So, while I was busy feeding my kids lunch this afternoon which consisted of Jeera Rice and Tadka Dal, I got a message from my best friend asking if I had a chance to see President Obama’s episode on Zach Galifianakis Between Two Ferns. Well, of course I had no seen it but by late afternoon I knew I had to watch it because of all the buzz surrounding it on the internet. Turns out in a bid to encourage young people to sign up for health insurance, President Barack Obama stopped by Zach Galifianakis’ Between Two Ferns comedy show and the brief episode appeared on Funny or Die’s website early this Tuesday morning.
Must commend Scott Aukerman on his persuasiveness and talent on how he and his team got Obama to laugh at himself and charm the audience and promote Affordable Care Act. The viral video has already racked up more than 6 million views in less than one day on the Funny or Die website. Aukerman and Galifianakis had been chasing down Obama as a Fernsguest for years, hoping he would follow in the footsteps of Bradley Cooper, Justin Bieber, Natalie Portman, and Michael Cera, among others, who have all appeared on the show.
Many people are being judgemental and say that Obama should be spending his time on more important affairs and Aukerman’s response is simple: “People who get it are the kids he’s trying to reach.” While Obama’s ability to think outside the box is impressive and I am not against Affordable Care Act. What baffles me is the fact that why not lay emphasis on the heart of the problem and encourage people especially youth to pay attention to what they eat rather than going after fad diets or opting for certain health care plan. If we all ate right and took part in some form of rigorous physical activity, their would be less burden on our health care systems.
Here are 6 healthy recipes for my kitchen which are not only nutritious but also easy enough that teenagers can make it for themselves.
Super easy, healthy and yummy Beet Salad recipe with homemade dressing. This is really nutritious, low calorie, low fat, raw salad.
Ingredients:
2 cups Beets (peeled and julienned or cut in long strands)
2 cups carrots
2 cups Cabbage
3 tbsp Toasted Almonds (Really Make the difference in taste in this salad)
1 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Avocado Oil (or Olive oil/grapeseed oil)
1.5 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tsp Salt and Pepper
Prepare the dressing and add it to veggies. Season, chill in the fridge for 20 mins and serve. It can be a great side dish or hearty salad in itself.
Quick, Easy, Nutritious, Low Fat, High Fiber Tabbouleh Salad is made with Bulgur Wheat ( Cracked wheat, also known as Dalia in India. ) This tasty salad can be adjusted to suit one’s taste. Here’s what’s tricky..Bulgur and Dalia are both Cracked Wheat but Bulgur might be partially or fully cooked i.e. the difference is that it is soaked and steamed/ cooked before cracking, hence its finer and more refined.
Ingredients and Method:
1 cup Bulgur Wheat (Cooked)
2 cups water ( To cook Bulgur)
1 Large Tomato
1 cup boiled chickpeas
3/4 cup green onions
3/4 cup cucumber
3/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup Red Pepper
1 tsp Salt (adjust per taste)
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
2 cloves of garlic minced
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1. Cook Bulgur wheat in boiling water (Ratio of what to water- 1:2)
2. Prepare dressing by mixing lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper
3. Combine all the salad ingredients, pour the dressing over. Mix well and chill for 15 mins before serving.
– This healthy lunch salad can be paired with fish, chicken (or meat of your choice) for a complete dinner. You can also fill it in wraps for lunch on the go.
4. Simple Lentils Dish : Lentils are really healthy and quite easy to prepare if you have pressure cooker or slow cooker. In this recipe I use urad daal wash to make this sookhi dal recipe, also referred sometimes as Punjabi Daal dry, Amritsari sookhi dahl etc. You will need Lentils (Urad Dal Wash), Onions, Tomatoes, Cilantro, ginger, Garlic, Carrots and basic Indian spices. This is really nutritious, full of protein, high fibre recipe.
Learn how to make super healthy, quick and easy Quinoa Pilaf by using following ingredients and cooking everything together in one pot.
Ingredients:
-1 cup cooked Quinoa
(Quinoa can be cooked by adding it in 1.5 cup of boiling water)
-Vegetables of your choice
-2-3 tbsp of Oil for cooking
-1 tsp cumin seeds
-3-4 cloves of Garlic
-1 green chiili
-Salt Per taste
-1 tbsp Lemon juice
-1 tsp Garam Masala (Recipe For Garam Masala)
-1 tsp Turmeric
Complete meal in itself, this flavorful Quinoa pilaf will become your favourite in no time. It’s great for lunch as well as a quick snack.
1/2 cup boiled black beans
1/2 cup fried onions and corn
1/2 cup Lettuce
1/2 cup Red Pepper
1/2 cup tomatoes
1 tsp Jalapeno Peppers
3-4 stalks of cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp Red chilli flakes (optional)
1 tsp Lemon juice or 1 tbsp ranch
3-4 Tortilla wraps
Method: Mix all the vegetables and beans. Season them well and add in the dressing. Fill them up in Tortilla Wraps or Homemade Roti and enjoy!
