Methi Thepla

Methi thepla are flatbreads made from fresh fenugreek leaves, whole wheat flour and gram flour can be munched anytime of the day. These are light as well as healthy, filling and release energy slowly which is beneficial for health and performing daily tasks. They are also low in calories and saturated fats. A good snack for children who don’t like greens....along with fenugreek you can also add some other greens like spinach or amaranth in the dough.....this way you can incorporate some greens in their diet.

See the recipe...u will find it easy…. ain’t it? Methi thepla also serve best when travelling or for tiffin box lunch with some sweet mango pickle or lime pickle. You can also have methi thepla with a simple jeera aloo or even as a snack with indian chai.

Apart from the great taste and flavor I also like that the thepla are complete food with cereal, vegetable and dairy!! All these great features make them perfect healthy choice for packing in lunch box.

INGREDIENTS:

Whole wheat flour  1 cup 
Gram flour 1 cup 
Chopped fresh fenugreek leaves 1 cup (can be used more than it, i prefer to go for 3 cups)
Cumin powder or whole cumin 1 tsp 
Coriander powder 1 tsp 
Carom seeds 1 tbsp
(optional) Asafoetida 1/4 tsp
Turmeric ½ tsp 
Red chili powder 1 tsp 
Green chilli-ginger-garlic paste 1½ tsp
Oil 2 tbsp
Water or curd/yogurt 1 to 2 tbsp
Salt as required
Oil for frying

METHODS:

1. Mix all the ingredients except water/curd
2. Start kneading without adding water first as the fenugreek leaves leave a lot of water
3. Just add 1 tbsp or 2 tbsp water/curd, if the dough become sticky, then just add some more wheat flour
4. keep the dough aside for 15-20 minutes covered with a kitchen towel
5. Now make medium sized (1") balls from the dough and roll each ball thinly into flat discs
6. Heat a frying pan and place the thepla on the pan
7. When one side is half cooked, flip it 
8. Apply ½ or 1 tsp oil on the cooked side
9. Now again flip and apply ½ or 1 tsp oil on the other side
10. Flip again twice
11. Once the thepla is cooked as well as browned, remove from the pan
12. Make rest of the the theplas this way
13. Stack them up and keep in a hot case / roti basket or covered in a kitchen napkin.

Serve methi theplas with curd, mango or lime pickles, or alu ki sabzi, you can also have methi theplas plain with indian chai.

Yummy Rasgullas

Hailing from the eastern state of Odisha, these light-delights are so loved that one sees rasgulla eating competitions at weddings. My husband and his friends used to compete with each other, down 1 dozen at a go.

Rasgulla refers to a syrupy dessert made from chhenna(cottage cheese), semolina and sugar. It is a popular dessert in eastern parts of India, especially West Bengal and Orissa. It is prepared by kneading chhena (fresh curd cheese) often lightened with a small amount of semolina, and rolling them into small balls. These are then boiled in light sugar syrup until the syrup permeates the balls.
Soft chenna results in a soft and spongier rasgullas. And also the consistency of sugar is also important.

Two months back I wouldn't have dreamt of making them at home!! But  then I read in one blog and successfully replicated rasgullas in first attempt:)
Let me warn you-making rasgullas is very addictive! Once hooked to making them, you just aren't able to stop!

Traditionally it is sold inside clay pots in Orissa and sometimes in Bengal. Rasgullas are usually served at room temperature or colder.
Here is a recipe very close to my heart

(Health Benefit : Milk based sweet is better for health because it is rich in protein, Calcium and contains less fat compared to ghee based sweets)

Ingredients:

For Chenna:
Full Fat Milk - 1 liter
Lemon Juice - 1.5 Tbsp

For Sugar Syrup:
Sugar - 2 cups
Water - 5 cups
Cardamom 6 pieces
Rose water 1 Tbsp

Method:

