Zaiqa

Healthy and nutritious, badaam ka harira used to be enjoyed as a regular breakfast durng my childhood in Hyderabad. Ammi served harira along with warm parathas, which were torn and soaked in it. Roasted flour in ghee gives a distinctive taste to the harira and also helps thicken it.

Badaam ka Harira – Thick Almond Milk

During fall/winters I prepare this quite often to warm up my body and nourish it. It is also immensely good for kids and expecting mothers for its nutritional benefits.

Badaam ka Harira – Thick Almond Milk
Makes – 1 cup

Ingredients:

Ghee – 1 tsp
Durum wheat flour – 1 tbsp
Almonds/Badaam – 1/4 cup, finely powdered (you can also use pistachios/pinenuts/walnuts etc)
Milk – 1 cup
Sugar – 1 tbsp
Almonds – roughly chopped, for garnish (optional)

Method:

Pour ghee in a milk saucepan at medium heat, and as soon as it is warm, add the flour and roast it for a few seconds in the ghee stirring frequently using a spoon until it is biscuit colored. Pour in milk, little by little, whisking it well so that it does not form lumps. Add sugar and mix well. Let the milk boil once. Add the powdered almonds and lower the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, garnish with chopped almonds and serve warm along with Roti or Paratha, or sip it as it is.

Badam ka Harira goes to Health Nut Challenge 3, which Yasmeen of Healthnut is hosting on her wonderful blog. Do mail her your entries before January 2010.

Luv,
Mona

Light and fluffy, tender and slightly tart buttermilk pancakes, what better way to start a lazy weekend morning.  This classic American breakfast/brunch will surely delight you and your family.

Buttermilk Pancakes
Recipe Source: Chatelaine
Makes – 12

Ingredients:

Unsalted Butter – 1/2 cup,melted and cooled + extra for cooking
Buttermilk – 2 cups (or mix 2 cup milk + 2 tbsp lemon juice and let stand 5 minutes until it thickens)
All Purpose flour – 1 cup
Whole wheat flour – 1 cup
Granulated Sugar – 1/4 cup
Baking powder – 2 tsp
Baking soda – 1 tsp
Salt – 1 tsp
Eggs – 2, large, at room temperature
Vanilla powder – 1 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. In a bowl, add eggs, buttermilk (or the milk+lemon juice mixture), butter and vanilla.
2. In a bowl, using a fork mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center and add the above wet mixture. Mix until just blended. The flour should be lumpy in texture for fluffy pancakes. Mix as little as possible.
3. Pour little butter in a non-stick frying pan at medium high heat. As soon as it warms up, pour 1/3 cup batter into the pan. Make 1 or 2 pancakes at a time depending on the size of the pan. Cook until bubbles form on top of pancake and edges begin to brown, 2-4 minutes. Using a flat rubber spatula, flip and cook the other side until the other side is golden-brown, 2-3 minutes. Do not press or they will not be fluffy.
4. Serve right away. To keep warm, keep them stacked in a warm oven until all are cooked. Drizzle with maple syrup and serve.

Tips: Pour batter into the pan, gently push in a few seasonal fruit slices (sliced banana, peaches, or berries), pinch of spices (like cinnamon powder, cardamom or nutmeg etc) or you can also add a few chopped toasted nuts (pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds or even shredded coconut) or chocolate chips into the pancake batter before you flip it.
Freeze leftover pancakes in a freezer bag and reheat it when fancied in a toaster or toaster oven.

Luv,
Mona

No wedding banquet in Hyderabad in earlier days were witnessed sans Luqmi in the menu, as a starter paired along with Qimah Kawab. Today other sophisticated entrées make their appearance on the wedding banquet tables. Luqmi is not much seen so nowadays, but it not forgotten, it is still one of every Hyderabadis most favorite snack.

Luqmi has Persian origins, and now is a popular Hyderabadi snack. Other snacks like Osmania biscuit, Pauna chai, Irani chai, etc all have Persian origins and made a mark in Hyderabad. Irani cafes in Hyderabad, seen at every other corner, selling these snacks and refreshments are always crowded with locals. Luqmi is preferred as a starter in the menu, a rectangular parcel stuffed with sauteed minced mutton cooked with a hint of spices and a delicious lemony zing to please your palate.

My miya yesterday had requested me to prepare a few Luqmi for the إفطار and الحمد لله he loved them.

