Fried Modak (Fried SWEET Dumplings)

Somebody has rightly said that there is always a first time to everything, Being a Punjabi, born and brought up in the North part of India have never celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi. Since I have been in Bombay and now in Pune, the whole atmosphere of Ganesh Puja have always attracted me. How people have so much faith in Ganpati, the elaborated celebrations for 10 days, ceremonies, decorations, So all this more, forced me to celebrate Ganpati this time.

With full zeal and happiness we have brought our Ganpati for 5 days, hoping that these days are full of his blessings.

So today I prepared Modaks. I have made the fried version as my family prefer those over the steamed ones.

Fried Modak

Ingredients:
2 cup of Wheat Flour
2tbsp Ghee
1/2 salt
Warm water/milk to knead the dough


For the filling:
1.5 cups Grated Jaggery
2 cups Grated Coconut (Fresh or sukha coconut) I have used the sukha one
1tbsp Poppy Seeds or khus khus
3tbsp Chopped almonds
3tbsp Chopped cashews

1tsp Cardamom power
2tbsp Water

Procedure:

• Make a smooth dough, with the ingredients mentioned above for the outer covering.
• Keep it covered for 20-30 minuted before preparing the modaks.

For the filling:

• Take a pan, add in the poppy seeds, dry roast them for 2-3 minutes.
• Add in the coconut and the jaggery.
• Cook them till the jaggery melts.
• Add in the chopped almonds and cashews. mix them
• Let it cook till the mixture is completely dry and cooked.
• Add in the cardamom powder.
• Keep it aside and allow it to cool.

For the Modaks:

• Divide the dough into small size balls.
• This would yield 20 modaks approximately
• Roll the ball into 3-4 inches diameter.
• Take this circle in your palm.
• Add in a spoon full of mixture in the center.
• Now start pinching the edges one by one.
• Bring all the pinched edges together.
• And press it in the center.
• Do the same with all the remaining dough.
• Deep fry on low flame and make sure it does not remain uncooked from inside.
• Drain and serve Hot.

Ganpati Bappa Moriya

Chocolate Chip cookies

I happen to be a huge fan of cookies. I need it with my cup of coffee or tea, or a glass of milk. One will always find a bunch of cookies in my cookie jar.
This craziness for cookies forced me to try out these sweet devils myself.
 I followed the recipe from the big book of treats by Pooja Dhingra. It was my first time so followed it to the core. It came out really well, just the way it should be. Gooey and chewy.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
75gms Butter
1tsp Vanilla Essence
1tsp Baking Powder
65g Brown Sugar
50g Castor Sugar
1 egg
175g Flour
175 Dark Chocolate Chips

Procedure:

• Whisk together the butter, brown sugar, Castor sugar and Vanilla essence till soft and fluffy.
• In a separate bowl lightly whisk the egg.
• Slowly add in the sugar and butter mixture.
• Whisking Properly.
• Sieve the baking powder and flour together.
• Fold in the flour in the sugar and butter mixture.
• Mix in the Dark Chocolate Chips.
• Cling wrap the mixture and place it in refrigerator for 2 hrs.
• Preheat the oven at 165 degrees.
• Make the baking tray ready, either by greasing it or line it with a parchment paper.
• With a tablespoon or an ice cream scoop, scoop out the dough on to the baking tray in medium sized rounds.
• leaving a 2 inch gap between the cookies.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes or till the edge starts browning.

Important Tip:

• Cookies tend to spread, in order to stop this to happen, keep the prepared dough overnight in the fridge  or
• Make the balls. keep it on the baking tray.
• now place this tray in d freezer for 10-15min before baking.
• this would refrain it from spreading.

Honey Chili Potatoes

So much to do in so little time. These days I am so overworked, with a small baby at home. Time just flies. I just tend to sneak sometime for me to blog and to cook and experiment something new. Whenever he sleeps i get some time to pen down the recipes I make in the whole week.
I am quiet a fan of these sweet and savoury honey chili potatoes. I love them as starters with drinks or a cup of hot soup.

Honey Chili Potatoes

Ingredients:
2 Potatoes
3-4 tbsp cornflour
Salt to Taste
1tbsp Red Chilly Sauce
1tsp Red Chilly Powder
Oil to fry

For the Gravy:
1tsp Oil
1 large Onion (cubed)
1 Capsicum (cubed)
1tbsp Garlic Paste or juliennes
3tsp White Sesame Seeds (optional)
2tbsp Honey
1tbsp Soya Sauce
1tbsp Red Chilly Sauce
Salt to Taste

Procedure:
For Marination:

• Peel and cut Potato into wedges.
• Now in a bowl add in the potatoes + cornflour + salt + Red chilly sauce + red chilly powder. mix well.
• Keep it aside for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes fry these potato slices till golden brown or till crispy.

For the gravy and final honey chilly potato:

Honey Chili Potatoes

• Heat oil in a wok, add in garlic paste or Juliennes
• Add in onion. saute till it is cooked. but don't let the crispiness go.
• Add in capsicum. mix well.
• Keep it on high flame.
• Add in the potatoes. 
• Add in salt, soya sauce, red chilly sauce  + honey.
• Mix well.
• Let it cook on high flame for 5 min.
• Add in sesame seeds.
• Mix. keep it on flame for another 2-3 minutes.
• Remove from flame.
• Serve hot

p.s I never had sesame seed so I made it without them. Next time will surely use them in making these awesome savoury delight.