1. Squeeze some lemons to get 1.5 tbsp of lemon juice.
2. Take milk in a pot and put it on high flame and Let it come to a boil. 
3. Once it boils, take it off the flame and let it sit for 1 min.
4. Now add in lemon juice and mix gently. The milk will curdle. Once a greenish whey separates from the milk and the milk solids have curdled completely. 
5. Line a sieve with muslin cloth and place it over a big bowl and Strain the milk solids in the sieve.
6. Now take a big bowl of cold water and wash the chenna well. rinse it in three changes of water.
7. Now squeeze it gently with your hands to remove any excess whey water, Tie a knot and hang it and leave it to drain for 30 mins. (Optional) You can squeeze occasionally to make things faster
8. After 30 mins, take the chenna in a bowl and knead it gently, by rubbing with your palms and knuckles till you get a soft dough
9. Once a dough is soft, take a small portion from it and roll it in your palms gently till you get a smooth ball.
10. Repeat with the remaining dough as well
11. Now take sugar and water in a big pot and mix well so the sugar is melted. Once the sugar is melted, add cardamom and put it on stove and let it come to a rolling boil. 
12. Now drop the balls into the sugar water and cover it with a tight lid and cook it for 8 to 10 mins till the ball has tripled in volume (Optional) You can use pressure cooker as well. One whistle is enough
13. Now take it off the heat and let it sit for 15 mins
14. Now open the lid and transfer it to a bowl and chill it for 5 to 6 hours

Serve chilled.

Notes :

1. Tip- Off late I have started using curd for splitting the milk. You don’t need to wash the chhena and it gives perfectly round rasgullas
2. Milk - Use Full Cream Fresh Cow Milk for best results
3. Sugar - Normally I prefer the ratio of sugar water is 1:5. Its up to your taste
4. Chenna - It should have a little amount of moisture.The chenna should not be too dry, rasgullas may be dry/will dilute with syrup. And too much of moisture will lead to flat/dilute/crack rasgulla. 
5. Kneading - Knead until it starts leaving the fat/ghee! Once you feel the plate and your hands are getting greasy, make balls and cook!
6. Sugar Syrup should be continuously boiling while they are cooking! You can clean the sugar syrup if you want crystal clear sugar syrup. To do so, add 2 tablespoon of milk to boiling sugar syrup. Remove the scum which will float in just another 10 seconds. And then cook the rasgullas.
7. I do not add any binder- sooji,maida,cornflour or arrowroot. Nothing against binders but I wanted to do it without them ;) Also, I got softer Rasgullas without the sooji/maida- yeah, I did try making them with both.

Baked Potato Skins loaded with bacon

Baked Potato Skins loaded with bacons n loads of cheddar cheese
I tried it at TGIF and from then I became a big fan of it...These were delicious.
Packed with melted cheddar, applewood-smoked bacon, tangy sour cream, and a sprinkling of scallions, they're bursting with bold flavor. They're easily one of our favorite game-day appetizers. Such a great idea for a group of hungry football fans, especially with the chilly weather we have been having lately.

I wanted to prepare it from a long time....at last i got some time...
And I recreated restaurant recipe, I can’t think of a better way to use up potato skins than to make these delightful baked potato skins. Save the meat of the potatoes to make mashed potatoes or potato soup. 


INGREDIENTS:

Russet potatoes 6
Butter melted 2 Tbsp
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup
Pre-cooked Bacon pieces 8 Tbsp


For the Sour Cream and Chives Dip:

Sour cream 1 cup 
Salt 1/2 Tbsp
Black pepper (or to taste) 1/2 Tbsp

Fresh chives, chopped 4 Tbsp

METHOD:

For Dip:

1. Thoroughly mix ingredients together and chill until ready to use

For Baked Potato Skins loaded with bacons:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
2. Scrub the potatoes under cold water and dry with a paper towel
3. Make two lengthwise cuts through each potato   
4. Put potatoes in a casserole dish or on a baking tray
5. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the skins are crispy and the potatoes are fork tender 
6. Remove from the oven, and let the potatoes cool
7. Scoop out the flesh, leaving 1/4 inch of potato in the skins
8. Brush the potatoes with melted butter, sprinkle with the salt and pepper
9. (Optional) bake halves face down in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes
10. Remove from the oven, carefully flip the halves over, and sprinkle insides the cheese and bacon
11. Place back under broiler for just another minute to allow the cheese to melt

Serve immediately with Sour cream and Chives dip.

If you'd prefer not to fry the skins, brush the scooped out skins with 1/4 cup of melted butter and broil for 5 to 7 minutes until brown around then edges, then top with bacon and cheese and proceed as in the instructions for fried potato skins. 

