Ragi Idli

This recipe is contributed by Sarika, a loving mom of two whose fun loving attitude is contagious and radiates positivity to everyone she meets.

Ingredients:
Ragi grains - 2 cup (You can also use 1.5 cups of Ragi Flour )
 Urad dal - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1 tsp
Oil - to grease the Idli tray/ to make Dosas 

Eno 1 tsp

Method:
Soak Urad dal and Ragi grains separately for minimum 3 hours or overnight.
Grind the Urad dal separately till it become fluffy.

Next grind the ragi seperately (if using ragi grains).
Mix the urad dal batter and ragi batter together with required salt.

If you are using ragi flour, grind the urad dal to a smooth batter and mix in the ragi flour to this. Add little water and mix to get a idli batter consistency.

Whichever method you follow, let the batter ferment overnight or until it doubles in volume or add Eno to the batter for instant fermentation.

 After it ferments, you can make idlis or dosa immediately. You can also store the batter in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Tibetan Momos

Poonam is a teacher and an artist who makes as delicious food as she makes beautiful paintings. Her passion lies in her uncanny knack of getting both her passion right to a T. Good food and awesome paintings are what you find at her place. 

Ingredients

Dough: 2cup whole wheat flour, 1 cup self-raising flour 1/2 tbsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt knead stiff dough using cold water, cover and let it rest for 30 min.

Filling:

2 cups cabbage, finely shredded 1/2 large red onion, finely diced 1 small carrot, grated 1 tbsp ginger, minced 4-5 green beans finely chopped Half cup tofu crumbled Salt - pepper to taste

Method

Heat a pan add 2 tsp olive oil add all veggies and cover let it steam cook on low medium heat. don't overcook, remove in a dish and let it cool. Roll out thin small size puries, keep little filling in between and fold in any shape.I did potli and half moon shape.

Steam for 10- 12 min .U can use Idli stand for steaming if you don't have a steamer, server with hot and sweet sauce.

 

Egg less Whole Wheat Cake

Poonam is a teacher and an artist who makes as delicious food as she makes beautiful paintings. Her passion lies in her uncanny knack of getting both her passion right to a T. Good food and awesome paintings are what you find at her place.

Ingredients
2 cups atta / whole wheat flour
1-2 cups shakar or gur (depending on your taste).
1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 Tbsp soda bicarbonate (meetha soda)
2 Tbsp cinnamon
3/4 cup refined oil
1 cup curd
Water (To be added according to the consistency of the batter.)Walnuts / raisins / figs - for garnishing (Optional)

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C.
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
Blend the curd and oil together in another bowl.
Then mix the dry ingredients into this bowl and blend well.
Bring it to dripping consistency, adding water if needed.
Oil the bottom of a baking dish and bake at 170 degrees C or 350 F for 45 min.. while checking at intervals.
Cut and serve when cool.

Gulab Jamun

Poonam is a teacher and an artist who makes as delicious food as she makes beautiful paintings. Her passion lies in her uncanny knack of getting both her passion right to a T. Good food and awesome paintings are what you find at her place.

Ingredients
1 cup Carnation Milk Powder
1/2 cup Bisquick - Pancake mix (Instead of Bisquick Pancake mix, use 1/2 cup all purpose flour and 1/2 tsp baking soda)
2 tablespoons butter -melted
Whole milk just enough to make the dough
2 cups Sugar
1 cup water
Oil for frying

Method

• Make the dough by combining the milk powder, Bisquick, butter. Add just enough whole milk to make a medium-hard dough. 
• Divide the dough into 18-20 portions.
• Make balls by gently rolling each portion between your palms into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a plate. Cover with a damp yet dry kitchen towel.
• Heat the oil on high and then lower the heat to medium.
• Slip in the balls into the hot oil from the side of the pan, one by one. They will sink to the bottom of the pan, but do not try to move them. Instead, gently shake the pan to keep the balls from browning on just one side.
• After about 5 mins, the balls will rise to the surface. The Gulab Jamuns should rise slowly to the top if the temperature is just right. Now they must be gently and constantly agitated to ensure even browning on all sides.
• If the temperature of the oil is too high then the gulab jamuns will tend to break. So, adjust the temperature to ensure that the gulab jamuns do not break or cook too quickly.
• The balls must be fried very slowly under medium temperatures. This will ensure complete cooking from inside and even browning.
• The syrup should be made earlier and kept warm. To make the hot sugar syrup add mix the 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of water. Add 4-5 cardamom pods, slightly crushed and a few strands of "Kesar". Mix with a spoon and then heat at medium heat for 5-10 minutes until sugar is all dissolved in water. Do not overheat, that will caramelize the sugar.
• Transfer this hot syrup into a Corning serving dish. Keep warm on stove. Add the fried gulab jamuns directly into the warm syrup. 
• Leave gulab jamuns in syrup overnight for best results. They can be served warm or at room temperature.

 

 

Badam Phirni Recipe

Poonam is a teacher and an artist who makes as delicious food as she makes beautiful paintings. Her passion lies in her uncanny knack of getting both her passion right to a T. Good food and awesome paintings are what you find at her place.

Ingredients
12 nos. Almonds
4 tablespoons Rice flour
21/2 cups Milk
5 tablespoons Sugar
8 strands Saffron
1 teaspoon Cardamom powder
Method

• Blanch and grind the almonds to a fine paste with 1/2 cup milk. Mix together the ground almond paste and rice flour and keep aside. 
• Bring the milk to a boil. Add the sugar and stir till the sugar dissolves. Keep aside a tablespoon of hot milk and dissolve the saffron in it. Add the almond-rice mixture into the boiling milk along with the saffron.
• Stir continuously for a few mintues till the milk thickens and attains a custard-like consistency. Sprinkle in the cardamom powder. Take off fire and cool to room temperature. 
• Pour into individual bowls, garnish with almonds and pistachios and refrigerate.

Nan-Khatayi

Contributed by Lipakshi Sharma

A 20 something Account Manager of a leading Bank, Lipakshi also famous as Lipi spends her days exploring new places and learning new things and cooking is one such passion

Ingredients

Maida/ all-purpose flour 1 ¼ cup

Besan ¼ cup

Powdered Sugar ½ cup

Soda Bicarbonate- 1 tsp

Desi Ghee- ½ cup

1/4 teaspoon green cardamom seed coarsely powder (ilaichi)

Method

1. Pre heat the oven to 375 degree.
2. In a bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, gram flour, baking soda and set aside.
3. Let the ghee come to the room temperature (butter should be soft not melted)
4. Add ghee and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat for two to three minutes until light and fluffy.
5. Add the flour mix to butter and sugar mixture and knead them together to make smooth dough.
6. Divide the dough into about 24 equal parts and make them into balls.
7. Press each ball between your palms lightly; every piece should be about 3/4″ in thickness.
8. With a sharp knife softly draw a tic-tac-toe design on the top and put few pieces of almonds and pistachios and press them into the dough gently.
9. Put Nan khatai on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 13 to 15 minutes or until Nan khatai are lightly gold brown.
10. After they are lightly golden brown remove the cookie sheet from the oven.  Let the Nan Khatais cool down for two to three minutes before taking them off the cookie sheet.