Methi (Fenugreek) Laddus

 Ingredients

 

1 cup methi seeds

2 cups milk

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup ghee

3/4 cup almonds

1/2 cup edible gum ( roasted and crushed)

2 cups jaggery, chopped

1 tsp cardamom

1 tsp dry ginger

 

How to make it:

Roast and grind the methi seeds, then soak it in milk. Cook this mixture with ghee until golden. Separately, roast the flour and almonds. Mix everything and add in the crushed edible gum and spices. Melt the jaggery with a little water, combine with the mixture and shape into laddus while warm.

 

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Homemade Kadha for Cold & Cough Premix- Immunity boosting drink

Ingredients
1. 2 cups Water
2. ⁠2inch Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini)
3. ⁠1 tbsp Black Pepper
4. ⁠5-6 Cardamom (Elaichi)
5. ⁠7-8 Cloves (Long)
6. ⁠6-7 Tulsi Leaves
7. ⁠2 inch dry Ginger
8. ⁠2 tbsp Fennel Seeds (Saunf)
9. ⁠1 tbsp Carom Seeds (Ajwain)
10. ⁠ Jaggery to taste

Method

Powder cardamom, lightly crush cinnamon, dry ginger, add these to a pan, along with cloves,pepper, fennel seeds, carom seeds
roast for a minute, then grind them to a smooth powder, store this premix

in a pan, boil 2 cups of water, once it boils, add 1 tbsp of the powder, add tulsi leaves, jaggery to taste, let this mixture boil for 5-6 minutes on a low flame, cover it with a lid partially

strain the mixture in 2 glasses, you can add if you wish few drops of lemon juice, few drops of ghee as it soothes the throat along with little turmeric pdr, give it a good mix and drink it hot twice a day for best results.

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How To Make Masala Chai / Tea

During the winter months, we commonly search out the tastiest hot drinks that will make us feel warm and cozy. But once you've tired of tea, coffee and hot chocolate, what's there left to drink?

Masala chai is a mixed spice tea that is flavored by brewing black tea with a mixture of aromatic Indian spices and herbs, usually served with milk. Traditionally, the tea is prepared in a process called decoction, in which the spices and tea are boiled together to create the resulting chai tea. In India, those that prepare the chai are called chaiwallahs who work in the eateries and tea houses on the busy Indian streets.

Those who know chai, know that its smell is quite distinguishable. It's a mixture of strong, creamy, smoky and spicy that warms your belly and your heart without even taking a sip. However, in most western countries it is difficult to locate the correct spices to make chai the way the chaiwallahs do, but there are still excellent ways to produce the same warming taste.

Homemade Indian Masala Chai spice mix Make this dry spice mix and store it, so that you will always have it ready for those cold days when all you want is a cup of something warm. Recipe makes: about 2 cups Ingredients: 1/2 cup black pepper, ground 1/2 cup cinnamon, ground 1/2 cup cardamom pods (make sure they are cracked or crack them with a knife) 1/2 cup dried ginger pieces 1/4 cup whole cloves If you'd like to add some nutmeg or anise, feel free. This makes the taste a little nuttier and richer.

Store the mixture in an airtight container or a mason jar with a lid.

To make the chai, add one cup of filtered water and to two teaspoons of loose black tea or two teabags of black tea. Heat them together in a small pot at medium heat. You want to make the tea strong enough so that it will carry the spices.

While the tea is heating, add about 1/2 teaspoon of the dried chai spice mix (if you opt to use fresh instead of dry ginger, add it now). Once the tea comes to a boil, turn if off briefly or remove the pot from the heat. Then pour in one cup of milk and a bit of sweetener (honey and raw sugar are great). You shouldn't need more than 2 teaspoons.

Place the tea back on the heat and bring it to a boil once again. Stir the tea while it heats, or whisk to give the milk a foamy texture. Turn off the heat and let the tea sit for a minute to finish absorbing all the flavors.To finish, pour the tea into cups using a mesh strainer to keep the loose tea and spices out.

Stir well and savor your creamy and dreamy homemade chai!

