Month: November 2018

RAGI ‘N’ NUTS LADOO

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Ragi ,Finger millet,or Kurakkan is  one nutritious flour which can be consumed in many

ways.It is widely used in porridges,desserts,baking,drink and many more breakfast

dishes.

This millet rich in fibre ,calcium ,good carbs,and Vitamin D is good for weight loss and

diabetes.Even though it has a bland taste it is highly beneficial for those with Vitamin D

deficiency and diabetes.In early times people included this daily in their diets in the

form of light porridges,and drinks.Only few homes in South India follow to consume

daily now. Lifestyle nowadays has paved the way for growing diseases,so it’s advisable to

create the habit of consuming daily this wonder millet in some form .

A light roasting before adding to recipes will enhace the taste.So today my recipe to

share is a healthy and tasty for all ages.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup ragi flour

1 cup treacle or melted jaggery

1/4 cups peanuts dry roasted

1/2 cup almonds powdered coarsely

3/4 tsp.cardamon powder

4 tblsp ghee

1/4 tsp dry ginger powder (optional)

a pinch of salt.

METHOD

Roast the flour in half of the ghee till hot (not burnt).

Mix in the rest of the ingredients and form ladoos.

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STEAMED BUNS

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Steamed buns originated from the Chinese cuisine is one good food for breakfast and take away.

This can be made sweet or savoury.The sweet buns are the traditional red kidney beans stuffing ,and the savoury ones i think it can be your choice of vegan,or non vegan.

I got this from an old chinese recipe book,and wished to share with you.

I will be giving the dough recipe and some suggestions for the filling.Do try and let me

know your comments.

INGREDIENTS

500 gm flour

2 tsp yeast

3 cups  milk (lukewarm)

1/4 cup oil

3 tblsp.sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt.

img_20181118_085533715703242272718565218.jpg

METHOD

Mix all the ingredients and knead  to a soft dough.

Proofing  of dough  is required  twice (untill double ).

Make portions and steam for 10 miutes.

For red bean filling (Sweet)

Soak the beans overnight and cook till soft.Drain out the water and mash coarsely

Add sugar or jaggery to taste .Add a blob of butter or coconut which is optional and cook

for few minutes and use as filling .

Savoury filling have many options to choose from,and i will be giving a few.

1.Curried paneer and spinach 

2.Potato and beans or peas curried

3.Butter tossed vegetables like carrot,beans,cabbage,bokchoy…….with a little pepper.

4.Minced meat filling

5.Sea food filling

TIP: You can add ground spinach for green steamed buns…..

Do try your innovations too,and post in your ideas .!

OMELETTE DHAL

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This is a combination of dhal and omelette.Good combination for crisp

bread,chappathis and rice too.

You can use boiled(halved) poached in place of omelette.

You could bake eggs with a little mix of milk,cut into cubes and add to dhal

for a variation.This will look like pieces of paneer.So do try and post in

your suggestions and comments.

For the recipe now

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup dhal ( Massoor dhal/ moong

dal/ tuvar dal)

2-3 green chillies

1 tsp.ginger-garlic paste

1/4 tsp.turmeric

1-2 tsp chillies flakes

1 small piece cinammon

For tempering

1-2 tblsp.oil or butter

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cummin seeds

Curry leaves

1-2 dry chillies

For the omelette

4 eggs

Finely chopped onions/ spring onions

2-3 green chillies chopped

1/2 tsp pepper

Salt to taste

Suggestion: You could add finely cut vegetables like carrot,beans,cabbage and make vegetable omelette and add to dhal.( The veggies can be slightly sauteed in oil/ butter if you like before adding to the egg)

METHOD

Cook the dhal in a pressure pan or claypot with all the ingredients except

the chilli flakes .

Make the omelettes and cut into strips.

Now temper the dhal and add the chilli flakes and omelette strips and

cook on a low flame for 2-3 minutes and remove from fire.You could

sprinkle coarse pepper if you like.

BRIOCHE

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img_20181115_0935408635656221732152584252.jpgToday i’m going to share with you the

recipe for Brioche.It has a rich

content of butter and eggs,and no

water is added when making the

dough.

Brioche originated from France can

be made into savoury or sweet and

served for breakfast or tea.

You can make with dry fruit

inclusions,chocolate,or with fruits

soaked in rum/ brandy.Just a sprinkle

of sugar ,with nuts , lemon or orange

rind alone is a super treat.

Well,i made the dough and divided

into savoury and sweet bakes.(The shapes in the photo may not be perfect as rush job ,but the recipe is lovely).

The kneading process is more of a

workout ,but fortunately owners of

kitchen aid will find it easy.The recipe

i’m going to share with you has

toppings of sweet and savoury.As i

have explained above you can add

fruits into the dough after the 2nd

rise.

Adding cheese with garlic or

tomato,basil,spinach….. ,is also a good

suggestive for savoury brioche.

A little creativity can do wonders,so

do try your  favourites too, and send

in your suggestions and

comments.For the recipe now…

INGREDIENTS (makes 8-10)

4 cups flour

5-6 eggs chilled

a pinch of salt

3 tsp dry yeast

4 tblsp.brown sugar /white sugar

275 gm butter (to  be added after kneading the dough)

METHOD

Mix the flour,sugar,salt,yeast .Use the

dough hook and add the eggs and mix

till it is well combined.Then mix in

the cubed butter and mix well till the

dough looks soft and silky.Cover and

allow to rise.(1st rise).Knead again

cover and allow to rise in the fridge

(2nd rise)(I prepared the dough and

allowed to stay overnight in the

fridge for the 2nd rise )Remove

dough from fridge,and knead again.

Divide into shapes you like and allow

to rise on the baking tray (3rd and final rise).

