Naan

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup curd at room temperature
• 1/2 tbsp oil
• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour for rolling

GARNISHING

• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 1/4 tsp salt

STEPS

1. Mix butter, salt and coriander leaves for garnishing and set aside.
2. Mix the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and yogurt to it and mix well. 
3. Then slowly add the water to make the dough. It should be soft but not sticky. 
4. Spread a little flour on kitchen top and knead the dough well over it. Apply light oil to the dough and cover. Let the dough sit for about 3-4 hours in warm place.
5. Heat tawa on medium flame.
6. Knead the dough a little and make balls for rolling. Roll the dough and sprinkle water on 1 side and put the watered side on tawa.
7. Once the dough starts drying, flip the tawa over flame and keep it around 2 inch above the flame.
8. The naan will stick to the tawa. Cook it till it turns a little brown and then bring it off the flame.
9. Brush it with butter mix and enjoy hot with the dish of your choice.

Notes-

Do not use non-stick tawa as the naan will not stick to it when flipping.

Chicken pasanda

Chicken pasanda is a rich creamy curry based chicken. Enjoy this mughlai delicacy right from your kitchen. The aroma of spices in marinade is surely gonna make you hungry.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Cardamom pods
• 6 Black pepper
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon kasoori methi
• 2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon kashimiri chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 finely chopped garlic clove
• 3 tablespoon thick curd (hung curd)
• 700 gms boneless chicken
• 5 tablespoon olive oil or refined oil
• 2 finely chopped onions
• 1 pureed tomato
• 1 deseeded and finely chopped green chilly
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
• 100 ml fresh cream
• salt to taste

STEPS

1. Mix cardamom, black pepper, cinammon, cumin, kasoori methi, garam masala, chilli powder, ginger, garlic and salt with curd in a bowl. 
2. Add chicken pieces to it and mix well so that the chicken pieces are well coated. Marinate in refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
3. Heat oil in a wok/kadhai and add onions. Cook over low heat till the onions are softened. Add tomato puree and little salt to it. Cook till the mixture leaves oil.
4. Add chicken pieces and marinade and cook over medium flame for 15-20 mins or till the chicken is cooked through.
5. Add fresh cream, coriander and chopped green chilli and cook on low flame for a few minutes. Do not let it boil.
6. Serve it piping hot with naans.

Oats cheela

Course                   Breakfast
Cuisine                    Indian
Cooking Time          20 minutes


INGREDIENTS

1. Oats 3/4 cup 
2. Besan 1/4 cups
3. Onion 1 small finely chopped
4. Tomato 1 small finely chopped
5. Capsicum 1 small finely chopped
6. Carrot 1 small grated
7. Cabbage 1/4 cup cut in small pieces
8. Green chilli 1 small cut into small pieces
9. Coriander leaves 1/4th cup chopped
10. Red chili powder as per taste ( I use 1/4th teaspoon kashmiri lal mirch)
11. Salt to taste
12. Turmeric powder 1/4th teaspoon
13. Water 3/4th cup (add if required)

STEPS

1. Grind oats in a mixer until powdered.
2. Then in a mixing bowl, add powdered oats, besan and spices.
3. Next add onion, tomato, capsicum, carrot and cabbage. Add water and mix well to form a batter with smooth consistency
4. Leave it covered for 10-15 mins so that oats soak up the water.
5. Then, heat a non-stick tawa and pour little oil over it.
6. Pour a ladle of batter and gently spread with the back of ladle, such that the cheela doesn't break.
7. Once the top is dried, pour a little oil over it and flip.
8. Cook from both sides until golden.
9. Once done, serve with coriander chutney or sweet tamarind chutney and enjoy!

Christmas Cake

Christmas cake

Jingle bell, Jingle bell
Jingle all the way!!!
No Christmas is complete without a yummy fruity cake.

