CHOLE / BLACK CHANA

Many people are not able to nail a perfect kala chana recipe. This is the recipe I have learnt from my mother in law who's an awesome cook.

I tried all the ways to get this recipe perfect but I could never get the perfect thick and well amalgamated chana with curry.

It's been more than 10 years now I am making chana this way and trust me it never disappoints. 

Sharing no fail and a new style of making this super healthy chana.

Do try and I bet your kids will love it.



INGREDIENTS
1 cup black Chana / black chickpeas / Kala Chana
2 large thinly sliced onions


4 finely chopped tomatoes
1/2 inch finely chopped ginger
1 tsp coriander powder (dhaniya powder)
1 tsp Cumin powder (jeera powder)
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp amchur powder (dry mango powder) (optional)
4-5 tbsp ghee or oil (I prefer ghee for this recipe)
Salt and chili to taste

METHOD

1. Wash and soak chana in water overnight. Drain the water and transfer chole in pressure cooker with 4 cups of water. Add sliced onions, finely chopped ginger and salt.

2. Close the cooker with lid and give one whistle on high flame and then reduce the flame to low. Keep on low flame for 20 minutes. Turn off the flame and let it de-pressurize naturally.

3. Using big strainer, sieve the chana, this will separate the water. Reserve the water for later use. Transfer chana back in the cooker. Keep the flame medium and start mashing the soft sliced onions, within a minute or so you will see onions will dissolve completely.

4. Once onions are completely dissolved, with the help of ladle, make a well inside the cooker moving chana on sides and add 4-5 tbsp of ghee, add coriander powder, cumin powder, amchur powder and some garam masala. Cook for a minute or so.

5. Now add finely chopped tomatoes, mix everything well. Cook on medium to high flame for 5 minutes stirring and mashing tomatoes meanwhile. Now add 1-2 tbsp of chana water which you reserved. Mix everything well.

6. Close the cooker with lid and reduce the flame to low and give one whistle. Here make sure not to increase the flame or chana will burn. After one whistle let cooker de-pressurize naturally. This step will cook the tomato fast and will ease your job.

7. Open the lid and mash tomatoes with the help of ladle, within a minute you will see, tomatoes will mix very well. 

8. Once tomatoes are dissolved completely add reserved chana water. Here you can add water according to the desired consistency and leftover water can be used in making rice, dals or kneading dough or even you can drink some of it as it's very healthy.

9. Increase the flame to high and bring to boil, reduce the flame and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

10. Add some freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.


Pictorial:

1. Transfer soaked and drained chana in cooker with water, salt, ginger and onions.

2. Close the lid and give one whistle. Reduce the flame to low and cook for 20 minutes.










3. Strain the water. Reserve the water.

4. Put the chana back into the cooker.

5. Make well, add ghee and dry spices. Cook for a minute.

6. Add finely chopped tomatoes. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes on high to medium flame and keep mashing tomatoes meanwhile.












7. Add 2-3 tbsp of chana water and close the lid. Reduce the flame to low and cook till one whistle.

8. Open the lid and mash the tomatoes using ladle, this will take just few minutes to dissolve tomatoes as they are already cook.

9.  You can see how nicely it's done.












10. Closer look of these thick chana.

11. Add reserved water, it's not necessary to put the complete water. You can adjust according to the desired consistency.

12. Mix well and cook for one boil on high flame and then simmer for 5-10 minutes.















13. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot. 

14. Closer look.
















15. Even closer.

PUNJABI PINNI / GOND LADOO / EDIBLE GUM LADOO / WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR LADOO

Pinni is a very famous Punjabi sweet served in winters.

I still remember my grandmother (Nani) used to send this in big 10 kg jar which we used to relish whole winters and same tradition is being followed at my home.

My family consume this super healthy ladoos every morning for healthy winters. Not only for kids but for ladies too it's very healthy...it boosts the immunity, good for bones and have many more health benefits. 

There are hardly any recipes which call for ajwain, it may sound little out of the place but you will not even realize that it's added, just roast a bit after adding it, this will help in digesting ladoos and is great for gut health. 

Many people add powdered sugar in ladoos, because of which it doesn't hold the shape well. To get crunchy but soft ladoos it's important to use tagar / bora sugar. You can buy this from any local grocery shop or can make at home in just 10 minutes. Click on Tagar/ Bora Sugar to get the recipe.


Do make this every winters....trust me your family will love it.

 

INGREDIENTS
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups powdered sugar( I used tagar / boora)
1 cup ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 cup gond (edible gum)
1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds) (optional)
1 tsp sonth powder (ginger powder)
1 tbsp melon seeds (magaz)
1 tsp cardamom powder (elachi powder)
1 cup chopped dry fruits (almonds, cashews, pistachio, raisins)

METHOD
1. In deep heavy bottomed pan or kadai add ghee, let it become hot, once it's hot add gond (edible gum), once it doubles in size and become little brown remove from ghee and keep aside.

2. Once it cool down completely, grind to make little coarse or fine powder. I like to make fine powder due to kids. Keep aside.

