Ingredients: all purpose flour (maida) – 1 cup ( 240 gms ) milk – 3/4 cup ( 180 ml ) yeast – 2 tsp salt – 1/4 tsp yogurt – 1 tbsp pistachios – 1 tbsp ( crushed )
For Sugar Syrup: Sugar – 1 cup water – 1.5 cups rose water – 1/4 tsp
Method:
Step 1) Warm the milk for 20 seconds on low heat. Pour into a big bowl. Step 2) Add yeast, cover and let it sit for 5 minutes
Step 3) Add the flour, yogurt, salt and mix. It will be a strechy dough. Cover and let it sit for 30 minutes Step 4) Make syrup: Take a sauce pan, add sugar and water. Bring it to a boil. Once it boils, boil on medium-heat for 10 minutes. Pour rose water. Turn off the heat. Keep aside
Step 5) To fry donuts: ( please see the video, for making balls with 2 spoons ) and deep fry until golden. Take out and add to sugar syrup. Coat well. let it soak for 2 minutes and then remove to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Step 6) Add some crushed pistachios on top and a tsp of sugar.. enjoy 😀
besan ( gram flour ) – 1 cup ( 200 gms )
water ( as needed )
oil – for frying
pistachios – 25 ( finely chopped )
1 tsp – ghee
For the sugar syrup:
sugar – 1 cup or 200 gms
water – 1 cup or 200 ml
pinch – saffron ( kesar )
1/2 tsp – lemon juice
Method:
Step 1) Make sugar syrup: Into a pan, add the sugar, water and bring it to a boil. Once it starts boiling, boil on medium for 6 minutes. Add lemon juice, saffron and boil for 1 more minute. Remove from heat.
Step 2) Make batter: Into a bowl, sift the besan (gram flour). Add little water at a time and make a smooth lump-free batter
Step 3) Heat oil and keep the heat level on medium. Hold a slotted spoon on top and pour 1/4 cup of batter over the slotted spoon area into the hot oil. ( the batter will fall like rain drops into the oil )
Step 4) Keep moving the boondi’s and fry until golden. Once it stops sizzling and looks golden, remove from oil and place on a kitchen tissue. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Step 5) Now add the fried boondi’s into the sugar syrup with a tsp of ghee and 25 finely chopped pistachios. mix well for a minute. let it sit for 2 minutes.
Step 6) Move the top part aside and remove the bottom part of boondi onto a bowl. Mix again and let it sift for 30 seconds.
Step 7) Remove the remaining boondi’s from syrup. mmm.. Crispy Sweet Boondi ready !.. enjoy 😀
Ingredients: ( for #1 – Cheesy bread sticks )
10 – Bread slices (edges trimmed)
10 – cheese sticks ( any finger cheese )
1/4 cup – tomato ketchup
1 cup – bread crumbs
oil – for frying
Make a coating batter with :
1/2 cup – All purpose flour (maida)
3/4 cup – water
Method:
Step 1) Trim the edges of the bread slices
Step 2) Take 1 bread slice, spread some ketchup in the centre ( for adults, you can use chilli sauce). Brush the sides of the bread using little water.
Step 3) Place a piece of cheese stick on one end of the bread and roll it up. Seal the edges well. repeat for all the bread slices
Step 4) To make a coating batter: Into a bowl add, 1/2 cup all purpose flour and 3/4 cup water and make a medium-thick batter.
Step 5) Dip the bread pieces into the batter and roll it on bread crumbs. Repeat with all bread rolls.
Step 6) Deep fry 2 – 3 at a time until evenly golden. Remove onto a kitchen tissue. Enjoy with your favourite sauce !
RECIPE #2 – Parippu vada ( chana dal pakoda )
Ingredients: ( for #2 – Parippu vada )
1 cup – chana dal ( soaked 5 hours or overnight)
1/4 cup – urad dal ( urid/manh ki dal ) ( soaked 5 hours or overnight )
1 tsp – ginger
1/4 cup – onion (chopped) or small red onions
1 greenchilli
1 tsp – cumin seeds
1 tsp – curry leaves ( chopped )
pinch – turmeric powder
1 tsp – coriander powder
salt to taste
oil – for deep frying
Method:
Step 1) Keep 1/2 cup of soaked chana dal aside and add the remaining chana dal into a blender.
Step 2) To this, add the soaked urad dal, ginger, onion, cumin seeds, greenchilli and pulse into a coarse paste
Step 3) Add the coarse paste into a bowl. To this, add turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt and chopped curry leaves. Mix well.
