Sunday, August 22, 2021

KARACHI HALWA

 KARACHI HALWA


As the name suggests, its origin points to the city of Karachi in Pakistan. ... Karachi Halwa or Bombay Halwa, this sweetmeat easily stands out for its bright colour, usually a vibrant orange, mimicking the hue that is obtained from saffron strands. Soft and melt in the mouth is karachi halwa which is also known as Bombay halwa. Karachi halwa is made with basically four ingredients – corn flour, ghee, water and sugar. I had got some recipe requests to share karachi halwa, hence sharing the recipe. Making karachi halwa is easy and does not take much time also.


Ingredients:

1/2 cup Corn Flour

1+1/2 cups Sugar

2+/12 cups Water

6 tbsp Ghee

1/4 cup Broken Cashews

2 tbsp melon seeds

2 tbsp chopped pistachios 

1/4 tsp Green Cardamom Powder (or crushed cardamom)

2 Pinches of Red Orange Food Color


Recipe:

  1. In a nonstick pan, bring Sugar and 1 cup of Water together to boil.
  2. Meanwhile, make a slurry of the corn flour and 1.5 cups of Water along with the food color, mix well without any lumps.
  3. As the sugar is completely dissolved, keep stirring on medium heat until it begins to boil and get sticky. The sugar syrup need not get to 1-string consistency.
  4. Simmer the gas stove and pour the corn flour slurry and mix well before there are any lumps.
  5. On medium flame, continue cooking the mixture and slowly the corn flour begins to set. Notice the change of color at few places.
  6. Continue cooking the mixture on medium flame, stirring constantly. It becomes transparent.
  7. As the mixture begins to thicken, add cardamom powder and cashews, melon seeds and pistachios. Mix well.
  8. Keep stirring the mixture as it begins to thicken further.
  9. Add 2 tbsp ghee to this and keep stirring the halwa to incorporate the ghee and cook the halwa. Repeat this step 2 more times till total 6 tbsp ghee has been added to the mixture.
  10. It thickens completely and doesn’t easily drop from the ladle, also leaving from the sides of the pan. At this stage, drop a small portion of mixture onto a plate. If it sets in next couple of minutes, the halwa is done.
  11. Prepare a plate or a square bowl greased with some ghee.
  12. Quickly pour over the halwa onto the plate and even out the top as much as possible. Let it set for about an hour at room temperature.
  13. Gently cut the halwa using a knife and remove the pieces.
  14. Stays fresh in the fridge for upto 4 days in an airtight container.




Serve warm or cold. 


Enjoy and keep showering your love.

COCONUT BARFI

 COCONUT BARFI



Usually at home, for Raksha Bandhan we always make Kheer. This time for a change I made the coconut burfi today and also clicked the pics. These were easy to prepare. Coconut barfi is a delicious south Indian Sweet recipe made with coconut, sugar, milk and cardamom powder. It is one of the most commonly made sweet during festivals & celebrations in South India.


Ingredients:

3 cups grated coconut (fresh or frozen)

1+1/2 cups sugar

1 cup milk powder 

1/2 tsp freshly ground cardamom

2 tbsp of ghee

Finely chopped pistachios for garnishing optional


Recipe:

  1. Heat the ghee in a thick bottomed non stick pan. Allow it to melt completely and add milk.
  2. Warm the milk for 1-2 minutes and add sugar. Mix it well and stir to dissolve completely.
  3. Now add milk powder to the milk and keep it stirring continuously on a very low heat till it starts to thicken.
  4. Add desiccated coconut and mix it in the mixture and cook it till whole mix starts to come together and form a thick mass.
  5. Now grease a plate/dish with ghee and spread the hot coconut burfi mixture with a spatula while flattening it on the surface.
  6. Garnish with chopped pistachios and place it to set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.



Cut the milk powder coconut burfi into desired shapes and enjoy.


Enjoy and keep showering your love.

Saturday, July 31, 2021

DAHI KEBAB

 DAHI KEBAB



Dahi ke kabab are crisp, soft and tasty kababs made with dahi or curd. You can even make dahi kababs with greek yogurt. This is a restaurant style snack. Dahi kababs are also known as dahi ke kabab. They are quite a common kind of vegetarian kebabs eaten in Northern India. These are made of hung curd, paneer, flour and basic spice powders.


