Category: Breakfast | 8am Meal

Categories
Breakfast | 8am Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Amla Murabba

Amla Murabba

I am almost surprised but kind of grateful that Amla (Indian Gooseberry) has not made it to the superfood genre yet. I am also kind of kicking myself for not attempting to make Amla Murabba at home earlier. After all the benefits of eating just one fresh fruit of gooseberry every day are immense.

Some of them include anti-ageing as it helps in reducing free radicals, prevents hair fall, helps alleviate menstrual cramps, constipation, keeps cholesterol in check, improves immunity. I could go on. 

Here are a few articles for you to read up more on the benefits of Amla/Aamla/Gooseberry:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/phyllanthus-emblica

https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/12-amazing-amla-murabba-benefits-digging-into-the-sweet-relish-1735336

If the fresh fruit is so beneficial why not eat it as is, why preserve it you may ask? 

For starters, it is quite a cultivated taste (if at all) to consume the fresh fruit. The skin itself is quite hard with a sour and bitter taste. The flesh is on a dryish side with an astringent taste. If you do consume the fresh fruit, nothing like it. Some rock salt sprinkled over makes it a tad more palatable.

Amla Murabba

Aamle ka Murabba is a more palatable way of consuming the fruit. The other reason why it is preserved is because Aamla is not available round the year. It is a seasonal fruit available from October through April in India. Hence making it into a Murabba is one of the best ways to enjoy this fruit. 

However, if one is diabetic and has acidity issues, best to consult your doctor before consumption.

This recipe is really very simple and I vividly remember my grandfather shaking the Aamla tree in his backyard as us kids waited to gather them, some we would sample with salt (just a few bites before it would end up in the compost area 😉 and rest would go to the kitchen to make Murabbas. The prepared Murabbas would then rest in a “bharni (glass jars)” or “boyeeaam” to be consumed by everyone through the year.

So, when I spotted some fresh Aamlas in the Indian provisions store the other day I decided to finally give this recipe a try. There are a couple of ways to prepare it but after some research I decided to go with what I had available at home and was pretty happy with the results.

Amla Murabba

Tips to make Amla Murabba

  1. Choose only aamlas which are just ripe, a little hard than green grapes 
  2. Do not rush any of the preparation steps as each step and assigned time is critical to final flavour of Murabbas
  3. Prick holes deep enough so the aamlas soak flavours well
  4. If you do decide to add honey like I have wait for the final mixture to cool down completely before adding
  5. See here how to check two string consistency of sugar
  6. I have used raw brown sugar for this recipe and while these Murabbas will taste different from the ones made with white sugar , they taste delicious none the less 

Ingredients

  1. Aamla/Gooseberries- 14 
  2. Brown Sugar- 2 cups or 3 cups if you like Murabba really sweet
  3. Whole Green Cardamom-3 
  4. Clove-4 
  5. Cinnamon-1/2 inch stick
  6. Mace- 1 small
  7. Freshly pound black pepper- 1.5 tsp
  8. Cardamom powder- 1/4 tsp
  9. Saffron Strands- A pinch
  10. Honey- 4 tablespoons
  11. Hot water, vinegar and baking soda to wash the berries

Method

  1. Heat a pot of water and to it add 2 tbsps vinegar and 2 tbsps baking powder and let the Aamlas soak in it for 20 minutes, then drain and wash well with plain water 
  2. Prick holes into the Aamlas with a fork uniformly and set aside
  3. Bring another pot of water to boil. Water should be enough to soak aamlas well. Once boiling, keeping the flame high, add the aamlas into boiling water and boil for 15 minutes, then drain and keep aside 
  4. While Aamlas are boiling prepare the sugar syrup by mixing 2 cups sugar with 2.5 cups water (or 3 cups sugar with 3.5 cups water) on a medium-high flame
  5. Reduce the flame once the sugar is dissolved and add Aamlaas; continue to simmer for an hour or until Aamalas are soft and start to shrivel. Check for doneness by piercing with a fork; the fork should glide in easily 
  6. Turn off heat, bring to room temperature and store in an air tight container for 2-3 days in a cool, dry place. Since here in Hong Kong it is quite humid right now, I placed it in the refrigerator 
  7. After 3 days, separate the Aamlas from syrup and cook the syrup with spices (green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, mace, freshly pound black pepper, cardamom powder and saffron strands) on a medium flame till it reaches a two thread consistency. To check, spoon out a drop of syrup and when it cools down a tad, place a drop between your forefinger and thumb. When you start to pull apart your fingers, two threads are formed without breaking. Alternatively you can drop a little syrup into cold water and if a soft ball forms, it is ready
  8. Then reduce the flame and add the Aamlas and simmer for 5 minutes    
  9. Cool it completely and add Honey . This step is completely optional. I added honey for its immune boosting benefits and because I had an excellent quality Wild Raw Honey by Le Organics at hand .
  10. Store in an air tight container at room temperature in a cool and dark place. Amla Murabba keeps well for as long as a year if stored properly. In fact the flavours enhance and deepen with time. For maximum health benefits consume on an empty stomach with warm water 
  11. Use a dry spoon for serving to prevent spoilage.

