Navratan korma

Ingredients

french beans 100 grams
carrots 100 grams
potatoes 100 grams
capsicum 100 grams
paneer 100 grams
cashew nuts 100 grams
raisins 100 grams
Green peas 100 grams
tomatoes 4
curd 1 cup
ghee 4 tbsp
oil for frying
sugar.


Masala paste:

green chilli 2
deggi mirch
ginger 1 inch
dhaniya seeds 2 teaspoon
jeera 1 teaspoon
badi elaichi 1
salt to taste
crush all this in a mixer and make a fine paste.

Method:

• cut all the vegetables in very small cubes 
• boil beans carrot and peas
• deep fry potatoes (cut into cubes) in ghee. Put some salt into ghee while deep frying 
• cut paneer into cubes and deep fry.
• mix all the boiled vegetables with paneer and potatoes 
• heat in a pan and fry paste for a while
• add tomatoes and curd and fry for few minutes
• add vegetables cashew nuts raisins paneer salt and sugar
• cook for sometime 
• garnish with varak and pineapple pieces and cherries.

Chocolate cake using milk powder

My sister used to make this cake and I was always fond of it!

Ingredients

malai 1/2 cup
sugar 3/4 cup
milk 1/2 cup
maida 1 cup
milk powder 1/2 cup
baking soda 1/2 teaspoon
baking powder 1/4 teaspoon
cocoa powder 2 teaspoon

छुहारे किशमिश की चटनी || Dates and raisin Chutney

छुहारे किशमिश की चटनी

भीगे हुए छुहारे 5
किशमिश एक मुट्ठी
2 टेबलस्पून घी
एक चुटकी हींग
जीरा आधा चम्मच
पानी आधा ग्लास
नमक पौना चम्मच
मिर्च आधा चम्मच
एक चुटकी हल्दी
सॉन्फ एक चम्मच
धनिया एक चम्मच
खटाई दो चम्मच
चीनी आधा चम्मच

विधि

• छुआरे रात को पानी में भिगोकर छोड़ दें 
• सुबह गुठली अलग करके इसके छल्ले काट लें 
• अब कढ़ाई में घी गर्म करें 
• इसमें हींग -जीरा डालकर भूनें 
• फिर छुहारे और किशमिश डालकर सिम गैस पर तब तक भूने जब तक किशमिश फूल जाए 
• पानी डालकर सारे मसाले डाले 
•  खटाई पानी में घोलकर डालें 
• इसे अच्छे से उबाले और गाढ़ी चटनी तैयार करें।

Apple Malpua

Inspired from Chef Neeta Mehta

1 large apple - Peeled, cored and cut into thin rounds (approx 10 rounds)
2 tbsp maida
2 tbsp atta
1/4 cup and 1-2 tbsp milk
nutmeg powder
cinnamon powder
1/2 cup sugar
Oil for deep frying

Garnish - Nutmeg and Cinnamon powder
                2-3 almonds sliced
                a little chilled rabri for topping.

• Make a thick batter of atta, maida and milk. 
• Heat oil. Dip apple rounds in batter and fry on high flame to crisp golden brown color.
• Make Sugar syrup by boiling 1/2 cup sugar with slightly less than 1/2 cup water. After sugar dissolves, keep on low flame for 2-3 min only. Remove syrup fron heat. Dont make syrup very thick.
• Dip fried apple rounds in sugar syrup one by one. Leave in the syrup for a few seconds. Place in a serving plate.
• To serve, top malpuas with some chilled rabdi or serve warm malpuas sprinkled with nutmeg or cinnamon powder, along with cold rabri or ice-cream served seperately.
• Garnish with blanched almonds.

Cake sponge (using curd)

Maida : 1 1/2 cup (140 gm)
Curd (thick, fresh, chilled) - 1 cup (150gm)
Powder Sugar 3/4 cup (100 gm)
Refined Oil 1/2 cup (65 gm)
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp
Vanilla essence 1 tsp

Black and White Khichdi (Urad dal Khichdi) for winters

Rice needs to be twice as much as the quantity of dal.

