Kathal/Jackfruit Kofta Curry

 

The scientific name for jackfruit is Artocarpus heterophyllus. Jackfruit is a tropical tree fruit grown in Asia, Africa, and South America. It belongs to the same plant family as figs and mulberries.

In addition to being a great meat alternative (more on that below!) and being rich in essential vitamins, jackfruit offers many health benefits. 

When unripe, jackfruit has a neutral flavor that pairs well with savory dishes. It can be used in vegetarian curries and other savory recipes.

Ripe jackfruit, on the other hand, has a sweet, tropical flavor that makes it ideal as a snack or in desserts. When ripe, it tastes similar to other tropical fruits like bananas, mangoes, or pineapples.

Jackfruit is also known for its high fiber content. It is rich in potassium, magnesium, and iron, which help support heart health and regulate blood pressure. The seeds are beneficial too—they can help relieve constipation.

Kathal ki sabji (jackfruit curry) is a great choice for people who don’t eat non-vegetarian food. It can even be served at parties as a special dish. Some people deep-fry the jackfruit before cooking, but I prefer making it without frying. Sometimes, I also prepare it with rice flour.

Preparation Time- 15 minutes 

Cooking Time - 30 minutes 

Serving - 4 

Author - Hem Lata Srivastava 

Course - Main course 

Ingredients:-

For the Koftas:

• Raw Jackfruit – ½ kg
• Roasted Chana Powder (or besan) – 2 tbsp
• Salt – 1 tsp
• Green Chilies – 2, finely chopped
• Red Chili Powder – 1 tsp
• Onion – 2 tbsp, finely chopped
• Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp
• Oil for frying 

For the Gravy:

• Onions – 3, roughly chopped
• Tomatoes – 4, roughly chopped
• Ginger – 1 tbsp, coarsely chopped
• Garlic – 4 cloves
• Cinnamon Stick – 1 piece
• Cloves – 4
• Black Cardamom – 2
• Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
• Dry Red Chilies – 2
• Cashew Nuts – 8
• Salt – to taste

Additional Ingredients for Gravy:

• Ghee or Butter – 2 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp
• Kasoori Methi (dried fenugreek leaves) – 1 tbsp
• Honey – ¼ tsp
• Fresh Cream – 2 tbsp

For Garnishing:

• Fresh Coriander Leaves – chopped
• Cream
• Ginger – cut into thin juliennes

Recipe procedure:-

• First apply oil to your hands and peel the jackfruit, Then cut into small pieces.
• Now boil it in water with some salt.
• In a pan, add tomato, onion, ginger-garlic, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cashew nuts, 2 dry red chillies, and 1 green chilli. Boil until the tomatoes become soft.
• Mash the boiled jackfruit well using a masher (you can also use a masher tool).
• In a wok (kadhai), heat some ghee and add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Let them crackle.
• Now add finely chopped green chilli, ginger, and onion. Sauté until the onions turn golden.
• Then add the mashed jackfruit along with salt, red chilli powder, and gram flour (besan). Sauté everything on low heat until the mixture blends well. Then turn off the gas.
• Add lemon juice.
• Divide the mixture and shape it into koftas (balls), then fry them.
• From the boiled tomato mixture, remove the cinnamon stick and dry red chillies, and make a smooth puree.
• Add ghee to a pan and let cumin seeds crackle.
• Now add turmeric powder, followed immediately by the blended gravy. Keep the heat low.
• If needed, add some water.
• Once the gravy comes to a boil, add cream and honey. Taste for salt, and add more if required.
• Now crush the dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) with your hands and mix them in.
• Turn off the heat.
• Add the koftas and stir gently. Let them boil for 2–4 minutes.
• Garnish the koftas with coriander leaves, ginger, and cream. Serve hot with chapati, paratha, or rice.

Chef tips-

• Always choose a small-sized jackfruit or one with small seeds.
• If the tomatoes are not too sour, you can skip the honey.
• Do not blend the jackfruit in a mixer; mash it using a masher.
• If the koftas are breaking apart, add some roasted chana powder.

