Apple pasta

Kuch nahi se signature dish 😉

What do you do when you are stuck in a place in an apartment in the middle of fields on a lake side on Xmas with EVERYTHING closed? Slushy snow and cold winds and you want to cook the last dinner in your holiday home and you look inside your carry-with-you pantry and very few things there with no scope of eating out or cooking anything decent. I now decide to waken up the wanna be chef in me and push my limits. Pasta, a bottle of walnut pesto, few olives, olive oil and ..... No vegs :( .. Just apples that my hubby picked up from the farm we are holidaying on.....ok... Never mind ... Make pasta with apples 😳😜. My hubby tried to look excited and kids ....DARE NOT SAY ANYTHING😉and so here I go. Caramelized apples and olive pasta with sun dried tomato walnut pasta!!!!!! My hubby said .... Maan gaye yaar tumhe and kids polished off everything! Boiled some fusilli. Chopped apples and tossed them in olive oil and salt till they are golden brown. Sprinkle chilli powder. Add chopped olives and pour into the pasta. Mix the ready made pasta sauce and serve with ( thank God for few pepperonis) a smile. Happy me! 

Mock sarson ka saag

Rapeseed greens

Living here in Germany I have learnt to figure out my way with cravings for Indian vegetables and curries by modifying what we get here. If sarson isn't available here , doesn't mean we miss out on the lovely saag we got home. I walked through few Turkish stores and found these leaves which smell like mustard greens. I decided to experiment these which are used in salads here. It came out so yummy! I teamed it with pungent carrot instant pickle. Sharing it here on my blog.

Ingredients 

2 cup fulls chopped rapeseed greens

1 cup chopped kale leaves

1 cup spinach 

3-4 green chilles

2 tbsp chopped ginger

2 tbsp chopped garlic

2 chopped onions

1 cup tomato purée

1 cup milk

2 tbsp ghee

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp maize flour

Salt

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/2 lemon 

Method

In a pressure cooker add all the greens , 1 tbsp ginger, green chillies and salt and boil for 15 mins.

Cool and grind with maize flour, milk and little water to get a thick paste.

Heat ghee and add cumin and let it crackle.

Add ginger and garlic and let it brown.

Now tip in onions and brown well.

Add chilli powder and tomato purée.

Cook well and pour the saag paste.

Cook well on low flame for an hour.

Add more water if needed. 

Add butter and mix well.

Squeeze lemon and stir well.

Pour into bowls and top with tadka of ghee , cumin and chilli powder. You can also use garlic in tadka. 

Serve hot with makki ki rotis and pickles.

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.

Baigan ka achaar

Baigan ka achaar

Nearly everything I know can be pickled but we stick to our regular fare. I like to push my limits and my family has come to enjoy my creations and experiments. Nothing surprises them anymore. My dear friend mentioned about a particular baingan ka achaar she buys and she loves. My next thought was of getting into action with the nice brinjal I had in my fridge. The outcome was amazing. Here is the recipe which I modified to my taste. 

Ingredients

250 gms chopped brinjals 1"

1 chopped onion

3-4 crushed galic

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp thick tamarind paste

1/4 cup oil

1 tsp methi crushed

1 tsp mustard crushed

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/4 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp haldi

1/2 tsp roasted and crushed cumin powder 

2-3 tbsp sugar or acc to taste

1 tbsp vinegar

Salt to taste

Method 

Apply salt to brinjal pieces and keep for an hour. Squeeze and dry on kitchen towels for few hours.

Heat 2-3 tbsp oil and add brinjal and cook for 5-8 mins till a bit colored.

Heat rest of the oil and add ginger and galic and cook till colored. 

Add onions and cook till golden.

Add all the masalas and remove from heat. Add salt.

Add vinegar, tamarind pulp and sugar. 

Mix brinjal pieces in it and mix well.

