Healthy Ginger, Almond & flax seeds Laddus for winter

We all prepare Ginger (Ale ) wadi for winter. It is called as Alepak in Maharashtra. Giving little twist I prepared these healthy & tasty laddus. Even children can eat these !!

Ingredients :
Ginger pulp : 3/4 cup ( peel off ginger lightly, chop into pieces & grind in mixer. Add little milk if required. )
Almond powder : 1 cup ( Do not soak, do not roast , grind almonds  into coarse powder )
Roasted flax seeds powder ( javas/ alsi )  :  3 tbsp
Milk powder : 2 tbsp
Sugar : 1 cup
Desi ghee : 2 tsp
Powdered sugar : 2 tsp

Recipe :

1. Add  desi ghee in a heavy bottom pan.
2. Add almond powder, ginger pulp, flax seeds powder & sugar.
3. Turn on the gas & mix all the ingredients properly. 
4. Stir the mixture continuously till it comes together & starts leaving the sides of the pan.
5. At this stage add milk powder & mix properly.
6. Add powdered sugar & mix. 
7. Roll small laddus when mixture cools down.

         Eat one laddu daily in winter season & keep away from cough & cold.

Tuty Fruity Milk Bread

Tasty delicious Tuty fruity milk bread ! Favourite to all !!

Ingredients :

All purpose flour  ( Maida ) : 1 1/2 cup 

Custard ( Vanilla flavour ) : 2 tbsp
Milk powder : 2 tbsp
Sugar : 2 tbsp
Active Dry yeast : 1 1/4 tsp
Tuti fruity : 1/2 cup

Olive oil : 2 tsp
Butter : 3 tsp ( I used Amul salted butter )
Warm water : 1 cup

Recipe :
1. Dissolve sugar in 3/4 cup of warm water & add yeast. Keep it for 15 minutes.

2. In a bowl take maida, custard powder, milk powder & whisk thoroughly.
3. Add olive oil & butter. Mix well. Add tuty fruity.

4. Add this mixture to yeast sugar water mixture.

5.  Mix to make a nice dough.

6. Transfer the dough on clean greased platform. Knead the dough about 5-7 min. till it becomes soft & elastic.Use olive oil if required. 

7. Prepare a soft dough  & keep in a greased bowl .Cover the bowl .
8. It will take about 3 hours to double of original size.

9. When it doubles the size punch the dough & again knead for about 10 minutes.
10. Prepare the shape of the loaf in a greased loaf pan.
11. Again keep the tray for about 1 1/2 hour.
12. After proving the loaf apply  little milk on the top so that it will not be dry.
13. Bake the loaf in preheated oven at 180C for 25 to 30  minutes or till it turns brown. Adjust the time as per individual oven.
14. Apply butter on the bread when it is hot.
   Enjoy hot home made soft loaf  milk bread  with butter, hot tea or milk !!

Chakvatachi bhaji

Chakvat is a green tender leafy vegetable mostly available in winter! It looks like Bathua.
Try this tasty & healthy recipe !! 

Ingredients :

Washed & Chopped tender Chakvat : 2 cups 

Garlic cloves  : 7-8
Chopped Green chilli  : 1 tsp
Butter milk : 1 cup
Water : 1 cup
Besan ( chick pea flour ) : 2 tsp
Soaked peanuts : 3 tsp ( soak at least 3-4 hours preferably overnight )
Chana dal : 2 tsp  ( soak at least 3-4 hours preferably overnight )

Salt : 1 tsp ( as per taste )
Sugar : 1 tsp
Desi ghee : 2 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Hing : 1/4 tsp

Recipe :

1. Add  ghee in a heavy bottom pan.

2. Add cumin seeds when ghee becomes hot. 

3. Add green chilli, garlic in the oil. Saute for a minute. Add hing & turmeric powder.
4. Add chopped chakvat in it. Mix well. Add peanuts & chana dal. Add some water.

5. Cook the vegetable till soft. These leaves are very tender takes 5-7 minutes to cook.  Turn off the                      gas flame. Pressure cook the peanuts & chana dal till 2 whistles. After cooling the cooker add cooked       peanuts & chana dal in chakvat vegetable. Do not overcook peanuts & chana dal.
7. Add besan in butter milk & mix with hand whisker. There should not be lumps.

8. Add butter milk & besan mixture. Mix well. Add water. Add salt & sugar. Cook for 5 minutes & turn off the gas.

      Enjoy this tasty  curry with hot steaming rice. Its very tasty.

