Puri ragda chaat.

Pani puri puris are   left over.Ragda is  left over.Sev is left over.My friend suggested, that I make ragda puri chaat or puri ragda chaat.

Ingredients :  25-30 small pani puri puris....these can be puffed ones or flat ones or crumbled ones, 1 cup ragda ,1 cup sev ( any type thin, or thick etc. or 1 cup mixed farsan or even dal moth, as per choice) ,juice of half lemon  ( or as per taste ) ,1-2 green chillies finely chopped ( or as per taste ) ,1 cup onion finely chopped, 1 cup fresh dhania cleaned & chopped.

Method : Crumble the puris roughly with hands.Take a plate & spread some crumbled puris on plate.Now pour some spoons of ragda on to the crumbled pooris.

Mix chopped onions,chillies & dhania.Spread this mix on the ragda .Now decorate with sev.Sprinkle lemon juice on top.Mix & eat.

It was simply tangy & so yummy !

All amounts of ingredients are simply approximate.If puris can less,it is ok.Add more ragda .Add more onions ,if that is what you like.Add more hara dhania if freshness is desired more.Add more green chillies if tongue can tolerate it.Add more lemon juice if more sourness is needed.Add more sev or any farsan or even dal moth if that is what you like.

Come to thaink of it,even churmura can be added.So many permutations & combinations !

There are no rules.It is as per wish.

Coconut free Veg Kurma

I made veg kurma with coconut earlier.I wanted to try out a recipe sans coconut.Hence, this recipe.

Ingredients :

For sabzi : 3/4- 1 cup cauliflower florets,1/4 cup beans stringed & chopped into 1/2 " pieces, 1/4 cup carrot peeled & chopped into 1/2 " pieces,1/4 cup capsicum roughly chopped,1/4 cup green peas,2 tsp oil,1/4 tsp haldi,1/2 tsp cumin,1 /2 tsp garam masala powder,salt to taste.

For gravy : 2 medium tomatoes roughly chopped,1 onion roughly chopped,1/2 carrot peeled & roughly chopped( optional ) , 2-3 green chillies, 1/2 ' ginger finely chopped,1 tbsp dalia or daria dal or roasted chana dal & 4 cashews,1 -2 tbsp dahi( optional ) , 1/2 tsp flaxseed meal ( optional )

Method : Cauliflower is supposedly ,the vegetable that is loaded with pesticides.So ,I have started boiling the florets in water, to which a pinch of salt & turmeric has been added.After one boil,the florets can be used for cooking.Keep aside the  boiled florets .

Pressure cook beans,carrots & peas .Pressure cook tomatoes & onion as well.Keep aside.

Powder dalia & cashews.Add finely chopped green chillies & ginger.Add pressure cooked tomatoes,onions & just half a carrot ( optional ) which as been pressure cooked to the dalia cashew mixture.Blend all together in mixer.Keep aside.

In a pan or kadhai take oil.Heat it.Add cumin.When they splutter,add chopped capsicum.Add haldi.Mix.Add cauliflower florets.Add salt.Let it cook for five minutes.Add salt.Mix nicely.Add pressure cooked veggie pieces...beans,carrots & peas.Mix nicely.Now add the gravy that is tomato onion dalia cashew mix to the kadahi.Mix nicely.If it is too thick,add water.Add garam masala powder .Bring it to a boil.Put off gas.Serve with chapatis and or rice.

The gravy turns out pretty thick.The gravy has a creamy texture perhaps due to cashews.Though I used 3 green chillies,it was not spicy at all.Those who want more spicier versions can add more chillies and ginger or any spice which they prefer.

Another method : Take oil in a kadhai.Heat it up.Add cumin seeds.Let the cumin seeds splutter.Add onion, green chillies & ginger to mixer & make a coarse paste.Put this coarse paste in kadhai.Shallow fry this paste till raw smell of onions disappears.Make a coarse paste of tomatoes & carrots & add it to the kadhai.Mix nicely.Cook till raw smell of tomatoes disappears. Add salt. Add chopped potatoes,capsicum , partially boiled florets ,carrots , beans & peas. Mix .Add haldi.Mix again.Let it cook.

Powder dalia & cashews in mixer & add to the kadhai.Mix with all vegetables.Add half a teaspoon of flaxseed meal ( optional ) as it is good fat.Mix nicely. Add 1 tbsp of yoghurt ( optional ) to the kadhai & mix. Add garam masala powder. Now transfer the contents of kadhai into a small vessel which can fit into the pressure cooker.Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup water.Mix nicely.

Pressure cook for 2 whistles.Slow cook in pressure cooker for 10 minutes.Put off gas.Let cooker cool.Remove lid.Veg kurma can be served as a side dish for chapatis and even as an accompaniment for rice.

Vegan Pineapple upside down cake

I had made Pineapple cake earlier.This time ,I wanted to make batter using apple cider vinegar.I searched for such a recipe.I stumbled upon this apple cake recipe.I replaced apple with pineapple & lemon juice with apple cider vinegar .

Ingredients : 1 cup  atta ( whole wheat flour  ) , 1/4 cup maida,3/4  cup jaggery  sugar ( Patanjali brand )  ,1 tsp baking soda, 2 tbsp oil,1 tbsp apple cider vinegar,4 round pineapple slices ( the kind available for 10 -20 Rupees in plastic pouches throughout Mumbai now, in season ) pinch of salt, warm water .

Ingredients for sprinkling on pineapple pieces : 2 tbsp brown sugar ,1/2 tsp cinnamon powder.

Method : Preheat oven  @ 180 deg centigrade.

Take a baking dish.Line it with butter paper.On that,arrange pineapple slices by cutting them or as it is.I lined just one layer.One more layer can be lined ,if you so wish.I added remaining tit bits of pineapple into the cake batter.I added remaining sugar cinnamon mix to batter.

Mix all dry ingredients that is atta,miada, baking soda & salt.Mix nicely with fork or whisk many times over.Keep aside.

Mix all wet ingredients that is apple cider vinegar & oil.Add 1/2 cup-1 cup warm ( optional ) water  water.Mix nicely.Add jaggery sugar to this wet mix. This is because, jaggery sugar has lumps & mixing this jaggery sugar in wet ingredients helps dissolve big lumps into small ones & finely dissolves lumps completely.

Make a well in the dry ingredient mix & pour the wet mix into it.Mix both dry & wet ingredients nicely so that no lumps remain.Add remaining pineapple tit bits to batter.Mix nicely again.Pour this batter on the pineappple slices lining the bottom of the baking dish.Bake @ 180 deg.centigrade for 50 minutes.

Put off the oven after 45-50 minutes.Then bake in microwave mode for 4-5 minutes so that no part of cake will remain unbaked. After 10-15 minutes,open the oven & take out the baking dish with gloved hands as baking dish will be hot.

Place baking dish out to cool for 20 minutes.Put the baking dish upside down on a plate.The cake will fall on it.Remove the butter paper from the cake .Let the cake cool for some more time.Cut into desired shapes & serve.

My cake was crumbly.It had started falling apart after I had turned it upside down .Maybe because,I did not allow it to cool much at any stage.Or maybe ,because ,I baked it for a longer time.Maybe ,I should bake it for 45 minutes & see.

The texture was nice.It had a nice dark brown crust on top & pineapple lining at bottom as seen in the picture..The cake was just sweet enough.If more sweetness is needed,sprinkle powdered sugar on top before serving or add more sugar to batter. Jaggery sugar is less sweet compared to white sugar.That makes all the difference in the sweetness. 

