Discover the flavor-packed tangy spicy twist with my Kundru Chutney Recipe!
Ingredients:
For the Chutney:
250g Kundru (ivy gourd), washed and chopped 2 tablespoons mustard oil Salt to taste 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 4-5 garlic cloves 2-3 green chilies Handful of coriander leaves 1 tablespoon tamarind paste (imli)
For the Tadka (Tempering):
1 tablespoon urad dal (black gram dal) 1 tablespoon chana dal (split chickpeas) Handful of curry leaves 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds 1 tablespoon mustard oil Instructions:
Prepare the Kundru:
Heat mustard oil in a pan over medium heat. Add chopped kundru to the hot oil and sauté for a few minutes until they start to soften.
Season the kundru with salt, cumin seeds, and turmeric powder. Stir well to coat the kundru evenly with the spices. Continue to sauté for another 2 minutes. Add chopped garlic and green chilies to the pan. Sauté for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Toss in chopped coriander leaves and Tamrind and mix well.
Allow the kundru mixture to cool down to room temperature. Once cooled, transfer the mixture to a mortar and pestle or a grinder. Grind everything together to a smooth or coarse paste, depending on your preference.
Heat mustard oil in a small pan for tempering (tadka). Add urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves, and black mustard seeds to the hot oil. Sauté until the dals turn golden brown and the mustard seeds start to splutter.
Pour the prepared tadka over the kundru chutney mixture. Mix well to incorporate the tempering flavors into the chutney. Serve the kundru chutney with hot rice or paratha for a delicious and flavorful accompaniment.
Enjoy the tangy and spicy flavors of this homemade kundru chutney as a side dish with your favorite meals!
This Kundru Chutney is packed with aromatic spices and flavors, making it a perfect addition to your mealtime. Adjust the spice levels according to your preference.
Carrot cake is my and my child’s all time favourite. There’s something so heartwarming about a good carrot cake. As soon as those orange carrots hit the Indian market, this is one thing I crave.
Why did I add orange to this cake? Well, I think it gives it that special subtle finesse that makes it stand out. Orange flavor goes beautifully with carrots. It gives a burst of citrus flavour along with a bright punch.
One bite of this can even convert those silly people who don’t like carrot cake 😄 Who are these people anyway!
My child loves to carry a slice of cake or a muffin in his school snack box. So I had to make it healthy and equally delicious for my child. This is the recipe that I mastered after a few failed attempts. Well, not exactly failed though. Those failed attempts were edible too but this one comes out to be perfectly soft, moist and fluffy.
It is made using Wholewheat flour and Jaggery. Now baking with wholewheat flour can be a little tricky. It can make the texture of the cake dense. To ensure that your cake remains light and fluffy, the trick is to sieve wholewheat flour 3-4 times. This will add more air and the cake will not come out dense.
This recipe is actually so easy to make that anyone who hasn’t tried baking before will be able to crack it. Being a mother I understand how busy days get and trying those time consuming recipes can be quite daunting at times. To save you from all that hassle, all you have to do is put everything in a blender and Viola! Your batter is ready in less than 5 minutes. This will also save you from washing too many bowls which is quite a task when you have to bake.
Do try out this recipe and let me know. Trust me it will not disappoint you. 🙂 You can frost this cake with your favourite cream cheese frosting. This recipe is a make-ahead cake recipe whose taste and texture will not be compromised.
This cake is not overly sweet. I don’t prefer too sweet desserts. Feel free to add more jaggery if you like.
Recipe: cup measurement 250 ml
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Ingredients
2 medium size Carrots, shredded
3 heaped tbsps Orange Marmalade
60 grams softened unsalted Butter or any non-fragrant oil
1/2 cup Jaggery powder
1 1/2 cup Wholewheat flour
A generous pinch Salt
2 small Eggs
1/2 cup Milk
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1 tsp Baking powder
Handful of Chopped Walnuts (optional)
Method
In a blender, add butter, jaggery, lightly beaten eggs, milk, shredded carrots, marmalade & vanilla extract. Blend well on high speed till everything comes together. Take it out in a large bowl.
In another bowl, sieve wholewheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add walnuts now if using and combine everything well.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in 2 to 3 batches. Gently cut & fold each time till everything incorporates well and there are no lumps. Don’t mix rigorously or over mix the batter. This will lead to a dense cake texture.
