Shahi tukda with rusks

Shahi tukda is a very well known Indian dessert,traditionally  made by frying bread slices and adding condensed milk and nuts to it. But,here I have made some change in the basic ingredient,in order to give it a healthier aspect. Because, whoever has made it,knows,frying bread slices consume too much of oil /ghee ,which is not at all good for our health as well as pockets.
So...here it goes..no fry shahi tukda.....

Ingredients :

Slightly sweet rusk biscuits : 10/12
Sugar : 6 tablespoons (or,to taste)
Full cream milk : 1 litre
Milk powder: 2 tablespoons
Chopped/sliced almonds : 2 tablespoons
Kishmish (raisins) : 1 tablespoon
Cherries : 6/7 (I used tinned ones)

Method :

• Bring the milk to a boil in a deep saucepan. 
• Reduce flame slightly when it starts to boil.Stir occasionally.Reduce the milk to half its quantity.
• Add sugar,mix well and boil for another 5/6 minutes.
• Let the thickened milk cool down a little.Then add the milk powder to it and mix well.
• Arrange the rusks in a serving dish.
• Pour the thickened milk (kheer) over it.
• Sprinkle chopped walnuts and raisins.
• Cut the cherries in to half and decorate them.keep it in the refrigerator for some time to cool completely,before serving.It should be served immediately after taking out from the fridge.
• Your guilt free shahi tukda is ready to devour. 
• Diabetics or those who have  problems with sugar can use unsweetened rusks and sweeteners in place of sugar.

Hung curd tikkis in gravy

                                        

A very tasty and healthy dish,made with hung curd and spices. 

Ingredients :for the tikkis 

Hung curd  : 1 cup
Paneer (cottage cheese) : 2 tablespoons (crumbled)
Ginger paste : 1 tablespoon
Chopped ghreen chillies : 1 teaspoon
Salt: to taste
Sugar:half a teaspoon
Dry roasted besan(gram flour) : 4 tablespoons
Oil to fry

For the stuffing : *

Finely chopped cashew nuts : 2 tablespoons
Chopped kishmish (raisins) : 2 tablespoons
Moong sprouts: 2 tablespoons 

For the gravy :

Onion paste : 2 medium onions 
(peel,boil and make a fine paste)
Ginger paste : 1 tablespoon
Tomato : 1 (chopped)
Jeera(cumin)powder : 1 teaspoon
Dhania(coriander)powder : 1 teaspoon
Haldi(turmeric powder) : half a teaspoon
kashmiri red chilli powder : 1 teaspoon
Garam masala powder : half a teaspoon
Salt : to taste
Sugar : half a teaspoon
Cashew paste : 1 teaspoon (you can add 1 teaspoon of fresh cream instead of cashew paste.It gives the dish a rich colour)
Oil : 2 tablespoons

Method :

• Hang the curd in a muslin cloth for at least 6 hours.After all the water in the curd drains out,you will get a chunk of curd ..called chakka dahi in Hindi.
• Dry roast the besan in a pan for a few minutes.Add it to the curd chunk.
• Add all the other ingredients under tikkis,except oil, mash and make a smooth dough.
• Mix all the ingredients under stuffing in a bowl.
• Put oil to heat in a pan
• Wet your hands,take a small ball from the curd dough,flatten it slightly on your wet palm,put a little of stuffing mixture on it,and carefully cover the stuffing with the dough with your other hand. 
• Your palms should be wet while doing all these. otherwise,dough will get stuck to your palm and it will be difficult to shape the tikkis.If needed,keep a big bowl of water ready at hand and dip your palm in it whenever needed.

                                       

• Gently drop the tikkis one by one in the hot oil and shallow fry them over medium heat.
• Keep the fried tikkis in a dish and start preparing the gravy. **

                                                    

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan. Add Ginger paste,boiled onion paste,salt and sugar and fry for a few minutes. 
• Now add haldi,chilli powder,sugar and chopped tomato, mix well ,cover and cook over medium heat for 5/7 minutes.
• When the tomatoes have completely melted and oil starts separating,add the cashew paste / cream and mix.
• Add warm water,about 2 cups and bring to a boil.
• When it starts boiling, add the tikkis and and sprinkle garam masala powder.
• Switch gas off.
• Keep covered until serving.
• Serve with Pulao, roti or paratha or enjoy it as you feel like.Don't forget to let me know how you liked it. :D

* You can make stuffing of your own choice. I had sprouts at home,so I added them. You can omit them if you like.

** These tikkis can be enjoyed simply as snacks,without putting them in gravy. 

NB : I have used boiled onion paste,because,that way,it absorbs lesser oil. Other than health reasons,it is particularly useful,if you want your gravy's colour not too dark.

Hara Dhania Chicken (chicken cooked with coriander leaves)

                                             

A simple,not so spicy and "no onion" chicken dish,and yummy in taste. And,it does not take that long to cook this recipe.

Ingredients :

• Chicken : 500 gms
• Garlic paste : 1 tablespoon
• Ginger paste :1tablespoon
• Green chillies : 6/7 - chopped (or,to taste )
• haldi (turmeric) powder : 1 teaspoon
• Hara dhania (coriander leaves) : finely chopped (1 cup)
• Tomatoes : 2 large (chopped)
• Salt : to taste
• Sugar : 1 teaspoon
• Sunflower or canola oil : 2 tablespoons
• Potato (optional) : 2 medium (boiled and cut into 4 pcs each)

Method :

• Clean chicken pieces and marinate them with garlic paste,ginger paste,haldi and chopped tomatoes.Keep refrigerated for at least 2 hours.
• Heat oil in a deep pan. Add the marinated chicken. Stir and cook over high flame for 5/7 minutes.
• Add salt,mix well,cover, reduce flame to medium and cook for at 10 minutes,stirring occasionally.Mix the potatoes .
• Check if the chicken is cooked. If not,stir and cook for a few more minutes.
• Add the sugar,chopped green chillies and chopped dhania.Mix well. Switch the gas off. Keep the pan covered till serving.
• Goes well with steamed rice.