Tilgul Poli / Sankranti Special Gul Poli

This traditional recipe for 'Makar Sankranti' contains Til (sesame seeds) & Gul(jaggery). It is very crispy and you can eat it for 7-8 days…..

Ingredients:

For dough

• Wheat Flour (Atta)- 2 cups
• All purpose flour (Maida) - 1 cup
• Semolina/Rava - 1/2 cup
• Gram flour/Besan - 1/4 cup
• Rice flour - 1-2 tbsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste

For filling (Saran)

• Jaggery - 1, 1/2 cup
• Gram Flour (Besan) - 1/4 cup
• Sesame seeds - 1/4 cup
• Poppy seeds - 2 tsp
• Peanut powder - 1/4 cup
• Dry shredded coconut - 1/4 cup
• Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Ghee - 4-5 Table spoon

Method:

• Mix the flours, rava and make a well in the middle, heat oil and add it to the flour. Add salt and mix it nicely. Make a soft dough with warm water. Knead the dough well.
• Now for filing, grate the jaggery. Roast sesame seeds, poppy seeds, peanut powder, shredded coconut and gram flour one by one. Grind it to a paste. Add jaggery and cardamom powder to this paste. Make 8-10 balls for filling.
• Make equal portions of dough. Sprinkle some rice powder on rolling board. Roll the dough to the size of roti.
• Place a boll of tilgul filling in the center close it by covering the edges at top so that the fiiling will not come out.
• Use more rice flour and roll it till it become normal roti size. Heat the griddle (tawa) put some ghee roast it from both the side using ghee on medium flame. Serve with ghee.

Instant Microwave Khandvi (Suralichi Wadi)

Try this super fast microwave recipe for Khandvi and serve it as an appetizer for your next get-together.
 One day while browsing for recipes I came across this recipe and I tried it come out very good.

Ingredients:

• Besan/Chickpea (Gram) Flour – 1 cup
• Yogurt plain – 1 cup
• Water - 2 cups
• Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida – pinch
• Salt – to taste

For Seasoning:

• Oil – 4 tsp
• Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
• Asafoetida – pinch
• Green Chillies – 2 (cut length wise)
• Grated Coconut – 1 Tbsp
• Cilantro (Coriander) – chopped for garnishing

Method:

• In a large microwave safe bowl, mix Besan (Gram Flour), Yogurt, Turmeric Powder, Salt and Asofoetida.
• Add Water and blend the mixture with egg beater to a smooth (lump-free) paste.
• Cook uncovered in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes.
• Remove from microwave and stir to break up any lumps.
• Microwave again for 1 1/2 minutes and stir again.
• Microwave for last 1 1/2 minutes and mix well. You may have to use a beater to remove any lumps.
•  Meanwhile lay out Aluminum Foil in long sheets on the counter top. This  should be done while batter is cooking. Once the batter is out of the microwave, you have to work fast before it solidifies.
• Spoon batter along one edge of the foil and with a flat spatula, gently pull the batter down along the foil spreading it thin.
• Once the foil is completely covered, start on the next piece of foil. Repeat until all batter is thinly spread.
•  Let the batter rest for 5 minutes and allow it to solidify.
•  With a sharp knife, cut long 1 to 1 1/2 inch strips in the solid batter.
•  Gently lift the edge and roll the strip into a tight roll. You can make the rolls as big as you like. If they get too thick, cut it off and start a new roll.
• Repeat rolling and placing rolls on a platter.
•  Sprinkle Coconut and Cilantro (Coriander) over the Khandvi.
•  Heat Oil in a small skillet.
•  Add Mustard Seeds, allow them to pop.
• Add Asofoetida, Green Chilies and switch off heat.
•  Sprinkle seasoning over the Khandvi.
• Serve at room temperature & enjoy.

Aloo Gobi

Ingredients:

• 1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
• 2 large russet potatoes, cubed
• 4 tbsp oil
• ½ tsp mustard seeds 
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp coriander seeds
• pinch of hing
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 Jalapeno or any hot green pepper, sliced 
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small piece of fresh ginger, grated 
• ½ tsp red pepper chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ¼ teaspoon amchoor powder (mango powder)
• ½ tsp salt or according to taste
• 4-8 tablespoons of water

Method:

• Heat up oil on low/medium. Add mustard, cumin and crushed coriander, hing and cook for few seconds. 
• Add the onions, jalapeno, garlic and ginger, mix and let cook for few minutes until onion is translucent and soft. 
• Add the tomato and continue cooking for few minutes longer until mixture is cooked well and almost paste like.
• Add the red pepper chili powder, turmeric , garam masala, amchoor powder, salt and four tablespoons of water and mix.
•  Add the cauliflower florets and cubed potatoes and mix to coat cauliflower and potatoes well with the onion, tomato and spice mixture. Cover with a tight lid and let cook. Mix once in a while. Check if some more liquid is needed.
• Simmer for 15-20 minutes on low heat until potatoes are super soft, garnish with cilantro leaves, add a wedge of lime or lemon if desired and serve along with rice or paratha.

