Braided Garlic Bread

INGREDIENTS:

1 tsp dry yeast

1/3 cup lukewarm water

1 tbsp cooking oil

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tbsp butter

2 tsp chopped garlic

METHOD: 

- Dissolve yeast & sugar in lukewarm water. 

- Mix plain flour, salt, oil in another bowl and add yeast mixture into it. 

- Form a soft dough and cover to let it rise in warm place for an hour. When it is doubled in size, punch the dough and knead it for around 4-5 mins.

- Preheat the oven to 200.

- Divide the dough into 3 balls. Roll each of them into a snake shape of equal length.

- Join all 3 braids with one end and arrange on a lined baking tray. Make a braid crossing the middle one every time.

- Take melted butter in a bowl. Add chopped garlic into it. Brush garlic-butter over the entire loaf.

- Bake it for around 15 minutes till it is light-brown on top.

GARLIC TURNING BLUE-GREEN:

Yes, it happened while baking this bread. If this happens to you, here is a list of all possible reasons - WHY??!!!

• Garlic you used isn't fully mature so it contains some amount of water inside.
• A reaction between sulfur content of garlic n utensils you used!
• Mixing with lemon juice or vinegar are possible reasons.
• Iodine in table salt may turn the garlic blue-green :)

"Whatever is your reason, it is 100% edible."

Nutty Banana Cake - Eggless

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup plain flour

2 long bananas

1/4 cup cooking oil

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

METHOD:

- Take sugar & oil in a bowl and add mashed bananas.

- Add sugar & chopped walnuts and mix well.

- Sift plain flour, vanilla extract, baking powder & baking soda in the same bowl and mix well in one direction for around 5-7 mins.

- Grease a baking tray & pour this mixture into it.

- Bake it on 170° for around 25-30 mins.
- Cut into pieces & serve with caramelized banana cuts & chocolate sauce.

Linking this recipe to Nivedhanam's Eggless Baking, Swathi and Simply Sensational Food:

Kavah

Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS:

1 tsp kavah powder

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

2 cups water

METHOD:

- Take water in deep pan and add salt, pepper & kavah powder.

- Boil them all together for 3-4 mins and add lemon juice once off the flame.

- Strain it in 2 glasses & serve hot wit munchies u like!

Notes:

- Kavah powder is made up from beans called 'Boond Daana', which luks very similar to coffee beans. Very less chances of gettin it anywhere else but grocerry stores in India.

- Dry-roast beans till they are brown in color and grind it in form of powder. Store it in airtight container.

Mushroom Omlette

Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS:

4 sliced button mushrooms

2 eggs

pinch of pepper powder

a pinch of greek seasoning

salt per taste

METHOD:

- In bowl, take 2 eggs, add all seasonings and whisk it for a while.

- Take few drops of oil in a nonstick pan and add half of sliced mushrooms in it and saute it for few seconds.

- Pour half of egg mixture onto it and spread it evenly on pan.

- Cook it for around a min and turn around to cook on other side.

- Repeat the same process for another omlette.

- Serve hot wit Bread Toast.

Thandai

INGREDIENTS:

3 cup milk

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp fennel seeds

10 almonds

1 tsp crushed peppercorns

1/4 tsp cardamom powder

1 tsp watermelon seeds (magajtari)

few saffron strands

METHOD: 

- boil milk in pan and cool it down to the room temp.

- Soak almonds, fennel seeds, watermelon seeds & poppy seeds in lukewarm water for 10 mins.

- Grind it to a smooth paste (Use a lil extra water if required). 

- Add sugar, cardamom powder, crushed peppercorns & saffron in it and mix well.

- Blend it with milk and keep it in refrigerator for an hour before serving.

Daal-Baati

My grand-pa, all three mama n a cousin are chilly merchants, running the business for 3 generations! Things that I always find exciting to visit their market is a vast database of red chillies!!! Kashmiri, Resham Patta, Boriya, Jwala etc. etc.... Poor me who can't have a bite of it even :( And the other is watching those Rajasthani workers moving around with big bags dried chillies on their shoulders!

The very first thing comes to your mind is "Dal-Baati" when you think of anything related to Rajasthan!!! and I have preserved a beautiful memory linking those workers and their authentic food :)

Let me say one thing, each person at my maternal Family is a big-time foodie... A plate of sweets or some hot-n-spicy delicacy, doesn't matter - It's all tasty to them!!! Many a times I have had Rajasthani food with them... prepared in-house or in restaurants. 

