Nankhatai

These are the simplest cookies I have made till date! And they are delicious. I got this recipe from my husband’s maami (aunt) who according to me is the best cook in the family. The recipe is so easy that it takes just 5 minutes to mix up everything and shape the cookies and shove it in the refridgerator.This needs to be kept in the refridgerator overnight, so mix up everything the night before and bake it first thing in the morning.  I baked these on Saturday morning and today being Tuesday,I just have one remaining. We gobbled them up like there is no tomorrow! I am making another batch again this week 

Ingredients:

1 cup ghee(clarified butter) at room temperature
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
2 cups sifted AP flour/Maida
1 tsp baking powder

Method:

Spoon the ghee in a vessel and stir it with a spoon. Add the powdered sugar and stir it till the sugar dissolves.

Then add the maida 2 tbsps at a time and incorporate it thoroughly.

Lastly add the baking powder and mix well.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper/wax paper and lightly grease it with ghee.

Shape the nankhatai dough into balls and position them on the parchment paper slightly apart. I got about 20 cookies.

 

Cover it with another parchment paper and keep it in the refridgerator overnight.

Next morning preheat oven to 350 degrees F. The recipe calls for slightly flattening the tops of the nankhatai’s before putting them in the oven. I didn’t do this and directly put them after the oven was heated. I dont think it made any difference but you can try this.

Bake for about 15-25 minutes and remove them from the oven when the tops of the nankhatai’s turn slightly pink.

Remove them onto a cooling rack and eat them at room temperature. Enjoy

PS: I am sending this to the following events,

Sanghi’s Food Delight for the “FIL:Ghee” event.

Purva’s Daawat for the “Diwali Dhamaka” event

Mom’s recipes for the “Sweet Series“

 

Coconut Chutney

This is my favourite chutney. I can have it with practically anything! When I was a kid, sometimes we used to have just plain rice and the water in which it was boiled called “paiz” with either pickles,fried fish or chutney. Sometimes we used to have dried prawn chutney and sometimes we used to have this coconut chutney specially on Good Friday. It was a simple meal but really delicious. It tastes really good with idlis,dosas or like I said plain rice

Ingredients:

1 and half cup freshly grated coconut
2 or 3  shallots/ 6 to 7 pearl onions
2 green chillies
Marble sized ball of tamarind
About 12 to 15 kadipatta/curry leaves
salt to taste
water for grinding

For tempering:

1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
a pinch of methi seeds
1 dried red chilli
2 kadipatta/curry leaves

Method:

Grind the ingredients listed above (excluding the tempering ingredients) into a fine paste using very little water.

Remove it in a bowl and keep aside.

Take a tadka/tempering ladle. Add oil. When the oil heats up, add the ingredients. Once they start sizzling,pour it over the coconut paste in the bowl. Mix well and serve.

 

Prawn/Shrimp Masala

This recipe is another keeper. If you love prawns you’ve got to try this out. I recommend not skipping the curry leaves/kari patta….the fragrance of curry leaves adds to the taste!

Ingredients:

1 pound shrimps
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp kashmiri chili powder/ or half tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp fresh ginger garlic paste
2 tsp dhaniya-jeera pdr/ or a tsp of ground cumin and coriander each
1/4 tsp tumeric pdr
1/4 tsp garam masala pdr
2 cloves
A pinch of black pepper pdr
1/4 cup curry leaves/karipatta
1/4 cup chopped cilantro/corainder leaves
1 small onion sliced
salt to taste
3 tbsp veg oil

Method:

Peel and devein the shrimps. Rinse and pat dry on paper towels and place in a bowl.

Add salt, pepper pdr,lime juice,chilli pdr, ginger-garlic paste, dhaniya-jeera pdr, tumeric pdr and garam masala pdr to the shrimps. Mix well and marinate it for atleast half an hour.

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Once the oil heats up, add cloves. When it turns brown add the sliced onions and fry it till golden brown. Stir in the curry leaves.

Then add the marinated shrimp to the pan. Keep stirring till the shrimps are almost cooked (about 5 to 6 minutes). Once done turn heat on high and cook till all the water evaporates while stirring continuosly. Add the cilantro and remove from flame.

Serve hot with chapathis.

 

Coconut Macaroons.

I tried this recipe from Bakingbuddies blog and I must say its everything you read on that blog and more! It has a rich taste of coconut while not being too sweet! The entire house was filled a nice coconuty smell while baking. The biggest incentive for me to try this recipe was the absolute minimum number of ingredients required and the ease of the procedure. We loved the cookies though I think Mandira’s look prettier I am just copy-pasting the recipe from her blog. I didnot make any changes to the recipe and highly recommend it. Thanks Mandira.

