Vada Pav (Indian Burger)

Vada Pav - Indian version of burger, a staple of Mumbai street stalls.

Pav means dinner rolls. The vada means Patty is made of a spicy potato filling, coated with gram flour and deep fried. Along with a spicy garlic chutney and  a fried green chili, vada is served inside a Pav. It is one of the most loved street foods. 





Vada Pav is a famous Maharastrian recipe. It is also called as "Mumbai's Burger". This is very tasty, filling and yummy snack to have at any time.

Ingredients:

For the vada filling:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• pinch of asafetida
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 5-6 curry leaves (kadi patta)
• 1 tablespoon chopped green chili
• 2 teaspoon grated garlic
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 3 boiled and mashed potatoes
• 2 tablespoon chopped coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala (optional)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• salt to taste

For the outer coating:

• 1 cup besan (Bengal gram flour)
• 1 tablespoon rice flour
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
• a pinch of baking soda
• salt to taste

Other ingredients:

• oil for deep-frying
• spicy Garlic chutney recipe
• fried green chili
• 8-12 Pav (dinner rolls / buns)

Method:

For the Vada:

1. Heat the oil and add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the asafetida and curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds.
2. Add the chopped green chili, grated garlic and ginger and sauté again for a few seconds.
3. Add the potatoes, chopped coriander leaves, turmeric powder, garam masala, lemon juice and salt and mix well.
4. Switch off the flame and let it cool down.
5. Meanwhile heat the oil in a deep frying pan for vada.
6. Divide Potato mixture into equal sized portions and Shape into small balls.
7. For the outer coating, combine all the ingredients in a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of hot oil and make a medium thick batter using water.
8. Dip each ball of the vada filling into the batter and allow it to coat the mixture well .
9. Deep fry in hot oil, till golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper and keep aside.

How to Serve:

• Slice each pav into half and spread some dry garlic chutney inside.
• Place one vada inside each pav and serve with a fried green chili. 

  

Note: You can also use bread slices if the pav is not available.

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Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is a famous Indian street side snack food - Spicy blend of boiled mixed vegetables, mashed and cooked in tomato-onion based gravy and served with Pav cooked with butter.  Pav is actually buns.

This is very popular snack, easy to cook, quickly made and liked by almost all. It is very tasty that tickles your taste buds and filling enough too. 

Ingredients:

For the bhaji:

•  2 potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
•  1 cup cauliflower, roughly chopped
•  1/2 cup cabbage chopped
•  1/2 cup capsicum, chopped
•  1 small carrot, chopped 
•  1/2 cup green peas
•  2 tablespoon oil 
•  2 tablespoon butter
•  1 cup onion, chopped
•  1 tablespoon coriander, chopped
•  2 teaspoon chili powder
•  1 tablespoon pav bhaji masala / 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
•  1 teaspoon amchoor (dry mango powder)
•  1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera powder)
•  1/2 teaspoon black salt
•  salt to taste

For Grinding:

•  2 big tomatoes
•  1" piece ginger
•  4-5 garlic cloves
•  3 whole red chilies (soak in hot water for 10 minutes)

For the pav:

•  8-12 pavs
•  2 tablespoon butter

For serving:

•  onion finely chopped
•  lemon wedges
•  chopped coriander (dhania)

Method :

For the bhaji:

• Boil the potatoes, cauliflower, peas, capsicum and carrots with one cup of water till they are soft. Drain out the excess water and keep aside for further use.
• Grind all the ingredients listed under "For Grinding".
• Heat the oil and butter in a large pan, add the onion and sauté it till golden brown.
• Then, add the prepared grinding paste, coriander, red chili powder, jeera powder, amchoor powder, pav bhaji masala and sauté it and simmer till the oil separates.
• Now, Add the boiled vegetables and mash thoroughly using a masher.
• Add black salt, salt and ½ cup of drained water from vegetables, mix well and cook it for 2-3 minutes.

