Plum and Fig Chutney/ Spread

                                 Plum and fig chutney

Ingredients:

• 10-12 plums
• 10-12 soft dried figs
• 20-25 raisins
• 1tbsp white vinegar
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/4 tsp clove powder
• Black pepper to taste 
• Salt to taste
• Sugar 1/2 cup or to taste

Method:

• Deseed plums and roughly chop them. Soak figs in water for about 30 mins and roughly chop them. 
• In a non stick pan add  plums, figs, raisins, ginger, cinnamon, clove powder and vinegar.
•  Bring it to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook till plums are tender. 
• Add sugar, salt and black pepper and keep stirring till sugar dissolves completely. 
• Boil it for another 5-10 mins uncovered on slow flame, stirring occasionally, until it is thick and pulpy!

Rajasthani Daal Baati

To the most of us, we start thinking of Rajasthani cuisine with Daal Baati. Traditionally, originally Daal Baati was cooked on dried cow dung cakes (in villages its still done that way ! ) giving it a unique and rustic taste. I had a chance to enjoy this taste during my last visit to my village (in- laws), the baatis were 'effortlessly super' and baking of baatis actually key to the success of this dish.

Since living in cities we do not have such privilege to cook in a traditional manner,  thus, I'm sharing a recipe which is easy to cook, with readily available resources while maintaining the taste and quality.

Let's Cook!

Ingredients:

For Daal:

1/4 cup moong chilka/ green gram split

1/4 cup urad chilka/ black gram split

1/4 cup channa dal/ bengal gram

Salt as per taste

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

4 cups water.

For tempering:

2 tbsp ghee/ clarified butter

Pinch asafoetida

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 bay leaf

2-3 cloves

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 onion chopped

1 green chilly chopped

2 tomatoes chopped

1 tsp red chilly powder 

1/2 tsp coriander powder 

1/2 tsp Garam masala

Method:

Pressure cook daal with water salt and turmeric till  3-4 whistles  and keep aside.

In a wok heat ghee/clarified butter add asafoetida, cumin seeds, cloves and bay leaves. When it starts to splutter add green chilly and ginger garlic paste, saute for a minute,  add onions and let it cook till it is light pink. Add tomatoes and cook till soft. Put all dry spices cook for few minutes then add the boiled dal, cover and let it cook for 15 minutes. Daal is ready.

 For Baati

2 bowls wheat flour

1 cup ghee/Clarified butter

Salt 1/2 tsp
1/4tsp baking powder

Water as required

Knead stiff dough using all this ingredients and let it rest for 15 mins

Take lemon size portion and make balls of equal size

Preheat tandoor for 5 -10 mins and keep dough ball in tandoor and cook till done 

Alternatively preheat oven at 180 degree Celsius and cook baatis for 10-15 mins or till done.

With as much as Ghee as you can, Enjoy a Royal Lunch with 'Daal Baati'!

Al Yakhni in Cashew and Saffron Gravy

Al Yakhni is a Kashmiri delicacy. Traditionally Bottle Gourd/ Lauki is cooked in aromatic curd based gravy. With a tweak Here I'm sharing this in  a rich cashew and saffron gravy.

 Let's cook!

 Ingredients:

• 500 gms. Bottle Gourd
• 1 cup beaten curd
• 1/4 bowl cashew paste
• 15-20  strands saffron( soaked in 2 tbsp water)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2-3 tsp fennel powder
• 1 tsp  dry ginger powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 2 Black cardamom 
• 2-3 Cloves
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• 1/2  cup water
• 3 tbsp Oil

Method:

• Peel bottle gourd, cut into  round slices.
  
• Pan fry with little oil, fry till completely cooked from both sides.Keep aside.
  
• In a wok heat oil, add cumin seeds, cloves and black cardamom, cinnamon powder, dry ginger powder, fennel powder to the hot oil.
• Add cashew paste and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add beaten curd, bottle gourd slices, salt, black pepper and saffron soaked in water cook for few minutes.
  
• Now add 1/2 cup water and cook  for 5-7 minutes.
• Garnish with saffron strands.
  

