Aaloo Paratha

Sometimes, I do not like to prepare ellaborate meals because I am just so tired of cooking. Yes, such moments come to me often. From lots of cooking to little cooking and often no cooking at all. There are times when I am in a cooking frenzy and sometimes I am bored of cooking. In the no cooking days we mostly go for take away pizza or veggie kebabs.
Well, today was not that bad a day as I prepared these Aaloo Parathas, they are simple, quick and filling. There are many ways to prepare the filling of these parathas. I like to add some peas and onions to it. Here is my recipe for 'Aaloo Paratha'.

Some Awards with Buttermilk Biscuits and Apple Dip.

3 Awards in a go! Many thanks to Deepa of Food Lyrics for making my day. I would like to pass on these awards to my fellow bloggers. All of them have amazing blogs.

Priya of Priya Easy N Tasty Recipes.

Rachana of Veggie Fare

Supriya of Cook in a blog world

Arundhati of Gourmet Affair

Simply.food of simply.food

Saraswathi of Sara's Corner

Ms Chitchat of Chitchat at Crossroads

Please accept the awards!

To celebrate my awards I made these lovely biscuits.

Sweet Corn Vegetable Soup

When it comes to soup, I prefer a simple tomato soup with bread croutons. But, this winter when I had to prepare soup more often because of the bad weather, I tried a few more types of soup. One of them is "Sweet Corn Vegetable Soup". It is creamy with a good quantity of veggies. Its healthy and one full bowl is quite filling for the stomach. I loved it and hope to make it many more times.

Here is the recipe for it. We can do variation to this recipe by adding shredded cabbage,chopped cauliflower florets, string beans etc.

This recipe serves 2 people.
Ingredients:

1¼ cup frozen sweet corn.
2 cup + 2 tbsp water.
1 tbsp corn flour.
¼ cup chopped bell pepper.
1 tomato deseeded and chopped.
1 carrot chopped finely.
1 green chilli chopped finely.
½ tsp mustard seeds.
1 tbsp oil.
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves.
1 tsp salt.
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp black pepper powder.

Process:

1. Boil the sweet corn in 2 cups of water. Churn it finely in grinder. Sieve the mixture and keep aside. Mix the corn flour in 2 tbsp of water. Keep aside.

2. Heat a frying pan. Add oil when heated and add mustard seeds such that they crack right away. Add the chopped green chilies, chopped bell pepper and sauté.

3. Add the chopped carrot and sweet corn and heat till carrots are tender. Now add the chopped tomatoes and the sweet corn mixture.

4. Heat till it comes to boil. Add salt, pepper powder and sugar. Now add the coriander leaves and corn  flour mixture.

5.Then soup will start to thicken. Give it a good stir and heat for 5 minutes. Be careful so that the soup does not stick at the bottom of the pan. Take it off the gas.

Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Paneer Tikka Masala

When ever we go for a meal to a restraunt, one dish that is compulsory in our menu is "Paneer". Myself and my husband are totally crazy about paneer dishes. I had tried this one,"Paneer Tikka Masala" for the first time at home. It was an instant hit with my Hubby. We loved it. Still, I think this one should be a one in a blue moon dish as its gravy is very rich. Robbing it of its richness will reduce its charm.
I would also like to share a simple tip:
- Always boil the veggies before churning it in the mixer to make a puree or paste. Otherwise, the gravy will leave water from the sides when it is cold.
Now, here is the recipe of "Paneer Tikka Masala" for all Paneer lovers!

Veggie Burger

What it needs to make a burger? A few buns, few sliced veggies and cutlets. This fast food is quite quick if you have readymade cutlets at home. I was not in a mood to cook a full course meal today and I had some boiled potatoes and a few buns at home. So, I was all set to make these "Veggie Burgers." Some times I do miss the McDonald's veg burger back there in India, as in Dublin Mcdonald's menu doesnot have a 'Veg Burger'. I make these burgers often, mostly when the weather is good and we feel like going for a picnic in our nearby park. But today I made it simply because I was not in a mood to cook. Its very simple. So here is my recipe for "Veggie Burger".

