Tomato Juice

Ingredients:
roughly sliced tomatoes - 1 cup
sugar - 1 tbsp or to taste
salt - pinch
1/4-1/2 tsp - lemon juice to taste
1/2 cup - ice cold water.
for garnishing - a tomato slice & lemon slice or mint leaves.

Steps to follow:
Put tomato pieces with sugar and 1/4 cup ice water in a blender at speed 3 for 30 seconds.
Filter through a sieve.wash the pulp with again 1/4 cup ice water.Over pulping spoils the taste due to the seeds & skin getting extracted.
Transfer to a long glass tumbler, garnish and serve fresh.

Sending this to Guru's Cooking - Giveaway - Summer Event.

Dhokar Dalna - Traditional Bengali Dish - SNC - 8

This month in Divya Pramil's South Vs North Challenge,  Challenge for Southern Team is Nabanitha's - (Esho- Bosho Aahare ) -Dhokar Dalna  / Lentil Cakes Curry  and for the Northern Team Roha's (Hyderabadi Cuisine) Qubani ka Meetha .

I am a part of Southern Team and linking this recipe to Nabanitha;s Esho Bosho Aahare.

Now coming to the Delicious  Traditional Bengali Recipe - Dhokar Dalna. - Click here for the original recipe source.
According to my requirements here I adjust the ingredients and masalas.

Ingredients:
For Lentil Cakes:

• 1/2 Cups Bengal Gram Lentils / Chana Dal
• 1/4 Cup Matar Dal/ Split Peas Dal
• 2 tbsp Grated Coconut
• 1 tsp Ginger Paste
• 1/4 tsp  Asafoetida
• 1 tsp Onion Seeds 
• 1-2 Green Chili Chopped
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1/4 tsp Baking soda
•  Salt to taste
•  Oil to fry 

Steps to follow:
Soak the channa dal and mattar dal  for 4 hrs, then without water  coarsely grind it in a blender and keep aside.

1. Mix all the dhoka spices into batter mix well.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a Kadai.
3. Add asafoetida .
4. Add batter, stir continuously until batter turns into a dough and leaves the bottom of the kadai. 

Then grease the plate with oil, spread the dough evenly on the plate and keep aside. After few minutes cut into Burfi Style.Then fry this and keep aside. I only shallow fried this.

Peel and Cut potato into cubes, Fry potato cubes with oil, little turmeric powder and salt, fry till golden brown  and keep aside.

For Curry:

• 1 Potato Medium size (cut into cubes)
• 1 Tomato(chopped)
• 1 Cup Coconut Milk (lightly thicken)
• 1/4Cup Grated Coconut
• 2 tsp Ginger paste
• a big pinch   Asafoetida
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 Green Chilli Slit
• 1-2 tsp Cumin Powder
• 1-2 tsp Garam Masala Powder 
• 1/2 tsp Red Chili powder
• half - 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 2 tbsp Cashew Raisins Paste
•  Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp Oil for gravy(Mustard Oil preferable)

Steps to follow:

1. Heat oil in kadai.add asofoetida,cumin seeds,bay leaves.
2. Add slitted green chili to it.
3. Add Ginger paste fry little.
4. Add chopped tomato again fry.
5. Add all dry spices like red chili powder,cumin powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder.
6. Fry for a while until oil comes out.
7. Add grated coconut and coconut milk mix them.
8. Add cashew raisins paste and mix well. 
9. Add fried potato cubes and mix well.
10. Add warm water and adjust seasoning.Bring into boil. (curry will be little medium consistency)
11. Add fried dhoka or lentil cakes.Here check the salt to taste.
12. Sprinkle little garam masala powder,cover and switch off the gas.

Dhokar dalna is ready to serve. Serve with  plain steamed rice and hot rasam.

I am a part of Southern Team and linking this recipe to Nabanitha's Esho Bosho Aahare. Thanks Nabanitha for sharing your delicious traditional recipe.We thoroughly enjoyed it.

Wheat Flour Halwa

This wheat flour halwa is delicious and light and few saffron strands leaves a stunning aroma to this dish.
Ingredients:
wheat flour - half cup
ghee - 2 tbsp
water - half - 1 cup
sugar - half cup (it depends)
few saffron strands
to garnish - chopped almonds / & or pistachios
and poppy seeds (optional)

Steps to follow:
Heat ghee in a non stick pan.

Add wheat flour and roast in low flame till become brown colour,be careful not burn the flour.

Add water, stir continuously so no  lumps formed.

Then add sugar according to your taste. Keep stirring till sugar dissolves.Adding poppy seeds is optional here.Switch off the stove.

If it is too dry add one more tsp ghee.

Transfer to a plate and sprinkle few saffron strands.

Garnish with chopped almonds and serve warm. Yummy halwa is ready to serve. Kids would like to have this..Thanks Meena for sharing.
Check here for the recipe source.

Sending this to Meena's Try My Recipes and Giveaway.