Baked Bhakarwadi

Bhakarwadi is a Gujarati snack. The crust of the snack is generally made with Besan (Chickpea flour) or Wheat flour and deep fried in oil. But I used puff pastry sheets, readily available in the market. This is a very quick recipe that can be made with the ingredients easily available at home. I’m sure you will enjoy with your hot cup of tea!

Preparation time: 10 min           Baking time: 20 min            Serves: 2

Ingredients

Puff pastry sheet – 1

Shredded coconut – 2 tbsp (unsweetened)

Pepper corns – 1 tsp

Fennel seeds – 1 tsp

Cummin seeds – 1 tsp

chilli powder – 1 tsp

sugar – 1 tsp

cashew nuts – 2 tbsp

Walnut – 1 tbsp

salt to taste

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C

2. Combine all the dry ingredients together and powder them using a blender

3. Spread the spice mix evenly on the pastry sheet and roll it tight

4. Slice the roll with 1 inch thickness and line them on a baking tray

5. Spray oil and bake it for 20 minutes.

6. Place them on a wire rack and allow it cool. Store them in an airtight container.

Crispy Bhakarwadi are ready to eat! Happy Cooking!

Notes : The filling used here is of my choice. Original recipe contains sesame seeds and few more ingredients.

Baked Hara Bhara Kabab

Baked Hara Bhara Kabab!!! sounds weird isn’t it? Kebabs are generally deep fried  or shallow fried. I tried baking the Kabab! I was surprised to attain the taste & texture.. You must try baking these kababs.. I’m sure you will enjoy! Another healthy recipe added! Enjoy your day with this healthy recipe…

 

Ingredients

Capsicum – 1 (medium sized)

Peas – 1/2 cup (frozen peas)

Spinach – 1/2 cup (chopped & boiled)

Mint leaves – 8 to 10

Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp (chopped)

Potato – 1 large ( boiled, peeled & mashed)

Turmeric powder – a pinch

cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Ginger – 1 tbsp (chopped)

green chilli – 2 Nos (finely chopped)

Breadcrumbs – 1/2 cup

salt to taste

chat masala to sprinkle (Optional)

Method

1.  Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan and add cumin seeds to it
2. Add ginger and green chillies and saute for a minute. Now add Capsicum and saute well for 2 minutes
3.  Add green peas, spinach, chopped mint, chopped coriander, salt and turmeric powder
4. Saute well and cook till the mixture is dry
5. Allow the above mixture to cool and transfer the mixture in a blender. Grind it to fine paste. ( Dont add water)
6. Preheat your oven to 160 degree
7. Add potato, 2 tbsp of breadcrumbs and cornstarch to ground paste
8. Spread the breadcrumbs on the plate and divide the cooled mixture into equal portions and shape them into kababs
9. Roll the kababs in the bread crumbs and coat well. Sprinkle chaat masala (Optional)
10. Place them on the baking tray with 2cm distance. Bake them for 15 minutes at 160 degree. ( Bake it for more time, if you want it crispy)

Happy Cooking and hope your dish turns out to be yummier than mine!!!

Butter Chicken

I had the best butter chicken and Rotis, when I visited a daabba in Bangalore… Butter Naan & butter chicken are unbeatable combinations… I know they add to your waistline, but for some reasons I can’t stop myself from Butter chicken…  This is a simple butter chicken recipe that can be cooked with available ingredients at home. Try the recipe and share your thoughts..

Ingredients

Chicken boneless – 250 gms

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp

Jeera powder – 1 tsp

Chilli powder – 1 tsp

Tomato paste – ½cup

Cream – ½ cup

Kasuri methi – 1 tsp

Butter – 100 gms

Salt to taste

Method

1. Melt butter in the sauce pan and add ginger garlic paste & chicken to it. Saute well
2. Take an another  kadai, roast jeera powder together with red chilli powder in butter.
3. Now add tomato paste and allow it to boil ( if required add some water)
4. Add roasted chicken into the kadai and let it cook for a while
5. Add salt and switch off the flame after 10 minutes
6. Wait for the curry to cool down completely and add fresh cream into it
7. Garnish with kasuri methi. Serve it hot

Butter Chicken are best served with Roti’s or Butter Naan

Happy Cooking!

