Dhokla..an ideal low-calorie evening snack!

•  Gram flour ( Bengal Chana Dal Besan) 2 cups
•  Fresh Curd (Stirred) 1 cup
• Salt to taste
• 1tsp Soda bi-carb or Eno fruit salt
•  Juice of one Lemon
•  A pinch of turmeric powder
• A pinch of red chilly powder
• Refined Oil 2 tsp (1 tsp for batter and 1 tsp for tampering (chaunk/foron)
• Fresh Curry leaves
• 1tsp Mustard Seeds
• Freshly grated Coconut
• Green chilies (vertically slit)
• Tamarind-Jaggery Chutney

• In a bowl take gram flour (besan), Curd and luke warm water.
• Mix well and make a smooth batter. The batter should be of thick consistency.
• Add salt, haldi powder, red chilly powder cover with a lid and set aside for 4 hours
• Keep the steamer or cooker ready on gas.
• Grease a baking dish (it should fit in the steamer or cooker).
• Now in  a small bowl take 1 tsp. of soda bi-carb or eno fruit salt, 1tsp oil and lemon juice and mix well.
• Add this to the batter and mix well.
• Pour the batter into the greased pan and steam for 10-15 minutes or till done( ensure bu pricking with a toothpick or knife)
• Cool for sometime and cut into big cubes.
• Heat little oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds and curry leaves; allow to splatter. Remove and pour it over dhoklas.
• Garnish the besan dhokla with grated coconut and slited green chilies.
• Serve with Tamarind-Jaggery chutney.

65th Independence Day : Maa Tujhe Salaam

Jai Hind

सारे जहांसे आच्छा हिन्दुस्तान हमारा

Chicken Tawa Kabab

Boneless Chicken Chunks 300gms
Fresh Curd 4tbsp
Garlic Paste 4tsp
Onion Paste 2 tsp
Ginger Paste 2 tsp
Red Mirchi Powder 1tsp
Salt
Sugar (a little)
Sattu( dry fried Chana Powder) 2tbsp
Refined Oil 1tsp





Pat dry the chicken chunks and mix all the ingredients except the Sattu and oil. Marinate for at least 6 hours and refrigerate ( not in the deep fridge)

Mix the sattu and sprinkle oil on top of the marinated chicken.
Take a nonstick pan and put the chicken inside it. Cook under low flame. Cover the lid of the pan. Saute' until the marinade dries up and the chicken becomes tender. Cook under high flame ocassionally. Take out the hot chicken pieces and skewer them on a piece of stick and hold it over an open flame for a few seconds to get the classic kabab style  burnt effect on the chicken pieces.

Serve hot with onion and tomato rings and of course with Green Chillies and Lemon slices.

Ranga Aloor Nikhunti (রাঙা আলুর নিঁখুতি)

  Red Potatoes (রাঙা আলু ) are very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Vitamin B6 and Potassium, and a very good source of Vitamin C and dietary fibres. It is widely used today because of its anti carcinogenic properties.
Here is a very simple recipe with Red Potatoes. This is a sweet called Nikhunti(নিঁখুতি), a typical fried sweet dish that is widely used in West Bengal

. In Bengal people also call it Ranga Aloor Puli.(রাঙা আলুর পুলি )

• Red Potatoes (medium size)-6
• Suji- 2 tsp
• Maida- 4 tsp
• Rice Flour- 2tsp
• Khoya- 4 tbsp [ you can make it by dehydrating 2 cups of milk ]
• Baking Powder- 1/2 tsp
• Black Cardamom -crushed
• Ghee- 2 tsp
• Sugar Syrup [made by boiling 1 cup sugar in a cup of water and cooled ]
• Refined oil for frying

• Boil the red potatoes in a pressure cooker for  2 minutes only. Open the lid of the pressure cooker to avoid melting of the potatoes as they are very soft once boiled.
• Peel of the skin of the boiled red potatoes and mash them.
• Meanwhile make the thick Sugar Syrup and let it cool. 
• Take a platter and place all the ingredients except the oil and the sugar syrup along with the bolied red potatoes and mash them together. Make small Nikhunti(নিঁখুতি) ( it is having a special shape as shown in the picture). Roll theNikhunti(নিঁখুতি) on a dash of extra flour and refrigerate for half an hour. 
• Fry them in hot refiend oil and place into the sugar syrup. You can sprinkle a little more ghee from top and also some Rose Water ( optional)

Nikhunti(নিঁখুতি) is lip-smacking and is very good to taste if served HOT!