Gajjar Halwa........ pressure cooker version

I made an almost perfect carrot halwa today........ Almost, but it was too sweet. Its first time I used pressure cooker for this.

1 pkg baby carrots - grated
2c milk
1c? brown sugar or mixed sugar ( I put 1.5-2c but it was too much)
cardamom
saffron
ginger powder(a small pinch)
ghee
almonds/cashews/pista

Pressure cook milk and carrots and saffron for 15 mins or so. After pressure gets released, bring to a hard boil again. Add sugar. {I put dk brown sugar, demera sugar, and white} . When almost all milk is absorbed add the cardamom and ghee(or toast nuts in ghee and add it). Stir until it comes together.

What I did was, added the sugar to taste while milk was still there so it became too sweet when it reduced. then the sugar syrup separated. So I drained off the extra sugar syrup and mixed it with milk. It was delish.

Watermelon cooler

Yet another minimally sweet, tasteless watermelon? Ok make this drink....

Put into the blender:
chopped seedless watermelon pieces
juice from 1 lime
sugar as needed
ice cold water

Blend until smooth
Garnish with mint

chowchow channa dal- quick dinner

1 chayote peeled and chopped
1/2 c channa dal soaked 10 mins
1 tomato chopped
1 shallot
ginger, made into paste
turmeric, salt

Seasoning
hing
cumin seeds
garam masala

Plop the first set into pressure cooker with 1.5 cup water(or 1:3 channa dal:water)
Cook 2 whistles

Add seasoning- fried in olive oil or ghee.

Cabbage paratha

There is a farm near my place where the cabbage tastes so wonderful. Cabbage is one of my fav vegs, but I hadnt tried it in paratha. Thought it sounds good and ohhh it was!!!

Grate the cabbage as finely as possible. mix with a tiny bit of grated ginger. add salt and let sit for 10 mins to draw out the water.

In the meantime make the chapathi dough*, a little bit harder than usual. cover with damp cloth.

Squeeze out the water from the cabbage, a handful at a time. (*you could use the water from this to make the dough also). Mix in 1tsp chopped coriander leaves, minced green chili and a little garam masala(optional).

Make as usual stuffed paratha. Enjoy with yogurt and pickle.

Pepper chicken with tuvar lilva

I had a small amt of chicken which my friend gave me before going for vacation to India, so this is how I made it....

1/2 chicken, chopped in pieces
Marinade in yogurt(enough to coat), red chili powder, fresh minced garlic and ginger.(I was lucky to find this young ginger in the store. I love its flavour)

In a cast iron pot, put some oil and when its hot add Cardamom pod, cassia, couple cloves, and jeera seeds, then a sprig of curry leaves. To that add two chopped onions and salt. When they are translucent but not brown, add in the chicken with marinade. Stir and add in coriander, cumin, and black pepper powders and a little garam masala. Stir well. When chicken is white/brown on the outside add in a bunch of chopped coriander leaves and a handful of fresh tuvar lilva(beans). Add about 2 cups of water and boil 20 mins.

End of Summer Woe

As yet another summer comes to an end, I tend to think about one thing.... No more fresh corn or watermelon!!

Yes, they are two of my favourites, and why is it so hard to find good ones? Not fair.

Every summer I tell myself I will eat corn and watermelon EVERY DAY. But then the watermelons dont look right, so I wait. The corn was not sweet enough, so I wait. And summer passes by with more mediocre fruits and veggies. (Bleh to corporate farming!)

I was able to score some very good corn this year(in between the mediocre stuff), and Im happy for that. And so, before it disappears for another year, Im going to try and get my fill.....

Here was a recipe I made up the other day. Didnt get any pics though :(
Also planning to try out a few variations.

Corn snack:

1-2 corn taken off the cob (white or any)
3-5 green chilies -minced
red chili powder
mustard seeds
1t olive oil
coriander leaves -chopped
fresh lime juice
salt

Add oil to the pan and pop the mustard seeds. add green chilies, then the corn. When corn is done and getting some roasted spots add a pinch of chili powder and salt. Remove from stove and add lime juice and coriander leaves(cilantro).

I also want to try it with roasted onions and roasting the corn before cutting the kernels off.

Another variation is to add raw red onions chopped finely and some chaat masala. MMM