Daal Biryani- a quick weeknight meal

One pot meals are most convenient, whether it is a weeknight or a lazy weekend (especially if you have shopped all night on Thanksgiving) whether you are a working or a stay-at-home Mom / Dad. 

One very popular one pot meal is Khichadi which is light and mild and pure comfort. but sometimes you just to glam it up. Enter Daal Biryani! 

For many, Biryani conjures up a very distinct image, aromatic Basmati rice cooked with vegetables and spices and for many others who enjoy non-vegetarian version, chicken or mutton biryani. 

One of my favorite versions was Paneer Biryani, that was served in a restaurant just outside the bus depot in CBD Belapur (Navi Mumbai). My BFF Lisa and I would go there very often and on days we were starving, we would order this between us, it was a complete meal and would tide us over the entire afternoon and evening when we had back to back classes.This biryani was served on a huge platter with aromatic basmati rice mildly spiced with whole spices  and  an almost untraceable hint of saffron mounded  over a delicious, rich paneer and some vegetables gravy. 

Of course, it also made us sluggish like pythons after swallowing whatever that pythons swallow and we would consume unimaginable cups of 'cutting chai' to keep awake. 

While a 'regular' biryani is something I make when I have guests coming over ( and deserves a separate  post) Daal Biryani  is a treat when you want something special but not too elaborate and time consuming.

I have this recipe, hand written in my notebook, and in all likelihood the author is Pushpesh Pant, but I am unsure and if one of you, my dear readers, can verify, please do let me know in the comments so I can link it to his cook book.

In the mean time, here is my version (modified to suit  us)

You need:

1 cup Basmati Rice

1/4 cup Toor Daal

2 Potatoes (peel and cube, submerge in cold water until ready to use)

2 small Onions (thinly  sliced lengthwise) I used fried onions -readily available in Indian grocery stores

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp Garam Masala ( I use Badshah Rajwadi Garam masala)

Cilantro, chopped, to garnish

Tadka 1:

2 Tbsp Ghee

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp each Ginger paste and Garlic paste, I used ready-made Ginger-Garlic paste

2 Green Chilies, slit lengthwise

Tadka 2:

1 ( 1/2 inch) stick of Cinnamon

1 Black Cardamom ( the original recipe uses 2 black cardamoms, but I find the smoky flavor overwhelming and do not enjoy it at all)

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Prep work:

Wash and soak rice and toor daal, separately.

In a small wok, heat oil and deep fry the potato cubes and then the sliced onion. drain on a tissue. set aside

** I used my cast iron pan to shallow fry the potato cubes and have used store brought fried onion.

Heat Ghee in a saucepan/ wok and add the cumin seeds, they will sizzle on contact with the hot ghee. 

Add the ginger and garlic paste and saute for 30 seconds.

Add the slit green chilies ( alternatively you could use finely chopped chilies)

Stir to mix well.

Now add the cinnamon stick, black cardamom and turmeric powder and mix well.

Drain the rice and daal of all the water it was soaked in and add to the above and mix well.

Add 2 cups of water  and salt to taste.

At this stage, you can cover the pan and cook on the stove top or just combine and add the contents to your rice cooker and let it cook. 
Once the rice and daal is cooked fluff with a fork.
Add the fried potato and onions, sprinkle with Garam masala and cilantro. Serve with accompaniments like raita or papad and pickles.

I served this with a simple raita. I usually eyeball the ingredients.
Peel and grate on medium Cucumber 
Chop or thinly slice a Green Chili
Finley chop Cilantro
2 Pinches (or more to suit your taste) Chaat Masala 
Salt to taste
Pinch sugar ( optional)
Thick Plain Yogurt

In a bowl combine all the above and serve! 

* If the yogurt you have at home is not very thick, try this : grate the cucumber and sprinkle with salt, set aside for 10 mins. Squeeze out all the water and then add it to the yogurt.

* Boondi / onion / Beet can be used in place of cucumber

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5 cup Mithai- Kid approved!

This Diwali, I tried a new sweet, it's called 5 cup Mithai. Just that. 

It is simple, straight forward. No fuss, no extra prep work and  tastes good. 