Preheat oven at 180C 10 minutes prior to baking. Grease a 7 inches diameter round pan or 11x7x2 inches rectangular baking pan with butter and line it with parchment paper or alternatively you can dust it with some flour.
Add the batter. Tap the pan on the shelf 2-3 times to clear out all the air bubbles. Now, bake for 30 minutes on the middle rack of your oven or till a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.
Allow it to cool for 15 minutes in the pan and then transfer it on a wire rack to cool completely. If you find that the cake is sticking to the bottom of the pan, leave the cake upside down for sometime and let gravity do it’s thing.
My Pro Tips:
Use fresh baking soda. It looses it potency after 6 months of opening it.
When measuring dry ingredients, level it off using the straight edge of a spoon or a butter knife.
This recipe makes 12 muffins. Bake them for 14 to 18 minutes and allow the muffins to cool completely on wire rack.
You can add cinnamon and ginger powder to this recipe to add a warm touch to it.
If you want this cake to be perfectly moist, use fresh carrots and shred them. DO NOT USE packaged pre-shredded carrots for this recipe. This is the prime moisture for your cake and you don’t want to miss it.
In case you want to bake this cake for yourself and are feeling fancy, I would highly recommend adding Orange Whiskey Marmalade. Orange and whiskey combination can lift your simple cake to something gourmet. You can buy it here-
Eggs: You can either use flaxmeal or 1/4th cup Greek yogurt for every egg. For flaxmeal, take 1 tbsp flaxseeds for every egg. Coarsely ground them. Add 4 tbsps of water and let it sit for 15 minutes. It will become like a slimy gel like mixture. Use this as a substitute for one egg.
Orange Marmalade: If you don’t want to use Orange Marmalade, you can use 1/4th cup of freshly squeezed orange juice along with a tsp of orange zest instead. If using orange juice, you might have to adjust sugar accordingly. Add 1 or 2 tbsps of extra jaggery powder.
Jaggery: In case you don’t have jaggery powder, you can use any unprocessed sugar like palm sugar, coconut sugar etc.
Irish Rum Truffles are a classic holiday treat. Chocolatey and rich. It is a French confectionery traditionally made with chocolate ganache centre and coated with cocoa powder, coconut or chopped nuts. It’s sweet, slightly bitter, fudgy and of course intensely boozy. These are my favourite indulgent sweets. I am absolutely certain that after trying this recipe, you will ditch the boxed truffles which doesn’t even come close to the homemade ones.
Irish Rum Truffles are quite easy to make. They are perfect when you are craving a treat but don’t want to turn on the oven.
One of the qualities I find most important in food is the taste it leaves in my mouth. It should leave a memory on my taste buds that makes me want the next one. And, these truffles do exactly that.
My husband and I cut a small cake together at midnight on our anniversary each year. This is our moment together before we celebrate the day with our family and friends.
So for our 5th anniversary I wanted to treat my husband with something different and not the usual midnight cake. That’s when I thought of making Irish rum truffles. I sat down and scrolled through many recipes, adding and omitting what I like and don’t like and finally came up with this recipe. I had my fingers crossed.
When the clock struck midnight, I surprised him with these. He had a confused expression on his face because it was not the usual stuff. Skeptically, he took the first bite and the wide eyed expression said it all. 😄
They turned out to be so good. It has been 6 years now since I have been making this. I didn’t realise how good these were until one year I didn’t make them.
Not only are these holiday classics or a perfect gifting treats but you can make them whenever you like. It will lift your mood when you are sad. When you are happy, it will just make you happier. 😊
Although if rum or bailey’s isn’t your favourite liquor, you could try making them with bourbon, cointreau, cognac or kahlúa instead.
The taste will depend on the chocolate you are using. I used a total of 100 grams chocolate. 60 grams was Green & Black Dark Chocolate (70%) and 40 grams was a mix of Lindors and Lindt Milk chocolate.
Pro Tips:
Do not use Chocolate chips or cheap bars because they will not melt in truffle consistency leaving you with grainy bits. Chocolate chips are great for recipes like cookies and tea cakes.
Do not use half-and-half or any other liquid because the truffles won’t set properly.
Pure vanilla extract adds exceptional flavor to your chocolate truffles.
Coffee will accentuate the taste of the chocolate, so do not skip it.
Truffles are too firm with less liquid. So stick to this recipe for truffle success!
