Khajoor/Date Balls

Recipe contributed by: Dhara Balwa

Dates is my favorite dry fruit. I like all varieties but Deglet Noor are my favorite kind. Not too sweet, a bit chewy and stuff it up with some roasted nut -- it is a perfect filling healthy snack. This recipe, however, requires Medjool dates because of their soft and plump nature. Due to the same reasons, Medjool dates are overly sweet and you have to tone down the sweetness with lots of nuts, shredded dried coconut and edible gum. Edible gum, light brown/white in color, is a frequently used ingredient in sweets made in India during the winter time. It supposedly helps in keeping the body warm and strong. It also provides a slight crunch which I love. This Christmas, I decided to gift a pack of these date balls to friends celebrating the occasion. They are quick to make and again a good snack for the winter time (which has been brutal this year BTW!)

Makes: 90-100
Prep time: 30 min; Cook time: 10 min; Finish time: 15 min

Veg. Momos

Recipe contributed by: Dhara Balwa

Well, I have been away from blogging for so long it feels like I am starting all over again. While I have been busy with other things, there are still recipes written and pictures taken. Just not typed up here. The New Year is notorious of bringing this feeling of a new start and across the globe so many people decide to live differently and make resolutions. I am one of them. I have made two resolutions. First, to post at least two recipes a month. And in order to fulfill that resolution for this month, here is the first one.

Did you know I never had Momos before until these friends of ours prepared it for dinner at their place? First Momo with the special chutney and the flavors so harmonious, my mouth and tummy did a happy dance. Though I haven't had it anywhere else, I can say they are as best as the Momos can get. While I was so appreciative and happy of this tasty meal, my husband was elated. He is the reason I decided to give it a try making them. It was not rocket science to figure out that they are not so easy to make and very time consuming, especially to make the best kinds. So, having looked around at few recipes and videos, I plunged into the kitchen. The result, Ehhh! The filling was nice, the dough covering it was okay. But as the bench mark was high, it was a disappointment. Given the time the prep took, I decided not to try it again.

We were invited for Christmas dinner at the same friend's home and because we loved Momos, they were kind enough to prepare it again. Since I had tried already and wanted to ask what I was not doing right, I discussed it and got inspired to try it again. Mind you, it was not less laborious, but the end results were more than satisfactory. So, was it worth it? Yes! Will I be making it regularly? No! Only when I really feel like making a treat/butter up my husband. :) It would also help if you are at least a team of two. It is faster to prepare then.

Lastly, I would like to convey a very special Thanks to Renu, whose recipe I have adapted. She shared the recipe of Chutney and also put in so much effort to make these Momos. She should definitely be in Momos Business.

Makes: 40 Momos
Difficulty level: Medium
Prep time: 50-60 min Cook time: 10-15 min

Yummy Peanut Chutney

Recipe contributed by Dhara Balwa

Summer is on the verge of getting done for this year. Vacation time is over and kids are back to school and so is the routine. After two long months of masti and relaxation, time to go back to monotonous cycle of the weekdays. With that comes the desire to update the blog too, that has been kept aside for a couple of months. While I rev back full fledged to writing big recipes, here is something quick to make(and write!) But just because it is a condiment, doesn't make it any less a part of your meal! I alert you how you can be hooked to this chutney that reminds me of Rajkot's Gordhanbhai ni Chutney. If you haven't had it before, try to get hold of it. Although not very similar in taste, this chutney is equally tasty.

The recipe is shared by my mother-in-law who loves condiments with everyday meal including home-made pickles and chutneys. Gordhanbhai's leeli chutney is on her list of favorites. So she put her heart to try and recreate the chutney at home and came up with a close(and I would say better) version of the chutney. I have suggested to her so many times to get the patent for the recipe. It is that good! So many of my meals consisted of roti and this chutney while I was finishing my graduation far from home. She knows that I like it very much so since the past ten years whenever we get together, she will make a big blob of it for me to relish for many days.

I never tried to make it earlier but in past months, I was craving it and decided to try making it myself. So, I got the recipe from my MIL. Mine has turned out more peanutty than hers - the reason being the hot peppers used. In India, the hot peppers are more watery, so my MIL washes them and keeps them out to dry a little for 2-3 days to take some water out. I used Thai hot peppers and boy, are they hot! A little goes a long way. So I have to add more peanuts to compensate for the heat of the peppers but it tastes good too. I have written so much about this, you have to try. Pretty Please! :)Anyway, a few of my friends who eat spicy food tasted this chutney and they enjoyed it very much. I hope you do too.

