Radish on a platter

Radishes are a group of root vegetables with light-coloured, crunchy flesh, variable skin colour and an almost spicy, peppery taste. Radishes are also available round the year and are known as mooli/moolangi in India, and every region boasts their unique take on radish recipes. Afshan Jabeen, mother of a little one and a passionate cook and food blogger, shares some easy and delicious recipes using the wonder vegetable, radish.

MOOLI CHEESE KEBAB

Ingredients:

* Radish: 500 g

* Shakarkand (sweet potato): 500 g

* Garam masala: 1 tsp

* Cumin powder: ½ tsp

* Red chilli powder: ¼ tsp

* Salt to taste

* Onion (medium-sized, peeled and finely chopped): 1 no.

* Ginger (scraped and diced): 1-inch piece

* Green chillies (deseeded and chopped): 2 nos.

* Coriander leaves (chopped): a sprig

* Cardamom powder: a pinch

* Cinnamon powder: a pinch

* Nutmeg powder: a pinch

* Ghee

* Mozzarella cheese: 250 gm

Method of preparation:

1. Roast or boil the shakarkand. Peel and mash well.

2. Wash, scrape and grate the mooli. Press between palms and squeeze out all water.

3. Blend the above with shakarkand mash and mix the powdered spices along with salt.

4. Heat a film of oil in a non-stick pan and stir fry the above mixture for a minute.

5. Allow the mixture to cool and then make small balls of the mixture. Now, flatten the balls and make a hole in the middle of each.

6. Pack it with a small portion of onions, ginger and chillies and grated cheese. Reshape into balls and patties.

7. Heat ghee in a non-stick frying pan and pan grill the kebabs till the crusts on both sides become brown in colour.

8. Serve with green chutney.

MOOLI CHEESE PARATHA

Ingredients:

* Mooli (washed and grated): 2

* Grated cheese: 200 gm

* Green chilli (finely chopped): 1

* Garlic (finely chopped): 4 cloves

* Ginger (finely chopped): 1 inch

* Cumin powder: 1 tsp

* Oil: 2 tsp

* Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp

* Cumin powder: 1 tsp

* Whole wheat flour: 1 cup

* Salt, to taste

* Ghee, to cook the parathas

Method of preparation:

1. First, grate the cheese and radish and set aside.

Filling:

1. Heat oil in a skillet on medium flame.

2. Now add the cumin seeds, chopped ginger and garlic, and sauté for 30 seconds.

3. Now, add the radish and salt, and continue to sauté on high heat till all the moisture from radish evaporates.

4. Turn off the flame. Transfer the mixture into a mixing bowl.

5. Into that mixing bowl, add grated cheese, green chili, cumin powder and mix well.

6. The stuffing of the mooli cheese paratha is ready.

7. To make the stuffed mooli cheese paratha.

8. In a mixing bowl, add the whole wheat flour to make the dough by adding little water at a time and knead well to make smooth dough. Divide the dough into equal portions.

9. Dust a flat working surface with some flour. Roll a portion into a ball and flatten it using your fingers and roll it out into a 3-inch diameter circle.

10. Place about 2 tbsp of the mooli cheese stuffing in the centre, gather the edge and seal it. Carefully roll it out into a circle about 6–7 inches in diameter.

11. Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook the stuffed mooli Cheese paratha with ghee until cooked through, and has golden brown spots on both sides.

12. Repeat with the remaining portions of the dough.

13. Serve this stuffed mooli cheese paratha along with lehsuni pudina chutney.

MOOLI KA KHEER

Ingredients:

* Radish (grated): 4 nos.

* Milk: 1 litre

* Almonds (sliced): 7–8

* Cashews (broken): 8–10

* Raisins: 10–12 nos.

* Cardamom: 4–5 nos.

* Grated dry coconut: 2 tbsp

* Bay leaves: 2 nos.

* Jaggery powder: 1 cup

* Ghee: 2 tbsp

* Saffron: 1 pinch

* Salt: 1 pinch

Method of preparation:

1. Steam the grated radish in hot water, strain it well and keep it aside.

2. Boil milk in a sauce pan for five minutes with bay leaves and crushed cardamom.

3. Take some boiled milk from the pan into a cup. To it, mix in the saffron. Keep aside.

4. In a pan and sauté the radish in ghee till it becomes light golden brown in colour.

5. Add the sautéed radish in the milk and stir it continuously till the milk boils.

6. Once the milk with the radish in it has boiled and reduced to a thicker consistency, add the saffron mixed milk and stir again.

7. In a separate pan, fry the cashew nuts and raisins in ghee till they are light golden brown in colour.

8. Add the cashews, raisins, sliced almonds and grated coconut to the kheer cook for another few minutes.

9. Once the kheer has achieved its desired consistency, mix in the jaggery powder and add a pinch of salt. Mix well and serve.

MOOLI KI BARFI

Ingredients:

* Mooli: 1 no.

* Milkmaid: 2 tbsp

* Milk: ½ litre

* Cardamom powder: 1 tsp

* Kesar/saffron: a pinch

Method of preparation:

1. Grate and boil the grated radish.

2. Take 2 tablespoons of milk soaked kesar in it.

3. Then, boil the milk and add the boiled radish in it and sauté it.

4. When the milk thickens, add Milkmaid and cardamom powder. Then sauté it constantly. Now, add kesar and mix it in.

6. When the radish thickens in consistency, switch off the flame.

7. Grease a bowl and put the mixture in it. Set it for 15 minutes.

8. Then, cut the set mixture into shapes, as desired, and garnish with dry fruits.

9. The mooli ki barfi is ready to serve.

 

Did you know?

Radishes, which come in several shapes, sizes and colours, aid in digestion, hydration and blood pressure regulation. The Vitamin C in radish boosts immunity while promoting tissue repair and growth. And there’s more. Eating radish can help you fight common colds and flu, which are frequent during the monsoon season.
It is said that radish roots may stimulate digestive juices and bile flow. Radish root contains chemicals which might kill cancer cells and reduce levels of cholesterol and sugar in the blood.