But if I talk specifically about 'Dal-Baati'... I'm still trying to get that taste I had around 10-12 yrs back, when a bunch of those Rajasthani workers cooked for our whole family at my Grand-Pa's place! Those baatis cooked in hand-made (soil) tandoor to go with super-perfumed panchmel daal and pungent garlic chutney!!! Since then, I have been trying to get those flavors and yes, I'm nearly touching that line now :) 

Makes: 2-3 servings

INGREDIENTS:

For Baati--

1 cup Bhakhri Flour (coarse wheat flour)
1/2 cup Wheat Flour

1 tbsp Semolina

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tbsp Clarified butter (ghee)

1 tsp Ajwain (carom seeds)

Salt, to taste

For Daal--

1/4 cup Tuver dal

2 tbsp Chana dal
1 tbsp Mung Dal (yellow)

1/2 cup Mung dal (green)

1 tsp Udad Dal

1 Chopped Onion

1 cup Tomato Puree

2 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste

1 tsp Coriander Powder

1 tsp Red chilly powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala 

1 tbsp Lemon juice

Salt, to taste

STEPS TO FOLLOW:

- Mix all the ingredients of baati and knead a medium hard dough using lukewarm water. Cover with a cling wrap and keep it aside for an hour.

- Make small balls out of it and bake it in preheated oven on 180 degrees for around 15 mins. Turn them once n bake again for 10-15 mins.

- Melt clarified butter in a big bowl and put these baati into it for a few mins (ideally for an hour).

- Soak all dal for in plenty of water for 1-2 hours and pressure cook them for 4 whistles. Drain excess water leaving a little inside to make thick-dal consistency.

- Take some ghee (clarified butter) in kadai. Add chopped onions, ginger-garlic paste and saute it for a min.

- Add tomato puree and cooked daal with remaining stock. Mix everything well. 

- Add all the spices into it and cook covered for around 5-7 mins. 

- Serve hot wit soaked baati, home-made garlic chutney and fried green chillies!!!

SJ's NOTE:

- 'Churma' is the best sweet you can serve with Dal-Baati! To make it their way:

Roughly crush a few baati (straight from tandoor) in a bowl, add generous amount of clarified butter (hot n melted) and a spoonful of ground sugar (adjust to your taste)... Mix everything and serve! 

- To prepare green chillies:

Heat a tsp of oil in a sauce-pan. Add cumin seeds and a pinch of hing. Let it crackle and then add green chillies (cut/chopped/sliced) and saute it for a min. It's ready to serve! 

Lilwa Kachori

Serves: 12 nos.

INGREDIENTS:

For Crust:

=======

1 cup plain flour

2 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup cold water

For Filling:

=======

3 cup pigeon peas (lilwa) 

1 cup green peas

1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

2 chopped green chillies

1 tbsp chopped coriander

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp Amchur powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

a pinch of hing

Salt per taste

Coriander powder

METHOD:

- Take all ingredients of crust and knead a soft dough.

- Keep it aside to rest for 15-20 mins.

- Take pigeon peas & green peas in a grinder & chop it roughly.

- Take it in a bowl and add rest of all ingredients with it.

- Mix well and divide the filling in 12 portions.

- Roll a medium sized puri & stuff it with this mixture.

- Make smooth small balls out of all mixture.

- Deep fry them in oil & serve hot with Green Chutney.

Vanilla Sponge Cake

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup plain flour

3/4 cup curd

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup cooking oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD:

- Sieve plain flour, baking soda & baking powder 2-3 times in a bowl.

- Take rest of all ingredients in other bowl & whisk till fluffy.

- Mix them well all together and pour the mixture in greased cake mould.

- Bake it in preheated oven on 200 for around 25-30 mins.

Tandoori Masala Kulcha

INGREDIENTS:

For Kulcha:

========

1 cup maida (plain flour)

1 cup wheat flour

1/2 sachet dry yeast

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp oil

Salt per taste

For Stuffing:

========

3 boiled & mashed potatoes

1 chopped onion

1 tbsp chopped coriander

garlic salt per taste

1/4 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp amchur powder

METHOD:

- Take some water in a bowl and add dry yeast with a lil sugar & oil. Set aside for 5-6 mins. 

- In another bowl, mix maida and wheat flour. Add salt in it. Make a well in centre of bowl. 

- Add yeast mixture and form a sticky dough and knead it for 10 mins.

- Brush a bowl lightly with oil and sprinkle some maida in bowl. 

- Put dough in it and set aside in a warm place to rise for 1-2 hours.

- Once done, punch it well to remove air. Make big size balls out of it and roll it to small size.

- Fill the stuffing inside and seal it around to make a ball.

- Roll it roti/paratha sized with medium-thickness. 

- Bake it in pre-heated oven on 200 for around 7-10 mins.

- Give a restaurant texture by roasting it on direct flame for few seconds.

- apply butter and serve hot with any gravy or pickle.

