I love this time of year, wherever I am! I think everything about the season is delightful - the smells, the lights, the people, the shopping, the rush, the food, the festiveness and on and on.

We finally put up some lights outside along the door and the railings as part of our Christmas decorations, and there is still more to do, but that will be for next weekend. How about you? Do tell me where you are with your decorations and cooking, etc. for the season.

Talking of festive food, today I am sharing a delicious preparation with potato which will have your guests drooling. The first time I had this a zillion years ago at a friends place for Diwali, I distinctly remember how everybody was raving about this dish. I sang my own tune of appreciation to her, and I can still feel the taste on my tongue just reminiscing. Okay, agreed that was a little exaggeration, but the taste by no means is being exaggerated :)

Recently, at a get- together at my house, I made this and it was well received. So much so that the dish looked like it was licked clean. I like that! The recipe gives the mild version of the dish. Spike up the spice to your liking. I always make it less spicy, keeping my kids as well as the non-Indian guests in mind.

It's a wonderful party dish to the eyes as well as your taste buds.



Don't you think that Star Anise is one of the prettiest spices ever ?



Ingredients:

Baby potatoes- 1lbs
Oil- For deep frying

Oil- 2 Tbsp
Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Asafoetida- a pinch

Whole Garam masala:

Cinnamon stick- 1 small piece
Star Anise- 2
Cloves- 3-4
Cardamom- 1 or 2
Bay leaves- 2

Finely chopped Onion- 1 cup

Ginger Garlic paste- 1 Tbsp
Tomato Puree- 1 1/2 Tbsp
Salt- To taste

For mixing in the yogurt:

Yogurt- 1 cup scant
Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder- 2 tsp
Red Chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
Fennel powder- 1 tsp
Coriander powder- 2 /14 tsp
Turmeric powder- a big pinch

Ginger juliennes- for garnishing


Method:

1.Peel and clean the potatoes.Prick them thoroughly with a fork and immerse them in salted water for n hour.
2.Drain them on a paper towel.
3.Heat oil in a deep frying pan and fry the potatoes till they turn golden brown.You have to do this on medium high heat, since if you keep the heat low, the potatoes will absorb more oil.
4.Heat oil in pan and splutter the cumin seeds.Add the asafoetida and keep stirring.Add the whole garam masala ans saute for a couple of minutes.
5.Throw in the finely chopped onions and saute till they turn brown.
6.Add the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell leaves.
7.Add the tomato puree (I used the canned one)and saute till the oil startes to leave the sides.
8.Mix all the other spice powders in the yogurt and pour it into the pan.
9.Mix everything well and bring it to a boil.
10. Add the fried potatoes and mix well.Adjust the consistency with water.
11.Cover and cook on medium low heat for about 10 minutes.
12.If you want to have more gravy add more water while cooking.If you want it semi-dry or dry boil it accordingly.Remember that it will dry again even after switching off the heat.
13.Serve with poori/roti.

Contributor: Namitha

                                                                













  I made the pie following a recipe from a can and used a store bought crust.  Nami on the other hand has ventured out to do it from scratch so we will wait for her to enlighten us with her recipe.  Until then you have a great thanksgiving.  Count your blessings one by one and may you be pleasantly surprised at the abundance you have!

Hope you all are having a wonderful day,wherever you are. I thought it's not fair if we don't share the second sweet I prepared for Diwali, before the festival is over. So here is the boondi ladoo, my most favorite of all ladoos.We would love to say that again, Happy Diwali and we love you all !

May the festival of lights brings you all the happiness in the world !



These ladoos are so delicious and exactly like the store bought one, except for their shape ;-)



This for you all,with good wishes and love, from us !




Ingredients:

Besan/Gram flour- 1 1/2 cup
Rice flour- 1 Tbsp
Baking soda- a pinch
Oil- for deep frying

For the sugar syrup:

Sugar- 2 cups
Water- 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp
Cardamom powder- 1/2 tsp
Cloves, crushed- 6-7
Cashews and raisins- lightly fried in ghee(optional)- 2 Tbsp each

You need a boondi strainer/a strainer with holes for making the boondis

Method:

1.Make a medium thick batter with the flours, water and soda. The consistency should be lighter than of idli batter.If it is too watery you will get boondis with a tail. If it is too thick it will not come through the strainer.So adjust it if required after you try the first time, by adding the flour or water.
2.Heat oil in a deep frying pan.Keep the heat on medium and by holding the strainer over the oil, pour a ladle full of batter onto the strainer.Make circular motions with the bottom of the ladle, just like you do when you make a dosa.The flour will drop into the oil and get fried.
3.It doesn't take long for the boondi to get fried. Also you don't have to fry the boondis till they turn brown, as you do for making mixture and other snacks.As soon as you stop pouring the batter stir the boondis well, so that they don't cluster together and burn. (it's always nice to have an extra pair of hands at this time, but I did it all myself this time !)
4.Drain them on a paper towel. Also it's wise to use a big strainer to take them out from oil, since the boondis are small but large in number.
5.Make the sugar syrup by mixing the sugar and water in a thick bottom vessel and boiling it to one string consistency.This doesn't take long if you add only this much of water.
6.When it has reached one string cosistency, add the cloves and cardamom and also the cashews and raisins. Mix well.
7.Throw in the fried boondis into this syrup and mix everything well.
8.Let it cool for a while so that you can handle it without burning your hands.
9.Make balls out of this before it gets completely cool.
10.Let the ladoos cool completely before you store them.

Do you think that it's a lot of work? But believe me, it's all worth it :-)
Once again we wish you all a very Happy Diwali/Deepawali !!



Sending this to the event "The 30 best recipes of 2010" at Chacko's Kitchen.Thanks Susan and Abraham for hosting such a wonderful event !

Contributor: Namitha