Onion Samosa

Onion Samosa
Why to wait for rain to have these crispy spicy onion samosas!

We all love to have samosa as an evening snack .

Samosa is a yummy appetizer to fill your empty stomach and a big hunger too.The filling of samosa is the main hero to satisfy your taste buds.But i think the upper crust is also important for a samosa lover as it should be crispy and properly fried.

We all love samosas specially in rainy season with tea or when some guests come to your house,we normally serve samosa for them but when my guests come to my house i prefer making the samosas at home with a good maintained hygiene by frying the samosas in a healthy oil and of course nothing is the best than the home made treat!  

Samosa fillings can be done in lot of variations like keema samosa,daal samosas,dry fruits samosa or the most wanted and available aloo samosa but i have tried a different filling in the samosa by adding onions and one more secret ingredient that you can find in the recipe.The filling of spicy onions and the aroma and taste of masalas is really tangy and yummy.

You can make these samosa for kids birthday parties or evening snack parties also.

I have added wheat flour to make it little healthy and all purpose flour also.Wheat flour makes the samosas more crispy and tastes good.

I just love to make these samosas for my family in the evening and they enjoy a lot by having this with their tea or coffee .

So here goes the tempting and easy recipe of onion samosa-

Ingredients -

for dough-

1. All purpose flour - 1 cup
2. Whole wheat flour -1/2 cup
3. Hot refined oil - 1 1/2 tbsp
4. Water for kneading the dough
5. Salt 1/2 tsp

(knead the dough by adding these ingredients and cover the dough with a moist cloth and keep it aside for 1/2 an hour)

The dough should not be very tight or neither too soft.

For the filling -

1. Onions thinly sliced-2 big sized
2. Poha(Beaten rice )-1 cup(wash the poha and strain the water)
3. Salt as per taste
4. Red chili powder-1 tsp
5. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
6. Dry mango powder- 2 tsp
7. Sugar 2 pinch
8. Garlic (crushed)-2 cloves(optional)
9. Ginger (grated)as per your taste
10. Oil for deep frying

Method-

1. Take the dough and divide it in equal proportions by making its round balls.
2. Take 1 ball and roll it in a round shape like we do for chapaties.
3. Make a thin chapati and cut it from the center by dividing it into 2 parts.
4. Now make rest of the chapaties of your left over dough and cut them and keep aside.
5. In the mean time make your wok ready with oil by switching on the flame.
6. Now for the filling take the onions,poha and add all the masala referred above and mix them well with your fingers .
7. Now take some dry flour and dusk it on the shelf to avoid sticking of the dough.
8. Take half chapati and take some water on your fingers and apply it on the sides of the chapati dough and fold it by making a cone.
9. Fill the filling around 2 tsp in the cone seal the corners properly by applying little water on the top ends to seal the samosa properly.
10. Take the samosa and deep fry it.
11. Flip it when it has turned golden brown on one side.
12. fry it first on high flame and later on medium flame.
13. Take out your samosa and keep it on an absorbent paper and serve them hot with your favorite dip or ketchup.
14. Enjoy!

Lehsuni palak Paneer

Lehsuni palak paneer
As we all know that palak is rich in iron and its very beneficial for health but some people don't like to eat palak but this palak paneer is very flavorful and the creamy texture of the palak gravy is totally yum!
I have added a double tadka to add a catchy fragrance in this dish as the flavor of garlic and pure desi ghee has created a wonder.
You can make this palak paneer specially for your dinner parties at home as this dish comes under a royal party food.So you can make this for your guests to make them happy and satisfied from their stomach and heart too as we Indians believe in good quality and tasty food. 

As you must have noticed that i have served this lehsuni palak paneer with jeera rice but you can also serve it with simple roti or tandoori rotis too.I have added very less water in this dish,to make it more creamy i have added milk and malai in it,as Punjabi food without ghee and malai is incomplete.This paneer is mild spicy but little tangy,you can make it more spicy by adding more red chili powder according to your taste buds.But according to my recipe its less spicy and full of balanced flavor.So here goes the creamy and flavored recipe of Lehsuni palak Paneer-

 

 Ingredients-

1. Palak (spinach)-1/2 kg
2. Paneer (100 grams)(cut it in your desired shape)
3. Onions 2 medium sized(thinly sliced)
4. Tomatoes 3 to 4 (finely chopped)
5. Garlic cloves 5 to 7(finely chopped)
6. Ginger 1 small piece(grated)(1 tsp)
7. Green chilies 3 to 4 (finely chopped)
8. Salt as per taste
9. Cumin seeds - 1tsp
10. Red chili powder - 1 1/2 tsp
11. Coriander powder -1 1/2 tsp 
12. Dry mango powder - 2 tsp
13. Sugar - 1/2 tsp
14. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
15. Fresh malai - 2 tbsp
16. Milk - 1 cup

