Carrot Raita

Raita can add such a special touch to any Indian meal. This is particularly true when the meal is rich and or spicy. There are many variations to make Raita; for today, I am keeping it to something that's very simple and straightforward to make.

Ingredients

• 2 cups thick plain Yogurt (I used fat free Greek yogurt)
• 4 grated Carrots
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 - 1 tsp roasted Cumin powder (bhuna jeera powder)
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp Chilli powder/ground pepper for garnish
• 1 teaspoon chaat masala

Method:

1. Whisk yogurt with sugar very well and make sure that they are no lumps.
2. Mix in it cumin powder, salt and chilli powder.
3. Finally add in grated carrots. Mix well. Simple isn't it???

Serve with rice or any bread.

Aloo Badam Tikki/ Potato Almond Patties

Aloo tikki/ potato patties are my all favourite. Potato Almond Patties is the new twist to old boring aloo tikki. Belive me when you add almonds to the tikkis the taste gets crunchier and thus tastier. These are perfect starter and will be enjoyed by all.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes - 3 to 4
• Onion finely chopped    - ¾ cup
• Turmeric powder/haldi - a pinch
• Red chilly powder- 1 tsp
• Amchoor powder/dry mango- ¼ tsp
• Ginger garlic paste - ½ tsp
• Cumin powder/jeera - ¼ tsp
• Chaat masala powder - ¼ tsp
• Green chillies chopped  - 1 tsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tsp
• Bread Crumbs- 5 tbsp
• Almonds -1 cup
• Freshly chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil to shallow fry               

Method:

1. Wash and boil the potatoes in their skin, until tender & soft. I cook them in pressure cooker for 4 to 5 whistles.
2. Dry roast the almonds (put aside some to garnish) and powder it in the mixer.
3. Once the pressure goes off, peel the skin and mash the potatoes.
4. In a wide bowl, add the mashed potatoes, finely chopped onion, turmeric, red chilly, amchoor, salt, ginger garlic paste, cumin, chaat masala, green chillies, almond powder & coriander leaves.
5. Squeeze fresh lemon juice and bread crumbs to it & mix thoroughly.
6. With oiled hands, divide it into equal portions and roll them into balls.
7. Flatten them to small disc shape. Garnish with almond on the top
8. Heat a pan on medium flame.
9. Add oil and fry .When they’re golden brown and crisp at both sides, remove the tikkis.

Serve hot with chutneys or dips.

Cannellini Beans Curry

Cannellini beans are white in colour and belong to beans (Rajama) family. I saw cannellini beans at the grocery store and they looked so wonderful, so I thought of making it in the Indian style. The white coloured beans looked very tempting when paired with yellowish red gravy. It tasted just like Rajma . Another successful experiment!!!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cannellini beans, washed, soaked overnight with 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds/jeera
• 5-6 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 small Onion, sliced
• 2 large Tomatoes, diced
• 1 tsp Ginger paste
• 1 tsp Coriander powder/dhaniya
• 1 tsp Cumin powder/jeera
• 1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder/haldi
• 1 tsp Garam Masala powder
• 2 tbsp Oil
• Salt to taste
• Fresh Cilantro leaves for garnish

Method:

1. Boil overnight soaked beans with 3 cups of water in pressure cooker for 8 whistles.
2. Heat the oil in a deep, thick-bottomed pan on a medium flame.
3. Add the cumin seeds and allow them to cook for a minute or so.
4. Add garlic and saute 1 minute.
5. Then mix in finely chopped onions and fry until the onions become slightly translucent.
6. Now add the sliced onions and fry for another 1-2 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl add coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder and ginger paste along with 2-3 tsp water and mix well.
8. Add the above paste to the pan and let this cook for 5-7 minutes till the mixture starts leaves oil.
9. Add tomatoes. Cover and cook this mixture for 8-10 minutes till everything gets mushed up.
10. Now add beans, salt and required amount of water according to the desired gravy thickness.
11. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes.
12. Add garam-masala just before taking off the flame.
13. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves. 

Serve hot with rice, roti or rice.

Carrot Peas Fenugreek/ Gajar Matar Methi Subzi

Gajar Methi Matar is my kitchen experiment; I made it when I had nothing else in my fridge but only carrots, fenugreek and peas. Methi/ Fenugreek bring very nice aroma and taste to this dish. Carrots and frozen peas are easily available throughout the year, so I make this dish very often.

Ingredients:

• 2 carrots washed, peeled & cut into small pieces
• One large bowl peas
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
• 1 pinch of hing (asafoetida)
• ½  tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
• ½ cup chopped methi (fenugreek)
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 2 tsp dhaniya powder (coriander powder)
• ¼ cup water
• ½  tsp garam masala powder
• ½ tsp dry mango powder (amchur/khattai)
• Salt

Method:

1. Heat oil in the pan, add cumin and asafoetida and allow cumin to crackle.
2. Then add in it chopped carrot, peas, fenugreek, salt and turmeric. Mix well and cover it with the lid
3. When carrots are half done mix in it coriander powder, red chilli powder and water. Stir well.
4. When carrots are soft add dry mango powder and mix. Its ready.

