Finely chop Garlic leaves. Wash it in wire mesh and keep aside.
In a mixture grinder gather all the ingredients and then grind together into fine paste.
Lemon juice will maintain the colour of the leaves and oil will trap the aroma of the garlic.
Either fill this garlic chutney in ice tray or arrange the drops on steel plate
I always want garlic paste in very small amounts so I am freezing in a steel plate.
Grease steel plate with oil and drop ½ tsp. paste and arrange in a circular manner and freeze this plate for 8-10 hours.
After 10 hours transfer these garlic drops into a steel container because the odour of the garlic will get infused in plastic and the container becomes smelly for a lifetime.
You can consume it as a chutney or you can also use these cubes in your recipes in place of Garlic.
Break rock candy or khadi sakhar or Misri into small pieces with the help of motor and pestal and then grind into coarse powder. If you grind into a fine powder then the lump will form after some days.
Rock candy coarse powder
Benefits of using Misri
Misri stimulate lactation in new mothers. It also helps in dealing with mood swings, depression that are often seen in new mothers, as a result of post-partum depression.
Misris are rich in various minerals, vitamins and amino acids, regular consumption of rock sugar not only triggers better blood circulation but also prevents other complications associated with anaemia like dizziness, fatigue and weakness.
Rock sugar is better than regular sugar and is a powerhouse of various nutrients. Ayurveda recommends it for better eyesight, preventing cataract. Consume it along with milk for improving vision.
After consuming a heavy meal. Eat half a teaspoon of mishri along with fennel seeds. Consuming misri after a meal adds in proper digestion, by stimulating digestive juices and helps prevent gastric problems.
Dry roast all the nuts on a slow flame and keep aside.
Dry roast makhana on a slow flame. When you break a single makhana with your fingers then it will easily break down. This means makhana are perfectly roasted.
Make a coarse powder of all dry roasted ingredients.
Mix thoroughly Coco powder with coarse powder of dry fruits and makhana.
Store in an air tight container.
NB why not fine powder ? Because for making fine powder we have to grind more which results in oil separating out from dry fruits and making it lumpy. So always grind in pulse mode and keep it granular.
Mixing of 3 tbsp. of powder is ideal for 300 ml. of milk.
Our Indian kitchen is nothing but the pharmacy store of our house. Here we get a variety of spices. I don’t think other countries’homes have so many variations .In India Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Mumbai to Kolkata . Rich or poor all have spice boxes and all use spices in their day to day normal food preparation. So let’s start our journey in the spice box.
You know what a spice box is? A spice box is nothing but a single box with 7 compartments. Each compartment has its unique identity. colour, flavour, taste and medicinal value. You cannot compare one spice with another. as they are just different from others. Let’s understand the values of each spice separately.
Masala Dani is a popular dry spice organiser where you can find all the needed spices in the same place. A typical masala dani has a number of small cups, often seven, placed inside a round box. Anyone who is passionate about cooking must have the following 8 different types of dry spice boxes in his/her kitchen to create some delicious recipes.
We Indians also use some fresh, green spices in our kitchen. This Green masala dani except Garlic and Onion we keep in the fridge.
Hold the bunch of Methi in one hand and with the other hand cut muddy roots.
Fill 3 big pans with water and while holding a bunch of methi tightly and submerge your hand in one pan of water. Shake your methi bunch and the same way wash methi bunch in other two water filled pans.
Now cut the string of the bunch and spread it on the kitchen towel for 1 hour.
After one hour when all the water from Methi bhaji drains, pluck leaves from the stalk and store in a brown paper bag. Make sure that your Methi leaves bag need a special corner without any pressure from other objects in your refrigerator.
After 15 days Methi leaves dried and the colour of the leaves remains green after drying.
Remove all leaves from the bag and store at room temperature in a glass jar so that colour and flavours stay fresh .
Whenever you need to use this dried methi, remove only the required quantity with a dry spoon and immediately close the lid of the jar.
In mortar and pestle break each dry spice separately into small particles. keep aside.
cut bay leaves into small pieces.
Please do not remove the skin of the cardamom.
Now in the jar of mixture grind all the spices together into fine powder.
Strain with the strainer and store in an air tight glass jar. Please do not store it in a plastic jar as aromatic oil from condiments and plasticiser in plastic containers are found to react with each other.
Ideally use 1 tsp. of spice mix in 2 cups of liquid but if you like strong aroma and taste then you can use more.
Heat nonstick pan. Dry roast all nuts in a nonstick pan on a slow flame for 2 minutes only. Keep aside to cool.
Switch off the flame. Now iQn the same hot pan adds saffron strains, quickly stir and remove in another plate. Pinch all strands with your fingers, which are now crispy and break into small small fragments. keep aside.
With the help of Mortar and pestle break Nutmeg into half and then into small pieces.
In a mixture grinder grind Cardamom with its skin(Skin enhances the flavour), Nutmeg pieces and 1 spoon sugar (helps in making fine powder). After grinding to fine powder if you see fibers of Cardamom skin then strain the powder with tea strainer. Keep aside.
Now in a mixture grinder, grind all nuts together with one spoon of sugar in pulse mode and make coarse powder. Sugar helps to absorb moisture for making dry powder and grinding in pulse mode helps to reduce oil extraction from nuts during grinding.
Now in a grinding jar along with nuts powder add Saffron fragments, Nutmeg and Cardamom powder, milk powder. Grind all together in pulse mode for 1 or 2 times so that all ingredients will mix well.
Store in a dry glass jar in a cool dry region or in the refrigerator.
Pluck curry leaves from the stalks. Wash and dry for 10 to 15 minutes on the kitchen towel.
Heat oil in nonstick kadhai and add Mustard seeds in it. Wait for the crackling sound and then add Asafoetida powder and dry green chillies. Stir and now add Sesame seeds and Peanuts. Saute for 1 minute and add Curry leaves. Saute on medium flame and stir continuously till all leaves turn crispy.
Switch off the flame and add Dry Mango powder.
When cool completely, grind in a grinder and make a coarse powder.
Serve Curry leaves chutney with Rice, Idli, Dosa or as you wish.
Rajeshree Gandhi's Kitchen blog 