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.