Karela pickle

Karela pickle/ thokku

Karela is a vegetable few like but our family is crazy about it including my 10 yr old. Buying them here in an Indian store is challenging at times and so this time I decided to give it longer life through pickling it. So here it goes .... Sweet , sour and bitter it fulfills all my needs of taste buds. 

Ingredients 

3 chopped karelas

1 chopped onion

1/2 can chopped tomatoes

3 tbsp tomato paste

(Can use just chopped tomatoes)

2 tbsp crushed chilli ginger

1/4 cup chopped garlic

Curry leaves

2 tbsp jaggery

1/2 cup oil

1/4 tsp hing

1 tbsp Chana dal

1 tbsp urad dal

1 tsp mustard

1/2 tsp methi seeds

1/2 tsp haldi

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp dhaniya powder

2 tsp sambhar powder

Salt to taste

Method 

Heat oil and add hing, mustard and methi let it crackle.

Add Dals and let them color.

Add curry leaves and garlic and let it color.

Add the ginger paste and cook on high heat.

Add the onions and karela and mix well.

Add salt and haldi and cover to cook.

When half done add tomatoes and cover to cook.

Add all the masalas and gur and cook till oil comes out of this pickle. 

Store in a clean bottle. Stays well for long.

Fresh Cranberry cake

I had these really sour cranberries my hubby got to try out. What better way to use them than a lovely cake.
Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup maida
1/2 cup oats ground
1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup curd
1 cup fruit juice or as reqd
15 gms baking powder
1 tbsp vinegar
100 gms fresh cranberry or any other fruit

Method
Mix all the ingredients and adjust the consistency with juice.
Bake at 200 deg C in a preheated oven till a knife comes clean.
Healthy yummy cake is ready.

Baked samosas

Who doesn't love samosas? Yet the oil , white flour definitely discourages people like me to make them at home. This is my simple effort to make them healthy and guilt-free.
1/2 atta
1/2 cup maida
2-3 tbsp suji
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil
salt as required
1 big pinch baking soda
chaas/buttermilk as required

4-5 potatoes boiled and roughly mashed
1/2  cup boiled peas
1 tbsp ginger and green chilli crushed
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp dhaniya pwd
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 tsp amchur
1 tsp anardana crushed
1/2 tsp bhuna jeera
salt

Method
Knead all the ingredients into a soft dough, keep for 2- mins.
For the filling...
Mash roughly boiled potatoes.
Mix chilli ginger crushed, salt, bhuna jeera, chilli powder, amchur, dhaniya powder, garam masala, ch dhaniya, boiled peas and anardana.
Mix well and fill the samosas and bake in preheated oven at 200 deg C.
Enjoy with hot tea without any guilt.

Garlic chilli cheese pinwheels

A quick fix recipe for party snacks and work great as finger foods.
1/2 atta
1/2 cup maida
2-3 tbsp suji
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil
salt as required
1 big pinch baking soda
chaas/buttermilk as required

Method
Roll the dough, spread finely chopped garlic , parsley, grated cheese, salt, chilli flakes and pepper. roll tight and cut into spirals, bake in preheated oven at 200 degC till golden about 10-15 min depending on your oven.

Makkai, mushroom , panner Malai

Makkai, mushroom, paneer Malai

 

200 gms sliced mushrooms

200 gms panner chopped

200 gms boiled corn

1 cup sliced onions

1 tbsp chopped ginger

1 tbsp chopped garlic

2 chopped chillies

2 tbsp oil

1 bay leaf

2 crushed cloves

2 small stocks cinnamon

1 tsp cummin seeds

400 ml tomato purée

50 ml cream

1 tsp dhaniya powder

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/3 tsp haldi

1 tsp kitchen king masala pwd

1 tbsp roasted kasuri methi

1/2 tsp degi mirch powder

Salt

Coriander leaves for topping

Method

Heat oil and add jeera and whole spices and let them color.

Add sliced onions and sauté till brown.

Add ginger, garlic and chopped chillies and let them get golden.

Add all the dry spices and cook few secs.

Add the tomato purée and cook well.

Add roasted kasuri methi and cream. Cook well.

Add all the vegs and paneer and cover to cook.

Let it reduce to the desired consistency. 

Top with dhaniya chopped and rumali rotis, delicious !!