Chocolate Butter Cookies

The Friday before Christmas. A new year is on the way. 
Holiday fever is back.
I have no clue where this past month went. 
I have to tell you that I'm beyond excited about this post!
I don't even know where to begin! First of all, there are no strange ingredients in it.
Second, it's probably the easiest thing you could possibly make, and it's just so darn delicious.

Today I want to give you some stellar gift ideas…for your closest foodie friend, or for yourself.
Everyone’s in the kitchen this time of year, whether it be baking cookies to give to friends, entertaining and having friends over or going to a holiday party!
Chocolate Butter cookies  are perfect for everyone. They are crispy and buttery and perfectly hinted with chocolate or you may want the chocolate pieces come as surprise when you are having the crispy bite ;) 
I stuffed the chocolate pieces in the center of the cookies ball instead of mixing well with the dough. I like it in this way :)

Also there is nothing more comforting than a hot cup of cocoa during the holidays that too during December. Cookies go well with the hot drinks be it coffee, tea or hot chocolate.
Fresh from the oven,  These cookies are so yum.

You simply have to make this one!

Ingredients:

All purpose flour 2 ½ cup 
Butter  1/3 cup (in room temperature)
Powdered sugar 1/3 cup
Chocolate bar (Cadburys or any other) 40 gms 
Rice flour 1 tbsp 
Vanilla essence ½ tsp 
Milk

Method:

1. Take a bowl, add butter and vanilla essence and mix well
2. Add rice flour and all purpose flour
3. Knead to form a smooth dough. (Add milk little by little if necessary. Too much milk will result in a sticky dough)
4. Take a chocolate bar cut it into pieces and mix well with the dough
5. Preheat the oven at 160 degree Celsius for 10 minutes
6. Meanwhile grease and slightly flour a baking tray, take small balls from the dough, flatten them and place on the baking tray. 
7. Bake for about 20/25 minutes or until the lower part turns slightly brown and upper part is cooked
8. Remove the baking tray from the oven and allow it to cool

Once cooled chocolate butter cookies are ready to be eaten. Njoy ! :)

Farmhouse Pizza Recipe

How much do you like pizza?
Pizza : IT’S ALL ABOUT THE TOPPINGS, primarily the sauce. Am I right?

Thin crust is more my scene, obviously because I can justify more pieces and thus more toppings. So I go with pizza base (without yeast) preparation.

Makes 2 pizza bases

Ingredients :

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (maida)
1 tsp oil
1 tsp dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
lukewarm water

Method :

With Yeast : 

1. Take a bowl, add yeast, salt, sugar and 1 to 2 tbsp of warm water and mix well. 
2. Set aside for 10 minutes till the yeast froths 
3. Sieve maida and baking powder and add to the yeast mixture 
4. Add little water and oil and knead to form a smooth dough 
5. Cover the dough with a lid and set aside till it doubles in size (approximately for 1 to 2 hours)
6. Knock down again and knead well 
7. The dough must be smooth and elastic
8. Divide it into 2 or 3 balls according to your choice and roll to form a circle of about 1/4" thickness
9. Place it on the baking tray, keep the tray in the middle shelf of a preheated oven and bake at 200 degree Celsius for 8 minutes 

Without Yeast :

1. Take a bowl, Sieve maida and baking powder, Add salt, mix well
2. Add little water and oil and knead to form a smooth dough 
3. The dough must be smooth and elastic
4. Divide it into 2 or 3 balls according to your choice and roll to form a circle of about 1/4" thickness
5. Place it on the baking tray, keep the tray in the middle shelf of a preheated oven and bake at 200 degree Celsius for 8 minutes

Pizza base is now ready, Remove from the oven
You can also store the pizza base in zip lock bags and refrigerate for later use

For Farmhouse Pizza:

For Topping :
Mushroom
Bell pepper
Tomato
Onion
Pizza Sauce
Grated Mozzarella cheese 

For Seasoning :

Oregano 
Chilli Flakes

1. Spread the tomato pizza sauce on the pizza
2. Top up with the veggies 
3. Sprinkle generous amount of mozzarella cheese
4. Baking time now….. bake the veg pizza in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 200 degrees C till the base becomes golden brown and the cheese on top melts and gets browned
5. Season with oregano and chilli flakes

Cut into equal wedges and serve immediately :)

Mysore Pak recipe

It was another day at the Mysore Palace and the reigning King, Krishna Raja Wodeyar,was ready to have his lunch. His chief chef Madappa completed the preparation of  all the courses for the royal meal. But on the thali that would be presented to the king, one spot was vacant - for a sweet dish.
With space left for one more sweet dish, Madappa began experimenting. He made paagh/pak (basically sugar syrup in the local language), then added gram flour and to make it rich added loads of ghee to it. 

