Fast Food - as in Vrat ka khana :)

Ingredients

Singhade ka atta (Flour) - 1 cup

Potatoes , boiled & mashed - 3 medium sized

Green chillies, chopped

Green coriander, chopped

Salt (sendha namak) - as per taste

Black pepper

Oil for shallow frying

Method

Take the mashed potatoes in a bowl. Add green chillies, coriander, salt, pepper and mix properly.

Add the flour and knead into a soft dough. Dab with some water, if required.

Make balls of equal size. Take little water in the hands and and form round tikkis by pressing between your palms.

Heat oil in a shallow pan.

Add 2-3 tikkis at a time and cook till golden brown.

Serve with mint or tomato chutney.

Gajar ka Halwa!! - Punjabi ishtyle....... :)

Yup........its a must in every Punjabi household in winters!

Here is my recipe for all you foodies out there.......

Ingredients:

Grated red carrot - 1 kg

Milk - 750 ml

Sugar - 3/4 cup

 Ghee - 1 tbsp

Chopepd nuts - Almonds, Cashwes, Raisins

Method:

Heat milk in a large container. Add the grated carrots. Mix thoroughly.

Simmer the gas and keep stirring the mixture as the milk begins to dry up.

Just before the milk completely dries up add sugar into it and mix well.

After some time, add chopped nuts. Now mix in the 'desi ghee'.

Remove from heat when halwa is completely dry.

Your yummy halwa is now ready to serve!!

P.S.: Gajar halwa can be served hot as well as cold. I personally like it hot!!

Curd cake: The easiest I've ever made!!

Ingredients:
White flour: 1 1/2 cups
Powdered sugar: 1 1/2 cups
Thick Curd: 1 cup
Butter: 1/2 cup
Baking soda: 1/4 tsp
Soda bicarbonate: 1/4 tsp

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.
Grease the baking dish with butter.
Pour the mixture into the baking dish.
Pre-heat the microwave.
Bake in microwave in convection mode for 35 mins on low rack at 180 degrees.
Let the cake stand in the microwave for 10 more mins.
Remove and let it cool.
Cut and serve!

Baked Banana Suzette

Hi guys...........i tried this really interesting and easy to make recipe from Chef Vicky Ratnani of Do it Sweet, NDTV Good Times. Tender bananas on hot caramalised syrup!! Yummmm.......

Ingredients  

4-5 bananas  
150 gm sugar  
200 ml orange juice  
50 gm butter  
1 tbsp roasted cinnamon  
1 tbsp cardamon 

For Garnishing 
Orange zest 
Raisins 
Pistachio  
Brown sugar  

Method 

1. Peel the bananas and set aside in a dish.  
2. Melt 150 gm sugar on a pan till its color changes to brown and add orange juice, butter, roasted cinnamon and cardamon and bring to a boil. 
3. Then simply pour it over the peeled bananas. 
4. Top it up with some orange zest, raisins, pistachios and brown sugar and bake it at 170 C for 15 -20mins and serve hot

Source: Do It Sweet, NDTV Good Times

Corn au gratin

Cooking Time : 15 minutes                           
Preparation Time : 10 minutes                             
Serves 8

Ingredients
2 teacups tender cooked corn

3 teacups white sauce
100 grams grated cooking cheese
butter
salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. Boil corn in a cooker or microwave until tender.
2. Prepare white sauce with maida, butter and milk. 
3. Add salt and pepper to the white sauce and mix well. Add half of the grated cheese and mix well. Now add the corn and mix well.
4. Grease a baking dish and put the corn mixture in it. Cover with the remaining cheese and dot with butter.
4. Bake in a microwave at 200 degree C  for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Serve hot.

V-Day Special

This time, unlike last year when we went out of town to celebrate our first V-day after wedding, we decided to stay in Mumbai. Another reason was that my husband doesn't have an off on Saturdays now, so its difficult to go out on weekends. Well I decided to use this opportunity and give him a surprise. I baked a chocolate walnut cake for him and hid it. I also made a cute li'l card and some wall hangings inspired from Marths Stewart's website.

I decorated the room while he was getting ready to go out and he was taken aback by the surprise. The cake came out pretty well. The recipe for this cake is the same as the one posted here [http://arty-sorts.blogspot.in/2010/01/marble-cake.html], execept for the fact that it has more cocoa powder and I decorated it with chocolate ganache and powdered sugar. I used a heart stencil to create that effect with powdered sugar on the cake.

Marble Cake

Ingredients:

4 eggs, Maida: 1 and half cup, Sugar: 1 and half cup, Butter/Refined Oil: Half cup, Baking powder: 1 tsp leveled, Cocoa powder: 2 tbsp

Method:
1. Sift maida along with 1 tsp baking powder. Keep aside.
2. Beat eggs with egg beater. For more froth first beat the egg whites only. Thereafter add the yolks and beat again.

