Paneer - Baked Beans Lasagne

Baked beans is a breakfast favourite the world over. Actually they are not baked, but stewed!! Made typically with Haricot beans or other popular white beans such as Cannellini and served with tomato sauce and a dash of salt and crushed pepper, for me, it gets as close to heaven as I can imagine..
 I recall with fondness my visits to the UK where I would make a beeline to the Baked beans counter at breakfast !!! It's one preparation that I can never tire of (I know, I know, never say never..but I'll make an exception with the BB :) )
Having bought a Heinz 6-pack, I decided to use them with different variations each weekend. First one, as a Lasagne .......No photograph, sorry :( The dish looked so sumptuous that we dug in right away!!! Just adding one I took of the baked beans instead, LOL..

                                                   PANEER - BAKED BEANS LASAGNA

Ingredients :

Baked beans -1 can
Chopped capsicum - 1 cup
Blanched and chopped spinach - 1/2 cup
Crumbled Paneer (Indian cheese)  - 1 cup
Grated Cheese - as required
Lasagna sheets  -5 to 6
Olive Oil - 2 tbsps
Salt, pepper to taste
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Roasted cumin seeds powder - 1 tsp
Garlic powder or crushed garlic - 1 tsp

Method : 

1. Soak the lasagna sheets in plain water. Heat olive oil in a pan. Add the garlic powder or crushed garlic and saute.

2. Now add the capsicum and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes. Take care to leave them a bit crunchy.

3. Tip in the baked beans and stir well. Add salt to taste, crushed black pepper, chili powder, cumin seeds powder and mix well. Cover and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes.

4. Add the spinach and stir again. Check for taste and cook uncovered, stirring in between, till the mixture is quite dry. Once done, remove from fire.
Tip : If the beans mixture is allowed to cook till 3/4th dry, you'll find that the final baked dish holds together quite well and would not at all be squishy.

5. In a greased baking tray, spread soaked lasagna sheets as the first layer. Pour half the baked beans mixture and sprinkle some of the paneer.
Layer some more lasagna sheets and pour in the remaining beans mix, top off with the balance paneer and grated cheese.

6. Bake in an oven @ 200deg C for about 15-20 minutes, or till cheese starts bubbling and browning. Remove and let cool for about 5 minutes.

Cut into wedges and serve.

Palak Pav Bhaji

Pav-Bhaji is a typical Mumbai street food and never goes out of fashion. In fact, once's craving for it simply increases with each serving!!

Today's dinner actually started off with me trying to convince my mother that Pav Bhaji will taste just as good with Maggi Bhuna Masala... (It's a working day and I was pressed for time, you see !! :) )
She was sceptical, but once I finished serving the Pav Bhaji...the vessel was half-emtpy in 10 minutes flat!!! Ahem, forgot to mention that I added another twist to it...here it comes...

                                                                PALAK PAV BHAJI

Ingredients :

Chopped Spinach - 1 cup
Mixed vegetables (Capsicum, Peas, Potatoes, and carrots) - 2 cups
Maggi Bhuna Masala (Gravy)- 2 packets* (see alternative method below)
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Chili powder - 2 tsps
Salt to taste
Pav Bhaji masala - 2 1/2 tsps
Lemon juice
Chopped onion - 1/4 cup
Chopped coriander - for garnish
Pav buns - as required

Method :

1. Blanch spinach with a pinch of salt and turmeric till the leaves turn soft. Do not discard the water. Once it cools, blend it into a puree.

2. Pressure cook the mixed vegetables with 1 tsp salt and turmeric powder. It is OK to slightly over cook the veggies as we need to mash them anyway.

3. Heat oil in a flat, wide-bottomed pan, add cumin seeds and let crackle. Add the bhuna masala contents and stir well. Let cook for about 5 minutes.

4. Add the spinach puree and stir well. Let cook again for 3-5 minutes. Add chili powder, salt to taste and finally fold in the vegetables.

5. Mash the vegetables as you go on mixing them with the gravy. Add the pav bhaji masala and add water to adjust consistency. Let cook for 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle chopped coriander and remove from fire.
Note : If you decide to prepare the bhaji well in advance, you will notice that the gravy tightens with time and you might need to add more water to re-adjust the consistency and add spices if need be.

6. Cut the pav buns in half, heat butter in a pan and lightly roast the buns. Serve with hot bhaji along with a lemon wedge and chopped raw onions.

* - If Maggi Bhuna Masala is not available, heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, followed by 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste. Fry for a bit, now add chopped onions or ground onion paste. Let cook for 5-7 minutes, then add chopped tomatoes or tomato puree. After stirring in the spinach puree and veggies, add 1 tbsp of tomato ketchup to add to the zing.

Stuffed Green Chili Pickle

Continuing from recipe for Stuffed Red Chili Pickle here's the recipe for the green variation. The ingredients required are much less compared to its red sibling but the method is more or less the same.


