Micorwave Khandvi/Savory Swiss Rolls

Khandvi is Gujarati delicacy made using Gram Flour/Chickpea Powder and flavoured with tempering of pungent mustard, spicy green chillies, coconut and aromatic coriander leaves. After staying in Gujarat for 5 years, I always thought that it is very difficult to make Khandvi.  Then one day while browsing for recipes I came across Microwave Khandvi  and I could no more resist the temptation. The ingredients listed and the method sounded simple enough to give it a go. I gathered all the courage and was very happy with the results. Do try this Indian Savoury Swiss Rolls.

Ingredients:

For Batter:
1 cup Besan/Gram Flour/Chickpea flour
1 cup curd/dahi

1 cup water

A big pinch of Hing/Asafoetida
A big pinch of Turmeric Powder
Salt to taste

For Tempering:
1 tsp Mustard Seeds/rai/sarson
1 tsp sesame seeds/til
2-3 Green Chillies, finely chopped
1 tbsp Fresh Coconut grates
1-2 tbsp Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
2 tbsp Oil

Method:

1. Take gram flour, turmeric powder, hing and salt to taste in a microwave safe bowl and mix well. Add curd and water to the mixture and mix well with a spatula taking care that no lumps is formed. The batter should be thin and flowing without any lumps.
2. Place the bowl in a microwave and cook at high speed for 5 minutes. Stir and remove lumps after every 1 minute.
3. Spread silver foil and don’t grease with oil.
4. Spread the thick batter quickly on the silver foil. Spread it as thinly as possible.
5. Let it cool for 2-3 minutes. Then slice them with knife into 2 inch long stripes and roll each stripe neatly. Place each rolls in a serving dish.
6. For tempering, heat oil in another microwave safe bowl for 2 minutes. Then and add mustard seeds, chopped green chillies and wait for few seconds.
7. Spread the tempering evenly over rolled Khandvi. Serve them immediately and garnished with coconut grates and chopped coriander leaves and enjoy.

Notes:-While preparing the batter make it lump free as it will help you to evenly spread.

-Spread the batter quickly, it is important to spread the batter before it cools down and it is difficult to spread cooled batter thinly and evenly.

-Batter can also be spread at the back of steel plates.
-Perfect Measurements are the key to make proper khandvi.

Daal Tadka In Microwave- Red Split Lentils In Microwave

Daal Tadka In Microwave-Believe me is very simple and quick . No need to wait for pressure cooker to release whistles or have another pan for tempering. Cook daal in microwave its awesome. Do try!!

Ingredients:

2 cups masoor dal /split red lentil)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds /rai / sarson
1/2 tsp cumin seeds /jeera
a pinch of asafoetida /hing
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
2 tsp chopped green chillies
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric powder /haldi
1 tsp coriander/ dhania powder
salt to taste

Red Chiili powder- ½ tbsp

Lemon juice -1 tbsp
oil -8 tbsp

Method

Clean, wash and soak the dal in enough water for 10 minutes. Drain and keep aside.

Put the 4tbsp of oil in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 15 seconds.

Add the onions and green chillies and microwave on high for 2 minutes.

Add the ginger and garlic paste and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and microwave on high for 1 minute.

Add the soaked dal, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt along with 4 cups water, cover and microwave on high for 20-25 minutes, while stirring every 3 minutes in between.Mix in it lime juice.

Take another small microwave safe bowl and add remaining 4 tbsp of oil and heat for 2 minute. In the hot oil add the asafoetida, cumin, red chilli powder and saute for 2 seconds

Pour this tempering on the cooked dal and mix well.

Eat piping hot with bread or rice.

Roasted Bell Pepper Basil Soup

Summers are over so is the hot weather. Autumn means cool weather, dark evenings...Soups are the perfect way to cheer up my mood. All I need in this weather is a hot cup of soup... Soup...Soup..Soup... :)

Ingredients:

•	Red capsicums, halved and seeded-5 medium
•	Yellow capsicums, halved and seeded-2 medium
•	Onion ,chopped-1
•	Garlic, crushed-4 cloves
•	Refined flour (maida)-1tbsp
•	Vegetable stock-5 cups
•	Fresh basil leaves-5-8
•	Salt-to taste
•	Sugar-1 tsp
•	Black pepper powder- 1/2 tsp

Method:
Prick the capsicums with a fork and roast them directly on flame on low heat till lightly charred. 