Store in a jar and keep for 2-3 days. Yummy spicy baigan ka achaar is ready. Serve with missi rotis or Jowar ki rotis. Awesome!

Kale kela thepla

Kale kele ke theple

Often the only way to use an overripe banana is a banana cake or it's the bin. I often heard Gujarati food using ripe banana in various dishes. I thought of adding it to my kale leaves mixture as I planned my theplas. I spoke with my gujju friend Hema and she encouraged me. Kneaded the dough with much tussle in mind. Made theplas and lovely aroma filled my kitchen! Now one more way to use the banana before it hits the bin!!! Thanks Hema for the support!

Ingredients 

1 bowl frozen and chopped kale leaves/ spinach/ methi

1 ripe banana mashed

1/2 cup curd

2 tbsp grated gur

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tbsp crushed garlic

1 tsp grated ginger

Salt

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/4 tsp haldi

1 tbsp oil

While wheat flour as needed

Method

Mix all spices with oil , curd and vegetables. Add mash banana to it and mix well.

Add flour as needed and make into a firm dough.

Roll out thin parathas and cook on both sides with oil. 

Serve hot with chilli pickle or mango pickle.

Delightful and flavorful theplas ready to eat! 

Zucchini pickle

Zucchini pickle

Yes you read it right.... Zucchini pickle. A very dear friend is on special diet and has many restrictions. It pushed me more to add a something etc on her plate in the restrictions of foods. Made it oil free and it's good for the body. It tasted good. I refrigerated it just to be in safe side. 

2 zucchinis cut into sticks

2 tsp roasted methi ground coarse

2 tsp roasted mustard ground coarse 

1/2 tsp haldi

1/4 tsp hing

1 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

Juice of 2-3 limes

Method

Cut zucchini into sticks and dry overnight or for few hrs in the sun.

In a bowl mix all the ingredients together. Toss very well.

Put into a clean and dry jar and keep in fridge.

Just toss each day twice a day to mix spices.

You can add olive oil too if u like. 

The pickle would be ready in 3-4 days. 

Enjoy! 

Chettinad potatoes

Chettinad aloo

Love the strong flavors of this dish. One whiff of this dish and my little girl couldn't resist a spoon full from the pot. Here it is.

4-5 large potatoes cut into chunks

2 onions sliced

2 chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp mustard

Hing

Curry leaves

Haldi

Salt

To roast and grind to powder

2 tbsp coriander seeds

2 tbsp urad dal

2 red chillies

8-10 peppercorns

1 inch piece cinnamon

2 cloves

1 tbsp fennel seeds/ saunf

Method 

Heat oil and add hing and mustard , let them splutter. 

Add curry leaves and onions and sauté.

Now add haldi and salt and mix.

Put in potatoes and mix.

Add chopped tomatoes and water and cook till done.

Now sprinkle the masala powder and mix well.

Adjust the water as needed.

Cook for few mins and too with green coriander.

Serve with dosas or lemon rice. 

Walnut sun dried tomato pesto

Walnut , sun dried tomato pesto

I have wanted to do pesto at home but never tried. A few sun dried tomatoes and basil growing in my home pushed me into it. The family liked it too much. No more store bought pesto for us! Sharing the recipe. 

6-8 walnuts

4-6 sun dried tomatoes in oil

3-4 garlic cloves

3 cups basil

2-3 jalapeño peppers

1/2 tsp chilli powder

Salt

2-3 tbsp olive oil

Blend all the ingredients in a grinder to a fine paste.

Add this to boiled pasta! Awesome flavorful pesto made at home! Enjoy!

Rasgulle

Naram rasgulle

Who doesn't like the soft , spongy, balls of goodness that ooze out the sweet syrup! I just love them! I tried them many times and finally got a hang of it. Here are the soft delights in golden saffron syrup.

Ingredients 

2 lts 1.5 % fat milk

1-2 tbsp vinegar

1 cup sugar

4 cups water

1/5 tsp saffron

2 crushed green cardamom

Method 

Boil milk and add vinegar. Boil till it splits. 

