Ladi Pav

Love Vada Pav and Pav Bhaji ? Making ladi pav at home is easier than you think. Pav we get in stores here  is way to sweet and I do not like store bought pav from local bakeries. Homemade pav is much more better than store bought ones. These are soft, buttery and airy and of all they are not sweet !

 

 

 

Recipe Source : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yNXsi4hSYg

Ingredients

• 2 Cups All purpose flour + 1/4 Cup All purpose flour separately
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 and 1/2 Tablespoon milk powder
• 1/4 Cup warm water to proof yeast
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 2 Teaspoon active dry yeast
• 3/4 Cup warm milk
• 4 Teaspoon unsalted butter
• 2 Tablespoon milk to brush the pav
• 2 Teaspoon butter to brush the pav once they are out of the oven 

Directions 

1. In a large mixing bowl, add all purpose flour, salt and milk powder and mix everything together
2. In a small bowl take warm water. Stir in sugar. Then add 2 teaspoon active dry yeast and let the mixture stand for 10 minutes until the yeast is frothy and bubbly. If this mixture doesn't froth, your yeast is dead. Start with a new batch of yeast and dissolve it in fresh 1/4 water. Do not proceed with the next step unless you have a proofed yeast and frothy yeasty solution
3. Make a well in the flour mixture we prepared at step number 1. Pour the yeast mixture in the well. Pour the warm milk and mix everything together using hands
4. This mixture is super sticky. Once the flour is mixed with milk, add butter and start kneading the dough. Dough is super sticky , so you will be kneading the gooey sticky mixture. Just take the dough and pull it hard and stretch it out and repeat the process
5. After 15 minutes of stretching and pulling your dough will become less sticky now and it will start holding shape
6. At this stage, stop kneading. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and keep it in a warm place for 45 minutes to an hour
7. After an hour, the dough will be doubled in volume
8. Punch the dough. Sprinkle 1/4 cup flour and knead the dough. Now the dough will not be sticky and it will hold shape nicely
9. Divide the dough into 16 equal parts. Roll each part into a small ball. Flatten each ball slightly
and place them on a greased 8 inch square baking pan
10. Arrange them in 4 rows with 4 rolls on each row
11. Keep the baking pan in a warm place. Cover it with plastic wrap or wet kitchen towel. Set aside for 45 minutes. The rolls/ pav will be doubled, and they are ready to go in the oven
12. Preheat the oven to 200C
13. Brush the rolls / pav with milk and bake them at 200C for 25 minutes until they are light golden
14. Remove the pan from oven and brush butter all over the rolls
15. Let the pav remain in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert the ladi on a wire rack and cool
16. Ladi Pav is ready to be served
 

Crispy Fish fry with semolina / Sooji / Rava

Crispy Fried Sardines! Fish coated with herbed semolina mixture with a hint of lemon zest and shallow fried in a pan. I used sardines. However you can use any fish preferably whole small sized ones or thinly sliced fish. I have tried this fish fry preparation with other fish types like Barracuda slices, pomfret slices, seer fish and small sized whole red snappers and worked perfectly. These are so delicious with homemade tartar sauce or ketchup.

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients 

To Marinate Fish

• 10 Sardines ( I used sardines, you can use any other fish either sliced thinly )
• 1 Teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 Teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt 

Fish Coating one ( Wet Mixture)

• 1 Teaspoon red chilli powder / paprika powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 Teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon water 

Fish Coating two ( dry mixture) 

• 2 Tablespoon rice flour / corn flour
• 2 Tablespoon Semolina (sooji or Rava )
• 1/2 Teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon red chilli flakes
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tablespoon finely chopped cilantro leaves or parsley

For Shallow Frying Fish

• 3 Tablespoon Vegetable oil  

Directions 

1. Clean, wash fish several times. Pat dry with a kitchen towel.
2. Marinate fish pieces along with the list of ingredients listed under 'To Marinate Fish' for 30 mins or 1 hour
3. In a small bowl, add all the ingredients listed under 'Fish Coating one' along with 1 Tablespoon water. Check seasoning and add more salt if required. This wet mixture will be thick
4. In a separate bowl mix all the ingredients listed under 'Fish Coating two. Set aside
5. Now take the marinated fish, apply wet mixture all over. Set aside. Repeat the process for rest of the fish pieces. set aside
6. Next coat the fish in the rice flour semolina dry mixture we prepared at step number 4. Gently press the dry coating so that it sticks firm to the fish skin. Since we already coated the fish with wet mix , dry mix will easily coat fish
7. Repeat the process for rest of the fish pieces
8. Heat oil in a pan for shallow frying fish. You can also deep fry, but the dry coating tends to fall off from the fish and settles down in oil and creates a mess. Hence I do not prefer to deep fry fish for this preparation. I always shallow fry
9. Add 4 fish pieces ( batch of 4 at a time) on a pan at a time and fry on medium flame until the crust is crispy golden. Flip sides and fry on the other sides too
10. Drain on the kitchen towel and serve hot
11. If you are serving it later , the fish might become wet and soggy. But the good news is we can fix it, You can spread the fried fish pieces on a baking tray and bake at 160 C for 8 to 10 minutes. Fish will be crispy again.
 

Egg Korma

A rich , silky and delicious korma with hard boiled eggs. Perfect side for roti / naan / flavored rice. This korma is so rich and its made with nuts paste, fried onions and poppy seeds. Eggs are hard boiled, then shallow fried in a pan until they are golden and sprinkled with spices. 