Masoor gobhi nimona

I wanted to try something different with gobhi.I thought of Sangeeta Khanna's banaras ka khana .I came across one masoor dal ka nimona.I decided to try it out .Also winter is getting late to Mumbai.I thought, if i tried this winter dish,maybe winter will be tempted to arrive soon !

I had whole masoor at home.I used whole masoor in place of masoor dal .I made very little as it was just for one person that is me.

Ingredients : 1/4 cup whole masoor ,1/2 cup washed cauliflower florets,1 small potato peeled & cubed,i roughly chopped tomato,1 tsp grated ginger,cumin powder 1/4 tsp,coriander powder 1/4 tsp,haldi 1/4 tsp,jeera 1/4 tsp,1 tbsp oil,salt to taste.

Method : Pressure cook whole masoor ( 1/4 cup masoor with 1/2 cup water ) with chopped tomatoes,haldi & salt for 2- 3 whistles.Then slow down the gas.Cook on slow flame for 5 minutes.Put off gas.

Take oil in kadhai.Heat it.Add jeera.When they crackle,add cubed potatoes.Slow the gas to low flame.Saute for 4-5 minutes.Add cauliflower florets & grated ginger .Mix nicely.I added 1 tbsp water as I found all veggies had started sticking to the kadhai bottom.Saute for another five minutes.Add jeera powder & dhania powder now.Mix nicely.Add salt. Mix. Put off gas.Transfer the contents of kadhai to the masoor tomato mix. Simmer the masoor tomato mix with added veggies on slow gas for 10-15 minutes.Put off gas. Whole masoor nimona is ready.

I skipped adding fresh hara dhania as I did not have it.Yes, loved the flavours.The dish becomes thicker as it cooks & water evaporates.

Veg manchurian.

I have made vegetarian manchurian balls in gravy before.They had become hard balls.They could be cut with fork & yet they were hard.So,I googled & came across this recipe here .

I made some changes.And the dish turned out better than last time.Yes,even my kid agreed that this time around,this was a good dish !

Ingredients :

For Manchurian balls :1/4 cup mashed boiled potato,1/4 cup grated cabbage,1/4 cup grated carrot,1/4 cup cornflour ,1 /4 cup  maida,1 tsp grated ginger,2-3 tbsp oil,salt to taste .

For gravy : 1/4 cup finely chopped & washed spring onion greens,1 tsp grated ginger,1 tbsp soya sauce,1tbsp corn flour,1 cup water,salt to taste.

Method :

Manchurian Balls: In a bowl mix all ingredients that is mix mashed boiled  potato,grated carrots,grated cabbage,ginger ,corn flour,maida & salt .Leave 1 tbsp maida asde to roll the veg balls in before frying them.

After mixing all ingredients nicely,shape small balls of the size of small lemons from the veg flour mix.Keep aside.

Start heating a paniyaram vessel.I prefer paniyaram vessel as it uses less oil.Moreover,I am afraid of spilling oil in large kadahis.Put oil drops in each of the inlets of the paniyaram vessel.Drop the balls -one each in each inlet.After sometime,turn the balls all upside down one by one.They will have browned bottpoms.After some time,check if the bottoms have browned.Sides may look light coloured & unfroed.Turn them around in the inlets so that they also get fried.In short,see that alls ides of balls are evenly fried.Put off the gas.Take out the balls & keep aside.

In another vessel,take 1tbsp corn flour & water.Mix nicely & start heating up the vessel.Add spring onion shoots & grated ginger to the vessel.Add soya sauce & mix.Keep stirring to see that no lumps are formed.Add salt to taste always remembering that soya sauce & balls both have salt in them.Add the veg balls that have been kept aside into this vessel.After it has boiled,put it off.If it is too watery,add more corn flour & boil it stirring constantly.If it is too thick,add more water & boil it once.

The veg manchurian is ready.This is a good side dish for veg fried rice as also veg hakka noodles .

Veg hakka noodles

I have made hakka noodles many times before.Yet ,when I wanted to make this dish & put it up on my blog,I decided to check out the recipe on the net.

I liked the step by step method  here.I have used less veggies as my kid will try best to remove all veggies.By default,some veggies, do end up in my kid's tummy.Thank God for that !

Ingredients : 1 packet Veg Hakka noodles,1/ 4 -1/3  finely shredded cabbage,1 medium carrot grated ,1 green capsicum finely chopped, 6-8 French beans  finely chopped, 1 tbsp spring onion green stems finely chopped, 1tsp grated ginger,2  tbsp oil,1/2 tbsp soya sauce,1/4 tsp black pepper powder ( my kid will eat less spicy food,that's why ),salt to taste.

Method : Take water in a pan & bring it to boil.Put the Hakka noodles into the boiling water.Cook as per instructions on the Hakka noodles packet.Add some oil drops to the boiling water as noodles get cooked.Put off gas after the Hakka noodles have been cooked as per instructions on the packet.Now drain the water by straining it in a big strainer.Let tap water run through the cooked noodles .Then add some oil drops & toss noodles so that oil coats the noodles & they do not stick to each other.Keep aside the noodles.

In a pan ,take some oil.Heat it.Add all shredded &  grated veggies except spring onion shoots.Fry the veggies nicely for 4-5 minutes.nicely.Add 1 tbsp soya sauce to the veggie mix .Mix nicely.Fry again for a minute.Now add the cooked noodles to it.Add pepper powder.Toss the noodles well so that all veggies & pepper & noodles get nicely mixed.Add salt.Remember that soya sauce has salt So add less salt..Toss noodle veggie mix nicely.Add spring onion shoots.Toss all nicely.Cook for a minute.Put off gas.

Serve noodles with raita and or veg manchurian.

Mixed vegetable korma

There is a new advertisement for a pressure cooker brand.It shows a young girl being taught to make vegetable korma recipe by her mom.Her mother says that the particular pressure cooker is a handy tool for making vegetable korma.In that ,the recipe is a breeze !

I googled for the recipe & came across this .I made a few changes because I did not have the same veggies as in the original recipe.

Ingredients : 1 small cauliflower destemmed & cut into florets,1 potato peeled & diced into cubes,1 large carrot diced ,1/4 cup peas, ,1 medium onion finely chopped,1/2 capsicum roughly chopped,2 tsp oil,1/4 tsp turmeric,1 /4 cup dahi, 1/4 tsp hing,salt to taste,1 tsp readymade schezwan chutney ( optional ).

Masala paste : 1 heaped tbsp dalia or roasted chana dal , 1tbsp fresh coconut, 1 tsp dhania powder ( I had no sabut dhania hence used dhania powder), 2 cloves, 3 byadgi mirchis ,1/2 inch ginger finely chopped, 1 inch cinnamon stick,1 tbsp dahi,2 small tomatoes,finely chopped.

 Cauliflower is supposedly ,the vegetable that is loaded with pesticides.So ,I have started boiling the florets in water, to which a pinch of salt & turmeric has been added.After one boil,the florets can be used for cooking.Keep aside the  boiled florets .

Make a paste of all the masala ingredients except  tomatoes.The masala  paste must be fine.Then add tomatoes & a wet paste will be the result.Keep aside.

