Makhane ka kheer

I had posted a recipe for Makhane ki Sabji which has been very popular. I am now writing about Makahne ka kheer. I am sure you will like this also.

Ingredients

Makhana         2 cups
Milk                 5 cups
Dry fruits         according to taste
Saffron             a few strands
Cardamoms    3-4
Sugar
Ghee or butter

Take good quality fluffy makhanas  for this dish.

Cooking

• Boil the milk till it thickens to half.  
• Fry the makhanas lightly in ghee or butter till they become crisp.
• Break or rather crush the makhanas into small pieces.
• Add makhanas to the milk and cook like any other kheer.
• Add sugar and crushed cardamom seeds and cook till the  sugar melts.
• Remove from fire.
• Add dry fruits and let the kheer cool to room temperature.
• Mix a few strands of saffron in two to three tea spoons of milk.
• Pour it into the kheer and mix.

The kheer is ready. Keep it in the fridge for about half an hour or so and let it cool.

Garnish with sliced dry fruits and a few strands of saffron and serve. It makes excellent dessert.

Chane ka Nimona

Nimona is a kind of curry generally prepared with green peas in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. Since green peas are available in winter – now they are available round the year – Nimona is  generally prepared in winter months and eaten with rice. However, I am giving a variation of it viz. Nimona made with black chana.

Ingredients

Bengal  Chana               2 cups
Badiayan                        2   large
Onions                            2 medium size
Tomatoes                        2 medium
Potato                             1 medium
Green chilies                   according ti taste
Dhania leaves
Ginger  Garlic paste      1 1/2 tea spoon
Turmeric powder           1/2 tea spoon
Dhania powder              1 tea spoon
Red chili powder            according to taste
Garam masala whole
Garam masala powder   1/2 tea spoon
Cooking oil
Salt

Preparation

• Soak chana overnight.
• Grind three fourths of the soaked chana coarsely, leaving one fourth whole.
• Slice the onions and tomatoes.
• Peel and cut the potatoes into medium size pieces.

Cooking

• Put oil in a deep frying pan or Kadahi.
• When the oil is heated fry the badiayan and the potato pieces separately. 
• Take out the Badiyan and potato pieces.
• Leave two to three table spoon of oil  in the pan.
• Add 1 inch stick of dalchini,  4-5  lawang , 2 Badi elaichai, 2-3 choti elaichi, a few grains of kali mirchi and  tej patta.
• Add sliced onions and fry till golden brown.
• Add turmeric powder, dhania powder, ginger garlic paste, red chili powder.
• Add one or  two spoon of water and fry the masalas.
• Add tomatoes and slit green chilies and cook till the tomatoes become soft.
• Add whole as well as ground chana and  potatoes.
• Add water and let it simmer on slow fire.
• Keep stirring till  chana and  potatoes are cooked. .
• Add the badiyans and cook till they  soften.
• Add chopped dhania leaves.
• Remove from fire.

The Nimona is ready.

  

Garnish with dhania leaves and sliced tomatoes and serve. Chane ka Nimina goes very well with both rice and rotis or parathas.

Malai Rasbhari

Malai rasbhari is perhaps the simplest and the easiest dessert  to prepare. Ingredients are also only  three – rasbhari, sugar and malai or cream. About half kilograms  of rasbhari would be adequate for 3-4 persons and sugar and cream according to taste.

Preparation

• Wash the rasbharis carefully and cut them into half.
• Cook the rasbharis on slow fire and keep stirring so that it does not stick to the pot.
• Cook till the water is almost dried.
• Add sugar and cook till the sugar dissolves and it gets jam like consistency.

Remove from fire and allow it to cool.  Add beaten cream and serve cold.

Beaten yoghurt may also be used in place of cream.