Red Capsicum Chutney

Ingredients 

Red Capsicum – 1

Onion – 1

Red Chilli – 3 nos

Tamarind – a small piece

Salt – to taste

Method

1. Roast all the ingredients together in a pan with little oil
2. Cook it until they are soft and switch off the flame
3.  Allow the mixture to cool completely and then use a blender to paste it (Don’t add water)

Yummy.. Capsicum chutney is ready.. This goes well with Paniyaram, Dosa & Idly.

Happy Cooking!

Multigrain Almond Cookies

It was a breezy evening, I was tempted to eat something healthy and crunchy. So many ideas popped! My mind was constantly uttering the word “healthy” “healthy”…  I wanted something which is quick & less time consuming ! Finally I resorted to this recipe… This is very quick and simple to make… In general, I prefer to use multigrain atta for chappathi, I used the same atta to make these cookies..  I’m sure all these ingredients are readily available at home.  Try this recipe & enjoy a healthy snack time with your loved ones,  serve these with hot chai or coffee..

Preparation time : 10 min Baking time: 15 min Cookies : 20 -25 (depends on the cookie cutter you use)

Ingredients

Multigrain atta – 1 cup

Almonds crushed – 1/2 cup

Sugar – 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder – a pinch

Butter – 1/4 cup (kept at room temperature)

Milk – 50 ml

salt – a pinch

Method

1. Preheat your oven for 175 degree with fan forced
2. Mix all the dry ingredients together
3. Add butter to the dry mixture and knead well
4. Now add milk to the mixture to make it a soft dough
5. Roll it on a flat surface with one inch thickness and use your desired cookie cutter
6. If desired, place a almond pieces on the cookie for it to look more appetising ( as a decor)
7. Grease your baking tray with butter or use parchment paper  before placing the cookies on the tray
8. Bake them for 15 minutes or until it turns light brown
9. Cool on tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store them in a airtight container

Crunchy and yummy homemade cookies are ready… Enjoy with your family!

Happy Cooking!

Spinach Soup

Its time for something healthy! I’m not a big fan of soup.. But when someone says its healthy, I end up having that…. One day I was on a skype call with my inlaws, I noticed my father-in-law holding spinach soup in his hand. I was surprised.. I have never seen a spinach soup before.They have made it a practise to drink it every morning instead of chai/coffee..  My mother-in-law shared the recipe and I tried it the very next day.. it came out tasty and light.. A bowl of soup a day keeps the doctor away.. 😛

Just give it a try, I’m sure you will enjoy this soup!

Cooking time : 15 min Serves -2

Ingredients

Mustard – 1/2 tsp

Green chilly – 1 no

Small onions – 5 nos

Garlic – 2 cloves

Spinach – 1 cup ( finely chopped)

Turmeric powder – a pinch

Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Water – 2 cups

Salt – to taste

Oil – to temper

Method

1. Heat a saucepan, add oil. Add mustard seeds, let it splutter
2. Add green chilly, chopped onions, garlic, turmeric powder, cumin powder and pepper powder. Saute well
3. Now add water to the mixture
4. Once it starts to boil, add the chopped spinach and salt
5. Allow it to boil and turn off the fire after ten minutes

Healthy Spinach Clear soup is ready…. Serve it hot!

Happy Cooking!

Note : You can use spinach of your choice. I used frozen spinach.

Strawberry Kiwi Popsicles

When I was in Singapore, a store in the orchard road used to sell flavoured popsicles. I was a great fan of that store. Me and my husband enjoyed different flavours every weekend . For some reasons, the shop was closed forever. I was very much upset and searched for its franchise.. Unfortunately, they had none 😦 ..  Recently I moved to Australia,  I found this popsicle mold in the store. I was super excited!  It reminded of my Singapore memories and made me to buy them. As soon as I reached home, I made these Strawberry Popsicles. Generally in ice cream stores, they have only single flavor. I started off with my favorite fruits! I’m sure elders & kids will this enjoy equally.. Give it a shot!

Preparation time – 10 min Serves – 6

Ingredients

Strawberry – 200 gm (finely chopped)

Kiwi -1 (sliced)

Sugar – to taste

water – 50 ml

Method

1. Place the strawberries, sugar and water in a blender. Blend until fruit is smooth.
2. Next, drop the sliced kiwi in the mold and then pour the strawberry juice. Freeze them until firm
3. Once firm, remove from mold

Popsicles are ready to serve! Happy Cooking!