In the pressure pan or kadhai,saute the finely chopped onions in oil till they are transluscent.Add haldi & hing.Add the schezwan chutney,Mix nicely.Add all the diced vegetables except cauliflower florets..Mix nicely.Saute them for 4-5 minutes.Add salt.Mix nicely.Add the wet masala paste. Mix nicely with the sauteed veggies.Add dahi.Mix nicely.Pressure cook for 2 whistles.Then lower the flame & cook on slow flame for 10-15 minutes.Now put off the gas.When the pressure has subsided that is when the cooker cools down ,remove whistle.Open the lid of pressure cooker & take out the vessel containing the mixed verggie mix. Add the cauliflower florets & mix with the veggie mix. Simmer this veg korma for 5-10 minutes.Put off gas. Serve mixed veg korma with rice & or rotis.

The korma turned out little spicy than what I am used to eating .Maybe, the schezwan chutney was the culprit.More curds or dahi can be added to dilute the pungency.

Biscuit cake

After the success of Oreo cake,my friend suggested Glucose biscuit cake.She had lots of Parle G biscuits, which were leftovers from biscuit packets.Her kid eats some biscuits & leaves some.Next he opens another fresh packet another day & so on.Because,biscuits go soft in humid weather.I googled & got this recipe .

Ingredients : 10-12 Parle G biscuits,5-6 Hide & Seek biscuits ( optional ) , 1/2 tsp baking powder,1 cup milk,3 tbsp brown sugar,1 tsp cocoa powder or Bournvita ( optional ).

Method : Take Parle G biscuits & powder them in mixer.Keep aside.Similarly powder Hide & Seek biscuits.If Hide & Seek biscuits are unavailable ,Parle G biscuits can be substituted .Instead of Hide & Seek ,any available chocolate biscuits can be added in powder form.Keep aside.

Mix both the powdered biscuits in a bowl.Add baking powder.Mix.Add sugar.If white sugar is being used ,please use less as brown sugar is less sweeter.Mix sugar with the biscuit flour.Now add milk slowly & whisk the mixture to get cake batter.Add water if necessary.Batter must have drop down consistency .

Take a microwaveable vessel.Line it with butter paper.Pour the cake batter on to the butter paper in the microwaveable vessel.Microwave on high for 5- 7 minutes.After that ,check by fork if cake is done.If the fork comes out clean.Otherwise bake for another minute.Cool inside microwave for 10 minutes..Then cool outside for 10 minutes.Then put the microwaveable vessel upside down on a plate.The cake will drop down on plate.Peel off the butter paper from the cake.Cut into desired shapes & serve.

The cake was soft.Yet it did not taste like chocolate had been put into it.So ,better to put more chocolate.Maybe a tablespoon instead of a teaspoon.

This is a good make over of leftover biscuits !

Croutons

I love soups.They are light on the stomach & taste great ! My kid will eat a tomato soup in a restaurant as it has croutons.I decided to make croutons as there was some bread at home.I wanted to tempt my kid to drink soup with the croutons thrown in it.

I googled & got the recipe@http://www.food.com/recipe/microwave-croutons-110930

Ingredients : 2-3 slices of brown bread,2-3 tsps butter.

Method : Take 1 tsp of butter in a small microwaveable bowl .Microwave butter for 25-30 seconds or till it melts.Put off microwave.

Cut the bread slice into sixteen square pieces .The pieces may look small & yet when they are soaked in soup ,they appear quite big.


Now toss the bread pieces into the bowl with the melted butter.Place bowl with buttered bread pieces in microwave.Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Put off microwave.Remove it from microwave.Toss the bread pieces again in bowl.Microwave again for 30 seconds.Repeat two -three times by microwaving the pieces again & again.When they are crisp,they are ready.Always microwave just for 30 seconds.Not more.Total time of microwave will be less than 4-5 minutes.
Just dunk the bread pieces or croutons into the tomato soup made & serve.

My kid did end up drinking one bowl of tomato carrot soup.With one bowlful of croutons !

One can remove the sides of the bread slices while cutting the bread slices.Otherwise ,the sides can remain.I tried both & my kid was unable to point this out.

I used brown bread.White or multigrain bread can be used instead.I used Amul butter,which is a salted butter.

Vegan carrot cake

I am upbeat about baking cakes more than ever before because I have brought this microwave convection oven.I am dreaming about how perfectly browned my cakes will turn out !

I had quite a few carrots in my refrigerator & thought about making  a carrot  cake. This time ,I wanted to go vegan.Hence no curds or yoghurt.I decided to use apple sauce  as also apple cider vinegar to be the egg replacers in my vegan cake.

Ingredients : 3/4 cup multi grain atta ( Aashirwad or Pillsburry or any brand ) ,1/4 cup whole wheat flour,1/2 cup (tightly  packed)  grated carrot , 1/3 cup apple sauce,1tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup oil,1/2 cup brown sugar,1/2 tsp baking soda,1/2 tsp baking powder,1/4 tsp cinnamon,salt to taste.

Method : Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade.

I ran out of multigrain atta when I started measuring it out.So ,I added 1/4 cup whole wheat flour to 3/4 cup multigrain atta.To this flour add,brown sugar,baking powder & soda,salt & cinnamon.Mix it nicely with  whisk many times.This will help in getting a thoroughly mixed cake flour.Keep aside.

I made apple sauce by pressure cooking a diced apple till 1 whistle.When ,the cooker cools,take out the diced apple.Peel off skin & puree the apple or it can be simple mashed.Keep aside.

Mix oil,apple cider vinegar ,apple sauce & grated carrot in a vessel.Mix all nicely.Pour this mixture into a well made in the cake flour mix kept aside.Fold the wet & the dry mixes so that no lumps remain.If need be ,some water can be added.The cake batter is ready.

Line a baking vessel ( preferably glass or silicone ) with butter paper.Pour the batter on butter paper into the baking vessel.Bake in microwave convection mode at 180 degrees centigrade for 35-40 minutes.

Then put off the oven.Test with fork or knidfe.If the fork or knife comes out clean ,cake is done.Otherwise,bake for five more minutes.

THen put off oven.Let it cool in oven for 10-15 minutes.Take it out from oven.Let it cool outside oven for another 15 minutes.Put the baking vessel upside down on to a large plate.The cake will drop down on it.Peel the butter paper off the cake.Cut the cake into desired pieces & serve.

I used brown sugar.If while sugar is being used,a lesser amount would do.Brown sugar is unrefined & tends to have less sweetness.

My cake was breaking on the top...that is its crust was cracking up on the top.And I felt, that it was done.I put off the oven at 35 minutes.My cake was moist when it was cut .Spongy too.Yet,the next day,it was soggy.So ,next time around,I am going to bake it for 40 minutes.

I received a compliment too for this cake from my neighbour.She commented ,"Your cakes are getting better ."

Rajma revisited

I have made rajma quite a number of times.I read about a simple rajma dish in Sangeeta Khanna's blog here .I tried it out.And it was  a hit ! Authentic  taste.I was hooked.Since then ,I have made rajma following her recipe while adding my own two cents to the recipe.

Ingredients : 1/2 cup rajma beans soaked overnight ( used the  buff coloured ones ) ,2 tbsp oil,1 large onion finely chopped or minced in mixer or grated,2 medium tomatoes chopped ,1 small carrot chopped ( optional ) ,1/2 tsp flax seed powder  ( optional ),1/2 tsp jeera,1 bay leaf, 1 -2 hari mirchi finely chopped, 1/2 tsp ginger paste or grated ginger,salt to taste.

