Nasuha Blog

Hello readers. As promised, I am here with yet another Holi special recipe. Dahi vade is a must make for the festival of Holi. There was a time when I used to struggle with this dish and always had a hard center in my vadas. It was then that this recipe came to my rescue and although now I can make vada's with a soft and pillowy center, I wanted to share this recipe with all my readers. I use bread slice to make the center of the vadas and then coat them with the regular vada batter to get a more authentic taste. Trust me, no body till date have made out that vadas are made up of bread and you get a soft center every time. Sometimes I do not use the batter at all and just make vadas with bread. In that way their is no need of frying and the vadas are healthy yet delicious. Try the recipe this Holi. You will definitely love it. Here it is.


All you need is

For the vada

Bread slices - 20
Dhuli urad dal \ Split skinned black gram - 1 cup
Dhuli moong dal \ Split skinned green gram - 1\4 cup
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Green chili - 1\Salt - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1\2 tsp
Water - 1\2 cup
Salt - 1 tsp
Heeng \ asafoetida - 1\4 tsp
Oil for frying

For the stuffing of vada

Grated dry coconut - 2 tbsp
Broekn cashew nuts - 2 tbsp
Raisins - 2 tbsp
Pistachios - 1 tbsp ( chopped )

For soaking the vada

Water - 5 cups
Curd - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Heeng \ Asafoetida - 1\4 tsp

For the topping

Fresh curd - 2 cups ( chilled )
Black salt - 1\2 tsp
Sugar - 2 tsp
Tamarind chutney - 1\2 cup ( recipe is here )
Roasted cumin powder - 1\2 tsp
Red chili powder - 1\2 tsp
Fresh coriander - 2 tsp ( chopped )
Pomegranate seeds - 2 tsp



Method of preparation

Wash and soak urad dal and moong dal in enough water for 6-8 hours.
Drain nicely.
Add soaked dal, ginger, green chili, baking soda, water, salt and heeng in the jar of a blender and blend together to make a coarse paste.
Take out the paste in a bowl and whisk it with a spoon or your hand till it is light and fluffy.
It will take 5-6 minutes.
Cut the corners of the bread slices.
Mix the ingredients of the filling in a bowl.
Keep a bread slice on your palm and slightly wet it with water from both the sides.
Keep a small amount of filling in the center and bring back the ends and make a round.
Slightly press the round.
Repeat the process with all the bread slices.
Heat oil in a pan.
Dip the bread vadas in the dal batter.
Slightly wet your palms and take out the vada on your palm.
Shape it with your fingers and drop it in hot oil.
Simmer the heat.
Fry all the vadas till golden brown on medium heat.
Remove the vadas on a plate lined with kitchen towel.

For soaking the vada

Mix all the ingredients for soaking the vadas in a big bowl.
Once all the vadas are fried and you are ready to serve, just soak them in this mixture for 5 minutes.
Do not over soak as the bread inside will become soggy.

For serving the vada

Take out the vada from the soaking mixture.
Gently press it between your palms.
Arrange them on a serving plate.
Whisk curd with black salt and sugar.
Pour the curd over the vadas.
Pour the tamarind chutney on top.
Sprinkle roasted cumin powder and red chili powder.
Garnish with fresh coriander and pomegranate seeds.
Serve chilled.

Note.

You can also make bread ke dahi Vade by not using the dal at all.
In that case, just cut the corners of bread and fill the filling in the same manner.
Arrange the filled bread on the serving tray and do the topping in the same way.
No need to soak the vadas.
These dahi vade also taste great and are healthy also as no frying is required.

Mathri is a snack which is mostly found in all Indian homes and is enjoyed with morning or evening tea. There are many variations to make mathris and each house has it's own recipe passed on through generations. In the earlier times when there were so little ready made options available, home made snacks were relished with great pleasure. I remember having a small cabinet in my dining room specially used to store all the home made snacks and pickles. Ladoos, mathris and home made namkeens were always there along with a range of pickles. When the festivals approached, this cabinet used to be packed with variety of stuff which was made specially during that particular festival. Now that holi is around the corner, I thought to make all the special treats that we enjoyed as a kid during this time. The list is long and I will try to make maximum number of things, but to start with here is the easy recipe of crispy and crunchy Methi mathris which can be stored for a few days in an airtight container. You can make it a few days ahead of the festival and save yourself some time. Here is the recipe.