INGREDIENTS

1. Eggs                      4
2. Plain flour             115 gms (1 cup)
3. Unsalted butter     100 gms
4. Brown Sugar         3/4 cup
5. Vanilla Essence     1 teaspoon
6. Lemon juice          1/2 teaspoon
7. Caramel                 1/4 cup
8. Mixed spice powder(cinnamon, cardamom)     1/2 teaspoon
9. Dry fruit : 

• Candied peel         1/4 cup
• Raisins                   75 gms
• Dates                      10-12
• Chopped glazed cherries     1/4 cup
• Almonds                25 gms
• Cashews                 25 gms

STEPS

1. Mix together all dry fruit, cut in even size pieces. Soak in water.
2. Beat egg whites till stiff and keep aside.
3. Beat  together butter and brown sugar till it becomes light and fluffy
4. Add lemon juice, vanilla essence and caramel. Beat again.
5. Beat in the egg yolk gradually.
6. Mix together  the flour, spice powder and soaked fruit and fold this into egg-butter batter.
7. Fold in egg whites.
8. Transfer to a tin immediately and bake at 160 degree Celsius in a preheated oven for 50-60 mins or till golden brown
9. Remove from oven and let it cool. Place on wire rack for further cooling.

Chicken momos

INGREDIENTS

For Dough:

2 cups maida

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

For Filling:

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup shredded chicken

1 cup grated carrots

1 cup grated cabbage

1 tsp chopped garlic

1 Tbsp oil

1 tsp Soya sauce

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp vinegar

1/4 tsp black pepper

STEPS

• Mix the maida, salt and baking powder and knead with water to make a stiff dough.
• In a saucepan, heat oil and add the onion and garlic. 
• Saute over high heat and add the chicken, carrot and cabbage till glossy.
• Add in the Soya sauce, salt, vinegar and black pepper. Mix and take it off the heat.
• Roll the dough very thin and cut into small discs.  
• Take a disc, place some filling in the center and wet the edges.  
• Bring edges together to cover the filling and twist to seal.
• Fill the rest in the same way.  
• Steam for about 10 minutes and serve with soya sauce and chilli sauce.

Cabbage toast

INGREDIENTS-

• 1 cup grated cabbage
• 2 spoons semolina ( sooji )
• 3 spoons malai
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper 
• Tomato sauce
• Bread
• Oil for cooking

STEPS

• Mix grated cabbage, semolina and malai in a bowl.
• Add salt and black pepper to the mixture and let it sit for 10 mins.
• It should make a thick mixture. Add a little milk if needed.
• Heat a non-stick pan or tawa and put some oil over it for cooking.
• Take 1 bread slice and spread tomato sauce over it.
• Then spread the above prepared mixture over bread.
• Then place the bread slice on tawa such that the side with cabbage mixture is cooked first.
• Let it roast on medium flame till it turns golden brown. Then flip it and cook the other side.
• After both the sides are done, serve the hot cabbage toasts.

Note-

1. Another low calorie version of this dish can be made. Add curd instead of malai and grill or roast in microwave (convection 180 degrees) for 10-15 mins.

2. Malai is a South Asian cooking ingredient. It is made by heating non-homogenized whole milk to about 80 °C (180 °F) for about one hour and then allowing to cool. A thick yellowish layer of fat and coagulated proteins forms on the surface, which is skimmed off. 

Grilled Vegetable sandwich

Course                      Breakfast
Cuisine                     Indian
Yield                         6 numbers
Cooking Time          5 minutes
Preparation Time     10 minutes
Total Time               15 minutes

INGREDIENTS-

1. 1 small onion 
2. 1 tomato 
3. 1 small capsicum
4. Small cube of paneer
5. Salt to taste
6. 1/2 tsp black pepper 
7. 1/2 tsp Oregano
8. Butter
9. Bread
10. Cheese ( optional )

STEPS

1. Finely chop onion, tomato, capsicum and paneer. 
2. Mix well and add salt, black pepper and oregano.
3. Take a slice of bread and apply some butter.
4. Spread the prepared vegetable mixture on bread.
5. Spread some grated cheese over it and cover with another bread piece.
6. Put some butter on top of it and spread.
7. Put sandwich in a sandwich maker or can use a tawa.
8. Cook till golden brown and serve hot.