Method : I used buff coloured beans this time.I used oil for this recipe.Once ,I have used butter as well.Butter,ghee or oil can be used as per choice.

Pressure cook rajma beans after throwing the soaked water.Cook in fresh water .Cook till 2-3 whistles& then keep gas burner on slow & cook upto 10 minutes.Put off the gas.Keep aside.

Pressure cook chopped tomatoes & carrot till one whistle.Put off gas.Keep aside.

In a kadhai, take oil.Add jeera.When they splutter,add chopped green chillies & ginger ( paste or grated ) .Fry nicely.Add onions now & fry nicely till raw smell of onion goes away.Add the bay leaf & fry it with the onions.

Add flax seed powder to the kadhaiMix nicely. This gives body to the gravy & is good omega fat.Instead of carrot, flaxseed powder can be added .Alternatively, one can make without carrot and or flaxseed powder.


Meanwhile cool the cooked tomatoes & carrot.Make a puree of the tomatoes & carrot in blender.Pour this carrot tomato puree into the kadhai.Mix nicely.Now add cooked rajma & mix nicely.Let it start simmering.Add salt to taste.Let it boil for 10-15 minutes.Water can be added to thin the gravy if needed.After it has boiled for 10-15 minutes,put off the gas.Serve with chapatis and or rice.

My parents loved the flavours ! This is really simple recipe with hardly any spices.And this has to be tasted to believe, that without any fuss,rajma can taste so well !

Fluffy cake in a jiffy !

I love many food blogs.They share simple recipes & post such superb clicks that one would want to cook the recipes at that moment !

A very simple cake recipe was shared by one of the food blogs on facebook.It is the 5 minutes oreo biscuit cake.It so happened that I had some oreo biscuits  at home.Well ,my kid loves oreo & yet, not all flavours.I had 11 biscuits of chocolate  cream  & 6 biscuits of orange cream oreo biscuits sitting in a box.So,I decided to try this microwave quick cake !And, I was rewarded by a super  fluffy cake !

Ingredients : 11 oreo biscuits ( chocolate cream ones ) ,6 oreo biscuits ( orange cream ones ),1/2cup milk + 1tbsp milk, 1-2 tbsp brown sugar,1/2 tsp baking powder.

Method : Break the oreo biscuits into pieces.Breaking makes it easier to pound them in mixie.Now powder the broken biscuits into powder in mixie.Add milk.

I added 1/2 cup milk.Run the mixie.Add sugar & baking powder.Run mixie again.Put off mixie.

Line a baking dish with butter paper.Pour the batter from mixie into the butter lined baking dish.As ,I poured the batter ,I noticed that towards the bottom of the mixie ,some biscuit powder had remained dry.I panicked.I added some more milk & ran the mixie again.I poured this batter on the top of  the batter already poured before in the baking dish.I was thinking that my cake may not rise as bottom powder was mixed later etc.

The cake batter must fall like ribbon into the baking dish.That must be the consistency of the batter.

Put the baking dish containing the batter in the microwave.Bake it for 3.5 to 4 minutes.Put off microwave.After 5 minutes,take out baking dish.Test with knife if cake is done.If not bake for 1-1.5 minutes again.

After baking is over,open microwave door after 5-10 minutes.Let the baking dish cool outside the microwave for 10 more minutes.Now put up the baking dish upside down on to a plate.After a few minutes,the cake will drop down on plate.Remove the butter paper sticking to the cake.Let the cake cool for 5-10 minutes.Cut into desired shapes & serve.

The final test was yet to come.I served one piece to my kid.She dug her fork into it & put a tiny piece into her mouth.Then she bit it.She said ,"Not bad ." I was glad.And then ,she finished that piece & said ,"Please get the whole cake here." She devoured half the cake at one go ! And this from someone who saw me powdering the orange cream oreo biscuits & making a face ! And the remaining pieces,she savored the next day !

The cake was extremely soft .And there was no proof that I had poured some leftover batter later.Moral is that baking chocolate cake is a good ego booster !

Paneer butter masala

I wanted to try a new paneer dish as my kid loves paneer .I came across this paneer butter masala here.I made some changes as my kid eats less spicy foods.

Ingredients : 100 gm Amul paneer cubes,2 small tomatoes,1 tsp grated ginger,1/2 tsp chilli flakes,5-6 cashewnuts,1/4 tsp garam masala powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric,1/4 tsp hing,2 tsp oil,2 tsp Amul butter salt to taste.

Method : Take butter & oil in a kadhai.After the butter melts,add grated ginger.Fry it in the oil butter mix.Meanwhile puree the tomatoes in a blender with 1 tsp chilli flakes ( red chilli powder can be used as well ).Pour this blended tomato mix into the kadahi.& fry nicely.Add one bay leaf to the kadhai & mix so that the tomato gravy is covering apart of the bay leaf.Let this mix boil.

Cut the paneer cubes into smaller size if needed.

After the tomato puree has boiled, add turmeric & hing.Mix nicely.Meanwhile take 5-6 cashews & powder them in the mixture.Add this powdered mixture to the kadhai.Add the cashew mix to kadhai after the raw tomato smell disappears ( this means boiling tomato puree for 10-15 minutes ).Mix powdered cashews nicely with gravy.The gravy will start becoming thick.Add half cup water or less if thicker gravy is needed.Add salt & garam masala.Mix nicely.Add paneer cubes & bring the whole thing to a boil.Let it simmer for 5 minutes.Then put off the gas.Serve with chappatis.

My kid found the garammasala too much.So next time,I will put just 1/8 tsp of garama masala per 100 gm of paneer for this  dish.Moreover,she loves paneer cubes & gravy is simply discarded.So it must be semi dry or thick gravy.

Vegan banana cake

During independence day celebrations ,there were sales galore.There were too many tempting offers.One such offer was regarding microwave convection oven.I own a microwave oven.I have made cakes.My cakes are quite nice.They are fluffy & healthy as whole grain flour is used.Yet ,my cakes never have the brown crusts that cakes baked in convection ovens have.So I fell for the offer.I went ahead & brought one.Initially,I felt ,I had erred as I will have yo learn the operations afresh & that is such a chore.Still,when the cakes rise,I forget all & smile.So temptation was worth it.I tried this  vegetarian banana cake.Well,I couldn't believe that the recipe was just what I wanted.It had explained how to bake cake in microwave convection oven ! I tweaked the recipe a bit & got a superb cake !

Ingredients : 3-4 bananas pureed ( these were small sized bananas & the more over ripe ,the better for cake ),1 cup multigrain atta ,1/3 cup brown sugar,1tbsp oil,1/2 tsp baking powder,1/2 tsp baking soda,1/2 tsp vanilla essence,salt to taste,5-10 halved walnuts ( any other nuts like almonds,cashews,can be used instead ) ,salt to taste.

Method : Preheat the oven at 180 degrees centigrade.

Mix all dry ingredients namely multigrain atta,sugar,baking powder , baking soda & salt.I mix nicely with whisk so that all get evenly spread throughout the mix.Keep aside.

Mix all wet ingredients that is banana puree,oil,vanilla essence.Keep aside.

Make a well in the dry mix & pour the wet mix into it.Mix nicely till a batter is formed.If the batter is too thick,add water & make it thinner.Batter must have just drop down consistency.So it must be thicker than idli batter & thinner than chapatti dough.Now add the halved walnuts into it.Alternatively ,walnuts can be added on top of the batter in the cake vessel.

