A Sweet note on Raksha Bandhan

Rakhi with akshintalu

Raksha Bandhan is a festival celebrating the bond of affection between brothers and sisters. The day when the siblings pray for each others' well being and wish for each others' happiness and goodwill. As the name 'Raksha Bandhan' suggests, 'a bond of protection', Raksha Bandhan is a pledge from brothers to protect the sister from all harms and troubles and a prayer from the sister to protect the brother from all evil. Raksha Bandhan was on 16th August 2008.

The festival falls on Sravana Poornima (full moon day of Sravan month) which comes generally in the month of August. The sisters tie the silk thread called rakhi on their brother's wrist and pray for their well being and brothers promise to take care of their sisters. The festival is unique to India, creates a feeling of belongingness and oneness amongst the family.
Source: Raksha Bandhan



On the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, I am dedicating this post to my brother. Though staying so far from my brother I miss him so much and all the good times spent together. For this occasion I made special sweet called "Sukhadi" I learned from my very good friend Bhavana Bhabhi. This is a Gujarati specialty sweet made from whole wheat flour. This is very easy to prepare and ready within minutes. I can say effortless cooking!

---

Source: Bhavana Bhabhi
Cuisine: Indian, Gujarati Cuisine
Prep time: 2 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
2 C of whole wheat flour/goduma pindi
1 C ghee (clarified butter)/neyi
1 C jaggery/gud/bellam, grated
1 t cardamom powder/elaichi powder
1/2 C mixed nuts, chopped

Method:

• Grease with ghee or clarified butter a cake pan or some thali like I used in the picture photo.

Melt ghee in a deep pan or kadai. Add whole wheat flour and stir continuously till you smell the aroma of cooked wheat flour. Add grated jaggery, cardamom powder. Stir constantly till the jaggery melts and ghee leaves from side of kadai approximately for 10-12 mins.






Once its done transfer it to previously greased round cake pan or thali. Press it firmly with a spatula.






Sprinkle with your favourite finely chopped nuts like cashew nuts, almonds, pistachios, walnuts.








Cut it diagonally or any shape you like while the sweet is still hot and cool it.

---

Store in an air-tight container, this will last up to a month but in my home we finish them off in two days! Thanks Bhabhiji for teaching me this incredible yet simple recipe!

Poori Chole

Poori and Chole

When Anita of "A Mad Tea Party" announced the celebration of Indian Independence Day week with Poori and bhaji, I was already exhausted making them last weekend and top of that I did not capture them on my camera, pity! touring NY/NJ was already taking toll on me. I had to make my presence in this event as I forgot to email for JFI-Chillies to Nandita. So made sure that we had poori's today for brunch this way I won't miss to post on this event. Its party time at Mad Tea Party, so please gals dress up and see you all there.

We generally make potato/aloo curry to go with it, but pooris are so friendly and can be accompanied by variety of side dishes like shrikhand, amras, pickle, kesar halwa and many more. Pooris are cooked almost in all states across India. Since last week only I had pooris with aloo/potato curry, I made Chole (chickpeas/Garbanzo beans curry) this time. You can see in the last photo my DH is enjoying a *Nivala* (bite).

Source: Myself
Cuisine: Indian
Makes: 4 people

For making Poori's
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins
Ingredients:
2½ cups of whole wheat flour
2 tsp sour cream or home made yogurt (optional)
½ water or accordingly
salt as per taste
oil for deep frying

Method

1. In a large vessel mix wheat flour, salt first and then add sour cream and little water knead into a soft dough.
2. Cover and leave it for ½ hour. Make this into smooth round even sized balls. Using a roller pin flatten the balls one by one to make it round and flat of medium thickness.
3. Deep fry this in oil till the poori pops fully and then drain and remove it from the frying pan.
4. Serve hot with Chole or any favorite side dish.

For Chole / Chickpeas masala curry
Soak time: 8-12 hrs
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins
Ingredients:
2 cups of Chickpeas/Garbanzo beans, soaked in water overnight or for 8-12 hrs
2 red onions, grated
3 green chillies, cut lengthwise and chop
2 tbsp crushed tomato paste or tomato puree
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
½ tsp of chilli powder
½ tsp of turmeric powder/haldi
1 tsp of chole masala powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
2-inch cinnamon stick
4-5 cloves
few bay leaves
salt as per taste
1 tbsp of oil

Method

1. Pressure cook the soaked chickpeas/garbanzo beans with little salt for about 5-6 whistles or you can use canned ones too.
2. Meanwhile grate the onion and heat oil in a large sauce pan.
3. To this add bay leaves, cinnamon stick and cloves saute till the aroma fills the room.
4. Add the grated onion, chopped chillies, ginger paste, garlic paste and saute for 5 or more mins so that the raw taste of onion is gone.
5. Then add all the powders and fry for a min or so, add crushed tomatoes/puree and salt.
6. Lastly stir in the cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans, saute till everything is mixed well.
7. Serve hot with pooris.

DH enjoying his share of pooris and chole