                                                 STUFFED GREEN CHILI PICKLE

Ingredients :

Green Chilies - 1 KG
Fennel Seeds(Saunf) - 100 gms (Slightly dry roasted and ground)
Dry Mango Powder (Amchoor) - 100 gms
Turmeric powder (Haldi) - 25 gms
Mustard Powder - 100 gms (Dry roast but do not let it splutter, dry grind)
Salt - 75 gms
Oil - 2 cups

1. Wash and pat dry the chilies. Spread out on a platter and let dry. If possible, leave them in the sun for about 15-20 minutes
NOTE : Always wear disposable gloves when handling chilies and spices.

2. Remove the stems and slit the chilies. De-seed them. If the chilies are quite long and/or narrow, cut them in half to make stuffing easier

3. Heat the oil to smoking point and let cool to room temperature.

4. Mix together the dry spices in a bowl and add a couple spoonfuls of oil, just enough to moisten the spices and hold them together for stuffing.

5. Fill this mixture carefully into the chilies. Arrange them neatly in a large urn or glass/ceramic jar. Pour the cooled oil enough to submerge the chilies. Stir once daily and leave in the sun if possible to prevent moisture.
After about a week, store in the refrigerator. Good for consumption after about 10 days, when the chilies become softer and have absorbed the oil and spices well.

These are some typical Ceramic jars used in India to store pickles.....

 

Stuffed Red Chilli Pickle

Though it sounds explosive, Bharwaan Mirchi Achaar or Stuffed Chilli Pickle is quite tame (!!) and a wonderful accompaniment for Indian breads in particular. There are two variations to this, the pickle can be made with Red Chillies and Green Chillies alike. The variety of chili best suited for this pickle is the "Bhavnagri Chili" which has its origin in Bhavnagar, Gujarat.



It's very spicy and perennially available.
During my years in Delhi I never had problems getting hold of this chili or its brethren that would suit the pickle purpose, but sadly it is not available readily in Chennai, where I live now. I ended up buying it once in Switzerland from a Lebanese shop, and recently from the Dadar vegetable market in Mumbai.
I scoured through many stuffed chili pickle recipes the first time and made a combination that worked best for me. I have used the following recipes for many years now and the result has always been flawless :)

                                                  STUFFED RED CHILLI PICKLE

Ingredients : 

Red Chillies - 1/2 KG
Oil - 2 cups (Best to use Sesame oil)
Chili powder - 30 gms (6 tsps)
Methi seeds - 30 gms (Roasted slightly and ground)
Dry Mango powder (Amchoor) - 50 gms
Garam Masala - 30 gms (6 tsps)
Fennel Seeds (Saunf) - 100 gms (Roasted and coarsely ground)
Salt - 50 gms
Mustard powder - 50 gms (Dry roast in a pan for just 2 to 3 minutes, i.e, don't let it splutter, then dry grind)
Jeera powder - 50 gms (slightly roasted and ground)
Juice of 4 lemons, tends to cut down the spice and add some tanginess

1. Wash the chilies well and pat dry. Spread them on big platters and let dry well. The chilies need to be absolutely dry before being pickled, moisture being the sworn enemy of any pickle.
NOTE : Always wear disposable gloves when handling chilies and spices.

2. Once dry, remove the stem from the chilies, make a slit in the centre and de-seed. If the chilies are too long and/or narrow, cut them in half to make stuffing them easier.

3. Heat the oil to smoking point and let cool to room temperature. Keep aside. Meanwhile moisten the dry spices with lemon juice and mix well. To this add about 4 to 5 tbsps of the cooled oil. The remaining oil will be poured over the chilies in the end.

4. Fill the slit chilies tightly with the spice mix. Place them carefully in a large glass or ceramic jar. Once all the chilies have been stuffed, pour the remaining oil over them. As oil acts as the preservative here, if you find that all the chilies are not fully submerged in the oil, heat and cool some more and pour into the jar. Cover the mouth of the jar with a clean muslin or cheesecloth and seal tightly with the lid.

5. Stir the pickle gently every day taking care not to let the stuffing spill out. If you are not comfortable with doing this in a jar a large urn can be used for the initial resting period. After about a week transfer to a jar and refrigerate.
If the climate where you live is humid and/or wet, it is very important not to store the pickle in a damp, cool place. Whenever possible, keep the urn/jar in the sun when it comes out and stir once. 
The pickle will be ready for consumption in about 2 weeks' time as you will notice the chilies become softer and would have absorbed the oil and spices alike.
The recipe for Stuffed Green Chilies pickle is here....

These are some typical Ceramic jars used in India to store pickles.....

Mint-Basil Raita

A Refreshing raita (yoghurt sauce) made with mint, coriander and tulsi (Holy Basil). This serves as a superb accompaniment for Indian breads or rice preparations; can also be used as a dip or sauce.

                                                         MINT-BASIL RAITA

Ingredients : 

Whipped Curd - 1 cup

Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup

Pudina leaves - 1/2 cup

Tulsi Leaves - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Oil, Mustard seeds for tempering

Method :

1. Blend together all the above ingredients except oil and mustard seeds

2. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds (1/2 tsp) and let crackle. Pour over the raita and mix well.