Eggless Lemon drizzle Cake

Mission accomplished! I had been thinking of baking  a lemony cake for quite a time now and finally today I did it. To my surprise this cake has puffed very well as such my loaf pan was somewhat small for it. It tasted awesome and I loved it. This is my weekend treat. Hope it survives the weekend. Here is my recipe for 'Eggless Lemon Drizzle Cake'.

Vegetable Pasta Salad

I made this salad just a few days back. Its my husband's favorite. It is a very heathy, colorful and easy recipe. I got this recipe from my elder sister. It called for 'vinegar', but instead of that I used an extra tablespoon of lemon juice. Here is the recipe for "Pasta Vegetable Salad."

Kheer

Kheer, I believe is one of the easiest dessert to make. I made it yesterday. So, I am just sharing it here. This one, I made for myself as my husband does not like "Kheer". I wonder why he doesnot like kheer when he likes all sweet. Anyways, he did taste it since I made it. But, no more. Anyways, this one is for all those who like kheer.

Pineapple and Cinnamon Pancakes

I had a few tinned pineapple rings in my refrigerator and I was wondering what to do with them. I did not want to bake a cake nor did I want to throw them. So, I decided upon these simple cinnamon and pineapple pancakes. I had read this recipe in a magazine and I liked it, so I jotted it down. It had eggs in it but I simply omitted it. Still it came out good. I had kept pineapple chunks quite big compared to what was asked in the recipe coz I like it that way, juicy chunks as you eat. Here is the recipe for "Pineapple and Cinnamon Pancakes".

Oven Roasted Potato Wedges with Couscous:

I had come across this recipe at Jagruti's blog "Joy of Cooking" a few days ago. I love potato wedges and as a matter of fact, anything that has potatoes. But, since potatoes wedges and fries are mostly fried in most fast food joints, I somehow tend to control myself and avoid them. But this one seemed to be a healthier version, so I gave it a try. I had not used couscous in anything I made, so I bought it for this recipe. Couscous is very nutritious.It is a good source of protein, fiber, niacin, selenium, and B vitamins. For those looking for added health benefits, whole wheat couscous provides the additional fiber and protein of whole grain wheat.

I made slight changes in the recipe as per what I had in my pantry and loved the results. So here is the recipe for "Oven Roasted Potato Wedges with Couscous"

         Fresh from Oven.

Sweet Corn Salad

While in India I never missed having a hot & spicy corn while going for movies. I love sweet corn and the fact they are very healthy is an added advantage. I feel guilty when I bake a cake because I know how much it is going to add to my waist line. So I decided to have a lot of healthy food items in my menu. Thats why I am into soup and salads. So, here is another salad which is tasty and healthy.

Sweet Corn Salad:

Papdi Chat

This is one thing I can have anytime. This works as a stress buster for me. The very thought about it makes my mouth water. Crispy, cruchy papdi chat it is - my any time favorite. I prepare it often and prepared it this weekend.

In India it is one of the favorite road side food and it reminds me of my college days!

Before the recipe for the mouth watering dish, have a look on the plate!

This recipe makes about 50 papdis.

Ingredients:

½ cup AP flour.
½ cup wheat flour.
1/4 cup semolina flour.
2 tablespoons oil.
½ teaspoon salt.
½ tsp ajwain seeds.
½ tsp black onion seeds.

To garnish the papdi:

3 medium potatoes
1 large onion.
2 large tomatoes.
1 cup yoghurt.
2 tbsp chat masala
¼ cup nylon sev.
¼ cup tamarind chutney.
¼ cup green chutney.
Juice of 1 lemon.

All the ingredients here:

Process:

1. Mix AP flour, wheat flour, semolina, salt, black onion seeds and ajwain seeds. Add the oil and use lukewarm water to make firm dough.

2. Divide the dough in about 50 equal parts and roll them individually into 2 1/2 inch rounds. Prick with a fork in about 4 to 5 place.

3. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat. The frying pan should have at least 1 1/2 inch of oil. Fry the papdi until both sides are light golden-brown in color.

4.  Transfer them into a paper towel so that excess oil is soaked out. Let it cool completely before storing. Papdi can be stored in airtight container for 1 month.

5. Boil the potatoes. Peel them and dice them into small pieces. Keep them in a bowl and drizzle lemon juice over it.

6. Keep aside. Dice tomatoes and onions into small pieces. Add salt and beat the yoghurt into a smooth pan cake batter consistency.

7. Arrange the papdi on a large plate. Place a teaspoon of potato over each papdi. Then add a teaspoon of diced tomatoes and onion.

8. Drizzle 2 teaspoon of yoghurt on each papdi. Sprinkle a pinch of chat masala and add teaspoon tamarind chutney and half a teaspoon of coriander chutney. Sprinkle sev over it.

If you think that is too much of work, then just place the papdis on a plate and heap all the ingredients over it one by one! It won't that beautiful, but I tell you it is as delicious as the other one! Crack the papdis as you eat and enjoy!

Voila! Chat is ready to serve. Want a plate?? :-)

Sprouted Moong Salad

I love sprouts and make them often. Recently, I was browsing and landed upon something very informative about "Moong Beans" which I would like to share here.

"Moong beans, apart from being a good source of protein also contain useful amounts of fibre, potassium, and B-vitamins. They contain low levels of fat, cholesterol and sodium. It is useful for those of us who want to increase their alertness and mental abilities. Phosphorous is also necessary for healthy bones and teeth, a fact which makes sprouted seeds desirable for babies and children."

So, here is a very healthy salad recipe of sprouted moong beans.

Sprouted Moong Salad

This recipe serves 6 people.

1 cup whole moong beans.
2 medium tomatoes.
1 onion.
1/3 cup chopped cucumber.
¼ cup chopped radish.
½ cup shredded cabbage.
Juice of one lemon.
½ tsp cumin seeds.
¼ cup chopped coriander leaves.
½ tsp white salt.
1 tsp black salt.
½ tsp roasted cumin powder.
½ tsp black pepper powder.
1 green chilli or to taste.
2 tsp chaat masala.
1 tbsp olive oil.

Process:

Soak 1 cup moong dal overnight and it will increase to twice its volume. Drain off the water and keep the moong dal in a warm place for 12-20 hrs for the sprouts to grow. The sprouts grow faster in warm environment.

Heat a pan and add oil. When heated add the cumin seeds such that they crack right away. Add the sprouted moong and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Cover the pan with a lid and take it off gas and let it cool down completely. Meanwhile, in a bowl add chopped tomatoes, onions, cucumber, radish, shredded cabbage, chopped coriander leaves and mix it nicely. Add the chopped green chilli, lemon juice and all the spices and give it a good stir. Now add the moong dal sprouts and mix it nicely so that the mixture is uniform.
Salad is ready to serve.

Tomato Baked Beans Soup

When it comes to soup I always end up making a tomato soup. But this time a tried a recipe suggested by one of my friends. It is just a small variation of the tomato soup and I am glad to have tried it.

It is very easy and healthy. Here goes the recipe for "Tomato Baked Beans Soup".

This recipe serves 4 people.

Ingredients:


400 ml can of baked beans.
8 medium tomatoes.
2 cup water.
½ tsp black pepper powder.
1 tbsp sugar.
½ tsp salt (or to taste).
½ tsp mustard seeds.
1 tbsp butter.
½ cup finely chopped bell pepper.


Process:

Boil the tomatoes in water and make a puree of it. Heat a pan and add butter. When heated add mustard seeds such that they crack right away. Add bell peppers and sauté for a minute. Then add the tomato puree and stir nicely. Add pepper powder, sugar, salt and mix. Heat for 5-10 minutes. Now, add the baked beans. Heat for 2 minutes. The soup is ready. Turn off the gas and take the pan off the gas. Transfer in a soup bowl. Serve hot.

