APPLE CAKE, using wheat flour and without egg, microwave oven.

APPLE CAKE

INGREDIENTS:-
Sugar - 1/4 cup + 2 tsp
Wheat flour - 1/4 cup + 1 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Milk - 1`/4 cup
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Apple - 1
Fruit salt - 1/2 tsp

METHOD:-
Preheat an aluminium kadai or cooker with a separator, for 5 minutes in high and 15 minutes in sim, by covering with lid/plate.



Peel the apple and cut it into 8 pieces. Grind the 7 pieces to a fine paste. Finely chop the remaining 1 piece of apple and toss it with 1 tsp wheat flour. Set aside. Sieve the wheat flour and set aside.
In a bowl, add sugar, apple paste, milk, salt, Ghee and mix well.



Add the flour to this mixture and mix well, so that no lumps formed. Now add the finely chopped apple to the above batter.
Grease a plate with ghee.

Add fruit salt to the batter and mix gently. Once the fruit salt is added, the batter/mixture is ready for baking.


Pour the mixture on the greased plate. Tap it to release air. Place the plate inside the kadai and above the separator. Cover it with lid/plate.



Bake in High flame for 5 minutes and in sim flame for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, insert a fork/knife/toothpick into the cake, to check whether the cake is baked or not. Adjust the timings accordingly.

Remove the cake plate and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Tilt the cake plate over a plate.

 

Delicious Apple Cake is ready...

Note:-

Use the same cup for measuring all the ingredients.

I used regular sugar, not the powdered sugar.

ALOO-PANEER-PEAS GRAVY, using Pressure Cooker (Restaurant Style)

ALOO PANEER PEAS GRAVY

INGREDIENTS:-

Potato - 100 gms, cut into cubes
Paneer - 100 gms, cut into cubes
Fresh Peas - 100 gms
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Green Chilly - 1
Garlic cloves - 7
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Sambhar powder/All purpose powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 2 tsp
Oil - 3 tsp
Ghee - 3 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Whole Cashews - 7
Kasuri Methi - 1 tsp
Salt to taste


METHOD:-

1. In a mixer jar add cahews, and powder it. Now add little water and make a fine paste. Remove and restore it in a bowl. Heat 1 tsp of oil in dosa tawa or non-stick tawa, add the paneer cubes, roast it. Flip the panner cubes carefully, so that all sides gets slightly roasted.
2. In a medium sized mixer jar add  add roughly chopped onions, tomato, green chilly, ginger and garlic, grind it to make a coarse paste. Sprinkle water for grinding.
3. Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker, add cumin seeds. Allow it to splutter. Now add the Onion-tomato grinded past,  add little water to wash the jar and pour it in.Now saute for while till there is no moisture contents. Add cubed Potatoes and mix well
4. Add sambhar powder, 1 tsp garam masala, asafoetida and required salt. Mix it well and saute till the raw smell goes.  Add 1 cup of water,  cover it with lid, cook it in low flame, for 10 minutes.
5. Uncover the lid, add fresh peas, check for salt and spice. Add the remaining 1tsp garam masala. Cook for 3 whitles high and 5 minutes in sim mode. Allow the pressure to release.
6.  Finally, add the roasted paneer cubes, cashew paste and kasuri methi, gently mix, so that the paneer cubes doesn't break. Cover with lid and cook for 5 minutes in sim.
7.  Aromatic Restaurant style Aloo Paneer Peas Gravy is ready....
8. Tastes well with Chola Poori, Poori, Chappati, Naan etc.

MOONG DHAL HALWA | INSTANT HALWA

Moong dhal halwa is a special and classic delicacy of Rajasthan. This dessert is creamy with exotic aroma and done using split moong dhal (yellow dhal), nuts and lots of ghee. The authentic way of cooking is  time consuming and takes lots of mixing and stirring. But here, I have done using roasted and powdered moong dhal and can be done quickly with the same taste.

• Badam Halwa
• Carrot Halwa
• Kasi Halwa 
• Beet root Halwa
• Asoka Halwa 

INGREDIENTS:

Moong dhal - 1 cup

Sugar - 1 and 1/4 cup

Milk - 1 cup

Water - 1 and 1/2 cup

Cardamom - 1 tsp

Kesar/ Saffron - a little

Ghee - 1/4 cup

Cashew

Badam

Pistachios (optional)

METHOD:

1. Wash moong dhal well and pat dry for few minutes.

2. Add little ghee and dried moong dhal and saute on low flame until nice aroma comes out.

3. The colour of the moong dhal should change into orange red. Allow to cool and grind to a little coarse powder  and keep aside.