The recipe credit goes to my Mother's childhood friend, Gayatri, she spoke to my mom and  quickly gave her the recipe and added that, she made it every year and it is  fool proof and time tested. Of course I wanted it! 

What struck me, when I read this recipe first was, errr.. really? is that all? but...but...  I doubted the very first step of the recipe, usually when this happens, I abandon the project. Not very mature, I know, but IMHO, better than dumping the end product unceremoniously into the trash bin and fretting over the loss of ingredients and kicking myself over it.

What struck me odd was that this recipe calls for chickpea flour (besan) but did not follow the usual norm of roasting chickpea flour like in Besan Ladoo. Unheard of! 

And most Indian sweets have cardamom and, or, saffron for flavoring, this sweet does not have *any*! gasp!

Doubt 3, the recipe calls for using rava / semolina, un-roasted, again! 

Now do you see why I was in two minds! 

But I sometimes tell myself, a little sternly, trust! Good recipes are not always in cook books.

I am glad I trusted and went ahead.

Little S approved! he would walk up to the table where I had placed all my Diwali goodies and open the container and help himself to these delectable squares. The mithai has the seal of approval! 

You need:

1 cup Milk  

1 cup Ghee + 2 Tbsp Ghee

1 cup Rawa / Semolina

1 cup Besan / Chickpea flour

2 cups Sugar  (I used a little less) 

Apply ghee on a plate with an edge and set aside.

Heat 2 spoons of ghee in a thick bottom non-stick pan and Lightly roast Besan / chickpea flour. When I asked how much is lightly, pat came the answer, heat ghee, add flour and mix, that's it! no more roasting.

Add cold milk. At this point, I use my immersion blender to make  a uniform paste. I found it impossible to break the lumps with the back of the spoon, but a 15 second whirl of my trusted immersion blender and I had creamy paste! 

Melt 1 cup ghee and add to the above. 

Add rawa (semolina) and sugar.and mix thoroughly.

Keep stirring until it solidifies. when I asked how solid the reply was  Gola zala pahije, meaning it should from a ball.

Pour onto the greased plate and pat to form an even surface using a  bowl (vati) with a flat bottom. 

Here you have 2 options, grease the bottom of the bowl with a drop of ghee or water- just a drop! that will prevent from the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the bowl.

Form squares or diamonds using a shankarpali cutter or Pizza cutter and cool on the plate. 

Store in an airtight container.

It does not have to be Diwali to make this sweet! 

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Braaibroodjie( Panini) : Stop Pinning and Start Doing! And a small step towards saving the Earth!

The thing about sandwiches is, you want to try every one of them. Not that it helps to decide which one you like better, just helps in choosing from a wide repertoire that you have built up, the next time you crave one.

It also helps to have a Pinterest account. There are tons of things that catch my fancy and I pin them on my board. It is amazing ( and humbling) at how much people know or how  many are into DIY-ing. I get my ' craft bug through here! I like the simple tutorials ( I choose the *simplest* of the simple, for those who 'really' read the posts, know about the missing craft gene and how I rarely try anything that is a combination of DIY, cut, glue and paint etc. But Pinterest and Ashwini, of Indulge-Ashcorner blog have me hooked to a few things. Soap Making and Lotion bars are two of the simplest things I have tried and successfully at that! Yaay!  

DIY aside, I pin a lot of food pins too ( but natural) and drool over many recipes, some simple some complex ( well, not so complex, I am mostly into simple things. Why complicate things more than they already are?) 

So to add to my Sandwich love, I have for you Braaibroodjie 

If you just said, Braabayabadabadoo, I quite understand. I did too! 

If you want a simple name, it is South African Cheese, Grilled Onion and Tomato Panini. As simple as that!

I just wanted you all to try saying Braaibroodjie! 

I  made a few changes, which I will list after the recipe. 