Step 4) Add the saved 1/2 cup soaked chana dal and mix.
Step 5) Scoop using shallow spoon and deep fry until golden. Serve hot ..
Step 1) Heat a pan, pour oil. Add the vegetables and cook until soft. Add the paneer, spice powders, salt, coriander leaves. Mix and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat
Step 2) Cut the puff pastry sheets into 5*5 squares. Place some paneer mix in the centre. Bring the edges together and seal well using a fork. Continue with the remaining pastry sheets.
Step 3) To cook without oven: Take a deep pan or pressure cooker, add 1 cup salt. Place a tall stand. Cover and heat on high for 5 minutes. Place the puff pastry sheets onto a greased steel pan and place inside the cooker. Cover and heat on high for 2 minutes. Reduce to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Open and flip the puff’s. Cover and cook again for 5 minutes. Take out the paneer puff and enjoy ..
Step 4) For Oven cooking: Place the puff pastry into a lined baking sheet and bake at 180C or 350F oven until golden ( takes 10 – 14 minutes) ..
RECIPE #4 – Caramel Bread Pudding
Ingredients: ( for #4 – Caramel Bread Pudding )
2 – bread slices (edges trimmed)
1 tbsp – ghee
2 cups ( or 500 ml ) – milk
1 – egg ( skip if you don’t want to )
1 tbsp – sugar
For caramel:
1/2 cup – sugar
2 tbsp – water
Method:
Step 1) Fill the steamer or pressure cooker with water and bring it to a boil.
Step 2) Grease a steel pan or cake pan ( that fits into the steamer ) with ghee or melted butter
Step 3) Take a pan, add 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tbsp water and bring it to a boil Let it boil for 2 minutes and pour into the greased pan. Let the caramel cool for 10 minutes.
Step 4) Into a blender, add the bread slices and pulse 4 times until coarse. Add to a big bowl
Step 5) To the blender, 2 cups milk, 1 egg, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp ghee, pinch of cardamom powder and blend for 30 seconds. Pour into the same bread bowl. Mix well.
Step 6) Place the caramel pan into the steamer or pressure cooker and pour the milk & bread mix on top.
Step 7) Cover and heat on high for 4 minutes. Reduce to medium and cook for 22 minutes.
Step 8) Remove from steamer and let it sit for 15 minutes. Keep a plate on top and flip the pudding. Slowly, release the pan.. Cut & enjoy 😀
RECIPE #5 – Nankatai ( cardamom cookies recipe)
Ingredients: ( for #5 – nankatai – cardamom cookies )
1 cup or 250 gms – all purpose flour ( maida or plain flour)
1/2 cup or 100 gms – chana flour ( besan / chickpea flour )
1/2 cup or 100 gms – ghee (or unsalted butter )
1/3 cup or 80 gms – sugar ( powdered )
1/4 tsp – baking soda
1/4 tsp – salt
2 tsp – cardamom powder ( or grind 10 cardamoms and add )
1/4 cup – milk ( to brush the cookies before baking )
Nankatai ( Indian cardamom cookies recipe ) NO-OVEN
Ingredients:( for nankatai – cardamom cookies )
1 cup or 250 gms – all purpose flour ( maida or plain flour)
1/2 cup or 100 gms – chana flour ( besan / chickpea flour )
1/2 cup or 100 gms – ghee (or unsalted butter )
1/3 cup or 80 gms – sugar ( powdered )
1/4 tsp – baking soda
1/4 tsp – salt
2 tsp – cardamom powder ( or grind 10 cardamoms and add )
1/4 cup – milk ( to brush the cookies before baking )
Method:
Step 1) Into a bowl, add the ghee, powdered sugar and mix ( becomes like a paste )
Step 2) Add the all purpose flour (maida ), besan ( chana/chickpea flour ), baking soda, salt and mix well into a thick dough
note: If too thick, add a tsp of ghee or milk and make a thick dough ( like cookie dough )
Step 3) Take a small amount of dough, shape it into a ball with your palms and gently press with your thumb in the centre ( to give a a flat look on top ) and arrange on a greased cookie (nankatati ) tray
note: you can shape the cookie however you like 🙂
Step 4)To Bake in Oven : Preheat Oven at 180 C or 350 F for 10 minutes. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes ( don’t let it brown.. should look like a mix of white and golden hue on top )
Step 5)To Bake without oven: ( please see video for clear idea 🙂
Take a big pressure cooker or a deep heavy pan
Add 1 cup salt or sand
Place a tall stand inside
Place the lid on top and heat on high for 5 minutes
Place the cookie pan
Place the lid on top and heat on high for 4 minutes
Reduce to medium and cook for 10 minutes only
Remove the cookie pan and quickly takeout the cookies to a plate ( or the base of the cookies/nankatais will burn )
Step 2) Line the cake pan with baking paper and brush with melted butter ..
