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Carrot And Apple Smoothie Recipe| Smoothie Recipes

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If its just me for breakfast at home, i always turn to a smoothie. Its easy, quick and filling all at the same time, guilt free. I sometimes make a smoothie to supplement a light breakfast. Its usually when i make a sandwich or some kanda batata poha. I made a sandwich a few days back and made this smoothie along with that. This is a milk free smoothie but its filling because of the fruit involved. It can be made ahead and chilled to be enjoyed as a drink any time of the day.


Recipe For Vegan Carrot Apple Smoothie

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4.67 from 3 votes

Carrot Apple Smoothie

Filling and nutritious breakfast smoothie with the goodness of celery, cinnamon and ginger
Prep Time10 minutes
Chilling Time1 hour
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: International
Servings: 2

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients

  • 1 c peeled and chopped apples
  • 1 c peeled and chopped carrots
  • 1/4 c chopped celery sticks
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon powder
  • 1 tsp Ground ginger
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
  • 2/3 c water

Instructions

  • Put apples, carrot and celery along with cinnamon powder, ground ginger and maple syrup or honey in a blender.
  • Pulse this for a few times to break down the pieces.
  • Now, add the water and blend to a smooth puree.
  • Chill until ready to serve.
  • This smoothie tends to separate while sitting in the fridge.
  • Mix well before serving.

For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes

Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

Recipe Notes

You can also add a cucumber to this smoothie to make it more refreshing.

Other smoothies that you may want to try from here are
Strawberry smoothie
Cherry And Banana Smoothie

Calzones With Peas Filling Recipe| Yeast Bread Recipes

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Calzones became all the rage a few years back when a pizza chain introduced it. Technically, its nothing but leftover pizza dough that s filled with a filling that includes meat or veggies or a combination of both, a sauce and some cheese. Its then baked just like any other bread. It makes a wonderful meal as a breakfast or as an after school snack. They have been on my baking bucket list for a long time now.

When Avant Garde Cookies chose novel Navratri as the theme for this month s first week, i considered many options. I thought of making some rice crispie bars that are very similar to our pori urundai. But finally, i settled on these calzones. Unlike the usual calzones, this has no sauce. But its got cheese. Yes, a calzone cant not have cheese.
The dough used for these calzones can be used to make a pizza or a stromboli too. It freezes well and can be made a day ahead. Plus it doesnt require all that resting that s usually involved in a pizza dough recipe. I chose my filling as a sundal. A sundal is nothing but beans or legumes stir fried. I made some changes to a basic sundal recipe and adapted it to suit this recipe. It worked very well, i must say. Give it a shot.

Recipe For Calzones with Peas Filling
( Calzones from the scratch with a peas filling)

Prep Time: 8 hours for soaking the peas
                  1 hour for the first rise of the dough
                  30 mins for the second rise
                   10 mins for the rest
Cook Time: 30 mins for the filling 
                   30 mins for the calzones
Makes 4 medium size calzones
Allergy Info: Egg free

Ingredients

For The Calzone Dough:

All purpose flour 192 g (1.5 c)
Olive oil 2tbsp
Instant yeast 2 tsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Salt 1 tsp
Warm water 1/2 c

For The Filling:

Dried green peas 1.5 c
Any curry powder of your choice 1.5 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Oil 1 tbsp
Salt a small pinch
Feta cheese 3 tbsp crumbled
Coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped finely

Milk for brushing the dough 2 tbsp

Directions

Soak the peas overnight. The next day, pressure cook for 3 whistles adding 3 cups of water.
Once done, drain the water completely.
Heat a pan with oil.
Pop the mustard and add urad dal.
Once the dal browns, add the peas, curry powder and salt and cook for a minute.
Set aside.
Now, lets make the dough.
In a bowl, combine yeast, sugar and warm water.
Mix well.
Let sit until frothy.
In a big mixing bowl, add 1 c flour and salt and mix well.
Now make a well in the middle and add olive oil and yeast mixture.
Mix until everything just comes together.
You will have a shaggy mass of dough now.
Add the remaining flour and start kneading.
You may need more flour or less depending on the dough.
You must have a tacky smooth dough that s slightly sticky.
Once done, let it rise until double in volume.
Once double, punch the dough down.
Divide the dough into four pieces.
Take the filling and add the crumbled feta cheese and coriander leaves.
Mix well.
Take a piece of dough and shape into a ball.
Transfer to a slightly floured surface and roll into a 9″ circle.
Place 1/4th of the filling on one half of the circle.
Now, close the other half over the filling .
Bring together the edges and seal the calzone.
Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
Cover with a clean moist cloth and let rise until almost double in volume.
Towards the end of the second rise, preheat oven to 220 C.
Once the calzones are almost risen, brush with milk generously.
Bake in the oven for 30 mins or until golden brown.
Remove and let cool for 20 mins.

Once cool, tuck in.

P.S. I plan to use a tomato chutney as a sauce the next time i make this. In case you try it that way, let me know.
You can alternately make calzones with some pizza sauce and pizza toppings too.

Coriander & Spring Onion Thogayal Recipe| Dips And Spreads Recipes

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Oh the bliss of eating steaming hot rice, a generous dollop of ghee and some spicy thugayal is simply indescribable. It can only be experienced. And once one experiences it, its difficult to continue life as before. Now, what i really love about thugayal is that it not only tastes great with rice but also serves well as an accompaniment for flat breads, dosas and sometimes double up as spreads for sandwiches.

The reason why this blog doesnt have many thugayal recipes is that i dont consider them photogenic. Bah! there i said it. I mean, i know its not a reason- not photogenic. But still, yes that s why i dont share thugayal recipes here. But i must overcome my thought. There s no such thing as not photogenic when it comes to food. Anything can be made appetizing in a photo with the right props and shooting in the right angle. This thugayal is a start in that aspect for me. Plus i love this thugayal for its flavors. Its an unusual combination of sorts but works beautifully once everything comes together. You can enjoy this with hot rice or some crispy dosas. Either way, it works like a charm.

Recipe For Coriander And Spring Onion Thugayal
(Dip made with coriander and spring onions)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 2 mins
Serves 2 generously 
Allergy Info: Vegan

Ingredients

Coriander leaves 1 c chopped finely
Spring onions 2 stalks green and white parts chopped finely
Mint leaves 10
Urad dal 2 tbsp
Tamarind pulp 1 tsp
Dry red chilies 3 to 4
Green chilies 2 chopped finely
Oil 2 tsp
Salt to taste

To Temper:

Oil 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Hing a small pinch
Curry leaves a sprig

Directions

In a pan, heat 1 tsp of oil and fry urad dal and dry red chilies till dal turns golden.
Set aside.
Heat 1 tsp of oil in the same pan and add spring onions and green chilies.
Fry till wilted slightly.
Now add coriander and mint leaves and fry till wilted.
Let cool.
Once cool, add the roasted urad dal, red chilies, mint, coriander, spring onions and green chilies to a blender.
Now, add salt and tamarind.
Grind to a coarse paste using little or no water.
Transfer to a clean dry bowl or container.
Heat a pan with 1 tsp.
Pop the mustard and add hing and curry leaves.
Add this to the ground paste.
Mix well.
Thugayal is ready to be served.

We had it with hot rice, ghee and some tomato raita.
You may also want to try my
Ridge gourd thugayal
Paruppu thugayal
Coriander coconut thugayal

Moong Dal Shorba Recipe| Easy Soup Recipes

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Shorba. Now what s a shorba? Its nothing but soup and comes from the Arabic word Chorba. Now chorba finds a way into many tables across the globe- Romania, Russia and some parts of Central Europe and Asia. ( Source: Wiki) I have been treated to some of the best shorbas ( vegetarian versions) while in Bangalore. This moong dal shorba is my version of a hearty shorba that s vegan and healthy. Its filling and at the same time, can be enjoyed with some steamed hot rice too. Add some freshly baked croutons and the shorba reaches new heights. That s what i did anyway.


Recipe For Moong Dal Shorba
( Lentils and veggies stewed into a thin soup. Serves as an appetiser.)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Serves 2 
Allergy Info: Vegan

Ingredients
Moong dal 1/2 c
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Onion 1 chopped finely
Tomato 1 chopped finely
Carrot 1 peeled and cubed
Beans 5 chopped finely
Garlic 3 to 4 cloves
Green chilies 2 to 3
Oil 2 tsp
Jeera 1 tsp
Hing a small pinch
Salt to taste
For Garnish
Coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped finely
Lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon
Directions
In a small pressure cooker, heat oil and crackle cumin seeds.
Now add green chili, onion and garlic and fry till light brown.
Add tomato, hing, turmeric and all veggies and mix well.
Saute for 2 mins.
Add salt.
Add 2 cups of water and pressure cook for 5 to 6 whistles.
Once done, using an immersion blender blend the dal mixture to a smooth puree.
Add about 2 cups water and bring the mixture to a boil.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Squeeze lemon juice just before serving and serve immediately with croutons.

Indo Chinese Bell Pepper Sandwich Recipe| Sandwich Recipes

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Growing up, i was never treated to sandwiches. My mother thought it a paltry meal that can only cater to my snacking hours. No, let me think. Even snacking didnt include sandwiches. Snacks included deep fried murukku, fruit salad, chaat or hot and spicy vegetable puffs from the nearby bakery. Amma definitely has something against sandwiches. Even today, she disapproves of me making sandwiches and eating them for lunch or breakfast. But obviously, i come from a different school of thought. I love sandwiches because they are filling and can be made in a jiffy. But what takes the cake here is that you can make it in so many different ways and sneak in any veggies that you want. In my case, i sneak in cheese cos Mr.P loathes cheese but it escapes his notice in a sandwich.

Lets talk some about today s sandwich. Now, if you all thought sandwiches are only synonymous to grilled cheese and pesto, i am about to change that thought. I dont follow recipes for a sandwich. Even salads too. I add what comes to my mind and strikes my fancy. And i have surprised myself each and every time. Because of the out come. This sandwich recipe is an indo chinese sandwich that i put together for lunch. The flavor burst simply took my tongue over. The soy and chili sauce lends a sharpness and heat to the sandwich but is balanced wonderfully by that cream cheese. The mint shines through all of this, making you crave for some more. Its not something one would normally come across in a sandwich stall but its something that you will love. As a snack box treat. As breakfast. As that tea time bite.

Recipe For Indo Chinese Bell Pepper Sandwich
( Sandwiches with bell peppers and indo chinese sandwich spread)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Serves 2 

Ingredients

Sandwich bread slices 6 divided
Tomato 1 large sliced
Green bell pepper 1 small sliced
Butter 2 tbsp

For The Spread

Cream cheese 1/2 c softened
Mint leaves 10 shredded
Green chili sauce 1 tbsp ( I used Ching’s)
Soy sauce 1.5 tsp( I used Ching’s)
Oregano 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for the spread and mix well.
Apply 1 tbsp of spread on one slice of bread evenly.
Place a few slices of tomato and bell pepper.
Cover with one more slice.
Again apply the spread on the top slice.
Place bell pepper slices and tomato slices and place another slice over the slice.
Repeat with the remaining three slices of bread and spread.
Apply butter on both the sides of the sandwich and grill.
Alternatively, you can toast them on a griddle too.

Serve hot with ketchup.
This is sandwich 1 for our Palooza In A Pan this month. We are making sandwiches and some fun stuff with muffin tins. Stay tuned.

Godhuma Ladoo Recipe| Easy Navratri Recipes

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While its customary to offer sundal to guests frequenting homes during navratri, my mom used to pack some sweet treats for the little kids and decked up girls who come to take thambulam. I also remember my mom giving small trinkets along with the thambulam. These sweet treats usually were some kind of ladoo, a rava ladoo or some kadala urundai or this godhuma ladoo that my grandma used to make so well.

I still remember the delicious ladoos that grandma used to roll out. Her version used to have little bits of coconut, some nuts and raisins. All flavored with a good amount of cardamom. My version of godhuma ladoo is only a paltry attempt to recreate that magic. For, no one in this whole wide universe can make godhuma ladoo like my grandma. I made a small batch a few days back as i was not sure how Mr.P would receive it. But he surprised me by finishing off the batch in two days. This ladoo keeps well for 3 to 4 days when kept outside. It makes a perfect treat to pack off for your little guests.

