Pan Fried - Crispy Broccoli

This veggie tasted so crispy, like pakoras, but it's not dipped in a wet batter or deep fried like pakoras. I used spiced, garlicky bread crumbs, broccoli and almonds.

 Ingredients:

25                             almonds/ fav.nuts (sliced)

3 tbs                          oil

1.50 lb/ 680 gms        broccoli (trim & cut into 2-3' florets) 

2 cups                       bread crumbs

1 tsp                          cumin seed/ jeera

3 tsp                          chilli pwdr

1 clove                      garlic

1/2 tsp                       salt or to taste

Method:

1. Rinse, trim and cut broccoli into 2-3' florets. Pulse cumin seed and garlic in a mixer/blender. Mix garlic, chilli powder,salt and bread crumbs.

2. Add wet broccoli florets to b.crumb mixture, toss to coat, push bread crumbs between stem gaps.

3. Heat 2 tbs of oil in a non stick pan (med/high) and toast almonds. Remove almonds when it starts to change color. Add crumb coated broccoli to pan, stir it in oil.

4. Cover the pan, reduce heat and let it cook for 5 - 8 mins, till it becomes crisp and tender.

5. Remove the lid, add 1 tbs oil, toasted almonds and increase heat, stir occasionally until it becomes golden brown and crispy.

6. Remove from heat, transfer to a serving plate.

  

Rava/ Sooji / Semolina Kesari

Love this sweet so much, no need for any spl. occasions to make this. It's very easy to make. In this recipe, kesari is not overly sweet/ oily, it is moist and silky. This is my mom's recipe :)

Ingredients:

1 cup         thick rava/ sooji/ semolina/ grits

1 cup         water

1 cup         milk

1 tbs          oil 

1 tbs          ghee/ clarified butter (melted butter)
1/2 cup      sugar (reduce or increase the amount according to your taste) 

1 tsp          oil + ghee (each)

1 handful   cashew nuts & raisins

2               finely crushed cardamom 

4-8            saffron strands/ 2 pinch orange food color

Method:
1. Heat oil + ghee in a pan, roast cashew. When it turns golden brown, add raisins,  fry till it becomes plump.

2. Now add rava to the same pan and stir it nicely in the remaining oil on med/high, till it gives out a nice roasted aroma, lower the temperature and stir it for another 2-3 mins ( don't let it burn), 
remove the roasted rava from pan. 

3. Pour milk + water to the same pan and heat it (med/high), add cardamom powder, saffron and/or orange color, sugar and stir till the sugar dissolve. 

4. When the liquid starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium and add  the roasted rava (a little at a time) & stir the mix in circular motion simultaneously. 
5. When the liquid gets evaporated, switch off the heat and add another tsp of oil/ ghee, raisins and nuts. Stir it well.

                                          Yummy kesari!
*Heat it before serving