Amla Murabba

Print
Amla Murabba

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours

Yield: 100

Ingredients

  • Aamla/Gooseberries- 14 
  • Brown Sugar- 2 cups or 3 cups if you like Murabba really sweet
  • Whole Green Cardamom-3 
  • Clove-4 
  • Cinnamon-1/2 inch stick
  • Mace- 1 small
  • Freshly pound black pepper- 1.5 tsp
  • Cardamom powder- 1/4 tsp
  • Saffron Strands- A pinch
  • Honey- 4 tablespoons
  • Hot water, vinegar and baking soda to wash the berries

Instructions

  1. Heat a pot of water and to it add 2 tbsps vinegar and 2 tbsps baking powder and let the Aamlas soak in it for 20 minutes, then drain and wash well with plain water 
  2. Prick holes into the Aamlas with a fork uniformly and set aside
  3. Bring another pot of water to boil. Water should be enough to soak aamlas well. Once boiling, keeping the flame high, add the aamlas into boiling water and boil for 15 minutes, then drain and keep aside 
  4. While Aamlas are boiling prepare the sugar syrup by mixing 2 cups sugar with 2.5 cups water (or 3 cups sugar with 3.5 cups water) on a medium-high flame
  5. Reduce the flame once the sugar is dissolved and add Aamlaas; continue to simmer for an hour or until Aamalas are soft and start to shrivel. Check for doneness by piercing with a fork; the fork should glide in easily 
  6. Turn off heat, bring to room temperature and store in an air tight container for 2-3 days in a cool, dry place. Since here in Hong Kong it is quite humid right now, I placed it in the refrigerator 
  7. After 3 days, separate the Aamlas from syrup and cook the syrup with spices (green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, mace, freshly pound black pepper, cardamom powder and saffron strands) on a medium flame till it reaches a two thread consistency. To check, spoon out a drop of syrup and when it cools down a tad, place a drop between your forefinger and thumb. When you start to pull apart your fingers, two threads are formed without breaking. Alternatively you can drop a little syrup into cold water and if a soft ball forms, it is ready
  8. Then reduce the flame and add the Aamlas and simmer for 5 minutes    
  9. Cool it completely and add Honey . This step is completely optional. I added honey for its immune boosting benefits and because I had an excellent quality Wild Raw Honey by Le Organics at hand .
  10. Store in an air tight container at room temperature in a cool and dark place. Amla Murabba keeps well for as long as a year if stored properly. In fact the flavours enhance and deepen with time. For maximum health benefits consume on an empty stomach with warm water 
  11. Use a dry spoon for serving to prevent spoilage
https://onewholesomemeal.com/amla-murabba/

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Breakfast | 8am Meal Uncategorized

Moong Daal Khasta Kachori Recipe

Moong Daal Khasta Kachori Recipe

Ok! Confessions- I wanted to get this post out before Holi but that never happened but I am way early for next Holi so you have enough time to test, try and ace this recipe before you make it next year 😉

Holi is special. The madness associated with this festival to me is more fun to witness than to be a part of. But one thing I love about it undoubtedly (no prizes for guessing) is the food!

Back home it is all about a fun celebration all day accompanied with a plethora of dishes mostly indulgent. There is no moderation in spirit (pun intended) or taste when it comes to Holi. And why should there be? The festival after all marks the onset of spring and for many agrarian states it is also their New Year- a promise of fresh beginnings and renewed energy and hope. And if nothing else, just for a day folks forget all their worries and stress , let go of all grudges and embrace loved ones and the new year with utmost positivity.

Dahi Wada, Gujiya, Mutton Curry, Malpua and Kachoris are some of the commonly associated dishes with Holi. Not to forget the refreshing and rejuvenating Thandai, which when added to milk and other desserts imparts the most heavenly flavours. Take this vegan dessert that I created with Mango and Thandai Powder for example. It is absolute heaven with amazing summer flavours.

Today, I am sharing another Kachori (deep friend dumplings with lentil stuffing)recipe. The stuffing is made with split yellow moong beans and it comes together fairly easily. The only step that is time consuming is the frying part which is an exercise in patience. For that I recommend using a large skillet to fry or if you do not have a large one then use two or more to fry multiple kachoris at the same time

Tips for making Moong Daal Khasta Kachori

  1. Make a soft pliable dough and add sufficient ghee to ensure a crispy yet crumbly dough and cover the dough with moist muslin and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
  2. While stuffing the dough balls make sure the remaining dough is covered with a moist muslin so it doesn’t dry up. Dried up dough will not be pliable and crack while rolling
  3. Do not grind the moong daal to a smooth paste as the coarse texture works best for kachoris
  4. Once you have stuffed the kachoris you could either roll them gently with a rolling pin or press between your palms to flatten them; both methods work equally well
  5. Frying the kachoris is the most important step and it needs to be done with a great deal of patience on a low flame. Make sure the oil is really hot, then reduce the heat to medium low and fry kachoris flipping sides
  6. Before adding the next batch to fry turn off the gas and let the oil cool for 2 minutes before turning on the heat to low medium and continuing to fry the next batch
  7. You can make ahead the filling a few days in advance. It keeps very well in the refrigerator.

