KAJU KAATLI 2 !!!!!!

I got this KAJU KAATLI recipe from my dear friend SUPHALA SHENOY who is an ace cook & lovely friend too. So many tried this recipe & got excellent results. My kaatlis in pics may not look perfect but tasted great. My hubby liked it & ate a few pieces is the proof :P. What i like about my friend Suphi is she always gives exacact measurements & mentions about timings too. So that it becomes easy to follow her recipes to get excellent results. Now onwards you can make kaju kaalis at home & gift it to your frineds & family during festivals & surprise them. Best part of this recipe is you don't need ghee/butter/oil to make kaji kaaltis. 

INGREDIENTS:-

Cashewnuts - 1 cup
sugar - 1/2 cup
cardamom - 1 pod

METHOD:-

1. Dry grind cashews & one pod of cardamom to make a smooth powder. (it will take about 10-15 secs in small chutney jar of your mixie.)
2. Heat a thick bottom kadai take sugar & add 1/4th cup of water to it. & make sugar syrup for abou 3-4 mins.
3. Add the cashew powder to the syrup & keep stirring for about 2-3 mins.
4. When the mixture becomes little thick remove from the flame & keep stirring till you get a thick ball like cough.
5. Then transfer this dough onto a cutting board & knead it well. (unfortunately i skipped this step & realised later that it is very very important step of this recipe to get excellent results) Be careful as dough is very hot at this point of time. So switch on the fan & allow it to cool a little before kneading. 
6. As you kneads grains will disappear & you will get a smooth dough. Spread this dough with a belan(roller pin) imto a big round. Then cut inti diamond shape.

NOTE:- You can use sides to make kaju rolls.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))))))

BENGALI HOLUD MISHTI PULAO !!!!!!!

Bengali holud mishti pulao is nothing but saffron flavoured rice with nuts. Its a Bengali delicacy & little sweetish in taste. I adapted this recipe from ARCHANA'S KITCHEN. I skipped mace powder & added chopped almonds instead of pistachio. & added button mushrooms too.

INGREDIENTS:-              

basmathi rice - 1 cup                                                               

green peas, steamed - 1 cup
button mushrooms, sliced - 1/2 cup
salt - 1/2 tsp
star anise - 1
ginger, grated - 1 inch
sugar - 2 tblsp
nutmeg powder - 1/4 tsp
cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
bay leaves -h 2
cinnamon stick, roughly torn - 1 inch
cardamom pods - 3
cloves - 3
mace powder - 1/2 tsp(i skipped this)
saffron strands - few

For seasonitng:-

ghee - 3 tblsp
cashew nuts, halved - 2 tblsp
raisins - 2 tblsp
almonds, roughly chopped - 2 tblsp or pistachio

METHOD:-

1. Cook washed & drained rice in pressure by adding 1 tblsp ghee, grated ginger + 2 cups of water until done.i
2. Once done, allow it to rest.
3, Steam sliced mushrooms & green peas, drain & keep aside.
4. In a small pan, roast he nuts & spices in ghee on medium hea until golden brown then add saffron.
5. Turn off the heat & stir in the steamed green peas & sliced mushrooms along with cooked rice & sugar into the roasted nuts.
 6. Serve hot either with Shorshe Ilish(hisla in mustard sauce) or Bengali doi maach. 

HAPPY COOKING :)))))))

SCALLOPED POTATOES !!!!!!!!!!!

I found this recipe from the blog EASY RECIPES. & i realised it is nothing but baked version of amchi batate upkari i mean konkani's potatto stir fry. Here we add cheddar cheese & white sauce, thats it. But i made little varification in original recipe & used ingredients easily available here.
.

