Fafda ( crispy savory snack)

Fafda also known as chora fari is a delectable savory  fried indian snack that is served as a teatime treat or eaten as nibbles.

Ingredients:

16oz plain Flour (maida)
4 oz gram flour ( besan)
3/4 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon ajwain (optional)
1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1-2 green chillies finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon freshly chopped coriander
Water for making dough
Sunflower oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Add the plain flour and gram flour to a large bowl, add the turmeric, salt, chili powder, green chillies, sesame seeds and chopped  coriander.
2. Add 1 tablespoon oil and make a soft dough adding water as required.Cover and keep the dough aside for 20 minutes.
3. Dive the dough into 8 parts, roll a thin chappati from each dough piece and cut it into thin strips roughly 3 inches by 1 inch as shown  in picture.

4. Heat the oil in frying pan when oil is hot, deep fry in batches on medium till crispy.Drain on kitchen paper and repeat for rest of dough.
5. Store in an air tight container. Will keep up to a month.

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Daring Bakers Challenge October 2010 ~ Doughnuts

The October 2010 Daring Bakers challenge was hosted by Lori of Butter Me Up. Lori chose to challenge Daring Bakers to make doughnuts. She used several sources for her recipes including Alton Brown, Nancy Silverton, Kate Neumann and Epicurious


Glazed doughnuts,golden and crispy on the outside soft and airy inside with a delicious mouthwater chocolate glaze. A lovely indulgent treat.

Yeast Doughnuts:

Preparation time:
Hands on prep time - 25 minutes
Rising time - 1.5 hours total
Cooking time - 12 minutes

Yield: 20 to 25 doughnuts & 20 to 25 doughnut holes, depending on size

Ingredients

Milk 1.5 cup / 360 ml
Vegetable Shortening 1/3 cup / 80 ml / 70 gm / 2.5 oz (can substitute butter, margarine or lard)
Active Dry Yeast 4.5 teaspoon (2 pkgs.) / 22.5 ml / 14 gm / ½ oz
Warm Water 1/3 cup / 80 ml (95°F to 105°F / 35°C to 41°C)
Eggs, Large, beaten 2( used egg replacer in this recipe)
White Granulated Sugar ¼ cup / 60 ml / 55 gm / 2 oz
Table Salt 1.5 teaspoon / 7.5 ml / 9 gm / 1/3 oz
Nutmeg, grated 1 tsp. / 5 ml / 6 gm / ¼ oz (Omitted and used 1 teaspoon vanilla essence instead)
All Purpose Flour 4 2/3 cup / 1,120 ml / 650 gm / 23 oz + extra for dusting surface
Canola Oil DEPENDS on size of vessel you are frying in – you want THREE (3) inches of oil (can substitute any flavorless oil used for frying)

For Glazing:

Milk chocolate
White Chocolate
Sprinkles
Milk chocolate shavings
Coloured icing

Method:

1.Place the milk in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat just until warm enough to melt the shortening. (Make sure the shortening is melted so that it incorporates well into the batter.)
2.Place the shortening in a bowl and pour warmed milk over. Set aside.
3.In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let dissolve for 5 minutes. It should get foamy. After 5 minutes, pour the yeast mixture into the large bowl of a stand mixer and add the milk and shortening mixture, first making sure the milk and shortening mixture has cooled to lukewarm.
4.Add the eggs, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and half of the flour. Using the paddle attachment of your mixer (if you have one), combine the ingredients on low speed until flour is incorporated and then turn the speed up to medium and beat until well combined.
5.Add the remaining flour, combining on low speed at first, and then increase the speed to medium and beat well.
6.Change to the dough hook attachment of the mixer and beat on medium speed until the dough pulls away from the bowl and becomes smooth, approximately 3 to 4 minutes (for me this only took about two minutes). If you do not have a dough hook/stand mixer – knead until the dough is smooth and not sticky.
7.Transfer to a well-oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

8.On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 3/8-inch (9 mm)thick. (Make sure the surface really is well-floured otherwise your doughnuts will stick to the counter).
9.Cut out dough using a 2 1/2-inch (65 mm) doughnut cutter or pastry ring or drinking glass and using a 7/8-inch (22 mm) ring for the center whole. Set on floured baking sheet, cover lightly with a tea towel, and let rise for 30 minutes.
10.Preheat the oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 365 °F/185°C.
11.Gently place the doughnuts into the oil, 3 to 4 at a time. Cook for 1 minute per side or until golden brown (my doughnuts only took about 30 seconds on each side at this temperature).
12.Transfer to a cooling rack placed in baking pan. Allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes prior to glazing, if desired.

