Eggless Almond Cardamom Cookies

I'm looking for a eggless cookie recipe which are simple to bake eggless and comparatively healthy and can be done with easily available ingredients .I found this recipe from Manjula’s Kitchen. I made few changes of my own. Instead of sliced almonds I used Almond meal/Flour. Along with almonds I added few cashew and Pistachios too! Roast ¼ cup almonds, few cashew and Pistachios in the oven Cool and then grind with a food processor till they are fine. I`m happy to say that this was a great success, Roasted nuts and cardamom  makes cookies most delicious crunchy and fragrant..

Eggless Almond Cardamom Cookies:

Adapted from: Manjula's Kitchen

Ingredients :

Whole wheat flour - 1 cup

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Almond meal - 1/4 cup( added few cashew and Pistachios)

Green cardamom - 1/2 tsp powdered

Butter - 1/2 cup (Room temperature)

Milk - 2 tbsp or as needed

Garnishing :

Pistachios - 2 tbsp   finely chopped

Almonds - 1 tbsp  finely chopped

Method:

   1. Pre heat the oven to 360 degree F.

   2. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, almond meal and cardamom powder well.

   3. Next add soft butter and milk to the flour mixture to make dough. Dough should be very soft.

   4. Divide the dough into about 24 equal parts and make them into balls.

   5. Press each ball between your palms lightly; every piece should be about 1/2” in thickness.

   6. Place the dough balls on an ungreased cookie sheet about inch a part, garnish with pistachio and  almonds.

   7. Bake the cookies for about 18 minutes or until cookies are lightly gold brown.

   8. After they become lightly golden brown remove the cookie sheet from the oven. Let the cookies cool down for two to three minutes before taking them off the cookie sheet.

  9.Store the cookies in the Airtight container and enjoy the goodness of the wholewheat with the aroma of the cardamom and crunchiness of the nuts.

Methi Matar Malai

Methi Matar malai, it is a tempting quick vegetable recipe with fresh and finely chopped Fenugreek/methi leaves, peas, cream, spice powders and green coriander leaves.

 

Ingredients:

Fenugreek /Methi leaves - 1 cup, chopped

Fresh green peas - 1 cup

Onion - 1 chopped

Oil - 2 tbsp

Jeera - ½ tsp

Tomatoes - 2 large

Low fat milk - 1 cup

Sugar - ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

Masala Paste:

Onion - 1

Green chillies - 4

Ginger - 1" piece

Garlic - 3 cloves

Cashew - 2 tbsp, chopped

Poppy seeds - 2 tsp

 Method:

1.       Wash the fenugreek leaves and add ½ tsp. of salt, wait for 15 minutes and then squeeze out the water. Put the tomato in hot water for 10 minutes, remove and blend into a puree.

2.       Soak cashew and poppy seeds in ¼ cup warm water and leave aside for 15 minutes. Blend these soaked ingredients with onion, green chillies, ginger, garlic to smooth paste.

3.       Heat 2 tbsp. oil, add cumin seeds and fry until they crackle, add the fenugreek and cook for 3-4 minutes. remove the fenugreek.leaves

4.       Heat another tbsp of oil in a kadai add chopped onions and fry till golden brown. Add the masala paste and fry well till the raw aroma disappears.

5.       Now add the pureed tomatoes, garam masala and fry. Add green peas, fried methi leaves, milk, sugar, salt and ¼ cup water. Cook covered till thick and saucy.

6.       Transfer Methi-Matar Malai to serving dish and drizzle little cream on top if desired and serve hot with any Indian bread or flavored Rice and enjoy.

Home Made Ice Cream

Home Made Ice-cream

You get a variety of flavors in the store but home-made ice-cream has its own yummy taste .Homemade ice cream is great for parties, gifts to friends, or just as a tasty desert for everyone.. This is because commercial ice cream uses lots of artificial ingredients and preservatives, while homemade ice cream only uses fresh ingredients. Homemade ice-cream is very easy to make and only requires 5 or 6 ingredients. It might be that much easy to prepare at home.

