Matar Karanji/ Gujiya

This crispy and tasty gujiya is a very good option for a Tea time snack or as a appetizer.

Ingredients:

For outer cover:

4 cups all purpose flour/ Maida

5 tbsp ghee/butter

1/2 tsp salt

water to kneed the dough

For filling:

3 cups green peas / matar

1 boiled potato mashed

1 onion finely chopped

2 tbsp oil

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp kasuri methi

1 tsp fennel / sauf powder

salt to taste

oil for deep frying

 

Method:

In a large bowl take all purpose flour salt and ghee and mix everything together. now add little water and kneed the dough till it is nice and soft. form a ball and cover it with wet cloth, and keep aside for few min.

For filling:

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard and cumin seeds and once they splutter add onions and saute till they turn light brown. now add all the dry spices and mix well.

Then add green peas and mashed potatoes, lemon juice, salt and sugar and mix well. remove from heat and let the mixture cool down a little.

Now kneed the dough again and divide the mixture in small round. with a rolling pin roll the rounds in small round sheets, place 1 tbsp of mixture in the center of the sheet and fold the the sheet in half moon shape. seal the edges well so the mixture will not come out while deep frying.

Repeat the process to make the reaming gujiyas. deep fry on medium heat till the outer cover turns golden brown in colour. 

serve hot with Tamarin chutney or ketchup.

Enjoy!

Creamy Mushroom Soup

Its really easy to make this delicious, comforting, rich and creamy mushroom soup. It requires very few ingredients, takes less time to prepare and everyone in your family will love this soup.

Ingredients:

1 cup sliced mushrooms.

1 medium onion finely chopped

2/3 cloves of garlic finely chopped

4 cups chicken / vegetable broth

1 cup whole milk 

1 tbsp plain flour (maida)

2 tbsp butter

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Melt butter in a pan. add garlic and onions and saute for 2 mins. Then add mushrooms and saute for another min.

Now add plain flour and saute for few seconds, add broth and bring to a boil, now simmer and cook on very low heat for 10 to 15 min.

Add milk and mix well. season with pepper and salt, and simmer for another 3 to 4 mins on low heat.

Now remove from heat, let it cool a little then blend until smooth. garnish with fresh coriander and serve.

Enjoy!

Carrot cake

This is one of the most irresistible cake, which is moist, and flavorful. This is a great healthy dessert option which everyone in your family will love.

Ingredients:

2 cups grated carrot

3 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup finely chopped pineapple (fresh or canned)

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp nutmeg powder

1 cup brown sugar

Method:

Preheat oven at 350 degree F. grease the baking pan and keep aside.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and Cinnamon. now add grated carrots to the flour mixture and mix well.

In another bowl beat eggs, then add sugar and pineapple and mix well. Now slowly add flour and carrots mixture and mix till everything is combined properly.

Pour batter in the greased pan and bake for 60 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. if it is still sticky bake for another 10 to 15 mins.

Once the cake is done let it cool down for few min on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

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!