Line a glass or silicone vessel with butter paper.Pour the cake batter into it.Add walnuts on top of cake batter if they have not been mixed in batter in earlier step.

Bake in preheated microwave convection oven for 35-40 minutes or till a knife or spoon inserted in cake comes out clean.

Let it cool.This will take another half an hour or more.Then take it upside down on plate.Cut into desired shapes & serve.Cake was just sweet.So,if need be,more sugar can be added.Please note that I used broun  sugar.Brown sugar is less sweet compared to white sugar. My mom said that I need to have put more oil.Maybe one more tablespoon of oil will make cake more soft.My dad said  it was soft enough.

I was thrilled as my cake had that brown crust which I had eyed on cakes baked in convection ovens.I felt that I should have added walnuts after I had poured batter into the vessel for baking.So next cake ,I am going to try that !

Tip : This cake comes out well with wholewheat flour as well.If 1 cup atta is taken , 1/4 cup maida can be added to get a lovely texture & all will think cake is made from maida.

In place of vanilla essence, use  1 tsp of cardamom powder to give this cake that Indian spice touch ! 

Rasgullas : Spoilt milk.

My mother had gone out of town.She had kept 1/2 litre milk packet in the refrigerator.And not in the freezer.The day she was to arrive home,I started warming the milk.After some time ,I heard some noise from the milk which was getting heated up.It was jumping.It was curdling.I kept the gas on.It curdled & seperated into whey & the water.I thought ,why not make rasgullas with the paneer type part which is gathering in the transparent watery solution.

Ingredients : 1/2 litre spoiled milk,1/2 cup sugar ,1 cup water, 3-4 cardamoms ...de peeled & grounded , kesar ( optional ).

I got a thin muslin cloth & filtered it out.The water I collected in a vessel.This water can be used for making rice and for kneading dough for rotis,etal.I washed the paneer in the muslin cloth twice or thrice with water .Pl read step by step instructions at Sangeeta Khanna's blog 

Then I kept the paneer all covered up tightly in the muslin cloth for about 1/2 - 1 hour so that remaining water gets drained away.Knead this mass nicely for about ten minutes till no lumps remain.Add 1-2 strands of kesar to this white mass.It will become very soft after kneading for 10 minutes.Apply a little ghee( if needed )  to the palms & make small balls out of the chenna. Repeat the process to make more balls till all chenna gets over.Keep aside.

In a vessel take 1/2 cup sugar.Add 1 cup water .Boil till, all sugar dissolves. Cardammom powder can be added while it is boiling.Put off the gas.

Drop the chenna balls into the sugar syrup.Take a pressure cooker & put the vessel containing chenna balls in sugar syrup in the cooker.Pressure cook till 1 whistle.Then lower the gas & cook for 5 minutes on slow .Put off the gas.I released the pressure after this step by slowly lifting the whistle .Then after the cooker's whistle became silent , remove the whistle.

Then remove the lid of pressure cooker.Take out the vessel containing rasgullas .

The rasgullas were spongy & yet they were  flattened...perhaps the syrup was less...so next time ,I will add more water.And still ,the rasgullas were intact not broken or torn. This is better explained at banaras ka khana ...so use more water for syrup.....maybe 1/3 cup sugar & 1 cup water for rasgullas made from 1/2 cup milk.Then the rasgullas will be round.

The black dots or specks that are seen are coarsely grounded cardamoms...because I was unable to grind them finely.

All who ate them were full of praise for my make over of spoiled milk ...they were very soft unlike market brought ones which are rubbery .So I was thrilled !

Vegan apple banana bread

I had some apples & ripe bananas.I wanted to bake cake or bread using the ripe bananas & the apples.And I wanted to try a vegan version.I searched & got this vegan apple banana chunk bread recipe .

I added flax seed meal to the recipe & made my own version of this bread.I added flax seed meal as it gives a nutty flavour & the nutty flavour goes well with the bread.

Ingredients : I cup multigrain atta ( I used Aashirvaad ),2 apples ( peeled & desseeded,1 ripe banana ( peeled & pureed in mixer or blender ) ,1 tbsp flax seed powder soaked in 3 tbsp water for 15 minutes & more ,1/3 cup brown mineral  sugar + 1 tbsp brown mineral sugar, 1 tsp baking soda,1/4 tsp cinnamon,a pinch of salt.

Method : Take one peeled & desseded apple & pressure in cooker for 1 whistle.Let it cool.Then blend that apple into puree.This is the applesauce.Mix this applesauce with pureed banana.Add flax seed meal soaked in water to this fruit puree mix.Mix nicely to blend the fruit puree with flax seed water mix.Keep aside.

Take another peeled & deseeded apple.Cut into small chunks.Keep aside.

Mix all dry ingredients that is mutligrain atta,sugar,baking soda,salt ,cinnamon powder nicely with a whisk or fork.Mix many times over so that all dry ingredients blend into each other.

Add the apple chunks into the dry mix.Now fold the apple chunks such athat each apple chunk is coated with the dry mix.

Slowly add the apple banana puree into the dry apple chunk mixture.Mix so, that no lumps remain.This is the bread mix.

Line a microwaveable vessel with butter paper.Pour bread mix or  batter .Bake in microwave for 8-9 minutes.Switch off microwave.Let it cool for 5 minutes.Remove & check with knife if cake is done.If knife comes out clean ,cake is done.Otherwise microwave for 1 more minute.Check again.Let it cool for 15 minutes.Put the bread vessel upside down on a plate.The bread  will drop down on plate.Else ,it can be gently removed from sides of vessel so that it drops down on plate.Cut into desired shapes & serve.

Divine feast.

Temple food is always delicious .Maybe because it is offered to Gods & Goddesses before being distributed .Maybe,the ingredients used are as fresh as they can be, which gives it an out of this world taste ! And it satiates our palates.It is truly fulfilling, to say the least !

At one such Sri Satyanarayan pooja in a temple belonging to the Udipi Sri Krishna Mutt, I had the best of the prasad.It was just a complete meal by itself.It was a simple spread of four to five dishes .Yet, it was simply superb !

We prostrated before the Almighty & partook of the Sri Satyanarayan Prasad which is a semolina & sugar preparation made with generous helpings of ghee.It is garnished with cardammom powder, kismis,ghee fried cashews.It also contains some amount of mashed bananas which gives this  prasad its unique taste as compared to simple semolina shira  This semolina prasad is the prasad for the pooja.It is believed that partaking of this prasad gives the devotees all that is needed even if the devotees has skipped the pooja. That is the power of this prasad !The semolina prasad was offered in katoris made from dried leaves.The prasad or shira is off white & is of grainy texture.It has specks of brown ( the kismis which have become saturated with the sweetness) some white specks which are the ghee fried cashews & some black dots which is the cardamom powder which makes it so very aromatic !  Temples have always favoured green efforts. Also offered as prasad was a light yellow concoction of milk,curds, honey & mashed banana.Of course,this was offered only one spoonful per devotee.

Then,we were offered platefuls of bisi bele bhaath,medu vadas,sweet vadas,gojju & patrode.I was delighted looking at the contents of the plate itself.The aroma of all this, was so irressitible ! Bisibele bhaath is a traditional dish from Karnataka.It is made of equal quantities of rice & toover dal cooked slowly - so much so that the two cannot be separated .Cooked veggies like carrots,beans & peas add to the taste of this dish which is a complete meal by itself as it contains,carbohydrates,proteins & veggies !The bisibele bhaath is yellowish orange in colour almost brown or reaching there.Of course,one can spot the firm cooked veggies that is the orange coloured carrot pieces,the green coloured beans & peas .And of couse ,one can smell it before one eats it as the spices hit our nostrils first salivating us !  