For the pav:

• Slice each pav into 2 pieces horizontally. Apply little butter to each side.
• Heat the skillet and cook the pav on both sides till they are lightly browned.

How to serve:

• Serve the hot bhaji in a plate and top with the butter and coriander.
• Serve with the pav cooked with butter, chopped onion and lemon wedges.

Notes:

• you can add more Pav Bhaji Masala to the bhaji as per your taste.
• Instead of Pav bhaji masala, you can also use garam masala.
• Pav bhaji masala is readily available at most Indian grocery stores.

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Tri color Mug cake in a minute

Happy Independence day!
Today I just tried one-minute tri-color-Mug cake in a microwave and was successful. I used natural colors here for cake - carrots for saffron, milk for white and spinach for green..

 

This cake is very moist, delicious and the best thing is that it just took one minute to cook...I made it tri color cake but you can make it without colors too...

 

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoon milk powder
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoon yogurt
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 1/4 tablespoon baking powder
• pinch of baking soda
• rose essence (or of your choice)
• pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon carrot juice (for saffron color of flag)
• 1 tablespoon spinach juice (for green color of flag)
• 1 tablespoon milk (for white color of flag)

Method :

1. Mix all the dry ingredients for your mug cake (flour, milk powder, sugar, baking soda and powder and salt) in a bowl and Stir through flour mixture until combined well.
2. Add the wet ingredients (yogurt, rose esscence and oil) in a large bowl and beat on medium speed using hand mixture.
3. Then add flour mixture into wet mixture and mix together and beat on medium speed until well combined.
4. Now divide the batter into three equal parts.
5. Add carrot juice in the first part, spinach juice in second and milk in the last part and beat  each part on medium speed until well combined.
6. Now pour first green batter in a Mug, then white on green and orange on white part.
7. Cook your mug cake on the high setting of your microwave for 1 minute. The cooking time can vary depending on your microwave, so cook for 1 minute and then try for 10 second intervals until your cake is at your desired consistency. 
8. Remove from the microwave and allow to cool.
9. Enjoy!

Note:

• For this cake you can also use food color instead of juice (carrot / Spinach)
• You can make chocolate mug cake just by replacing milk powder with cocoa powder.

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Chocolate Cake (Using yogurt, Eggless, butterless)

The best, eggless, butter less, moist and delicious Chocolate Cake recipe made with yogurt that will quickly become your favorite! This cake is the one you always dream of- any celebration.

 
This rich chocolate cake infused with cocoa and yogurt will bring a chocolate lover's dream come true! 

preparation time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 45 minutes
Total time : 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup coco powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup thick dahi (fresh yogurt)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup oil (vegetable/canola/olive)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1/4 cup hot water

For Garnishing -

• cherries
• Walnut pieces

Method :

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 9" cake pan by buttering/greasing and lightly flouring. 
2. For the cake:
3. Add all purpose flour, coco powder and salt to a large bowl. Stir through flour mixture until combined well.
4. In a large bowl, take yogurt and sugar. Beat on medium speed by using hand mixture until combined well.
5. Then, add baking powder and soda and again beat on high speed until you see the bubbles. 
6. Then add oil and vanila essence and flour mixture, mix together and beat on medium speed until well combined. If the batter is too thick then add little hot water (near about 1/4 cup). 
7. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
8. Pour the cake batter evenly in the prepared cake pan. Garnish with some walnut pieces.
9. Bake first for 10 minutes on 400 degrees F and then for 30-35 minutes on 350 degrees F or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then turn over the cooling rack and cool completely.

Note : You can do any frosting of your choice for the cake...

