Whole Wheat Papdi | How to make baked papdi?

Homemade whole wheat baked papdis/crackers for chaat
11/08/2016 9:51:16 PM vindhyadesai

Dreaming of a having a plate or two of some chaat (Indian street food) on a rainy day? Then you decide to rustle up some chaat at home, only to discover that you do not have papdis at home.
Papdis or crackers are an essential ingredient to chaats like bhel, papdi chaat, dahi papdi chaat, masala puri etc.  I say you can easily make these at home, whole wheat papdi, baked instead of deep fried.
You would probably be excited that now you can make chaat with ease. Make a batch of these and store them. This recipe yields up to 50-55, 1″ in diameter papdis.
Also this recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. You could also make this a fun activity by involving your family especially kids to carve out the papdis. Just store these in an airtight container and they are available when required. They stay good for a few months. ... “Whole Wheat Papdi | How to make baked papdi?”

Lauki ke kofta in tamatar gravy

Crisp on the outside, soft delicious lauki ke kofte in a rich tamatar gravy
11/06/2016 4:08:34 PM vindhyadesai

Kofta dishes are one of those dishes which are a whole meal on their own. They are like starters but the gravy in which they float in, is a tasty side dish for rotis or rice.  Lauki ke kofta is delicious crisp on the outside and soft and flavourful on the inside.
Kofta are very similar to cutlets/dumplings. These are added to an aromatic gravy. The kofte absorb the flavours from the gravy and become moist and soft. This gravy tastes best with rotis/phulkas. If you are among those who do not like lauki then this flavourful rich gravy will surely transform you 🙂
If you like, you can also deep fry the kofte in hot oil till they turn golden. Make sure to coat them well before frying. Try more gravy type of dishes from FOI. ... “Lauki ke kofta in tamatar gravy”

Spinach Soup | How to make spinach soup?

Creamy dreamy spinach soup for a cold winter night
11/04/2016 8:25:51 PM vindhyadesai

A bowl of soup is food for the soul. Soups are very comforting and satisfying. Spinach soup is one of those soups which can be simply gulped down with some garlic bread on the side or just like that. It is creamy, thick and very delicious.
Imagine the warm soup going down your throat after a long day at work on a cold winter night. So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and make this creamy spinach soup 🙂
Not only do you get the warmth from the soup but also the essential nutrients from the goodness of these beautiful green leaves. Using fresh spinach to make this soup makes the soup retain the emerald green colour of the leaves.
It does not require a whole lot of flavouring at all, some simple black pepper and salt seasoning will do the trick. With my spinach dishes I usually love to add a pinch or two of nutmeg/jaiphal as it goes really well with the flavour of spinach.
You can even add a dash of cream to make it extra rich and creamier but milk also will do the trick. Milk mellows the flavour of spinach and gives it a rich smoothness. Enjoy this creamy spinach soup and here are more soups from FOI! Also do try other spinach recipes. ... “Spinach Soup | How to make spinach soup?”

Apple Gojju | How to make apple gojju?

Rich aromatic flavourful, apple gojju/gotsu to awaken your taste buds
11/02/2016 8:39:53 PM vindhyadesai

Gojjus are side dishes to awaken your taste buds. They are spicy, tangy and sweet light gravies usually mixed with a small amount of hot rice or eaten as a side dish with chapathis/rotis. Gojjus can be made using different kinds of vegetables or even fruits. Bitter gourd, cucumber, pineapple, apple, capsicum, fenugreek seeds (methi), sesame seeds(til/yellu) various kinds can be used. Each of these render a special flavour to a gojju. Here’s the recipe for apple gojju.
Unique tasting ingredients are roasted into a masala and then ground up with the spices to make the thick gravy. I have already posted pineapple gojju recipe and here’s the apple gojju recipe. Apple gojju is quite rare but is definitely very tasty as apples have a very sweet unique taste with lot of body and texture.
Enjoy this flavourful apple gojju with some hot rice. I learnt this recipe years ago from a TV show and had it penned down in my book. Try other gojju recipes. More gravy and curry recipes to try! ... “Apple Gojju | How to make apple gojju?”

Gorikayi Bhaat | Cluster Beans Bhaat | Chavlikayi Bhaat

Tasty and flavourful with crunchy groundnuts, gorikayi/chavlikayi bhaat
10/31/2016 9:52:05 PM vindhyadesai

After a month long celebration of festivals if you are craving to eat something simple and light, try one of the bhaat/rice recipes. Here’s the recipe for a simple gorikayi bhaat made using cluster beans/gorikayi or chavlikayi. These beans are hardly used but when eaten tender they can be very sweet. These beans have a unique taste and are very fibrous. I have also added peas which pop in the mouth and give extra texture along with the crunchy groundnuts/peanuts.
Here’s a simple cluster bean chutney as well to try. Flavours from jaggery and tamarind add the essential sweet and sour notes to this along with rasam powder giving it a hint of spice and fresh taste. I served this with capsicum raitha/saasme. Gorikayi bhaat is a simple one pot recipe, perfect for your lunch box or for festivals or even for that picnic you are planning. ... “Gorikayi Bhaat | Cluster Beans Bhaat | Chavlikayi Bhaat”

Palak Pakoda | How to make palak pakoda? | Spicy Spinach Fritters

Crisp spinach fritters, a great starter/appetizer
10/30/2016 1:20:41 PM vindhyadesai

Palak ke pakode/palak pakoda are crisp spinach fritters made with besan batter mixed with subtle spices. These are crisp and very delicious and they make for perfect tea time snack. On a rainy day, these pakodas are simply the best!
These pakodas can be made for a festival like Deepavali. They are easy and simple to make and are ready in a jiffy. Try onion pakoda recipe to enjoy on a cold winter evening. Enjoy these delicious palak ke pakode 🙂 ... “Palak Pakoda | How to make palak pakoda? | Spicy Spinach Fritters”

Shahi Tukda | How to make quick shahi tukda?

