Pound Cake

Baking insect has bit for a while now. These days my house only smell of vanilla essence, sugar, and everything related to baking.
A classic pound cake has always been my all time favourite. Its simple and tastes great when eaten with evening tea or coffee and a great breakfast option too when served with whipped cream and fresh fruits.

Pound Cake

Ingredients:
3 Large eggs
3tbsp Milk at Room temperature
1tsp Vanilla Essence
1tsp baking powder
150gms  Castor Sugar (White)
150gms All Purpose Flour
185gms Butter

Procedure:

• Pre-heat the oven for 15 minutes at 180degrees.
• Line the cake mould with parchment paper.
• Whisk together Milk + eggs + Vanilla essence
• In another bowl mix together all the dry ingredients, All Purpose Flour  + Baking Powder.
• Now mix in half of the wet ingredients into the dry mixture on low speed. 
• Add in the remaining mixture. Whisk it for 30 seconds so that everything comes together properly.
• Pour the batter into the mould and smooth en the top with a spatula or a palette knife.
• Bake in for 40 -45 minutes or till the tooth pick comes out clean.
• If the top starts browning cover it with aluminium foil.
• When its done remove it From the oven
• De mould and place it on a wire rack.
• Allow it to cool.

I served the Pound Cake with homemade orange sauce.

How to make orange sauce:

Take 100ml of orange juice fresh or canned

2tbsp sugar

Pound Cake

Take a pan reduce the juice and sugar mixture till it becomes thick.

It should be of flowing consistency just like any sauce.

D`2Wrizzle on top of the cake

Serve

Kalakand

Finally its the day :4 and tomorrow My Ganesha will go away. Hoping he goes happy and promise to come back next year. For today's Bhog I prepared this milky Kalakand. Its one of my favourite mithai of all time.
The slight crumbly texture and the intense cardamom taste makes it a sweet to die for.
I have used freshly homemade paneer to make this.
The recipe is inspired by one of the fellow bloggers Priyanka Sushant Verma from Cook with Priyanka.

Kalakand

Ingredients
1cup Paneer (Homemade Paneer)
200ml Condensed Milk (Milkmaid)
1tbsp Cardamom Powder
10-12 Chopped Pistachios


Procedure:

• Make the fresh paneer using the recipe in the link.
• Now in a pan, add in the paneer and the milkmaid.
• Mix well.
• Keep stirring till it starts to leave the pan.
• At this point add in the cardamom powder.
• Mix well.
• Cook till most of the moisture goes away.
• Switch off the gas.
• Take a tray, grease it with ghee.
• Pour the mixture on the tray.
• When it cools down, cut into pieces. 



Kalakand

• Serve. 

Besan Ladoo

There is lot of Activity going on in the house these days. Ganpati at home so busy in making him happy. Preparing meals for him all day. Its the day : 3 and I prepared Besan Ladoos. I had made sure that everyday will make a new sweet for his Bhog. I am enjoying each and every day of Ganpati celebration at home, with loads of cooking going on.
This recipe is adapted from the Raks Kitchen.

Besan Ladoo

Makes 15 Ladoos

Ingredients:
1 CUP Besan Flour (Gram Flour)
1/2Cup Ghee
1Cup Powdered Sugar (You can also use Boora Sugar for preparing Beasan Ladoos )
1tbsp Cardamom Powder
8-10 Chopped almonds (keep few for garnishing)

Procedure:

• There is on traditional way of preparing Ladoos. Put ghee in a wok and roast besan in it.
• I have used a different method all together.
• Dry roast the besan in a kadhai till the raw smell of besan goes away.
• Make sure it does not start Browning from bottom so keep stirring.
• This whole process will take around 20-25 minutes.
• Now remove the flour from the stove.
• Sieve it.
• After sieving put it on the flame, add in the powdered sugar. mix well.
• Melt the ghee.
• Put it gradually seeing that it does not become too wet, as shaping them would be difficult. mix well
• Switch off the gas.
• Add in the cardamom powder and chopped almonds.
• Make them into ladoos once they become easy to handle.
• Garnish them with chopped almonds.
  

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.

Panzanella Salad (Bread and Tomato Salad)

These days its been really hot. Temperatures are rising alogwith the urge to eat something light and healthy also increasing.
Yesterday I  flipped to so many magazines, cookbook, to try a simple and yet healthy salad.
There I come across this Panzanella Salad which is a sure delight. Its the best you can make in the Summers.
Its from the land of Tuscany which will give u goodness of tomatoes and crunchiness of the bread.

The salad is not only a feast for the stomach but also for the eyes. As it looks really beautiful..

Ingredients:

For the Bread:
French Loaf (Cut into Big Chunks) approx. 7-8 chunks
2tbsp Olive Oil
Salt
Black Pepper
7-8 Basil Leaves (Chopped)
4-5 Garlic(minced)
(If u r using some flavoured loaf of bread like garlic, cheese then omit garlic, salt and pepper)

For the salad:
1 ripe Tomato (Cubed)
I used Cherry tomatoes u can use the normal tomatoes too.

1 small Red Bell Pepper (Cubed)
4-5 Basil Leaves
1tsp Vinegar
Salt to taste
1tsp Black Pepper
1tsp Lemon Juice (Optional)

Procedure:

• Preheat oven at 180 degrees celsius for 10 min
• In a baking tray mix in the bread + garlic + basil leaves + salt + black pepper + oil.
• Mix it well.
• Let toast ofor 10 minutes at 180 degress, till it beconmes crisp.
• In the meanwhile, prepare the dressing for the salad.
• Mix in vinegar + salt + blackpepper + lemon juice + chopped basil leaves
• In the bowl add in tomatoes + bell peppers + toasted bread. Mix
• Now add in the dressing.
• Give it a gentel mix.
• Serve.
  