Water double the quantity of rice+dal.

ghee, salt, red chilli powder.

After a whistle, simmer the flame for 10 min.

Basic sponge cake

Ingredients:

1 cup maida
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup powder sugar
1/2 cup malai
1/2 to 3/4 cup warm milk

Microwave on 50% power for 10 min, increase the time until cake is totally done.

Makhan Bade

 सामग्री 

गेहू का आटा  ----एक कटोरी 

मलाई ----  आधा कटोरी 

घी -----एक  चम्मच  छोटी 

पानी---   डेढ कटोरी लगभगश
शक्कर व पानी चासनी के लिये 

चाश्नी ---- 1 तार की 

विधि 

आप मैदा जैसा  महीन  गेहू का आटा लीजिये  आटे को छान लीजिये 

फिर उसमें   आधा कटोरी मलाई  व  एक छोटी चम्मच   घी  लीजिये  व पानी डालकर मिक्स करिये   हल्के हाथो से 

उसमे गाठे नही रहना चाहिये 

व 10 मिन्ट  तक मिश्रण को  रखिये 

मिश्रण बडे के घोल की तरह होना चाहिये 

🏻अब एक फ्लैट कडाई लीजिये , उसमे  घी डालिये 

घी बहुत ज्यादा नही डालना 

कम घी मे ही तलने है  वरना  फट जायेगे  यदि ज्यादा घी मे तलेगे तो 

🏻दूसरी तरफ  पानी व शक्कर की चाशनी बना लीजिये   एक तार  से कम की की चाश्नी बनाना है  दो कटोरी चीनी मे डेढ कटोरी पानी डालकर पतली चाशनी बना लीजिये 

🏻 कडाई गरम होने पर ,  फिर इस  आटे वाले मिश्रण    को चारो अगुंलियो   पर लेकर   , गोलगोल बनाकर 

घी में मन्द आँच में ये बडे   की तरह डालिये   व तलिये 

 जब एक तरफ से तल जाये तब साईड बदलकर दूसरी तरफ  से भी तल लीजिये 

व फिर  एक प्लेट पर निकाल लीजिये 

फिर चाश्नी में डालिये 

आपका मक्खन बड़े तैयार है 

गुलाब जामुन जैसे स्वादिष्ट लगते है

Microwave Chocolate cake (whole wheat)

Friends, I am so excited to share this recipe with you. It tastes like heaven.. so yummylicious, chocolicious and delicious!!!

Its soft texture, mouth-melting chocolaty taste makes you craving for more and more.
Wonderful thing about this cake is it consists of all the healthy ingredients- atta, chocolate, yoghurt and excludes my dislikes i.e, maida, high quantity of butter, milkmaid etc. So this cake is absolutely guilt-free.. i am in a state of bliss!!

I love making and baking cakes, but since long I started kinda avoiding them because of maida and butter/milkmaid that they involve. Then came this recipe which changed the whole concept of cake(maida and all..) for me. I want to innovate more such recipe that are healthy, easy on our metabolism and absolutely delicious!!

Serves - 8  wedges

Preparation time - 7 minutes

Cooking time - 14 min

Ingredients :

Wheat flour (gehun ka atta) - 1-3/4 cup
Chocolate chips - 1 cup (or 115 gm cooking chocolate)
Sugar - 1-1/4 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Baking powder - 1/4 tsp
Soda-bi-carb - 3/4 tsp
Oill - 1/4 cup
Yoghrt - 1/2 cup
Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp

Procedure - 

1. Take a big microwave safe bowl. Add Chocolate chips, milk and sugar. Microwave high for 2 minutes, stirring the mixture once in between. Stir for a while so that everything get dissolved.
2. Add oil to the above mixture.
3. Sieve atta, baking powder and soda-bi-carb.
4. Add it to the chocolate-milk mixture little by little. Keep stirring to avoid any lumps. (Tip - use whisk to avoid the hassles of lump)
5. Add yoghurt and vanilla essence.
6. Batter should be thick and should have a dropping consistency.
7. Grease and dust an 8" round microwave safe dish. 
8. Pour the batter. Tap the dish to settle the batter.
9. Microwave on 50% power (450W) for 14 min.
10. Top layer should not appear wet. If so, microwave more for a minute or two (time varies from machine to machine).
11. To check if the cake is done, insert a clean tooth-pick deep down the bottom of the cake. When you pull it back, it should come out clean. If not, cake needs more cooking/baking.
12. Stand-by the cake for 10 min. (during stand-by time also, cooking procedure goes on)
13. With a knife loosen the edges of the cake from the dish.
14. Invert the dish on a wire rack and tap it forcefully so that cake moves out.
15. Keep aside to cool down.

