Category Archives: Main Course

Dhokri or Dhokla – Steamed Savoury Cake

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Dhokri is my comfort food… I ate a lot of it whilst growing up and could count on there being a plateful of dhokri at any given event.  Apart from being a delicious mouthful Dhokri does make for the perfect finger food.  The lemony yellow snack would shine away as if peeking out from behind a cloud – heavy with rain. The tangy sponginess accompanied by the snappy crunch of the sesame seeds, laced with the herby aroma of the cilantro will have you salivating unapologetically.

Dhokri is a slightly spicy and tangy savory snack mostly made in Gujarati homes.  It has the texture of a light sponge cake.  The bulk of the recipe is made with chickpea flour and the dough is tied with either buttermilk or yogurt, along with several spices and left to ferment overnight.  It’s then steamed in trays, cooled, cut and garnished with fresh cilantro, sesame and black mustard seeds.  It does seem kind of daunting at first, but believe me once you get the hang of it, it’s ‘putsy peasy’. Continue reading →

Dhaar with Vegetables – (Lentil and Vegetable Curry)

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My Mums Recipe

As a child and well into the years after I got married, I absorbed as much as I could from my maternal grandmother regarding her cooking and recipes.  I  would gaze at her for hours, mesmerized by the effortless way she made ingredients come together.  She would make barfee – a sweet Indian confection similar to fudge, with a balanced sweetness complimented by the creaminess of the ghee – that held it together.  It was never overly sweet.  Her rotis were the best I’ve had and, as a matter of fact, many folk lucky enough to be in her realm would vouch for that too.  A hot ghee smeared roti, perfectly toasted on top to reveal a crispy layer against the pillowy softness of the bottom layer, begged to be eaten with her homemade mango jam.

 

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Dhaar with String Beans and Potatoes

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Spicy Cilantro Turkey Sliders – Turkey Chapli Kebaab

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I’m already drooling thinking about making these again for the Super Bowl.  They are healthy, full of flavor and a party favorite.  I first came up with this recipe last year for a Super Bowl party, and have made them many times since.  They were definitely a hit and are a must have for your party too.

During my earlier years in the United States after I was married, living in New Jersey, our really close friends would host a Super bowl party every year.  One year the girls had the bright idea of playing tag football with the boys before the big game.  Well, Continue reading →

Beef Curry

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My Mum’s Recipe

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This is a long overdue recipe that has finally made it on For The Love of Ghee.  So, for those of you out there who wanted this recipe, here it its!

This basic beef curry is quite delicious, and yet again easy to make.  The prep time is definitely quick.  It does however need a significant amount of cooking time.  Therefore,  I would suggest making this on the weekend, obviously it being a little less mayhem than a weeknight.

Needless to say, it is rather delicious reheated the next day or saved for later in the week.  Frankly the curry tastes great, cold or warm, stuffed into a sandwich and served alongside a pickle and chips or eaten warm with a hot slice of toast or roti.

However, I would suggest eating the curry atop a pile of rice with a pickled condiment of choice, a dollop of yogurt and some crunchy side, perhaps pappad or if that’s not available, a small handful of potato chips.  Ummmm… Yummm.  I made beef curry today and this is exactly how I ate it!  I could go on but you get the gist of it.  I hope you’re able to make this recipe soon and please let me know how it fairs…

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Moongh Daar – Split Green Lentils Curry

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Moongh Dhar Curry is absolutely delicious eaten as a main course, especially on a blustery cold winter day.  Therefore, recently I have been making it pretty often .  This lentil curry can be eaten with rice or with warm rotis accompanied by a green chilli pickle called Raito.  This will probably the fastest curry you will ever make, perfect for a weeknight!  As long as you’ve made your rotis for the week you are set, I promise.  Out of roti’s for the week?   No problem, spread whole wheat toast (or toast of your choice) with ghee or butter, preferably ghee, then pile on the Moongh Daar and devour!  It’s purely addictive.  Try it out and taste it for yourself, you will not be disappointed 🙂

I guess I should explain a little about the bean itself.  First of all theres are countless ways of spelling so I chose to spell it ‘moongh’, although it’s mostly spelt ‘mung’.  It is a little dried green bean if used whole.  In this recipe I have used split mung beans with the skins removed.  If you prefer, by all means use them whole.  You may have to add a little more water during the cooking process.

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