Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Microwave Doodh Peda

INGREDIENTS:

Milk Powder(Mawa Powder)- 2 cups
Condensed Milk- 14 oz, 1 can
Butter- 1 stick or 8 tbsp or 1/4 cup
Cardamom- 1/4 tsp or to taste
Saffron- A pinch

PROCEDURE:

  1. Take a big glass microwaveable bowl and put the butter in it. Microwave for 1 minute until the butter is melted.
  2. Now add the milk powder and condensed milk and mix well.
  3. Microwave for 5 minutes. Stir every minute taking care not to let the mixture overflow from the bowl. The consistency of the mixture should be a thick paste.
  4. Add Saffron and Cardamom powder.
  5. Allow to cool for 20 minutes until you are able to touch with bare hands.
  6. Grease a plate with butter or ghee so the pedas dont stick to plate.
  7. Make balls and flatten them in the middle.
  8. Garnish with craisins. cashew nuts or pistachionuts.
  9. Refrigerate for a few hours or serve in room temperature as per your choice. 
Note:
Microwave heating may vary for different brands and power watts. Time of cooking may vary accordingly. 

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Beetroot Halwa

INGREDIENTS:

Beetroot- 3 small nos
Sugar- 6 tsp or to taste
Mawa Powder aka Milk Powder- 2.5 tsp
Milk- 1/4 cup
Ghee- 4 tbsp
Cashew nuts- 1 tbsp
Cardamom Powder- 1/2 tsp

PROCEDURE:

  1. Peel the beets and grate finely using a chopper or a grater.
  2. In a separate pan add a tsp of ghee and saute some cashewnuts until golden brown. Keep aside.
  3. In a pressure cooker, Add 2 tbsp of ghee and saute the chopped beets until raw smell is gone.
  4. Now add the milk and cook for a whistle in sim. Make sure that the beets do not get burnt.
  5. Open the pressure cooker and add the sugar and mix well until the sugar is incorporated well into the beets.
  6. Add the Milk powder, one spoon at a time and mix well. 
  7. Add more ghee if needed.Keep stirring until ghee separates from the beet halwa.
  8. Add the cardamom powder and the sauteed cashew nuts into the halwa. Serve warm.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Vegetable Puffs

INGREDIENTS:

Puff Pastry sheets- 1 box- Pepperidge Farms brand
Potatoes- 2 big, boiled well
Frozen carrot peas- 1/2 cup
Onion- 1/2 small,Diced into small cubes
Green chillies- 4 nos, cut into small pieces
Ginger Garlic Paste- 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds- 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder, Coriander seed powder, Chilli powder,Fennel seed powder, Garam Masala- To taste
Chat Masala- Optional, 1/2 tsp
Lemon Juice- 1/2 Lemon
Cilantro- To Garnish
Milk- 2 tbsp for rubbing over the pastry sheet for shine and crispiness.
Salt- To taste

PROCEDURE:
  1. Boil potatoes in pressure cooker until well done. Once the pressure is off, remove the peel and mash well.
  2. In a pan with little oil, add cumin seeds, onions, ginger garlic paste, green chillies and saute well till raw smell is gone.
  3. Add the frozen or boiled carrots and peas and mix well.
  4. Now add all the masala powders, salt  and mix.
  5. Add the mashed potatoes and stir till well done.
  6. Turn off stove.Add the lemon juice and cilantro and mix one more time.
  7. Now after the puff pastry sheets are thawed, spread the sheet in a cutting board and smother with milk using a pastry brush.
  8. In the middle of the sheet, uniformly spread the potato masala.
  9. Now cover the potato masala with the puff pastry sheet from below and spread the milk using the brush.
  10. Then take the puff pastry sheet from the top portion and cover. Now brush the sheet with milk again.
  11. Cut the sheet into four pieces and place them in a cookie sheet tray.
  12. In a preheated oven with temperature of 400 degree Fahrenheit, place the cookie tray and bake for 20-25 minutes until the puffs are golden brown in color.
  13. Serve with ketchup.