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 !