Eggless Chocolate Choco Chip Muffins

This recipe is perfect for afternoon tea snack or to pop one in lunch box.Tried this classic chocolate-chocolate chip muffins recipe for the first time on kids playdate and it turned out perfectly well in first go. Kids are anyways fond of chocolate flavor. Kids n mommies liked them so much and they were sosoft and spongy that everybody wandered if they are eggless :) .I am sure you will also fall for this simple, quick and easy eggless recipe

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Serves: 8 Muffins

Ingredients:

Refined flour (maida) - 1cup

Cocoa powder - 1/3cup

Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp

Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp

Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Curd - 1/2 cup

Oil - 1/4 cup

Brown sugar - 3/4 cup

Chocolate chips - 1/4 cup (as desired)

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, sieve together refined flour,cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda
2. Dust all choco chips with flour and keep aside
3. In another bowl, add curd,oil, vanilla essence, brown sugar 
4. Mix and keep aside till sugar dissolves completely
5. Now make a hole in the center of dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients on it.
6. Mix gently so that no lumps are formed. Do not over mix
7. Fold in choco chips as desired 
8. Preheat convection at 180 deg. Fill the muffin liners up to 3/4th level and sprinkle some choco chips over it
9. Bake at 180 deg for 20 mins. Give a standing time of 1 minute
10. Can be enjoyed warm or cold like cake

Notes:

1. Plain sugar can also be used in the recipe
2. Do not over mix the batter
3. Let it stand for a minute after mixing batter. Bubbles will form. This signals that your baking soda is working well
4. Icing can also be done to turn them into cupcakes 

Creamy Matar Mushroom

Creamy Matar Mushroom

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 30 mins
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Green peas (matar) - 1 cup
Mushroom - 250 grm
Bay leaves (tej patta) - 1
Cloves (laung) - 2
Cinnamon stick (dalchini) - 1/2 inch
Carom seeds (ajwain) - 1/2 tsp
Cumin (jeera) - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder(dhaniya) - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder(haldi) - 1tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Dry Mango Powder(amchoor) - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp
Onion Paste- 1 onion
Tomato Paste- 1 tomato
Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Ginger Paste - 1tsp
Slit Green Chillies - 2
Oil - 1 tbsp
Fresh cream - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander for garnishing

Creamy Matar Mushroom

Method:

1. Wash and chop mushrooms and keep aside
2. Wash peas and keep aside
3. In a non stick kadai, add oil. Add bay leaves, cloves n cinnamon to hot oil. Stir for 5 sec and add cumin and carom seeds
4. When cumin splutters, add ginger paste and garlic paste and cook for half a minute on low flame.
5. Add onion  paste, slit green chillies, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder to it and again cook till oil starts leaving from sides
6. Add tomato paste and cook till  done
7. Add peas and salt. Cook on low flame with lid for 10-15 mins or till peas are half done
8. Add mushroom, garam masala and amchoor powder and cook on low flame with lid for  mins
9. Remove the lid, add 1 tbsp fresh cream and cook for 4-5 mins
10. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and fresh cream

Coriander Chutney

Coriander Chutney

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 5 mins
Serve: 4

Ingredients:

Coriander(dhaniya) - 100grm
Mint leaves - 1/2 cup
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Onion - 1
Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp
Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Black Salt (Kala namak) - 1/2 tsp
Black Pepper powder (Kali Mirch) - 1/2 tsp
Green chillies - 2-3
Asafoetida (Hing) - 1 pinch
Lemon - 1

Method:

1. Wash and cut coriander and mint leaves with stems
2. Put all the ingredients except lemon in blender and blend to fine paste
3. Add lemon in the end and mix well

Notes:

1. Lemon juice also helps in retaining the fresh green color of chutney
2. For variation, tomato can also be added 

Dahi- Dhaniya Chutney

Dahi - Dhaniya Chutney

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 5 mins
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

Coriander(dhaniya) - 100grm
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Black Salt (Kala namak) - 1/2 tsp
Black Pepper powder (Kali Mirch) - 1/2 tsp
Green chillies - 2-3
Asafoetida (Hing) - 1 pinch
Dry Mango Powder(Amchoor)- 1 tsp
Curd (Dahi) - 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash and cut coriander with stems 
2. Put all the ingredients except curd in blender and blend to fine paste
3. Now add curd and blend again
4. Dahi wali dhaniya chtney is ready to serve

