Rajasthani Festive Platter

After Completing  the italian cuisine here comes a very own popular Indian regional cuisine for IFC ( International food Challenge ).  Am so Thankful to shobana and saraswathi for giving me this opportunity host this month challenge . As my native is rajasthan I was so excited to share this very own rajasthani or I should say Marwari recipes . As I come from a marwadi Background I wanted to share the recipe from our Region ” Marwad” . 

The vast to explore, Rajasthani cuisine, has a splendid array of unique, rich, colorful, spicy curries and mouth-watering Delectable sweets like ghevar , malpua. This style of cooking, is not only the mirror of wealth and prosperity,  but also reflects the traditional warrior lifestyles  of the rajputs  and the availability of ingredients in this water starved region mainly the desserts . So food that last for several days was given more preference. Due to the scarcity of water, the cuisine involves use of milk, yogurt or buttermilk to wet the gravies. Instead of greens, they use different types of local berries like  . The use of lentils and legumes, mainly Jowar,  Bajra and Gram Flour in their food keeps the nutritional value very high. Once cooked, these most of the traditional Rajasthani vegetables can be eaten over days and don’t need refrigeration for weather condition over there keep the food good . 

The main ingredient behind the rich flavors and the exotic aroma of Rajasthani food is the use of Ghee (traditional Indian clarified butter) in making almost all the dishes; main, sides and desserts. 

 You all might be knowing traditional vegetarian dishes like daal-baati-churma and Ker-Sangri , mouth-watering sweets like Ghevar and Mawa Kachori ,everything makes Rajasthani cuisine in many ways unique and colorful from other culinary traditions of India. In our tradition all the males of the family sit together and enjoy their food in same plate which is very large in size spread with delicious delights and it is same for womens ,This is to show the unity and togetherness.  For festivals Like Diwali or any occasion all the members of the family are invited for lunch or dinner. So I have got  a royal spread of rajasthani recipes for My IFC members and this month I have challenged them with an wide variety of rajasthani recipes to choose .I challenged the below platters Menu :

1.  Rajasthani Thali 

Starting from appetizer to drink

Moong dal vada
Rajasthani Breads – Missi roti , Tawa pudi, Poori
Rice and accompaniments to go with plain rice – Thiyari, Plain rice with kale channe ki kadhi
Sabzi / Curries – Haldi gobi mutter ki sabzi, sema ki sabzi, sabz jaipuri , papad ki sabzi,Mot ki sabzi.
Salad 
Dessert – Lapsi
Drink – Chaas

2. Rajasthani Kachori Platter 

Moong dal / yellow split lentil  kachori
Onion / kande ki kachori
Mawa Kachori

3. Rajasthani Halwa Platter 

Moong dal sheera
Singoda / water chestnut  Ki sheera
Atte ka sheera

So there was options give to the member of IFC :

•  Pick any ( 1 halwa and 1 kachori)
• Pick any two, ( any 2 halwas or any 2 kachoris)
• Pick any platter ( Either halwa platter or Kachori platter, with all three items)
• Rajasthani Thali ( Feel free to substitute/skip any veggies in the platter) 

Moong dal vada 

Ingredients

1 cup Moong Dal (yellow spilt moong dal/ split green gram dal without husk )
1 tbsp Chopped Coriander
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
1-2 Green Chillies chopped
1 tsp  Ginger chopped
2 tbsp chopped Onions
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Method

• Soak the moong dal in water for a 2 hours.
• Grind it coarsely to form a paste if needed sprinkle some water while grinding if needed do not add too much.
• Combine it with chopped onions, chillies, corainder, ginger and cumin seed.
• Check the salt seasoning, Make balls out of it and deep fry till golden in color.

• Serve this crispy vadas with green chutney or tomato ketchup. 

Missi Roti 

Ingredients

Wheat flour – 1 cup
Besan – 1/2 cup 
onion – 1 small ( chopped finely)
green chillies – 2-3 Nos
Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp ( chopped)
Turmeric pd – 1/4 tsp
Cumin pd – 1/4 tsp
Red chiili pd – 1 tsp
oil – 1 tbsp
Carom seeds – 1/4 tsp 
Water to make dough
Ghee to roast 
salt to taste

Method 

• In a bowl Mix All the ingredients , except water and ghee
• Add water little By little and form a soft dough 
• Now need to rest this dough as if you rest them they become loose.
• Divide the dough in to equal parts and roll them with rolling pin , dust some extra plain flour while rolling if needed.

• Heat a tawa and cook this Rolled roti first one side and after few sec and then flip them to cook the other side .
• Spread some ghee on the roti while cooking .
• Serve them Hot with any sabzi or raita

Poori  and Tawa Pudi

Poori

Ingredients 


Wheat flour 1 cup 
salt to taste
Water as needed to make a pliable dough

Method 

• Stir in all the ingredients and make a pliable dough.
• Knead them well till smooth .
• Divide the  dough in to equal parts and roll them in to circles  using a rolling pin .
• Heat oil is Kadai . once the oil is hot Deep fry the poories til they are light brown both the sides .
• While the poori is slowly coming to the surface press them gently using a back of the ladle so that they puff up well.

