Dilli-wala Gajar ka Halwa (North Indian treat)

My earliest memory of making 'Gajar ka Halwa' dates back to the 6th or the 7th standard when i used to help my Mom with grating the carrots and stirring the mixture at regular intervals. However it was only after I got married that I started to manage the entire process all by myself. And I took to experimenting with different methods and playing around the ingredients, sometimes with great results and at other times, not so good.

But sometime during my pregnancy, my husband asked one of his colleagues to get some special 'Dilli-wala' stuff on one of the latter's Gurgaon trips. And I was hooked. It was the best 'gajar-ka-halwa' I have ever had. True it was loaded with calories but still it awesome and I could not just stop at one. So, my husband had to request other folks flying to Delhi to get some for me everytime. It was one of the very few thing that I craved for during my pregnancy.

I badly wanted to replicate the taste in my kitchen and consulted various folks. But somehow the results disappointed me. And then I decided to go by what I had seen on one of the TV shows. It was a very long time back so I do not remember anything about the channel, anchor or show. Just that it was somewhere in Delhi and a 'halwai' was sharing some pearls of wisdom with the anchor who looked more eager to dig into the stuff rather than in picking up the finer nuances of making the dish.
The results were astonishing and I could not believe that I had just perfected this North India delicacy.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 150 mins


Ingredients -

• 750 gms Delhi carrot (the red variety)
• 1.5 liters milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened khoya
• 3 tbsp ghee/clarified butter
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 2/3 cup cashews

Preparation -

Wash & peel the carrots. Grate them using a medium/thick grater . (I used the inner side of the Tupperware Handy grater). If you make it too fine, it will almost turn into a paste and the texture of halwa will be spoiled.

Fry the cashews in ghee and keep aside.

Cooking - Boil the milk in a big non-stick vessel. Add the grated carrots and boil on a low flame. Keep stirring at times. Once the carrots seem to be softened (takes about 60-75 mins), turn up the flame to a medium to quicken the process. Or you can continue doing this on a low flame but it will take longer.

Once the milk has almost evaporated, add the sugar. This will again make the mixture more liquid. Continue to cook till the liquid evaporates (20-25 mins) and the mixture reddens in color.

Then add the ghee, crumbled khoya, fried cashews and cardamom powder. Cook for 5-6 minutes before removing from the flame. (Remember to take it off the flame while it is a little liquid as compared to the desired consistency as it will solidify on cooling.)

Serve warm/cold.

When unspoken words weighed heavy

Some years back when I had just started working, I got my first posting in Mangalore. A beautiful place close to the sea and the newly found freedom made for a magical concoction. It was the first time I was staying away from my parents and the protected life that I had always led. The 'no deadlines', 'no parties', 'no boyfriends' rule had been relaxed and I wanted to make the most out of it as did the others in our group.

Beaches, ports, a nearby fort, city malls, we visited everything worth seeing. But Mangalore being a small place, we felt that we had seen everything within a span of two months and were hungry to explore more. Hence on an extended weekend, we planned a trip to Goa. Even though the hotel and bus reservations had been made, I was scared to mention anything about the trip to my parents. I was scared that they might stop me.

I called them around an hour before boarding the overnight bus and made some excuse about having a late night call. I told them that I might not be able to call them after getting back from office as it might get too late. We boarded the bus and some of my friends fell asleep almost immediately. But sleep kept eluding me all night as I thought about my parents and the lie that I had told them. It being a full moon night, there was much scenic beauty to be enjoyed. The bus took us through a hilly area and then along a road that was almost parallel to the sea. The rising waves looked ethereal in the moonlight but I could not enjoy the sights.

It was a glorious morning when our bus finally reached Goa. A short trip to the hotel was followed by a quick shower and breakfast. We set out immediately to enjoy the famed beaches of Goa. For some time atleast, I forgot about my guilt. After splashing around the water for a few hours, all of us were hungry. We made it to a beach-side restaurant near Baga beach for a sumptuous Goan meal when one of the waiters inquired if we had tried out any water sports. The owner of the place owned some speed boats, banana boats and some parasailing stuff, and offered us a good bargain. But since we had just had lunch, he told us to roam around on the beach for 1-2 hours and do some shopping to burn it off before trying anything adventurous.

