Pineapple and Almond Cake

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An exotic combination of pineapple and almonds make this cake everyone’s favorite….

Ingredients:

4 slices of tinned pineapple, chopped

1/2 tin (200 gm) condensed milk

3/4 cup flour

15-20 chopped almonds

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp pineapple essence

1 tbsp pineapple crush

1/2 cup oil

A drop yellow color

Method:

• Shift flour, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl and keep aside.
• Beat condensed milk with electric beater on high speed for 4-5 min or till light and fluffy.
• Add pineapple essence and crush and beat again to mix well.
• Add oil in small batches and beat well to combine all.
• Add flour mixture and mix with a wooden spoon. Add color and mix again.
• Mix in pineapple pieces and chopped almonds well.
• Pour the prepared batter in greased tin.
• Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg C for 35-40 min or until done.

Rajma Tikki Sandwich

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A filling and healthy sandwich…. has goodness of beans and vegetables.

Ingredients:

For Rajma Tikki:

1 cup kidney beans (Rajma)

1 onion, finely chopped

1-2 green chillies, chopped

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp chaat masala

Salt to taste

Oil for shallow frying

For Sandwich:

8 Brown bread slices

Cheese slices

Cucumber slices

Tomato slices

1/2 cup grated cabbage

Method:

• Wash and soak rajma overnight. Drain and grind without water. Take out in a bowl.
• Add in onion, garlic-ginger paste, green chili, and coriander, salt and mix well.
• Mix in salt, red chilli, garam masala and chaat masala. Divide mixture in equal balls.
• Shape balls and shallow fry them till golden brown on both sides.
• Slightly toast the bread slices with some butter.
• Place rajma tikki on one slice then layer all vegetables and top with cheese slice and final cover with another slice of bread.
• Gently press the sandwich and serve hot with ketchup.

Apple Walnut Cake

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Scrumptious Apple-Walnut cake, best to serve at your tea-time party….

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cup flour  

1 cup apple

1/4 cup crushed walnuts

1 cup buttermilk (1/4 cup curd mixed with 3/4 cup milk)

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup oil

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

• Mix flour, sugar, baking soda and cinnamon powder in a bowl till well mixed.
• Add buttermilk, oil, vanilla essence and stir till smooth.
• Mix chopped apple and walnuts with 1 tsp flour and add to the cake batter.
• Transfer batter to a greased baking tin.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 170 deg C for 30-35 min or till done.
• Let it cool and then serve.

Paneer in Almond Gravy

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Fresh Paneer cubes indulge in rich and delicious Almond based gravy…..

Ingredients:

1 cup paneer, cut into cubes

1/4 cup tomato puree

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/4 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp cumin powder

1/4 tsp coriander powder

1 bay leaf

1 black cardamom

1 tbsp fresh cream

3 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

1/2 tbsp chopped coriander

15 almonds, soaked in warm water

2 whole dry red chillies, soaked

1 medium onion, roughly chopped

Method:

• Remove skin of almonds and grind with red chillies and onions to a smooth paste.
• Heat oil in a pan; add bay leaf and black cardamom.
• Add almond paste, ginger-garlic paste and cook till oil separates.
• Mix in tomato puree, dry spices and cook covered for 4-5 min. (cook with some hot water, if gravy turn dry)
• Add paneer cubes, cream and stir well. Cook for another 1 min.
• Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

Spinach and Corn Quiche

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Enjoy weekend brunch with yummy and sizzling hot  “Spinach-Corn Quiche”…

Ingredients:

For Short Crust Pastry or the base:

1 ¼   plain flour

60 gm cold butter (cut in small cubes)

A pinch of salt

1-2 tbsp ice cold water

For Spinach-Corn Filling:

2 cups shredded spinach

3/4 cup boiled sweet corn kernels

2 tbsp butter

Half of onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp plain flour

1 cup milk

1/4 cup grated processed cheese

Salt and black pepper powder to taste

1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Method:

For Short Crust Pastry or the base:

• Sieve the flour and salt together. Rub butter into the flour with finger tips till you get crumbly mixture.
• Knead lightly with cold water to form a dough. (Don’t over work)
• Wrap in a damp cloth or cling film and refrigerate for 15-20 min.
• Roll out dough into ¼ inch thick disc and larger than the size of the pie dish.
• Spread rolled dough into a greased loose-bottomed tin. Pinch sides.
• Prick lightly with a fork. Bake at 200 °C in a preheated oven for 20 min.