3. Sprinkle red chilli powder and garnish with mint and basil leaves.Serve chilled.

Orange-Mint Pulao

      A Fresh take on Pulao, primarily using orange juice and coconut milk to cook the rice, and optionally served garnished with Broccoli pakodas or dumplings....

ORANGE-MINT PULAO

Ingredients :

For the Pulao 
Juice of Fresh Oranges - 1 cup
Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Ginger-Garlic paste -1 1/2 tsps
Bay leaf - 1
Onions - 2 (Chopped)
Ghee - 3 tbsps
Green chillies - 3 (Slit)
Pudina Leaves - 5 to 6
Cardamom - 2
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Chopped Dhaniya - 2 tbsps
Chopped Tulsi leaves - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

For Broccoli pakodas (optional)
Steamed Broccoli florets - 1 cup
Besan - 1tbsp Cornflour - 1 tbsp
Chilli pwd - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Haldi - 1/2 tsp

Raita 
Whipped Curd - 1 cup
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Pudina leaves - 1/2 cup

Tulsi Leaves - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Oil, Mustard seeds for tempering

Method : 

1. Wash and soak rice for 10 mins. 

2. Heat ghee in a pan. Fry the cashews till golden brown and keep aside. To the same ghee, add Bay leaf, cinnamon and cardamom pods. Fry for about 2 minutes. 

3. Grind together green chilies and pudina leaves. Add this to the pan along with the ginger-garlic paste. Fry for a bit, then add the onions. Cook for 5 minutes. 

4. Add the garam masala, followed by the rice and mix it well with the spices. Stir for 2 minutes, then remove from fire. 

 5. Meanwhile in a saucepan, add together the orange juice and coconut milk and let simmer for 2-3 minutes. 

6. Add this to the rice, along with 1/4 to 1/2 cup water. Note : The total quantity of liquids should be double the quantity of rice.

7. Add salt, stir once and pressure cook pulao up to 1 whistle, then reduce the flame. Remove from fire after 5-7 more minutes.

8. For the pakodas, mix together besan, cornflour, chilli powder, salt, garam masala and haldi. Add the broccoli florets and coat them well with the mix. Let rest for 10-15 minutes.


9. To make the raita, grind together dhaniya, pudina and tulsi leaves along with 2 tbsps of curd. Add this paste to the rest of the curd and temper with oil and mustard seeds.


10. Once the pulao is cooked, prepare the pakodas by dipping the marinated florets in maida paste and deep frying till golden brown. Drain excess oil.


11. Transfer the pulao to a serving bowl and add the broccoli pakodas, mix lightly. Garnish with chopped dhaniya, Tulsi leaves and cashewnuts. Serve hot with raita and rice crisps.

Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer is a timeless and classic Indian recipe. The very name conjures up images of succulent paneer cubes floating around in a rich spinach gravy. This recipe is timeless for me too as it's from my mother's recipe repository :) Without further ado, let's get started !!!

Tips on making paneer at home mentioned in this blog...

                                                                   PALAK PANEER

Ingredients :

Chopped Fresh spinach - 2 cups
(I've come across frozen spinach cubes or leaves available in supermarkets abroad, these can be used too)
Paneer (Indian cheese) - 200 gms (Cubed)
Onion - 1 (medium)
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Tomatoes - 2 (medium)
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick or 1 tsp of powder
Green chillies - 2 to 3
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil- 2 tbsps

Note : If using fresh spinach leaves, it's imperative to wash them well before use. Also it's recommended to always blanch the greens than pressure cook them, in order to retain maximum nutrients.

Method :

1. Wash and drain the spinach. If using equivalent amount of frozen spinach cubes, directly dissolve them in water.

2. Chop the onion and blend in a mixer along with ginger, green chillies and cinnamon.

3. Blanch and de-seed tomatoes. Drain the excess water and chop the tomatoes. Blend along with the spinach and turmeric powder to make a smooth puree.

4. Heat oil in a pan. Add the ground onion paste and fry for 5 to 7 minutes till the raw aroma leaves the mixture.

5. Meanwhile heat 1 tsp oil in a non-stick pan and lightly saute the paneer pieces till light golden. Immediately transfer to a saucepan full of boiling water. This will remove the excess oil from the paneer and also make it soft and absorbent. Let them soak for about 7 to 8 minutes, drain on a tissue paper.
Alternatively, you can use the paneer cubes as is, i.e without frying, to suit your tastes.

6. To the onion gravy, add the spinach puree and cook for about 5 more minutes. Now drop in the paneer pieces gradually, stirring the gravy simultaneously. Cover cook for 4 to 5 more minutes.
Remove and serve with any Indian bread or rice.

Sweet (Tamarind) Chutney

In my recipe for Green Chutney I had mentioned a sweet Tamarind-based chutney as well that is usually served with Indian snacks. Here's the recipe for it......

                                                       SWEET (TAMARIND) CHUTNEY

Ingredients :

De-seeded dates

Tamarind paste - 2 to 3 tbsps

Jaggery - 1/2 cup (You can reduce this if you don't want it too sweet)

Red Chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Jeera (Cumin seeds) powder - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Method :

1. Combine chopped dates, tamarind paste and jaggery and pressure cook along with 1 cup water, up to 2 to 3 whistles. Alternately, you can also use a saucepan and cook till dates become soft. Let cool.

