VADA PAV

        Onset of winters and cravings for hot street food ...the only difference being it homemade....slurpppp!!!!           

Our very own Desi Burger aka Batata Vada is a famous street food in Maharashtra.These are spicy potato balls dipped in thick chickpea batter and then deep fried; stuffed inside a pav along with garlic coconut powder and mint sauce.

Best Vada pav I have ever eaten is at Anand Vada pav opposite Mithibai college and the ones my friend got from some local guy in Mumbai, that too wrapped in a newspaper but the taste led me into indulgence as I could not stop at one.I swear that was the best one .As soon as I come to know that some friend is coming from Mumbai, I prepare myself for this yummy treat.....can't believe I am salivating. ...😮😮

Even in Delhi I know a vendor who sells yummy vada pav and that too near my house.With disposable cap on his head and gloves , I think I can rely upon him for a hygienic plate of Vada Pav.

 Here goes my recipe for Vada Pav....

Ingredients :

6-7 Medium Potatoes  (Boiled and mashed )

2 tbsp.  Oil

2 tsp Mustard seeds

1 Green chilli (chopped finely )

1/2 inch Ginger (chopped finely )

1 tsp Cumin seeds

10 -12 nos. Curry leaves

1/2 tsp Red chilli powder 

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

3/4 cup Chickpea flour (besan)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp Red chilli powder

Oil for deep frying

8 nos. Pav

Garlic Coconut chutney

Mint -yogurt sauce

Green chilli pickle

Directions:

1: Heat oil in wok.

2: Add ginger. When it's golden brown in color, add green chillies, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and Curry leaves.

3: Add red chilli powder.

4: Add mashed potatoes along with salt and haldi. 

5: Mix it properly and remove from flame.

6: Let it cool down and make small balls out of it.

7: Make a thick batter of besan, salt and haldi.

8: Dip these balls in the batter and deep fry in hot oil.

9: Remove on absorbent paper.

10: Press them slightly.

11: Heat a griddle and add butter on it.

12: Slit pav into 2 and toast it on the griddle.

13: Put garlic coconut powder , mint- yogurt sauce on the pav and place vada on it.Put other half of the pav over it and serve with green chilli pickle and mint- yogurt sauce.

             

                 

           

                 

Masala Gur(Spicy Jaggery)

            
              Jaggery is made by boiling raw sugarcane juice till it solidifies. 

Winter calls for something warm and nutritious.So these are going in my Masala Gur to keep the chill away..😍😍

Jaggery should be taken instead of white sugar since the latter only provides empty calories while jaggery on other hand ,  is full of health benefits.

It provides ample iron to keep anemia at bay.It prevents constipation ,  detoxifies liver and increases immunity. 

     Ingredients :
1 kg. Gur (jaggery)
2 ktbsp Ghee (clarified butter )
2 tsp Jeera (cumin seeds)
1 tsp Ajwain (Carom seeds )

2 tsp Black pepper corns
2 tsp Saunf  (fennel seeds)
1/2 cup peanuts
1/2 cup Almonds
1/4 cup Coconut shavings
1/4 tsp. Dry Ginger

Instructions :
1 : Crush gur with a rolling pin.
2 : Crush Almonds and peanuts coarsely.
3 : Heat ghee in a thick bottom vessel.
4 : Add Jeera and Ajwain.
5 : When it crackles, add gur.
6 :Let it melt completely on low flame and add rest of the ingredients.
7 :Mix properly and remove from flame.
8 :Grease two 8" round tins and pour the batter.
9 : While it's still warm, cut it diagonally.

10 : Let it cool down completely.
11 :Loosen it with a knife and invert the pan to remove it.
12 :Store it in an airtight container.

Makhane and Pistachio kheer/ Foxnut and pistachio Pudding

 Makhane or Lotus Seeds or Foxnuts-Eat them raw or Roasted or Ground; just eat them. Snack on them; give it a spicy touch or turn it into something sweet;  just avail the benefits.
         It is not only low in fats but are highly nutritious too. They are a rich source of fibre, protein, calcium,  iron and zinc.
        Since it is low in sodium,  it's good for heart patients as well as blood pressure patients. It also helps in losing weight as it satiates your hunger whilst providing you with sufficient nutrients.

                Ingredients :
2 Litres Full Cream Milk
2 Tbsp. Ghee (Clarified butter)
150 gms. Makhane
100 gms. Brown sugar
1/2 tsp. Cardamom powder
1/2 tsp. Saffron strands
1/2 Cup Soaked and Slivered Pistachios
1/4 Cup Soaked and peeled, slivered Almonds

                     Directions:
1: Heat ghee in a thick bottom vessel and roast Makhane in it till its slightly brown.
2: Cool them and grind them to a coarse powder.
3: Boil milk.
4: Take 2 Tbsp.  milk out of it and add saffron strands. Keep it aside.
5: Add Makhane to boiled milk and boil it once more.
6: Simmer it till it reduces to half.
7: Add cardamom powder and sugar and cook for 5 minutes on low flame.
8: Add saffron milk, pistachios and  almonds.
9: Mix it properly and remove from flame.
10: Cool it and refrigerate.
11: Serve chilled, garnished with slivered almonds and pistachios .

Butter Chicken

        Butter chicken or Murg Makhani as we all know, was developed by Moti Mahal restaurant.

       
It's not only popular in India but is a hot stuff all over the world.
     A classic recipe where grilled pieces of chicken chunks or tandoori chicken tikka pieces are cooked in tomato -cream gravy touched zenith when it was ordered by Bill Clinton. 