Ingredients:

2 egg whites
1 C powdered sugar
1 ½ C desiccated coconut
1 tsp vanilla
1 pinch of salt

Method:

Whisk egg whites with salt till stiff.

Fold in sugar,coconut and essence with a spoon.

Cover a baking tray with butter paper/aluminium foil.

Place spoonfuls of the batter about 2” apart. You should get 16-20 macaroons.

Bake at 180 C/350 F for 20-25 mins.

Cool and remove from tray.

Source: Nita Mehta’s Bakes and Cakes

 

What have I been upto this summer?

Well,see for yourselves

Took lovely road trips …ofcourse hubby did all the driving!

Saw  the mountains….

the oceans….

the valleys…

the waterfalls…

A few dormant volcanoes…

Erupting hot springs…

and ofcourse the rainbow

Animals in the water…

Wild animals in the zoo….

And finally gorgeous animals in the wild.

 All in all….a wonderful summer! How was yours?

 

Amritsari Fish

First let me wishing all of you a Happy Independence Day Hope all of you back in India are fine what with the swine flu and accompanied rumours spreading like crazy. Be safe and enjoy the remainder of the day with a couple of good patriotic movies which I am sure are being telecasted on TV Since I am anyway logged in to wish you all I might as well post a recipe. This is a really easy recipe and I recently was introduced to it. I was cribbing to my friend as to how I dont get any promfrets over here and all the grocery store has are these fish fillets which I dont find very tasty. She asked me to try this recipe out and wow I was bowled ! This is definitely a keeper!

Ingredients:

10 medium sized fish fillets ( I used flounder and swai)
2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp red chilli pwder
a pinch of turmeric powder
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
salt to taste

For the batter:

1/2 cup gram flour/besan
salt to taste
1 tsp ajwain/carom seeds or oregano
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
a pinch of tumeric powder
a pinch of hing
1/4 tsp chaat masala(optional)
water
oil to fry

Optional garnish:

A pinch of chaat masala.

Method:

Wash fish and add salt, tumeric powder,red chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste and lime juice. Mix well so that the fish fillets are evenly coated and keep aside.

Then make a batter of pancake consistency with the ingredients listed and add the marinated fish to it. Keep aside for half an hour.

Once marinated heat oil in a kadhai/wok and deep fry each side till golden.

Drain on paper towels for a couple of minutes. Remove on a plate and sprinkle a pinch of chaat masala if desired. Serve hot with lemon wedges.

 

Chana Masala/Garbanzo beans in a dry gravy.

So how is the summer treating all you folks? I hope you all are keeping your cool this summer…specially my dear blog-friends who are already fed up of countless reminders. Its thanks to them I am cutting my summer vacation short and returning to blog I know, I know its a flimsy attempt to pacify you all but I hope it works :p Anyway here is one of my jhat-pat recipes. I hate spending more time than absolutely necessary in the steaming kitchen during summer and this can be served with either pulao,chapathi’s or puri’s. Do try it out,its really quick to make specially if you use canned chickpeas/garbanzo beans  

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans.
2 small onions sliced
2 tomatoes finely chopped
1/2 cup tomato puree
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/4 tsp hing
1 tbsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (or to taste)
1 tsp garam masala powder
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro/corainder leaves
salt to taste
2 to 3 tbsp oil

Method:

If you are using canned chickpeas, rinse them thoroughly in water and drain and keep aside

Heat oil in a kadhai. Add jeera and fennel seeds. When they splutter add hing. Then add the sliced onions and fry till onions are light brown in colour.

Add the gingergarlic paste and stir for about 30 seconds. Add coriander powder, turmeric powder and the red chilli powder and mix it with the onions.

Then add the tomatoes. Mix well, cover and cook for a couple of minutes. Uncover the vessel and when tomatoes become a bit soft, add the drained chickpeas, lemon juice and tomato puree.

Mix well and bring it to a boil. Cover and cook for additional 5 minutes on simmer.

Uncover and check for salt (canned chickpeas are usually salted). Add the garam masala powder and chopped cilantro. Mix well and remove from flame.

Serve hot with pulao,chapathis or puris.