2. Blend to a smooth paste. Strain this into a bowl to remove any lumps and/or impurities.

3. Add water to adjust consistency as required and mix well. Now add the chilli powder, jeera powder, pinch salt and mix again.

Serve as desired. 

Green Chutney

Most Indian savouries, especially in North India are served with two chutneys - a sweet one made of Tamarind and Dates, and a green one made of Mint and coriander leaves.

This recipe is a typical method for the green chutney, which goes very well with Samosas, Kachoris and other chaat preparations. Here goes......

                                                                  GREEN CHUTNEY

Ingredients :

Mint leaves - 2 cups
Coriander leaves - 1 cup
Green chillies - 3 to 4
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Juice of 1/2 a lemon / 1/2 inch piece of tamarind
Salt to taste

Method :

1. Wash and chop the mint and coriander leaves roughly, i.e, not too fine as we will be blending them anyway.

2. Add them to a blender along with all the other ingredients. The idea behind using lemon juice OR tamarind is to cut down the sharp flavour of mint and green chillies and yet enhance the overall taste.

3. Transfer to a bowl and serve. Alternatively, you can also preserve the chutney in the refrigerator for up to 10 days, for use with sandwiches or simply any snack you fancy!!!

Instant Carrot Pickle

India is a country famous for many of its signature pickles, the popular varieties being Mango, Lime and Vegetable. During my early life in Delhi, I had the wonderful privilege of eating at the famous shops - Punjab Sweet Shop and Roshan Di Kulfi in Karol Bagh. Their Chole Bhature was out of this world, and am sure is still the case!!! But this recipe I am about to share is about the simple and instant carrot pickle they would serve with the Chole Bhature and would compliment the main dish wonderfully.
Typically most North Indian pickles use Mustard Oil; I have used sesame oil which is an equally good preservative.
This pickle is very quick and easy to make; I am listing below two methods to prepare the pickle; one uses green chillies and the other red chilli powder. Rest assured, both turn out fantastic :)

                                                     INSTANT CARROT PICKLE

TYPE I

Ingredients :

Tender Carrots - 7 to 8
Green chillies - 2
Sesame Oil - 1 tbsp
Yellow Mustard - 1 tsp
lemon Juice - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt - 1 tsp

Method :

1. Cut the carrots into 1 inch long sticks. Slit the green chillies lengthwise

2. Add the two to a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, turmeric powder and salt and check for taste.

3. Heat oil and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, pour over the pickle and mix well. Let rest for 1/2 hour and serve.
This pickle can last out for 2 to 3 days when refreigerated.

                                                    -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

TYPE II

Ingredients:

Tender Carrots - 7 to 8
Fenugreek (Methi) Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida powder (Hing) - a pinch
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Method :

1. Cut the carrots as in the first method. Add to a mixing bowl.

2. Heat a pan and dry roast the fenugreek seeds. Cool slightly and grind to a coarse powder

3. Heat oil in another pan, add the mustard seeds, ground fenugreek powder, asafoetida powder, turmeric powder and chilli powder.

4. Pour this tempering over the carrots and mix well. Add salt to taste and let rest for 1/2 hour before serving. Lemon juice can be added for little tanginess as well.
Shelf life, when refrigerated is 2 to 3 days.

Apple Crumble Tart

The word 'Tart' brings into view deliciously sinful fruit tarts, ready to be cut and devoured. It's typically a pastry base baked along with a filling, usually fruit and/or custard.

Here we attempt an apple tart using crumbled flour. Where apple goes, cinnamon typically follows, one enhancing the flavour of the other like a match made in heaven!! But just as in a relationship, too much of anything spoils the flavour :) so while using cinnamon more than required can take over the flavour of the ripe apples, using too less will make no difference to the taste....

                                                             Apple Crumble Tart

Ingredients :
For Tart base -
Refined Flour - 150 gms
Chilled Butter - 100 gms
Brown sugar - 50 gms

For Apple filling -
Apples - 3
Butter - 50 gms
Brown sugar - 75 gms
Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp
Bread crumbs - 50 gms
Raisins - 2 tbsps
Crushed walnuts - 1 tbsp

For the Crumble - (one can use coarsely powdered digestive biscuits instead as well)
Flour - 50 gms
Brown Sugar - 50 gms
Butter - 50 gms

Method :

1. Preheat oven at 180 dec C.

2. For the tart base, rub the chilled butter into the flour so it starts feeling crumbly. Do not rub in too hard to avoid butter melting. We do not want a stretchy dough. Add the sugar and assemble into a rough dough. Using your hands, spread this on to a greased tart pan. Refrigerate for an hour.

3. To make the filling, peel and finely chop the apples. Melt butter in a pan, add the apples and stir well. Add other ingredients one by one and mix. Remove from flame and cool slightly.

