Purple Yam Kheer

Purple Yam also known as Kanda / Konfal / Kan is usually available during Winters in India. Normally, it is used in Savoury dishes and very rarely in Sweets. But my mom told me that during her childhood, Kandachi Kheer was made during fasts. I learnt this recipe from her and tried it. Even with the use of minimum ingredients, it turned out awesome. 

Servings: 3 Servings

Approx. Time: 15 mins (excluding pre-preparation)

Ingredients:
1 tbspn Ghee
1 cup Boiled Purple Yam
A pinch of Salt
2 tbspns soaked Cashews
2 tbsns soaked Almond flakes
2 Cups Milk
3 tbspns Sugar

For Garnishing
Pistachio Flakes
Ghee fried Purple Yam Pieces

Pre-preparation:
Soak Cashews and Almonds separately overnight in water. 
Peel off Almonds and grate it into flakes
Pressure cook Purple Yam till 3-4 whistles.

Method:

Peel the boiled Purple Yam and cut it into small pieces. Transfer it into a plate and mash it to make smooth paste. 

Then take Ghee in a non stick pan. Heat it on medium flame and add the paste of Purple Yam. Stir fry the paste for a 2-3 minutes and add a pinch of salt. Thereafter, add soaked Cashews, Almond flakes and saute it for a minute. 

Now add milk to the pan and bring it to boil. At the end, add Sugar and stir. Simmer it for some time. Adjust the consistency and sweetness as per personal preference.

Garnish it with Pistachio flakes and pieces of ghee fried Purple Yam. Serve hot or chilled.

Notes:

You may substitute Milk and Sugar with condensed milk to make it more rich.

A low fat version can be made by substitution of Sugar with Sugar Free and using low fat milk. Also, the ghee and dry-fruits may be avoided while making low fat version. 

I have avoided using Cardmom powder as it changes the taste. Cardamom lovers may add the powder to the Kheer.

Another version of this Kheer can be made by using Coconut milk and Jaggery.

Stepwise Pictures:

Sending this entry to Foodelicious's Event - 'ONLY' GLUTEN FREE COOKING

Dahi ka Shorba

This recipe is a tribute to my long distance Guru and my inspiration Mrs. Tarla Dalal.  I have seen her many a times in Girgaon at Golden Star Thali, during Khetwadi festival, at Central Plaza,... but never had the daring to talk to her or obtain her autograph. Thereafter, I started visiting her website, participated in online Recipe contest and won many of her Cookbooks with her autograph on it.  I have created this recipe from one of her cookbooks 'Healthy Soups & Salads' received by me as a Prize for my recipe 'Tomato Kadhi'. Dahi ka Shorba is inspired from her recipe 'Curd Shorba'...

Servings: 2 Servings

Approx. Time: 15 -20 mins

Ingredients:
1 cup Curds (Dahi)
1 cup Water
1 tbsn All purpose flour (Maida)
Salt to taste
2 tbspns finely chopped Cucumber 
2 tbspns finely chopped tomato
1 tbspn chopped Coriander leaves
1/2 tspn Rock salt (Kala Namak)

For Tempering:
1 tspn Butter
1/2 tspn Cumin Seeds
1/2 tspn Ginger Paste
2  finely chopped cloves of Garlic
1 tspn chopped Green Chillies

For Garnishing:
Chopped Coriander 

Method:

Take Curds in a mixing jar. Add Water, All Purpose Flour and Salt to it. Blend it together for a minute.

Heat Butter in a pan. Add Cumin Seeds, Ginger Paste, chopped Garlic and chopped Green Chillies and saute it for a minute. Then pour the Curd mixture into the pan. Cook till the mixture starts boiling i.e. approx. 3-4 minutes.  Once it is boiled, add Rock Salt, chopped Cucumber, chopped Tomato and chopped Coriander Leaves. Immediately switch off the flame. 

Garnish it with chopped Corriander leaves and serve hot.

Notes:
Do not overheat the mixture as it may curdle.
You may also add a pinch of Turmeric Powder to get colour.

Stepwise Pictures:

This post is written for Indiblogger contest, Borosil-My beautiful food.

Gulab Balushahi

Wish you all and your family a very Happy and Prosperous Diwali.  This is the traditional recipe of Balushahi, but in a new avtaar. In other words, remake of Balushahi by adding a twist of Rose flavour.

Servings: Approx. 12 pieces

Time: Approx. 1 hour

Ingredients:

For the Stuffing:
3 tbspns Mawa (Khoa)
1 tbspn Gulkand
1 tbspn Edible Rose petals (Chopped)

For the Syrup:
2 cups Sugar
1 cup Water
1 tspn Rose Essence

For the Gulab Balushahi
2 cups All purpose flour (Maida)
1/4 cup Ghee  
1/4 cup Sour Curds
A pinch of Soda Bi-carb

Method:

To make Stuffing:

Take the Mawa in a non stick pan. Cook over a medium heat till it is soft. It will take approx. 10-15 minutes. Thereafter, add Gulkand and mix well. Cook stirring for a minute. At the end, add chopped edible Rose Petals and mix. Remove from the heat immediately. Transfer it into a bowl and set it aside.

To make Sugar Syrup:

Take sugar and water in a pan. Boil it on a medium heat to make a syrup of multiple strings consistency. Multiple consistency is the second last stage of any Sugar Syrup. When the syrup gets one string consistency, keep cooking the syrup for another 10-12 minutes, and the syrup will get multiple threads. Once done, add the Rose Essence to the syurp. 

To make Gulab Balushahi:

Mix Soda-Bi-carb and Maida in a bowl and sieve it together. Add Ghee and again mix. Then add the Curd and knead it to make a smooth dough. Cover the dough and keep it aside for 30 minutes.  

After resting the dough, make small round balls (pedha size) of the dough. Flatten them slightly and press each in the center with your Index finger to make a deep and wide hollow.  

Now heat Ghee in a frying pan. Lower the flame to medium. Then fry the balls one by one till they are golden brown in colour. Turn the balls gently and fry on the other side also. Remove it on a absorbent paper. Then soak the the balls in the warm syrup for at least 5 minutes. Remove balls from the syrup and place them on a greased plate. Stuff the stuffing into the hollows in the Balushahi. 

Notes:

The left-over stuffing can be used to make Satori.

The quantity of Sugar syrup given is excessive to a certain extent. But excess quantity is required for soaking the Balushahi. You may use the left over Sugar Syrup for any other recipe.

While soaking Balushahi in the Syrup, ensure that the Syrup is warm. 

Stepwise Pictures:

Linking this entry to Diwali Bash 2013 ,Spotlight -Festive treats and Cooking with Herbs & Flowers