Reshmi Kebab

That succulent, scrumptious piece of kebab grilled to perfection is something which is high on demand in Delhi winters.

                BBQ nights, perfectly char grilled 

kebabs can easily swipe you off your feet.These rich and creamy kebabs get their flavor and silky texture almond and cashewnut paste along with cream.

Ingredients :

750 gms. Boneless chicken breast

1 1/2 cup Hung curd

2 tbsp Oil

3/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Black Pepper powder

1 tbsp Lemon juice

12 -15 Cashewnut

10-12 Almonds

4 Green chillies

1 " Ginger

10 -12 Garlic cloves

1 tbsp Poppy seeds

1 tbsp Sesame seeds

1/2 tsp Cardamom powder

100 ml Cream 

• Clarified butter/ghee for basting

Directions:

1: Soak Cashews, almonds in hot water for 15-20 minutes.

2: Peel almonds and grind almonds, cashews, green chillies , sesame seeds , poppy seeeds, ginger and garlic to a fine paste.

3: Wash chicken and cut it into 1" chunks.

4: In a big bowl , add hung curd, oil, Cardamom powder,lemon juice, salt and black pepper .

5: Add Cashewnut paste along with cream.

6: Mix it nicely.

7: Add chicken pieces to it and marinate it for at least 4 hours.

7: Thread them into skewers and cook them over charcoal grill basting it often with clarified butter.

8: Serve it with mint coriander chutney and onion rings.

Focaccia

Multigrain Pinni

                     Ingredients :
250 gms. Whole wheat flour
250 gms. Ragi flour(Nachni flour)/(Finger millet flour)
250 gms. Bajra flour(Pearl millet flour)
250 gms. Rajgiri Flour(Amaranth flour)

500 gms. Ghee(clarified butter )
1 cup Slivered Almonds
2 tsp Cardamom powder
1/2 Cup sesame seeds
1/2 Cup Flax seeds
300-400 gms Gur(Jaggery)
1/4 Cup water

Directions:
1: Heat ghee in a thick bottom vessel.
2: Sift all the flours together and add it to hot ghee.
3: Roast it for half an hour or till it leaves aroma and ghee.
4: Remove from flame .
5: Heat gur along with water and melt it properly.

                    
6: Add almonds , cardamom powder and seeds.
7: Mix it properly and add melted  gur.
8: Let it cool down a little and make its balls.
9: Cool them. These can be kept in airtight container for 2 months.



     

Flourless Chocolate Orange Cake

Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ but for us as kids, it meant the arrival of our cute dear Santa on his sleigh with loadsssss of gifts...😍😍

Onset of the feelings of hope , light and happiness; it meant decorated houses,

bright Christmas trees, wreaths, Christmas carols. 

To bring in joy and to make my kids happy and satiated, I made this Flour less Chocolate Orange Cake which is adapted from @Nigella Lawson''s recipe with some minor changes..

Ingredients :

3 Oranges

6 Eggs (at room temperature )

1 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp Baking soda

1 1/4 Brown Sugar

2 cups Almond meal

1/2 tsp Cocoa powder

Pinch of Cinnamon

Rind of an Orange 

2 tsp Orange liqueur 

Instructions :

1: Preheat oven at 180 degree Celsius. 

2: Grease a 9" Springform pan.

3: Squeeze juice of oranges in a big bowl.

4: Add all the ingredients into the bowl and whisk it nicely.

5: Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and bake for 40 minutes or more; until the skewer comes out clean.

6: Let it remain in the oven for 5 minutes.

7: Take it out and serve warm with ice cream.

Merry Christmas! !

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.