I always prepare ice creams at home. Yesterday I prepared vanilla ice-cream . The matching up of ingredients to create this flavor was very spontaneous, added with the smooth sweetness of the rose sorbets and chocolate ganache ..Each spoon brought a smile on my children face, and  I believe that is one of the best feelings :).

 

Ingredients:

Vanilla Ice cream:

3 -cups(720ml) Milk

8-Tbsp Sugar

1 Tbsp -custard Powder

1/2 Tbsp- corn flour

11/2 Tbsp- G.M.S powder(Glycerol Mono Sterate)

1 Tsp-Stabilizer-C.M.C Powder(carboxymethylcellulose )

200g- Fresh Cream

Method:

1. Keep the Milk boiling.

2.Continue to simmer on high heat, stirring continuously till reduced to 2 cups.

3.Sieve corn flour and custard powder together

4.Add it to 1 cup warm milk and mix to a smooth paste.

5.Bring the remaining one cup milk to a boil.

6. Add sugar

7. Mix the 2 chemicals CMC and GMS with little milk in a cup.

8. Pour this into the boiling milk mixture.

9. Stir well and cook till thick, stirring constantly.

10. Remove Milk from heat.

11. Cool this mix and pour into an ice cream box. Increase temperature of freezer. Freeze the mix.

12.Once it becomes hard. Take it out and leave it outside for few minutes so that it can come out easily

13. Break it and churn a bit. Blend into a paste in a mixer

14. Add cold fresh cream into the paste and churn well. (Should not be watery, only pasty!)

15. Now add vanilla essence. Also mix few drops of food coloring.

16. Keep it in refrigerator in a closed container

17.After 1-2 hrs check if ice cream has crystals. If so, churn it again and beat it with an eggbeater or mixer for 1 minute.

18.Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and put in the freezer and increase the temperature till set.

The same procedure can be followed to make all other flavors of ice-cream as well. You can make it with banana/mango/ any fruit of your choice. Just reduce the amount of sugar depending on the sweetness of the fruit used.

Points to remember:

* The refrigerator must be defrosted before putting in the ice-cream mixture.

* Cool the milk at room temperature

* Always turn the control in the refrigerator to the highest point, 1 hour before

* Ice-cream box should touch the base of ice compartment

* If corn-flour is more, ice-cream will be sticky.

* If CM C is more, ice crystals will be formed in the ice-cream

* Do not add too much sugar to the ice-cream mixture. The ice-cream will not set well

* Lightness in an ice-cream is achieved with air which passes into it, as such the beating must be done toughly.

* When ice-cream is semi set,it should be beaten well so that it is light ,smooth and fluffy. Then add lightly beaten cream and return it to the freezer.

Enjoy! 

I am Sending this recipe to "Celebrate Sweets - Ice Cream" event at Rasoi

Gobi Musallam and Butter Naan

Gobi Musallam

Mughlai cuisine is a South Asian cuisine, influenced by the imperial kitchens of the Mughal Empire. The cuisine is strongly influenced by Persian as well as Turkic cuisines of Central Asia. Mughals did everything in style and splendor. It represents the cooking style used in Delhi and Punjab. Mughlai cuisine vary from extremely mild to spicy, and is often associated with a famous for the exotic use of spices, dried fruit and nuts  and milk combine to create rich, in fat, carbohydrates and proteins..One of such recipe is Gobi Musallam.

Musallam meaning “whole” .Whole Cauliflower (Gobi) marinated and cooked with a spicy gravy in a typical Mughlai style and a rich creamy dish that is said to a jewel of the Awadh Cuisine.  Gobi Musallam is a delight for the saviours of Indian vegetarian recipes. The Gobi mussallam are easy to prepare and quite eye appealing; delicious and healthy side dish with rice or chapati/puri, you can have them with a gobhi musallam for a meal.So let’s get started with how to make Gobi Musallam.

