Mango Rice

Rice - 2 cup, cooked Oil - 2 tbsp. Mustard - 1 tsp Urad Dhal - 1 tsp Channa Dhal - 1 tsp Peanut - 1 tsp Red Chilli - 2 Turmeric - 1 tsp Asafetida - 1 tsp Green Chilli - 2 Curry Leaves Salt Mango - 1 cup, grated

Heat Oil in a medium pan.

Temper Mustard, Urad Dhal, Channa Dhal, Peanut, Red Chilli, Turmeric and Asafetida.

Add Green Chilli and Curry Leaves; saute for 15 sec.

Add the grated Mango and saute until the mixture is completely dry and the Mango is cooked through.

Stir in cooked Rice along with required Salt. Mix well until the masala coats all kernels of the Rice. Reduce heat and cook closed for about 5 min in simmer.

Enjoy warm.

Beignets

Ingredients

• 160 ml (2/3 cup) water, warmed to 100-110ºF (38-43ºC)

• 42 g granulated sugar (1 1/2 ounces; 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon), divided

• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast from one 1/4-ounce envelope

• 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk, at room temperature

• 1 large egg, beaten, at room temperature

• 570 g bread flour (18 ounces; 4 cups), plus more for dusting

• 9 g  (1 tablespoon) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or same weight

• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon diastatic malt (optional)

• 42 g unsalted butter (1 1/2 ounces; 3 tablespoons), softened and cut into 1-tablespoon pieces

• Peanut or other neutral oil, for frying

Directions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, mix water and 1 teaspoon (4g) granulated sugar until sugar is dissolved. Sprinkle yeast over surface and set aside until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Add buttermilk and egg, whisking to combine, followed by flour, salt, baking powder, diastatic malt powder (if using), and 3 tablespoons (38g) sugar. Fit stand mixer with dough hook attachment and mix on medium-low speed until dough begins to come together, about 3 minutes. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, making sure each piece is incorporated before adding the next, until fully incorporated, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and continue beating until dough is strong and elastic, about 10 minutes, stopping to scrape down bowl with dough scraper as needed. (Dough will be sticky and will not clear sides of bowl.)

3. Using a dough scraper, scrape down sides of bowl,  cover tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside to rise at warm room temperature (72 to 78ºF; 22 to 25ºC) until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

4. Using damp hands, gently deflate dough. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 18 hours.

5. Transfer dough to a well-floured work surface. Pat dough into a rectangle, sprinkle lightly with additional flour, then roll out to an 18- by 12-inch rectangle, about 1/4- to 1/3-inch thick. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut dough into 2- by 2 1/2–inch rectangles, spacing them at least 1/2-inch apart to prevent them from sticking to each other. (You should have about 36 rectangles.) Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until puffy and dough springs back slightly when touched, about 40 minutes and up to 1 hour. 

6. Fill a large Dutch oven or large pot with 3 inches of oil and heat over medium-high until oil registers 365ºF (185ºC) on an instant-read thermometer. Line a 13- by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet with paper towels, set a wire rack inside, and place next to stove.

7. Working in batches of 3 to 6, carefully add dough portions to hot oil, sliding them in from as close to the oil’s surface as possible to minimize splashing. Fry, using a spider strainer or slotted spoon to turn beignets occasionally, until deep golden brown and puffed, about 2 minutes. Transfer beignets to prepared wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough portions, adjusting heat as needed to maintain oil between 360 and 365ºF (182 to 185ºC).

8. Dust beignets generously with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Special Equipment

Stand mixer, dough scraper, plastic wrap, pizza cutter or sharp knife, large Dutch oven or large pot, 13- by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet, wire rack, deep-fry or probe thermometer, spider strainer or slotted spoon

Karela Curry

• 2 tablespoons oil

• ▢ 250 grams bitter gourd or 5 small to mediums sized karela or 2 cups chopped karela

• ▢ 200 grams onions or 2 large onions or 1.5 cups thinly sliced onions

• ▢ ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)

• ▢ ½ teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder

• ▢ salt as per taste

• ▢ ½ teaspoon Garam Masala

• ▢ ½ to 1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder), add as required

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation

• Rinse and then peel karela. Then chop in small pieces. 

• Remove the seeds while chopping. If the karela is small and tender, then these will have tender seeds and they cannot be removed. 

• If karela is very bitter, then add some salt on chopped karela pieces. Mix very well and allow this mixture to sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Then squeeze the karela and rinse them very well in water again. This will get rid of some bitterness from the karela.

Making karela sabji

• In a kadai or pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil. You can use any neutral flavored oil.

• Let the oil become hot. Then reduce the heat to a low and add the chopped karela.

• Mix chopped karela with oil and sauté on a low to medium-low flame. Stir often while sautéing.

• Sauté the karela for 4 to 5 minutes. 

• Then add thinly sliced onions.

• Mix the sliced onions with the karela.

• Sprinkle turmeric powder, kashmiri red chili powder and salt as per taste. Mix very well.

• On a low heat continue to sauté stirring often. Sprinkle some water if onion or karela starts sticking to pan. Mix and deglaze removing any bits stuck to the pan and continue to saute.

• Sauté the karela sabji for 10 to 12 minutes till the both the karela and onions are cooked. The onions will also become golden and caramelize by this time. Keep on stirring often. 

• When the onions have lightly caramelize and the bitter gourd pieces are tender and soft, sprinkle dry mango powder and garam masala. 

• Mix very well and then switch off the heat.

• Serve karela sabzi with phulka, paratha and a bowl of fresh plain curd or sweetened curd. This bitter gourd curry also goes very well as a side vegetable dish or accompaniment with the combination of dal rice or kadhi chawal. You can garnish with some coriander leaves if you want.

• It can be packed for lunch box with a side of paratha or roti.½