Tawa pudi 

Method

• The dough is same as for poori .
• Roll the dough using rolling pin and spread some ghee in the one side .
• Fold the rolled dough from all the corners like an envelop and form a square .
• Dust some flour and roll them again.
• Flip and cook both the sides on a tawa till brown stops appear.

Sabz Jaipuri

Recipe source : Mharo Rajasthan

Ingredients


Mixed Veggies – 3 cups chopped (You can use any blend of veggies here, there is no what to use and what not to – I used, peas, carrots, green beans, corn and potatos)
Haldi (Turmeric Powder) – 1/2 tsp
Lal Mirch (Red Chilli) Powder – 1 tsp
Laung (Cloves) – 3-4
Dalchini (Cinnamon Stick) – 1 inch piece
Salt – as per taste
Oil/Ghee – 1 tbsp
Dhaniya Patti (Cilantro) – few sprigs
To Grind
Jeera (Cumin Seeds) – 1 tbsp
Dhaniya (Coriander) Seeds – 1 tbsp
Kaju (Cashew Nuts) – 10-12
Pyaaz (Onion) – 1 cup chopped
Tomato – 1 cup chopped

Method 

• Dry Roast dhaniya and jeera and then grind it to a paste (with little water) along with other ingredients under “To Grind”.
• Take a pan and add oil to it.
• Add dalchini and laung and fry till nice aroma comes out of it.
• Add chopped veggies and salt and saute for 5 minutes.
• Now, add ground paste, haldi, lal mirch powder, 1 cup water and mix well.

• Cover, reduce the heat and cook till veggies are cooked well.
• Garnish with cilantro.

Haldi Gobi Mutter ki sabzi

Ingredients

Raw turmeric –  9-10 No( grated)
Green peas – 1/2 cup
Cabbage – 1/4 cup ( chopped )
Tomato – 1 small ( chopped)
Red chilli pd – 1/2 tsp
Cumin pd – 1/4 tsp
Coriander pd – 1 tsp
Yogurt – 1/2 cup
oil – 2 tsp
Cumin seeds –  1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida  – 2 pinch
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp chopped
Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Method

• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard and cumin seeds .
• After the splutter add curry leaves,Asafoetida then add chopped cabbage and saute them for a while.

• Then add grated turmeric and saute .
• Add peas , tomato and saute for few minutes  and cook them for a while till they are done.
• After the raw smell of turmeric goes of add red chilli pd, coriander pd, salt and cumin pd , Mix them well .
• Add Yogurt and Mix them well , give it a nice boil and then turn of the flame .

• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Sema ki sabzi / Long beans sabzi

Ingredients

Karamani / Long beans/Sema – 200 grams ( Chopped)
Tomato – 1 small ( chopped)
Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp
Jeera seeds – 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric pd – 1/4 tsp
Red chilli pd – 1 tsp
cumin pd – 1/4 tsp
Dhania pd / coriander pd – 2 tsp
Water to sprinkle
oil – 1 tbsp

Method

• In a kadai heat oil , add mustard , cumin seeds and let them crackle.
• Add curry leaves followed by chopped long beans and tomatoes .
• saute them well till long beans it cooked but not over cooked.
• After long beans and tomatoes are cooked well add red chilli pd , turmeric pd, cumin pd, coriander pd and mix well .
• Sprinkle some water if needed , add salt and mix well till all the masala it well coated in the long beans.

• Serve this dry curry hot with Roti’s.

Moth/ Mot ki sabzi

Ingredients

Moth beans – 1/2 cup ( soaked over nite)
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Red chilli pd – 1 tsp
Turmeric pd – 1/4 tsp
Coriander pd – 2 tsp
cumin pd – 1/2 tsp
Water as required
Oil – 1 tbsp
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
salt to taste

Method

• Pressure cook the soaked moth beans with little salt for 2- 3 whistles .
• Drain the water and add red chilli pd, turmeric pd , salt, coriander pd,cumin pd to the cooked moth beans
• In a kadai heat oil add mustard seeds and once they splutter add curry leaves.
• Then add the moth beans in which you have already topped the masalas .
• Mix them well and water depending on how thin or thick you want the gravy to be.

• Boil them for a while and turn off the flame .
• Serve them hot with roti’s and poori’s

Papad Ki sabzi 

Ingredients

Dry Papad – 1 No ( large size)
Red chilli pd – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric pd – 1/4 tsp
Coriander pd – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil – 2 tsp
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp

Method

• Break the papad into big pieces and keep it aside.
• In a kadai heat oil add mustard seeds and once they splutter add curry leaves 
• Add the red chilli pd, turmeric pd , coriander pd , cumin pd and  1/4 cup of water 
• After it gets a boil add the broken papad into the water and cook them till they are tender .

• Serve Hot with roti.