Ingredients for making Moong Daal Khasta Kachori

  1. All Purpose Flower(Maida)- 2 cups
  2. Ghee- 5 tsp
  3. Salt-1/2 tsp
  4. Split yellow moong daal, washed and soaked overnight and then coarsely ground-1/2 cup
  5. Hing(asafoetida)- 1/2 tsp
  6. Cumin seeds: 1.5 tsp
  7. Coarsely pound whole coriander seeds: 1.5 tbsp
  8. Coarsely pound whole fennel seeds: 3/4 tbsp
  9. Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
  10. Garam Masala: 1.5 tsp
  11. Besan: 5 tbsp
  12. Amchoor:1.5 tsp
  13. Ginger, grated: 1 tbsp
  14. Green chilies, finely chopped: 2 or to taste
  15. Mustard oil: 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp
  16. Salt: To taste
  17. Water to knead dough
  18. Oil or ghee to deep-fry

Method to make Moong Daal Khasta Kachori

  1. Grind the soaked moongdaal to a coarse paste adding only minimal water as needed for grinding. We want the final filling to be relatively dry and not clumpy. Cover and keep aside
  2. In a wide kneading dish add All Purpose Flour and 2 tsp ghee and mix by rubbing the flour between your palms. Take a handful of dough and bring it together in your fist and see if it sticks to form a lump. If yes, go ahead and add a few tablespoons of water and start to knead the dough. If not, then add some more ghee until the lump stays together
  3. Then start to knead the dough adding a little water at a time to make a soft pliable dough. Cover with a moist muslin and keep aside
  4. Next, start to make the moong daal stuffing. Add 2 tbsp mustard oil into a heavy bottomed wok and once oil is hot add hing and cumin seeds and sauté until the seeds start to splutter
  5. Reduce the flame to low and add coarsely pound coriander seeds and fennel seeds and sauté for another minute
  6. Then add grated ginger, green chilli, red chilli powder and Garam Masala and continue to sauté on a low flame till spices are cooked through- you will notice the change in smell from raw to nutty
  7. Then add besan and salt and continue to sauté for a good 3-4 minutes till the besan is cooked through and you start to notice the change in colour (see below images)
    Masalas Cooked Through
    Add Besan
    Notice the change in colour of besan when well roasted
  8. Once besan is well roasted, add the coarsely ground moong daal and continue to cook on a medium flame; please do not leave the mix unattended and cook with constant stirring. The mix will start to look clumpy and get tough to stir but do not worry, it starts to get drier as it cooks
  9. Halfway through, add the remaining mustard oil and continue to cook until the daal mixture starts to look 70% dry; see below images for different stages of the mix
    Raw Moongdaal Paste
    After 2 minutes of cooking
    Final texture
  10. Now make small tennis balls sized dough and fill it up with almost 1 tbsp daal mixture. Make sure the size of the dough ball is enough to make the kachoris not too thick or thin. I recommend making and frying one to see the results before frying bigger batches
  11. To deep fry, heat oil in a heavy bottomed skillet, then reduce flame to medium-low. Add the kachoris without crowding the pan and fry on a very low flame , occasionally flipping sides till both sides are nice and brown
  12. Drain on a kitchen towel and serve hot with a side of tamarind or coriander chutney and sliced raw onions or if you have the time some Potato Curry in a tomato gravy
  13. The kachoris store very well in an air tight container for upto a week!

Moong Daal Khasta Kachori Recipe

Print
Moong Daal Khasta Kachori Recipe

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 4-6

Ingredients

  • All Purpose Flower(Maida)- 2 cups
  • Ghee- 5 tsp 
  • Salt-1/2 tsp
  • Split yellow moong daal, washed and soaked overnight and then coarsely ground-1/2 cup
  • Hing(asafoetida)- 1/2 tsp
  • Cumin seeds: 1.5 tsp
  • Coarsely pound whole coriander seeds: 1.5 tbsp
  • Coarsely pound whole fennel seeds: 3/4 tbsp
  • Red chilli powder: 1 tsp 
  • Garam Masala: 1.5 tsp
  • Besan: 5 tbsp
  • Amchoor:1.5 tsp
  • Ginger, grated: 1 tbsp
  • Green chilies, finely chopped: 2 or to taste
  • Mustard oil: 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp
  • Salt: To taste
  • Oil or ghee to deep fry
  • Water to knead dough