Recipe For Godhuma Ladoo
( Ladoos with whole wheat flour, jaggery and ghee)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Yields 12 ladoos

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour 1 c
Jaggery 1 c powdered
Water 3 tbsp
Cardamom powder 1 tsp
Cashews 3 tbsp broken
Raisins 2 tbsp
Ghee 1/4 c melted
Almond slivers for topping

Directions

In a pan, heat all of the ghee except 1 tbsp.
Add cashews and fry till golden.
Remove and set aside.
Add raisins next and fry till they fluff up. Drain and set aside.
Now, add the whole wheat flour to the pan.
Swiftly combine ghee and wheat flour until well incorporated.
Now, turn down the flame to a low medium.
Saute the wheat flour until golden brown and aromatic.
This takes 15 to 20 mins. Make sure the flame is always low and keep stirring continuously.
Keep stirring and dont move away from the pan or the wheat flour will burn quickly.
Once done, transfer the wheat flour to a pan.
Add cardamom, nuts and raisins to this wheat flour and mix well.
In the same pan, add jaggery and 3 tbsp of water.
Heat the jaggery until melted completely.
We are not making jaggery syrup here. We are only melting the jaggery.
Remove the jaggery immediately once it melts completely.
I get very good jaggery here. So i dint bother filtering the jaggery.
You may filter it if you are not sure about your jaggery quality.
Add the melted jaggery to the wheat flour.
Using a spoon, mix the jaggery and wheat mixture until it all comes together into a dough.
Dont panic if the mixture is a bit loose and shaggy.
It will harden as it cools down.
Once the mixture is warm enough to handle, apply ghee on your palms.
Take some mixture and shape into a ladoo.
Repeat for the entire mixture.
Place the ladoos on a parchment paper lined plate.
Gently place some almond slivers on the ladoos.
Let sit for 2 hours.
It will harden once cool completely.

Wheat ladoos are ready to pack for your guests.

Mixed Bean Sundal Recipe| Navrathri Recipes

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I wanted to post a couple of navratri recipes a little before the nine days of festive fun begins. But rains wreaked havoc around here and getting anything at all became very difficult. While Navrathri in Gujarat is synonymous to garbas, colorful lehengas and music all night, parts of South India celebrate the nine days in a different fashion. We have a display of dolls called golu in many houses and each day of the Navrathri is dedicated to one of the Devis. Young girls deck up prettily and visit each other s houses, where they are given a thambula and some sundal to munch on. Some people even give small gifts to the pretty girls. And this is not just for the girls. Its for the women too. It s indeed a lot of fun when Navratri arrives, wherever you are in India.

As a kid, i ve seen my mom arrange her display of dolls and then the million dollar question will be posed by my dad. ” What s for prashad today?” my dad would innocently ask. And that would send my mom in frenzy. Finally she would decide on one sundal or a sweet treat. Sweet treats were usually made to order. Yes, my mom and i are so unlike when it comes to this one thing! Sundal, she would make. Yummy, protein rich sundals laden with coconut. People usually make sundal with one kind of beans. But i ve used many kinds in this sundal for a change. We get this mixed bean packets here and they come in handy when its Navratri.

Recipe For Mixed Bean Sundal
( Legumes stir fried and seasoned with coconut)

Prep Time: 6 hours soaking time
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves 3 to 4 generously
Allergy Info: Vegan, Gluten free

Ingredients

Mixed beans ( I used garbanzo, chickpeas, white peas, green peas, black eyed beans, mung beans and cow peas) 1.5 c
Freshly grated coconut 1/2 c
Freshly grated ginger 1 tsp
Green chilies 10 to 12 minced finely
Curry leaves a sprig
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Hing a small pinch
Oil 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Directions

Soak the beans in 4 cups of water overnight or for 6 hours min.
The next day, they would have swollen and doubled in volume.
Pressure cook the beans with some salt and 3 cups of water for 2 to3 whistles until cooked but not mushy. Take care not to overcook the beans or the sundal wont have a nice appearance.
Once done, drain water completely from the cooked beans.
Heat a pan with oil.
Pop the mustard and add urad dal, green chilies, curry leaves and hing.
Once the dal browns, add the cooked beans and salt and mix well.
Now add grated coconut to this  and mix well.
Remove from heat immediately.

Serve hot or warm. It goes well even as a side dish with rice and curry.
P.S. The amount of each bean is completely personal preference. Add how much ever you want of each kind. I get them readily mixed.
As this is served as an offering to Goddess, no onion is added. But you may add onion in case you make it on an ordinary day.
Beans usually cause flatulence. So dont skip the ginger.

Khaliat al Nahal Recipe| Yeast Bread Recipes

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I m thanking my stars for making this bread much before. Had i planned to bake this beauty called Khaliat Nahal later, i d not have seen much success. For it seems, the place where i live is going to be blessed with torrents of rain for the next few weeks. Rain that darkens room and makes you just crave for a warm bowl of soup. That bad! And so humid that you simply cant put a decent ball of dough together. You just want to add something or the other into a pan, mix, put it on the table and call it food.

Now, coming back to Khaliat Nahal. For me, the name itself sounds exotic enough. It translates into bee hives in Arabic because the buns are baked in such a fashion. Small balls placed close to one another. They then swell up when they bake and when you pull the tin out, you have a beautiful honey comb looking bread. It s generally sweet. A sweet syrup is poured over the buns once they are baked. And the filling is cream cheese and assorted nuts.  Aparna of our We Knead To Bake fame, set this recipe for this month and she gave us a savory option too. Because we are not very sweet toothed people, i made the savory version. They are little pillows of yum. That s all i can say.

Recipe For Khaliat al Nahal
( Recipe for Honey comb pattern buns with a savory filling)

Prep Time: 15 mins for the dough 
                  1 hour for the first rise
                  45 mins for the second rise
Cook Time: 5 mins for the filling
                   20 to 25 mins for baking at 180 C
Source:  Adapted slightly from here
Allergy Info: Egg free

Ingredients

Flour 1.5 cups
Garlic paste 1 tsp

Lukewarm milk 1/2 cup
Instant yeast 3/4 tsp

sugar 1/2tsp
Salt 1 tsp
Unsalted butter 20 g melted
Milk 1 tbsp for brushing the dough
Sesame seeds for sprinkling 
For The Filling
Bell peppers 1 small chopped finely 
Onion 1 smalll chopped finely 
Red chili powder 1/4 tsp
Garam masala a pinch 
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tsp
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Directions:
You can make the whole thing in a food processor too. I dont own one so i used my hands. 
Cool down the melted butter a wee bit.
In a big bowl, add flour and salt . Begin with a cup of flour.
Combine well using a hand whisk or sieve.
Now, add melted butter  and garlic paste to this and rub it into the flour until it resembles bread crumbs. Just like you would do for pie dough.
In a bowl, combine milk, sugar and yeast. Let it rest for 5 mins until it turns frothy.
Once done, add this to the flour mixture and knead until it all comes together into a elastic and slightly sticky dough. Add the remaining flour gradually to achieve this consistency.
You are looking at a smooth and soft ball of dough that s slightly sticky. It took me about 5 to 7 mins of kneading to achieve this. In case you have a food processor, it will take much less time.
Once done, cover with a clean damp kitchen towel and let it rise until double in volume. This will take anywhere between an hour to two depending on the weather.
In the meanwhile, get the filling ready.
Heat oil in a pan.
Add cumin and once it crackles, add bell pepper and onion.
Fry till onions turn a golden brown.
Add all spice powders and salt.
Mix well.
Set aside.
Once the dough has risen, deflate the dough and transfer to a lightly floured work surface.
Make a rope of the dough that s approx 9″ long.
Now divide the rope into nine 1″ pieces.
Take each piece and roll into a ball.
Flatten the ball into a disc.
Place 1/2 tsp of the filling on the disc and bring together the edges of the disc and pinch them.
Again gently shape it into a ball.
Grease a 6″ round cake tin with oil.
Place the ball in the tin along the edges.
Repeat the same with the remaining dough balls.
Place them about 1/2″ apart. Once the outer edge fills up, place them inside the outer ring of dough balls.
Once done, cover with a damp kitchen towel and let them rise until slightly double in volume.
You will know its done when you see the dough balls almost touching each other.
Towards the end of the second rise, preheat oven to 180 C.
Now, brush the balls with a tbsp of milk.
Sprinkle sesame seeds generously on the top.
Bake for 20 to 25 mins or until tops turn golden brown. Mine took 18 mins exactly.
Once done, let cool in the tin for about 10 mins.
Invert and cool further on a wire rack.
Dig in once considerably warm.
Dont forget to make that mug of coffee.

Chili Garlic Noodles Recipe| Chinese Recipes

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I am going to sound like a politician in my next few sentences but i really dont know how else to put it. India is a country that accepts things fast and this applies to everything from clothes, gadgets to food. Food, mainly. I still remember the time when pizzas became all the rage and it still is one of the most liked foods by many Indian children. While we welcomed Italians and their pizzas, we dint say no to the Chinese either. We have chinese everywhere here. Only, it s not the way a Chinese would really eat. It s the way Indians would eat Chinese. The original recipes have been tweaked ( God knows how many times!) to suit Indian palates and needless to say, the word chinese is etched strongly in all food lovers’ minds. Today, Indo Chinese food is widely sought and the most common of all are the hakka noodles. While everyone thinks that making noodles calls for a list of ingredients that is as long as an elephant s trunk ( Ok, so i dint want to mention the Nile, i wanted something realistic this time.), it s definitely not that complex. You will be surprised that you can make an equally good bowl of noodles without much chopping, a million sauces and kinds. This recipe for Chili Garlic Noodles is going to prove just that.


Recipe For Chili Garlic Noodles
( Noodles flavored with red chilies and garlic)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Serves 2

Ingredients

Vegetable Hakka Noodles 1 packet ( I used Ching s)
Onions 2 med sliced thinly
Garlic cloves 2 minced finely
Red chili sauce 1/2 tbsp
Dark soy sauce 1 tps
Schezwan fried rice masala 1 tsp ( I used Chings, 5 bucks for a sachet)
Sesame Oil 1 tbsp ( Feel free to use vegetable or olive oil)
Salt to taste

Directions

Cook noodles according to packet instructions. Remember all noodles are al dente. So cook them for a maximum of three mins and not more that.
Drain the water and wash the noodles under running water.
Now, wash the noodles with cold water and let the water completely drain.
Heat oil in a pan. I used sesame oil to give some enhanced taste but feel free to use any oil.
Add onions and garlic and fry till light brown.
Now add the schezwan fried rice masala and cook for 30 secs.
Add the sauces and mix well.
Add salt keeping in mind that the sauces already have some salt in them
Now, toss the noodles into this and turn the flame to the lowest.
Mix well until the mixture coats the noodles well.

Serve hot with ketchup. Tastes best when eaten hot.

Blueberry Plain Cake Recipe| Eggless Cake Recipes

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Have you heard of Dorie Greenspan? I m not sure about her recipes but i love the way she presents them. No wonder she wrote for Julia Child. I mean, Julia! I dont know when i got on first name basis with her, but hey! she s my trustworthy friend when it comes to baking a french apple pie or some croissants or this crumbly, soft and slightly sticky cake with pints of blueberries in them.

I live in India. So i dont find fresh blueberries. I do get frozen ones and i found some the other day while meandering in the supermarket aisles. It was reasonably prized. So i picked one, came home, scoured for recipes and made this cake. There. I said it. I said it all. I made some slight variations to the original recipe but it was such a sell out, you wont believe it if i say it was gone in less than an hour of baking. Hot and all. Sigh!

Recipe For Blueberry Plain Cake
( Crumbly cake with blueberries)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Source: Adapted from here
Makes 2 small loaves
Allergy Info: Egg Free

Ingredients

Flour 3/4 c
Baking powder 1 tsp
Salt a small pinch
Sugar 3/4 c powdered
Milk 1/4 c
Yogurt 1/4 c thoroughly whisked
Vanilla 1/2 tsp
Unsalted soft butter 1/4 c melted
Fresh blueberries 1/2 c or frozen berries thawed 1/2 c

Directions

Preheat oven to 190 C for 10 mins.
In a mixing bowl, sieve all dry ingredients except sugar and combine well using a whisk.
Add the berries to this and mix well making sure the flour coats the berries fully.
In another bowl, place butter, vanilla, curd and milk and whisk thoroughly.
Add sugar to this and mix again until well incorporated.
Grease 2 mini loaf pans or one 6″ round cake tin with some butter.
Pour the mixture half way till the pans. In case you are using loaf pans, divide the batter between the both making sure the pan is only half full.
Tap pan gently on the counter.