The King tasted it. It dripped of ghee and glowed, the gram flour gave it the look of Gold. It just melted in his mouth and the entire ensemble made the King super duper happy. The King asked for the name of the dessert and the nervous cook could say was Mysore Paagh( Basically Sweet of Mysore).

The king relished the sweet so much that he got Madappa to set up shop outside the palace grounds so that it could be made available to common people

Although invented accidentally, since that day, Mysore Pak has never disappointed the people who taste it. The sweet has become an international like.
 
An Simple sweet - a concoction of gram flour, ghee and sugar
A perfect sweet to be made for special occasions and festivals like Holi, Diwali
 
Ingredient:
 
Besan - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 cup 
Water - 1 cup

Method:

1. Add a tsp of ghee in a nonstick pan
2. Add besan flour and roast it till it begins to turn golden brown and gives a roasted aroma
3. (Optional)You may then sieve it once such that there are no lumps found
   Transfer it to a bowl and allow it to cool
4. In a pan; add sugar and 1 cup water and Stir the sugar in water until it dissolves, allow it to come to boil
5. Turn the heat to low and simmer until you get a one string consistency – it should feel sticky between your fingers
6. Once it attains a stringy consistency add in the roasted gram flour and continue to stir until well combined
7. Turn the heat to low and keep stirring continuously until it becomes a smooth consistency and continue to stir 
8. Heat the rest ghee in different pan and add it to the mixture in small quantities
9. Mix well and at one stage, the mixture will not be sticky anymore
10. At this stage switch off and pour it in the ghee greased plate. Don't need to flatten it. It will spread beautifully by itself
11. Cut it into squares/diamonds as per your wish while its hot
12. Sprinkle a little of granulated sugar over the top and allow the Mysore Pak to set and cool completely until set.

       Enjoy your mysore pak.

Note:

1. Be very careful in checking the final consistency else your mysore pak will not be soft
2. keep in low flame while stirring

Indian Cookies : Thekua/Khajoor Recipe

Known as Khajoor or Thekua, deep fried aromatic cookie or fried biscuit in short
A traditional recipe in Bihar made with wheat flour and jaggery
In my colony, our neighbour who were from Bihar, nanaji n naniji 
very loving persons...naniji was an expert cook

Thekua is one of the recipe Naniji used to prepare
Everyday morning before going to school she used to give me two Thekua biscuits and i used to enjoy that yummy crunchy biscuits bites on the way to my school...

Till date its my favourite biscuit
I don't take or buy biscuit available in market
Instead i like to have this one...

Its easy to make, tasty, healthy and flavourful-if done perfectly
You can store it in airtight container more than a week
You can try baking this cookies instead of deep frying - for a healthier option 

If you are getting late to office and you have no time for breakfast

then u can have 2/3 biscuits coz it's rich in dry fruits, coconut milk, jaggery and wheat flour - a powerpack recipe :)

Now I got one more fan for this biscuit...my father-in-law :)
I never imagined that this cookie would garner such interest from him ! 
He loves it to the core. :)

You also try and I am sure you will also love it :)

Ingredients:

500 g Whole Wheat Flour (Atta) 
1 cup Rava
1 cup desiccated Coconut 
4 green Cardamom (peeled and mashed) 
1 & 1/2 tbsp saunf powder
300 g Jaggery/powdered sugar
1 & 1/2 cups milk
Ghee  
Crushed Dry fruits(Cashew nuts, almonds, raisins )
Saancha

Method: 