Savory Rawa Cake

Ingredients :

Fine Rawa (Suji ) : 1 cup ( 250 ml )

All purpose flour ( Maida ) : 1/2 cup

Butter :2 tsp ( I used Amul butter )
Grated Cheese : 3 tsp
Vegetable oil : 3 tsp
Ginger paste : 1/2 tsp
Green chilli paste : 1 tsp
Garlic paste : 1/2 tsp
Chopped Green beans : 1/4 cup
Chopped carrot : 1/4 cup
Finely chopped onion : 3 tsp
Green peas : 1/4 cup
Chopped spinach : 1/4 cup
Boiled corns : 3 tsp 

Plain yogurt : 1 Cup
Water : 1 cup

Baking Powder : 1  tsp

Baking Soda     : 1 tsp
Salt : 1 tsp or as per taste.

Recipe :

1.Dry roast rawa till it becomes light brown. Do not over roast. Let it cool .

2. Take  vegetable oil in a pan. Add all chopped vegetables when it becomes hot. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Do not overcook. Add salt. Preserve some corns to top on the cake. 

3. Add butter, cheese chilli garlic ginger paste & mix well.

5. Add roasted rawa, maida & yogurt. Mix.
6. Add water slowly till dropping consistency.

7. Add baking powder & baking soda & mix gently.  

8. Greese the cake pans & line with parchment paper.

10. Bake at 180C for 30 min. in preheated oven.

9. Cut & enjoy this different cake with sauce or dahi !!!.

Daliya upma

Easy & healthy breakfast  Daliya upma !!

Ingredients :

Daliya : 1  Cup

Chopped onion : 1/2 cup
Green peas : 1/2 cup
Chopped Tomato : 1/4 cup
green chilli : 2-3 cut into small pieces
Curry leaves : 5-6
Fresh coconut : 2 tsp ( to garnish )
Chopped coriander : 2 tsp
Lemon juice :2 tsp
water : 2 cups
Vegetable oil : 4 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp
Hing : 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
Chopped carrot, fresh beans or any other veggies you like can be added.

Recipe :

1. Take the daliya in a pan, add 2 cups of water.
2. Pressure cook daliya till 2 whistles. When the pressure cooker cools down take out daliya & spread  in dish to separate it out. Let it cool. So it will not be sticky.

3. In a heavy bottom pan add oil. On the gas stove.
4. When oil becomes hot add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric powder & hing one by one.
5. Add green chilli & curry leaves. Add onion & cook it till soft.
6. Add green peas  Saute for some time.

7. Add daliya & mix properly. Add lemon juice. Mix again.
8. Sprinkle some water on it & cover for 2 minutes. Turn off the gas.
9. Garnish with coriander & fresh coconut.
Enjoy this healthy & tasty breakfast with dahi.

Eggless Rawa cake Ayyangar Bakery style

Delicious heavenly tasting Rawa cake !!

Ingredients :

Fine Rawa (Suji ) : 1 cup ( 250 ml )

All purpose flour ( Maida ) : 1/2 cup

Butter : 3/4 cup ( I used Amul butter )

Plain yogurt : 1/2 Cup 

Milk   : 1 Cup
Brown Sugar : 1 Cup ( Normal powdered sugar can be used )
Tuty fruity: 1/2 Cup
Vanilla essence : 1 tsp
Baking Powder : 1  tsp

Baking Soda     : 1 tsp

Pinch of Salt. If salted butter is used then do not add salt.

Recipe :

1.Dry roast rawa till it becomes light brown. Do not over roast. Let it cool completely to room temperature. 

2. Add milk to rawa when it cools down completely. Let it rest for 10 minutes.

3. Add sugar to a big bowl. Add butter & mix till all sugar dissolves & mixture becomes creamy.

5. Add yogurt & mix well. Then add rawa & milk mixture. Mix.
6. Add maida, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla essence. Mix gently.

7. Add tuty fruity & mix.  

8. Greese the cake pans & line with parchment paper.

9. I prepare 2 cakes with this batter.

10. Bake at 170C for 25 min. in preheated oven.

9. Cut & enjoy this delious cake with tea or coffee !!!.

Plain amboli or dhirde

This is very healthy & simple recipe for breakfast !!