Qimah – Minced meat (the filling)

Ingredients:

Qimah~Minced Veal/Lamb/Sheep meat – 700 gms
Onion -1, large, finely sliced
Cumin seeds – 2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Cilantro – 2 tbsp
Long green chillies – 3, chopped finely
Red chilli powder – 2 tsp
Salt – 2 tsp
Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
Lemon juice – 3 tbsp
Cashewnuts – chopped, handful

Qimah – Minced meat

Method:

In a large frying pan, pour oil and as soon as it warms up, add the onion and fry until evenly golden brown in color. Add the cumin seeds, ginger garlic paste, cilantro and green chillies. Fry for a few seconds. Add the minced meat and cook mixing it well. Add the red chilli powder, salt and turmeric. Mix well and cook stirring frequently until all the moisture has been dried up. Pour lemon juice, and add the chopped cashewnuts, mix well and remove from heat. Let it cool down completely.

Luqmi – Minced meat stuffed parcels
Makes – 15 Luqmi

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour/Durum Atta – 2 1/2 cups+extra for dusting (you can also use All-Purpose flour/Maida instead)
Semolina/Sooji – 1/2 cup
Salt – 1 tsp
Yogurt – 1/3 cup
Warm water/milk – 1/4 cup
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Canola oil to deep fry

Luqmi – Minced meat stuffed parcels

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, add all the above ingredients except ghee and oil and working with your fingers, form a soft dough. Add a few more sprinkles of warm water if needed to form the soft dough. Once the dough has formed into a ball, smear ghee and cover with a lid. Keep aside for 40 minutes.
2. Knead the dough for 3-5 minutes. Form the dough into 30 equal size balls and cover them all with a damp kitchen towel. Also divide the prepared Qimah filling into 15 equal portions. Pour cool water into a cup and keep aside.
3. Dust with extra flour and roll out two dough balls, one at a time into 8 cm in diameter circle each, using your rolling pin on the work surface. Make sure the rolled out circles are not very thin, they should be just a little bit thick. Place a potion of the divided Qimah filling in the center of the rolled out dough circle. Dip your fingers into water and smear lightly on the entire outer edge of the dough circle. Gently place the second rolled out disc over the filling and press the edges of the dough circle to seal them. Using a pizza cutter cut out the extra outer edges of the dough to shape into a rectangle. (You can collect the scraps until the last luqmi is done and roll it out into a ball and repeat the procedure again). With your fingers, press the edges once again to make sure they are sealed. Crimp the edges with a fork to form a pattern. Repeat until all the luqmi is prepared. Keep them on a tray, covered with a towel, until all are ready to deep fry.
4. Heat oil to deep fry in a kadai. Depending on the size of your kadai, you can fry the luqmi, one or two at a time, until lightly browned on both sides. Remove using a slotted spoon into a wire mesh strainer for the extra oil to drain away. Serve them warm.

Head over to Muneeba’s blog and have a look at her version of Luqmi. Enjoy!

Luv,
Mona

I was missing home, my Ammi’s hand made food, dearly.

Ammi makes the best Kheer-Poori in this whole world. When I was near her, with her, I never really realised the importance of her nearness, her closeness, her presence in my daily life. Now that I am so far away, I miss her and her embrace. Ammi, I miss you! But I am thankfull to my Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) that todays technology allows me to call and speak to her anytime I wish alhamdulillah. May Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) bless everybody’s parents with the best of health and give them the ajr, Ameen.

Kheer-Puri is a combinatin that most poeple from India and Pakistan must be familiar with. A combination that can make any person living away from his or her hometown nostalgic and bring back a rush of good old memories, just like it happened to me.

Today I am sharing with you all the recipe for Puran Poori and Chobay ke Poori, which are similar to the stuffed sweet pastries, empanadas.
Puran is a paste made of mashed Chana dal cooked in ghee, sugar and nuts. The same paste can also be used to prepare flat diamond shaped Laoz, and it is also used as a stuffing in flat bread to prepare Mitthi Roti. Today I am using Puran to prepare Puran Poori, which are stuffed pastries, similar to empanadas, but with a sweet stuffing.
Similarly, I stuff the pastries with an another sweet stuffing, called as Choba, or a mixture of shredded coconut, dry fruits and nuts and some sugar.

Chobay ke Puri – Sweet Empanadas stuffed with a Coconut and dry fruit and nut mixture

Ingredients:

For the filling:-

Ghee – 1 tbsp
Dry Desiccated Coconut – 3/4 cup
Finely sliced Pista – 1/4 cup
Finely sliced peeled almonds – 1/4 cup
Raisins/Kishmish – 1/4 cup
Sugar – 1/4 cup

For the Dough:-

Wheat Flour (Durum Atta)  – 2 cups (usually maida/all-purpose flour is used)
Water – 1 cup
Salt – 1/4 tsp
Ghee – 1 tbsp

Method:
1. In a bowl, combine the sliced pistachios, almonds, dessicated coconut and the raisins.
2. Heat a heavy bottomed non-stick kadai at medium heat, pour ghee and as soon as it gets warm, add the above mixture. Stir continously and roast for a minute or two until you start getting an aroma and it is quite lightly toasted. Do not let the coconut turn into a dark brown color or get burnt, keep a close eye. Remove from heat and immediately add the sugar and mix well (you can also add a little bit of grated khoa at this stage for added richness). Keep aside to cool. This mixture is called as Choba.

