Chickpeas & Aubergine Masala

Hello all!! I know what you all must be thinking. Chickpeas and aubergines together is a very weird combination. But believe you me, it tastes awesome. Since my venturing into healthy eating to have a control over my hypothyroidism life, i have been on a road to discovering new combinations even after being a chef for the last 19 years of my life.

Healthy chickpeas with aubergine

Ingredients-

Chickpeas- 1 cup, soaked and boiled
Aubergine- 1 cup, cut into 2 cm dices
Onion- 1 small, chopped
Tomato- 1 small, chopped
Ginger & garlic paste- 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric- 1/2 tsp
Red chilli pwd- 1/2 tsp
Cumin pwd- 1/2 pwd
Fresh coriander- 2 tbsp, chopped
Olive oil- 2 tbsp

Method-

1. In a pan, heat oil.
2. Add onions and saute well till more than translucent
3. Add the ginger and garlic paste and cook till the raw flavor goes away and it turns golden brown in color.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook well till the tomatoes are cooked properly
5. Add the dry spices and mix well. You could also add about 2 tbsp of water to mix the spices well into the onion and tomato mixture.
6. Add the aubergine and saute well and coat well in the spice mixture.
7. cook for about 7-8 minutes.
8. Now add the chickpeas and stir to mix all together.
9. Cook for another 7-8 minutes and add 2-3 tbsp water if the mixture gets stuck to the pan.
10. check for seasoning and add salt.
11. Take off fire and garnish with fresh chopped coriander.

Note- this could be served with chapati or even had with rice.

Mushroom & Baby corn Enchilada

Good morning all!!
In my previous post i forgot to mention Enchilada which is also made from corn or whole wheat tortilla.

Enchilada- is a rolled and filled corn tortilla which is then smothered in a spicy tomato salsa or sauce. It can have any number of fillings or combinations of ingredients, such as meats, vegetables or even potatoes.

I made Enchilada but without cheese and did not smother it with any sauce. Why? Because am trying to shed some of my excess baggage due to hypothyroidism. Hence am trying to eat healthy.

Mushroom and baby corn Enchilada

Ingredients-

Mushrooms-5 nos sliced
Baby corn- 5 sliced
Red bell pepper- 1/2, juliennes
Onion- 1 small, sliced
Olive oil- 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Salsa- 2 tbsp
Corn Tortilla- 2 nos

Method-

1. Blanch the baby corn in boiling water for 2 minutes. And refresh in cold water.
2. In a pan, heat the olive oil.
3. Add the onion and saute till translucent.
4. Add the mushroom and saute till all moisture has evaporated.
5. Add the baby corn and toss to mix.
6. Add the salsa and mix well. Check for seasoning.
7. Remove and put on the tortillas and roll.

Sausage Quesadilla

Let's try some Mexican food today that i made for my princess. Before we begin the recipe let me explain some of the basic Mexican dishes to you for better understanding.

The start of some of these interesting and yummy dishes is with a flat bread called Tortilla. A Tortilla is made with whole wheat flour and very similar to our chappati or phulka. It could also be made with maize flour or corn flour( no not the white corn flour, but the makki ka atta). Tortilla is made from an unleavened, water based dough, rolled and cooked over a griddle.

Once you have the basic tortilla ready with you, you can make several other dishes derived from the humble tortilla, like taco, burrito, etc.

Taco- Is one of the most traditional Mexican dish which is a tortilla folded into half and has a filling. The opening is left open and not sealed in any way.  The filling can be made of anything and everything that your taste buds fancy. it could be fish, chicken, beef, and even non traditional fillings like tofu. It also has lettuce, vegetables and cheese added in the filling. It is traditionally eaten directly from the hand with the use of any utensils. There are a whole lot of accompaniments that go along with Mexican food like salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, etc,.

Fajita- is basically any grilled meat which is usually served on a tortilla and piled with 
the accompaniments and also addition of shredded lettuce, onions, tomatoes and heaps of cheese. Traditionally it was a grilled beef steak but now the grilled meat can be anything from shrimps to chicken or even fish.

Burrito- A corn or wheat a tortilla which is rolled into a cylindrical shape to enclose the filling completely. The filling co

uld also include other ingredients such as cheese, shredded lettuce, and other vegetables. In traditional Mexico homes the refried beans with meat is the traditional filling of a burrito.

Chimichanga- This is a deep fried burrito and is popular in the southern america which is influenced by the Mexican cuisine. The difference between a burrito and a chimichanga is that the chimichanga is folded into a rectangle shape and deep fried as compared to a burrito which is cylindrical. It could have a variety of fillings and is accompanied with salsa, guacamole, sour cream, etc,.

Quesadilla- Lastly the star of my post. A quasadilla is a tortilla which is folded into a half moon with filling and cheese and then finished on a griddle. But i made a change and i used two corn tortillas. The name is derived from Spanish word queso for cheese and tortilla.