Kale channa ki kadhi

1/2 cup Kala channa ( black chickpes ) – soaked over nite
1 cup Yogurt 
2 tbsp Besan
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1/4 tsp turmeric pd
1/2 tsp Red chilli pd  ( adjust to your taste)
2 No green chilli 
1 tbsp ghee
1 sprig curry leaves
salt to taste

Method 

• Cook the kale channa in pressure cooker . I cooked for 3 whistles , they should not get mushy .
• In a bowl add curd 1 cup of water , salt turmeric, Besan and churn it well .Keep it aside.
• In a sauce pan heat ghee after they melt add mustard , cumin seeds and wait until they crackle.
• Now add the pressure cooked and drained kala channa and saute .
• Add red chilli pd, curry leaves, green chilli  and mix them well.
• Now pour in the churned butter milk or curd mixture and simmer the flame .
• Let them boil till the raw smell of the besan goes of.
• Use a non stick pan so that it will avoing the curd mixture to stick to the bottom .
• Keep on stiring occasionally and Boil them well.

• Once the raw smell from besan goes of and the kadhi become a  bit thick switch of the flame and garnish with coriander leaves .

Thiyari / Gatta chawal 

Ingredients 

Basmati Rice  – 1 cup
Peas – 1/4 cup 
Onion – 1 small ( chopped)
Tomato – 1 small ( chopped)
lemon juice – 1 tsp ( optional)
Green chilli – 2-3 No
 Bay leaves – 1 No
cinnamon stick – 1 small
Clove – 2 No
Cardamom – 2 No
Red chilli pd – 1/2 tsp
Garam masala – 1/4 tsp
Turmeric pd – 1/4 tsp
Coriander pd – 1 tsp
Cumin pd – 1/2 tsp
Cashew – 2 tbsp ( broken)
Oil – 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves – 1/4 cup ( chopped )
curry leaves – 1 sprig

For gatte 

Besan / Gram flour – 1/2 cup
Oil – 2 tsp
Red chilli pd – 1/4 tsp
Turmeric pd – 1/4 tsp 
Cumin pd – 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste 
Carom seeds – 1/4 tsp
water to make stiff dough + for Boiling the gatta’s 

Method

Cook the rice separately and keep it aside .

For making Gatta’s

• Combine all the ingredients under gatta and make them in to a stiff dough .
• Divide them into equal parts and roll them in to cylindrical shapes .
• Boil enough water in a sauce pan and add the shaped gatta’s to it.
• Cook them till a knife inserted comes out clean .
• Drain the water and cut the gatta’s in to  1/2 inch length keep them aside.

 For Thiyari

•  In a saucepan heat oil  and add bay leaf, cinnamon , clove, cashew  and cardamom .
• After they turn slightly brown add onion and saute till translucent.
• Add tomatoes and saute them till mushy.
• Then add red chilli pd, turmeric pd,Garam masala, coriander pd, cumin pd, salt and Mix well.
• Sprinkle some water if you feel the masala is burning
•  Now add peas and saute them till they are cooked well.
• Then add Boiled gattas and mix well.

• Mix in the Cooked rice and stir them till they are well combined .
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve Hot with lemon juice squeezed on top .
• You can serve this with any raita you like .

Lapsi

Ingredients 
1/2 cup broken wheat (bulgur  wheat /cracked wheat )
1/2 cup gud / Jaggery ( crushed)
2 cup water 
1/4 cup Ghee 
1 tsp Cardamom powder(elaichi)
Nuts for garnish ( cashew , almonds ..)

Method 

• Heat 2 cups of water with jaggery in it .
• Stir in between till it boils .
• Heat the ghee in a heavy bottom  pan and roast the broken wheat on  medium- low flame , stirring continuously till you will see the color of the wheat change from pale brown to a reddish brown.
• Slowly add the Jaggery water to broken wheat and increase the flame till you see the water is bubbling.Then reduce the flame .Cover the pan with lid and let it cook,stirring occasionally till the wheat is done.
• It may take 15 – 20 minutes to cook.
• Add elaichi/ cardamom powder and let it cook till the ghee separates.
• You will see that wheat has soaked up all the water and looks nice and fluffy.

• When Ghee appears in side of pan then turn off the flame.
• Garnish with cashew ,almonds and kismis .

Salad

Ingredients

Cucumber – 1 No
Radish – 1 No
Tomato – 1 No
salt to taste 
Red chilli to sprinkle 
Chaat masala to taste

Method


Cut the veggies in to even roundels and arrange them in a plate then sprinkle salt, red chilli and chaat masala on it.

Chaas

Ingredients

Yogurt/ curd – 1 cup 
Water – 2 cups
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp ( chopped)
Green chilli –  1 No
Cumin seeds- 1/4 tsp
Oil – 1/4 tsp
Ginger – 1 inch
Salt to taste 

Method

• Whisk the curd and water till nice and frothy.
• Add chopped coriander , salt to it.
• In a pan heat oil , add cumin seeds and after they splutter add green chilli , curry leaves , ginger and saute for few sec .
• Transfer this to buttermilk mixture and mix them well.