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Not to be mistaken for the Punjabi Kadi or the Malayalam Kadi[a bite] or the Tamil Kadi[a silly joke],this one is a typical Konkani sweet which is often the star during weddings and festivals occupying a prime position in the sweet boxes shared around.Recently,when my parents and brothers came visiting,my sis-in-law Radhika got this especially for me.
I've said this before,she is an excellent cook and cooks up variety of dishes within minutes.Though I've been cooking for a while now,I am always confused as to 'what to cook'.She is someone who just decides what to cook and finishes cooking before even I finalize my list,yes,that fast!!
I remember cooking a similar sweet-Coconut Barfi during my schooldays.One of the first dishes I ever cooked,it used to make me feel so happy to do it all by myself and I always insisted I did the whole work from start to finish-from scraping the coconut to the setting the barfi.With a little practice,the Khadi can be perfected too.Few ingredients,foolproof method and you have a lovely sweet ready to be eaten..and shared.
Kadi/Khadi - 5 Cups Barfi
Recipe Source - Radhika,my sis-in-law
Ingredients
Besan/Chickpea flour - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 cups
Cashewnuts - a handful,chopped finely,optional
Method
In a saucepan,mix together warm milk and sugar-reserve.
In a thick bottomed kadai add ghee and roast besan for a few minutes until a nice aroma comes,approximately 2-3 minutes--be careful not to let it brown.
Now add the milk-sugar mix and the nuts and keep stirring.
Keep the gas flame on simmer and stir the barfi in continuous intervals taking care as to not to burn.
After about 20 minutes,the barfi will start leaving the sides of the pan and would be ready to set.
Meanwhile grease a plate with ghee and pour the barfi mix into the plate.
When the barfi becomes half set,make markings on it using a knife which would make it easier to cut.
When completely cool,cut into squares.
Keeps well while stored in air tight containers.
Sometimes I am full of energy..cooking up dishes like there's no tomorrow,cleaning the house till it is squeaky clean and dusting,again like there's no tomorrow.But sometimes,the devil takes over and I'll become the laziest person you'd ever come across.Everything becomes a task,
even making a cup of coffee to uplift my mood.Combine this with a weekend stay at the in-laws place with an array of yummy dishes plus another weekend with family around combined with lots of outing,shopping and eating out.Could I be blamed if I become lazy??
Thanks to our little chat,Madhuri assured me I am not alone in this.We even named this a Food Blogger Inactivity Virus,cool no??When a syndrome takes responsibility for our laziness??However,while discussing about food - what else,I told her about the lunch I was making.Though the name sounds all fancy,it was my little trick to escape making rice with a curry and a stir fry to go along.
This one almost did not make it to the blog,but for a push from her asking me to make it for the advantage of similar minded lazy bums.Mads,thanks--the push worked!!
I assure you,this one is truly a one-pot meal.Originally a recipe for Ghee rice,I added some carrots and capsicum to make it look like a Vegetable Ghee rice,less work-more tasty!!You could add any vegetable of choice or make it plain.
Vegetable Ghee Rice
Recipe source--an old school friend of mine & my sis-in-law Radhika
Ingredients
Basmati rice - 1 cup,soaked for 15 minutes
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Whole spices - 2 cloves,1'stick cinnamon and 1 cardamom
Onion - 1,thinly sliced
Carrot - 1,chopped
Capsicum - 1,small-chopped
Water - 2 cups
Salt to taste
Method
In a pressure pan/cooker add the ghee and roast the whole spices for a minute.
Add the onions and roast till they slightly start changing the colour.
Mix in the carrots and capsicum and give a good stir.
Drain the soaked rice and add.
Stir well till everything is mixed.
Add the water and enough salt to taste and let it come to a boil.
Close with the cooker lid and cook for 2-3 whistles.
Let the cooker come to room temperature-open and fluff with a fork.
I am always fascinated when someone says they created a recipe or rather,the new term recipe development.I can never do that for sure.All my recipes are either passed on to me by amma/mil or the ones I read up on the net,books or blogs.I salute those who create a recipe on their own successfully.Thanks to those,we can try them all sans the fear of failure.
I seldom deviate from a recipe when I am cooking something--too chicken for that.So it came as a big surprise to myself when I made this Kadai Vegetable which was actually going to be a Paneer based curry.
Halfway into the preparation,I thought of adding some vegetables since Ajay isn't too fond of Paneer.Then I thought of making into Kadai veg.Since I was already in the kitchen,didn't feel like logging in to the net and search,so I made it all up--nothing extra ordinary--just the basic ingredients put together with vegetables.I liked the taste immensely,even if I say so myself--very close to this one,in looks as well as taste.
So finally,I can say I half-created a recipe too-so what if you can find similar recipes?I cooked it without peeping into a book or my laptop--that by itself is satisfactory to me,hehe.
Kadai Vegetable
Ingredients
Onions - 2,medium sized
Green chilly - 1
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Tomatoes - 2,medium sized
Cauliflower - roughly half of a medium sized one
Carrot - 1,sliced
Capsicum - 1,medium sized
Baby corn - 2-3,sliced
Paneer - 100 gms,sliced
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Cumin-Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Haldi - 1/2 tsp
Kasoori methi - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Method
Make a paste of onion,green chilly and ginger garlic-reserve.
Puree the tomatoes-reserve.
Boil about 4 cups of water with a tsp pf salt and a pinch haldi-when it comes to a rolling boil,add the vegetables except capsicum and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Strain and wash well with cool water-keep aside.
In a kadai add oil and splutter jeera-when it pops,add in the onion paste.
Saute for about 3-5 minutes.
Add the tomato puree,mix well and close with a lid-as it would splutter a lot.
Cook for 5-7 minutes.
Now add the masalas - red chilly powder,cumin-coriander powder,garam masala and haldi.
Add salt to taste and stir for a minute or two.
Add the kasoori methi,paneer and capsicum.
Add the rest of the vegetables and give a good stir.
Add about a cup of water and simmer for 5-7 minutes till the curry thickens.
Serve hot with rotis or pulao.