Shikanji

'Shikanji' originally is our simple lemonade only & nothing can beat "Sonel's" of Nathdwara for sure! Here is a little twisted version of it.. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 glass soda water (option - chilled water)

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup cucumber + mint juice 

METHOD: 

- Mix lemon juice, sugar & cucumber-mint juice all together.

- Take 2-3 ice cubes in both glasses & add this mixture in it.

- Pour soda/chilled water in both the glasses & serve fresh.

A delicate flavor of cucumber & refreshing flavor of mint give a WOW factor to this drink :)

Strawberry Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup butter (room temp)

1/2 cup milk

1 egg (optional)

a pinch of salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup sugar 

2 cups plain flour (maida)

1 cup fresh-chopped strawberries

METHOD:

- Take butter, milk and egg in a bowl and churn it well.

- Add salt & sugar and mix well.

- In another bowl, sieve plain flour and baking powder twice.

- Add this into butter mixture with strawberries and mix well. Make sure there are no lumps in it.

- Preheat oven on 230° for 10 mins.

- Pour this mixture in muffin moulds & bake for around 20 mins.

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I never think of decorating any cake/muffin/cupcake.. The only reason, I can't wait tat long! I ll just grab a piece of it and enjoy :P 

When I sent tis pic to my cousin.. Her daughter (my 5-yr old niece) suggested to decorate it her way. Here are her words "Make girl face with chocolate cream and strawberries nose and mouth.. And strawberry leaf as flower on head" & I just followed d instructions :P 

Finally, got to taste my strawberry muffin... I'm happy 'coz it turned out to be so well with a fresh-flavor! But I'm happier 'coz she told me after seein tis muffin "Hey Masi... You r a muffin queen" :)

Thin Crust Pizza

Makes: 3 (medium-size)

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups Maida

1/2 cup Lukewarm water

1 sachet Dry Yeast

1/2 tsp Sugar

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp dry herbs

1 tbsp cup Olive Oil

METHOD: 

- Take some water in a bowl and add dry yeast with a lil sugar. Set aside for 5-6 mins. 

- In another bowl, take maida and mix salt in it. Make a well in centre of bowl. Add the yeast mixture and some oil. 

- Mix them all together and form a sticky dough and knead it for 10 mins.

- Brush a bowl lightly with oil and sprinkle some maida in bowl. 

- Put dough in it and set aside in a warm place to rise until its doubled in size.

- Once done, punch it well to remove air make big size balls out of it and roll it medium-thick.

- Use your choice of pizza sauce & toppings. Bake it for 10-15 until pizza-crust is crisp & golden-brown in color.

Garlic Pasta

INGREDIENTS:

Penne pasta

Chopped Garlic (a lil more)

Chopped Tomatoes

Boiled Corn

Chopped Capsicum

Chopped Onions

Oregano

Red chilly flakes

Salt

Olive Oil

METHOD:

- Cook pasta in boiling water with a pinch of salt and tsp of oil.

- Drain first and then rinse under the cold water so it doesn't become sticky.

- Take some oil in a pan and add chopped garlic, onions & capsicum and let it cook for a while.

- Add chopped tomatoes & cooked pasta and mix well.

- Once pasta are well coated, add salt, oregano & chilly flakes and mix gently.

- Serve hot with Butter-Herb rice.

Aloo Pauwa

INGREDIENTS:

Medium-thin pauwa (flattened rice)

Boiled n cube cut potatoes

Chopped Capsicum

Chopped Onions

Chopped Tomatoes

Chopped Coriander

Lemon Juice

1/2 tsp Sugar

Salt

Turmeric Powder

Mustard Seeds

Hing

Oil

METHOD:

- Rinse pauwa nicely and keep it aside for 10 mins.

- Heal oil in kadai and add mustard seeds and hing.

- Let it splutter well and add chopped capsicum & onnions.

- Saute it for a while and add potatoes & pauwa.

- Add salt, sugar, turmeric powder, lemon juice and mix well.

- Garnish with chopped coriander, tomatoes and serve hot.

Tandoori Paneer Tikka

INGREDIENTS:

200 gm Square cut paneer

1/2 cup Tandoori Marinade

Oil, for pan-grilling

METHOD:

- Take tandoori marinade in a big bowl and coat paneer cubes well with this marinade and cover the bowl with lid or plastic wrap.

- Plastic wrap it and keep it in refrigerator for at least 4-5 hours for the best results.

- Put some oil in pan and heat it on high flame.

- Grill paneer on it till it forms crispy skin on both the sides. Give a lil burnt n smoky effect (if preferred).

- Garnish with lemon-soaked onion juliennes n serve hot with mint chutney.

(For the best "dhaba-type aroma", you can use a charcoal method before serving to give smoky effect)

Linking this recipe to: Motions and Emotions & Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey