Garlic Cheese Smashed Potatoes | GF meals in 30 minutes

You guys know I love potatoes….I do! I may not share too many recipes with potatoes in them, but the Lord above knows my love for these spuds….and my love for them is shared by my hubby!! Talk about marriages being made in heaven…..for us, it’s more like a spud-farm 🤣🤣🤣😂

Breakfast to dinner, I can live on them. Start your day with some scrumptious Aloo ke Parathe (potato stuffed Indian flatbreads). These are are absolutely awesome and very mildly spiced to start your day with these parathe and you will full almost up to lunch time…I serve them with some home made yogurt, some mango pickle and a lot of butter on top of these….the butter melts all over these piping hot beauties 😍…Mmmmm!

Not looking for something so heavy early in the morning….then you can try my super-yum….brilliant beyond brilliant Baked Potato Wedges 😉 We, the spud-lovers are particularly partial to it and can never share it…hence we make ourselves two whole trays of them, beauties……one for him and one for yours truly 😜

Next, if your looking something Indian…curry style for a proper supper, just go with the Aloo Dum, pair it with some Pooris (fried flatbreads) or Laccha Paratha or even some rice, a quick home style salad (sliced red onions + chopped tomatoes + chopped cucumber + salt + a bit of lime juice) on the side and just step into the food coma …..it’s that good 😍  For something a bit less spicy…look out for my Rassedaar Aloo (potatoes and tomatoes simmered in a thin gravy with little spices),  just a few easy ingredients and it’s ready in under 30 minutes?

You must also try my Aloo Ki Kachori if you love a good North Indian fare 😉 It’s easy to put together and works well for brunches!

Anyways…..that’s a whole lotta potatoes recipes for you guys…not to mention that I’ve not even included a few  here…they are all there in the blog archives ➡️➡️ …go, look them up!

So…about these crisp, gorgeous looking smashed potatoes…well, I have been meaning to share this recipe for a while…I have many other variations for these, but the one which I’ve here today, is like the best way to have potatoes 😍😍 they are just everything one looks for in a side dish … a bit of spice from the chilli flakes (or, you could use smoked paprika), that comforting warmth from the garlic, a bit smokiness as I’ve used smoked sea salt (you could always use regular salt or even plain sea salt)…..spicy becaaaaaause…I’ve added my favourite spice mix in the whole wide world….yeah! Peri Peri spice powder and that last bit off oozing good in the form of Mexican blend cheese  😋 Yes please!!!

Let’s see how can we get you to make these babies….

Yield: serves 2

Equipment: baking tray, measuring cups/ spoons, pressure cooker, cooling rack.

Ingredients:

300 gms baby potatoes

sea salt to taste

1 tsp peri peri spice mix (store bought)

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

1 tsp garlic powder (use fresh minced garlic if you don’t have garlic powder)

3 tbsp oil

1/4 cup Mexican cheese mix (store bought, easily available in any supermarket or hyper stores)

some fresh green coriander to garnish

Method:

Take 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker, add a pinch of regular salt to it along with washed baby potatoes. Cook them for about 10 minutes or one whistle is good enough. We need to soften them but not turn them into a watery mush!

Once cooked, drain the water and let the potatoes cool down a bit. Then, grease the baking tray with about a tbsp of oil. Roll the boiled potatoes in the oil on the tray. Spread out the potatoes and use a fork to smash them a bit.

Pre-heat the oven @200’c.

Now, drizzle some more of the remaining oil over the smashed potatoes. Sprinkle sea salt, garlic powder, peri peri spice mix, chilli flakes and the cheese and some oil if you like.

Bake these at 200’c for 12-15 mins or until the cheese bubbles and the top of these potatoes turns a bit crisp using both the upper and the lower heating rods/ elements.

Garnish with some chopped coriander and sprinkle some more cheese if you like 😉 Serve these piping hot with some drinks or just as it is!

They will melt in your mouth😋😋😋😋 so tempting…and so easy to put together!

Love,

Shreya💕

For more such deliciousness, follow me on –

Pinterest ID : https://www.pinterest.com/emarald_icon123/

Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/pages/PolkaPuffs/334992336689991

Instagram : https://instagram.com/polkapuffs/

 

   

Eggless Tutti Frutti Cake

I prefer tea cakes over frosted cakes, however, that wasn’t always the same….as a teenager or for that matter even in my early twenties…I had a great love for all things Chocolate. This included a major drool situation for a Chocolate cake with a hearty slathering of chocolate frosting 😍😍😍😍😍 I just couldn’t resist them!

But with time, I have begun to appreciate other flavours which are slightly milder and yet so amazingly delicious. Tea cakes are one of them. If you’ve been following my blog, you’ll know what I am talking about. Simple, moist sponges are my go to cakes for any occasion. Besides, they are so easy to put together😊😊. This one has no butter, no eggs! 👌🏼

You must try ⬇️⬇️

Banana Muffins/ bundt

Chocolate Peanut Butter banana bread  (egg free)

Chocolicious Butterscotch and Banana breakfast bars

and many more….click here. I have a few pressure cooker cake recipes on the blog too, look for them in the archives😊

What I find particularly comforting about such light tea-cakes is that they don’t weigh you down and there always room for another slice 🤗. Oh, not to forget…how easy they can be for experimentating with new flavours!

