ARBI PATTA(COLOCASIA LEAVES) ROLLS

This is one of my favourite monsoon snack, as these leaves are available only in rainy season we have to wait for whole year for this. Arbi patta are slightly bitter in taste, like sooran it tickles to throat, but are nutritious, If prepared and cooked properly, you will enjoy the recipe and associated health benefits with it.
Ingredients required for this recipe are:
Arbi leave: 10 medium size>
Besan: 1 cup
Salt : to taste
Cumin seeds: 1teaspoon
Red chilli powder: 1 teaspoon
Amchur powder: 1 teaspoon
Black mustard seeds: ½ teaspoon
Curry leaves: optional
Water: as required(for making besan paste and steaming leaves)
Oil : 1 table spoon
Method:
clean arbi leaves , cut the hard stems with kitchen scissors, wash them thoroughly.
In a bowl mix besan, redchilli powder, amchur powder and salt, gradually adding water make a thick paste of it. Whisk thoroughly.In a sauce pan boil 1 cup of water with ½ teaspoon of salt, dip each leave one by one for 30 seconds, as it starts changing color, (you will see the color of water changes) remove leaf from boiling water, use steel skimmer for this, remove excess water from each leave, this process with be helpful in removing the bitterness of leaves.
Spread one leaf on plate, apply besan paste to its front side, place another leave over it, repeat the process till 5 leaves are covered with besan paste. Tightly roll it. Make another roll of it by repeating the above step.
In a big sauce pan boil 1 cup of water place a steel strainer over it, arrange both rolls on it, cover the strainer with a plate. You can steam rolls in idli steamer also.Steam rolls for 15 minutes(for 5 minutes on high flame another 10 minutes on medium to low flame, so that besan and leaves are cooked completely.)
I use microwave for steaming if you are using MW first MW high for 2 minutes, reduce the power level to 60 % and MW for another 3 minutes. Give standing time for 5 minutes.)

Let the rolls cool completely with the help of sharp knife cut them in thin slices, heat oil in kadhai, add cumin seeds , mustard seeds and curry leaves as they splutter add  ½ teaspoon red chilli powder and rolls, cook them on high flame from both sides till they are golden in color Serve hot with raw mango chutney.

Points to Note:
You can also prepare subji of this rolls by adding onion and tomato masala.
Always try to use small or medium size leaves as they are soft and less bitter in taste.My entry to Healthy Snacks event.

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Aam Papad Rolls

Aam Papad is a method of preserving ripe mangoes, there are too many methods of preserving raw mangoes : achar or kali khatai etc. When mangoes are available in abundance in market you can preserve them for further use. In Lucknow we have good quality mangoes at very affordable price. In this recipe I am making aam papad in roll shape, you can make them in different forms and with different fillings( desiccated coconut, gulukand or chaat masala etc.) Ingredients required for this recipe are:
Ripe mangoes: 4 Nos. big size (peeled and pulp extracted)
Sugar: 2 tablespoon
Green cardamom Powder: ½ teaspoon

Method: Take a big thali or tray, grease it properly with oil.
Puree mango pulp in grinder, In a non stick pan, (you can use your regular pan too) take all the ingredients, stirring continuously cook on medium heat till mixture is cooked, its color will change to golden , its consistency will be similar to jam and will reduce half to its original volume. Remove it from the heat, with the help of spatula spread the mixture evenly ,as thin as you can. The tray is to be placed under the heat of sun(dhoop) for a day. I use to make aam papad in early morning so that it will get whole day to set.In the evening check aam papad, it will dry, if there is moisture in it , let it dry for another day. With the help of sharp knife make marks on it and roll them tightly.Aam papad is ready. In an air tight container you can refrigerate it for months.
Take chaat masala in a small bowl, roll aam papad in it from all sides. You will get spicy, chatpata aam papad roll.

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GULAB SHARBAT

Gulab sharbat is my mom’s recipe, every summer she prepares this in bulk and distribute bottles of gulab sharbat to me, my sister and some other relatives. This homemade preserve is better option as summer cooler than any other drink.