What made me try this sandwich is the use of Fruit Chutney.  This was  different for me, I have heard of fruit chutneys and tried one so far.  The idea of using it in a sandwich caught my fancy and I was longing to. 
This is also my entry for the  Stop Pinning and Start Doing  Pinterest Challenge Fall Edition                                                 

                                       

I made this for our Sunday Morning Breakfast. Daylight saving, I love it! I woke up at my usual body clock time and  was up an hour early. no, I did not roll back into bed and doze off, instead I had a leisurely cup of chai  and a long chat with my parents and surfed the net and decided to make this for breakfast.
   

The Recipe  adapted from the Kitchn and what you need for one sandwich is:

2 Slices of white bread ( I used French bread)
2 Scallions, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1/2 Cup White Cheddar cheese, grated ( I  had regular sharp cheese, used that instead)
1 Tomato, sliced
Fruit chutney ( I used Mango chutney- store brought)
Oil
Butter

The original recipe uses a grill, I do not have one, instead, I used my reliable Cast-Iron skillet.

Heat the grill / skillet until hot, add 2 tsp oil and toss in the scallions and  grill until soft and  brown. Set aside. 
If you are well prepared to assemble the sandwich, lower the heat under the skillet to low and start the assembly

On one slice of the bread, sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese.
Lay tomato slices on top, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Add cheese
Lay the scallions on top and top with cheese

On the second slice of bread, spread the chutney and cover the sandwich.
Slather the top of the slice with butter and transfer the buttered slice down  to the skillet and press down the sandwich . Turn, after buttering the second side( after a minute or so, after the side is brown and crisp).
Grill on both sides till golden brown

Serve.

Notes: 

You can use Whole Wheat bread if you do not eat white bread. It will change the taste.  I recommend White.

Use White Sharp Cheddar. I did not read carefully and got regular (yellow) sharp cheddar.  We liked the sandwich, no doubt, but next time, I will try the original.

The original recipe uses a Panini Press. I do not have one. 

Sliced red onion can be used instead of scallions. I plan to do  that the next time.

 ******************************************************************************

I also want to send this post to Ashwini and her event Save the Earth, which focuses on  reducing wastage, reusing  material around the house and recycling stuff and lead a greener life.
While I am no expert or even any authority on this matter, I do some things in my day to day life and take a small step to lead a greener life.
I am sure you all do the same, but if you do things differently ( I am sure many of you do) Please feel free to share your ideas in the comment section.

I make it a point to switch off the lights and fan when exiting the room. This  is an old idea and we all know about it, but consider this, the next time you forget to switch off the  lights, there are people today who do not have any or regular electricity. Look no further than New York, Sandy has disrupted their life!  It is Fall and the temperature dips to low, on such cold days and colder nights, people are without power, no heat, no hot water! Old folks and young children are suffering. 

Use water carefully. I do not mean be stingy, but little things help. Do not leave the faucet running when you are brushing your teeth or when cleaning up in the kitchen after a cooking session. 
My Father always reminded me when brushing my teeth. He told me of the hardships he had faced when young and living in Bijapur, Karnataka. Of the times when summer was intolerable and water scarce.  
I am thankful that I never had to face these hardships but that does not mean I misuse  the privileges either. 

When out shopping use your own cloth shopping bag. This is not a new fad. I have seen my Grandmother following this rule since my childhood and so has my Mother! On my last visit to India, I got back my old bag, stuffed with goodies ( it can take a lot of weight!) 

These are very convenient and fold up too! Such a small pouch in your purse!
You can buy one, like this, tough I am not sure if they have the fold-away-pouch, for $1 at the grocery store. Every store carries them! 

The other thing I used to do ( sadly, in the past tense) was use yogurt containers to store my beans, sugar, tea etc in the pantry. but after a while it became  a problem- Out of  sight, out of mind! Since these containers are not transparent, I could not see the contents and many a times, I would neglect some containers and have also ended up buying extra beans thinking I had none. So now, I use these containers as seed starters!
When I go out, I carry my own bottle of water, the reusable one I have at home. 

We have, in the past, moved a lot. new apartments, new city, new state. I save my U-Haul boxes  and re-use them. These are very sturdy and last up to 4 uses!  Open them and lay them flat and store, they do not take up any space! 

I store my comforters, woolens in Space Bags saving space and clothes also remain fresh. This is no big deal and many of you may not consider it going green, but IMHO, once I remove these woolens from the bag, they are fresh, do not smell at all and no need to wash them! 