Recipe: makes 12-13 truffles
Ingredients
Chocolate: 100 gms
Fresh cream: 60 ml (25% fat)
Coconut oil/Unsalted butter: 3 tbsps
Rum: 10 ml
Bailey’s Irish cream: 30 ml
Instant coffee: 1/2 tsp mixed in 1 tbsp water
Vanilla extract: 1/2th tsp
Sieved unsweetened Cocoa powder
Some coarsely crushed nuts. I went with Pistachios.
Method:
Finely chop chocolate and keep aside in a big glass bowl.
Heat cream. DO NOT BOIL IT. Remove from heat just when you see bubbles forming on the edges. Add coconut oil or butter.
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate in batches, mixing well each time so that the chocolate doesn’t split. Use a wire whisk. If the chocolate splits, just add a splash of boiling water.
Now, in goes the rum, bailey’s, instant coffee and vanilla extract.
Whisk it well for couple of minutes to incorporate some air and till everything mixes well.
Cover it with a cling and put it in the refrigerator for 3 hours to set.
Once set, line a plate with butter paper.
Take one tbsp scoop and scoop out to make small balls. You will have to shape really quickly because the heat from your hand might melt the chocolate.
Keep the topping handy in a plate.
Roll the truffle in the topping of your choice and place it one by one on the butter paper.
Refrigerate for one hour or till it is set. It will last you about 2 weeks in a refrigerator.
Troubleshooting
The chocolate is separating: This is one of the biggest concerns while making truffles. If your chocolate splits then your cream was too hot. So make sure you don’t boil it.
The chocolate doesn’t melt: There can be two issues here, either your cream is too cold or you didn’t chop the chocolate into very small pieces. The finer the chocolate chunks, the quicker it will melt. If the chocolate doesn’t melt, craft a double boiler setting and heat the mixture in a heat proof bowl for a few seconds.
Trying to scoop too-warm ganache: Once the cream and chocolate are whisked together, you will have a thick, smooth mixture known as ganache. You might think that it’s scoopable right out of the bowl, but you’ll need to cool it properly before scooping and rolling. Refrigerate it before scooping.
Dive into layers of savory goodness as we combine earthy mushrooms, gooey cheese, and toasted bread for the ultimate comfort food experience.
Ingredients:
1 cup Mushroom, sliced 1 small Onion, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala powder Cheese slices (as needed) 1/2 teaspoon Chilli flakes (adjust to taste) Burger mayonnaise (as needed) Butter (for grilling) Salt, to taste Bread slices
Instructions:
Heat a pan over medium heat and add a small amount of butter. Once the butter melts, add the finely chopped onion and sauté until they turn golden brown.
Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and continue sautéing. Let them cook for a few minutes until they start to release their moisture.
Sprinkle garam masala powder and chilli flakes over the mushrooms. Stir well to combine and continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes, allowing the mushrooms to become tender and flavorful. Add a pinch of salt to taste.
Once the mushrooms are cooked and have absorbed the spices, turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
Take a bread slice and spread a layer of burger mayonnaise on one side. You can use as much or as little as you prefer, depending on your taste.
Place a generous amount of the sautéed mushroom mixture on top of the mayonnaise-spread bread slice.
Lay a cheese slice over the mushroom mixture, ensuring it covers the entire surface.
Take another bread slice and spread some mayonnaise on one side. Place this slice, mayo-side down, over the cheese layer, creating a sandwich.
Heat a pan or sandwich maker over medium heat. Spread a small amount of butter on the surface where you’ll place the sandwich.
Carefully place the prepared sandwich onto the pan or sandwich maker. Grill the sandwich for a few minutes on each side until the bread turns golden brown and crispy, and the cheese melts to oozy perfection.
Once both sides are grilled to your liking, remove the sandwich from the pan or sandwich maker and place it on a cutting board and slice it diagonally
Enjoy your delicious and flavorful Mushroom Cheese Sandwich!
Note: Feel free to customize the recipe by adding other ingredients like bell peppers, spinach, or herbs for added flavor and nutrition.
Kids have limited appetite. Give your child the best nutrition in that little food that they eat. The biggest struggle for vegetarians or vegans is to fulfill their child’s iron needs. While balanced diet here is the key but we all know how balanced it gets with the children especially the ones who are picky eaters.
So, I am going to share with you a simple recipe which has a great balance of protein and iron.
