Khara (Savory) Buns

My son has been asking for some yummy stuff for the past few days ... he wanted to try something different but it has been handsful for the past few weeks and hence did not venture to try any new stuff. I promised to make something yummy and he even reminded me about it before leaving for school ...hence did not want to disappoint the child when he got back home. I started pondering over what to make ... putting my thinking cap on the difficult part of making something :) ... once you find an answer its gets easy ..I know all of us face this situation even on daily basis .. what to cook?? It gets easier when someone asks for it rather than pondering over it!!

This thinking part took me back to the golden.. carefree days and after school snacks that I enjoyed as a child.. voila ...I have made masala buns before so why not kara buns..... there are lot of recipes out there on the WWW .... this is my version of it ..lets add one more to the tons already out there!


Ingredients (yields 6 buns)

1 Cup All purpose flour

1 Cup Wheat flour

1/2 Cup Milk

1/4 Tsp Sugar

1/4 Cup Oil

1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onion

1 Pkt Fleischmanns Active Dry Yeast

1/2 Tsp Jeera

Finely Chopped Cilantro, 1 or 2 Green Chilly and Curry leaves

Method:

The dough preparation is very close to making pizzas ... so if you are used to making home made pizzas from scratch ...this will be easy as well!

1. Prepare the yeast as given in the package. (This is what I do - microwave the milk for about 20 seconds. Add the sugar and yeast and let it stand for 15 minutes)

2. Take a Tsp of oil in a pan. Add the Jeera, green chillies and curry. Add the onions and salt and saute for couple of minutes and allow it to cool before adding it to the dough. (Note: You may add raw onions too to make this bun)

3. Combine the flour, add the salt. Make a dent add the oil. Form a dough

4. Now add the sauteed onions and cilantro and mix it well with the dough. It may become sticky hence add more flour as needed.

5. Place the dough in a bowl ... brush it with oil and cover it with a cling wrap. Keep it in a draft free place. Allow the yeast to do its job! Wait for couple of hours and you will see that it has doubled.

6. If needed again ... roll it well and smoothen the dough and make 6 balls. Leave it for one more hour.

7. Pre-heat the oven to 375 deg F. Brush the buns with milk. Pop them into the oven ...it will be done in about 20 minutes! Enjoy

Happy Diwali 2013

 

 

 Let this festival of lights bring Health, Wealth and Prosperity to everyone

We wish you a very Happy and a Prosperous Diwali

Thanks for visiting my blog ....
 

 

Diwali Marundhu

Jaangri

 

Badushah

                                     

Badam Burfi

Managombu

 

This year's new entry is Jaangri ..the one I have been contemplating on making for the past few years.... atlast tried it for Diwali and happy with the results. will post the recipe for that soon.

You will find the recipes for other sweets and savories in my blog.

Flat Bread Quesadilla

I had tried making quesadilla at home long time ago but it did not work out well since I made it with chappati.... probably the roti's I made were not firm enough not sure... after this attempt at making quesadilla which turned out to be a failure I never tried my hand at it again until recently. My dear H had got flat bread from Sam's and 2 packs of them were just lying the pantry because I did not know what to do with it. I wanted to try out something new with it.

My friends kids had come home and I wanted to make something yummy for them and this is what I made after searching the website I found in that package ... I made this as a starter for lunch and it was a big hit with them. I had cheese enough to make for 2 flat breads only ...they loved it so much that they wanted to have more of this and not rice and rasam... and even though they did not love red bell pepper they did not mind it in this at all :)

Ingredients:

2 Flat bread
1/2 Cup Finely Diced Bell Pepper
1/4 Cup Finely Diced Onion
1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar and Mozzarella cheese
Finely chopped cilantro and crushed basil,
1 TBSPN Ranch dressing.


Combine all the ingredients and fill it on one half of the flat bread.
 Fold and press it well. Apply ghee or oil on both sides of the flat bread.
Heat the pan and cook them for 2 -3 minutes each side.
Enjoy with Ranch dressing or salsa!

I think it will make a good lunch box item too ....

Vendakai (Ladies Finger/Okra) Pullipu Thalir

 

 

We love Vendakai/okra so much. It is a favorite veggie in our house hold. Okra we love it in all forms as a dry veggie or as bindi masala. I remember having this long long time ago ... one of my paati's signature dishes. I had completely forgotten about this until recently ....and I asked Amma for the recipe. It is my Patti's porandhathu recipe (the one handed from her mom's family). These days I post the recipe in Facebook immediately since am not finding time to write in detail here. I made this sometime back but haven't found time to post the recipe for the same.