After all of us had done a few rounds on the speed boats, we decided to go for a group activity. Zeroing on to a banana boat, we were feeling a bit skeptical but decided to go ahead anyways. Though it was tough to balance the boat at first, all of us got a hang of it and had ventured quite deep into the sea. It was a magical ride with clear blue water, cloud dotted skies and the fish jumping all around us. That is till we encountered an unusually big wave which overturned the boat. As I fell into the water, my first thought was that my parents were in the dark about this trip. Though I had a life jacket on, morbid thoughts filled my mind as I realized that they would be shocked to no end if anything unfortunate happened to me in Goa. It stung more than the salt water which had gotten into my eyes. I made a silent resolve that I would call my parents immediately after reaching the shore.

With the help of the men in our guide boat and the nearby boats, all of us made it to the beach. I had ingested some salt water as I did not know how to swim. But once I had thrown up that stuff and had some fresh water, it felt good. I immediately called my parents and told them about the trip. At first they were upset but when I broke down while narrating the banana boat incident, they chided me for behaving like a naughty child. Their scoldings made it clear that they had forgiven me. A heavy load had been lifted off my chest and I enjoyed the rest of the trip with a clear conscience.



Do check out this touching video which talks about the power of 'Sacchai' -

Chilled Rasam & Sattu Drink: Latest variants from Paper Boat

Paper boat is back with more variants !!! This time it is rasam (???) and sattu (???). While folks from the North would balk at the mention of rasam, folks down south would do the same when it comes to sattu. Hence the strikingly differnt flavours to please all folks :)

Before we discuss the drinks further, let us get a lowdown of the benefits of each -

Benefits of Rasam -

1. Aids digestion.
2. Helpful in cases of flatulence.
3. Helps when one is down with cold/mild fever (thanks to pepper)
4. It is touted to have cholesterol lowering properties too (thanks to tamarind)
5. It is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral and blood purifying too (thanks to garlic)



Benefits of Sattu -

1. Nutritious and also easily digestible.
2. High fiber content
3. Provides instant stamina
4. Great for diabetics and those suffering from high blood pressure.
5. Greatly refreshing, hence served as a cooling drink during the summers to prevent heatstroke.
6. A natural health drink that helps in maintaining weight.


How I find the stuff ?

Chilled Rasam is a dark brown liquid which is thicker than the regular 'hot rasam' and it lacks a bit of sweetness. Tastes good when chilled though and I think that I might even warm it a bit, add some tempering and have it with my rice.

The Sattu variant is quite thick just like the original stuff. But i would have liked it to be a tad bit sweeter and less sour (though some people do add a little lemon juice to it). I found it to more refreshing than the other variants (with the exception of Aam Panna).

Why would I recommend Paper Boat drinks ??

Yaay's -

1. Low on sugar ( just 1.65 g/100ml for Sattu Drink & zero for Chilled Rasam)
2. Traditional Indian flavours
3. Low on calories ( 31.5 Kcal/100 ml for Sattu Drink and 14 Kcal/100ml for Chilled Rasam )
4. No preservatives
5. No added colors
6. All natural ingredients
7. Nice taste (when slightly chilled)
8. Priced at Rupees 30/250 ml.
9. Gluten free
10. Low GI & low calorie.

Naay's -

1. None. (though i would not mind if both are a tad sweeter)

Wishing all my readers a Very Merry Christmas !!!

Christmas always holds special memories in my heart as I grew up in a place which has a sizable Christian population. The carol singing, the decor coming up in people's homes and the treats at a friend's house gave an almost magical quality to the holiday season !!

Do you have any special memories of this festival ??

