easy iftar recipes - hyderabadi dahi bade

This is a favorite indian delicacy, very easily found in almost all indian food joints in the month of Ramadaan. It is a dish consisting of fried gramflour balls soaked in yogurt.

Ingredients:
for the batter:
1 cup gramflour (besan)
1 tsp ginger and garlic paste
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp chopped cilantro/coriander leaves
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt or more according to taste
oil for frying
for the liquid yogurt:
400gms yogurt
1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
1 tbsp chopped cilantro/coriander leaves
for tadka/seasoning:
1 tsp mustard seeds (rye)
3 or 4 dried red chillies
2 tbsp oil

Method:
In a deep serving bowl, add the yogurt, ginger garlic paste, salt and chopped coriander. Now dissolve the yogurt with water about 2 cups or more till you get the right consistency. The right consistency is neither too watery or nor too thick. It should be well enough to soak the fried gramflour balls in. Keep aside.
Now for the batter, in another bowl, add all the ingredients except the oil and dilute with a little water. The batter should not be watery, it should be thick but smooth. To check if the consistency is right, take a tbsp and dip it into the batter, lift up and slowly pour it back in, if the batter slides slowly and smoothly of the tbsp then its the right consistency, INSHAALLAH.
Now in a shallow frying pan, heat oil to deep fry the balls. *Take 1 tbsp batter and slowly pour the batter into the heated oil till it forms a small 1 inch circle**, repeat from * to ** beside the former circle. Leave some gap in between so that the gramflour balls don't stick together. Flip with the help of a knife or spatula. Be careful with the oil. A batch of atleast five gramflour balls can be fried at one time. The gramflour balls will puff if they are made right. Fry the balls till golden brown on both sides and add them directly to the prepared liquid yogurt. Don't overfill the liquid yogurt. The extra fried gramflour balls can be eaten even without being soaked. Now for the tadka/seasoning, in a small pan, heat 2 tbsp oil, crackle the mustard seeds and then add the dried red chillies. Remove from heat as soon as the chillies change colour and add directly over the prepared dahi bade and serve.

More easy Iftar recipes at easy Iftar recipe

easy iftar recipes - bread pakoda

MASHAALLAH, this snack is very delicious and here's the recipe.........

Bread pakodas:

Ingredients:
1 loaf of bread (sliced)
1 cup water

(for filling):
3 medium sized chicken breasts (boiled)
1/2 cup sliced olives
1 cup feta cheese
1 tsp chilli sauce
1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
black pepper and salt to taste

Method:
In a mixer, mix all the ingredients of filling (except feta cheese) till combined together. Now add the feta cheese and spin it in the mixer for just a few seconds so that the cheese chunks are still visible. Remove the filling into a bowl/plate.

In another bowl (it should be wide enough to dip a bread slice) take some water and add a pinch of salt to it. Dip the bread slice in the water and press the slice between your palms to remove the excess water. Now add the filling about 1 tbsp in the center of the bread slice and fold it in (as shown in the video at the end) to make it into an oval-shaped ball.

Keep the Pakodas/balls in a plate to air dry for a few minutes. Deep fry the bread pakodas till golden brown.

heres the video tutorial..........

MASHAALLAH, my mom is a brilliant chef (i know every child thinks the same) but this is not only my own view but the people who have tasted her handmade food really thinks she is a master chef, MASHAALLAH. Now this is sounding more like a mother's day post, so heres me signing off, try this recipe, INSHAALLAH, you will love it too.
more easy iftar recipes at easy iftar recipe.
Note: These pakodas are well accompanied with mayochup, a simple combination of ketchup and mayonnaise, approx. 1 tbsp mayonnaise and 2 tbsp tomato ketchup mixed together.

easy iftar recipes - egg rolls

ALHUMDULILLAH, today onwards i am starting a new post thread for easy iftar recipes, i know am a little late to start this off but here goes. INSHAALLAH, i will try to post recipes as often as i can. Here are some easy egg rolls recipe that you can try at home for iftar.

Easy egg rolls:

Ingredients:
1 packet of ready made spring roll pastry sheets (20 sheets)
5 medium sized eggs (boiled)
4 tbsp sliced olives
1 1/2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
black pepper and salt according to taste

Method:
In a bowl, mix all the ingredients.

Make the egg rolls using the pastry sheets, for new cooks here are the step-by-step instructions of folding the rolls:
Take a sheet of pastry. I usually use these.

Spread horizontally about 1 tbsp of the mixture onto the center of the sheet. (as shown in pic)

Now fold the sheet halfway from bottom to center. (as shown in pic)

Fold in the right and left edges simultaneously to the centre of the first fold. Dap a little water at the top edge to help in keeping the rolls intact. Now roll it all together to the top edge. Heat oil in a frying pan and shallow fry the rolls till golden brown.

The rolls are ready to be devoured at Iftar.

More iftar recipes at easy iftar recipes. 

dum ka kheema (baked minced meat)

This is a quick and easy recipe for the famous "dum ka kheema". "Kheema" means minced meat and "dum" means steamed/baked. Now, on with the recipe.....