Bake for 25 to 30 mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cherry Tomato Frittata Recipe| Breakfast Recipes

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A while ago, i was making all single serve breakfasts. Mr.P was out on some official work and he was not around. So it was the perfect excuse to make something that satisfies my palate. After making this delicious roasted cherry tomato pesto, i had some tomatoes left over that i wanted to use up. And this thought came upon me only that morning when my tummy was growling for a scrummy breakfast. I decided to make a frittata for one. I enjoyed the frittata so much that i immediately regretted not making more. This frittata can easily be doubled or tripled and makes a delicious brunch too.


Recipe For Cherry Tomato Frittata
( Frittata with roasted cherry tomatoes and veggies)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Serves 1 
Allergy Info: Nut free

Ingredients

Eggs 3 medium
Bell pepper 1 small chopped finely
Roasted cherry tomatoes 1/4 c
Milk 1/4 c
Parmesan cheese 2 tbsp grated
Pepper 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped finely
Oil 1 tsp

Directions

Preheat oven to 180 C.
Grease a deep baking dish with oil.
In a bowl, add eggs, milk, cheese, pepper and salt and whisk till frothy and light. Add coriander and mix well.
Place bell peppers and tomatoes in the baking dish and spread evenly.
Now pour the egg mixture over the bell peppers and tomatoes.
Bake in the oven till completely cooked and brown on the top.

Serve hot or warm with some toast.

Capsicum Lemon Rice Recipe| Easy Rice Recipes

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I ve seen many a kid screw up his nose when the poor thing called mommy announces that it s lemon rice for lunch. Seriously, i dont know what kids have against this tangy rice that can only taste delicious when eaten with crispy roasted potatoes. Kids. They really dont know what they want. And they definitely dont know what they are missing in all their million rejections.

Now, i have a different way of making lemon rice. In fact more than one way. I experiment often with a single recipe, changing an ingredient here and there or adding something and removing something. This version of my lemon rice is something that i learnt from my landlady in Bangalore. This was probably the only breakfast that i ate and as well as packed for my lunch. I m sure you all have a version too. But give mine a shot if you feel bored of your version sometime or if you have a kid that screws up his nose too often.

Recipe For Capsicum Lemon Rice
( Rice cooked with capsicum and nuts and flavored with lemon)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Serves 2
Allergy Info: Vegan

Ingredients

Cooked rice 2 c
Onion 1 large chopped finely
Capsicum 1 large chopped finely
Green chilies 10 to 12 slit lengthwise
Peanuts a handful
Curry leaves a sprig
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Hing a small pinch
Lemon juice from 1 lemon
Salt to taste
Oil 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Chana dal 1 tsp
Coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped finely

Directions

In a pan, heat oil and pop the mustard.
Now, add urad dal, chana dal, peanuts, curry leaves, hing, turmeric powder and saute till dals turn a golden brown.
Add the onions and capsicum next and saute till onions turn a golden brown.
Now add cooked rice and salt and mix well.
Switch off the flame and add lemon juice.
Mix again.
Garnish with coriander leaves and mix well.

Serve hot with any curry of your choice.

Roasted Cherry Tomato Pesto Recipe| Pesto Recipes

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I ve always considered pesto to be the western counterpart of our chutneys. But it took me a while to get used to the idea of grinding together some herbs, garlic and nuts to a fine paste. Well, lets just say, i woke up to Pesto a little late. But oh, there s no turning back now. I m addicted to pesto, this roasted cherry tomato pesto in particular. It tastes good just about with anything, sandwiches, parathas, pasta and what not. I recently made a pasta with this pesto and i regretted not making more of it. Enough said?

Recipe For Roasted Cherry Tomato Pesto
( Pesto with cherry tomatoes roasted in the oven)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Yields 1/2 cup

Ingredients

Cherry tomatoes 1 c
Almonds 1/4 c
Chives 1 stalk chopped finely
Garlic  3 cloves
Parmesan cheese 1 tbsp grated
Mixed dry herbs 1 tsp
Pepper powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil 2 tbsp

Directions

Preheat oven to 180 c.
Line a baking tray with foil.
In a bowl, toss together tomatoes, herbs, salt and pepper.
Spread them evenly on the lined tray and bake for 30 mins until tomatoes wilt and the skin shrivels.
Cool completely.
In a blender, combine tomatoes, almonds, cheese, garlic and chives and blend to a smooth paste. You wont require any water as the water in the tomatoes will help in the grinding. Just stop the blender once in between and give it a mix and then blend again.
Transfer to a clean air tight container and store in the fridge.

Use as a pasta sauce or as a spread on sandwiches or parathas.

Sweet Ragi Puttu

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We love millet here. All kinds. Foxtail, finger, pearl and what not? While Mr.P doesnt like ragi roti much, he likes eating crunchy crispy ragi dosa. So i make it quite frequently. As you all know,i m always on the lookout for easy breakfast options. I also try to include millet in my morning breakfast menu. While we are not champions of breakfast here, we do enjoy a hearty and scrumptious breakfast once in a while. This sweet ragi puttu can be called that- hearty, scrumptious and healthy. And it can be made in a jiffy. Believe me. It is zero oil. And even though i ve used clarified butter for my version, you can skip it and make it zero oil or zero ghee. It tastes as much delicious without it too. In case you dont find jaggery where you live, please feel free to substitute with sugar. Kids will love this for breakfast and as an after school snack too.

Recipe For Sweet Ragi Puttu 
( steamed finger millet flour flavored with coconut and cardamom)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Serves 2 
Allergy Info: Can be made vegan, gluten free

Ingredients

Ragi flour (finger millet flour) 1.5 c
Water as required
Jaggery 3/4 c powdered finally
Freshly grated coconut 1/2 c
Cardamom 1 pod crushed
Clarified butter (ghee) 1 tbsp (optional)

Directions

In a mixing bowl, place the ragi flour.
Sprinkle water by the tablespoon and mix the flour into a crumbly mass. Dont add too much water. The mixture should not bind or come together in one mass. It must resemble something like bread crumbs.
Transfer this on to idly plates or your steamer and steam for 15 mins.
Once done, remove from heat and place in the bowl.
Add the powdered jaggery, coconut and cardamom to this and mix well.
Add 1 tbsp ghee and mix again.
Serve hot with some more ghee or as it is.

Yummy and healthy breakfast done.
We are beginning our second year s journey of Avant Garde Cookies group this month. Our theme for this week is traditional rural foods. And this ragi puttu is my contribution to the theme.

Black Eyed Bean Burger Recipe| Burger Recipes

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I still remember how frenzied i was, when i went to Mc Donalds for the first time. But i m an odd man out here. I couldnt understand the hype with Mc Donalds. I ve eaten burgers in many places and Mc Donalds burger is certainly not my favorite. There s one burger that still stays in my heart. A burger that did not taste of artificial food flavors and preservatives. A burger made specially with fresh home baked burger buns and patties straight from the skillet. Crunchy cucumber slices and juicy tomatoes slathered with butter and a spicy spread. Ooh. Boy! I remember that burger to its every last detail. Even the little cherry that came on the top along with the toothpick. I ve not had the fortune to eat one such burger after i left Bangalore. Oh, all that deliciousness came for a sum of 35 rupees. Can you believe that? Now, do you all get why i am not starry eyed when its Mc Donalds.

Now, i ve been wanting to recreate that burger experience at home , like forever, now. And the last month, Groovy Gourmets decided the September theme as burgers without the humdrum aloo patties. So, i grabbed the opportunity and made these burgers with black eyed beans patties. I did not bake the buns as i dint have the time to. But i do have a spectacular recipe here for burger buns. So, go ahead and bake them if you got  the time. A burger with home baked buns has its own charm. We are not great fans of fries at home. So i just served my burger with some potato wafers.

Recipe For Black Eyed Bean Burger
( Burgers with black eyed bean patties)

Prep Time: Overnight for soaking the beans
                 10 mins for the rest
Cook Time: 1 hour
Yields 3 to 4 burgers

Ingredients

For The Pattice

Black eyed beans 3/4 c soaked overnight
Potato 1 medium peeled and boiled.
Bread slices 3
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Cumin powder 1/2 tsp
Chili powder 1 tsp
Garam masala 3/4 tsp
Coriander powder 1/2 tsp
Corn flour 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves 3 tbsp chopped finely
Salt to taste

Flour 1/4 c
Water 3/4 c
Bread crumbs for rolling
Oil to shallow fry

For The Spread

Cream cheese 3 tbsp
Thousand island spread 2 tbsp (optional)
Mixed herbs 1 tsp

For The Assembly

Tomato slices 6 to 8
Cucumber slices 8

Directions

Pressure cook black eyed beans and potato until mushy.
Drain water completely.
Place beans, potato, coriander leaves, corn flour and all spice powders with salt in a mixing bowl.
Dunk the bread slices in a bowl of water, squeeze all the water out and add to the bowl.
Now, knead into a dough sort of mixture until all ingredients are combined well.
Check for seasoning and adjust.
Divide the patty mixture into 4 equal parts and shape each part into a round patty that s 1/2″ thick.
Heat a pan with some oil for shallow frying.
In a bowl, combine flour and water into a mixture.
Dunk a patty into the flour mixture and make sure its coated well.
Now roll the patty into the breadcrumbs making sure its evenly coated.
Drop the patty into the pan and fry till golden brown.
Repeat with the remaining patties.
Lets assemble the burger now.
In a bowl, combine together cream cheese, herbs and thousand island dressing ( if using).
Take a bun and slit into half horizontally.
Spread the cheese mixture on the bun halves.
Place a patty on one half of the burger.
Place tomato slices and cucumber slices on the patty.
Drop another 1/2 tbsp of spread on the cucumber slices.
Now cover with the remaining half.
Repeat for the remaining burger buns and patties.

Serve warm or hot with potato fries and any drink of your choice.

Vegan Zucchini Brownies Recipe

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OK. Hold your breath. Because i m going to give you some brownies that you can munch on without any guilt. I mean all that butter guilt. These brownies are healthy in almost every which way you can think of. Almost because its got sugar but hey! a brownie has to be sweet or it wont be a brownie.  When i saw these zucchini brownies whilei was doing my regular recipe reading,i was impressed. Buti went on and made a few more changes to the recipe andi will tell you what. You can eat this brownie sans guilt!

Recipe For Vegan Zucchini Brownies
( Learn how to make Vegan Zucchini Brownies, a guilt free brownie recipe with no oil, no butter and no eggs)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Yields 16 2″ squares
Allergy Info: Vegan

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour 1/2 c (64g)
All purpose flour 1/2c (64g)
Cocoa powder 1/4 c
Baking soda 3/4 tsp
Cocoa chips 1/2 c

Salt a pinch

Caster sugar 3/4 c ( you may need more if your bananas are not sweet)
Banana puree 1/2 c
Finely grated zucchini 1 c
Vanilla extract 1/2 tbsp

Directions

Preheat oven to 175 C (350 F) for 10 mins
In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients except sugar and combine thoroughly making sure that the flour coats the chocolate chips evenly.
In another bowl, place sugar, zucchini, banana puree and vanilla extract and mix well. You will notice that the zucchini turns the sugar liquid once they both are combined.
Add the dry ingredients to this wet mixture and whisk well. Dont worry about the brownie becoming too dense.
Grease an 8″x 8″ cake pan with some oil and line with parchment paper.
Pour the brownie batter into the pan and spread evenly with a spatula.
Drop the pan gently on the counter once to get rid of any air bubbles.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 mins to 30 mins until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Mine took 30 mins to get done but keep an eye from the 25th min onwards.
Once done, remove and let cool completely or for atleast an hour before you slice them into bars.

Keeps well for a week when refrigerated.

Badushah Recipe| Festival Sweet Recipes

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Ok. I admit. I m not a fan of badushah. In fact, i m not a fan of anything sweet. Not much. I love hot, spicy food which will have my eyes watering and my tongue burning. Getting the point, arent you? So, when Mr. P casually remarked one day, that he likes badushah and that its been a while since he had eaten one, i thought, i must try my hands at these sugary pillows. But mind you, i always have a list as long as the Nile. A list of recipes that i have to try and this badushah sort of figured in the last on the list. Then how did it climb up to the top, you may ask. That s because i had a crazy craving an afternoon to make them. It was a deep deep uncontrollable desire that kept rising up no matter what i did. Even a book did not help. So i decided to make them anyway. And i m really really glad that i did. They were a delight to munch on and Mr.P enjoyed them thoroughly. 