Strain in a cheese cloth and wash in free water to remove flavor of vinegar.

Boil sugar with water in a pressure cooker.

Add saffron and cardamom.

Meanwhile squeeze out water such that excess water is out of the paneer.

Few say it should be kept under weight but I realized that it only makes rasgulla harder. 

Take out the paneer in a bowl or plate. It should be the consistency of soft cream cheese. 

Now mash it well for about 7-10 mins till the paneer comes together like a ball. It becomes creamy and leaves the sides of the bowl.

Make small balls. This should give about 30 small balls. You could make bigger if you like.

The balls should not have lines on them.

Drop them in boiling syrup one by one. Do this in two lots.

Close the pressure cooker and give it a whistle.

Boil for another 3-4 mins on medium flame.

Remove from flame and let it cool on its own.

Open the cooker and add sweeter sugar syrup if you like it sweeter. 

Remove and make the other lot.

Cool in fridge and serve chilled. 

Enjoy the spongy sweet delight!

Oats and poha namkeen

   

Oats and poha namkeen

200 gms poha

200 gms oats

50 gms shelled peanuts

25 gms cashew nuts

Few Sliced dry coconut

50 mixed spicy potato chips 

2 chopped chillies

Handful of curry leaves

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp sesame

1/4 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp haldi

1 tbsp powder sugar

1 tsp amchur 

1 tbsp vinegar

Salt 

Method 

Mix oats and poha in a microwave proof bowl.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, sesame seeds and let them crackle.

Add chopped chillies, curry leaves and let them color.

Add peanuts , cashew halves and coconut sauté. 

Add the haldi, salt ,chilli powder, amchur and powder sugar. Sauté and make sure it doesn't burn.

Remove from flame and add vinegar.

Pour onto the oats mix and mix well. Toss well. 

Put into microwave on high for five mins.

After every minute remove from microwave and stir well. 

It would be steaming but keep cooking in microwave till it's crisp. Takes about 6-7 mins. When cool it will turn very crisp. 

Store in moisture proof jars. 

Mushroom and tofu manchurian

   

Mushroom and tofu manchurian 

My daughter is hooked to Manchurian but I have just been postponing making Chinese food. Today for my daughter and her brother who is soon going to move to holland to join college , decided to do Chinese! Perfect for bro-sis who love and hate each other to bits! And good thing ... I used my magic appe pan to make the balls.

Ingredients 

250 gms button mushrooms

200 gms ch tofu

1 cubed onion

1 cubed bell peppers

1 tbsp +1 tsp ch ginger

1 tbsp +t tsp ch garlic 

2 tbsp oil

2 tbsp +1 tsp soya sauce

3-4 tbsp ketchup

4-5 tbsp corn flour

3 tbsp atta, bit healthy 

1 tsp schezuan sauce

1 tbsp vinegar 

Salt 

Ch spring onions

Method

In a bowl mix atta , 2 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp soya sauce , 1 tsp vinegar, 1 tsp each of ginger and garlic and a little water. To this add the mushrooms and tofu. 

Heat the appe pan, sprinkle oil and add mushrooms and tofu pieces. Cover and cook on both sides. 

Heat oil in a wok and add ch ginger and garlic. Sauté!

Add cubed vegs and sauté on high heat! 

Add the sauces and stir well.

Add the mushrooms n tofu balls and sauté.

Add a cup of water or as much gravy as you would like. Boil.

Mix rest of the cornstarch and water and mix well. Pour into the gravy and cook well. Add vinegar and cook. 

Add a tbsp of oil and top with ch spring onions. Yummy manchurian is ready to eat! 

Schezuan sauce

Schezuan sauce

I have always loved doing things from scratch. After a long wait finally decided to crack this sauce. Read many recipes over the net and then with a bit from here and a bit of mine ... Made it. We are sweating our sinuses out!! Yummy hot and sizzling ! Sharing my take on it.

