Besan Ladoo

I love Besan Ladoos.  This is my favouritest Indian sweet.  Normally avoid making it as I tend to eat lots of them.

Easy to make

1 cup besan 

3/4 cup ghee

3/4 - 1 cup powdered sugar [depends on how sweet you like it]

4 pcs small cardamom

1/2 cup chopped almonds or peanuts

some strands of Saffron

• Heat the ghee in a karahi.
• Add the besan, on medium flame, and cook till fragrant and changes colour slightly.  Be careful as this burns very suddenly.
• Turn of the heat and allow the mixture to cool
• Powder the cardamom along with the sugar.
• Soak the saffron in a teaspoon of water
• Once mix is slightly cool, add in the sugar, nuts and kesar.
• Mix thoroughly and check on the sweetness.
• Shape into small round balls and enjoy 

Garlic Naans

This was a great recipe for homemade naans.  Honestly you will not order them from outside once you try this out.  The best thing about them is NO YEAST and they can be made on the stove top.  You don't need a tandoor or oven for these.

The Final result was a soft delicious naan.

Ingredients & Method 

04 pcs Fresh Bread 

1 cup Fresh Yogurt

1/4 tsp Baking Soda

2 tsp sugar

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

kalonji, dhania leaves 

2 tbsp butter + 1 clove crushed garlic

Roughly break the bread into chunks and process in a mixer to get crumbs

Into the crumbs add the sugar, baking soda and curd, mixing well and keep aside for half an hour

After half an hour add in approx 2 cups flour and 1 tsp salt and bring everything together.

Knead into a smooth dough and keep in an oiled bowl, covered to prevent a skin forming, for at least 2 hours.

Roll out the dough using minimal flour.  Press down some Kalonji or chopped garlic onto one side.

Heat a tawa, sprinkle it with water and put the naan on the water.  Cover with a lid to keep steam in.  Ensure flame is high.

When the naan lifts of the tawa easily cook on an open flame using a steel mesh - this can be done direct on the flame also - with the uncooked side facing the flame.

Once done brush with garlic butter and serve hot.

Bharwaan Tangri Kabab

Stuffed chicken legs.  Always a hit at any party

Ingredients

8 Chicken Drumsticks

Wash and pat dry.  Marinate with red chilly powder, salt and lemon juice.  Keep aside for half an hour

Filling
Chicken Mince - approx 100 gms 
1 finely chopped onion
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 chopped green chilly
1 tbsp chopped raisins
salt, chilly powder
2 tbsp grated cheese
oil

Heat Oil, saute onions till golden brown.  Add the ginger garlic paste, chillies and seasoning and mix well.  Add the chicken mince and cook till done.  Once done mix in the raisins.  Remove from heat and add in the grated cheese to bind everything together.

Second Marinade

1 cup curd hung to remove the water

1/4 cup thick cream

2 tbsp grated cheese

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp shah zeera

1 tbsp cornflour

salt, chilly powder, garam masala

corriander leaves chopped

Mix all above.

To make

Remove the tangri from the 1st marinade and make a cut in the thickest part of the leg.

Using your finger make space in the cut.

Take some of the stuffing and put into the leg, filling as much as possible.

Cover the leg with the curd marinade, coating well

Keep this aside to marinate for an hour minimum before grilling

If you don't have a grill this can be made in a convection oven.

Preheat oven to 180 C and bake chicken legs on a well greased oven tray for 20 mins.  Keep a plate below tray to catch drippings.

After 20 mins, baste the legs with a little oil and grill for a further 15 mins.

I made the corn and mushrooms with the same marinade.

KADHAI CHICKEN

This one was made by my daughter - under duress.  She hates cooking but has a knack of following recipes really well.  This recipe is from Nita Mehta's Learning to Cook.  Simple and easy to make, comes out real tasty.  

Dry roast 1 tbsp corriander seeds till aromatic.  Do not let it brown too much.  When cool,  crush roughly to split the seeds.

Heat about 10 - 12 tbps oil in a kadhai and temper with 1/2 tsp methi dana [fenugreek seeds] & 3 whole dry red chilli.  Stir for a couple of secs till methi dana turns golden

Add 3-4 onions cut into slices and cook till golden brown.  Add 2 tbsp garlic paste + 1 tbsp ginger paste and saute till dry.

Add in the crushed corriander seeds + 1 tsp red chilli powder + 1 tsp corriander powder and mix well

Add in 1 chicken cut into 8 - 10 pcs and cook till chicken is sealed well, stirring constantly.

Put in 4 large tomatoes chopped finely and cook for another 5 min or so.  Now add in the salt to taste, 1/4 tsp amchoor & 1/2 tsp garam masala

Cook covered for 10 - 15 mins till chicken is done and oil separates from the masala.

Add in 1/2 cup tomato puree and 1/2 cup chopped green corriander.  Cook a couple of mins

Lastly add in 1 capsicum sliced + few green chillies sliced + ginger sliced fine.  

Mix well and serve hot.