Kart-Wheels

Kart-Wheels!! This recipe is from a cookbook I have had since I was little.
It's an easy recipe that would be fun to make with kids.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons milk
• approx. 1 cup of pie filling or jam (we made some raspberry jam)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Mix the flour, butter, powdered sugar, baking powder and just enough milk until dough forms. If the dough is too dry add milk by the teaspoon until the dough holds together.
Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
Place the balls on and ungreased cookie sheet and flatten them slightly.
Make and indentation about 2 inches across and 3/4 inch deep in the center of each flattened ball.
Fill each indentation with approx. 2 tablespoons of pie filling.
Bake 20-25 minutes until the edges begin to brown.

Farina Halva

Farina Halva is by far one of my favorite desserts. You can add fruit, nuts, raisins or coconuts to this recipe. My mom particularly likes halavah with strawberries. Also, Cream of Wheat is just farina with a little wheat germ added and works great for this recipe if you don't have farina on hand or can't find it at the store. Ingredients:

• 1 cup farina
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup pineapple chunks or any other fruit of your choice

In a medium sauce pan mix the sugar and water and bring to a boil. Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the farina to the butter and stirring constantly cook over low heat for 20-25 minutes. The farina should turn a golden brown, as shown in the picture below. Add the golden farina to the boiling water by spoonfuls, whisking as you go to prevent clumping, and then add the pineapple. After all the farina is added let the mixture simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. You can serve Halva warm or cold.

Split Pea Vegetable Dal

Dal is a classic Indian dish that is usually served over plain rice or eaten with bread.
You can use any dried lentil or pea to make dal but my favorite is split pea dal served over plain white rice with Chapatis.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup green split peas
• 4 cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/4 cups vegetables, cubed (I use zucchini and carrots)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 dried chili, crushed
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon hing (asafetida) or garlic powder

Rinse and drain the split peas. In a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot combine the water, salt, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling add the split peas.
When the water comes to a second boil, partially cover the post and reduce the heat, and allow to cook for 20 minutes, or until the split peas are soft. Add the turmeric, butter and cubed vegetables. Cover and allow to cook until the vegetables are tender and the split peas are completely broken down (approx. 20 more minutes).
Once the split peas are broken down you will make a spice mix to add to them.
In a small frying pan melt the 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the cumin and crushed chili and allow to fry for a minute. The cumin seeds will darken a little. Then add the ginger and hing and fry a few more seconds. Pour the spice mixture into the split peas and stir well. Allow the seasoning to cook in the split peas for 5 minutes to blend. Serve the dal hot over plain white rice or as a thick soup with bread or chapatis.

Gulab Jamuns

These are by far one of the best sweets in the world!
I can only eat one or two at a time they are so fulfilling.

I thought I took photos but I can't find them.
Click here for a photo!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk powder
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons room temperature butter
• 1/4 cup room temperature milk
• Pinch of baking soda
• Oil for deep frying
  

Syrup Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

In a small pot combine the sugar, water and ground cardamom. Cook over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly while you are cooking the gulab jamuns.

Start heating the oil over LOW heat. The gulab jamuns will brown very quickly and if the oil is too hot they will burn before they are cooked through. If they don't cook through they will collapse when they are placed in the syrup, but this won't happen as log as your oil isn't too hot. Low heat is basically the key to making nice gulab jamuns.

In a bowl combine the milk powder, flour, and baking soda. With your hand mix in the butter. Once the butter is nicely incorporated mix in the milk. The dough will be soft and a little sticky. Let it rest for a few minutes and the dough will become a little easier to handle. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls. Make them smaller than you want the end result to be as they swell up a lot when they soak in the syrup.

Fry the gulab jamuns over low heat for approx. 5 minutes. They should brown up nicely.
Place them in the warm syrup and allow them to sit for about 10 to 15 minutes prior to serving so that they soak up the syrup.

Makes approx. 10 gulab jamuns.

Spicy Mixed Vegetable Rice

This rice is great when you want something that tastes amazing but doesn't feel heavy and is really healthy. This also goes well with Bharats in Yogurt Sauce. You can use the rice to soak up the remaining yogurt sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups long grain rice (basmati or jasmine)
  
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 whole cloves or 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon hing (asafetida) (or garlic powder)
• 3/4 cup frozen or fresh peas
• 1/2 cup cauliflower florets
  
• 1/2 cup diced carrots
• 2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt

Cook the rice.

Heat the butter in a medium-sized pot and fry the chilli, grated ginger, turmeric and spices for only a few minutes. Be sure not to let the spices burn.
Add the vegetables and let them fry until they are cooked. Once they are cooked removed the bay leaves and cloves if you used whole cloves.
Once the rice and vegetables are cooked combine them and serve warm.

Bharats in Yogurt Sauce

Bharats are one of my favorite dishes. I have never tried making them, but I have been craving them lately and the only person I know who makes them is across the country right now.
They were much easier to make than I thought they would be and they turned out GREAT!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups green split peas (soaked in water 6 hours or overnight)
• 2 cups yogurt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• pinch of hing (or garlic powder)
• pinch of cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• oil for deep frying (ghee if you have it)
  

Drain the split peas and grind in a blender or food processor until a nice paste is formed and the peas stick together. You can add a few tablespoons of water to the peas if they seem to dry.
Once the peas are ground mix in the spices.

Heat the oil in a deep pot or wok until very hot. Mold the ground pea mixture into approx. 1 1/2 inch balls. Gently place the bharats into the hot oil and cook until dark golden brown (about 10 minutes). When you first place the bharats into the oil do not stir them, they will break apart, wait about 2 minutes before stirring. Drain the bharats on a paper towel and then place in a casserole dish.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl combine the yogurt, sour cream and water. Pour the mixture over the bharats. Cover and bake in oven for 8 minutes just to warm the sauce. Serve warm.

These keep really well in the fridge for a few days. I think they taste better the longer they are allowed to soak in the yogurt.