4. In a thick tawa, add little ghee and roast the nuts and almonds and keep aside.

5. In the same tawa, add powdered moong dhal and little ghee and stir on low flame for few minutes. See that the moong dhal is well coated with ghee.

6. Heat the given quantity of milk and water in a pan and add to the moong dhal little by little, since it will splutter.

7. Keep on stirring while adding the hot milk and water.

8. The moong dhal will be well cooked and froth a bit and will absorb the water and milk in few minutes.
 9. Add sugar and kesar, remaining ghee and mix well and cook on low flame.

10. At first, it will turn watery and later the sugar will be absorbed.

11. Add Cardamom powder, mix well and cover with a lid and cook on low flame for few minutes.

12. The Halwa will start to leave the sides of the pan. Add roasted nuts and almonds and mix well.

13. Tasty and delicious MOONG DHAL HALWA is ready.

Note:

• See that the moong dhal is not very coarse. It will not be cooked well while adding water and milk.
• If adding only ghee is not preferred, oil can be replaced.
• Milk can be avoided and water can be used instead.

VAZHAIPOO VADAI

Vazhaipoo vadai is one of the healthy recipes of South India.It is very crispy. Many recipes like kootu, usili, sambar etc. can be done using Vazhaipoo/ Banana flower. Children often resist eating vazhapoo, which is very good for stomach health. It is quite time consuming process to clean the florets. But keeping in mind the health benefits, it can be included in kitchen once in a week. Tender and reddish flower tastes awesome with less bitterness. When soaked in buttermilk the bitterness reduces and poriyal or kootu can be prepared. But for preparing Vadai, it need not be soaked in buttermilk.

INGREDIENTS:

Bengal gram/ Kadalai paruppu - 1/2 cup

Chopped Vazhaipoo - 1 cup

Red/ Green chilly - 3

Fennel/ Sombu - 1/2 tsp

Gram flour - 1 tsp (optional)

Coriander leaves - a handful

Curry leaves - little

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Oil - for deep frying

Salt

METHOD: 

1. Wash and  soak Bengal gram for 2 hours.

2. Drain the water completely.

3. In a mixer, add bengal gram, chilly, fennel and grind to a coarse paste without adding water.

4. Remove the mixture in a wide bowl.

5. Chop vazhaipoo finely and add to the mixture.

6. Add required salt,gram flour, asafoetida, curry leaves, chopped coriander leaves and mix well using hand so that all ingredients are blended properly.

7. Make vadas of desired shape and arrange on a plate.

8. Heat oil, drop a little batter, if it raises immediately to the top the oil is ready for frying.

9. Drop vadas one by one and deep fry until golden brown.

10. Tasty and crispy VAZHAIPOO VADAI is ready.  

 

Note:

• Adding gram flour gives crispness to the vada. 

PANEER GRAVY using khoya

This is a  mild gravy with sweetishness, using less spices and with rich taste. This is done using Paneer and instant unsweetened khoya/pal kova. It differs in taste and preparation is also different compared to other paneer side dishes  and less time consuming. Khoya can be prepared in home or else can be bought outside. This dish goes well with chappathi, roti, naan and dosa. Children will surely enjoy this dish since it is less spicy and tastes awesome.

•  Paneer recipes

INGREDIENTS:

Paneer - 200g

Milk powder - 50g

Onion - 2

Tomato - 3

Milk - 1/2 cup 

Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Red chilly/Sambar powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Ginger - 1 inch stick

Garlic pods - 4

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon - 1

Cardamom - 1

Kasuri methi - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves - little 

Ghee - 3 tsp

Salt 

METHOD: 

1. To prepare instant kova, add milk powder and little ghee in a bowl.

 2. Heat 1/4 cup of milk and add to the milk powder, mix well and keep aside.

3. In a dosa tawa, cut paneer into cubes and roast on all sides for a while. No need to add ghee.

4. Chop tomato into pieces and grind to a paste along with ginger and garlic.

5. In a tawa, heat a tsp of ghee, add cloves, cinnamon and cardamom and saute for a while.

6. Add finely chopped onions and cook well till the onion changes translucent.

7. Add all the powders, stir for a minute and add the tomato paste.

8. Mix well and cook it covered till the raw smell goes off and till it comes together. Add little ghee if needed.

9. Add instant kova and mix well. Add remaining milk and adjust the gravy consistency.

10. Add the roasted paneer cubes, mix well and cook it covered for few minutes. Add little water if the gravy is thick.

11. Add kasuri methi and chopped coriander leaves.

12. Tasty, aromatic and mild Paneer gravy is ready to be served.

Note:

• If store bought kova, see to that it is unsweetened.
• Ghee can be replaced by oil.
• Tomatoes can be chopped finely and added instead of grinding. 
• Ginger and garlic can be crushed and used.

