Madeleine cakes !!

Madeleines....though this is just another version of a simple tea cake but the shape and mild sugar that goes with it is what keeps it distinct from other cakes...I have bought it from bakeries may be twice and the thing I liked about it was its small size,shape and the flavour which is low on sugar and a hint of lemon or orange in it...its best eaten with tea or coffee....which happened exact in my house and 18 of these got over in 2 days....so u can guess how addictive they can be...!!
The ingredients that goes in are very simple and really available in every household but the only thing u will need extra are the moulds...as the fun part is the shape that look like a shell...
but if not u can make it in shallow small tart tin...or any mould with is not deeper than 1 cm...
Recipe below...
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 Cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup icing sugar
a little extra for dusting
                                                 Grated rind of lemon/Orange(I used orange this time)
                                                 15 ml lemon/orange juice
                                                 75 gms unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
METHOD:

Preheat oven to 190 degrees.Generously grease the  baking tin or if silicone then u can use directly.
this proportion will make around 18 madeleines...
Sift together flour and baking powder...now in a mixing bowl beat eggs and sugar until its thick and creamy and have ribbon consistency. Gently fold in the lemon/orange rind and juice...

Beginning with the flour mixture,alternately fold in the flour and melted butter in four batches.

Leave to stand for 10 mins,then spoon into the mould..tap gently to remove any air bubbles.bake for 12-15 mins rotating the mould halfway into the baking...and check until the skewer comes out clean inserted in the centre..tip out of the mould dust icing sugar over it and serve with tea or coffee...enjoy!!

Hot n sour Soup veg/non veg

Its a quick world now and whenever we wanna have soup....a lot of people run to their kitchen cabinets pick up a soup sachet or pack and make instant soups which gets ready in a jiffy...but do we really get those actual flavours like we get in freshly made soups...No! Is the answer...
I agree few soups are very time consuming and its difficult to make them in our day to day life...but then if we keep few things handy like we keep instant soup sachets....I can bet making things fresh also can be done in a jiffy...by things I mean...vegetable/chicken stock, minced garlic,sauces etc...with me I had all these in my pantry and so when I was making noodles for my kids yesterday, I said y not make a soup along with it too...and the result was super awesome...please follow recipe below...and gv it a try...
INGREDIENTS:

5 gms carrot
5 gms cabbage
5 gms mushroom
5 gms beans
5 gms onion
5 gms garlic (minced)
10 gms chicken/ paneer/tofu
2 tbsp soya sauce
2 tsp chili garlic sauce
1 tsp white pepper pwdr
1 tsp chili
1 tbsp coriander pwdr
1 tbsp chili paste/oil
2 cups stock chicken/veg
1 tbsp corn flour
2 tsp chili vinegar
1 tsp oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:
 In a pan add oil and put all vegetables except for tofu/paneer but if making chicken soup u can add small diced chicken pieces...saute for a min then add all other sauces and spices except for vinegar and again saute for 30 secs and ads the stock whichever soup u are making veg or non veg accordingly...let it boil for few mins then when its boiling hot add diluted corn flour to it and thicken the soup...now just boil for another min..
Add vinegar and and tofu/paneer...garnish with Spring onion and serve hot...
Note: u can add or reduce chili oil or chili sauce according to ur liking...Enjoy!!

Rawa Dosa..!!

'Surat pe na jao Sirat pe jao'....(taste matters more than the looks) this fits exactly here...Rawa Dosa when u come to click its pictures or on the plate too it definitely looks less appealing than an actual dosa....but it tastes amazing when it comes to the taste point...also its crisp and very flavoursome....that even plain dosa or Onion rawa has loads of flavour to it...Me personally whenever I go to a southIndian restaurant I always order this one..as I find it much better in taste than the plain dosa...
Though at Home use to always land up making normal dosa only as found making Rawa dosa a bit tricky...but then lately saw a lot of versions of its recipes and thought to gv it a try...1st two attempts were a disaster but then once I got the knack of it...Bingo....turned out awesome..exactly as it would be in a restaurant was super excited and happy...so For all those who love to eat Rawa Dosa and for those who have never tried it...recipe below...do gv it a try once atleast...and comment below with ur experiences...

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup rawa
1 cup rice powder
1/2 cup all purpose flour
Few pepper corn
1 small onion chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ginger grated
2 green chili
Salt to taste
Oil/ghee for frying

Method:

In a big bowl mix all the ingredients and add water as to the batter is flowing like watery consistency....
Now heat a flat pan...or dosa tawa...whatver u make pancakes/dosas on .....and with the help of a ladel pour the batter so as it falls on the pan in a this perforated layer..and keep pouring in sections till it forms in a big dosa....
Pour oil/ghee over it and let it crisp on medium heat....remove once crisp and serve with ur choice of chutney or sambhar...!!enjoy!!

Paneer Lababdaar!!

 Yes!! Its been really long that I have posted any thing new...and am really sorry for the same..kids vacations had started and we went on a long and hearty trip for our holiday this time...!!It indeed was awesome..

But now am back to my base...took a while to settle back at home..and send kids back to school..And then came to my favourite place my kitchen..Started exploring new recipes again...

