December 2024

 

Winter has arrived, bringing the ideal time to savor cozy and heartwarming meals! This time of year offers an abundance of wonderful ingredients. These quick and yummy recipes will help you stay warm, cheerful, and make the most of the season. Try these easy and tasty winter dishes that will help you enjoy the season even more. Let’s get cooking!

 

1. Warmth in a Bowl

 

Ingredients:

• 250g chicken with bones
• 1-inch ginger, 4-5 garlic cloves, 1 small onion (chopped)
• ½ tsp black pepper powder, 1 chicken cube or 1 tsp salt
• ¼ cup spring onion, ¼ cup carrot (chopped), ¼ cup sweet corn
• 1 egg white (beaten), 2 tbsp oats flour, 1 tbsp vinegar
• Chili flakes (optional for garnish)

Method:

• Boil chicken with ginger, garlic, and onion in 4 cups of water for 30-40 minutes.
• Shred chicken and strain broth. Add chicken cube (or salt), pepper, and vinegar to broth, simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add carrot and corn, cook for 5-7 minutes.
• Mix oat flour with water, stir into broth to thicken.
• Add shredded chicken and beaten egg white, cook gently.
• Garnish with spring onions and chili flakes. Serve hot.

 

2. Kali Gajar halwa

 

Ingredients:

• 500 grams black carrots, grated
• 1 litre low fat milk
• ½ cup jaggery powder
• 4 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
• ¼ cup almonds, ¼ cup cashews
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder, ¼ tsp ginger powder
• Pinch of salt

Method:

• Cook grated black carrots with milk (pressure cook: 1 whistle).
• Roast almonds and cashews in 1 tbsp ghee, chop, and set aside.
• Sauté cooked carrots in 3 tbsp ghee for 5 mins. Add sugar and cardamom powder, and cook until the halwa reaches a desired consistency.
• Mix in chopped nuts and garnish with extra nuts.

 

3. Gajak

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white sesame seeds
• 3/4 cup grated jaggery
• 3 tsp ghee
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• 2 tbsp water

Method:

• Dry roast sesame seeds until aromatic; set aside.
• Heat jaggery and water in a pan until it forms a thick syrup (test by dropping in water; it should harden).
• Add ghee, cardamom powder, and roasted sesame seeds to the syrup. Mix well.
• Spread the mixture on a greased plate or parchment, flatten quickly, and cut into pieces before it hardens. Cool and store in an airtight container.

 

4. Panjiri Delight

Ingredients:

• 2 cups foxnut (makhana)
• ½ cup desiccated coconut, ½ cup gond
• ½ cup oats, ½ cup jaggery powder
• 1 cup almonds, walnuts, cashew, pistachios
• ½ cup mixed seeds
• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 2 tbsp ghee

Method:

• Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a pan and fry the gond until it puffs. Set aside.
• In the same pan, roast oats,makhana, nuts and seeds separately until toasted.
• Combine all roasted ingredients in a bowl, add desiccated coconut and cardamom powder, and mix well.
• Stir in jaggery powder until it melts and coats the mixture.
• Let it cool, and your Panjiri is ready to serve!

 

5. Makhana sweet potato chaat

Ingredients:

• ½ cup roasted foxnut (makhana)
• 100 grams roasted sweet potato
• 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp chaat masala, 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp green chutney
• 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
• 2 tbsp roasted peanuts
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander

 

Method:

• In a bowl, combine the roasted sweet potatoes and roasted makhanas.
• Add salt, chaat masala, and lemon juice to the bowl.
• Mix gently to coat everything evenly.
• Drizzle the green chutney over the sweet potato and makhanas.
• Top with pomegranate seeds, roasted peanuts, and chopped coriander.
• Mix everything together and serve immediately.