Serve hot with Fulkas.

Corn Paneer Bhurji

Paneer Bhurji is one of the easiest dishes; it can be prepared with very less efforts and time. Every time I make paneer bhurji I missed the crunch in it; so this time I added boiled corn and I was so totally satisfied with the taste. There is one more thing that I like about this recipe that is very versatile paneer recipe –one can add or delete any ingredients to this dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• ¾ tsp red chilli powder
• 1 ½ tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp water
• ½ cup boiled corn (makai)
• 2 cups paneer (cottage cheese), crumbled or grated
• ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
• ¼ cup chopped capsicum
• 1 tsp chopped coriander leaves

Method:

1. Dilute red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder in 1 tablespoon water and keep it ready.
2. In a pan, heat oil. Add finely chopped onion and fry until golden brown.
3. Then add chopped green chilli and mix.
4. Add chopped tomato and fry well until thickens and gets soft.
5. Add diluted spice mix and saute on a low heat for 2 – 3 minutes until it is well blended with tomato.
6. Add crumbled or grated paneer, corn, capsicum and salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover it with lid and let it cook for 5-8 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with bread or rice.

South Indian Flavoured Rice

South Indian Flavoured Rice is a light rice delicacy, enriched with nutrients of curd and south Indian spices. This dish is simple with the infusion of spices like curry leaves and mustard seeds. The flavour intensifies with the use of curd and the thus the taste is great.

Ingredients:

• Rice: 1 cup(cooked/leftover)
• Curd/Dahi- ½ cup
• Dry Red Chilli- 4
• Oil : 2 tblsp
• Turmeric powder/Haldi : ½ tsp
• Red chilli powder : 1-2 tsp.
• Salt to taste
• Curry leaves : 5-6
• Asafoetida/ Hing- a pinch
• Grated Coconut: - 4 tbsp
• Mustard seeds/Rai/Sarso: - 1 tsp.

Method :

1. Clean, wash and soak rice in three cups of water for twenty minutes. Drain and cook in three cups of salted boiling water till done, taking care that the rice grains remain separate.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add asafoetida, mustard seeds, curry leaves and dry red chilli.
3. Add turmeric and red chilli powder into curd and mix well.
4. When seeds start to splutter add the curd mixture in it and mix for 2 minutes. Then add the cooked rice. Mix well.
5. Garnish with coconut.

Serve with curry or chutney.        

Eggless Chocolate Strawberry Cake With Fresh Cream Frosting- 50th Post

Hmmm...So it my 50^th post and I want to make something special. Let me check what’s in the fridge...Oh I have a lots of yogurt in there..So! Let’s make eggless chocolate cake with some strawberries.

Ingredients:

(For Sponge)

1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar (add 1/4 cup more if not using frosting)
1/2 cup plain yogurt / curd
1/4 cup butter
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder

¼ cup melted chocolate

5 tbsp grated chocolate

5 strawberries (4 finely chopped and 1 chopped in 4 parts)
A pinch of salt if using unsalted butter

(For Frosting)

2 cups heavy or whipping cream 
5 Tbs. granulated sugar 
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 350F / 180 C. Grease a medium cake pan and set aside.

Sift together flour, salt (if using), cocoa powder and baking powder or just mix well in a bowl until combined well. Mix sugar and butter at room temperature. Beat well until frothy (2-3 minutes on an electric mixer, 7-8 minutes by hand using a whisk).

Once frothy, add yogurt and vanilla. Mix well.

Fold in the flour mixture until just combined. The batter will be a bit thick, it’s supposed to be that way, don't worry.

Transfer batter to the greased tray and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

When the cake cools down, slit in two parts and apply melted chocolate on both the parts.

On the bottom layer of the cake lay finely chopped strawberries. Cover it with top layer.

Chill the bowl which you are using for whipping cream in the refrigerator or 5 minutes in the freezer. Pour the heavy cream into the bowl and whisk on medium-high speed until it just starts to thicken. Slow the speed down to medium and gradually pour in the sugar. Continue to whisk until soft peaks form.

Add the vanilla extract and continue to whisk by hand until the cream is smooth and stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat otherwise it will curdle.

Cover the complete cake with the whipped cream and decorate it with quartered strawberries and grated chocolate.

 I used some gems/ M&M to bring some colour to the cake.

Isnt it yummy....I am gonna eat it right now!!!