We use space heaters instead of using the furnace during fall, as and when needed. Dallas is not a cold place and small space heaters work well, saving electricity and heating the entire apartment when we use just one or 2 rooms at most. Of course as winter sets in, we do not hold back, we switch on the heat. 

I try to use household  items in cleaning as much as I can, for example baking soda, lemon, vinegar are efficient cleansers, not to mention pure and green! Google to find a cleaning solution that suits your purpose.

Carpool when possible.

On a lighter note, I do not iron my clothes until absolutely necessary! The husband calls it being lazy to boot, I call it energy conservation! 

Some more steps I plan on taking:

We have a lot of old clothes, the good ones go into the donation box. The ones which are not good or torn and frayed  will be used as cleaning cloths, in the kitchen. To wipe down counter-tops, appliances.

Compost  (a dear friend has recently installed a small composter in  her yard and I plan on contributing to it.

Any ideas, from you, dear reader, are welcome! 

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Daal Puri for MLLA- 51

Puran poli was a delicacy. It was prepared or ordered only for special occasions like, Ganpati / Diwali. If you  had told me that there is a savory puran poli, say 5-7 years ago, I'd have laughed in your face and reached out for one more soft, sweet puran poli.

If you would have hinted that I would make one, one day, I'd have snorted in disbelief and continued eating.

That was until blogging  opened up so many options for me.

I first came across this version when I read dear Cynthia's post. I knew I *had * to make it.  She also has this awesome slideshow which is perfect for those who are intimidated by the process.

The only Dal-puri I knew of was  this.I do not deep fry much, it is an addiction I try to steer clear of! 

And therefore, this 'paratha' version is  the solution. This, dear readers, is the savory puran poli! 

This dal-roti/puri was introduced in the Mauritius and Caribbean by Bihari immigrants and now is very popular. It is , I believe a popular street food option.

Dal-puri can be eaten as is or served with a vegetarian or non-vegetarian curry. I enjoy mine as is and warm! 

The real dal puri is thin. I have yet to master the thin version, the rest is under control. That maybe because my filling is not smooth enough and I do like to over stuff  my parathas. But I can tell you this much, they are soft and melt in your mouth quality. 

Adapted from: Here 

You need:

For the Filling: ( read notes for changes made)

2/3 cup Chana Daal ( dried yellow peas)

1/2 tsp ground Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Ground Cumin powder

1/8 tsp Cayenne powder or to taste

1 tsp Ground Turmeric

1 tsp Garam Masala

1/2 tsp Salt or to taste.

For the Dough:

1 2/3 cup All purpose flour

3/4 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp sugar

approx 2/3 cup lukewarm Water

2 tsp oil

To make the dough, sift the flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl, add the sugar, water and oil  and knead into a soft dough. Cover and set aside for anywhere between 30 mins to 3 hours.

Wash the peas in 3-4 changes of water ( until the water runs clear).

The author has a stove top cooking method detailed, however, I rarely if ever use that, I pressure cook my peas.

I bought one like this out of sheer desperation after my 'desi' cooker started giving me trouble. I haven't quite figured the perfect timings, but I guess I let the peas cook for about 15 mins.  you might argue that stove top method will take about the same time, maybe it will, but I like to let them cook unsupervised. 

The peas must be cooked but firm, this is very important

Once cooked, drain the peas in a colander and allow to cool. The drained water can be used in daal, curries or soup.

Place the cooled peas and spices in a food processor and pulse until very fine.

Stir in 2 t. oil and set aside.

To make dal puri, re-knead the dough for a minute or so before starting to roll.

Heat a skillet on medium high.

Take a small portion of the dough and roll into a disk.

Spoon the filling on to the disk and carefully pull up the sides and seal well to make a 'ball'. 

Dust with flour and applying gentle pressure, roll into a flat bread.

Gently but deftly lift and transfer the flat bread onto the hot skillet.

Drizzle a few drops of oil along the edges.

Cook the flat bread/ puri on both sides but take care not to brown the puri. 

Brown spots will make the daal puri hard. 