 The medu vadas & sweet vadas were crisp & light .They felt oil free.The sweet vadas had jaggery & mashed bananas .Such a healthy combination.The vadas were dunked in wheat flour & fried.The sweet vadas were brown in colour .The medu vadas had the right amount of green chillies & curry leaves.Medu vadas are oozing with the protein of urad dal ! Nutritious to the core ! The medu vadas were like the colour of the moon when it is pale yellow & the texture is  rugged. Patrode is a fried vada made from a combination of colacasia leaves dunked in a batter of urad dal ,mung dal ,rice & spices.This is then steam cooked & shallow fried on tawa. The patrode are layers of green colacasis leaves & yellow dal paste which turns brownish yellow orange when shallow fried. The gojju is a dip or a sauce made from tamarind paste & jaggery, to which spices are added after boiling the concoction. This is a tangy brown accompaniment to the medu vada & the patrode .The medu vada & patrode tasted heavenly without the accompaniment.Moreover bisi bele bhaath is generally eaten  with dry fried veggies like potato fry or bhindi fry.Bisi bele bhaath can even be the perfect partner for papads ,patrode & medu vada.The melt in mouth bisi bele bhaath with the crunch of the fried medu vada & patrode was way too perfect.The whole meal was so fulfilling that  I never took another helping ! The divine treat was so  wholesome  ! And then, this was washed down with a  watery sago kheer ! Deliciously simple ! I avoid milk based payasams & yet, this payasam had the least of milk which had been diluted so much that I simply  licked it ! The payasam had been coloured with just a pinch of turmeric & this made for pastel yellow shade !  This feast was relished by me more than four  years back & yet it is so memorable that I can feel the taste of all the dishes as if  I am enjoying then now !


If only the meal of bisi bele bhaath ,medu vadas ,patrode ,sago payasam,gojju & jaggery pakodas were served in borosil dishes ,then,plates would hardly be needed.The appearance in beautiful see through glassware like borosil would have inspired all, to eat it straight, from the borosil vessels in which the various dishes were kept !  There would have been a stampede, for sure !The food would look golden brown ,orange & yellow ! Golden  hues ! Yes,this food is worth its weight in gold & more !

The gojju would look appetising in mixing bowl,the bisi bele bhaath in a deep round casserole ,the patrode & medu vadss seperately in two easy grip round casserole sets,& the payasam in easy grip & drop round casserole.And the icing on the cake, would be when the dishes would be served in borosil serving plate followed by the payasam in borosil small glass katories ! The temple treat in borosil  glassware would be a feast for the eyes as well !

And after that meal ,I have made sure, that whenever I get invited to any feast at a temple ,I make it sure to attend it ! And needless to add ,they  all  have been immensely  fulfilling meals !

This is my blog post for "My beautiful food " Round 1/2 on IndiBlogger .

Broccoli dal

I have come to love broccoli as it cooks very fast & is quite tasty with just afew spices.So for a  lazy person like me ,it is a boon !

I have tried a broccoli dish earlier from Sangeeta Khanna's blog & today I tried one more of her broccoli dishes.Her broccoli lentil soup came out very well.The original recipe by Sangeeta Khanna is here .

I changed some ingredients.I skipped using celery & garlic.I used green chillies instead of red chilly powder.Moreover ,I cooked long enough for broccoli to lose its crunchiness.

Ingredients : 1 tbsp whole masoor,1 tbsp split green mung dal,300 gm broccoli washed & cut into florets, 2 small tomatoes chopped,1 medium sized onion chopped fine, 2 green chillies chopped, 1/2 tsp ginger washed & grated,1/2 tsp cumin seeds,1 tsp ghee,1/4 tsp haldi,salt to taste.

Method : Pressure cook the dals with onions,green chillies,grated ginger & haldi.Add the broccoli stalks which have chopped fine in the pressure cooker with the dals. I pressure cooked for 2 whistles & then lowered the flame & cooked for 5 minutes before turning off the gas.After the pressure has eased,take out the cooked stew & keep aside.

Meanwhile ,heat gheee in a kadhai.Add cumin seedsWhen they splutter ,add broccoli florets & stir fry for 5 minutes.Add salt.Mix nicely.Now add chopped tomatoes & cook for another five minutes.Add the dal stew to this broccoli tomato mix & bring to a boil.Add more water if dal type consistency is needed.Put off the gas & serve with chaptis and or rice.

I loved the simple flavours.Mine was thick stew.It was unlike soup .Yet ,it is dal veggie combo which spells nutrition !

Vegan red velvet cup cakes

I have tried this before .I forgot to note down the recipe.Hence, was unable to post it earlier.
I tweaked  the eggless  red velvet cup cake recipe from Divine Taste  a little.I made it into a vegan recipe.

Ingredients :  1 cup multigrain atta ( I used Pillsbury ) ,1/2 cup beet puree,1/2 cup brown sugar,1/4 cup oil,2 tsp chocolate powder ( I used  drinking chocolate powder which was available at home ),1 1/8 tsp( 1tsp +1/8 tsp ) baking powder,11/2 ( 1.5 ) tbsps apple cider vinegar,1/2 tsp vanilla essence,a pinch of salt.

Method :
Pressure cook 2 small  beetroots  for 3 whistles.Let the cooker cool.Take out the beets.Peel them.Cut into big pieces.Puree them in blender or mixer.Add vanilla essence,oil & vinegar to the beet puree.Mix nicely.Keep aside.

Take all dry ingredients ....atta,sugar,baking powder,chocolate powder & salt .Mix thoroughly with fork or spoon many times.Keep aside.

Now add the wet mix to the dry mix .Mix both nicely so that no lumps remain.Now line silicone cup cake moulds with butter paper.With a table spoon fill 2/3 of the cup cake moulds with the cake batter.Bake them in microwave for 1.5 to 2 minutes.Put off microwave.Let it cool. After five minutes,cup cakes can be tested with fork to see if they have been baked by poking a fork.If the teeth fork come out clean ,it is done.Otherwise,bake for another 10-15 seconds.Cool. After 10 minutes,take out the cup cakes.Let them cool outside for another 10 minutes.Carefully & slowly remove the butter paper lining the silicone cup cake moulds.The cup cakes are ready !

I garnished them with titbits of white chocolate that I had at home.The cup cakes had no taste of beet,They were moist & sweet.Not very sweet. The quantity stated made seven small cup cakes & 6 slightly larger cup cakes.

Capsicum,carrot ,onion salad

I have been eating cooked food...I was craving for something raw ...raw carrots,etc.So decided to make a salad with whatever veggies I had at home.

Ingredients : 1 medium sized onion roughly chopped,1/2 capsicum roughly chopped & 1 small carrot cut into thin slices, 1/4 tsp chaat masala,1/2 tsp lemon juice,rock salt to taste.

Method : Mix all the chopped onion & capsicum pieces.Add the thinly sliced carrot pieces.Mix nicely.Add chaat masala powder followed by salt.Mix nicely so that  chaat masala & salt gets nicely blended with the veggies.Add lemon juice & blend it by tossing all the veggies.The oil free sald is ready !