Apple Basundi with Milk powder

Basundi is a milk based dessert popular in Gujarat and Maharashtra.It is made by boiling milk down until half of its original quantity. The basic ingredients are similar to that of Rabri, but there is a difference in consistency and texture.

Basundi needs patience and lots of time in preparation, but here I'm sharing a quick-to-prepare version.

Let's Cook Apple Basundi.

Ingredients:

• 1 litre full cream milk
• 1 bowl Milk powder
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• Few strands of saffron
• Sugar to taste
• 2 medium size apples
• 1/2 bowl of almonds chopped

Method:

• In a heavy bottom pan boil milk, add milk powder stir and mix well. Reduce flame and continue boiling until its half (generally, this takes around 20-25 minutes), do keep stirring in between.
• Add sugar, cardamom powder, saffron strands and almonds stirring continuously. Cook for 5-7 mins and switch off the flame.Now, this is 'Basundi' 
• Let it cool completely.
• Chop apples to small pieces and add to the cooled Basundi. 
• Garnish with chopped almonds and saffron strands and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Serve chilled.

Kiwi and Green apple Chutney/Spread

 Tangy and Juicy Kiwi and Green Apple Chutney/Spread

Ingredients:

• 2 medium size Kiwi
• 1 medium size Green Apple
• 2 green chillies
• 1/2 inch piece ginger
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• Black Salt as per taste
• Few chunks of kiwi (optional)

Method:

• Peel skin of Kiwi and Apple and roughly chop them.
• Add all the ingredients in the chutney attachment or blender and grind to a fine paste.
• Take out in a bowl.
• Add  chunks of kiwi and refrigerate.
• Serve Chilled.

Eggless Caramel latte bread pudding

Velvety soft eggless caramel latte bread pudding.

Ingredients:

• 6-7 bread slices.
• 1 cup milk.
• 5-6 drops of vanilla extract.
• 5-6 tbsp sugar or as per taste.
• 1 tbsp instant coffee.
• 1/2 cup warm water.

For caramel:

• 4-5 tbsp sugar.
• 2 tbsp water.
• 1/4 tsp lemon juice.

Method:

• Take 1/2 cup warm water, add coffee powder and mix well.
• Tear bread slices and add to milk, add sugar,vanilla extract, and coffee mix everything well and keep aside.
• Add sugar and water and 1/4 tsp lemon juice into a pan, bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, keep swirling the pan, continue to cook, till the caramel reaches dark amber colour.

• Pour caramel in a vessel, tilt the pan so that caramel is evenly coated. grease sides of the vessel and pour the bread mixture over the caramel and cover with aluminium foil and prick some holes for steam to escape.

• Fill pressure cooker with 1/2 cup water and keep the vessel inside,steam it for about 20-25 minutes without putting weight. Take out and let it cool and then refrigerate for about 2 hours and invert on a plate.

Your pudding is ready.

5 minute paneer peda

Deepawali is just around the corner and its time for indulge, enjoy sweets ignoring calories and guilt.

Since there is lot more to this festival than spending time in preparing sweets, I'm here sharing with you easy and quick no cook Peda with a few easily available ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 200 gms. cottage cheese.
• 2-3 tbsp. gulkand/ rose preserve.
• 1/2 bowl desiccated coconut.
• 1/2 bowl milk powder.
• Powdered sugar as per taste.
• A handful of pistachio for garnishing.

Method:

• Churn all the mentioned ingredients in a mixer except pistachio for few seconds. 
• Take out in a greased plate, also grease your hands and shape into pedas.
•  Garnish with pistachio. 

Your pillowy soft cheat pedas are ready.

Enjoy!!

Veg Cheese Bombs in Appe Pan

Veg cheese bombs without even a drop of oil. Yes you read it right, not even a single drop of oil was used in making these crunchy cheese bombs, without making any compromise in taste. I recently bought  Appe pan for my kitchen from "Kitchen on click" and I found this a very good option for guilt free, oil free snacking.