Serve warm, with or without a curry.

Notes:

- The spices mentioned above make a very mild stuffing. I use a bit more to suit my taste buds. 

- I use Badshah Rajwadi Garam Masala

- Some versions of daal -puri use garlic and fresh red chilies.

- Whole wheat flour can be substituted for all purpose flour, however, I have never tried it and cannot vouch for the success.

-If you have  food chopper / mixie- chutney attachment, use that instead of food processor, it makes the filling very fine and easier to roll. I have a large food processor (14 cup) and the filling is not so much!

- Do not cook till brown spots appear on the daal-puri, that makes it hard and not enjoyable. 

Sending this as my (late)  entry to MLLA-51, hosted by Jaya of DesisoccerMom fame and the event started by The well-Seasoned Cook.

On a different note, my image on  the Dal-puri post ( RCI-Bihar) has been copied and used here, of course without permission. Not that the picture s great, but it is my work. I wish people would stop doing this. I have complained, hope some action will be taken. 

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Kid approved Vegetable Cutlet

Saturdays were special. I had half day school. oh! it was a curse getting up early in the first place. 

You have to understand, my regular school timings (Mon-Fri) were 11:00 am to 5:00 pm and Saturdays, 7:45 am-12:30 pm. so you can guess how annoying it was to wake up very early.

But early dismissal meant at least one good thing, going to meet Mommy! 

My Mother worked for the RBI. They had half day working on Saturdays too!

Sometimes I'd go to meet her at her office and then we would go shopping, Crawford market, Fashion street, Khau Galli were some of our stops. 

Our meeting spot was always the same. V.T Station ( now called CST Station), platform number 1, wait by the weighing scale ( *near* the scale, not on it, that would be embarrassing! ). 

I would come home from school, dump my bag, fling off my shoes, hastily change in to a 'good' outfit, grab money that was kept for me in a purse and race off to the station to get my 'return' ticket. 

I'd walk past the book stall on the station and glance at the 'headlines' on Mid-Day, look at all the glossies with glamorous film stars staring haughtily at me in their garish make up, which at that time (late 80-90's ) looked fine! and decide between 'Chandamama' or 'Tinkle' comic book, buy it with the spare money and settle down to read it before the train came. 

When I reached V.T station ( the last stop) I'd get down and dutifully wait next to the weighing scale. My Mom would hurry in at the appointed time and we would happily start our afternoon. Many a times, I'd just rush from home, without eating anything and in those cases, I'd be hungry as a hunter! I would make a beeline for a small booth that sold greasy food packaged by Railway Canteen. I always picked the cutlet. Teardrop shaped and brown colored. I liked these cutlets. Packed with a slice of bread, nestled on a small paper plate. I wonder if they still sell these cutlets... 

It's been about 2 decades  that I have not tasted those cutlets or stood next to the weighing scale in anticipation of an afternoon of fun and shopping, but those memories linger and today, I was inspired by those cutlets, tasted so many, many years ago.

My version is  Panko coated and pan fried and has vegetables peeking out here and there, unlike the deep brown deep fried version at the Railway snack booth. but I believe mine is healthier.

You need:

3 medium Potatoes  (I used the white skinned ones)

1/2 cup green Peas ( frozen)

~ 8 Baby Carrots, grated

1/2 cup Corn ( frozen)

2 Green chilies ( adjust to suit your tolerance)

1/4 cup Cilantro

1/2 tsp - 3/4 tsp Jeera / Cumin seeds

1 inch Fresh Ginger

2 cloves Garlic

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Amchur powder (optional)

2-3 hefty pinches Garam Masala ( I used Badshah Rajwadi Garam Masala)

2 slices Bread (stale works best)

Panko Bread Crumbs to coat

Oil to shallow fry

Boil/pressure cook the potatoes. Cool, peel and mash.

In a mixie (chutney jar) or chopper, pulse the green chilies, ginger, garlic, cumin.

Pulse the bread slices, if using, and make them into crumbs. Add it to the mashed potato

Grate the carrot and place in a microwave safe glass bowl, add 2 Tbsp. water and microwave for approx. 2 mins to soften the carrot. 