Aloo Ka Halwa

 

The potato is a starchy, tuberous vegetable that is consumed as a staple food in many parts of the world. Potatoes are the underground tubers of the plant Solanum tuberosum, a perennial in the nightshade family, Solanaceae.

It has many beneficial properties. Potatoes contain antioxidants, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, B 6, and potassium, which can help with heart and digestive health.

The iron, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, and zinc in potatoes all help the body to build and maintain bone structure and strength.

The potato’s fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B 6 content, coupled with its lack of cholesterol, all support heart health.

Potatoes contain significant amounts of fiber. Fiber helps lower the total amount of cholesterol in the blood, thereby decreasing the risk of heart disease.

Aloo Ka Halwa is delicious with only 3 ingredients required to prepare.

It is an easy and quick dessert that you can make for any occasion as well.

you can make it when you have sudden cravings for something sweet.

This also makes an ideal falahari,  fasting recipe during fasts.

Preparation Time:- 5 minute 

Cooking Time:- 20 minutes 

Serves:- 4 

Type:- Dessert 

Author:- Hem Lata Srivastava 

Utensils:-

Sauce pan 

Kadhai or Non Stick Pan 

Specula 

Ingredients:

1. Potatoes – 6 (medium-sized)
2. Fresh grated coconut – 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp (for garnish)
3. Desi ghee – 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp
4. Sugar – as per taste
5. Chopped nuts – as desired
6. Green cardamom powder – 1 tbsp

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Method:

1. Peel the potatoes, cut them into cubes, and wash two three times, soak the potatoes in water for 10 minutes, then boil until tender.
2. Grate the boiled potatoes using a grater.
3. Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a heavy-bottomed or non-stick pan. Add the grated potatoes and sauté until they turn light golden brown.
4. Add the chopped nuts, cardamom powder, 2 tbsp grated coconut, sugar (to taste), and the remaining 1 tbsp of ghee. Mix well and cook for another 5–8 minutes or until the ghee separates.
5. Turn off the heat. Garnish with the remaining 1 tbsp grated coconut and serve hot.

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Note:-

If the starch from the potatoes isn't removed, the halwa will become sticky, so it's important to wash them thoroughly, soak them in water for a while, and only then boil them.

Narangi Ka Achar

 

Narangi, also known as Chinese orange, is a citrus fruit with a tangy and refreshing flavor.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 5 minutes

Author: Hem Lata Srivastava

Ingredients:

1. Narangi (Chinese orange): 1 kg
2. Sugar: 700 g
3. Black salt: 1 tsp
4. Red chili flakes: 1 tbsp
5. Crushed black pepper: 1 tbsp
6. Crushed coriander seeds: 1 tsp

Procedure:

1. Wash the narangi thoroughly and pat it dry with a kitchen towel.

2. Cut each narangi into two halves.

3. In a bowl, mix the narangi pieces with sugar, black salt, red chili flakes, crushed black pepper, and crushed coriander seeds. Combine well to ensure all pieces are coated evenly.

4. Transfer the mixture to a clean glass jar. Cover the jar with a muslin cloth.

5. Place the jar in direct sunlight for one week, stirring the mixture daily.

6. After a week, your narangi pickle is ready to serve.

Enjoy this tangy and flavorful pickle as a side with your meals!

Notes:-

You can add jaggery powder besides the sugar.

Add sugar as per your taste.

You can remove the seeds.

Paan/Betal Leaves Shreekhand

 

Shrikhand is a traditional sweet of the Indian subcontinent made from strained yogurt. It is often served as part of a thali or with puris. It is a traditional dessert in Gujarati and Marathi cuisine.

To prepare shrikhand, yogurt is poured onto a cheesecloth. The cheesecloth is then tied and hung for several hours to drain the whey. Afterward, the strained yogurt is transferred to a bowl, where sugar, saffron, and cardamom are added. The mixture is whisked thoroughly to blend the flavors and achieve a smooth, creamy texture. It is then covered, chilled for a few hours, and served. The prepared shrikhand may be garnished with almonds or pistachios.