Strawberry Trifle

Strawberry Trifle

Preparation Time: 30 mins
Cooking Time: 10 mins
Serves - 4

Ingredients:

Sponge cake(eggless) - 5-6 pcs
Strawberry - 8-10
Castor sugar - 1/4 cup
Fresh cream/ Whipped cream - 1/2 cup
Custard powder - 2 tbsp
Milk - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Hung Curd - 1 cup
Strawberry syrup (optional)

Strawberry Trifle

Method:

1. In a pan, boil milk. Mix custard powder with 1 tbsp cold milk and add it to boiling milk. Add sugar and stir continuously to avoid lumps. Let it cool and refrigerate
2. To make strawberry syrup, blend strawberries in blender. Add castor sugar and mix again. Cook on low flame for 3-4 mins. Let it cool. Ready made syrup can  also be used. In that case avoid step 2 
3. If using ready made syrup, mix syrup with little water
4. In a separate bowl, add hung curd, whipped cream, 2-3 grated strawberries and mix well.
5. Add this to pre- prepared custard mixture and pipe into piping bags
6. Cut sponge cake and settle it to the base of serving cup
7. Soak it  with strawberry syrup. Add a layer of chopped  strawberries 
8. Now pipe chilled custard mixture in it and fill half the cup
9. Now repeat adding cake slice and soak with syrup. Again pipe the custard mixture and fill the glass with it
10. Let it cool and garnish with thick syrup and strawberries

Oats- Broccoli- Carrot Pancake

Oats-Broccoli-Carrot Pancake

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time:  30 mins
Serves- 2

Ingredients:

Oats - 1 cup

Curd - 1/2 cup

Broccoli (finely chopped) - 1/3 cup

Carrot (grated) - 1/3 cup

Ginger Paste - 1/2 tsp

Garlic paste  1/2 tsp

Black pepper powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - to taste

Slit green chillies(optional) - 2

Oil - 2 tsp

Eno - 1 pinch

Method:

1. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except oil and eno
2. Adjust the consistency with water if required and let it rest for 2 mins
3. Now, heat non stick tawa . Add eno to the batter and mix 
4. Pour 2 tsp of batter on tawa and spread it evenly in round shape
5. Cook on low flame for 1-2 mins and turn. Again cook on low flame for 2 mins
6. Once you feel its done. Keep it off the  flame
7. Enjoy with dahi - dhaniya chutney

Jeera Aloo

Jeera Aloo

Preparation time - 20 mins
Cooking Time - 10 mins
Serves - 2

Ingredients:

Potato(Boiled) - 4 Medium
Cumin (Jeera) - 1 tsp
Coriander(dhaniya) powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric(haldi) - 1 tsp
Dry Mango Powder (Amchoor) - 1 tsp
Chat Masala - 1 pinch
Garam Masala - 1pinch
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Slit green chillies (optional) - 2
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Fresh Coriander for garnishing

Method:

1. Boil, peel and cut potatoes 
2. In a non stick pan, add oil. Once oil is hot, add jeera, haldi, red chilli, slit green chilli. Saute for half a minute.
3. Now add potatoes and sprinkle chat masala, garam masala, amchoor and salt 
4. Mix all the ingredients and cook on low flame for 4 to 5 mins
5. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve

Pasta in Broccoli & Spinach sauce

Pasta in Broccoli & Spinach Sauce

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Serves - 2

Ingredients:

Macaroni/ Phenne/ Fussili pasta - 1 Cup
Broccoli florets - 5-6
Spinach leaves - 5-6 (medium size)
Cheese -  2 -3 cubes grated
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Oregano - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 pinch
Onion - 1 medium size
Refined Flour - 1 tsp
Butter - 1 tsp
Milk - 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Chop Onion, broccoli and spinach leaves and saute on low flame till raw smell of ingredients disappear
2. Let it cool and grind to fine paste. Cook paste on low flame for 2-4 mins
3. In another pan, add butter, cheese, milk and refined flour to make cheese sauce
4. Mix broccoli mixture into cheese sauce and add boiled pasta to it
5. Add oregano, salt and black pepper as per taste
6. Give it a gentle mix and cook for 2-3 mins
7. Serve hot 

