MAKHANA KHEER

Phool makhana kheer is easy, delsicious kheer recipe suitable for fasting or navratri vrat or any upwas for that matter. One of the most famous recipe of kheer is this which is quite easy to cook and tastes yumm – whether served hot, warm or chilled just like any other kheer. If you look for something very easy, quick and healthy then this makhana kheer is perfect whether you make this for fasting, naivedya or just for your sweet tooth. As most grains are not allowed during festival fasts. Makhana ki kheer is very popular during the fasts. If you want to make this kheer more creamy and rich then add condensed milk otherwise you can add sugar for sweetness. Choice is yours…!! Roasted makhanas being the most popular, but one can make makhana pulao, makhana and peas curry and also makhana roti. So next time when you see these puffy makhana balls in your supermarket, don’t give them a pass. This is just the first of my makhana recipes. But I promise, I will try and share many more recipes here on my blog.

Phool makhana / fox nuts might look like popcorns but that’s where the similarity ends. In India, makhana have been traditionally used as a home remedy for insomnia, diarrhoea and as a pregnancy food. They are extremely healthy and rich in protein, calcium , potassium, manganese, phosphorous and thiamine. Because of itsnutritional benefits, this kheer recipe is very good food for babies and toddlers too. Here we see some health benefits of Phool Makhana:

1. Helps regulate weight

2. Better digestion

3. Diabetic friendly

4. Good for during and post-pregnancy nutrition and so on.

Makhana kheer is an easy to make Indian sweet dish that will compliment any Indian meal. So if you are looking for easy, delicious falahari Indian dessert recipes for fasting this kheer recipe is a perfect sweet dish for you. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Phool Makhana

½ Cup Condensed Milk

3 Cups Full Fat Milk

2-3 tablespoon Ghee

8-10 Cashews, Almonds, Raisins each

1 tablespoon Melon Seeds

Few Saffron strands soaked in 1 tablespoon Milk

1-2 drops Rose Essence

A pinch Cardamom Powder

METHOD:

STEP 1 – In a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon milk and soak saffron strands in it. Keep this aside.

STEP 2 – In a vok, add 1 tablespoon ghee and roast dry nuts until golden colour. Remove and keep them aside. After cooling slice them.

STEP 3 – Now in the same vok, add makhanas and lightly roast them for a couple of minutes.

STEP 4 – Cool them and powder coarsely and keep aside. You need not do fine powder.

STEP 5 – In a heavy bottomed kadai, heat the milk. Add condensed milk iand saffron milk n it and mix it well. [see notes]

STEP 6 – Add makhana powder, sliced nuts and melon seeds in it and mix well.

STEP 7 – Stir it  continuously and simmer on low flame for 5-6  till it reduces to half and reaches a creamy consistency. Add few drops of rose essence and mix well.

STEP 8 – Then add cardamom powder and remaining ghee and mix well. Simmer for a minute on low heat.

STEP 9 – Swtich off the flame and makhana kheer is ready to serve.

NOTES: *If you don’t have condensed milk, in that case add sugar according to your taste.

Condensed milk gives  richness to the kheer.

BHARWA TINDE

This lip-smacking delicacy from North India is sure to make you eat a little more than usual, because of its appetizing aroma and truly finger-licking flavour. Tinda or round gourds are one of such veggie that everyone pinch their nose at and don’t want to include them in their meals. Nut this recipe of stuffed tinda will make everyone go wow. So here is how to make stuffed tinde recipe for you.  

INGREDIENTS:
250 gm Tinde

2 Onion (paste)

2 tsp Ginger-garlic paste

2 tbsp Curd or Cream

2 tsp Red chilli powder

½ tsp Turmeric powder

 3 tsp Coriander powder

2 tsp Garam masala

½ tsp Cumin seeds

1 tbsp Oil

Salt to taste

METHOD

STEP 1 – Rinse , pat dry tinde and make cross cuts in the centre. Remove out the mash from the gourds and collect in another bowl.

STEP 2 – For stuffing, add red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masla, turmeric powder and salt in a bowl and mix well.

STEP 3 – Stuff the masala mixture in tinde and keep aside.

STEP 4 – Now heat oil, add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Then add onion paste and sauté for 3-4 minutes.

STEP 5 – When the paste in cooked add cream, leftover stuffing masala, ginger garlic paste and cook until oil separates.

STEP 6 – Now add stuffed tinde and salt if needed.

STEP 7 – Add ½ - 1 cup water and cook covered until the desired consistency of gravy is achieved. Stuffed gourds are now ready and cooked. Transfer the stuffed gourds in a serving plate.

Serve this delicious and spicy stuffed tinde steaming hot with a chapatti, naan, paratha or steamed plain rice and you will relish eating it for sure.

SWEET AND SOUR MANGO PICKLE

There are many ways a mango pickle is made. In India, as you cross its breadth and regional boarders, you will have many ways of making mango pickle. This mango pickle recipe is a sweet and sour mango pickle recipe prepared using jaggery, mustard seeds powder, methi seeds powder which is an easy, simple no fuss mango pickle. It tastes excellent with rori, paratha, stuffed paratha and even simple dal-rice. 

INGREDIENTS

2 Raw Mangoes

2 tablespoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder

2 tablespoon Methi Seeds Powder

1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder

Salt as needed (more than regular)

1-2 tablespoon Sugar / Jaggery

½ teaspoon + ½ teaspoon Asafoetida

2 tablespoon Oil

1 tablespoon Mustard Seeds

2 tablespoon Mustard Dal

METHOD

STEP 1 – Wash mangoes, cut into small pieces.

