Ingredients:
*4 bunches of Gongura leaves, sepeareted, cleaned, and washed
*3 tsp Sesame seeds,
*3 tsp. Urad dal,
*1 tsp. Fenugreek seeds, (methi dana)
*1 tsp. Coriander seeds, (sabut dhania)
*1 tsp. Cumin seeds, (jeera dana)
*4-5 dry whole Red Chillies,
*4 Green Chillies,
*2 tbspn. Oil
*Salt to taste
For Seasoning:-
*Heat 1 tbspn. oil in a pan, when it gets hot put mustard seeds. When they splutter put 1/2 tspn. of chana dal and urad dal together and 1-2 dry red chillies. Let them become brown in colour. Then put off the stove.
How to make gongura pickle:
*Deep fry the gongura leaves and chilies.
*Grind them into a paste and keep aside.
*Now roast the all the whole seeds and whole red chilies, grind and mix it with the gongura leaves. Season with salt and a fry of mustard seeds.
Ingredients:
1.1/2 bunch (cut into small pieces) palak
2.a pod garlic
3.a small piece of ginger
4.1 chopped onion
5.1 tomato
6.a few sprigs of curry leaves
7.1 mashed potato
8.1 cup basamathi rice
9.salt to taste
10.1/2 tblsp garam masala powder (optional)
*For Seasoning
1.1 tblsp mustard
2.1/2 tblsp urud and channa dal
3.1/2 tblsp green chillies and red chillies (cut into pieces)
How to make palak rice:
*First wash and cut the palak into small pieces and keep aside.
*Then cook the basmathi rice and set aside.
*Now take a wok, pour some oil and when the oil is hot, add all the seasoning ingredients and fry till done.
*Now add the onions, tomatoes and cut palak and nicely mix and close with a lid.
*Let the whole thing cook very well.
*When it is done, add garam masala powder if you want and saute for a minute.
*Take it wok from fire and add the rice and mix it well.
*Take a wok, pour some oil and put the mashed potatoes and roast it slightly and when done add the curry leaves and put into palak rice and mix well.
*Serve with raita.
INGREDIENTS:
•5-6 slices of brown
•2 cups milk
•2 eggs, whipped
•½ tsp vanilla powder
•40 gms butter
•a pinch of grated nutmeg
•4-5 cashew nuts, chopped
•8-9 tbsp demerara sugar or plain sugar
INSTRUCTIONS:
1.heat the milk and sugar in a saucepan.
2.when sugar dissolves remove from fire.
3.add the bread slices and butter to the hot milk.
4.mash the bread with a fork or wooden spoon.
5.allow to cool.
6.when the mixture is cooled, add the whipped eggs.
7.also add the chopped cashew, vanilla powder, grated nutmeg.
8.pour into individual ramekins and bake at 150 degrees C for 30-35 minutes or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
INGREDIENTS:
•1 cup curd/dahi/yogurt, 250 grams
•2 medium or 1 large potato, ⅔ to ¾ cup chopped boiled potatoes
•½ tsp roasted cumin powder/bhuna jeera powder
•¼ tsp red chili powder/lal mirch powder or as required
•¼ to ½ tsp chaat masala, add as required
•1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves/dhania patta
•½ tbsp chopped mint leave or 4 to 5 mint leaves/pudina patta, chopped
•salt as required
INSTRUCTIONS:
1.firstly boil 2 medium or 1 large potato in pressure cooker or steamer. peel and chop the potatoes.
2.in a bowl, whisk 1 cup fresh curd till smooth and keep aside.
3.add the chopped potatoes.
4.then add the dry spices - ½ tsp roasted cumin powder, ¼ tsp red chili powder, ¼ to ½ tsp chaat masala powder. also add salt as required. you can also use black salt.
5.stir very well.
6.then add 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves and ½ tbsp chopped mint leaves.
7.stir again and serve aloo raita with a veg pulao or any flavored indian rice. if not serving immediately, then refrigerate the potato raita. garnish with coriander or mint sprigs while serving. you can also sprinkle some boondi or sev while serving the raita.