This recipe is just as easy and calls for yogurt instead of eggs. As most of my readers look for egg free options, I try to keep their needs in mind. However, if you wish replace the yogurt in this cake, just take out the yogurt and instead add 1 large egg. Also, minus the baking soda if working with egg in this recipe. It will turn into a beautiful cake ☺️

Why I like using yogurt over hot water or even sour cream….it’s because the taste of sour cream is slightly too tart for our liking whereas using yogurt makes just as moist a cake as the sour cream one. And besides, let’s be honest….most would prefer going for the yogurt as it’s readily available in nearly every Indian household and there’d be no need to bother to go find sour cream.

I love practical recipes! The one’s where I just peek into my pantry and come out with a big pile of everyday ingredients to make something delicious! This recipe is one such 😍 Spontaneous is my middle name….I hate having to plan a list of groceries specific to what I plan to share here on the blog unless it’s something that was on my bucket list for a while 😂

Isn’t the texture just awesome! This cake literally melts in the mouth…and I make it nearly every fortnight! But never was able click even one decent picture as I usually bake this in the evenings just before the mister gets back from work…so that he can have a slice of warm goodness with his cuppa 😍

So getting on with the recipe…

Yield: one 7″ loaf

Equipment: a large mixing bowl, a manual whisk, a rubber spatula, measuring cups/ spoons, baking tin, parchment paper, cooling rack.

Ingredients:

1 cup All purpose flour (Maida)

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup powdered sugar (I used icing sugar)

1/4 cup + 2 tsp oil

1/4 cup thick yogurt (or use 1 large egg instead of yogurt)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2-3 tbsp milk

1/2 cup mixed tutti Frutti

Method:

Preheat the oven @ 180’c. Line the baking tin with the parchment paper. Set this aside.

Now, take yogurt, sugar, baking soda, baking powder in a mixing bowl. Stir these ingredients together for a minute. Leave it aside for a couple of minutes to let the baking soda work with the acidity of the yogurt. The mixture will become little frothy after a few minutes.

Now, add the oil and vanilla extract to this frothy yogurt mixture. Whisk well to make a lumpfree mixture. Next, sift in the flour. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the flour into the wet ingredients. Do not beat or whisk the batter. Once the flour is well incorporated, add the tutti Frutti bits and fold them into the batter. (Tip: Add milk only if the batter is too thick else skip it).

Now, pour the batter into the ready tin and sprinkle some tutti Frutti on top of the batter too.

Bake the cake @180’c for about 30-35 mins using the lower heating elements/ rods. Once the cake is baked, insert a toothpick in the centre of the cake to check readiness. The toothpick must come out with a few moist crumbs. If the cake is under cooked, bake for a further 5 mins.

Remove the ready cake from the oven and place the tin on the cooling rack. Let the cake cool completely before unmoulding and slicing. This cake stays fresh in an airtight container for about 3-4 days.

Hope you try this soon and don’t forget to share your feedback with us 😀

Love,

Shreya 💝

 
For more such deliciousness, follow me on –

Pinterest ID : https://www.pinterest.com/emarald_icon123/

Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/pages/PolkaPuffs/334992336689991

Instagram : https://instagram.com/polkapuffs/

Schezwan Noodles | Indo Chinese Street Food

We Indians love our ‘desi’ Indo-Chinese….we may pretend to apprecite the gourmet, Asian-style spreads at the most sought after restaurants…but you’ll find us literally stuffing our faces with these street style noodles…or fried rice and some cornflour laden, soy sauce soaked manchurian gravies more often than not😍😍😍😂 and I am no different, I am in love with our ‘desi’ Chinese which is absolutely no where close to the authentic cuisine but what the heck?! It’s just too yummy to part with….and it’s one of my favourite things in the whole wide world 🤗 There! I said it!

So, having said that…what would you expect from me if I have a few packets of Hakka noodles sitting in my pantry and one hungry husband on a weekend ….with no plans to step out because the man ain’t in the mood to drive 😩 I make some street vendor style Schezwan Noodles…spicy….loaded with veggies…full of flavours and absolutely lip-smacking good😍😍😍 besides, it gets done in about 30 minutes…what’s not to love👌🏼

Actually, it’s better than your favourite take-out as this is healthier because of the veggies and I’ve added very little oil. Spicese, yes…added a whole lot of spices while making it as we prefer it to be hot! 😁 So, if you’ve been a person who starts sneezing and coughing at the first bite of anything spicy…tone this recipe down a couple of notches and you’ll survive 😉 I have used my homemade Schezwan sauce here and I did serve this with some quick Schezwan paneer….basically, everything was Schezwan 😑🤔 how’d that happen?! 😜

Enough said! Start cooking…pronto!

Yield: serves 2-3

Equipment: a large heavy bottomed wok, measuring cup/ spoons, a pair of tongs.

