Basundhi

Basundhi is a very popular desert in the regions of Gujarat and Maharashtra. In Tamilnadu, it is often called as basandhi in many restaurants. I have memories of eating basundhi after shopping in T Nagar, before boarding the electric train to chromepet. I have made it a few times, but never posted the recipe or blogged about it. I even won a prize when I improvised regular basundhi with a pumpkin basundhi for a local community event.

I have followed the recipe from Mallika Badrinath's " In suvai Inippugal"! Before the internet exploded with multiple recipe sites, video blogs etc I used mallika badrinath's cook books to make snacks and sweets. How many of you still use cook books?
Basundhi could be made with simple ingredients, just milk, sugar, cardamom powder and nuts. It takes some time, bit well worth it at the end.

Now, let us get to the recipe.

Get ready ( serves 2-3)

• 0.5 gallon / 2 liter whole milk
• 3-4 tbsp sugar or as per your taste
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• 1-2 tbsp of chopped pistachios and cashews

Go

• In a wide mouthed pan, add the milk and cook on medium high flame till it comes to a boil. Keep stirring so the milk does not scald at the bottom.

• Once milk comes to a boil, reduce the flame and let it cook slowly. leave the wooden spoon in the middle, do not stir.
• You will notice a layer of cream developing on the top milk like a dome.
• With the wooden spoon gently push the cream/ "aadai" in tamil to the sides.

• Keep doing this process till the milk has reduced to a third of it's initial volume

• Add sugar and let it boil for 2-3 mins
• If there are any cream sticking to the sides of the pan, scrape them in to the milk gently
• Turn the heat off. Add cardamom powder and garnish with chopped nuts.
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• Refrigerate and enjoy any time. Once chilled, the basundhi will thicken. If very thick, add a little of evaporated milk before serving.

Thayir Vada / Dahi vada

Thayir vadai is a classic dish of the south! I made them recently for a get together and the vadas were absolutely melt in your mouth type. It is very easy and quick to make. Try them and enjoy with your family!


Get Ready

• 1 cup whole urad dal, washed and soaked in water for 4 hrs
• 1 tbsp of raw rice ( soak it with the urad dal)
• Oil to deep fry
• A few sprigs of curry leaves
• A bowl warm warm 

For the thayir/ dahi

• 1-2 cups of plain yogurt ( preferably the ones that is not sour)
• 2 tbsp fresh grated coconut or frozen grated coconut
• 1 small piece of ginger
• 3/4 jalpeno chopped
• salt to taste
• Plenty of cilantro finely chopped
•  finely grated carrots 1/4 cup
• Nylon sev/ Bhoondhi ( store bought)

GO

• In a blender pulse the coconut, green chilli, and ginger.
• Add this to the yogurt with required amount of salt and whisk them well. Keep it aside.If it is too thick add a little water.
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• In a wet grinder add very little water at a time and grind the urad dal till nice and fluffy. use ice cold water while grinding the urad dal. using ice cold water is more useful if you are using a regular blender.
• Add some asafetida, few torn curry leaves and required salt to the urad dal batter. heat oul and make them into small vadas. if you are having trouble mkaing holes in the vada, add them just like round balls and deep fry them till they are golden. Fry all the vadas and set aside.
• Add the fried vadas to a bowl of water. Let them sit for a 5-6 secsonds. With the back of 2 spoons, squeeze the water from the vadas and arrange them in the bowl you are going to serve. use a wide pan.
• Once all the vadas are arranged, pour the yogurt that you have mixed on top of the vadas.
• Garnish with cilantro, carrot etc and keep refrigerated.
• Before serving add the sev/ bhoondhi.

Let me know if you try it and like it!

Pizzadilla

"Pizzadilla" Cool name isn't it? I know you all are rolling your eyes!

The first time I heard and tasted  something called "pizzawich" was at a joint called "Which wich" in Charlottesville, 2011. It was such a simple thing to make but the name sounded so cool that my son then 11 used love them a lot.

I have made pizzawich so many times and my kids love them! So this time I made pizzadilla, pretty simple right.

If you have kids that likes red sauce pasta and cheese, just go straight to the kitchen to make these!
This is a great food to cook with your kids or when having play dates. My daughter loves to spread the sauce, sprinkle cheese etc. She feels like a big grown  up chef, making them and eating them as well.

Get Ready:

• Medium Flour tortillas
• Pizza/ pasta sauce
• grated cheese ( I had colby and montery jack)
• olive oil for brushing

Other options include, chopped red onions, bell peppers, olives, mushroom, pine apples etc etc.

Go:

• Heat a skillet
• Spread pizza/ pasta sauce on a flour tortilla. sprinkle cheese. fold the tortilla over

• Brush with olive oil and cook on both sides, pressing down with a spatula till the cheese is ooey gooey and the tortillas are golden brown. Cut them into triangles with a pizza cutter/ knife and serve.

• Serve with sour cream, salsa or more pizza sauce for dipping.

You will be the super cool mom if you do this on a play date!

Chilli Paneer ( dry variety)

Some of my girl friends recently had a get together to celebrate our participation in a half marathon. My friend who hosted the party had made Chilli Paneer as an appetizer. It was very tasty and my friend told me the recipe is super easy. She is an excellent cook by the way and all the dishes she had prepared that evening were absolutely delicious.

I made the same dish on Valentine's day and my family absolutely loved it. It is very easy to make and really does not have a recipe as such. You add more or less  ingredients depending on your taste preference. I had some  Paneer left over at home, about half a block that we get from the Indian stores here in USA and a few bell peppers. I did not have time to take pictures while cooking and the final product was captured with my i phone to share with my friends.