Ghadaghadiya Tarkari ( An authentic Odia Recipe for Samba Dashami )

'Samba Dashami' evokes images of women getting up early to take a bath before at the crack of dawn. The kitchens come alive with the clanging of utensils and the heavenly aromas drifting out of them. The rising sun rise is greeted with a cacophony of sounds like the blowing of the conch shells (sankha), the 'hulu-huli' ( a kind of sound uttered by mouth) and the ringing of bells. This ritual is observed for the good health and long life of the children and the mother usually offers a particular dish (year after year) to the Sun God for each one of brood. Usually various kinds of Pitha or sweets are offered along with the Ghadaghadiya tarkari. Another variety of prasad is offered to the Sun God during the noon. The final prasad is offered to Lord Yama in a ritual known as the 'Mahakala Puja'. This pooja is done at night and 'Budha Chakuli' is offered to the God.

The story of Samba Dashami is attributed to Samba, the son of Lord Krishna. It is said that Samba who was  afflicted with leprosy had prayed to the Sun God for 12 long years and finally he was cured. The temple dedicated to the Sun God still stands on the Chandrabhaga beach (near Konark temple). Devotees throng this place on the day of Samba Dashami.

Since it is offered to the God, 'Ghadaghadiya Tarkari' does not contain any onion or garlic. The vegetables which go into it are supposed to benefit those suffering from cold and cough, both of which are common ailments during the winter months. Samba Dashami is celebrated on the 10th day of the Shukla Pakhya (waxing moon) during the Odia month of Pausa. This year it falls on 31st December.

Read on  -

Preparation Time - 20 mins (plus extra time required to chop all the vegetables)

Ingredients -

• 1 cup mati alu /yam (cubed)
• 1 cup kakharu/pumpkin (cubed)
• 1/2 cup amrutabhanda/raw papaya (cubed)
• 1/2 cup shakarkand/sweet potato (cubed)
• 1/2 cup saru/taro (cubed)
• 1/2 cup alu/potato (cubed)
• 1/2 cup mula/radish (cubed)
• 1/2 cup baigana/eggplant (cubed)
• 1/2 cup kancha kadali/raw banana (cubed)
• 1 cup simba/broad beans (inch long pieces)
• 1 cup jhudunga/yard long beans (inch long pieces)
• 2-3 medium sized tomatoes (halved)
• 1/2 cup gajar/carrot (cubed) (optional)
• 1/2 cup potola/pointed gourd (cubed) (optional)
• 1/2 cup janhi/ridge gourd(cubed) (optional)
• 1 cup boiled lentils ( mix of bengal gram, kabuli chana, whole green moong, yellow peas) (optional)
• 1/2 cup green peas (optional)
• 1 cup fried badi
• 2-3 dry red chilis
• 1-2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp roasted cumin-chili powder
• 2 tsp oil
• 1 tsp ghee
• 1/3 tsp kala luna/black salt
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• fistful of coriander leaves

Preparation - Wash and clean all the vegetables. Some of them like raw banana, eggplant have a tendency to blacken if left in the open for too long. So, immerse them in a bowl of water to which a little turmeric has been added.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a large wok/degchi. Add the broken red chilis and cumin seeds to it. Once it gets spluttering, add vegetables like yam, potato, sweet potato, raw banana, pumpkin, carrot and papaya. Saute for a few minutes before adding 2 cup boiling water, salt and turmeric. Cover with a heavy lid and allow to boil for 3-4 mins

Add the remaining vegetables along with the lentils and let it boil for another 5-6 mins or till the veggies are cooked.

Finally add the roasted cumin-chili powder and coriander leaves just before removing from the flame.

Add the black salt and badi when serving.

This curry is usually served piping hot and tastes good with parathas.

Note - If making this curry on a regular day, one can add some fried onions, GG paste and freshly grated coconut to it.

