Baked Chakli | Baked Murukku

Ok... so my Diwali preparations has started. To kick off, I started with baked butter chakli/murukku. Now the twist is I made this with whole wheat flour and pearl millet flour(bajra/kaambu). We tend to eat a lot of fried food during festivities, it is inevitable so I wanted to do my bit in reducing that. I wanted to make as many healthy recipes as possible. This is first time that I am baking this and it was delicious to say the least. Lets jump into the recipe without wasting any time... Happy cooking...

Ingredients:

Wholewheat flour - 150 gms
Pearl Millet flour - 120 gms
Butter - 100 gms
Nigella seeds/kalonji/karun jeeragam - 1 tsp
Sesame seeds/til/ellu - 1 1/2 tsp
Carrom seeds/ajwain/omam - 1 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp( add as per your taste)
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

Combine all the flours and dry spices in a bowl.

 Add melted butter. Rub the butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.

Now add water and knead into a soft dough.

 

This is the Chakli press. You can get it at any utensil store. 

Put the mixture in chakli press  and press round whirls of dough into the baking tray. Press the dough from center to the outside. Bake chaklis at 220c for 8 - 10 minutes on each side.

Combine all the flours and dry spices in a bowl. Add melted butter. Rub the butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Now add water and knead into a soft dough.
Grease baking tray with some oil.  Put the mixture in chakli press  and press round whirls of dough into the baking tray. Press the dough from center to the outside.
Pre heat the oven at 220c for about 10 minutes. 
Bake chaklis at 220c for 8 - 10 minutes on each side.
Store in an air tight container. You can store these chaklis/murukku for about 10 - 15 days.

Notes:
If you wish to fry the chakli/murukku then add just about 25 - 30 gms of butter.

Banana Walnut Cake

It is 28th... the day to post a dish for PPCS. I eagerly wait for this event as I get a chance to cook something new and know another fellow blogger. On 10th of every month we post our recipes and on 28th of the same month we cook and post recipe of another member. I posted Matar Paratha on 10th of this month. 
I got the opportunity to bake Banana Walnut Cake by Hasna Hamza Layin. She has a wonderful blog Kachuss Delights. Do check her blog for more recipes...

Though she made eggless version but as per my baking habit I added eggs. If you wish you can omit eggs from the below recipe and still make amazingly moist cake. Since I did not have buttermilk, I added milk and instead of butter I used oil.  So do try this and enjoy moist and delicious cake... Happy baking...

Ingredients:

Maida -  2 cups
Sugar -  1 1/2 cups
Baking powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Baking soda - 3/4 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Bananas - 2(ripe) medium
Milk - 1/2 cup
Oil - 1/2 cup
Eggs - 2 
Vanilla - 1 tsp
Walnuts - 1 cup(chopped)

Method:

Mix oil, eggs, vanilla, milk and beat until well combined.

Combine the flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt through a sieve and add it to the wet mixture.

 

 Add banana puree and walnuts. Mix well.

Grease and flour baking pan.  Pre heat the oven at 200c for about 15 minutes.
Mix oil, eggs, vanilla, milk and beat until well combined. Combine the flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt through a sieve and add it to the wet mixture. Mix well. Add banana puree and walnuts. Mix well.
Please don't overmix which may result in dense cake. Mix in the walnuts. Pour this batter into the pan. Bake at 180 C for 35-40 minutes.

Masala Doodh | Masala Paal

I love masala doodh. It was Karvachauth the other day, yes I do observe karvachauth as I am married to a Punjabi. I was fasting the entire day(my DH too) and in the evening after reading the katha I can have milk. So instead of normal milk I made masala milk. I made it last year as well. This time I made it with skimmed milk but if you wish to then you can make this with full cream milk. Its easy and yummmm... so do try it... Happy Cooking...

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

Milk  – 4 Cups
Almonds or Badam – 10
Pistachios or Pista – 15
Saffron Strands – 15 or 20
Cardamom Powder – A Pinch
Sugar to Taste

Method

Grind the almonds and pistachios into a coarse powder(I did it with rolling pin)

Boil the milk with the saffron for about 8 to 10 minutes. Turn the heat to low and add the sugar to the milk. Stir till the sugar has melted. Boil till some of the milk is evaporated.  Add the almonds, pistachios, and cardamom powder. Mix well.