This one goes for Usha's event Healthy Inspirations Event Soups

Paneer Methi Malai

Paneer Methi Malai:

Paneer Chunks in a rich creamy cashew gravy with fenugreek leaves, for that extra nice and appetizing flavor.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Ingredients:

250 gm paneer.
2 medium side onions
¾ cup cashew nuts.
1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves.
½ tbsp grated ginger.
1 green chilli chopped finely or to taste.
½ tsp cumin seeds.
2 tbsp ghee.
¼ cup fresh cream.
½ cup milk.
1 tsp salt or to taste.
1 tsp sugar.


Process:
Chop the onion in big chunks and microwave it for 4 mins. Make a paste of the boiled onions. Soak cashew for ½ an hour and grind it to a paste. Cut the paneer in small cubes.

Heat a pan and add ghee. When the ghee is heated add cumin seeds such that they crack right away. Now add the chopped green chilies and grated ginger. Sauté for a minute. Then add the onion paste. Fry it for 2 minutes and then add the cashew gravy. Stir it in nicely and heat for 5 minutes. Add the fenugreek leaves. Mix nicely for a minute and stir in the fresh cream and milk. Heat for another 3 minutes. Add salt, sugar and paneer cubes. Heat for another 2 minutes and keep stirring. Turn off the gas and take the pan off gas. Transfer in a serving bowl and serve hot with naan or paratha.

Sweet corn in white gravy

Sweet corn in white gravy:

Sweet corn in sweet gravy of cashew, milk, almond and condensed milk. Cardamom for the nice flavor and white pepper for a mild spice.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Ingredients:

2 cups sweet corn.
1½ cup milk.
1 cup cashew.
¼ cup almond powder (optional).
¼ cup condensed milk.
½ tsp salt or to taste.
½ tsp white pepper powder.
¼ tsp cardamom powder.
2 tbsp ghee.
2 tbsp chopped glazed cherries for garnishing.

Process:

Boil the sweet corn in water still tender or if using frozen sweet corn, microwave it for 5 mins. Churn the cashews in a cup of milk and make a smooth paste. Heat a frying pan. When heated add ghee then add the cashew paste. Heat for 4-5 mins. Then add almond powder, condensed milk, cardamom powder, salt, white pepper powder and the half cup of milk and give it a good stir so that everything if evenly mixed. Now add the sweet corn and heat for another 5 mins. Turn off the gas and take the pan off the gas. Transfer in a serving bowl and garnish it with chopped glazed cherries.

Serve it hot with paratha or naan.

Spiced Apple Cake

Spiced Apple Cake:

An extra moist apple cake with spices for the extra flavor.

This recipe serves 8 people.

Ingredients:
1 cup AP flour.
1 apple peeled and grated.
¼ cup butter.
¾ cup granulated sugar.
¼ cup apple sauce.
½ cup whole milk.
1tsp baking powder.
½ tsp baking soda.
½ tsp nutmeg powder.
½ tsp cinnamon powder.
½ tsp vanilla essence.


For decorating:

1 apple very thinly sliced
Apricot glaze.


Process:
Preheat the oven at 180 C and grease and dust a baking tin with flour ready to use for baking the cake. Mix the AP flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg powder and cinnamon powder. Sieve it twice so that everything is evenly mixed. Set aside.


Now take butter at room temperature and add sugar in it. Beat it for 5 minutes. Then add apple sauce. Stir for minutes and add milk and vanilla essence. Stir for 2-3 minutes till it is a uniform mixture. Now add this mixture slowly into the dry mixture and stir so that everything is folded into a uniform mixture. Pour this batter into the baking tin kept ready and bake at 180 C for 40-45 mins till golden brown. Using a skewer prick the cake at the centre, if it comes out clean, the cake is done.

Fresh from oven.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes. Take the cake out on a plate by turning the container upside down. Decorate the cake with thinly cut apple slices.

