Breakfast, Paratha/Flatbread
Sanika Khadilkar
Aloo Paratha
Aloo Paratha

Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

For the Pakora:

Pakora Batter

  • ½ cup besan or gram flour
  • ⅓ cup chopped onions
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ajwain or carom seeds
  • Salt to taste
  • Water to make the batter

For kadhi mixture:

  • ½ cup yogurt
  • 2 tablespoon besan or gram flour
  • Salt to taste
  • ½ cup water + 2 cups water

For Takda or seasoning:

  • 2 tablespoon oil + oil to fry
  • ½ teaspoon methi seeds or fenugreek seeds
  • ½ teaspoon jeera or cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon haldi or turmeric powder
  • 2 red chillies
  • 1 green chili chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
  • ½ cup sliced onion
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Method:

  1. To prepare the kadhi mixture: Get a bowl and add yogurt. Add besan, salt and ½ cup water. Mix well. There should not be any lumps. Keep it aside.
  2. In a seperate bowl, add all ingredients under 'Pakora'. Make a medium thick consistency batter by adding little water at a time.
  3. Heat oil in a pan to fry pakoras. Drop a tablespoon of batter into hot oil and fry until they are golden brown. Drain them on a paper.
  4. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a another pan. Add fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies, green chili, and asafoetida. Stir well.
  5. Add sliced onion and ginger-garlic paste. Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Saute for a minute.
  6. Add kadhi mixture slowly in the pan. Add 2 cups of water. Let it boil on a medium flame. Stir continiously while boiling to avoid lumps.
  7. After one boil reduce the flame to simmer. Add all the pakoras and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add chopped cilantro.
  8. Serve hot with rice.

Rasmalai Cake

Rasmalai Cake

Serves: 5-6 people

Ingredients:

For the fresh cream frosting:

  • 3 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoon milk + pinch of saffron
  • 3 tablespoon rasmalai milk or rabdi
  • ¼ cup confectioner's sugar or icing sugar
  • 3-4 drops of yellow colour (optional)

for garnishing:

Method:

Rasmalai

  1. Prepare the cake according to the instructions on the box. I used Wilton 8 inches 2 pans. Cool the cake on the rack. Do not start frosting the cake until it has completely cooled down.
  2. Get the glass bowl and handmixer attachments and place in a freezer for 15-20 minutes. The chilled bowl will help whipping cream get to right consistency.
  3. Sieve the icing sugar and keep it aside. Get 3 tablespoon milk in a small bowl and add pinch of saffron. Keep it aside.
  4. Pour cream in a chilled bowl. Start beating at a low speed for 5 minutes. Add icing sugar, 2 tablespoon milk with saffron, yellow food colour (if using) and 3 tablespoon rasmalai milk to the cream.
  5. Beat everything until the stiff peaks appears. If you are not frosting immediately then cover the icing with a clean wrap and keep it in the refrigerator.
  6. Cut both the cakes in the center dividing into 2 equal half. (total 4 layers)
  7. Get the cake board and apply a tablespoon of whipped cream in the center. Place the first layer in the center. Apply little rasmalai milk all over the first layer. Get 2 balls out of rasmalai and crush them and sprinkle all over the first layer. Apply some whipped cream on the first layer.
  8. Repeat the same procedure for all the layers. On the top layer do not sprinkle crushed rasmalai balls. Just soak with little rasmalai milk. Apply whipped cream on top and to the sides. Keep the cake in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
  9. Apply whipped cream again on the cake and smooth it with the butter knife. Add remaining whipped cream in a cake decorating bag and attach the desired tip.
  10. Sprinkle slivered pistachios on the side of the cake. On top of the cake make rosettes or circles with whipped cream using a piping bag. Place one rasmalai ball on each rosette. Garnish with slivered pistachios and saffron on top.
  11. Keep it in the refrigerator until it is served.

Rasmalai Cake

Notes:

  1. I like white cake mix for this cake since I do not like too much vanilla flavour for this Indian style cake.
  2. While making rasmalai, I added slivered almonds and saffron. Always make rasmalai a day before.
  3. For this cake, I made small balls of paneer instead of usual square rasmalai balls. It is also called Angoor rabdi. Of course you can always use store brought rasmalai to save time.
  4. I always use 1% or fatfree milk for making paneer balls.
  5. I always sieve confectioner's sugar or icing sugar to remove lumps.
  6. I used McCormick yellow food colour. Making rosette is optional. You can just place rasmalai balls on top and garnish with pistachios and saffron. You can use Wilton 1M or 2D tip for the decoration.