4. Take out the chilled tart base and spread the apple filling in the centre.

5. Mix together the ingredients for the crumble, or simply use coarsely powdered Digestive biscuits. Sprinkle on top of the apple filling. Bake in the oven at 180 deg for 25-30 mins. Remove and cool for 5-7 minutes on a wire rack. Serve slightly warm.

Paneer Koftas in Capsicum Makhani

Paneer or Indian cheese is an amazing ingredient which can be suited and adapted for most cuisines. It can be cut into blocks and used for lip-smacking Tikkas or crumbled up for dumplings served in gravy.
Paneer is an excellent source of calcium. I read somewhere that adults above the age of 40, especially women should have a bowl of fresh paneer and boiled peas salad everyday as it is a fantastic supplement of Estrogen.

How to make Paneer :

Milk - 1 ltr
Juice of 1 lemon

1. Boil milk in a heavy-bottom saucepan.
2. As it reaches boiling point, add the juice of a lemon and let the milk curdle.
3. Strain by using a muslin cloth on a strainer. If the recipe uses fresh and/or crumbled paneer, use as is. Else place in a container and refrigerate till set.
Tip : Do not discard the 'whey'; this can be used within the next 2-3 days (refrigerated) and can come in handy for preparing chapati/paratha dough, etc..

PANEER KOFTAS IN CAPSICUM MAKHANI

Ingredients :

For capsicum makhani gravy : (Or you could simply use 2 packets of Maggi Bhuna Masala - Makhani variant, if available)
Large tomatoes (blanched and peeled) - 3
Capsicum - 1 (diced)
Cloves - 2
Butter - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsps
Onion - 1 large (ground)
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves) -1/2 tsp
Tomato ketchup - 1 tsp
salt to taste
Cream - 3 tbsps

Paneer Koftas :
Crumbled Paneer - 1 cup
Green chillies (chopped) - 2 (1 if large)
Chopped coriander - 2 tbsps
Salt to taste
Maida - 1 tbsp
Cornstarch - 1 tbsp

Other :
Chopped dhaniya - for garnishing

Method :

1. For the koftas or dumplings, blend together Paneer, green chillies, dhaniya and salt. Transfer to a bowl and add the maida and cornstarch. Mix gently and refrigerate for about 30 minutes

2. For the gravy, heat oil or ghee in a pan. sprinkle jeera and let crackle.

3. Add the ginger-garlic paste followed by the onion paste. Cook the two well. Add capsicum and cook for about 5 minutes.

4. Now add the tomato paste, chilli powder, kasuri methi, garam masala, tomato ketchup and fresh cream (in the end) and stir well. Let cook for about 7-8 minutes. Best to cover, so the aroma is retained. Take care to not let the capsicum become too soggy, but should retain some crunchiness. (I must add here that when I opened the lid, the aroma of capsicum cooked in the gravy was simply heavenly!!)

5. To prepare the koftas. prepare a paste of maida and just enough water to get a thick paste. Make small rounds of the paneer mix, dab some dry flour on your hands if the mix is sticky.

6. Dip the rolls in the maida paste and fry on medium heat till golden brown. Before doing this, always drop a small tester round into the oil to see if it breaks and paneer starts oozing out. If it does, add a little maida to the mixture to get a better binding. Strain the excess oil from the koftas and keep aside.

7. Warm the gravy. On a serving dish place the dumplings or koftas and pour the gravy gently on top. Garnish with chopped coriander.
Serve with chapatis or rice.

Eggless Banana Cake

I love baking (and trying to bake!!) delicious cakes and cookies for my parents...In my endeavour to look up new and interesting recipes, it's been a constant challenge for me to use alternatives for eggs(especially for my mother) in those recipes and yet get a satisfactory result.
Though the World Wide Web abounds with eggless recipes, I try to use my own measurements and experiment with what works best and not and thus understand the logic behind the ingredient...
The following recipe is one such experiment which came out delightfully soft and tasty. The use of banana, condensed milk and curd make for good binding agents that give the cake a nice texture and structure. Depending on the type and sweetness quotient of the banana you use (also because of condensed milk, which is pre-sweetened), adjust the sugar measurement to avoid over-sweetening.

Eggless Banana Cake

Ingredients :

Maida - 2 cups
Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Demerara or brown sugar - 3/4 cup (If using white sugar, reduce quantity to 1/2 cup)
Cocoa Powder - 1 tsp
Curd - 1/4 cup
Condensed Milk - 1/4 cup
Softened butter - 1/4 cup
Bananas - 2 (Pureed)
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Water - 50 ml

For Topping (optional)
Dark Chocolate - 1 cup
Milk or cream - 2 tbsps

Method :

1. Sift together maida, baking powder, Salt and cocoa powder. The sifting process is very important as it opens up the flour.

2. Add the softened butter and sugar to a bowl and whisk well till sugar dissolves. Add condensed milk, vanilla essence and 25 ml water and beat till frothy.

3. Now add the curd and mix lightly with a hand whisk. Gradually add a small measure of the pureed bananas, followed by a cup of the flour mix; continue to add the two alternatively. Fold in with a light hand using a wooden ladle. Make sure to leave no lumps.