INGREDIENTS:
•⅓ cup barnyard millet/samvat rice
•3 cups full fat milk, 750 ml
•12 to 15 cashews, halved
•1 tbsp golden raisins
•4 to 5 tbsp sugar
•½ tsp green cardamom powder or 4 to 5 cardamoms
•7 to 9 saffron strands/kesar
INSTRUCTIONS:
1.soak ⅓ cup barnyard millet or sama ke chawal in enough water for about an hour. later drain and keep aside.
2.in a thick bottomed saucepan/pan/kadai heat milk and bring to a gentle boil on a low to medium flame. then add the sama ke chawal. stir very well.
3.cover the pan with its lid and on a low flame simmer the kheer mixture till the barnyard millet gets cooked.
4.do stir at intervals. do use a thick bottomed pan, so that the milk or the millet do not get scorched from the base.
5.these tiny grains take about 18 to 20 minutes to cook on a low flame.
6.add 4 tbsp sugar. you can add more sugar if required. stir very well till the sugar dissolves.
7.then add ½ tsp cardamom powder and 7 to 9 saffron strands. saffron strands are optional and you can skip these if you do not have them. you can also add 1 tsp of rose water instead of saffron.
8.lastly add chopped cashews and golden raisins.
9.stir and simmer for a minute. sama chawal kheer has a creamy consistency. scrape off the dried milk solids from the pan and add it to the kheer.
10.serve the vrat ke chawal ka kheer hot or warm garnished with some rose petals or saffron threads or chopped cashews. you can also serve this kheer chilled.
INGREDIENTS:
•3 to 4 medium aloo
•1 or 2 green chilies, chopped
•1.5 tsp jeera
•¼ to ½ lemon juice
•½ to ⅔ tbsp peanut oil or ghee
•salt as required
INSTRUCTIONS:
1.boil 3 to 4 medium potatoes (250 grams) in a pressure cooker or steamer till they are tender and cooked completely. peel and chop them.
2.in a pan or small kadai/wok heat ½ tbsp peanut oil or ghee. since this is fasting food, i have used peanut oil.
3.when not making for fasting you can use any oil. on a low flame, add 1.5 tsp cumin seeds and allow them to splutter and change their color.
4.then add 1 or 2 green chilies, chopped. saute for a minute.
5.next add the chopped potatoes. stir very well.
6.then add salt as required. stir again.
7.add 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves. some families don't coriander during navratri fasting. if you don't eat then skip adding coriander. check this post on navratri fasting rules.
8.stir and saute for a minute.
9.lastly switch off the flame and add ¼ to ½ tsp of lemon juice. add as per your taste. stir very well. you can also add dry mango powder (amchur) or dry pomegranate seeds powder (anardana powder) instead of lemon juice.
10.serve vrat ke jeera aloo with rajgira pooris or rajgira parathas accompanied with plain curd.
INGREDIENTS:
•3 to 4 medium guavas
•2 cups chilled water
•3 tbsp sugar
INSTRUCTIONS:
1.rinse the guavas very well in water. then chop in small pieces and add to a large blender jar. blend in batches if the blender size is small.
2.add 1 cup water and blend the guavas to a smooth pulp. chop the guavas in small pieces so that they grind faster and the seeds are not ground. don't grind too much as then the seeds also get ground and you will get tiny grits in the juice and you get a sand like feel in the juice.
3.add the pulp to a juice strainer lined on top of a bowl. you can also line the strainer with a muslin to get rid of the seed grits if there any any.
4.using a spoon stir the pulp, so that the smooth pulp is extracted in the bowl.
5.here we have the collected pulp without the seeds.
6.now add 1 cup chilled water. stir. you can make the guava juice more thin by adding more water. you can also add some lemon juice for a tangy taste.
7.add sugar and stir again till the sugar dissolves.
8.pour the juice in glasses and serve guava juice immediately.