We all make BESAN CHEELAS at home. Sharing with you a simple way wherein you can make the best out that one Cheela that your child eats. 😊 And trust me it comes out delicious and packed with flavours. Also, this makes a great lunch box recipe too.
This recipe requires no elaborate preparations, so don’t need to plan ahead either. Just stir together the ingredients to make a batter, pour it on a hot griddle & cook up a delicious healthy meal.
What is Cheela?
Cheela is a sweet or savory Indian Pancakes made using lentils, cereal or grain flour. They are often made without any leavening agents, so they are considered to be healthy.
What is Besan?
Besan is a Hindi word which means “gram flour”. It is a pulse flour made using channa dal or chickpea flour. So besan cheela is gram flour pancakes. These pancakes are Gluten Free, vegan and nutritious. Gram flour is a fabulous source of protein, iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B6. Just 100 grams of gram flour can give you 22 grams of easy to digest natural protein. You can make these pancakes with basic ingredients as well but when you add green leafy vegetables to it, it not only enhances the taste but also makes it wholesome and an amazing source of iron for your kids.
Also the vegetables I have added are all homegrown. If you don’t have enough space, grow them in small pots. It’s no rocket science. Just get a few pots or grow bags, potting soil and seeds from any nursery near your house. Engage your children while planting it. The satisfaction of eating your homegrown organic vegetables is unmatchable. Try it!
Ingredients
Prep time: 5 mins
Serving: makes 3 Pancakes
Cook time: 5 mins
Besan/Chickpea flour: 1/2 cup
Sattu/Roasted Gram flour: 1/4th cup
Semolina/Suji: 1/4th cup
Cumin seeds/Jeera: 1/8th tsp
Bishop seeds/Ajwain: 1/8th tsp
Garam Masala: 1/4th tsp
Roasted Cumin powder: 1/4th tsp
Turmeric: 1/4th tsp
Salt & Black pepper to taste
Chat Masala to taste (optional)
Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp
Water as required
Chopped Methi (Fenugreek), Spinach, Radish leaves, Mint leaves, Curry leaves & Coriander leaves: 1 cup
Onion: 2 tbsp, finely chopped
Ginger: 2” long, grated
Ghee or Oil as required
Method
1 Take Besan/Chickpeas flour, Sattu or Roasted Gram flour (great source of protein) and Semolina/Suji (for crispiness) in a bowl.
2. To this add turmeric, cumin seeds, ajwain/bishop seeds, garam masala, roasted cumin powder, black pepper, salt, chaat masala and coriander powder. Mix it well. Add enough water to make a thin but not a runny batter. Start with 1/4th cup water and the gradually add more as required. Continue whisking until the batter has a smooth, flowing consistency. There shouldn’t be any lumps, so make sure to break those up while mixing the batter.
Tip: Use a wire whisk to whisk the batter. This will ensure that your batter is lump free.
3. Now add chopped methi (fenugreek) leaves, spinach leaves, onion, grated ginger (fabulous food for digestion), curry leaves, coriander & mint leaves. Use the leaves that are in season. All the green leaves are a great source of iron and this is one of the best ways to incorporate this in your child’s and your diet.
4. Keep the batter aside for 10 minutes. Heat a cast iron tawa on a medium to low heat. I have made it on normal tawa in which we make rotis but if you can’t make it on tawa then you can use a non stick pan as well.
5. Brush the tawa with desi ghee or oil. Add generously to avoid dry cheelas because besan tends to soak ghee/oil. Take a ladle or ¼ to ⅓ of a measuring cup full of the batter and pour on the pan. Spread the batter evenly with the back of your ladle to make thin cheelas.
6. Then continue to cook the chilla on a low to medium-low heat until the top begins to set. You can drizzle some more oil or ghee along the edges for a crispy cheela.
7. You can flip the chilla once or twice for even cooking. Once the base gets golden brown, it’s time to flip the cheela. Cook the other sides till you see golden spots on cheela. You can flip the cheela once or twice for even cooking.
8. Finally, fold it and then serve it mint chutney, homemade ketchup or the way your child likes it.
Enjoy!! 😊
Notes:
If some of the spices mentioned above are not available, feel free to skip them.
Incase you don’t find sattu or roasted gram flour, feel free to skip it and add more besan or chickpea flour. However, sattu is a great source of protein and iron, so it’ll be great if you can get your hands on it.