Ingredients:

2 packets of Hakka Noodles (boiled as per the instructions on the package)

1+1/2 cups julienned carrots

1 cup julienned cabbage

1 cup julienned capsicum

1 cup finely sliced red onion

1/2 cup finely chopped spring onion whites

1/2 cup finely chopped spring onion greens

salt to taste

1/4 cup Schezwan sauce

3 tbsp oil

1 tsp noodle Masala (Indian grocery stores carry it, else skip it and add black pepper powder)

3 tsp finely chopped garlic

1 tsp finely chopped ginger

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp red chilli sauce

1 tsp vinegar

3 nos. whole red chillies

1 tbsp tomato ketchup (optional)

Method:

In the wok, heat oil until nice and hot. Then add the ginger, garlic, whole red chillies and spring onion whites. Sauté these on high flame until the garlic turns golden. Then add all the veggies along with salt and noodle Masala (black pepper). Keep mixing well and sautéing on high flame for the next 2-3 minutes.

Next, add the sauces – Schezwan, soy, chilli. Add vinegar and ketchup too. Sauté for another 2 minutes. Now tip in the boiled noodles (ensure that the noodles are al-dentè). Use tongs to mix the veggies with the noodles and be gentle. You don’t want to break any of those gorgeous noodles. Once everything is looking good, add the spring onion greens and give them a last mix. That’s it, serve them piping hot! Done😉

You can add any veggies if your choice or add Proteins of your choice…like shredded chicken or some sautéed prawns if you like seafood.

Doesn’t that make you drool?! 😃 …you should make some👆🏼

Love,

Shreya💖

 

For more such deliciousness, follow me on –

Pinterest ID : https://www.pinterest.com/emarald_icon123/

Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/pages/PolkaPuffs/334992336689991

Instagram : https://instagram.com/polkapuffs/

Cumin Cookies | Jeera Biscuits

The baking bug has bitten me for quite sometime now and there days when I am baking around the clock! It’s fun to do so little and I still get to enjoy big treats😍😍…besides, baking all my meals sounds like a doable thing in these summers when standing in front of the stove is next to impossible!

I bake things which my hubby and I both enjoy apart from experimenting new recipes or recipes which I’d bookmarked earlier….dinner last night was a batch of my Baked Spring Rolls which I served with some homemade Schezwan Sauce and glasses after glasses of my Tropical Iced Tea to cool things down 😁 I still have a bottle of the tea sitting chilled in the refrigerator for tonight….planning to pair it with my mixed lentil Adai and Tomato Chutney….mmmm!

So while all this kept happening, my hubby reminds me about something I used to bake in the early days of my experiments with baking…almost over 2 years ago…he says why haven’t I revisited my Bakery Style Cumin Cookies a.k.a. Jeera Biscuits! I was stumped 🤔…been over a year I made them for HIS teatime 😜😂😂 obviously, the poor chap must’ve been missing them!

And these happened a while back…just for him…he came back home to an amazing aroma wafting out of our home and he’d already known that I’ve baked these Cumin Cookies. He says…come on, give me some straight away😋…didn’t wait for his tea or anything…..and I was super satisfied 😍

These bakery style cookies are so easy to put together, mildly sweet and tad bit salty..and the flavour of the roasted cumin seeds/ jeera seeds are something so earthy and yet addictive! Besides, they lend the crunch to them. The original recipe which I had first used called for eggs but I have worked around to avoid eggs just as I avoid eggs in my Sugar Cookie recipe.

Let’s start…

Yield: 24 cookies of 2″ each.

Equipment: electric whisk, measuring cup/ spoon, rolling pin, baking tray, parchment paper/ butter paper, cooling rack, cookie cutter/ knife, mixing bowl.

Ingredients:

1 cup + 1 tbsp all purpose flour (Maida)

1/2 cup / 1 stick unsalted butter (if using salted butter then skip adding any salt in the recipe)

1/4 cup icing sugar (I use icing sugar as it helps the cookies hold better shape, you can use regular powdered sugar)

1/4 tsp salt

a pinch of baking powder

2 tbsp jeera (Cumin seeds)

3-4 tbsp milk (if needed to bind the dough)

Method:

Take cumin seeds in a pan and roast them until they are slightly brown and fragrant. Set them aside to cool.

Line the baking trays with parchment paper/ butter paper. Lining the tray avoids having burnt bases and edges with the cookies and ensures they colour evenly even at the bottom and the cookies don’t spread too much.

Now, in the mixing bowl, cream together the butter and icing sugar until they are smooth and well incorporated.

Next, seive in the flour and add salt. Whisk again until the flour is well incorporated into the creamed butter. Add baking powder and the 1 tbsp roasted cumin seeds. Make a smooth dough with your hands, you can add 1-2 tbsp milk if the dough needs some moisture to come together. It’s optional, I always add 2-3 tbsp. Smoothen the dough and set it aside for 10 mins.

Next, dust your work surface (I prefer silicon mats) with some flour and roll the dough to a thickness of about 3mm and cut them in any desired size and shape.

