Sweet Tamarind Dates Chutney

Chutneys and Dips, Recipes August 25, 2019 Leave a comment
Tamarind Chutney

The lip smacking street foods of India popularly known as Chaats is incomplete without a dollop of this Chutney.

It has a unique taste, sweet, tangy and spicy with a hint of cumin and fennel.Simply DELICIOUS !

Goes very well with Pani puri, sev puri, dahi bada, samosa, kachori and a lot of wonderful snack items.

Make it and Store in a glass jar with a lid in fridge and use as required.

Note: This chutney can be made without dates too and the result is just as good. Please adjust the amounts  as per taste; some like it more tangy than sweet or vice versa.

Ingredients:

  • Tamarind : 1 cup (seedless)
  • Dates : 7-8 (seedless)
  • Jaggery : 1 cup(adjust to taste. the chutney is supposed to be sweet with a tang of the tamarind) – the gur/jaggery may be substituted with dark brown sugar or molasses. Please adjust the amount if you are using substitutes.)
  • Water : 2 cups
  • Cumin seeds : 1 tsp whole
  • Roasted Cumin seeds powder : 2tsp
  • Salt : as per taste
  • Fennel seeds : 1tsp
  • Rock salt or Kala Namak : 1/2 tsp
  • Red chili powder : 1 tsp
  • a pinch of Hing/ Asafoetida : optional

Directions:

Wash dates and tamarind. Soak  in water for about 15 – 30 minutes.

Add the dates and tamarind to a heavy bottomed pan along with some water. Bring to a boil (about 5-7 minutes).

Cool and blend/grind.

Now remove fibres if any (This mixture can be strained and used) and put the mixture back into the pan, Add Jaggery, water and  rest of the ingredients/spices to the pan.

Simmer on low heat for about 15-20 minutes or until the mix becomes thick and pulpy. The consistency should be thicker than what you started with but you should still be able to pour it out. The chutney should start coating the sides of the pan and coating a spoon when dipped in it. You can leave it thin too. I prefer the chutney to be thin.

Cool again and store in air tight container and refrigerate. Use as required.

Yummmmm.

Healthy and Gluten free Khaman Dhokla

Recipes, Snacks August 24, 2019 Leave a comment
Khaman Dhokla

Khaman dhokla is a great gluten free option as a Snack Item or for Breakfast . These are really light and healthy. Serve it with some sweet tamarind and coriander chutney and watch it disappear in minutes.

Ingredients for the Dhokla batter:

2 cups chickpea flour

½ tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp asafoetida

1 tsp ginger-green chili paste

1 tsp lemon juice

½ cup Curd

Salt as per taste

1 tsp sugar

½ cup water

¾ tsp baking soda

1 tsp fruit salt/eno

1 tsp oil

Ingredients for the tempering:

½ tbsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

2-3 Slit green chilies

½ cup water

1 sprig curry leaves

Ingredients for garnish:

¼ cup chopped coriander leaves

¼ cup freshly grated coconut (optional)

½ tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

Sieve the Besan using a fine sieve so that no lumps form in the batter later on.

Mix the water and curd well.

To the Besan, add asafoetida, turmeric, baking soda, green chili-ginger paste, sugar, lemon juice and water-curd mixture .

Mix the batter well, and in one direction only. Whip for about 4 to 5 minutes and set aside for 10 – 20 minutes. The consistency should be like that of Idli batter. A thinner or a thicker batter will result in flat and not-so-spongy dhoklas.

Prepare Idli maker, so that by the time you are ready with your batter, the water is boiling. I invert a small mould and keep the vessel on that. (You can also use your microwave )

Now grease the vessel in which you are ready to pour the batter in.

Just before pouring the batter, mix in the Eno/fruit salt and 1 tsp oil.

Do not mix it for a long time. Pour the batter into the greased vessel.

Steam on medium to low flame for 5-7 minutes. More than 5-7 minutes, and the khaman may deflate.

Check by inserting a knife, if the batter is not sticking on it, it is ready.