Ingredients 

1/2 a bowl of red chillies soaked in water for an hr.

1 tbsp pepper corns

1/2 bowl of oil

1 heaped tbsp ch ginger

1 heaped tbsp garlic chopped

1/2 a bowl ch celery

1 small onion chopped

3-4 tbsp tomato ketch up

1 tbsp soya sauce

2 -3 tbsp vinegar 

1/2 tsp schezuan pepper crushed .. Optional 

Salt to taste

Method 

Heat the oil and add ginger and garlic , sauté

Add celery and onions and sauté well.

Grind the chillies with pepper corns.

Add the chilli paste and about 1/2 cup water and cook. 

Add the salt, ketchup , soya sauce and Schezuan pepper. 

Cook on slow fire till oil seeps out and it looks glossy.

Add vinegar and boil again. 

Cool and fill in jars! It's very sharp and hot, 1/2 tsp each and we were on fire! Enjoy!! 

Gobhi roast in creamy tangy sauce

Gobhi roast in creamy tangy sauce

This is a recipe I got from Shimpa from her fb page GKK. Tried and loved it! So here it is with few changes .... Easy and high on flavor.

One whole cauliflower

1/2 cup curd

2 tbsp cream cheese

1/2 bowl ch parsley 

Salt

Chilli flakes

Microwave cauliflower on high for about 5 mins.

Mix ingredients and smear the gobhi with this paste. Try and push through the florets.

Put into a preheated oven at 180 deg C till golden brown. Serve with cream cheese and roasted onions sandwich.

Yummy and tangy!

Rasgulle ke syrup ki sweet fingers

What do you do when you have syrup from rasgulle and gulab jamuns? I make this besides ther things! Try these baked fingers.

Rasgulla syrup sweet fingers

I love to use every bit that I have in my kitchen. This time it was sugar syrup from rasgulle. Most times we throw it... I use it.

250 ml sugar syrup

1/4 cup oil

1 tbsp poppy seeds

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1/4 cup oats

1/4 cup suji

2 cups atta 

2 tsp baking powder

2-3 tbsp Sugar /acc to taste

Mix syrup with oil , sugar and sesame n poppy seeds. 

Heat and give it a boil.

Cool a bit and then add oats, suji and start adding atta.

Only add as much atta as needed. Make into a firm dough. The dough will be a bit warm, this makes them crunchy.

Keep for 1 hr.

Roll into long think fingers and bake at 180 deg C till golden brown. They will be slightly soft but once they are cool they get crunchy!

Enjoy them !

Tandoori vegs and achari toasts

Tandoori vegetables with achaari toasts

Sometimes one is lazy and yet wants a spicy yummy dish. Here is one such Sunday dinner idea! 

400 gms Mushrooms 

2 zucchinis cut into sticks

1/2 cubed bell peppers

2 cubed onions

1 cubed potato

3-4 cloves crushed garlic

1 cup curd

2 tbsp besan

2 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp degi mirch

1 tsp garam masala

Salt

Method

Mix all the ingredients well for masala in curd.

Smear this well on the vegs and mix well. 

Spread in a baking dish and bake at 200 deg C in a preheated oven.

When cooked till water has evaporated and the vegs start to char at the edges. Take it out and squeeze lime and sprinkle chaat masala on them. 

Enjoy with masala toasts.

For the masala toasts I mixed 2 tbsp achaar ka masala with butter. Spread on bread and toast it in the hot oven. 

Enjoy the yummy Sunday dinner!

Gujarati achaar masala

Gujarati achaar masala

Today a Gujarati friend invited a few of us for lunch and she got this absolutely yummy masala out that had killer looks. Tried a pinch and it was absolutely fiery! Loved it so much that we were discussing how to source it. A friend sent the picture of it's ingredients and I was soon surfing the net to get more information. With what was available I made this one! Absolutely gorgeous ! Can be used not just for pickles but in raitas, salads,tandoori , dal, stuffed karelas n brinjals, sprinkle over sabzi for extra zing or mix with curd as a chutney. Looks like everyone has used this and knows about it except me ! Sharing this recipe.

