor Claudius of Rome outlawed marriage for young men. The Emperor felt single men would stay more focused as soldiers. The priest was beaten, stoned, and beheaded when the Emperor found out. Valentine’s Day has become a day to celebrate love.

If you want a special meal to celebrate your loved one this Valentine’s Day, here is an easy menu for a delicious Indian meal that can be prepared early and left in a warm oven until you are ready to eat. The dishes are light on spices. You can prepare it a day ahead, zap it on the microwave, and keep it in the warm oven until dinner time.

The heat in Indian food comes from the use of red and green chilies. You can moderate it according to your taste by adding less. If you want to turn it up, add more!!

_____________

Suggestions for an Easy Valentine’s Day Menu

Cocktails

Your choice

Hors d’Oeuvres

Pick these up from an Indian Restaurant or an Indian grocery store. If you have a Trader Joe’s near where you live, they have them as well.

Mini samosas

Pakoras

Dinner

Kala Zeera Gajar Chawal (Black Cumin Carrot Pilaf)

Chicken Chatpata (Spicy Chicken)

Palak Allu Sabzi

Bread – Any kind of flatbread. Naan, Paratha, Roti /Tortilla. These are all available at the Indian Grocery Store, Whole Foods, or Trader Joe’s.

Dessert (Any or all)

Seviyan Kheer (Vermicelli Pudding)

Gajar Halwa

Vanilla Ice Cream topped with Kesar Mango Pulp (These cans are available at the Indian grocery store).

Your Next Recipe

In Recipes

Hara Sem Allu Sabzi (Sautéed Green Beans and Potato)

By The Indian Foodie

I decided to try and grow green beans in my little garden plot. I researched planting and growing on the internet and followed all the tips to grow it in my planting zone. So I was excited when the beans started to sprout and grow. I even got enough to cook two lots of sabzi (sautéed vegetables) with them. Then we had an off-season heat wave which my poor bean plants succumbed to. Hopefully, I will have better luck next time.

Beans and potatoes are an easy vegetable to cook. You can use it in a wrap or serve it with dal, rice, and roti.

Print

Hara Sem Allu Sabzi (Sautéed Green Beans and Potato)

Beans and potatoes are an easy vegetable dish to cook. You can use it in a wrap or serve it with dal, rice, and roti.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: green beans, potatoes

Your Next Recipe

In Recipes

Saada Ubala Hua Saphed Chavaal (Plain Boiled White Rice)

By The Indian Foodie

Next to wheat, rice is one of India’s leading food staples. Most dals and curries go well with plain boiled white rice. In India, a majority of households use plain cooked rice in their meals at least once during the day. There are different types of rice:

Short-grained—high in starch and tends to be sticky

Medium-grained—longer and a little chewy when cooked

Long-grained rice—less starchy with a firmer texture and excellent for pilafs.

The popular Basmati rice is a long-grained rice grown at the foothills of the Himalayas, both in India and Pakistan. It is mainly used for pilafs and Biryanis and has a nutty popcorn fragrance. The name Basmati originates from the Sanskrit word Vasmati which means fragrant.

Print Pin

Saada Ubala Hua Saphed Chavaal (Plain Boiled White Rice)

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Resting Time 5

Total Time 35

Servings 4

A leading food staple in India, most dals and curries go well with plain boiled white rice.

Ingredients

2 cups white Basmati rice
3¾ cups water

Instructions

Place the rice in a medium bowl.
Half-fill the bowl with water and wash the grains by gently sifting and rubbing the rice with your fingers. Do this at least 4 times.
Now add enough water to the bowl just to cover the rice and let the rice soak in the water for 15 minutes. (You can skip the step if you are in a hurry, but add 4 cups of water when boiling).
Rinse and strain the rice through a rice or fine strainer under running water.
Transfer the rice to a medium pot and add 3¾-cups of water.
Stir the rice and bring the uncovered rice to a boil on medium heat. It takes about 15-20 minutes.
Once it comes to a rolling boil, lower the heat to low, stir gently, and cover the rice with a tight lid.
Let it simmer on low for about 15 minutes. Try not to uncover the rice and stir at this stage, as it will allow the steam to escape, making the rice drier.
Turn off the heat and let sit undisturbed for 5-7 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork by gently lifting the rice up all around the pot, and-breaking up any clumps.
Transfer to a serving bowl or dish when ready to serve.
Plain boiled rice tastes good with any dal and any curried-style meats or vegetables. You can serve it as a meal with the usual array of pickles, raitas, papads, and chutneys.

Notes

Test for Doneness:

Crush a few rice grains against a flat surface to test for doneness. If it feels grainy, then the rice is not done. If that happens, sprinkle about a tablespoon of water over the rice and let it sit on low heat for 5 minutes. Or, you can place it in the oven at 180F temp for 10 minutes.

Stovetop and Oven Method:

Cook the rice on the stovetop in an oven-safe pot. Set your oven to 180 F. Once the water nearly evaporates and pits start forming on the rice's surface, turn off the heat and transfer the cooking pot to the oven. Let it bake for about 20 minutes until done.

Boiling Rice in Lots of Water:

Another way to fix rice is to wash and rinse the rice as above. Then in a pot, add about 4 times the water as rice (1:4 ratio). Bring the rice to a boil on medium heat, then reduce the heat and let the rice cook for 15 minutes. Test the grain to see if it's almost done. Turn off the heat. Now strain the rice through a rice strainer or fine sieve. Be careful of the steam! When all the water is drained, give the sieve a shake and put the rice back into the pot Cover with a tight lid and let it sit for 15 minutes before you fluff it.