Having friends over to celebrate Holi and wondering what to prepare..Well, worry not..I am here to your rescue. Check out some appetizers from my Indian Kitchen to make your Holi 2014 party a great success.
I remember craving these Pyaz/Pyajj Ke Pakore after playing with water balloons during Holi morning. These onion pakoras (Onion fritters) are quick, easy and quite flavorful and here’s how you can make them:
Ingredients and Method:
3/4 cup Besan (chickpea flour)
1 tbsp Rice Flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red chilli pwd
1 tsp Amchur (Dry Mango Powder)
1/4 tsp Carom Seeds (Ajwain)
1/2 cup water (to make Batter)
Oil to fry the Bhajiyas
1/2 large onion chopped or 1 small onion
Method:
1. Chop up the onion in thin slices and cut in half. Set aside.
2. Mix all the ingredients to form a smooth batter. Add in the onions.
3. Heat Oil in Kadhai and add small portion of onions clad in batter in the oil.
4. Fry until golden brown. Place bhajis (Pakoras) on paper towel to drain the excess oil.
5. Serve with Chutney of your choice.
I like to enjoy Namak Pare/Matri with my cup of chai not just during Holi but throughout the year. Ofcourse, these are fried so you can only eat so much. Namak Paare (also called Matri, Matar, Katar, Nimki, Shankarpali Namakpara in different regions of India) can be easily made at home with few ingredients. This is a salty Indian snack and goes well with Tea/Coffee, perfect to serve at parties and for late night snacking.
Ingredients:
All Purpose Flour
Salt
Ajwain Seeds/ Carom Seeds
Oil for deep frying
The process for making namakpare is very simple.
1. You need to make stiff dough by combining flour, salt, carom seeds, 2 tbsp oil and water.
2. Let the dough stand for 10 mins.
3. Roll out the dough.
4. Cut in desired shape and deep fry
5. Serve warm and you can store this Indian snack in an airtight container for days.
A few days ago I had store bought Bhakarwadi’s at a friend’s house and it reminded me how much I miss my favourite aunt’s homemade Bhakarwadi’s. She specially made them during the spring season when we all cousins got together to play Holi. Give them a try this Holi.
Ingredients
For The Dough
1 Cup Chickpea flour (Besan)
1 Cup All Purpose flour (Maida)
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Turmeric (Haldi)
1/2 Tsp Ajwain Seeds (Carom Seeds)
Oh the joy of eating fresh Aloo Bonda’s (Spiced Potato Balls) from street stalls. Unhealthy but so yum. Prepare them at home for your Holi party to spice things up.
Ingredients: (Makes 30-40 balls)
4-5 medium size potatoes
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger-garlic
3 stalks of cilantro leaves (coriander leaves) chopped
1 small green chilli (optional- can make bonda’s extremely spicy)
2 tsp Mango Powder (Amchur)
1/2 tsp Red chilli pwd
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp black pepper pwd
For Batter
1 cup Chickpea flour (Besan)
1/2 cup Rice Flour
Pinch of garam masala and mango pwd
Oil for deep frying
1. Boil, peel and mash potatoes
2. Add all the spices and mix everything thoroughly and make small golf size balls.
3. Prepare the batter by gradually adding water. Batter shouldn’t be too thick or runny.
4. Dip the potato balls in the batter and deep fry until golden brown (should only be 3-4 mins). You can fry several balls at a time.
5. Serve with your favourite sauce and enjoy!
If you are thinking why oh why so many Indian snacks are deep fried then give yourself a little break and enjoy these tasty veg cutlets which are made using variety of vegetables and are pan-fried so that you can indulge guilt free.
Though not so traditional these baked Spinach and Cheese Bites can be a showstopper at your next party. These perfect little bites are great finger food.
For pastry/shell:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp ajwain
1/4 tsp baking pwd
3 tbsp veg. oil
1/4 cup water
For stuffing:
1 bunch chopped spinach
1 onion
3-4 garlic cloves
Salt and spices of your choice
(we used garam masala, red chilli pwd and mango pwd)
Optional: peas
1/2 cup grated cheese (Mozzarella)
Oil for cooking
1. Add 2 tbsp oil in wok and fry onions and garlic.
2. Add spinach and cook.
3. Add spices and mix well.
4. Let cool down and then add grated cheese.
5. Prepare dough by mixing all pastry ingredients.
6. Let dough stand for 30 mins.
7. Roll out the dough. Flatten it out with rolling pin. Cut in small pieces.
8. Fill with the stuffing.
9. Bake at 400 F for 10-12 mins.
10. Serve with your fav chutney.
With more and more Indian people trying fusion foods, these Tofu bites will charm your guests as well. Simply prepare this flavorful Tofu dish by marinating it in some aromatic Indian spices and then baking it in the oven or grilling them on a skillet. This Tandoori Tofu Recipe is great for potlucks or your next get together. We have used Green Bell peppers with Tofu but you can also use other vegetables of your choice like Mushrooms, Onions, Tomatoes etc.