Instructions

  1. Grind the soaked moongdaal to a coarse paste adding only minimal water as needed for grinding. We want the final filling to be relatively dry and not clumpy. Cover and keep aside 
  2. In a wide kneading dish add All Purpose Flour and 2 tsp ghee and mix by rubbing the flour between your palms. Take a handful of dough and bring it together in your fist and see if it sticks to form a lump. If yes, go ahead and add a few tablespoons of water and start to knead the dough. If not, then add some more ghee until the lump stays together 
  3. Then start to knead the dough adding a little water at a time to make a soft pliable dough. Cover with a moist muslin and keep aside
  4. Next, start to make the moong daal stuffing. Add 2 tbsp mustard oil into a heavy bottomed wok and once oil is hot add hing and cumin seeds and sauté until the seeds start to splutter
  5. Reduce the flame to low and add coarsely pound coriander seeds and fennel seeds and sauté for another minute 
  6. Then add grated ginger, green chilli, red chilli powder and Garam Masala and continue to sauté on a low flame till spices are cooked through- you will notice the change in smell from raw to nutty
  7. Then add besan and salt and continue to sauté for a good 3-4 minutes till the besan is cooked through and you start to notice the change in colour (see below images)
  8. Once besan is well roasted, add the coarsely ground moong daal and continue to cook on a medium flame; please do not leave the mix unattended and cook with constant stirring. The mix will start to look clumpy and get tough to stir but do not worry, it starts to get drier as it cooks
  9. Halfway through, add the remaining mustard oil and continue to cook until the daal mixture starts to look 70% dry; see below images for different stages of the mix
  10. Now make small tennis balls sized dough and fill it up with almost 1 tbsp daal mixture. Make sure the size of the dough ball is enough to make the kachoris not too thick or thin. I recommend making and frying one to see the results before frying bigger batches
  11. To deep fry, heat oil in a heavy bottomed skillet, then reduce flame to medium-low. Add the kachoris without crowding the pan and fry on a very low flame , occasionally flipping sides till both sides are nice and brown
  12. Drain on a kitchen towel and serve hot with a side of tamarind or coriander chutney and sliced raw onions
  13. The kachoris store very well in an air tight container for up-to a week!
https://onewholesomemeal.com/moong-daal-khasta-kachori-recipe/

I have a step by step highlighted on my Instagram feed Highlights under Mungdaal Kachori in case you want to watch me make it :))

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Breakfast | 8am Meal

Besan Ki Barfi | Easy Recipe with 5 simple ingredients

Besan Ki Barfi

If you read my last post or for that matter any post that I put up around late October/November then you already know my love for the festive season. And most recipes around this time are in keeping with the spirit of festivities. And this Besan Ki Barfi is no exception.

We love Indian desserts as a family. Because they are home made one knows what ingredients have gone in. Our most favourite kind are desserts with chickpea flour  aka besan

My best friend Besan

The nutty taste of roasted chickpea flour goes very well with sugar (white or brown you can take your pick) and its versatility makes it a favourable ingredient in a lot of desserts. Besan laddoos are one of my favourites and they are so easy to whip up. I make them a lot at home and the plan was the same during Ganesh Chaturthi but the Gods had greater plans in mind and I “messed up!” Like I always do in the kitchen, I was multitasking. But multitasking is not always a great idea you see! Because I for some (in the hindsight good) reason forgot that sugar goes into the roasted besan when it has cooled off a tad bit. And hence the sweet fiasco happened!

But boy was it a delicious fiasco! Because the outcome were these decadent melt in your mouth Besan Barfis ! And they vanished in a jiffy too! My boys love these barfis more than the besan laddoos now. I will be making them again for Diwali and I am so excited to share this recipe with you. Hope you like and try it for your festive spread!

Tips to making Besan ki Barfi

  1. Good quality ghee preferably pure ghee made with cow’s milk is best for making Indian Mithai. See here how I make ghee at home with store bought grass-fed butter.
  2. Roasting besan continuously for around 30 minutes on a low flame . Unless you are very confident and an expert at making Indian mithais , keep the flame low and do not leave the pan unattended until the besan is well roasted. Nutty aroma and change in colour from yellow to a darker muddy yellow is a good indicator
  3. Use a good quality thick bottomed pan to avoid burning the besan while roasting
  4. Line your pan with greased parchment so you can cut and pull out the barfis easily once they have cooled down
  5. When cutting the barfis in desired shape use a sharp knife and keep wiping it off with a wet kitchen towel intermittently for mess free slices
  6. These barfis stay well until 10 days at room temperature and even longer in cooler weather. I do not recommend refrigerating them.

Ingredients for making Besan ki Barfi

  1. Besan (chickpea flour)- 2 cups
  2. Melted ghee- 1.25 cups (one cup+ one-fourth cup) and little extra for greasing the parchment
  3. Powdered sugar- 1 cup or as per taste
  4. Cardamom powder-1 tsp
  5. Coarsely powdered almonds- 1 tbsp
  6. Slivered almonds- 3 tbsp for garnish

Method for making Besan ki Barfi

  1. Line a cookie sheet or steel plate with parchment and brush some ghee on it and keep aside
  2. Sift the besan and keep aside. This breaks lumps and helps with even cooking
  3. In a heavy bottomed wide pan melt ghee and then reduce the flame to medium low and add besan
  4. Cook on low flame with continuous stirring until the besan and ghee mixture reaches a semi solid stage. The colour of besan also changes to a darker shade of yellow. Do note that the mixture starts to clump together first before it starts to thin out. The entire process takes about 25-30 minutes on a low flame.
  5. Add cardamom powder halfway through the above step
  6. After approximately 30 minutes when the semi solid stage is reached add powdered sugar and coarsely powdered almonds and mix well
  7. Turn off heat and transfer to the prepared greased plate
  8. Garnish with slivered almonds and let it come to room temperature . This takes around one hour or so
  9. Cut out into desired shape with a sharp knife making sure to wipe the knife in between to make the process mess-free and get clean slices
  10. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature and consume within 10 days. It lasted for jus two days at our’s 😉

Besan Ki Barfi

Print
Besan Ki Barfi

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: Makes 20 medium sized barfis

