Indian Brownies

Invention is the mother of necessity. I make ghee from malai at home to ensure my family gets unadulterated ghee. I realized that the left over after making ghee from malai is very tasty and I started giving it to my kids with sugar or make stuffed paratha with it. But then my children wanted to have something different, so the experimenting nature of mine resulted in these delicious Indian brownies. Since most of the ghee is drained out from the solid thus the fat content is not too high.

These brownies are ideal for children as they burn away calories faster than the intake. My children love eating them and do not mind exercising an extra bit for these luring brownies.

Preparation Time: 5 min.

Cooking Time: 15 min

Servings: 15-20 brownies

Ingredients Required for Making Indian Brownies:

• 1 Cup golden brown solid (http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2012/10/making-ghee-clarified-butter-at-home.html.)

Golden Brown Solid Left after filtering the ghee

• 150 gm. Sugar

• 200 ml. Full cream milk

• 10 Cashew nuts

• 3-4 Green Cardamom

Directions for Making Indian Brownies:

• Make ghee from Malai

http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2012/10/making-ghee-clarified-butter-at-home.html.

• The golden brown solid left after filtering ghee is s taken for making Indian brownies.

• Take milk in a thick bottom wok and heat it till the milk stars boiling.

Milk being boiled in a thick bottom wok

• Add the brown solid of ghee to the boiling milk.

Golden brown solid left from ghee added to the boiling milk

• Cook with continuous stirring till the mixture becomes thick.

The milk and brown solid mixed and being cooked on low flame

• Add sugar and cook for 2-3 min with continuous stirring on low flame. Sugar will dissolve.

Sugar added to the thick mixture

Sugar dissolved and mixture being cooked on low flame

• Cook with regular stirring on low flame for 5 more min.

• The solid will become dark brown and will start leaving the edges of the wok.

After cooking for 5min. on low flame

Mixture leaving the wok edges

• Remove the green peel of cardamom and grind the seeds to coarse powder.

• Add powdered cardamom, mix nicely and switch off the gas.

• Grease a plate with oil and transfer the brown semi solid hot mass from wok to the plate.

• Pat the dark brown semi solid mass in the plate to uniform thickness.

Dark brown solid spread on the plate and patted nicely

• Oil a knife and with the help of oiled knife cut the flattened Dark brown semi solid mass to rectangular shape.

• Cut the cashew nuts to half.

• Press one half of the cashew nut to the center of the hot pieces in the plate.

Cut to pieces and cashew pressed on each piece

• Allow to cool.

• When cold they will become solid and hard enough to pick but not very hard.

• Serve with milk.

Children will love them ! 

Indian Brownies

 Tips:

• The malai should not be rancid else the brownies will also smell rancid.

• Do not add curd to malai, else brownies will taste sour.

• Keep the malai in the fridge (low temperature) not outside at room temperature.

Suggested Variations:

• If you do not make ghee at home then mixture of 1 cup cottage cheese and 2 tea spoon of butter can be taken instead of the brown solid mass we get in the process of making ghee.

• Paneer butter mixture should be cooked till paneer becomes brown.

• Milk should be added after the paneer gains brown color.

• This mixture should be cooked till all water evaporates and the solid gets dark brown color.

• Add sugar and cook till the solid leaves the edges of wok.

• Spread the mixture on a plate and pat to smoothness.

• Let it set.

• Cut the set solid to pieces and press halved cashew, almonds to each piece.

• Indian Brownies from paneer are ready.
• Add 3-4 tea spoons of Cocoa-powder /  Drinking chocolate children will love chocolaty Indian Brownies.

Anar kali (A preparation of Cottage cheese with Pomegranate juice)

Anar Kali

Anar (Pomegranate) is a delicate and exotic composite fruit having red or brown from outside and partitioned from inside by thin yellow membrane. Inside each chamber of the fruit, red juicy little fruits with hard seed inside are present. These fruits of Pomegranate are rich in calcium, iron and vitamins.  Anar Kali is the preparation of paneer in Pomegranate fruit juice. An extremely tasty and easy to cook this preparation of cottage cheese provides lots of nutrition without adding fat content to your diet.