STEP 2 – Now in a mixing bowl, add mango, chilli powder, mustard powder, methi powder, haldi, asafoetida, salt and sugar and mix well.[see notes]

STEP 3 – Heat oil, crackle mustard seeds and switch off the heat and add asafoetida when the oil comes to not exactly room temperature but luke warm.

STEP 4 – Completely cool the tempering

and add to the mango-spice mixture and mix well.

STEP 5 – Keep outside for 2 days and then in the refrigerator afterwards.

NOTES: * Here for this recipe I used grated jaggery instead of sugar.

UKADPENDI

Ukadpendi is a traditional Maharashtrian one-dish meal that makes a great breakfast. But it can also be served for lunch, dinner or as a snack. Many times you need something in the morning which is warm and comforting. Whatever the weather is, you always feel like eating something soothing to the gut. But obviously we would like something that is not bland. How about having a kick start breakfast which is not only wholesome and filling but also a healthy, full of fibre, with all the goodness of whole wheat. Early morning breakfast acts as a fuel to your body . it is a ritual of breaking your long hours fast and this it is supposed to be performed in a grand style. This Maharashtra special, ukadpendi is one such dish, delicious, simple and easy to make.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

½ teaspoon Mustard Seeds

½ teaspoon Cumin Seeds

¼ teaspoon Asafoetida

½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder

1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder

Pinch of Sugar [optional]

1 tablespoon roughly crushed Peanuts

¼ teaspoon Amchur Powder

2-3 Green Chillies, chopped finely

4-5 Garlic Cloves, chopped

1 Onion, finely chopped

1 Sprig Curry Leaves

2 Dry Red Chillies

Salt as needed

1 Cup Hot Boiling Water

2 tablespoon Curd

3-4 tablespoon Oil

1 tablespoon chopped Coriander

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Heat oil in a pan, add mustard and cumin seeds and let them crackle.

Heat water on one side.

STEP 2 – Add asafoetida

and then immediately add crushed peanuts and roast well.

STEP 3 – Then add dry red chillies and curry leaves and sauté for 30 seconds.

STEP 4 – Add chopped green chillies, chopped garlic and chopped onion.

 STEP 5 – Let roast the onion until translucent and then add half of the chopped coriander in it. It helps to enhance the taste.

STEP 6 – Then add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, amchur powder, salt and sugar and mix it well.

STEP 7 – Now add sifted whole wheat flour and mix well.

Roast it well approximately for about 8-10 minutes on low flame. You will get the aroma of roasted flour. Flour should be roasted well which helps to prevent it from sticking in the mouth.

STEP 8 – Then add curd and hot boiling water in it stirring continuously and mix it well. Cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes. It should become like porridge.

STEP 9 – Finally, add leftover chopped coriander and mix well and serve hot.

Serve it hot with the garnishing of grated dry coconut and chopped coriander and enjoy this authentic, traditional Maharashtrian dish with your family and friends. You may serve it hot with a bowl of buttermilk.

NOTES: *You can use regular wheat flour or little grainy [coarse wheat flour]

                    * You can make the ukad thick or runny according to your taste and liking.

                    *While serving take out ukad in to a serving dish and oil and knead ukad and serve.

MANGO KESARI

As this is a mango season, I am trying recipes with mangoes. Here I pureed the mango to make the job easier and add to the kesari. Also adjust sugar as per your taste buds. Mango Kesari or Halwa is a mouthwatering sweet that made with sooji/ rava , mangoes, sugar as main ingredients. You can serve it as a dessert or sweet. I love mangoes too much and also love to add mango flavour and make different desserts and sweets. In that way, I am going to make mango kesari today. I have already shared a different recipe for the same earlier on my blog.    

📌📌 Watch the full video recipe here 📌📌

INGREDIENTS :

1 Cup Rava

3-4 tablespoon Ghee

1½ Cup Water

1-1/2 Cup Mango, chopped and pureed

1/4 teaspoon Cardamom

3/4 Cup Sugar

5-6 Cashews, sliced

6-7 strands of Saffron, soaked in 1 tablespoon milk

METHOD :

STEP 1 – Heat 2 tablespoon ghee in a pan, 

add nuts and roast them for 1-2 minutes. Remove and keep aside.

STEP 2 - Add the remaining ghee in a pan. Add rava in it and mix well. 

STEP 3 - Roast for  8-10 minutes on low flame until your house is full of nice aroma  and set aside.

STEP 4 – Take mango, sugar, and cardamom in a mixer pot and blend it to a smooth paste. Measure and keep it aside. 

STEP  5 – Heat water and let it come to boil.

STEP 6 - Add water in roasted rava, mix well. Cover and cook on low flame for 2-3 minutes until all the water is absorbed.

STEP 7 – Cook until it becomes soft and slightly dry.

STEP 8 – At this stage, add saffron milk and give a nice mix.

STEP 9 - Then add mango sugar paste. It now becomes gooey. Keep stirring to avoid lumps.

STEP 10 – Add 1 more tablespoon ghee, mix and cook covered on low flame for 3 minutes.

STEP 11 – Add roasted nuts and mix well. When it forms a mass and comes together, switch off the flame.

 Serve hot with slivered cashews on the top.