  Ingredients :
2 Ktbsp Oil
2 Green chillies (chopped)
1 tsp Ginger garlic paste
2 Black Cardamom
4 Green Cardamon
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
2 Onions' slices
3 Tomatoes (chopped)
5 Tomatoes (blanched and pureed)
Salt , to taste

3/4 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red chilli powder
2 tbsp Honey
2 cups water
1 tsp Kasoori methi (roasted and powdered )
1/2 tsp Garam masala
1/3 cup Cream

For chicken tikka:
2 Chicken breast(cut into 1.5 "cubes)
100 gms. Yogurt
Salt , to taste
1/2 tsp. Red chilli powder
1/4 tsp Kashmiri Mirch
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
1 tbsp Mustard oil
2 tsp Lemon juice
2 tsp Kasoori methi
Oil for cooking

                       Directions:
1: Clean and cut chicken into cubes.
2: In a bowl, add Yogurt,salt,  red chilli powder, Kashmiri Mirch,  ginger garlic paste, garam masala powder,mustard oil, lemon  juice and Kasoori methi.
3: Whisk it nicely and add chicken pieces to it.
4: Let it marinate for 4-6 hours or overnight.
5: Heat a grilling pan. Add oil and then chicken pieces;  often turning them so that they are cooked evenly.
Keep them aside.

Gravy:
1: Heat oil in a kadhai.
Add chopped green chillies,black Cardamom ,green Cardamom  ginger-garlic paste and Cumin seeds.
2: When it crackles, add onion slices and cook till golden brown.
3: Add chopped tomatoes and cook till it leaves oil.
4: Cool it and grind it into a smooth paste.
                

5: Heat kadhai and add ground paste.Cook for 2-3 minutes.
6: Add blanched and pureed tomatoes.
7: Add salt, red chilli powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder and honey.
8: Cook till it is thick.
9: Add roasted and ground Kasoori methi .
10: Cook for 2-3 minutes.
11: Add garam masala and remove from fire.
12: Cool it and add cream.Mix properly.
13: At the time of serving, add chicken pieces.
14: Cook for 2-3 minutes and serve.

Wholewheat Beetroot and Chocolate Cake

Yes , I know Indulgence is a Sin but who doesn't commit a sin when there is involvement of CHOCOLATE.

 Atleast I can't be manacled or should I say,I can be wheedled into doing almost anything for that last piece of scrumptious Chocolate cake.

But after delivering a harangue over HEALTHY EATING, I had to add some twists to make it less SINFUL...😉😉
    We all know that Beetroots are healthy.They can actually BEAT the roots of many diseases.They help in relieving Arthritis,cleansing the liver,combating Anemia, warding off Cancer,curing digestional disorders and preventing heart diseases. They have a pigment BETALAIN which is  Anti inflammatory ,Anti Cancer and aids in detoxifying the body.

    So I decided upon baking @NigellaLawson's Beetroot and Chocolate cake but I switched to wholewheat, Brown Sugar and Olive oil for a healthier version.

                       Ingredients:

175 gms. Wholewheat flour
2 tsp Baking powder
75 gms Cocoa powder
250 gms. Brown Sugar (Powdered)

3 Eggs (at room temperature )
250 gms. Beetroot (peeled,chopped and pureed)
200 ml Olive oil

                      Directions:
1: Preheat oven at 180 degree Celsius.
2: Grease and line 9 " Springbottom pan.
3: Sift whole wheat flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and sugar in a bowl.
4: Blend beetroot to make fine puree.
5: Add eggs and oil and blend it nicely.
6: Fold this mixture into whole wheat mix.

7: Pour into spring bottom pan and bake for 45 minutes.
8: Let it cool down and release from pan.
9: Pour chocolate ganache or have it as it is. (I slathered a liberal amount of Nutella over it)

Rose infused Chai Ice Cream

The quietude while reading morning newspaper with a cup of tea in hand or the camaraderie it sets between family and friends is not ambiguous. 

I still feel chatting over a cup of tea or coffee is far better than sitting alone with your gadgets.

My husband loves tea and whatever time it maybe, you pop up the question if he wants to have tea ; the answer would be banal.

The smile at my acquiescence to make tea for him on late nights is priceless. Though he doesn't have a sweet tooth, he loves to have Ice cream at times.

So this time , I gave my man ample reason to be happy and satiate his taste buds.

I mixed his Chai and dessert and came out with this delicious CHAI ICE CREAM. ..

Ingredients :

2 1/2 cup Milk (Full Cream)

1 cup Cream (I used Amul)

3/4 cup Powdered Brown Sugar

1/3 tsp Salt 

2 1/2 tbsp Cornflour

1/3 tsp Rose white tea

1 cup Water

3 tsp Darjeeling Tea

1" Cinnamon stick

3/4 tsp Fennel seeds

8-12 Black Peppercorns

3/4 tsp Cardamom Powder

DIRECTIONS:

1: Boil water and add tea, cinnamon, fennel seeds, Cardamom powder along with pepper corns.

2: Boil further till its half in quantity. Add 1/3 tsp Rose tea in it and let it steep for 3-4 minutes.Strain it.Add Cornflour in half of this concentrate. And stir nicely.

3:In a saucepan,  add milk, cream , brown sugar ,salt and rest of Chai concentrate. 

4: Simmer it and when it comes to a steady simmer , stir it with a whisk. Simmer it for another 5_6 minutes; stirring it with a whisk all the time.

5: Lower the flame and add Chai concentrate (one with cornflour)

6: Cook on medium heat for 2 more minutes while stirring it.

7: Remove from heat and strain it in a big vessel.

8: Keep the vessel in Ice Bath (lots of ice in water in a big shallow vessel)and keep on stirring till it becomes cold.

9: Pour it in Ice cream container and freeze it till set.

                                  ENJOY!!