4. Preheat over to 200 degrees C. Grease a baking dish and pour the batter into it. Bake for about 30 mins or till the knife comes out clean. Remember to not over-bake as the cake firms up more upon cooling.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate sauce by heating chocolate in a double boiler along with milk to make it softer. If using cream, add it after the chocolate has melted.

5. Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Spread the chocolate sauce over the cake and decorate as desired.

Variations : - You can also add crushed walnuts or pecan nuts. raisins and chocolate chips to the batter to make the cake richer. The kitchen is your laboratory, so don't be shy of innovating :))
Suggested serving - warm the cake slightly before serving.

Peas - Pudina Rotis

Last Sunday my mother fished out a recipe for Peas Bruschetta (can't recall where she got it from now) and we had it for breakfast. The filling was simply out of this world.
However, we ended up with some leftover filling and we promptly deposited it in the refrigerator for future sandwiches.
Last night, to break the monotony of standard rotis, I recalled the filling in the fridge and you know what comes next!! Yep......

PEAS-PUDINA ROTIS

Ingredients :

Peas Filling -
Green peas - 1 cup
Pudina/Mint leaves - 10 to 12
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup (chopped)
Green chilly -1
Grated Cheese - 1/4 cup
Salt and pepper to taste

For Dough -
Wheat flour - 1.5 cups
Water
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp

Method : 

1. Grind together all the ingredients for the filling in a mixer using very little water. Keep aside

2. In a food processor, or bowl, add the ground mixture, wheat flour, salt, oil and knead a firm dough using sufficient water. Let rest for about 8 to 10 minutes

3. Prepare thick rotis or parathas and cook using ghee / oil on a hot tawa.
Serve as desired.

Karthigai Special - Appam (Sweet)

Sweet Appams or Appe are quick and easy to prepare and a popular dish for festivals like Navratri and Karthigai Deepam. Here's a jhatpat recipe to try...

SWEET APPAM

Ingredients

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Rice flour - 1/2 cup

Jaggery - 1 cup

Ripe banana - 1 (mashed)

Elaichi powder - 1 tsp

Method

1. Sift together wheat and rice flours. 

2. Dissolve jaggery in plain water, approximately 1 cup, no need to heat. Once it is completely dissolved, strain through a semi-fine sieve so as to remove impurities.

3. Add this to the flours along with the mashed banana. Mix well leaving no lumps. Add sufficient water (only if needed) to make a thick batter of dripping consistency. Add cardamom powder and mix again.

4. Heat oil in a appam pan or a small kadhai. Drop small ladle-fuls of the batter into the appam cups or the kadhai. Fry on a medium flame till golden brown on both sides.

5. Serve warm or store for later. 

Paneer Dosa (with a twist !)

This weekend I started out to make paneer dosas, by preparing a stuffing mixture and then placing it on the dosa, similar to the masala dosa. But then an idea struck me; what if I mix all the stuffing ingredients in the mixer instead of by hand??
So I added the paneer, some greens and spices to a mixer jar and ground it. I had expected a crumbly mixture, but ended up with a smooth paste !!! Now how to spread this on the dosa??
Aha! I found a way out and this is what I did.....

PANEER DOSA (with a twist)

Ingredients :

Dosa batter - 500 gm
Paneer - 100 gm
Coriander leaves(chopped) - 1 cup
Mint leaves (chopped) - 1/2 cup
Salt - a pinch (as dosa batter will already have some)
Garam masala or tawa fry masala - 1 tsp

Method :

1. Defrost the paneer if it's just taken out from the refrigerator or freezer compartment. (I tend to wash and soak it for a while in plain water for about 10 minutes)

2. Crumble it with your hands and keep aside. In a mixer jar, drop in the chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves and grind them. This will create space to add the rest of the items.

3. Now add the paneer, pinch of salt and the masala powder of your choice. Grind again to get a smooth paste. 

4. Mix the dosa batter well, add the paneer mixture to it and mix again using a wire beater so no lumps are left. Check for salt and adjust as required.

5. Warm a dosa tawa on medium heat. Pour a ladle of batter and spread it to form a thin dosa. Use little oil and let brown on both sides. Serve hot.

Using paneer this way added an unexpected softness to the dosa and improved the taste by leaps and bounds. I used a leftover block of paneer which was slightly sour to taste which actually turned out to be an advantage as it matched the sourness in the dosa batter as well, especially when mixed with the masalas and greens.!!

TIP : If you wish to avoid the masala powder, you can use 1 or 2 green chillies or black pepper instead. You can also add about 2 tbsps shredded fresh coconut to make it taste richer. It's all in the experimentation :)

Arbi leaves roti

Colocasia or Arbi leaves are an excellent source of vitamins C and E, potassium, magnesium, and have rich iron content as well.
The most popular use for arbi patta is the 'Patra' widely prepared in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Konkan areas.
Here is an alternative use of the leaves in an Indian bread.

COLOCASIA LEAVES ROTI

Ingredients :

Chopped Arbi leaves - 1/2 cup
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Dhaniya powder - 1 tsp
Jeera powder - 1 tsp
Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Haldi - 1/4 tsp
Ragi flour - 1/4 cup
Wheat flour - 1/4 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp + for cooking
Salt to taste

Method :

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add jeera and let crackle.