For Glazing:

13. In a double boiler melt the white chocolate  and milk chocolate separately.
14. Dip some of  the doughnuts in melted milk chocolate and sprinkle with sweet sprinkles. Leave to set.
15. Dip some of  doughnuts in white chocolate and sprinkle with milk chocolate shavings.Leave to set.
16. To make plain sugar coated just sprinkle suger over the doughnuts.

NB- Doughnuts can be decorated in any way you desire ,just let your imagination run.

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Meetha Bhaat (Sweet Rice)

Sweet rice with nuts and coconut can be eaten as dessert or as part of a main meal

Ingredients:

6 oz Idli rice
3 oz jaggery
1 teaspoon cardamom powder
3 oz mixed chopped nuts (Almonds, pistachio and cashew)
1 tablespoon desiccated coconut
1 tablespoon flaked almonds (coloured red.)
1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)
Few strands saffron

Method:

1. Wash and soak the rice for 1 hour.
2. Drain the rice and add to a large microwaveable bowl with lid. Add 18 floz water and cover and cook the rice on high for 20 minutes.
3. After 20 minutes take the rice out of the microwave and add the jaggery. Mix the rice, the heat from the hot rice will melt the jaggery.
4. Return the rice back to the microwave for 10 more minutes.
5. Take the rice out of the microwave. It should be well cooked and slightly glutinous.
6. Leave the rice to cool for few minutes.
7. Add the saffron and cardamom and the ghee and mix thoroughly.
8. Add the nuts and the desiccated coconut and mix well.
9. Transfer the rice to a serving dish and garnish with the coloured flaked almonds.

Serve slightly warm with a swirl of cream on the top.

NB -To colour the flaked almonds place them in a plastic sandwich bag and add few drops of red food colouring shake the bag till all the almonds are stained red.
Spread the almonds out on kitchen paper in a single layer and allow to dry. Use these for garnish as and when required.

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Punjabi Kadhi with Pakoras ~ ICC Cooking Challenge

Punjabi Kadhi with pakoras - Fenugreek pakoras in tangy yoghurt based kadhi which is seasoned with a blend of aromatic spices .

This challenge is set for the  ICC event by srivalli of spicing up your life.
The recipe was provided by Simran of bombay foodie.

Only changes I made to the recipe were that I replaced the onions with fresh fenugreek as it is navratri and I didn't want to cook with onions.I added fresh ginger and green chilli and omitted the amchur powder and  as my curd was very sour and I replaced the  garam masala with fresh ginger paste.

Ingredients

For Pakoras:

1/2 cup Besan / Chickpea Flour
1 cup Fresh Fenugreek
Salt to taste
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
1 green chilli
½ teaspoon ginger paste
Water
Sunflower oil for deep frying

For Kadhi

1 cup Yogurt
1/3 cup Besan/ chickpea flour
3 cups water
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 teaspoon Ajwain/ Carom Seeds
1 teaspoon Methi / Fenugreek seeds
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 green chilli
½ teaspoon ginger paste (instead of garam masala in original recipe)
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
½ teaspoon Amchur/ Dried Mango powder (I didn’t add this curd was very sour)
4-5 curry leaves.

Method :

For the Pakoras

1. In a bowl, take the chickpea flour, add salt, red chilli powder, ginger paste and chopped chilli. Make a batter with water to get a semi thick consistency. Add the chopped fenugreek and mix.
2. Heat a kadai with oil. When the oil is hot, drop small spoonfuls of batter gently into the hot oil deep fry pakoras till crispy.
3. Drain on kitchen paper and repeat for all batter. Keep pakoras aside.

For the kadhi

1. Make a paste with yogurt and besan, then mix with water to make a very thin batter.
2. Heat a tablespoon of oil. Add curry leaves, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, carom seeds and methi. Let splutter for a few seconds.
3. Pour in the yogurt/besan batter; add turmeric powder, salt and red chilli powder and ginger paste and green chilli.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer for at least half an hour.
5. Keep stirring occasionally still kadhi thickens and rawness of besan is gone.
6. When you feel it is pretty thick, add the reserved pakoras, bring to boil.
Serve with plain boiled rice.

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Pickles

Carrot Pickle
 

 
Mango Pickle

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