MALAI PEDA / INDIAN CREAM FUDGE !!!!!

I adopted this recipe from COOK REPUBLIC. Prepared it for diwali but forgot to post it. So, posting it now....better late than never. And one more thing ,  my peda became little harder as quantity of malai i added is little less than mentioned in the recipe. So, please take care of it while making.

Ingredients

 

4 cups full cream milk powder

1 cup granulated raw sugar

300ml thickened cream

1/2 tablespoon ghee

slivered pistachio and saffron strands for decorating

 

Method

 

Combine milk powder, sugar and cream in a large microwaveable bowl. Microwave uncovered (my power setting is 1100 watts) for 3 minutes. Remove, add ghee, mix lightly. Microwave uncovered for another 3 minutes.

 

Remove and place tablespoons of mixture in a silicone mini muffin pan. Set aside  or chill for 10 minutes. Turn out the pedas (fudge rounds). OR  roll them into balls and gently flatten them to get the round cookie shape. ( i followedthe second step).

HAPPY COOKING :)))))

MUSHROOM TIKKA MASALA !!!!!!

I adopted this recipe from A CURRY OF LIFE. This gravy become little dry...so sorry for that. & i think pic is also didn't came out well :( Still posting as we liked this recipe very much.

For the sauce

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 large onion, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 tablespoon garlic and ginger paste

6 medium sized ripe tomatoes, pureed

1/2 cup – 1 cup  whole Greek yogurt or strained yogurt (amount based on personal preference) * I prefer Mountain High Whole Plain Yogurt for its thickness

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon chili powder or according to taste

1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder (found at Indian grocery stores.  I’ve also seen it at Whole Foods)

4 tablespoons dry kasoori methi (found at Indian Stores)

4 tablespoons heavy cream, optional

For the vegetables

16 oz fresh white button mushrooms (about 25 mushrooms, or two packages)

Ghee (clarified butter) for sauteing (though clarified butter gives the best flavor, you can substitute it with any cooking oil that can take high heat; coconut oil or vegetable oil are good substitutes)

2 tablespoons oil (for frying bell peppers)

1 large green bell pepper, cubed

1 large red bell pepper, cubed

Chopped cilantro, to taste

METHOD:-

For the sauce:

Heat oil in a large saute pan. When the oil ripples on the surface add the cumin seeds. Once they begin to sizzle add the onions and the salt. Cook on medium heat till onions turn brown. Then add the garlic and ginger paste and stir for about a minute or two until the smell of the raw paste disappears. Pour in the tomato puree and let it cook till the oil separates from the tomato sauce and the tomato sauce thickens a bit, about 5-8 minutes. 

For the vegetables:

While the sauce is cooking, work on the mushrooms. Some button mushrooms come in pre-washed packages but you can wipe the mushrooms clean with a paper towel or brush them off if you wish. You can also rinse them in a colander or submerged in water in the sink if you can plug your drain. Slice the mushrooms into quarters or thirds.  Thinner sliced mushrooms will make for a successful sauté.

Put another sauté pan on medium high heat and ladle on a tablespoon of ghee (clarified butter) or your preferred oil.  Keep the oil pretty hot but not to the smoking point. Drop in a handful of mushrooms. Make sure all the mushrooms are touching the hot pan so be careful not to overcrowd the pan.  The mushrooms will sizzle and brown on one side, this will take 2-3 minutes.  Once they are golden brown and have a bit of a crust on them from the sauté, flip each and every mushroom piece over and sauté the other side.  Once that handful of mushrooms are beautifully golden and crusty, move them out to the sides of the pan where the heat is less and add another handful. You can also just spoon out the finished mushrooms and drop them into the sauce but only if your sauce is finished. Continue until all the mushrooms are cooked.

While your mushrooms are sautéing, start preparing the bell peppers.  Heat another sauté pan on medium-high heat. Once it is hot (but not smoking), add the olive oil (you can substitute it with another high-heat cooking oil if you wish). Dice the bell peppers into bite-sized cubes and add them to the oil.  Stir the bell peppers occasionally until they fry evenly (about 8-10 minutes). 

