Ingredients:

• 1 cup moong dal (with skin)
• 2 cup chopped spinach
• 1 teaspoon shredded ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 11/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
• 4 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (adjust to your taste)

Chaunk (seasoning):

• 2 tablespoon ghee or clarified butter
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed (Jeera)
• Pinch of asafetida (hing)
• 4 whole red chilies
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Method:

1. Wash dal changing water several times till water becomes clear.
2. In pressure cooker put dal, spinach, ginger, turmeric, salt and water and close the cooker.
3. Cook over medium high till dal comes to boil.
4. Now reduce the heat to medium and let it boil for about seven minutes.
5. Close the heat and let the steam escape before you open the pressure cooker.
6. Adjust the consistency of dal to your desire taste, adding boiled water as needed and mix it.
7. Add lemon juice, and garam masala.

Chaunk (seasoning):

1. For seasoning or chaunk heat the ghee in small saucepan, add cumin seed wait until cumin seed cracks now add asafetida, and whole red chili.
2. Stir for few seconds and add cayenne pepper close the heat and pour over dal.

I am working on a few new recipes including:

1. Paneer Potato tots
2. Namak Para which is a saltine finger snack
3. Apple Oat crumb will be the next dessert, my grand daughter enjoys this dessert a lot and she thinks I should do this next for sure.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/15/AR2008081504079.html

This evening I will be giving cooking classes at Torrey pines high school. Since it’s the holiday season, I will be teaching holiday cooking for social events and for gift giving.

I never dreamed that I would enjoy teaching these classes so much. Rarely do I have somebody from India in my class. The students ages vary from 20 to 70 years old. Every body is very enthusiastic and surprised to see how easy it is to cook a flavorful Indian dish. All the students have eaten Indian food and their perception was it will be hard to cook and not very healthy. I am surprised nobody questions me, why I don’t use onion and garlic. They enjoy the flavors from the spices, vegetables and lentils and they love home made yogurt.

If you live in the San Diego area and are interested in signing up for my classes, please call the the San Diguito School disctrict for rgistering: 1-760-753-7073 ext. 5103

Sandesh is a specialty from the state of Bengal. Sandesh is a delicacy, served as a dessert. Made several different ways using freshly made paneer.

Recipe makes 24 pieces.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 gallon (8cups) milk
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

For Garnish:

• 2 tablespoon sliced pistachios
• About 8 strands of saffron
• 2 tablespoon crushed pineapple

Method:

1. Make the paneer (check the recipe for paneer).
2. Drain the whey using a strainer line with cheesecloth, or muslin cloth.
3. Wrap the curds in a muslin cloth, rinse under cold water, and squeeze well.
4. Once the paneer is drained, place on a dry, clean surface and knead the paneer until the paneer is almost rolls into smooth soft dough.
5. Add the sugar and cardamom into the paneer and knead the paneer again until sugar is mixed well.
6. Next on low heat cook the paneer mixture stirring continuously until paneer starts coming together as soft dough. This should take about 6 to 7 minutes.
7. Turn off the heat and keep mixing the paneer like you are making dough.
8. This is most important step to this dish; you are just cooking paneer enough to take out the rawness. If you over cook the paneer it will become crumbly.
9. Mix the saffron thread in 1 teaspoon of warm milk and mix it well. Keep aside.
10. Divide the paneer in 24 equal parts and roll them giving a ball shape.
11. Garnish with crushed pineapple, or garnish them with a drop of saffron paste putting sliced pistachio over.
12. Refrigerate them for few hours before serving. Serve them chilled!
13. Sandesh can be refrigerated for a week.

I have been able to store cilantro for almost 10 to 12 days.

It tasted great! Alex is good making this kind of pizza with different toppings. Frozen naans are a great substitute for a pizza base.

Tomorrow we will be videotaping sandesh, a Bengali sweet dish.

Diwali or Dipawali means “rows of lighted lamps” and the celebration is often referred to as the Festival of Lights. Behind the celebration of Diwali there are many myths. While preparing for Diwali, homes are cleaned and windows are opened to welcome Laksmi, the goddess of wealth. Candles and lamps are lit as a greeting to Her. Gifts are exchanged and festive meals are prepared. Diwali is celebrated with great sprit and enthusiasm all over India. The celebration is as important to Hindus as Christmas is to Christians.

Starting on the 26th, for three days our family will have a family dinner and play cards. We have made a special menu for each day. Especially for Diwali day we will have a traditional dinner, spiced nuts, bread pakoras and samosa for appetizer. The main course will be puri filled with urad dal, kadhu khata meeta, aloo gobi, matar paneer, dahi vada, and cumin rice. For dessert we will have moong dal halwa, gulab jamun and ras malai.

I designed the menu keeping in mind that each meal should be very traditional and include something special for every family member.

To celebrate Diwali there will be many social gatherings. Our Mandir (Hindu church) will have a Diwali fair, and we will have a fundraiser at the fair. On the 28th there will be another Diwali function that I won’t attend but as a volunteer I will be making burfis. This event will be held in Balboa Park at the Museum of Art.

I am also working on some new recipes:

Sandesh:  This is a specialty from the state of Bengal.
Sandesh is a delicacy, made several different ways using freshly made paneer. Sandesh is an exquisite dessert. If you pay attention to all the minor details, then it is easy to make. My version will probably be a little different from the original recipe, although I tried to keep it as original I could. I have experimented with the dish already but want to make it one more time before posting it at the website.

Cabbage subji: this is easy and great for any meal. Again I have to make this maybe 2 more times just to get the right measurement for spices before posting at the website.

I wish you all a very happy Diwali.