Ingredients:

4 cups Curd 

10 gm Paneer

50 gm Processed cheese

1 Onion (chopped)

1-2 Green chillies

1 inch Ginger (chopped)

1 tbsp Onions (fried and chopped)

1 tbsp Besan

1 tsp Garam masala

1 tspCardamom powder

1 tbsp Jeera powder

1/2 tsp Black salt

Black pepper a pinch

1 tbsp Fresh mint (chopped)

1 tbsp Fresh coriander (chopped)

Bread crumbs for coating

Oil for frying 



Recipe:

  1. In a muslin cloth put the curd and tie it properly, lightly squeeze it to remove excess whey and hang it for at least 2 hours, or overnight if possible.
  2. In a mixing bowl add the hung curd, grate the paneer and cheese and add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
  3. Take a spoonful of mixture and with light hands shape into small tikki.
  4. Coat the tikki well with the breadcrumbs and refrigerate for 10 minutes before frying.
  5. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan or wok, deep fry the kebabs (tikki) on high flame until crisp and golden brown.
  6. Serve hot and crispy with mint chutney, ketchup or any sauce of your preference.



Enjoy and keep showering your love.

Sunday, July 4, 2021

OATS COOKIES

 OAT COOKIES



These 2 ingredient banana oatmeal cookies are delicious breakfast cookies. They don’t contain any flour or refined sugar, but they still taste like soft, sweet cookies. Bananas and quick oats are all you need for the cookies. If you want some variation, you can add chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit. I came across 2 ingredient banana cookies recently, though they’ve been popular on the internet for a few years.


Ingredients:

1 cup quick oats

1 large overripe banana (mashed to a liquid-like consistency)

1/2 cup chocolate chips or other add-ins of your choice (optional)



Recipe:

  1. Preheat oven to 180C.
  2. In a large bowl, add oats and mashed bananas. Mix with a fork until it becomes an evenly mixed, thick batter. If you plan on using add-ins like chocolate chips, mix them into the cookie batter at this time.
  3. Make 8 round balls out of the cookie batter.
  4. Place onto baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Gently press down on each ball so that it flattens into a round disc.
  5. Cookies will not spread much during baking, so keep that in mind when shaping and flattening your discs.
  6. Bake for about 15 minutes or until cookies are lightly brown and set.



Let cookies cool before eating. Store uneaten cookies in the fridge.


Enjoy and keep showering your love.

Monday, June 28, 2021

EGGLESS RAINBOW COOKIES

 EGGLESS RAINBOW COOKIES



These cookies are a lot special to me and a bit different from my regular cookies. This is all about my support to the LGBTQ community, to the love and acceptance.

This month is about teaching acceptance and educating pride history, and above all, love. Several campaigns and drives are held to educate people about how damaging homophobia can be. The LGBTQ+ community has fought a long battle for their right to live a dignified life. Therefore, every year in June, the world celebrates Pride month in honor of community members who have been through various obstacles in life and have come a long way. It also showcases how far gay rights have come, and what all is yet to achieve. Global Pride Day every year is celebrated on June 28. Colorful parades, concerts, and marches are held across the world to celebrate this day. But since the country is still fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, the celebration might take place virtually. 

LGBTQ community and other allies have been fighting to get equal right to start families, to get married, adopt children, fight discrimination, hate speech, and the right to simply exist as they are.


Ingredients:

1+1/2 cups Butter

3 cups All purpose flour

1+1/2 cups Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla extract

Salt a pinch

Food colours (violet, blue, green, yellow, orange and red)



Recipe:

  1. Cream butter, vanilla extract together. Add Sugar, Salt and beat till it is soft.
  2. Add All purpose flour and bring it together to make soft dough. Divide it into 2 parts. Keep 1 as it is and divide another into 6 equal balls.
  3. Add colors to each part and mix well. 
  4. Roll each color separately and stack it on each other in the order of Violet, blue, green, yellow, indigo and red.
  5. Cut it horizontally 4 times and take a heart mould and cut hearts from it. Repeat with other 3 parts. You’ll get around 20-22 hearts.
  6. Roll another dough which was plain. Cut out circles from it and a heart from within the circle.
  7. Now place the rainbow hearts in between the circle.
  8. Cover it and keep it in fridge for 30 mins.
  9. Arrange it in baking tray. Pre heat the oven at 180 degree and bake cookies at 180 degree for 12 mins. Let it cool down completely.



Store it in air tight container.


Enjoy and keep showering your love.