Some more chocolate related recipes are below::

• chocolate Pecan Fudge
• Date chocolate balls
• Bread chocolate pudding
• Chocolate buttermilk cake

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Baingan Ka Bharta (Mashed Eggplant with Indian spices)

Baingan Bharta is an most popular Indian dish, which is also delicious and quite healthy and  that is sure to stir up your taste buds. It is made by first roasting the eggplants until very soft. The charred skin is removed and cooked with Indian spices until thickened and richly flavored. It can be served with rotis / Indian bread or Rice.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 Big Eggplant (baingan / Brinjal)
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 2 tablespoon finely chopped onions
• 3 tablespoon grated radish
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger (adrak)
• 2 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped green chillies
• 3 tablespoon chopped tomatoes
• 3 tablespoon chopped spring onions greens
• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala
• 1 tablespoon Coriander (dhania) powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Cumin seeds (jeera) powder
• 1 tablespoon Sesame seeds
• salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped coriander (hara dhania)
   

Method:

 

1) Roast on a gas cook top by just placing the Eggplant / Baingan straight on the burner and keeping the flame on low setting. (You can grill eggplant in your oven grill or barbeque grill and also you can roast it in oven too)

2) Keep turning and cooking till all the skin on the Eggplant looks like black spotted and charred. Peel off and discard the charred skin.

3) Mash the eggplant roughly, in a mixing bowl. Keep aside.

4) Heat the oil, add chopped onion and grated radish and sauté it till moisture almost dries up.

5) Then add grated ginger, chopped green chili, garlic, tomatoes and greens of spring onion and sauté again.

6) Now add Turmeric powder, Red chili powder, Garam masala, Coriander powder, Jeera Powder and sesame seeds and mix well.

7) When it starts to leave oil add mashed Baingan / Eggplant and salt and mix well.

8) Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

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Mutter Mushroom Curry / Greenpeas-mushroom curry

Mutter-Mushroom curry - Mushroom and mutter(green peas) are cooked in spicy onion-tomato based gravy. It is delicious, rich dish, Serves best with rotis, paratha or Rice. 
Mushrooms and green peas are a great source of nutrients, high in fiber and protein and are low in calorie. Mushrooms are fat and cholesterol-free and are very low in sodium and carbohydrates, yet they are rich source of potassium, selenium, niacin, riboflavin and more. Peas are rich in iron, folic acid, zinc and vitamin C, which help maintain immune system. All together Mushrooms and peas both are healthy and delicious combination.
 

Ingredients:

For Grinding:

• 1 big onion cut in quarters
• 1 big tomatoes roughly chopped
• 3 green chili
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 1"  ginger piece
• 1/2 " Fresh turmeric Piece (optional)
• 7-8 cashew nuts
• 2 tablespoon Dahi (yogurt)
• 2 tablespoon chopped coriander

 

 For Gravy:

 

• 2 tablespoon oil/ butter
• 1" piece Cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 2-3 cardamom pods
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin seed powder (jeera powder)
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder   
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• salt to taste
• 5-6 tablespoon Thick cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

Other Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup boiled mutter (green peas)
• 1/2 cup boiled mushroom slices
• 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

For Curry:

1. Take all the ingredients for grinding into a blender and grind them to a fine paste.
2. For Gravy, Heat oil or butter in a pan, Add cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom pods.
3. Then add grinded paste and sauté it for few minutes.
4. When Gravy starts to leave oil/butter and reduce in half quantity, add turmeric powder, red chili powder, jeera powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt and again sauté it for a minute.
5. Then add thick cream to the gravy and sauté for a minutes.
6. Next add Milk and bring gravy to boil. Lower the heat, add crushed kasuri methi and let cook the gravy few minutes till thicken as a consistency of thick soup. Stir in between.
7. Add boiled peas and mushroom and sauté for a while.
8. Garnish with the coriander leaves.

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Methi Mutter Makhana Malai

Methi Mutter Makhana Malai - a creamy, delicious, mild flavored, rich looking curry made with fenugreek leaves, green peas and makhanas (fox nuts)!! This is a simple, easy and quick recipe. It is served with any Indian breads like rotis/parathas/naans and even with rice.

