Guest Post: Kaju Matar Makhana Curry | Jubilee celebration for 75th post and Diwali

I feel like just now I started my blog and slowly getting to know things in and around this blogosphere but I'm writing my 75th post today. My heartiest congrats to each one of you who are associated with me in this journey.I hope to continue my journey with more and more enthusiasm and give you the best from my end.

I'm taking this opportunity to introduce some of my friends to share their interesting recipes with us here.I feel , this gives us chance to look at food from a different perspective and enjoy the same.So you all can expect some more interesting recipes and stories and so on.

It gives me immense pleasure to introduce my friend Sonal Gupta from simplyvegetarian777. We got hooked up to each other through a facebook forum.Food was the basic connect between us. She is such a warm and soothing person one would expect as a friend.Her simple and straight forward nature and helping tendency are some of the inspiring facts about her. Quick and easy recipes are her forte.Check out her simplyvegetarian when you find time.

Now lets quickly zoom to Sonal.

Sujatha asked me to do a guest post and I knew that I had to do something special and authentic for her and yet so easy for the readers to actually try it out in their kitchen this Diwali.

Sujatha is special to me and we started bonding through a food forum on Facebook and gradually developed a good friendship. Such a sweet girl with so much talent ! Her photography skills are just amazing. Thanks Sujatha, for giving me an opportunity to interact with your audience :).

Kaju Matar Makhana is a delicate curry made in Uttar Pradesh. Kaju is cashews, Matar is peas and Makana is Puffed Foxnuts from Lotus stem. It is rich, subtly sweet and just amazing to indulge during festivals. I am not sure about the origin of this dish but it definitely is more of Awadhi and Mughlai origin.

Kaju Matar Makhane ki Sabzi

Ingredients :

Phool Makhana or Foxnuts : 2 cups
Peas : 1 cup
Cashews : 1/2 cup
Oil : 1/2 tbsp
Tomatoes : 1 cup puréed
Ginger : 1 small piece
Milk powder : 3 tbsp or use fresh khoya/mawa

Spices :
Turmeric : 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder : 3 tsp
Cumin powder : 1 tsp
Garam masala : 3/4 tsp to 1 tsp
Red chili powder : 1/4 tsp or to taste
Kasuri Methi : 1 tsp crushed
Sugar : 1/2 tsp, optional
Salt to taste : 1/2 tsp plus.
Water : 1 cup or more to required consistency.

Method :

1. Dry roast the Makhanas till crisp and golden on low flame. Take them off on a plate. You may certainly roast them in little oil.

2. Heat oil in the same pan. Add tomato purée and add all the spices besides garam masala, salt, Kasuri methi and sugar. Cook till water is evaporated on low flame.

3. Now add milk powder. Stir and cover and cook for 2 minutes on low medium flame.

4. Add peas and cashews. Stir together. Add water and stir again.

5. Add garam masala, salt, sugar and Kasuri methi. Stir and cook on low flame for 5 minutes, covered.

6. Add roasted Makhanas to the gravy before serving or else they will absorb all the gravy. Mix them well in the curry and then serve.

Serving Suggestion : This curry goes well with parantha, roti, naan and cumin rice.

A very Happy Diwali to all of you! Stay healthy. Stay happy. Stay blessed.