Vegetable noodles in coconut sauce

Thai style noodles in creamy coconut sauce and colorful vegetables is a delectable dish which everyone will enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 packet dry noodles

2 tsp oil

1 lemon grass stalk finely chopped

2 tbsp Thai red curry paste

1 onion thickly sliced

1 cup mushrooms thickly sliced

1 cup broccoli florets 

1 cup carrot sliced

2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 14 oz can coconut milk

1 tbsp Thai fish sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

Method:

Heat oil in a large pan or wok. add lemon grass and red curry paste. stir fry for few seconds.

Add onions and cook till they are soft. Now add carrots, mushrooms and broccoli and saute on a low heat for 3 to 4 mins. 

Once the vegetables are half done add coconut milk, and broth and bring to a boil, then add noodles and on low heat simmer for 18 to 20 mins.

stir the fish sauce, soy sauce and mix well. serve hot.

Enjoy!

Dinkache ladoo / Gond ladoo

This is My Mother-in-laws recipe, she is wonderful woman and has excellent cooking skills, everything she prepares is a finger lickin good, I always get to learn so many different recipes from her and this is the best gond ladoo recipe. Everyone in my family loves these ladoos, they are healthy, and delicious. They are specially made during winter and it is also said that these ladoos are good for New Mommies for fast recovery and extra energy they need to take care of the new born.

Ingredients:
1 cup dinka /gond (available in any Indian store)
1 cup Wheat flour (dry roasted)
1 cup cashew nuts powder
1 cup almond powder
1/2 cup pistachio powder
1/2 cup raisins 

Dry dates powder

1 cup dry dates (Kharik) powder
1 cup powder coconut (dry roasted till color turn golden brown)
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup melted ghee
1 tsp cardamom powder
1 tsp nutmeg powder

Method:

puffed and powder dinka/gond.

In a Microwave safe plate place some dinka/ gond and microwave on high for 30 sec,  gond will puff up like popcorn's. repeat the process with the reaming gond. once the gond is puffed up grind it to a fine powder.


Now heat ghee in a kadhai add gond and mix well (ghee should be very hot) saute for about a min then add roasted wheat flour and saute till it turn golden brown. now add roasted coconut powder, dry fruits powder, raisins and mix well.

Then add brown sugar and keep string for few seconds till the mixture is well combined. remove from heat and let it cool down a little. then add cardamom and nutmeg powder and mix well.

Once the mixture is warm Divide it in in small lemon size parts and roll them between your palms to make ladoos.

Store them in a container and enjoy for weeks.

Mushroom Risotto

Risotto is a very popular Italian rice dish made with rice. I am using Arborio which is medium grain rice with pearl like appearance. It has high starch content which allows it to absorb water while keeping a creamy texture idle for Risotto.

Ingredients:

1 cup Arborio rice

1 small onion finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

4 cups of chicken broth or vegetable broth.

1 cup of diced mushrooms 

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

In a sauce pan bring broth to a boil.

In other pan heat oil and saute onions till tender and translucent.Then add mushrooms and saute for a min. Now add rice and stir until coated evenly. 

Then add heated broth 1 cup at a time and stir. let the rice absorb the broth then again add broth and stir. continue this process till the rice absorbs all the broth. Once the rice is cooked properly add butter, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and mix well. garnish with some Parmesan cheese and serve hot.

Enjoy!

Valentine cake

This yummy cake was valentines day gift for my husband. It is very simple to make and delicious recipe to impress your loved ones. 

Ingredients:

1 heart shape sponge cake. (follow the recipe of Vanilla sponge cake )  

1 pack (8 oz/ 230 grams) cream cheese at room temperature.
1/2 stick butter at room temperature
1/2 cup powder sugar
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
Marzipan and food color for decoration.

Method:
In a large bowl mix together cream cheese, sugar and butter and beat this mixture till light and fluffy.

mix marzipan with red food color and kneed the dough till the color is mixed properly. now roll it on a plastic sheet and cut out the heart shapes using a Cookie cutter and keep aside.

Cut the cake in two half's as shown in pic. and spread 1/3 of the cream cheese batter on 1 sheet of cake, arrange the strawberry slices and cover with the second sheet of cake. 

Now cover the cake with reaming cream cheese mixture and decorate with marzipan heart shapes. refrigerate and enjoy for 2 days.

Enjoy!

Vanilla sponge cake

This is a simple sponge cake recipe which you can use to make delicious desserts. Ingredients are as follows

6 eggs

1 sticks/ 1/2  cup melted butter

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup powder sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup all purpose flour

2 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

Preheat oven at 375 degree F. 

Whisk together all purpose flour, salt and baking powder and set aside.

egg whites and sugar mixture

separate egg whites and yolks in two different bowls. beat egg whites and 1/2 cup sugar till light and fluffy and keep aside

Now beat egg yolk and reaming 1/2 cup  sugar till smooth, then add flour mixture, vanilla essence, melted butter and mix well. 

Once the batter is smooth add the beaten egg whites mixture and slowly mix the batter. do not over mix the batter or the cake will not turn fluffy.

pour the batter in a greased baking pan and bake for 25 to 30 min. check if cake is done by inserting a knife in the center of the cake, if it comes out clean then the cake is done. Once the cake is done let it cool down for few min on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

Fresh Guava chutney

We had a guava tree in our backyard and my grandma use to make so many different things with guava like sweets, pickles, chutney, jelly and many more. when i saw guava in grocery store it reminded me of all those yummy treats and I couldn't stop myself. so picked few guavas and tried this spicy and tangy chutney which my grandma prepares

Ingredients:

1/2 kg Guava

6-8 dry red chilies

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 cup jaggery/ brown sugar

3 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Method:

Remove seeds and cut guava in 1/2 inch cubes .

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard and cumin seeds once they splutter add chilies, cinnamon stick and fenugeek seeds.

then add turmeric powder, chili powder and guava pieces,  saute for few mins, now add jaggery, salt and saute till guava is fully cooked. (do not cover with lid while cooking)

Let it cool completely, then remove cinnamon stick and grind the guava mixture to a fine paste.

store in a dry jar and refrigerate.This spicy and tangy chutney can be enjoyed for 7 to 8 days.

French green lentils rice

 

This mild and flavorful rice is made with  French green lentils also known as puy lentils which have very rich and earthy flavor, High level of protein, cooks very easily, and tastes really good.

Ingredients

1/2 cup French green lentils                                                     

1 cup Rice ( washed and soaked for few min)

1 onion finely chopped

2-3 minced garlic pods

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp turmeric powder

pinch of asafoetida (hing)

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

3 cups of hot water

coriander for garnishing

salt to taste 

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and asafoetida. then add minced garlic and onions and saute for few min. 

once the onions are cooked add turmeric powder, french green lentils and saute for another min.

Then add chili powder, garam masala and rice. saute till rice is coated with all the spices. Now add salt and hot water, mix well  cover and cook till rice and lentils are soft ( add little more water if required) 

Once the rice and lentils are cooked properly add lemon juice garnish with fresh chopped coriander and seve hot.

Enjoy!

French green lentils