Grind the almonds and pistachios into a coarse powder(I did it with rolling pin)
Boil the milk with the saffron for about 8 to 10 minutes. Turn the heat to low and add the sugar to the milk. Stir till the sugar has melted. Boil till some of the milk is evaporated.  Add the almonds, pistachios, and cardamom powder. Mix well.
Let the milk simmer for about 2 minutes.
Serve hot or chilled.

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Batata Poha

This is a traditional Maharashtrian breakfast. This is a perfect and healthy breakfast dish, can be had as a evening snack with Tea or Coffee. I have started making this after marriage and kept experimenting. No disasters in my experiments so far. I make this very often as it is easy and quick. I will share my other versions but here is the recipe of the simple Batata poha(potato poha). The caramelized flavor of onions add flavor to this poha. Happy cooking...

Ingredients:

Flattened rice/Poha/Aval/Atukulu - 2 cups

Peanuts - 1/4 cup

Onion - 1 

Green Chilli - 2 

Mustard seed - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 2 stems

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

Heat the oil in a kadhai and add black mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they splutter, add the peanuts and cook on medium heat till the peanuts turn lightly golden.

Then add the onion, curry leaf and green chili. Sauté on medium heat till the onion is translucent.

Now add boiled and diced potatoes, turmeric and salt. Stir and cook for a few seconds.

Add the drained poha and mix well. Cook on low heat for about 3 minutes. 

Place the poha in a colander and wash it under cold water. Set aside to drain. Make sure there is no water in the poha.  Do this just before cooking – the poha shouldn’t sit for more than 20 minutes or it will get mushy.

Heat the oil in a kadhai and add black mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they splutter, add the peanuts and cook on medium heat till the peanuts turn lightly golden. Then add the onion, curry leaf and green chili. Sauté on medium heat till the onion is translucent.  Stir well. Now add boiled and diced potatoes, turmeric and salt. Stir and cook for a few seconds. Add the drained poha and mix well. Cook on low heat for about 3 minutes. 

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Paneer Paratha

Another favorite of our family and healthy too :-)). I never had parathas as breakfast before my marriage. It is only after marriage that I learnt them and started having them. Now I think because of practice it doesnt look like a huge task. I feel, it is easier than idly and dosas as they require pre preparation. Here is my version the paratha and I enjoy it with dahi. Lets look at the recipe... Happy cooking...

Ingredients:

For the stuffing:

Paneer (crumbled) - 200 gms
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Carrom seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Pomogranate(Anardana) powder - 1/2 tsp
Kasuri Methi/Dried Fenugreek leaves - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

For the dough:

Whole wheat powder - 2 cups + for dusting
Salt to taste
Water as required
Oil/butter/ghee for greasing

Method:

Add the ingredients for the dough and mix well to form a dough. Rest it for about 15 minutes. Divide the dough into 5 - 6 equal sized balls. 

 

Add all the ingredients mentioned for stuffing and mix well.

Flat the dough a little and put the stuffing in it and close and seal the edges. Dust some flour and roll out into chapati.

Heat a tawa and cook paratha until done on both sides with ghee/oil/butter. Remove. Serve hot with butter or curd.

Add the ingredients for the dough and mix well to form a dough. Rest it for about 15 minutes. Divide the dough into 5 - 6 equal sized balls. 
Add all the ingredients mentioned for stuffing and mix well.
Flat the dough a little and put the stuffing in it and close and seal the edges. Dust some flour and roll out into chapati. Heat a tawa and cook paratha until done on both sides with ghee/oil/butter. Remove. Serve hot with butter or curd.

Sending this to WTMLevent & Gayathri's page

Pasta and Cabbage Salad

This one is my favorite. Though it looks and tastes delicious, rich and creamy it is a cheaters salad. This one contains no cream or mayo. I have used hung curd in the dressing and it takes the salad to another level. You can add color to this salad by adding brocolli/capsicum or any other veggie. I wanted to keep it simple. Lets jump to recipe... Happy cooking...

This makes 2 servings.

Ingredients:

Cooked pasta - 1 cup(I used Rigati)
Shredded Cabbage - 1/2 cup
Thinly sliced cucumber - 1
Hung curd - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
Crushed walnuts(optional) for garnish

Method:

 

In a mixing bowl add cooked pasta, cabbage and cucumber. Add hung curd and seasonings. Mix well so that all the veggies and pasta is coated with curd. Serve with crushed walnuts. 