Choba ~ Coconut+Raisins+Pistachio+Almond+Sugar mixture

3. In a food processor, add the flour, ghee and salt. Process for a few seconds. Add the water and process to form a soft dough. You can also form the dough on a work surface using your hands. Remove the dough onto a platform and knead it add using some extra flour or water, whatever is needed, until a soft pliable dough is formed. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and keep aside for 30 minutes.
4. Pour cool water into a cup and keep ready.

The filling~choba, on a side of the dough disc, notice the edges have been moistened for sealing

Stuffed Pastry

5. Lightly flour the work surface. Roll out the dough until about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into circles that ae about 12 cm in diameter, use a bowl as a guide if you wish. Collect the scraps, knead for a few seconds to form a ball and roll out again later, until then cover and keep aside. Dip your fingers into the cup with cool water, and wet the outer edge of the dough circles. Put about 2 tablespoons of the cooled toasted Choba mixture in a side, leaving room around the edges for sealing, and fold over the other half of dough over the filling to form a half circle. Do not over fill or else, the dough might tear. Use a pizza wheel to trim away the corners and make a nice half moon shape. Press the wet edges firmly to seal and crimp to form a pattern. Keep all the prepared stuffed pastries covered under a cloth on the work surface until all are done.

Stuffed Pastry with edges crimped

Puran Puri ~ Fried Stuffed Pastries

6. Once all the stuffed pastries are ready, heat oil in a kadai or wok to deep dry. Once the oil is hot, gently lower a few of them and deep fry both sides until lightly brown. Do not over crowd the kadai. Remove them using a slotted spoon. Do not pile them up onto a platter. Keep them uncovered in a single layer on a kitchen towel until all are done.

Puran Puri – Sweet Empanadas stuffed with Chickpea and nut mixture

Ingredients:

For the filling:-

Bengal gram/Chana Dal – 1/2 cup
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Sugar – 1/4 cup + 4 tbsp
Finely Powdered Green Cardamom seeds – 1/4 tsp
Finely sliced Pistachios/Pista – 1 tbsp
Finely sliced Almonds/Badaam – 1 tbsp

For the Dough:-

Wheat Flour (Durum flour) – 2 cups
Water – 1 cup
Salt – 1/4 tsp
Ghee – 1 tbsp

Method:
1. Wash and drain the dal. Pressure cook the dal in a little water until the dal is soft. Once done, cook the dal until there is very little water left. Remove it from heat. Once it is lukewarm, blend the dal in a blender until smoothly pureed keep aside.

Puran ~ Sweet Chickpea mixture

2. Pour ghee in a saucepan at medium heat and as it melts, add the pureed dal and cook uncovered for 3 minutes. Add the sugar and cook for 5 minutes, stirring continously. Add the sliced pistachios and almonds, cardamom seed powder and mix well. Remove from heat when the mixture is fairly dry and starts leaving sides. Let it cool down. This mixture is called as the Puran.
3. In a food processor, add the flour, ghee and salt. Process for a few seconds. Add the water and form a soft dough. Remove the dough onto your platform and knead it add using some extra flour or water, whatever is needed, until a soft pliable dough is formed. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and keep aside for 30 minutes.
4. Pour cool water into a cup and keep ready.

The filling~puran, on a side of the dough disc, notice the edges have been moistened for sealing

Pooriyaan – Stuffed Pastries

5. Lightly flour the work surface. Roll out the dough until about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into circles that ae about 12 cm in diameter, use a bowl as a guide if you wish. Collect the scraps, knead for a few seconds to form a ball and roll out again later, until then cover and keep aside. Dip your fingers into the cup with cool water, and wet the outer edge of the dough circles. Put about 2 tablespoons of the cooled Puran mixture in a side, leaving room around the edges for sealing, and fold over the other half of dough over the filling to form a half circle. Do not over fill or else, the dough might tear. Use a pizza wheel to trim away the corners and make a nice half moon shape. Press the wet edges firmly to seal and crimp to form a pattern. Keep all the prepared stuffed pastries covered under a cloth on the work surface until all are done.

Puran Puri ~ Fried Stuffed Pastries

6. Once all the stuffed pastries are ready, heat oil in a kadai or wok to deep dry. Once the oil is hot, gently lower a few of them and deep fry both sides until lightly brown. Do not over crowd the kadai. Remove them using a slotted spoon. Do not pile them up onto a platter. Keep them uncovered in a single layer on a kitchen towel until all are done.