Ingredients

  • Besan (chickpea flour)- 2 cups
  • Melted ghee- 1.25 cups (one cup+ one-fourth cup) and little extra for greasing the parchment
  • Powdered sugar- 1 cup or as per taste
  • Cardamom powder-1 tsp
  • Coarsely powdered almonds- 1 tbsp
  • Slivered almonds- 3 tbsp for garnish

Instructions

  1. Line a cookie sheet or steel plate with parchment and brush some ghee on it and keep aside
  2. Sift the besan and keep aside. This breaks lumps and helps with even cooking
  3. In a heavy bottomed wide pan melt ghee and then reduce the flame to medium low and add besan
  4. Cook on low flame with continuous stirring until the besan and ghee mixture reaches a semi solid stage. The colour of besan also changes to a darker shade of yellow. Do note that the mixture starts to clump together first before it starts to thin out. The entire process takes about 25-30 minutes on a low flame. 
  5. Add cardamom powder halfway through the above step 
  6. After approximately 30 minutes when the semi solid stage is reached add powdered sugar and coarsely powdered almonds and mix well
  7. Turn off heat and transfer to the prepared greased plate 
  8. Garnish with slivered almonds and let it come to room temperature . This takes around one hour or so
  9. Cut out into desired shape with a sharp knife making sure to wipe the knife in between to make the process mess-free and get clean slices
  10. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature and consume within 10 days. It lasted for jus two days at our's 😉
https://onewholesomemeal.com/besan-ki-barfi/

Besan Ki Barfi

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Breakfast | 8am Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Eggless Semolina Mini Cakes | Refined Sugar-free | Easy Recipe

Eggless Semolina Mini Cakes- Refined Sugar-free Easy Recipe

Festive season for most Indians starts from the month of September itself and goes on well until X’mas and New Year. Add another few months for us folks in Hong Kong and it goes on until the Chinese New Year. Long story short, it is months and months of indulgent and sugary treats. And if you ask me it is hard to say no to indulgence as more often than not it is also what our body craves in cooler months. I am all for indulgence but with a tad bit of mindfulness. Festivities do not mean every single meal has to be a feast and every feast sugar laden.

Eating right during festive season

Feasts when planned mindfully can be a bit of both-indulgent as well as healthy. And a good balance of both helps that we continue to enjoy the festivities longer without any guilt. I do feel that reducing refined sugar in a our diets along with processed food and balancing it out with portion control does work wonders . Anyhoo! Since I am not a registered medical practitioner (well! I could be one if I were in India with my Pharmacy degree) or a nutritionist I shall rest my health advice here and move on to more interesting stuff.

Diwali is my favourite festival and why not!

Diwali for us is very special as it is one of the most fun festivals to enjoy what with all the exciting things to do- lighting diyas, dressing in fineries and exchanging presents with friends. What’s not to love? And one of the most favourite things that I love about Diwali is sharing home made treats with my friends. Mawa gujiyas , pulaao, til-mawa laddoo are some of my favourite things to cook. This year I decided to add a few more interesting recipes to the list and one of them is this Eggless Semolina Mini Cakes which is refined sugar free too. And with just a hint of cardamom it fits in perfectly with your remaining Diwali/festive spread!

Tips to make perfect Eggless Semolina Mini Cakes

  1. Even if using the super fine semolina make sure to grind it well in a blender to make a fine powder. However if you would like a grainy texture in your mini cakes then you may grind it only coarsely
  2. Make sure the butter is at room temperature and not hot
  3. You can use any kind of sugar in this recipe. I used a combination of raw sugar and gud (jaggery) for a more intense flavour. Make sure to grind it to a powder
  4. Mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately before adding the dry to wet in intermittent additions and mixing gently as you go
  5. You can swap half the yogurt with two eggs but make sure the eggs are at room temperature
  6. The oven should be preheated well for 15 minutes before placing the batter in for even baking
  7. One tip from Sally’s baking blog that has worked for me is baking first at 200 degrees for five minutes and then reducing the oven temperature to 177 degrees for soft and well baked muffins
  8. You can adjust the quantity of sugar as per taste

Ingredients to make perfect Eggless Semolina Mini Cakes

  1. Semolina (sooji/rawa), preferably fine variety, ground fine-1 cup
  2. All purpose flour-1/2 cup
  3. Whole wheat flour- 1 cup
  4. Raw sugar/ gud (jaggery), ground fine- 1 cup or as per taste
  5. Fresh yogurt/ curd- 1 cup
  6. Milk- 3/4 cup
  7. Baking soda- 1 tsp
  8. Baking powder- 1tsp
  9. Salt- 1/2 tsp
  10. Flavourless vegetable oil-1/2 cup
  11. Melted Butter at room temperature- 1/2 cup
  12. Vanilla extract- 1 tsp
  13. Ground cardamom- 1/2 tsp or a little extra if you would like a strong cardamom flavour
  14. Chopped nuts or semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)- 1/2 cup
  15. Muffin tins or 8 inch round cake pan

Method to make perfect Eggless Semolina Mini Cakes

  1. Grease muffin tins with parchment and non-stick cooking spray or butter and flour and keep aside
  2. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees
  3. In a bowl sift together refined flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and keep aside
  4. In another bowl whisk the yogurt until smooth and then add milk, powdered raw sugar/jaggery, butter, cardamom powder(if using) and vanilla extract and mix well to form a homogenous mixture
  5. Add semolina to the above liquid mixture and cover and let it rest for 20 minutes
  6. After 20 minutes the semolina batter thickens up considerably; fold in the sifted dry ingredients
  7. Do not over-mix as that would lead to a dry and clumpy cake
  8. Add chopped nuts or chocolate chips if using and give it one final gentle mix
  9. Spoon in the batter into muffin tins or cake pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes. Bake at 200 degrees for first 5 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 177 degrees and bake for the remaining time or until a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out clean. The baking time may vary depending on the oven so keep checking after 15 minutes
  10. Bring to room temperature , bring out of the muffin tins and enjoy!