5-6 red chillies 

1 tbsp degi chilli powder

9-10 pepper corns

1/4 tsp hing

1 heaped tsp methi

2 heaped tsp yellow mustard

1/2 tsp chilli powder

2 tsp salt 

2 tbsp salt

In a mixie grind all the ingredients to coarse powder.

Heat oil and cool.

Mix all the spices to oil and keep. Add more chilli powder if you like it spicy. 

It shall get that fiery red color with time. 

Sprinkle as you like.

Just sweat the sinuses out!

Special diet apple squares

Special diet apple squares

A very dear friend who has lots of health issues is on a special diet. Off dairy and many other things, I tried out these squares and she absolutely loved them. She was allowed very little butter , so added little oil and butter. She loved it.

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour 

1/4 cup suji

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp baking powder

Pinch salt

Brown sugar as per taste

Apple juice to knead 

Topping

1-2 Grated apples

1-2 tbsp suji

Brown sugar to taste

Cinnamon powder

Raisins optional 

Method 

Mix flour , suji , oil and butter.

Mix other ingredients and make a firm dough. Refrigerate.

Mix the ingredients for topping.

Roll the dough to 1/2 thickness. 

Spread on parchment paper.

Brush with apple juice.

Top it with the mixture and press well so it sticks on dough.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 deg C till golden. 

Enjoy this just this way or with ice cream. She told me it was a great change for her! 

Green tomato gojju

I love green tomatoes and came across this recipe posted by Shimpa on my favorite food group ghar ka khana. Sharing the lovely dish. Sour, spicy and tart. Enjoy it!

1 kg chopped green tomatoes

6-8 chunked garlic

3-4 red chillies

Curry leaves

2-3 tbsp oil

2 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp haldi

1/3 tsp hing

1 tsp Mustard seeds

2 tsp vinegar

2 tsp roasted methi powder

Heat oil, add mustard seeds , curry leaves, red chillies and bit of hing.

Add tomatoes , chilli powder and haldi. 

Add salt and stir for 3-4 mins.

Add vinegar and stir another 2 mins.

Add methi powder and hing and stir.

Cool and store. 

Yummy with rice!

Curry leaves podi

Curry leaves podi

South Indian food is really relished by my family. Here is one such podi..... Yummy and flavorful!

2 cups curry leaves

2 tsp oil

6-7 garlic cloves

1/4 tsp hing

1 tbsp Chana dal

1 tbsp urad dal

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp methi seeds

3-4 red chillies

6-8 pepper corns

2 tbsp desiccated coconut

Walnut size tamarind

Salt 

Heat 1 tsp oil and add curry leaves and crisp them up.

Heat the rest of the oil and add garlic and cook a bit.

Add the rest of the ingredients and cook till golden.

Mix all the things, cool and grind well to a nice powder.

Yummy to be eaten with rice or idlis! Enjoy !

Kachche kele ke squares ki sabzi

Kachche kele ki chatpati sabzi

I love raw banana and it's so healthy. I use the peels as well as . Here I combined a dhoka curry with Rajasthani style lipatwa gravy and it's smelling divine. Serving with missi rotis.

Ingredients

For dhoka

1 grated boiled raw banana

3 tbsp besan/ paste of soaked 

Chana daal

1/2 cup curd

Salt

Chilli powder

Haldi

Hing

1 tbsp oil

Gravy

2-3 pods of garlic crushed

1 tsp ch ginger

1 cup curd

1 chopped tomato

1 sliced bell peppers

2 large sliced onions

2 ch gr chillies

Salt, haldi, mirchi powder

1 tsp dhaniya powder

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp jeera

Hing

1 tbsp oil

Dhaniya to garnish 

Method

Mix all ingredients for the dhoka.

Make a thick batter. Pour in a greased dish and steam till done.

Cut into squares.

Heat oil and add hing,cumin and mustard and let them splatter.

Add ginger and garlic and sauté.

Add sliced onions and chillies and let them color.

Add bell peppers and cook for a min.

Add the curd mixed with spices and tomato.

Add to the onions and cook on high heat. Add half cup water and squares if dhoka.

Boil and cook till water and flavors blend together.

Top with ch dhaniya and serve hot. Delicious !!

Chokha and missi roti

Chokha aur masala roti

This goes to all the lovely people who love chokha . Ilearnt it from a friend and then learnt more variety from another , served them chilled with hot missi rotis.

1 roasted bringal

1 chopped onion

1 chopped tomato

2 chopped chillies

3 pods roasted garlic

Chopped dhaniya

Chilli powder and salt

1/2 lemon

1 tbsp mustard oil

Mash all well and keep to chill.

1 sweet potato roasted

2 ch spring onions

3 pods roasted garlic

Juice of half lime

Chopped chillies

Mash everything well and keep to chill.

Missi rotis

1 cup juar atta

1 cup wheat atta

1 cup dahi

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1 cup chopped methi

1 tbsp oil

Salt

Chilli powder

Crushed garlic 

Mix all together. Roll into rotis and roast well. Serve with butter. 

Mann mange more mango cake delight

Mann maange more mango

This is a dish I came up to cater to many requirements of my family.... One wants cake, other wants fruit, another a dessert. So here it was ... We all loved it. 

Ingredients

1 bowl chopped mango

1/2 cup chopped strawberry

1/4 cup blue berries

1/2 Sour cream

100 ml Mango drink

2 tbsp sugar

For the cake

1 .5 cups atta

1/2 cup oats

1 cup suji

1/3 cup oil

200 ml mango drink/ purée

1 cup chopped mango

3/4 cup sugar

15 gms baking powder

1 tbsp vinegar

1/4 cup sunflower seed/ almonds

Method

For the cake mix all the ingredients and dilute with more mango juice if needed.

Pour into a greased dish and bake at 180 deg till knife comes clean when pierced.

Mix the fruits with sour cream, sugar , juice and refrigerate. 

To serve... 

Slice a piece of cake. Moisten with mango drink and too with the fruit salad. Put the few blue berries and serve chilled! Delicious !!!! 

Idlis

Perfect idli dosa with sona masuri! These were absolutely the best so far. Will stick to this proportion. They are heavier though than just with idli rice. Recipe here...

1 cup sona masoori rice

1 cup idli rice

1/2 cup urad dal

1/2 cup poha

1 tsp methi seeds

Salt as needed

Soak rice , poha and methi together and dal separate. Grind after few hrs. Keep overnight to ferment and steam them as idlis or dilute the batter a bit for dosas. Enjoy! Hit with sambhar and onion tomato chutney.

Thai veg red curry

Thai food is close to Indian palate as it's spicy, has loads of options and goes well with rice. Yet I kept away as it has a lot of pastes with non veg base. Recently a friend introduced me to this cuisine and now I play around with all the things I have in my fridge and enjoy this quick yummy cuisine. It may not be as professional as what I would get in a restaurant but I am not deprived anymore. Sharing the recipe with you. Add non vegs as required.

Ingredients

1 cup each of broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms,bell peppers

1/2 cup each of carrot sticks, beans cut in 1" sticks

1 cup tofu cut into sticks (optional)

You can use pineapple, brinjals, snow peas, zucchini, any vegs you enjoy. 

2-3 heaped tsp of red Thai curry paste

1 tbsp each of ginger and garlic

1 cubed onions

1 tbsp soya sauce

1 tbsp vinegar

100 ml coconut milk

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp chilli flakes n salt. 

