Shakarpara: A sweet treat

Shakarpara means sugar treats. These are small diamond shaped sweets usually made during Diwali or other festivals. These sweets can be stored in air tight containers for 3-4 weeks.

Ingredients:
Approx. 12 servings

• Wheat flour – 1 cup
• All purpose flour (Maida) – 1/2 cup
• Ghee or butter  – 1/2 cup
• Sugar – 1 cup
• Milk  – 1/4 cup
• Cooking oil for frying

Method:

1. In a large bowl, combine wheat flour, all purpose flour and ghee. Mix well.
2. Ina sauce pan, combine milk sugar and 1/2 cup water. Bring it to a boil till the sugar dissolves completely. Take it off the heat and let it cool.
3. Now add sugar syrup little by little to the flour mixture and knead it into stiff dough.
4. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
5. Heat the oil in a pan for frying on medium heat.
6. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Take each part and roll the dough into 1/4 inch thick sheet.
7. Cut the sheet into small diamond shapes with the help of knife or the pizza cutter.
8. Carefully fry these diamonds in the medium hot oil till it becomes golden on both sides.
9. Drain them on the kitchen towel and cool them completely.
10. Once these diamond shaped shakarparas are completely cool, you can store them in air tight containers for 3-4 weeks.

Enjoy these sweet treats with a cup of coffee or masala tea.

Diwali Special: Namkeen poha chivda (Crunchy snack)

Namkeen Poha Chivda: Crunchy Snack
A simple and crunchy Diwali snack or anytime snack with a cup of tea.

Ingredients :

Thin Poha (flattened rice) – 2 cups
Peanuts – 1/2 cup
Dalia (roasted chana dal) – 1/2 cup
Cashews  – 1/2 cup
Golden raisins  – 1/4 cup [OPTIONAL]
Garlic cloves – 4 minced
Curry Leaves – 15
Asafoetida (hing) – 2 pinch
Green chilies – 2 finely chopped
Dried coconut flakes – 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Sugar fine – 2 tbsp
Salt as per taste
Oil for tempering – 2 tbsp

Method:

• In a microwavable plate, dry roast half poha in microwave for 2 minutes on high. Repeat the same for other half. Keep aside.
• In a pan, heat oil. Now add mustard seeds, when it starts splattering, add minced garlic. Saute for 2 minutes.
• Add asafoetida powder, green chilies, peanuts, dalia, cashews, raisins, coconut flakes and curry leaves. Saute for few minutes.
• Now add turmeric powder and mix well. Also add roasted poha to the pan, mix well.
• Finally add salt and sugar and keep mixing gently. Take it off the heat or it will burn.
• Cool the mixture completely and store it in airtight container. It can be stored for a couple of weeks if kept airtight.

Enjoy this crunchy snack with Masala tea or Kesariya chai.

Namak pare (Savory snack): Holi special

Namak Pare (Savory snacks)
These snacks are mostly prepared during festivals. But being such an easy recipe it can be enjoyed any time. Namak pare brings back lots of childhood memories. In our house hold, we enjoyed them year round. Thanks mom for such a wonderful snack!

Ingredients for Namak pare:

• All purpose flour (Maida) – 1.5 cups
• Semolina (Sooji) – 1/2 cup
• Carom seeds (Ajwain) – 1 tsp
• Yogurt  – 1/4 cup
• Butter/ Oil  – 2 tbsp
• Salt as per taste
• Cooking oil for frying
• Water to knead dough – 1/4 cup

Method:

1. In a large bowl, add all purpose flour and semolina.
2. Now add carom seeds, yogurt, 2 tbsp butter or oil and salt.
3. Knead it into a little stiff dough using very little water. Keep aside for 15 minutes.
4. Now divide the dough in 6 parts. Roll each part into a ball and keep aside.
5. With the help of rolling pin roll each ball into 10 inch diameter circles.
6. Cut these circles into thin strips and cut them again into 2-3 inch length.
7. Deep fry these pieces till light golden in medium hot oil.
8. Drain them on kitchen towel and let them cool completely.
9. Store these snacks in air tight containers for longer shelf life.

Enjoy Namak Pare with a cup of tea or your favorite drink anytime of the day.