1. Make a watery solution of milk, green cardamom, and jaggery.
2. Now, mix wheat flour,rava and ghee thoroughly
3. Add desiccated coconut, fennel seeds, cardamom powder and dry fruits. Mix well
4. Sprinkle jaggery solution to the mixture, little amount at a time and keep mixing.
5. Knead to get a hard dough(the dough should crumble if rubbed between fingers)
6. Now, take a lump of dough, press it flat on your palm, and If you have Sancha(embroidered wooden surface or mould)press it against a sancha  for making a shape
7. After the shape has been acquired from the sancha, deep fry in ghee or oil on a low flame,till golden brown.
8. Strain the ghee/oil on a paper towel
9. Allow it to cool

Arrange in an air tightened box and enjoy for snacks with a cup of tea or coffee

Hot Dog in Breakfast

Good morning to all

Its Saturday Morning 
For some people it’s a perfect day to rest and relax...they miss breakfast and go for brunch :) It all depends on mood. (OK, OK, it depends on when they wake up.)
I believe that breakfast is THE most important meal of the day. I try my level best not to miss this one meal.
I want to make something quick coz I hate standing in the kitchen for too long.

So what's next ????
Find out one recipe full of protein and crunchy veggies...
First recipe idea that came to me when i searched in fridge was Hot Dog :)
The hotdog is perfect for basically any time of day.  Breakfast, lunch, brunch and yes, dinner too!  

Spread your dog with a blend of mayo and mustard sauce I love its the rich creaminess. 
Top with fresh veg as per your wish  which will give crunchiness.It's Delish !
These hotdogs look awkward to eat ;)
but trust me they fold up easy enough and I was able to eat mine without making much of a mess :P


Ingredients

For the stuffing
8 pickled jalapenos, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons finely diced onion
1 lime, juiced
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp mayonnaise
5 tbsp mustard sauce


For the sausage and bun
4 garlic chicken sausage
2 hot dog buns, split 3/4 of the way
1 tbsp Garlic & Herb Butter
1/2 cups grated white Cheddar(Optional)


Method :

In the bottom of a large bowl, Combine 1 tbsp olive oil and the onions. 
Season with lime juice, salt and pepper

For the Bun and Sausage:

1. Preheat the grill to high. Grill sausage until golden brown on all sides, about 7 minutes.Remove to a plate. 
2. Place buns on the grill cut side down and grill until lightly golden brown, about 20 seconds 

or 

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add in 1 tablespoon olive oil (1 turn of the pan) then arrange the sliced dogs in a single layer. 
2. Sear them a couple of minutes on each side. 
3. Butter the insides of the buns and place face up on the Skillet. Sprinkle the cheese into it and Cover
4. Heat until the cheese melts and the buns are toasted, 3 to 5 minutes

Place one sausage in the bun
Top with seasoned onion, pickled jalapeno, cilantro 
Squeeze mustard sauce and mayo on top of that
Then place one more sausage on the top of that

And your ultimate breakfast hot dog is ready :)

Imli (Tamarind) Chutney Recipe

Tamarind Chutney is one of the all time favorites amongst Chutneys. You can serve it with appetizers, make chaat with it, it goes well with samosa, pakoras or kachori. It is an excellent condiment to dip any fried snack.  
Tastes great as marinade for meats or use it as sauce over cooked meats. You can make a large quantity and freeze it so it is readily available at all times.


INGREDIENTS

 Tamarind pulp     6 tbsp
 Water                 2 cups
 Sugar /Jaggery    1½ Cups (or as per your taste)
 Ginger powder     ½ tbsp
 Cumin powder     1 tbsp
 Garam masala     1/2 tbsp
 Red chili powder  ½ tbsp
 Salt                     1 tbsp


METHOD

1. Soak the tamarind in hot water for 20 minutes
2. Once softened, strain the mixture through a fine sieve and remove the seeds
3. Place a frying pan over medium heat and add the water, tamarind pulp and sugar
4. Bring the sugar and tamarind to a boil and simmer over a low heat until the mixture becomes shiny and the sugar is completely dissolved
5. Add all the rest of the ingredients and Simmer for 5 minutes
6. Allow it to cool
7. Tamarind chutney is ready to serve

Tamarind Chutney has a long shelf life and should be kept refrigerated. It also freezes very well.

MOONG DAL KHASTA KACHORI Recipe

After working hard whole day when you return to your home, you may want to get all your
 work done by some Genie ;) and you make your sleeping or living area comfortable and relax.