Method

Heat oil. Add ginger garlic and sauté. Add chilli flakes. 

Add onions and sauté. If adding tofu , add and sauté till golden a bit.

Add the curry paste and sauté.

Add soya sauce. 

Mix well.

Add all the vegs and salt and sauté.

Add a cup of water and boil the vegs.

Slowly add coconut milk and boil this till vegs are cooked yet crunchy.

Add vinegar and top with spring onions.

You can add vegs that are available. Use Chinese cabbage, Pak choi, spinach, endless list. I put pineapple and my family loved it. Today I put raw mango pulp that one uses for aam panna! Delicious!!

Chilli spicy sauce to too this lovely curry.

4 tbsp vinegar, 4 tbsp water, chopped green chilies, salt and chilli flakes. Mix and let then blend. Pour this a tsp at a time to add more fire to your curry.

Kohlrabi sambhar

Moving to Germany has been tough as lack of desi vegetables has made it difficult to cook and get desi tastes. But that doesn't stop me from trying things constantly. So make do with whatever I can find in a supermarket. Family loved this one as the tastes were intense and it was lighter than the daal sambhar. 

Ingredients 

One head kohlrabi cut into fingers

2 thickly chopped onions

1/2 pod garlic chopped in chunks

1 tbsp chopped ginger

Curry leaves hand full

1 tbsp oil

1 tbsp ghee

1/2 tsp each of methi, mustard and jeera

1/8 tsp hing

2 tbsp of Chana dal

2 tsp of sambhar powder

1/3 tsp haldi

1/3 tsp chilli powder

2 tsp dhaniya powder

1/4 cup grated coconut paste( optional)

2 Chopped tomatoes

Paste from walnut size tamarind

Method

Heat oil and add tadka of mustard, jeera and methi. Let it color n add hing and one red chilli.

Add Chana dal and curry leaves.

Add all the vegs and sauté on low heat till slightly golden.

Add dry masalas and cook for few secs to get aroma.

Add the tamarind paste and turn well. 

Put the coconut if you are using n cook for few mins.

Add water and pressure cook for few whistles n simmer for few mins till the kohlrabi is cooked.

Top with ghee and coriander leaves.

Serve hot and tastes nice as a thin soup/ rasam soup variety too. Light with idlis, can steal few more ;)

Autumn theplas

Autumn theplas

One of the most beautiful seasons is autumn and love the colors that are around, yellow, brown, red.... Just adore it. Pumpkins are in plenty and what better to celebrate it except do it desi style. Made pumpkin theplas. Loved the color on my plate and nice way of getting a veg in to the tummy.do here goes.

Ingredients

2 cups pumpkins cut into long slices

4/5 garlic pods

3 chopped spring onions

200 ml curd

Wheat flour as needed

1 tbsp oil

Salt

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/4 tsp haldi

1 tsp saunf powder

Hing

2 tbsp ground flax seeds or sesame.

Method

In hot oven bake garlic and pumpkin till soft.

Grate and add all the other ingredients. Knead and add flour as needed.

Keep for 15 mins and then roll into parathas and cook on both sides with oil till golden. Enjoy the autumn colors on your plate. 

Vegetable quiche

This week Shilpa and Micky tempted me to make the quiche. I added my touch and the result was fabulous. My family loved it. Thanks girls!! Keep cooking and rocking the place!

Ingredients

4/5 boiled potatoes

200 ml curd

1 cup maize flour or meal

Whole wheat flour as needed

1 tsp baking powder

Salt

2 tbsp oil

For filing

1 chopped onion

2 chopped garlic

500 gms chopped mushrooms

1 chopped bell peppers

1/2 can boiled corn

400 ml white sauce

2 tbsp cream cheese

1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp Italian mixed spices

2 tbsp mixed seeds.. Sunflower, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds

2 tbsp flaxseeds ground

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt as needed

Grated cheese to top 

Pepper n chilli flakes as needed

Method

Mix all the ingredients for the dough. It would be a but soft.kerp for an hour.

