Tag: Easy Recipe

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Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes with Stewed Cinnamon Apples

I take breakfast very seriously. This is my favorite meal and I need a good start to the day. If you ask my family, what I specialize in, it would definitely be breakfast.

When it comes to pancakes, nothing beats Buttermilk Pancakes. Though classic American pancakes are made with milk but the secret ingredient to best, fluffy, moist & tender pancakes is buttermilk. Buttermilk when combined with baking soda and powder gives pancakes a nice lift making them fluffy and thick. Also, I love the slight tang it adds to the pancakes balancing the sweetness so well. 

These pancakes are good enough on their own but nothing compared to how wonderful they are when piled on gooey caramely stewed apples. This is what I call breakfast any time of the year! Mmmmm… time to dig in!

Recipe: makes approx 12 pancakes

Ingredients for pancakes: 

  • Flour: 2 cups (you can use All Purpose Flour, Wholewheat flour or a mix of both)
  • Buttermilk: 2 cups 
  • Eggs: 2 large, separated 
  • Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
  • Baking soda: 1 tsp
  • Baking powder: 1 tsp  
  • Oil for cooking
  • Salt: 1/4th tsp
  • Castor sugar: 2 tbsps
  • Unsalted Butter: 2 tbsps (melted and cooled)

For Apple Stew:

  • 2 large Apples (any apples will do)
  • 2 tbsps Unsalted Butter
  • 1/4th cup Brown Sugar or Jaggery powder
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
  • 3 tbsps Maple Syrup
  • A pinch of Nutmeg
  • 1 cup Water

Instructions for Pancakes: 

  • In a large bowl sieve flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix all the dry ingredients. Set aside.
  • In a separate large bowl, add egg yolks & half the sugar. Whisk till sugar combines. Now add butter, buttermilk & vanilla extract. Mix till everything incorporates well.
  • Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in batches gently mixing each time. The batter at this stage will be thick & lumpy. Set aside
  • Now add the remaining sugar to egg whites and whip them till you get soft peaks. Do not go for stiff peaks. Soft peak is what we are looking at.
  • Very gently combine egg whites to the rest of the batter in 2 batches. Cut and fold gently. Do not over mix the batter or the pancakes will be flat. Use a light hand while mixing. Few flour streaks in the batter are absolutely fine.
  • Heat a non-stick skillet or a cast iron pan on a medium to low heat. Brush it with any non-fragrant oil. Allow the skillet to preheat for 3 to 4 minutes before adding the batter.
  • Scoop 1/3rd cup of the pancake batter into the pan. Allow it to cook till edges begin to appear cooked and top sets with bubbles forming on top. Using a spatula, flip the pancake and continue to cook the other side for 2 more minutes or until pancake is golden brown.
  • Repeat until all the batter is used. Keeping brushing the pan between each batch of pancakes.

For Apple stew:

  • Finely chop apples. Heat a pan to a medium heat.
  • Add butter and allow it to melt. Tip in apples, brown sugar or jaggery powder (I used jaggery powder), maple syrup, cinnamon powder, nutmeg & water. Give it a good mix. Increase the heat and bring it to a boil.
  • Once boiled, lower the heat, cover and cook apples for 10 minutes or till they become tender & mushy. If you want a thicker stew, mix 1/2 tsp of cornflour in 2 tbsps of cold water & add when the apples are perfectly cooked. Cook for 1 more minute after adding the cornflour.
  • When your pancakes are ready, serve it with warm apple stew topping and enjoy that perfect cozy breakfast.

Notes:

  1. Make sure you don’t over mix the batter. We don’t want to lose that whole fluffiness factor.
  2. Measuring your pancakes out into the pan is the best way to ensure you get uniform size of pancakes and they will take the same time to cook.
  3. You can store the topping for 3-5 days in the refrigerator. The leftover topping can be used for oatmeal, served with Greek yogurt or vanilla ice cream, can be used to make apple muffins.
  4. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, then you can substitute buttermilk with 2 cups of milk mixed with a tsp of apple cider vinegar and kept aside for 5 minutes or till milk starts showing signs of curdling.
  5. If you are using wholewheat flour for this recipe, you might have to increase the amount of buttermilk. I would suggest you to slowly add more buttermilk till you get a thick but runny batter consistency.
  6. If the apples you are using have soft or mealy texture, it may take less time to cook. In that case reduce the water to 1/2 a cup at first. In case you need to add more water, gradually add a little.
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Homemade Almond and Rose Sharbat Concentrate- Healthy Summer Delight

Summer is here and so is the need for delicious healthy summer coolers to quench our thirst. Drinking homemade sharbats is one of the natural ways to beat the heat and stay hydrated. Sharbat is usually a syrup made from fruit, flower extracts, and/or herbs. The syrup is then diluted with sugar, water and ice.
I have been a sucker for Badam (Almond) Sharbat all my growing years. I remember my mother used to make badam concentrate in summers. I would open the refrigerator and make myself a glass one after the other and before my siblings could lay a hand on it, the bottle of concentrate would have halved. That’s how much I loved it then and I still do.

