“कडबू” (Baked Stuffed Wheat Cookies)

October is one of my favourite seasons.In the midst of fall colours,a beautiful array of birthdays & anniversaries always lined up.A bunch of happiness and reason to celebrate with loved ones.

This 20th October,Aai celebrates her 62nd birthday!!Born is 1947, she is almost as old as Independent India.An economics graduate & perfectionist by choice,Aai chose to remain a Home-maker to shape my future so thoughtfully.

We have nothing in common,yet we are similar.She has been my best critic.While I lived in India,she managed everything so wonderfully for me.Realized her importance in my life only when I started living on my own in US (post marriage).She has been the oxygen supply for all these years and I truly miss her.

I have learnt the methodic way to work on details and achieve finesse from her.

There is a lot more to write & share.But,some things are better unsaid than said,and felt than expressed!

So,here’s a birthday recipe to express my feelings for you.Aai enjoys one of Nana’s (my mother’s father) favourite sweets “Kadbu” (Baked Stuffed Wheat cookies) a lot.So,following the festive mood,made these wonderful baked cookies for her.

Ingredients

• 1/2 muffin-full bowl of chana daal/gram-I cooked it in the pressure cooker with 1 cm deep water above the daal.The book just suggests to cook it and drain the water from it.No particular method to cook it is suggested.Instead of using the traditional Indian “puran yantra” (a sort of grinder),I used the blender and made a thick coarser paste of it.
• 1 muffin-full bowl of sugar or jaggery
• 1-2 tsp nutmeg powder
• 1-2 tsp cardamom powder
• 2-3 stands on saffron (my addition)
• khoya or khava (condensed milk powder or cubed)-Its an optional addition mentioned in the book,but I added a piece of kaju katli mithai.I did not roast it as mentioned in the book.
• dry fruits-I added 2 tbsp of dry fruit powder.
• 1 muffin-full bowl of wheat flour
• 3 tbsp of all purpose flour (my addition)
• 1 tbsp of oil
• ghee for frying-I baked the cookies instead of frying them.
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp poppy seeds

Total Time=Cooking Time+Preparation Time=20 minutes.

Stuff it ,Pattern it & Bake it Up

For the outer crust:I made a hard dough kneading the wheat flour & all purpose flour with oil and salt to taste.I made small dough balls for later usage (5 nos).

For the Stuffing:I saved on time because of pressure cooking the chana daal.I softened it with a spoon and added nutmeg powder,cardamom powder,sugar,dry fruits powder,saffron and khoya mithai to it.However,I did not add the roasted poppy seeds to this mixture.I mixed it well and put it in microwave for a minute or so.This mixture may be a little liquid,in that case add khoya or cooked chana daal to it.This shall allow the stuffing to remain within the crust and not burst open.

Pattern & Bake:I pre-heated my oven @ 350 deg F. I dipped small dough balls into the poppy seeds and rolled them into flat rounds/puris.I put the stuffing on the plane side (side without poppy seeds) such that the other half of the puri could cover it when folded.I sealed the edges of the half-circled unbaked cookie with fingers.I was in a mood to show off my brand new pastry wheel,so used it to create a pattern on edges.But,its not mandatory!

I put the uncooked cookies into the oven.And,in few minutes….crunchy,sweet cookies were on table.Traditional,yet modern “Kadbu”/"Baked-Stuffed Wheat Cookies” were all set for a click!!Cheers to Aai and a very happy birthday to her!

“मुगोरे” (Moong Daal/Split Bengal Gram Fritters)

Rains are here.Seems déjà-vu! In Bombay,rains were best enjoyed without umbrella (getting drenched) followed by hot masala (spicy) tea and lovely spicy pakodas (fritters)! No French Fries or Chips could ever beat them (no offense meant :P).

I flew an interesting recipe for tasty “Mugore” (Moong Daal/Split Bengal Gram Fritters) to the beautiful city of San Diego,CA at Anuja’s place.

Anuja Tajpuriya-Agrawal is my husband’s best friend’s (Yogi) wife.An architect by profession and a qualified cook too (Source:Thanks to Yogi’s  post marriage rapid development in weight gain :P).

