Monday, October 26, 2015

Paan Barfi, A Delicious Betel Leaf Sweet. | પાન બરફી | Paan Sweet

Ingredients
Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) - 3/4 cup, For homemade paneer recipe, click here.
Milk - 1/4 cup,
Gulkand (rose petal jam) - 2 tbsp,
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp,
Paan (betel) leaves - 4,
Condensed milk - 1/3 cup,
Milk powder - 2 tbsp,
Ghee (clarified butter) - 1 tsp,
Cardamom powder - 1/8 tsp,
Saffron - 4-5 strands,
Warm milk - 1 tbsp (to soak saffron),
Shredded almonds & pistachios- 2 tsp.


Preparations
Wash and dry paan leaves properly. Trim its top part and chop finely.


Add chopped paan leaves, gulkand, fennel seeds and milk in a bowl. Roughly crush using mixer grinder or blender and keep aside.


Grease a tray with some ghee and keep it aside.


In warm milk dissolve few strands of saffron and keep aside. Finely shred some almond and pistachio.


Method
In a pan, add paneer, condensed milk, milk powder and 1/2 tsp ghee. Mix properly and switch on the flame in low to medium flame.


Keep mixing in medium flame until it starts leaving sides of pan and becomes thick & lumpy.


Now add prepared paan mixture and mix properly.


Cook until milk evaporate and mixture becomes thick & lumpy again.



Add cardamom powder and rest of the ghee. Mix well. Transfer in greased tray and level it using spatula.


Add prepared saffron mix. Garnish with shredded almond and pistachios.


Let it come to room temperature. Cover with clean plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Cut in to pieces and serve.

Notes
Adjust amount of condensed milk as per your taste buds.
Skip cardamom powder and saffron if you wish.
Keep in refrigerator up to 3-4 days

For video recipe 



Homemade Paneer , An Indian cottage cheese.

Ingredients
(makes 3/4 cup paneer)
Milk - 4 cup,
Lemon juice - 1 1/2 tbsp,
Water - 3 tbsp.

Method
In a small bowl, add lemon juice and water. Mix well and keep aside. Add milk in sous pan. Let it come to boil. Switch off the flame and let it rest for 1-2 minutes.


Now stir in prepared water and lemon juice mix in parts, little at a time until milk curdled.


Strain whey through cheesecloth and collect coagulated milk solids.


Place a bowl beneath the cheese cloth to collect whey. Run cold water through. Drain water from it, as much as possible and use in recipe.


If you want to make paneer cubes, put some heavy thing over and let it rest. After an hour, cut it into cubes and use.


Notes
Lemon juice can be replaced by vinegar.
It can be store in refrigerator up to 3-4 days.

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Cheese Chilli Toast

Ingredients
French bread -  1, For the recipe of French Bread click here.
Mozzarella cheese (shredded)- 1/2 cup,
Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp,
Coriander (finely chopped) - 1 tbsp,
Green onion(finely chopped) -1 1/2 tbsp,
Green chilli(finely chopped) - 2 tsp,
Tomato(finely chopped) - 1 1/2 tbsp,
Chilli flax - 1/2 tsp,
Oregano - 1/2 tsp,
Salt - to taste,
Black pepper powder - 1/8 tsp,
Butter - 1 tbsp,
Fresh mozzarella - 2 cubes(optional),
Olive oil - 1/2 tsp.


Method
1) In a bowl, add cheese, tomato, onion, coriander, salt, black pepper powder and olive oil. Mix well and keep aside. 

                                                                                                                                                         
2) In a pan, heat butter, add garlic paste and green chilli. Saute for a while.


3) Slice french bread and arrange in baking tray. Apply prepared butter mix on bread slices and roast in preheated oven at 350 F for 3-4 minutes.


4) Now take out from oven and top up with prepared cheese mix on each slice. I preferred fresh mozzarella on top.


5) Now roast in oven at 350 F for 5 minutes or until cheese slightly melts. Broil for 1-2 minutes to get nice color on top, but keep an eye on it while broiling.


 6) Sprinkle oregano and chilli flax on top. Serve warm with tomato ketchup.


On Stove Top
Follow step 1 -3 as per above process. Roast bread slice on low flame on pan until light golden color.


Flip the side and top up with prepared cheese mix on roasted side and cover the lid.


Roast in low flame until cheese slightly melts.


Note
Add or omit any ingredients of your choice like green bell pepper.



Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Rasiya Muthiya Dhokra/Dhokla, A delicious gujarati recipe.

Ingredients
(4 serving)
For muthiya
Bottle guard (shredded) - 2 cup,
Wheat flour - 2 cup,
Gram flour - 1/2 cup,
Pearl millet flour(bajra aata) - 1/2 cup,
Ginger paste - 1 tbsp,
Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp,
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp,
Coriander & cumin powder - 1 tsp,
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp,
Sugar - 1 tsp,
Salt - to taste,
Lemon juice - 2 tsp,
Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp,
Cooking soda - 1/4 tsp.

For tempering
Yogurt - 1 1/2 cup,
Gram flour - 2 tbsp,
Ginger paste - 1 tsp,
Green chilli paste - 1 tsp,
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp,
Oil - 2-3 tbsp,
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp,
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp,
Asafoetida - 1/8 tsp,
Curry leaves - 3-4,
Water - 4-5 cup,
Salt - to taste,
Jaggery - 1 1/2 tbsp,
Red chilli powder - 1/8 tsp.

For serving
Onion (finely chopped),
Coriander(finely chopped).



Method
Put steamer filled with water, a wire stand and perforated greased plate in medium heat. Water should not touch the plate.


Meanwhile in a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients listed under for muthiya section above (bottle guard, wheat flour, gram flour, millet flour(bajra aata), ginger paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander & cumin powder, asafoetida, sugar, lemon juice, oil, salt, cooking soda).



Mix well till it forms dough. Moisture from the bottle guard is enough to form dough.


Now grease your palm with oil and take small portion from the dough. Shape muthiya and arrange them in steamer plate. Repeat the process with rest of the dough.


Steam covered in medium high flame for 20 - 25 minutes or until pricked knife comes clear from muthiya.


Take out in a plate and let them rest to room temperature. Cut muthiya in bite size pieces.


In a mixing bowl, add yogurt, gram flour, green chilli paste, ginger paste, salt and turmeric powder.


Mix well and add water to make thin consistency batter.


Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, let it splutter.  Add cumin seeds followed by asafoetida, curry leaves and prepared yogurt batter.



Let it come to boil on medium heat. Cook in low to medium flame for 5-7 minutes and stir in between. Add muthiya and cook for another 4-5 minutes.


Add water to adjust consistency, if needed. Add jaggery and red chilli powder. Mix well. Add fresh coriander and onion on top. Serve hot.


Notes
Bottle guard can be replaced by zucchini.
Sour yogurt is preferable for this recipe.
Jaggery can be replaced by sugar.
Adjust amount of spices as per taste.