Moong Dal Dhokla - Split Yellow Gram Savoury Cake

Soft, spongy & nutritious dhokla's enjoyed during breakfast or evening snack. 

Ingredients: (Serves approx. 4)

For Dhokla Batter: 

• 1 Cup Yellow Moong Dal (Split Yellow Gram)

• 3 Green Chillies

• 1" Ginger Piece

• 1/2 tsp Hing (Asafoetida)

• 1 1/2 tsp sugar 

• Salt to taste

• 1 tbsp oil

• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder

• 1 tbsp Besan (Gram Flour)

• 2 tbsp Dahi (Yogurt)

• 1tbsp Lemon Juice

• 1 1/2 tsp Fruit Salt

• Water approximately 1/2 cup

For Tempering:

• 2 tbsp oil

• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds

• 1 tsp Hing ( Asafoetida)

• 1 Slit Green Chilli

To Garnish:

• 1/4th Cup Coriander Leaves finely chopped

• 1/4th Cup Freshly Greated Coconut

Method:

• Wash and soak moong dal in water for 4 hours. After soaking, remove the water and keep the moong dal aside.

• In a blender, add a piece of ginger, chillies and soaked moong dal. Using 1/4th cup of water grind the dal to a fine paste

• Transfer the moong dal paste into a mixing bowl, add salt, sugar, turmeric powder, oil, besan (gram flour), Lemon juice, yogurt, 1/2 cup water and mix well.

• Grease the dhokla tin with oil. Keep your steamer ready to place the dhokla tin.

• Now add fruit salt to the moong dal batter and mix gently. 

• Transfer the batter into the greased dhokla tin and place it in the steamer immediately. 

• Steam dhokla for 15-20 minutes or till dhokla is cooked through.

• Once dhokla is cooked, keep it aside to cool. By that time prepare the tempering.

• In a small kadhai / pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds begins to crackle add hing (asafoetida) and turn of the flame. Now add one slit green chilli. Be careful as the green chilli splatters.

• Pour this tempering over the dhokla and spread evenly. 

• Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves & freshly grated coconut

• Cut the dhokla into square or dimond pieces.

• Moond Dal Dhokla - Split Yellow Gram Savoury Cake is ready.    

• Serve as it is or with green chutney. 

Phodnichi Poli (Chapati/ Roti) - Spicy Tempered Flatbread

One of the most popular Maharastrian breakfast that brings back all My childhood memories is Phodnichi Poli or Kuskarleli Poli as I used to call. Its a comfort snack prepared using leftover Poli spiced up and tempered in onions! 

A perfect option for a lazy holiday breakfast. Quick..easy made in jiffy!!

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Leftover Poli (Chapati / Roti / Flatbread)

• 1 Onion finely chopped

• 3-5 Curry Leaves

• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds

• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds (Optional)

• 1/4th tsp Hing (Asafoetida)

• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder

• 1 tbsp Red Chilly Powder

• 1 tsp Sugar

• Salt to taste

• Coriander Leaves finely chopped for garnish

• Scrapped Coconut for garnish

• 2 tbsp Oil

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Method:

• Crumble the leftover poli by hand or food processor.

•  In a Pan heat oil. When oil is hot add mustard seeds, when mustard seeds crackle add cumin seeds, hing, curry leaves & finely chopped onions.Cook onions till translucent. 

• Now add turmeric powder, red chilly powder & leftover crumbled poli, mix well.

• Add sugar & salt. Check for seasoning.

• Cover the pan with a lid and let the poli get heated through for 5 minutes on low flame stirring occasionally till all the spices gets nicely incorporated.

• Sprinkle splash of water over the poli so that they won't dry out and become little moist.

• Phodnichi Poli (Chapati/ Roti) - Spicy Tempered Flatbread is ready.

• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, scrapped coconut and serve hot.

Quick Rice Kheer - Rice Pudding

Rice Kheer is a very popular Indian dessert prepared in many households across India.This quick and easy version made by using sweetened condensed milk, gives it the desired thickness and sweetness in a jiffy!