Vegetarian Keema Matar (Soya Matar)

Most of the time when I am indulging in a non-veg recipe, I have the tendency to think if it can be replicated/substituted with some vegetarian/vegan ingredients. So, when I cooked Keema matar last week, I felt a strong urge to try it with my favorite vegetarian meat aka soya nuggets. And I was pleased as a punch with the terrific results. The aromas of the spices, the richness of yogurt and the unmatched taste of the fresh green peas ( no frozen ones plz ) make this dish quite unforgettable.

I would love to make this dish for lunch (atleast twice or thrice a week till the fresh peas are in season) and pair it with rotis and some sweetened yogurt. While you can use soya granules if you have them, I made this by soaking the soya chunks in hot water, squeezing them dry and grinding them into a coarse paste. Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15-20 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup soya keema/granules
• 1 cup shelled green peas (fresh ones only)
• 1 large tomato
• 1 medium sized onion
• 1 green chili (finely chopped)
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
• 1/3 tsp coriander powder
• 1/5 tsp Garam masala
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 2 inch long cinnamon stick
• 1-2 green cardamom
• 1-2 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 tbsp thick curd
• 3 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

Preparation - Soak the soya granules in hot water for 5-10 mins. Wash and squeeze out the water. Repeat twice with warm water.

Chop the onion into medium sized pieces. The tomato can either be finely chopped or grind into a paste.

Beat the curd lightly with a spoon to break any lumps.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Throw in the whole garam masala. Add the onions and fry for 1-2 minutes before adding the ginger paste, garlic paste and green chili. Fry for 3-4 minutes till the raw smell goes off.

Add the soaked soya kheema at this point along with the coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder and half of the garam masala. Fry for 4-5 minutes.

Add the tomato pieces and fry for 2-3 mins. Add the beaten curd and cook for another 2-3 mins.

Finally add the green peas, salt and remaining garam masala.

Serve hot with rotis.

Note - Add some meat masala to add that extra zing to this dish !!

A Thousand Splendid Suns (By Khaled Hosseini): Book Review

Buy it online on Flipkart.

A moving story about two women who share a relationship which can be described as mother-daughter, best friends, love-rivals (being married to the same man) and more. Mariam and Laila are heroines in the true sense of the word despite the abuse they put up with. Set in the backdrop of the socio-political changes that have completely altered Afghanistan, this one is another gem from the author of the best seller 'The Kite Runner'. It describes in striking details how war or social unrest affects the plight of women and children.

It starts on a relatively calm note. An illegitimate child or a 'harami' who lives on the outskirts of society looks forward to the monthly visits of her father whom she idolizes. In a strange turn of events, her father's spinelessness is revealed when her mother commits suicide and she is forced to marry a much older guy Rashid.

This guy too has a past of his own and one almost feels sorry for him until he starts to reveal his chauvinistic side. "A woman's face is her husband's business". Things get worse when she suffers the first miscarriage and then disintegrate further as there follows a series of those. Domestic violence rears it ugly head but the stoic Marian takes everything in her stride and shoulders on.

Laila on the other hand, has a more privileged and protected childhood. Her father is a teacher and an intellectual and she grows up in a rather liberal atmosphere. Her life is shattered by the sudden death of her brothers and a rocket attack that kills both her parents. Deeply in love with a neighborhood boy (and pregnant with his child), she is then forced to join Mariam's household. Another negative characteristic of Rashid is revealed at this point as he manipulates the fifteen year old into marrying him. A lot of intriguing events take place before the climax (which is a happy ending for those who really want to know). Most noteworthy however is initial skirmish between the two woman (which remind one of the MIL & DIL clash in the Indian telly soaps) and the failed escape bid of the two women and the repercussions that follow. I am not going to reveal more and spoil what can be the perfect read during the Christmas and New Year vacations (if you are the type who prefers to chill out with a book rather then party all night).

'A Thousand Splendid Suns' outraged my sensibilities, made me cry and yet having read the last page, it lit something akin to the glimmer of hope in my heart. Sorry, but you cannot just close this book and get it out of your mind for it continues to haunt you for days to come.