Add the green peas, corn kernel and carrot (ensure that you drain any water left over after microwaving) to the potato and bread mash and mix well. 

Heat oil in a wok, add the pulsed green chilies, cumin, ginger & garlic and saute for 30 seconds (the garlic should not smell raw).

Add the potato- vegetable medley and mix well to distribute the spices.

Season with salt and amchoor ( dry mango) powder.

Sprinkle in the garam masala. Mix everything evenly and cook until the mixture is dry-ish. That is  there is no moisture in the mix.

Last, add the chopped cilantro. mix well and set aside to cool.

In a shallow plate, add the panko crumbs.

Set a pan/ cast iron skillet on on the stove ( medium heat)

Scoop a part of the mixture and shape it into a tear drop or round shape (whatever ou like, go on, shape them like hearts! ) 

Coat with Panko crumbs.  Spray or drizzle some oil on the skillet and gently place the patty on the hot skillet

Repeat the procedure for remaining patties. 

Do not over crowd the skillet when shallow frying the patties.

After a couple of minutes, flip the patties and cook on the other side. When cutlets are golden brown on both sides, remove and drain on paper towels.

Serve warm with ketchup or cilantro chutney 

My little one enjoyed these and made me the happiest Mommy on earth! Point to note, he is fussy and would not eat if he could spy vegetables, but he polished off this cutlet! 

Notes:

You can substitute with vegetables of your choice,for ex: cauliflower, beans, cabbage 

If you like, add a tbsp of chopped mint leaves along with the cilantro. 

I have used white skinned potatoes, these mash easily and are a tad sticky and therefore I added a couple of slices of bread. If you use red potatoes or russet, you may not need the slices, use your judgement.

Slap the cutlet between  hamburger buns, add chutney, lettuce leaves, tomato and cucumber slices, cheese slice and your Vege. burger is ready! 

If you do not have panko bread crumbs, use fine rava/ semolina instead.

These freeze well. 

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Tari dar Aloo Kofta

The best thing about potatoes, you will agree with me, is that they are so 'adaptive'. much like your typical Indian 'bahu' (daughter-in-law) as portrayed in many Bollywood movies. 

But deep fry them taters in hot oil and they are transformed, they take on a glamorous avatar and dazzle you, think from a versatile Meena Kumari  to a sizzling 'item' like Katrina. 

The thing is, potato ( in it's deep fried glory) dunked in any sauce, was un-thinkable, where I was concerned.

Here's why.. many, many years ago, somewhere in a restaurant in Mumbai, I walked past many tables to go to an empty one on a busy day (as always, in Mumbai). of course, I  glanced, casually, here and there.. not intentionally, you have to understand, but  the eyes flicked casually over passing tables and I saw a sight, that shocked me and a memory, to this day that confuses me. A man sat at a table enjoying, batata wada in (gulp!) sambar.

I was clear in my mind about one thing, Batata wada= Mumbai, Sambar= Madrasi ( no offense, but 25 or so years ago, anything South Indian was Madrasi, even though my roots lie in Karnataka, it was Madrasi). Mixing this wada or indeed any kind of potato dumpling with that sambar, ayyo! 

I never dunked my batata wada in anything other than the fiery red garlic chutney ( and occasionally in green cilantro  chutney and a tamarind-jaggery chutney) they serve on a piece of old news paper at any road side. I cannot imagine anyone doing anything else. I am rigid on that count. 

And then I find this recipe, that changes my perspective ( and no, still not going to dunk my batata wada in sambar, but about a dumpling in a sauce).

If you think these are batata vadas, you are mistaken and if you say they are koftas, I'll just say, " smart, you read the post title". I just went on and on about the batata wada to confuse you ;), that and the fact that I have a batata wada fixation.
Not that these dumplings are any less addictive.
The curry base is also fantastic, compliments the  koftas very well. 