Here, I used paan (betel leaves), and it turned out to be absolutely delicious.

Preparation Time:- 10 minutes 

Cooking Time:- 5 minutes 

Serves:- 4

Author:- Hem Lata Srivastava 

Ingredients:-

1. Hung curd 4 cup
2. Fresh cream 1tbsp
3. Paan puree  1 tbsp
4. Powdered sugar as per taste 
5. Cardamom powder 1/4 tsp
6. Chopped nuts .

Recipe procedure:-

1. Put dahi in a muslin cloth and hang for  two hours or keep in a strainer with fine mesh. Press to make sure that excess water is removed. Pass the hung dahi through strainer to get smooth thick dahi without lumps.
2. Take the hung curd into a large bowl and mix well.
3. Aad  powdered sugar,  cardamom powder, fresh cream and paan puree.
4. Mix well making sure everything is well combined.
5. Before serving garnish with nuts serve  chilled.

Dal Pakwan

 

Dal Pakwan is a famous Sindhi breakfast dish, comprising with crisp fried pakwan paired with spicy chana dal topped with sweet and tangy Dates and Tamarind Chutney. The pakwan, made from all-purpose flour or maida, is deep-fried to a crisp texture and flavored with cumin seeds, carom seeds, and sometimes semolina for added crunchiness.

 The chana dal, cooked until soft but retaining its shape, is seasoned with minimal spices and served alongside the pakwan. This dish is not only a breakfast favorite but also a staple at Sindhi weddings, auspicious occasions, and festivals.

 Chana dal, rich in potassium and magnesium, contributes to cardiovascular health by regulating blood pressure and promoting a healthy heart. Here's a simplified recipe for both the pakwan and chana dal:

Presentation Time:- 20 minutes 

Cooking Time:- 30 minutes 

Serves:- 4

Author:- Hem Lata Srivastava 

Ingredients :-

For Pakwan:-

1.  2 cups plain flour/Maida
2. 1 tbsp semolina 
3. 1tsp Chilli powder 
4.  3 tablespoons ghee
5. ½ teaspoon carom seeds
6. Salt to taste
7. Water for kneading as required 
8. Oil for frying

For  dal:-

1. - 1 Chana dal
2. - water
3. - ½ teaspoon turmeric powder 
4. - Pinch of asafoetida/heeng 
5. - Salt to taste
6. - 2 tsp ghee (for tempering)
7. - 1 tsp cumin seeds

For Garnish/ Serving 

1. red chili powder
2. Tamarind chutney 
3. Green chutney 
4. Chopped onions 
5. Chopped green chili 
6. Cumin powder (optional)

Instructions:-

1. Knead firm dough using flour, lemon, salt,ghee, ajwain and chilli powder,cover, and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.

2. Divide the dough into small portions, roll each out with a rolling pin, and prick with a fork.

3. Deep-fry the pakwan until golden brown and crisp.

4. Soak the lentils for 2-3 hours, then pressure cook with water, turmeric, asafoetida, and salt for 3 whistles.

5. In a pan, heat oil, add cumin seeds, let them crackle, and add to the cooked dal.

6. Garnish the dal with chili powder and cumin powder. 

7. Serve the dal and pakwan with chopped onions, green chutney, and tamarind chutney. 

Notes:-

"I love roasted cumin powder, but you can skip it if you prefer."

"I always use ghee for the dough, but you can use any vegetable oil instead."

"I use ghee because it gives a nice crunch."

"The dal should be retained in shape, not mashed."

Vrat Wala Cheesecake

 

Cheesecake is a dessert typically made with soft fresh cheese (like cottage cheese, cream cheese, or ricotta), eggs, and sugar, often with a crust or base made from crushed cookies or digestive biscuits. In this recipe, I have used homemade unsalted. The filling combines paneer, hung curd, condensed milk, roasted makhana powder, saffron, milk, and cardamom powder, garnished with pistachios and rose petals.

