Chocolate muffins

Ingredients:

2  large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1tsp vanilla essence 
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup powder sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
1¼ cups milk

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the rack in the middle of the oven. Grease a muffin tin or line with paper liners and set aside.
Beat the eggs with sugar,add butter & beat well. Mix with flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, vanilla and milk and fold with a spatula until the batter comes together. Don't over Mix.
Divide the batter among the muffin cups (about ½ to 2/3 full). Bake until the muffins are light golden brown and a toothpick or thin knife inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean & muffins becomes golden & springy to touch, bake for 20-25 minutes, Immediately remove muffins to a wire rack and cool for at least 5 minutes. Your muffins are now ready to eat..Serve immediately or U can Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

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Blueberry Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½  cups all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1tsp vanilla essence 
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup powder sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
1¼ cups butter milk
1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the rack in the middle of the oven. Grease a muffin tin or line with paper liners and set aside.
 Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until combined. Whisk the egg in a separate medium bowl until well-combined. Add the sugar and the melted butter, whisk it. Add the butter milk, vanilla essence & whisk to combine.
Add the berries to the dry ingredients and gently toss just to combine. Add the buttermilk mixture and fold with a spatula until the batter comes together and the berries are evenly distributed for 25 to 30 seconds. Do not over mix.
Divide the batter among the muffin cups (about ½ to 2/3 full). Bake until the muffins are light golden brown and a toothpick or thin knife inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean & muffins becomes golden & springy to touch, bake for 20-25 minutes, Immediately remove muffins to a wire rack and cool for at least 5 minutes. Your blueberry muffins are now ready to eat..Serve immediately or U can Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Balsamic marinated Chicken salad

My delicious green green salad ....a perfect and simple meal with so much nutrition + flavor.

Ingredients:

For marination of chicken salad:

2 tblsp olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (optional)
1 teaspoon salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut in small small cubes)

For salad 
1 bunch romani lettuce
1 avocado  cut in cubes
1 large cucumber cut in cubes
Baby carrots
1 lagre tomato (cut in cubes)/ u can also use cherry tomatoes
3-4 tblsp of boiled black beans or boiled chickpeas
2tblsp sweet corn
½ red onion sliced
1tsp lemon juice
1tsp ground pepper powder
2tblsp low calorie salad dressing
Garlic salt as per requirement
Lightly salted tortilla strips 2-3 tblsp (Optional)
Additional topping as per your choice such as mayo, grated cheese, sour cream

Method:

Take a bowl put vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper Mix until well combined.
Put the Chicken cubes in to the sauce mix & mix well. Place them in a zip lock bag & refrigerate for  at least 2-3 hour.
Then take a griddle add olive oil, place the marinade chicken cubes. Toss to combine. Saute them for 10-15 mins. till they are done & light brown in color.

Now take a big serving bowl. Place all the greens top with chicken mixture & remaining ingredients. Spoon dressing over the top, also u can add additional topping such as mayo/ grated cheese as per your choice & serve.






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Sweet & spicy Dry Kachori

This is a deep fried crispy ball made of from maida & stuffed with spice mix. It can be store upto 1 months..so that whenever u want u can njoy this sancks with hot hot tea. Let us take a look at the recipe to prepare dry spice kachoris.

Ingredients
For dough
1 ½ cup maida/ whole wheat flour
½ cup rawa/ sooji
½ tsp baking powder
2tblsp ghee/ butter/ oil
Hing a pinch
Luke warm Water

for stuffing:
½  cup of peanuts (remove the skin) crushed  
¼  cup sesame seeds 
½ cup crushed cashews
1 tblsp poppy seeds
1 cup of Gathiya or Gathia  make a coarse powder
Coriander cumin powder
2tblsp sugar
1 tsp turmeric power
2tsp red chilli powder
1 ½ tsp date & tamarind chutney
Garam masala power- 1tsp
Fennel seeds powder- 1tblsp
Salt
Hing
1tblsp oil

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Add hing  & add all the dry  ingredients which are written above for  stuffing . Mix well. sauté in low flame for 2-3 min. Add crushed sev, salt, sugar, date & termarind chutney. Mix well & again fry for 1- 2 min. your stuffing is ready. Now switch off the flame & let it cool.

Knead the stiff dough by kneading all the ingredients written above &  cover it with plastic wrap. keep aside for 15-30 min. 
Make small small lemon size balls. Roll them in to thick circular puri approx 4 inch dia.  Put 1-2  tsp stuffing mix. Seal the edges of puri & again give it a shape of ball by pressing it with your hand.
Now heat oil & carefully drop the kachoris one by one. The oil should be medium hot. Fry them in low flame till they turn to light golden brown in color.
Remove from oil & keep them on an absorbant paper to soak excess oil. let it cool. U can keep them in a container upto 1 month.