3. Gradually add maida 1-2 tbsp at a time and fold in softly with a wooden spoon.

4. Then add oil or butter (melted) and mix in thoroughly.

5. Separate 1 half of the mixture and add cocoa powder.

6. Prepare the baking dish and pour the paste into it as shown below.

7. Alternate white and brown portions to create a marbled effect.

8. Pre heat the oven. Bake at 170 degree C for 45 mins.

Your baked cake will look like this !!

Vacation 2009......

Just came back from a long vacation to Northern part of India........ we went to Delhi, Chandigarh, Manali, Rohtang Pass, Jalandhar and Amritsar. I celebrated my 2nd Karvachauth at Chandigarh this time..... Some pics from the festival.........

This is the sargi......which we had early in the morning before sunrise.

 Thali prepared for evening puja

I upcycled an old box to keep some goodies in it and gifted it to my mom-in-law.

Stuffed Capsicum and Tomatoes

I had made this a few months back. Used a mixture of potatoes, mixed veggies, onion, coriander and spices for stuffing.

Paneer-dil-bahar

Lol........... the name is funny but, the dish tastes very good :-)....... methi makes it special!

Baigan ke pakode !!

These taste yummy with dal rice................ very crisp !

My recipe also got published on rediff.com: http://getahead.rediff.com/report/2009/jul/30/monsoon-recipes-baingan-ke-pakore-and-more.htm

Ingredients:

1 large egg-plant
Besan
Red chillie powder
Black pepper
Coriander powder
Water
Oil for frying


Method of preparation:
Chop the egg plant horizontally into circular slices.
Prepare the besan batter like we do for any other pakoras by adding salt, all masalas and water to it.
Heat cooking oil in a frying pan.
Coat the egg plant pieces in besan batter from both sides and deep-fry.
Serve hot with green chutney or tomato sauce.

Green salad

I love lettuce and this i had made when I was in Delhi............. I don't find such fresh lettuce here in Mumbai....... :-(

Jelly and fresh fruits

Beat the heat with jelly and fresh fruits...............I served this with custard.

Triffle Pudding

This is also another weekend experiment......... I had some guests over for lunch and what better to make something as easy and delicious than Triffle Pudding .... and mind you it was a hit!

Ingredients:
1 medium Sponge cake
Fruits (apple, banana, grapes, pineapple, cherries, berries, strawberries)
Custard
Jelly (Optional)
Whipped Cream
Orange or pineapple Juice: fresh or canned, 200 ml
Tip: Try to use the same jelly and juice flavours to enhance the taste.
Method:
Prepare the custard and let it cool. Also prepare the jelly and set it in the fridge.
Chop the fruits and coat with lime juice so that apples and bananas don’t turn black.
Cut the sponge cake into 2 halves from the center. Keep the bottom layer onto the serving dish and pour some juice so as to moisten it properly from the top side. Moisten the top layer of cake from both sides and keep aside. Pour custard and jelly on the bottom layer. Add a layer of fruits. Top it up with whipped cream. Put the top layer of cake on this. Repeat the other layers of custard, jelly, fruits and cream. Garnish with cherries.
Serve chilled.

Tropical salad

I made this tropical salad on a weekend...... I just love these summery fruits .......... watermelon, musk melon and so thought of making something more exciting out of them!

Here's how I went about it:

Ingredients:
Watermelon, Musk Melon, Papaya, Pineapple (fresh or canned), Grapes, Black Grapes, Cucumber (optional)
For Dressing
Mint leaves, Lemon, Black salt, Chaat Masala
For garnishing: Spring Onions

Method:
Cut Watermelon, Musk Melon, Papaya, Pineapple and Cucumber into big square pieces or scoop out Watermelon and Musk Melon into balls with the help of melon-baller. Cut grapes in 2 halves.
Crush mint leaves cosrsely in mixer.
Mix all the fruits together and add crushed mint leaves. Add 1 tbsp lime juice and black salt and chaat masala as per taste.
Your fresh and colorful tropical salad is ready.

You may serve the salad in a bowl or make a basket form the remaining scooped-out watermelon.

The other side of the melon baller can be used to cut out musk melon for decoration.
You may also make flowers out of spring onions and use them for garnishing.

More pastries

There is this shop called Merwans in Andheri (West), Mumbai, where u get these yummy pastries and cakes. I just cudn't decide which one to pick up so just ended up buying four different pastries...... they are very reasonably priced too.

Beet root Payasam

We had this Beet root Payasam at Banana Leaf restaurant in Versova, Mumbai. Really very tasty and an awesome variation of the traditional one that's made with rice.

Pastries.......

Gosh!!! Can I have that again!! Esp the Swiss roll........ The Cake n Chocolates shop, Manas resort - Igatpuri.

Pastries and Hawaiin salad

 
This was at a resort in Bhandardara......... we just cudn't stop eating....... everyone had left, the restaurant was to close and we four were still ordering for more!

V-Day

I can certainly make something like this............. but this one is from Monginis!!

Raj, cheers to our first Valentine Day together after wedding!