Spinach Raita

The spinach raita recipe was just awesome. It came out very well and yummmmmy!!. One of my best friend shared the recipe with me and now I'm sharing it here.


Ingredients:

• Baby Spinach leaves - 1 cup
• Plain yogurt - 1 cup
• Roasted Peanut powder - 1-2 tsp
• Salt & sugar to taste

For Seasoning:

• Oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Urad dal (Black Gram) - 1/4 tsp
• Pinch of Asafoetida / Hing 
• 1 Dry chilli broken into 2-3 pieces

Method:

• Wash and clean the spinach leaves well. I used baby spinach for this recipe - but you can use regular and Chopped finely.
• Steam the chopped spinach in microwave for couple of minutes by adding 1-2 tsp water. Let cool completely.
• In a bowl, beat well yogurt, roasted peanut powder, salt, sugar as to taste.
• Add chopped spinach.
• Heat oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and fry for a few seconds.When the seeds start popping, add cumin seeds.
• Add urad dal,  red chili and asafoetida.
•  Take off fire. Cool and add to the yogurt spinach mixture.
• Serve immediately or refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

Rava Dosa

Ingredients:

• 2 cups semolina/rava
• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1/2 cup maida (all-purpose flour)
• 1 1/2 tsps cumin seeds
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• coriander leaves – 2 tbsps (optional)
• curry leaves – few (optional)
• finely chopped green chillies – 1 or 2
• salt to taste
• water – 6 cups (approx)
• oil as required

Method:

• Combine all the above ingredients except oil and let the rava dosa batter sit for half an hour to an hour.
• It might thicken after a while as rava absorbs the water. At the time of making dosas add more water such that it is of pouring consistency (like thick buttermilk).
• Pre-heat an tawa on high for a minute and reduce heat. Pour a ladle full of dosa batter from the outward base of the tawa in a circular motion .
•  Fill the gap in the middle with dosa batter. Don’t drop batter like a thick lump but pour all over, evenly, filling the gaps.
• Pour 1-2 tsps of oil like drops along the edge of the dosa and the gaps in the middle.
• Increase heat to medium flame and let the dosa cook for around 3 mts. At this point increase flame to high and let the dosa roast for a half a minute or so.
• If you want a slightly softer dosa, remove the dosa at this point. For a crisper dosa, let the dosa roast further on high for another one minute or till it reaches a nice golden brown .
• Serve hot with chutney or sambar or potato bhaji.

 

 

 

 

 

Spinach & Corn Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch Spinach (approx 2 cups), washed and roughly chopped
• 1 cup Sweet Corn Kernels (fresh/frozen/canned)
• 1 medium Onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp Garlic, finely chopped
• 1 Green Chili, slit 
• ½ cup Milk or heavy cream
• ½ tbsp Oil/Butter
• 1-2 Bay leaf
• 1 tsp fresh Lime Juice
• Salt to taste
• Pepper Powder to taste

Method:

• If using fresh or frozen sweet corn, microwave them on high for 2-3 minutes and keep aside.
• Heat oil or melt butter in a sauce pan add finely chopped garlic and bay leaf fry them for half a minute.
•  Mix in finely chopped onions and slit green chili and cook till onions turns light golden in colour, about 2 minutes.
• Add roughly chopped spinach leaves with its tender stem and cook till the leaves starts to wilt, about 2 minutes.
• Switch off the gas. Remove bay leaf and Transfer all the contents to food processor and blend them to smooth puree.
• Transfer this puree back into a pan and add milk, sweet corn kernels and salt and pepper to taste. Add about ½ cup or more of water to get required consistency. Bring the whole soup to a gentle boil.
• Turn off the gas and mix in freshly squeezed lime juice just before serving. 
• Serve this soup hot or warm topped with few corn kernels or cream or spring onion if desired and enjoy this iron delicious bowl of Sweet Corn and Spinach Soup.

Garlic Bread

Ingredients

• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 loaf crusty bread, split
• 3 tablespoons grated cheese, Parmigiana or Romano, optional
• Chopped fresh parsley

Method

• Combine garlic, butter, and oil in a microwave safe dish or in a small saucepan. 
• Heat garlic and butter and oil in microwave for 1 minute or in a small pot over moderate-low heat for 3 minutes.
• Toast split bread under broiler. Remove bread when it is toasted golden brown in color. 
• Brush bread liberally with garlic oil. Sprinkle with cheese, if using, and parsley.
•  If you added cheese, return to broiler and brown 30 seconds.