Ingredients  :
Rice : 3/4 cup
Urad dal ( split gram dal ) : 1/4 cup
Moong dal  : 1/4 cup
Masur dal ( pink lentil )  :  1/4  cup
Tuvar dal : 2 tsp
Chana dal : 2 tsp
Fenugreek (Methi ) seeds : 1/2 tsp
Salt : 1 tsp or as per taste
Oil :  for greasing griddle
Yogurt : 1/2 cup

 Mix all the above ingredients & get grounded. This flour can be stored for 2-3 months. You can grind it on mixer.
While preparing amboli add half cup of yogurt along with water in amboli mixture & keep for an hour. Then add water till dropping consistency. It should not be very thick.

Enjoy with  chutney !!

Pita Bread

Freshly baked luscious pita bread !!

Ingredients :

All purpose flour ( maida) : 1 cup
Wheat flour : 1 cup
Dry yeast : 2 1/4 tsp ( I used Blue Bird )
Sugar : 2 tsp

Salt : 3/4 tsp
Olive oil : 4 tsp
Warm water : 1 1/4 cup

Recipe :
1. Take yeast & sugar in bowl.

2. Add warm water in yeast & sugar mixture. Mix well.
3. Add 1/4 cup wheat & 1/4 cup all purpose flour in that mixture. Mix well & Keep aside for 15 minutes.

4. You will observe bubbles & mixture will be fluffy.

5. Add salt,olive oil flour & maida . Mix to make a nice dough.

6. Transfer the dough on clean greased platform. Knead the dough about 2-3 min. to form soft dough.Use little  olive oil if required. .  

7. Keep  in a greased bowl .Cover the bowl  . Let it rest for 1 hour.
8. After 1 hour the dough will be double of original size.

9. After 1 hour punch the dough & again knead for about 2 minutes.
10. Prepare 8-12 small balls. With the help of rolling pin prepare discs about 1/8 inch thick.
11. Bake the pita in preheated oven at 200 C for 10 minutes or till  light brown spot appears. after 2-3 minutes turn the bread & again bake for 3-4 minutes.
15. Apply butter on the bread when it is hot. Keep in the basket covered with napkin.
   Enjoy hot home made soft pita bread  with any vegetable or baked vegetable!!
Or  you make pita pockets by stuffing veggies or cheese whatever you like!!

Pasta in white sauce with lots of veggies

 Ingredients :
Broccoli : 1/2 cup
Green Zukini : 1/4 cup
Red, Green & Yellow simla mirch  cut in cubes : 1/2 cup
Baby corn : 1/4 cup
Onion cut in cubes : 2 tsp ( optional )
Fresh corn seeds : 1/4 cup
Green peas : 2 tsp
Salt : 3/4 tsp or as per taste
Olive oil : 2 tsp
Red chilli flakes : 1tsp
Black pepper : 1/2 tsp
Basil leaves : 7-8
Wheat Pasta: 1 cup ( can use pasta of any type )
Grated cheese : 1/4 cup ( optional )
Cut all the vegetables as shown in picture. Add olive oil in a heavy bottom pan. Turn on the gas. Add vegetables one by one & stir. Cook for 5 minutes covering the pan. Do not overcook. Let them be crunchy. Add salt & mix. Add red chilli flakes & black pepper. Mix well & keep aside.Add basil leaves cutting with hand on the veggies.

For white sauce :
Wheat flour : 2-3 tsp
Butter : 1 tsp
Milk : 2 cups
Salt : 1/2 tsp or as per taste
Black pepper coarse powder : 1 tsp
Mixed herbs : 1 tsp
Add butter in a heavy bottom pan. Turn on the gas. Add wheat flour & saute for 2 minutes. Colour should not be changed. Let the flame be on low. Add milk step by step stirring continuously with hand whisker. The paste should smooth without lumps. Add milk as per the consistency you like. Add salt, black pepper & mixed herbs & mix well. Then add half cooked veggies in this white sauce & mix properly.
Garnish with grated cheese & Serve hot this delicious pasta.

Instant Lemon & black raisins sweet n sour pickle ( lonche )

Tasty sweet n sour pickle !!