For the apricot glaze, place a 2 tbsp of apricot jam in a small pan, along with a squeeze of lemon juice. Heat the jam, stirring until it melts and is runny. Pour the melted jam into a wire sieve set over a bowl. Stir the jam to help it get through. Return the strained jam from bowl to pan. Keep the glaze warm and brush it generously over the freshly sliced apple until fully coated.

Slice and serve.

This one goes for the ongoing event at Mahima's (Indian Vegetarian Kitchen)- Contribute cakes/cookies

Kadai Paneer

Kadai Paneer:


Paneer chunks with chopped onion, bell pepper, tomatoes with added spices. One of the favorite dishes from Punjab.


This recipe serves 4 people.

Ingredients:

250 gms paneer.
4 tomatoes.
1 large onion.
1 cup bell pepper cut in thin slices.
1 green chilli chopped finely or as per taste.
½ tsp grated ginger.
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves.
½ tsp cumin seeds.
½ tsp coriander seeds crushed slightly.
½ tsp turmeric powder.
1 tsp mango powder.
1 tsp red chilli powder.
2 tsp coriander powder.
½ tsp garam masala.
1 tsp chaat masala.
1 tsp salt or as per taste.
2 tbsp oil.
Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing.



Process:

Cut the paneer into small cubes and sprinkle chaat masala over it and set aside. Now heat a frying pan and add in it. When heated add cumin seeds, while cracking add crushed coriander seeds, chopped chilies, grated ginger, fenugreek leaves and sauté for 1 minute. Deseed and chop 2 tomatoes finely and add it to the pan. Heat for 5-6 mins till it melts. Stir it nicely and add onions, sliced pepper and sauté for 2-3 mins. Deseed and cut the other 2 tomatoes in big slices and add it to the pan. Add all the spices and stir such that it is evenly mixed. Now add the paneer (one can use fried paneer but I used it without frying) and mix so that all the spices are evenly coated on the paneer. Heat for 2 mins. Take the pan off the gas. Transfer it in a serving bowl. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve it hot with naan or simply serve it as a starter.

Besan ki Puri

Besan ki puri:

Crisp puris with a filling of roasted chickpeas flour with spices and fenugreek leaves which lives an appetizing flavor. A perfect tea time snack.

This recipe makes 12 puris.

Ingredients:

500 gms whole wheat flour.
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp salt.
Water to make the dough.


For the masala:

200 gms chick pea flour (Besan).
2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves.
2 tsp coriander seeds lightly crushed
1 tsp red chilli powder.
3 tbsp oil.
1 chopped green chilli or as per taste.
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp water.
1 ½ tsp salt or as per taste.
Oil for frying.

Procedure:


Mix whole wheat flour, salt, oil and knead the dough using water as necessary.Dough must be a little tough as for the puris. Let it sit for 15 mins before rolling.
For the masala, heat a pan and add the oil. When the oil is ready, add the chopped green chilies, coriander seeds and fenugreeks leaves. After 30 secs add the chick pea flour and heat it for 5-10 mins or till it turns to light brown and the raw smell goes away. Keep the gas on medium. Add other spices and heat for another 1 mins. Add 2 tsp water and keep stirring. It will become a little crumbly as shown in picture.

Take the pan off the gas and let the mixture cool before using. The mixture must be moist not very dry or very wet.. This is very important; otherwise it will be a little problem in rolling the puris with filling inside.
Now knead the dough well again and make 12 balls. Using some dry flour roll it into a roti about 3cm in radius. Using a spoon place 1 tbsp of masala in the middle.

Join the edges and close it forming a ball.

 Roll it again about 6 cm in radius.

Keep a heated tava ready. Heat the roti on tava, when one side is done turn it over and heat on the other side. Brush oil in the top side and turn it over again. Brush oil on the other side as well. Apply pressure with a big spoon while heating while heating. It will help it to become crisp. Do the same with all the balls. Place the puris on a paper towel separately and let it cool completely before storing.