Serve with pulao or rotis or eat it just like that !

Any salt can be used.If more spices are needed ,they can be added.I like mine with just a minimum of spices.Instead of chaat masla ,roasted pepper & jeera powder can  both be added.More raw veggies can be added.I prefer lemon juice instead of raw tomatoes.The possibilities are endless !And this salad can be eaten as a snack  by itself !

Broccoli stir fry.

I had brought broccoli & wanted to try a  stir fry.I googled  Sangita Khanna's blog healthfood desi videshi .I was amazed to see many recipes using broccoli.I selected this  detox recipe.

I did not have soy nuggets.Hence ,I made this sir fry without soy nuggets.

Ingredients :  3 cups broccoli florets,1 medium onion finely chopped,1 tomato chopped,2 green chillies chopped,1 tsp ginger  & garlic (both grated),1 tsp pepper powder,2 tsp soya sauce, 2 tsp  oil,salt to taste.

Method : Warm oil in a pan.Add grated  ginger garlic & saute it.Add green chillies & onions.Saute them as well.The onions will get translucent,Add the soya sauce & 1 tbsp  water.Mix nicely.

Add broccoli florets.Add salt.Stir all the ingredients well.Add pepper powder.Mix again.Cover with a lid & cook for five minutes.Add chopped tomatoes & mix with all ingredients.Cover with lid & cook for 5-10 minutes.

Serve hot with rotis.I ate this with rotis & loved the new flavours that I discovered.

Add salt carefully as soya sauce contains salt & green veggies have their own salt content.

Strawberry cake :Vegan version.

I had strawberries in my refregerator & wanted to use them.Searched for a recipe & came across a vegan cake using them here.I tweaked it a little & made one last night ...on the eve of International Women's day.

Ingredients : 1 cup multigrain atta ( Pillsbury ),1/2 cup brown mineral sugar,1/2 tsp baking soda,1/2 tsp baking powder,1/2 cup  strawberry puree ,a few strawberries with the stem removed & cut into thin stripes ( optional ),1/4 cup oil,1 tbsp apple cider vinegar,1/2 tsp vanilla essence, salt to taste.

Method : Mix all dry ingredients that is atta,baking soda,baking powder,salt & sugar with a whisk many times so that all are thoroughly mixed with each other.Keep aside.

Mix strawberry puree ( wash strawberries,Remove the green stems,Chop them .Puree in a blender or mixer.Take 1/2 cup of this puree .Add oil,vanilla essence & apple cider vinegar.Mix nicely with whisk.Now pour this liquid mix into a well in the dry ingredient mix. Blend all into a batter.Add water if lumps remain.Keep aside.

Line a microwaveable vessel with butter paper.On that ,keep thin slices of strawberries.Pour cake batter over the strawberries.Bake in microwave for 8-9 minutes.Switch off microwave.Let it cool for 5 minutes.Remove & check with knife if cake is done.If knife comes out clean ,cake is done.Otherwise microwave for 1 more minute.Check again.Let it cool for 15 minutes.Put the cake vessel upside down on a plate.The cake will drop down on plate.Else ,it can be gently removed from sides of vessel so that it drops down on plate.Cut into desired shapes & serve.

The lining of thin strawberry slices on bottom of cake is optional.This gets sticky after baking.
The amount of sugar used was just apt.If you want it to be more sweet ,3/4 cup sugar can be used.Always remember that brown sugar is less sweet than white sugar.Hence ,if using white sugar,1/2 cup would be sufficient.

The cake was super moist !

Sprinkle some powdered sugar on cake slices to make them sweeter .Sprinkle coloured sugar balls on cake slices in the alternative like I did !

Methi cabbage onion salad

The other day ,my mom made this yummy salad ! It has just a few ingredients & tastes superb ! It gets ready in no time at all !

Ingredients :  1 cup methi leaves,cleaned & roughly chopped,1/3 cup  & cleaned finely chopped cabbage,1/3 cup finely chopped onion,1/2 lemon, salt to taste.

Method : Put all chopped veggies in a bowl.Squeeze lemon juice of half a lemon on to the veggie mix.Add salt to taste.Mix all nicely.the fresh salad is ready !

Tip : If the juice of half a lemon is too tangy,less can be added.

Marble cake :1st attempt.

I have been baking a cake for my kid & her classmates since I learnt baking some time ago.Every Valentine day ,I bake a chocolate cake for them as chocolate is a flavour which is a hit with kids & teens.

I searched & got this marble cake recipe here.I omitted bananas & made this cake.

Ingredients :1 cup multigrain atta ( I used Pillsbury ) ,3/4 cup brown mineral sugar, 1/2 tsp baking soda,1/2 tsp baking powder, 2-3 tbsp cocoa powder or Bournvita powder ( I used 1 tbsp milk chocolate powder which I had at home & 1.5 tbsp Bournvita powder ) ,1tsp vanilla essence, 1 cup yoghurt,2tbsp oil,salt a pinch.

Method : Mix atta, baking soda,baking powder,salt  & sugar with a fork or whisk many times so that all dry ingredients are finely mixed with each other.Keep aside.

Mix liquid ingredients :oil,vanilla essence & yoghurt with whisk.Now make a well in dry ingredient mix & pour the wet ingredient mix.Mix nicely.Add water if needed.It must have drop down consistency.Divide this batter into 2 equal parts.In one part add the chocolate.I added chocolate just like that.I should have boiled  a little water & dissolved  chocolate in that hot water & then added to batter.I was afraid that batter may get runny.Hence some Bournvita chunks can be seen in cake pieces as dark blobs.

Line a microwaveable vessel with butter paper.Pour a layer of plain batter ( without chocolate ) into it.Put some spoons of chocolate batter next.Repeat with plain & chocolate batter till both batters get over.With a  fork or knife ,make a swirl pattern in the batter.

Bake in microwave for 8-10 minutes.Let it cool.Take out from microwave.Test with knife.If it comes out clean ,cake is done.Otherwise bake for 1-2 minutes more Repeat knife test.

Let it cool inside microwave for 10 minutes.After 10 minutes,let it cool for 20 minutes outside microwave.Then put the vessel upside down on plate.The cake will drop down on plate or can be gently loosened from sides.Let it cool for 10-15 more minutes.Cut into desired pieces & serve.

The cake had a crumbly texture.It just melts in the mouth ! My teen's friends gobbled up all pieces which she packed to school.

It is so healthy - multigrain atta ( wholegrains ) ,yoghurt,brown sugar,low fat ! What more is needed ? !

Cauliflower peas potato nimona

I heard or rather read about nimona recipes at Sangeeta Khanna's blog banaras ka khana.I was interested in knowing about it.Moreover since I am someone who will try to test any recipes which are easy to whip up,I delved deeper.She has many nimona recipes like masoor nimona with gobhi,peas nimona,aloo gobhi matar nimona to name some.I picked up aloo gobhi matar nimona & tried it.Mine came out thicker.I am sure ,it thickens up as it cools, just like oondhiyon & bisi bele bhaath.

Ingredients: 1/2 cup boiled,peeled & diced potato chunks ,washed & boiled cauliflower florets ( bring water to which haldi & salt has been added & drown the florets in it & bring it to a boil .This is to  3/4 cup,3/4 cup peas,1-2 green chillies,2 pods garlic,1/4 inch ginger,1 tsp dhania powder,1/4 tsp black pepper powder,1/4 tsp jeera powder,1tsp jeera,1 tbsp oil,salt to taste.