Tip - 

1. Refrigerate the leftover cake in an air-tight container. It remains fresh for 4-5 days.
2. Reheating a wedge for 10 seconds before serving makes it taste like just-out-of-the-oven everytime you have it.
3. Drizzle some hershey's chocolate syrup over it for a more chocolaty taste.

No Bake Chocolate cake (using marie biscuits)

No bake Chocolate cake

When I tasted it for the first time, I was fascinated by the fact that it has been prepared using marie biscuit. It tastes even better than chocolate cake and is definitely very easy and entertaining to prepare.

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law.. Neha Bhabi Ji. She is a pro, always enthusiast to cook amazingly delicious recipes for us. Its always a party-time to go to her place. At the same time, she's most humble to share all the recipes, tips n tricks with us.

As the title says this recipe doesn't need to be baked instead it requires refrigeration.

Recipe :

Ingredients : 

Semolina - 2 tbsp
Desiccated coconut - 2 tbsp
Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Milk - 1 tea cup (approx 150 ml)

Marie biscuit - 10

Aluminium Foil to wrap

Procedure :

1. Heat a non-stick pan. Dry roast the semolina till it is golden-brown.
2. Turn off the flame.
3. Put desiccated coconut, Cocoa powder, sugar and milk. Mix.
4. Start the flame and cook while stirring continuously till it becomes like a paste. It should not be too thick, otherwise all the moisture will evaporate and cake will taste dry. We need it to retain some milk because ultimately the biscuits will absorb this moisture and will become soft and cake-like. But at the same time, it should not be runny.
5. Put off the flame. Let the prepared mixture get cool-down slightly.
6. Now on a clean surface, place one marie bisuit, spread a layer of the prepared mixture over it, top it with another marie biscuit, again spread a layer of the prepared mixture over it. Go on till you pile up all the biscuits.
7. Now cover all the sides of the log with the prepared mixture.
8. Place it horizontally on the aluminium foil, handling the log very carefully or else everything will fall apart.
9. Wrap it tightly into the aluminium foil from all the sides.
10. Keep it in the refrigerator overnight or freeze it for two hours.
11. Unwrap it and cut into diagonal slices (like we cut cucumbers for salad).
12. Enticing and inviting Chocolate cake is ready to serve :)

Jhatpat Shahi Paneer (Simple & Quick)

Very Quick and ultimately delicious recipe.

I prepared this dish just in a matter of 8-9 minutes and after tasting the final outcome, it was hard for me to wait for the chapati to be cooked and served.

The aroma of this sabji is so tempting and flavorful, that when my kiddo returned from school, she wanted to have the lunch right away, without wasting another moment!

This preparation tastes exactly like the restaurant style shahi paneer or I should say.. even better!!

Serves - 3-4

Ingredients:

Tomatoes - 4
Cashew nuts (broken into small pieces) - 2 tbsp
Melon Seeds - 1 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Green Elaichi Powder - 1/4 tsp
Shahi Paneer Masala - 1/2 tsp
Chana Masala - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 2 tsp
Degi Mirch Powder - 1/2 tsp
Kasuri Methi - 1/2 tsp
Fresh Malai - 2 tbsp
Milk - 1/2 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste
Paneer (cut into cubes) - 150 gms

Procedure :

1. Make a very fine paste of tomatoes, cashew nuts and melon seeds.
2. Heat ghee in a non-stick pan. Add the prepared tomato-cashew mixture.
3. While the tomato-cashew mixture is being cooked, start adding all the spices - Elaichi powder, Shahi paneer masala, Chana Masala, Sugar, Degi Mirch Powder, Kasuri Methi, Salt.
4. Cook on medium-high flame till the mixture leaves oil on the sides of the pan.
5. Add water to bring the gravy to the desired consistency. Add paneer cubes. Cook for a minute on high flame. Switch off the flame.
5. Slightly whisk the fresh malai to dissolve any lumps. Add malai and milk to the prepared sabji. Mix and cover the wok with a lid till the serving time.