2. Add the chopped arbi leaves and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add dhaniya-jeera powder, chili powder, salt to taste, haldi and mix well. Cook on a medium flame till the leaves are soft. Sprinkle little water to avoid the masala being burned. Remove and cool.

3. When at room temperature, add ragi and wheat flour to this mixture, along with oil. Mix well and knead into a soft dough using sufficient water.

4. Divide into equal portions and roll out into thick rotis. Cook on a tawa on medium flame using oil till both sides are golden brown.
Serve hot with curd or desired side-dish.

Bajra Aloo Roti

Bajra or Pearl Millet (கம்பு {Kambu} in Tamil), is highly popular in Rajasthani cuisine, however its health benefits make it a part of dishes throughout India. It is known to be high in proteins with a good amount of amino acids. It's rich iron content helps formation of hemoglobin in blood thus preventing anaemia.
It is also gluten free; is a rich source of fibre and helps control blood sugar levels, acidity and cardiovascular problems.



In the following recipe, the normal Bajra roti has a taste twist in the form of boiled and mashed potatoes, which also add volume and softness.

BAJRA ALOO ROTI

Ingredients : (Makes 4) 

Bajra (Pearl millet) flour - 1 1/2 cups
Boiled and mashed potatoes - 3/4 cup
Ginger-green chilli paste - 1 tsp
Chopped coriander - 4 tsps
Black Pepper pwd - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil / ghee for cooking

Method :

1. Combine potatoes and bajra flour in a bowl with oiled hands and gently mix.

2. Add the ginger-green chilli paste, pepper, dhaniya and salt. Mix all ingredients well and knead into a soft dough. Due to the moisture content in potatoes, it is not usually necessary to add water. Keep dough aside for 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile warm the roti tawa or griddle. Divide the dough into 4-5 equal portions. Roll out into a 1" thick roti(pancake) and cook on using oil/ghee till golden brown on both sides. 
Serve hot with curd, raita or desired accompaniment.

Pudina Paratha

Paratha or Indian flat bread is an excellent accompaniment for Indian side dishes; it tends to make even the simplest dal tastier.
The word "Paratha" is said to be made up of two words : 'Parat' which means layers and 'atta' which means flour. In essence it is a multi-layered flat bread. Paratha comes in various flavours, shapes and fillings, the most popular being Aloo (Potato), Gobi (Cauliflower) and Pudina (Mint).
I share with you few of my favourite time and home-tested paratha recipes.

PUDINA PARATHA  

Ingredients : (Makes 4) 

Whole wheat flour - 2 cups

Crushed (fresh) mint leaves - 1 cup

Salt - 1 tsp

Butter - 3 tbsps

Method :           

1.  Sieve flour and salt together into a bowl.

2. Add water little by little and knead into a stiff dough. Keep covered with a wet muslin cloth for 25-30 minutes

3. Take half the crushed mint leaves and dry roast on a tawa, till all moisture evaporates. Once crisp, crush them with your hand so they resemble Kasuri methi. These will be used to sprinkle on the paratha.

4. Mix the remaining fresh leaves with the covered dough and gently knead again. Divide into 4-5 balls.

5. To prepare the paratha, roll out into a thick chapati and apply butter on the surface. Sprinkle some flour and roll the chapati into a cylinder or fold alternately like a fan. Now roll this horizontally into a spiral ball shape and keep aside for 5 minutes. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.

6. Prepare chapatis again with the spiral rolls (if you want more layers you can repeat the process 3-4 times more) and cook on a hot tawa using butter / ghee / oil. Sprinkle the roasted and crushed pudina leaves while the chapati is still uncooked and press lightly with a flat ladle.

7. Cook on both sides till brown. Serve hot with desired accompaniments.

                

Stuffed Parval curry

Ingredients :
Parval (Pointed Gourd) - 1/4 kg
Tomatoes - 2 (medium)
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Green Chillies - 6 (ground to a paste)
Onion - 1 big (ground to a paste along with ginger)
Grated Paneer - 50 gms
Boiled & mashed Potatoes - 1 cup
Cornflour - 2 tbsps
Dhaniya pwd - 1 tsp
Haldi - 1/2 tsp
Curd - 1 cup
Bay leaves - 2
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Cardamom - 4
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Method :
1. Lightly boil the parval for about 10 mins. Cut in half and chop off the ends. Scoop off the insides

2. Combine paneer, potatoes, salt, green chilli paste and mix well.

3. Stuff the parval with this mix. Make a semi-thick paste using the flour and little bit of water. Dip the parval in this mix and shallow fry till golden brown.

4. Heat oil in a pan. Add dhaniya pwd, chilli pwd (if needed), cardamom, bay leaves and cloves. Add the onion-ginger paste. Fry for a bit till raw smell leaves the gravy.

