BHARELI BHINDI

Ingredients

• 30 Bhindi/Okra, small-size
• 5-6 leaves Curry leaves
• 2 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped
• 1½ cup Besan/Gram flour
• 1 tsp Red chilli powder
• ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp Sesame Seeds
• 1 tsp Sugar
• ½ tsp Amchur powder (Mango powder)
• 6-7 tsp Oil
• 1 tsp Fresh coconut, shredded
• Salt to taste

Directions


Stuffing

1. Take a pan and add besan into it. Roast it on very low flame until it changes color (around 5 minutes).
2. Take a separate bowl and add roasted besan, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander-cumin powder, sesame seeds, sugar, amchur powder and salt. Mix well and keep this masala mixture aside to use it for stuffing.

 Preparation

1. Wash okra and pat them dry. Cut a slit length-wise in each okra in such a way that it will not break apart.
2. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a frying pan. Add okra and a pinch of salt.
3. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes (or until okra are half-cooked). Take off from heat and let the okra cool.
4. Stuff each okra with the stuffing mixture carefully and keep aside.
5. Heat 5 tsp of oil in a frying pan. Add curry leaves, and carefully place all the stuffed okra in the oil. Sprinkle salt.
6. Cover and cook in low flame until okra is completely cooked. While cooking, occasionally turn okra with a spatula carefully to cook on all sides.
7. Add remaining stuffing mixture and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
8. Garnish with shredded coconut and coriander leaves. 
9. Serve hot with Rice and Roti/Roti/Chapatis.

Marwari Shahi Gatta Kadhi

Though i'm a Rajasthani, but seriously i don't know much of rajasthani cooking. I ate everthing my mom made, but was never much interested in its recipes. And as we were born and brought up in a cosmopolitan city, all the cusines from all parts of india were so mixed up that we could hardly differenciate. For us south indian idli dosa, gujrati dhokla or gatta kadhi or punjabi chole ,these all were our regular meals.So when this event RCI Rajasthan was accounced, and i read comments that people don't know much about rajasthani cuisine, i was in the same plate.....haha
But hey, i know some, so here goes my first one...

Ingredients:

For the gattas

3/4 cup Bengal gram flour (besan)
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1/2 tspn ajwain (carom seeds)
a pinch baking powder
2 tsp oil
salt to taste

For the kadhi 

2 cups curds, beaten
1 tbsp Bengal gram flour (besan)
4 to 6 curry leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
1/2 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)

1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
2 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp coriander (dhania) powder
2 tsp oil
salt to taste

For garnish

2 tablespoons chopped coriander

Method:

For the gattas

Combine all the ingredients for the gattas. Knead into a firm dough using 1 to 2 tbsp of water.
Knead well, rest it for 10 minutes and then divide into three or four equal portions, roll them in cylindrical shape

Khandvi

1/2 cup gms flour (besan)
1 cup thin buttermilk
Salt To Taste
2-3 pinches turmeric powder
1 tbsp Oil

For seasoning:

2 tsp Oil
1 tsp Sesame seeds
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tbsp Coconut scraped
1 tbsp Coriander finely chopped
2 pinches asafoetida
2 green chillies finely chopped
1 stalk curry leaves

Preparation:

• Mix water, flour, salt and turmeric to form a batter. Heat oil in a heavy pan, add batter.
• Stir vigorously and evenly to avoid lump formation. Cook till the mixture does not taste raw, stirring continuously. When done (about 7-8 minutes), pour a ladleful in a large plate.
• Spread as thin as possible with the back of a large flat spoon. Use circular outward movements as for dosas.
• When cool, cut into 2" wide strips. Carefully roll each strip, repeat for all plates.
• Place in a serving dish. For seasoning: Sprinkle coconut and coriander all over khandvi rolls.
• Heat oil in a small pan. Add cumin, asafoetida, curry leaves and chillies.
• Add sesame seeds and immediately pour over khandvi rolls. Serve with garlic chutney.