The Finishing Touches:

Once all your mushrooms and bell peppers are finished, add them to your sauce.  Crumble and crinkle the kasoori methi over the sauce by placing it in the palm of your hand and then rolling and crushing the leaves between your palms, letting the powdered leaves fall into the sauce. Cook on medium heat for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle on the garam masala and mix well, let it cook for a minute.  Be sure to taste test and adjust the spices if necessary. Turn off heat and stir in heavy cream if you choose to use it. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

TIP:

Add the yogurt to the pan in small quantities, a few spoonfuls at a time.  Fully incorporate each added batch of yogurt before adding the next batch.  If you add all the yogurt at once, it tends to curdle.   Working in small batches helps prevent the yogurt from curdling.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))

OATS UPMA !!!!!!!

Its time to reduce some fat frenzz...so, i am trying different recipes using oats now a days :D. This is my first recipe using oats. I adopted this yummilicious recipe from TARLA DALAL.  I forgot to add turmeric powder while making upma...but you guys please add it as it is good for health.

Ingredients

2 cups quick cooking rolled oats
3 tsp oil
1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi) ( i skipped this)
1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
1 tsp urad dal (split black lentils)
5 to 6 curry leaves (kadi patta)
1 whole dry kashmiri red chilli , broken into pieces
2 green chillies , slit green chillies
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 cup finely chopped carrot (i skipped this)
1/4 cup green peas
1 tsp sugar
salt to taste

For The Garnish

2 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)

Method

1. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a non-stick pan, add the oats and ½ tsp of turmeric powder and saute on a medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes or till it turns light brown in colour, stirring occasionally. Keep aside.
2. Heat the remaining 2 tsp of oil in a broad non-stick pan and add the mustard seeds.
3. When the seeds crackle, add the urad dal, curry leaves, red chillies and green chillies and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
4. Add the onions and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute or till the onions turn translucent.
5. Add the carrots and green peas and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
6. Add the oats mixture, sugar, salt and remaining ½ tsp of turmeric powder, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
7. Add 2 cups of hot water, cover and cook on a slow flame for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Serve immediately garnished with coriander.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))

BURMA TOAST !!!!!!

I adopted this recipe from the blog JUST INDIAN FOOD. Here i applied 'raw mango chutney' to the bread instead of 'coriander leaves chutney'. Tasted awesome !

 This is what you’ll need

Eggs: 2

Bread: 2 slices

Green coriander chutney: 3tsp

Onion: 1

Tomato: 1

Butter: 1tbsp

Salt to taste

Let’s get cooking

1. Chop the onion and tomato very finely. Mix together along with salt and keep.

2. Take one slice of bread and spread some green chutney on it.(here i used raw mango chutney instead of green chutney).

3. Put some of the onion/tomato mixture on this.

4. Heat half of the butter on an egg pan. Crack the egg and drop it in the pan.

5. Place the slice of bread, filling side down on the egg and let it cook on a low flame.

6. Butter the top side.

7. When done, turn over and cook until brown.

8. Serve on it’s own or with ketchup. (Sprinkle salt on top if required)

HAPPY COOKING :)))))))

CREAM GHEE CAKE !!!!!!

I adopted this recipe from the blog CHEENA CHATTI.  In original recipe it is baked in conventional mode but i baked it in m/w mode for 5 mins. Surprisingly it came out very well. So thought of sharing it with you guys.

Ingredients

All purpose flour - 3/4 cup

Eggs - 2 In room temperature

Fresh cream - 1/4 cup

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Melted and cooled ghee - 4 table spoon

Baking Powder - 3/4 teaspoon

METHOD:-

1. Sieve all purpose flour with baking powder thrice and keep it aside.
2. Powder sugar in a mixer and transfer it to a big bowl. Add melted ghee and beat with a wooden spoon until the structure turns creamy.
3. Add 1 egg at a time and beat. Then add fresh cream and mix well. At last add sifted all purpose flour spoon by spoon and mix carefully.
4. Preheat the convection oven in 180 degree.
5. Grease a cake tin and dust with flour and remove the excess flour. Pour the batter to this tin.
6. Bake for 30 minutes in 180 degree. ( here i baked cake in m/w mode for 5 mins.). Remove the tin to a wire rack and cool it.  Run a knife along the sides of the cake tin to De-mold the cake.
7. Decorate it with whipping cream or chocolate Ganache of your choice.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))))

CHANE GHASHI 2 / KABOOLI CHANA IN COCONUT BASED GRAVY !!!!!