INGREDIENTS:-

Potatoes, thinly sliced - 2 cups (i removed the skin actually no need to remove the skin of potatoes)
butter - 25 gm OR 1&1/2tblsp
all purpose flour - 3 tblsp
milk - 1 cup
salt - 1/2 tsp +1/2 tsp devided
pasta mix seasoning - 2ttsp
cheddar cheese - 3/4 cup / 100gm
white pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)

METHOD:-

1. Melt the butter in a pot & whisk in the flour, cooking for 1 min over medium heat.
2. Whisk in the milk, 1/2 tsp salt , pasta mix seasoning & white pepper powder.
3. Cook till the mixture thickens up, remove from the heat & stir in the cheese.
4. Place half of the potatoes in the bottom of a lightly greased microwave dish.
5. Pour half of the cheese mixture over the potaoes & spread around.
6. Repeat the remaining potatoes & cheese mixture.
7. Sprinkle the top with a little of red chilly powder.
8. Bake in a 350 degree oven, uncovered, for 45 mins.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))).

CAULIFLOWER CHEESE !!!!!!!

Cauliflower cheese is a dish from England & i adopted this recipe from BBC GOOD FOOD.

INGREDIENTS:-

cauliflower - 1 large, broken into pieces
milk - 500 ml
butter - 50gm
cheddar cheese - 100 gm, grated
breadcrumbs - 2-3 tblsp (optional)

METHOD:-

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to boil &
then add cualiflower pieces & cook for 5 mins.t
2. Lift out a cauliflower piece to tesr, it should be cooked. Drain the cauliflower, then tip into an ovenproof dish.
3. Heat oven to 220*C/200*C.
4. Put the sauce pan back on the heat & add the milk, flour, butter.
5. Keep whisking fast as the butter melts & the mixture comes to the boil.. Flour will disappear & sauce will begin to thicken.
6. Whisk for 2 mins while the sauce bubbles & becomes nice & thick.
7. Turn off the heat , stir in the most of the cheese & pour over the cauliflower.
8. Scatter over the remaining cheese & bread crumbs.
9. Bake it for 20 mins until bubbling.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))

OREO LAVA CAKE !!!!!!

I tried many recipes using oreo biscuis like oreo shake, 5 min oreo cake which tasted like brownie etc. Next in my to do listt is oreo cheeswe cake. This time i tried OREO LAVA CAKE. I adopted this recipe from the blog BETTER BUTER. If you make & store chocolae balls in freezer, then you can make it within a minute. A must try recipe, am sure kids will love it & an perfect dessert for kids parties.

INGREDIENTS:-

Oreo biscuits - 3
milk - 5 tblsp
baking powder - a pinch
dark chocolate - 100 gm
water - 30ml

METHOD:-

1. As a preparation step, heat the water and melt the dark chocolate in it.
2. Once the chocolate completely melts, turn off the flame and transfer the content to a bowl. Cover the bowl with a cling wrap and allow it to cool overnight.
3. Scoop out the dark chocolate mixture and make them into balls. These can be frozen and stored for later usage.
4. In a mixer jar, add the oreos, milk and baking powder. Grind it till everything is combined well together.
5. Transfer half of the mixture into a cup cake mould. Place one of the previously prepared chocolate balls in the centre.
6. Pour the remaining oreo mixture into the mould and microwave the cake at full power for 1 minute.
7. Serve it hot with vanilla ice cream.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))

And here's an tip:-

Do not over cook the chocolate mixture as it might solidify.

SIMPLE VEGETABLE KURMA !!!!!!

My dear cousin LAXMI BHAT who is an ace cook gave me this recipe. Simplest & easiest recipe & yummy dish. Goes well with dosa/rotis.

INGREDIENTS:-                                                           

Boiled vegetables - 2 cups
(i used green peas, carrot, beans)
tomatoes, chopped - 3
salt to taste
oil - 3 tbl sp

Grind together :-

Grated coconut - 5 tblsp
roasted gram(hurigadle/putani) - 4 tblsp
onion, medium - half
garlic cloves - 5
fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
coriander seeds - 1/2 tsp
cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
pavbhaji masala powder - 3/4 to 1 tsp ( use MTR pavbhaji masala powder for better taste)
long red chillies - 4
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

For garnishing:-

coriander leaves, chopped - 2 tblsp

METHOD:-

1. Grind all ingredients mentioned under GRING TOGETHER to a smooth paste using required water.
2. In a pan heat oil & add this ground masala & fry in low flame till raw smell disappears.
3. Now add chopped tomatoes to the masala & mix well & cook further till tomatoes gets mushy.
4. Now add cooked vegeables+ salt to tasre+required water & bring it to boil.
5. Switch off the flame & garnish i with chopped coriander leaves.
6. Serve it with dosa/rotis.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))

WHEAT FLOUR LADDOOS !!!!!!!