All you need is

Maida \ All purpose flour - 2 cups
Sooji \ Semolina - 1 tsp
Fresh methi leaves - 25 gm ( Finely chopped ). Or you can 2 tsp kasuri methi if fresh methi is not available.
Green chili - 1 ( Finely chopped )
Salt - 1 and 1\2  tsp
Ajwain \ carom seeds - 1\2 tsp
Oil - 1\4 cup and for frying
Warm water for kneading



Method of preparation

Mix maida, sooji, methi leaves, green chili, salt, ajwain and 1\4 cup oil in a pan.
Mix well with your finger tips.
Knead with warm water to make a tight dough.
Cover and keep the dough aside for 10 minutes.
Make small balls from the dough and press them between your palms to flatten them.
Roll the mathris slightly with a rolling pin.
Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan.
When the oil is hot, add the mathris and simmer the heat.
Do not overload the pan. Fry the mathris in small batches.
Fry the mathris on low heat till golden brown from both the sides.
It will take 15-20 minutes to fry one batch.
Remove the fried mathris on a tissue lined plate.
Cool and store in an airtight container for up to 15 days.

Kalakand is a very traditional Indian sweet and is loved by many. I have given a twist to Kalakand by adding custard apple to it. It came out delicious. Give it a try. Here is the recipe.


All you need is

Milk - 2 liter
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Sugar - 1\2 cup ( powdered )
Cardamaom powder - 1 tsp
Custard apple pulp - 1 cup
Ghee - 1\2 tsp
Pistachios - 5-6 ( slivered )
Almonds - 5-6  ( slivered )
Silver foil ( optional )

Method of preparation

Divide the milk in two pan.
Heat one pan till the milk has reduced to half.
Bring the milk in the other pan to a boil.
When the milk comes to a boil, simmer the heat.
Add lemon juice to the milk.
The milk will curdle.
Switch off the gas and drain the milk in a cotton cloth.
Bring the sides of the cloth together and drain all the whey from the paneer.
Run the cloth under fresh water to remove any trace of lemon from it.
Add this paneer in the other pan when the milk has reduced to half.
Cook till the mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan.
Add sugar and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Add cardamom powder and custard apple and mix well.
Grease a plate with ghee.
Pour the mixture in the greased plate and spread evenly.
Garnish with pistachio slivers and silver foil.
Let the kalakand set.
When set, cut into small pieces.
It can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days in refrigerator.

Meethe chawal or Zarda pulao is a sweet rice preparation. My mom has been making this recipe, year after year on the Diwali day. Laden with ghee and dry fruits and full of flavors from saffron and rose water, this is one of my favorites dishes. Here is the easy and simple recipe to make this delicious pulao. Do give it a try.



All you need is

Rice - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Saffron - 2 pinch
Yellow food color - 1 pinch
Cardamom - 4-5 ( crushed )
Black cardamom - 2 ( crushed )
Cloves - 8-10
Milk - 1 cup
Rose water - 1\2 tsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Chironji - 2 tbsp
Almonds - 10-12 ( chopped )
Cashew nuts - 10-12 ( chopped )
Raisins - 2 tbsp


Method of preparation

Gently wash the rice and soak in water for 1 hour.
Strain.
Mix milk, yellow food color, saffron, rose water and sugar in a bowl
Heat 4-5 cups water in a pan.
When it comes to a boil, add the soaked rice.
Cook till the rice is 80 % done.
Strain in a sieve and mix a tsp of ghee in the rice.
Keep aside.
Heat the remaining ghee in a pan.
Add almonds, cashew nuts, chironji and raisins and fry till golden brown.
Add cardamom, black cardamom and cloves.
Fry for 20 seconds.
Add the milk mixture.
Bring it to a boil.
Simmer the heat and add the rice.
Cover and cook on low heat for 10-12 minutes.
Fluff the rice with a fork.
Serve hot.

Aloo bhujia is dry snack made with chickpea flour and potatoes. It can be enjoyed as evening snack with a hot cup of tea. Here is an easy recipe to make aloo bhujia at home. Do give it a try.


All you need is

Potato - 1\2 cup ( Boiled, peeled and grated )
Besan - 1 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp and for frying
Salt - 1 tsp
Chaat masala - 1\2 tsp and 1\2 tsp for sprinkling on top.
Red chili powder - 1\2 tsp
Heeng - 1\4 tsp
Baking soda - a pinch
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Dry pudina powder - 1\2 tsp



Method of preparation

Mix besan, grated potato and oil in a pan.
Mix together nicely.
Add salt, 1\2 tsp chaat masala, red chili powder, heeng, baking soda and lemon juice.
Mix nicely.
Add very little water and knead to make a tight dough.
Cover and keep the dough for 10 minutes.
Heat oil in a pan.
Divide the dough in 4 parts.
Fill one part in the sev press fitted with fine net.
Press the sev press over the hot oil.
Simmer the heat.
Fry till golden brown from both the sides.
Remove from oil on a kitchen tissue lined plate.
Cool.
Break the bhujia into small pieces.
Sprinkle the remaining chat masala and dry pudina powder on top.
Store in an airtight container.