For the Spinach and Corn Filling:

• Heat the 1 tbsp butter in a pan; add the spinach and saute till it wilts.
• Add the corn and sauté for 1 minute. Keep aside.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat; stir in flour. Stir and cook for about 2 min.
• Do not brown. Gradually stir in milk and continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce begins to thicken. Remove from flame.
• Now add cheese, salt and pepper and mix well. Turn off the flame.
• Add spinach-corn to the sauce and mix well.

For the quiche:

• Spread the mixture over the short crust pastry.
• Sprinkle cheese on top and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 8-10 min or till the cheese melts.
• Cut into wedges and serve hot with any soup….

Pasta and Cheese Canapes

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Quick and yummy recipe prepared from canapes filled with pasta and veggies…

Ingredients:

15-20 canape cases (I got ready made)

1/2 cup boiled pasta

1/2 tbsp dried herbs

1/2 cup finely chopped veggies (bell peppers, cabbage, onion)

Salt to taste (optional)

1/2 cup grated cheese

Method:

• In a bowl, mix pasta, veggies, and dried herbs and keep aside.
• Before serving, mix in salt and fill mixture in the canape cases.
• Top with grated cheese.
• Bake at 150 deg C for 5-7 min or till cheese start to melt and canapes turn crispy.
• Serve hot with tea or coffee.
• You can top same filling on bread or biscuits also.

Chocolaty Cinnamon Cookies

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Celebrate "World Food Day"

Relish yourself with cinnamon flavored cookies dipped in a bit of chocolate…

Ingredients:

1 cup Flour

75 gm white butter

5 tbsp castor sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup semi-sweet grated chocolate

1 tsp butter

Method:

•  Sift Flour, cinnamon powder, baking powder in a bowl and mix well.
• In a large bowl, beat the butter by adding 1 tbsp sugar at a time till light & fluffy.
• Add flour mixture and gently mix with light hands to form dough. (Add 1 tbsp of milk, if required)
• Roll out dough into disc and cut into desired shape with cookie cutter.
• Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg C for about 15-20 min.
• Remove & cool on wire rack.              
• Melt chocolate on double boiler; add butter and stir with a wooden spoon and until it has completely melted.
• Dip one end of each cookie in the melted chocolate and place it on baking sheet. Repeat with all cookies.
• Keep in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, or until the chocolate has hardened.

Mallow Delight with Smores

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Surprise your kids or guests by serving hot chocolate milk over gooey Marshmallows…

Ingredients:

1.5 cups milk

1/2 cup water

2 tsp cocoa powder, sieved

1/2 tbsp sugar or to taste

2 - 4 marshmallows  

Method:

• In a pan mix all the above ingredients except marshmallows.
• Heat on medium flame while stirring continuously.
• Boil for 2-3 times and then turn off flame.
• Place one marshmallow in each up and pour the prepared hot milk.
• Garnish with chocolate chips and serve hot.

 Nutri-Cracker Smores:

• Place 2 Nutri- choice crackers on microwave safe dish, top with one marshmallow. 
• Microwave on high for 8-10 sec or until marshmallow begin to puff, cover with chocolate slice and another cracker and serve hot.

Barley Roundels

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Enjoy healthy and tempting starter prepared from barley…

Make 8-10 roundels

Ingredients:

1/2 cup whole barley grain, soaked 

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 tbsp oil

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chaat masala

1/2 tsp cumin powder

2 tbsp besan (gram flour)

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 green chilli, chopped

1 medium potato, boiled and grated

1 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
salt to taste

Method: 

Soak barley for 3-4 hrs and cook in pressure cooker for 2-3 whistles and drain out.

In pan heat 2 tbsp oil, add onion, chilli and ginger-garlic paste and cook till onions turn light pink.

Add barley, dry spices, besan and salt and mix well. Cook covered for one min.

Cool the mixture and coarsely grind; mix in grated potato and chopped coriander leaves.

Make small roundels of equal sizes.

Heat remaining oil and shallow fry roundels from both sides till golden brown.

Serve hot with green chutney.

                        

Tofu Bhurji

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Delicious and healthy tofu recipe prepared with Indian spices….

Ingredients:

200 gm tofu, crumbled

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green chilli, chopped

1 medium tomato, chopped

1 capsicum, finely chopped

1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

Chopped coriander leaves

Method:

• Heat oil in a non-stick pan; add cumin seeds, when seeds crackle, add chopped onions and green chilli.
• Add ginger-garlic paste when onions turn translucent. Sauté for a minute.
• Now add tomatoes, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and cook over medium heat till the tomatoes turn soft.
• Add in capsicum, cover and cook till capsicum turn soft. (add 1-2 tbsp water if required)
• Add crumbled tofu, garam masala and cook covered, over medium heat for 3-4 min.
• Garnished with the chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with any bread.