 

Ingredients:

 

1/2 lbs. Okra

3 - 4 Green Chilies

2 Red Chilies

Small Lemon Sized Tamarind (soak it in water and take the pulp)

Sesame oil for Tadka

Curry Leaves

Salt

 

Tadka - Mustard, Urad Dhal, Channa Dhal, Fenugreek (vendayam)

 

Method:

 

1. Wash okra and dry it well. Cut Okra to bite size pieces.

2. Slit the green chilies

3. Heat oil in a pan. Add the tadka, chilies and curry leaves.

4. Add the cut okra and fry it well. See to it that it does not get sticky.

5. Once it is 3/4th cooked add the tamarind pulp and bring it to a boil.

 

This recipe does not require any other spice powder or sambhar powder. Try it and let me know.

 

Serve it with rice... yummy .......

 

Stuffed Brussels Sprouts in Tamarind gravy

 

 

I had a big bag of brussel sprouts from Sams. I made dry curry but once my SIL mentioned about making a gravy with it. I used the ennai kathirikai (guthi venkaya) recipe to make brussel sprouts gravy recipe. As I have mentioned in lot of my posts we do not like brinjal and hence resorted to try the same with brussel sprouts. It came out very good and it goes well with rotis too. Something different but delicious. 

 

Ingredients:

Dozen Brussels Sprouts
1 Tsp Sambhar Powder
1 Medium Lemon Sized Tamarind (soak in water and make the extract)
Curry Leaves
Salt
Sesame Oil


Spice Powder for filling - 1 Chana dhal, 1 Urad Dhal, 2 Tsps Coriander Seeds, 2 Tsp Ground nuts, 1 Tsp Jeera, 6 Red Chillies, 2 TBSPN Coconut ( I use dry coconut powder) - Roast them in little oil and grind it coarsely.

Wash the brussel sprouts. Make a score like "X" on it.
In a microwave safe bowl add water enough to immerse the brussel sprouts. Add salt.
Microwave it for 4 minutes.
Stuff the spice powder carefully into each one of it.
Take 1 TBSPN sesame oil in a pan and heat it.
Add mustard and let it splutter. Add curry leaves and carefully place the veggies into the pan.
Saute it until it gets cooked half way.
Now add the tamarind water and salt and cook it till it forms a gravy. I added a teaspoon of sambhar powder to make it extra spicy.
Enjoy it with rice with dollop of ghee!... I had this with rice for lunch and with rotis at night. It went well with both rice and roti .... Try it out and let me know ........

Lemon Pickle (Method 2)

 

 

 

Summer months are famous for making pickle, applams, vadams etc ...I am not sure whether it is happening now but definetly my childhood days were filled with these ... come summer there is lot of planning happening for making these (they come in handy during rainy days). I would say it is still practised in lot of families. To beat the heat my mom, perima would get up early make the prep work to make the vadam batter (kooyu is what its called in tamil)... I wasn't really fond of the vadams but was sure interested in tasting the kooyu ... yum is the word! My mouth is watering as I write about it.. So it was not just vadams and applams but making pickle was also a major part of the summer program! Different varieties of mango pickle, lemon and goose berry pickle.. I miss those days.

 

This year if we have good summer like we had last year I am thinking of trying a hand at making vadams.... lets see how it goes ...will keep you posted.

 

Now coming to making of lemon pickle II version. This one can be stored for a longer time. The version I posted earlier (almost couple of years ago) was an instant pickle which will not stay good for more than a week or two.

 

Ingredients:

 

6 to 8 Big sized lemons

3 Tsp Salt

1/2 Tsp Fenugreek (Dry roast it and powder)

1 1/2 Tsp Red Chilly powder (the one I have is very spicy)

4 TBSPN Sesame Oil

1 Tsp Mustard

 

Wash the lemons and cut them into 1 inch pieces.

Add salt and store it in a glass jar for 2 weeks. 

Shake them everyday so that it will not get dry on the top and stays moist. Actually it is good to eat it this way too.

After 2 weeks. Take oil in a pan. Add mustard and let it splutter.

Add the lemon, red chilly powder and cook it for sometime.

Add the fenugreek powder and let it cook for couple more minutes.

Turn off the stove. Allow it to cool.

Store it in a glass jar. It will stay good for 3 to 6 months.

You will get 3/4th jar of lemon pickle (I used the smuckers jam bottle for storing it).