Step 3) Into a bowl, add the sugar, butter and whisk until creamy .. ( for 1 minute )..
Step 4) Add the oil, yogurt and whisk for 30 seconds ..
Step 5) Into a strainer or sifter, add the wheat flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and mix ..
Step 6) Sift in 3 batches and whisk in circular motion.. ( it will be thick towards the end )..
Step 7) Pour little milk at a time and make a smooth free-flowing batter
Step 8) Using a flat spatula, fold the batter ( 5 – 6 times )..
Step 9) Pour into the greased cake pan ..
Step 10)To cook the cake:
Take a pressure cooker or a heavy pan..
add 1 cup salt and spread evenly..
place a pressure cooker stand or a tall stand (like this)
remove the rubber gasket.. and place the lid on top
Heat on high for 5 minutes ..
carefully, place the cake on the stand ..
Place lid on top ( no rubber gasket )..
Heat on high for 5 minutes ..
After 5 minutes, reduce to medium and cook for 35 minutes ( or until cooked )..
After 35 minutes, check with a toothpick by inserting in the centre of the cake.. should be dry ( no sticky batter ) .. if there is cake crumbs sticking to the toothpick, press and feel if it’s sticky or dry cake.. if dry, the cake is ready..
if the toothpick is sticky, cook for another 10 minutes..
It took 40 minutes for me .. once ready, takeout and place on a cake cooling rack for 2 minutes
Run a knife around the edges and carefully flip the cake pan on to another plate.. After 2 minutes, slowly remove the cakepan
If the cake is sticking to the pan, do this.. ( wet a kitchen tissue with cold water, squeeze out excess water and wipe on top & sides of cake pan .. let it sit for 2 minutes.. now remove the cake tin.. hopefully, the cake comes off the pan 😀
Gently, remove the baking paper/wax paper ( if it’s sticking to the cake ).. Flip the cake.. and let it cool completely before icing ( can take from 3 – 5 hours ).. to speedup, you can refrigerate the cake for 1 – 2 hours..
Step 11) As the cake is cooling, make the chocolate icing
Into a pan, pour 100ml cream, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp vanilla
Bring it to a boil.. once it boils, turn off and pour into a bowl
Add 250gms dark chocolate pieces ( cooking/baking chocolate)
Mix until smooth.. Let it cool down.. shoul be thick for icing ( takes 1 – 2 hours ).. you can speedup by placing in a bowl of cold water or refrigerate for 30 minutes..
Step 12) If you like to decorate ( to write ‘happy birthday’ or other simple decoration ), you can make this easy ‘ White chocolate icing ‘
Into a pan, pour 1/4 cup cream (50ml) and bring it to a boil
Once it boils, remvoe from heat
Add 100gms white chocolate pieces ( cooking/baking white chocolate )
Mix until smooth.. let it cool down.. should be thick for decoration ( takes 1 – 2 hours ).. to speedup, place in a bowl of cold water or refrigerate for 30 minutes
Once the icing is thick, place in a ziploc bag or plastic bag and tie the top..
Cut the tip of the bag to make a tiny hole..
Step 13) Once the cake is completely cool,.. start icing..
first, trim the top of cake to level it ( top should be flat without uneven surface ).. use a serrated or bread knife to trim the cake (as this will prevent the cake from breaking .. and cuts easily ).. ( you can check the above video for this part )
Place some chocolate icing on top ( icing should be thick ) and smoothen the top..
Place some icing towards the edges and coat the sides of the cake
For tips about ‘ how to easily ice the cake ‘ check the above video ‘ )
Once you finish icing, decorate with white chocolate icing as you wish ! .. i just wrote ‘ Happy Birthday ‘ 😀
You can make this cake 2 – 3 days ahead of birthday.. place a big plastic bowl or pan over the cake ( careful not to touch the top or sides of the cake ) and refrigerate until the BIG Day !.. ( you can see the above video as how I refrigerated ) ..
Remember to takeout the cake 1 – 2 hours before cutting ( let it sit in room temperature until cutting for a MOIST delicious melt-in-mouth CAKE 😀 ..and ennn..joooyyy.. 😀
