Dal Batti

Rajasthan has its own traditional dishes and specialities. The best known food found in the menu of the rajasthani's is Dal Batti and Churma. One of the most delicious and filling menu. I remember sitting with my dad and eating together.............It is the most amazing lunch and so filling. Believe me after eating this relicious meal you would just wanna take a lovely nap. I usually do.....MUST TRY RECIPE

Ingredients

• For the dal or lentil:
• 1/2 cup chana dal or Bengal gram lentil
• 2/3 cup moong dal or green gram lentil, with skin
• 6 cups water
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt (to taste)
2 cloves
1 Bay leaves

• For Tadka or tempering:
• 1 tbs. oil or ghee
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• A large pinch of asafoetida
• 1 tbsp. grated ginger
• 2-3 red chillies (whole)
• 1/4 tsp. (to taste) red chilli powder
1tsp garam masala


Method:

1. Clean, wash and cook dals with turmeric, salt and water until tender, but don't overcook. Cook in pressure cooker in 2-3 whistles or pressures. Add more water if too dry.
2. Heat ghee or oil in a kadai.
3. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida.
4. When the seeds splutter, add ginger, bay leaves, Cloves and red chillies and fry for a few seconds, until ginger is lightly brown.
5. Add chilli powder, garma masala and quickly add to the dal, covering the lid immediately. This helps to infuse flavours.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with dumplings or batti.


Ingredients For batti or dumplings:

• 3 cups chapatti atta or wheat flour
• 1 cup yoghurt (For softness of dough)
• 1 tsp salt
• Water to make dough
• A small bowl of melted ghee or clarified butter

Method:

1. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and make a firm dough.
2. Divide it into 10 portions and make balls.
3. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 F for 20 minutes.
4. Turn over and cook for further 10 minutes.
5. Turn oven off and leave dumplings in for a further 10 minutes. Oven times vary so make sure dumplings do not burn and are cooked thoroughly. They should be lightly browned.
6. Dip each dumpling in melted ghee and take out immediately. Keep aside in a warm dish.
7. Serve hot with Dal.

Baby Corn Manchurian

Ingredients:
2 tbsp oil
1 tin babycorn
1/2 cup sliced capsicum
1/2 cup onions sliced
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 tsp chilli sauce
2 tbsp tomato sauce
4 tbsp corn flour
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp Rice flour(For crisp)
1 tsp soya sauce
Salt to taste
Spring onions for garnish

METHOD:
1. Mix all purpose flour, cornflour,rice flour & garlic-ginger paste, salt & make a batter.Add the baby corn to this batter.

2. Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown.
3. Heat oil in a another frying pan & add the onion, rest of the ginger-garlic paste, sliced capsicum. Stir-fry over a high flame for few seconds.

4. Add the tomato sauce, soya sauce, chilli sauce.
5. Put the deep fried baby corns and cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Garnish with spring onions and Serve hot.

Ragda Patties

Ragda Patties is one of the most delicious chat items. Patties, which on it's own makes a yummy snack to go with tea. This snack makes an excellent party dish and is loved by all.



Patties
4 potatoes boiled
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp bread crumbs (for binding)
salt, chili powder, garam masala, amchur powder as per taste.

1. Mash the boiled potatoes well to a smooth mush.
2. Add all the masalas, bread crumbs and coriander leaves and mix well.
3. Shape into flat lemon sized balls to get the shape.
4. Heat a non-stick griddle, spray with little oil . Place a few patties on the griddle and shallow fry both sides till golden.

Ragda recipe

11/2 cup yellow peas soaked overnight (green peas are not to be used for ragda)
4 tbsp onion chopped
Tadka: 1tbsp oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves
salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder.

1. Cook yellow peas till done, I pressure cook them which is the fastest , but make sure not to over pressure the peas.
2. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida & curry leaves and onions. Let splutter and then add all the masala powders and boiled peas. Add more water as per desired consistency and simmer a few minutes.

For serving:
Coriander chutney, Tamarind sweet chutney
1 onion chopped fine
coriander leaves chopped
lemon/lime juice
fried goodies(sev)

Arrange 2-3 petite Patties in a bowl, let hot ragda drip over the patties. Sprinkle chopped onion and splash the two chutneys as per your taste.You can squeeze 1tsp lemon juice over it.
Finally sprinkle the fried goodies(sev) over it and enjoy a bowl of sizzling hot Ragda Patties!

Spicy Tofu Lettuce Wrap

Main Filling
2 tsp. Olive oil
1 medium Onion, thinly sliced
1 large Carrot thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced bell peppers
small bowl of spring onions
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bowl extra-firm tofu, crumbled
2 tbsp Finely chopped peanuts
2 Tbs soy sauce
4 Tbs. chilli sauce
1tbsp Vinegar
Salt to taste
Iceberg lettuce leaves

Directions
To make Filling: Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, ginger, and garlic, and cook until onions are soft and beginning to brown. Add carrots, bell pepper and fry them for 5mins. Add chopped peanuts and fry for a while.
Later add crumbled tofu and cook 4 minutes, or until heated through. Stir in soy sauce, chilli sauce, and vinegar, salt . Lastly add the spring onions.
Transfer to a bowl.

Place lettuce leaves on platter, and set out the tofu mixture in between and wrap the lettuce leaves with a toothpick.

PINEAPPLE ORANGE SORBET

INGREDIENTS: 8 Servings
•1/2 cup water
•1/2 cup granulated sugar
•1 cups orange juice
•1 tablespoon lemon juice
•2 cups pineapple Juice or Canned Pineapple with juice
•2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium saucepan, bring water and sugar to a simmer over medium high heat until sugar is dissolved.
2. Puree pineapple until smooth. Seive the juice until smooth.
3. Transfer to a metal bowl, and stir in lemon juice, orange juice,pineapple juice and orange zest.
4. Freeze until slightly firm, but not frozen.
5. Process mixture again in the food processor or beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
6. Transfer to a freezer container or a tupper ware and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.