 

Eggless Chocolate Cake II

This cake was made for a special occasion ...my cousin got married on Feb 14th and I made it as a toast for their happy married life. I got this recipe from my cousin ...you can use the same recipe to make different flavors ..I have tried out different eggless recipes but this was by far the best recipe to make eggless cakes. This was a humble attempt at making the eggless cake and it turned good, soft and spongy. My kids too enjoyed it a lot.... My daughter was sleeping when I was making this cake and when she got up I showed her this and she said "cake" "cake" .. and this made me really happy. I also make a chocolate ganache to with the cake... simple but yummy! This may not look very good to the eyes because of not so good frosting ...but tastewise nothing can beat it ...top of the top eggless cake....I will be trying different flavor with the same recipe soon ...........

 

 

Ingredients:

 

For the cake

 

1 1/2 Cup Flour

1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Cup Milk Powder
1 Cup Milk (add with care and as per need... but I did not use it at all though the recipe called for it)
1 TSP Vannila essence
1 TSP Baking Soda
1 TSP Baking Powder

1 Cup Sugar

2 Tsps Cocoa Powder

 

Chocolate Ganache:

 

1/2 cup Heavy Cream
8 ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 Teaspoon Instant Coffee granules

 

Decoration

 

Caramel bites

 

Method

 

1. Sieve maida along with baking soda and powder

2. Add sugar, cocoa powder, cream and vannila essence
3. Stir continuously without forming lumps

4. Preheat the oven to 350 deg F

5. Pour the mixture and bake for 35 to 40 minutes

6. Take it out of the pan after it cools a bit

 

For the ganache: Take a big vessel with water in it. Take a smaller vessel and put the items listed for making ganache. Place the smaller vessel inside the big one. Turn on the stove. Keep stirring till the chocolate chips start to melt to a smooth consistency. Use them to decorate the cake.

If you are making a double layered cake...remember to put a layer of it and then place another cake over it.

 

For the decoration: I melted the caramel bites in little milk in the microwave and used them to decorate the cake.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 



Brussel Sprouts Spiced Veggie (podi pota karamadu)

This is one veggie that I tried over time to time but did not get it that well....but this time I was extremely happy with the result ..... I actually started loving it .... it is an excellent veggie and also wholesome. If I eat like 3 or 4 brussel sprouts it feels filling. I do not mind including it in my diet daily and am happy that I can buy it in a big packet from Sams!

My cousin suggested making it ennai kathirikai style ...substituting kathirikai with brussel sprouts ... have to try it out soon.

When I posted the photos of these in FB ... it was an instant hit ...lot of my friends were eager to know the recipe and they even tried it out ....so happy to know that tried it and loved it too.



Ingredients

10 Brussel Sprouts
Salt
Water
Veggie Spice Powder (click here for the recipe) or you may use your own recipe too
Tadka - Mustard, Channa Dhal, Urad Dhal and Hing

Method

Microwave the brussel sprouts with salt for 4 min. If its not cooked again keep it for few more minutes. Do not cook it very soft.
You have to be very careful after cooking them.
Make a mark like X on top of the brussel sprouts carefully. Make sure you do not make a cut all the way down. Just a small cut good enough to stuff the spice powder.
Stuff them with the spice powder.

Now take oil in a pan. Once the oil is heated. Add the mustard - let it splutter. Add the urad dhal, channa dhal and hing. Carefully add the brussel sprouts and saute it in a very low flame.
Turn them once they are cooked well on one side.
Enjoy this veggie!

Diwali Treats

 

This year it was about easy sweet treats ..it was over whelming starting Navrathri. It had been pretty hectic during the weeks before Diwali. Even we had to plan our India trip soon after so Diwali sweets were kept simple.

These were taken from my old recipe book. This year the sweets I made were from Mallika Badrinath's recipes. I am not sure who passed it on to me...but my note says that Date Walnut circles is from her! The Kaju pistha rolls are also from her recipes collection from the good old days she used to show recipes on Jaya TV ...this I should have wrote from one of her TV Shows that was telecasted for Diwali recipes..Those days (15 years ago or so) we did not have internet to look into for recipes...I use to carefully note interesting recipes showed during these cooking shows! These days it is so easy you get everything at the click of the mouse!

Date Walnut Circles

Now to the recipe ...
Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Dates finely chopped

1 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Roasted Walnuts

1/2 Cup Milk

1 1/2 Tsp Butter Unsalted

Method:

1. Take a heavy bottom vessel. Mix milk and sugar and bring it to a boil. The sugar pagu should be like soft ball consistency.

