Eid Al Fitr: Special dishes for the festival

Khichdi

Ingredients

* Ginger-garlic paste 1 teaspoon

* Turmeric powder A pinch

* Salt to taste

* Onion (sliced) 1.

* Green chilies 3

* Cardamom 3

* Cloves 3

* Cinnamon stick (small) 2 pieces

* Bay leaves 2

* Water 3 cups

* Masoor dal 1/2 cup

* Rice 1 cup

* Mint leaves (Chopped) 1 tablespoon.

* Coriander leaves (chopped) 1 tablespoon.

* Ghee 2 tablespoons

* Oil 2 tablespoons

1. Soak the rice and masoor dal in separate bowls for 30 minutes

2. Heat oil in a pan, add bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, pepper. Roast it.

3. Add green chilies, sliced onions, salt, turmeric, ginger-garlic paste and cook this till the raw flavor is gone

4.Add rice, masoor dal, water, chopped mint and coriander leaves …

Til ka khatta

- Fistful of sesame seeds/til (dry roasted)

-1 Fistful of peanuts

-50gm dried tamarind (for tamarind water)

-4 Medium garlic cloves (peeled)

-A spoonful of fresh coriander leaves/cilantro

-A spoonful of fresh mint leaves

3 Medium fresh green chillies

-1/2 teaspoon Salt (as per taste)

-3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

-2 Medium-dry red chillies

-5-6 medium fresh curry leaves

-3 tablespoon cooking oil (for tempering)

-1 Medium onion

Method

-Dry roast sesame seeds and peanuts

-In a blender add roasted sesame seeds, groundnut, garlic cloves, green chillies, salt, coriander and mint leaves. Make a fine paste by adding little water.

-Wash and soak the tamarind to make the tamarind pulp water.

-Take the ground paste in a bowl and add tamarind water to it, until a slurry is formed. To this add sliced onions.

-Now heat oil in a pan for tempering, add cumin seeds, dried red chillies and curry leaves. Allow to crackle and add this tempering to the sesame tamarind slurry made earlier.

Cover for 3 minutes.

-Til ka khatta is ready to be served.

Kheema (meat mince)

* 3 tbsps ghee or oil

* 1 inch cinnamon stick

* 5-6 cloves

* 2 medium onions, sliced

* 3 tsp garlic paste

* 1.5 tsp ginger paste

* 1 tsp red chilli powder

* 1 tsp turmeric powder

* 1.5 tsps cumin powder

* 1 tsp garam masala

* 1 tsp coriander powder

* 500gm minced meat

* 1.5 cups water

* 3 green chillies

* 1.5 tsps salt

Method

1.Wash mutton kheema (mince) in a strainer and strain out the excess water

2. Add oil in a pressure cooker or cooking vessel and let it heat

3.Add sliced onions, green chillies and saute until the onions turn a light brown colour.

4.Add ginger-garlic paste and saute to get rid of raw smell. Add mutton kheema into it and roast well.

5.Roast until the kheema changes colour and there is no water remaining

• UAE