I am sure you have tried Paneer Pakora at some point in your life. So, you know I am right when I say you can never go wrong with Paneer Pakodas at any party.
One of the most popular and traditional Indian snacks is Samosas and their is so much you can do witht hem. You can fill them up with variety of different filling. Bake them, fry them, make them veg or non-veg, big or small..all in all you can satisfy bunch of hungry people with some tasty Samosaswhich can be prepared at home or can even by store- bought. Here are two great Samosa recipes for you to try:
I hope that you’ll try some of these recipes for your next get together with friends and family. Wishing you all a very Happy Holi 2014 from all of us here at Eat East Indian.
Nest time you want to have Gourmet Indian vegetarian curry, try this Malai Kofta recipe which is rich, creamy dish fit for special dinner. It includes silky smooth curry made out of tomatoes and delicious dumplings made with potatoes, dry fruit and paneer (Indian cottage cheese.) Best served with Naan, Parantha or Rice.
Ingredients: (Serves 4-6)
400 gms paneer
4 boiled mashed potatoes
1 tbsp skim milk powder
1/2 tsp red chilli pwd
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Garam Masala
2 tbsp chickpea flour/besan
2 tbsp rice flour
Dry fruit like Cashews, almonds, raisins
Oil for deep frying
For Sauce/Curry/Gravy
2 chopped onions
4 pieces of garlic cloves
2 inch piece of ginger
3 fresh Tomatoes
2 green cardamom
1 tsp coriander and cumin seeds
2 tbsp Ghee
2 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chill pwd
1 cup water
250 ml Half and Half cream
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
Garnish with cilantro leaves
Method:
Make small golf size balls with potatoes, paneer, chickpea and rice flour along with spices. Deep fry balls in hot oil. Cook until all sides are golden brown.
For Curry, in 2 tbsp ghee add green cardamom seeds (discard the peel), cumin and coriander seeds. Fry for 2 mins. Add onions, ginger and garlic. Saute for 45 secs. Add spices and fry for 2 more mins. Add tomatoes and cook for 5 mins so that Tomatoes are tender. Transfer everything in your blender. Add water and make smooth sauce. Transfer back into the pan. Add cream, garam masala, fenugreek leaves. Simmer for 2 mins and your gravy is ready.
Let’s welcome Holi 2014 with open hearts and festive mood. Like many other festivals of India ‘Holi-The Festival of colours’ too celebrates the triumph of Good over Evil. It is celebrated on the poornima (Full moon)of hindu month of Falgun/Phalgun. It is a two days festival. On the eve of purnima a bonfire is lit known as Holika dahan, the burning of holika which symbolises the burnig of evil to get rid of negativity.
The mythological tale about this is as follows: Pharlad/Prahlad the son of King Harnakshyap was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. He was not like other children of his age but kept on praying day and night. King didn’t like this as he was an atheist and considered himself all powerful. His sister Holika had the power to remain unburnt even in fire. To teach a lesson to his son, king asked his sister to sit on a pyre holding Prahlad in her lap but with the grace of God the powers of Holika were transferred to Prahlad, so he remained unscathed and Holika was burnt to ashes . So every year people burn Holika the symbol of evil.
Next day in the morning people throw and sprinkle colour on one another and feast on certain delicacies associated with this festival like Ghujia, Ghevar, Pakoras, Variety of Indian sweets etc. This festival is celebrated with Great enthusiasm in Rajasthan and uttar pradesh. Celebrations vary from region to region. In Vrindavan the place of Lord Krishna these celebrations go on for a week. At religious places flower petals are used instead of colours. In several regions auspicious activities are avoided for eight days prior to Holi as these are considered unauspicious. Children like the fun and party part of the festival so they eagerly wait for this Hindu festival. People love visiting their friends and relatives in groups and drink bhaang . This is a festival of brotherhood so people use it as a platform to sink their differences and become friends again.
So, you have decided to bake some cookies this Valentine’s day. I say it’s a wonderful idea and here are few of my favourite recipes to get you started. These cookies are simple to prepare, super tasty and you can impress your Valentine with these or simply pamper yourself and enjoy them because you deserve it.
Could Valentine’s Day Baking get simple than this? He loves Cookies and you love chocolates 🙂 (Well, who doesn’t ?) These cookies will make both of you happy.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
3 tbsp cocoa
– Mix all the ingredients together and chill the dough for 15 mins in fridge. Roll it in the log for chilling. Makes it so much easier to cut the cookies and then simply bake them at 300 F for 30 mins. Voila..delicious cookies are ready. Serve them in the morning with a glass of milk to your valentine to sweeten their day or with coffee late at night as a dessert.
2. Cream Cheese Cookies
These cookies are perfect for bake share, holiday gift giving or sharing with friends during festivities. You can prepare the dough in advance and bake the cookies fresh. This Dough can freeze well as well can last in the fridge for upto 3 weeks.