We enjoy both Chobay ki Poori and Puran Poori along with Chawal ki Kheer. Dip the deep-fried stuffed pastries in the rice pudding and enjoy.

Kheer Puri – Rice Pudding and Stuffed Pastries

Reminder: Send me your Ramadan delicacies before the deadline. For more information refer to The Hyderabadi Ramadan Food Festival.

Luv,
Mona

Todays post features a simple yet delicious subzi-roti combination which I enjoy as a breakfast or lunch or a dinner meal.

Bottle Gourd curry/Kaddu ka Salan with Layered Flat Bread/Varqi Roti

Today I prepared Varqi Roti and simple Bottle gourd curry for our lunch. The procedure for Varqi Roti is simple and I have explained it using the pictorial tutorial below:

This is the procedure how my Grandmother/Nani used to prepare Varqi Roti for her husband, my beloved late Grandfather/Nana, who was a Tehsildaar, from the state of Lucknow, a great foodie and food enthusiast.

Varqi Roti – Flaky Flat Bread

Makes : 7 Rotis

Ingredients:

Durum Wheat flour – 2 1/2 cups
Water – 2/3 cup
Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
Canola oil – for cooking the Roti

Method:

The materials used to prepare any flat bread/roti are a Girda and a Belan. Girda is a flat wooden board on which the flat bread/roti are rolled using the belan, which is the rolling pin.  If you did not happen to buy a girda from your trip to India, use any flat wooden board available or a any clean flat surface like your kitchen countertop or a wooden cutting board. Keep a kitchen towel below the board to keep it steady while rolling the roti with the rolling pin.

Girda & Belan (Image Source – Internet)

1. In a bowl, add the flour and salt and mix well. Gently pour in water, a little at a time, to form soft dough.
2. Make golf sized balls out of the dough and roll it using flour into circles using a rolling pin on the flat wooden board.

3. Sprinkle flour on the rolled out roti and fold it as shown in the picture. Keep sprinkling flour after every fold. Follow these steps until it is folded into a rectangle.

4. Once it is folded into a rectangle, roll it out into a roti again.
5. Heat a cast iron flat griddle/tawa on medium high heat. Once it is hot, put the rolled over prepared roti on the heated griddle. Let it cook for a few seconds. You will notice small bubbles on the roti. Flip it with a rubber spatula or a flat spoon which you have and cook it on the other side again for a few seconds.
6. Now quickly brush the roti with oil with a silicone basting brush or usian a teaspoon all over, and flip it over. Again, working quickly, spead the oil over the other side too and flip it to cook that side. Line a platter with a papertowel and remove the roti onto the lined platter. Cover the roti with a kitchen towel until all are done to keep warm. Alternately you can also use a ‘Milton casserole/hot-pot‘ to keep the rotis warm.

Milton Products – An Indian brand for household items that is my personal favorite

Opo Squash, Tomatoes, Onion

Bottle gourd is an another favorite subzi which we all enjoy a lot along with Roti for meals. The plants of bottle gourd produce vigorous climbing vines and tendrils with fragrant white flowers. Ammi had a large bottle gourd plant during my childhood. Bottle gourd are a good source of choline and various minerals. It is a commonly used vegetable in India. They have a spongy white flash with white seeds in a fibrous center pith. This easily digestable vegetable has a kind of bland but delicious taste, so it is used to prepare both sweet and savory preparations.

Kaddu Ka Salan – Bottle Gourd in Tomato-Onion gravy

Ingredients:

Bottle Gourd/Opo Squash/Kaddu – 1, small sized (it came to around 770 gms of chopped bottle gourd after peeling)
Canola Oil – 2 tsp
Yellow Onion – 1, large, finely sliced
Tomato – 2, medium sized, finely chopped
Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli powder – 2 tsp

Method:

1. Wash, peel and chop the bottle gourd into small pieces. (You can either discard the peels or store them to prepare this delicious curry) (Discard if the seeds are hard, but if the seeds are tender, use them in the curry)
2. Pour oil into a pressure cooker at medium heat and as soon as it warms up, add the sliced onion. Let it cook till it is light brown in colour. Keep stirring occasionally. Once the onion is soft and browned, add the chopped tomatoes and cover the lid ajar for 2 minutes.
3. Add the bottle gourd, red chilli powder, turmeric, salt and 1/2 cup water. Mix well and cover the lid and pressure cook for about 8-10 minutes or until the bottle gourd is completely cooked. Serve the curry warm.

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Voting for the Lok Sabha Elections in India ends and Congress wins with Dr.Manmohan Singh returning to power as the Prime Minister of India for the second consecutive time.
Congratulations India!

Luv,
Mona