Coriander - Amla Chutney

Dhaniya - Amla Chutney

Ingredients:

Coriander (Dhaniya) - 100grm
Amla - 2
Tamarind Paste(Imli) - 2 tsp
Cumin Powder(Jeera Powder) - 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 1 tsp chopped
Ginger - 1 tsp chopped
Salt - to taste
Onion (optional)- 1 chopped
Asafoetida (Heeng) - 1 pinch
Green chilli - 2

Method:

1. Clean, wash and chop coriander leaves with stems
2. Cut amla to deseed it
3. In a blender, put chopped coriander,amla, tamarind syrup, cumin powder, ginger,garlic, heeng, chillies and salt. Blend together to make a fine paste
4. Lemon can also be used instead of tamarind paste

Notes:

Chutneys could be stored in airtight containers in freezer for atleast 3-4 months

Chutneys should not be refreezed

Moong Dal Halwa

Moong Dal Halwa

Ingredients:

Dry Moong Dal - 1 Cup
Ghee - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Pistachio Nuts - 4-5
Cashewnuts - 4-5
Raisins  - 4-5

Method:

1. Soak moong dal for 4-5 hrs and drain water
2. Grind it into fine paste.Pour dal and 1cup ghee into non stick pan and cook on low flame stirring continuously until it combines like a dough as shown in picture. It will stick n lumps will be  formed if not stirred properly at this stage
   
3. After 10 minutes, the dough like mixture will start getting separated. At this stage if you think dal is getting dry then add more ghee. Stir the mixture every 15sec to avoid burning and even cooking
   
4. In next 15 minutes, the mixture will start leaving ghee from sides. Cook evenly by stirring continuously. 
   
5. In next 10 mins, it will start changing color and leaves a different aroma and raw smell of moong dal is completely gone by this time
   
6. In another pan, add water and sugar and cook it sugar dissolves completely
7. Cooke for another 10 mins on low flame until you reaches the desired color. But do not forget that color gets darker after adding sugar 
   
8. Now add sugar syrup by stirring continuously and cook on medium to high flame until it mixes well
9. Simmer  the flame and cook by stirring continuously  until it starts leaving oil again. 
10. Add desired nuts and enjoy hot

    

    Moong Dal Halwa
    
    

    Happy Cooking!

Irish Bakewell Buns

Irish Bakewell Buns

Irish Bakewell Buns

Ingredients
 

'For Crust'

Whole wheat flour/ Refined Flour - 1/2Cup

Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp

Sugar - 

Oil -1/4 Cup

Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

'For Filling'

Any jam of your choice. I used mix fruit jam

'For Upper Layer'

Refined flour - 1 Cup

Baking Powder- 1 tsp

Baking Soda - 1 tsp

Orange Rind - 1 tsp

Cranberry Juice - 1/4Cup

Curd - 1/4 Cup

Oil - 1/4 Cup

Sugar - 3/4 Cup

Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Recipe:

1. In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients under 'for crust' section and roll out to from pie dough
   
2. Use a circular cookie cutter to cut the dough. Line the bottom of silicon muffin moulds with pie dough and set aside
   
3. Now to prepare the upper layer, sieve together all the dry ingredients under 'For Upper layer' section and keep aside
4. In a separate mixing bowl, add Cranberry juice, orange rind, curd, oil, vanilla essence and sugar. Mix till sugar dissolves completely
5. Fold dry ingredients to wet ingredients stirring occasionally so that no lumps are formed. Do not over-mix
6. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of jam on each pie crust liner 
   
7. Add  muffin batter (the upper layer batter) over jam layer 
8. Bake in preheated oven at 160deg for 30 mins or till toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean
9. Let it cool and dust them with powdered sugar and try to eat same day
   

Happy Cooking!

