Friday 19 October 2012

Churma Laddu

Churma Laddu

Ingredients


1 1/2 cups (200 grams) whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta), coarsely ground
1/4 cup grated dry coconut (kopra)
2 tbsp sesame seeds (til)
3/4 cup (150 grams) grated jaggery (gur)
2 tbsp ghee

Other ingredients 
ghee for deep-frying
poppy seeds (khus-khus) for coating the laddus

Method
  1. Make a stiff dough of the whole wheat flour using 1/2 cup of water. Knead very well.
  2. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions.
  3. Shape the portions into the shape of your fist and press with your fingers in the centre of each portion to make an indentation.
  4. Heat ghee in a large kadhai and deep fry the dough portions on a very slow flame for approximately 25 to 30 minutes until they are golden brown in colour.
  5. Drain on absorbent paper and allow them to cool.
  6. Pound in a mortar and pestle to coarse pieces. Grind the pieces further in a food processor to get a fine powder (churma).
  7. Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a pan, add the grated coconut and sesame seeds and saute for about 2 minutes. Remove and keep aside.
  8. Heat the jaggery with the remaining tablespoon of ghee and 1 tablespoon of water on a medium flame till the jaggery dissolves. Cool slightly.
  9. Mix the ground churma, coconut and sesame seeds with the melted jaggery.
  10. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
  11. Divide into 10 portions and shape into rounds. Roll each laddu in poppy seeds.
  12. Store the laddus in an air-tight container.

Badam ka Halwa

Badam ka Halwa

Ingredients


1/2 cup almonds, soaked overnight
1/3 cup milk
4 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
3 tbsp ghee

For the garnish 
2 to 3 almonds, peeled and sliced


Method


  1. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the almonds. Leave aside for 5 minutes.
  2. Drain and remove the skins of the almonds.
  3. Purée the almonds with 4 tablespoons of milk to a smooth paste in a blender.
  4. Heat the ghee in a non-stick kadhai and add the almond purée. Cook over a slow flame while stirring continuously till the mixture turns golden brown (approx. 15 minutes).
  5. Boil together the remaining milk with 4 tablespoons of water, add to the almond mixture and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
  6. Add the sugar and cardamom powder and cook till the sugar has dissolved, while stirring continuously.
  7. Serve hot, garnished with the almonds.

Wednesday 17 October 2012

Sattu ka laddu

Sattu ka laddu

Ingredients: 

1.5 cup - roasted chana dal (daaliya, horse gram)
1 cup - whole wheat 
1 and 1/4 cup - powdered sugar 
1 cup (+2 tbsp) - pure ghee 
10 - almonds 
10 - pistachio
1 tsp - cardamom powder


Method

Dry roast wheat in a heavy bottom pan on slow flame for approx. 10 minutes or till a nice aroma starts coming or roast in an oven on low temp till golden.
Let it cool down completly then grind in the mixer to a fine powder.
Now grind the roasted chana dal to a fine powder.
Take both the powders in a big bowl and mix well.
Add crushed almonds and cardamom powder.
Add powdered sugar and melted warm ghee.
Mix well if powder is dry then add 2 tbsp of ghee.
Now take a small portion of the mixture in your hand and make laddus.
Garnish with chopped pista.
Stays fresh at room temperature.

Easy rawa ladoo

Easy rawa ladoo

Ingredients: 

1 cup - semolina 
1 cup - sugar
2 - cardamom pods
Cashew nuts and raisins
1 tbsp - ghee 
Warm milk as needed



Method
  1. Grind the sugar and cardamom seeds into a

  1.  fine powder and set aside.

  1. Dry roast the semolina until very light golden 

  1. color and fragrant.

  1. Transfer the roasted semolina to a mixing bowl and cool.

  1. Heat the ghee in pan.

  1. Add and fry the cashews and raisins.

  1. Set aside when the nuts turn golden brown color.

  1. Combine the powdered sugar, fried nuts and roasted semolina and mix very

  1.  well.

  1. Sprinkle the warm milk little by little and shape the mixture into small round 

  1. balls.

Paneer in white gravy

Paneer in white gravy

Ingredients:
 
250 gm - paneer
15 - almond
5-8 - cashew nuts
3-4 - dry apricot
1 tbsp - sesame seeds (white)
250 ml - milk
50 gm - fresh light cream
Green chillies, to taste
Green veggies: French beans, green peas, capsicum and any other veg of your choice can be added
Salt- acc. to taste
Oil, preferably olive oil (extra-virgin)/any oil of your choice


Method

  • Soak almonds, cashew, apricot and dry roasted white seasame seeds in enough


  •  hot milk for 25-30 mins.

  • In the meantime, cut the vegetables in small cubes and keep aside.

  • Cut the paneer in cubes and marinate with salt only.

  • Now make a smooth paste of all nuts and seeds thus soaked.

  • In a pan/kadai, put 1/2 tbsp of oil; add slit green chillies; let it crackle.