You can decorate these cookies as you like, cut them in festive shapes or make jam thumbprint cookies out of them.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted melted butter
1/3 cup cream cheese (Room temp)
1 Large Egg ( Room Temp)
1.5 cup sugar
1.5 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
Method:
Mix together butter and cream cheese and beat until fluffy. Add in baking powder, sugar, eggs and vanilla and mix well. Once they are combined, add all purpose flour. Chill the dough for 30 mins. Roll out into small golf size balls and press down with measuring cup to have round cookies.
Preheat oven to 375 F and bake for 8-10 mins. Let stand for 2 mins on wire rack before serving.
Perfect for the little hands, why not make these for the newest love of your life. Not only great for sharing, these are kids favourite, nice treat for lunch boxes or after busy day at the park. This cookie dough can be refrigerated for upto 3 weeks easily or freeze it for upto 3 months.
Ingredients:
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter, Melted
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside.
2. In medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and baking soda together. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, mix 2 sugars and butter and mix together. Add in the egg and vanilla and beat together. Stir- in chocolate chips
4. Slowly mix in the flour, until combined. Your Cookie Dough is ready.
5. Roll dough into tiny balls and place on baking sheet and slightly flatten with the palm of your hand or back of the measuring cup. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cookies are golden brown and set. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.
Great for sharing- although I won’t blame you if you end up eating all of these yourself. I use a simple cream cheese cookie dough to make these cookies but you can use other cookie dough recipes as well.
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup melted unsalted butter
1/3 cup cream cheese
1/2 tsp baking powder
1.5 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1.5 cup all purpose flour
1 large egg
2-3 tbsp your favourite Jam
Method: Mix butter and cream cheese. Add baking Powder, egg, sugar and vanilla. Whisk together and then add flour. Combine to make the dough. Once the dough is ready, chill it for 30 mins. Roll out some dough balls. Press them with back of measuring cup to have round cookies. Make identation in the middle with your thumb. Add a bit of jam in the centre and bake at 375 F for 8-10 mins.
Cool and then pack in the boxes to give out as gifts or enjoy them with a cup of Chai Tea.
I know their are plenty of chocolate chip cookies out there and sometimes it can seem like a daunting task to choose the right recipe. Trust me, I’ve tried a dozen and several of them were good. However, these are best ever chocolate chip cookies. Now my palate might differ from yours but I will let you decide that for yourself after you give these cookies a shot.
These cookies require: Flour, sugar, butter, oats, chocolate chips, baking pwd, baking soda, egg and vanilla essence
Most of us associate Valentine’s Day with flowers and chocolates. If you are lucky then perhaps a romantic dinner at an expensive restaurant. However, nothing impresses your loved one more than going above and beyond and preparing something decadent in your own kitchen. Ok, let’s forget that part about going above and beyond, how about making a dessert that is simple yet awesome enough that , that special someone is left with no choice but to say ‘I Love you.’ 🙂 Let’s not get crazy here, I am sharing with 14 simple Indian desserts that you can make and share with your loved ones this Valentine’s Day.
I love to prepare this delicious Indian sweet called Kalakand or Indian Milk cake for my brother as it is his favourite. Instead of Saffron, you can use artificial red food coloring to give it a nice red touch for Valentine’s Day.
Ingredients:
1/2 tsp Saffron (to be dissolved in 2 tbsp milk)
2 tbsp chopped dry fruit of your choice like Almonds, Pistachios, Cashews etc
1 Lt. Full cream Milk (homo Milk- 3.25 %)
2 tbsp Vinegar
150 Ml Condensed Milk (about 1/2 cup)
2 tbsp butter or ghee
1 tsp Elaichi/Cardamom Powder
and patience
1. Dissolve Saffron in 2 tbsp milk
2. Grind or make coarse powder out of Cardamom seeds. You can skip this step by using Elaichi Powder. I prefer to make mine fresh as Elaichi powder can loose its aroma quickly.
3. Make Paneer (Indian style Cottage Cheese/Ricotta). For this pour 1 Lt. milk in heavy bottom pot/pan and bring it to boil. As it starts boiling, add 2 tbsp vinegar so that it can start curdling up. Separate paneer from whey. Whey is nutritious. Keep it for making soups, curries, to use as vegetable stock, to knead dough for paratha or roti.
4. Transfer paneer in a pan. Add butter/ghee and cook for 7-8 mins. Then add condensed milk and cardamom powder. Cook further for 15 mins until everything comes together and milk is almost dries up.
5. Transfer onto a plate/pan, let it cool down and put in thr fridge so that it can set. For quick cooling, put it in the freezer section. after about 2-3 hours, cut in desired shapes and serve.
This dessert/Indian milk cake is so tasty. It’s gooey, soft, melt in your taste quality.
Gulabjamun’s are round brown Indian style doughnuts. No one who ever had Gulabjamun’s ever said he didn’t like them. Here is a simple Gulabjamun recipe for you to try this Valentine’s Day
Ingredients:
2 cups Sugar
2 cups water
(Above 2 ingredients to make sugar syrup)
Syrup can be flavored with green cardamom or rose water.
