BON APETIT -14th

SOUP:                 BEETROOT SOUP

               SIDE DISH 1:-    BHUAJI SPECIAL- MATAR MALAI

              SIDE DISH  2:  CREAMY BLACK EYED BEANS

              SWEET DISH:     GOLDEN SHAHI BALLS

BEET ROOT SOUP   

Method:

1. Take the onion/potato/ carrot, garlic/ ginger peel, wash, & dice. Now add one glass of water and cook till done.
2. Next add diced Tomatoes & cooked Beetroot ; Cook some more.
3. When cool, pass through a mixer / grinder and make a smooth paste.( normally people strain this soup. I do not)
4. Take 2 blobs of Butter, heat in a sauce pan, add the 300/350 ml water and allow to   simmer  4/5 min.
5. Next add the Beet puree mix, add salt acc. to taste,  and continue to simmer another 3 to 4  min.
6. Now add 1 to 2 tsp sugar to lend a light sweetness and remove the mild weird taste of too much beet.
7. Time to add the homogenous Corn starch, swirling slowly all the time (to avoid making of lumps).
8. Add black pepper and some fresh coriander leaves. Add some extra butter if you desire.
9. Pour in big and roomy soup bowls,
10. Garnish with swirls of fresh cream/ malai, and super garnish with fresh   Dhaniya   leaves once more.
11. Enjoy this ultra colourful,  Crimson soup with Garlic bread.

1. I’m sure you will ask for more n more n more>>>>

                         Watch Video here:

MATAR MALAI KI SHANDAAR SABZI

Method:

1. Take 2 or 3 tbsps of Pure ghee, heat it till it smokes.
2. Splutter Jeera and add the diced onions. Simmer till tender.
3. Now add diced Tomatoes, simmer together, till tomatoes also soften.
4. Add Ginger and Green chilly diced, and now fold in the par boiled peas.
5. Simmer till they too are soft and cooked.
6. Fold in the fresh Malai, and the dry fruits, toss n turn a little while,
7. Ghee will start to float atop,.
8. Its time to serve asap. Goes well with fresh Parathas!! Can be had as an accompaniment to the main course, as also only with Parathas for break fast or a light Dinner.
9. My daughter and me used to have it practically 2to 3 times a week when she was in middle school.
10. And how we just loved it.

Watch Video Here:

Creamy black eyed beans aka “Raungi”

Method:

• Boil Raungi in 300 ml water till done. Strain and set aside.
• Take Butter/ Ghee, add diced onions, simmer till nice and brown.
• Now add Raungi and stir and fold well. Now cover and simmer X 6/7 min.
• Add Salt/ Jeera n Kashmiri red chilli powder for colour, simmer x 2/3 mins.
• Now time to add Malai. Simmer another  3-4mins.
• Remove piping hot, garnish with fresh Mint leaves, and serve with Atta buns toasted and layered with fresh garlic flavoured butter that can be easily prepared at home.
• You will love this dish!!

NOTE

• When we had begun our married life , there was many a chance when we did not have enough stuff to prepare a proper dish. Once I just had some Raungi, some fresh malai and one onion.
• My mind raced, lunch time was fast over the head-
• Husband would be home any time.
• Well –some butter, one onion ,boiled raungi, and fresh malai
• And a new totally innovative dish was on the dining table. And Lo’ and behold!! He brought in another senior officer.
• They enjoyed this dish with namkeen parathas.
• ——————TILL HERE—————

Watch Video here:

GOLDEN SHAHI BALLS

METHOD:

1. Take the four slices of bread and cut into two halves

2. Now place one small Gulab jamun on each half

3. Next take some water, dampen the slice of bread, squeeze immediately to remove excess water , then roll the Gulab jamun inside it and shape it like a ball. This should be done immed.

4. When all are done- set aside X 15 min. to harden and take a firm shape.

5. Now fry them golden brown and set aside on a tissue/ or a tava.

6. Now heat 150 ml milk and 50 gms of sugar, till sugar dissolves. This is testing time. The balls must be dipped into the milk and sugary syrup, rolled over a few times and immed. removed from the syrup and kept in the serving dish. Repeat with all 8 balls.

7.  Set aside to cool.

Prep of Rabri:

1.Take the milk , add khoya, slowly stir till it thickens, add little sugar if reqd( the khoya, the balls dipped in milk and sugar syrup are actually sweet enuff. So choose sugar quantity as per choice.

2.When thickened, pour over the golden balls, set tp cool. Sprinkle some more cardamom powder as well as the assorted nuts

3.Chill and serve.

An alternative:

My husband likes his desserts hot, so I some times set it to bake in a oven,X 10 minutes.

Serve it hot .

We like it cold and thoroughly chilled. Chill for 4/5 hours and enjoy .

Both preparations are mouth melting.

NOTE:

It was my husband’s b’day in the year 1990

We were at Meerut. I had invited all the battalion officers and their families for dinner/

I prepared this dish, just out of fluke.

It was an uproarious HIT.

   Watch Video here: