Vermicelli Pulao / Semiya Pulao

Vermicelli Pulao

Preparation time- 10 minutes
Cooking time- 15 minutes
Serves- 3


INGREDIENTS

• Roasted vermicelli / semiya- 1.5 cup
• 1 medium sized onion- finely chopped
• 7-8 curry leaves
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• cumin- 1/2 tsp
• 1 carrot- grated
• 2 medium sized boiled potato- cut it into small cubes
• Green chilli-1, finely chopped
• a pinch of asafoetida / hing
• Oil- 2tbsp
• Water- 1 cup
• Salt as per taste

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a nonstick kadhai.
2. Add mustard and let them pop in oil. Add cumin and fry them until they get browned.
3. Add onion and saute till they become translucent. Now add curry leaves, green chilli and saute it.
4. Add asafoetida and stir for few minutes.
5. Add potato, carrot and mix it well. Cook for 5 minutes.
6. Now add roasted vermicelli and mix well.
7. Add water, salt and let the mixture come to a boil. Lower the flame and cook the vermicelli till they become soft and all the water is absorbed. Keep on stirring in between.
8. Garnish with some coriander leaves and serve.

Kadhai Paneer

Kadhai Paneer

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:-

• Paneer- 250 gms
• 2 medium capsicum- finely chopped
• 3 medium tomatoes- finely chopped
• 2 medium onions- finely chopped
• Coriander seeds- 2tbsp
• Dry red chilli- 2
• Green cardamom- 1
• Ginger-garlic paste- 1tbsp
• Red chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
• Tomato puree- 2 tbsp
• Oil- 3tbsp
• Fresh Cream- 2 tbsp
• Water- 1/3 cup
• Salt to taste

METHOD:-

1. Dry roast coriander seeds, red chilli and green cardamom over low flame for 1 minute. Take it in a grinder and grind it until smooth powder. Keep it aside.
2. Take a nonstick kadhai. Heat oil over medium flame. Add chopped onion and saute until it turns translucent.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder and saute foe 2-3 minutes.
4. Now add chopped tomatoes and mix well. Cook for around 4-5 minutes till oil starts to separate. Add crushed powder (prepared in step-1). Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add tomato puree and cook.
6. Now add capsicum and salt and cook for 5 minutes. Add water and cook for another 3 minutes
7. Add paneer cubes.Mix and cook for 3-4 minutes. Now add fresh cream.
8. Mix well. Transfer it in a serving bowl and serve hot.

Wheat Flour / Atta Chakli

Wheat flour Chakli

Preparation time:- 30 minutes
Cooking time- 2 to 3 minutes
Yields- 15 to 20 small chakli

INGREDIENTS:-

1. Wheat flour / Atta- 1 cup
2. Cumin seed- 1 tsp
3. Red chilli powder- 1 tbsp
4. Salt as per taste
5. Hing / Asafoetida- 1/2 tsp
6. Oil- 1 tbsp + for deep frying
7. Water- 1/2 cup (adjust as per need)

HOW TO PROCEED:-

• Take a colander and line it with a clean cloth. Put wheat flour into it. Tie it up and place it over a pot with water and cover it. Steam this for around 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, remove it from heat and open it. Flour should be dry and should have small lumps. Allow it to cool. Now break the lumps and sieve it.
• Take a bowl. Add the sifted flour. Add salt, cumin seed, chilli powder, hing and mix well.
• Add in water and mix to form a dough. Now heat 1 tbsp of oil and pour the hot oil over the flour mixture. Mix well to form into a soft dough.
• Now add a portion of dough in a chakli press and press it to form Chaklis.
• Heat oil for frying. Drop in oil and fry .
• Drain in a tissue paper and allow it to cool, as it cools it will turn crispy.
• Serve

Besan ka laddu

Besan ka laddu

Preparation time:- 10 minutes + 15 minutes for shaping laddus
Cooking time:- 15 minutes
Cooling time:- 20 minutes
Yield: 25 to 27 laddus


INGREDIENTS-

• Besan / Gram flour- 1 and 1/2 cup
• Sooji / Rawa- 3 tbsp
• Powdered sugar- 3/4 cup
• Melted ghee- 1/2 cup
• Chopped Dry Fruits- 1/2 cup
• Cardamom powder- 1 tsp

METHOD-

1. Take a heavy bottom kadhai. Add besan, ghee, sooji and mix well.
2. Put it on a medium heat and start roasting for 15 minutes till they turn golden and smell toasted.
3. Remove it in a bowl and leave to cool down.
4. After cooling, add sugar, cardamom powder, dry fruits and mix it well.
5. Shape them into balls and keep them aside.
6. Serve

Microwave Eggless Chocolate Cookies- in just 1 minute

Microwave Cookie

I love baking in microwave, because its so easy to make and takes less time. I have tried baking cakes in microwave, so this time I decided to try out cookies in microwave. I made eggless chocolate cookies. Please try this and let me know how it turns out for you....

INGREDIENTS:

• Maida / All purpose flour- 4 tbsp
• Castor sugar- 3 tbsp
• Cocoa powder- 2 tbsp
• Milk- 3 tbsp
• Oil- 1 tbsp

METHOD: 

1. In a mixing bowl take all the ingredients and mix well to form a dough.
2. Divide this into small portions.
3. Take a microwave safe bowl or cup. Grease it lightly with some oil.
4. Place one small portion of dough in a bowl/cup and press it lightly and flatten it.Place almond over it and press lightly.
5. Now microwave them for a minute. Remove it, let it cool for a minute and invert it on a plate.

Microwave Eggless Black Forest Cake

Some of my friends asked me to post microwave cake recipe. The first thing came into my mind is to make a Black Forest cake in microwave, because it is one of the cake which take lots of time. So I wanted to make a quick version of it.
     The result was amazing. the cake turned out juicy and moist. It tasted so yummmmyyy...
So try this out and let me know how it turns out...

Black Forest Cake

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Baking time: 5 minutes
Setting time: 2 hours
Serving: 5 to 6 slices

INGREDIENTS:-

• Maida/All purpose flour- 3/4 cup
• Castor sugar- 1/2 cup
• Milk- 1/2 cup
• Baking powder- 1/4 tsp
• Baking soda- 1/4 tsp
• Cocoa powder- 2 tbsp
• Oil- 2 tbsp
• Vanilla essence-1 tsp
• Lemon juice/vinegar- 1.5 tsp
• Whipping cream- 1/2 cup

INGREDIENTS FOR SYRUP:-

• Sugar- 2 tbsp
• Water 1/2 cup
• Vanilla essence-1/2 tsp

INGREDIENTS FOR DECORATING:-

• Cherries- 1/2 cup
• Dark chocolate bar for curls and grates

METHOD:-

1. Take maida, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder together in a sifter and sieve it twice so that everything is mixed well. Keep it aside.
2. Take sugar, milk, oil and vanilla essence together in a bowl and mix it well till sugar is dissolved completely.
3. Now add in flour mixture in parts and mix well. Add vinegar and blend it well.
4. Take a microwave safe bowl. Grease it well with oil.
5. Pour half of the batter in the bowl and place it inside microwave for 2 and a half minutes. Once it is baked, remove it from oven and let it cool for 2 minutes. Invert it on a plate.
6. Now bake another cake using the remaining cake batter like the same way. Let both the cakes cool completely.
7. Now make whipped cream. Take whipping cream in a bowl. Beat it till thick and stiff.
8. Make sugar syrup- take sugar, water, vanilla essence in a bowl and mix well till sugar is dissolved.
9. Now take chocolate bar and use a peeler to make curls and grate it to make chocolate grates.
10. Now take the cooled cake. Slit it in half. Brush the half cake with sugar syrup generously.
11. Spread whipped cream over the cake. Top with some crushed cherries. Place another part of the cake on top, brush with sugar syrup again, then spread whipped cream and top with some cherries. Repeat the same with another 2 parts of the cake.Total four layers.
12. Now spread whipped cream all over the cake. Top with chocolate grates and spread on the sides of the cake. Top with crushed cherries.
13. Now chill this whole cake for 2 to 3 hours. Slice and serve.