Crispy Moong Dal Kachori

Ingredients:


2 Cups maida/ all purpose flour
1tblsp melted butter/ ghee
Salt
1/2 tsp ajwain/ nigella seeds (u can add anyone of them)
Water to knead dough

oil for deep frying

 For the filling:

1 cup yellow split Moong dal (soak in water for 1hr & Grind coarsely )
salt as per the taste
1tblsp chopped green chillies
1 pinch hing/ asafoetida
1tsp garam masala
1 tblsp coarsely grinded fennel seeds powder
 1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tblsp grated ginger
1 tblsp sesame seeds
1 tsp Amchur powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder/ red chilly flakes
1tbsp coriander leaves
1tblsp sugar (Optional)
2-3 tsp oil/ ghee

 Method:

Mix flour , ajwain with salt and one tbsp of oil/ ghee and make a soft pliable dough with water . Divide the dough into equal parts and keep covered under a wet muslin cloth for half an hour to avoid dryness & it will not puff of while frying.


In a pan, heat 2 tsp oil, Add hing, then add cumin seeds till they begin to crackle. Add grated ginger & chopped green chillies. saute for 30 sec. Add the grounded dal, salt & all the dry masalas written above for stuffing  & stir the mixture in low flame for a few minutes till dal dries up & starts to toast a bit. At last add sugar & again stir for 1 more min. turn off the flame. your stuffing is now ready .Set aside .


Roll the above balls  into a 3 inch small circle like puri , leaving center little thicker than edges and put one tbsp of the filling in the center.  Bring the ends of the circle together and form into a ball. Let the ball sit for 5 min before rolling.



Seal the edges of the dough tightly and again roll the filled dough into circle or You can gently press the kachoris with the help of your palms & flatten them in to 3 inch circle. Repeat the rest.


Heat oil in kadai. Oil should be medium hot and deep fry the kachoris in low- med flame to get a crisp outer layer & when they start to puff turn them over & fry them until turns to golden brown on both sides .Don't fry the kachoris on high heat ,They will not puff & will become soft.

Serve hot  with tamarind chutney/ hari chutney  or tomato sauce.

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Gobi Manchurian

AnY Takers 4 Me? I m d bigest flower afterall. ...Gobi Manchurian 

MMmmmmm.... isn’t dat  the reaction of many of u dear readers..... Cooking restaurant style food at home has its own advantages.  You will get to eat tasty treats at home... our all time fav. Appetizer...Gobi Manchurian... Marinated cauliflower florets are deep fried & are tosses with spices & sauces.....

Ingredients:
Cauliflower florets of one medium size cauliflower
Corn starch – ½ cup
Maida – 1 cup
Ginger - garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Onions - 2 nos cut in cubes
Capsicum - 1 nos thickly sliced (optional)
Grated ginger -1tblsp
Chopped garlic-  1tblsp
Green chilly slit- 2 nos
Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Black pepper -1 tsp
Corn flour- 1 tblsp
Soya sauce - 2 tbsp
Tomato ketchup - 1 tblsp
Chilli sauce- 1tblsp
Vinegar- 1tsp
Ajinomoto a pinch
Oil for deep frying
Chopped coriander leaves
Chopped Spring onion for garnishing

Method:
Take the cauliflower florets in a bowl. Add salt, chilli powder, black pepper to it. Mix well & keep aside for 20-30 mins.

Make a thick batter with water, maida, salt, Corn flour, Chilli powder, Ginger-garlic paste, Soya sauce & Ajinomoto. The batter should be like dosa batter consistency otherwise the batter will not coat properly on the cauliflower florets. Mix the cauliflower with the batter & keep aside.

By that time heat oil in a kadai for frying. Put the florets one by one in hot oil & fry them till they turns to golden brown & crisp. Remove in to an absorbent paper to drain excess oil.


In a pan heat oil on high flame, fry onions along with grated ginger-garlic, green chillies for a min. Add capsicum & fry for 2-3 min on a medium flame. In a small bowl mix tomato ketchup, vinegar, soya sauce & chilli sauce. Add fried cauliflower florets. Mix well. Then add mix sauce to it and stir properly. In a bowl add corn flour with 2 tblsp of water & mix well to avoid lumps.Then add the mix to the cauliflower & stir well so that the pieces will be well coated. Add black pepper powder, check the salt, toss it well for another 2-3 min till done.




 Garnish with chopped coriander leaves & chopped spring onions. Serve piping hot.

Kuzhi sweet Paniyaram

Ingredients:

Maida/ all-purpose flour : 2 cups 
Sooji/ rawa- 2tblsp ( instead of rawa u can also use rice flour) 
1 large Ripe Banana grated
Baking soda : 1 tsp
Grated Jaggery : 1 cup (you can increase or decrease sweet level according to your taste)
cardamom powder- 1tsp
fennel seeds/ saunf- 1tsp (optional)
water 
Broken Cashews – ¼ cup
Shredded Coconut: 1/2 cup (optional)
Oil/ ghee for frying
Salt  ½ tsp

Method:

To prepare Jaggery syrup,  boil ½ cup of water in a pan and add jaggery to it. Bring to boil and let the jaggery melt. Make sure there are no lumps. After that remove from heat and let it cool. No need for thicker consistency. 
Now roast the coconut pieces in ghee until they turn golden brown. Keep them aside.
 Add the jaggery mixture to the mashed banana and pulse mix again.
Now  add maida & rawa in a bowl and add the banana jaggery mix and mix well without any lumps. Add roasted coconut, cardamom powder , saunf, baking soda, cashews and mix well.
Batter should be in running consistency neither too thick nor too thin. 
Heat & grease the kuzhi paniyaram pan with oil in medium  heat & drop laddleful of batter in each holes and the batter should be 3/4th full in each mould. Drizzle required amount of oil & cover. After 2-3 min. remove the lid, flip it to other side to evenly cook. Cook in low flame till they turn to golden brown in color.
I don’t hav paniyaram pan..so I did it directly with the help of spoon. If you don’t have pancake pan just deep fry spoonful of batter in oil.  Make sure the consistency should be little thick.
Your paniyaram is ready to serve. Serve hot.

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Brinjal podi a southindian Recipe

Brinjal is a very good source of dietary fiber, potassium, manganese, copper and thiamin (vitamin B1). It is also a good source of vitamin B6, folate, magnesium and niacin. Brinjal also contains phytonutrients such as nasunin and chlorogenic acid.
Soooo friends today I m going to share the brinjal fry ( south Indian) recipe that I learned from my friend here. I found a good friend here in US & she also loves to cook....When i visited her house she prepared this special recipe & I just loved that..
It is an amazing, simple and deliciously fried vegetable cooked with simple  ingredients. It is a great yummy dish which can be serve as a side dish with the main course or else eaten with rice or chapatti or roti...Hope u’ll also like the recipe..
Basically this is made of various types of powder dals (Podis or dry spice mix powder prepared with a combination of spices, lentils, herbs or leaves are roasted separately in oil or dry roast and ground to make a crumbly powder)& brinjals.....Do try this simple and exceptionally delicious dish and enjoy its flavors.

So here is the powder daal / podi recipe which is simple to make, aromatic, packed with proteins, easy on the stomach and tasty.

Ingredients:

To make the Roasted dal powders U need:

1 cup of channa dal

1 cup of split urad dal (with skin)

3tblsp of moong dal

2tblsp sesame seeds

1tblsp cumin seeds

12-15 red chillies

Raw garlic- 3-4 cloves

Handful curry leaves

Dry roast all the daals, red chillies , cumin & sesame seeds separately. Mix all things in a bowl. Let it cool for 5-10 mins in room tempr & then Grind them & make a powder.

Now to make the brinjal fry u ll need:

Small Brinjals/ egg plants- 8-10

Roasted dal powders - 4-5 tblsp (see the recipe below)

salt as per the taste

haldi- 1 tsp

Red chilly powder as per your taste

oil- 2tblsp

mustard/cumin seeds- 1 tsp

hing/ asafoetida a pinch

1 large onion thinly sliced

curry leaves a few

chopped coriander leaves a few for garnishing.

Method:

Wash the brinjals thoroughly and make 4 slits and keep aside.  Put the brinjals in cold water. Heat oil in a pan. Add a pinch hing. Then add mustard -cumin seeds & curry leaves. let it splutter.

Add the sliced onions. saute for a min or two till they turns translucent. Then add the brinjals & fry for 2-3 min. on medium flame. Add haldi , salt & red chilly powder. Mix well. Cover the lid for 7-10 min. till  brinjals are done. Take a small bowl add 1/2 cup of water. To that add the podi powder. Mix well.

Remove the lid & stir the brinjals. Add the mixed podi powder to the brinjals & mix it well. Stir for another 3-4 min till the brinjals are completely coated with powder. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.Your brinjal podi is now ready to serve. Switch off the flame & serve hot with phulka/ paratha or any type rice.