Broccoli - Cheese Tikki

Broccoli-Cheese Tikki

Preparation Time- 15 Mins
Cooking Time - 30 Mins
Serves -  Makes 7 Tikkis


 

Broccoli - Cheese Tikki

Ingredients:
Finely Chopped Broccoli - 1/2 Cup
Finely Chopped Onion - 1
Boiled Potatoes - 3 Medium sized
Cheese Cubes (Amul) - 3
Ginger  Paste- 1/2 tsp
Garlic Paste - 1/2 tsp
Chat Masala - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil/ Ghee - 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Put 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add ginger paste, garlic  paste and saute till it turns golden. Then add finely chopped onion and broccoli. Simmer the flame and let it cook for 5-6 mins or till broccoli cooks completely
2. Once broccoli is done, switch off the flame and let it cool
3. Grate boiled potatoes. Add broccoli and mix it with spoon
4. Add grated cheese to the mixture and mix
5. Divide the mixture into equal portions and roll them to form a tikki or any shape you like
6. Shallow fry in a non stick tawa from both sides.
7. Serve with Sauce/chutney of your choice
8. You can also serve it with curd and saunth as shown in picture.

Happy Cooking!

Whole Wheat - Orange Muffins

Whole Wheat Orange Muffins

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 25 mins

Servings: Makes 6 muffins

Whole Wheat Orange Muffins

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Flour  - 1 Cup
Bread Crumbs - 1/4 Cup
Orange Juice Fresh/ Canned - 1/4 Cup
Cooking Oil/Olive Oil - 1/4 Cup
Curd - 1/4 Cup
Sugar - 3/4 Cup
Orange Rind - 1 tsp
Baking Powder - 1 tsp
Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, add curd, orange juice, oil, sugar, vanilla essence and orange rind. Mix it well and keep aside
2. In another bowl, sieve together flour, bread crumbs, baking powder and baking soda
3. Preheat the oven/ microwave convection meanwhile
4. Now pour the wet ingredients to dry ingredients slowly so that no lumps are formed. You will get a smooth cake like consistency
5. Grease muffin moulds and pour the batter into it upto 1/3rd of a mould
6. Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg for 20- 25 mins. Check with toothpick by inserting at the centre. It should come out clean. Mine were done in 25 mins exact
7. Let it cool and Microwave for 30 sec before serving

Happy Cooking!

Sooji Halwa

Ingredients:
Rawa/Sooji - 1 Cup
Pure Ghee (Desi Ghee)- 3/4 Cup
Sugar - 1 Cup
Water- 3-4 Cups
Almonds - 4-5
Raisins - 10-12
Green Cardamom  - 1

Method:

1. Roast Sooji in Ghee at low flame till it turns golden brown and leaves a distant aroma. This may take around 15-20 mins or even more.The better it roasts, the better will be the taste
2. On the other side, bring water to boil and add sugar and cardamom
3. Once Sooji is done, add water mixture to  it slowly by stirring continuously and turn the flame to high
4. Cook on high for 10- 15mins or till  it thicknes and halwa starts leaving ghee from pan
5. Between add almonds and raisins and stir well
6. Once done, switch off the flame
7. Pour into serving bowl and sprinkle some almonds and raisins
8. Serve Hot

Note-
You can also sprinkle some grated coconut over it before serving

Happy Cooking!!

Sprouts Parantha

Sprouts Parantha

Sprouts Parantha

Preparation Time: 10-15 mins
Cooking Time: 10 - 15 mins
Serves: 2

Ingredients:
For Filling:
Sprouts - 1/2 Cup
Boiled Potato - 1
Onion -1
Ginger Paste - 1/4 tsp
Garlic Paste - 1/4 tsp
Fresh Coriander chopped - 1 tsp
Black Pepper - To Taste (Optional)
Salt - To taste
For Parantha
Multigrain/Whole wheat  flour dough for parantha
Pure Ghee - To apply on parantha

Method:

1. Pressure cook sprouts to cook slightly in steam. Take it off flame once pressure starts building up. Open the cooker immediately and let it cool
2. Peal and grate potato and finely chop onions
3. In a bowl mix together all the ingredients under 'For Filling' section and keep aside
4. Now make small balls from the dough and press from center to fill it with the sprouts mixture
5. Collect the sides and cover the mixture with dough. Now roll it with rolling pin to make chapati
6. Cook on Tawa by applying pure ghee/ cooking oil on both sides
7. Serve with Curd or chutney of your choice

Happy Cooking!