 

6. Bajra khichdi

Ingredients:

• 1 cup bajra, ¼ cup moong dal
• 2 tbsp ghee, 1 tsp jeera, 1 dry red chili
• 1 tbsp garlic
• 1 cup chopped onion, tomato, carrot, beans, peas
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp turmeric, red chili, coriander powder
• Water as required

 

Method:

• Wash bajra and moong dal. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan. Add 1 tsp jeera, 1 dry red chili, and 1 tbsp garlic, sauté for a minute.
• Add 1 cup chopped onion, tomato, carrot, beans, and peas; cook for a few minutes.
• Stir in 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp turmeric, red chili, and coriander powder.
• Add the bajra and moong dal, pour in water, and cook until soft (about 20-25 minutes).
• Serve hot, garnished with lemon and fresh coriander.

 

7. Undhiyu

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups brinjals, 1 ½ cups raw bananas (chopped)
• 1 ½ cup tur dal
• 1 cup potatoes, 1 cup surti papdi (chopped)
• 2 cups purple yam, 1 cup fresh fenugreek leaves (chopped)
• 1 ¼ cups green garlic, 1 ½ cups fresh coconut, ⅓ cup ginger, 12-15 green chilies
• 1 cup gram flour
• ¼ cup whole wheat flour
• ½ tsp red chili powder, ¾ tsp turmeric powder, 2 tbsp coriander powder
• 2 tbsp ginger-green chili paste, ½ tsp carom seeds, ½ tsp sesame seeds
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp sugar, salt to taste

 

Method:

• Mix gram flour, whole wheat flour, spices (red chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder), ginger-green chili paste, and scraped coconut into a thick paste. Stuff into the vegetables.
• Heat oil in a pot, sauté green garlic, ginger, and green chilies. Add stuffed veggies, salt, sugar, and cook with water for 30-40 minutes on low heat.
• In a pan, heat oil, add carom seeds, sesame seeds, and pour over the cooked veggies.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with puri.

8. Moringa dal

Ingredients:

• 1 cup moong dal, 1 cup moringa leaves, 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp ghee, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1-2 slit green chilies, 1 tsp chopped ginger
• ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, salt to taste

 

Method:

• Wash the moong dal and cook it with 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker or saucepan until soft and mushy.
• In a pan, heat ghee. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add the slit green chilies and chopped ginger, sautéing until fragrant.
• Stir in turmeric and coriander powder. Sauté for a minute.
• Add the washed moringa leaves to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until they soften.
• Pour the tempering into the cooked dal. Add salt to taste and let it simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves

 

9. Ven pongal

Ingredients:

• ½ cup rice and ½ cup moong dal
• 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp cumin seeds and ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 1-inch ginger (chopped)
• 1 pinch asafoetida
• 5 cashews
• 2 tbsp ghee
• Few curry leaves

 

Method:

• Wash rice and dal, add water and salt, and pressure cook for 6-7 whistles.
• Let the pressure release naturally.
• Heat ghee in a pan, add the remaining ingredients, and fry until cashews are golden.
• Pour the tempering over the cooked rice and dal.
• Mix well and serve.

 

10. Gond ladoo

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup gond
• ½ cup mixed nuts (chopped)
• ¾ cup grated dry coconut
• ½ cup jaggery
• 1 tbsp roasted poppy seeds
• 3 tbsp ghee
• ½ tsp cardamom powder, ¼ tsp nutmeg powder

 

Method:

• Heat 1 tbsp ghee, roast gond until it puffs up, then crush it.
• In the same pan, roast grated coconut with 2 tbsp ghee until golden.
• Melt jaggery with a little water to form a smooth syrup.
• Combine roasted gond, coconut, nuts, poppy seeds, cardamom, and nutmeg in a bowl. Pour the jaggery syrup over and mix.
• Shape the mixture into round laddoos while still warm. Let it cool and set.
• Serve or store it in an airtight container.

 

This winter, savor a collection of quick and heartwarming recipes! From the creamy Warmth in a Bowl soup and wholesome Bajra Khichdi to festive Gujarati Undhiyu, these savory dishes will keep you snug. For sweet cravings, indulge in rich Kali Gajar Halwa, crunchy Gajak, or nutritious Gond Ladoo. There’s even a vibrant Makhana Sweet Potato Chaat for a zesty snack. Packed with seasonal ingredients, these dishes are quick, delicious, and perfect for staying cozy this winter.