Chandrakala

This Holi I decided to make a different sweet & Chandrakala came to my mind. Chandrakala is a dessert from Northern India, similar to gujiya. The ingredients are quite similar but the preparation process is a bit different. Recipe here looks lengthy but it took me just an hour to make these. After tasting, hubby dear declared that we don't need to go to any sweet shop anymore as we have our own "Halwai" at home

Ingredients (makes 10 to 12)
For Dough
1 1/2 cups Maida/plain flour
2 tbsp Ghee
a pinch Salt
2-3 tbsp water/as needed to knead the flour

For Filling
1 cup khoya
3/4 cup powder sugar (according to taste)
1/2 tsp elaichi powder
1 tsp chirongi
1 tsp raisins
1 tsp almonds silvered

For Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Few saffron strands

Paste of 1 tbsp maida + 1 tbsp water
Oil/Ghee for deep frying
1 tsp pistachio silvered for garnish

Method
For Dough
Add the maida flour & salt in a large mixing bowl.
Add ghee rub it so the mixture resembles crumbs.
Add water & start kneading the dough till you have a sami soft dough. Cover and keep aside.

For Filling
Take khoya in a pan & dry it on slow flame for sometime.
Add all other ingredients & turn the flame off.
Keep aside to cool down.

For Syrup
Prepare the sugar syrup by boiling sugar & water into one string consistency.
Add few saffron strands to syrup if you like.

How to Proceed
Make small balls of the dough.
Roll each dough pieces into small poories.
Place stuffing in the centre of one poori & apply flour & maida paste on the edges & cover with another poori.
Press to close it & then fold the edges to make design.
Repeat with remaining dough.
Fry all chandrakala one by one in ghee/oil at moderate temperature, till it turns golden.
Take them out & soak them immediately in prepared sugar syrup for 2 to 3 minutes & then put them in a sieve to drain extra sugar syrup.
Arrange them in a tray & garnish with grated pistachios/saffron strands.

Tips
* Dough should not be too soft or too hard.
* While rolling out poories, remember to roll it little thick in the centre & thinner at the edges. It will prevent filling from oozing out while frying.
* Suppose if the stuffing ooze out in oil , immediately switch off the stove & remove the sweet. Strain the oil & reuse
* Khoya for filling should be fresh & dry.
* Stuffing can be made using dry fruits like charoli or chirongi, raisins, coconut, almonds, cashews, pistachio.
* Sweetness of filling & sugar syrup depends on individual taste.
* Store in a box only after the sweet cools down completely.

Samosas

Samosas are probably the most popular Indian appetiser. I used bananas instead of potatoes here but it can be easily made with potatoes using same recipe.

Ingredients (16 small or 8 big samosas)
For Dough
1/2 cup plane flour (maida)
1/4 cup sooji (semolina)
1/4 cup wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ajwain
2 tbsp oil
1/4 cup lukewarm water (approximately)
1/4 tsp white vinegar

For Filling
3 large boiled potatoes or 2 boiled raw bananas
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 chopped green chili
1/4 tsp chopped ginger
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 tsp amchur (mango powder)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp oil
1/2 cup green peas
1 tbsp

Oil for frying
Green chatney to serve

Method
For Dough
Mix the flours, sooji, salt, oil & vinegar together & rub them a little.
Add water slowly & knead the dough for about 1 to 2 minutes to make the semi stiff but smooth dough.
Set the dough aside & cover it with damp cloth. Let the dough sit for at least 15 minutes.

For Filling
Peel & chop potatoes/bananas into very small cubes.
Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium high heat.
Add cumin seeds as cumin seeds crack, add green chilies, ginger, coriander powder & stir for few seconds.
Next add green peas & turn heat to medium & cover for few minutes.
Add the potatoes/ bananas & stir-fry for about few minutes.
Stir in garam masala & amchur.
Let the filling cool to room temperature.
Add fresh coriander.

Making Samosa
Take 1 tbsp of water and 1 tbsp of plane flour to make a paste & keep aside.
Knead the dough for a minute.
Divide the dough into 4 equal parts & make into balls.
Roll each ball into 6-inch diameter circles & cut each circle in half.
Spread the paste lightly all along the edge of one semicircle.
Pick this semicircle up with both hands & fold it into a cone shape.
Pinch the side of this cone so that it is completely sealed.
Fill the cone with filling, leaving little space to close.
Press this filling down with your fingers.
Now close the top of this cone into a triangle shape, pinching the top edge so that it is completely sealed.
Continue filling the rest of the samosas.
Heat about 1-1/2 inch of the oil in a frying pan on medium heat.
To check if oil is hot enough place a small piece of dough in oil. The dough should sizzle & come to the surface slowly.
Place the samosas in the frying pan a few at a time.
After samosas are floating on top of the oil turn them slowly.
Fry until they turn a light golden-brown color on all sides.
Serve hot with green chatney.

Tips
* Boil the potatoes or bananas just until tender.
* You can take only maida for dough or take half maida & half wheat flour. I felt we can skip sooji, didn't feel it gave any extra taste or anything.
* The dough has to be kneaded well; otherwise, the samosas will not come out as crisp.
* Test the heat of oil of filling by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if it cracks right away oil is ready.
* If the filled samosas sit for too long, they will dry. To avoid this, cover with a damp cloth.
* Adding vinegar in the samosa’s gets a nice flakier crust.

Stuffed Capsicum Rings

The dish looks great and tastes yummy, made it for my in laws, when they visited me. They don't eat most of the things due to religious reasons. So I was always busy trying new things for them & it is one of those experiments

Ingredients
2 big round & firm green capsicum
3 raw bananas boiled
1/2 cup boiled green peas
1/2 tsp jeera powder
1 tsp saunf-dhaniya powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp amchoor powder
Salt to taste
Chat masala to sprinkle
Oil to shallow fry

Method
Cut thick rings out of capsicum & keep aside.
Mash bananas & peas & mix together with all masalas.
Fill the capsicum rings with the mixture & press little.
Take a non stick griddle & apply very little oil on it.
Arrange stuffed rings on it & let them cook on slow flame for some time.
Turn them carefully to cook on other side.
When cooked on both sides, sprinkle little chat masala & serve either as starters or as a side dish with main meal.

Tips
* Can be easily made with potatoes instead of bananas.
* Capsicum should be firm.
* Can use red & yellow ones too.