Best Accompaniment - Lacha Paratha, Butter Naan

Strawberry Trifle

Things required :

1 stem glass
Leftover vanilla sponge cake
Whipped Cream
Fresh Strawberry chunks (hulled and chopped)

Procedure :

1. Cut the sponge into 1 inch cubes and place a few of them at the bottom of the glass.
2. Pipe out a generous amount of whipping cream over it to form a layer.
3. Layer the chunks of fresh strawberry over it.
4. Pipe out whipping cream to make a new layer.
5. Place the cake cubes carefully to make a new layer.
6. Again pipe out whipping cream to form a layer.
7. Lastly place the fresh strawberry chunks to make the top-most layer.
8. Chill it for atleast 2 hours before serving.

Tips : You can use a readymade sponge cake to keep the procedure simpler.

Variation :   Orange Trifle. For the recipe, please click here.

Chocolate Ganache/Truffle Cake

My husband loves chococlate, so for the midnight cake on his bday I decided to do the ganache cake to delight him. He was amazed.  He loved it!

To start with, first prepare the sponge in a heart shape microwave safe dish and set it aside to cool down on a wire rack.

For the recipe of the cake/sponge please click here.

Slice the cake horizontally into 3 layers.

Then I prepared my Ganache using : 1 tetra pack (200 ml) Amul low fat cream, 400 gm cooking chocolate.

Seperate the watery liquid from the cream and use only the thick cream. Cut the cooking chocolate slab into small chunks, put them in the cream and microwave it on 80% power till chocolate melts and yields a smooth shiny paste. This is ganache!

Now pour some soaking syrup on the bottom layer of the sponge and spread one-fourth of the ganache, then carefully place the middle layer, pour some soaking syrup and apply the ganache and then the top layer, pour the soaking syrup and apply ganache on the top and all the sides of the cake.

 Garnish the cake with grated chocolate and sprinklers. 

Tadaa... 

Tip : Microwave the cake wedge just before serving for 10 seconds, enhances the taste and texture many folds.

                         

Bharwan Sabjiyon Ka Masala

This is a tried and tested recipe for more than hundreds of times and it always comes right!
This proportion of spices goes with almost all the bharwa/stuff veggies, be it bharwan baingan, bharwa karela, bharwa tinda, bharwa aloo to name a few.

I learnt this recipe from my respected mom-in-law 
I could never find out by myself the right porportion of spice-mix for bharwan subji, unless one day i asked my mom-in-law the way she prepares the bharwan sabjis. That day i chalked down the proportion and blindly follow it for all the stuff veggies and needless to say, it is the best recipe!

I've seen many people buying those expensive readymade spice-mix for bharwan sabjis because they don't know the right proportion of spices. This recipe is to help such people and let everybody know the right measurements.

So, here goes the proportion :

Saunf (Aniseed/Fennelseed) Powder -  3 tsp
Dhaniya (Corriander) Powder -  5 tsp
Lal Mirch (Red Chilli) Powder - 1 tsp
Khatai/Amchur (Raw Mango) Powder - 2 tsp
Salt - 3 tsp
Haldi (Turmeric) Powder - 2 tsp

This is the ratio for the spices but quantity of spices that goes into the recipe depends on the size of the vegetable, amount of the vegetable and your taste (i.e. too spicy/mildly spicy/ less spicy).

Tip : Whatever size of spoon you use to measure the spices, use the same spoon throughout the recipe.