This preparation of paneer is to be made fresh and consumed. If it is prepared and kept for later use then the beautiful pink color of gravy changes to dull pink color. So make it fresh when you want to serve to your family and guests.

Preparation Time: 10 min

Cooking Time: 30 min

Servings: 4 large servings

Ingredients Required For Making Anar-Kali:

• 250 gm. Cottage cheese.

Paneer (Cottage cheese)

• 250 gm. Ripe Red Pomegranate

• 10-15 Almonds

Almonds

• 10-15 Pistachios

Pistacios

• 1 large Onion

• 1 Tea spoon Thyme

• 1/4Tea spoon Turmeric powder

• 1 Tea spoon Red chili powder

• Salt to taste

Direction For Making Anar-Kali:

• Cut onion very fine.

Finely Cut Onions

• Cut Almonds long and thin.

Almonds cut to long and thin pieces

• Cut Pistachio Long and thin

Pistachios cut to long and thin pieces

• Cut Paneer to 2-3 cm pieces.

Paneer (Cottage cheese) cut to pieces

• Take the out the fruits of Pomegranate.

• Grind the Pomegranate fruits in the mixer-grinder.

• Strain the juice from the solid of the seeds.

• Discard the solid, cover the juice and keep it aside.

Fresh Pomegranate juice

• Juice can be taken out by the help of juicer also.

• Take oil in a thick bottom wok and heat on high flame.

Oil being heated on high flame

• When the oil is hot reduce the heat and add finely cut onion to the oil and cook till the onion pieces start getting light brown color.

Finely cut Onion added to hot oil and being cooked on low flame

Onion after  3 min. of cooking on low flame

Onion after 5 min. of cooking on low flame

Onions cooked to light golden brown color and ready for Almonds to be added (7-8 min. low flame cooking)

• When the onion starts getting golden brown add Almond pieces and cook for one min. on low flame with continuous stirring.

Almonds added when the Onion becomes light golden brown

• Add Pistachio and cook for one min. with continuous stirring.

Pistachios added to Onion and Almonds mixture

• Add paneer pieces and mix nicely.

Paneer added to shallow fried onion and nuts

• Cook on low flame for 2-3 min. with continuous careful stirring.

• The paneer pieces will change the texture and the color of paneer will start gaining light golden color.

Paneer mixture ready for Pomegranate juice to be added

• Add the juice, bring the flame to high and cook for a min.

Fresh Pomegranate juice added and cooked for min.

•  Add Turmeric powder, Red chili powder, amchur, thyme and salt.

Amchur,Kasoori methi,Turmeric Red chili powder and salt added

• Mix nicely and let it come to boil.

Just after giving one boil

Discoloration started due to boiling for 3 min.

• Switch off the gas.

• Take out in a serving bowl and garnish with sprigs of fresh coriander.

Anar Kali

 Tips:

• Make this dish fresh, keeping it in for long time will cause discoloration of the gravy to dull color.

Discoloration due to keeping for 2 hrs and then reheating

•  Do not add too much chili powder as this preparation is meant to be slightly sweetish.

• Add salt after all spices have been added.

• Take out the juice of pomegranate while cooking the paneer with nuts and onion. This will make sure the color of juice to retain its wonderful pink color.

• If boiled for too long discoloration will occur.

Discoloration started due to boiling for 3 min.

Suggested Variations:

• Turmeric has got very high medicinal value that is why all Indian recipes will have turmeric as an ingredient,but if you prefer to avoid yellow ting to the gravy then turmeric  can be avoided, this will make sure the color of gravy remain pink.
• Kasoori methi can be added instead of thyme.
• Oregano / basil can be added instead of Thyme.
• Cashew and raisins can also be added along with almonds and pistachios before paneer pieces are added.

• Finely cut green chilies can be used for garnishing along with coriander sprigs.
• If thyme or basil is added instead of kasoori methi then avoid coriander sprigs for garnishing,else the flavors will become too overpowering.