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**Cheesecake with Rajgira Base**

Ingredients:-

*For Cookies:*

- 2 cups Rajgira flour

- 1/2 cup powdered sugar

- 1 tsp Ilaichi powder (cardamom powder)

- 2 tbsp Ghee

- 1 tsp Araroot powder

For Base:-

- Rajgira biscuits

- 2 tbsp Homemade butter or as required 

For Filling:-

- 200g Paneer

- 1/2 cup Hung curd

- Condensed milk, to taste

- 1 cup Roasted makhana powder

- A pinch of saffron

- 1/2 cup milk

- 1 tsp Cardamom powder

- Pistachios and rose petals for garnishing

Recipe Procedure:-

1. Mix ghee and powdered sugar until soft.

2. Add Rajgira flour, powdered sugar, araroot, and cardamom powder. Knead into a soft dough, adding milk if needed.

3. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.

4. Divide the dough into equal portions, make small balls, and place on a greased baking tray. Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C for 10 minutes.

5. While the cookies cool, prepare the filling by mixing paneer, hung curd, cardamom powder, roasted makhana powder and condensed milk.

6. Once the cookies cool, process them into crumbs using a food processor. Transfer to a mixing bowl, add melted butter and additional sugar as per your choice, Mix well.

7. Press the mixture into small serving bowls and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.

8. Pour the filling mixture equally into the bowls.

9. Chill in the fridge.

10. Before serving, garnish with pistachios and rose petals.

Note:-

1. You can also garnish with chopped fresh fruits. 
2. The recipe uses makhana powder in the topping mixture, but you can skip it.

Gajar Ka Paratha/ Carrot Paratha

 

 

Parathas are Indian flatbread made from whole wheat flour. Knead the  whole wheat flour with water, rest it for 10 minutes then divide the dough into equal portion which is then rolled and cooked with ghee or oil.

The rich and flaky paratha can be served with curries, pickles or curd.

Parathas can be of many types- plain, stuffed, tandoor, pan-fried and whatnot. There’s a world of vegetables out there that you can use as stuffing for your paratha.

Most common type of paratha, is stuffed with boiled and mashed potatoes mixed with spices.

Today I am sharing a very healthy and delicious paratha recipe which is Gajar/Carrot stuffed paratha.

In this recipe I have used red carrots which is easily available in winters.

Let's start 

Preparation Time:- 15 minutes 

Cooking Time:- 20 minutes 

Served:- 6 persons 

Author:-Hem Lata Srivastava 

Ingredients:-

For Dough:-

1. Four cups wheat flour 
2. 2tsp salt
3. 2tsp carom seeds
4. Water

For Filling:-

1. Grated carrots 2 cups
2. Salt to taste 
3. Chopped green chili 2tsp
4. Chopped coriander leaves 
5. Amchoor powder 1tsp
6. Red chilli powder (optional)
7. Roasted cumin powder 1tsp
8. Cumin seeds 1tsp
9. Ghee 1tsp
10. Ghee for frying 

Recipe procedur:- 

1. Mix salt, ajwain in flour and knead the soft dough using water then keep aside. 
2. Now healt 1tsp ghee in a pan add cumin and let them crackle. 
3. Now add green chili and ginger saute and add grated carrots mix it well. 
4. Add salt, red chilli powder, amchoor powder, cumin powder mix all the masala. 
5. Roast the mixture until all the water evaporates. 
6. Switch off the flame and cool the mixture. 
7. Divide the dough into equal portions. 
8. Take a ball dust some flour and roll it into a thick round shape, add 1 tbsp mixture in the centre, seal the dough from all the edges tightly and flatten it. 
9. Now roll the paratha and  cook the paratha on a hot tava oven a medium heat. 
10. Cook the paratha on both sides evenly and apply little oil.
11. Serve hot with chutney or curd.