Most Indian households, when using this method of cooking rice, save the water that has essential minerals and nutrients to drink later. This is especially so in the southern states of India where "kanji' (rice water ) is used as an energy booster for its healthy nutrients.

When we were kids and had an upset stomach, Mama always gave us plain soupy boiled rice and plain yogurt with pepper and salt to settle our stomachs. I still do that to this day whenever anyone in the house has an upset stomach.

Before synthetic starches came on the market in India, this starchy water (kanji) was diluted and used by our dhobis (people who washed our clothes in the absence of washing machines) to starch cotton shirt collars, kurtas, saris, and cotton table linen.

Be aware that cooking times may vary in higher altitudes, and you may need to increase the water by about 1/4 ounce and the resting time by about 5 minutes more.

If you are using white rice other than Basmati, follow the cooking instructions on the packet. Also do this when you are using a manual or electric pressure cooker, microwave oven, or rice cooker.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Indian

Keyword: Basmati, rice

Your Next Recipe

In Main Dishes

Amritsari Chole (Spicy Chickpeas Curry)

By The Indian Foodie

I have invited family over for tea. I decide to give them heavy snacks so that they do not have to worry about dinner. To make it easy on myself, I order samosas from the local Indian Grocery store and fix Chole Batura myself. That along with some homemade Gulab Jamuns should complete the meal. I have several chole recipes I’ve used over the years, but decide to use one I morphed from several recipes. I am a little apprehensive, but the verdict was “Deeelicious!” I am very grateful for supportive and appreciative family!

Print Pin

Amritsari Chole (Spicy Chickpeas Curry)

Prep Time 8

Cook Time 45

Total Time 8 45

Servings 6

A traditional, Punjabi style mouth-watering chickpea curry that your mother-in-law would love!

Ingredients

2 cups Kabuli chana (chickpeas, garbanzo beans) (Sorted, cleaned, rinsed well, and soaked overnight in 5 cups water)
4 cups water
2 small cinnamon sticks
3 pods black cardamom
2 bay leaves
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp mango powder Or dried pomegranate (available at your local Indian grocery store)
1 tsp red chili powder (optional, add more or less depending on your taste for spiciness)
¼ tsp baking soda (optional)
1 tsp garam masala powder (or to taste)
½ tsp salt (or to taste, more or less)
1 large (5-6 oz) onion (finely chopped)
1-2 fresh green chilis (slit in half or finely chopped to release the seeds into the curry—the seeds add the fire in your mouth sensation, optional, to taste)
4 medium tomatoes (finely chopped)
4 tbsp cooking oil
1 kettle hot water (keep handy to add as needed—I always keep a kettle of water hot water on hand when I cook)

Instructions

To Cook the Beans

After soaking, rinse, and drain soaked beans and place them in a large pot. Add approximately 4 cups water of enough to cover over the beans, at least two inches.
Add the whole spices, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, ginger paste, baking soda (optional) and salt.
Cover and boil on medium high for approximately 50 minutes until the beans are soft. If they start to dry out, add more hot water.
Once the beans are cooked, remove from stove top, and set aside.

To Tadka / Tempering

In a large pan or wok, heat the oil over medium heat, and add the chopped onions.
Fry the onions until they are golden brown, Approximately 7-8 minutes.
Optional: Add slit green chilies and fry for a minute.
Add the chopped tomatoes and ginger and sauté until the tomatoes are cooked, and the oil starts to surface on sides of the pan, approximately 10-15 minutes.
With a slotted spoon, carefully add the cooked chickpeas, but reserve the water (you can strain it ahead if you like).
Sauté the chickpeas for about 5 minutes, and then add all the spice powders and stir for a minute.
Now add the strained stock (add some hot water to the stock if it isn't measuring 3 cups of liquid). You need about 3 cups of liquid to continue cooking.
Cover and simmer on medium low, stirring occasionally, until the gravy thickens.
Uncover the pot and mash some beans against the inside sides of the pot to thicken the gravy. Check for salt. The finished beans should be soft and blended and a bit mushy, with a thick gravy. If the water dries out during cooking, add a little more hot water.
Pour into a serving dish when done and garnish with any of the garnished items given.
Serve with batura, naan, tandoori roti, or just samosas. You can also enjoy it with boiled rice or any kind of pilaf.

Notes

You can boil the chickpea beans with two black tea bags or two teaspoons of black tea leaves tied in a muslin cloth, if you want a dark color. Tea is caffeinated, so I leave it out in the interest of some of my siblings who are off caffeine.

You can add to or substitute the green chilies with one teaspoon of degi mirch (Kashmiri chili powder) if you want more of a reddish color. It packs some heat, so handle according to your taste!

If using a pressure cooker, boil the beans following the directions in the manual, but undercook it by 5 minutes, so you can finish cooking it on the stove top to the consistency you like.

If you do not want to hassle with soaking or boiling the chickpea beans, or are short on time, you can also replace the boiled and cooked beans with 4 cups of organic canned beans. Just rinse and drain them.

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: chickpea, chole, curry

Golden Temple Photo by Laurentiu Morariu on Unsplash

Your Next Recipe