All you need is

Full cream milk - 3 lt ( preferably cow's milk )
Lemon juice - 3 tsp
Arrowroot powder - 4 tsp
Baking soda - a pinch
Sugar - 1 and 1\2 cups and 1\4 cup
Water - 4 cups
Cardamom - 2-3  ( crushed )
Cashew nut - 2 tbsp
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
Saffron - a good pinch
Rose water - 1\2 tsp
Yellow food color - a small pinch
Dry fruits slivers for garnishing



Method of preparation

Heat 2 lt milk in a pan.
Switch off the heat when it comes to a boil.
Add lemon juice.
The milk will curdle immediately.
Let it rest for 5 minutes.
Drain the curdled milk in a cheese cloth.
Wash the cheese under running water to remove the traces of lemon juice.
Hang the cheese cloth for an hour to drain all the whey from the cheese.

Mean while, heat the remaining 1 lt milk in a heavy bottom pan.
Add saffron and yellow food coloring.
Cook on low heat, till milk is reduced to half.
Blend sugar and cashew nuts in a blender.
Add in the reduced milk.
Add rose water and cardamom powder.
Mix well.
Keep the milk aside.

Remove the chenna from the cheese cloth.
Add arrowroot powder and baking soda.
Knead the chenna with your palms for 6-8 minutes.
Make 12-14 equal size balls from the chenna.
Flatten the balls a little bit.
Heat 1 and 1\2 cup sugar and water in a pressure cooker.
When the water comes to a rolling boil, add the chenna balls.
Do not over crowd the cooker.
The balls should not touch each other.
Put the lid with the whistle and cook on high heat till 2 whistles.
let the cooker cool on it's own.
Open the cooker and take out the rasmalai gently and add in the reduced milk.
Make all the rasmalai in the same fashion.
Add 2-3 tbsp water every time before adding the balls  in the cooker.
Refrigerate the rasmalai for at least 5-6 hours before serving.
Garnish with dry fruits slivers before serving.

Malpua is a traditional Indian sweet. It is basically a fried pancake dunked in sugar syrup. On our many visits to Jaipur, we used to relish this sweet and at that time, I never thought to make this at home. It's the first time, I have tried this and trust me, it came out wonderful. The recipe is very simple and requires no skills. Just mix the batter and pour it in hot ghee. That's all you have to do to make this wonderful sweet at home. Do give it a try. Here is the recipe.



All you need is

Milk - 1 and 1\2 cup ( warm, not hot )
Khoya - 1\2 cup ( grated )
Maida - 1 cup
Saunf- 1 tsp ( coarsely grounded )
Sugar - 2 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Baking powder - a small pinch
Ghee for frying

For the sugar syrup

Sugar - 1 cup
Water - 1\4 cup
Cardamom - 2-3 ( grounded )
Saffron - 8-10 strands


Method of preparation

Add sugar, cardamom, saffron and water in a pan.
Cook till the syrup is of one string consistency.
Keep aside

Mix half of the warm milk and khoya in a bowl.
Mix till khoya is combined.
Add half of the maida and mix to make a smooth paste.
Add the remaining maida and make a smooth paste.
Add sugar, saunf, salt and baking powder.
Mix well.
Add the remaining milk and mix well.
Keep aside for 10 minutes.
Heat ghee in a shallow pan.
Mix the batter and pour a small ladle full  ( approx 2 tbsp ) in the hot ghee. ( The ghee should not be too hot )
Simmer the heat to low and fry the malpua on both the sides till golden brown.
Remove from ghee and dip in the sugar syrup for 2 minutes.
Serve hot as such or with kesar rabdi.

Kesar rabdi recipe is here.

Crispy and crunchy namakpare are a great snack to enjoy with a cup of hot ginger tea. This snack takes me back to my childhood. There always used to be a box full of namakpare in the house and every evening with tea, my nani used to  keep these with other dry snacks in huge plates for all of us to munch on. I too always make namakpare for Diwali and Holi, though in a very small amount. The trick to make crunchy namakpare is to knead the dough, as tight as you can and fry them on very low heat. Here is the recipe.


All you need is

All purpose flour \ Maida - 1 cup
Semolina \ Fine sooji - 2 tbsp
Salt - 3\4 tsp
Carom seeds \ ajwain - 1\2 tsp
Clarified butter \ ghee - 2 tbsp
Lukewarm water - to knead
Oil for frying


Method of preparation

Mix maida, sooji, salt, ajwain and ghee in a bowl.
Mix nicely.
Add a tbsp of lukewarm water at a time and mix to make a tight dough.
Cover and keep the dough for 10-15 minutes.
Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan.
Divide the dough in 2 parts and roll each in a thin circle.
Cut the circle in long rectangles or diamonds.
When the oil is hot, simmer the heat.
Fry the namakpare on low heat till golden brown.
Keep in mind that these will continue to brown a bit even after taking out from oil.
Remove from oil on a tissue lined plate.
Cool and store in an airtight container for up to 10-15 days.