Shahi-Pulav (Rice cooked with Dry Fruits)

Shahi Pulav (Rice and Dry Fruits Pulav)

A rich and wonderful pulav rich in nutrition and delight to eyes and taste buds is a very easy to make. Dry fruits are present in every kitchen be it Indian or any part of the world. Rice is also an integral part of the kitchen. When you have a party to arrange just try this pulav along with the other fare you plan to make your guests will be surprised at by your planning the menu. I used to make it quiet often when the cooked rice used to be left from the dinner or lunch, and pack it in the lunch box of my children. The smile they used to give when they used to be back from school used to make my day. So why should you not try such a rewarding recipe. I am sharing with you all, you have to make it and enjoy with your friends and family.

Preparation Time: 10min.

Cooking Time: 30min.

Servings: 5-6 Large servings

Ingredients Required for Making Shahi-Pulav:

• 250 gm. Basmati Rice

• 50 -75 gm. Cashew nuts

• 50 gm. Almonds

• 50 gm. Raisins

• 3-4 Green Cardamom

Green Cardamom

• 1-2 Pieces of Javitri (dry flower of nutmeg)

Javitri

• 4-5 Cloves

Cloves

• 1 Tea spoon Shah Jeera ( Black cumin seeds)

Shah Jeera (Black Cumin Seeds)

• 1/2 Tea spoon Turmeric Powder

• 1 Tea spoon Red chili Powder

• 1 Tea spoon Sugar

• Salt to taste

• 50 gm. Ghee (4 heaped tea spoon ghee) / Olive oil / cooking oil.

Direction for Making Shahi-Pulav:

• Wash rice.

• Take in a thick bottom container washed rice and 500 ml. water and keep the container on gas on high flame without covering it.

• Let the contents boil.

• Do not stir.

• Cover the container and cook till rice becomes soft (approximately 20min.).

• Remove from gas and immediately drain excess of water by sieving it.

• Pour water on the rice in the sieve to remove excess starch so that the rice grains do not stick to each other.

• Keep aside for cooling.

Rice Boiled to soft texture and then washed with fresh water to remove excess starch

• Cut Almonds and cashew nuts to 2-3 mm. pieces (each almond and cashew to 2-3 piece).

• Take a thick bottom wok and take ghee in it and heat on high flame.

Ghee being heated

• To hot ghee add broken cardamom, Shah jeera (black cumin), Javitri, cloves, and cook for 1 min.

Shah jeera, cardamom, javitri added to hot ghee

• Add cut almonds and cashew nuts and cook till gain golden color. 

Almonds and cashew nuts added to hot ghee and spices

Ready for adding boiled rice

• Add boiled rice to it and mix nicely.

• Cover and cook for 2-3 min.

Boiled rice added to spices and dry fruits mixture in ghee

• Add turmeric powder, salt,red chili powder and mix nicely.

Turmeric powder, salt, red chili powder added to rice, spices and dry fruit mixture in ghee

• Add raisins and sugar and stir.

Sugar and raisins added ti rice mixture

• Cook for 2-3 min. without covering and remove from gas.

• Take out in a serving plate and serve hot. Add few drops of lemon juice and the color will become beautiful yellow.

Shahi Pulav

Shahi pulav after adding few drops of lemon

  Raeally speaking it looks so fabulous that garnishing is not required but if you want use some slices of apple / seeds of fresh pomegranate for garnishing Shahi-Pulav.

Tips:

• Though the taste comes out best with ghee(clarified butter), yet those who for health reason do not eat ghee can replace it with cooking oil. Preferably Olive oil.
  

• Do not cook rice to extreme softness else the Pulav will not come out well.

• If you are not comfortable with boiling rice in the open container then cook it in pressure cooker.

• Do not over fry the almonds and cashew else they will not taste good in pulav.

• Drain water from boiled nicely so that each grain of boiled rice is separated.

• Any rice can be used for making the pulav but best results are obtained if Basmati rice is taken.

Suggested Variations:

• Pistachios, dry seeds of water melon (gabz), dry seeds of cucumber can also be added along with almonds and cashew nut.

• You can boil rice with little Shah jeera and salt to enhance the jeera flavor.

Rice boiled with Shah Jeera( black cumin seeds)