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Panakam / Sweet refreshing drink with Jaggery

Ingredients

grated jaggery   2 tbsp
water 400 ml
dry ginger pdr. a pinch
cardamom crushed  2
crushed peppercorns  3-4 ( optional)

METHOD

mix jaggery in water, let it dissolve completely. filter it.
add dry ginger pdr., crushed cardamom & crushed pepper if using.
mix well, serve it chilled or at room temperature.
it is very refreshing & cooling.

for health benefits of jaggery- see my cancer blog.




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http://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com/


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MANGO KHEER/ PAYASAM

INGREDIENTS

1 ripe mango, peeled and cut

1/2 cup jaggery

1/2 tsp dry ginger powder

1 tsp  cardamom powder

2 litres of milk

1/4 cup  rice, washed 

10 cashew nuts, roughly broken

10 raisins

1 tbsp ghee

METHOD

Blend 1 cup of milk along with the mangoes, jaggery, cardamom powder, ginger powder to make a smooth paste. Keep aside.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan  add  the remaining milk and the washed rice and give it a quick boil.

Once it comes to a boil, turn  to low heat , simmer the mixture stirring frequently until the rice is cooked and soft.Or you may pressure cook rice & milk, as that saves time!

Once the rice is cooked, add in the mango mixture and stir to combine the ingredients well. Simmer the payasam for another 10 minutes until it gets little thick.Check for sweetness, add more jaggery if needed.

Finally heat a tablespoon of ghee in a heavy bottomed pan; roast the cashew nuts on low heat until lightly browned. Once browned, add  raisins and roast for a few more seconds. Add this to the  Mango Payasam.

Transfer  to a serving bowl. You can serve this hot or cold .

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Pani Puri / Gol Gappa

Ingredients for the Pani

A small bunch of finely chopped mint leaves

A small bunch of finely chopped coriander leaves

2 green chilli ground to paste

½ teaspoon of red chilli powder

1 recipe of tamarind water

1 teaspoon of rock salt

1 teaspoon of roasted cumin powder

1 teaspoon of chaat masala powder

Ingredients for the filling

1/2 cup boiled  kala channa or cooked green moong 

2 large potatoes, boiled and mashed

1/2 teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspoon rock salt 

Method for Pani

Combine all the ingredients together adding 2 cups of water. Adjust the salt and seasonings to suit your palate.

Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

Method for Filling

Combine all the ingredients well in a large bowl. Transfer to a serving dish and keep aside. This can be refrigerated until you are ready to serve.

Date & Tamarind Chutney

Ingredients

1½ cups chopped seedless dates

½ cup of tamarind pulp

½ cup jaggery

2 teaspoons chilli powder

2 teaspoons cumin powder

1 teaspoon dry ginger powder

1 teaspoon rock salt

Method

Heat 1 ½ cups of water in a saucepan on medium heat; add the dates and allow it cook in the water until soft and tender. Stir in the other ingredients and simmer for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and cool the mixture and puree into a fine paste( optional to puree). Strain the mixture in fine sieve to remove any residue. Refrigerate and store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

You can buy readymade Puris

To Assemble

Tap the Puri at the center lightly to make a half inch hole in it.

Add about 1 teaspoon of the filling into the puri. Dip the filled puri into the spicy tamarind water and serve. You can optionally add ½ a teaspoon of date tamarind chutney into each puri before dipping into the spicy tamarind water. Eat immediately.

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Spiced Apple and Banana Bundt Cake with Vanilla Caramel Glaze

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup unsalted melted butter

1/4 cup  vegetable oil

5 to 6 ounces  yoghurt OR sour cream may be substituted

2 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon vanilla essence

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup mashed ripe bananas 

1 cup finely diced apples 

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350F and spray a cake pan  very well with cooking spray  with Flour and it works  well for the cake to literally fall out of the pan.

In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power. To the melted butter, add  oil, yoghurt, eggs, sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, cloves (all spices should be added to taste and if you don’t have all of them on hand, not a big deal to omit some) and whisk until batter is smooth and silky, about 1 minute of vigorous whisking. 