Prep time: 15 min
Difficulty level: Easy
Spicy level: Hot

Bhindi Masala

Recipe contributed by Rashmi Sampat

Okra is a favorite of many. My Son loves okra and can eat it everyday. Unfortunately, he wanted the same recipe day after day. Now, my husband and I got tired of eating the same thing. So, I tried something different and thankfully for us, my son loved it. This has now become our family favorite. Some of my friends also requested the recipe after tasting it. I hope you enjoy this delectable dish as much as we do.

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 20 min Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty level: Medium

Dal Dhokli (Dal with spiced up roti)

Recipe contributed by Dhara Balwa

Dal Dhokli is a well known Gujarati dish. As most of the Gujarati savories, this dish is also spicy, sweet and tangy at the same time. I have heard the recipe was invented to use up the left over dal and make it a one dish meal. The dal is let to come to a boil and the pieces of spiced up roti known as Thepla are added and heated up until cooked. It is a very simple to make and satisfactory at the same time. Of course, there are some variations to the preparation now. Some people add stuffed 'potlis' commonly filled with shredded coconut and some spices or filling of their liking. I like the simple one. In this recipe below, you can add boiled peanuts but as I was preparing it as lunch for my son and he is in a nut-free class in school, I didn't add them but the peanuts taste delicious with this. Also, I use lime juice for the sourness but some people do use tamarind pulp or raw mango slices instead. And one last thing, I know some people who drizzle some oil and sprinkle some dry ginger powder on the Dal Dhokli when served. Feel free to try the versions as per your liking. This recipe is medium on spice level but I believe that quantities of salt, sugar, sourness and hotness is all subjective depending on a person's liking and spice tolerance.

Serves: 2
Prep time: 25 min Cook time: 15 min
Difficulty level: Medium
Spice heat: Medium

Gujarati Pizza/Jasuben na Pizza

Recipe contributed by Dhara Balwa

Growing up, my mom used to make pizza on special days. It needed a bit planning and special ingredients to make them and they are the yummiest pizza. Living in a small town, all these varieties were sparsely available in restaurants and the enthusiastic cooks would make them at home. Imagine my surprise when I had pizza (My cousin said these are the real pizzas!) outside for the first time. My mouth rejected the US style pizza. It wasn't what I had eaten so far! Stringy mozzarella cheese in a pizza? No thanks.. I loved the mountain of uncooked, finely shredded processed cheese. Bread-like base? Nope. The home-made thin, crisp base was(and is) the preference. And don't get me started on the delicious spicy gravy! Prepared on a pan in the absence of conventional oven, it was a treat. Then I went to college and eating those pizzas became rare and it had been at least a decade since I had it last. Of course, in the meantime, I developed my likeness for the US style pizza. And coming here in the States, I got to taste the original Italian pizzas that are truly delicious.

One day, a friend asked me if I knew how to make Jasuben style pizza. A quick search and I realized she was talking about the kind of pizzas my mom made and the craving began. Honestly, I was very intimidated by the base, as I remember how time-consuming it was to make them. And the gravy took a long time to get done too. There came a day when the craving over-powered the laziness and I set to recreate the pizza at home. Surprisingly, it was not that time consuming as I had expected it to be. The base was a bit of disappointment but I have found a good ready-to-use substitute of it in Indian store. The gravy was delicious and just as I remember the taste. The toppings are not really much of work. So try this gujurati style pizza. You can call it Jasuben na pizza, Choice na Pizza or Amdavadi pizza but for me, this is Mom-style pizza! :)

Serves: 6-7 Pizzas
Prep time: 15 min Cook time: 50 min
Difficulty level: Easy

Sindhi Chhole Dhabel (Spicy Chick peas and Bread)

Recipe contributed by Sandhya Luhana, Gujarat, India

Dhabel means bread or Pav (sort of dinner rolls.) The Chhole prepared the Sindhi way is served in a deep plate with layer of pav covered in lot of gravy and chickpeas. This oil-free dish is a simple yet tasteful family recipe. Made with the basic ingredients, it is filling and healthy. Contributed by my aunt, she said this is how my grandmother used to make it and we have continued the tradition. It has also been turned to street food in various Sindhi pockets where the recipe is topped with sweet and spice chutneys and garnished with sev and cilantro. You can make that version too and serve as appetizer.

Serves: 3
Soak time: 6-8 hrs Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 35-40 min
Difficulty level: Easy