Chocolate Cups

When I think of the most sinful thing to eat in this world it’s none other than Chocolate that comes to my mind. The pleasure of eating chocolate cannot be replaced by any other dessert. Of course, one needs to watch out for the content of chocolate as it not only contains cocoa solids but also cocoa butter and sugar so as to make it melt in our mouth. It is produced from the seeds of the cacao tree which after roasting and several other processing becomes chocolate or cocoa. This final product is so additive that we are it’s slaves in some form or the other. For my Chocolate Cups, I have tried to use the most optimal balance of flavor and texture of chocolate so that we all do not feel too guilty or break those New Year resolutions.

Recipe: (Makes 8 - 10 chocolate cups)

1 dark chocolate/regular bar or chips
1 white chocolate bar or chips
Paper or Aluminum muffin cups

Boil water in a saucepan. Place a vessel on top of the pan such that the vessel sits well. Pour in some white chocolate chips and stir until it melts. I tried using microwave but the white chocolate did not melt well rather it burnt out soon. Now use a brush and apply a thick coating of white melted chocolate to the inside of the muffin cup in some random fashion. In the meanwhile, melt the regular chocolate. This could either be done in a microwave or the same method as white chocolate. Apply thick coating of this chocolate to the inside of the same muffin cup in which the white chocolate is applied. Place it in a muffin tray or some small vessel and refrigerate it for at least 2- 3 hours. After that, slowly peel off the muffin paper and your designer white and dark chocolate cups are ready.

Chocolate Cup after refrigeration and peeling muffin paper

Scoop some chocolate ice-cream, shave some more chocolate on top. You can also add a couple of chocolate wafer rolls for more chocolate.

Chocolate Cups - my first entry to Jihva for Ingredients and Art You Eat #1 - Chocolate

Stuffed Karela

Karela or Bitter Melon is one vegetable not everyone enjoys to eat as it’s name suggests due to it’s bitter taste. Yet it is widely used in Indian cooking. This vegetable is nature’s yet another bountiful gift to mankind. Karela has lot of medicinal properties too. It has been widely used in traditional medicines. It is known to be used in treating diabetes which may help in lowering blood sugar level.
So, it’s Karela for dinner at my home tonight.

1 & 1/2 lbs or 6 - 8 pieces of small to medium size karela
Fennel seeds or saunf
1 - 2 tbsp Masala
1 medium size onion finely chopped
1 medium size cooked and mashed aloo (potato) or 2 tbsp besan
1 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Amchur powder
Salt to taste

Wash karela and scrape the skin. Save the skin for stuffing. Slit the karela with it’s in tact. Apply a good amount of salt all over the karela and keep it aside for at least 2 - 3 hours. In a pan, heat oil and add saunf, onion, scrapings from the karela and saute well. If you are using besan instead of aloo, then saute the besan as well until golden brown on a medium flame. Add the masala and mix well. if you use aloo, now add the mashed aloo and mix. Let the mixture cool.

After a couple of hours water would be released from the karela. Squeeze the karela well to get rid of the water; it’s bitter. Rinse the karela with water; pat dry. Now fill in the stuffing into each karela. You need not add more salt as the karela has already absorbed enough salt. In a non-stick pan, add oil and place the karela’s. Cover it with a lid and let it cook. Turn the side of the karela such that it’s cooked and turned golden brown all through out. Karela is ready to be relished with some hot Chappatis or Rotis or Naan bread or Tortillas. Even a finicky eater will find this dish delightful.

Mutter Paneer

Paneer is the most common Indian form of cheese that is similar to fresh mozzarella without the salt added to it. It does not melt like any other cheese. Most Paneer is pressed into a cube and then sliced, chopped or crumbled. It is widely used in India and a variety of dishes could be made from Paneer. It is completely vegetarian. It is a good source of protein for vegetarians. Paneer could be made at home by simply bringing milk to a boil and using acid to separate the curds. The curds are then drained in a cheesecloth or muslin cloth and excess water is pressed out. Now tell me Who wouldn’t like paneer?