Place the cut out cookies an inch apart on the lined baking tray. Sprinkle some roasted cumin over each cookie. Place the baking tray with the cookies in the refrigerator for 10 mins to set the cookies before baking.

In the meanwhile, preheat the oven @180’c for 10-12 minutes.

Once the cookies have set in the refrigerator, bake them @180’c for 12-13 minutes using both upper and the lower heating elements/ rods. They will turn slightly golden on the edges once ready. (Every oven works differently so adjust the baking time and temperature according to that)

The base of the cookies…a perfect golden brown 😍

Once baked, keep the tray on a cooling rack and let the cookies crisp up on the tray as they continue to cook for a few minutes on the hot tray. Remove them from the tray and place them on the cooling rack to let the cookies/ biscuits cool completely before storing in airtight boxes, they keep well for upto 3-4 days.

They taste best when served fresh with some tea/ coffee or simply as a munchy😀

You can add more sugar or salt, as per your choice. But be generous with the cumin!

Love,

Shreya💖

 

Bombay Aloo Masala Sandwich | Spicy Potato Sandwich

Sandwiches are a staple street food in Amchi Mumbai….be it vegetable toast sandwich or a plain Chutney (salsa) sandwich…the options are endless and oh so yummy! 😍

I personally love the vegetable cheese grill sandwich! It’s like the best of both worlds…you get veggies and if you are a cheese lover like me…it’s just so good with that cheese within and on the outside😍😍😍😍….a side of some potato crisps/ chips/ wafers…and some ketchup😋

Similarly, there is another hot favourite among most Mumbaikars….the spicy, aromatic and very delicious Bombay Aloo Masala Sandwich…make it as a toast sandwich or a grilled one…it’s amazing! Aaaaannnddd…..it’s my hubby’s favorite 😘

This is a regular breakfast or evening snack at our place…and my Mom’s recipe for the filling/ Aloo Masala is super duper yum!

I usually use brown bread to make them…you can use regular white sandwich bread or any multigrain bread if your choice. I had once even used a Homemade Herbed Focacia bread for this sandwich and it was so good!

Anyways…let’s get you started on the recipe..

Yield: can be used for upto 6-7 sandwiches with generous amount of the potato filling.

Equipment: a non-stick pan, measuring cups/ spoons, grilled or toaster or a pan to grill or toast the sandwiches, a bread knife to cut the sandwiches into portions.

Ingredients:

5 nos. large potatoes (boiled and mashed)

3 tbsp oil

1 tsp finely chopped green chilli

a pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1/4 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

1/2 cup finely chopped onions

1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper (capsicum)

2 nos. finely chopped tomatoes

salt to taste

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp Pav bhaji Masala

1/4 tsp amchur powder (raw mango powder)

1-2 tsp water (if needed to correct the consistency)

2 tsp chopped fresh coriander leaves

butter as needed to grill/ toast the sandwiches

Method:

To make the filling:

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, hing and chopped green chillie. Sauté for a minute.

Next, add the chopped onions. Sweat them for a few minutes. Then add the capsicum. Sauté again. Tip in the tomatoes followed by the salt, turmeric, red chillie powder, ginger-garlic paste. Mix well and cook these together until the tomatoes turn mushy and the raw smell of the ginger- garlic paste goes away.

Next, add the mashed potatoes along with the Pav bhaji Masala. Also add the amchur powder and mix well. Turn off the flea me. Add chopped coriander leaves and give them all a final mix. That’s your filling done! Keep well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

To make the sandwich:

Take 2 slices of bread. Slather both the slices with butter. Sprinkle some chaat Masala (optional) and spread a thick layer of the potato filling. Heat the griller/ toaster…spread some butter on the griller plate and place the sandwich on it and let it crisp up on both sides. Serve hot with some chips/ crisps and ketchup!

You can add some veggies to this filling recipe or even minus a few things if you wish. Do try it…it’s lip smacking 😍

Love,

Shreya💖

 

Eggless Chocolate Sponge Cake in Pressure Cooker | Vegan Chocolate Sponge Cake Recipe

I am back with another easy pressure cooker cake recipe! Yayy! Yayy….because it’s eggless this time! Yup….I know most of my beloved readers out there wanted to learn to bake an eggless cake in the pressure cooker the last time when I’d posted my Mom’s Vanilla Sponge Cake in the Pressure Cooker recipe….. I also know that I am a bit late than I thought I would be…but better late than never, right!? 😄 A ONE BOWL WONDER….

The best thing about this cake is that it can be baked as well. So, it ain’t necessary that you must bake it in a pressure cooker only. I use the same recipe to bake some muffins in my OTG from the leftover batter as this cake baked in the pressure cooker….and this what it looked like…perfect flat top! You can frost it like a pro!

It was just perfect…this is my go to recipe whenever I am planning on an eggless, vegan chocolate cake😍 I had discovered this recipe long ago..although it had butter originally but I have been using oil …and it stayed with me. Works like a charm….perfect texture!