Chocolate Eclairs

Baking has become my passion lately, just want to experiment with new things. But still there is a long way to go.
But cooking or baking in this case is really challenging when u have a little one at home who just wants to play with u all the time and not sleep.
Nevertheless I keep pushing myself more and more.
I was seeing this food food channel where chef Shipra Khana made these awesome eclairs, which tempted

me then and there to try them out.
I checked my pantry, and hurrah!! I had all the stuff available.
so next step was to START.
I mad my little one sit in his bouncer, played some music and i was all set o bake this awesome delight.

Ingredients:
65gms Flour (maida)
1tbsp granulated sugar
55gms butter
120ml water
2 eggs

For topping
Whipped cream with vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache

Procedure:

• Pre-heat the oven at 200degree Celsius.
• Place a parchment paper on the baking tray.
• You can also use aluminium foil, brush it with butter. This is equally good as using a parchment paper.
• In a bowl whisk the flour with sugar.
• In a pan heat water and butter together.
• Close the flame add in the flour into it.
• Whisking regularly.
• Cook it till it starts  sticking to the pan.
• Remove from flame.
• Beat the mixture till it becomes lukewarm.
• Then add in the lightly beaten eggs.
• Continue to mix till the batter is a thick paste.
• Put the mixture in a pastry bag with a large pin.

• pipe the mixture in oblong shapes on the baking tray.

• Bake for 15 minutes at 200dregress and reduce it to 180 degrees.
• Continue to bake for another 25 minutes.
• Remove from oven and place it on a the wire rack

Assembling the eclairs:

• Slit open the elcairs lentghwise.
• Dip top part of the eclair into the chocolate Ganache.
• Fill the bottom half with whipped cream
• Place the other half on top of it.
• Chocolate Eclares are ready to be eaten. :)

Gobhi Parathas (Cauliflower with Parathas)

 Weekends are cheat days. You can indulge in all calorie-rich foods while lazing around in the house. Parathas make the perfect weekend brunch or Lunch. Being a true Punjabi, I relish the parathas with loads Lassi. I prefer making them in pure desi ghee, but some like to have it in refined oil too.
of butter, and a glass of chilled

Gobhi ke Parathe

Ingredients:

1 medium-sized cauliflower

Salt to taste

1tsp Aijawain (carom seeds)

3 green chilies

1tsbp Cumin powder

1tbsp Coriander powder

1tsp Garam Malsa

Wheat flour dough

Fresh Coriander leaves

Procedure:

• Grate the cauliflower.
• Add in salt. Keep it for 20 minutes.
• Extract all the water from the grated cauliflower.
• Now in a bowl, add in grated cauliflower, aijawain + cumin powder + coriander powder + garam masala powder + green chilies + coriander leaves.
• Mix well.
• Now divide the dough into 5 portions. it should be like ping-pong ball.
• Dust it with flour.
• Roll it with a rolling pin. in a 3' diameter size,add in small amount of cauliflower.
• Bring all the edges together. Press it in the center.
• Flatten it.
• Dust some flour.
• Roll it with a rolling pin.
• It should be done very lightly till u get a size of a chapatti.
• Place it over a hot tawa..
• Cook it till both sides are brown.
• Put some ghee on the sides.
• Cook till its done
• Do the same with the remaining dough and cauliflower.
• Serve it hot wid dahi, pickle, butter.

Shaam Savera (Spinach Kofta in Tomato Gravy)

A lot happened since my last post. I was blessed with a baby boy and time just with my little bundle of joy. I got so busy tat I had no time to cook and try new recipes or I never wanted to leave my baby alone. But now he is 4 months old so i am back with one of my most favorite recipes.
This is the dish which I always order whenever I go for dinner at Yellow Chili- Sanjeev Kapoor's Restaurants. Sham Savera is their signature dish. Made up of Spinach and rich tomato gravy this dish is surely the master of all the kofta recipes.

This recipe is adapted from Sanjeev Kapoor's website with little variations here and there.

Shaam Savera

Ingredients:
For Koftas:
500gms Spinach Leaves
2tsp Gram Flour (Besan)
Salt to taste
2tbsp Oil
1tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1tsp Turmeric Powder
1 Green Chilly (finely chopped)

For the filling of Kofta:
100gms Fresh Homemade Paneer
Green Cardamom Powder
Salt to taste

For the tomato Gravy:
5 Ripe Tomato (made into puree)
1tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
3tbsp Cashew Nut Paste
Salt to taste
2tbsp Butter
1 Green Chilly

Procedure:
For the Koftas:

• In a bowl add in the grated paneer. 
• Add in green cardamom powder and a pinch of salt.
• Remove the stems of the spinach leaves.
• Boil them in 4 cups of water.
• When cooled finely chop them
• Take a pan, add in 2tbsp of oil, add in cumin seeds + Ginger garlic paste + Chopped Spinach + 2tbsp of besan. Mix them well.
• Cook till all the water evaporates.
•  Add in salt + turmeric powder.
• Remove from stove Allow it to cool down
• Divide the spinach and paneer mixture into equal balls.
• Now take each spinach portion, press it on your palm, place a ball pf paneer in it.
• Gather it together, make into a ball.
• Do the same with the remaining spinach and paneer mixture.
• Roll the balls in cornstarch if required.
• Heat a kadhai for frying these balls.
• Fry till golden brown.
• Drain on absorbent paper.

For the gravy:

• Heat 2tbsp oil, add in ginger garlic paste.
• Now add in tomato puree.
• let it cook till the oil separates.
• Add in salt + red chilly powder.
• Allow it to cook.
• add in cashew paste. mix well.
• Add in butter. Mix it well.
• Allow it to cook for 2 minutes.
• Half the koftas. Place on the gravy
• Serve