I had the same feeling in the evening...Husband ji will return late from office (So he will not be helping in dinner preparation ;) :P  )

At the same time I wanted something tangy sa...I wanted to make some savory recipe that will make me to forget everything ... hence was wondering what will fill that bill. 
Finally banged on Kachoris and sweet tamarind chutney and dahiwale aloo ki Subzi...
I am sharing the Kachori recipe here...ll share tamarind chutney and dahiwale aloo ki sabzi recipes in upcoming blogs :)


MOONG DAL KHASTA KACHORI Recipe

INGREDIENTS

For Dough :
Maida-250 grams
Chilling cold water to knead the dough
Ajwain-1/4 teaspoon
Oil-1-2 tablespoon
Salt-1 teaspoon

For Stuffing :

Split Moong Dal (yellow) - 1 cup
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander Leaves - 2 tsp chopped fine (opt)
Green Chilli - Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Saunf / Fennel seeds powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Mango powder / Amchur - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Salt to taste


METHOD

Dough Preparation:

1. Take maida & add oil to it. Mix well with the hands & then add 1/2 teaspoon salt & ajwain.Mix well
2. Knead the dough for kachoris using chilling cold water (Don't knead it too much, just use a light hand)
3. Keep it aside for around 20 mins and cover it with a wet muslin cloth for 1 hour

Stuffing Preparation:

1. Soak 1 cup Split Yellow Moong dal with enough water for 1 hour
2. Drain the water well and Grind the dal to a coarsely
3. Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds
4. Once the seeds splutter, add the dal and lower the heat and keep stirring for 5-6 minutes till the dal stops sticking to the pan
5. Cook on low flame till the dal turns slightly brown
6. Add all the masalas and cook for few minutes till the aroma of the spices hit you
7. Add Salt and mix well
8. Remove from heat and keep aside to cool

Kachori Preparation:

1. Pinch a small ball from the dough and flatten the sides and make bowl shape with the ball
2. Scoop a little of the stuffing and fill the cup in the middle 
3. Gently close from the sides and ensure the filling is covered on all sides
4. Make the ball fully covered on all sides by pressing or gently circling between your palms
5. On a flat surface, gently press it down
6. When you have enough to fry, heat a kadai and simmer to low when the oil is really hot
7. Fry these stuffed moong dal kachori's on medium-low heat. After they start to puff, slowly turn them over to the other side. Fry until golden-brown on both sides

Serve the Moong Dal Khasta Kachori with yogurt/ Green Chutney/ Tamarind Chutney and chopped onion or with Aloo ki sabzi :)

Keep exploring the tastes :)

Egg Pakora Recipe

What is your idea for a quick evening snacks?
If I have to do definitely ll go for pakoda...be it chicken pakora or egg pakora...simple onion rings...cabbage pakoda...with tampered green chillies and black salt
Tomato sauce is all time favourite side dish for it :)
Normally people used to dip eggs/chicken/veg in basic batter
But i prefer to add whisked egg  sometimes buttermilk to the batter ...coz egg and buttermilk would be good for the binder for a light flour coat.

Ingredients:
8 boiled Eggs and cut it into 4 pieces vertically
2 Eggs raw and whisked
1 cup Besan Flour
Buttermilk as needed for batter preparation
1/2 tbsp carom/ajwain
2 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp Chilli powder
2 green chillies finely chopped
Curry leaves 
Salt to taste as preferred

Oil to deep fry

To prepare Batter:

1. Take flour and the whisked Eggs, carom, Ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, green chillies, coriander leaves and salts 
2. Mix it together.
3. Slowly add buttermilk and mix well till the batter becomes smooth (Make sure no lumps are formed)
4. The batter should be of consistent coating
5. Dip each egg piece in the batter and deep fry till golden brown on medium flame

Serve hot and njoy your evening :)

Paneer Makhanwala Recipe

As most of us are working professional, its very hard to prepare two three items in the early morning.

And all of you must have bad experience in Cafeteria. The food is waste.

Unnecessarily they will charge you more, but the food quality will be really pathetic.

It won't be tasty as well as healthy.

Dont you think Its better to have home cooked food...