Recipe For Badushah ( Balushahi)
( Flour dumplings deep fried and dunked in sugar syrup)

Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Yields 12 pieces

Ingredients
For the badushah:
All purpose flour 1 c
Ghee 1/4 c melted 
Fresh Yogurt 1/3 c whisked
Sugar 2 tbsp
Salt a pinch 
Baking soda 1/2 tsp
Baking powder 1/8 tsp
Water 2 tbsp
Oil for deep frying
For the sugar syrup
Suagr 1 c
Water 1/3 c
Cardamom pods 4 crushed coarsely 
Directions
In a pan, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar and whisk well.
Now, add ghee to this mixture and rub it into the flour until crumbly.

At this stage, add the yogurt and knead to a smooth supple dough. In case the dough is dry and difficult to knead use the 2 tbsp water mentioned by the tbsp.
Once you knead the dough, cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rest for 20 mins.
After 20 mins, divide the dough into 12 equal parts and shape them into balls.
Now, flatten them a bit and make a dent in the middle with your thumb. 
Place them on a plate and cover with the damp cloth.
Now, lets get the sugar syrup going.
In a pan, combine sugar, water and cardamom.
Stir continuously and cook till it reaches one string consistency. In the sense, the syrup must coat your ladle completely. Never never leave the syrup unattended. It has the tendency to go from one string to several in  a few mins. 
Once the syrup is done, heat the oil for frying in a pan large enough to accommodate 4 to 5 badushahs.
Pinch a piece of dough and drop into the oil. If it rises up immediately, the temperature s just right to begin frying.
Turn down the heat to the lowest possible.
Drop 4 badushahs into the heated oil.
Once they come up to the top, flip them over.
Now is the hard part. Crank up the heat a bit and wait for them to turn a golden brown. It took me 6 mins to fry one batch.
Once they are golden brown, drain on a kitchen towel.
While they are still warm, drop them in the sugar syrup and let sit for 5 mins. After 5 mins, remove and let the sugar coating dry.
Repeat for the remaining dough.
Store tight in an airtight container.
Keeps well for 3 days. And from here begins my Diwali Sweets And Snacks series for 2013. Look forward to a traditional sweet or snack recipe every month from now. 

Azhagar Kovil Dosai Recipe| Dosa Recipes

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The moment some one says Azhagar Kovil, all i can think of is fragrant jasmines, fluffy idlies and traditionally dressed beautiful women. Which are all synonymous to Madurai. I have yet another thing to add to that list of awesomeness. And that s this Azhagar Kovil Dosai. Now, i dint know that such a dosa even existed a while back. When we decided to have a dosa palooza, this month, i set about searching high and low for the fourth dosa that i would post. I had already zeroed in on my first three which were spring roll dosa, quick tomato dosa and ragi dosa. 

That s when i chanced upon this Azhagar Kovil dosa. It was love at first sight because it had my favorite spice- black pepper. And husked urad dal. And ginger. And curry leaves. More and more reasons for me to love. And it was a super hit with Mr.P too. I mean, all dosas are a super hit with him but he really relished his Azhagar Kovil dosa. Which makes me one super happy girl!

Recipe For Azhagar Kovil Dosa
( Crepes with rice, lentils and spices)

Prep Time: Overnight soaking time
                  20 mins for grinding 
                  4 hours to ferment
Cook Time: 2 to 3 mins for  dosa
Allergy Info: Vegan, Nut Free
Yields 12 dosas.

Ingredients

Par boiled rice 1 c
Husked whole black gram dal (karuppu ulundhu) 1/2 c
Ginger 1″
Pepper corns 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Salt to taste
Oil to cook the dosa

Directions

Soak rice and dal separately overnight.
The next day, wash thoroughly the rice and dal.
I dint clean the husk in the dal completely.
In a blender, place dal, ginger, peppercorns, cumin and curry leaves and grind to a smooth fluffy paste. Make sure you rest your blender in between.
Remove and transfer to a bowl.
Grind rice to a slightly coarse paste in the blender. Again rest your blender in between and add water as required. I added about 1/3 c of water.
Now, mix both the rice and dal batter together, add salt and let sit for 4 to 5 hours.
This is to ferment the batter. And it will take longer or shorter depending on the weather in your location.
Once the batter has fermented, heat a tawa.
Pour a ladle of batter on the tawa and spread it into a circle that s slightly thicker than the regular dosa.
Drizzle oil along the sides.
Cook till no raw batter is seen on the top.
Flip again and cook for 45 secs more.
Remove from flame.
Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve hot with any chutney of your choice.

Pudalangai Varuval Recipe| Snake Gourd Fry| South Indian Lunch Recipes

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I love love Snake gourd. In fact, i have a thing for all things gourd. Unfortunately, gourds are pretty seasonal where i live. I find snake gourds only around this time of the year and when i do find some, i make the best out of them. While snake gourd kootu remains a family favorite, i ventured a bit further along the cooking line and made snake gourd fries this time. They gave me a whole new reason to love gourds, snake gourd in particular. They were crispy, crunchy and delicious without all those carbs from potatoes or sweet potatoes. And it s breeze to make. So, lets get on to the recipe, shall we?


Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves 2 
Allergy Info: Vegan

Ingredients

Snake gourd 1 large cut into juliennes
Curry leaves a sprig
Salt to taste

For The Batter

Gram flour (besan/kadala maavu) 3 tbsp
Rice flour 1 tbsp
Corn flour 1 tbsp
Chili powder 1 tsp
Hing a small pinch
Salt to taste
Water 2 tbsp

Oil for frying

Directions

Sprinkle a little salt on the cut gourd pieces and let rest for 5 mins. After that, squeeze out as much water as you can from the gourd. In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the batter except water using a whisk.
Now add the snake gourd into this and combine well in such a way that the flour mixture coats the gourd well.
Sprinkle about 1 tbsp of water on the mixture and mix. You should not have a runny mixture. What we need is that the flour coats the gourd. You will have a crumbly mass at the end. In case you find the mixture too dry, add the remaining 1 tbsp water and mix well.
Check for seasoning and adjust if required.
Heat oil in a pan.
Deep fry the gourd pieces in batches till golden brown.
Drain on a kitchen towel.
In the end, fry the curry leaves and mix with the gourd.

Serve hot with spinach garlic dal and tomato rasam

Instant Ragi Dosa Recipe| Finger Millet Dosa

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HOW TO MAKE INSTANT RAGI DOSA?

Instant Ragi Dosa is a quick Dosa made with finger millet flour.

My mother grew up eating a lot of  Ragi. It s traditional to eat ragi mudde and piping hot avarekaalu saaru in Karnataka. And my mom had this fortune. But when they migrated to Tamil Nadu, the tradition was lost. Even to this day, my mom fondly recollects those days when she used to eat ragi mudde drizzled with ghee generously. And she insists on adding pearl millet and other millet to our everyday diet once in a while. Millets are a fabulous option for people who are diabetic or allergic to gluten.

Like most Instant dosa recipes, these Instant Ragi Dosas need some gluten to hold them together.  I have used all purpose flour in this recipe. But you can use whole wheat flour in its place too.

These Instant millet dosas are a brilliant way to incorporate millet into our diets. Millet, apart from being rich in iron are also good in terms of fiber and B complex vitamins. For those of you who are not health freaks, this dosa is an easy to put together breakfast option and can be had as it is.

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Instant Ragi Dosa

Instant Ragi dosas made with finger millet flour and rice flour. Crisp and lacy, they make a great breakfast or dinner too.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time3 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Indian- South

Ingredients

  • Finger millet flour 1 c
  • All purpose flour 1/2 c
  • Rice flour 1/2 c
  • Sour butter milk 4 to 5 c
  • Green chilies 10 to 12 chopped finely
  • Coriander leaves 1/4 c chopped finely
  • Salt to taste
  • To Temper
  • Oil 1 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds 1 tsp
  • Cumin seeds 1 tsp
  • Hing 1/4 tsp
  • Oil for cooking the dosas

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl, combine all the flours and whisk thoroughly.
  • Add butter milk to the mixture and mix well until there are no lumps in the mixture.
  • Your batter must be runny. It must flow freely when you lift and pour a ladle. Depending on the consistency, you may need more or less of the quantity of the buttermilk mentioned.
  • Add salt, green chilies and coriander leaves and mix well.
  • Rest the batter for 20 mins.
  • After that, heat a pan with oil.
  • Pop the mustard seeds and crackle the cumin seeds.Now add hing and transfer this to the batter.
  • Heat a tawa.
  • Now, pour a ladle of the batter starting from the outer edge and go on to fill the center.
  • Drizzle oil around the edges of the dosa.
  • Cook on low flame until the sides crisp up.
  • Flip over and cook the other side too.
  • Serve hot with roasted garlic coconut chutney

Notes

The batter has to be runny or you wont get holes on the dosa and it wont crisp up.
Cook the dosa on low flame as it tends to burn easily and quickly.

For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes

Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

Rose Yogurt Panna Cotta Recipe| Dessert Recipes

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The internet is spilling with recipes that can be made in a jar. One sees what not in a jar? Brownie mix, trail mix, crumbles, pies, cobblers and even bread. Canning and Pickling in jars are a thing of the past now. We are the smart women clique who do everything in a jar. This month s Recipe Redux challenge was to put a jar to a delicious culinary use. And i chose to make dessert in a jar.

I have a fetish for desserts. And desserts that are not loaded with butter or clarified butter sings to me, ” Come on, baby! ” all the time. What i love about desserts in a jar is that they are controlled portions and totally mess free. Now, coming to Panna Cotta. The Italians sure do know their desserts. When it comes to picking one dessert, it will be panna cotta for me. I came across yogurt panna cotta a while back while i was scouring for panna cotta recipes. I was tempted to make it even way back then but cardamom and mango were almost having affairs with me. So, i let the thought be, only to make it happen with this month s challenge to whip up something delish and relish in a jar. I was simply amazed at how simple ingredients like cream, milk, sugar and yogurt can give one a high. Need i say more?

Recipe For Rose Yogurt Panna Cotta
( Panna cotta made with yogurt)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Setting Time: 8 hours or overnight in the fridge
Serves 2 very generously
Allergy Info: Gluten free, Grain free

Ingredients

Thick fresh yogurt 200 g
Milk 1/2 c
Cream 2 tbsp
Sugar 1/4 c
Dried rose petals 2 tbsp (the edible kind)
Rose water 1 tbsp
Rose extract 1 tsp
Gelatin  2 tsp
Cold water 1 tbsp

Directions

In a small bowl, bloom the gelatin by mixing with 1 tbsp cold water and resting for 10 mins. The gelatin would have become jelly like after 10 mins.
In a pan, combine sugar, cream and milk and heat until it comes to a rolling boil. Switch off flame and let cool completely.
Whisk the yogurt well making sure there are no lumps.
Add rose water and rose extract to the yogurt and mix.
Once the milk mixture is cool, add the dried rose petals.
Take about 2 tbsp of the milk mixture and add to the gelatin. Mix thoroughly, stirring with a whisk.
Add this to the yogurt and mix well.
Now, add the milk mixture to the yogurt. You have to be careful here. Do not add the yogurt to the milk mixture.
Pour into jars and let set overnight.

Serve cold as is or topped with any fruit gelee of your choice.

Now here s what others whipped up for this month s Recipe Redux. Please note that this linky tool is only for Recipe Redux members and all other Non Recipe Redux member link ups shall be deleted.

Mini Meal | Lunch Thali Ideas

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Honestly, i am so not a thali person. Now, if you all are wondering what this thali is, it s nothing but meals replete with so many curries and dals served on a huge platter in most Indian restaurants. Its for the hearty, the brave and the hungry. I dont fit any of those bills. Whenever we visit a resaturant, Mr. P orders for a thali if it sounds appealing to him. As for me, i m sure to order something from the a la carte menu to pick at. The sight of a thali makes my tummy full. Which is why, i have never, ever made a thali at home. Even though the regular lunch spread can make a small decent thali. You know, with cups that you can actually count and finish eating from.