Ingredients: (Serves One)

• 1 Cup Milk

• 1/4 Cup 90% cooked Rice 

• 2 tbsp Milk Masala Powder

• 4 tbsp Condensed Milk

• 2 Pods Green Cardamom seeds crushed

• Pinch of Saffron (Optional)

• Pistachio Flakes for Garnish

Method:

• In an deep thick bottomed pan, heat the Milk and bring it to boil. Once the milks starts boiling, add the cooked rice.

• Now add the condensed milk, crushed cardamon seeds and milk masala powder.

• Mix well and cook on a medium flame for 5 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

• Quick rice kheer is ready.

• Garnish with Pistachio Flakes and serve hot.

Aloo Paratha - Potato Stuffed Flat Bread

I was never fond of aloo paratha since my childhood. I tasted so many version of this famous aloo paratha in restaurants but never seemed to like it, no matter what.

That's the reason I never tried it until now as I was so confident that I would hate it anyways. But now after playing with different spices everyday and able to determine the taste before hand, I ultimately gave it a try!!!! & I could'nt believe I was eating aloo paratha made by Me Myself and loving it!!!

I just used everyday spices without adding ginger, garlic or onions which I used to hate while having it in restaurants. 

Ingredients: (Serves approx. 3)

• 2 Cups Wheat Flour

• 4 Potatoes (boiled, peeled, mashed)

• 2 Green Chilies finely chopped

• 1 tsp Red Chilly Powder

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Palak Puri - Spinach Puffed Fritters

Spinach enhanced puris, deep fried and served with pickle / curd or along with hot cup of tea! These puris are irresistably yummy and filling too.

Normally spinach puree is used in making of this palak puri (spinach fritters), but I prefer to prepare it by roughly chopping the cooked spinach leaves.

Ingredients: (Serves approx. 3)

• 2 Bunches of Cooked Palak (Spinach)

• 2 tsp Ginger - Garlic Paste

• 2 tsp Coriander Powder

• 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder

• 1/2 Cup Besan (Gram Flour)

• 2 Cups Wheat Flour

• Salt to taste

• Oil

Method:

• Cook palak (spinach leaves). Drain excess water and keep aside to cool. Once the palak(spinach leaves) are cooled enough, cut them roughly.

• In a bowl, add chopped spinach leaves and rest of the ingredients.

• Mix all the ingredients well and start kneading the dough by adding small amount of water at a time. Knead a stiff dough.

• Drizzle little oil over the kneaded dough. Cover and let it rest for about 15-20 minutes.

• After resting the dough, grease the rolling board with oil & roll out puris into 3" diameter circle.

• Roll the puris little thick and deep fry in hot oil. Fry from both sides till golden brown.

• Transfer the puris onto an absorbent paper to drain excess oil.

• Palak Puri - Spinach Puffed Fritters are ready.

• Serve hot with a cup of tea or with your favourite pickle or vegetable or curd.      
  

Cocoa Milk Delight - Hot Cocoa

Its a Valentine week & Chocolate is A must!!!! As still the weather here is pleasantly cold, I thought of making hot cocoa milk for dessert. 

This cocoa milk can be served chilled aswell. Enjoyed this heavenly chocolaty dessert in both the version though!

Ingredients: 

• 1/4th Cup Cocoa Powder

• 2 Cups Milk

• 1 Cup Cream

• 1/2 Cup Sugar

• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

• Whipped Cream (Optional)

• Vanilla Ice Cream (Optional)

Method:

• In a sauce pan, sieve cocoa powder and add 4 tbsp of milk. Mix well, see to it that no lumps are formed.

• Once the milk is nicely incorporated into cocoa mixture add rest of the milk while stirring continuously and mix everything well.

• Add sugar, cream & vanilla extract. 

• Cook this mixture on medium flame, stir continuously. Bring it to a boil for further 15 minutes.

• Hot Cocoa Milk is ready. Garnish with whipped cream and serve.

• Incase you want to have it cold, prepare this cocoa milk a day before and while serving garnish with a dollop of vanilla ice cream!

Rava Laddoo - Semolina Laddoo (Indian Sweet Dish)

Today sharing my 100th Recipe with all you lovely people. Thank you for your likes, comments & encouragement. To celebrate this moment I am sharing My most favourite sweet recipe made by My Mother, that is Rava Laddoo!!!!

A heavenly sinful indulgence to celebrate any occasion, these laddoo's will surely melt your heart with its delicious taste.  