Print
Eggless Semolina Mini Cakes- Refined Sugar-free Easy Recipe

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 12 -16 muffins

Ingredients

  • Semolina (sooji/rawa), preferably fine variety, ground fine-1 cup
  • All purpose flour-1/2 cup
  • Whole wheat flour- 1 cup
  • Raw sugar/ gud (jaggery), ground fine- 1 cup or as per taste
  • Fresh yogurt/ curd- 1 cup
  • Milk- 3/4 cup
  • Baking soda- 1 tsp
  • Baking powder- 1tsp
  • Salt- 1/2 tsp
  • Flavourless vegetable oil-1/2 cup
  • Melted Butter at room temperature- 1/2 cup
  • Vanilla extract- 1 tsp
  • Ground cardamom (optional)- 1/2 tsp or a little extra if you would like a strong cardamom flavour
  • Chopped nuts or semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)- 1/2 cup
  • Muffin tins or 8 inch round cake pan

Instructions

  1. Grease muffin tins with parchment and non-stick cooking spray or butter and flour and keep aside
  2. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees
  3. In a bowl sift together refined flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and keep aside
  4. In another bowl whisk the yogurt until smooth and then add milk, powdered raw sugar/jaggery, butter, cardamom powder (if using) and vanilla extract and mix well to form a homogenous mixture
  5. Add semolina to the above liquid mixture and cover and let it rest for 20 minutes
  6. After 20 minutes the semolina batter thickens up considerably; fold in the sifted dry ingredients 
  7. Do not over-mix as that would lead to a dry and clumpy cake
  8. Add chopped nuts or chocolate chips if using and give it one final gentle mix
  9. Spoon in the batter into muffin tins or cake pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes. Bake at 200 degrees for first 5 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 177 degrees and bake for the remaining time or until a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out clean. The baking time may vary depending on the oven so keep checking after 15 minutes
  10. Bring to room temperature , bring out of the muffin tins and enjoy!
https://onewholesomemeal.com/eggless-semolina-mini-cakes-refined-sugar-free-easy-recipe/

Eggless Semolina Mini Cakes- Refined Sugar-free Easy Recipe

 

Categories
Breakfast | 8am Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Pumpkin Paratha Recipe | Easy Lunchbox Meal

Pumpkin Paratha Recipe- Easy Lunchbox Meal

If one had to pick one dish which is extremely versatile in Indian cuisine , it is parathas. Somewhat like the fried rice of Asian and pasta of Italian cuisines. There are so many ways that parathas adapt to one’s palette, hunger and occasion .

Parathas are Versatile

Need a quick fix yet wholesome and easy lunchbox meal for  kids? Add desired vegetable purees to the dough like pumpkin, spinach or avocado. need a heavy breakfast , stuff in the vegetables of choice and fry or looking for something more celebratory or indulgent, bring them on the keema parathas. There is a paratha for every occasion, don’t you think?

Our Indian household like may others makes parathas of all kinds. Aaloo and paneer  parathas remain on top of the list.They are practically inhaled each time we make them. Pumpkin paratha on the other hand is one of my favourite ways to incorporate pumpkin into my kids’ diet. It is also an easy lunchbox meal to pack.

The dough can be made the night before.Next morning you just need to roll it out, cook, wrap it in a foil with dips of choice and your are good to go! Cook it in ghee to get the best taste and flavours. You can also use low fat butter if you are counting calories. And if you want a no ghee option too, check out my Avocado paratha recipe here.

In terms of the recipe, pumpkin paratha is really a no brainer . All we need is some wholewheat flour, oil or ghee, pureed pumpkin , salt and spices of choice and we are set.

Some helpful tips to making soft yet flaky pumpkin paratha:

  1. The most important step to making flaky parathas is to get the fat to mix well with the gluten in wholewheat flour. In order to do this we add some ghee to the flour and rub it well between our palms for 5-10 minutes before you start to knead the dough with other ingredients
  2. Raw grated pumpkin can be used to make parathas too after you grate and squeeze out excess water . However boiled and pureed pumpkin makes softer parathas
  3. If you are having the parathas by themselves and not with a dip or side dish then you can add some additional spices like garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder to make it more flavourful. In this recipe I have only used some coriander powder along with some whole spices like carom and nigella seeds which not just add to the flavour but also make the parathas easily digestible.
  4. Always keep the dough covered with a moist muslin even as you pull out small pieces to roll out the dough
  5. If you are making the dough the night before make sure to bring it to room temperature 15 minutes before rolling it out
  6. When cooking the parathas keep the flame on medium low and let it cook for a few minutes flipping sides before increasing the flame and adding ghee or oil to cook further
  7. Little to no water is needed while kneading as the pumpkin puree is enough to make dough; even if you end up adding water be sure to add a few sprinkles at a time.  Sometimes just wet hands are enough
  8. If for some reason the dough starts to get too sticky , add some more flour and continue to knead till it reaches the right consistency – soft and pliable but not sticky.