Ingredients required for this recipe are:
Fresh rose petals: 2 cups
Water: approx 700 ml
Sugar: 1 kg
Rose color(liquid) : 1 teaspoon
Rose essence: 1 teaspoon
Milk: 1 tablespoon (for cleaning sugar)
Method:
Wash rose petals thoroughly under running water( remove seeds of rose flower if any). Take a heave bottomed pan or you can prepare it in pressurecooker. Mix water and sugar bring it to boil, add milk and remove all the scum from syrup. When it is cleaned add rose petals to it and bring it to boil, when the syrup reaches to one string consistency add rose color to it, boil for another one minute. Remove the pan from flame and let it cool completely, strain the syrup in another pan. Mix rose essence to it and store gulab sharbat in glass bottles, gulab sharbat is ready to serve. Fill a glass with 1/4 of syrup and add cold water mix well and serve.
Points to be noted:
Ideally water and sugar ratio should be 1:1 but in this recipe I have used less water to obtain thick sharbat as it can be used for decoration in ice creams, custard and frozen desserts.

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INSTANT CHHUNDA IN MICROWAVE

Chhunda is a gujarti recipe, a form of sweet & sour chutney traditionally it is prepared under the heat of sun for 8-10 days. I had tried this recipe in microwave and results came out excellent. Within 4-5 minutes it is prepared , you can make it at any time.

Ingredients required for this recipe are:
Raw mangoes: 1 kg ( peeled & grated)
Sugar: depends upon the quantity of grated mangoes you get after peeling , grating and discarding seeds. If you get 4 cups of grated mangoes, 3 cups of sugar will be sufficient, you can also follow 1:1 ratio, depending upon your taste.
Cumin seeds: 2 teaspoon
Pepper corns: 1 teaspoon
Salt : as per taste
Red chilli powder: 2 teaspoon
Almonds: (roasted and sliced) 2 tablespoon
Method:
Place almond on the turntable of microwave, micro high for one minute, turning it after 30 seconds, this will dry roast almonds, let them cool completely
Take grated mangoes and all other ingredients(except almonds) in a microwave safe bowl. Mix them well and leave this for 5 minutes, by this time sugar will start dissolving, Mix all the ingredients and Micro high for 2 minutes with lid covered.
Stir once and micro high for another 1 & ½ minutes. Check the consistency , if you want to thicken it micro high for another 30 seconds.
Remove it from oven don’t give any standing time.
Mix chopped almonds to it. Let it cool completely and store it in a glass jar for further use.

You can have chhunda with rotis, parathas or simply as a spread on bread slice.
Points to remember:
In microwave sugar cooks too fast, giving standing time may cause sugar to get burnt or ceremalise.
While cooking with lid covered the cooking material in the bowl should be below the ¾ level of bowl.

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Taryal Patata

Taryal Patata: as a name suggest it is simply fried potatoes, Everybody fries potatoes, but the difference is how you prepare the ingredients, it change the entire look and taste of your recipe. Not only in this recipe, every fried vegetable I use to peel (if required) the veggies , wash them thoroughly, let them air dry for 5 minutes and then after cutting into small pieces, finally fry, following this way you will get the outer layer of veggies crisp and will absorb less oil.

required for this recipe are:
Potatoes: 6-8 medium sized (diced)
Green chillies: 4-6 (finely chopped)
Salt : to taste
Cumin seeds: 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder : ½ teaspoon
Coriander Powder: 1 tablespoon
Amchur powder: 1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder: ½ teaspoon
Garam masala powder: ½ teaspoon
Oil: 1 and ½ tablespoon
Method: heat oil in kadhai, add cumin seeds and green chillies as they splutter, add potatoes, mix well , fry on high flame till the outer layer of potatoes start changing color to golden brown, simmer the flame medium to low, don’t cover the lid, stir in between after 4-5 minutes you can add salt and turmeric powder cook for another 4 -5 minutes. When potatoes are tender and cooked, add rest of the masala, mix well , fry for another 1 minutes. Serve hot, You can sprinkle lemon juice over it for tangy taste.

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