Jalebi!!!

Jalebi is a dish that is loved across India!!! So, when i saw Jalebi's recipe in a newspaper long back, i thought it's so easy...Why doesn't anyone make it at home?!? Well, i tried it and came to know "Why"....

Though it's very quick to make, it's not as easy as it looks. So 1st time i tried it (4 years ago), in place of Jalebi, i got Boondi!!!! It tasted good but the shape was all messed up. So i gave up on Jalebi....

Recently again i came across it's recipe in a Neeta Mehta book that i have and thought of trying it again. And this time i could manage to make something in between Jalebi and Boondi, still shape was not perfect. But the taste was of authentic Jalebi!!!! Yipee......

I realized that here, consistency is the Key. The batter should not be too watery at the same time it should not be too thick.

Once you figure out the consistency, making Jalebi is Cakewalk!!! The consistency should be thicker than Dosa (It should be of dropping/ribbon  consistency)

And next time i made it, i could manage decent shape as well!!! Here is the pic!!!

Jalebi.....

As i said, the recipe is  from a Neeta Mehta cookbook, this will make a lot of Jalebis, if you are making for 2 people then please use half the quantity.

Ingredients:

For Jalebi:
Maida - 1 Cup
Besan - 1 Tablespoon
Soda - 1/4 teaspoon
Oil - 1/2 Tablespoon
Thick Curd - 1/2 Cup
Warm Water - 3/4 Cup (Based on the Maida you are using, the amount of water needed may vary)
Oil for Frying

For Sugar Syrup:
Sugar - 1+1/4 Cup
Water - 3/4 Cup
Saffron strands - 2 pinches (though the recipe said to use Orange-red colour, i used saffron)

Method:
1) In a mixing bowl, take Maida, Besan and Soda.

2) Add thick curd & oil. (I have realized that if you use 1/2 days old curd just out from the fridge then it gives better results).

3) Now comes the consistency part, so very carefully, add warm water to the mixing bowl.

4) Beat everything together and till you get the batter of dropping consistency (thicker than dosa batter)

5) Cover it and leave aside for 30-40 minutes (Don't skip this, it is important).

6) Heat oil in a kadai.

7) The book says that using a piping bag make circles (from outside to inside) in the hot oil.
Initially i used my Sev no sancho (Sev maker, Kitchen Press or whatever it is called) to drop jalebis..It gave me okay results.
Later i put the batter in an old hanky and made a hole in the center (to get a potli like thing) and it gave me correct shape.
Next time i am going to try the empty milk packet, where after washing the drying the milk packet, i will fill it with batter and will make a hole at the bottom to drop the jalebis in the oil. (Idea from Hubby's aunt)
Edited to add photo: These one's are made using empty milk packet and they came out perfect, so i am going to stick to them for Jalebi making :)

Jalebis (dropped using empty milk packet)

8) Fry the Jalebis in the oil till they are the heavenly golden coloured, like a jalebi should be :) take out on tissue paper.

9) Meanwhile make Sugar syrup. For that Mix water, sugar and saffron strands in a kadai and heat. we have to get the syrup of single string. For that after the 1st boil, keep the flame low and keep stirring for 5-7 minutes.

10) Let the syrup cool for a minute and then dip Jalebis in the syrup (Don't dip all of them together, do in the batch of 3-4 Jalebis at a time) and serve hot!!!
You can garnish it with saffron strands soaked in warm water, or serve with Rabdi or cream!!! We had it even with Vanilla ice cream :)

Notes:
1) Dip the Jalebis in the syrup only when you are ready to eat them.
2) Make the syrup only when you are ready to eat Jalebis as the syrup will become thick after some time (though you can heat it up again on low flame, but still it is good to make fresh syrup).

+techie ZM

Winter Special - Gaajar Halwa

I remember my mom peeling truckloads of Gaajar , then grating them(sometimes with our help or sometimes all by herself) and then magically transform them into most amazing Gajar ka Halwa in a big big kadai!!!! And then all of us devouring that halwa, sometimes piping hot, sometimes cold.

There was always a steady supply of this halwa at home throughout the winters...I loved loved it big time....But the thing with me is that i never learnt to make the things that i loved when i was at mom's place. Only after shifting to a different city i realized that to enjoy my favorite foods i will have to learn to make them...And then started the phone calls to mom to learn  the recipes...This is one of those recipes....Very easy to make but time consuming...But worth all the time it takes...

Ingredients:

Grated Carrots - 3 cups (remove the yellow core, only red part to be grated, for quick grating use food processor)

Full cream milk - 500 ml (approximately)

Ghee - 2 tablespoon

Fresh Cream - 3-4 tablespoon (I used the malai saved from the everyday milk)

Almonds - 5-6 finely cut or powdered  (optional)

Cashew - 5-6 finely cut or powdered  (optional)

Kishmish - 5-6 (optional)

Elaichi (Cardamom) powder - 1/8 teaspoon (optional)

Sugar - 3/4 cups (you can increase or decrease this amount as per your liking)

Method:

1) In a thick bottomed pan add ghee, once it turns liquid add the grated carrots and saute for 3-4 minutes.

2) Add milk to the pan, ensure that all the carrots should be submerged into milk.

3) Add fresh cream, almonds, cashew and kishmish and mix thoroughly.

4) Now, keep stirring and cooking on low flame till all the milk evaporates. May take upto 2 hours.

5) Now add sugar and mix well, cook on medium flame till the water from sugar evaporates.

6) Add Elaichi powder, mix well and Viola!!! The Halwa is ready!!!

Notes:

1) There are different methods of making this halwa.You can add khoya or condesed milk and cook carrots in pressure cooker or microwave. But for me nothing beats taste of this halwa, where the carrots are cooked in the milk directly....Heavenly!!!!

2) You can make it and store it in fridge for up to a week. I am sure you must be able to freeze it, though never tried it.

3) Even without sugar this tastes good. so if you want to avoid sugar you can do that by reducing the amount of sugar or by completely skipping it.