 

 

Anuja’s Quote

“I would like to dedicate this blog in the memory of my father Dr. Ram Tajpuriya. Pakoras were his favorite snacks.Pakoras with chai (tea)  reminds me of damp monsoon evening. Although it doesn't rain in San Diego but the pleasant fall weather can always be a reason for munching on pakoras.Hope everyone enjoys them as much as I did”. 

Ingredients

• 1 muffin-full bowl of Moong daal /Split Bengal Gram(soaked in water overnight or for 2 hours,you may add a pinch of eating soda if desired).I kept it soaked in water only for few hours.

• ginger

• garlic-I skipped it!

• salt

• green chilies

• 1 muffin-full bowl of Freshly shredded coconut (I skipped it)

• 1-2 tsp coriander powder (Manasi’s suggestion)

• 1-2 tsp garam masala (Manasi’s suggestion)

• 1 tsp lime juice/amchur powder (Manasi’s suggestion)

• red chili powder (Manasi’s suggestion)

• 1 tsp cumin powder (Manasi’s suggestion)

• freshly chopped coriander (Manasi’s suggestion)

• Any other dal or veggies (Manasi’s suggestion-I skipped it)

• Chopped Onion (My addition)

Fry me Flat,Ball it Over!

I blended the daal in the mixer with all the ingredients. However,i took care that it does not become very thin or liquid so that it would be easy to fry them or bake them.Then,I beat this mixture thoroughly.

Book Vs Moi

The book suggests that one should flatten the beaten batter into small rounds and then fry them.However,one can make such rounds and bake them as well or just put them over a flat pan like pancakes.Its easier to bake them with flat circles.

But,overwhelmed with the Diwali Mood,I fried them! Served it with mint chutney and tomato ketchup! Relish the fritters with loved ones over a hot ginger tea!

 

 

Anuja’s Cornerstone

 “How I wish Papa was here to have his favourite pakodas in the midst of fall colours.But,he would always be there within my memories,intact & precious.To my wonderful father”.

Love,

Anuja,San Diego,CA :)

P.S:Anuja,Uncle would be a proud man today! May his soul rest in peace and find you in bloom of happiness …CookWithMoi et Beaucoup de merci…hope to have you more often on the blog circuit!

“केशर-पुदीना युक्त लिंबू सरबत” (Saffron-Mint Lime Juice)

Its Diwali Time and guests are certainly going to pour in more often than ever! Instead of the Tropicana & Real Juices ,lets make something home-made.

In India, my grand-mother and Aai made “aambyache panhe”(raw mango cold drink-अम्ब्याचे पन्हे) ,"kokam sarbat” (कोकम सरबत ) and “limbu sarbat” (lime juice-लिंबू सरबत) to serve as a welcome drink to the visitors during festivals or otherwise.

Kamala Aji has a wonderful recipe for “Limbu Sarbat” (lime juice) that we would be gladly sipping while watching “Aga bai arrecha” (“अग बाई अरेच्चा”-Marathi flick made on lines of Mel Gibson & Helen Hunt starrer What women want).

Total Time=Cooking Time +Preparation Time=7 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 glass of cold water
• salt and sugar to taste
• Sieved lemon juice of 2 lemons
• few strands of saffron/keshar-It gives a very nice colour and add to the taste too.
• 1/2 tsp of cardamom powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg powder (my addition)
• 1/2 tsp of dried mint leaves (my addition)
• 1/2 tsp of black pepper powder (my addition)
• 1/2 tsp of ginger juice (my addition)
• some ice cubes

Stir It Up In Style

I added salt,sugar,dried mint leaves,nutmeg powder,black pepper powder,ginger juice and water to the lemon juice.I tasted a bit of the juice to check if the salt,sugar and water were in the right proportion.Depending on that one might add few ingredients.

I sieved it through the regular tea-sieve.I added few strands of Saffron to it and stirred again.The colour was beautiful and the scent was exceptional.I poured it into a serving glass and garnished it with 2-3 strands of saffron.Tucked an old stirrer from Maggiano’s Little Italy ,Santana Row.

The keshar-pudina yukta limbu sarbat (saffron flavoured minty lemon juice)was ready!