It is an excellent snack with tea. It is also nice with yoghurt. It can be stored in air tight container for at least 7 days.

Samosa

Samosa:

Pyramid-shaped pastry stuffed with potatoes, peas and onion. With added cashews ,raisins and spices it gives a very spicy and rich taste.

This recipe makes 8 samosas.

Ingredients:

Dough:

1/2 cup AP flour.
1/2 tablespoon semolina flour.
1/4 teaspoon salt.
1 tablespoons oil.
1/2 tsp black onion seeds.
1/2 tsp ajwain seeds.


Filling:

3 large boiled potatoes peeled and mashed finely.
1 large onion chopped finely
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon mango powder.
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup green peas.
1 tsp grated ginger.
½ cup chopped cashews and raisins.

For the dough mix the AP flour, semolina, ajwain seeds, black onion seeds, salt and oil together to make dough. Knead the dough for about 1 to 2 minutes to make the dough smooth. Set the dough aside let it sit dough sit for at least 15 minutes before using it for the samosa


For making the potato filling, heat the oil in a frying pan on medium high heat. Add cumin seeds, as it cracks, add green chilies, grated ginger, chopped onions and stir for few seconds. Next add green peas, cashews and raisins and stir. Add the mashed potatoes and stir-fry for about 4 minutes. Stir in all the spices and heat for 5 minutes. Take the pan off the gas. Let the potato masala cool down.

Now to make the samosa knead the dough for a minute and divide it into 4 equal balls. Roll each of it into 6-inch diameter rotis and cut each roti in half. Now fold the half roti into a cone shape. Pinch the side of this cone so that it is completely sealed. Use some water at the edges to help in sealing. Fill the cone with 3 tablespoons of filling. Press this filling down with your fingers. Now close the top of this cone into a triangle shape, pinching the top edge so that it is completely sealed.

Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Fry the samosas in the frying pan. until the samosas turn a light golden-brown color on all sides. Turn them when one side is done so that it is fried evenly on all sides. If the oil is too hot bubbles will form on the shell of the samosa. Turn your gas low if that happens. Put samosas 2-3 at a time so that the pan is not crowded or it depends on the size of the pan.

Once fried put the samosa on a paper towel so that excess oil is soaked out.

Samosas are an excellent snack and perfect with tea. Serve it hot with tamarind chutney or ketchup.

Eggless Layered Vanilla Cake

Eggless Layered Vanilla Cake:

Four layered vanilla flavored cake with cream icing decorated with glazed cherries, grated milk chocolate. Mouth watering! Isn’t it?

This recipe serves 12-15 people.

Ingredients:

For one sheet of cake:

1 cup AP Flour.
¾ cup condensed milk.
¾ cup butter.
½ cup milk
½ cup soft drink (Pepsi or Cola).
1 tsp baking soda.
½ tsp baking powder.
1 tsp vanilla essence.

In this cake we are using two sheets of cake. So, we need just twice the above ingredients.


300 ml fresh double cream.
100 gm glazed cherries.
100 gm milk chocolate bar.
1 cup icing sugar.
1 tbsp sugar and ¼ cup water.

Procedure:


Take a deep bowl or container and pour melted butter in it. Add condensed milk to it and stir it nicely with a wooden spoon or a hand mixer. Then add milk and mix for another 2 minutes. Add AP flour and stir for another 5 minutes till it is mixed properly. Add vanilla essence and soft drink and mix well. Then add baking powder and baking soda and give it a good stir for a minute so that everything is uniformly mixed.

Keep a cake baking sheet (11.7”x 7.5”x 0.8”) greased with butter and dusted with flour ready before starting to make the cake batter. Pour the cake batter into it. Insert the cake pan into an oven preheated at 200 degree C for 15 mins. Bake the cake at 180 degree C for 20-25 mins.

Using a skewer or knife check if the cake is done. Prick the skewer into the cake, if it comes out clear then the cake sheet is ready.