Orange Trifle

Things required :

1 stem glass
Orange Sponge Cake (for the recipe click here)
Whipped Cream
Fresh Orange Segments (peeled and deseeded)

Procedure

1. Cut the sponge into 1 inch cubes and place a few of them at the bottom of the glass.
2. Pipe out a generous amount of whipping cream over it to form a layer.
3. Layer the chunks of fresh orange over it.
4. Pipe out whipping cream to make a new layer.
5. Place the cake cubes carefully to make a new layer.
6. Again pipe out whipping cream to form a layer.
7. Lastly place the orange chunks to make the top-most layer.
8. Chill it for atleast 2 hours before serving.

Tips : You can use a readymade sponge cake to keep the procedure simpler.

Variation :  Strawberry Trifle. For the recipe, click here.

Orange Sponge Cake (Eggless)

tastes best when chilled!!

Preparation time : 15 min
Baking time : 30-45 min
Serves - 10 people

Ingredients :

Maida - 2 cups
Condensed Milk - 1 tin
Mirinda/Fanta Cold drink - 180 ml
Butter (white) - 6 tbsp (or 90 gm)
Soda-bi-carb - 1/2 tsp
Baking Powder - 1 tsp

Procedure :

1. Whisk condensed milk and butter together.
2. Add soda-bi-carb and baking powder to maida and sieve thrice.
3. Start with adding 2 tbsp of maida mixture into the condensed milk-butter mixture. Mix it thoroughly. Again add 2 tbsp of maida mixture. Mix. Keep on repeating the procedure till everything is completely mixed. When the batter gets thick while mixing, add cold drink too.
5. Pour the batter in a greased and dusted baking tin.
6. Bake it in a preheated oven for 35 min at 180 degree.
7. Check the cake by inserting a tooth-pick in the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, that means cake is done, If not, bake it for 10 min more.

Serving Suggestion : Top it with whipped cream and fresh orange segments (peeled and deseeded)

Variation : For Chocolate Cake - Add 1 tbsp of cocoa powder to the maida mixture in step 2 and instead of mirinda/fanta use pepsi/coke.

Rasedar Aloo Tamatar (Pressure Cooker)

This sabji is usually children's favourite.

At my home, its like my last-minute saviour. when i dont want to spend much time in kitchen, i opt for this sabji.

Usually people don't use kasoori methi in this sabji but adding it gives this sabji a feeling and taste of 'poori wali aloo ki sabji'.

Serves - 4
Cooking time - 13 min
Preparation time - 5 min

Ingredients :

Potatoes (peeled, diced and washed) - 4 cups
Tomato - 4 (it should yield 1 1/2 cup puree)
Water - 3 cups
Oil- 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds (Jeera) - 1 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) - a pinch
Turmeric Powder (Haldi) - 3/4 tsp
Coriander Powder (dhaniya powder) - 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Kasoori Methi - 1 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste

Procedure - 

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker.
2. Crackle the cumon seeds and asafoetida.
3. Add all the spices.
4. Add fresh tomato puree.
5. Let it cook for 3-4 min on medium flame.
6. Add potatoes and water.
7. Close the lid properly.
8. Wait for first whistle and slow down the heat to lowest.
9. After 8 min, turn off the flame.
10. Open the pressure cooker and mash some of the potato pieces with the back of a spoon. (This makes the gravy thick) 
11. Garnish with coriander (optional)
12. Rasedar aloo tamatar is ready to serve. 

Lauki Ka Halwa (Low fat)

Made up of bottle-gourd and milk, this dessert is a traditional dish of North India. Many people also call it 'Ghiya ki Lauz' or 'Lauki ki lauz'.
It is very easy to prepare, even beginners can make it with perfection, though cooking time is a bit long.
Lauki ki barfi is also prepared the same way, the only difference is that the final product of barfi is drier than halwa. I find halwa tastier than barfi.. may be because of its juicy, wet texture.
This dessert can be served warm or cold, both ways it tastes ultimately delicious!!
Tip -  If anyone in your family doesnt like bottlegourd, then instead of green colour, put red colour and tell them its gajar ka halwa.. no-one will get to know 

Preparation time - 15 min
Cooking time - 45 min
Makes - 6 servings

Ingredients - 

Bottlegourd (Lauki/Doodhi) - 500 gm
Toned Milk - 1 Litre
Sugar - 1 cup
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
Green Colour - 5-6 drops