3. In same ghee add atta and cook on low flame till golden brown, this will take around 20-25 minutes.

4. Once atta is nicely brown and ghee start releasing from sides, add chopped nuts and roast for 5 minutes. Now add gond powder. Mix well.

5. Add melon seeds, ajwain and sonth powder. Cook this for another 3-4 minutes.

6. Turn off the gas and transfer this in wide pan to cool it down.

7. Once it cool down, it should be just warm when you take it in your hand. Add tagar / bora. Make sure it's not hot or completely cool.

8. Start making balls according to desired size.

9. Have this every morning with a warm glass of milk and do feed your kids one pinni everyday for healthy winters.


Pictorial:

1. Heat ghee in deep heavy bottomed pan.

2. Add gond.

3. Fry till doubles in size and become brown.

4. Like this. Remove and keep aside to cool down

5. In same ghee, add flour.

6. Roast.

7. Roast till atta becomes brown and start releasing ghee.

8. Once it turns brown add chopped nuts.

9. Add gond powder.

10. Magaz.

11. Ajwain and sonth powder.

12. After adding carom seeds roast for 3-4 minutes.Turn off the flame and transfer in wide pan to cool down.

13. Once it's warm (when you take it in your palm it should be bearable) add tagar / bora.

14. Make ladoo according to desired size.

15. Yummy Pinni is ready!

16. Closer look!

17. You can store this in airtight jar for 30 days.

TAGAR / BORA SUGAR

Bora sugar or tagar is made with sugar and different from powdered sugar, instead of grinding the sugar here we cook it with water to the consistency where it become like a powder.

Always use bora or tagar in making ladoos, this is the secret behind good sweet shops. This not only holds the shape of ladoo but also give little crunchiness.

When you add powder sugar in ladoo it releases the water and doesn't let it hold the shape.

This takes only 10 minutes to prepare it. You can store this for more than 3 months.


INGREDIENTS 
3 cup sugar

1 cup water
1 tbsp milk

METHOD
Mix together sugar and water. Once sugar is dissolved completely add some milk, trun the flame high, if there is any impurity in sugar it will float up. Discard if any.

The sugar I used was clean so you can see no dirt or scum in it.

 Cook till syrup becomes thick. Once you get the consistency shown below in pic keep cooking.

Turn off the flame. Now start stirring it continuously. As the sugar will cool down it will start becoming thicker and thicker and the stage will come when it will turn white. Don't leave at that stage and continue stirring till you get the powdered sugar like texture.

Once it cool down completely transfer in grinder and blend to get smooth fine sugar.

You can use this to make ladoos and pedas.

Pictorial:

1. Mix together water and sugar.

2. Add milk.

3. Remove if any scum is there.

4. Let it become thick.

5. Remove from gas and stir it cotinously till you reach this consistency.

6. After continuously stirring you will see this.

7. After it cool down completely grind to fine powder.

EGG SANDWICH / OMELETTE SANDWICH / CHEESE EGG SANDWICH

Omelette is one of the regular breakfast in many houses. It's not a healthy option but quick too.

As I always say little twist in everyday food makes it exciting and interesting for kids.

Here is another simple and easy twist for kids school lunch box.

Sandwich made with super soft omelette.

INGREDIENTS
For Omelette:
1 chopped onion


1 chopped tomato
1/4 tsp oregano
1 tsp turmeric powder ( haldi powder)
some black pepper powder
Salt and green chili to taste ( I didn't add chili due to kids)
2 eggs
4 cheese slices or some grated cheese
6-8 bread slices
Handful of freshly chopped coriander leaves
butter for toasting bread

For Spread:
1/4 cup cheese spread
1 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tsp mustard sauce (optional)


METHOD

Add ghee or oil in pan and saute onion till translucent. Add chopped tomato, salt, oregano, turmeric. Cover and cook on low flame till tomatoes become soft and mushy. 

Open the lid and mash tomatoes with the help of spatula or spoon to get paste. 

Break eggs in a bowl and beat well. Spread it over the masala. 

Heat pan with some oil or ghee, add egg batter and cook on medium flame from both the sides. Don't overcook else it will become hard and dry, which will result in dry sandwich

Transfer in plate to cool it bit. Cut into 3-4 pieces. 


 For Assembling: 
Trim edges of the bread slices  and apply cheese spread. Keep one part of the egg, cheese slice or grated cheese. Cover with another slice.

Apply butter on bread slice and toast it on pan till crisp and brown from both the sides.

Cut and pack in kids school lunch box.

Pictorial: 
 







1. Heat oil and saute onion till translucent. 

 







2. Add tomatoes and cook till soft and tender. 

3. Add 2 beaten eggs.

4. Cook 

5. Soft omelette is ready 

 
6. Prepare spread by mixing the ingredients mentioned above. 

7. Apply spread on trimmed bread slices and place cheese slice.

8. Keep one part of omelette. 

9. Apply softened butter on one side of the bread. 

10. Keep heavy weight on bread to make it crisp.

11. Flip and apply butter on the other side too. 

12. Crunchy sandwich is ready. 

13. Serve hot.

14. Pack in kids school lunch box.