Recipe for Famous Khurchan Peda from Ayodhya, Made with Milk and Sugar

If you want to try something more original and authentic than regular dal-rice or khichdi, the Gujarati Khato recipe is perfect. This dish is made from yogurt, fried rice, and moong lentils.

During the holy month of Sawan, people often abstain from eating onion and garlic and prefer light food. In such cases, the problem arises that daily monotonous eating becomes boring. Although khichdi and kadhi are prepared in every home, here is a dish from Gujarat that resembles khichdi in its lightness but has the same delicious taste as kadhi.

If you are striving to cook something light, healthy, and unusual, be sure to try Gujarati Khato. This traditional dish from Gujarat is made using fried rice, moong lentils, whole green moong, and yogurt. Its taste is slightly sour, spicy, and very soothing. The distinguishing feature is that it can be made with a small amount of ingredients, and it is good for digestion.

If you do not have pickle powder (achar masala), you can sprinkle finely ground red pepper on top, which will also enhance the flavor.

Simple Way to Prepare Gujarati Khato

First, thoroughly wash the rice, yellow moong lentils, and whole green moong. Then, fry them in a pot over medium heat without oil until all moisture evaporates and they acquire a light golden color. After this, let them cool completely.

Once the mixture has cooled, lightly grind it in a blender to obtain a coarse powder; it is important that the powder is not too fine.

In a separate bowl, whisk the yogurt with water to obtain a liquid buttermilk. Finely chop the green chili, ginger, and garlic to make a paste.

Heat peanut oil in a pot. Add cumin seeds, rai, fennel, whole red chilies, and curry leaves to create an aromatic tempering. Then stir in the ginger, garlic, and green chili paste and sauté for about a minute. After that, add til seeds and turmeric and mix.

Add about half a cup of the prepared mixture and sauté, stirring, for one to two minutes. Then, while constantly stirring, gradually pour in the prepared buttermilk to avoid lumps. Cook over medium heat until the mixture becomes thick and creamy.

Finally, add salt to taste and mix well once more.

How to Serve

Garnish the finished Gujarati Khato with a small amount of pickle powder, a few drops of peanut oil, and finely chopped fresh coriander. If you do not have pickle powder, you can use finely ground red pepper. Serve hot and enjoy the traditional taste of Gujarat.

Do you want to try something new and crispy during the monsoon season with hot tea? Then prepare the famous Tamalapaku Pakodas from South India. These snacks are made with a perfect coating of lentil flour, rice flour, and spices; they turn out crispy on the outside and very tasty inside. Preparing this dish is quite simple, and it can be made at home.

During the monsoon season, enjoying pakodas has a special charm, especially when there is a drizzle and hot snacks are served with tea. Although you are likely familiar with potato, onion, and cauliflower pakodas, you may never have tried pakodas made from mangosteen leaves. Despite seeming unusual, Tamalapaku Pakoda, prepared in South India, is known for its unique flavor.

This snack, crispy on the outside and spicy on the inside, pairs perfectly with tea. Mangosteen leaves are sometimes called Tamalapaku, and it is thanks to this leaf that the light aroma and taste of the spices distinguish these pakodas from ordinary ones. The advantage is that they are easy to make using common ingredients found at home. A simple recipe is presented below.

First, the mangosteen leaves should be thoroughly washed and wiped dry with a clean cloth. Then, the stems of the leaves need to be cut off and separated.

In a large bowl, mix the lentil flour and rice flour. Add cumin seeds, asafoetida, red chili powder, turmeric, salt, finely chopped green chili, and ginger, and mix well. Then, gradually add water to prepare a thick batter. It is important that the batter is not too runny, otherwise, it will not coat the mangosteen leaf properly.

To make the pakodas crispier, be sure to use rice flour. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil is well heated, take one mangosteen leaf, dip it completely in the lentil mixture, and wrap it all around. Carefully drop it into the hot oil. Repeat the process with the remaining leaves, coating them in the batter and placing them in the oil. Fry the pakodas over medium heat until golden and crispy. Frying over too high heat can quickly brown the outer shell while the inside does not become sufficiently crispy.

Place the finished pakodas on paper towels to remove excess oil. Serve the hot mangosteen leaf pakodas with green, ginger, or tomato chutney.

To make the pakodas crispier, be sure to add rice flour to the batter. Additionally, maintain a medium oil temperature and do not fry too many pakodas at once. This ensures even cooking and a long-lasting crispy texture.