In the morning, if you will give hardly 45 minutes

Then also you will be able to cook at least one dish along with rice or chapati.

Today morning I prepared Paneer butter masala, mushroom chili fry and roti

I will share here the my version Paneer Makhanwala recipe i used to prepare when I am really hurrying up for the office. (Easy dish only when you have all the required ingredients :) )

 Cooking time : 30 mins (For beginners)

                         15-20 mins (If you can manage to do multi-tasking)

Ingredients

Fresh Paneer(cottage cheese) cut into tiny cubes 250 grams

(Size as per your wish)

4 tbsp butter

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 cup finely chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped capsium

1/4 tbsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp finely chopped green chillies

1 tbsp finely chopped coriander

salt to taste

For the paste

Cashew nuts 10/12

Onion 1 (cut into 4 pieces)

Garlic  6/7 cloves

Ginger 1 inch

Cumin seeds 1 tbsp

For the Garnish

Crushed Kasuri Methi 1/2 tbsp

Method: 

1. Heat the butter on a pan and add the cumin seeds
2. When the seeds crackle, add the onions and sauté on a high flame for 1 to 2 minutes
3. Add the paneer cubes and fry it till it becomes pale yellow in color
4. Add the tomatoes and cook on a slow flame for 2 to 3 minutes
5. Add the capsicum, mix well and cook on a slow flame for 2 to 3 minutes
6. Add the turmeric powder, green chillies and 1 tbsp of water, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring continuously
7. Add salt and coriander and 1 tbsp of water, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2   minutes, while stirring occasionally
8. Now remove it from the flame and keep aside
9. Dry roast Cashew
10. Blend it with onion, garlic, ginger and cumin seeds and 1/2 cup water and prepare a smooth paste
11. Heat 2 tbsp oil on a pan and add the paste
12. Add 1 tbsp meat masala and stir it continuously
13. Cook it in medium flame for 10 minutes
14. Add the diced or cubed paneer. keep in mind the consistency you want before you add paneer as you will be cooking the paneer for a few minutes.
15. Stir gently and let the paneer cook in the gravy for 2-3 minutes or till they become soft and cooked
16. Lastly add crushed kasuri methi leaves to add flavours

   Now Its ready to be packed for Lunch box :)

Baghare Baingan Recipe

This is delicious preparation of the the popular hyderabadi recipe made from roasted brinjal, an accompaniment that can to be served along with Hyderabadi Vegetable Biryani.

Tamarind gives the sourness that is needed and the peanut and sesame paste gives it a good color and flavor too. Have to say this turned out extremely well n tasted yummy. 

The thick and creamy sauce is perfect with steamed rice, pulav, Naan or Chapati.

It Looks too good and so tempting...

Just try it and you surely won't be disappointed.

Ingredients

Brinjals/Eggplant 8 to 10

Mustard seeds  1/4 tsp

Fenugreek seeds 1/4 tsp

Nigella seeds (kalonji) 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves 8 to 10

Green chillies (slit) 3

Oil 4 tbsp

salt to taste

For the paste

Sesame seeds 3 tbsp

Grated coconut 3 tbsp  (Optional)

Raw peanuts 3 tbsp

Chopped ginger 1 tbsp

Chooped Garlic 1 tbsp

2 Onions chopped

Turmeric powder 1/2 tbsp

Coriander powder 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds powder 2 tbsp

Chilli powder 1 tsp

Tamarind pulp 1 tsp

(Alternate 1: Yogurt   

Alternate 2: Half tamarind and half lemon juice )

For the garnish

Chopped coriander 2 tbsp

  

Paste preparation

1. Combine the sesame seeds, coconut, peanuts on a pan 
2. Dry roast them over a slow flame till the ingredients are lightly browned
3. Add the turmeric powder, coriander seed powder, cumin seed powder, chilli powder and tamarind paste
4. Grind it to a smooth paste using ½ cup water. Keep aside

Preparation

1. Slit the brinjals, lengthwise, into four, but leave the stems on, so the brinjals remain joined at the stem
2. Marinate the brinjal with the paste and keep it for 15 minues (Optional)
3. Deep fry the brinjals till it becomes soft, Remove and keep aside
4. Soak tamarind in warm water and mash it in water to get pulp