2. Add Walnuts, butter and Dates to that syrup. Keep mixing it

3. Remove it from the stove when the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan

4. Take a parchment paper and spread some ghee to it

5. Take the mixture and make it like roti using a rolling pin

6. Roll it like a mat (you will get a log like shape)

7. Keep this in an air tight container in the refrigerator

8. After it is chilled for few hours (6 hrs or so). Cut it into circles. Enjoy!

Kaju Pistha Rolls

Ingredients:

250 gms Cashew

3/4th Cup Sugar

50 gms Pista (unsalted roasted) and powdered

1 TBSPN Powdered Sugar

Method:

 

 

 

1. Take a pan and roast the cashew (dry without using oil) over a low flame. Try not to brown them. They should retain the original color or you alternatively roast them in the oven 300 deg F for 15 minutes.

 

Also roast the pista and grind into coarse powder. Add 1 TBSPN of sugar. Mix it and keep it aside.

 

2. Grind them in the mixer at the lowest speed. Make sure you mix them inbetween grinding.

 

3. Take little hot water in a heavy bottom vessel and add the sugar. Make sugar syrup to one string consistency.

 

4. Take it off the stove. Slowly start adding the cashew powder to the sugar syrup. It will come similar to that of roti dough.

 

5. Take a wax paper. Try rolling it like a chappati when it is still warm. 

 

6. Place the pista on the edge of the cashew dough rolled like chappati.

 

7. Roll it once over the powdered pista (it will look like a log). Cut it close to the log.

 

8. Then cut this log into cylindrical pieces as shown in the picture.

Follow the same procedure to the rest of the dough.

 

 

Manga Thokku (Raw Mango Pickle)

 

 

Mango thokku is one of my favorite pickle (probably next to mavadu). Mavadu is not very easy to make it here...whenever we get raw mango I end up making raw mango masiyal or instant pickle or mango rice. This time I did not want to wait for too long after getting it (its been long since I made any pickle at home too).... I know what will be the result if I waited too long...! I should not say it but it tasted too good ....the way it does back home ...try it out you will also feel the same....

 

Ingredients

 

1 Medium Sized Raw Mango (peeled and grated)



2 1/2 Tsp Salt

3 Tsp Red Chilly Powder

1/2 Cup Sesame Oil

1/4 Pinch Turmeric Powder

1/2 Tsp Hing

1 Tsp Mustard

1/2 Tsp Fenugreek Powder (dry roast and powder it)

 

Heat the oil in a pan.

Add the mustard and let it splutter.

Add the grated mango and saute it.

Now add the turmeric powder, salt and fenugreek powder.

Stir it now and then. Add the red chilly powder and cook it.

Keep it on the stove till it is nicely cooked and oil starts to leave.

Store it in a clean bottle.

I got about 3/4th of the bottle for the 2 mangoes I used (as shown in the picture).

 

 

Potato Jalapeno Pizza

 

If you are wondering how I got the idea of making potato pizza...me too...It was not entirely my idea... I had been to a restaurant couple of weeks ago and we had it there..That restaurant specializes in Pizza and they even get their tomatoes and mozzarella from Italy!! We enjoyed it so much that I wanted to try it right away at home...H loved it so much that he ate most of it!

 

Oven Roasted Potatoes

 

Ingredients:

 

1 Big Potato Peeled washed and cubed

Canola oil

Salt

Pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 400 Deg F.

Rub the potatoes with oil, salt and pepper.

Line it on a tray and bake them for about 30 minutes till they are crispy and golden.

 

For Pizza - (I made a personal size pizza this time)

 

1 Cups All Purpose Flour

3/4th Tsp Fleischmann's Yeast (Fast and Easy Pizza Crust)
1/4 Cup Warm Milk
1 Tbspn Oil
Kraft Mozzarella and Cheddar Cheese (for pizza)
4 TBSPN Tomato sauce (I used heinz tomato sauce and it worked well)
Jalapeno (from the jar)
Butter
Salt
Luke Warm Water                      Cilantro leaves  

Method:

Mix the yeast in half cup warm milk.

Put it aside for 15 minutes.