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

MANCHURIAN DRY

 MANCHURIAN



This recipe of vegetable manchurian yields crispy and delicious veg balls in manchurian sauce. A popular and tasty indo chinese gravy based appetiser recipe made with deep-fried vegetable balls. Basically a vegetarian alternative to the popular meat manchurian or chicken manchurian variant for the non-meat-eaters. It is generally made and served as a side dish to the fried rice or noodles recipe, but can also be served as party starter or appetiser. Now a days chinese has become one of the popular lunch or dinner variants for many indians. One such simple and easy side dish recipe is veg manchurian gravy recipe known for its multipurpose usability.


For the manchurian balls:

1/2 head cabbage

2 medium carrots

1 medium onion

1 medium green bell pepper

2 tbsp Ginger garlic paste

2 green chili peppers (Finely minced)

Salt to taste

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup corn starch

Vegetable oil (for frying)

For the manchurian sauce:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

12 cloves garlic (finely chopped)

2 green chili peppers (minced)

1 small green bell pepper (cut into large cubes)

1 small onion (cut into large, ¾th inch cubes and petals separated)

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

1-2 tbsp hot chili sauce (use more or less based on your preference)

2-4 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp vinegar

1/2 tsp powdered ginger

Salt to taste

4 tbsp corn starch 

2 scallions (finely chopped)


Recipe:

Make the manchurian balls:

  1. Heat oil for frying in a wok or fryer.
  2. Grate all of the veggies, including the onion, or chop them very finely.
  3. Place the veggies and the rest of the ingredients in the bowl and mix until a ball formed with the veggies holds together. You don't want the balls to be doughy, but if absolutely necessary, add a little more flour if needed to bind.
  4. Shape the mixture into small balls and flatten each slightly before adding to the hot oil. You can fry several at a time but don't overcrowd the pan.
  5. Turn the manchurian balls golden-brown on both sides. Remove them to a dish lined with paper towels and set aside.

Make the manchurian sauce:

  1. To make the sauce, place the wok on high heat and when it is very hot, pour the oil in along the sides of the pan.
  2. Add the garlic and stir-fry for just 10 seconds or so, then immediately add in the bell peppers and onion. Saute just a minute, then add the sauces one by one in the center of the wok--the ketchup, soya sauce, chili sauce and vinegar. Mix together quickly and then add 2 cups of water to the wok. Bring to a boil and taste the sauce. If needed, add salt.
  3. Mix the cornstarch with 4 tbsp water and add a little at a time until the sauce thickens. Cook the sauce until it comes to a boil and becomes glossy, 2-4 minutes. Add the manchurian balls. Turn off heat and season with scallions before serving.

Serve with fried rice.

Enjoy and keep showering your love.

Thursday, June 17, 2021

CIGAR ROLLS

 CIGAR ROLLS



These Paneer Cigar Rolls have a light texture with a slight crunch on the outside. On the inside, it’s filled with deliciousness. What’s so special about our Veg Cigar Roll? The dish is elegant with the gooey cheese as the wow factor. These crispy rolls are filled with cheese, to make the filling wholesome. Tasty and savoury, this recipe has a crispy outer layer and is soft and spicy on the inside making it a guaranteed crowd pleaser.


Ingredients:

4 tbsp Cottage cheese

4 tbsp Processed cheese

4 spring roll sheets

2-3 green chillies finely chopped

1/2 tsp crushed red chillies

Salt to taste 

3-4 fresh curly parsley

2 tbsp cornstarch

1/2 cup refined flour (maida)

Oil to deep fry 


Recipe:

  1. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Put cottage cheese in a bowl, add processed cheese, green chillies, crushed red chillies, salt, parsley, cornstarch and mix well with your hands, pressing as you mix.
  2. Divide into 4 equal portions and shape into long croquettes.
  3. Mix refined flour with sufficient water to make a thick paste. Apply this on the spring roll sheets with a brush.
  4. Place a cheese croquette at one end and roll tightly into a long cylinder and seal the open edge ensuring that you leave about ½ inch empty space at the two ends.
  5. Slide into hot oil and deep-fry till golden and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper.
  6. Halve and serve hot.



Enjoy and keep showering your love.

Sunday, June 6, 2021

CREME BRÛLÉE DONUTS

 CREME BRÛLÉE DONUTS



It may be the greatest creation in sweet tooth history: Crème Brûlée Donuts. Soft, pillowy, fried dough, a creamy custard center, all with crunchy caramel topping the entire affair. These creme brulee doughnuts are what your food dreams made of. They are a bit time-consuming, so just be sure to plan ahead accordingly. But most of the time is spent on non-active prep, and they are well worth it!