Leave on low flame for a minute more, remove the lid and let it cool down for 10 minutes, so that when you take it out, it doesn’t crumble.

To Temper the Dhoklas :

Heat oil in a small frying pan.

When it is hot, add the mustard seeds till they crackle. Add curry leaves, asafoetida, slit green chilies and let the chilies fry.

Shut off the flame and add sugar, lemon juice and water.

Pour this oil-water mixture over the dhoklas and let the tempering seep in.

Cut dhoklas into neat squares and serve sprinkled with fresh coriander leaves, sesame seeds and grated coconut.

Enjoy with a serving of sweet tamarind chutney and coriander chutney or ketchup.

How To Lose Weight Eating Like Marie Antoinette

Reviews August 23, 2019 Leave a comment

Ohh How i love eating cakes !! It’s My birthday today and a very Happy birthday to me 😉

Dear Husband gifted this book to me 😀

Focus On Food Photography for Bloggers (Focus On Series): Focus on the Fund… https://www.amazon.in/dp/B00CJFAYF0/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_uo-xDb53ZRSX0 via @amazonIN

The Inkblotters

marie2 Kirsten Dunst indulges in the sweet life of Marie Antoinette. 

You may recall Marie Antoinette from your history class as being the Queen of France who was beheaded during the French Revolution, or you may know her best for Sofia Coppola’s exaggerated interpretation of the late Queen’s life in her 2006 film headlined by Kirsten Dunst as the titular role of Marie Antoinette. Often, when you think of the last Queen of France you imagine her opulent gowns, pompous wigs, and tables upon tables of colourful desserts. This was a queen who lives for excess, and yet, she was capable of maintaining a very slim waist 58cm (23in), for the majority of her life. Despite being known for devouring cakes and hot chocolate for breakfast. So how exactly did she achieve this sort of sorcery?

Karen Wheeler, author of the diet book, The Marie Antoinette Diet: Eat Cake and Still…

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10 minute Microwave Choco Banana cake

Indulge, Recipes August 22, 2019 Comments: 6
Choco banana cake

Banana and chocolate is a hit combo and here is a super easy and quick chocolate cake with a dash of banana. Moist and very tasty.

Ingredients:

  • All-purpose Flour: 2 cups
  • Eggs: 2
  • Sugar: 2 cups
  • Unsalted Butter: 100 gms
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder: 2 tbsp
  • Vanilla essence: 1 tsp
  • Baking powder: 1 tsp
  • Ripe Banana: 1
  • Milk: ½ cup
  • Chocolate syrup/sauce: 2tsp (optional)

Directions:

Separate egg yolks from whites and beat the whites with a fork until frothy. Add ground sugar, melted butter, essence, mashed banana, chocolate sauce and egg yolks. Mix well.

Now Sieve the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder together.

Mix the sugar butter mixture with the dry ingredients (flour n cocoa) and add milk.

(Note: Microwave cooking makes the cake drier, adding Milk will keep the cake moist.)

Mix properly to make a smooth batter.Grease a microwave safe cake pan with butter and sprinkle some cocoa powder to coat the inner surface.

(Note: If you are using salted butter, the cake may stick to the pan while taking out. Parchment paper can be used to avoid this.)

Pour the batter and level.

Microwave on full power for 6 minutes. After the cake is done, check with a skewer or tooth pick . The cake is ready if the skewer comes out clean.

(Note: Do not microwave for long else the cake will dry out.)

Leave the cake in the microwave for 10 minutes.

Pour some chocolate syrup on a piece and serve as a dessert.

Enjoy !!

Salt

Reviews August 21, 2019 Leave a comment

Such an informative post. I try to use rock salt most of the time but not always. Have you ever thought/discussed/read about salt? Comment below and let me know 🙂

SwamiAyurved

Hello all,

Today’s post is on salt. Salt is an important ingredient of almost everything that we eat. Ayurveda understood it’s importance way back and has explained various types of salt along with its qualities.