This is my second recipe for chane ghashi. This  recipe is slightly different as i used cumin seeds for masala & kabooli chana instead of black chana.  Here i added yam to accompany chana which is very popular combo among GSBs.

INGREDIENTS:-

chana - 1 & 1/2 cup
yam, deskined & cubed - 15-20 pieces
salt to taste

Grind together :-

grated coconut - 1 cup
red chillies - 8-9
tamarind - chana size
cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp


For tempering:-

mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
curry leaves - 3 strands

METHOD:-

1. Soak chana in water whole night.
2. Pressure cook soaked chana for 2 whistles. 
3. Deskin yam & chop them into 1 inch cubes & add them in pressure cooker & again take 2 whistle.
4. Grind grated coconut+red chillies+tamarind+cumin seeds to a smooth paste.
5. Add this masala to cooked chana+yam+salt & required water to get desired consistency & bring it to a boil.
6. Temper mustard seeds+curry leaves & add it to the curry & mix well.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))

IDLY 2 !!!!!!!

I adopted this recipe again from my favourite blog VEG. RECIPES OF INDIA.  

Ingredients

• 1 cup basmati rice or sona masoori rice or regular rice
• 1 cup parboiled rice
• ½ cup urad dal/black gram, skinned whole or skinned spilt
• ¼ cup poha/flattened rice
• ¼ tsp methi seeds/fenugreek seeds
• water as required
• salt
• oil to apply to the idli moulds

Instructions

1. pick and wash both the rice and urad dal.
2. soak the rice and poha in water for 4-5 hours.
3. soak the urad dal with methi seeds separately for 4-5 hours.
4. drain the soaked urad dal. reserve the water.
5. grind the urad dal, methi seed with some of the reserved water till you get a smooth and fluffy batter.
6. grind the rice to make a smooth batter.
7. mix both the batters together in a large bowl or pan. add salt and mix well.

1. cover and let the batter ferment for 8-9 hours.
2. after the fermentation process is over, the batter will become double in size and rise.

1. gently mix the batter.
2. grease the idli moulds.
3. pour the batter in the moulds steam the idlis in a pressure cooker or steamer.

1. if using pressure cooker remove the vent weight.whistle.
2. steam for 10-12 mins or until the idlis are done.

1. remaining batter can be stored in the refrigerator.
2. serve the steaming hot idlis with your choice of chutney or sambar or your choice of side dish.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))

SPROUTED MOONG SALAD !!!!!!!

I adopted this recipe from my favourite blog VEG. RECIPES OF INDIA.  Taste bhi...health bhi... You can use this as filling for panipuri too.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of sprouted moong beans
• 1 small or medium sized onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium size tomato, finely chopped
• 1 green chilli (optional), finely chopped
• ¼ tsp red chilli powder
• ½ or 1 tsp chaat masala (optional)
• 1 tsp lemon juice or as required
• 1 boiled potato or boiled sweet potato (optional)
• few coriander leaves and lemon slices for garnishing
• rock salt or black salt as required

Instructions

1. first you have to sprout the moong beans
2. once the moong sprouts are ready, rinse them in water.
3. then either steam it or boil them till the sprouts are completely cooked.
4. you can even keep it half cooked if you want a crunchy taste.
5. then strain the cooked sprouts.
6. mix all the ingredients listed above with sprouted beans in a bowl except salt and lemon juice
7. lastly, season with salt and add few drops of lemon juice. garnish with lemon slices or coriander leaves
8. serve moong sprouts salad immediately.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))