Heat oil, add chopped garlic and onions and sauté.

Put in all the vegs and cook on high heat and reduce any water,

Add white sauce, seasonings, salt ,seeds ,flax seeds and cream cheese and keep aside.

Roll the pastry dough and put into a greased flan dish.

Pour the filling and too with cheese, pepper and chilli flakes.

Bake at 200 deg till golden brown and knife comes clean. 

Cool for a while and cut into wedges. I also made small ones in muffin molds. They look fabulous! Enjoy!!!

Piña colada cake

Piña colada cake

1.5 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup oats meal

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1 cup sugar

Freshly chopped pineapple as required

15 gms baking powder

1 tbsp vinegar

Milk as needed

1/2 cup coconut flakes

Method

Best sugar oil, juice well.keep a bit of sugar for the top.

Add the flours, coconut and mix well.

Add baking powder and vinegar and milk as needed.

Pour into a tray lined with a baking sheet. 

Top with chopped pineapple and sprinkle sugar.

Bake at 180 deg till golden brown. Cool and enjoy the pineapple and coconut aroma. Can add rum for those who like alcohol in their cakes. 

Cappuccino nut cake

Cappuccino nutty cake 

This weekend I was running out of ideas for a different healthy cake. No fruits, no regular stuff.... So started with just my oats and evaporated milk in my processor. And soon I had an amazing recipe with something that lay in the shelf as I didn't like the taste. Learnt again that one should never discard anything too quickly another form always can give a new dimension.

1.5 cup atta

1/2 cup crushed oats

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup oil

200 ml evaporated milk

4-5 tbsp cappuccino coffee mix

2 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp vinegar

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup raisins

1/2 cup apple juice or more as needed

Method 

Except vinegar and baking powder, mix everything well. Keep for 10 mins.

Adjust the consistency with apple juice.

Add vinegar and baking powder and mix for few secs

Put into a greased baking dish and bake in a preheated oven at 180 deg C. 

Cut into squares and enjoy with coffee.

Dabeli style turnovers

Dabeli style turnovers

Sometimes ingredients around you push your creativity to such an extent that you feel pleased that you were short of ingredients. I promised a sick friend done dinner but the buns weren't enough and then my oven was on for baking mini pizzas for kids and there was enough left over dough from them. Enough reasons for me to experiment with potato filling of dabeli,dough and a hot oven ! They turned out delicious !! Next time around will mark the covering with whole wheat flour and make it healthier! :))

Ingredients

For the covering

250 gms flour

50 gms suji

1.5 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup curd

2 tbsp oil

Salt 

For filling

2-3 boiled potato

1 chopped onions

1 chopped tomato

Chilli powder

1/2 tsp haldi

1 tsp coriander powder

1.5 tsp dabeli masala

Salt

1 tbsp oil

For dabeli masala

1 tsp Coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

Red chille a few

4-5 cloves

Small stick of cinnamon

Other things

Roasted masala peanuts, tamarind chutney, garlic chilli chutney

Method

Mix flour and suji with baking powder , salt and oil. Add curd and water to make a firm dough. Rest for a while.

Roast all the spices for masala and powder them.

Heat oil and add onions and sauté. 

Add tomatoes and sauté to mash.

Add all the spices and cook till you get good aroma.

Add mashed potatoes and cook well. 

Add chopped green coriander and mix well.

Roll small circles from the dough, about 4" round and 2-3 mm thick. 

Spread some garlic chutney and a bit of tamarind chutney.

Put a generous spoon of potatoes on one side.

Top with peanuts and fold over.

Stick the sides with a bit of water and press with a fork.

Put on baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Brush with butter or milk.

Bake in a preheated oven at 200 deg C till they are golden brown.

Serve them hot! 

Yummy delicious tiffin snack!