Oil for deep frying
200 ml whipped cream
1 cup all purpose flour ( maida)
1.5 cup dry milk powder
1 tsp baking powder
1. Add sugar and water in a pot. Bring to a boil to make syrup. Set Aside.
2. Mix all purpose flour, whipping cream, baking powder and dry milk powder to make smooth dough.
3. Form golf size balls out of the dough and then deep fry them until golden brown.
(Remember, keep the size slightly small because they are going to swell as they cook.)
4. Dip them in the sugar syrup and let stand for 7-8 mins.
(You can make these in advance for your next party too.)
5. Serve warm.
A very simple coconut burfi recipe made from only a few ingredients: condensed milk, coconut, and cardamom powder. This is a really yummy and quick dessert to satisfy your sweet cravings after a good Indian meal. One of my favorite Indian Mithai.
Heat a pan and add tbsp of butter. Let it melt.
Add 14 oz can of condensed milk and 14 oz pack of sweet coconut flakes. Combine the ingredients in the pan. add cardamom powder and let everything cook for 5-6 mins.
Add dry fruit and then transfer on to a pan greased with butter/ghee. Spread evenly and cut in equal portions. Place in the fridge and let it set for about 2 hours.
Serve when completely set to your friends and family.
This Punjabi Dessert is very much like rice pudding but unique in its own way. Simple to prepare, it will leave your special someone wanting some more. This dessert is made with rice and milk.
So you have made carrot halwa and coconut burfi several times before and all in the family simple love it. Well, how about impressing them with these melt in your mouth Coconut Carrot Ladoos.
Perfect for entertaining during the festival or holiday season. These melt in your mouth Indian sweets can stay good in the fridge for upto 2 weeks. They can be enjoyed warm, cold or room temp so get in the kitchen and try this recipe for this Diwali.
Wishing all our friends and viewers a very happy and prosperous Diwali.
Ingredients:
3 cups of carrots
300 ml of condensed milk
2/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
2 tbsp of ghee/butter
Method:
1. In a pan, add ghee or butter. Once hot add shredded carrots.
2. Thoroughly coat them with butter and roast for 7-8 mins (or until the raw flavor of carrots is out, they’lll start emitting nice aroma).
3. Add cardamom powder and coconut flakes. Roast for another 5 mins. We used dry unsweetened shredded coconut. Fresh coconut can also be used but it will just take longer to cook.
4. Add condensed milk. Bring to boil and then simmer until mixture starts thickening up and leaving sides of the pan. Turn off the heat. Let mixture cool down and transfer to a plate. Place it in the fridge for 4 hrs.
5. Roll out ladoos and serve at room temp.
This delicious Indian Dessert or popular Indian sweet called Khoya Burfi or Mawa Burfi (Mawa Bites) can be shaped into hearts and served for Valentine’s day. You can also serve it at your next party or make it during the festival season. All you need for this Indian recipe is Khoya, condensed milk, ghee, sugar, saffron, elaichi powder( cardamom powder) and some dry fruit. This can easily last in the fridge for upto 2 weeks. Try this decadent Indian dessert today.
Indian Rice pudding (one of the most popular Indian desserts) is made using milk, rice, sugar, saffron and green cardamom. It is often served during weddings and religious ceremonies.
Let’s be brutally honest and say you suck at making desserts. Am I being too blunt? Well, I am only trying to help here. Try this quick Indian style bread pudding which is a no-brainer. For this recipe, you will only need: Bread slices, butter, milk, sugar, saffron and green cardamom.
You don’t need hot summer days to enjoy this flavourful Indian icecream. If your loved ones love icecream then treat them to this wonderful Kulfi. You don’t even need icecream maker for this beauty.
Ingredients (Serves 4-6)
1 Can of Evaporated Milk
1 Can of Condensed Milk
1 Slice of Bread
8-10 Saffron Strands
1/2 tsp Cardamom Powder
2 tbsp blanched and sliced Almonds
1- 2 tbsp slivered almonds for garnish
Method:
1. Remove the crust from the bread and crumble it up. Put it in a bowl and add can of evaporated milk.
2. Let the bread soften up. Add Saffron strands and almonds.
3. Add Condensed milk can and cardamom powder.
4. Blend everything together and pour it in popsicle moulds, plastic cups or a container.
5. Let freeze overnight or atleast 4-6 hrs. Once frozen, take out from the freezer, remove from the mould and serve the way you desire.
Even if you are not a baker, these cookies are really simple to prepare. You can wake up your special someone with a cup of Chai tea and handful of these cookies and they will look forward to come back home and join you for dinner. You can even prepare these for your kids for their school lunch box.
Want to do something fancy for your special someone this year. You got to try these cream cheese truffles. These might look fancy but they are super easy to make. One bite of these and trust me your loved ones will fall in love with you all over again.