It’s fairly simple to make a drink with concentrate. Just add few tablespoons of concentrate in a glass, add water and ice cubes. Mix well and enjoy. No need to add any sugar and stir endlessly. Every child can make it.

Before I share the recipe, here’s an interesting insight on sharbat. Did you know that, in India, sharbat was introduced by the Mughals in the 16th century, which was popularized by Babur in the Indian subcontinent who had sent for frequent loads of ice from the Himalayas to make this chilling beverage.

Almond sharbat also known as sherbet originated from Persia, which was flavoured with cardamom and kewra water. Since then, there have been many different versions of it. We will make one flavored with rose petals and musk melon seeds. Badam Sharbat is valued for its exceptional health benefits.

  • Almonds are enriched with vitamin E, fibre, magnesium and omega 3 fatty acids. It is a natural brain tonic for memory enhancement. It’s also cools and calms your body.
  • Rose petals on the other hand, are linked with stress reduction and relaxation. They are loaded with antioxidants. It’s a natural summer cooler. It improves digestion by calming your system. 
  • Muskmelon seeds are not only rich in vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, K, E, niacin, zinc & magnesium but did you know that musk melon seeds are excellent to prevent seasonal flu. Keep the summer cold at bay by eating muskmelon seeds. They get rid of extra mucus in the body and help clear up congestion.

How to make this Concentrate?

Ingredients

  • Raw Almonds- 1 cup (250 ml measuring cup)
  • Filtered Water- 2 cups
  • Raw unprocessed Sugar- 1 1/4 cup (depends how sweet you prefer. I don’t like it overly sweet)
  • Black pepper peppercorn- 9-10
  • Cardamom- 4 to 5 pods, slightly crushed 
  • Musk Melon seeds- 3 tbsps
  • Rose Petals- 1/2 cup
  • Fennel seeds- 1 tsp

Instructions

  • Rinse almonds and soak overnight or for 6-8 hours. 
  • In another bowl soak melon seeds, rose petals, peppercorns & fennel seeds for 2-3 hours
  • Drain the water. Peel the almonds. Now, grind almonds, melon seeds, rose petals, fennel seeds & peppercorns into a fine paste. Use water to get a smooth thick paste. 
  • In a pan add water and sugar. Bring it to boil. Add crushed cardamom and simmer the syrup for 4-5 minutes. 
  • Now add the prepared almond paste and cook for 15 minutes on low flame or till the syrup thickens and reduces to almost half. 
  • Please remember that the syrup will also thicken on cooling. 
  • Once cooled, sieve the syrup with a soup strainer to get a smooth concentrate. 
  • Once it cools down, pour it into clean sterilized glass bottles.

How to prepare the Sharbat?

  • To prepare a glass of sharbat, pour 2 tablespoons of concentrate in a glass and top it with cold water. Stir well. Check for taste. If you want you can add more concentrate. Once ok, add ice cubes if you like. Cheers to good health!
  • You can also add this concentrate to cold milk and give it to your kids in summers.

Notes:

  1. Use indigenous variety of pink rose petals and not the ones used by florists. Damask roses are a powerfully fragrant variety and has a distinct flavor. You can use garden rose as well.
  2. I have used unprocessed raw cane sugar here.
  3. Store the Badam Rose Sharbat concentrate in the refrigerator for upto a month. Shake well before use.
  4. If you like to have more of rose flavor in the concentrate then, you can add couple of drops of rose essence or a tbsp of rose water.
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Easy 5 – Minute Sweet and Spicy Mango Salad Dressing

Salads don’t have to be boring right? So get ready to tantalize your taste buds with a burst of vibrant flavors! Our Mango Salad Dressing recipe is here to elevate your salads to a whole new level of deliciousness. Made with ripe mangoes and a handful of simple ingredients, this dressing is the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and refreshing. Whether drizzled over fresh greens, grilled chicken, or seafood, it adds a delightful tropical twist to any dish. Let’s dive into the recipe and discover how to make this irresistible dressing that’s sure to become a favorite in your kitchen!

Ingredients:

1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small green chili, seeds removed and minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:

Prepare the Ingredients:

Peel the ripe mango and remove the flesh from the pit. Dice the mango into small pieces.

Blend the Ingredients:
In a mixer grinder or food processor, add the diced mango, garlic, minced green chili, fresh coriander leaves, salt, pepper and olive oil. Start blending the ingredients on low speed and gradually increase the speed to create a smooth paste.

Once the mixture is well blended and has a smooth texture, stop the mixer. Taste the dressing and season with salt and pepper according to your preference.