Procedure -

1. Peel and grate bottlegourd.
2. In a deep, heavy bottom pan, heat milk. Bring it to boil. Lower the flame. Let the milk reduce for 10 min.
3. Add grated bottle gourd and cardamom powder.
4. Cook till the mixture gets thick, stirring occasionally. Make sure your spatula reaches the bottom of the pan while stirring, otherwise the food content may stick to the bottom and get butrnt, spoiling the whole recipe.
5. Add sugar and green colour, mix thoroghly.
6. Cook till all the liquid evaporates.
7. Serve hot or cold.
8. Refrigerate when it has cooled down completely.

Tip - 

1. Garnish with dry-fruits or nuts like raisins, almonds and cashew nuts.
2. If making for kids, use full-fat milk.
3. Rose water can also be used as a flavouring agent instead of cardamom. Add it in the last.

Paneer Wraps - Low Fat & Healthy Breakfast

Paneer Wrap

These wraps are so tempting and irresistible that you would like to add it to your weekly breakfast plan. The plus point here is that the recipe is very easy and quick. You can do most of the preparation a night before.

When I make this recipe, I always prefer to make this sabji- chinese style cabbage stir-fry for the dinner with some extra cabbage so that I can use the leftover sabji for 'paneer wrap' in the break-fast. Dough and Low fat paneer can also be prepared a night before and keep in the refrigerator. So, on a hurried morning I just need to cook the chapati and assemble the wrap.

To keep the fat-content in check, I've use home made low fat paneer. Also I've used whole wheat chapati, unlike the street food where they use oily lachha paranthas to make this wrap. So the overall outcome is a good deal of healthy and yummy break fast.

Makes : 1 Paneer wrap
Preparation Time : 5 min
Cooking Time : 2 min

Things Required :

things required for paneer wrap

As the above image clearly shows, we'll need

• 1 tsp tomato ketchup
• 1/2 tsp chilli sauce
• 1 tbsp 1 inch long, thin strips of low fat paneer
• 2 tbsp Chinese style cabbage stir fry
• 1/2 tsp fresh coriander (finely chopped)
• Whole wheat dough for 1 chapati
• Aluminium foil

Procedure -

1. Roll out a chapati using the whole wheat dough and cook on both the sides on a hot griddle/tawa using a cotton handkerchief.

2. Place the cooked chapati on a plate. Spread tomato ketchup and chilli sauce and then put chinese style cabbage stir-fry and fresh coriander across the centre of the chapati. Like this :

3. Over this arrange the low fat paneer slices side by side in a queue.

4. Fold over both the sides and wrap half the roll with aluminium foil.

5. Serve immediately.

Tip : Assemble the wrap just before serving as it may turn soggy becuase of the layer of sauces inside.

Chinese style Cabbage Stir-fry

Add caption

A very quick recipe. Just takes about 7-8 minutes to get cooked and preparation time is as much as you spend in shredding your cabbage. I never opt for cutting the cabbage, rather I prefer to use a slicer to get fine and equal shreds and the job is done in barely 2 minutes.

This sabji can be served as a side dish with whole wheat parathas. I use the left-over sabji to make paneer wraps for a healthy breakfast.

Preparation Time : 2 min
Cooking Time : 2 min
Serves : 2

Ingredients -

Cabbage (shredded) - 4 cups
Oil - 1 tsp
Soy Sauce - 1 tsp
Tomato Ketchup - 1 tbsp
Chilli Sauce/red chilli powder/green chilies (finely chopped)- to taste
Vinegar - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Fresh Coriander (finely chopped) - 1 tbsp (for the garnish)

Procedure -

1. Heat oil in a non-stick deep pan.
2. Add cabbage and salt. Saute for 5 min on medium-high flame. Keep stirring continuously.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix and Saute for 2 minutes more.
4. Taste the veggie and adjust the seasoning.
5. Garnish with coriander and serve.

Tip - The end result should not be completely cooked cabbage, rather it should be crunchy (semi-cooked) and spicy.