I have used this recipe even for a proper frosted cake. It’s easy to slice in layers and frost well as the crumbs do not just fall off either. It stays fresh for 2-3 days at room temperature too.

Since I’ve raved so much about it…it’s only fair we look at recipe now😀

Yield: a 6″ square cake (in pressure cooker) and 4 medium cupcakes (baked)

Equipment: a mixing bowl, measuring cups/ spoons, baking tin, a large pressure cooker, a spare steel bowl, a cooling rack, parchment paper/ baking paper.

Ingredients:

1 + 1/2 cup All purpose flour (Maida)

1 cup + 2 tbsp powdered sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup oil (I used regular cooking oil)

1 cup warm water

1 tbsp lemon juice / vinegar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method :

Line the cake tin with baking paper/ parchment paper. Dust it with a bit of flour.

In a large mixing bowl sift together flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt.

Next, add lemon juice, oil, vanilla extract, warm water. Mix everything well but do not over mix the ingredients as that results in a heavy cake.

Heat the pressure cooker on high flame for 10 mins. Place a stand/ bowl or plate inside at the bottom. DON’T ADD WATER IN THE COOKER.

Fill the batter in the ready tin upto half its capacity and place the tin in the heated pressure cooker on the bowl/ stand kept at the base. Cover the pressure cooker with it lid but remove its gasket and weight. Bake on medium flame for 40-45 mins.

Do a toothpick test and check if the cake is ready after 40 mins, it should come out with a few moist crumbs, if your cake is ready then remove from the cooker using kitchen tongs and cool the tin on cooling rack for 15-20 mins before unmoulding the cake.

If the cake in undercooked, then let it cook for another 10 mins. It should be ready by then. Slice and serve.

To bake the muffins, fill each muffin mould upto 3/4 th of it’s capacity. Then, I pre-heated the oven @180’c for 10 mins. Next, I  baked the muffins for 20-22 mins @180’c. (Each oven works differently so please adjust the baking time and temperature). Do take a toothpick test. Cool them for 15 mins on a cooling fack before unmoulding. Enjoy!

This cake keeps well in an airtight box for 2-3 days.

Make this soon…because it hardly takes any time! Sounds cheesy…well…I can’t help it!! 😂

Love,

Shreya💗

Kothmir Wadi | Kothambir Wadi – Maharashtrian Delicacy

I am a proper Mumbai (Bombay) girl…born, raised, educated, worked and then married in Mumbai….when I say home, I always mean Mumbai❤….and saying that obviously means I love…just lurrvvvveeee my Mumbaiya (meaning typical) street food and snacks! The hubby and I visit every happening joint, cafe …etc, etc around our city but having some of the most delicious street food is something we can never give up!

Mumbai isn’t only about Wada Pav and Bombay Pav Bhaji in terms of authentic Maharashtrian snacks. If you have ever been to Maharashtra (any part of the state), you’d be familiar with Kothambir Wadi or Kothmir Wadi (spiced, coriander and chickpea flour nuggets). Kothmir or Kothambir literally means fresh coriander leaves in Marathi and Wadi translates to nuggets. Such an easy language… I am almost too proud that I can speak it rather well…(well, I do make grammatical errors here and there but I never quit speaking the language!) 😃

The flavours are fresh and very earthy, green chillies and ginger along with other spices and ingredients make these Wadis lip smacking. Although, these are available in most local shops that sell Wada Pav or bhajias (batter fried onion or potato fritters), I always wanted to make them at home too. I probably wouldn’t have if my hubby wasn’t so crazy about them…

So I looked up a few recipes and found one which was easy and sounded a whole lot like what we usually got from outside…and they turn out quite good and crisp! I have been making there for over 2 years now…and a glass of hot lemon tea is all that I need to polish these off!

Besides, making them is no big task either….it takes less than 15 mins of prepping and just another 30 minutes of cooking! Glutenfree (uses chick pea flour along with rice flour) and vegan (has no clarified butter or yogurt), one can easily include them in their special diets without any fuss. Serve them with a dip if choice or have them on it’s own…delish!

Let’s begin….

Yield: 16 small Wadis (nuggets) using a square baking tin of 5″X 5″

Equipment: a mixing bowl, a whisk, measuring cups/ spoons, a pressure cooker/ large pot, a small metal plate, a frying pan, baking tin or any vessel to use for steaming the Wadis (nuggets), a sharp knife, a pair of tong.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sifted chick-pea flour (besan) 

2 tbsp sifted rice flour (chawal ka atta)

salt to taste

water as needed

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

a pinch of hing (asafoetida)

2 tsp chopped green chillies

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp flavour less oil (like canola or sunflower)

To pan fry: (optional, have it steamed if you wish to avoid pan frying. Also, deep frying is yet another option but I tend to avoid deep frying)

4 tbsp oil

Method:

In a mixing bowl, add the sifted flours. Season with salt. Add hing at this point. Whisk well and add little water to make a thick batter. Add the ginger paste, lemon juice, chillies, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, oil, toasted sesame seeds and chopped coriander leaves, whisk again. Add the baking soda and mix gently (don’t whisk). Grease the baking tin with some oil. Pour the batter into the greased tin and set it aside.