Ingredients for "Gobi Musallam"

small sized Cauliflowers(whole)- 2

Water-6 cups

Turmeric-1tsp

Red Chilli powder-1 tsp

Green Chillies-2

Ginger, finely chopped-1 tbsp

Garlic, finely chopped-1tbsp

Cumin Seeds-1 tsp

Coriander Seeds-2tsp

Cinnamon, broken-1" piece

Green Cardamoms-4

Cashew nuts -10to 12

Onions, finely sliced-2

Milk-4tbsp

Tomato puree-1 cup

Water-1 cup

Oil- 4 to 5 tbsp

Salt to taste

Fresh Cream

Almonds& Raisins few for Garnishing.

Finely chopped, Coriander Leaves for garnishing

Method of cooking "Gobi Musallam"

1.In a pan roast together cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon, cardamoms and cashewnuts till they are aromatic.

2.Fry the sliced onions on medium level till brown.Allow to cool.

3.Grind together browned onions, roasted spices, green chillies and chopped ginger-garlic with a little water.

4.In a pan bring to boil the water along with some salt.Place the cleaned cauliflowers in hot water for about 10 minutes.Remove from water, wash well and wipe dry.

5.Heat half the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan till hot.Add the cauliflowers.

6.Cover and cook while stirring occasionally on medium level till the cauliflowers are browned lightly and cooked.Remove fried cauliflowers from the pan and keep aside.

7.Add the remaining oil, heat it till hot and fry the paste on medium level till the oil separates.

8.Add the turmeric powder, hot spice mix, red chili powder and fry for a few seconds.

9.Add the tomato puree, water and sprinkle salt to taste and Mix well.

10.Reduce the flame and add the milk slowly whilst stirring to get a thick gravy.

11.Stuff a little of this gravy in between the cauliflower florets and stems.

12.Add some water to the remaining gravy to get a desired consistency.Pour the gravy into a bowl.

13.Now place the stuffed cauliflowers in the same pan and pour the gravy over it evenly.

14.Cover tightly and keep on low flame for about 5 minutes or till it is heated through fully.

15.Alternatively arrange the cauliflowers topped with gravy on a serving plate and heat through in a preheated oven. 

16.Add some, almonds and raisins Garnish with fresh cream and finely chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with pulav ,Naan ,Roti or with plain Rice..

Butter Naan:(Without Yeast)

Naan is a round flat bread made of maida and cooked in a Tan door or clay oven. You can make naan using pressure cooker or oven or grill or stove top...
Thanks to Raks  of Rak's Kitchen for this recipe Naan (without yeast).

Ingredients:

All purpose flour/maida-2 cups

Warm milk-1/2 cup

Curd /yogurt-1/2 cup

Salt-1tsp

sugar-1/2tsp

Baking pwd-3/4 tsp

Baking soda-3/4 tsp

Butter-4to5 tsp

Method:

1 Sieve flour, baking pwd, baking soda and salt two times. Place the sieved flour on a wide plate.

2.Make a well in the center of the flour and pour sugar, milk, yogurt and slowly combine, to form a soft dough. Cover with damp cloth and let it rest for 2 hrs.

3. After two hrs, knead the dough gently for 2 mts. Dust the working surface with some flour, pinch a large lemon sized dough and roll into a thick roti, slightly elongated in shape. 

4. Wet your fingers with water and run your fingers along one side of the roti.

5 Heat a iron tawa and once its hot, place the naan, wet side down and place a lid and cook for 40-45 secs on high flame. Remove the lid and you will find that the naan bubbles up. 

6.Now cook the other side of the naan over direct heat of the burner using tongs, spreading the naan all over the heat such that brown spots appear. Do this for a few secs only and not too close to the flame.

7. Drizzle some butter over the naan and serve hot with any curry of your choice.

Enjoy!