Starting from top left, Kalkandu Sadam, Carrot Rice, Capsicum Lemon Rice, Coconut Rice, Curd Rice And Chili Idli.  Raita In The Middle

Like i mentioned before, our Cookies group is celebrating the anniversary this month. While we all made cakes and cookies for week 1 and week 2 respectively, we did the bravo thing for week 3. Yes, you guessed right. We all decided to put together a thali meal for week 3. I m proud to say that this thali is my first on the blog and surprisingly, i enjoyed putting it together very much. Because we are only two poor souls living under this roof, i decided to keep it simple and make a mini meal. Now, if you ask me what a mini meal is, i d say it is for the fast and the frantic. People who want to eat on the go. People who dont have the time to sit down to eat a proper lunch and yet they wouldnt want to eat granola bars for lunch. Its for those kinds. I usually make the regular sambar, curry and rasam platter for lunch. That s why i picked this mini meal idea. Something that i can eat and Mr.P can enjoy too. While the menu may look extensive and time consuming, its truly not. I made all of it in an hour flat. Its just that it requires some kind of organised cooking. But it really is a treat to indulge in. Either a relaxed lunch or a Sunday brunch, this mini meal works wonders.

Mini Meals- A Lunch Thali Idea
( A platter of flavored rice and one starter)

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Makes 1 mini meal 

What It Has?

Carrot rice1 serving Recipe Here
Curd rice1 serving Recipe Here 
Kalkandu Sadam 1 serving
Capsicum lemon rice 1 serving
Coconut Rice 1 serving
Chili idli 1 serving Recipe Here
Onion Raita 1 serving

I have posted the recipes for carrot rice, curd rice and chili idli. I shall post the recipe for kalkandu sadam, capsicum lemon rice and coconut rice in the coming weeks.

Chili Idli Recipe| Leftover Ideas

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The first time i ate Chili Idli back home, i was twelve and i did not fancy idlies much. Had i known they were idlies, i wouldn’t even have bothered to take a look. But idlies disguised in fiery indo chinese flavors sure did flatter the twelve year old me. Chili idli is something that i still order when i go to Annapurna, probably my favorite restaurant in the whole universe. Of course, they cater very well to that south indian in me. I recently made more idlies than i could manage to eat. Mr.P wanted dosas that day and so we were left with more idlies than two could eat at once. While i did want to make scrambled idli upma, this chili idli craving kicked in and so i caved.

I made it for a lunch thali that i served. And Mr. P dint even realise that its idli. Lets recall for the millionth time that Mr.P religiously hates idlies. It tasted delicious with some onion raita and it even complemented the other dishes in the thali.

Recipe For Chili Idli
( Rice and lentil cakes stir fried the chinese way)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves 2 generously 
Allergy Info: Vegan

Ingredients

Idlies 4 to 5 cut into 8 pieces each
Onion 1 large chopped finely
Tomato 1 large chopped finely
Green bell pepper 1 medium chopped finely
Spring onions 1 stalk chopped finely ( both white and green)
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Soy sauce 1 tbsp
Chili sauce (red or green, both work well) 2 tbsp
Fennel seeds 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1/2 tsp
Oil 1/2 c
Salt to taste

For Garnish

Spring onion greens 1 tbsp
Onion rings a few
A lemon wedge

Directions

Heat 1/2 c oil in a pan.
Fry the idli pieces till golden. Drain on a kitchen towel and set aside.
Remove all of the oil from the pan except for maybe a tbsp.
Add the fennel seeds and once they crackle, add the onions and spring onions now..
Fry the onions till transparent and add the capsicum.
Saute for 30 secs.
Now, add the ginger garlic paste and saute for another 30 secs.
Follow with coriander powder and cook for 30 secs.
Now, add the tomatoes and mix well. Cook till oil separates from the mixture.
Add the sauces and mix well.
Add the fried idlies and salt.
Mix well.
Cook further for a min.
Garnish with chopped spring onion greens.

Serve hot with a lemon wedge and onion rings. We enjoyed it with some onion raita on the side.

Quick Tomato Dosa Recipe| Dosa Recipes

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As a South Indian, inside and out, i have a thing for dosas and idlies alike. I m always looking for different dosa recipes or some simple tweaks that can take the regular dosa to a new level. I dont like much grinding or roasting or sauteeing. And i am not fond of slaving in the kitchen as well. That s probably why you wont find many authentic tamil recipes here. I somehow like to keep things simple and yet delicious. Healthy is another thing totally. So, when we decided to have a dosa palooza this month in our pans, this quick tomato dosa that i make once in a while came to my mind instantly. The recipe is no fuss, quick and doesnt even require any chutney or sambar.

Tomato Dosa, Idli Podi And Cantaloup Juice- A hearty breakfast

Recipe For Quick Tomato Dosa
( Tomato flavored lentil crepes)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 2 mins for a dosa
Yields about 6 dosas
Allergy Info: Vegan, Gluten free

Ingredients

Dosa batter 2 cups
Coriander leaves 1/4 c chopped finely
Cumin seeds 1.5 tsp
Grated ginger 1 tbsp

To Grind

Tomatoes 3 largish ripe ones
Green chilies 4 to 5
Garlic 2 cloves
Salt to taste

Directions

In a blender, blend together tomatoes, green chilies, salt and garlic to a fine paste. Avoid adding any water as this will make the batter very runny.
Now, add this paste to the batter.
Add coriander leaves, cumin seeds and grated ginger to the batter and mix well.
Heat a tawa.
Pour 1/3 c of the batter onto the tawa and spread into a thin circle all over the tawa.
Drizzle oil around the edges.
Cook till the upper side is done. Now flip over drizzle oil and cook for a min more.

Serve hot as it is or with some yogurt and idli podi.
This is dosa 2 in the palooza. I previously posted Spring Roll Dosa which is dosa 1. Do check out radhika and roshni for their delicious dosas.

P.S My dosa is not slightly reddish because i used orangish tomatoes. I only had them on hand. If you use ripe red dosas, you will have reddish dosas.

Fruit And Nut Salad Recipe| Salad Recipes| Dessert Recipes

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If you all think this is a regular fruit in custard salad recipe, wait a moment. Because, all fruit salads need not be drenched in cream or custard to be yummy. This fruit and nut salad is a fine example of that. I am not a big fan of custard. And i owe that to a few people who have made runny custards and dunked their fruits in. I like my custard rich, thick and creamy. Correction. I used to like it that way. But ever since i made my filipino fruit salad, i ve never looked at a fruit salad that has custard. I like mine the filipino way or this way. Now, if you are wondering what this way is, then read on.


Recipe For Fruit And Nut Salad
( Fruits and nuts in a hot and sweet dressing)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: Nil
Serves 2 generously 
Allergy Info: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Apple 1 small cored and cubed
Banana 1 sliced thinly
Sapodilla 1 peeled and cubed
Pomegranate pearls 1/2 cup
Plum 2 pitted and chopped
Orange 1 small segmented and seeds removed*
Dates 7 pitted and chopped into pieces
Raisins 2 tbsp
Roasted nuts a handful ( I used a combo of almonds, pistachio and walnuts)

For The Dressing

Honey 3 tbsp
Lemon juice 1 tsp
White pepper powder 1/2 tsp

Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine honey, lemon juice and pepper and mix well till emulsified.
Add the fruits and nuts and toss well.
Refrigerate for an hour.

Serve cold as it is or with some ice cream.

* I dint have an orange on hand when i made this salad last time. But i ve tried using orange in this and it gives a real kick.
You can omit the plums if you want.
Addition of a few berries would also be a good idea.
Use molasses for a vegan version.

Spring Roll Dosa Recipe| Dosa Recipes

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After salads for the last month s Palooza, we decided to have a dosa palooza this month. The first in the dosa palooza series is this Spring Roll Dosa. Now, this is one dish which justifies Indo Chinese cuisine in every sense. Have you ever imagined spring rolls and dosa? Well, its something that s sold as hot cakes on the streets of Mumbai and its very popular with the teens. While i love plain dosa, i m not a very big fan of the regular masala dosa. I always pick a filling which is anything but potatoes. This spring roll dosa caught my eye when i was browsing through a cookbook recently . I tweaked it a bit and it was just as delicious. Makes a filling dinner or breakfast and its a fabulous way to use up leftover noodles.

Recipe For Spring Roll Dosa
( Lentil Crepes Filled With Spring Roll Stuffing)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 2 mins for each dosa
Makes 6 dosas
Allergy Info: Vegan

Ingredients

Dosa Batter 3 c( refer notes)
Vegetable Hakka Noodles 1.5 c
Onion Tomato Chutney 1/2 c
Spring onions 4 tbsp chopped finely
Oil 3 tbsp

For Serving 

Chettinad Tomato Chutney
Roasted Garlic Coconut Chutney
Sambar ( recipe soon!)

Directions

Heat a tawa.
Pour 1/2 c of dosa batter on the tawa and spread into a thin circle starting from the center and going to the edges.
Drizzle about 1/4 tbsp oil on the sides.
Once you see no raw batter on the dosa and the sides have crisped up, flip and cook for 45 secs. Drizzle another 1/4 tbsp of oil.
Once done, flip over. Reduce the flame to the lowest.
Smear about 1 tbsp of chutney evenly on the dosa.
Sprinkle some spring onion on the dosa.
Place about 1/4 c of noodles on end of the dosa.
Now roll up the dosa.
Remove from heat and cut into three pieces with a sharp edged spatula.
Serve immediately with chutneys and sambar.

P.S This dosa tastes good only when served immediately.
You can make the noodles and chutneys ahead.
For making dosa batter, click on the link mentioned in the ingredient list.

Coconut Cardamom Cookie Recipe| Eggless Cookies

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I cant believe its half the month gone by already. Boy! i can never get too much time. Its week 2 of our anniversary month in the cookies group. For the first week, we all made delish cakes. Do check our delicious cakes- Jamaican Banana Layer cake from me, a classic vanilla sponge cake with chocolate frosting by Radhika,  a beautiful creative dino cake that roshni baked for her son’s birthday, tres leches cake that Jayanthi made with full of whipped cream goodness and an Oreo Cream Cake that s such a cool cake by Kavi. We decided to bake cookies for week 2 to justify our Avant Garde Cookie selves completely. Keeping in tune with that, i baked some coconut cardamom cookies. Something that i ve been wanting to make for so long and this anniversary was a perfect time for that.

Recipe For Coconut Cardamom Cookies
( Egg less cookies with coconut and cardamom flavors)

Prep Time:  10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Yields 15 cookies
Allergy Info: Nut free, Egg free
Source: Loosely adapted from here

Ingredients

Flour 64 g (1/2 c)
Unsalted Soft Butter 50 g (3 tbsp+ 1 tsp)
Caster sugar 60 g
Dessicated coconut 50 g
Cold milk 1 tbsp
Cardamom powder 1 tsp
Vanilla extract 1/2 tsp
Baking powder 1/2 tsp
Salt a pinch
Pistachios 15 shelled for topping

Directions

Preheat your oven to 180 C.
In a mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter until fluffy.
Add vanilla to this and whisk again.
Now add cardamom powder, milk,coconut and flour. Mix well until the dough just comes together.
If you find the dough crumbly, add some more milk but not more than 1/2 tbsp.
Grease a baking tray with parchment paper.
Now, scoop portions out of the dough using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon.
Shape into balls.
Place on baking tray.
Gently press a pistachio each on a cookie dough ball.
Bake for 15 mins or till tops turn golden.
Let cool completely before removing from the baking tray.

Serve with hot tea or cold milk.

Vegetable Hakka Noodles Recipe| Indo Chinese Recipes

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Now, noodles. What can i say except that most of us have lived on the ubiquitous life saving Maggi for a while now. I m an odd man in this respect though. Oh, i like my bowl of maggi alright but Hakka Noodles is what makes go weak in the knees. I love love hakka noodles and i order it every time we go to a chinese restaurant here. Of course, i dont get hakka there but we get Singapore noodles and that s enough to sate my craving.