Mix the flour in oil and salt. Make a dent in the middle. Pour the yeast mixture.
in the middle and mix the dough well using your finger tips.
Do not mix it too much (the way we do for rotis).
Keep it covered for 4 hrs in a warm place till it doubles. This was my first attempt with yeast hence felt tensed about the whole process. It doubled in an hour or so but I waited for few more hours since I made the dough in the afternoon for the pizza I was going to have for dinner.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Take the dough and roll it using the rolling pin (use the flour for dusting in case it gets very sticky).
I used my hands to make the base.
Carefully lift the base and place it in the greased pan.
Bake it in the oven for about 10 minutes. Take it out of the oven.
Rub the base well with butter on the top.
Spread the sauce.
Top it with the cheese and Jalapenos. Since the potatoes already cooked you may add them little later.
Bake it for around 10 minutes (or until the cheese starts to melt).

Add the potatoes.

Bake  for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Since I made a personal size pizza ...It was done in less than 20 minutes.
Take it out of the pizza pan and cut it with the pizza cutter (you do not want to scratch the pan).
Top it with cilantro.
.

Linguine with Basil Pesto (and Oven Roasted Veggies)

Whenever I hear the word Linguine ...I am reminded of Ratatouille... remember the boy who was taught to cook by the mouse...his name was Linguine...I should try out ratatouille too some day!!  I bought linguine (I mean the pasta) couple of months ago but never found time to make anything with it. I found the organic basil paste and thats what I used to make my pesto. I do not like the store bought basil pesto since it has loads of garlic...am not a garlic person and we do not get big bunches of basil at the stores and the few strands that come in a box are way to expensive. The organic basil paste is a lot cheaper option and its good quality too.  It is so easy to use it.

 

 

 









Ingredients:

 

For Pasta -

 

1/2 Pound Linguine (or angel hair pasta)



2 to 3 oz Basil paste (the tube I had was a 4 oz one)

Olive oil

Pine Nuts

Red Pepper Flakes (if you like it hot)

Parmesan Cheese grated

 

Method -

 

Make the pasta as per the instruction in the package. (This is what I did - Boil water. Add salt. Add the pasta. Cook it Al Dente. Drain it and keep it aside. Reserve atleast 1 cup of water).

 

Take a pan. Heat the oil. Add the red pepper flakes. Fry the pine nuts. Add the basil paste. Cook it for couple of minutes. Toss the pasta. Sprinkle the cheese just before serving...

 

 

For Oven Roasted Veggies

 

Cut the Veggies length-wise. I used Bell Peppers, Beans and Asparagus. You may use the veggies you like. Pre heat the oven to 400 deg F. Toss the veggies in olive oil. Add salt and pepper. Pop into the oven till they are done. It works great as a side...

Enjoy!

 

Mint Pakoda

Mint Pakodas

It was one of those days when I got the best mint bunches from the market. We generally do not get good mint bunches. I had made mint chutney and had kept the remaining stuff and was not sure what to make....I could not resist from making them. It is so easy and simple to make...takes less than half an hour to make it from the scratch.

Ingredients:

1 Cup - Besan Flour
1/2 Cup - Rice Flour
2 Tsp - Ghee
1/2 Tsp Red Chillies
3/4 Tsp Salt
2 Mint  Bunches
1 Green Chilly
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
Chopped Cashew
Oil for frying

Recipe ............

Wash the mint and chop it well.
Mix the besan and rice flour together.
Add salt, red chilly powder, baking soda, cashew, chopped green chilly and mint.
Add the ghee and mix the flour well.
Important point while making any pakodas is to mix it in batches. Do not mix the entire quantity.
Heat the oil.
Take one portion of the dough and sprinkle little water and mix the dough.
Take the dough and press them in your finger tips (they need not have proper shape) and drop it in the oil.
Fry it until they are brown and crisy.
Serve it with ketchup or chutney of your choice!

Rava Laddu

Can't believe its already an year since we celebrated Krishna Janmashtami...but this one is extra special since we celebrated it for the first time in our new house!
I wanted to try cashew pista rolls but I didn't have time so I moved that experiment to Diwali..... I kept it simple this time and  ..made rava laddu, thengai burfi, seedai and thattai....
this is the first am trying rava laddu here ...once H mentioned he is not a great fan of it so never made it but I was tempted to try it this time because it is so simple to make.

The ratio used back home (is 2:1) for Rava Laddu is little different but  I changed the ratio to 1:2 because the sugar from Sams is not as sweet.... but it was not too sweet ...it was just the right amount!

Rava Laddu
 

The recipe........

Ingredients

Rava 1 Cup
Sugar 2 Cups
Raisins - fried in ghee
Cardamom 4
Cashew, Almonds broken - fried in ghee
Ghee melted (warm it for making urundais/laddus)

Roast the rava in little ghee till it gets nice aroma. Keep it aside. Allow it to cool. Grind the sugar into fine powder along with the cardamoms. Transfer it into a big vessel. Now grind the rava into a fine powder.