Get Ready ( serves 2-3)

• Paneer cut into 3-4 inch pieces
• Bell pepper cut into the same size as paneer ( I used green and red)
• Green chilli 3 slit length wise
• 1 small shallot thinly sliced
• Tomato ketchup as per taste
• Siracha sauce as per taste ( or any hot sauce)
• salt to taste 
• Sunflower oil 2 tbsp
• Cilantro to garnish ( optional)

Go:

• In a large pan, add the oil. keep heat on high
• Add the onions, green chilli, paneer, bell peppers and saute on high flame fast, tossing the mover
• Add salt to taste.
• Saute the paneer and veggies till the peppers are crunchy but not too soft. It takes about 3-5 mins.
• Add a squirt of tomato ketchup and siracha sauce and adjust both the sauces as per your taste.
• Toss all of them to coat the paneer and peppers on high flame.
• Turn off the heat and serve hot., Garnish with cilantro before serving.

Yummy Chilli paneer ready to be served as an appetizer or as a side dish with rice.

Paneer Butter Masala ( Restaurant Style)

Paneer Butter Masala, a very popular dish for "Naan Bread" and other rice dishes all over the globe. It is pretty rich and comforting to eat on a cold day. I have adapted the recipe from Chef Harpal Singh . I recently made this for a potluck party and was enjoyed avidly by all. It is not hard to make at all. The amount that I have blogged will serve about 15 people, but you can always halve the recipe.

The butter and the cashews in the dish gives the extra creamy silky texture for the dish. I used the canned tomato sauce as i was making for a larger crowd.

Get Ready: ( serves 15)

• 1 package of paneer ( 16 oz, available at most Indian stores in the US)
• 2.5 large roma tomatoes cut into medium sized chunks ( they can be big chunks as it will be blended)
• 1 large onion sliced
• 1 large red chilli
• 1 tbsp chopped ginger
• 1 tsp crushed garlic ( optional)
• 1 8oz can of tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup cashews soaked in warm water
• 1/4 cup half and half or cream
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp Kasoori methi, dry roasted
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp honey ( optional)
•  salt to taste

Go:

• Keep the Paneer at room temperature and cut them into desired shapes. I cut them as medium thin long rectangles. Add boiling water to the paneer and let them soak for few mins. This makes them very soft as we don't get fresh ones here. if you make paneer at home skip this step.

• Soak the cashews in warm water for 30 mins
• In a pan, add a little oil and saute the onions, red chilli,  chopped tomatoes, ginger and garlic till the onions are translucent and the raw smell of garlic goes away.

• Once cooled, add the soaked cashews to the sauted onion and tomato mix and blend into a smooth paste. Set aside.
• In a pan add the butter and little oil ( learnt that this helps to prevent the butter from burning).  let the butter melt. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle.

• Now add the blended cashew onion mixture and the canned tomato sauce.

• Cover your pan, as it starts boiling, otherwise you have to clean all the red tomato splashes.
• Add the red chilli powder, salt to taste, cover and cook stirring in between till the oil starts to separate at the sides.

• Check for salt and other spices. cover and let it cook on low flame for a few mins
• Crush the kasoori methi between your palms and add it to the gravy. Add the honey.
• Drain the water from the paneer and add the paneer to the gravy.

• Toss them all gently, adjust salt as needed and cover the pan.
• Cook for a few mins on very low heat.
•  Add half and half or cream to the desired consistency of your gravy.

Transfer to a bowl and enjoy with naan, chapathi or pulav.

Orange Jello Salad

Don't be fooled by the name as I did. This is the time of the year when you have many get together with friends and families.  Orange jello salad is a very easy dessert to put together and everyone will enjoy it. I have no idea how this name of " salad" came for this dessert.
I made this for our thanksgiving party dinner and everyone liked it. This dessert can be made the day before you have a party.


Get Ready: ( serves about 10- 15 people)

• 1 large pack Orange Jello ( I used the one from whole foods)
• 1 small can mandarin oranges
• 1 small can crushed pine apple, juice drained
• 1 (8oz) pack of cream cheese softened to room temperature
• 1 small container cool whip at room temp
• 1/2 cup sugar (optional)

Go

• Make the jello as per packet instructions. Let it set till halfway.

• With a spatula or an electric whisk cream the cream cheese and sugar till fluffy.
• Fold in the cool whip gently.
• Add the jello, mandarin oranges and pineapple to the cream cheese mixture.

• Cover and refrigerate over night.
• Serve whenever you are a ready.

Creamy Grilled Eggplant Dip

Recently I had a few friends over and made this grilled egg plant dip to serve with appetizers.
This is a make ahead dip and can be put together very easily.
Serve them with pita chips or any chips of your choice. Mine served a lot of people and you can reduce the quantity if you are making for a few people.


Get Ready: ( serves 20 plus people)

• 2 large eggplants
• 1 small tub of sour cream
• Lots of finely chopped cilantro
• 2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 Red chilli powder
• 2-3 thai green chilli finely chopped ( optional)
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Go

• Wash and dry the egg plant. Poke a couple of holes on them with a fork. 

• Cover with foil and grill them on a medium gas flame turning them multiple times.

•  Keep the grill closed. Cook them till the are soft. One can also roast them on open gas flame to get a nice smokey flavor. Let tit cool well, peel the skin off, it comes easily and take the flesh of the cooked eggplant.

• Mash the cooked flesh with a fork into a nice pulp.

• This can be made ahead and kept refrigerated.
• Before serving, add the sour cream, desired salt, chopped cilantro and mix.
• In a pan, add the oil, add the red chilli powder and cumin. once the cumin seeds sizzle, pour it over the dip.