Happy Makar Sankranti!

Sesame seeds are often used in various forms i.e. whole seeds, coarsely ground, flour, paste, and of course sesame oil. Sweets made from sesame seeds along with a combination of various nuts, spices and flour made from seeds is quite common in winter months. Sesame peanut candy the way I make it is really a twist to til laddu or ladoo that I grew up with. It is one of the must-have sweets that is typically prepared with a variety of ingredients present in the Indian kitchen particularly during the winter months as I mentioned earlier in my blog for the recipe posted on January 14, 2008.

Indian cooking varies dramatically from region to region with its own distinct texture and flavors. The candy here is sesame-peanut based that can be prepared by using whole seeds, coarsely ground sesame-peanut flour, or simply by using both as needed in making a variety of sesame sweets ranging in the texture from soft, chewy to hard like sesame brittles. It is one of the “must have sweets” we often had in our home in many forms (til laddu, amaranth-methi laddu, sesame-peanut or puffed rice peanut laddu and amaranth-sesame laddu etc.). The sesame candy here brings fond memories of my last visit to Ranikhet, a small hill station in the northern hills of India in the state of Uttarakhand. Traditionally, these sweets are only prepared with ghee and grated jaggery (gur) that prolongs its shelf life and consumed exclusively during winter months.

Sesame-Peanut Candy
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
1/3 cup roasted peanut halves
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds, coarsely ground

1) In a 2-quart saucepan combine the first two ingredients and add 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring the mixture constantly until sugar has dissolved completely. Boil the mixture until it forms a hard ball when tested in cold water. Add butter and a generous pinch of each: freshly crushed green cardamom and cinnamon if needed. Stir in the remaining ingredients and mix until all the ingredients are fully combined.
2) Remove from the heat and carefully spread the mixture evenly onto a well-greased 8x8x2-inch round baking pan or stainless thali. Or pour the mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet and spread evenly with the back of buttered spatula. Score into diamond shapes and let the mixture cool completely before cutting. Or using a teaspoon, divide the mixture into 15-20 pieces and shape into balls (laddu) and roll each ball in lightly toasted black sesame seeds if desired.

I would like to welcome New Year 2012 with my favorite beverages made with anar. I have taken some pictures and am sharing them with my blog readers. Please click here to access them.

While I have displayed pictures of yogurt cheese (strained yogurt or hung yogurt) with an assortment of fruits in prior posts on this blog, I was recently reminded of strained yogurt due to a recent snowstorm on October 29, 2011 and more specifically the power outage associated with it that left parts of Connecticut without power for nearly a week. The power outage reminded me of my mother’s process of making strained yogurt in our grandparents’ farm where there was no electricity. Yogurt was made with cow, water buffalo or goat milk when I was growing up in the northern hills in India some five decades ago. As I mentioned in a blog post on January 30, 2008, yogurt has been used for centuries in many forms in India ranging from strained yogurt, marinade, raita, lassi and butter and is used extensively throughout India.

Yogurt or dahi plays a key role in the Indian kitchen and is usually included with every meal in some form or the another and pairs very well with spicy Indian food because of its well known inherent cooling and soothing effects. Yogurt cheese, Greek yogurt, strained yogurt or hung yogurt as it is referred to in most Indian recipes is made by draining the whey from yogurt by using a clean multi-layered muslin cloth and literally hanging it to drain the watery substance (whey) from the yogurt as shown on the picture below.  That’s why the term hung yogurt came into being.  Although it has been consumed in numerous ways for centuries due to beneficial (healthy) bacteria present in this product, it has become more popular in recent years.

The beauty of yogurt cheese is its versatility with its unlimited uses of combinations like sour cream or cream cheese. Though Greek yogurt is available today in a variety of flavors at the supermarket, I personally prefer my yogurt cheese made at home by draining the whey from plain yogurt (that doesn’t have any kind of fillers) as shown in the picture below.

Yogurt Cheese (Strained Yogurt)

1 32-ounce plain yogurt

1) Line a large sieve or colander with a clean muslin cloth (or cheesecloth) and place over a bowl to catch the whey (watery substance). Pour the yogurt into the lined sieve.
2) Draw up the edges of the muslin cloth and tie the topknot with a string or as shown in the picture above. Or you can hang it over the sink to drain the whey depending upon the amount of yogurt.
3) Or simply place yogurt in a colander lined with coffee filter set over a bowl to catch the whey. Cover with a plastic wrap if desired. Let it drain in refrigerator overnight.

Tip: Strained yogurt is a great accompaniment to savory or sweet pancakes and goes well with a variety of flatbreads (chapati or paratha) and fruits.

Yield: 1 1/2-2 cups yogurt cheese.

A reader of my blog requested a recipe that was at least forty years old and preferably  from our grandmothers’ (dadi-nani) generation. Samosa came to my mind since every region in India has its own version of stuffed pastry or sweet or savory turnovers.  Samosa is a triangular stuffed savory pastry or turnover that is typically stuffed with spicy potato-pea mixture but has as many variations as there are cooks.  I have been making these for over four decades in my western kitchen with my favorite fillings made with either spicy potato-peas or grated cauliflower-carrots. While you can now purchase ready-made samosas at a number of grocery stores, I still prefer to make them from scratch. In fact, one of the recent “surprise” snowstorms we experienced in October reminded me of one of the gatherings at our place a long time ago when I had prepared over 100 samosas during the Thanksgiving weekend! Fortunately, today there is an array of ready-made appetizers not only at Indian grocery stores but also major supermarkets.