But before that, let’s understand the salt we are eating today .

The free flowing ,super white sodium chloride fortified with iodine that we consume today is a chemically synthesized product( in some cases is a byproduct that is sold as edible salt).

We have come to believe that salt means sodium chloride (NaCl) and anything mixed with it is an “impurity”. Other minerals naturally available in common salt are labelled as impurities. These so called impurities are what makes the natural salt healthier. Because of the presence of other vital minerals the sodium content of the naturally available salt is automatically low.

Naturally occuring salt is hygroscopic – meaning it will get soggy with…

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Chicken Lasagna from scratch – Indian Masala- My Style

Recipes August 21, 2019 Comments: 2
IMG_0667

What I love about this lasagna is making homemade noodles.  It is much easier than it seems and you don’t even need a pasta machine.

This recipe is for a general pasta noodle, so it can be used to make ravioli as well.

This recipe tastes very Indian masala like 😀 (I sometimes use the butter chicken sauce for layering )

Super easy and very filling dish that is very very versatile. Add or subtract veggies or meat according to your choice or availability and it will taste awesome always.

Add Salsa or bechamel sauce or your favorite homemade sauce and own this recipe, make it yours. Nom nom nom…..

Ingredients:

Lasagna Noodles

Maida/ all-purpose flour – 1 cup

Egg – 1

Salt – 1 tsp

Water for Kneading

Lasagna

Boiled and shredded chicken – 1 cup

Salt – 1 tsp

Black Pepper powder – 1 tsp

Chili powder – 1 tsp

Garlic – 5 cloves minced

Ricotta – ½ cup

Mozzarella – 1 tbsp. shredded

Lasagna Noodles – 3

Tomatoes – 2

Onion – 1

Tomato sauce – ½ cup

Green chilies – 2

Oil – 1 tbsp.

Oregano seasoning– 1 tsp

Chili flakes – 1 tsp

Jalapenos(chopped) – 1 tbsp

Directions:

Combine Maida (all purpose flour), egg and salt. Knead a soft pliable dough. Use water if required and keep it aside wrapped in cling film for 15 minutes and let the gluten work its magic.

Roll the dough until it is thin with a rolling pin (check by placing your hand underneath. The hand should be slightly visible).

Now cut it according to the baking dish you will be using.

Make 3-4 noodles and boil it in 2 liters of water.

Boil until just barely al dente; the noodles will cook more as they bake.

Rinsing the cooked noodles under cold running water removes excess starch. This step keeps them from sticking to each other, which could lead to tearing.

Now make the sauce by adding some oil in a wok.

Add garlic, green chilies, and chopped onion. Wait till onion becomes pink. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce. Add the shredded chicken, salt, pepper and chili powder and cook well.

Add some of the water in which pasta was boiled. This sauce should be very thick and not runny.

Mix in the ricotta with oregano, salt, chili flakes and pepper

For layering:

Take a microwavable baking dish (preferably rectangular or square) and start with some of the chicken pasta sauce.

Layer the noodle and proceed with a layer of thick chicken sauce.

Layer ricotta mix and repeat the process with 3 noodles.

Grate mozzarella cheese over it, garnish with jalapenos and cover with a cling film.

Prick the cling film with a fork in 5-6 places and Bake in the microwave on high power for 8-9 minutes.
Let sit 10-15 minutes after removing from the microwave and its ready to eat.

Enjoy !!

Starcluster in my garden

My Balcony Garden August 20, 2019 Leave a comment

Egyptian Starcluster aka Pentas Lanceolata. Pretty and comes into multiple colors too.

Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.

The nectar-rich flowers grow in clusters over a long blooming season in the vibrant red, pink, and purple shades.

Starcluster
Starcluster

egyptianstarcluster #pentaslanceolata #flowers #flowergram #instagarden #instaflower #homegarden #homegrown #gardening #flowering #flower_daily #flower_igers #flowersmakemehappy #flowerloversofinstagram #flowerlovers

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