But making hakka noodles at home proved quite a challenge to me for a while. You see, the drama of making hakka noodles in my house usually unfolds in this way- i spot a packet of noodles at my grocers’ and almost do a war dance ( Mr.P raises two eyebrows in disgust, of course!) I come home, chop all the veggies. Bring a really really large pot of water to boil. ( apparently to cook the noodles in). And then when the water starts boiling, i dunk the noodles in. Now begins the theatrical. Somehow, almost no noodle company has ever managed to convince me that three or four minutes is enough to cook a bundle of noodles. So, i begin testing the noodles, dunking my slotted spoon in and out. In and out. In and out. And so it goes on. And finally when i m actually convinced, ( i become convinced only when i lift a noodle out and it seems translucent to me. Dont ask why but that s the way it is or rather was, until recently), i switch off the stove.
Drain the water, rinse the noodles under cold water only to find that they have all turned to a mush. Of course, i overcooked it. Now, this has happened not once, not twice but more than ten times in my kitchen.
But folks, i did not lose heart. This time, i was determined to switch off the stove the third minute. Okay, i cheated a bit and switched it off the fourth minute, immediately washed it under cold water and smeared oil into them after spreading them on a plate. And my my, i really stood back and admired the fine noodle work that i had done. What beautiful non sticky perfectly cooked noodles i had in front of me. I almost whistled and set to work with my hakka noodles. So here s my recipe!

Recipe For Vegetable Hakka Noodles
( Chinese noodles cooked with veggies and sauces)

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves 2 generously

Ingredients

Chinese noodles 200 g
Onion 2 med half moon sliced thinly
Carrot 1 med peeled and julienned
Beans 15 med ones chopped into bite size pieces
Cabbage 1/2 c chopped finely
Capsicum 2 med chopped finely
Spring onions 2 stalks chopped finely
White pepper 1.5 tsp
Red chili sauce 1 tbsp
Green chili sauce 2 tbsp
Soy sauce 1 tbsp
Tomato ketchup 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil 2 to 3 tbsp

Directions

Cook noodles according to package instructions. Please follow package instructions. Learn from my aforementioned mushy noodle experience. Once done, rinse under cold water, spread on a plate.Drizzle some oil over it and mix well. Set aside.
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.
Now drop the carrots and beans in and let sit for 3 mins.
After 3 mins, drain water completely and immediately dunk into ice cold water. This will help retain color and crunch.
Heat a pan with oil.
Add the onions and fry till transparent.
Follow with all the veggies except the spring onions.
Saute for 1 min.
Now, add all the sauces, pepper and salt and mix well. Go easy on the salt as all the sauces have some in them.
Now, add the cooked noodles and combine well.
Cook on the lowest flame possible for 2 to 3 mins to make sure all the flavors get incorporated well.
Now, add the spring onions and mix well.

Serve hot with ketchup or mixed vegetable manchurian
Stay tuned for one more exciting recipe featuring noodles!

Roasted Garlic Coconut Chutney Recipe| Side Dish For Idli& Dosa

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Its quite strange that i never bother to post some simple recipes on the blog. Well, there s an argument from my side. I feel people dont look up blogs for basic or simple recipes. But in the past few days, i ve been proven wrong. And Mr.P reminded me one day about my tendency to tweak some basic recipes and how those reach a totally different level. This chutney is also one such tweaked version of the basic red coconut chutney. You have to believe me on this when i say the chutney does taste incredibly good.

Recipe For Roasted Garlic Coconut Chutney
( Chutney with fresh grated coconut and garlic)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 2 mins
Serves 2 to 3 
Allergy Info: Vegan, Nut free

Ingredients

Freshly grated coconut 1/2 c
Fried gram dal (pottukadalai/chutney paruppu) 2 tbsp
Garlic cloves 4 to 5
Dry red chilies 2
Tamarind pulp 2 tsp
Oil 1 tsp
Salt to taste

For Tempering 

Oil 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Curry leaves a sprig

Directions

Heat a pan with 1 tsp oil.
Slightly crush the garlic cloves.
 Add the dry red chilies and garlic to the oil and roast them until light brown. Let cool a bit.
In a blender, place the coconut, chutney dal, roasted garlic, tamarind and dry red chilies along with salt.
Add about 2 tbsp water and grind to a smooth paste.
Add more water if you find the chutney too thick.
Heat a pan with a tsp of oil.
Pop the mustard seeds and add the curry leaves.
Now add this to the ground paste.

Voila! your chutney is done.

Carrot Rice Recipe| Rice Recipes

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When i m bored of making a complete South Indian thali (read as sambar, rasam, poriyal and rice), i turn to making a one pot rice dish with some veggies. While the Mr. enjoys vegetable pulao, i do like to make some simple recipes like this carrot rice. This is a hearty meal when served with some tomato raita. The tang in the raita complements well with this sweet and spicy rice. And it makes a fantastic lunchbox item too. There s this carrot pulao that i make once in a while when i m in the mood for all the roasting and grinding but when i need a quick fix, this is the recipe i turn to.

Recipe For Carrot Rice
( One pot meal with carrots and rice)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Serves 2 heartily 
Allergy Info: Vegan, Gluten free

Ingredients

Cooked rice 2 cups
Carrots 2 medium peeled and grated
Onion 1 large chopped finely
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Garam masala 1/2 tsp
Chili powder 3/4 tsp
Cinnamon 1/2″
Cloves 2
Cardamom 1
Fennel 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds 1/4 tsp
Oil 1 tbsp
Cashews 2 tbsp broken
Salt to taste

For Garnish 

Coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped finely

Directions

Heat a pan with oil.
Crackle the cumin seeds and throw in the fennel, cloves. cinnamon and cardamom and fry till a light brown.
Now add the cashews and onions and saute till the onions turn a light brown.
Now add the ginger garlic paste and stir well. Saute for 30 secs.
Follow with the chili powder and garam masala and saute for 30 more secs.
Add the grated carrots next and saute till it wilts.
Add cooked rice and salt and mix well.
Cook on low flame for 30 secs.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with any raita of your choice.

Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe| Side Dish For Rotis

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I dont think i would have fretted more than i do for finding an accompaniment for rotis. In my life that is. Come dinner time, i m usually in a frenzy, raking my brains to decide on a dinner menu. We usually eat rotis but then the real task is to make something to dunk the rotis in. This, i m telling you all despite having more than twenty curry and gravy recipes on my space. Imagine my plight. Not that my man is choosy or picky. But then, i like making different gravies and i make it a point not to repeat stuff much.

So, the other day when i made a huge batch of tofu tikka, i had some remaining the next day. So i decided to make some tofu tikka masala. It pretty much works like paneer tikka masala and it made a delicious accompaniment for the garlic naan that i was serving that day. The brownie point is that you can always sub the tofu for paneer and vice versa or use other veggies like cauliflowers and broccoli to make this gravy. It works very well as a filling for wraps too.

Recipe For Tofu Tikka Masala
( Tandoori style cooked tofu in a creamy gravy)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves 2 generously 
Allergy Info: Egg free, Gluten free

Ingredients

Tofu Tikka 1 recipe
Onion 1 large chopped finely
 Garlic 4 to 5 cloves
Ginger 1/2″ bit
Green chili 1
Tomato puree 1/4 c
Oil 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Garam masala 1/4 tsp
Red chili powder 3/4 tsp
Coriander cumin powder 1/2 tsp
Chaat masala a pinch
Cream 1/4 c
Salt to taste

For Tempering 

Onion 1 small chopped finely
Kasuri methi 1 tbsp crushed
Oil 2 tsp

For Garnish

Coriander leaves for garnish

Directions

Grind together the large onion, ginger, garlic and green chili to a fine paste without adding any water.
Heat a pan with oil.
Crackle the cumin seeds.
Now add the ground onion paste and saute till light brown and aromatic. Takes about 2 mins.
Add all the spice powders next and mix well.
Saute for 30 secs.
Add the tomato puree now and mix well.
Cook the mixture till oil separates.
At this point, add the tofu tikka and salt and mix well. Go easy with the salt as the tofu tikka already has some in it.
Add cream finally and mix well.
Let the mixture simmer for about 3 to 4 mins. If you find the mixture too thick, add about 1/2 c of water and simmer for another minute more.
Once done, switch off flame.
Heat another pan with 2 tsp oil.
Add the finely chopped onion reserved for tempering and the kasuri methi.
Fry till onion turns golden brown.
Add this to the gravy.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot with any flatbread of your choice.

Works well with a pulao or a biriyani too.

P.S. You can make this a vegan version by avoiding the cream and substituting with cashew curd.

Jamaican Banana Layer Cake

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This Jamaican Banana Layer Cake is my first layer cake. And i was as excited as any one could be. When i began the baking. And this cake defeated most of my beliefs about a layer cake. I ve always thought baking layer cakes are tedious, frosting them is a pain and a layer cake for two people is ludicrous. I was proven wrong. Incredibly wrong. So, believe me when i say, you should not let a layer cake intimidate you. Instead, you have to get in your hands in the batter and intimidate the cake!

Now, i have to tell you all about Marcy Goldman. True to the title, her book, A Passion For Baking, reflects her deep innate passion for baking in every page, in every image and every letter. Its easily a beginners guide and a professional baker s delight. Its hard to find a book that can be both, mind you. It also doubles up as a super baking book for a person like me, hanging in between. You know, the jack of all trades kind?
Our group of  Avant Garde Cookies turned one this month. My! my. I cant believe that we ve been cooking along for a year now. So, we decided to have a blast this month by going overboard with food. We picked baking a layer cake with frosting et al for the first week. And i picked Marcy s book without batting a lash the moment the decision was made. Like i said, i was a little petrified at the thought of making a layer cake and frosting it too. But Marcy makes it sound like eating a cake itself so, i m here with my first cake. I dint want to make a chocolate cake. No, really, with no disrespect to chocolate lovers, i m not a chocolate person. And no, stop staring at the screen as though you are reading a mad woman s journal. Its ok not to be crazy about chocolate. But this one has chocolate frosting. So, i guess i ve made peace with you all.Lets move on to the cake,shall we?

Recipe For Jamaican Banana Layer Cake
( A two layer banana flavored cake with chocolate frosting)

Prep Time: 2 hours including time to frost
Cook Time: 30 mins for the cakes
Serves 7 to 8 generously 
Yields two 6″ round cakes
Source: Loosely adapted from Marcy Goldman s A Passion For Baking

Ingredients

For The Cake
Flour 162 g
Sour Cream:
Amul cream 3/4 c
Lemon juice 1/2 tbsp
Sugar 210 g powdered
Eggs 2 large at room temp
Unsalted Soft Butter 112 g at room temp
Banana puree 1/2 c
Baking powder 2 tsp
Baking soda 1/4 tsp
Vanilla extract 1 tsp
Rum extract 1.5 tsp
Cinnamon powder 1/2 tsp
Salt 1/4 tsp
Dry dessicated coconut 1/4 c divided
Chocolate chips 1/4 c
Banana slices from 2 large bananas.

For The Frosting 

Unsalted soft Butter 1/2 c  (115g)
Confectioner s sugar 2 to 2.5 c
Milk 2 tbsp
Cocoa powder 1/3 c

Directions

Lets make the cakes first.
Take two 6 inch round pans and grease generously. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine cream and lemon juice, whisk and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and whisk well.
Preheat oven to 180 C for 10 mins
In another larger mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric whisk until fluffy.
Now add the cream and whisk well again until well incorporated.
Break the eggs in next and add the rum and vanilla extract.
Whisk the mixture well until frothy.
Now, add the banana puree and whisk again till incorporated.
To this mixture, add the flour mixture in two batches, folding in the mixture into the wet mix gently every time you add a batch. I used a silicon spatula to fold.
After you add the second batch and you ve folded, make sure you see no dry flour mixture anywhere at the bottom or the sides of the bowl. If you find any, scrape and fold again.
Now, whisk the batter on low speed with an electric beater for about 1 minute until you see folds in the batter.
Once done, add the chocolate chips to the batter and mix. But take care not to over mix the batter or you will have dense cakes.
Pour half the batter into one of the prepaped pans and the other half into the other pan. Your pans must be half full.
Sprinkle the dry desiccated coconut on the top of each pan.
Now, i dint want my cakes to crown. So i covered the tins with a tin foil sheet before i put them for baking.
I would recommend doing this as we ll be frosting our cake.
Once you cover the tin with foil, bake for 30 mins or until a skewer inserted comes clean.
Once done, take out and let cool completely.
Now comes the difficult part. Either to slice away and eat or to let cool further and frost. The choice is absolutely yours but remember the gorgeous chocolate butter cream before you make a choice.
Once the cake cools down, put it in the fridge for a good 3 hours.
Cold cakes are easier to frost.
At the end of the third hour, get started with the frosting.
In a mixing bowl, place the butter, sugar and the cocoa.
Whisk well until fluffy and incorporated. An electric whisk works best for this.
You need to have a thick spreadable consistency of the frosting.
Once the ingredients get mixed well, add the milk and run the whisk on high speed for about 2 to 3 mins.
This is for getting an uber smooth butter cream.
Once done, bring the cakes out.
Place the cakes on an elevated surface on the plate in which you will display the cake. You cant possibly be shifting around the cake easily once you begin frosting it.
Place one cake on the plate.
Now, take about 1/4 c of the icing and spread carefully on the top.
Gently arrange the slice of banana over the iced layer.
Now place the other cake over this.
Now, gently put a dollop of the frosting on the top and spread evenly with a spatula.
When you start frosting the sides, place some frosting on the top of the layer and gently drag down the sides to spread. I apologise for not taking pictures but this is my first time too and i was concentrating completely.
Make sure you cover the entire cake with frosting.
Even out the frosting with a spatula in the end.
You can do something fancy if you have it in you on the top of the cake.
I had some icing remaining and i piped them as roses on the top.
Once done, leave the cake in the fridge for half an hour for the icing to set.
Slice and serve.

P.S.  Use of rum extract and coconut is optional but i wanted the full jamaican impact so opted using the both.
You can also use coffee instead of rum.
The cream may curdle when you add lemon juice but there s no need to panic.

Dulce De Leche Brownies

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HOW TO MAKE EGGLESS DULCE DE LECHE BROWNIES?

Eggless Dulce De Leche brownies are decadent chocolatey treats with swirls of milky Dulce De Leche.

Its brownie time. And dulce de leche time. Actually time to lick the spoon and cut into gooey brownies with decadent and sinful dulce de leche. I am smitten by the dulce de leche. Cant stop eating it. Not anytime soon. And i have this huge fetish for brownies. So, when it was decided that it shall be brownies with a twist for the August Edition of the groovy gourmets, i decided to indulge myself with some chocolate and lots of caramel.

I made these brownies, David Lebovitz style but I made them eggless. Its the first time that i actually used my own intuition without referring a recipe for an egg substitute and i must say, i m proud of the outcome. The brownies were dense, gooey and fudgey in the middle. In short, just like a good brownie!

Method

Grease a  8″ by 8″ cake pan with butter and line with parchment paper. Set aside.

Melt butter in a heavy bottomed sauce pan.

Now place the chocolate bits along with the butter and stir using a whisk until smooth, heating on medium low flame all the while.

Once done, set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 180 C for 10 mins.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, cocoa and baking powder and whisk well.

In another bowl, place the curd and vanilla and mix well.

Add the sugar to this and mix well.

Now add the melted chocolate butter mixture into this.

Next, add the flour mixture in 3 batches and mix until well incorporated. Now, the best thing about a brownie is that there s no fear of over beating or mixing like in a cake batter.

Using an electric whisk, beat the mixture on low speed for about 1 mins until everything comes together well.
The batter will be thick at this point. But dont panic.

Pour half the batter into the prepared tin and even it out with a spatula gently.
Drop 3/4th of the dulce de leche in blobs all over the batter.
Using a sharp knife, swirl the dulce de leche into the batter and even out gently again with the spatula.

Now, add the remaining batter on the top of the dulce de leche swirled batter.
Even out again with a spatula.
Now, drop the remaining dulce de leche on the top and swirl again with a knife. Dont over mix the dulce de leche or you wont get that nice effect. Dont expect a visible marble pattern on the top after the brownie is baked because the dulce de leche browns on baking.

Drop the tin gently on the counter once or twice to even out the mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Let cool completely before slicing.

a stack of eggless dulce de leche brownies served with milk
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Eggless Dulce De Leche Brownies

The classic chocolate brownies with the extra indulgence of dulce de leche.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, International
Servings: 9 brownies

Ingredients

  • All purpose flour 140 g
  • Unsalted Butter 115 g
  • Caster sugar 225 g
  • Semi sweet chocolate 170 g chopped into pieces
  • Cocoa powder 25 g
  • Salt 1/4 tsp
  • Baking powder 3/4 tsp
  • Fresh yogurt 1/2 c whisked well and at room temp
  • Dulce de leche 3/4 c
  • Vanilla 1 tsp

Instructions

  • Grease a  8" by 8" cake pan with butter and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Melt butter in a heavy bottomed sauce pan.
  • Now place the chocolate bits along with the butter and stir using a whisk until smooth, heating on medium low flame all the while.
  • Once done, set aside to cool.
  • Preheat oven to 180 C for 10 mins.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, cocoa and baking powder and whisk well.
  • In another bowl, place the curd and vanilla and mix well.
  • Add the sugar to this and mix well.
  • Now add the melted chocolate butter mixture into this.
  • Now add the flour mixture in 3 batches and mix until well incorporated. Now, the best thing about a brownie is that there s no fear of over beating or mixing like in a cake batter.
  • Using an electric whisk, beat the mixture on low speed for about 1 mins until everything comes together well.
  • The batter will be thick at this point. But dont panic.
  • Now, pour half the batter into the prepared tin and even it out with a spatula gently.
  • Drop 3/4th of the dulce de leche in blobs all over the batter.
  • Using a sharp knife, swirl the dulce de leche into the batter and even out gently again with the spatula.
  • Now, add the remaining batter on the top of the dulce de leche swirled batter.
  • Even out again with a spatula.
  • Now, drop the remaining dulce de leche on the top and swirl again with a knife. Dont over mix the dulce de leche or you wont get that nice effect. Dont expect a visible marble pattern on the top after the brownie is baked because the dulce de leche browns on baking.
  • Drop the tin gently on the counter once or twice to even out the mixture.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 30 mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

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Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

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Kondakadalai Pirattal | Spicy Garbanzo beans stir fry

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HOW TO MAKE KONDAKADALAI PIRATTAL?

Kondakadalai Pirattal- A spicy garbanzo bean stir fry made with a Chettinad style spice mix.

I usually spend a huge chunk of my time reading through my cookbooks. I dont make everything in a cook book. But there are some simple recipe booklets on my bookshelf that call out to me every time i pass through. One such book is this small treasure trove of recipes titled “Dhinapadi Samayal” by Menu Rani Chellam. Almost all her recipes are easy to make and call for simple ingredients that one almost always has at home. This pirattal is adapted from her book and i must say, it made a delicious lunch along with cucumber gojju and hot rice.

I had some garbanzo left after i tossed the cucumber chickpea salad. I dint want to make anything usual with it and so kept thinking of something. I almost made falafels when i spotted this pirattal recipe in the book. The original recipe calls for plantains too but as i couldnt find them, i just added garbanzo. Makes a fabulously spicy side.

Recipe For Kondakadalai Pirattal

kondakalai pirattal served in a white ramekin
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Kondakadalai Pirattal

Kondakadalai Pirattal- a spicy stir fry made with hydrated garbanzo beans. Vegan.
Prep Time8 hours 10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Accompaniment
Cuisine: Indian- South
Servings: 3

Ingredients

  • Garbanzo beans 1 c soaked overnight
  • Shallots 10 chopped finely
  • Garlic cloves 3 to 4 minced
  • Ginger 1 tsp grated
  • Tomato puree 2 tbsp
  • Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
  • Oil 1 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds 1 tsp
  • Urad dal 1 tsp
  • Curry leaves a sprig
  • Salt to taste

To Roast And Grind

  • Coriander seeds 1 tsp
  • Cinnamon stick 1/2"
  • Cardamom 1s
  • Fennel seeds 1 tsp
  • Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
  • Dry red chilies 2
  • Coconut 2 tbsp

Instructions

  • Pressure cook garbanzo until tender. Takes about 3 to 4 whistles. Drain water and set aside.
  • In a pan, dry roast all ingredients to roast and grind except the coconut.
  • Let cool.
  • Once cool, combine the roasted ingredients with the coconut and grind to a coarse powder without adding any water. Set aside.
  • Heat a pan with 1 tbsp oil.
  • Pop the mustard and add urad dal, curry leaves next and saute till dal turns a light brown.
  • Now add the chopped shallots and garlic and saute till golden.
  • Add turmeric now.
  • Follow with the tomato puree next.
  • Simmer the mixture till the raw smell of the tomato leaves and oil begins to separate.
  • At this stage, add the cooked beans and mix well.
  • Add salt and the ground powder and combine.
  • Cook on a low medium flame for further 3 to 4 mins.

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Serve hot with rice and any kuzhambu of your choice.

Tofu Tikka Recipe| Starter Recipes

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Mr. P and i love paneer. And we also happen to be lovers of tofu. We dont get much good tofu near where i live. The store where i buy tofu is an hour s drive away. So, whenever i pass by, i pick up a good block of tofu and try something new with it. This time, i made tofu tikka that s an easy starter that you can make in large batches. It makes a great party recipe too. You can dunk the tofu in marinade a day ahead and grill it up the next day. I would say its a must do recipe for all tandoori lovers.


Recipe For Tofu Tikka
( Tofu marinated and grilled)

Prep Time: 20 mins
Standing Time: 6 hours to overnight
Cook Time: 10 to 20 mins
Serves 2 generously 

Ingredients

Extra firm tofu 100 g cubed
Capsicum 2  medium chopped into bite sized pieces
Tomato 1 large chopped into bite sized pieces
Onion 1 large chopped into bite sized pieces

For The Marinade

Thick fresh curd 1/2 c
Red chili powder 1 tsp
Tandoori masala 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder 1 tsp
Garam masala a pinch
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Kasuri methi 1 tsp crushed
Oil 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Directions

In a big bowl, whisk the curd well.
Add all the other ingredients for marinade to the curd and whisk till smooth.
Now add the tofu, tomatoes, onion and capsicum to this.
Gently mix using a spatula making sure that the yogurt coats the tofu well.
Let it stand for six hours or overnight.
The next day, bring out the mixture just before you begin broiling.
Preheat your oven at 180 for 10 mins
Line a baking tray with tin foil and brush lightly with oil.
Now place all the pieces of tofu and veggies on the tray making sure that they are evenly spread.
Broil in the oven until veggies and tofu starts turning a little black at the sides.
This took about 12 mins for me.

Serve hot with mint chutney

P.S The tofu may be replaced with paneer or any other veggies of your choice like cauliflowers.
You can also make this on a tawa. Place the veggies and tofu cubes on a heated tawa, drizzle a little oil around the sides and cook till they brown. Flip and repeat

Eggless Savory Kugelhopf Recipe| Yeast Bread Recipes| We Knead To Bake #7

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HOW TO MAKE EGGLESS SAVORY KUGELHOPF?

Eggless Savory Kugelhopf- Kugelhopf is traditionally a sweet bread. But this recipe uses spicy flavors and is an eggless version of this classic.

I cant believe half a year has already flown by. It seems only like yesterday when Aparna announced her baking group concept and we all baked our first bread with fervor. The group has not stopped since then and we ve all been baking steady for the last six months. This is our seventh month and the chosen bread for this month is Kugelhopf which is also known as Gugelhopf. 

Now, Kugelhopf has some interesting history, both recipe wise and trivia wise. It s basically a sweet yeasted cake that s famous in Switzerland and France. As to its creation, it s rumored that Marie Antoinette brought it all the way from Austria to France. You all know Marie Antoniette, dont you? Now, enough of this history. I can almost hear you all say.
I said, Kugelhopf is a sweet cake, remember? But, hey hold on! There s no golden rule that it has to be sweet. Cos our version s a savory one rich with cheese and vegetables. Sure, i m giving out sticky dough warnings but then, a little stickiness cant hurt if you are going to have a gorgeous loaf for dinner, can it?


Recipe For Kugelhopf
( A savory yeasted bake with veggies and cheese)

Prep Time: 25 mins for the dough
                 10 mins for the filling
                 1.5 hours to 2 hours for the first rise
                  30 mins for the second rise
Bake Time: 30 mins
Bake Temp: 200 C ( 400 F)
Serves 6 generously
Allergy Info: Eggless, Nut free

HOW TO MAKE EGGLESS KUGELHOPF STEP BY STEP?

In a mixing bowl, combine 1 c of flour, salt, sugar and  yeast. Mix well using a hand whisk.

Now, add the butter and slowly rub it into the flour until the flour is crumbly.

Add the curd next and work it into the mixture. The mixture will be crumbly at this point.

Now, add warm milk to this and mix well. The dough will be very sticky.

Add the remaining 1/2 c of flour to this and start kneading until you get a smooth elastic dough that s just short of sticky. Takes about 5 to 6 mins when done by hand.

Once done, transfer to a well oiled bowl, close with a clean damp kitchen towel and let rise until double in volume. This takes anywhere between 1.5 hrs to 2.5 hrs depending upon the weather. Mine took 1 hour and 45 mins precisely.

Once the dough has risen, prepare the filling.
Heat a pan with 1 tsp oil.
Saute the onions until translucent and transfer to a bowl.
Now, add the bell peppers and tomatoes and saute till the raw smell disappears but they are still crunchy.
Once done, add them to the onions and mix well.
Add chili flakes to this mixture and mix.
On a clean work surface, transfer the risen dough, deflate it and using a rolling pin, roll it into a 10″ by 10″ square. No need to worry about the measurements. All we need is a square.

On this square, place the cheese cubes and the veggie mixture.

Sprinkle with italian seasoning.
And roll this rectangle into a log.

Now, bring together the log from the ends and you will have a mass of dough that s slightly torn. Not to worry. What we are doing is working the filling evenly into the dough.
Now, start kneading the dough so that the filling gets worked into it. The dough is going to be very very sticky.So arm yourself with a scrapper but do not add more flour at all, no matter how tempted you are.
Once you are done doing this, shape the dough into a longish log.

Grease a bundt pan with oil generously.
Place the log into the pan by carefully lifting it up with your hands. Pinch the ends of the log together.

Now close with a clean damp kitchen towel and let rise until the dough just reaches the rim of the tin.
Takes about 30 mins. Mine took 25 mins.
Towards the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 200 c.
Once the dough has risen, brush the top with milk and bake for 30 mins or until the top has browned and the tin sounds hollow when tapped.
Once done, brush with butter.
Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Slice and serve with hot soup.

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Eggless Savory Kugelhopf

Eggless Savory Kugelhopf- an egg free spicy take on the classic Kugelhopf bread.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Rising Time2 hours
Course: Breads
Cuisine: Austrian
Servings: 4

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Bundt pan

Ingredients

  • All purpose flour 1.5 c
  • Instant yeast 1 tsp
  • Warm Milk 6 tbsp
  • Curd 2 tbsp whisked and at room temp
  • Unsalted Butter softened 37.5 g
  • Oil 1 tbsp
  • Sugar 1 tbsp
  • Salt 1/2 tsp
  • For The Filling
  • Cheddar cheese 50 g chopped into small cubes
  • Onion 1 med chopped finely
  • Tomato 1 med depulped and deseeded chopped finely
  • Bell pepper 2 med chopped finely
  • Chili flakes 1 tbsp
  • Italian seasoning 1.5 tsp
  • Oil 1tsp

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl, combine 1 c of flour, salt, sugar and  yeast. Mix well using a hand whisk.
  • Now, add the butter and slowly rub it into the flour until the flour is crumbly.
  • Add the curd next and work it into the mixture. The mixture will be crumbly at this point.
  • Now, add warm milk to this and mix well. The dough will be very sticky.
  • Add the remaining 1/2 c of flour to this and start kneading until you get a smooth elastic dough that s just short of sticky. Takes about 5 to 6 mins when done by hand.
  • Once done, transfer to a well oiled bowl, close with a clean damp kitchen towel and let rise until double in volume. This takes anywhere between 1.5 hrs to 2.5 hrs depending upon the weather. Mine took 1 hour and 45 mins precisely.
  • Once the dough has risen, prepare the filling.
  • Heat a pan with 1 tsp oil.
  • Saute the onions until translucent and transfer to a bowl.
  • Now, add the bell peppers and tomatoes and saute till the raw smell disappears but they are still crunchy.
  • Once done, add them to the onions and mix well.
  • Add chili flakes to this mixture and mix.
  • On a clean work surface, transfer the risen dough, deflate it and using a rolling pin, roll it into a 10" by 10" square. No need to worry about the measurements. All we need is a square.
  • On this square, place the cheese cubes and the veggie mixture.
  • Sprinkle with italian seasoning.
  • And roll this rectangle into a log.
  • Now, bring together the log from the ends and you will have a mass of dough that s slightly torn. Not to worry. What we are doing is working the filling evenly into the dough.
  • Now, start kneading the dough so that the filling gets worked into it. The dough is going to be very very sticky.So arm yourself with a scrapper but do not add more flour at all, no matter how tempted you are.
  • Once you are done doing this, shape the dough into a longish log.
  • Grease a bundt pan with oil generously.
  • Place the log into the pan by carefully lifting it up with your hands. Pinch the ends of the log together.
  • Now close with a clean damp kitchen towel and let rise until the dough just reaches the rim of the tin.
  • Takes about 30 mins. Mine took 25 mins.
  • Towards the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 200 c.
  • Once the dough has risen, brush the top with milk and bake for 30 mins or until the top has browned and the tin sounds hollow when tapped.
  • Once done, brush with butter.
  • Let cool completely on a wire rack.
  • Slice and serve with hot soup.

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Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

P.S A kugelhopf is traditionally baked in a tube pan. You can alternatively bake this bread in a loaf pan or even in a brioche tin.
This bread is being yeast spotted and is also baked with love.

Sprouts Salad Recipe| No Cook Raw Recipes

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Off late, i m making sure that we get our share of proteins every week. We are not meat eaters and hence the concern. I decided to throw in a salad with sprouts this week. And as usual, i did what came to my mind. Surprisingly, the outcome was very good that i sat and ate a whole bowl to myself. Had to make another for Mr.P. This also makes a good breakfast option for all those calorie counters


Recipe For Sprouts Salad
( Sprouts and veggies in a orange dressing)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: Nil
Serves 2 generously 
Allergy Info: Vegan, Gluten free

Ingredients

Mixed sprouts 1 c ( I bought readily available sprouts from the local farmer s market)
Carrot 1 small peeled and grated
Raw mango grated 1/2 c
Pomegranate pearls 1/4 c
Coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped finely

For The Dressing 

Freshly squeezed orange juice 1/3 c
Black salt 1/2 tsp
Chaat masala 1/4 tsp
White pepper powder 1/2 tsp
Caster sugar 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Directions

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the dressing and mix well until all the ingredients are dissolved
In another mixing bowl, combine the sprouts, carrot, mango, pomegranate, coriander and mix well.
Add the dressing and toss well.

Top with roasted peanuts just before serving.
This is Salad 2 for this month s Palooza. Check out Salad 1-  Cucumber Chickpeas Salad and also find out what salads my friends radhika and roshni are whipping up. 

Cucumber Gojju Recipe| A Vegan Raw Recipe

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We eat raw food often here at my place. And i m yet to post some of those. While we are it, i thought i must share with you all this gojju recipe. Gojju is nothing but sauce in kannada and its a staple in most homes. While this is not something amma makes, it s something that Suma aunty of the spring onion rice fame, makes very well. I have probably had one too many sleepovers at her place but i have never bothered to ask her for the recipe. Nope. Every time, i do make a mental note that i have to. Why, the last time, i even set a reminder on my phone. But to no avail. So i actually decided to take the plunge and make my own version. It almost came close to that and Mr.P loved it so much that i made it twice in a row.

Recipe For Raw Cucumber Gojju
( A no cook sauce with cucumbers)
 
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: Nil
Serves 2 generously 
Allergy Info: Vegan, Nut free
 
Ingredients
Cucumber 1 peeled and cubed
Freshly grated coconut 3 tbsp
Roasted gram dal ( pottu kadalai) 1 tbsp
Green chilies 3
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Tamarind a small marble size
Salt to taste
To Temper
Oil 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Dry red chili 1
Directions
In a blender, place coconut, roasted gram dal, green chilies, tamarind and cumin seeds with 1/4 cup of water and grind to a smooth paste.
In a mixing bowl, place the cucumber, salt and add the ground paste. Mix well.
Add a little more water if the consistency is too thick.
Heat a pan with oil and pop the mustard.
Follow with curry leaves and dry red chili.
Add to the mixture.
Mix well.
Serve with hot rice, ghee and some chips.

Vermicelli Pakoda Recipe| Easy Snack Recipes

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Everyone enjoys a crunchy snack once in a while. But somehow, i dont make many deep fried foods mainly because of health reasons. And even on those rare occasions when i do make up my mind to fry a bonda or two, its in the evening when the sun has already sunk in and i will have already lost the chance to click away.
But a few days back, i made these crunchy pakodas for lunch. I wanted something crunchy that day and i also wanted it to complement well with the menu which was dal, rasam and rice. So i picked this recipe from a Menu Rani Chellam s cookbook. I tweaked it a little to my taste and i must say, even though, i was a bit doubtful about it hitting off well with Mr.P, it was received very well. The empty plate bore testimony for that.

Recipe For Vermicelli Pakoda
( Vermicelli and other ingredients combined and deep fried as fritters)

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins to cook Vermicelli and potato
                   30 mins to fry the fritters 
Makes about 15 to 20 fritters
Allergy Info: Vegan, Nut free

Ingredients

Roasted vermicelli 1/2 c
Potato 1 large
Mint leaves 10 chopped finely
Onion 1 medium chopped finely
Red chili powder 1.5 tsp
Gram flour ( besan) 1/3 c
Rice flour 1 tbsp
Oil 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Oil to deep fry

Directions

Pressure cook the potato for 2 whistles. Peel and set aside
In the meanwhile, bring a cup of water to a boil and cook the vermicelli until just done. Dont overcook it. We dont want a mush.
Drain the vermicelli and wash under running cold water. Let drain completely.
In a mixing bowl, combine potato, onions, rice flour, gram flour, red chili powder, mint, salt, oil and the cooked vermicelli.
Knead to a dough without adding any water.
You must have a shaggy and sticky lump after kneading.
Check for seasoning at this point and adjust.
Now, heat oil for deep frying.
Pinch off small portions of dough and deep fry 4 to 5 at a time on medium low flame until golden brown.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Serve hot with ketchup.

P.S I used roasted vermicelli. I always buy that. You can also use the regular vermicelli but make sure you roast it before you cook it.

Easy Garlic Bread Recipe| Quick Snack Recipes

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Who doesnt love biting into a crunchy garlic bread? I mean, its probably the best thing that happened to garlic and bread. I sometimes find the idea of buying a few slices of greasy garlic bread from outside, ludicrous. It can be so easily made and yet, we buy it. Yes, that includes me too. Every time its pizza night, garlic bread has to be ordered. And then, a while back, i began making my own garlic bread. I experimented with different combinations, starting with good old butter and garlic. I then went on to add cheese, sometimes basil and other times, any herb that i can lay my hands on. I found my go to garlic bread in this recipe. Its wholesome, yummy and has the goodness of butter and mozarella in it. Nothing can go wrong with butter, garlic and mozarella, believe me.

Recipe For Easy Garlic Bread
( Make your own garlic bread at home in 20 mins flat)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Makes 4 slices
Allergy Info: Nut free

Ingredients

French loaf or baguette 1 medium cut into thick slices diagonally
Unsalted butter 4 tbsp softened ( dont melt the butter!)
Garlic cloves 4 to 5 grated
Italian seasoning 1 tsp or any dried herbs of your choice
Chili flakes 1 tsp
Mozarella cheese 4 tbsp grated
Olives 4 pitted and chopped
Jalapenos 4 chopped
Salt to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 180 C.
Line a baking tray with tin foil and lightly grease it.
Slightly butter one side of the bread slices and place them on the tray.
In a bowl, combine butter, garlic, herbs, chili flakes and salt and mix well. Go easy on the salt for the cheese also has some in it.
Spread a tbsp of butter on the top side of the slice evenly.
Now sprinkle grated cheese and top with olives and jalapenos.
Repeat for all the remaining slices.
Bake for 5 to 8 mins or until the sides have turned golden. Dont let it sit there for long or you may land up with garlic rusk.
Once done, serve hot with ketchup on the side.

This is my dish that begins with G for week 2 for The Avant Garde Cookies
P.S Please use fresh garlic and nothing else for this. No garlic paste. No!! dont even think of it.
In case you dont have an oven, feel free to toast the slices on a tawa but make sure not to flip over to the cheesy side.
You may use any bread of your choice but the texture will vary slightly.
Dont attempt this in a microwave or you  may end up with something close to rubber.