Rawa Uttapam

RAWA UTTAPAM

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Serves: 2

Ingredients:
Curd - 1 Cup
Sooji - 1/2 Cup
Carrot - 1/2
Spinach - 2-3 leaves
Fresh Coriander - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Slit green chillies-to taste (Optional)
Black Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Ginger Paste - 1/4 tsp
Garlic Paste - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Finely chop spinach and coriander and grate carrot
2. Now mix all veggies with curd and sooji
3. Add ginger - garlic paste, salt and chilli as desired
4. Mix properly and keep aside for 5 mins
5. Now heat non stick pan. Pour batter with spoon and spread evenly to make bite size chilla
6. Roast from both sides on low flame
7. Serve hot with dip of your choice

Notes:
You can add veggies of your choice
It can be served with paneer cubes to kids. It makes it a wholesome food
You can avoid adding green chillies if making for kids only


Happy Cooking!!

Apple-Cinnamon Cake

APPLE - CINNAMON CAKE

APPLE- CINNAMON CAKE

Ingredients:

Refined Flour - 1 Cup
Apple - 1
Curd - 1/2 cup
Baking Powder- 1 tsp
Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1/2 Cup
Cashew nuts - 4-5

Method:

1. Peel and grate apple to make apple sauce

2. In a pan add sugar and grated apple. Cook on medium flame till sugar melts and sauce becomes  thick
3. In another pan, sieve together refined flour, baking powder, cinnamon and cashew nuts
4. In a separate pan, add curd, baking soda and a pinch of salt. You will some froth at this stage. Add apple sauce to it and mix
5. Now fold the dry ingredients to wet ingredients gently and make sure there are no lumps
6. Meanwhile preheat the oven and grease the baking dish
7. Pour the mixture into baking dish and dust some powered cinnamon & top with fresh apple slices
8. Put the dish in preheated convection/oven and bake at 180 deg for about 35 - 40 mins or till toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean
9. Now remove it from microwave and let it cool
10. Cut into slices and serve

Notes:
Can be stored in air tight container for 2-3 days

Happy Cooking!!

Bread Pizza bites - Kids Snacks

Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time - 10 mins
Servings - Serves 2

Ingredients:
Bread - 4 slices
Rawa/Sooji- 1 cup
Curd - 1/2 Cup
Grated Carrot - 1/2 cup
Spinach - 1/4 th cup
Onion- 1
Tomato -1
Salt  to taste
Pure Ghee(Desi ghee) - as required

Method:

1. In a bowl, add curd, grated carrot, Finely chopped spinach, chopped onion and tomato, sooji, fresh coriander and salt

2. Heat a non stick pan, cut the sides of bread and toast it from both sides

3. Once its hot, spread sooji mixture on it evenly

4. Turn it upside down and pour some oil from sides

5. Apply mixture on other side also and let it cook for 1-2 mins from both sides on medium flame. 

6. Cut in your desired shape and serve with chutney or dip o your choice

Happy Cooking!!

Sprout - Corn Salad

SPROUT - CORN SALAD

Nutritional facts & Health benefits:

Sprout Moong Dal & Moth Dal-

•  It is rich in Vitamin A, E and C.
• If you want to reduce your weight, it is a wise step to follow high fibre diet. Sprouts are rich in fibre, having adequate nutrients, enzymes, protein, micro-nutrients and at the same time low in calories.
• Moth Beans have great health benefits! Moth Beans have lot of fiber, calcium, proteins and minerals

Sweet Corn- 

• Corn is a good source of phenolic flavonoid antioxidant, ferulic acid. Several research studies suggest that ferulic acid plays vital role in preventing cancers, aging, and inflammation in humans.
• It also contains good levels of some of the valuable B-complex group of vitamins such as thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folates, riboflavin, and pyridoxine. Many of these vitamins function as co-factors to enzymes during substrate metabolism.
• Further, it contains healthy amounts of some important minerals like zinc, magnesium, copper, iron, and manganese.
• Sweet corn is gluten-free cereal and may be used safely much like rice, quinoa, etc., in celiac disease individuals.