Add the bananas, apples, and stir to combine. 

Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and stir until just combined, taking care not to over-mix and over-develop the gluten, which would result in a tougher cake.

 Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 39 to 43 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean (or insert a sharp long-blade chef’s knife and it should come out clean). 

Allow cake to cool in pan for at least 15 minutes before inverting it and removing cake.

While cake is cooling, make the caramel sauce. Optionally, while cake is cooling poke approximately 25 holes in the top surface of the cake with a chopstick . The holes will allow the glaze to seep into the cake’s interior, creating a delicious caramel-apple flavour.

Vanilla Caramel Glaze

Makes about 1 cup glaze, enough to generously glaze the cake

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (half of 1 stick)

1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons cream or milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 to 2 cups+ confectioners’ sugar, sifted 

Note:  have everything in place before you begin.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. To the melted butter, add the brown sugar and bring to a boil, stirring nearly continuously. Allow the mixture to boil quite rapidly for 2 minutes, stirring nearly continuously. Remove the pan from the burner, allow it to cool for about 1 minute, and add the cream, taking caution because the mixture could bubble vigorously. Whisk aggressively to incorporate the cream and calm the bubbling.

After the bubbling has subsided, add the vanilla and whisk to combine, using caution because the alcohol in the extract could cause the mixture to bubble up again. Add the confectioners’ sugar one-half cup at a time, until desired sauce consistency is reached (I absolutely recommend using sifted sugar so the glaze is whisks up smooth, silky, and free from lumps). Pour glaze over cake and allow it to set up for a few minutes if desired; or slice and serve immediately. Cake will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature. If there is extra unused glaze, it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month; gently reheat it in the microwave prior to glazing another dessert.

Kanchipuram Idli

Ingredients

Raw rice - ½ cup
Boiled rice - ½ cup
Udad dhal - 1 cup
Pepper - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Hing powder - 1 tsp
Dry ginger powder - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Fruit salt 2 level tsp for  3 cups batter
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
cashew nuts 2 tbsp

METHOD:
Soak rices & dhal together for 4 hrs.
Grind coarse & keep for 8-10 hrs
Coarsely powder pepper & Jeera & add. Add hing & dry ginger powders.
Heat oil & ghee, temper mustard seeds, chopped curry leaves & add nuts, fry till golden. add to batter.
Adjust the dough to idli dough consistency, if need be add some water.
Keep the steamer ready, boiling & grease the idli plates.
Add fruit salt, at the rate of 2 level tsp for 3 cups dough.
Whisk the dough very well, immediately transfer to greased vessels & start steaming, as you do idlis.

This will take 15-20 minutes to cook completely. 
Insert a skewer, if it comes out clean, the idlis are done.
Remove from steamer, cool. Transfer to a plate & cut like cake pieces.
Serve with coconut chutney or any green chutney.The idli will be soft on its own,
but the addition of fruit salt gives it a very spongy & porous texture.
This preserves well for 2 days.

Molasses- Ginger cookies

Ingredients

egg  1
molasses  4 tbsp
sugar   50 gm
butter melted 75 gm
baking soda  1/4 tsp
cinnamon pdr  1/2 tsp
ginger pdr.  3/4 tsp
whole meal flour/ atta/ wheat flour   150 gm

Method

mix the first 4 ingredients well, esp. after adding egg, beat well.
mix all the dry ingredients well
add slowly dry ingredients to the wet one.
let it rest for 30 minutes.
bake in pre-heated oven for 10-12 minutes at 180 deg. C or gas 320 deg. F
once done, remove to cool.
while baking,  I took small balls of the dough, flattened with my hands & kept them at least 2" apart as they swell while baking.

sadly as I didn't have anything to measure, I just took all the ing. according to what I felt would the right proportion, by God's grace, it came out fine. I think it came just around 20 cookies & were finished almost in a jiffy, as my daughter-in-law, who had given me the test of making it as good as one of her friends, said it was as good, except that mine were slightly crisper than her friend's. 