Malai paneer

Malai paneer

My kids like most love paneer. But I dislike that however hard I try to keep under weight , it still manages to break apart a bit. Then I saw an idea on FB one thing led  to the other I ended up with the most amazing paneer. Soft yet firm and very good texture. Sharing this with you all. Now I am surely not buying paneer from store here which I always suspect is old with expiry date labels changed. I tried two ways and one is firmer than the other, the 2nd is like the store bought. I am sure they do the same. Sharing both. It's economical and pure. Do try.

Recipe no 1

1 lt milk.. I used 1.5% fat, you can use any

200 ml cream

1 tbsp vinegar

Heat milk and cream and bring to a boil. 

Add vinegar and let the milk split.

Strain in a cheese cloth and wash well. 

Squeeze we'll hang for 10 mins.

Now mash paneer well till its light and fluffy and comes together... About 5 mins.

Make it into a square and in a greased plate put this mixture.

Steam for about 5-8 mins.

Cool , cut into pieces and put in warm water till later use. 

Enjoy soft spongy paneer.

Recipe no 2

1lt milk

200 ml cream

1 tbsp vinegar

3-4 tbsp cornstarch 

Follow the same steps as recipe no 1 till hanging.

To mashed paneer add cornstarch and mash well.

Shape into rolls or a big chunk and steam for 5-8 mins. Cool.

Put into warm water and use as required.

This recipe looks and feels just like store bought paneer. Firm to touch yet very soft.

Enjoy home made panner ... Safe and economical.

Pumpkin Raita

These days pumpkin is in season and I am finding every reason to use them in my kitchen. This raita is really delicious , very colourful and refreshing.
Ingredients
500 ml thick curd
200 gms boiled and crushed pumpkin
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp chana daal
1 tbsp urad daal
few curry leaves
pinch of hing
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp chilli powder
Salt to taste
Method
Beat curd , salt with pumpkin and adjust consistency with water.
Heat oil and add hing, mustard seeds and let them crackle.
Add daals and curry leaves, and let them color.
Add chilli powder and and let it colour.
Pour in the curd and mix well.
Refrigerate before serving with biryaani or food of your choice.

Pizza crackers

These are an absolute hit with kids. A great snack for those inbetween times or  while travels. Easy to make and very healthy.
Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup flour
1/2 cup suji
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/4 cup hot oil
1 tbsp baking powder
4 tbsp thick tomato paste/ ketchup
1 tbsp spicy pizza spice
salt to taste
Method
Mix both flours together with hot oil.
Add rest of the ingredients and add warm water to make a stiff dough.
Rest for 15 mins.
Knead again slightly.
Roll into thick round.
Cut into squares , pierce with fork and put on a baking sheet.
Bake in a preheated oven at 200 deg C till golden brown.
Cool and enjoy with salsa or just like that.

Pumpkin and nut sweet fingers

I often try and make baked snack as they are healthy and light and one can make them according to the need and tastes. This is one yummy recipe.
Ingredients
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup suji
100 gms pumpkin boiled and mashed
50 ml oil
4 tbsp butter
10 gms baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup almonds crushed
Method
Mix all the dry ingredients.
Add oil and butter and mix well to get crumbly mixture.
Add pumpkin and mash well.
Add orange juice and make a firm dough.
Keep in fridge for about an hour or so.
Roll into a 5 mm thick round and cut into fingers.
Put on a baking sheet and bake at 200 deg C till golden brown.
Cool and serve the crunchy treat.

Vegetable Vegetable puffs with mushrooms and Kale leaves

Vegetable puffs with mushrooms and Kale leaves
Often I have kids asking for a little something or guests coming down for a surprize visit.This comes as a quick 15 mins snack that keeps most people happy and asking for more.
Ingredients
1 sheet of puff pastry/phyllo sheet
4 chopped mushrooms
1/2 chopped bell peppers
1/2 bowl frozen or cooked Kale leaves/spinach
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pizza spice/ Italian mix
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tomato paste/ketchup
Salt to taste
Grated cheese as required
Method
Cut sheet into small squares about 3"x3"
Heat oil and add chopped vegetables and saute.
Add spices, tomato ketch up /paste and salt and cook till water dries up.
Put a tbsp each on the squares and top with cheese.
Fold opposite ends and seal.
Bake at 180deg C till golden.
Enjoy hot from the oven.