Ingredients :
 Lemons cut into 8 pieces :  1 cup ( about 6 lemons )
Black raisins : 1/3 cup
Sugar : 1/2 cup or little more as per your taste
Red chilli powder : 1 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Roasted & coarsely powdered cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp
Salt : 1 tsp or as per taste
Water : 2-3 tsp

Recipe :
1. Cut the lemons, deseed &  make 8 pieces of each lemon.
2. Mix lemon pieces, sugar & salt in a stainless steel vessel. Add 2-3 tsp water.
3. Mix well & pressure cook the mixture upto 3-4 whistles.
4. When pressure cooker cools down take off the vessel. Mixture becomes watery as sugar & salt dissolve.
5. Transfer the mixture in a heavy bottom pan. Add raisins. Mix well & Turn on the gas.
6. Let it cook for about 5 minutes.
7. Add red chilli powder & cumin powder. Taste the pickle & add sugar or salt if required.
8. Turn off the gas.
9. Mix properly . Let it cool & keep in glass container.

Enjoy this tasty sweet, hot & sour pickle with paratha or phulka,dahi bhat or anything.

Pl note this pickle does not last long. Keep in fridge upto10 days.

Carrot & red pumpkin puri

Try these yummy puries full of healthy goodies. Will be favourite to all !! Ideal for children's lunch box!!

Ingredients :
Grated carrot : 1 cup
Grated red pumpkin : 1 cup

Wheat flour : 2 cup

Rice flour : 1 cup
Jaggery : 2 tsp
Red chilli powder : 1 tsp
Salt : 1 tsp or as per taste
Rosted jeera powder : 1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder : 1/2 tsp
Hot Vegetable oil : 3 tb sp ( mohan )
Oil : for frying puris
Sesame seeds : 3 tsp
Adjust red chilli powder & jaggery as per your test. But this proportion gives very good test.

Recipe :

1. In a  heavy bottom pan mix all ingredients except oil, wheat flour & rice flour.
2. Turn on the gas. Add 1/2 cup of water.
3. Let it cook till jaggery dissolves completely. Keep for 2 minutes. 
4. Turn off the gas. Let the mixture cool completely.
5. Add wheat flour & rice flour. Add hot oil.
6. Prepare nice soft dough. Let it sit for 1/2 an hour.
7. Divide in 4-5 parts. Roll with pin about 1/4 inch thick  & cut in the shape as you like.
8. I cut the puries with cookie cutter.
9. Fry in the oil & keep on tissue napkin to remove extra oil. 

These puries are very tasty as there is perfect balance of sweet, hot & salty taste. Sesame seeds give nice crunch & Carrot, red pumpkin gives beautiful colour & heathy too!!

   Enjoy with hot tea or tomato ketchup or sweet lemon pickle.

Home made Paneer with herbs & chilli flakes

Paneer is very healthy & all of us love it. Giving little twist we can prepare parathas, subji etc.You can eat by stir frying cubes !!

Ingredients :
Milk : 500 ml
Can use cow milk or full fat milk as you like.
Lemon juice :  2 tsp
Mixed herbs : 1 tsp
Chilli flakes : 1/2 tsp

Recipe :

1. Keep milk on gas stove & bring to boil.
2. Add lemon juice & salt. mix well.
3. Add mixed herbs & chilli flakes.
4. Turn off the gas.
5. Pour the mixture on muslin cloth. Keep weight on it by covering the paneer with muslin cloth. 
6. Let it be dry completely. Keep in refrigerator overnight.
7.  Cut into cubes as you like & enjoy !!

Dudhiche ( Lauki, Bottle guard ) kaap

We always prepare tasty vangyache ( baigan, eggplant ) kaap. Today I tried over on bottle guard & it turned out really tasty & lauki is healthy too !!

Ingredients :

Bottle guard : 10 slices

Besan ( Bengal gram flour ) : 3 tsp

 Rice flour : 2 tsp

Red chilli powder : 1 tsp or as per taste

Garam masala : 1 tsp
Chilli garlic paste : 1 tsp

Salt : 1/2 tsp ( as per taste )

Sugar : 1/4 tsp ( optional )

Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
Amchur : 1/2 tsp
Sesame seeds : 1 tsp 
Chat masala : 1 tsp
Vegetable oil : 3 tsp

Finely chopped coriander : 1tsp ( for garnishing )
Mix all these dry ingredients except chat masala well to prepare masala.

Recipe :

1. Cut slices of lauki as shown in the picture.( about 1/4 inch thickness )
2. Wash & keep aside. Let the slices be wet so that masala will stick properly on them.
3. Coat these slices thoroughly with masala mixture.

4. Apply vegetable oil on non stick pan or tawa & roast the slices both sides till become crispy.  

5. Sprinkle chat masala & chopped coriander. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.
Do try these healthy & tasty crisps !!