Pumpkin mousse

Ingredients to make custard

Milk      200 ml

Sugar     50 gm

Custard pdr  2 tbsp mixed with little water

Make custard by boiling milk with sugar, then add custard pdr, mixed well with water, keep           stirring till it thickens, keep aside to cool.

For the pumpkin mousse

Pumpkin puree 1 cup , this is done by roasting pumpkin lightly in a grill, then cool it & puree.

Cream 2 tbsp

Sugar 50 gm

Cinnamon pdr ¼ tsp

Nutmeg pdr ¼ tsp

Dry ginger pdr ½ tsp

All spice pdr ½ tsp

Mix all these well, add the custard & keep in the fridge till it sets about an hour.

To serve, put it in a piping bag, then pipe in a nice serving glass/ bowl in curves, sprinkle some cinnamon pdr, nuts on top & serve.

Dum aloo ( potatoes)

Dum aloo ( potatoes)

Potatoes 1 kg

Oil 250 gm

Ghee 150 gm

Hing ½ tsp

Salt tot aste

Cloves 4

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Green chilies chopped 2-3

Chili pdr 1-2 tsp

Coriander pdr 2 tsp

Ginger 25 gm crushed

 Dry ginger pdr 1 tsp

Sugar 1 tsp

Garam masala 1 tsp

Coriander leaves 1 small bunch

Method

Boil potatoes till it can be pierced with fork easily.

Drain, cool & peel them. Pierce each potato with tooth prick.

Heat oil in a big pot, add the potatoes one by one till half the vessel is full.

Gently turn them till they’re uniformly brown.

When half done, sprinkle, little salt-water over them.

When the potatoes are fried, drain & set aside.

In another vessel, heat ghee, add hing, cumin seeds, cloves, green chilies, stir for a few seconds. Then add potatoes, salt, chili & coriander powders & 2 cups of water.

Next add ginger, ginger pdr & sugar.

Bring to a boil, allow it to boil for a few minutes, then place the vessel with tawa over it.

When water evaporates & ghee floats on top, it means it is done.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Ginger biscuits

Ginger biscuits

Egg  1

Jaggery/ gur 90gm

Ginger powder 10 gm

Flour 135gm

Butter 40 gm

Soda bicard ½ tsp

Salt ¼ tsp

Water 15 ml

Method

1)      Put 15 ml water & melt jaggery, strain & cook to form a thick syrup ( it should form soft balls when out in cold water).

2)      Melt butter on slow fire, remove.

3)       Mix soda bicarb, salt, ginger pdr & egg yolk in syrup.

4)      Add flour & knead. Roll & cut into desired shapes.

5)      Brush top with egg white, sprinkle sugar on  top & bake till crisp at 175 deg C for about 7-10 minutes.

Ps- refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling & cutting into shapes.

Inexpensive spicy cookies

Inexpensive spicy cookies

All purpose flr/ maida 3 ½ cups                          thick gur syrup 1 cup

Melted butter ½ cup                                            dry ginger pdr ¾ tsp

Cinnamon pdr ½ tsp                                               cardamoms 4

Cloves 2 powdered                                                 baking soda 3 tsp

Method

1)      sift together flr, baking soda & powdered spices.

2)      Mix syrup & melted butter.

3)      Rub into the ingredients * knead well.

4)      From into small balls.

5)      Flatten the centre, bake in a hot oven for 15 minutes.

6)      Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

curry leaves powder

curry leaves powder 

mustard seeds 1 cup       jeera 3/4 cup          pepper 1/2 cup

dry ginger 4 big pieces    hing  1/2 tsp       Omam 2 tbsp or coriander seeds 2 tbsp

curry leaves 8-10 cups or more     salt

dry roast each ingredient separately well. dry the curry leaves in the sun. lightly roast the leaves, or you can dry it in the microwave too. Then powder the ingredients, first better to powder dry ginger, pepper, then the others, it will be easier, last curry leaves adding salt to taste.

 This powder is good for stomach, especially if one has stomach upset. Curry leaves being a good source of Vitamin E, is good for hair growth & skin ! pepper & ginger are good to dry the phlegm.