Undhiyo

Ingredients

6 - 8 cloves garlic
3 - 4 baby brinjals
6 -8 potatoes small
1 tsp turmeric powder
5 tblsp oil
100 gms yam (kand)
25 - 30 broad beans (sem fali)
4 green chillies
2 tblsp coconut scraped
a pinch asafoetida
2 raw bananas
1 cup coriander leaves
2 inch ginger
1 tsp mustard
For Muthiya 1/4 cup Bengal Gram Flour (besan)1/4 cup Salt to taste 1/2 cup Fenugreek Leaves (methi)1/2 cup 1/2 inch Ginger 1 - 2 Green Chillies1-2 Oil to deep fry Salt to taste

How to make undhiyo :

• Wash, take off and dice potatoes, yam and raw bananas.
• Wash brinjals and slit them into four without cutting the stem.
• Make a paste of garlic, green chillies and ginger and mix cut coriander.
• Mix all the muthiya ingredients except oil and prepare a firm dough.
• Divide into small portions and shape each into one-inch long half-inch thick rolls.
• Deep fry in hot oil, remove and keep aside.
• String beans and cut into one-inch long pieces.
• Heat up oil in a thick-bottomed handi, mix in asafoetida and mustard seeds.
• When mustard seeds crackle mix in ground masala and broad beans.
• Put the rest of the vegetables in layers one on top of the other.
• Sprinkle salt and turmeric powder.
• Stir fry for five minutes on high flame heat.
• Pour out one cup of water, cover and simmer (boil slowly at low temperature) on a very low heat up for 10-15 minutes.
• Mix in fried muthiyas and again simmer (boil slowly at low temperature) for 15 minutes.
• Shake the vegetables occasionally but do not use a spoon to stir.
• Serve hot decorated with scraped coconut

Halwa

Halwa is one of the quickest and easiest mithais that can be whipped up with some very basic kitchen ingredients.  Halwa embodies the simplest, the most universal idea of mithai or sweets:  Flour, butter, milk, sugar, nuts and spices!  It is amazing just how many combinations of these ingredients can be put together in various processing steps to create hundreds of tried and tested sweet recipes around the world.
To be clear, the word Halwa/Halva is an Arabic word and the sweet confection Halva is known by etymologically similar words in multiple countries in North Africa, easter Europe, Middle East and South Asia.  In the middle east and beyond, it can also refer to sweets made by using various nut butters, the most popular being the Sesame Halva made with Tahini (Sesame Butter).
In North India, we commonly make Halva with Flour, not nuts.  In other parts of the country, Halva is referred to as Sheera/Seera etc.  The preparation can differ in the extent of flour roasting or the amount of sugar/butter etc. but the essence is the same.

What's specific to every region therefore is this proportion between flour, butter and sugar etc. The Marwari halwa is traditionally quite heavy on the sugar and butter as can be seen in the couplet below: 
आटे से जल चौगुना और खांड जो दुगुनी होय 
घी बराबर डालिए और शीरा सखरा होय 
In its defence, the traditional Halwa belongs to an era when young men and women engaged in physically demanding activities in a day's routine.  Unlike today, even the urban men walked miles in the course of a day.  Without buses and cars, they embraced the autonomy of a bicycle proudly rode miles in a day.  Similarly, women did equally demanding work at home.  Such active lifestyles demanded equally rich food, and halwa was a popular addition to a meal especially in the cold winter months.  Now with increasingly sedentary lifestyles within homes and outside, it has become essential to cut calories wherever possible, and thankfully halwa can be subjected to such scrutiny and alteration without any loss of flavor.
In this section we will make three different types of halwaa made with four different ingredients: Sooji, Aata, gajar and Daal.