Mix the rava and powdered sugar really well. Add the roasted nuts and raisins to the powdered mixture. Mix it well. Warm the ghee. Split the portions and add ghee to that part of the portion. Make urundais/laddus. Cup your hands and hold the laddu mixture into your fingers. and then press them with the other hand. Do not add milk it will start getting a stale smell very soon. Follow the procedure and make the laddus. Enjoy! I would say this is one of the easiest recipes and it can be made really fast....though it has sugar atleast you skip the frying part!

Shahi Tukda (Bread Pudding)

I had this at a restaurant in Chicago more than 3 years ago and loved it. I have been thinking of trying this ever since I tasted this. I went to this restaurant with my friend and she has been all along asking me to try it and give her the recipe .... what to do it has taken 3 long years to try it. This is actually a mughlai delicacy. It is very easy to make but comes loaded with calories. Its ok to make it once in a while. I actually wanted to make it with brioche bread (its a french bread thats sweet and used for making pudding) but ended up in making it with the white bread. Planning to try it with brioche bread next time. I was talking to my perima and it looks like she used to make it all the time since my peripa loves it .... realized I shouldn't have waited for 3 long years to make this once ... and it was just a phone call away! I soaked the bread in milk but I got a tip from my perima to soak it in sugar syrup next time (the way we do for Jamuns).

Fried bread pieces

Milk for Soaking the Bread

Rabdi

Bread pieces immersed in milk

All set and ready to be popped into the refrigerator

Ingredients

10 Slices of White Bread (cut the edges and cut them into triangles)
1 Tin Condensed Milk
3 TBSPN Sugar
Milk
6 Nos Elaichi
Ghee for frying
1/2 Cup Pistachios and Almonds (unsalted and slivered) - roasted

Method

1. Heat the ghee in a pan and fry the bread pieces, Drain the excess ghee on the kitchen towel.
2. For Soaking - In a heavy bottom pan pour 1/4th tin condensed milk, 1/2 Cup Milk, 1 TBSPN Sugar and 2 elaichi.
3. Turn off the gas when it starts boiling.
4. Pour it in a dish
5. For the Rabdi - In another pan add the remaining condensed milk, 3/4th cup milk, 4 elaichi, 2 TBSPN Sugar and allow it to thicken. Let it cool.
6. Soak the bread pieces in the mixture (mentioned in line no 2 "for soaking") for few minutes (As per the tips I got from my aunt the bread pieces can be immersed in sugar syrup too)
7. Take the bread pieces and arrange it in a tray or dish.
8. Now pour the Rabdi on top of the bread.
9. Garnish it with the nuts.
10. Pop it in the refrigerator for few hours before serving. It needs to get soaked in the rabdi before enjoying it!

Baked Veggie Kofta in Palak Gravy

I love koftas and I order it every time we at an Indian Restaurant. I tried baked beans kofta curry some time ago and it came out very well...since then I have been tempted to make veggie koftas too.
I try to avoid frying as much as possible ...its also out of lazyness ... I love anything that involves baking since you do not have to stand next to the stove - pop it in the oven and get it done. One more thing you can indulge in these things guilt free .... It tasted yummy!

Ingredients:

For the Koftas

4 Medium size Potatoes
2 Carrots
1 Capsicum
(Any other veggies of your choice)
1/2 Cup Crushed Paneer
1 Tsp Coriander Powder
1 Tsp Jeera Powder
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Red Chilly Powder
Mint leaves
Cashews

Gravy

2 Bunches Spinach (thorougly washed)
4 Tomatoes chopped
1 Medium Onion chopped
1 Green chilly
1 inch piece ginger
1 Tsp Jeera
1 Pieces Elaichi
2 Cloves
1 Tsp Garam Masala
1/2 Tsp Red Chilly Powder (the one I use is very spicy hence I use only half a teaspoon)
1 Tsp Coriander Powder
1 Tsp Salt
Oil
Jeera

Method:

1. Boil the veggies and add the other ingredients to it. Mix it well. Take a tray (or pan) which is oven safe. Line it with aluminium foil. Make the koftas and place them on the sheet. Drizzle oil over it.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 375 deg F. Pop the koftas into the oven. After 25 minutes (or when the bottom turns brown) turn them over for another 15 minutes.
3. Cook the spinach in pressure cooker. Turn off the gas when the steam comes (do not put the weight). Allow it to cool. Drain the water from the spinach and reserve the water. You can add it if the gravy gets very thick.
4. Grind the tomatoes, onion, green chilly, jeera, cloves, elaichi along with the spinach.
5. Heat oil in a pan (use flat bottomed pans while making koftas). Add the jeera and let it splutter.
6. Add the puree.  If the puree is too thick add the water that has been reserved from cooking the spinach.
7. Add garam masala, red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and the salt.
8. Allow it to boil.
9. Add the koftas and simmer it for 5 minutes.
10. Turn off the stove.
11. Yummy koftas in palak gravy is ready to be served ...goes well with rice or rotis.
Enjoy!

