Category: Recipe

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Sattu Paratha: Comfort food from Bihar

Sattu, once a culinary gem of Bihar, is now gaining recognition across India as a wholesome health food brimming with nourishing benefits. Personally, I’m drawn to its earthy taste, which infuses every dish with a rustic charm. Whether whipped into a refreshing drink or kneaded into hearty parathas, sattu has become a staple in my kitchen. From energizing breakfasts to satisfying dinners, its filling and nutritious qualities.

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
Water, as needed
Ghee, for cooking


For the stuffing:

1 cup sattu (black gram flour)
1 small onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped (optional, adjust according to spice preference)
2 tablespoons coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon kalonji (nigella seeds)
1 teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds)
1 teaspoon pickle masala (optional)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons mustard oil


Instructions:

In a mixing bowl, combine whole wheat flour with water to make a soft dough. Knead the dough well until smooth. Cover and let it rest for half an hour.
Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing. In a separate bowl, add sattu, chopped onion, garlic, green chillies (if using), coriander leaves, kalonji, ajwain, pickle masala (if using), lemon juice, mustard oil, and salt to taste. Mix well to combine. Add a little water to make the filling moist but not too wet.
Divide the dough into equal-sized balls. Take one ball of dough and roll it out into a small circle, about 4-5 inches in diameter.
Place a portion of the sattu stuffing in the center of the rolled-out dough circle. Gather the edges of the dough and pinch them together to seal the filling inside. Flatten the stuffed ball slightly.
Dust the stuffed ball with flour and roll it out gently into a larger circle, about 6-7 inches in diameter. Be careful not to let the filling come out.
Heat a flat pan (tawa) over medium heat. Once hot, carefully place the rolled-out paratha on the pan.
Cook the paratha for a minute or two on one side until small bubbles start to form. Flip the paratha and cook on the other side.
Apply a little ghee on both sides of the paratha and cook until golden brown spots appear on both sides.
Remove the cooked paratha from the pan and repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling.
Serve hot Sattu Parathas with yogurt, pickle, or any chutney of your choice. Enjoy the delicious and nutritious meal!

I am a big advocate of regional foods. Reason? They are free of any preservative, artificial colour, or harmful mixtures.

You can make your own sattu at home or you can buy from numerous brands available online as well as offline. In case you are looking for a homemade, preservative free and authentic experience, without getting into hassle of grinding your own, you can always explore Masala Monk’s Sattu Mix, which ships all over India.

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Sattu Sharbat Recipe

Summer is here, and with it comes the delightful sight of vendors lining the streets with their earthen matkas filled with refreshing Sattu Sharbat. There’s something truly magical about the way they present this traditional drink, with lemon slices and fresh mint leaves adorning the side, enticing passersby with its cool, tangy allure.

If you’ve ever wondered how to recreate this quintessential summer refresher at home, look no further! We’re excited to share with you our recipe for the perfect Sattu Sharbat:

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons chana sattu
1/4 teaspoon black salt
1/4 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon roasted red chilli powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon finely chopped green chillis
1 teaspoon finely chopped coriander leaves
Juice of 1 lemon
1 glass cold water


Instructions:

In a jar, add chana sattu and pour cold water into it. Add black salt, roasted cumin powder, roasted red chilli powder, and lemon juice to the jar. Mix all the ingredients well until the sattu is completely dissolved in water.
Taste and adjust the seasoning according to your preference. Once mixed thoroughly, top the sattu sharbat with finely chopped onion, green chillis, and coriander leaves. Give it a final stir and serve chilled.
Enjoy the refreshing and nutritious Sattu Sharbat! Feel free to adjust the quantities of ingredients according to your taste preferences.

This homemade Sattu Sharbat is perfect for beating the summer heat and providing a nutritious boost to your day.

You can make your own sattu at home or you can buy from numerous brands available online as well as offline. In case you are looking for a homemade, preservative free and authentic experience, without getting into hassle of grinding your own, you can always explore Masala Monk’s Sattu Mix, which ships all over India.

Whether you make it at home, or get one from store, do try the recipe and let me know in comments how it turns out. If you end up adding your own twist and experimenting, let me know as well – maybe I will try it that way and see how it feels.

More sattu recipes you will love:

A protein packed summer special buttermilk sattu

Sattu Paratha: Comfort food from Bihar

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Kundru Chutney Recipe

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.

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Wholewheat Carrot Orange Tea Cake- Kid Friendly Easy Recipe

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 minsCook 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:

  1. Use fresh baking soda. It looses it potency after 6 months of opening it.
  2. When measuring dry ingredients, level it off using the straight edge of a spoon or a butter knife.
  3. This recipe makes 12 muffins. Bake them for 14 to 18 minutes and allow the muffins to cool completely on wire rack.
  4. You can add cinnamon and ginger powder to this recipe to add a warm touch to it.
  5. 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.
  6. 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-
Orange and Whiskey Marmalade

Substitutes:

  • 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.
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Easy Festive Irish Rum Truffles- The Best Truffles

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.