For extra tadka

1. Red dry chilies-3 to 4
2. Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
3. Garlic grated - 4 to 5 cloves
4. Desi ghee - 1 tbsp
5. Asafoetida - 2 pinch

Method -

1. (cut the stems of the palak and wash the leaves properly and then take a wok add around 2 and 1/2 cup of water and boil the leaves for 10 to 15 minutes,after 10 to 15 minutes strain the water and again wash the soft boiled leaves with fresh running water.Take a mixer jar and grind the leaves and make a thick puree)
2. Take a wok add oil around 2 tsp heat it up.
3. Add cumin seeds let it crackle.
4. Now add onions,ginger and garlic fry till it turns little pink in color.
5. Add green chilies and tomatoes.
6. Add turmeric powder,salt,dry mango powder,coriander powder,red chili powder and sugar.Stir it very well.
7. Now when you will find that the tomatoes have turned soft and mashed up properly then add your palak puree in the masala.
8. Stir it for 10 to 15 minutes.
9. Now add malai and  milk in the palak.
10. Stir and stir and wait for 2 to 3 good boils.
11. Now when you will see the palak gravy has turned thick then you can add little water if needed.
12. Add paneer cubes in the gravy.Close the flame.
13. For tadka-
14. Take a tadka pan add ghee in it.
15. Add 1/2 tsp more cumin seeds and let it crackle.
16. Add asafoetida.
17. Now add grated garlic and red dry chilies.
18. Stir it for 2 to 4 minutes.
19. Close the flame .
20. Pour  the tadka on the palak paneer.
21. Your yummy lehsuni palak paneer is ready to enjoy!

Kichad chole

Kichad Chole
Kichad Chole sounds different ? This kichad chole is the most easiest and hassle free choice of  food specially in punjabi families.This chole is normally served with bhaturas but you can have them with rice or roti also.I have served this chole with toasted kulchas and believe me it was the best combo i ever had with chole!!
kichad chole does not need much oil or butter or any kind of fried oily cooking method,it is made of just 2 tsp oil but we will not heat up the oil,as its made up of kaccha Tel(raw oil).So if you are health conscious and a foodie also, this chole is the best choice to have without any guilt.

Kichad Chole is tangy,sweet as well as little spicy in taste.I have garnished it with raw sliced onions and some ginger also,this is going to enhance the taste of chole. I normally prefer to make these chole on sundays as i have them in  breakfast with kulchas and in afternoon i love to eat them with hot steamed boiled rice.
So you should also give a try to make it on this sunday and i am very much sure that your family is going to love it.
So here goes the yum recipe of Kichad Chole-

Ingredients-

1. Soaked chickpeas (2 cups)Soak them overnight
2. 2 onions medium sized(Cut the onions in thick long slices)
3. 1 piece of  ginger(finely chopped)
4. 2 or 3 green chilies(slit them)
5. 1/2 cup of strained tea water (Boil 1 tsp of tea leaves in a pan with half cup of water and strain the tea leaves and keep the water in a cup)
6. Salt as per taste
7. Dry mango powder - 2 tbsp(i like it more tangy)
8. Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
9. Red chili powder - 2 tsp
10. Sugar - 1 tsp
11. Anar dana - 1 tsp
12. Tej patta(bay leaves)-2 leaves
13. Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
14. Cloves - 2 to 3 pieces
15. Black Cardamom - 1 piece
16. Garam masala - 1 tsp
17. Oil 2 tsp
18. Thinly sliced onion and ginger for garnishing
19. Lemon juice you can sprinkle it on the top(optional)

Method-

1. Pressure cook the chole by adding 1 1/2 cup of water by adding cloves,bay leaves and black cardamom  (go for 7 to 8 whistles)
2. Now check the chole that they have turned soft by a ladle or a big spoon and press them .
3. Now strain some water from the chole if you find excess water in it.
4. Add ginger,green chilies, onions,sugar, anardana, salt, coriander powder, dry mango powder, red chili powder, garam masala and pour 2 teaspoons of oil in chole.
5. Take tea water and add it in the chole mix it well.
6. Go for 2 more whistles again by closing the lid of the cooker.
7. After two whistles open the lid of the cooker and again with the ladle press the chole add water if needed and go for one boil.
8. Your kichad chole is ready to enjoy garnish it which sliced onions and ginger.