 

Mixed Vegetable Bonda

This is another version of urad dhal vadai. Buy adding vegetables, it turns to be tasty and healthy.

See also for Medhu Vadai

INGREDIENTS:

Urad dhal - 250g

Toor dhal - 2 tsp

Rice flour - 1 tsp

Carrot  - 2

Cabbage 

Onion - 1

Green chilly -2

Corinader leaves - a little

Curry leaves - a leaflet

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder/Crushed - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Oil - for deep frying

METHOD: 

1. Soak urad dhal for 45 minutes and grind to fine paste by sprinkling little water along with green chillies, as we prepare for vadai and transfer to a bowl.

2. Heat oil for deep frying.

2. Add finely chopped onion, carrot, cabbage, corinader leaves, curry leaves, rice flour along with salt, pepper and asafoetida. 

3. Mix well with a spoon, and place little scoops of mixed batter in the hot oil or make small balls using fingers.

4. Deep fry until golden brown and remove from the oil.

5. Crispy and tasty Vegetable bonda is ready and can be served with any chutney variety and coffee.

Note:

• Adding rice flour is a must since the veggies will let out water on mixing with the batter and will result in oily bondas.

 

KHOYA POLI / PALKOVA POLI

This is a traditional Maharastrian recipe done on special occassions and festivals. It is rich in taste and quite simple to prepare compared to other puran polis. Usually we prepare puran using coconut or dhal. This is made using sweetened khoya with the outer layer using wheat flour. The stuffing can be prepared in minutes with milk powder and tastes awesome and the poli turns to be much soft. This grand version of poli can be also be done using leftover khoya. Also see this blog for

• Coconut poli
• Paruppu poli

 

SHAHI PURAN POLI

INGREDIENTS:

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Rava/ Sooji - 3 tsp

Milk powder - 50g

Ghee - 1 tsp

Milk - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 6 tsp

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt

Oil 

METHOD:

1. In a tawa, add little ghee, rava and roast for a few minutes and keep aside. 

2. In a bowl add wheat flour, salt and little sugar. Prepare a soft dough adding required water.

3. In the same tawa, add ghee and milk and allow to boil. Add rava and mix well so that no lumps are formed.

4. Add milk powder and mix well till it combines well with the rava mixture.

5. Stir for a while, when it comes together, add sugar and cardamom powder, mix well for few minutes and switch of the flame. 

6. After it cools well, smear little oil/ghee in fingers and make balls of desired size. Also make little larger balls using the wheat dough.

7. Take a wheat ball, flatten a bit using a rolling pin, smear little oil, place khoya ball.

8. Pleat all the sides well and close the top portion of the stuffed dough properly.

 9. Sprinkle little wheat flour and flatten the stuffed dough gently using the rolling pin, so that the puran spreads evenly on all sides.

10. Heat a dosa pan, place the poli and cook until golden spots appear on both sides on medium flame. Sprinkle little oil on both sides.

11. Tasty, soft and delicious Khoya Poli is ready to be served with ghee.

Note:

• If the khoya turns to be hard, sprinkle some milk and knead for few minutes.
• On the other hand if the khoya is sticky, sprinkle some milk powder and knead well.

 

KALAKAND / MILK CAKE

This is one of the popular milk based soft dessert done using Paneer/ cottage cheese and condensed milk. . Authentic way of preparing Kalkand is by evaporating milk, curdling it and adding sugar and once it comes together, cutting into desired shape. It takes nearly an hour and time consuming. This is an instant version done using condensed milk and can be prepared in less than 20 minutes. No need to add sugar since it is already present in condensed milk. To get good results, Paneer should be soft and fresh.