Bonus tip- The parathas freeze very well too. If freezing, cook only 50% on both sides, then smear little oil or ghee on both sides. Store them in a zip-lock bag by placing a piece of baking parchment approximately the same size of parathas in between two parathas and sealing the bag well.

Pumpkin Paratha Recipe- Easy Lunchbox Meal

Making Pumpkin Parathas

Ingredients 
  1. Half a small pumpkin, pureed (approximately 3/4 cup)
  2. Wholewheat flour (aatta)-  1 cup
  3. Coriander powder- 1/2 teaspoon
  4. Turmeric- 1/2 teaspoon
  5. Nigella seeds- 1/4 teaspoon
  6. Carom seeds- 1/4 teaspoon
  7. Salt- 1/2 teaspoon or to taste
  8. Ghee or oil – 1 tablespoon for the dough and some more to fry the parathas
  9. Water as needed
Method
  1. In a deep and wide bowl add 1 tablespoon ghee and flour and mix well by rubbing between your palms; continue for five minutes or so
  2. Add the remaining ingredients except water and continue to knead the dough until a soft and pliable mass is formed
  3. Cover with a soft muslin and let it rest for 10 minutes ; you can even start to cook the parathas right away but letting the dough rest helps it soften further
  4. Place a tava or flat thick bottomed skillet on the flame while you roll out a tennis ball sized dough into a thin , round paratha. Make sure the pressure on the rolling pin isn’t too strong else the paratha wouldn’t roll out evenly
  5. When the iron skillet is hot, reduce the flame to medium and carefully place the paratha on the pan.
    Once you see air bubble start to form, flip it over till bubbles form again, then smear 1 teaspoon of ghee along the periphery of the paratha and on the surface.
  6. Cook gently pressing down with a spatula till the paratha starts to puff up. This takes approximately 10-15 secs
  7. Flip and cook the other side similarly making sure you do not over cook or burn the paratha.
    Drain it on a kitchen towel to soak excess oil and enjoy with a side of freshly set yogurt, mint chutney or even ketchup and a hot cup of masala chaiPumpkin Paratha Recipe- Easy Lunchbox Meal
Print
Pumpkin Paratha Recipe- Easy Lunchbox Meal

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: Makes approximately 8 medium sized parathas

Ingredients

  • Half a small pumpkin, pureed (approximately 3/4 cup)
  • Wholewheat flour (aatta)- 1 cup
  • Coriander powder- 1/2 teaspoon
  • Turmeric- 1/2 teaspoon
  • Nigella seeds- 1/4 teaspoon 
  • Carom seeds- 1/4 teaspoon
  • Salt- 1/2 teaspoon or to taste 
  • Ghee or oil - 1 tablespoon for the dough and some more to fry the parathas 
  • Water as needed

Instructions

  1. In a deep and wide bowl add 1 tablespoon ghee and flour and mix well by rubbing between your palms; continue for five minutes or so
  2. Add the remaining ingredients except water and continue to knead the dough until a soft and pliable mass is formed
  3. Cover with a soft muslin and let it rest for 10 minutes ; you can even start to cook the parathas right away but letting the dough rest helps it soften further
  4. Place a tava or flat thick bottomed skillet on the flame while you roll out a tennis ball sized dough into a thin, round paratha. Make sure the pressure on the rolling pin isn't too strong else the paratha wouldn't roll out evenly
  5. When the iron skillet is hot, reduce the flame to medium and carefully place the paratha on the pan.
Once you see air bubble start to form, flip it over till bubbles form again, then smear 1 teaspoon of ghee along the periphery of the paratha and on the surface;cook gently pressing down with a spatula till the paratha starts to puff up. This takes approximately 10-15 secs
  6. Flip and cook the other side similarly making sure you do not over cook or burn the paratha.
Drain it on a kitchen towel to soak excess oil and enjoy with a side of freshly set yogurt, mint chutney or even ketchup and a hot cup of masala chai
https://onewholesomemeal.com/pumpkin-paratha-recipe-easy-lunchbox-meal/

Pumpkin Paratha Recipe- Easy Lunchbox Meal

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Breakfast | 8am Meal

Nolen Gur Kalakand | Milk Dessert with Date Palm Jaggery

Nolen Gur or Date Palm Jaggery is a name synonymous to a lot of people who hail from the Eastern part of India. Available fresh only during the winter months, as the winter sets in, earthen pots are fitted to date palm trees where incisions are made, a tapper attached to it in order to collect the sap. This sap is then boiled on low heat till it thickens resulting in this delicious ambrosial Nolen Gur or Date Palm Jaggery.

Not just another sweetener

To say that this sweetener takes any milk dessert to next level is an understatement . You have to try it to believe it . It also has very many health benefits , so much so that ace nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar calls it “a feast for sore eyes, rusty gut and cramped calf muscles.” With its high iron and magnesium levels it also helps regulate the haemoglobin and nervous system. And to me Nolen Gur Kalakand is one of the best ways to enjoy this gift of nature.

