Are you planning to do something special for Independence Day this year? It is great fun to hold a Independence Day Party for your friends and colleagues. Check out our Top 5 Favorites this year to make for Independence Day eve.
1. Tricolour Dhokla Dhamaka
Ingredients
1.5 cups sour curds
salt to taste-about 1.5 tsps
1.5 cups fine semolina/suji/rawa
2 carrots, chopped and boiled
1 Tomato, chopped
A dash of chilli powder
2tbs grated coconut
1tsp ginger paste
1/2 cup prepared coriander/mint green chutney or paste
1.5 tsps Eno brand fruit salt
For the tadka
2 tbsp sesame oil
A pinch of asafoetida/hing
1tsp mustard seeds
2tsps sesame seeds
-2 Green chillies, slices, optional
A pinch of red chilli powder or paprika
Method
Whisk the curds well along with the salt and stir in the semolina. Set this mixture aside to soak for 30 mins.
Meanwhile puree the carrot and tomato together. You will need about 1/2 cup of this puree.
To make the 3 layers of the dhokla you will need 3 small equal-sized flat-bottom pans/trays (with about 2″high sides). We have used the separator pans that stack inside a pressure cooker. You could also use the traditional dhokla thalis. Line the pans with foil or parchment and grease them well to ensure a smooth release. Heat 2 cups of water in the matching steamer pot or pressure cooker.
Divide the soaked semolina mixture into 3 equal parts in 3 bowls.
For the saffron layer- Add about half cup of the carrot-tomato puree to one bowl along with a dash of red chilli powder and whisk until smooth.
For the white layer- Whisk in the ginger paste, grated coconut and 1/2 cup of water into the second bowl. Set aside.
For the green layer- Mix in the green chutney/paste into the last bowl of semolina.
Once the water in the pressure cooker/steamer comes to a boil, working quickly, add 1/2 tsp of Eno to one bowl of the dhokla mix, stir well and pour the batter into the prepared pan. Repeat this process with the other 2 layers. Cover the pan that will go on top with a plate. Stack the pans and steam the dhokla for about 15-20 mins on med-hi heat or until cooked and a knife inserted comes out clean.
Remove the pans from the steamer and allow the dhoklas to cool, uncovered for a few minutes in the pans.
While the dhokla is resting, make the tadka. Heat the oil in a small pan, add the mustard seeds, sesame seeds and a pinch of hing. Once the seeds pop, add the green chillies, if using and toss well. Add the chilli powder and take the pan off the heat.
To assemble, invert the green layer gently onto the serving plate. Sprinkle some of the tadka on it. Top with the white layer, add a little more of the spiced oil and then finally the saffron layer with the rest of the seasoning. Cut the dhokla into generous slices and serve with a side of chutney or thick mint- cucumber raita.
NOTE
You can also spread mint and/or garlic chutney between the layer of the dhoklas to sandwich them together.
2. Tirangi Kulfi
Ingredients
Large pinch of saffron
4 Cardamom pods
¼ Cup shelled pistachios
½ Can sweetened condensed milk
½ Can evaporated milk (or whole milk cooked down by half)
½ Cup heavy cream
½ Cup almonds, blanched and skinned
¼ to ½ Cup powdered sugar (adjust as per desired level of sweetness)
½ Cup Mango, orange fleshed, or pulp (approx)
Method
Lightly warm the saffron in a small pan and then powder it in a pestle and mortar. Set aside. Extract and powder the seeds of the cardamoms.
Blanch the pistachios in boiling water for 30 seconds. Run cold water on them, and then put them on a kitchen towel. Remove the skins by rubbing with the towel. Powder fine in a dry grinder.
Place the condensed milk, evaporated milk, cream, almonds, sugar and cardamom powder in a blender. Liquidize for 2-3 minutes until well-blended and the nuts are finely ground. This is the basic kulfi mix. Pour out one and a quarter cup each of the mixture into 2 bowls and refrigerate these while you make and freeze the first layer.
For the saffron layer – Into the remaining mixture in the blender, add the saffron and some of the mango. Blend until smooth. If the color is too light add more mango. Place the kulfi molds in a high-sided box to make them stand vertically. Pour the saffron mixture into the molds, filling them one-third of the way. Freeze until set.
For the white layer – Pour in the white layer using one bowl of the kulfi mix that was set aside earlier, again filling the molds a third of the way till the top. Freeze until set.
For the green layer – Add the powdered pistachios to the last bowl of the reserved kulfi mix and whisk until smooth. Pour over the frozen white layer and freeze until solid.
To unmold and serve, dip the kulfis briefly in a cup of warm water.
Note:
You can also make one large dish of kulfi by layering the mix in a flat-bottomed dish. Ensure that each layer is frozen solid before pouring on the next. Cut into slices and serve.
To make kulfi sticks, insert popsicle sticks into each mold at the time of pouring in the saffron layer. Pour the remaining layers around the sticks.