Ingredients:

Doughnuts

1/4th cup water

3 tbsp oil

1/2 cup milk

3 cups flour

1/4th cup granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

1 tsp active dry yeast

Oil for deep-frying


Custard filling

1+1/2 cups milk

2 tbsp custard powder 

1 tbsp cocoa powder (optional)

1/3rd cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of salt


Caramel

2 cups sugar



Recipe:

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine water, oil, and milk until the oil melts. In the bowl mix together flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add warm oil-milk mixture to flour mixture and mix.
  2. Knead for 5 to 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and soft. Transfer to a greased bowl and cover with a damp tea towel; let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
  3. Meanwhile, make the custard filling. Heat milk in a medium saucepan until it is just about to boil. While the milk is heating up, whisk 2 tbsp milk, custard powder, cocoa powder (optional) and sugar in a separate bowl until thoroughly combined and just a little fluffy. Add salt; mix well.
  4. Once the milk has reached boiling point, slowly begin to pour the milk custard mixture into the saucepan while whisking consistently. Cook, continuing to stir, for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture is thick and glossy.
  5. Stir in vanilla once the custard is finished cooking. Strain the custard into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing plastic wrap onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let chill while you continue with the doughnuts.
  6. Once the dough has risen, gently punch it down and turn out onto a floured surface. Roll out to a little less than an inch thick. Cut out round circles of dough and transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let rise for another 30 minutes.
  7. Heat oil in a nice big pot, preferably heavy-bottomed. Fry the doughnuts, to golden-brown perfection for about 2 or 3 minutes, flipping halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack. Let doughnuts cool to room temperature.
  8. To fill the doughnuts, place chilled custard filling in a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip and stick in the sides of each doughnut to squeeze a little bit of filling into each of pastry.
  9. To finish, place sugar in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Melt sugar, swirling pan occasionally, and cook until it turns a rich amber color. Remove from heat and carefully dip doughnuts in caramel.



Let cool and harden on wire rack once more. Now eat!


Enjoy and keep showering your love.

Thursday, June 3, 2021

WHOLE WHEAT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

 WHOLE WHEAT CHOCOCHIP COOKIES



Healthy cookies in the true sense! These whole wheat chocolate chip cookies are eggless. They are filled with “better for you” ingredients instead. Lightly crisp and so chewy!! I got an amazing response from my family asking for more such better goodies. So, I baked these healthy and tasty cookies and here I am sharing the most amazing better version of the classic chocolate chip cookies. These cookies are chewy and yummy. The secret of its success lies in the ingredient list given below.


Ingredients:
1/2 cup flour – wheat flour (atta)

1/8th tsp baking soda

1 pinch salt

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp light brown sugar

1/4th cup butter (soft and cold)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4th cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks

1 to 2 teaspoons milk optional, if needed


Recipe:

  1. Add flour to a mixing bowl. Mix together flour, baking soda and salt until well combined. Set aside.
  2. To another bowl, add in softened butter. It must be soft but cold.
  3. Whisk it just for 30 seconds. Then add light brown sugar and regular sugar. Cream until light and fluffy for about 1 to 2 mins. Do not over beat , butter begins to melt.
  4. Add in vanilla and mix.
  5. Now add the flour to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix well just until combined to form a non sticky dough. Add 2 tbsp of chocolate chunks and combine.
  6. *If the dough turns sticky add in 1 tsp more flour and mix. If the dough is dry, then sprinkle 1 tsp milk and mix well.
  7. Cover and chill the dough in refrigerator for 15 to 30 mins.
  8. Divide the dough into parts and shape them to balls. 
  9. Place them on a tray lined with parchment paper. Just tuck in 2 to 3 choco chips to each of the dough balls.
  10. Bake for 10-15 mins at 220 C. Remove when the edges begin to turn slightly brown. The cookies will be slightly soft in the center but will firm up after cooling. They will still bake on the tray after removing it from the oven. So remove them a bit early.
  11. Cool completely on a wire rack.



Store them in a air tight jar and use up within 7 days.


Enjoy and keep showering your love.

Wednesday, June 2, 2021

ZINGY PARCEL

 ZINGY PARCEL

Crispy from outside and soft from inside. Filled with Paneer, veggies, and lots of  pizza seasoning – this Paneer Zingy Parcel is loved by all. Be it kids or foodies like me who love eating junk, it’s a perfect treat.

Since #lockdown is here and most of us are avoiding eating outside, this Dominos style Paneer Zingy Parcel is a perfect recipe to try during this time of #COVID19. Delicious Paneer filling with lots of pizza seasoning takes this recipe a notch higher.