Ingredients:
minced meat (preferably mutton)-900 gms
medium sized onions (finely sliced)-2
ginger and garlic paste - 3 tbsp
turmeric pdr - 1 tsp
red chilli pdr - 2tsp/less for mild
almonds - 8 to 10 (roasted on a pan for a couple of mins.)
garam masala pdr (optional)- 1 tsp
dhanya pdr (coriander seeds) - 1tbsp
salt - 1tbsp/to taste
yogurt - 800 gms/ 2 cups
oil - 1 cup for deep frying
charcoal (non-chemical) - 2 small pieces
Method:
In a wok, deep fry the onions till golden brown and keep aside. Wash the minced meat in a strainer and heat in a vessel with 1 tbsp of ginger garlic paste, till excess water dries. Heat the charcoal on another flame, simultaneously. Be careful with the burning charcoal. Avoid any inflammable material near it. Make a pit in the middle of the meat in the vessel and place a small piece of aluminium foil. Add 2 tsp of oil in the foil and place the charcoal in it. Quickly cover the vessel with a tight lid. The vessel should be fully covered so that no smoke escapes from it. Let it stay for 10 mins.
In a blender, add yogurt, fried onions, roasted almonds, red chilli pdr, turmeric pdr, ginger garlic paste, 4 tbsp oil, garam masala, salt, dhanya pdr. Blend till the amonds are broken down into a paste.
Preheat the oven to 360 degrees, in a baking dish spread the smoked meat, pour the batter in the blender over the meat evenly. Bake in the oven till the meat turns brown(a little on the dark brown side not burnt) at the top. Garnish with fried onions, chopped mint and coriander leaves. It can be served with naan bread, pita or rice. Best accompanied with tomato chutney. INSHAALLAH, i will post the recipe for the chutney in one of my next posts.

spring smoothie............

MASHAALLAH, this is an innovation for a delicious smoothie by my youngest sister.

Here is the recipe:

2 oranges(peeled,deseeded and cubed)

4 medium size bananas (peeled and sliced into rounds)

6 strawberries

3 tbsp sugar or more if you have a sweet tooth

1 1/2 cup crushed ice

method:

In a blender, blend the above ingredients excluding the ice fo a couple of mins. Now, add the crushed ice (please check if your blender can support hard ingredients)blend for a few more mins. Add a tinge of lemon if you like. Pour in a glass and serve chilled.

Note: while peeling the oranges, remove the white layer of underskin of the oranges also because it brings a bitter taste.

ALHUMDULILLAH, had fun at marble slab creamery in jeddah.

MASHAALLAH, i spent this weekend with my nieces.

butter chicken !!!!!!!!!!!

i surfed through the net but didnt find a suitable recipe to make quickly for butter chicken. so i combined some of them and discovered a delicious and easy to make recipe, ALHUMDULILLAH.
Ingredients:
800 gms chicken (preferably boneless-cut into small cubes)
1/2 lemon
salt (to taste)
2 tsp red chilli pdr
1 tbsp garam masala
8 almonds
5 cashews
1 cup yoghurt
4 tbsps vegetable/sunflower cooking oil
2 onions (make into a paste in a blender with a tbsp of water)
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp coriander powder
2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
4 tbsp tomato puree
1 cube of chicken stock
1/2 cup cream
2 tbsps kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
3 tbsps unmelted butter
Coriander leaves to garnish


Method:
Marinate the chicken in a non-metallic bowl with juice of 1/2 a lemon, salt, red chilli pdr, garam masala, 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste, yoghurt, turmeric, coriander and cumin pdrs. In a small pan, roast almonds and cashews. Don't over heat them as it will give a burnt taste. Remove from flame, let it cool and grind. Mix this powder into the marinade. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for preferably 3-4 hours (the longer the better but not for too long, lol)

marinated chicken

Remove from fridge, separate the chicken pieces from the marinade mixture, lay them in a baking dish and bake in a preheated for about 5-8 mins or till they are half-cooked. In a deep pan, heat oil, add 1 tbsp ginger garlic and the onion paste. Cook till the onions are a slight golden color. Add the chicken stock cube, let it dissolve then add the half baked chicken pieces. Cook with a lid on for 5 mins on low heat. Now add tomato puree, and the rest of the marinade yoghurt mixture. Cook for a couple of mins, add kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) and cream.  Mix them well and remove from flame. In a pan, melt 1 tbsp butter and pour over the chicken curry. Garnish with coriander leaves and butter.

instant dessert for sweet teeth !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As a midnight snack, my younger sis decided to make herself a sweet yogurt. It was nothing more than yogurt mixed with sugar, cashews, saffron topped with a tsp of cream but the blue color added temptation to it.

simple and quick cake recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla essence powder
1 cup oil (vegetable/sunflower)
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp white vinegar
food coloring (desirable/optional)

Method:
Grease the baking pans. Preheat oven. Combine the buttermilk, salt and vanilla powder. In another bowl, mix together the oil and sugar till light and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, combine the buttermilk mixture alternately with the flour. Add baking powder and vinegar into the batter. Pour batter into the greased pans. Bake in the oven for 25-30 mins, check with an edge of a knife or toothpick by inserting it into the center of the cake and see if it comes out clean. Remove from oven and let it cool before icing. Use buttercream icing or any of your preferred ones. Refrigerate till ready to serve.
Note: you can even make it into a rainbow cake by dividing the batter of the cake into equal portions and getting creative by mixing different colors individually. Then pour one over the other batter into the baking pans alternately.