Plunge them into cold water, remove skin and chop them roughly. 

Place onion and garlic in a non-stick pan and roast on medium heat for a minute. Add refined flour and continue to roast for another minute till lightly browned or till fragrant. 

Add one cup of vegetable stock, capsicums and two to three fresh basil leaves. Stir and bring to a boil. 

Cover and simmer for three to four minutes. 

Cool and blend to a smooth puree. 

Transfer into a thick-bottomed pan, add the remaining stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add salt, sugar and black pepper powder. Simmer for two to three minutes. Serve hot garnished with the remaining fresh basil leaves. 

Notes: Above quantity made 4 bowls of soup. Adjust quantity as per the servings you want.

Green or Orange bell peppers can also be used.

Lehsuni Daal/ Garlic Lentils

Made with masoor daal (orange lentils) this dish is simple and very tasty. It is in fact almost a staple in most homes. It makes a great accompaniment for plain boiled rice and a vegetable curry. Lehsuni Daal means lots of garlic and thus it is important that garlic turns a bit golden in colour, its only then this Daal will be flavorful.

Ingredients:

1 cup masoor daal

3 cups water

2 tablespoon vegetable/sunflower/canola cooking oil

Salt to taste

1 onion chopped fine

1 tomato chopped fine

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

3 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)

2 green chilli choppes

1/2 teaspoon asafoetida

1 tsp cumin seeds

10-12 cloves of garlic

Method:

Wash the daal thoroughly.

Mix the daal, water, cooking oil, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt to taste, onion and tomato in the pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles.

In another small pan, heat the ghee well and add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle. 
Add the garlic and chillies and fry till the garlic is light brown. Add the asafoetida and turn off the fire.

Quickly add this ghee and spice mixture to the boiled daal and stir well.

Eat piping hot with bread or rice. .

Notes: Any yellow daal- masoor, moong, tooar can be used.

If you do not like garlic flavour, reduce the amount of garlic.

This daal can be cooked thick or thin. I like it thin. Thus adjust water as per your preference.

Corn Peas Rice/ Makkai Matar Ke Pulav- In Microwave

Okay!..One more dish that you can cook in microwave. Well I have started enjoying Microwave cooking now. Just add in everything together ,mix and here it is ready. Corn and peas needs very little time to cook in microwave and so i always prefer to cook Peas Corn Rice in microwave.

Ingredients:
1 cup rice (soaked for 1 hour)
2 cups water
1 tbsp ghee/butter
1/3 cup corn
1/3 cup peas
1/2 tsp turmeric/haldi
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp lemon juice
2 chopped green chillies

Method:
Take a microwave safe bowl and add everything together. Mix all well.
Cook covered for 12 minutes
Cook another 5 minutes uncovered.
Serve hot with raita chutneys or dips.

Notes: I used frozen peas and corn, you can use fresh also but then pre-boil them.
Any kind of rice can be used- I used basmati rice.
Click for Recipes of rice. 

Tamatar Pyaz Ki Subji/ Onion Tomato Dry Curry- In Microwave

Microwave is of great help when you are in hurry. When we cook dish on burner it takes lot of time for the pan to heat and thus the over all cooking time increases. Onion-Tomato dry curry is my favorite one and I always cook it in microwave. A must try!!!

Ingredients:

2 chopped onions

1 chopped tomato

1 chopped green chilli

1 tsp salt

1/2  tsp haldi/turmeric

1 tsp coriander powder/ dhaniya

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

1 tbsp oil

1 tbsp besan/gram flour/chickpea flour

Method:- (See picture tutorial)

Take a microwave safe utensil (preferably glass)

 Add two chopped onions

 Add one chopped tomato

 Add salt, turmeric, coriander powder, red chilli powder.

 Add 1 chopped green chilli to it.

 Mix one tablespoon of gram flour/besan.

Then add 1 tbsp of oil and 1/2 tbsp of lemon juice. 

Then add chopped coriender leaves

 Mix all together very nicely.

 Cover the tray/bowl with cling film. 

 Poke some holes to the cling film with knife.

Keep it in microwave for 8 minutes. 

Now it is ready... Isn't it yummy!!!