Heat about 2 cups of water in a large pot or pressure cooker. Keep a metal plate at the bottom of the pot/ cooker to use as a  seperator.

Once the water starts boiling a bit, place the tin with the batter inside the pot/ cooker on the separator plate. Cover with a lid if you are using a pot. In case you are using a pressure cooker, remove the weight (whistle) off the lid and then secure the lid on the pressure cooker.

Cook on low flame for about 15-18 mins. Then turn off the flame  and open the lid carefully. Remove the tin from the pot/ pressure cooker and using a sharp knife check if the batter has cooked, to do that, simply insert the knife in the centre of the tin, if it comes out clean, the batter has cooked (just aswe do for any cake).

Let this cool down completely. Once it has cooled, run the knife on all four sides of the tin and gently unmould it on a chopping board. Using the same sharp knife, cut it into squares. Keep them aside.

This is what it looks like post steaming. Have them just as it is..or pan fry.

To pan fry:

Heat 4 tbsp oil in a frying pan, place the squakes in the pan once the oil is hot, keep turning them around and let them crisp up on all sides. Once done, remove on absorbent kitchen paper. Serve them hot with a dip if your choice!

They keep fresh for a few hours although I have never tried to store them for very long. These make for a great party snack or even as a side dish to go with your meals!

Love,

Shreya💖

Adapted from Nisha Madhulika

Onion Rawa Masala Dosa – Udupi Style

We rarely make South Indian food at home…my hubby ain’t too fond of it and I can’t just make it for myself even though I love it too much! But then there are days when he happily agrees to his one and only favourite from the cuisine –  Onion Rawa Masala Dosa with spicy, tangy Sambhar…he isn’t too keen on coconut chutney…so I happily skip that! 

Such meals happen over the weekends for brunch…I am not complaining as it’s so easy to put together Rawa Dosa and Sambhar! Making the Masala isn’t difficult too….trust me, I can put them together in under 45 mins start to finish 😃 

Last year I had shared the recipe for plain  Rawa Dosa, now you’d think, what’s the difference…we simply need to add the potato masala and that’s it. No, there is a difference, at least in the way I make it. The batter is different which ensures more crisp dosas that can hold the Masala well without becoming soggy and heavy. 

The batter which I make for onion Rawa Masala Dosa is different in terms of the proportions of the ingredients used. If you follow the recipe properly, you will get crisp, lacy and crunchy Rawa Dosa.

Let’s learn how, do follow the steps properly, it’s very simple.

For the Dosa

Yield: 4-5 Dosas

Equipment: a non stick pan, a spatula, measuring cups/ spoons, a mixing bowl, a ladle.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Rawa/ sooji (semolina, I have used Bombay rawa)

1/4 cup rice flour

1 tbsp maida (APF)

4 tsp chopped onions

salt to taste

1 tsp crushed peppercorns

1 tsp chopped curry leaves

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

1/2 tbsp chopped green chilli

1/2 tsp grated ginger

1/4 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)

1 tsp Jeera (cumin seeds)

water as needed

oil to cook the Dosa

Method:

Take all the dry ingredients in the bowl, stir them well. Then add water and make a runny batter (the batter must not too runny but not thick at all). Let it sit for 5-7 mins.

Heat the pan, lower the flame to medium, sprinkle teaspoon of chopped onions. Let them heat for 30 seconds. Then, spread a ladleful of the batter on the pan…and drizzle some oil around the pan. Cook on low heat for about 5-6 mins…you need to cook it that long as it will crisp up..and there is no need to flip over to cook the other side. Once done, it starts leaving the pan from the edges. That’s it, your Onion Rawa Dosa is ready! Serve it plain or with the Masala stuffed within the Dosa😀

(P.S. Stir the batter well before pouring out the next ladleful!)

For the Masala 

Yield: serves 3-4 Dosas

Equipment: a wok, measuring spoons/ cups, a spatula.

Ingredients:

3 nos. boiled potatoes, cut into small cubes

2 tbsp oil

a handful curry leaves

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

2 nos. chopped green chillies

1/4 cup chopped onions

a pinch of hing (asafoetida)

salt to taste

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Method:

Heat oil n the wok. Once it’s hot, add mustard seeds, hing. Let these splatter. Then add ginger-garlic paste, curry leaves and chopped green chillies. Cook them for 2-3 minutes. Then add the onions. Cook these till they turn slightly pink. Add salt and turmeric at this stage. Mix well and add the potatoes.  Ash some of the potatoes as they cook. Ensure everything is mixed well. Turn off the flame. Stuff this Masala within the Dosas and serve piping hot!

P.S. you can add green peas and tomatoes too in the Masala but I don’t prefer their flavour in the Masala for Dosa.