Adjust Consistency:
If the dressing is too thick, you can add a little water or more olive oil to achieve the desired consistency. Blend again briefly to incorporate. Transfer the mango dressing to a clean, airtight container. Seal the container and store it in the refrigerator.

Serving Suggestions:
Use the mango dressing to enhance the flavors of your favorite salads. It pairs well with fresh greens, sliced vegetables, and even fruits like strawberries or avocado. You can also use this dressing as a dip for your favorite snacks, such as vegetable sticks, pita chips, or grilled chicken skewers.

Drizzle the mango dressing over your salad just before serving or use it as a dipping sauce for your snacks.
Store any leftover dressing in the refrigerator for up to a week.

This dressing is a game changer and can take your salads to next level. Hope you liked this simple mango salad dressing 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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Mango Lemonade: A Refreshing Tropical Twist to Beat the Heat!

When the sun is blazing and temperatures are soaring, there’s nothing quite like a tall glass of mango lemonade to cool you down and invigorate your senses. Combining the tropical sweetness of mangoes with the tangy zest of lemons, this thirst-quenching beverage is a delightful balance of flavors that will transport you to a tropical paradise with each sip🥤🍋🥭. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take you through the steps of creating the perfect mango lemonade, share tips for customizing the recipe to suit your taste, and explore the numerous health benefits this refreshing drink has to offer. Get ready to indulge in the ultimate summer refresher! 🌴🍹🌞

🥭🍋 The Perfect Pairing: Mangoes and lemons are a match made in flavor heaven. The juicy sweetness of ripe mangoes pairs beautifully with the zesty tartness of lemons, creating a harmonious blend that tantalizes the taste buds. The combination of these two fruits not only creates a refreshing and balanced beverage but also provides a burst of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can support overall health and well-being.

🍹 Simple Mango Lemonade Recipe: Let’s dive into the step-by-step process of creating a delicious and refreshing glass of mango lemonade:

Ingredients:

  • 2 ripe mangoes, peeled and diced
  • Juice of 4-5 lemons
  • 4 cups of water
  • Sweetener of your choice (optional)
  • Ice cubes
  • Fresh mint leaves (for garnish)

Instructions:

  1. Place the diced mangoes in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
  2. In a pitcher, combine the mango puree, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and water. Stir well to combine all the ingredients.
  3. Taste the mixture and, if desired, add a sweetener of your choice such as honey, agave syrup, or simple syrup. Adjust the sweetness according to your preference.
  4. Fill glasses with ice cubes and pour the mango lemonade over the ice.
  5. Garnish each glass with a sprig of fresh mint leaves for an added touch of freshness and visual appeal.
  6. Give the drink a gentle stir to mix all the flavors together.
  7. Serve the mango lemonade chilled and enjoy!

🌞 The Ultimate Summer Refresher: Mango lemonade is the quintessential beverage for beating the summer heat. Its vibrant and tropical flavors offer a much-needed respite on hot days, providing a burst of refreshment that cools you from the inside out. Whether you’re lounging by the pool, hosting a backyard barbecue, or simply seeking a delicious way to stay hydrated, mango lemonade is the go-to drink that will keep you feeling cool, revitalized, and satisfied.

🌴 Health Benefits of Mango Lemonade: Apart from its delicious taste, mango lemonade offers a range of health benefits that make it even more enticing:

  • Vitamin C Boost: Both mangoes and lemons are rich in vitamin C, an essential nutrient that supports immune function, collagen production, and acts as a powerful antioxidant.
  • Hydration: With its high water content and electrolyte-balancing properties, mango lemonade helps to hydrate the body and replenish essential minerals lost through perspiration.
  • Digestive Aid: Lemon juice aids in digestion by promoting the production of digestive juices, while the fiber in mangoes supports healthy digestion and regular bowel movements.
  • Antioxidant Power: The combination of mangoes and lemons provides a potent dose of antioxidants, which help combat free radicals and reduce oxidative stress in the body.

🍹🥭🍋 Mango lemonade is a versatile beverage that allows for endless customizations and variations. Here are a few ideas to elevate your mango lemonade experience:

  • Minty Fresh: Add a few sprigs of fresh mint leaves to the pitcher for an invigorating twist and a burst of coolness.
  • Bubbly Delight: Top your glass of mango lemonade with sparkling water or soda water to add a fizzy effervescence.
  • Berry Blast: Enhance the flavor and visual appeal by adding a handful of fresh berries such as strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries to the pitcher.
  • Herbal Infusion: Experiment with herbal infusions such as basil, thyme, or lavender to create unique flavor combinations.

🥤🍹🥭 Mango lemonade is the epitome of summer in a glass. Its vibrant color, tropical flavors, and refreshing qualities make it a go-to beverage for any occasion. So, grab those ripe mangoes, squeeze those lemons, and whip up a pitcher of mango lemonade to indulge in a taste sensation that captures the essence of the season!