Succulent pieces of toasted bread in sweet condensed milk rich with nuts and kesar
10/26/2016 9:18:34 PM vindhyadesai

Shahi Tukda is a famous dessert/sweet from the Mughlai cuisine. It is made using bread which is toasted lightly golden and reduced thick sweet condensed milk flavoured with elaichi and saffron is poured over these pieces. The pieces of bread absorb this decadent rich liquid and become succulent and flavourful.
This version is a quick one where bread pieces are not dunked in sugar syrup before thick milk sauce is poured over. Many recipes call for dipping toasted bread in sugar syrup to make it extra soft and moist. This will obviously make the dessert extra special. But if you are in a hurry, make this quick version.
Shahi tukda can be made ahead of time and tastes better as it chills in the refrigerator. Make this with a day’s old bread which increases its absorbing capacity. I have used homemade whole wheat bread for this recipe.
Serve this special sweet/dessert as part of your Deepavali/Diwali menu and indulge in some decadence. This sweet is truly fit for a king’s feast! Add these sweets to your list to choose from and make them this Deepavali! Why not try kalakand recipe? ... “Shahi Tukda | How to make quick shahi tukda?”

Baked Shankarpali | Baked Shakkarpare | How to make baked shankarpali?

Crisp, salty, sweet, nutty, baked shankarpali, badam-kaju & ajwain-jeera biscuits
10/23/2016 10:31:36 PM vindhyadesai

During Deepavali/Diwali, making Shankarpali/Shakkarpare snacks is very common. They are deep fried biscuits which are crisp with both salty and sweet versions. How about trying baked versions of this famous snack? Baked shankarpali are easy to make and you can change the flavours as you want. Here I have used only butter whereas some people do use vegetable shortening (dalda) which does not contain very healthy fats hence I generally never use it.
These can be made in bulk and 1 cup of all purpose flour yields a lot of biscuits. Just store these biscuits in air tight containers and they last for a few days. The base for both versions is the same. I have illustrated the base for both biscuits and then extended them into their respective flavours.
The sweet version can also be made plain without any nuts but adding almonds-cashews gives them a nice texture and flavour. The salty ones can also be made plain or even ground black pepper can be added in place of ajwain-jeera. The choice is yours! Also try benne biscuit recipe. ... “Baked Shankarpali | Baked Shakkarpare | How to make baked shankarpali?”

Carrot Halwa | How to make carrot halwa?

Juicy moist sweet carrot halwa with cashews and raisins
10/21/2016 6:45:02 PM vindhyadesai

Carrot halwa is a famous Indian sweet made from grated sweet carrots, sugar, milk, ghee all sauteed till it turns into a sweet, soft halwa. This light orange coloured sweet is loved by children and is a good way of getting children to eat some carrots. The halwa is flavoured with elaichi and along with added cashews and raisins this halwa is fit to be laid out for a feast.
This is one of those sweets where you do not have to check whether it is set or worry about making a threaded sugar syrup. The only thing to get this halwa to a soft and moist consistency is to stop sauteing it at the right time so that it is moist enough and does not dry out. The pictures below illustrate at what stage the halwa needs to stop cooking.
This will surely be a hit with everyone and is a good sweet to prepare in large quantities. It is easily portable and is a crowd pleaser. It can be served both as a sweet or dessert. Fancy it up a bit by serving with vanilla ice cream right on top. Do try more halwa and other sweet recipes from FOI. ... “Carrot Halwa | How to make carrot halwa?”

Benne Muruku | Butter Muruku | How to make benne muruku?

Crisp and crunchy snack, butter/benne muruku
10/20/2016 10:04:26 PM vindhyadesai

Crisp and crunchy benne/butter muruku has to be one of the tastiest snacks ever. It is a favourite in most households and can be made during many festivals like Ganesha Chaturthi, Sri Krishna Janmasthami and Deepavali/Diwali. In our childhood days, we used to look forward to celebrations of Deepavali/Diwali, along with buying and wearing new clothes and bursting crackers (which we no longer do for Mother Nature!) we also enjoyed eating these crunchy savoury snacks all day long! Of course along with swallowing up some sweets 🙂
Benne muruku is made from rice flour and butter as the main ingredients. Adding butter makes the muruku very crisp and light. Addition of too much butter makes them very brittle and there is a good chance that they will disintegrate while frying. So add butter with caution. Sesame seeds and carom seeds(om/ajwain) give nice flavour and aroma. Enjoy these with a cup of tea/coffee. Try other tea-time festival snacks like chivda and nippattu! ... “Benne Muruku | Butter Muruku | How to make benne muruku?”