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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.