  • Add the veggies and saute very lightly not allowing them to brown.

  • Now add the white paste, mix well; add some water and let it simmer till the


  •  vegetables cook properly.

  • Take care to see that it should not dry up; the presence of milk can burn it 


  • easily.

  • Add the paneer and the cream; if needed some more milk to get the consistency 


  • you like.

  • Add salt.

  • Serve hot with ajwain/lachhaa/plain paranthas.

Chocolate Eclairs


Chocolate Eclairs

Ingredients


Pastry:
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 stick margarine or butter
  • 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
  • 4 eggs

Filling: 
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups milk
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 2 tsp vanilla
Icing: 
  • 2 (1-ounce) squares chocolate
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup whipping cream

Directions


Pastry

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat water and margarine or butter to boiling point.
Add flour and stir constantly until mixture is smooth and forms a ball.
Remove from heat and let cool.
Beat in 4 eggs, 1 at a time and once incorporated, place into a pastry bag.
On a greased cookie sheet, pipe out dough in thick lines that form éclairs.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until light brown. Set aside to cool.

Filing

In a medium saucepan, prepare filling by whisking together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt.
Whisk in about 1 cup milk and cook over low heat, stirring often, until thickened or the consistency of mayonnaise.
Add the rest of the milk and then temper in 3 beaten eggs and continue to cook until mixture is even thicker.
Remove from heat, cool and add vanilla.
With a serrated knife, slice pastry puffs lengthwise, but not all the way through.
Pipe custard mixture into the center.
Chocolate Icing
Melt chocolate for icing, add sugar and cream.
Cook over medium heat until soft ball stage. Let cool and beat until smooth. Ice tops of the éclairs.
Melt 4 tbsp of white semi sweet chocolate in a sauce pan.
When the Chocolate icing has been cooled down drizzle white chocolate diagonally with the help of pastry piping and let it cool down.

Chocolate Cheese Cake


Chocolate Cheese Cake

Ingredients


  • 250 gms Cream Cheese
  • 50 gm Biscuit
  • 2 tbsp Coco powder
  • 25 gm Butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 75 ml Cream
  • 1 tbsp Custard powder
  • 200 gm Sugar
  • 150 gms Chocolate (melted)



  • Directions

Crush the bicuits in to powder. Add butter and mix it well with the help of blender. Add 1 tbsp of coco powder and blend it properly.
Put this mixer as a even thin at the bottom  in a greased bake tin. (use a mould which can be opened from the sides)
keep this in the fridge for 15 min
Add cream in the blender and blend to smooth mixture.
Then add eggs and blend. Add yolk and blend to a smooth mixture.
Then mix coco powder in 2 tbsp of hot water and add to the mixture.
Then add sugar and custard powder and blend properly.
Then mix chocolate and blend to smooth mixture.
Take the mould from the fridge and pour this mixture.
Cover the sides of the mould with aluminium foil to prevent excess heat.
Put this mixture in a alumunium tray and add hot water in the tray
Then bake this cake in a 180.c preheated oven for 7 min. (check whether it is done or not and adjust the timing)
Remove it carefully from the mould and serve chilled

Chocolate Coco Balls


Chocolate Coco Balls

Ingredients


  • 500g Butter
  • 2 Tbsp coca powder
  • 250g Icing Sugar
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 pkt coconut

Directions


Put Butter in microwave to melt
In a bowl put icing sugar and coca powder and mix will. (no lumps)
Then put melted butter in that bowl and mix till its creamy.
Then take 3 eggs seprate eggs yolk and the white.
Put the egg yolk in the mixture.
Then use a electric mixture to mix the whites until its fluffy.
Then put it into mixture and mix it well.
Mashed the coconut biscuits and mix into mixture.
First that mixture put into a fridge about 2 and half hour.
Take out then make balls and roll in to coconut.

Ghughra


Ghughra

Ingredients


  • 100 gm Poppy seeds
  • 1 1/2 cup dessicated coconut
  • 300 gm Rawa/Cream of wheat
  • 450 gm Maida/Allpurpose Flour
  • 4 tbsp ghee/clarified butter
  • 450 gm Powdered sugar
  • A  pinch or two of Nutmeg powder
  • 1 tsp caradamom powder
  • Ghee for deep frying

Directions


1. Roast poppy seeds and coconut. Keep aside.
2. Roast rawa till light brown. Keep aside.
3. Mix above mixtures along with sugar,cardamom and nutmeg, mix well & keep it aside.
4. Now Mix ghee and maida. Add water gingerly to make a stiff dough.
5. Roll out puris. Stuff the sweet mixture. Close the puri half-moon shape.
6. Keep twisting around the edges to make the edges.
7. Heat Ghee for deep frying. Fry on low flame.