Source:660 curries 
For the dumplings:
1 pound Russet/ Yukon gold potatoes 
1/2 cup firmly packed Cilantro 
4-5 fresh green Chilies
6 medium sized cloves, Garlic
1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp. Garam Masala

1 cup Chickpea / besan flour sifted

1/4 tsp  Turmeric powder

Oil for deep frying

For the sauce base:

2 Tbsp Ghee (or oil) 

1 medium red Onion, roughly chopped

2 ( inch long x 1 inch wide) pieces of Ginger, chopped

1/2 cup Raw Cashew nuts

1/4 cup Golden Raisins

1 (15 oz) can Tomato Sauce

1/2 tsp Salt

2 Tbsp. Cilantro, chopped, to garnish

Pressure cook the potatoes, peel and mash. (the author has a different procedure, he suggests, peel and cube potatoes and cook them on the stove top until tender, mash. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water) 

In a mixie (chutney attachment /jar) or food processor, pulse the cilantro, chilies and garlic. 

Mix this in the mashed potatoes, add 1 tsp salt and garam masala.. Mix thoroughly. form small vadas /dumplings/ patties

Combine turmeric, 1/2 tsp salt and chickpea flour in a bowl. add warm water to make a thick batter ( like for pancakes)

Heat oil in a kadhai / wok. Line a plate with paper towels. Once the oil is hot (350 F) take a patty, dip it in the  batter and gently slide it in the hot oil ( deep fry up to 4 patties at a time) and fry them to a beautiful  yellowish brown color. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat for the rest of the patties.

Make the sauce:

Heat ghee in a large saucepan over medium high. 

Add onions, ginger, cashew and raisins and stir fry till the onion turns light brown around the edges, the nuts are brown in places and  raisins, plump.

Pour in the tomato sauce and scrape the bottom of the pan releasing any browned bits of onion . 

Reduce the heat, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion has softened.

Transfer the sauce to a blender  and puree. 

Pour the sauce back into the saucepan and add the reserved cup of 'potato water' . 

If you have pressure cooked the potatoes, there won't be any starchy water, add regular tap water.

Add salt and stir. Gently heat the sauce.

Lower the koftas in the sauce and  cover them with the sauce.

Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Do not stir or the koftas will fall apart.

Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

FYI:
660 curries is the Chowhound Cookbok of the month ! Check out what others are cooking and read all about their experiences with the delightful recipes in this fantastic cookbook!

A few weeks ago, I got a very pleasant surprise, from a very close friend. She and I  talk over the phone, e-mail and discuss anything and everything!
Like many friendships in blogworld, ours is also a virtual friendship. We have never met.. yet it feels like we have known each other for ever so long. M-one day after he saw I was glued to the phone for a long time, talking, laughing- he wondered out loud, which of my Indian friends was up so early ( at dawn) to talk SO energetically with me, that too about food and kids. All I can say is, his face was a picture when he heard I was talking to a person I have never met, except thru our logs! hehehehehe!
Coming back to my surprise parcel! The first thing I want to talk about is a packet of chivda. For those who read the blog and know me are aware that I *love* chivda.
I got the parcel just as we were heading out and without any ceremony we opened it in the car and started munching! What was left ( because both , M and I, were being polite by leaving the last spoonful or two for the other) is the only proof I have of this tasty, finger licking good chivda!

This is the only picture I have of the left over chivda, which I was able to share  thru Instagram after a lot of fiddling ( I realized after this experience, that I have much to learn and retain where all this picture sharing etc. is concerned and more importantly, passwords to remember!) 

The other surprise was a a silicone mold ( sea shell shape), currently in the possession of the little one, who has taken a fancy to it ( but of course, Mommy needs it and therefore it is just has to be in his hands!). The mold was to make these awesome Lotion Bars. 

Ash has me hooked to making soap and lotion bars at home!She also sent me a sample bar and I knew I had to make them at home. It is easy and doable for a person , like me, who has no craft gene! I used the sea shell mold to make bars and I was lucky, I got a chance to send a few back home ( in India) for my Mother! Picture of these cute bars will be updated when I make my next batch (and rescue my mold which is currently used as a home for colorful erasers- It's just perfect, in S's words... yeah , yeah, sure! )

Thank you, Ash! I hope one day, we meet, in person and talk and eat and laugh, just like over the phone!  I am so glad I *met* you and really look forward to *really meeting* you and your family members! 

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