Watch This video

Modak In Microwave In Only 3 Minutes

"Ganpati Bappa Moriya" Happy Ganesh Chaturti to all of you. Modak is very popular sweet in India, made especially during ganesh festival. There are various ways and methods to make Modak- like steamed rice modak, mava modak, khoya modak, modak stuffed with coconut, fried modak etc etc... Well I chose to make modak which is simple and gets ready in microwave in only 3 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 cup milk powder

1 stick of unsalted butter

1/2 can of condensed milk

1 pinch of crushed cardamom/ Ilaychi

Method:- (Look below to picture tutorial)

Take Butter in the microwave safe bowl (preferably glass) and melt it.

 Once butter is melted, add milk powder

Also mix in it condensed milk.

 Stir well and microwave for 3 minutes (keep stirring after every 1 minute)

 Stir after 1 minute

After stirring after 1 more minute.

 After 3 minutes, add in the crushed cardamom.

Let the mixture cool down. Once you are able to handle the heat of mixture shape them into "Modak" and garnish with almonds.

Milk Powder Churma- Indian Sweet

I am very happy today; Well I made a dish and never thought that it will be appreciated so much. I received an award for "Best Innovative Recipe". I made Curry Leaves Biscuits/Cookies and now these cookies are so special to me. I will like to thank Poonam from Spicy Aroma to award my dish. Here is my award. (I cant stop smiling ;)

So here comes celebration- Kuch Meetha Hojaye :) Milk Powder Churma .Milk powder is used in so many Indian Desserts. Milk Powder Churma is a very delicious and quick recipe. It needs only three ingredients -which we always have in our kitchen. This is a very light sweet and all must try this.

Ingredients:

Milk powder -1 cup

Sugar- ½ cup (a little less then that)

Ghee- ¼ cup

Method:

Heat ghee in a pan. In it add milk powder for 2-3 minutes and keep aside.

Now in same pan add sugar and cover it with water (just cover). Bring to boil till it reaches 1 string consistency (1 taar ki chashni)

Add milk powder in the sugar syrup and cook for some time (keep stiring). When ghee separates from the mixture cook for another 1 minute. (it must be crumbly in texture).

Its done- Serve hot o cold (You will love it)..

Notes-You can add any nuts to enrich it more.

-Crushed cardamom can also be added to increase the flavour.

Eggless Coffee Cake with Fresh Cream Frosting

Hi All, I was so busy these days that I could not spare time to blog. I have shifted to a new house a week before so I was engaged in setting the house. I was dying to bake a cake in my new oven. I kept thinking what flavour I should opt for.... There were no fruits in the fridge, no eggs, no nuts..hmmmm!!  (I kept thinking)....Then I saw coffee and some fresh cream, So here it is Eggless Coffee Cake with Fresh Cream Frosting. (I forgot to take the pic of the cake before decorating, so sorry about that:)

Ingredients:

(For Cake)

All Purpose flour /Maida- 2 cups (270 gms)

Baking powder - 1 and 1/4 tsp

Castor Sugar - 1 cup (220 gms)

Butter - 1 tbsp

Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp

Condensed milk - 1 tbsp (optional)

Milk - 1.5 cups (375 ml)

Coco powder - 1 tbsp

Instant Coffee powder - 2 tbsp (I used Nescafe sunrise)

(For Frosting)

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

Method:

(For Cake)

Sieve maida, baking powder , cocoa and coffee powder twice for even mixing and keep aside.

In a mixing bowl, add milk, vanilla essence, butter, sugar, condensed milk and mix well until sugar completely dissolves.

Now add the sieved maida mixture little by little and mix well until a creamy batter without lumps is formed.

Preheat oven at 180 deg C for 10mins. Grease the baking tin with butter and maida, and bake it for 35-40mins.

Insert a fork in the middle of the cake to check if the cake is done. If it comes out clean then your cake is ready.

Allow it to cool for 10mins then invert the tin, the cake will demould itself perfectly.

(For Frosting)

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 (the cream will stand up straight when the whisk is raised).

Notes:

You can add 3tbsp of coffee powder and omit coco powder completely.

Coffee cake is a tea time cake so it is mildy sweet. You can increase the sugar to 1.5 cups if you want the cake to taste like the regular cakes.

You can also add chocolate sauce as topping instead of fresh cream