Cucumber

• They surprisingly have a high amount of vitamin K, provides about 17 µg of this vitamin per 100 g. Vitamin-K has been found to have a potential role in bone strength by promoting osteotrophic (bone mass building) activity. It also has established role in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in their brain.
• It is one of the very low calorie vegetables; provide just 15 calories per 100 g. It contains no saturated fats or cholesterol.

The best part of this recipe is that you can have it anytime during the day. You can have it as breakfast,  lunch or dinner. This recipe can also be taken as a salad with any meal of your choice. This nutrition packed salad can also be given to toddlers and kids as it have various health benefits. 

SPROUT- CORN SALAD RECIPE

Sprout-Corn Salad

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Sprout Moong Dal(Mung Beans) - 1  Cup

Sprout Moth Dal (Moth Beans)- 1 Cup

Sweet Corn Steamed - 3/4 Cup

Cucumber finely chopped - 1

Onion finely Chopped -1

Tomato - 1

Boiled Potato (Optional)- 1

Finely slit green chillies

Chat Masala

Salt

Lemon

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients and enjoy this healthy and nutrition packed salad 

Note:

1.Sprouts should be washed before eating.

2.Sprouts are easily infected with fungus. Hence safety measure should be taken care of before using.

3.Eating of sprouts kept for long period is not advisable.

4.Stale, stinked and dull sprouts should not be used.

We would love to hear your views on this recipe.
Happy Cooking!

Amla - Chukandar Candy

Amla - Chukandar Candy

Amla (Indian Gooseberry) - 

The health benefits of Indian Gooseberry, also known as Amla, can be partially attributed to its high vitamin-C content. Amla enhances food absorption, balances stomach acid, fortifies the liver, nourishes the brain and mental functioning, supports the heart, strengthens the lungs, regulates elimination of free radicals, enhances fertility, helps the urinary system, increases skin health, promotes healthier hair, acts as a body coolant, flushes out toxins, increases vitality, strengthens eyes, improves muscle tone and, acts as an antioxidant.Gooseberry is very rich in Vitamin C, and contains many minerals and vitamins like Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, Carotene and Vitamin B Complex. Amla is also a powerful antioxidant agent

Beetroot (Chukandar) -

Beetroot is of exceptional nutritional value; especially the greens, which are rich in calcium, iron and vitamins A and C. Beetroots are an excellent source of folic acid and a very good source of fibre, manganese and potassium. Beetroot is rich in fibre, exerting favourable effects on bowel function, which may assist in preventing constipation and help to lower cholesterol levels too.

One cup of raw beets contains 58 calories, 13 grams of carbohydrate (including 9 grams of sugar and 4 grams of fiber) and 2 grams of protein. It provides 1% of daily vitamin A needs, 2% of calcium, 11% of vitamin C and 6% of iron.

Beetroot is a rich source of folate and manganese and also contains thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, pantothenic acid, choline, betaine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and selenium

Recipe:

Ingredients:

Grated beetroot - 1Cup

Grated Gooseberry - 1 Cup

Sugar - 3/4 Cup

Salt- 1/2 tsp

Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Black Salt - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. In a pan add grated beetroot and Indian gooseberry

2. Switch on the flame and add all the ingredients. Cook it till sugar dissolves and water evaporates

3. Let it cool and fill in a jar

4. Put it in sunlight till water evaporates

4.You can enjoy this healthy pack of grated candies in your own way

Happy Cooking!

Mawa Gujiya

Mawa Gujiya

Mawa Gujiya

'Gujiya' is a famous cuisine of North India particularly Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan is a sweet dumpling made with suji or Maida flour wheat flour and stuffed with khoya. This is mostly made during festivals specially 'Holi' and 'Diwali'.
As per my experiences, while serving this dish, people generally pick half of gujiya which is a bit messy and unhygenic too. So I thought of making it bite size which came out well. I would suggest to give it a try.You will fall in love with this bite size sweet dumplings. So here comes the recipe..