Take the cake sheet out of the oven and let it cool for 10 mins. Take the cake out on a plate by turning the container upside down. Cut this sheet into two equal halves.

Bake another cake sheet in the same way and cut it into two halves.

Add the icing sugar into the fresh cream and whip it in a mixer. Transfer it into a bowl and refrigerate it for 20 mins. Mean while let the cake sheets cool down completely before icing.

Grate the glazed cherries finely. Keep 5-6 cherries aside and cut them into two halves.
Grate the milk chocolate finely.
Add 1 tbsp of sugar in ¼ cup of water to make sugar syrup.

When the cake sheets are completely cooled, place one half of cake sheet on a plate upside down. Sprinkle the sugar syrup generously over the cake but do not over do it. Sugar syrup helps in keeping the cake moist. Now spread the whipped cream over it into a smooth layer. Use a knife to spread it. Now spread the grated cherries over the cream layer. Repeat this process for the next two layers of cake. Place the final sheet of cake and spread the whipped cream icing over it. Spread the cream on the side of the cake and use a knife to smooth out any irregularities and give a fine finish. Now, decorate the sides of the cake with the grated milk chocolate. Use the glazed cherries cut in halves to decorate the top. Refrigerate the cake for half an hour.
Slice and serve.

Have a bite... Hmm...

Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer:
Cottage cheese cubes in spinach and tomato gravy spiced with Indian spices and a generous scoop of whipped cream

.

This recipe serves 2-3 people.

Ingredients:

100 gm fresh baby spinach leaves.
100 gm cottage cheese (paneer) cut into small cubes.
½ onion chopped finely
2 tomatoes.
½ cup whipped cream.
1 green chilli deseeded and chopped finely
½ tsp grated ginger.
1 tbsp of oil.
½ tsp turmeric powder.
2 heap tsp coriander powder.
½ tsp red chilli powder.
½ tsp garam masala.
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp salt or to taste.
1 tsp sugar.
1 cup water


Procedure:

Microwave the spinach and tomatoes with 1 cup of water for 5 minutes. Blend the spinach and tomatoes into a fine puree. Heat a pan and add 1 tbsp of oil. When heated add the cumin seeds, if they crack right away the oil is ready. Add the chopped chilies and grated ginger. Then add the finely chopped onion and sauté the onion till they are translucent. Add all the spices and heat for another 2 minutes. Then add the tomato and spinach gravy. Heat for another 5 minutes. Added the whipped cream and sugar and give a good stir. Now add the cottage cheese cubes and heat for 2-3 minutes.

Serve hot with paratha, naan or rice.

Eggless Pineapple Chunk Cake

Eggless Pineapple Chunk Cake:


Deliciously moist pineapple flavored cake with pineapple chunks in every bite. What could be nicer?

This recipe serves 8 people.

Ingredients:
1 cup AP Flour.
3/4 cup butter.
¾ cup condensed milk.
5 rings of canned pineapple cut into chunks.
½ cup of pineapple juice (from the pineapple can).
½ tsp baking powder.
1 tsp baking soda.
1 tsp pineapple essence.

Procedure:

Take a deep bowl or container and pour melted butter in it. Add condensed milk to it and stir it nicely with a wooden spoon or a hand mixer. Add AP flour, pineapple juice, pineapple essence, baking powder, baking soda and stir for another 5 minutes till it is mixed properly. Add the pineapple chunks and fold it in the mixture.
Keep a cake container (8”x 8”x 2.5”) greased with butter and dusted with flour ready before starting to make the cake batter. Pour the cake batter into it. Insert the cake pan into an oven preheated at 200 degree C for 15 mins. Bake the cake at 180 degree C for 40-45 mins.
Using a skewer or knife check if the cake is done. Prick the skewer into the cake, if it comes out clear then the cake is ready.
Take the container out of the oven and let it cool for 10 mins. Take the cake out on a plate by turning the container upside down.
Pineapple chunk cake is very moist and it tastes best when served cold. When the cake cools down refrigerate it for 2 hours.

Slice and serve.