In a mixing bowl add cooked pasta, cabbage and cucumber. Add hung curd and seasonings. Mix well so that all the veggies and pasta is coated with curd. Serve with crushed walnuts. 

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Whole wheat pasta in Tomato sauce

I never used to like pasta. But accidentally one day I happened to eat pasta from a famous outlet. Thats it... it was love at first sight. I loved the way they cooked the pasta and the tanginess from tomato was to die for. From then on pasta is a regular at my place. Recently we switched to whole wheat pasta for guilt free indulgence. Here is my quick and simple recipe of whole wheat pasta in tomato sauce... happy cooking...

Ingredients:

Whole wheat pasta - 200 gms
Tomatoes - 6 ripe and red
Sweet corn - 1/2 cup
Green capsicum - 1 
Garlic - 10 - 15 pods
Chilli flakes  - 1 tbsp
Mixed herb - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

In a kadhai/pan, heat oil. Add finely chopped garlic.

Now add tomato puree. Cook until raw smell goes away.

 Now add red chilli flakes, mixed herb and mix well.

Add sweet corn, capsicum and cook till done. Add salt.

Finally add pasta, mix well. Check for seasoning. Cook for about 3 - 5 minutes.

In about a litre of water add salt and few drops oil and bring it to boil. Add wholewheat pasta and cook until al dente. Al dente means that the pasta is cooked but firm, when you bite it, there should be resistance but not raw. Once cooked, strain the pasta and run them through cold water and keep aside.
Blance tomatoes and peel the skin. Once cooled make tomato puree.

In a kadhai/pan, heat oil. Add finely chopped garlic. Now add tomato puree. Cook until raw smell goes away. Now add red chilli flakes, mixed herb and mix well. Add sweet corn, capsicum and cook till done. Add salt. Finally add pasta, mix well. Check for seasoning. Cook for about 3 -5 minutes.
Serve hot with a garnish of grated cheese.

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Bharwa Karela | Stuffed bitter gourd

This is my DH's fav dish. Actually he likes bitter gourd and he likes it stuffed. I have tried different stuffings, but this one came out really well. To keep the nutritional value I haven' t used much oil but the dish was amazing. You can actually cook with less oil, it is just that it requires patience as it takes a little longer. Do try this even if you dont like bitter gourd coz Im sure that you will change your opinion about this veggie. Happy cooking...

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd/Karela - 4 medium sized
Besan/Chickpea flour/kadalai maavu - 4 tbsp heaped
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Aamchur powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds/Saunf - 1 tsp (crushed)
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp

For the gravy

Onions - 1
Tomato - 2
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Jaggery powder - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Peel and make a slit in the bitter gourd. Remove the seeds.

 Rub bitter gourd with salt and turmeric and keep aside for atleast 2 hours. 

In a kadhai, add all the ingredients mentioned for the filling(except oil and salt). Roast the mxiture until brown and raw smell goes away.  Now add salt to taste 

 

Fill this mixture in the bitter gourd. Tie the gourd with a clean thread tightly. 

 

In a kadhai, add oil and the tied gourds. Cook the gourds until just done. 

Heat oil in kadhai and add onions. Cook till onions are little browned.

Now add chopped tomatoes. 

Once tomatoes are mushy, add the remaining besan filling, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, jaggery powder and salt. Add water as required and cook until the gravy comes together.

Remove the thread from the bitter gourd and add them to the gravy.

Peel and make a slit in the bitter gourd. Remove the seeds. Rub bitter gourd with salt and turmeric and keep aside for atleast 2 hours. 
In a kadhai, add all the ingredients mentioned for the filling(except oil and salt). Roast the mxiture until brown and raw smell goes away.  Now add salt to taste and fill this mixture in the bitter gourd. Tie the gourd with a clean thread tightly. 
In a kadhai, add oil and the tied gourds. Cook the gourds until just done. 

For the gravy:

Heat oil in kadhai and add onions. Cook till onions are little browned. Now add chopped tomatoes. Once tomatoes are mushy, add the remaining besan filling, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, jaggery powder and salt. Add water as required and cook until the gravy comes together.  Remove the thread from the bitter gourd and add them to the gravy. Cook for about 2 minutes while gently turning them over. 
Serve hot with phulkas.

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