Note:  1. You may need to run the mold under warm water for a min, to help it loosen from the mold.2. You can also use honey instead of sugar. 3. You can try with all tropical fruits.

Almond Sooji Barfi

Almond is my favorite dry fruit. I prefer it eating it as it is. I have seen many folks making almond halwa every time. It was just an experiment of mine, which turned out to be successful. Combination of sooji and almond did work out well. By adding sooji I was able to achieve the texture I was looking for.   Something similar to coconut barfi, but not as hard as that. This barfi is soft and melts in your mouth! I bet you.. Just try it out..

 

Cooking time – 40 min Serves – 5

Ingredients

Almonds – 1 ½ cup

Suji – ¼ cup

Ghee – ¼ cup

Milk – ½ cup

Cardamom powder – a pinch

Sugar – 1 cup

Saffron – a pinch

Salt – a pinch

Method

1. Soak the almonds in hot water for an hour. Peel the skin and powder them
2. Heat Ghee in a heavy bottom pan and add powdered almonds. Roast well.
3. Roast the Suji in a separate pan and add it slowly to the Almond mix
4. Now add milk to the mixture and keeping stirring
5. Sprinkle cardamom powder and Saffron to the mixture
6. Let it to condense ( smooth paste like consistency)
7. At this stage, add sugar slowly on medium heat and keep stirring continuously
8. Cook the mixture till becomes thick. Add a pinch of salt and put off the flame
9. Transfer the mix in a greased tray and allow it to cool.  Cut them to your desired shapes.

Yummy Homemade Almond Suji Barfi ready … I’m sure it will melt in your mouth…

Happy Cooking.

Spicy Puffed rice / Kaarapori

Kaarapori – Plain pori tossed with some indian spices… Pori is nothing but puffed rice. Pori reminds me of my childhood days… There used to be a Pori seller in my town… selling his pori in the streets with his shrill voice “Poooriyeh Kadala Pooriyeh!”… We enjoyed his tone every time and try to imitate his tone very often. Gone are those days of fun & only fun days… Coming to this recipe, this Kaarapori  goes well with Chai. Try it out! I’m sure you will enjoy..

Cooking time -15 min   Serves -2

Ingredients

Pori / Puffed rice – 1 cup

Oil – required for seasoning

Garlic – 2 cloves (Crushed)

Red chili – 3 Nos

Peanuts – ½ cup

Asafoetida / Hing – a pinch

Sambar powder – 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Curry leaves – few

Method

1. Heat a pan, add oil.
2. Add crushed garlic, red chili, peanuts, curry leaves & hing. Saute them
3. Then add sambar powder to the mix
4. Saute for 2 mins and switch off the flame
5. Add puffed rice to the mix and mix well

Spicy Karapori is ready. Goes very well with hot chai!

Enjoy your tea time with Karapori..

Happy Cooking…

Roasted Methi Baby Potatoes

Potatoes are everyone’s favorite… Baby potatoes are loved for their size… They are tiny and remain appetizing if they are used as such. If you chop them there is no point in using baby potatoes, instead you can use normal potatoes. Whenever you make any dish with baby potatoes use it as it is. Potatoes tastes best, when are roasted… the crispy outer layer and creamy inner core adds makes it more exciting.. Yummmy!!!!

Potatoes goes very well with methi leaves… As I didn’t have fresh methi leaves, I used Kasurimethi for this recipe. Kasurimethi is nothing but dried methi leaves. Try it out..

Cooking time – 30 mins  Serves – 2

Ingredients

Baby Potatoes – 10 nos

Ginger garlic paste – 2 tbsp

Chili powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Coriander powder – 1½ tsp

Corn flour – 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Kasuri methi – 2 tbsp (crushed)

Oil – 2 tbsp

Method

1. Boil the baby potatoes until they become soft. Peel the skin and keep it aside.
2. Mix turmeric powder, Ginger garlic paste, chili powder, coriander powder and salt. Make it a paste by adding few drops of oil.
3. Spread the paste over the cooked potatoes and sprinkle corn flour. Mix well & leave it aside for 15 mins.
4. Heat a pan, add oil and drop the potatoes. Let it roast on all sides on medium heat.
5. Once done, sprinkle kasuri methi and switch off the flame. ( it forms a layer over the potatoes giving a strong aroma)

Yummy Roasted Methi Baby Potatoes are ready!

Happy Cooking..