(I did not get good set of photos this time ...will try to get better ones when I make them next time)

Homemade Veggie Pizza

Pizza...how did it start??? I had plans of making this when my cosis was here and had all the items ready for making it but with the busy schedule I did not find time to make it...after they left I did not bother to try it out ...for the past few weeks I  have lost the appetite for eating anything due to excess heat ..I just feel like eating fruits and juices and a bowl of curd rice with mango pickle.. and I had all forgotten about making pizza....Last week I had called my cousin and she mentioned pizza and this lifted my spirits to try it the same day! Thanks to her otherwise I would have not bothered to try this out for months...She has also given a recipe for fluffy eggless cake which I will be trying shortly.
My son who hardly eats pizza tried it out that day and actually finished it. I made one portion of it as cheese pizza for him and he enjoyed it thoroughly. This is the story behind my maiden attempt of home made pizza... when you serve home made stuff (esp exotic food,,,or the ones you rarely make at home) to your family it gives you immense satisfaction ...I have some more cheese and am going to make it this weekend...

Pizza base ready

Pizza ready to be popped into the oven

Yummy pizza just out of the oven ready to be eaten!

Ingredients:

2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Tsp's  Fleischmann's Yeast (Fast and Easy Pizza Crust)
1/2 Cup Warm Milk
1 Tbspn Oil
Kraft Mozzarella and Cheddar Cheese (for pizza)
4 TBSPN Tomato sauce (I used heinz tomato sauce and it worked well)
Capsicum, Onions and Tomatoes diced
Jalapeno (from the jar)
Butter
Salt
Luke Warm Water
12 inch Pizza Pan

Method:

Mix the yeast in half cup warm milk. Put it aside for 15 minutes.
Mix the flour in oil and salt. Make a dent in the middle. Pour the yeast mixture.
in the middle and mix the dough well using your finger tips.
Do not mix it too much (the way we do for rotis).
Keep it covered for 4 hrs in a warm place till it doubles. This was my first attempt with yeast hence felt tensed about the whole process. It doubled in an hour or so but  I waited for few more hours since I made the dough in the afternoon for the pizza I was going to have for dinner.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Take the dough and roll it using the rolling pin (use the flour for dusting in case it gets very sticky).
I used my hands to make it a 12 inch base.
Carefully lift the base and place it in the greased pan.
Bake it in the oven for about 10 minutes. Take it out of the oven.
Rub the base well with butter on the top.
Spread the sauce.
Top it with the cheese and the veggies of your choice (or just make cheese pizza...).
Bake it for another 30 minutes (or until the cheese melts and starts getting brown).
Take it out of the pizza pan and cut it with the pizza cutter (you do not want to scratch the pan).
It was indeed very good...happy with the result though it was my maiden attempt in making pizza!

Maida Peda Snack

I was feeling bored with eating as well as cooking...wanted to snack on something interesting! When I had called my mom that day she mentioned that my perima made this and she asked me to try it out.
My patti used to make this all the time....this was one thing that she used to make once a month or so.
You can make sweet as well as spicy stuff with the same recipe  - just substituting chilly powder with sugar.

I made the spicy one only this time....since my son loves spicy stuff to sweets! I made this sometime last week and it is already empty!!

Ingredients:

2 Cups All Purpose Flour (you may use wheat flour too)
6 Tsps Ghee
3/4th Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Red Chilly Powder
Water

Oil for frying

Method:

Sift the flour. Add the ghee and mix it well with the flour. Add the chilly powder and salt.
Add water little by little and make the dough (the way we make dough for rotis).
Make a ball (about the size of tennis ball).
Roll it like a chappati (but little bit thicker) using the rolling pin.
Cut it to desired shape. Take the pieces carefully onto a plate
Meanwhile heat oil in a pan. Check whether the oil is heated.
Drop the pieces into the oil. Turn them after few seconds to avoid them sticking to each other.
Take it out when it turns slightly brown (the sound of oil should stop).
Drain it in the kitchen towel to take out the excess oil.
Store it in an air tight container after it cools down.