Additional notes-

1. Can also add a spoonful of malaai in vegetable mixture, it will make it very smooth and yummy. Skip cheese if you add malaai.
2. You can also microwave the vegetable mixture for 2 mins, if you don't like the raw taste.

Tooty fruity cake

INGREDIENTS

1. Sifted all purpose flour     3 cups
2. Baking powder                1 tablespoon
3. Salt                         1/2 teaspoon
4. unsalted butter at room temperature  1 cup
5. granulated white sugar       1 3/4 cups
6. Eggs, at room temperature    4 large
7. Pure vanilla extract         2 teaspoon
8. Room temperature milk        1 cup
9. Tooty-fruity 1 cup

STEPS

Preheat-

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). 
2. Butter or spray a cake pan with a non-stick vegetable spray. 
3. Then line the bottom of the pan with parchment or wax paper, then spray the paper.

Cake batter-

1. In a bowl, sift or whisk together the dry ingredients, i.e., flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Now beat the butter until soft using a hand or electric mixer. Then slowly add sugar and beat the mixture until it's light and fluffy.
3. Now add the eggs and beat the mixture. 
4. Add vanilla extract and milk. Mix well.
5. Add sifted flour mixture prepared earlier while the mixer is on slow speed.
6. Take tooty fruity and mix a little dry flour in it. Mix this tooty-fruity to the cake batter.

Baking-

1. Transfer the batter to the cake pan and bake for 40-45 mins. 
2. Then remove and insert a tooth pick at the center. It should come out clean, otherwise bake for 5-10 mins more.
3. Place the cake on wire rack to cool and remove from pan.

Enjoy with evening tea.
Cool cake completely if you are going to do icing over it. 

Coconut macaroons

Delicious macaroons with simplest ingredients.  Perfect stuff to nibble in weekend night.

Yield     2 dozen
Total Time   40 mins

INGREDIENTS

• Egg whites at room temperature    4 large
• Granulated white sugar    200 gms (1 cup)
• Pure vanilla extract    1 teaspoon
• Sifted plain flour(maida)   65 gms (1/2 cup)
• Dried sweetened coconut, shredded or flaked    300 gms 3 cups

STEPS

• Place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. In the bowl, whisk together the egg whites and sugar.
• When this mixture is warm to touch, it should be nice and creamy. 
• Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract, flour, and coconut. Cover and refrigerate for about two hours, or until firm.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Place small mounds of the batter on the baking sheet, spacing few inches apart. 
• Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove from oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes and then place on a wire rack to cool further.

Notes-
Chocolate chips can also be added to the batter.

Banana Chocolate chip pancakes

A perfect breakfast choice for weekends. Delicious pancakes with the goodness of bananas.

Course                      Breakfast
Difficulty                     Easy
Cooking Time          30 minutes
Preparation Time     05 minutes
Total Time               35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• Eggs    1
• Milk    1 cup
• Vanilla Essence  1/2 teaspoon
• All purpose flour  1 1/2 cups
• baking powder    1 tablespoon
• Brown Sugar   2 tablespoons
• Cinnamon   1/2 teaspoon
• Salt   1/2 teaspoon
• Butter for frying and serving
• mini chocolate chips   1/4-1/2 cup
• Bananas, mashed   2(about 1 cup)

STEPS

• Whisk flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
• Whisk milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla in a large measuring cup. Add wet ingredients to dry, add bananas, and stir until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. ( Add less than 1/2 cup if you want less chocolaty).
• Spray pan or griddle with cooking spray. Drop desired amount of pancake batter onto preheated griddle or pan. Cook until small bubbles form then flip until the bottom is a light golden brown.
• Serve plain or with maple syrup.