Dal Tadka

Last year when we visited Delhi I fell in love with Punjabi cuisine. I must say Punjabi food is simply the best! Yes they do use a lot of desi ghee (clarified butter) in all their food which makes it so rich and mouth watering. The most commonly curry I had there was “dal tadka’. Gosh! They are so delicious. Once i reached back home i always kept craving for them every now and then, and here’s a recipe that’s almost close to the one I had.

Ingredients:

Red lentils/Masoor dal – 1 cup

Onion – 1 chopped

Tomato – 2 medium, chopped

Garlic – 3 chopped

Water – 3 cups

Turmeric – ¼ tsp

Ghee – 1 tbsp

For tempering:

Ghee – 3 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Dry red chillies – 2 to 3

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Ginger – 1 inch, chopped

Hing – a pinch

Salt – to taste

Coriander leaves – for garnishing

Method:
Wash the lentils well in cold water until the water runs clear.

Heat ghee in a saucepan and add onions and garlic along with salt and turmeric. Sauté until the onions are transparent.

Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté for another 2 minutes

Add the lentils along with 3 cups of water. You can adjust the amount of water once the lentils are cooked according to your preference.

Stir and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, close with a lid and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until cooked. Once the lentils are cooked, give them a stir and adjust the amount of water as per your liking.

In another pan, heat the remaining ghee. Add mustard seeds and when they start popping, add the cumin, ginger, red chillies, hing and curry leaves.

Add it to the dal. Give it a quick stir and serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.

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Navaratna Kurma

The term navaratna means ‘nine jewels’. When the name comes to a dish, it’s obvious that it’s a dish made of nine different veggies and fruits.  Well here, I haven’t used all 9 jewels but added a few items that me and my hubby love.

But im sure you can add veggies as per your likeness. The actual fruit that you add in this recipe for the sweetness is pineapple but here as an innovation; I have used mango puree instead!

Ingredients:

Mixed veggies - 2 cups (i used cauliflower, corn, carrot, peas and potato)

Mango puree – 3 to 4 tbsp (make sure your puree is sweet enough. If you like biting your mango in the curry you can even add in chopped mango)

Paneer cubes - 5 to 6 (optional)

Cashew nuts - 10 (ground to a paste)

Onion - 1 large, chopped

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Chilly - 3

Tomato paste - from 2 medium tomatoes

Tomato ketchup - 1 tsp

Milk - 1 cup

Water - 1/2 cup

Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder - 2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Method:

Boil or pressure cook the veggies until they are cooked. Keep aside.

Crush the green chillies with the ginger garlic.

Heat a pan, add ghee then onions. when they turn translucent, add the ginger, garlic n chilly paste. Fry until the raw smell goes away.

Add all the masala powders and fry for a minute. Add the tomato paste and ketchup. Cook until the raw smell of the tomato goes away.

Add milk & water and stir. Next add in the veggies & salt to taste and let them cook on sim for a while until the veggies are coated in the gravy.

Add in the cashew paste and mix well. Next add in the paneer cubes just before your are going to take them off. Then add the mango puree. Serve hot with rotis or parathas!

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Sooji Halwa

Sooji/semolina halwa is my all time favorite sweets. Even though the method to make them is the same both in the north and south of India, I kind of like the south Indian halwa, better known as rawa kesari better. I really don’t know what makes it so different from the way the north Indians makes it. Each time I visit A2B kesari is always on my menu list!

Ingredients:

Sooji/semolina/rawa – 1 cup

Sugar – ¾ cup

Water – 3 cups

Ghee – 3 tbsp

Food color – a pinch (optional)

Method:

In a saucepan add the sugar and water. Heat the mixture until sugar is dissolved and is just boiled. Keep aside.

Heat up a pan and add the ghee. Add the semolina and roast till it releases a nice aroma and is turned brown. Make sure you stir them often to even colour.

Once roasted add the sugar mixture. Stir continuously to prevent lumps. At this stage, check for sweetness. If you want it sweeter add sugar at this stage. Net add the food coloring (if adding).

Cook until the rawa is cooked and all the water is evaporated. You can spread the mixture while its still hot in a plate and later cut them in shapes when cooled.

