All posts by Lakshmi

FOOD

delish Gulab Jamuns

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Gulab Jamuns are one of my favorite Indian desserts.  The sugar syrup-soaked deep fried balls made with a milk/flour dough with a hint of saffron and cardamom may be too sweet for some, but for me, it is the perfect dessert served by itself or with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream.  For years, I used the mix made by Gits, a famous Indian instant food brand.  But once my aunt taught me how to make these, there was no looking back.  The recipe is foolproof, it turns out the perfect Gulab Jamuns each time and each person that has tried these wants the recipe promptly.  So, here’s how I make my favorite sweet and if you do give this a try, I’d love to get your feedback.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup milk powder
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 cup ghee
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 3/4 cup milk (I use it straight from the fridge, but it can be at room temperature)
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • A strand of saffron, crushed
  • Oil for deep frying (I used vegetable oil)

How to:

1. Mix the milk powder, flour, baking soda, ghee, and the tbsp of sugar.  Add the milk slowly and mix the ingredients into a dough that is nice and moist and not dry.  Hold back some of the milk if your dough has already come together nicely.  Cover this mixture with plastic wrap and set aside for three hours.

2. After three hours, pinch off little balls of dough and make into smooth balls about 1 cm in diameter.  Continue to make these balls, placing each one on a plate, ensuring they are not sticking to one another.

3.. When all the dough balls are made, heat enough oil to deep fry the balls.  Test the oil temperature by dropping a little piece of dough.  When it rises to the top immediately, you are ready to fry the balls.  Fry the balls in batches, turning them gently till they are evenly golden brown.  Transfer to a plate set up with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.

4.  Now make the sugar syrup.  Take the 3 cups of sugar in a large flat bottomed pan, add four cups of water, and bring the mixture to a boil.  This takes about 20 minutes.  Now add the saffron and cardamom, give it a swirl, and reduce the heat to low.

5.  Now add the fried balls to the sugar syrup, gently tapping it into the sugar syrup so it can absorb the liquid.  Set aside for 30 minutes and then serve warm or cold, either by itself or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

FOOD

Vegan cauliflower frittata (inspired by Handvo)

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Lately, I have been looking for dishes that are more like one pot meals. You prep, cook on the stove or oven, and end up with nutritious, no frill meals that actually taste super good as leftovers too. This particular dish is inspired by a snack from Gujarat, India, known as Handvo. It is like a giant frittata that can be made in the oven or in a pan on the stovetop. This nutritious version is actually like the eggy version in that it is quite low in carbs, yet the blend of creamy coconut milk, versatile cauliflower and nutty chickpea flour, take it to a whole new taste level. My recipe is a version inspired by the woman who inspired many young Indians to cook, Tarla Dalal. A wedge of this served with some zhoug, cilantro chutney, sriracha, or even ketchup is the perfect anytime snack or light meal.

Ingredients:

  • One can coconut milk (I used the 403 ml can of Thai kitchen organic coconut milk)
  • 6 tbsps chickpea flour.
  • 1/2 small cauliflower cut into tiny florets
  • 4 green chilies, finely chopped
  • 1 inch piece ginger, finely chopped
  • 1 small bunch cilantro (coriander leaves) finely chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tbsp oil

How to:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Mix all the ingredients except for the mustard seeds and oil in a bowl, ensuring there are no clumps of chickpea flour.

3. Transfer the mixture to a greased 8 or 9 inch cake pan

4. Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, scatter on top of the mixture in the cake pan.

5. Bake for 50-60 minutes till the top is nice and golden brown and the centre appears set.

6. Let cool for 10 minutes and then cut into 12 wedges. Serve hot or cold, as suggested with one of your favorite condiments.

7. This will stay fresh for several days in the fridge, if kept wrapped in foil. When serving, simply toast in a toaster for a few minutes before serving.

 

FOOD

Tahini parathas – Where India meets the Middle East

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I love parathas, the flaky, stuffed with anything, griddle cooked with generous amounts of ghee or oil flatbread. I’ve made it plain and with many a stuffing; but seeing a half a jar of tahini in my fridge, triggered an idea. What if I stuff the parathas with tahini and cook them with some toasted sesame seeds on top? Well, there was no waiting on my part as I got to work and created these flaky breads. In the words of my mom, they were melt in your mouth goodness!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups atta (I used this whole wheat flour from the Indian store)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • Water to form dough
  • 1/2 cup Tahini (use the one that is smooth, where the oil does not separate such as Trader Joe’s organic Tahini or Sooms which is available on Amazon)
  • 2 tbsps toasted sesame seeds
  • Oil or butter to cook the flatbreads

How to:

1. Mix the atta, salt, and oil in a bowl, adding water and kneading till the dough comes together nicely and is smooth. I used my stand mixer for creating the dough.

2. Divide the dough into 1 inch balls. Take each ball on to a lightly floured board and spread it with a rolling pin into a medium sized circle (like a medium sized tortilla)

3. Spread a tsp of tahini all over the dough with your fingers and roll the circle gently into a rolled log.

4. Slowly circle the log into a coil, tucking ends under (see image below).

5. Take the snail shaped coil and spread into a medium sized tortilla on a lightly floured board. Gently press some toasted sesame seeds into the paratha.

6. Put the paratha onto a warm griddle, dribbling a tsp of oil all around it and cook till brown spots appear. Flip it to the other side and continue cooking till you see brown spots.

7. Remove from the griddle and set aside. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

8. Serve plain with a hot cup of tea, or eat with your favorite veggies.