NOTES:

• Bake the cake in normal micro mode. This cake cannot be done in convection mode.
• Bake it accordingly. If you overbake it, then it will turn hard.

Butter Croissant

Butter Croissant

Ingredients for dough:

• 3 and 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup cold milk + 2 tbsp milk
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 tbsp active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 250 gm butter- frozen
• Egg-1

Method: 

1. Take a large bowl. Pour milk and boiling water. Stir in the yeast and sugar. Leave for 10 minutes until frothy.
2. Add flour, salt and mix with hand into a shaggy ball.
3. Take out the contents on clean work surface and knead the flour. Place the dough into an oiled bowl and leave in the fridge to rest for 1 hour.
4. After 30 minutes take the frozen butter and grate onto a piece of cling film ( plastic wrap).
5. Disperse the butter and flatten into a rectangle shape. Fold up in the cling film and pat together well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
6. Take out the flour after 1 hour and place it on a lightly floured work surface and roll into a thick rectangle.
7. Unwrap the chilled butter block, place into the center of the dough. Fold the dough like a business letter. Seal the edges by pinching the dough together.
8. Rotate the dough, use the rolling pin to make regular indentation in the dough. Roll into a thick rectangle.
9. Fold like a business letter. Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. ( Step 8+9= 1 turn)
10. Remove the dough from fridge, unwrap and complete 1 turn ( i.e. repeat 8+9). Rewrap in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
11. Repeat step 10- 2 more times. Total 4 turns we have to do.
12. Cut the dough into quarters. Wrap the quarters tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8- 12 hours/ overnight.

Shaping the dough: 

• Remove one piece of dough from the fridge, unwrap it. Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a thick rectangle.
• Cut into 3 smaller rectangles. Cut each rectangle forming 6 triangles.
• Take one triangle of dough. ( put others in fridge) Pull on the corners of the shortest edge. Then gently stretch the dough a little. Cut a small slit in the base of the triangle, stretch it then roll the dough up. Place it on lined cookie sheet. Repeat the same with rest of the triangles. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 2 -3 hours.

Bake: 

Preheat the oven to 220 degree Celsius. Beat egg add 2 tbsp milk. Mix it well. Brush the croissant with beaten egg mixture and put into the oven and lower the temperature to 200 degree Celsius and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180 degree celsius and bake for 15 minutes until well browned and puffy. Let it cool on a wire rack. 

Vegetable macaroni in white sauce

Vegetable macaroni in white sauce

Preparation time- 15 minutes

Cooking time- 25 to 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS: 

• Macaroni- 200 gm
• 2 onions- finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes- finely chopped
• 4-5 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 capsicum finely chopped
• Oil- 1 tbsp

INGREDIENTS FOR WHITE SAUCE:

• All purpose flour- 2tbsp
• Milk- 1 cup
• Butter- 2 tbsp
• Black pepper powder- 1 tbsp
• Salt as per taste

METHOD:

1. Take 5 cups of water and bring it to boil. Add macaroni, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp oil. After the macaroni is cooked remove it from flame, strain and run cold water through it and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Fry garlic. Then add onion saute for 2-3 minutes. Add other vegetables. Stir fry for 5 minutes. Keep aside.
3. Take another pan. Add butter. Then add flour and saute for 5 minutes. Then add milk n stirr continuously so that lumps are not formed. Add salt and black pepper. Mix it well.
4. Add pre cooked macaroni and fried vegetables and cook for 2-3 minutes.
5. Transfer in a serving pot. Sprinkle black pepper and serve hot.

Fried singhara ( Paniphal, Tropanuts, Water Chestnut/ Water caltrop)/ Singhare ki kachri. You would fall in love with this snack called Singhare ki kachri. If you want to try something new for your snacks, this one is the best choice. Learn how to make singhare ki kachri at home.