Ingredients:

For Grinding:

•  2 medium onions cut in quarters
•  3 green chili
•  4-5 garlic cloves
•  1"  ginger piece
•  10-12 cashew nuts
•  3 tablespoon Dahi (yogurt)

For Gravy:

•  2 tablespoon oil/ butter
•  3 cardamom pods
•  pinch of black pepper powder
•  1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin seed powder (jeera powder)
•  1/4 teaspoon garam masala
•  salt to taste
•  1/2 cup Malai (heavy whipping cream)
•  1/2 cup milk

Other Ingredients:

• 1 cup Methi (fenugreek leaves)
• 1/2 cup mutter (green peas)
• 3/4 cup makhana (fox nut)
• 2 tablespoon broken cashew nuts

For Garnishing:

• tomato slices
• few cashews

Method: 

1. Heat the little oil or butter in a pan. Add makhanas (fox nut) and roast them for 4-5 minutes on low flame till they become crunchy and crispy. Keep aside.
2. Boil green peas in salty water for few minutes. Then add fenugreek leaves and switch off the flame. After 2 minutes, drain the water and keep aside.
3. Take all the ingredients for grinding into a blender and grind them into a fine paste.
4. For Gravy, Heat oil or butter in a pan, add cardamom pods.
5. Then add grinded paste and sauté it for few minutes.
6. When Gravy starts to leave oil/butter and reduce in half quantity, add black pepper, garam masala, salt and heavy cream and sauté it for a minute and add milk and bring it to boil.
7. Now add boiled green peas and methi, broken cashew nuts and roasted makhanas and let cook for a minute.
8. To serve, pour Makhana Methi Mutter Malai in a serving bowl and garnish with the tomato slices and Cashews.

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Orange-mango-coconut refresher

A delicious refresher, perfect for the summer or any time of year - actually a faster refresher!
Coconut water is so refreshing and is an excellent source of potassium and B-complex vitamins and packed with enzymes that aid digestion, simple sugars, minerals and electrolytes. Nutrients in oranges  and mangoes are plentiful and diverse.

 Ingredients:

• 1 orange (Peeled and cubed)
• 1/2 cup mango pieces
• 2 cups Pure Coconut water
• Pinch of salt
• 4-5 ice cubes
• 4-5 Mint leaves

Method:

1. Combine cubed orange, Mango pieces, coconut water, salt and ice cubes in a blender jar and Blend it until very smooth.
2. Taste and if you need add the sugar to achieve a pleasant sweet and tart flavor.
3. Add mint leaves and let the blended mixture chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
4. Pour into glasses and serve.

Note: you can add sugar as per your taste.

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Chinese Vegetable Salad

Chinese Vegetable Salad - a marinated vegetable salad that's an excellent side dish for cookouts and picnics!
This is a simple, nutritious and fantastic salad to add to your summer meals. Combining the cabbage with carrots, capsicum, spring onions and celery made a colorful combination and crunchy Chinese vegetable salad. 

Ingredients:

For Salad dressing:

• 1 green chili roughly chopped
• 1/2" piece of ginger
• 2 tablespoon water 
• 2 tablespoon Vinegar
• 2 teaspoon Sugar
• salt to taste

For Salad:

• 1 cup Cabbage julienned (cut into long strips)
• 1/3 cup carrots julienned
• 1/4 cup very thinly sliced capsicum (yellow, green or red)
• 1/4 cup celery julienned
• 1/4 cup spring onions julienned
• Coriander leaves for garnish 
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Method:

1. For Salad Dressing, take chopped Green chili and piece of ginger in a blender with 2 tablespoon of water and blend it till smooth and Strain it using a fine mesh strainer. Then add Vinegar, sugar and salt to it, mix well and keep aside.
2. In a bowl, combine Julienned (cabbage, carrots, celery, spring onions) and sliced capsicum and salad dressing and mix well.
3. Chill the salad in refrigerator for 2 hours.
4. Garnish with coriander leaves and sprinkle sesame seeds over the salad and serve. (I did not have sesame seeds while preparing this dish).

  

 

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