Rava Laddoo [Semolina dessert]

Ingredients: [For Approx.30 laddoos]

Fine Rava/Sooji – 2 cups
Butter/ Ghee – 1/2 cup
Shredded Dry Coconut – 1.5 cups
Sugar – 1.5 cups
Evaporated Milk – 1 can
Cardamom Powder – 1 tsp
Saffron – 1 pinch
Golden raisins – ¼ cup
Cashew/Almond– ½ cup

Method:

• In a pan, heat 2 tbsp butter/ghee. Lightly roast raisins, almonds and cashews. Drain on kitchen towel. Coarsely chop nuts and keep aside.
• In the same pan, add the remaining butter/ghee on medium heat. Add rava/sooji and fry until you get the nice roasted rava aroma.
• Add shredded coconut and sugar and mix well on low heat for a minute.
• Now add raisins, nuts, cardamom powder and Saffron. Mix well.
• Add evaporated milk and turn off the stove. Keep mixing for few minutes until the evaporated milk is well incorporated.
• Pour the mixture in a bowl or thali. Let it cool till its managable. Do not cool completely.
• Take small amount of the mixture in your palm and make lemon size balls.

Raj Kachori

Kachori is one of the most common western Indian snacks. It is great on its own with tea/coffee and even tastes better as assembled chaat. It lasts for a couple of weeks if stored properly in air tight container, so it is a great anytime snack.

Ingredients:
For Raj Kachori [Approx 15 pieces]

For cover:

All purpose flour [Maida] – 2 cups
Melted butter or ghee – 2 tbsp
Water (enough to make firm dough)
Cooking oil to fry
Salt as per taste

For Filling:

Moong dal [Yellow split] – 1.5 cups
Saunf [Fennel seeds] – 1 tsp
Ajwain [Carom seeds] – 1 tsp
Jira [Cumin seeds] – 1 tsp
Hing [Asafoetida powder] – 2 pinch
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Amchur powder – ½ tbsp
Garam masala powder -1 tsp
Cooking oil – 2 tbsp
Salt as per taste

Method:
To make filling:

• Soak moong dal for at least 4 hours.
• Steam moong dal till its half done. Keep aside to cool. In the food processer, coarsely ground the moong dal.
• In a pan, heat cooking oil. Add cumin seeds. When it starts splattering, add hing and steamed moong dal. Also add red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, amchur powder and ajwain. Mix well.
• Cook till the filling is all dry. Keep aside to cool.

To make Kachoris:

• Combine all purpose flour, butter or ghee and salt. Mix evenly. Now add little by little water to make flaky dough.
• Knead well to make it firm dough.
• Keep the dough aside for 5-10 minutes.
• Take small ball size dough. Roll it into small circles. Place 1 tbsp of prepared filling in the centre and bring the edges together. Make an even ball; flatten it a bit by pressing your thumb in the center gently.
• Heat cooking oil for frying the Kachoris. Oil should be medium hot.
• Deep fry kachoris very slowly till it is crisp and golden on both the sides.
• Drain it on paper towel and let it cool down. Store it in an air tight container.

Note: Kachoris can have different fillings such as peas, mawa filling as dessert etc.

Serving Suggestions:
Assemble Raj kachori as chaat. Place 2 kachoris on a serving plate. Garnish it with sweet tamarind-date chutney, green chutney and spiced yogurt. Also add chopped red onion, namkeen sev and chopped cilantro.

Raj kachori is ready to be served.

Holi Special: Namkeen Karele [Savory snack]

Namkeen Karele is an attractive treat that tastes as good as it looks. It is flaky, crunchy and super delicious. I bet not only kids, grown-ups get tempted to grab some of them. I have learned this recipe from my mother-in-law few years back. Since then, I try making them during festivities.

Ingredients:
For 50 pieces approx.

All purpose flour (maida) – 1.5 cups
Whole wheat flour – 1/2 cup
Vegetable oil – 3 tbsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Ajwain – 1 tsp
Salt as per taste
Water (enough to make firm dough)
Cooking oil to fry

Method:

• Combine all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cumin seeds, ajwain seeds, vegetable oil and salt.
• Mix together well and add water very slowly to make dough. Knead well to make it a little firm dough (puri kind).
• Keep the dough aside for 10-15 minutes.
• Take a small ball out of this dough and roll a small puri.
• Cut it vertically, but take care not to cut all the way. Do not separate the cuttings.
• Slowly roll the slit puri and gently twist both the sides to give it a karela shape.
• Repeat the above process to make all the karelas.
• Fry them carefully in medium hot oil.

Serve them any time with tea of coffee.