(Note: You may make the same thing by avoiding red chilly and by adding sugar).

Eggless Carrot Cake

Its been long long time since I posted any recipes...I had my family over from India for a month and hence hardly found time to blog..was busy enjoying with them! Miss them a lot! We had fun trying out the dishes ...shopping etc etc....we even made a trip to Florida....if we come to think of it now...its so scary...not sure how we made it with 2 kids and an infant! It was all worth it...

I made this carrot cake to mark couple of occasions that week - one among that is my blog's anniversary....am not able to believe that I have been blogging for the past three years.. and I hope I will continue blogging ...thanks to all my blog friends and family.

I tried making this carrot cake couple of years ago since its one of H's favorite but did not get it quite right...but this time I got it right...it was moist for an eggless cake! I was happy with the outcome!

Ingredients:

2 Cups Finely grated carrots
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Sugar
3/4th Stick Unsalted Butter @ room temperature
1/2 Tin Condensed Milk
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Cinnamon powder
1/2 Tsp Nutmeg Powder
1/4 Cup Finely chopped and roasted cashew (unsalted)
1/4 Cup finely chopped and roasted walnuts (unsalted)

Method:

Sift the flour. Rub the butter nicely with the flour till it mixes well with the flour. Now add the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and mix well.
Add the condensed milk and mix it without forming lumps.
Add the carrots, nutmeg and cinnamon powder.
At this stage if you feel the mixture is too thick. Add water little by little to get the consistency.
Mix the nuts in little bit of flour to prevent it from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
Now add the nuts to the cake mixture
(Normally cashew is not added to the carrot cake...but I added them since am fond of it)
Preheat the oven to 350 deg.
Grease the pan with butter and dust the pan with flour to prevent the cake from sticking on to it.
Pour the mixture into the pan and pop it into the oven.
It takes about 40 minutes to bake it.
Insert a fork to see if it is done!
I did not make any frosting for the cake as I did not want to add "extra" calories ...it goes well with cream cheese frosting!

Baked Bean Kofta Curry

I am big fan of kofta curry ...whenever I go to an Indian restaurant I order this one. I have  sore throat and I did not want to fry anything...wanted to keep it simple...and I generally do not feel that energetic to cook on Sunday evenings though I do not work now...that's been the way I felt when I was working and now Monday means getting my son ready to school and packing lunch boxes ....thinking of it in itself is making me tired! I will think about the Monday stuff later.......

Now coming to the kofta part...I love veggie kofta but thinking of potato puts me off.......I have been thinking of bean kofta for a long time. I soak them but in the evenings I get tired and just make a gravy out of it and not bean balls. My SIL even taught me to make "All bean pulippu kootu" will post that one too in the coming days. I am so happy that I made it happen and bean kofta it is.....I just finished making the bean kofta ...it was so easy to make...pop the balls in the oven ...........voila! my son just had it with the ketchup! It was so easy .....a lot better than standing near the stove and frying them.

I made extra balls and used them as burgers!

Since this came out good am gonna try "spaghetti with a chance of bean balls" pretty soon...... by tweaking the way I made the balls to sound more Italianish...lets see........

Recipe.............

Ingredients:

Kofta

1 fist full each of green peas, white peas, channa, rajma, whole green gram dhal and black eyed peas  (may add whatever you like) for 8 hrs and cook it
Coriander powder
Red chilly powder
Jeera Powder
Kasuri methi
Salt
Olive oil

Gravy

1 Big Onion
6 Tomatoes
2 TBSP Tomato sauce
Turmeric, Coriander Powder, Jeera Powder, Garam Masala Powder, Red Chilly Powder and Salt
Olive oil

Take oil in a pan and fry the onion and tomatoes. Grind it into a smooth paste.
Take oil and let the jeera splutter.
 Add the puree and the spices. Let it boil. Add the tomato sauce.
Turn off the stove when it starts thickening.

Now lets go to the kofta part -

Mash the bean mixture. Add the spices listed for making the kofta.
Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Take a oven safe tray line it with the foil and spread olive oil over it.
Make small balls out of the mixture and pop it into the oven.
Turn them after 15 minutes and cook it for 15 more minutes
Let it cool.

Add them to the puree and boil it for five more minutes..................enjoy it with roti/pulka/nan or even rice...........Enjoy!