The toppings i made –  1.Brown sugar+pistachios and lemon rind.   
2.Chopped garlic and  cheese               

PUMPKIN COTTAGE CHEESE CAKE

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This is a very easy ,and one mix cheesecake.If the pumpkin mash is pre-cooked or

prebaked it will be an easy go..

For the recipe now.

INGREDIENTS

1 packet (200 gm)paneer or cottage cheese at room temperature

2-3 eggs

1 cup pumpkin mash

1/2 cup sour cream or yoghurt

1 cup brown sugar

2 tsp.cornflour

1/2 tsp nutmeg powder

3/4 tsp ginger powder

1/2 tsp.cinammon powder

a pinch of salt

For the crust (2 options)

1. 10-12 ginger biscuits,2 tblsp butter -blended together

2. 1 cup walnuts-1/4 cup honey,1 tblsp butter -blended together

METHOD

Prepare the crust first.Press on the pie dish or springform pan and set aside .

Put all the ingredients and blend in a mixer or processor till fine.

Pour over prepared crust and bake in a slow oven (160-170 degrees) for 45 minutes or 1

hour till it is set.You could add pumpkin seeds,water melon seeds,or walnuts while it is

baking,or add any topping of your choice like, chocolate ganache,caramelised nuts or

serve plain.You can serve it warm or cold.

To make the Pumpkin Mash

Peel and cut the pumpkin into cubes .Add 2-3 tblsp of brown sugar  with a stick of

cinammon and cook with 1/2 cup water till dry and cooked .You could cook in the

pressure cooker without water on a low flame for 2 whistles.Mash it and use in recipes.

 

 

PANDAN SWEET DUMPLINGS (kolakattai )

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Pandan rather known Rampe or Screw pine leaves.A fragrant kind used in

culinary , has health benefits too.It is mostly used in Asian cooking.

As the pandan plant in my culinary patch was outgrowing the pot,I thought

to make something different now.My previous posts had recipes for pandan

jelly or agar agar pudding. There are many sweet recipes you can make by

using these leaves and now this recipe comes to you as  food for breakfast

or snack.

For the recipe now

INGREDIENTS

1-2 cups rice flour or idiyapam flour

Extract of pandan leaves (1/2 cup)

Salt to taste

1 tsp.ghee or oil

Hot water to make dough

Filling

Coconut gratings

Jaggery gratings

Cashewnuts ( optional)

a pinch of salt

a pinch of nutmeg powder

1 tsp.cardamon powder

METHOD

Mix the ingredients for filling and set aside.

Mix the ingredients for the dough in a separate bowl,adding water

gradually to make a firm and soft dough.

Cover and set aside for few seconds. Take portions of the dough,flatten and

place filling.

Seal the edges and make shapes of your choice.Steam for 10

minutes and serve.

Good to serve for breakfast or tea.

Note :The color will be light green only

TOMATO DAL WITH BIRD EYE CHILLI

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This is a very quick and tasty dal an good to serve with rice and rotis.The

bird eye chillies will be tough on your taste buds so remove the chillies

before you serve a non spicy food lover.

Now ..to the easy and simple recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 cup massoor dhal

2 tomatoes cut

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 tblsp ghee/butter

Few bird eye chillies.

Few cummin seeds

Salt to taste

METHOD

Cook the dal with tomatoes,turmeric till done.

Mash lightly .Heat ghee add chillies,cummin seeds and Curry leaves and

pour over dhal.

Add salt to taste and cook the dal for 2-3 minutes.Serve with rice or roti

KESAR CASHEW RICE

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This is a mild flavoured rice made with saffron strands or kesar and ghee roasted

cashews and onions.The blend of kesar and cashews produce an aroma enticing your

taste buds.Less ingredients with good taste.

For the recipe now

INGREDIENTS

1 cup basmati rice

2-3 tblsp.ghee/butter

A handful of cashewnuts

a few saffron strands mixed in 1/4 cup milk

1 big onion sliced

Few whole spices (3 cardamon,3cloves,1 stick cinammon )

METHOD

Wash the rice and set to cook with 1 inch water above rice level.

While it’s cooking, heat the ghee in another vessel and fry the onions till brown with

whole spices.

Now add salt and the cashewnuts and fry till light brown and add to the cooking rice.

Add the kesar immersed milk and cook till done.

Serve with curries of your choice

GONGURA CHICKEN

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Gongura or Sorrel leaves is mostly used in Andhra cooking.These  nutritious leaves have

a tangy taste and the famous gongura pickles are made with these leaves.It can be

cooked with dal or any meat dishes like  kang kung or spinach

As these leaves have a sharp tangy taste ,you can opt out ingredients like tamarind or lime.

screenshot_20181115-185506353102802737703497.png

(photo credits -Google)

 

Moving on to the recipe now..

INGREDIENTS

500 gm boneless chicken

2 cups sorrel leaves

2 tsp.chilli powder

1 tsp chilli flakes

3 tomatoes

2 onions diced

1 tsp crushed pepper

2 tsp cummin seed powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

10 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp turmeric

salt to taste

whole spices (cinammon 1 piece,3 cardamons,3 cloves)

3-4  tblsp oil

METHOD

Heat half of the oil and add the whole spices , onions and saute till light brown.

Add the chopped tomato with turmeric and salt and cook till the tomato is mushy.

Remove the onion- tomato mixture and blend for a minute .(you can prefer to opt out this blend).

Heat the remaining oil,add the garlic ,chicken,and the sorrel leaves and stir for 5 minutes

Next add the ground paste and the rest of the ingredients except the ground pepper and

cook on a low flame till the chicken is cooked.Add pepper and cook for 2 minutes and

remove from fire.(no need to add water)

Serve with any rice or rotis.