Nankhatai

Ingredients - 

• 1 cup - Maida
• 1/2 cup - Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 cup - Ghee (melted and cooled)
• 1/2 tsp - Baking soda
• 1/2 tsp - cardamom seeds (crushed, optional)

Method - 

• Mix ghee and sugar to a smooth paste.
• Add rest ingredients slowly and knead into a soft dough.
• Let it rest for 45-50 min.
• Make round balls, flatten a little and place on a baking sheet.
• Preheat oven for 5 min.
• Bake at 170 C till light brown.

Notes - 

-You can check if they are done by inserting a toothpick. It should come out almost clean.

- Remove from baking sheet once they have cooled down as they are very brittle when hot.

- You can also add kesar/saffron for flavor. 

Besan Nankhatai

Ingredients - 

• 1 cup - Besan
• 1 cup - Maida
• 3/4 cup - Powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp - Baking soda
• Ghee (for kneading)

Method - 

• Mix and knead all the ingredients in melted ghee to make a soft dough.
• Cover and keep the dough aside for 45 min.
• Make round balls, flatten a little and place on a baking sheet.
• Preheat oven for 5 min.
• Bake at 200 C till light brown.

Notes - 

-You can check if they are done by inserting a toothpick. It should come out almost clean.

- Remove from baking sheet once they have cooled down as they are very brittle when hot.

Tandoori Grilled Broccoli and Cauliflower

Ingredients - 

• 1 small head of broccoli
• 1/2 small head of cauliflower

     for marinade

• 3 tbsp - Besan
• 1/2 cup - yogurt
• 2 tbsp - lemon juice
• 1 tbsp - garlic paste
• 1 tbsp - ginger paste
• 1 tsp - garam masala
• 1/2 tsp - red chilly powder
• 1/2 tsp - turmeric powder
• 1 tsp - coriander powder
• Salt according to taste
• 1 tbsp - vegetable oil

Method - 

• Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into large florets. You should have 6 florets (about 2 cups) each of broccoli and cauliflower.
• Bring water to boil in a medium pot. Add plenty of salt. Add the broccoli and cauliflower florets. Bring back to a boil. Cook for 20 seconds. 
•  Then turn off heat and drain the broccoli and cauliflower. Rinse under very cold water to stop the cooking.
• Pat dry with a towel. Make sure the vegetables aren't wet, if they are they will dilute the marinade.
• Whisk all marinade ingredients together in a bowl.
• Add the broccoli and cauliflower pieces to the marinade. Mix gently so the marinade coats all the vegetables.
• Cover and refrigerate for about 2-3 hours.
• Skewer the broccoli and cauliflower pieces.
• Preheat oven to 200 C.
• Broil the skewers in the oven for about 20-25 min.

Serve hot with diced onions and mint chutney!!!!

Garlic Spiral Rolls

Ingredients - 

• Flour/maida - 1 1/2 cups
• Warm water - 1/2 cup
• Yeast - 1/2 tbsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Sugar - 1 tbsp
• Olive oil - 2 tbsp

    For the garlic spread

• Salted butter, at room temperature - 25 gms / 2 tbsp
• Garlic - 4-5 cloves, grated
• Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Method - 

• Mix together warm water,sugar and yeast in a bowl and let it proof for about 5-7 minutes.It should bubble and froth up within minutes,if not start afresh.
• Mix together flour,salt and yeast mix till you get a slightly sticky dough.
• Add oil and knead for 5-7 minutes till you get a smooth dough.
• Cover the dough with a cling film or a kitchen towel and allow to proof for 40-45 minutes.
• Meanwhile,mix together all the ingredients for the garlic spread and keep aside.
• Grease a baking pan or a loaf tin with butter.
• Knock down the air in the dough and divide the dough into two equal portions.
• Roll one half of the dough on a floured surface using a rolling pin to a rough rectangle about 1 cm thick.
• Spread about one third of the garlic bread on one side.
• Roll from one end as you would for a swiss roll.
• Cut into equal sized portions.
• Now place the rolls with the cut side up in the greased pan.
• Repeat the same procedure for the remaining dough. 
• Spread a little milk on the rolls and add the remaining garlic spread on top.
• Allow to rise for another 20 minutes. In the mean time preheat the oven to 180C / 375F.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or till the top has become golden brown.

Serve HOT!! Perfect with you evening cuppa!!

Vegetable Hakka Noodles

Ingredients - 

• Plain noodles - 1 & 1/2 cup
• Finely cut Cabbage - 3/4 cup
• Carrot - 1 (Cut in thin strips)
• Capsicum - 1/2 (Cut in thin strips)
• Onion - 1 (Cut in thin strips)
• Pepper - 1/2 tsp
• Tomato chilli sauce - 1 & 1/2 tbsp
• Salt - as needed
• Oil - 2 tbsp

Method - 

• Boil 3-4 cups of water and cook noodles for 3-4  minutes. Make sure its not over cooked.
• Drain water and wash it to remove the excess starch and add 1tsp oil and mix well to avoid sticking.
• Heat a pan with oil and fry onion.
• Add the veggies one by one frying each for half a minute.
• Add sauces, salt and pepper and give a quick stir.
• Add drained noodles and mix well.

Serve hot!!

Notes - 
- Always fry in high flame.
- You can add green chilli sauce to give a bit spicy flavor.

Chapati Noodles

Bored from the normal noodles?? Or maybe bored of having chapatis the usual way?? 

Try this..!!

Ingredients - 

• Chapatis - 6
• Onion - 2 (cut length wise)
• Capsicum - 1 (cut into thin strips)
• Cabbage - 1 and half cup  (cut into thin strips)
• Carrot - 1 and half  (cut into thin strips)
• Garlic - 4 pods (crushed)
• Sambhar powder - 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice - 1/2 lemon
• Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
• Chilli sauce - 4 tbsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp or as needed
• Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cooking oil - 6 tbsp

Method - 

• Stack the chapatis and cut them first into 4 quarters and cut them into long thin strips.

 

• Heat a pan with oil and add crushed garlic first followed by onion. Fry for a minute.
• Add the vegetables carrot,cabbage and capsicum, frying each for a minute.
• Lower the flame,add the sauces and pepper powder,sambar powder, little salt. Stir well.
• Add the cut strips of chapati and toss well in high flame to mix thoroughly.
• Serve immediately.

This recipe serves 5 people. Adjust accordingly if you want to prepare for more or less.

NOTE - The chapatis need to be made on low flame so that they are not puffed up or inflated.
Stale chapatis can also be used.

Papdi snack

Ingredients-

• 1 packet - Papdi
• 6 to 7 tbsp - Meethi saunth
• Salt to taste
• Pinch of  - Red chilly
• Pinch of - Jeera powder
• Coriander to garnish

Method-

• Take papdi in a big bowl.
• Add salt, red chilly and jeera powder.
• Add enough meethi saunth to lightly coat all the papdi pieces and mix well with the spices.
• Garnish with chopped coriander.

Serve fresh!!

(Note- To make it more tangy, you can add "Sweet chilly sauce". This would b available in places that keep Chinese sauces.)