1.Sooji ka halwa

Ingredients: 
1 cup sooji (cream of wheat)

1 cup ghee

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup milk
10 pods of cardamom (powdered)
A pinch of saffron(soaked in a tablespoon of water)
20 almonds (microwave for 90 seconds and cut into pieces)
In a nonstick pan put ghee and sooji and roast the sooji by stirring continuously for ten minutes till the sooji is golden brown. 
Stir in hot milk.  After this add two cups of hot water and stir and add sugar.  Stir for next two minutes and you will see the halwa leaving the sides of the pan with ghee oozing out of it. 
Add cardamom powder and saffron water. Switch off the flame and garnish with almonds pieces. Halwa should be served hot. In Rajasthan, the popular accompaniment to Halwa is papad which helps break the monotony of eating something sweet.

2. Atte ka halwa

This halwa has same recipe as is sooji ka halwa. Sooji is replaced by atta(Wheat flour).  Atta roasts faster than Sooji due to a smaller grain size -within 8 minutes compared to 10 minutes for Sooji.

3. Moong ki dal ka halwa   (A Winter Delicacy)

Being high in calories it is prepared in winter. Preparation requires time and energy both.  But the end result melts in mouth with a buttery taste and is definitely worth every ounce of effort. This is the traditional marwari dish that has finally gained recognition in all parts of the country.
1 cup yellow moong dal

1 cup ghee

1 1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup mawa

10 pods of cardamom

a pinch of saffaron  (soaked in water)

15 almonds

Soak the moong dal inwater for 4 hours.Drain the water and grind in a mixer making a smooth paste.
Roast the mawa in a thick bottom pan till it turns golden brown.
Making syrup
In separate pan put sugar with 1 cup of water put on the flame and stir till the sugar dissolves.When it starts boiling then take away from flame.Add cardamom powder and saffron water to it. Microwave the almonds for 90 seconds and cut into pieces.
In a separate thick bottom non stick pan put ghee and dal paste.Switch on the flame and start stirring continuously. The paste will tend to stick to the bottom of the pan but can be avoided by proper stirring and heavy bottom.It wil take full 5o minutes to roast it completely.At initial stage negligence may lead to lump formation.After 20 minutes of roasting it will become easy to stir as the water will evaporate and mixture will get fried in the ghee.Within next 25 minutes it will turn to golden  colour.At this stage put roasted mawa to it and stir.for next 5 minutes An aroma of fried moong dal paste and the color turning to brown  will tell you that it is ready.Now add sugar syrup to it stir for 2 minutes and turn off the flame .Garnish with roasted and sliced almonds.

Moong dal halwa is ready to serve. 

Khaman Dhokla

Ingredients 
For the Dhokla cakes:
1 cup chana dal
1/2 cup yogurt
2 tablespoons grated jaggery
3 green chillies (to grind in with the dal)
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

For Seasoning and garnishing
1tablespoon mustard seeds
15 curry leaves
3 green chillies
Freshly chopped cilantro (to taste)
Soak chana dal in water for 6 hours. Now grind in a paste with yogurt and jaggery and green chillies. Cover and keep the paste in a warm place for 10 hours. Add salt. In a big vessel heat water when water starts boiling then in one table spoon oil add baking soda and turmeric and stir to make a smooth paste and add this paste in the fermented dough. Grease a plate with a high border and pour the dough. Keep the plate in the vessel with boiling water taking care that water does not enter into the plate. Cover the vessel and let it steam for 8 to 10 minutes. Switch off the flame and let it cool for next 10 minutes.  Dhokala stands are also available in the market which are easy to use.

                              

Remove the lid take out the plate and cut into required size. Put all the pieces in a big plate.
Seasoning:
In a big spoon add two table spoon of oil and when it is heated add mustard seeds, curry leaves cut longitudinally in halves and the whole green chillies.  When it starts sputtering, pour the seasoning over the dhokla cakes and toss all pieces gently so that every piece gets equally seasoned. Add the freshly chopped cilantro.  Serve dhokalas with dhaniya chutney and Imli chutney.

Papad Ki Subzi

Papad is a dried rice or flour based pancake which can be consumed wither by frying or by roasting. Papad is served as a snack, an accompaniment or an appetizer. Papads are available off the shelf or you can make your own.