Ingredients:
For Dough-
Refined flour - 1 cup
Oil - 2 tsp + for frying
Water - as required

For Stuffing-

Mawa - 1.5 cup
Rawa - 2 tbsp
Cashewnuts (Kaju) - 4
Almonds (Badam) -4
Raisins(Kishmish) - 4
Sugar - 1 cup

Method:

For Dough-
1. Take refined flour in a bowl and add oil to it. Knead oil well with flour by using your palms
2. Now add water little by little to make a firm dough. Dough should be firmer than we make for making pooris.
3. Cover it with damp muslin cloth and keep aside for 15-20 mins or till you make the filling

For Stuffing -

1. Dry roast rawa, cashewnuts, almonds and raisins
2. Add mawa to it and cook on low flame till mawa loosens
3. Add sugar and mix well. Cook again for 5 -7 mins on low flame
4. Take off from heat and let it cool

For Gujiya-

1. Divide the dough into small balls and roll  it by using rolling pin to make flat chapatis
2. Put these chapatis on gujiya mould

3. Fill the stuffing, close and press
4. Scrape off extra dough to complete the shape. Repeat step 2,3&4 with rest  of dough

5. Deep fry it and let it cool completely

Notes:

1. Some rawa can also be added while making dough
2. If you like coconut, you can add that in filling. I am not a big fan of coconut so did not added
3. I have used momos sized mould for making these gujiya to give it a different look than usual 'D' shape
4. Close the gujiya properly from all sides, else filling will come out while frying.

I would love to  hear your experiences while trying this recipe. Please do share if you find it useful

Happy Cooking!!

Rawa- Coconut Laddoo

Ingredients:

Sooji/Rawa- 1 cup

Coconut fresh grated - 1/2 cup

Mawa  - 1/2 cup

Grinded Sugar - 3/4 cup 

Pistachios - 4

Almonds - 4

Cashewnuts - 4

Raisins - 12

Poppy seeds (Khuskhus) - 2 tsp

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Milk - 1 -2 tsp

Method:

1. Dry roast sooji at low flame for 5 - 7 mins by continuously stirring it. When the colour of sooji changes a little, switch off the flame and keep it aside into a bowl

2. Now in the same pan, dry roast chopped pistachios, almonds and  raisins. when they are half done add poppy seeds and grated coconut. Roast it for another 2-3 mins. 

3. Add mawa, sooji and sugar to it and again cook on low flame for 1-2 min stirring continuously

4. Switch  off the flame and add milk little by little mixing it continuously. If you are able to make  laddoos stop adding milk

5. When heat is bearable, divide the mixture  into equal parts and make small balls

6. Let them cool and serve

Notes:

1.These laddoos can be stored in air tight container.
2. Since it contains mawa and milk , it can be preserved only for 2-3 days

Do share your reviews when you try the recipe! See you at next interesting recipe.. till then..
Happy Cooking!! :)

Mathri l SNACKS

'Mathris' are very popular in North India. It is a kind of flaky biscuits from north-west region of India.Most of the families make it on one or the other festival. They are a big hit during 'Karwachauth', 'Hoi' and 'Diwali'. It is served with mango, chilli or lemon pickle along with tea.

My Mom always make mathri as shagun on these festivals. While making 'mathris' all on my own, i went back to my childhood days when I used to sit with my mother while she make it and try my best to help her out :) . And now my 2 year old daughter loves this snack so much that she asks for it daily without a miss. Also, everybody in my family want this snack during tea time as mathris compliment well with tea

So here comes the recipe of mathri 

  Ingredients:

Refined flour (Maida) - 1 Cup
Semolina\Rawa\Sooji - 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste
Ajwain -  1 tsp
Oil - 3 tsp + for frying


Method:

1.  Sieve together  maida, rawa, salt and ajwain to a dough making plate
2. Add oil to it and rub it with your hands till oil mixes well into it
3. Now  add water little by little and knead into a smooth but firm dough.
4. Take small ball size dough from it and roll it with rolling pin into desired shape
5. Prick with fork and deep fry it on low to medium flame. It takes more time so be patient otherwise these will get uncooked from inside

Enjoy it with mango pickle and tea..Yummmm!!

Notes:

1. Dough should be firmer than normal dough we make for 'chapaties' but softer than the dough we make for 'pooris'. It should not be soft
2. Do not cook mathris in hot oil, they do not get cooked from inside
3. Knead the mixture with ghee first. This makes mathris crispier