Method : Heat  cauliflower florets in water with turmeric & salt to remove pesticides.I added peeled & cubed potatoes as well.After one boil of the water.Put off gas.Let the florets & potato cubes remain in the hot water. Keep aside.

Take the peas in a mixer & churn the mixer once or twice so that a granular mixture ( not paste ) of peas is obtained.Keep aside.

Take a kadhai.Add oil.Heat up the kadhai.Add cumin.After,they splutter, add the hot florets & potato cubes,Fry the veggies nicely till they slightly change colour.Add salt. Mix.Add the spices. Mix nicely.After 1-2 minutes, add the chilli ginger paste.Mix nicely. Let it heat the veggie spice mix for 1-2 minutes.Add the ground green peas  to the kadhai.Mix all nicely.Let it cook for 4-5 minutes till veggie mix starts sticking to the bottom of kadhai.Add 1 cup water & mix. Let the water veggie mix simmer for 4-5 minutes. Put off gas.

Serve nimona with rice and or rotis. It goes well with both.

This was my second attempt & today ,it turned out just a bit  more salty than I like.Still,I loved it ! It has a very different taste from the usual gram masala added gobhi sabzi.So ,if you want to try some different tasting sabzi with gobhi this winter,please give this a try.You can also try masoor nimona,hare chane ka nimona...all from banaras ka khana.And believe me ,you will be delighted with the results.This is because,Sangeeta is too good  a food blogger.Her recipes are detailed & finely tuned.

Cauliflower in carrot tomato gravy.

Winter is the season of fresh cauliflowers ,carrots,tomatoes etal...so many vegetables to choose from. Aloo gobhi ka nimona at Sangeeta Khanna's blog "Banaras ka khana " was the inspiration for this recipe.

Ingredients :Cauliflower cut or broken into florets 1cup,medium sized tomatoes 2,carrot peeled & cut into chunks,peas 1/4 cup, 1 medium onion chopped ,1green chilli, 1/2 inch ginger cleaned & grated,few curry leaves,1/2 tsp garam masla,1/4 tsp haldi,1/4 tsp hing,1tbsp oil,salt to taste.

Method :Take oil in a kadahi & heat it up.Now add cauliflower florets & peas.Saute them in oil.Cover with alid & cook.After 2-3 minutes,remove lid ,add hing ,haldi & salt.Mix nicely & again cover with lid & cook.Add some water if you feel that the veggies are getting stuck to bottom of kadahi.

Grind onions,ginger,green chilly & curry leaves into a paste.Add this paste to the kadhai & mix nicely.Let the vegetable mix simmer in the kadhai.Grind together carrots & tomatoes in the mixer.Add this carrot tomato paste to the kadhai.Mix nicely.Add salt & garam masala.Mix nicely .Put off the gas.

Now put the contents of the kadhai into a vessel which can be fitted into the pressure cooker.Pressure cook the mixed vegetable dish for two whistles.Put off the gas.Let the cooker cool.Remove from the cooker & serve with chapatis & or rice.

:

Apple banana carrot cake

I follow Lite Bites, a recipe blog on facebook.I came across this mixed fruit cake there.Hence ,I thought why not make it ?

I made some changes & here is my recipe.

Ingredients : Assorted fruit chunks of choice ( I used banana,apple & carrot finely chopped )3/4 cup,1 cup multigrain atta,1/3 cup brown sugar 1/2 tsp baking powder,1/2 tsp baking soda,1 ts[p vanilla essence,1/4 cup oil,1/4 cup yoghurt,a pinch of salt,water to get batter consistency right.

Method : Mix all dry ingredients -multigrain atta,baking soda,baking powder ,sugar & salt.No lumps should remain.Use whisk or fork to mix again & again.Keep aside.

Mix all wet ingredients -oil,yoghurt,vanilla,mixed fruits in bowl nicely.

Make a  well in the dry ingredient mix & pour the wet ingrent mix into it.Mix nicely with a whisk.Take care that no lumps remain in the batter.Keep aside.

Take a microwaveable vessel & line it with butter paper.Pour thev cake batter into the vessel on the butter paper.Microwave for 8-9 minutes.After 10 minutes,take it out from microwave & check with fork or knife if cake is done.If still wet ,microwave for 1-2 minutes more.Let it cool.

Take out the  vessel .Let it cool outside microwave for 10 minutes.Now put it upside down on a plate.The cake will drop down on plate after some time.If not ,just nudge it from the edges to let it drop down.Cut into desired shapes & serve.

In the snap ,some soft grey coloured lumps can be seen in cake...those are banana pieces.If you would rather have no chopped fruit pieces ,then puree all fruits in blender & use that instead of chopped fruits.

Onion chutni

I had seen a red coloured chutni many times in some restaurants as an accompaniment with idlis & dosa.I learnt that it was onion chutni.I goggled it & found this recipe of onion chutni

I made the same chutni with ordinary onions not Madras onions or vengayam as I do not buy vengayam regularly.

Ingredients : 4 medium onions cleaned & roughly chopped,6-8 byadgi red chillies broken up into pieces,, 2 tbsp oil,1/8 tsp methi seeds1/2 tsp urad dal,1 lemon sized ball of tamarind,1 tsp mustard seeds,a few curry leaves,a pinch of hing ,salt to taste

Method : Take 1 tbsp oil in a kadhai & put on the gas.Put the byadgi chillies & as soon as they turn dark red,remove the chillies from kadhai & keep aside.Add chopped onions. Saute the onions   till they become pink.Put off gas.Add the tamarind & mix it with the sauteed onions in the kadhai for 1 minute.Take the sauteed onions,tamarind mix & byadgi mirchis into the mixer & grind them into paste.Add salt & mix nicely.Keep aside.

For seasoning ,take 1 tbsp oil & heat it.Add mustard seeds.After they pop up,add urad dal.As soon as they turn golden ,add  methi seeds..After they pop up,add curry leaves.Put off gas.Add hing .After this ,add this seasoning to the onion chutni.

This chutni is especially useful when one runs out of fresh coconut .Moreover it is quite tasty & especially so for idlis & dosas.

Pudina chutni

I love mint.Its refreshing aroma rejuvenates me.I got a bunch of mint leaves from the market & decided to make a chutni as I wanted something tangy to taste.I searched for mint cutni recipes & found one @ http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/mint-coriander-chutney-recipe/

Ingredients : 2.5  cups cleaned & washed fresh  mint leaves,1 cup cleaned & washed  fresh coriander leaves ,1/2 " ginger piece grated ,1-2 washed & finely chopped green chillies,juice of 1/2 a lemon ,salt to taste, 1 tsp of sugar ( optional ).

Method : Chop the mint & corainder leaves.Some use the stalks of leaves while some throw them away.In these times of high prices,it is better to finely chop the stalks & use them in the chutni.

Put the chopped leaves in grinder with grated ginger& chopped chillies.Turn the grinder on.In between ,the grinder can be stopped & some water added.Add salt after a paste like consistency has been obtained.Add lemon juice if tanginess is needed.Be careful with the salt as all green veggies have their own inherent saltiness.My chutni turned out little salty.To rectify that ,I added more lemon juice.Even sugar can be added.

I ate this chutni with palak parathas.It will go well with cutlets,patties,even in chaat items like sev puris,ragda patties etal ! This is  a good spread for sandwitche s as well !