Moong Dal Pancakes

In Weddings the most famous snacks now-a-days is Moong Dal Cheela filled with Paneer. Its a very famous and delicious snacks for anytime. Moong Dal is very healthy as it contains proteins.

Time Taken - 10 mins

Ingredients - 

Yellow Moong Dal - 1.5 Cup

Semolina/ Suji - 1/2 tsp

Ginger-Garlich-Jeera-Green Chilli Paste - 1/2 tsp

Chopped Onion - 1 Medium

Chopped Tomato - 1 Medium

Chopped Green Chilli - 2 Nos

Grated Paneer - 100 gm (Optional)

Salt - to taste

Water as needed

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💡  Traditionally, it is made by soaking the Dal overnight and then make a paste of it and then makes Pancakes. In this variation there is no need of soaking overnight, its just what you want to have is Moon dal and will grind the Moong Dal to make it powder. Sometimes what happens you want to eat Moon dal Cheela

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Procedure - 

• Take 2 cups of Moong Dal and grind it in a mixi to make fine powder.
• Boil water.
• Soak the mixture of Powdered Monng dal & hot water, make a smooth batter of it and then leave for 5- 10 mins before making.
• Now add Chopped Onions, Tomatoes, Green Chillies, Suji, Ginger-Garlich-Jeera-Green Chilli Paste, Salt and mix all the ingredients properly.
• Take a non-stick pan and brush oil over the pan and pour the Pancake or Cheela Paste and let it cook on medium flame.
• Cook the Pancake from both sides.
• Garnish with Grated Paneer.
• Serve hot with Green Chutney or Tomato Ketchup.

Mystery Flavors - #MoongDalPancakes

Vermicelli Pulav

Vermicelli is similar in appearance to noodles but is much thinner. Vermicelli does not have much flavor of its own, but readily absorbs the flavors of whatever ingredients it is cooked with. Owing to their lack of flavor, they can be added to any dish for an exotic touch.  Today we are going to make Sevaiyan Pulao, not only visually appealing but a real treat to the taste buds too and making it a hot favourite with kids.. It is easy and quick to make on busy mornings.

Ingredients-

Semolina vermicelli - 1 Cup

Ghee or Butter - 1/2 Tbsp

Onion - 1/2 medium Chopped
Mustard Seeds or Rai - 1/2 tsp
Clove or Laung - 1 No.
Cinnamon (dalchini) - 1 small stick
Cardamom (elaichi) - 1
Green peas - 1/4 Cup
Carrot - 1/4 Cup cut into slices

Capsicum - 1/4 Cup cut into cubes

Curry Leaves - 2-3 Nos.

Green Chillies - 2 finely chopped
Turmeric powder (haldi) - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tsp
Water - 1 and 1/2 Cup
Salt to taste

Coriander Leaves finely chopped for Garnish
Grated Paneer for Garnish

Procedure-

• Heat the 1 tsp oil in a deep non-stick kadhai, add the vermicelli and sauté on a medium flame for 5 minutes or till brown in colour. Remove and keep aside.

• Heat the remaining 1 tsp oil in the same non-stick kadhai, add the Mustard Seeds, clove, Cinamon, cardamom, Curry Leaves, Green Chillies and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.

• Add Chopped onions and fry till brown then add Green peas, Capsicum and carrot and cover it and sauté on a medium flame for another 3-4 minutes.

• Add turmeric powder, garam masala and sauté on a medium flame for 2-3 mins.

• Now add 1 and 1/2 Cup of Water and add salt to taste and let it boil.

• Once the water starts boiling add vermicelli and mix it well. Cover it with a lid and cook for another 4-5 mins on a medium flame, make it stir in between.

• Take out the dish in a serving plate and squeeze the lemon juice and pour Ghee over it.

• Garnish with finely chopped Coriander Leaves and Grated Paneer and serve hot with Garma-Garam Chai.

Mystery Flavors - #VermicelliPulav

Dahi Vade - North Indian Snack

A great starter or a cold appetizer, Dahi Vada, is a popular North Indian street food. Interesting Dahi Vada recipes totally lights your candle, especially if they are easy to prepare. I learned this recipe from my loving Papa. Absolutely lip smacking snack as you bite into a soft, melt-in-the-mouth, delicious vada, it leaves you with mysterious flavors that tickle your taste, tempting your appetite for 

Time Taken -  10 - 15 mins

Ingredients-

Curd - 2 Cups thick 
Paneer - 250 gm

Bread - 8- 10 Slices

Green Chillies - 3-4 nos.(Chopped)

Raisins - 8-10 Nos.(Chopped)
Ginger - 1" Grated
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp

Chat Masala to taste
Salt to taste

A small bunch of Coriander Leaves, finely chopped

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💡 Dahi vadas are made of lentil (black gram/urad dal) made into fried balls which are then smoothened with fresh curds and sprinkled by some spices like chilli powder, cumin powder, chat masala, drizzled with sweet tamarind chutney and garnish with coriander leaves.