Had to start with my favourite ingredient Paneer (cottage cheese)..Best part of cooking paneer now is my daughter loves to eat it too...so whenever I try anything new she enjoys it the most....coming to the recipe...Lababdaar means luscious creamy and delicious....and this came out exactly like that...!!

Ingredients:

For the sauce: 

2 tomato chopped

7-8 cashew nuts

2″ piece ginger

4-5 pods garlic

2  cloves

2 green cardamom (choti elaichi)

1/2 cup water

200 gms cubed paneer

2 tbsp grated paneer

1 onion finely chopped

1 bay leaf

1cinnamon stick

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander pwd

1/4 tsp turmeric pwd

1 tsp red chili

1/2 tsp Garam masala

salt to taste

1 tsp honey

2 tbsp pure ghee

1 tsp oil

2 tsp fresh cream 

1 tsp kasuri Methi roasted and crushed

Method:

In a pan, add chopped tomato, garlic, ginger, cashew nuts, cloves & green cardamom and green chili. Cook until the tomatoes have become soft. Add 2-3 tbsp more water if needed to cook them. Once done, cool these and make a fine purée. Set it aside.

For the main dish:

Heat butter and oil in the pan ,add the asafoetida, bay leaf and cinnamon stick, sauté them for a minute. Then add chopped onions and cook until it turns golden brown.

Once it’s golden brown, add the tomato-cashew purée and mix well. Keep cooking these together until the oil separates from the purée. This will take about 7-8 mins. Next add the coriander pwd, cumin pwd,chili pwdr & turmeric pwdr. Sauté them for about 5 mins. Also add salt, honey& 1/4 cup water (if required) at this stage. Mix well and cook for another 5 mins on low flame.

Now add the cubed paneer & the grated paneer. Stir well but carefully so that the paneer cubes remain intact. Cook for 5 mins. Now, add the crushed kasuri Methi(put in a bowl and microwave to roast for 1 min), garam masala & fresh cream. Stir well and serve hot with roti or naan.

Fresh tomato and carrot soup!!

Hello all, so the vacations have started and so is my little break from cooking (thats what I think)!!
But no how can I ever get relief from cooking?? as back home in India as soon as I reach,my family here,my sisters and friends all start expecting that I will treat all with variety of dishes...and so the task of cooking begins here too on India....!!
Yes,I am on vacations,in India,with my family...and very much in the kitchen...! but I enjoy it all the more as when my family here appreciates whatever I cook for them its an altogether different feeling...!!coming to today's recipe I am posting, this I made back in Dubai and when I was scrolling down my phone gallery yesterday came across this pic and remebered that I didn't post it for u all...so without much ado a simple yet yummy and of course very healthy soup for u all...

Ingredients:
Serves 4

4 big tomatoes
1 big carrot
1 small poatato
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic (optional)
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp crushed pepper
1 tbsp sugar
Salt to taste
Cream to garnish  (optional)
1 Brown bread slice

Method:
Chop all the vegies and pressure cook them with cumin seeds 1/s tsp salt until 4 whistles, remove from flame and let it sit until all the steam is released from the cooker,
Open the lid and pulp all the vegies with the stick blender (if u dont have one u can pulp all in a mixer also)..remove and strain from a strainer to remove any skin or seeds and get a smooth and silky puree...Now in a deep pan put butter and pour all the pureed mix and let it cook and thicken a bit add pepper and sugar(sugar is added as the tomato soup can be a bit sour to a lot of people's palate) to it and let it simmer and thicken to ur desired consistency (some like it very thick and some medium)
For the croutons to be served over it toast the bread in the toaster (the old school method of frying is out now)and cut in small cubes...
Served the soup in a deep dish garnish with a kittle pepper and cream and serve toasted croutons alongside...!!enjoy!!

Dry fruit Biscotti!!

There was a time when I use to be not very confident with baking...But now that I have started trying my handson it and have succeded in most of them...my confidence and interest in baking is increasing day by day....I enjoy baking a lot more than before now....there is an all together different feeling when u bake and the most special part is ur house smells devine....!!

This recipe I had saved long time back and when last week my hubby told me we have a lot of dry fruits kept why dont U use them and create something...then I decided this is the best I could do with them....plus point: it is super yummy and indulgent and minus is you cant stop eating it...!! And now I have made another batch to take to India for my family there...this time sweets and biscuits homemade...!!

RECIPE:

 

1 cup all purpose flour

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar(granualated)

3/4 cup butter(unsalted)

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup dry fruits

(I used mix of prunes,cranberry,strawberry(all dry),cashew and walnuts)

1 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp vanilla essence

 

METHOD:

Preheat oven at 180 degrees and line a baking tray with baking sheet,now take a large mixing bowl and add butter and sugar and mix them till creamy consistency,now add eggs and mix them well,add flour lemon zest baking powder to it and mix well again for a minute now add all the dry fruits finely chopped and mix them well.

The batter will become a bit thick and tight by now...which is correct so no worries..

 

now spread the batter in 2 lines or logs 5 inch away from each other and level it down so that it is about 5 cm broad and and bake it for 20-25 min...

 

after this pull out the logs and cute them into thin biscuits and aline them on the baking tray again to second bake it for 10-15 mins pull out let them cool down and crisp up

 

...store them in an airtight container and enjoy with tea or coffee!!