Each time I make a trip to India in the winter months I bring back a few jars of this deliciousness and freeze it. Then I continue to use it through the year (not so much during peak summers as Nolen Gur has strong warming properties) for various desserts especially the milk based ones like kheer. And because I had a lot of Gur on my hand this time I decided to make Nolen Gur Kalakand. Now, I grew up in Eastern India and we were spoilt for choices when it came to good Mithai (Indian desserts), especially the Bengali Mithais like Rasgullas and Kalakand. I can confidently say I have never tasted any better anywhere in India.

Why do I make mithai?

But now that we are in Hong Kong, you can very well imagine our predicament each time we try to find good tasting mithai. It is just impossible to find the good milk based ones especially. After searching high and low, I gave up and started to make my own. So far, Rasgullas and Kalakand are my favourite things to make at home. And I make them both from scratch, no condensed milk or store bought khoya, all the good homemade stuff .

It is labour intensive and time consuming but not difficult at all. One just needs to take note of the little things like the ones mentioned below and everything turns out just fine. While making rasguallas involves making fresh chena or cottage cheese , kalakand is a tad more tedious as one needs to make khoya (reduced, thickened milk)as well. It is a time consuming process for sure but then the results are worth it and much better than using milk powder or condensed milk. And as I always maintain, good things take time :))

So, here area few tips to make the perfect Nolen Gur Kalakand :

  1. Use full fat milk for making both khoya and chena. There are no two ways about it. Skim milk will just not work
  2. To make good chena, once the milk comes to boil, turn off heat and let it sit for a minute or two before adding vinegar or lime. This results in good yield too
  3. Wash the chena very well with clean drinking water to take away the sour smell and taste of vinegar or lime, whichever you use to curdle milk; you do not want sour smelling kalakand
  4. Drain the chena very well for at least two-three hours so that no moisture remains . I usually drain it in the fridge overnight placing it inside a muslin which in turn is placed in a strainer above a bowl. Moist chena makes soggy kalakand
  5. Go easy on the chena while kneading, we do not want very smooth texture for kalaknd unlike rasguallas , hence knead with light hands
  6. Making khoya is a time consuming process but it is also important you stir constantly so it doesn’t stick to the pan
  7. Once you mix all ingredients together , set it in a pan and refrigerate for a couple of hours before consuming

So, lets get cooking. There are three main steps into making Nolen Gur Kalakand:

  1. Making chena/ cottage cheese
  2. Making khoya/ reduced thickened milk
  3. Bringing it together

Making Chena

  1. Bring 1.5 litres of milk to boil; once the milk is boiling turn off the heat and let it sit for 2-3 minutes
  2. Add 2 tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar and give it a stir ; milk will start to curdle
  3. Strain the whey out through a muslin placed over a strainer as shown in the picture above
  4. Give chena a nice rinse with 10 cups of water making sure no sour smell of lime or vinegar remains
  5. Drain well for a couple of hours or overnight in the fridge to take away all the excess moisture
  6. Once chena has drained well, add finely chopped Nolen Gur and mix gently and refrigerate

Making Khoya

  1. Bring 1.5 liters of milk to boil; once the milk starts to boil , reduce the flame and stir continuously until it reduces to a thick semi-solid mass
  2. Add powdered cardamom powder and saffron while the milk is reducing
  3. Transfer to another bowl and bring to room temperature
  4. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes

Bringing it together

  1. Gentle mix the khoya(already mixed with jaggery) and chena together
  2. Grease a plate or square cake pan and transfer the mixture to it
  3. Garnish with chopped almonds and pistachios
  4. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and cut out small barfis/squares and enjoy chilled or warm

Print
Nolen Gur Kalakand | Milk Dessert with Date Palm Jaggery

Prep Time: 8 hours

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 9 hours

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 12 -16 pieces

Ingredients

  • Full fat milk- 3 litres, divided into half
  • Lime juice or vinegar - 2 tbsp
  • Nolen gur (date palm jaggery)- 3/4 cup or as per taste
  • Cardamom powder-1.5 tsp
  • Saffron- 6-8 strands
  • Chopped almonds and pistachios- 2 tbsp

Instructions

    Making Chena
  1. Bring 1.5 litres of milk to boil; once the milk is boiling turn off the heat and let it sit for 2-3 minutes
  2. Add 2 tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar and give it a stir ; milk will start to curdle
  3. Strain the whey out through a muslin placed over a strainer as shown in the picture above
  4. Give chena a nice rinse with 10 cups of water making sure there is no sour smell of lime or vinegar anymore
  5. Drain well for a couple of hours or overnight in the fridge to take away all the excess moisture
  6. Once chena has drained well, add finely chopped Nolen Gur and mix gently and refrigerate
    7. Making Khoya
  7. Bring 1.5 liters of milk to boil; once the milk starts to boil , reduce the flame and stir continuously until it reduces to a thick semi-solid mass
  8. Add powdered cardamom powder and saffron while the milk is reducing
  9. Transfer to another bowl and bring to room temperature
  10. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes
https://onewholesomemeal.com/nolen-gur-kalakand-milk-dessert-with-date-palm-jaggery/