Singhare ki kachri

Preparation time- 10 minutes
Cooking time- 15 to 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• Singhara/paniphal- 1 kg
• Butter- 2tbsp
• Onion- 1 finely chopped
• Green chilli- 2 finely chopped
• Ginger- 1/2 inch finely chopped
• Tomato- 1 grated
• Red chilli powder- 1 tsp
• Cumin seed- 1/2 tsp
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt as  per taste

METHOD:

1. Wash and clean singhara properly. Peel them. 
2. Pressure cook peeled singhara by adding 1/2 cup water and cumin seed upto 4 whistles.
3. Mash and mix it very well.
4. Heat the kadhai with ghee. Add green chilli, ginger, onion. Fry it for 2-3 minutes. Now add tomato, red chilli powder and fry for about 5 minute.
5. Now add mashed singhara, salt, mix it and constantly stir and fry it very well for 5 to 7 minutes.
6. Add lemon juice. Mix it very well and serve hot.

Vegetable Pasta

Vegetable Pasta

 Preparation time- 15 minutes

Cooking time- 25 to 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS: 

• Fusilli pasta - 200 gm
• 2 onions- finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes- finely chopped
• 4-5 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 2 green chillies finely chopped
• 8-10 beans finely chopped
• 1 capsicum finely chopped
• Oil- 2 tbsp
• Black pepper powder- 1 tbsp
• Salt as per taste

METHOD:

1. Take 5 cups of water and bring it to boil. Add pasta, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp oil. After the pasta is cooked remove it from flame, strain and run cold water through it and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Fry green chilli, farlic. Then add onion sauteed for 2-3 minutes. Add other vegetables. Stir fry for 5 minutes.
3. Add pre cooked pasta and salt and cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Transfer in a serving pot. Sprinkle black pepper and serve hot.

Dal Gujiya (Salted)- Gujiya stuffed with split bengal gram (chana dal)

Dal Gujiya

Preparation time- 15 to 20 minutes

Cooking time- 20 to 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• Split bengal gram (chana dal)- 1/2 cup, soaked  overnight
• Wheat flour- 1 and 1/2 cup
• Garlic cloves- 4 to 5
• Red chilli powder- 1 tsp
• Green chilli-2
• Oil- 2 tbsp
• Asafoetida a pinch
• Salt as per taste
• Black mustard seed-1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves- 5-8

METHOD:

1. Knead wheat flour with water into a stiff dough.
2. Grind chana dal, garlic cloves, green chilli together in a grinder. Make thick paste.
3. Add salt, red chilli powder, asafoetida and mix well in a bowl.
4. Divide dough into equal portions and roll into balls. Roll the ball into small puris.
5. Place a portion of the dal mixture on one side of each puri and fold the other side over to make the gujiyas.
6. Heat sufficient water in a kadhai. Add the gujiyas and boil them .
7. Strain the water and cut the gujiyas into small pieces.
8. Take a nonstick pan, add oil. Put mustard seeds curry leaves and place the gujiya  pieces in kadhai and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
9. Transfer on to a serving plate. Serve hot with ketchup.

Tawa Paneer Masala

Tawa  Paneer Masala

Preparation time-10 min
Cooking time- 20 min
Serving- 3

INGREDIENTS:

• Paneer-250 gms, make 1/2 inch cube
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• Puree of 2 medium tomatoes
• 2 green chillies- chopped
• 1/2 tsp ajwain
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp amchur powder 
• Oil-2tbsp
• Salt as per taste
• Few coriander leaves chopped

METHOD:

1. Take a nonstick tawa. Add oil and heat it. Add ajwain and fry them till brown.
2. Add onion. Saute it for few minutes till translucent.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and saute it for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Now add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala, amchur powder. Stir and saute it for 1 minute.
5. Add tomato puree and salt. Mix well. If required add some water.
6. Stir well. Saute it till oil start releasing from sides and masala has thickened little bit.
7. Now add Paneer cubes and mix it well so that masala coats the paneer cubes well.
8. Cook it for 2 to 3 minutes. 
9. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.