 

Corn Fritters

I found this gem of a recipe in Williams-Sonoma book and totally loved it. It seems this recipe comes from Maharashtra and I was pleasantly surprised. Now I have lived most of my life in Bombay and when I was young I used to spend a major part of my day with my Maharashtrian neighbours playing with friends. Some evenings we kids used to get snacks from the aunties and I have had my first taste of the local cuisine through these generous servings. Being a foodie, I have visited restaurants and local jhunka-bhakar kendras which serve yummy fast/junk food….but I dont remember seeing this dish :) I remember McDonalds first opened in Bandra when I was in college. A single burger used to cost approx 50 bucks…quite a princely amount for a college kid who used to get Rs300 as pocket money. But still all us friends used to save for a few days and go shopping on Link Road and finish the day by having a burger at McDonalds. I thought I had possibly seen all the fast food and appetizer options that Bombay had to offer, so when I saw that this dish came from Maharashtra I had to try this out.  It is really good and can be served as the appetizer course when you have company. I have adapted it slightly to suit my taste and it reminds me a lot of goli bahji which we get in Mangalore.

Ingredients:

1 cup All purpose flour/maida
1 egg beaten
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp dhaniya-jeera powder
2 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
1/2 tsp ajwain
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 cup finely chopped spring onion/scallions(including green tops)
1/2 cup finely chopped capsicum(any colour)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro/coriander leaves
1 cup corn fresh or frozen(but thawed)
Veg oil for deep frying
salt to taste

Method:

In a bowl combine flour,salt,red chilli powder,garam masala,dhaniya-jeera powder,cumin seeds and ajwain.

In another bowl whisk the milk and eggs. Pour over the flour mixture slowly and stir it to form a lump free batter. You can a few drops of water if the batter is too thick.

Add the corn,spring onions, capsicum and cilantro and mix well.

Heat oil for deep frying. Using a teaspoon or your hand, slip in small amounts of batter and deep fry a few at a time till golden brown. Turn and repeat till both sides are golden brown.

Remove on paper towels to drain. Serve hot with ketchup or green chutney.

 

Anniversary cake.

I know I haven’t updated the blog for sometime but I do have a valid reason this time. Unlike other times when I dont update the blog due to lethargy or because I become more interested in what other folks are writing on their blogs, this time its because my in-laws are here and I am having fun with them I know I have a lot of catching up to do in commenting on other blogs.  I’ll visit soon and do that.

Last weekend they celebrated 43 years together so I had baked a cake. They loved the cake and were quite happy with my attempts at decoration. Mission accomplished! Please keep them in your prayers I dont mean you have to comment here or anything, just send a small prayer when you happen to read this post.

It was simple vanilla cake with chocolate ganache frosting. I just blindly followed the recipe for ganache from the website. I just halved the recipe and omitted the addition of rum. The flowers and leaves are fondant. I still have a packet of Wilton fondant from my cake decorating class and I used that for decoration. The flowers were made from the tiniest cookie cutters and arranged according to my mood. I think I was in a good mood as I still like the arrangement

And here’s the couple cutting the cake.

I had made the fondant flowers the day before and they were set properly and were hard when I arranged them on the cake. I then covered it and we went for mass. When we came back after an hour, they had become glossy and slightly soft. You can see the difference in the 2nd and the 3rd pic. I dont know what happened. If any of you know the reason please let me know. It didnt make any difference to the taste or the appearance but I am just curious about the reason.

PS: Wishing Mandira from Baking Buddies a Very Happy Birthday in advance

 

Shrimp/Prawn Sukha.

This is one of the side dishes I make often whenever I feel like eating seafood. Its quite simple to make and it tastes great with chapathis or with dal-rice. Its one of those feel-good dishes which can be comforting and yet can be served during company.

Ingredients:

1 pound shrimp peeled, deveined and rinsed
2 ripe tomatoes
1 onion finely chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger-garlic paste
1 green chilli
1 potato diced
1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
1 tsp badishep/fennel seeds
4 cloves
1 inch piece cinamon stick
6 peppercorns or 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp red chilli powder(or to taste)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp garam masala powder (optional)
salt to taste
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp cilantro/kothmeer leaves

Method:

Marinate prawns with salt,a pinch of turmeric powder and lemon juice for atleast an hour.

Heat about 2 tbsp oil. Add the clove,cinnamon stick,peppercorns and bay leaf.

When they change colour add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, green chillies and ginger-garlic paste. Be careful as the ginger-garlic paste tends to splatter. You can use finely chopped ginger and garlic instead of the paste. Stir well and add chopped onions.

When the onions becomes transluscent add the chopped tomatoes. Mix well. Cover and cook till tomatoes become a soft.

Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. Mix well. Add the potatoes.

Cover and cook on low to medium flame till potatoes are half cooked (50 percent done).

Then add the prawns,stir well and cover and cook till both potatoes and prawns are well cooked.

Check for salt and add more lemon juice if necessary.

Garnish with garam masala powder and cilantro leaves. Mix well and turn off gas.

Serve hot.