In this variation I replaced the Lentil with Paneer for filling and use of Bread. By this we can avoid the frying of Vada which is not healthy for now-a-days life and by using Paneer which contains lots of energy like Carbohydrates, Minerals, Proteins, Vitamins in it.

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Procedure-

• Place the grated paneer in a wide bowl.
• Add chopped Green Chillies, Raisins, Ginger, Chat Masala, Salt and mix it with grated Paneer.
• Mix gently with your finger tips and set aside while you prepare the bread..
• Remove the crusts from your bread or use the regular white Bread available in the market.
• Roll out each slice of Bread by firstly dipping it into the water and remove the water by pressing them. This will make the bread more soft and helps to hold the filling into it .
• Place about 1 tsp or so of filling in the middle of the bread slice.
• Gently roll in from both end, making sure that the filling stays well within the roll.
• Repeat with the remaining bread slices.
• Now dip all the bread rolls into curd.
• Finally garnish the DahiVada's with finely chopped Coriander Leaves, Green Chillies and sprinkle some Cumin Powder and Red Chilli Powder.

Note: Don't Put the Dahi Vada or Bread rolls into refrigerator for long time as it makes Bread and the filling hard. 

Mystery Flavors - #DahiVada 

Carrot Pudding - Gajar ka Halwa

There is a saying kuch ache ki shuruat meethe se karo.

So my first post will be about one of the most relished dessert from India i.e "Carrot pudding" also known as "Gajar ka Halwa", very much pleasant in winters time with some mystery flavours....

Time Taken - 40-45 mins

Ingredients -

Carrot - 1/2 Kg

Desi Ghee - 2 Tbsp

Milk - 750 ml (Full Cream)

Milkmaid - 200 gm (optional)

Brown Sugar - 1/2 Cup (if Milkmaid is not available, use 1 cup Brown Sugar)

Saffron Strands - 4-5 strands

Elaichi Powder - 1/2 tsp

Mixed Dry Fruits - Cashew, Sliced Almonds, Raisins etc

Rose Water - few drops

Grated Coconut - for decoration (optional)

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 💡  This halwa is made by gently heating lots of full cream milk along with carrots and sugar over low flame. In this variation I decided to saute the Carrots and boil the milk separately and later on we mix two of them. By this the sweetnes of Carrot in the dish get enhanced and make the dish more tempting. Here I used Brown Sugar in place of Sugar which will make the dish  more tasty and healthy too.

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Procedure - 

• Wash, peel and grate the Carrots.
• Heat Desi Ghee in a deep cooking pot like kadhai and saute the grated carrots for 15-20 mins on medium heat. Keep it Stir in every 5-6 mins. (Note: how to check Carrot is properly cooked or not - some aroma or sweet smell started coming once it is cooked properly.)
• Alongwith sauteing the Carrots, take a different pan and boil milk by adding saffron strands and elaichi powder for 10-15 mins on medium heat.
• Now pour the boiled milk mixture into Carrot's pan and add milkmaid(200gm)+1/2 Cup Brown Sugar or 1 cup Brown Sugar and mix it gently. Let the mixture cook for another 15-20 mins till it becomes little thick.
• At this stage to the mixture add dry fruits (Cashew, Sliced Almonds, Raisins etc).
• Let it cool down for 5 mins and add few drops of Rose water for fragnance in the Halwa.
• Garnish with mixed Dry Fruits and drizzle the milkmaid over the top or with Grated Coconut.

Note - Instead of using Brown Sugar, normal sugar also can be used. For Garnishing one Scoop of Vanila Ice-cream also can be used.( Icecream can be used only when Halwa is hot)

Mystery Flavors - #CarrotPudding

Have a sweet and happy evening with your friends and family!

First-ever Post

Hello/ Namaskara/ Sat Sri Akal/ Om Suastiastu

A little glimpse of myself and a journey to writing a blog. Myself Akanksha, the blogger behind Mystery Flavors, is a girl from Allahabad - The City of Sangam and after marriage residing in Bangalore - Silicon Valley of India have passion about few things: loves to cook, eating and lots of eating, and sharing wholesome meals-n-happiness, travelling and a bit photography with the people in her life. 

Good Food is Good Mood... :)

This blog resembles the mouth-watering food from my Secret Kitchen Diaries making sure every bite looks impossibly scrumptious and some Travel Diaries through our camera lenses.. Behind the scenes there's one sweet couple - Pranjal and Akanksha: She cooks and blogs; he clicks. From snacks to full-pot meals, this blog has our food cravings covered and some Travel Throwbacks and more trips to come........