This is a no fuss, no bake, easy dessert, perfect to make for your next holiday party or to give as a gift to teachers, neighbors or hard to please friends. It is rich, decadent and a definite crowd pleaser. You can make assorted varieties of these truffles by using different coatings. This showstopper dessert is a must try this Valentine’s day.
Ingredients:
8 oz Cream Cheese Softened
5 oz Semi-sweet chocolate
3-4 cups Confectioner’s sugar
Method:
1. Melt Chocolate in a bowl in microwave or over saucepan.
2. Beat cream cheese and add in sugar and mix together. Add melted chocolate and beat together.
3. Let chill for 45 mins to an hour. When firm, take small round golf size ball quantity and coat in coconut flakes, peanuts, cocoa etc.
4. Place in small muffin/baking cups for serving.
This make ahead easy dessert can last in the fridge easily for upto 2 weeks.
Learn how to prepare mini pecan pies flavoured with Maple by watching this recipe video and take them to your next family gathering or make them for yourself , indulge and feel loved. My Indo-Canadian family absolutely loves these mini pecan pies (Maple Pecan Tarts). It is one of the best desserts out there. It’s simple, quick and easy – just perfect little bite after your Valentine’s day dinner.
Ingredients:
12 mini Pie Shells/ Tart shells
(To save time, I used store bought but you are welcome to prepare your own)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar (If your tart shells are sweet, you can decrease the quantity of sugar)
3 tbsp Maple Syrup
1/2 cup melted butter
2 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
Method: Preheat oven to 400 F and line the muffin pan with pie shells (along with the tin). Pour chopped pecans evenly among the pie shells. Prepare the filling by whisking together all the other ingredients and cook for 15-18 mins. The edges will turn golden brown and filling will turn dark brown. Take out from the oven and let it cool before serving.
You can easily prepare this restaurant quality dessert in the comfort of your own kitchen using these simple ingredients.
2 cups Blanched Almonds
1.5- 2 cups Milk
3-4 Tbsp Ghee
1/4 to 1/2 Tsp Saffron
1/2 Tsp Cardamom Pwd
4 Tbsp Sugar (You can add more or less per your preference too)
This is comparatively a healthy dessert option and light as well. If you thought Zucchini was good only for salty dishes or Zucchini Bread then think again.
Ingredients:
2 cups grated Zucchini
1/4 tsp Cardamom powder
1/2 cup sugar (adjust per taste)
1/2 cup homo milk (full cream)
(Can be susbtituted with Evaporated milk. To make the dessert more rich, use condensed milk and you can skip adding milk and sugar)
Few strands of Saffron
2 tbsp Butter (Or Desi Ghee)
1/3 cup Dry fruit of your choice for garnish (Raisins, Almonds, Cashews etc)
Method:
1. Heat Butter in a pan (or wok)
2. Add Zucchini and cook for 10 mins (until raw smell is gone, Zucchini becomes tender and looses moisture)
3. Add Milk, Saffron and Sugar and cook until milk dries up or is soaked in by Zucchini.
4. Mix in Cardamom Powder and dry fruit of your choice and Serve.
Best Served Warm.
Pakoras are delicious Indian snacks. They are basically deep fried fritters enjoyed by young and old alike. I remember when I was little and we had company over, my mom would disappear in her kitchen and quickly produce lip smacking and aromatic Pakoras which would then be enjoyed by our guests with a cup of Chai (Indian Tea).
Here are some amazing Pakora recipes that you can prepare in your kitchen and impress your guests.
1. Mix Veg Pakoras: In this version of Pakoras, various vegetables are cut into small chunks, dipped in Pakora batter which is made out of chickpea flour (Besan), seasoned well and then deep fried. Each bite turns out to be unique because you’re trying to figure out whether you bit into cauliflower or spinach. Was that potato or eggplant? I often make these for my office potlucks and needless to say they disappear quickly.
2. Aloo Pakoras: Potatoes is perhaps one of the most common vegetables in the world and almost always present in our pantries. Here’s how you can transform this humble vegetable into something elegant and presentation worthy. Indian snack Aaloo ke Pakore (Pakoda) is a potato fritter made by dipping potatoes in a batter made out of chickpeas and various Indian spices (like Carom seeds (ajwain), salt, Red chilli pwd, Dried Mango Powder (amchur), Black Pepper Pwd (Kali Mirch) and Garam Masala) and then frying them in the oil.
300 gms Fish Fillets
(We used Wild Pollock)
1/2 tsp black pepper pwd
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp red chilli pwd
1 tsp Turmeric
For the batter
3 tbsp chickpea flour
1 tbsp ginger/garlic paste
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp carom seeds/ajwain
1 tsp salt (add per taste)
1 tsp red chilli pwd
1/2 tsp garam masala
Oil for cooking. We pan-fried but you can choose to deep fry too.
Method: Marinade the fish for 20 mins and then prepare the batter. Add the fish in it. Let it stand in it and then pan-fry until cooked (usually 5-6 mins) Serve with chutney of your choice.
