Gajar ka Halwa (Carrot dessert)

Gajar ka Halwa is liked by almost everyone from a kid to a granny. It reminds me of the wonderful moments back in my childhood when it was being cooked in the kitchen. There always used to be a "sense of impatience" which could only be resisted till the taste-check (which was recommended by me - WHITE LIE) before it could be off the stove.
Gajar ka Halwa is a dessert which is most popular in Northern India. It is made by simmered carrots, in sugar and milk in desi ghee (clarified butter). This sweet is more on calorie factor, so i have tweaked it a little bit and made a lighter version of it to suit our palette

Ingredients
Carrots 6 or 7 medium nos (750 gms)
2 tbsp of Ghee
250 ml Milk
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp of Cardamom powder

Garnish
Raisins
Cashew nuts
Almonds
Serving : 4 people


Method 


Peel and grate the carrots. Heat up a pan and add the ghee. Let it melt and then put the shredded carrots and stir it for the next five minutes. you would see a changing color of the carrots. Check  the carrots for mushiness. It should be nearly done. Add milk to the pan and give it a stir. Let the milk simmer with carrots for about 7 minutes. Add sugar to it and mix it. Let it simmer for a while. Add 1/2 tsp of Cardamom powder to it for the aroma.
For garnishing, Take another pan, add 1 tsp of ghee to it. Toast some almonds and cashewnuts in the ghee. Switch off the flame and add the raisins. Add this to the Gajar ka Halwa. This dessert is ready to be served.


P.S: I made it as a side dish with Puri (Fried Indian bread) for one of our Iftars (Breaking the fast-meal)

KFC Popcorn chicken

Ingredients
200 gms Chicken cubes 
1 cup Plain flour 
1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp Soya sauce
Salt to taste
1/2 Lemon juice
1 tsp Pepper Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder/Mango(amchur) powder
1 tbsp Icing sugar
1 Egg whites
1 tbsp Milk
1/2 cup Bread crumbs
Oil to fry


Directions
Marinate the chicken cubes in ginger garlic paste, soya sauce, salt, lemon juice and pepper powder.
Take Plain flour in some bowl. To this add salt, onion or mango powder, icing sugar and pepper powder. Give it a stir. This is the seasoning mixture for the chicken cubes.
Take egg whites in another bowl Add some milk to this. Whisk it and keep it ready. 
Take bread crumbs in a plate ready for rolling-in the chicken cubes.
Take one chicken cube, coat it with seasoning mixture, dip it in the egg white and roll it on the bread crumbs, dip it back into egg white wash and again roll it on the bread crumbs. Repeat the process with all the chicken cubes.
Take oil in pan and fry these chicken cubes. Once the chicken cubes cook through and turn golden brown. Drain them on the paper towel. Serve them with Tomato ketchup.

Mini Chicken Kebabs

 I love reading, writing, phrasing sentences and creating out of the box things. Blogging has always been on my mind since 2008. But never really had time to pin down the things racing in my mind.
This is my first blog entry and that too for sumptuous food. Never really thought my love for food would make me start blog writing.

I am an ardent persuader of experiments and challenges, and when those are made of simple basic things, what better thing could one ask for in life, specially when you are the one having the pleasure of that blended melt in mouth. This appetizer is being sent to Blog Event - Eid Potluck party .
Well, Here goes my first recipe MINI CHICKEN KEBABS (I got this one from Sunita Rodriguez show "Meals on the Run" aired on Food First Channel.


Ingredients
2 Chicken breast pieces
4 to 5 Mushrooms
1 medium Onion
1 Tomato
1 Capsicum (Green, Yellow)
3 Tsp Ginger Garlic paste
4 to 5 Garlic pods
3 Tsp Oregano
Salt to Taste
Olive Oil (Any vegetable oil would do)
Pepper Powder


Directions:
Cut all the vegetables (Onion, Tomato, Capsicums and Mushrooms) and Chicken into cubes of almost same size. Take all of them into a bowl. Add chopped Garlic, Oregano, Salt, Ginger Garlic Paste, Freshly grounded pepper powder, and Oil. Marinate it for 20 to 25 minutes.
Skewer all of them to toothpicks (available in supermarkets). Take oil in a non-stick pan and fry them turning them on all sides.
I prepared this dish early in the morning as the side dish in lunch box for my husband. Glad..he liked it.
Please try this easy and quick dish in your kitchen and let me know how it went.
Hoping to blog many more recipes in coming days  which i try in my kitchen.