For the Sambhar

Yield: serves 2
Equipment: a pressure cooker, a small pan, measuring cups/ spoons, a ladle.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup tuar/ arhar dal (skinned & split pigeon peas)
2+1/2 cup water
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric pwd
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup sliced onions
1/2 cup cubed lauki (bottle gourd, one can add more veggies of your choice)
1/4 cup tamarind pulp
1/2 tsp grated jaggery
2 tsp sambhar pwd (I use MTR)
6-7 curry leaves

For tempering:
3 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
2-3 whole red chilli
A few curry leaves

Method:
Wash and soak the dal for 30 mins. Add the soaked dal in the pressure cooker with water, salt, turmeric pwd. Add the tomatoes, curry leaves, onions & bottle gourd too. Cook them together in the pressure for 2-3 whistles. Let the pressure cooker cool down completely before opening the lid. The dal & the veggies must be soft & mushy by now. You can add some water to correct the consistency if needed and boil the dal for about 2-3 mins.

Next, add sambhar pwd and grated jaggery to the tamarind pulp and mix well. Add this mixture to the cooked dal & veggies. Stir well and boil the sambhar for 3-4 mins.

Now to temper the sambhar, heat oil in a small pan. Add all the ingredients listed above ‘for tempering’ to the hot oil and let them splatter for about 2 mins. Add this tempering to the boiled sambhar and mix well. Cover with a lid for a few mins. Serve piping hot with Idli/ Dosa/ boiled rice.

How many of you are drooling out there!? I know I am ….but I guess I will have wait for a few months until I revisit this platter! Until, my man says he wants some too 😘

Love,

Shreya💝

 

Khandvi | How to make Khandvi at home | No -Fail Khandvi Recipe

I make a lot of snacks at home…right from Sabudana Wada, Mathri…to Vegetable Croquettes….but never had I dared to try the most popular Gujarati farsan Khandvi at home!! 

I have heard it is very difficult to get the consistency of the batter right and so and so forth….and I love fuss free things as you guys know by now….so making Khandvi was out of the question 😜😂😂

But last month my hubby got some Khandvi from a sweet shop near our home with a big name and all the jazz and honestly we didn’t like how it was – powdery and absolutely tasteless! As opposed to most of the other things available in the shop, this was a complete and utter let down.

So much so, that my dear hubby who knows I’d never make Khandvi at home…kept saying that if I were to make them, I’d nail it! Felt good knowing that he trusts my cooking completely…😍 What next?! Well, I had to nail it…for him. He had so much faith, how would I ever fail.

I called my Mom asking her for the recipe, actually the proportions of the ingredients really, I mean that’s where all the crap happens…measure one ingredient incorrectly and you will never be able to roll even one Khandvi right! 😁

She hasnt made them in years, she said but had a reliable recipe written down somewhere….I couldn’t ask for more!! I diligently noted the recipe with the measures and listened to her explain me how the required consistency will take some time..I’ll need to be patient! Not my strongest virtue but I’ll try I promised😉I tried it that weekend and it was perfect…as told by the man himself! I was happy…hence, made it again a couple of days ago for breakfast…my hubby enjoyed it with a large mug of ginger tea and I with some mint and lemon green tea 👌👌 since it turned out well again…I knew I’d learnt the art of making ‘Khandvi‘ !! 😃

So be patient, go slow, and measure correctly! Let’s get cracking….

Yield: 10-12 rolls

Equipment: measuring cups/ sspoons, knife, a heavy bottomed non-stick pan, a silicon spatula or a wooden spatula, 2 stainless steel plates (optional), a mixing bowl, a small whisk,

Ingredients:

For the Khandvi: 

1/2 cup besan (gram flour)

1 cup thick yogurt (not hung, not Greek)

1 cup water

salt to taste

1 tsp ginger-green chilly paste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

few drops of oil to grease the plates/ platform

For the tempering:

1 1/2 tsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

7-8 nos. curry leaves

2-3 nos. slit green chillies

a pinch of hing (asafoetida)

For garnish:

Chopped coriander leaves

some dry garlic chutney 

Method:

In a mixing bowl, seive the besan. Add salt, turmeric, green chilli- ginger paste and yogurt. Whisk well and make sure there are no lumps. Add the water and whisk again.

In the meanwhile, grease the backs of the steel plates with some oil. Keep them aside. (If you wish to, you can grease the work platform in the kitchen alternatively).

Heat the pan, keep the flame low and add the batter. Keep stirring it constantly to avoid any lumps. After the first 5 mins of cooking, increase the flame a little bit and cook for another 10-12 minutes. The mixture will have thickened enough. Then again reduce the flame to low. Keep stirring it all the while.

This is what the consistency should be after almost 15-17 mins of cooking. Turn off the flame at this stage.

Tip on how to check if the consistency is correct for the Khandvi – take a little bit of the ready mixture and spread it on the greased plate. Let it cool down for 2 mins, if you are able to roll it off without it sticking to the plate, the mixture is ready. If not, cook the mixture for another 2-3 mins.

Now, that we have affirmed the consistency of the mixture, divide the mixture in two parts for the two plates and spread it evenly as shown below.

Note that the mixture will be still cooking on low flame as you do the test of the consistency.  