2 medium potatoes, boiled and cubed
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped -optional
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
1/2 tablespoon chaat masala
1/2 cup green peas
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup water or as needed
Vegetable oil for deep-frying

1) To prepare the filling: Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the onion until just translucent. Add fresh ginger and cook for about 30 seconds. Add chaat masala and green peas and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the potatoes, salt, chopped coriander leaves and additional seasonings as needed.
2) Remove from the heat and taste the mixture and adjust the seasonings as desired. Allow the mixture to cool completely before filling the pastries as it is important that the filling is not moist.
3) To make the dough for the samosa: In a medium-size bowl combine sifted unbleached flour, ½ tablespoon rice flour or sooji, a generous pinch of baking soda and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
4) Add butter (oil or shortening) into flour and mix well. Using a wooden spoon, mix in about 1/3 cup of water intermittently to form a moderately stiff dough. Add extra flour or water to achieve the right consistency.
5) Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth and pliable. Form the dough into a smooth ball and place into a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl and keep it aside at room temperature until the filling is completely cooled.
6) Divide the dough into 6 to 8 equal pieces about the size of walnut, and roll each piece into a smooth ball with your hands. Lightly dust the work surface with flour, roll out each ball into thin circles approximately 5-inch in diameter with a rolling pin.
7) Cut each circle in half and form into a cone (think of those paper hats for children’s birthdays). Place about 1 tablespoonful of the filling on each cone. Press edges together securely; place on baking sheet lined with plastic wrap.
8)In a large cast-iron skillet or preferably a wok, heat oil over medium-high heat. Fry about 3 to 4 pastries or samosas at a time until lightly golden brown on both sides. Place on paper towels and allow them to dry. Keep warm in oven while frying remaining pastries. Serve warm with your favorite chutney.

Note: Filling: Follow the recipe for potato filling above or simply use any of your favorite fillings.

Chickpea flour (besan) dumplings, also known as muthias (an Indian version of dumplings popular in state of Gujarat in India), is typically made from edible gourd (lauki), root and green leafy vegetables like methi (fenugreek leaves) along with a combination of flours and spices. These come in a myriad of flavors ranging from mildly hot to slightly sweet and sour tasting. My favorite dumplings are the one prepared out of grated edible gourd, zucchini-carrot and of course my all time favorite fenugreek and spinach that can be made in just under 30 minutes so long as you have the needed ingredients on hand. The best part is that you can cook these in the microwave and season afterwards without adding too much oil. Below is a simple recipe using the chickpea flour along with grated zucchini and everyday spices used in my kitchen.

4 1/2 cups grated zucchini or lauki
1 cup chickpea flour
1/2 cup sooji or cream of wheat
1/4 cup corn flour
1/3 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
¼ teaspoon turmeric – optional
¾ cup plain yogurt or as needed
½ tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds

1) In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients excluding the last four ingredients. Using a wooden spoon, mix in about 1/8 cup of yogurt intermittently to form moderately soft dough. Add extra besan or yogurt to achieve the right consistency.
2) Add additional seasonings and continue to mix, just until well incorporated. (Since the dough is soft, sticky and hard to stir, I find it easier just to mix it with my hands).
3) Mix thoroughly and wet your hands lightly with water or oil and divide the dough into three equal portions and shape each portion into a log about 5-6 inches long. It is extremely important to use the light touch while shaping the logs or rolls. Or simply make them in oblong shape dumplings (muthias-literally means resembling a fist).
4) Lightly grease a microwave safe casserole dish and place the chickpea-zucchini rolls on top of the greased dish and add about ¼ cup of water. Cover and microwave on high until firm to the touch or until toothpick inserted in center of the roll comes out clean. It will take about 8 to 9 minutes, depending upon the microwave wattage. Or simply steam it in the pressure cooker.
5) Let it cool completely and cut them as needed. Heat oil in a skillet and immediately add cumin and sesame seeds. Partially cover the skillet with a lid and as soon as the seeds start sputtering add the cut pieces and pan-fry until lightly golden on both sides. Remove from the heat and serve warm.

1 pound peppers of choice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 potato, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon chaat masala and salt to taste
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, ground

1) Wash the peppers well. Remove the stems and make a deep lengthwise slit in each pepper, but don’t cut all the way through.
2) Using a sharp paring knife, carefully scrape out some of the seeds without breaking the skin and lightly season the cavity of peppers with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
3) To make the stuffing: Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion and cubed potatoes, stirring often until onion is softened. Add the chaat masala, salt and additional oil if desired. Stir to mix and cook until potatoes are fork tender. At this stage, I like to add a handful of ground nuts or seed flour and finely chopped coriander leaves. Adjust the seasonings to taste and allow the mixture to cool completely before stuffing the peppers. Stuff the peppers with the potato-peanut mixture and set aside.
4) In a large skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium high heat and carefully place all the stuffed peppers, filling side up, next to each other. Cook over medium heat until well browned on both sides. I personally bake them in the oven until softened or partially cook them in the microwave and pan-fry on the stovetop until lightly golden brown.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cups mung bean sprouts
1/2 tablespoon chana masala
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice – optional

1) In a medium-size skillet, heat the oil and add cumin seeds. As soon as cumin seeds start sputtering stir in the remaining ingredients except lemon juice and cook covered over the medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes.
2) Add lemon juice if needed. Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving bowl.

Yield: 4 servings.

1 bunch leaves of quinoa
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion thinly sliced – optional
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cooked chickpeas
1/3 teaspoon salt or to taste

1) Remove the tough stem ends and toss the bathuwa (or spinach) in a large bowl filled with cold water to clean. Lift the bathuwa from the water and drain in a colander over the sink. Set aside.
2) Heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients and continue to cook for approximately 5 to 7 minutes or until the bathuwa have wilted. Adjust the seasonings as needed.

Yield: 4 servings.