 

INGREDIENTS: 

Paneer - 200g
Condensed milk - 400g
Milk powder-  3 tsp
Cardamom powder-  1/2  tsp
Pistachios-  10 ( chopped)
Ghee - 1 tsp for greasing

METHOD:
1. Dry roast pistachios and chop into pieces and keep aside.
2. Crumble paneer without any lumps. Grease a tray/plate with ghee and keep aside.
3. In a thick bottomed kadai/tawa, add paneer along with condensed milk and cook on low flame.

4. Condensed milk will turn little watery and starts sputtering. Keep stirring on low flame.

5. Add milk powder and mix well. it gives a good texture to the recipe.
6. The mixture will start to thicken. Add cardamom powder.

7. Mix well so that it doesn't get burnt.
8. It starts to leave the side of the pan, and will come together.

9. Transfer it to greased plate, level it and garnish with chopped pistachios.

10. Allow it to cool completely or refrigerate it after it cools down a bit, for an hour.
11. Cut into desired shape.
12. Tasty, soft and delicious Instant Kalakand is ready.

SIMPLE BRINJI RICE

This receipe can be prepared with limited ingredients and it comes under cook and serve category.  In this receipe, we wont use tomato and garam masala powder.

SIMPLE BRINJI RICE

INGREDIENTS:-
Basmati rice / Seeraga samba rice = 1 cup
Coconut milk = 1 cup (i used 1/4 coconut)
Ginger = 1/2 inch
Garlic = 6
Green chilly = 3 to 4 nos
Mixed vegetables = 1/2 cup (carrot, peas, cauliflower, beans, sweet corn)
Big onion = 1

Curd = 4 tbsp
Water = 3/4 to 1 cup
Salt = to taste

For seasoning:-
Cumin seeds -1/4 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp
Bay leaf - 3
Cardomom - 2
Cinnomon - 1/2 inch
Black stone flower /kalpasu - 1/2 inch
Oil - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 2bsp
Cashews & Raisins - 10 each

METHOD:-
Wash & soak the rice for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a pressure cooker,  heat a tablespoon of ghee & fry cashews & raisins. Set aside. We will mix this, in the final stage.
Make a coarse paste of Ginger-Garlic-Green chilly.
Heat the remaining oil & ghee and fry the ingredients given under seasoning in low flame to avoid burnt.
Now, add the coarse paste and saute for a minute. Add onions , little salt and saute till it turns transculent. Then add mixed vegetables. Mix well. Sprinkle salt as required to enhance cooking.
Add 3/4 cup ( in case of basmati rice) or 1 cup ( in case of seeraga samba rice ) & coconut milk. Allow it to boil. Check for taste.
Add the soaked basmati rice & curd. Mix gently. Cover the cooker with lid  & gasket only. 
Keep it in low/sim mode, for 15 minutes. Now put weight/whistle for 2 minutes.
No whistles are taken into account. Switch off the flame. Let it rest in burner for 10 minutes.
Remove the whistle. Gently mix the rice and add the fried cashews & raisins.

TOMATO BIRYANI using Coconut milk

This dish can be prepared quickly with minimal ingredients. It tastes awesome and has unique flavour due to the addition of coconut milk. Instead of coconut milk regular milk can also be used.

INGREDIENTS:
Jeeraga samba rice - 1 cup
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Tomato - 2
Onion - 2
Crushed ginger garlic - 1 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Small onions - 5 (optional)
Bay leaf - 1
Cinnamon - 2
Cloves - 2
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbs
Ghee - 1 tbs
Curry leaves - a little
Coriander leaves - a little
Salt

METHOD:
1. Soak rice for 20 minutes and wash well and drain the water and keep aside.
2. Chop the onions and tomato.
3. In a pressure cooker, add oil and ghee and add cinnamon, cloves, fennel, bay leaf and saute till nice aroma comes out.
4. Add curry leaves and chopped onions and stir well for few minutes.

5. Add crushed ginger garlic, mix well and add chopped tomatoes.
6. Cook until the tomato turns juicy.

7. Add all the powders and mix well.
8. Add 1 cup coconut milk and 3/4 cup of water and allow to boil.

9. Add soaked rice, required salt and coriander leaves and close the lid and cook for 2 whistles on high flame and simmer for 3 minutes and switch off the stove.

10. After the pressure is reduced, open the lid and  give a gentle stir.
11. Tasty and appetizing Tomato Biryani is ready to be served.

Note:

• Basmathi rice can also be used.