So let's cook Veg Cheese Bombs in Appe Pan.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized boiled potatoes 
• 150 gms. mozarella cheese 
• 1/2 bowl frozen corn 
• 1 finely chopped carrot 
• 10-12 cheese cubes or grated mozarella
• 3 slices brown/ white bread 
• Salt as per taste 
• Black pepper as per resistance 
• 1 tbsp mixed dried herbs ( oregano, basil, thyme) 
• 1/2 bowl bread crumbs 

Method:

• Mash potatoes, add grated cheese, chopped carrot, corn, bread slices, salt, pepper and oregano, mix them well together.
  
  
  Divide mixture into equal portions. Take one portion, flatten with your hand and place a cheese cube or 2 tbsp grated cheese in the centre and roll into a ball.
  
  
  Coat with bread crumbs.
  
  
  Heat appe pan. My pan is non stick so I did not add any oil, place one ball in each indent.
  Cook for 3-4 from one side and then turn to other side, take out when cooked from both sides.
  
  
  Serve hot with tomato ketchup.
  
  
  (You can add few drops of oil in each indent while cooking if you want the balls golden brown.)

Malai kofta

After navratri fast, it was time for feast, time for celebration!!! And for celebrations and a small family gathering that we had at our home yesterday, I decided to make this creamy, rich, soft, melt-in-mouth Malai Kofta in Tomato and Cashew gravy.

So let's cook Malai Kofta in really simple steps.

Ingredients:

For kofta:

• 200 gms. cottage cheese
• 1 medium boiled potato
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
• Handful of raisins and Cashews for stuffing
• 1 tbsp. cornflour

For gravy:

• 3 tomatoes pureed
• 1/2 cup cashews soaked in water for 2 hours
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. cardamom powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Black pepper to taste
• 1 cup full cream milk
• 1/2 cup fresh cream
• 1-2 tbsp. cornflour

For garnish:

• Chopped coriander leaves
• Grated cottage cheese (optional)
  

Directions:

For Koftas:

• Crumble cottage cheese & potato together, add salt, pepper, cardamom powder, and mix all ingredients together well.

• Divide the mixture into equal portions, take one portion and flatten it with your hand and place few raisins and cashews in the centre .
  

• Roll again into a ball.
  

• Sprinkle cornflour in a plate, dust all the koftas with cornflour.
  

• Heat oil in a deep bottom vessel and fry koftas till light golden colour, do not overcook.
  

Gravy:

• Heat oil in a heavy base wok, add chopped tomatoes and cook till oil leaves sides.
• Make fine paste of cashews in a grinder, add the paste in the wok and keep stirring from time to time.
• Add cumin powder, salt, black pepper powder, cardamom powder and sauté for few minutes.
  

• Simmer the flame, and add milk while stirring continuously.
• Take 2-3 tbsp milk in a bowl add cornflour and mix till all lumps are dissolved add this to the gravy and cook till the gravy is thick, add raisins and cashews.
• Whisk cream and add to the gravy, switch off the flame.
  
• Put koftas in the gravy just before serving.
• Garnish with grated cheese and chopped coriander.
  

Motiya Chilman Pulao

Motiya Chilman Pulao from the Nawabi Kitchen. It has an amazing blend of aromatic spices and some other flavourful ingredients. This pulao was featured in Uppercrust by Chef Haleem. I got so fascinated by the recipe, I went right to my kitchen, luckily all ingredients were available and with little variations I tried making "Nawabi Pulao" the result being just as you see what follows.

Ingredients:

• 100 gms paneer
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 boiled potato
• 2tbsp bread crumbs
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 tbsp curd
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2-3 green cardamom
• 4-5 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• Few drops rose water
• 250 gms basmati rice
• Saffron soaked in water

Method :

For moti :
Crumble paneer, add mashed potatoes, bread crumb, salt and garam masala powder
Mix all well and make small balls resembling small pearls and deep fry them.




For rice:

• Cook ghee in a kadhai, add cardamom, cloves and bay leaves let it splutter.
• Add curd, chilli powder, turmeric, rose water, saffron and salt.
• Saute for a minute and put rice in it.
• Add approx 500ml water and cook till it is almost done.
• Combine Moti with Rice and keep it covered for 5-10 mins.
• Enjoy with your fav raita.