Pumpkin Halwa/ Kaddu ka halwa | The Novice Housewife Kaddu ka halwa or Pumpkin halwa is a sweet Indian pudding made by cooking pumpkin in milk and ghee. In previous posts, I have posted recipes for Carrot/gaajar ka Halwa, Atte ka halwa (whole wheat flour halwa) and semolina/suji ka halwa. This recipe is similar to the carrot halwa. Traditionally halwa uses khoya and that’s what I have used in this recipe. While people are wary of using store bought khoya because of adulteration, at my parents’ home the local milk man gives us homemade Khoya.  Khoya is made with milk that is cooked down so that most of the moisture is evaporated, lending dishes that use khoya an added texture and richness. If you do not have access to khoya, just increase the amount of milk used. In my carrot halwa recipe, there is no khoya and you can get almost similar results without khoya. The cooking time does increase though. I have also seen people use almond meal instead of Khoya, which helps thickening the halwa, and giving it an added richness. Read More →

Vegetarian Kebabs | The Novice Housewife

Vegetarian Kebabs | The Novice Housewife

When I was in Allahabad during my last trip to India, the cook at my parents place would make these vegetarian kebabs for us to snack on with drinks. Good times, I tell ya! Since I could not get the cook back with me to the US of A, I asked my parents’ cook to give me the recipe.

Now most of us don’t measure when we cook, so the cook gave me an approximation of the recipe. First time I tried it, I had to make quite a few changes to the recipe to get the right consistency to be able to stick together. I made them for the new year’s party at our house and they were a big hit. Luckily I had noted the changes, so it was perfect the next time I made them.

You could deep fry these, like I chose to for the party, or you could bake them basted with a little oil as well. Of course the deep fried version are always tastier, but the baked version is almost equally good as well.

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Pyaaz ki kachori (Deep fried Pastry stuffed with spicy onion filling)If you have been following my blog since I started it then either you are one of my friends B, the Pious Hippie or G, or my mother or V.

My point- I have posted this recipe for Pyaaz ki kachori before. Way before. Three and a half years back. Just a few days after I started this blog.

Kachoris are flaky, crispy deep fried pastries that are filled with different savory fillings and served as a snack in India. Pyaaz is the hindi word for onions, and pyaaz kachoris are very popular in the western Indian state of Rajasthan.

Since it has been such a long time and since most of you hadn’t even heard of my blog then, I decided to repost the recipe with a little update about it, instead of just updating that recipe with new pictures and a print friendly recipe. If you would like to check out the original recipe, pictures and what I was up to on August 3rd, 2010 you can check the original post here. Else continue to read on here.

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