 

Cheese and shredded lettuce

 Ingredients-

Corn tortilla- 2 nos
Chicken sausages- 3 nos, cut into juliennes
Olive Oil- 2 tbsp
Onion- 1 small, sliced
Garlic- 2 cloves, chopped
Red bell pepper- 1/2, cut into juliennes
Yellow bell pepper- 1/2, cut into juliennes
Green bell pepper- 1/2, cut into juliennes
lettuce- 4 leaves, shredded
Cheese cheddar- 6 tbsp grated
Salt- to taste
Crushed black pepper- to taste
Salsa- 2 tbsp (you could substitute with tomato ketchup if you do not have salsa)

Filling

 Method-

1. In a pan heat the olive oil.
2. Saute the garlic and the onion till translucent.
3. Add the bell peppers and saute till the color becomes bright.
4. Add the sausages and mix well. 
5. Add the salsa and mix well and check for seasoning.
6. Gently heat the tortillas on the griddle on a low flame to make them warm
7. On one of the tortilla, spread half of the grated cheese. Layer with the shredded lettuce.
8. Top with the sausage and pepper mixture. cover with the remaining cheese.
9. cover this with the other tortilla.
10. Put it back on the griddle and heat through on both sides till the cheese is melted
11. Cut into 6 or 8 pieces like a pizza and serve with sour cream or salsa.

Finally on the griddle

WHOLE WHEAT CINNAMON ROLLS

This recipe was modified so that my 6 year old princess could make it herself. Hence no yeast and proofing. Super easy for kids to make on their own.

Ready to knead the dough

 Ingredients-
For the dough-
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp butter
1 cup milk
For filling-
2 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp cinnamon powder
For the topping-
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp milk or water

About to enter the baking

 Method-
1. Put the flour, salt, baking powder and the soft butter in a big bowl.
2. Mix the butter into the flour with your finger tips to make a sandy texture.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.
4. Mix well to form a firm yet soft dough using all the milk.
5. Dust the work surface with whole wheat flour and roll the dough into a square shape about 1/2 cm thick.
6. Mix the powdered sugar with the cinnamon powder.
7. Brush with the melted butter.
8. And sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon mixture.
9. Roll into a thick roll. Cut into about 1 inch rolls.
10. Arrange them loosely into a greased baking dish.
11. Bake in a 180  C oven for about 20 minutes.

After baking with the frosting

12. Till then mix the powdered sugar with the milk and mix well.
13. If it becomes too thin add more sugar. and if it is too thick then add more milk.
14. When the rolls are baked to a golden perfection, then top with the frosting while still hot.
15. Let it cool and devour.

Healthy Oats Bar- No Sugar, No Butter, No Flour.... Just healthy

Today i made healthy Oats bars with banana. And they have no added sugar, no added butter and no added flour. Just the plain and healthy goodness of oats, banana, almonds and raisins.

Oats and Banana Bar

 Ingredients:
2 large over ripe bananas, mashed till almost liquidy
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup almonds roughly chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

Ready to go into the oven

 Method-
1. Mash the bananas well in a bowl till almost liquidy.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well till a very thick mixture is formed and all are mixed evenly.
3. Grease a baking tray with 1/2 tbsp olive oil.
4. Spread the mixture evenly into the tray and smooth-en the mixture with the back of a spoon.
5. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C for about 30 minutes or till the crust becomes golden brown.
6. Take it out and let it cool before cutting.

My house is smelling of the goodness of baking banana

MALAI CAKE

This post is specially for my Princess for coming 1st in class. And now she has gone to Class II.
So she wanted to call all her neighborhood friends and throw a party for them at home. The menu was-
Mini Cheese Uthapams
Broccoli Cutlets
Water melon
Malai Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Here is the recipe for the Malai Cake (Egg less and Butter less Vanilla Cake)

Ingredients-
 Cake-
Malai- 1 cup
Milk powder- 1 cup
Powdered sugar- 1 cup
Maida- 1 1/2 cup
Vanilla essence- 1 tsp
Baking powder- 1 tsp
Baking soda- 1 tsp
lemon juice- of 1 lemon
Milk- 1/2 cup

 Chocolate Ganache-
Dark chocolate- 1 cup
Butter- 1/2 cup
Cream- 1/2 cup

Method-
1. Mix all the above ingredients with a hand blender or with a whisk.
2. Grease a cake tin and line with butter paper.
3. Pour in the batter and tap the tin to smoothen the surface.
4. bake for 30-35 minutes in an oven pre-heated at 180 C.
5. Turn down the heat to 120 C after 15 minutes of baking.
6. For the ganache, melt the butter and chocolate on a bain marie.
7. Mix in the cream and stir till smooth and well mixed.
8. When the cake is done, let it cool in the cake tin for 10 minutes.
9. Remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack till completely cooled.
10. Cut the cake in half and separate the two layers.
11. Spread ganche on the bottom layer.
12. Put the second layer of the cake on top of the ganache.
13. Spread the rest of the ganache on the top and on the side and cover properly.
14. Decorate with desired toppers or sprinkles.