Ingredients for Zingy Parcel:

For Dough:

1+1/2 cup Refined Flour

1 tbsp Instant Active Yeast

1 tbsp Sugar

1/3rd tsp Salt

1 tbsp Oil

For Stuffing:

1/2 cup Paneer, cubes

1 tbsp Butter

1 tsp Ginger, grated

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Ginger, grated

1/2 cup onion, chopped 

1/2 cup Green Capsicum

1/2 cup Yellow Capsicum

1 tsp Oregano

1 tsp pizza Sauce

Tomato Sauce



Recipe:

Dough Preparation:

  1. For preparing the dough, we need instant active yeast. Take instant active yeast in a bowl, pour 3-4 tbsp of lukewarm water, sugar, and mix well. Cover the yeast and rest for 10 minutes.
  2. After 10 minutes, the yeast has puffed up. Now, we will knead the dough using the activated yeast. Take maida in a bowl, add salt in it and mix well.
  3. Add the activated yeast to the Maida and mix well. Pour lukewarm water gradually and knead a soft dough. Add some oil to the dough and knead for 7-8 minutes or till it becomes soft. Add some more oil to the dough once it starts sticking to your hands.
  4. Once done kneading, apply a little oil over the dough, cover it and keep aside for 1 hour at a warm place.


Stuffing Preparation:

  1. Melt butter in a pan. When the butter melts completely, add grated ginger (or ginger paste) and sauté slightly.
  2. Add chopped onion, chopped green capsicum, chopped yellow capsicum to the pan and mix well.
  3. Now, add oregano (or mix-herbs), pizza sauce, tomato sauce, chopped paneer cubes to the pan, and mix well. The stuffing is ready. Allow it to cool.


Assemble Zingy Parcel:

  1. Mix maida and semolina (Suji) on a plate. To make parcel crust crunchy, apply a little dry flour on your hand, punch and knead the dough once again.
  2. Sprinkle dry maida over the board and roll the dough into a log. Further, divide the dough log into equal portions. Fold the cut dough portions into balls and keep them in a bowl.
  3. Pick one ball of the dough, dust it with dry maida and flatten it between your palms. Now, roll it with a rolling pin and make it a bit thicker than chapati.
  4. Once done, fold the dough sheet into a triangle and add 2 tsp of stuffing at the center. Apply some water at the corners of the triangle, bring the corners together, and seal them.
  5. Likewise, prepare all the zingy parcels and put them on the baking tray. Preheat the oven at 180°C.
  6. Brush with butter and milk.
  7. Place the tray in the oven to bake. Set the oven temperature at 180° for 15-20 minutes.
  8. Check the zingy parcels in the oven. They have turned slightly brown. Turn the tray to the other side and bake them for another 5 minutes.
  9. Take the zingy parcels out and brush butter over them. Now, cover them with a little wet towel for a few minutes so that they can turn soft.
  10. Zingy Parcels have turned soft. They are now ready to be served.



Enjoy and keep showering your love.

Tuesday, May 25, 2021

JAMUN MOJITO

 JAMUN MOJITO



There is nothing better than a refreshing glass of a chilled Mojito on a hot summer’s day. Oh wait, there actually is. If you ask us fruit flavoured mojitos take the cake and walk a fine line of balance between fruit flavour and the refreshing factor of mojitos. This guide will teach you how to make a Jamun Mojito using a homemade Jamun syrup.


Ingredients:

For Jamun Syrup 

1/2 cup Deseeded Jamun 

1/2 cup Granulated sugar

10 mint leaves

1/2 tsp Lemon juice 

2 tbsp Water 

For each Mocktail 

4 tbsp- Jamun Syrup 

6 Mint leaves 

A few Lemon slices 

110 ml Club Soda/ sprite



Recipe:

  1. To make the syrup add deseeded Jamun, sugar, water, a few mint leaves and lemon juice in a in a jar. Grind this syrup in a course mixture.
  2. In a glass or serving jar add 4 tbsp of Jamun syrup, allow the pulps to come in while adding the syrup. 
  3. Add mint leaves, muddle the leaves lightly by using a muddler. Next to add a few ice cubes, water, lemon slices and club soda/ sprite.
  4. Stir gently, garnish with mint leaves, and serve the mocktail immediately.


Enjoy and keep showering your love.

KARACHI HALWA

  KARACHI HALWA As the name suggests,  its origin points to the city of Karachi in Pakistan . ... Karachi Halwa or Bombay Halwa, this sweetm...