Tag: ghee

Besan and Nariyal Barfi (Indian Confection Made with Chickpea Flour and Coconut)

Here is one of my favorite Indian sweets! Happy Diwali! Enjoy..

1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup shredded coconut
½ cup fresh ricotta cheese
4 to 5 green cardamoms (seeds taken out and crushed)
1¼ cups sugar
Sliced almonds
Pistachios, chopped

Heat a medium frying pan and add the coconut oil. Add the besan and sauté on medium heat for at least 30 minutes (or more) till the mixture turns a light caramel color.
Add the ricotta, coconut and cardamom seeds. Mix well and let the moisture from the ricotta cook out- about ten minutes.
Turn the heat off and add the sugar. Mix well until all is incorporated.
Spread the mixture on to a shallow platter with edges. Smooth with a spatula and sprinkle the almonds and pistachios and press down with fingers. Keep in fridge for half an hour to set. Take out and cut into small squares and serve.

Curried Chickpeas

2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight or at least 5 to 6 hours
2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
2 tablespoons butter or ghee
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons coriander powder
2 inch cinnamon stick
3 cloves
1 large cardamom
2 medium shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 inch fresh ginger, chopped
1 14 ounces can diced fire roasted tomatoes
Salt
½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a pressure cooker or regular saucepan with the oil and ghee. Add the cumin, coriander, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom. Saute on medium heat for a minute. Add the shallots, garlic and ginger. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the tomatoes and sauté for another 3 minutes. Add the chickpeas with the soaking liquid. Bring to a boil. If using the pressure cooker, cook for about half an hour. If using regular saucepan, cook for at least an hour or till the chickpeas are soft but not mushy. Check for seasonings and garnish with cilantro.

Paneer with Green Beans

2 tablespoon ghee or butter
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
9-10 curry leaves, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
1 cup green beans, chopped
1 cup yellow beans, chopped
1 cup paneer, grated
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1-2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a heavy saucepan with the ghee or butter. Add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Saute for 30 seconds and add the onion and ginger. Saute on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the green and yellow beans and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the paneer, ground coriander, salt and cayenne pepper. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes on medium heat. Cover with lid for 5 minutes till the beans are soft but not mushy. Check for seasonings and garnish with cilantro.

Dal Makhani- Black Lentils with a Cream Sauce

Diwali is coming up and this is a must in our house… people typically make this lentil dish for a special occasion but it is so simple… you can make it any day you want… yum!

1 cup whole urad dal (black lentils)
¼ cup rajma (red kidney beans)
¼ cup channa dal (gram lentils)
4 cups water
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 inch piece of ginger, minced
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon ghee or butter
2 teaspoon garam masala
3 tablespoons half and half

In a pressure cooker or sauce-pan, add the urad dal, rajma, channa dal, water, crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, salt, cayenne pepper, coriander powder, turmeric and ghee. If using a pressure cooker, then close the lid and cook on high till the pressure is built, then turn the heat on low and cook for an hour. Turn the heat off, and take the lid off- check the consistency. The dal should be like a thick soup or a think stew. If there is excess liquid, then turn the heat on high and begin to evaporate the liquid. Add the garam masala and half and half. Cook till the dal reaches desired consistency. Taste for seasonings.
If using a sauce-pan, then bring the mixture to a boil and lower the heat, cook for at least 2 hours or till the lentils are soft and mushy. Add the garam masals and half and half. Cook till the dal reaches desired consistency. Taste for seasonings.

Chicken Curry with Roasted Onion and Garlic

This is a very different way of making a curry- usually, the onion, ginger, garlic and tomato and cooked to death to achieve a deep, deep flavor. I like to cook simple food that doesn’t take me forever to cook… but I want to get the cooked to death flavor- so I roasted the onions and garlic…. it created an amazing, amazing flavors…

1 large yellow onion, cut in half with skin on
3 garlic cloves, intact
2 inch piece of ginger
1 14 ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Wrap the garlic and ginger in a piece of aluminum foil. Place the onion and the aluminum packet on a lined cookie sheet and roast in the oven for 40 minutes. Take out and let cool and transfer to a blender. Add the canned tomatoes and blend till a smooth sauce is formed. Keep aside.

2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
2 tablespoons butter or ghee
2 pounds chicken thighs, skinless and boneless and cut into 2 inch pieces
Sprinkle with salt
2 teaspoons black cumin or regular cumin
1 cinnamon stick- 3 inches
3 cloves

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt. In the meantime, heat a heavy saucepan with the oil and butter/ghee. Brown the chicken pieces on both sides on a medium high heat. Take out of pan and keep aside. Add the cumin, cinnamon and cloves. Saute for 30 seconds on medium heat. Add the onion and tomato sauce and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken pieces, a cup of water and bring to a boil. Simmer on low heat covered with a lid for 30 minutes. Take the lid off and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve with rice or roti.

Rajma with Cilantro and Dill (Red Kidney Beans Stew)

2 cups dry red kidney beans
6 cups water
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 inches ginger, chopped
1 14.5 oz can chopped tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons coriander powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons butter or ghee
½ cup fresh dill, chopped
1 cup fresh cilantro, divided in 2 bunches and chopped
2 teaspoons garam masala

For this recipe you either need a pressure cooker or a slow cooker.

In a pressure cooker add the kidney beans, water, onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, salt, turmeric, cumin seeds, coriander powder, cayenne pepper, butter, dill and ½ cup cilantro. Place the lid on top and cook on high heat till the pressure cooker gives out steam. Lower the heat and cook for 2-3 hours. Turn the heat off and open the lid. Evaporate the water till the dish reaches a thick soup consistency while smashing some of the beans with the back of a ladle. Add the remaining cilantro and garam masala. Check for seasonings and serve with rice.

Chicken with Cilantro and Dill Sauce

This is one of my favorite chicken recipes- its my Grandfathers. It is simple and delicious…

2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
3 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons salt

Marinate the chicken pieces with the coriander and salt for 2 to 3 hours.

1 small yellow onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup dill, chopped
1 cup cilantro, chopped

Process the onion, garlic, dill and cilantro. Keep aside.

2 tablespoons ghee or butter
1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
1 half inch cinnamon stick
3 cloves
2 cups chicken broth
Salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds

Heat a heavy saucepan with the ghee and oil. Brown the chicken pieces on both sides on high heat, 2 to 3 minutes each. Keep aside. Add the cinnamon stick and cloves. Saute for 20 seconds and add the cilantro mixture. Saute on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the chicken and chicken broth and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for half an hour covered. Take the lid off and turn the heat up and cook off the sauce until it thickens a bit. Check for seasonings.

Grind the spices in a coffee grinder and sprinkle on top of the curry. Mix well and let simmer for ten minutes. Serve warm.

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