5. Add curds, garam masala and simmer on low heat. Add water to adjust consistency if required.

6. Now drop in the fried parval pieces one by one and simmer for 5-7 minutes more. Serve hot.

Naarthanga Kuzhambu

Narthangai, also known as Bitter Orange or Seville Orange is commonly used in South Indian cooking especially for preparing pickles and pachadi (South Indian equivalent of Raita)

NAARTHANGAI/BITTER ORANGE KUZHAMBU

Ingredients :

Naarthanga or country lemon - 2 (medium)
Green chillies - 5 to 6
Tamarind - lemon size (juice extracted)
Salt and hing (asafoetida) to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Methi seeds powder- 1/4 tsp
Jaggery - a small piece
Oil - 3 tbsps

 


Method :

1. Cut naarthanga into small cubes. Cut green chillies into 1/2 inch long pieces

2. Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan, add mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add the cut chillies and saute for a bit

3. Add hing, haldi, followed by the cut narthanga pieces. Again saute for about 2 minutes.

4. Pour in the tamarind extract and salt. Let simmer till the consistency is slightly but not too thick.

5. Once done, add little jaggery to taste. Please note:If it is desired to have a sweeter kuzhambu like a pachadi, more jaggery can be added.

6. Heat a seasoning ladle for about 2 minutes and turn off the heat. Very lightly fry the methi powder, for just about a minute and add to the kuzhambu. Let simmer for a few minutes more, then remove from fire.
Serve as desired with rice. Goes best with curd rice !!!!

Ragi adai

Ragi or finger millet is extremely rich in iron and calcium, but low on fat and calories. In many rural areas, ragi porridge, made with ragi flour, buttermilk and salt is consumed as breakfast which provides immense and instant energy for the day !!! Ragi is a source of heat energy, hence adding buttermilk equalizes this effect.
Ragi adai is a perfect dish for the health conscious, but that said, does not compromise on taste either!!!

RAGI ADAI

Ingredients :
Urad dal - 1/4 cup
Moong dal - 1/4 cup
Chana dal - 1/4 cup
Ragi flour - 1/4 cup
Rice flour - 1/4 cup
Curry leaves
Salt - to taste
Green chillies - 2

Method :
1. Soak the lentils together for about 3 hours.

2. Grind to a coarse paste, along with curry leaves and green chillies.

3. Add ragi and rice flour, salt and grind a little more, but not finely.

4. Add water to adjust consistency. Prepare crispy adais, just like dosas, but slightly thicker. Serve hot with curd, pickle or chutney.

TIP : You can add your desired variations to this, such as fresh chopped methi (fenugreek) leaves, drumstick leaves, etc.

Parval gravy

Parval/Parwal or Pointed gourd makes for an interesting accompaniment for several dishes and goes well with other vegetables such as potato, etc.
It's a rich source of Vitamin A & C, plus carbohydrates.
This is a gravy dish that my mother made at home and was perfect as a side-dish for chapatis.

PARVAL GRAVY

Ingredients :

Parval - 500 gms
Tomato - 1
Small onions - 2
Curds - 1/2 cup
Mawa - 100 gms
Red chillies - 2
Haldi - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Chilli pwd - 1 tsp
Ginger - 1" piece
Ghee - 2 tsps
Salt to taste
Water - 1 cup

Method :

1. Wash, peel and slice parval lengthwise.

2. Grind onions and ginger to a paste. Puree tomato.

3. Heat oil and/or ghee in a pan, Add the onion-ginger paste, whole red chillies and cook till light brown.

4. Add parval, curds and fry for a while

5. Add tomato puree, chilli powder, salt and haldi. Cook till parval becomes tender.

6. Add boiling water, top with mawa and garam masala. Transfer this mix to a pressure cooker and cook with whistle on, just till full pressure is built up, but the whistle does not go off. Reduce flame and leave for 4-5 mins, then remove.

7. Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.

Okkaarai / Ukkarai

A well-known sweet dish down south, especially prepared for Diwali in several places. It's quite easy to prepare and tastes absolutely marvelous.

Ukkaarai or Okkaarai is a traditional sweet that is associated with Diwali in most homes in Tamil Nadu.
It's a simple fare prepared with Bengal gram and jaggery, with cardamom enhancing its richness.

OKKAARAI / UKKARAI

Ingredients :

Chana dal - 1 cup
Jaggery - 1.5 cups
Ghee - 2 tbsps
Cardamom (elaichi) pwd - 1/2 tsp
Chopped cashews for garnishing

Method :

1. Heat a kadhai, dry roast chana dal in it just till you start getting an aroma. Remove from fire. and soak in enough water for 1/2 hour.

2. Drain water and wrap the dal in a muslin cloth. Steam cook for about 15-20 mins in a cooker. Remove from fire and cool

3. Grind the steam-cooked dal in a mixer just to break it down into morsels. Do not grind too finely.

4. Melt jaggery in a thick-bottomed panusing just 1/4 cup water. Boil till a pearl consistency, i.e, if you place a drop of the syrup in a bowl of water, you should be able to roll the syrup into a ball, it should not dissolve or be stretchy.

5. Add the broken dal to the jaggery syrup aong with elaichi powder and broken cashewnuts. Stir well and serve as desired.
Tastes best when served slightly warm.