Let the plates cool down with the mixture for about 10 mins. Then later, using a sharp knife make lines at equal distance and roll the Khandvi very carefully as shown above. Voilà! The Khandvi is ready…easy peasy!!

Now roll all of these similarly and place them on the serving tray/ plate.

Next, for the tempering, heat oil in a small pan, add hing, mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies and let these all splatter around for  few minutes. Then pour this tempering on the rolled Khandvi and serve with some dry garlic chutney and green chutney.

These turned out spicy and just how we like them…😍 Do try these…they’ll make you want to make them again and again..!!

Love,

Shreya💗

 

Matar Kachori | Khasti Matar Kachori

Let’s call it as Kachori Weekends at our place….last weekend it was Aloo ki Kachori and this week, I was keen to make my favourite green peas stuffed Kachoris to devoured with some green Chutney! 👌🏼😁

The market is flooded with fresh, bright green peas. They so sweet and perfect! I have shelled and cleaned about 4-5 kgs of green peas, frozen them in sterilised Ziplock bags to last me for the entire year….more than enough for the two of us! I do this almost every year as I detest the flavour of the store bought frozen peas, they are quite tasteless.

Anyhow, with all the green peas around me got me craving for some Nimona (a gravy made with puréed green peas, very famous in Uttar Pradesh and enjoyed with steamed rice and some ghee) with the onset of the winters in December…..I have made it almost every week. And now, with the winter almost on it’s way out…I wanted to make Matar ki Kachori once, as it’s fried..once is more than enough for the entire season 😂

They turned out so crisp and flaky…just the way I love my kachoris. My Mom’s recipe never fails me….be it her Plyaaz ki Kachori or this …just perfect😋

The stuffing is made with fresh, sweet green peas and some spices tasters tangy, earthy as it uses my home made Garam Masala along with loads of ginger…all the flavours of a perfect Northern winter!  There is no onion or garlic in this recipe. The outer pastry is flaky and very crisp as its fried on slow flame…always fry your kachoris low and slow! They cook well and never turn limp and soggy.

You can pair these Matar ki Kachoris with dubkimaar Aloo Tamatar and chutney or just some imli ki chutney…just so yummy👌

Let’s start…

Yield: 9 large kachoris

Equipment: a heavy bottom wok, a slotted ladle, measuring spoons/ cups, rolling board, rolling board, kitchen paper, a small pan, potato masher, mixing bowls.

Ingredients:

For the outer cover:

2+1/2 cup all purpose flour (Maida)

salt to taste

3 tbsp ghee

water as needed

Method:

Take flour in a  mixing bowl, season it with salt. Add ghee and rub it into the flour until the flour resembles bread crumbs. This ensures that the outer cover of the kachori is crisp and flaky. Next, add sufficient water to make a semi stiff dough. Cover the dough and set it aside to let it rest for a minimum of 30 mins.

For the stuffing: 

1 cup fresh green peas

1 nos. boiled potato

salt to taste

2 tsp mustard oil (use any oil as per your preference)

a pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1 tsp finely chopped green chillies

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

1 tbsp coriander powder

3/4 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder (optional)

1/2 tsp amchoor powder (dry mango powder)

1/2 tsp Garam Masala

chopped coriander leaves as needed

oil to fry

Method:

Mash the boiled potato and set it aside. Potato is used as a binder, if you wish you can avoid it too.

In a pan, heat oil. Once it’s hot, add hing, cumin seeds and green chillies. Let them splatter around for a minute. Then add the grated ginger. Cook it for a minute.

The washed and dried green peas go in next. Season with salt and cook the peas for a few minutes. Then add the turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, Garam Masala powder. Mix well. Add the mashed potato and mix well with the spices and the peas. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the peas become mushy.

Add the amchoor powder along with chopped coriander leaves next and mix well. Turn off the flame. Cover the pan with the ready stuffing for a few minutes. Then using a potato masher, mash the peas and potato mixtures well. Let some of the peas stay whole, while roughly mashing the others. That’s done.

Assembling:

Divide the dough which was kept aside into 9 equal sized balls.(I could make 9, if you choose to make smaller Kachoris, you can easily make upto 12 kachoris with this much amount of dough). Flatten each ball of dough to a thickness 2-3 mm and diameter about 3″, add 2-3 tsp of the stuffing. Close the dough ball around stuffing tightly and secure the ends so that the stuffing doesn’t spill out while frying. Flatten out the kachori a bit using a rolling board and pin.

Do the same with all the other 8 dough balls as well. Set them aside. Heat oil to fry in a heavy bottomed wok. Once it hot enough, drop 1-2 kachoris at a time and fry on low flame until golfden and crisp on all sides. Remove from oil and drain excess oil on kitchen papers. Fry them all and the serve these piping hot with sides of your choice.

The stuffing keeps well for 2-3 days in the refrigerator if stored in a glass or porcelain bowl. (I avoid plastic)

I am drooling all over again just as I was typing out this draft 😜 But, seriously, do try this one out soon …..so easy to make and very flavoursome!!! You will be making these again and again.

Love,

Shreya💖