Ingredients : 

200 gms - Papad (fried and broken into 2/3 inch pieces)
6 tbsp - Ghee
300 gms - Yoghurt
1 tsp - Cumin seeds
2 tbsp - Coriander powder
1 tsp - Red chilly powder
4 tbsp - Ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp - Chopped ginger
1 tbsp - Chopped green chillies
2 tbsp - Chopped fresh coriander
Salt to taste .

cooking Instructions :

- Heat ghee in a pan add the cumin seeds.when it crackles add ginger garlic paste, red chilly powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder.
- Saute for 3-4 minutes over medium heat, add chopped ginger and green chillies.
- Add the beaten yogurt and saute for another 3 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil.
- Put the papad pieces into the boiling gravy and simmer for 6 - 7 minutes.
- Season to taste, remembering that papad is already salted. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Churma

Ingredients :

200 gms - Wheat flour
400 gms - Ghee
100 gms - Khoya / Mawa
200 gms - Sugar (grounded)
50 gms - Soaked almond (finely chopped)
4 Nos - Cardamom (small)
1 inch - 
Dalchini (Cinnamon Stick)


Cooking Instructions :

- Melt 150 gms of ghee and mix it in wheat flour
- Make a stiff dough using very little water
- Make about 15-20 balls with the dough
- Heat the rest of the ghee in a pan
- Fry the dough balls on low flame till it becomes golden brown
- After it cools down grind the balls to rough powder and mix khoya
- Heat 1 tbsp. ghee in kadahi, add cardamom seeds and dalchini
- Add the above mixture of wheat flour and khoya
- Fry it for a minute. When it cools down, add sugar and chopped almonds and mix well

gatta sabzi

Ingredients :

200 gms - Besan
1 tsp - Coriander seeds
2 tbsp - Ghee 
250 gms - Curd
Salt to taste
2 tsp - Oil
1 tsp - Red chilly powder 
1/4 Tsp - Turmeric Powder

Cooking Instructions :

- Mix besan while adding ½ tsp. salt, ½ tsp red chilly powder, ½ tsp. dhaniya powder and ghee. - Make a stiff dough and make 6 thin and long sausages of the dough.
- Put these sausages in boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
- Cut these gattas into small pieces and keep aside.
- Strain the curd through a strainer.Add ½ tsp. salt, ½ tsp red chilly powder, ½ tsp. coriander seeds powder and turmeric to the curd, mix well and add the gatta pieces.
- Heat oil, slutter cumin and add the curd mixture.Cook it for 5-7 minutes while stirring continuously till it comes to a boil.
- Simmer the flame and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add red chilly powder

DAL BATI

Ingredients

For dal:
2 cups - Rajma beans (soaked in water overnight with a pinch of soda bicarb)
3/4 cup - Whole black gram (urad) (soaked in water overnight with a pinch of soda bicarb)
3 Nos - Onions chopped finely.
2 Nos - Tomatoes, chopped finely.
2 tsps - Garam masala powder.
2 tsps - Chilli powder.
1 tsp - Turmeric powder.
1 tbsp - Ginger-garlic paste.
2 Nos - Green chillies, slit lengthwise.
2 tbsps - Cream
4 tbsps - Ghee (Clarified Butter)
1 cup - Coriander leaves, chopped finely.
Oil to fry
Salt to taste.

For dumplings:
5 cups - Whole wheat flour, sieved.
1 cup - Ghee, melted.
2 tbsps - Curd.
Salt to taste.

 Instructions :

- Pressure cook rajma and black gram till it becomes soft.
- Heat 4 tbsps oil, Add onions and saute till brown
- Add ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes and saute
- Add all the masalas, beans and salt and simmer till well blended. The gravy should be thick.
- Pour over cream and ghee. Knead a soft dough with flour, ghee, curd, salt and just enough water. Roll into lemon-sized balls. Cover and keep for one hour.
- Then roast in batches on hot coals till puffed and golden outside and spongy inside. Keep hot.
- Garnish the dal with coriander leaves and slit green chillies. Dip hot dumplings in the dal while eating.