1 whole paneer - cubed
1 medium size onion grated or finely chopped
Tomato puree 1/2 cup. Tomato paste could be added as an alternative by mixing with water.
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp garlic (optional)
1/4 cup thawed frozen peas or you can use fresh peas
1/4 cup yogurt or curd
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp Dhania or Coriander powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp Garam Masala (optional)
1 cinnamon stick, 3 -4 cloves, 1 bay leaf, 1 cardamom or elaichi (Break open it )
1 tsp cumin seeds or jeera
Oil and salt to taste

First boil some water. Turn off the stove, add turmeric, salt, mix well and then add the cubed paneer pieces. Let it soak in it for 10 -15 minutes. Drain the water. You will see that the paneer absorbed the yellow color of the turmeric.

In a pan, add oil and when hot, add jeera. Then add the cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and elaichi and saute. Now add the grated onion and saute well. Add the tomato puree and let it cook well until oil separates. Add some turmeric, chilli powder, dhania powder, garam masala to the yogurt and mix well.

Add this yogurt mixture to the onions and cook. Add some water if needed. Then add the paneer pieces, mix well. In the end, add the thawed peas.

If you are using fresh peas, first add the peas, cook and then add the paneer. Bring it to a boil and your favorite paneer recipe is ready to be served with Bread or Chappatis or Rotis or Naan bread or Tortillas.

Dal Batti

It’s New Year and I wanted to start with a recipe that was so special to my family’s origin and none other than Dal Batti that came to my mind. Dal Batti is a wholesome Rajasthani meal. Dal, or lentil curry, is served with Batti, a round shaped wheat flour flour that’s baked in a charcoal fire or oven.
Batti could also be made out of flour from millet or a mix of maize and wheat flour, with loads of ghee traditionally, but here I will show you the figure friendly version.

For Dal: (Serves approximately 6 people)

1 - 1 & 1/2 cups split Mung Dal
1/2 cup - channa dal
1 medium size onion chopped
1 large tomato chopped
3 - 4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp grated ginger
4 -5 whole black peppercorns
1 - 2 green chilli pepper or as per your taste
1 - 2 tbsp oil
1 - 2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp tumeric powder
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds or jeera
Salt to taste

Channa Dal and Split Green Mung Dal

Pressure cook the mung and channa dal with cloves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, turmeric and tomato and twice the amount of water until soft. In a pan, heat oil and saute the onions and green chillies.

Then add the cooked dal and add some more water until you have thick pouring consistency. Add salt. In a separate small pan, heat some oil (or ghee) add mustard, jeera and let the mustard seeds splutter. Now add the ginger, saute and then the red chillie powder and pour this into the Dal on top. Add some chopped cilantro or coriander for garnish.

For Batti:

2 cups of whole wheat flour
1/4 cup of yogurt or curd
2 tsp of Ajwain seeds or Saunf (Fennel Seeds)
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

Mix the yogurt in luke warm water. Add the ajwain, oil and salt to the wheat flour and mix well. Now add the yogurt mixture and knead the dough until all the flour is well mixed. The dough needs to be a bit hard if touched after kneading. Make big size round
balls from the dough.

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Cover the baking tray with aluminum foil and place the batti balls separating them from each other for about 2 inches. Let it bake for about 15 minutes. Check the dough touching the foil to have turned into golden brown. Then turn the batti balls to cook on the other side for another 15 minutes. To check if the batti balls are completely cooked, take out one from the oven, break it in the middle to check if it cooked.

Your Dal Batti is ready to be served. Crumble the bhatti in big pieces in a serving bowl, add the dal on top and immerse the batti, add some chopped onions, cilantro and lime or lemon wedges. You can also drizzle some ghee on top. Ahh, a little taste of heaven.