 Tip:Any fruits that you like can be used instead of strawberry

Any fruit jam can be applied on the layers of cake instead of melted chocolate

Eggless Vanilla Cupcake With Butter Cream Icing

Vanilla cupcakes are my favorite ones. After many trials and errors I can say this recipe is a sure shot success. Cupcakes will be perfectly soft, moist and spongy.

Ingredients:

(For Cake)

Maida/ All purpose flour - 1 and 1/2 cups (225 gms)

Thick Curd/ Dahi - 1 cup (250 ml)

Castor Sugar - 3/4 cup (200 gms)

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Baking powder - 1 and 1/4 tsp

Cooking oil - 1/2 cup (125 ml)

Vanilla essence - 1 and 1/2 tsp

(For frosting)

250g unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

600g icing sugar

2 tablespoons milk

Food colour (optional)

Edible decorating balls

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 deg C for 10mins and line cupcake moulds with paper (i made 12 cupcake).

Sieve maida twice and keep aside. Cream sugar and curd until sugar completely dissolves. Add baking powder, baking soda to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Leave aside for 5 minutes and you can see the bubbles appearing. Now add vanilla essence, cooking oil and mix well.

Next, slowly add maida in portions at a time and blend with above ingredients. Beat well with a whisk until creamy and thick.

Bake in preheated oven at 180 degree C for 20 mins, till a fork inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow them to cool down for 10mins,

In mean time, In a large bowl, cream together the butter and vanilla. Blend in the sugar, little portion at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the milk, food color and continue mixing until light and fluffy. Keep icing covered until ready to decorate.

Eggless Cardamom Oats Cookies

Today's recipe is gonna be the simplest cookie in the world ...This is the easiest cookie that can be made by anyone..Perfect with a cup of tea or milk. I used oats to give some crunch in the cardamom flavor. I love themmmmmmm!!

Ingredients:

Maida / All purpose flour – 1cup (100gms)

Sugar – ½ cup

Cardamom (Ilaychi) – 5

Ghee – ¾ cup

Baking powder – ¼ tsp

2 tsp Milk

Oats ¼ cup

Chocolate chips 1/4 cup (i used choco vermicelli)

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven at 150C for 10 minutes.

2. Line your baking tray with butter paper and set aside.

3. Powder the sugar along with cardamom pods.

4. Sieve the maida flour along with baking powder. Also sieve the powdered sugar on maida.

5. Mix the oats and flour well with your hands.

6. Add Ghee to the flour and keep mixing, first the flour becomes like crumbles. Keep on adding the   ghee till flour comes together as smooth dough. Do this process patiently, this process takes 10 minutes. Add milk and mix again.

7. Once you get the smooth dough, pinch a small ball of dough and roll it with your palm. Take chocolate chips and slightly press it with your palms, so that the ball flattens a bit. Place the flattened ball over the butter paper.

8. Bake the cookies in pre-heated oven at 150c for 10-12 minutes or till the bottom of the cookies turns light brown in color. Change the sides of tray in between, to ensure even baking.

9. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack and let it cool for another 5 minutes.

10. When cooled, place them in airtight containers.

Have with tea, milk or anything (you are gonna love it)!!!!!!

 

Baked Brinjal/Aubergine/ Baigan Rings In Nutty Curry

I wanted to make Brinjal curry, but in a different way. What was different? Well I used roasted almonds and grilled the rings of brinjal (not the whole brinjal). I was so happy with result that I wanted to post it immediately.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Chopped thin Rings of Brinjal/Aubergine/ Baigan
• 10-12 almonds
• 2 dry red chillies
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 5-6 cloves of garlic
•  ¼ cup curd
• 1 Bay leaf/ Tej Patta
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds/methi dana
• ½ tsp fennel seeds/ Saunf
• 1 tsp coriander seeds/ akkha dhaniya
• ½ tsp mustard seeds/rai/ sarson
• Salt to taste
• 1/ tbsp coriander powder/dhaniya powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder/haldi
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp red chiili powder (or adjust as per taste)
• ½ cup water
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves/dhaniya/cilantro 

Method:

1. Apply oil on the baking tray and bake brinjal rings at 150C for 12 minutes (or till the skin becomes soft )
2. Dry roast almonds, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds and bay leaf. And powder it in the blender/mixer.
3. Heat oil and add garlic and onions. Cook till it is soft.
4. Then add tomatoes, curd and all the other masala/dry spices and cook till tomatoes are soft.
5. When the above mixture is cooled then puree it in the blender.
6. Again heat pan and add in the puree, roasted powder , water and baked brinjal rings. Bring to boil and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice or any bread/roti.

Eggless Chocolate and Cookies Ice cream (Without Ice-cream Machine/ Maker)

I always wanted to make ice cream at home, but I did not because I thought I will have to buy an ice cream maker. But I don't actually need an ice cream machine to make homemade ice cream. Nor do I have to go on the hunt for rock salt at the local grocery store. Yep! It's a real quick and easy process.  So I did make it and it was delicious and mouth watering... A perfect treat for Summers!!!