Noodles pakora

Hey all, i know you all are angry with me for not posting for a last two months. But here i am back with a new recipe for you all.

I made this for my princess's tiffin. Now she has grown up and in a big school. 

Ingredients-

Boiled noodles- 1/2 cup

Red bell peppers, chopped- 3 tbsp

Besan- 5 tbsp

Spring onions, chopped- 5 tbsp

Salt- to taste

Water- as per requirement

Oil- for frying

                                        

Method-

1.Put all the vegetables and the noodles in a bowl and mix well to evenly distribute the ingredients.

2. Add salt and check for seasoning.

3. Add the besan and add little water to make a thick mixture which is just coating the noodles and the vegetables mixture.

4. heat oil in a kadai.

5. Drop little spoonfuls of the noodles and besan mixture into the hot oil.

6. fry till golden brown and crispy.

7. Serve with Ketchup or mint chutney.

Note- You can add any vegetables that you like. I added red bell peppers as my princess does not like any other veggie with red bell pepper. It is just her favorite veggie.

Back with a Cheesecake Bang !!!!!

SORRY FOLKS!!!
Its been over a year and have not posted any thing on my blog, though have been baking and cooking a lot!!! Mr work was not letting me do any blogging.

SO here goes-----
something sweet to make all of you smile...........

Chocolate Cheesecake-

CRUST-
50 gms (1/4 cup) butter
20 whole wheat biscuits, crushed
1 tbsp sugar

FILLING-
1 packet(8 oz or 230 gms) Philadelphia cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp cocoa powder

Method-
1. For the CRUST- mix evenly the melted butter, crushed biscuits and the sugar.
2. Grease a pan for making the cheesecake. You could use a spring foam pan or a silicon cake mould.
3. Layer in the bottom of the pan that you will use for making the cheesecake. Press down tightly with the back of the spoon to form a smooth and even layer.
4. Put inside the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
5. For the FILLING- Mix the cream cheese and the sugar in a bowl till the mixture is smooth.
6. Add the lightly beaten eggs and mix well.
7. Then add all the other ingredients and mix well.
8. Pour over the crust.
9. Put in a pre-heated oven for baking at 250 C for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 175 C and bake for another 45 minutes.
10. Check the center with a cake tester and it should be set and not wobbly.
11. Let it cool in the over for 10 minutes and then cool till room temperature.
12. Cool in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours and serve chilled.

RAW BANANA & PANEER KEBAB

HHmmm its been really looong!!!!!!!!!!!

What can i say???????????

"How u doin????"

Hope all is well at your end..........

so here goes.........

Ingredients-

1 medium boiled potato, grated

100 gms paneer grated

2 small raw banana, boiled and grated

3 tbsp chopped coriander

1 small onion chopped

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp black pepper powder or freshly crushed

salt to taste

Oil to shallow fry

4 tbsp breadcrumbs

Method-

1. Mix all the ingredients together except the oil.

2. Add the breadcrumbs, if the mixture is little too soft.

3. Take about 50 gms of the mixture and shape into long cigars.

4. In a non-stick pan, sprinkle a few drops of oil and heat through.

5. Put the kebab cigars and cook on all sides till golden brown on all sides.

6. Have it just like that as a kebab with mint chutney. Or roll it inside thin tortias with some shredded lettuce to make kebab rolls.

Zucchini & Potato Roesti with Mushroom Ragout

Today after so many days i felt like posting as my Boss is not in town. And that is treated like a working holiday. I knew about this yesterday when i was leaving for the day. Hence i made lunch for my colleagues today.

Zucchini & Potato Roesti:

Ingredients:

Potato- 2 large

Zucchini- 2 small or 1 medium

Salt

Crushed Black Pepper

Butter

Method:

1. Peel the potatoes and grate them.

2. Wash the zucchini and grate them.

3. Mix the grated zucchini and the potatoes together and mix salt and crushed pepper.

4. Squeeze out as much water from the mixture as possible with hands.

5. Heat a non-stick pan and melt some butter in it.

6. Make a small cake with some of the mixture and put in the pan.

7. Let it cook till golden brown on one side.

8. Flip over to the other side and add more butter.

9. Cook till golden brown on all sides and cooked through.

Mushroom Ragout:

Ingredients:

Olive oil- 1 tsp

Mushroom- 200 gms

Spring onions- 2 stalks

Red bell peppers-1/2

Salt

Crushed black pepper

Cheese-1 tbsp

Method:

1. Slice the mushrooms very thin.

2. Chop the red bell pepper and the spring onion finely.

3. In a pan add the olive oil and heat.

4. Add the spring onion and saute till turns bright green.

5. Add the mushrooms and saute till all moisture is evaporated.

6. Add the bell peppers and saute well.

7. Season with salt and pepper.

8. Add the cheese and mix well.

To Serve:

1. On a plate place a Roesti and spoon over some of the mushroom ragout.

2. Serve hot.