4. Pan-fried Zucchini Fritters : Afraid of deep fried stuff? Well these pan-fried Zucchini fritters might do the trick for you. Simple yet delicious Indian way to prepare Zucchini fritters is bound to impress healthy conscious individuals.
Ingredients:
1 Large Zucchini
1 cup Chickpea flour (besan)
Salt ( per taste)
1 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Red chilli pwd
1 tsp Mango Pwd
1 tsp Black Pepper Pwd (Kali Mirch)
1 tsp Carom Seeds (Ajwain)
1/2 cup water
3-4 Tbsp Oil
Mix all the spices together along with chickpea flour and Zucchini pieces. Add water to make thick batter and pan-fry till golden brown. Serve with your favourite chutney.
Note: Feel free to adjust the spices to your taste level.
These can be a wonderful appetizer for your next party. You can pair them with rice, noodles or put them inside a roti or parantha for a lovely wrap as well.
Ingredients:
1/2 kg boneless chicken pieces
1/2 cup onions (Optional but add a great bite to your pakoras)
1 tsp salt (or as per taste)
1/2 tsp red chilli pwd
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp Ajwain (Carom seeds)
1/2 tsp chaat masala
1 tsp soya sauce
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
2 tbsp rice flour
4 tbsp besan (chickpea flour)
1/2 cup water
Oil for frying
Method:
1. Marinade chicken along with spices and onions for 20 mins.
2. Next add chickpea flour and rice flour. Mix well by adding water as required.
3. Fry in hot oil for 3-4 mins until golden brown on all sides and cooked from inside.
4. Take them out and put them on brown paper/ paper towel to soak out excess oil.
5. Sprinkle some chaat masala on top and serve with your favourite chutney.
Enjoy!
6. Gobi Pakoras: Cauliflower lovers couldn’t be more happier. Transform ordinary Cauliflower into something flavorful with this simple gobhi pakora recipe.
7. Paneer Pakoras: Paneer is Indian cottage cheese, somewhat simmilar to Ricotta. I prepare these Pakoras usually for special occasions because they are simply decadent.
Now Pakoras are best enjoyed with a Pakora sauce and here are 3 of the most popular Indian chutneys:
Want to learn how to make Pav Buns at home (part of popular Indian street food- Pav Bhaji) ?Normally Pav Buns are made out of all purpose or bread flour. However, I used mainly Whole Wheat Flour (in combination with all purpose flour) and minimal butter to prepare this healthy version of Indian style Dinner rolls.
These Pav buns are best enjoyed with Bhaji-
Recipe here: Pav Bhaji
Ingredients:
2.25 Cups Whole Wheat Flour (2 and 1/4 cup flour)
1.25 Cup all purpose flour (1 and 1/4 cup flour)
(In total 3.5 cups flour)
1 pack of yeast- 8 gm (equals to 2.25 tsp )
50 ml lukewarm water (1/4 cup)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2-3 tbsp oil (butter)
3/4 cup lukewarm water (to knead the dough)
and small amount of butter to add on top of buns.
Method:
-Mix salt with flours and set aside.
– Mix yeast in 1/4 cup water. Add sugar. Let it stand for 10 mins until yeast becomes frothy.
– Mix in yeast with flour. Add 1 tbsp oil and mix together.
– Gradually add water to form smooth dough.
– Once the dough is ready, add tbsp of oil more (basically pat the oil onto dough). Cover the dough with wet kitchen cloth and let it stand for 3-4 hours.
– Once the dough doubles in volume, form 12 tennis ball size dough balls. Place them onto greased baking tray. Once again, let the dough balls rise (approx 45 mins)
– Preheat the oven to 400 F and bake for 10-15 mins. Then add on butter/oil on top and cook until tops are golden brown (another 15 mins or so)
– Serve these delicious and freshly made buns with Bhaji or curry of your choice.
Call them Potato Pinwheels- Party Spirals or Fried Vegetarian rollups, the point is that these bite size party appetizers are a perfect finger food, great for sharing with friends and family or to take to your next get together. Serve them with chutney of your choice and wow your guests.
Ingredients:
To Prepare Dough
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup chickpea flour (besan)
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Ajwain (Carom seeds)
1/2 to 3/4 cup water to prepare dough
For stuffing
3-4 boiled and mashed potatoes
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin pwd
1 tsp Amchur (Mango Powder)
1 tsp Anardana (Dried Pomogranate seeds powder)
Red chilli pwd to taste
3/4 stalk of cilantro/coriander leaves
Oil for deep frying
Method:
1. Prepare the dough by combining water, flours, salt, tbsp oil and carom seeds. Let it sit for 10 mins.
2. Prepare the stuffing by mixing boiled and mashed potatoes with all the spices.
3. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Form tennis ball size dough balls and roll them out gently with the help of a rolling pin. Dust your working surface lightly with some flour.
4. Once you’ve flattened out the dough, fill it up with potato mixture. Spread the potato mixture evenly and gently press it into the dough.
