Aloo Rassedar

Ingredients:( serves 2-3 people)

2 Potatoes boiled and broken into big chunks

2 large tomato chopped in chunks

1/2 inch ginger minced

3-4 pods of chopped garlic

2 green chillies minced

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

a pinch of hing

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp chilli pwd

1/2 tsp coriander pwd

1/4 tsp mango pwd

1/4 tsp garam masala

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

salt to taste

1 tbsp oil

Method:

Heat oil add cumin seeds and hing, let it splutter.

Add tomatoes, grated ginger, green chillies,garlic & saute for a minute.

Add turmeric, chilli pwd, coriander pwd, and mango pwd.

Keep stirring the tomatoes, add a little water if it starts sticking to the bottom or gets too dry.

Cover it up and cook on low to medium heat and let it come together.

Once the tomatoes are soft and the mixture looks like it's blended well add potatoes, salt and 1 cup of water, if you want a really watery gravy add more water.

Once done add garam masala and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with hot with puris or jeera rice!!

Mango Custard Honey Tarts

Mango Custard Honey Tarts:

For the tart cups:

1 packet of marie biscuits or digestive

4-5 tbsp of butter per tart cup.

Tart moulds.

Method : 

To make the tart cups:

Step 1:

Powder the marie biscuits and keep in a bowl. Melt the butter (melt a little extra, in case you need to add some more. Add the butter to the powdered biscuit. Mix well so that it’s moist. Also add a tbsp of honey per tart mould.

Step 2:

Take the tart moulds and line it with Clingfilm. Take sufficient amount of the biscuit mixture and press against the mould. Press hard enough so that it takes the shape of the mould and not so hard that it breaks. Use the back of a spoon to make it easier to level it.

Step 3:

Now put the moulds in the freezer for an hour. Take them out and the hardened biscuit tart cups will easily come away from the moulds. Unmould and keep it back in the freezer. 

For the mango custard :

You can either make custard using the readymade custard powders available in the supermarket or make your own homemade custard. I made some yummy homemade custard.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients: 

1 cup Skimmed Milk
1 tsp Coconut extract
3 tbsp firmly packed Brown sugar
2 cup Ripe Mangoes, chunks
1 tsp Lemon juice
1/4 cup Cornstarch 

How to make mango custard:

Combine mango chunks, lemon juice and coconut extract and blend until smooth. In small saucepan, combine remaining ingredients. Mix until cornstarch is dissolved. Stir in mango mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Continue to cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Transfer into a bowl and let it cool. Chill thoroughly.

Assembling the tarts.

Step 4 : 

Take out the tart cups, Pour the custard into it ( make sure the custard is properly cooled down, or the tart cups will melt!) . The custard should be thick and should set quickly. It must not be of pouring consistency.

After pouring the custard, put it in the fridge for another 1 hour. Take it out and try touching the top of the custard. It should bounce on your touch and not be gooey.

Step 5: 

If it bounces, it is ready to garnish and serve. Garnish with powdered pistachios or fresh fruits, whatever you desire. 

yummey!

Spring Onion Parathas

Ingredients:

• -2 cups maida
• -2 cups atta or wheat flour
• -salt to taste
• -5-6 spring onions
• -very finely chopped green chillis (can be omitted for kids)
• -water to knead the dough
• -2 tsps oil
• -butter for frying the paranthas
• 
  
• Directions:
• 

1. Make a not very hard dough of maida (plain flour), atta(wheat flour), salt and very finely chopped spring onions. You may add finely grated green chillis also.
2. Add 2 tsps oil and set aside for half an hour
3. Roll each parantha into a circle of 6"diameter and fry in hot tava adding butter on both sides till golden brown. 

Serve hot with Tomato pickle or Raita.

Trifle Pudding

Scrumptilious ain't it ?? This is the easiest dessert to make and the ingredients are quite easy on the pocket too.... too good to be true? :D

Ingredients

Sponge cake/Marble cake

Condensed Milk - 1 tin

Cream - 1 tin

Strawberry Jam/mixed fruit jam to spread over the bread

Jelly and/or Vanilla Custard to use in the layers [I usually use custard, but didn't use it this time]. If you use these options, then there's no need of using the jam and condensed milk.

Tinned fruits or fresh ones, whichever you prefer. I used peaches and pineapple... you could alternatively use even mangoes, they are a delicious option

Chocolate syrup

Bananas, sliced, to garnish

Method

Delicately slice the cake into layers. On each layer apply cream and jam and layer the fruits. Cover with custard/condensed milk and a dash of chocolate syrup. Continue this layering until the cake has been used up or you have made an optimal quantity. Garnish with bananas. You can also add assorted nuts of your choice, although I prefer it without nuts.

This dessert is best made a day prior to your party/gathering so that the cake is moist enough. Enjoy !

Aloo- Methi

Methi [fenugreek leaves] is my most favourite leafy vegetable. I love methi theplas, aloo methi or any other dish that can utilize these lovely leafies.

Ingredients:

Potatoes, diced [about 6]

One medium onion, chopped fine

One medium tomato, chopped fine

1 or 2 green chillies slit lengthwise

Two medium sized bunches of methi leaves, plucked and washed [if you like, you could chop them]

Method:

Splutter zeera in a bit of oil. Add the onions and wait till they are browned. Then, add the tomatoes and chillies. Saute together well.

Add the potatoes, add salt+haldi+coriander powder and mix well. Sprinkle a bit of water and let the potatoes cook . Once they are 75% done, you need to add the methi leaves. Mix together and let it be on a medium flame for about 5-10 minutes.

Serve hot with rotis ! :)

MAsala MAngo and orange popsicles

Yesterday was an eventful and exciting day! I started a new venture called " Masala Popsicles". and In celebration of having done that, decided to actually make some yummy popsicles. This is an easy and yummy recipe, that anybody will love , especially kids...!
Enjoy!!!

MAsala Mango And Orange Popsicles

Ingredients
2 Cups of Chopped Mango (Fresh or Frozen)
1 Cup Orange Juice
2 Tbsp Honey
1 tsp of Lemon juice 
a pinch of aam choor ( dried mango powder)
1 tsp of Chat Masala
Kulfi, or popsicle moulds ( available in any plastic store, or Tupperware)


Method
Combine all the ingredients and blend until smooth. ( except chat masala)

Spoon equal amount of the popsicle puree into each mould. Freeze until solid, about 4 hours or overnight.
Sprinkle a little bit of chat masala all over the popsicle once, ready to serve. 
Enjoy!!!!

Palak tamatar dal!

Ingredients

Palak/Spinach- 1/2 bunch

Tomato- 1 medium

Onion- 1 small

Green chillies- 3

Toor dal- 1 cup

Salt to taste

Cumin seeds- 1/2 sp

Mustard seeds- 1/2 sp

Red chilli 1

Curry leaves 4

Garlic clove 1

Udad dal 1sp

Oil 2 sps

Method:

Wash palak throughly and chop the leaves.

Cut onion and tomato to medium pieces.

In a presser cooker sauté the onions till golden brown, Add green chillies, sauté another 2 mins, add tomatoes, washed dal and chopped palak.

Allow it to cook in the pressure cooker, for about 5-6 whistles ( if the dal is not cooked, you may have to keep it for a few more whistles, but make sure to add enough water) 

Once the dal is cooked remove and mash the dal.

 For the tempering - Take in small kadai 2 tsps oil , add cumin, mustard seeds, curry leaves, red chilli, urad dal and the chopped garlic.

Now add this to dal and serve with rice or roti

Yummy!