Ingredients

• 2 cups of milk or half-and-half
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup white/brown sugar
• 2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 50 grams chopped dark chocolate
• 1 pinch Salt
• 4 tbsp cocoa powder (Recommend :Hershey)
• 15 crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (Recommend: Oreo) 

Method:

1. Combine sugars, milk, salt and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.
2. Stir in the chopped chocolate until chocolate is melted.
3. then mix and stir in it the cream and vanilla extract.
4. Pour into ice trays and freeze for two hours or until frozen solid.
5. Remove frozen cream from the ice trays and place in a food processor or a blender. Pulse until creamy. The ice cream consistency will be similar to "soft serve".
6. Then again de-mould them from ice trays and blend again till foamy and soft.
7. Finally transfer the ice cream to a freezer safe container and mix in it the crushes cookies and freeze for at least  1 hour. 

Scoop and Enjoy!!!

Methi Mutter Pulav / Fenugreek Peas Rice

This is recipe is just my experiment. The idea came from my husband who loves methi and matter, but not very fond of rice; So he challenged me to make rice with methi and matter such that he could love and relish it. And guess what?- He did love it!... Its simple, quick and healthy.

Ingredients:

Rice -2 cups cooked

Onion-1 sliced in rings

Tomato - 3 chopped finely

Boiled sweet corn- ¼ cup

Capsicum – ½ chopped in small cubes

Green Chilli-2 slited

Dry Fenugreek Leaves / Kasuri Methi Leaves – 3 tblspn

Boiled Peas - 1 cup

Fennel Seeds / Saunf- 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds / Rai- 1 tsp

Red Chilli Powder/Lal Mirch - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder / Dhaniya -1 tsp

Turmeric powder / Haldi-1 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil-2 tblspn

Lemon Juice-to taste

Method:

Soak kasuri methi leaves in water for 2 minutes. Drain it and squeeze well. Set this aside.

Heat oil and add in mustard and fennel seeds and allow it to crackle.

Add in onions, boiled sweet corn, green chilli and cook till translucent.

Add in chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric and mix well.

Then add in tomatoes, capsicum and salt mix well. Cook till it turns mushy.

Add in the drained kasuri methi leaves, peas and toss well.

Lastly add in rice and toss well. Cook till rice is well heated and had soaked the flavours

Squeeze some lemon juice and mix once for the last time.

Serve hot with chutney , side dish, curry.

Instant Tomato Pickle / Chutney

Summers in India mean all the homes busy preparing various types of pickles. The spicy mango pickle and the tangy lemon pickle are the most common; but both these pickles are very time consuming, thus  I wanted something which was quick, spicy and tangy; it was with this idea that I prepared Tomato Pickle-it looks like chutney but the spices used are of pickle. Yummy and instant!!!

Ingredients:

• 5 tomatoes
• ½ tsp mustard seeds (rai)
• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
• 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
• 6 cloves garlic (optional)
• Salt to taste
• 2-3 Dry Red Chilies
• 2 tbsp Red Chilli powder (Lal Mirch)
• 3 tbsp Oil

Method:

1. Heat pan and dry roast mustard, fennel, fenugreek and dry red chillies.
2. In the blender blend together tomatoes, garlic and the above roasted spices.
3. Heat oil in the pan and add asafoetida in it. Then add the blended puree, salt, sugar and red chilli powder in it.
4. Cover it and let it boil till the consistency is running and water has evaporated. (The color will become dark red)
5. Once cool keep it in airtight container.

Serve it with rice, idli, dosa, sandwiches...almost all the dishes!

Ginger-Choco Brownies

There will be no person (I think) who doesn’t like brownies. They are so delightful and tasty. Among deserts chocolate is my personnel favourite and in herbs I like ginger a lot...And thus from my two favourites I thought of making Ginger- Chocolate Brownies and now I am all in love with this yummy dessert.

It tastes so great and heavenly, the two falvours compliment each other so well as if they are made for each other :)....Wanna  know how amazing it is then do make them :)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus ½ tsp for greasing
75g dark chocolate, broken
1 cup caster sugar
2/3 cup plain flour/Maida
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 eggs
1/4 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1/2 tsp vanilla

½ tsp ginger juice
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground cloves/ Long(optional)

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 170°C and grease and line a square baking tin.

Melt the butter and chocolate together in a medium sized saucepan over a low heat. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Add all the other ingredients and stir until smooth. (Easy!!!)

Pour the batter into the lined pan and bake until set. I baked for 25 minutes.

Cool in the pan, and then cut them in size you desire.

Dig in and Enjoy!!