5. Roll the dough from one end to form a log. Seal the end with help of some water and then cut the log into pinwheels.
6. Heat oil in a wok and fry pinwheels until golden brown on medium heat. It should take only 2-3 mins.
Serve them hot with chutney of your choice.
So you’ve finalized your game day menu..well I hope you’ve got at least one Kabob recipe on it. If not then here are 7 you can choose from:
Kabobs, Kebabs, Kabops, Kabab whatevery you may call them are delicious. A little bit about Kabobs: Kebab (kebap, kabab, kebob, kabob, kibob, kebhav, or kephav; also Ćevapi, or Ćevapčići) is a wide variety of skewered meals originating in the Middle East and later on adopted in the Balkans, the Caucasus, other parts of Europe, as well as Central and South Asia, that are now found worldwide. In English, kebab with no qualification generally refers more specifically to shish kebab (Turkish: “şiş kebap”) cooked on a skewer. In the Middle East, however, kebab refers to meat that is cooked over or next to flames; large or small cuts of meat, or even ground meat; it may be served on plates, in sandwiches, or in bowls. The traditional meat for kebab is lamb, but depending on local tastes and religious prohibitions, it may now be beef, goat, chicken or fish. Like other ethnic foods brought by travellers, the kebab has become a part of everyday cuisine in many countries.
Learn how to make silky smooth, flavorful Kabobs popularly known as Reshmi Kabobs at home. These Kabobs are great as an appetizer as well as can be served with rice, naan or roti to be a complete meal.
Ingredients:
500 gms Chicken pieces
2 tbsp yogurt
1/2 tsp poppy seeds
1 small onion
1 green chilli
2 inch piece of Ginger
2 Garlic cloves
1 tbsp sesame seeds
10-12 Cashews
2 tbsp slivered Almonds
4-5 stalks of Cilantro leaves
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt per taste
Method: Combine all the ingredients to make a smooth paste. Marinade chicken in the mixture for atleast 30 mins. 4 hours would be good and overnigth would be ideal. Next thread chicken pieces onto skewers and bake them at 425 F for 10-12 mins. Once they are almost done, change the oven settings to broil and just brown them. Alternatively you can broil them and then bake them at 425 F. You can also grill the kabobs, pan-fry them or bbq them. Serve with Rice and Vegetables of your choice.
Learn how to make Lamb Kabobs the Indian way called Boti Kabob. Boti literally means piece of meat and usually refers to lamb or mutton. In this recipe, the Lamb pieces turn out tender, juicy and so full of flavor as they are marinated with yogurt and garam masala.
Ingredients:
250 gms Lamb pieces
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 Green Chilli
1 tbsp cilantro leaves
2 tbsp Yogurt
1/4 tsp turmeric
Method:
Marinade lamb with yogurt, spices and green chilli/cilantro paste for atleast 4 hours. I prefer to leave it overnight. Thread onto skewers and cook in the oven at 425 F for 5-6 mins. Then lower the temp to 350 F and cook for another 10-15 mins. Serve with chutney of your choice as an appetizer or over rice with naan for a complete meal.
Here I am sharing with you a simple recipe for making kabobs on the tawa, hence the name tawa kabobs.
Ingredients:
1 lb ground meat (we used groudn turkey)
3 tbsp chickpea flour (besan)
1 small chopped onion ( about half a cup)
handful cilantro leaves (Coriander leaves, dhania). You can use herb of your choice
Salt per taste
1 well beaten egg
1 tsp red chilli pwd
1 small green chilli (omit green chilli if you dont like heat)
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp ginger/garlic paste
1 cup finely chopped red pepper
Mix all these ingredients together and let stand for 30 mins.
Next, heat a pan or tawa. Add 2 tbsp oil and put small meat patties on to it and cook until both sides are brown. Press down on the kabobs firmly while cooking so that its well cooked from inside as well.
Serve with chutney of your choice as an appetizer or over rice (with naan) as main part of the meal.
This is a very flavorful Chicken Kathi Kabobs recipe. You can serve them as an appetizer, or with rice. They also work great inside a wrap, as a kathi roll or simply roll them up in a roti/paratha and enjoy with mint or tamarind chutney.
Ingredients:
1 lb Extra Lean Ground Chicken
1 cup bread crumbs
1 Egg
1/3 cup onions
2 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
Few drops of lemon juice
Salt (per taste)
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Red Chilli Pwd
3 tbsp Oil (1 tbsp Oil goes in the mixture and 2 tbsp for cooking)
Mix all the ingredients and let the mixture stand for 30 mins.
Heat 2 tbsp Oil in the pan and place small amount of meat in sausage like shape on to the pan. Add rest of the mixture on to the pan as well (1 kabob at a time)
Cook kabobs until brown on all sides (4-5 mins/side)
Serve with Mint or Tamarind chutney
This is a super simple way to prepare boneless chunks of chicken in the oven. You can customize the dish to suit your taste by adjusting the spice level.
7. Spicy Pork Kabobs
In this recipe we use Pork loin along with some bell peppers to get an awesome appetizer.