WHEAT FLOUR LADDOOS are easy to make with less ingredients. We amchis call it churmundo. If you add more ghee to it while binding, it just melts in your mouth. BTW, you need more prsctice to bind laddoos perfectly. I tried it for only 2 imes & you can see the result :P My dear friend LAXMI SHENOY from bangalore gave me this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:-

Wheat flour - 2 cups
ghee - 1/2 cup & little more if needed
sugar - 1&3/4 cup
cardamom - 6-7
raisins - 2 tbl sp(optional)

METHOD:-

1. Heat 1/2 cup ghee in a thick bottomed pan.
2. Add wheat flour & fry at low flame till you get nice aroma(30-40 mins)
3. Let it cool down.
4. Powder sugar with cardomoms & add it to the wheat flour.
5. Mix well & when completely cools make laddoos.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))

NOTE:-

You can add raisins too to the laddoos. Fry raisins in a pan for a minute & add at the end. Mix well & make laddoos.
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LEHSUNI METHI DAL !!!!!

I got today's recipe from my dear friend SHUBHA BHANDARKAR. This recipe goes well with rice/rotis. Flavour of methi leaves & garlic is main attraction of this dish. Both are good for health also. Original recipe demands for jeera powder, hing & lemon juice. But i skipped these 3 & it still tasted good. Next time will definately add these 3 & try.

INGREDIENTS;-                                                          

Toor dal - 1 cup
onion, finely chopped - 1
methi leaves, chopped - 2 bunch
tomato, finely chopped - 1
garlic - 2 pods
long red chilles - 4
green chillies - 3
jeera - 1tsp
red chilly powder - 1tsp
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
sa;t to taste
coriander leaves, chopped - 2 tblsp
ginger-garlic paste - 2tsp
ghee - 2tsp

METHOD:-

1. Pressure cook toor dal & keep aside.

2. Heat little oil in kadai, add jeera, when it spluters add finely chopped green chillies& let it fry till brown.

3. Add gimger garlic paste & saute it.

4. Now finely chopped onion+chopped methi leaves+finely chopped tomato.

5. Mix it & saute it & cover it till tomato is mushy & methi leaves are cooked.

6. Add red chilli powder+turmeric powder+little jeera powder+hing powder. & saute for a while.

7. Then add cooked toor dal & salt to taste.& mix well.

8. Bring it to boil & switch off the burner.

9. Squeeze 1/2 lemon & cover.

10. For tadka, heat a tsp of ghee & add chopped garlic+2 whole red chillies(guntur) or 4 long red chillies & put it in on the cooked methi dal. Gives very nice lehsuni aroma. 

11. Serve it with rotis/rice.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))))

AMRITHSARI GOBHI PAKODA !!!!!

AMRITSARI GOBHI PAKODA is one of famous starter from Punjab. It tastes awesome when eaten hot. This recipe is given by my friend SAIGEETHA S. PAI who owns a food blog GEETHS DAWATH. 

INGREDIENTS:-

Cauliflower florets - 2 cups

onions, finely chopped - 2 medium

coriander leaves, finely chopped - 2 tblsp

green chillies, minced - 4

caram seeds/ajwain - a generous pinch

ginger, grated - 1 tblsp

cornflour - 2 tblsp

cornmeal - 2 tblsp

rice flour - 2 tblsp

gram flour - 4 tblsp

turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

salt - to taste

oil - to deep fry

METHOD:-

1. Take a broad mixing bowl & add all the ingredients except oil.

2. Marinate it well by adding few tsp of water to coat the gobhi well.

3. Heat oil & deep fry until crisp.

4. Serve it hot.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))