Quick & easy to make.The beautiful aroma while making these laddoo's surrounds the house and apatizes your hunger.

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Ingredients:

•  4 cups Fine Rava / Sooji / Semolina

• 2 tbsp Ghee (Clarified Butter)

• 2 cups Sugar

• 1/4 cup water

• 1 tsp Cardamom powder

• Dry fruits of your choice (Optional)

• Raisins for Garnish

Method:

• In a pan add a ghee (clarified butter) and fine rava (semolina), roast for 10-12 minutes on low flame or till nice aroma of rava (semolina) starts coming. Transfer the roasted rava (semolina) onto a dish.

• In another deep pan add sugar and water and bring this mixture to boil.

• After the sugar mixture starts boiling lower the flame and let this mixture simmer for another 5-6 minutes till it gets a one thread consistency. Once the one thread consistency is achieved turn of the flame.

• Add the roasted rava (semolina) and cardamon powder to the sugar mixture and mix well.

• Rest this rava (semolina) mixture till it cools off a little bit by which time all the sugar mixture will be nicely incorporated in the rava (semolina).

• Stir the rava (semolina) mixture occasionally.

• After the rava (semolina) mixture is lukewarm and becomes thick, grease your palm with ghee and start rolling the laddoo.

• Stud laddoo with any of your favourite dry fruit.

• Decorate each laddoo with raisin on top.

• Rava Laddoos are ready. 

• Strore them in an air tight container. These laddoo's stays good for 15-20 days at room temperature.

Note: Do not brown the rava (semolina) while roasting. White colour should not change.

Pomegranate Raita

Pink jewels immersed into creamy yogurt is how I always like to describe this wonderful sweet dish. One of the best accompaniments with spicy curries or rice preparations! Made in a jiffy and served chilled!!!

Ingredients: ( Serves 3)

• 1 Cup Pomegranate Kernels

• 1 1/2 Cups Whisked Yogurt

• 1/4th Cup Coriander Leaves finely chopped

• 1 tsp Powdered Sugar

• Salt to taste

Method:

• In a mixing bowl add whisked yogurt, salt, powdered sugar and mix well.

• Keep aside 1/4th cup of pomegranate kernels aside and add the rest of kernels into the yogurt mixture and mix well. Check for seasoning.

• Now lightly bruise the pomegranate kernels that we had kept aside with a help of spoon so that some juice can sweep out from them. 

• Add this slightly bruised kernels and juice into the raita. Mix gently.

• Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

• Pomegranate Raita is ready.

• Serve chilled.

• Best accompaniment with Biryani, Pulao or Masale Bhat.

Batata Bhajji (Pakoda) - Potato Fritters

Crispy, delicious, mouthwatering famous Mumbai street food snack served with garlic, mint or tamarind chutney! Batata Bhajji or Pakoda is one of the easiest snack to prepare & enjoy with hot cup of tea or coffee for those evening cravings.

Ingredients:

• 3 Medium sized Potatoes

• 2 Cups Besan ( Gram Flour)

• 1 tsp Red Chilly Powder

• 1/4th tsp Hing (Asafoetida)

• Salt to taste

• Oil to fry

• Water

Method:

• In a mixing bowl add, besan (gram flour), red chilly powder, hing (asafoetida) & Salt. Mix all the ingredients well. 

• Add small quantity of water at a time and prepare smooth lumpfree batter. Keep this batter aside for 15 minutes.

• Now peel the potatoes and using knife or slice cutter cut into thin round slices and immerse them into salted water to stop oxidization.

• Mean while heat oil in a kadhai / deep pan for frying.

• When oil is hot enough, dip each potato slice into the besan (gram flour) mixture coating both the sides properly and lower down into oil.

• Deep fry the potato slices on medium flame till they turn golden brown and potatoes are cooked through.

• Transfer the fried potato bhajji (fritters) onto an absorbent paper to drain excess oil.

• Batata Bhajji - Potato Fritters are ready.

• Serve hot with garlic, mint or tamrind chutney along with hot cup of tea or coffee.

Tips: 1) If you want, add a tsp of baking soda to the besan batter to help the fritters get puffed up.

2) Also you may add finely chopped coriander leaves for that extra taste.