Indian Sweet Recipe - Qubani Ka Meetha

Qubani Ka Meetha

Qubani ka meetha is a popular Hyderabadi dessert made with dried apricots. Apricots are soaked in water overnight and cooked with sugar once the seeds are removed. It is usually served with few dollops of fresh cream and garnished with silver warq or blanched apricot kernels or almonds.

Makes : around 4 Servings of Khubani Ka Meetha.

Ingredients :

Dried Apricots 2 Cups

Sugar 1/2 to 3/4 Cup as required

Fresh Cream 1 tbsp or more

Salt a Pinch

Method of preparation:

Soak apricots overnight in just enough water to cover them.

Next day, strain the soaked apricots and reserve the water.

Remove all the seeds from apricots by squeezing them between fingers.

Pat dry the apricot seeds and crack open them with help of a pestle or heavy object.

Remove the apricot kernels and crush them lightly for garnish. 

You can also blanch the apricot kernels.

Puree all the seeded apricots smoothly with the water it is soaked in.

Heat a pan on medium heat, add pureed apricots, remaining water, sugar and salt.

Add more water if the mixture is too thick.

Cook till the desired consistency acquired (around a thin jam consistency).

Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Pour into serving bowls, stir in fresh cream and garnish with crushed apricot kernels.

Notes : 

Make sure to soak the apricots well.

Suggestions : 

For a quicker process, apricots can be boiled in enough water to soften and  continue with remaining method. If the consistency of the qubani mixture is too thick, stir in few tbsps of milk or water and boil for couple of seconds.

Variations : 

Blanched almonds, a scoop of icecream or silver warq can also be used as a garnish.

Indian Non-Veg Recipe - CHICKEN ALMOND CASSEROLE

CHICKEN ALMOND CASSEROLE


Serves : 6


Ingredients :


1 c. chicken breast, diced and cooked
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. sliced almonds
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 c. celery, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. lemon juice
3 eggs, hard-boiled
1 c. cracker crumbs (I use Zesta)
2 1/2 tsp. butter


Method :


Mix together cracker crumbs and butter; set aside. 


Combine chicken, chicken soup, almonds, mayonnaise, celery, salt, pepper, eggs and lemon juice. 


Grease a deep casserole dish


Pour mixed ingredients in alternating layers with 3/4 cup of buttered cracker crumbs. 


Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until bubbly. 


Cover with remaining buttered crumbs and brown. 

Indian Rice Recipe - Mint and Egg Fried Rice

Mint and Egg Fried Rice

Ingredients :

2 cups of boiled rice (basmati or plain)

1 bunch of mint (pudina) leaves ground

to a paste

2 eggs

fresh chopped coriander

5 green tomatoes cut in long thin pieces

1 big onion cut in long thin pieces

green chilli paste and salt to taste

Method :

Heat a pan on medium heat, add oil and mustard seeds.

When mustard splutters add cumin, ground pepper, curry leaves and fry them for 1 minute.

Add cut onion, fry for a minute, add cut tomato, fry for 2 minutes

Add green chilli paste, Mint paste and eggs.

Crack the eggs into the pan and beat them until it mixes well with tomato and onion pieces, fry for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile boil the rice in a rice cooker.

Mix the boiled rice with the above mixture and fry it for 4 to 5 minutes.

Garnish the Mint and Egg fried rice with chopped coriander and serve hot.

Note : You can add a little lemon juice if the tomatoes are not sour enough.

Indian Vegetable Recipe - Vegetable Dip

Vegetable Dip


Ingedients :


1/2 cup reduced−calorie or light mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups plain non−fat or low−fat yogurt
4 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
One 10−ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained,
and squeezed dry
Raw vegetables for serving


Method :


In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the raw vegetables.


Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. 


Serve with cut raw vegetables.