Method

1. Heat the oil in a deep bottomed pan
2. Add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and nigella seeds
3. Add curry leaves and green chillies and sauté over medium heat for a couple of minutes.
4. When seeds crackle, Add chopped onions and fry it till onion turns golden brown
5. Add chopped ginger, garlic
6. Add the paste and Keep stirring while frying to avoid getting burnt at the bottom. (Note: You can add Garam Masala while adding paste)
7. Cook till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan
8. Add the fried brinjals and mix once. Simmer and cook till it leaves oil (You can add ½ cup of water to avoid getting burnt at the bottom)
9. Add salt and cook covered over a slow flame till the brinjals and paste get blended well.

Garnish it with chopped Coriander leaves and serve hot with Rice or Chapati

Steamed Manda Pitha/ Modak Recipe

Margashirsha maas or Margashira masam is the ninth month as per traditional Hindu calendar. It is believed as one of the auspicious months for Hindus.
During Thursdays of Margasira month, women observe a vrat called “Margashira Lakshmi Vara Vratham”. This Vrat is also called as “Manabasa Gurubar Vrat”.
Women, Who observe Manabasa Gurubar Vrat wake up early in the morning, clean their homes, perform ritual bath and Draw beautiful kolams in tamil, Jhoti/Chita in odiya,  rangoli/alpana in hindi and foot prints of Goddess lakshmi at the entrance. They draw footprints because it is invitation to the goddess lakshmi to visit their home.

While performing puja, people give different types of Prasadam such as Fruits, Dry fruits, Panchamrita and sweets etc. In odisha, Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped during the day by offering ten manda pitha along with fruits and Panchamrit. In this Puja different type of tasty cuisine like Manda Pitha, Khiri, Kakara, Chitau etc. are prepared and distributed to neighbours.

In coming days I am going to share the some traditional recipes…
I will start with Sijha Manda Pitha which is healthy dessert, steamed yet really delicious…

It is prepared in all parts of Odisha during festivals falling on Monsoon like Raja, Ratha Yatra and Post Monsoon seasons like Manabasa guruvar, Durga Puja, Kumar Purnima, Gamha Purnima etc.

In Maharastra, its known as Modak(only the shape differs  ) famous Prasad during Ganesh Puja


Ingredient :

For Stuffing

Desiccated Coconut  1 Cup
Cottage Cheese (optional)  1 Cup
Sugar(or as per taste)/Jaggery 6-7 Tblsp 
Cardamom Powder 1/2 Tblsp 
Black pepper Powder 1/4 Tsp 

For outer Covering

Rice flour 2 cups 
Water  4 cups 
Salt  1/4 tsp 

Method : 

1. For the stuffing, Put coconut, chenna and sugar  on a pan and cook for 5 minutes
2. Add cardamom powder and black pepper powder and mix well
3. Stop cooking and Now let the stuffing mixture cool for sometimes

(Note: For  making chenna/cottage cheese, Boil the milk and then curdle with a small amount of whey/lemon and collect the resulting wrap it in a cheesecloth/any cloth. Make sure extra watery fluid is strained completely)


1. Now for the outer covering, soak rice 
2. flour in 2 cups of water for 1/2 hour (or you can soak rice in water for 1 hour and grind it wet to it to make batter )
3. Take 2 cups of water on pan and add salt . Let it boil. Now lower the flame to minimum
4. Add soaked rice flour/batter and slowly stir till it soaks up all the water
5. Now switch off the flame and let it cool
6. Make ball out of it and stuff the Coconut and Chhena mixture 
7. Steam it for 15 minutes inside a steamer or idly cooker

Tips: You can put rice flour balls with stuffing on the banana leaf and steam it inside steamer or idly car. It will add a pleasant smell in Steamed Manda Pitha/Modak.

Be Creative : Be in love with life

Few people have the combination of characteristics and opportunities that allow for the big-C efforts that change culture or society. But practically, everyone is capable of creativity with a little c. 
Many of us exercise it as we come up with solutions to everyday problems, such as hiding the vegetables in a kid-friendly dish, fixing a toy or game, or expressing ourselves in writing, needlework, art or dance.

To be creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its charm, you want to add value to it. 

Creative activities may not be obvious, and creativity is expressed differently across the world and across subcultures.