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Pancakes

Hot pancakes served + ice cream and fruits = Heaven!! Yes a lil bit of hard is involved here but trust me, it’s worth the pain. Here’s an awesome Sunday breakfast recipe for your family to enjoy.

Ingredients:

Flour/maida – 1 ½ cups
Salt - ¾ tsp

Baking powder - 2 tsp
Sugar - 2 tbsp.
Eggs - 2
Milk - 1 ¼ cups
Vanilla essence – ½ tsp
Melted butter or veg oil - 3 tbsp.

Method:

In a bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Separate the egg yolks and set them aside in another bowl.

Whip the egg whites in a third bowl until fluffy and peaks form, then set aside.

Add milk and vanilla essence to the yolks and beat together until they bubble. Mix in the oil/butter then add in all the dry ingredients and whisk together carefully until they are well combined.

Fold in the egg whites in 2 additions. Let the batter rest for 15-20mins.

Heat pan and pour the batter (I used a mini pan so that when i pour the batter the take up a round shape on their own). When bubbles start forming on the top side of the pancake, gently turn it.

Serve hot topped with ice cream, fruits and a drizzle of maple syrup!

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Egg and Mayo Sandwich

Have you guys tried the egg and mayo sandwich at subway? If you like it, here’s my way of trying to copy it. It’s simple and yummy!

Ingredients:

Bread – 6 slices

Egg – 3 (hard boiled)

Mayo – 4 to 5 tbsp

Salt & pepper – to taste

Method:

In a bowl mash the eggs with the back of a fork.

Add the mayo, salt and pepper. 

Spread the mixture on the bread and toast them until golden and crispy.

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Prawn Masala

You know you are a typical south Indian when you can’t resist sea food and you cook with coconut oil. Anything with prawns, yes I can eat it. I have tried out the different ways you can cook prawns. Here’s one among them.

Ingredients:

Prawns – 500 gms

Onion – 1 chopped finely

Tomato – 3 (grinded to a fine paste)

Ginger garlic paste – 1 ½ tsp

Water – ¾ cup

Dry methi leaves – 2 tsp

Yoghurt – ¼ cup

Turmeric powder – a pinch

Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

Salt – to taste

To roast and grind:

Fennel seeds – 1 tsp

Cumin seeds – ¾ tsp

Rice grains – 1 tbsp

Coriander seeds – 1 ½ tbsp

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Chili powder – 1 tsp

Oil – 1 tsp

Method:

Wash prawns and marinate it with salt, turmeric and chili powder. Cover and refrigerate for 30mins.

Now for the roasting and grinding part; in a pan add the oil and all the other ingredients under ‘to roast and grind’ except chili powder. Roast them until they release a nice aroma. Turn off the heat and add the chili powder. Allow the mixture to cool down and grind them finely.

In the same pan, add 3 tbsp oil. Add mustard seeds. Once they start popping, add onion and curry leaves. Fry until onion turns translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes off. 

Add tomato puree and cook till oil separates from the gravy. Now add the prawns, ground masala powder, salt, turmeric and water. Adjust salt and spiciness according to your taste. Add crushed methi and yogurt. Once the gravy starts boiling, cover the pan and simmer until prawns are done.

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Sweet Buns

Last week I was feeling sick and didn't feel like eating anything heavy for my dinner. So decided to eat something light like bread or bun and go to sleep. But when it was too late by the time I took my decision. It was like half past 10 and all the shops were closed L! Damn!! The next morning I decided to bake a few for myself so that I could eat it any time I wanted.

Ingredients:

Flour/maida – 480 gms

Caster sugar – 4 tbsp (add more if you like it sweeter)

Milk powder – 3 tbsp

Dry yeast – 2 tsp

Butter – 40 gms

Egg – 1 (lightly beaten)

Salt – ½ tsp

Water – 150 ml (lukewarm)

Egg yolk – for glazing

Choc chips – for decorating (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C.

Sift flour, milk powder and salt. Add sugar and yeast. Mix well until they are combined. Make a well in the centre and add egg & butter. Again mix well.

Now gradually add water to form soft dough. Add more lukewarm water if required. Knead for 20mins until soft and elastic.

Place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover with cling wrap and allow it to double in volume.

Once risen punch the dough down and knead it again for another 10mins.

Beat egg yolk in a bowl and keep separate.

Roll and shape the buns and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle choc chips (if adding) and bake the buns for 20-30 mins. Glaze the top with egg yolk mixture.

Tips:

• You can dissolve the yeast in some lukewarm water than adding it directly into the flour.
• Make sure you add lukewarm water and not hot water. Hot water kills the yeast and won’t allow the dough to rise.
• Adding a lilttle bit of milk to your egg yolk mixture will give the buns a nice golden color.
• If you have a oven that has separate temperature settings for top and bottom rack, first turn on the bottom heat on and halfway turn on the top heat as well. This makes even cooking.
• You can even add some tutty fruity into the flour to make tutty fruity buns!

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Veggie Semolina

Tired of feeding your baby the same old stuff over and over again? Well here’s something new that you must try out. I’m sure your lil one will love it coz mine does!

Ingredients:

Semolina – 1 ½ tbsp

Milk – ½ cup

Mashed veggies – ¼ cup (I used carrots, peas, corn, potatoes)

Salt – to taste

Turmeric powder – a pinch

Chili powder – a pinch

Hing – a pinch

Cumin powder – a pinch

Ghee – 2 tbsp

Method:

Cook the semolina in milk. Add more milk if too thick.

In a pan add ghee. To it add hing, turmeric, chilli and cumin. Add the mashed veggies. Stir and remove from heat.

Add this mixture to the semolina. Add salt to taste.

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Cake Decoration

For all those who want to surprise your valentine with a lovely baked cake, here’s quick version of mine to do it.

I have used my basic chocolate cake recipe as the base. Poured chocolate fondant and buttercream icing for decoration.

For poured chocolate fondant:-

Ingredients:

Powdered sugar – 2 cups

Water – 50ml

Cocoa powder – 3 tbsp

Corn syrup – ½ tbsp

Veg oil – 1 tbsp

Almond extract – ¼ tsp

Notes:

Instead of corn syrup you can use either glucose syrup or sugar syrup. Take 2 tbsp of sugar and melt it using as little water as possible to make it a thick syrup.

Instead of almond extract you can use vanilla essence.

Method:

In a bowl mix powdered sugar and water until it forms a thick paste.

Add corn syrup – mix – add cocoa powder – mix – add oil – mix – lastly add almond – mix

At this stage the fondant will be thick. Microwave this for 1min and 35sec. the fondant will be glossy, dark and of pourable consistency.

Now pour this mixture into a piping bag and pour it onto your cake. Make sure you do this procedure while the fondant is still warm coz the mixture will set once it cools down!

For buttercream icing:-

Ingredients: 

Veg shortening/dalda – ½ cup

Butter – ½ cup

Vanilla essence – 1 tsp

Icing sugar – 4 cups

Milk – 2-3 tbsp

Method:

Cream shortening and butter until creamy.

Add vanilla and beat again.

Now add 1 cup sugar at a time until they are incorporated well. It might seem hard to beat as you keep adding sugar hence make sure you add the next cup only after they have combined well!

Once all the sugar has been used up, slowly add milk 1tbsp at a time and beat well. Add more or less milk according to your desired consistency. If you want your icing to be runny you might want to add upto 5tbsp. but if you want it to be thick then 3tbsp would do fine.

Have fun decorating!!

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Basic chocolate cake

Who can say no to a chocolate cake? Yes….that’s right…no one!!!! Everyone’s loves a piece of moist rich chocolate cake. Well here’s a quick and simple recipe for making the most never fail chocolate cake. The best part is you don’t use any butter!!

Ingredients:

Flaour/maida – 1 ¾ cups

Cocoa powder – ¾ cup (make sure you use a branded one as this plays an important role in your final product)

Baking powder – 1 ½ tsp

Vanilla essence – 2 tsp

Hot black coffee – 1 cup (add 2 tsp of instant coffee powder to 1 cup of boiling water)

Baking soda – 1 ½ tsp

Salt – 1 tsp

Milk – 1 cup

Sugar – 2 cups

Oil – ½ cup

Eggs – 2

Method:

Preheat your oven to 180C. Grease your cake pan.

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt a couple of times until they are well combined.

In a separate bowl, beat together sugar and eggs with a hand mixer. Gradually add in milk, oil and vanilla essence.

Now slowly fold in the flour mixture. Once they are combined add the coffee and mix well.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30-40mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

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