Basil Chicken with Vermicelli


Basil Chicken with Vermicelli


Ingredients


Serves4
  • 250g vermicelli pasta
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 400g chopped tomatoes
  • 4 boneless chicken breasts - cooked and cubed
  • 1 small bunch fresh basil, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 dried crushed red chillies (optional)
  • 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Preparation method


Prep: 10 minsCook: 25 mins

Restaurant Style Green Peas Masala

Restaurant Style Green Peas Masala


Ingredients: 

1 cup - fresh or frozen peas 
1 small - onion, chopped fine
1.5 tsp - chana/chole masala 
1/2 tsp - red chilli powder 
1/2 tsp - sugar 
Kasoori methi, a generous pinch
1 tbsp - coriander leaves 
Salt to taste 

To saute and grind:
4 - tomatoes, medium sized
2 - onions
1/4 inch piece - ginger
5 pearls - garlic
2 - green chillies 
To grind (for the cashewpaste):
5 - whole cashew nut
2 tbsp - curd 
To temper:
2 - cloves
1/4 inch piece - cinnamon
1/2 tsp - cumin
1 tbsp - butter
2 tsp - oil 

Method
  1. Pressure cook peas for 2 whistles and set aside.
  2. First grind cashews with curd to a smooth creamy paste, set aside.
  3. Add a tsp of oil and add the ingredients under `to saute and grind` and saute till tomatoes turn mushy.
  4. Cool down and grind it a fine paste.
  5. Heat butter, add the items under `to temper` add onion and saute till slightly brown.
  6. Then add the tomato paste and saute.
  7. Saute for 3-5mins then add channa masala, red chilli powder and required salt.
  8. Add water as required to bring it a running consistency.
  9. Allow it to boil for 2 mins.
  10. Then add the cashew paste and give a quick stir.
  11. Add cooked peas, sugar and cook on a low flame for 5mins.
  12. Then add kasoori methi and coriander leaves and turn off stove.
  13. Serve hot with rotis or with mild pulaos.
  14. We loved it with soft hot rotis.

Chicken Masala Curry


Chicken Masala Curry


Ingredients


Serves7
  • 5 dried red chillies, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 2 tsp chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon (saunf) anise seeds
  • 2 to 3 green chillies, seeded and chopped
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons tamarind paste
  • 1 slice ginger
  • small handful chopped fresh coriander
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 1.5kg boneless and skinless chicken, diced
  • desiccated coconut for garnish

Preparation method

Prep: 15 minsCook: 35 mins

Peanut sundal


Peanut sundal

Ingredients: 

1 cup raw peanuts with skin 
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp split black gram (urad dal)
1-2 dried red chillies
1/8-1/4 tsp turmeric
A pinch of asafoetida
4-5 curry leaves
1-2 tbsp coconut, freshly grated (frozen works too, but fresh is recommended)
Salt to taste



MethodSoak the peanuts for 1 hour in water.
Pressure cook it with turmeric for 1-2 whistles until soft.
Drain the peanuts well and set aside.
In a skillet in little oil, pop the mustard seeds.
Then add in the lentil along with dried chilli and asafoetida.
Add the curry leaves, coconut, peanuts along with salt.
Give it a quick mix until well combined. Stir gently for another minute or two.
Serve. A simple salad.

Famous Red Chicken Curry


Famous Red Chicken Curry


Ingredients


Serves6
  • 1 whole Chicken
  • 6 Red Chillies
  • 4 Peppercorns
  • 4 Cloves
  • 1 inch piece of Cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon Cumin Seeds
  • 1 teaspoon Corriander Seeds
  • 4-6 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 inch piece of Ginger
  • 1 large Onion finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Oil
  • Water Enough to cover up the chicken
  • Chopped Corriander leaves
  • 2 tablespoons Tamarind juice

Preparation method


Prep: 20 minsCook: 30 mins

Easy Chicken Tikka Curry


Easy Chicken Tikka Curry


Ingredients


Serves6
  • 800 gm chopped tomatoes
  • 1 (400g) tin coconut milk
  • 1kg chicken thigh fillets, quartered
  • 2 tablespoons curry paste (Pataks Tikka Masala)
  • 2 tablespoons of your choice curry powder
  • 4 tablespoons raw sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 whole chilli (only if you like it hot!)

Preparation method


Prep: 10 minsCook: 40 mins

Spicy Palak Chicken


Spicy Palak Chicken


Ingredients


Serves4
  • 500 g skinned, boned chicken thighs
  • 150 g onions, finely chopped
  • 4 green cardamom pods, split open at the top
  • ½ teaspoon dehi mirch or cayenne pepper
  • 5 cm (2 in) cinnamon stick, broken in half
  • 2 teaspoons garlic purée, or crushed garlic
  • 2 teaspoons ginger purée, or grated ginger
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 50 g curd
  • Salt
  • 250 g spinach, defrosted if frozen
  • 225 g chopped tomatoes
  • 50 g cream
  • A pinch of garam masala

Preparation method


Prep: 15 minsCook: 35 mins