Ingredients

For the spicy hard boiled eggs

• 4 Eggs 
• 1 Teaspoon vegetable oil
• a big pinch of red chilli powder / paprika powder
• a big pinch of turmeric powder
• a big pinch of salt to sprinkle

For the gravy

• 2 Tablespoon Vegetable oil
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 2 Bay leaves
• 3 Cloves
• 2 Green Cardamom
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 Teaspoon Fennel Seeds
• 1 Medium sized onion sliced thinly
• 20 fresh mint leaves
• 2 Tablespoons coriander powder
• 1 Teaspoon Red chilli powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1/4 Cup plain natural yogurt / curd
• Salt to taste

For the Nuts paste

• 8 raw Cashew nuts
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 1/2 Inch fresh ginger
• 1 Tablespoon khus khus / poppy seeds
• 1/2 Cup fried onions ( Thinly slice 2 large sized onions and deep fry in oil until they are crispy and golden)

Preparation

1. In a small sauce pan, add 1/4 cup water. Add cashew nuts and poppy seeds to the water and bring it to boil. Boil the water for 5 minutes. Cool completely. Drain water and set aside

2. Add this par boiled cashew nuts and poppy seeds , fried onions , ginger, garlic in a food processor / mixie and grind it to fine paste. Add 2 or 3 tablespoon of water if required for grinding

 

 

3. Keep eggs outside refrigerator overnight and bring it to room temperature.

4. Hard boil eggs with 1 tablespoon salt in plenty of water and carefully peel remove their outer skin. Make sure not to break the egg. Using a sharp knife mark light slits all over the egg whites and set aside

 

Directions

1. In a large pan / wok, heat 1 teaspoon oil. When the oil is hot, add cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves, green cardamom and fry for 30 seconds

                                                      

2. Add cumin seeds and fennel seeds and fry until the sizzle

                                 

 3. Then add the sliced onions and fry until onions are soft

4. Add the fried onion+ cashew++poppy seeds+ ginger+ garlic paste we prepared at step number 2 of the preparation process                                 

5. Fry the mixture in oil for 8 to 10 minutes on low flame until oil separates from the mixture. Do not rush through this step. The korma will have raw smell of nuts and ginger if you do not fry the paste on low flame until oil separates

6. Add coriander powder , red chilli powder, turmeric powder and fry for 5 more minutes. Add chopped mint leaves and give it a stir

 7. Increase the heat to high and add yogurt. Stir continuously until the yogurt is well absorbed by the mixture
                                  

8. Season with salt. Then add 1 cup of water to the gravy and cook on medium flame until the korma  reaches required consistency
 9. Fry the hard boiled eggs : In a pan, heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, turn down the heat settings to low. Then place the hard boiled eggs (with slits on them) on the pan and fry until the eggs have a nice golden skin. Turn sides and fry eggs to get nice golden skin on all sides.

10. Sprinkle salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder over the fried golden eggs and gently toss them

 

 

11. Remove the eggs from the pan and set aside

12. Once the korma reached required consistency, switch off the flame

13. Transfer the korma to a serving dish. Place the fried eggs in the prepared korma

14. Serve hot with roti / naan / flavored rice
                                   

Murungai Keerai Poriyal / Drumstick leaves stir fry

An easy stir fry with drumstick leaves. Drumstick leaves are rich in vitamin B , Vitamin C, Beta - Carotene and Vitamin K. This stir fry is served as a side and it has a unique tart taste and tastes delicious with rice and rasam.

 

 

Ingredients

• 2 Cups tightly packed drumstick leaves
• 1 Tablespoon sesame seed oil or vegetable oil ( I always use sesame seed oil for any spinach stir fry)
• 1/2 Teaspoon cumin seeds
• 4 Garlic cloves chopped finely
• 4 Dry red chillies ( as per your taste)
• 1 Cup shallots/ sambar onions chopped finely
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon hing / asafoetida
• 1/4 Cup dry roasted peanuts
• 1 Tablespoon freshly grated coconut

Directions

1. Clean and wash drumstick leaves several times in regular tap water. Set aside
2. In a pan dry roast peanuts until they are light golden. Set aside
3. In the same pan, add oil. When the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and let them splutter
4. Then add broken dry red chillies, chopped garlic and fry until they are light golden
5. Add shallots, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt and fry until shallots are soft
6. Add turmeric powder and hing and give it a stir
7. Now add drumstick leaves and fry for 2 minutes
8. Add 1/3 cup of water, season with salt ( use very less salt ) and let it cook for 10 minutes or until the leaves are cooked through and the water evaporates completely
9. Mean while, add the roasted peanuts in a food processor and grind it to coarse powder. Just break them into small pieces. Do not grind it to fine powder. Alternatively you can add the peanuts in a ziplock bag and crush them using a rolling pin
10. Add the crushed peanuts to the stir fry and give it a stir
11. Add grated coconut and give it a stir
12. Switch off the flame. Drumstick leaves stir fry is ready to be served

 

Eggless Carrot and Walnut Cake

Super moist and delicious carrot cake with walnuts. This cake is eggless and flavored with orange zest, cinnamon and nutmeg. Can be served plain or with classic cream cheese frosting.

 

 

 

 

 

Preparation Time : 30 Minutes

Baking Time : 50 Minutes

Yield : One 8 Inch cake

Ingredients

• 1 Cup All Purpose Flour or Maida + 1 tablespoon for coating the nuts
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg Powder
• a big pinch of salt
• 1 Tablespoon Orange Zest / Lemon Zest
• 1 Cup granulated white Sugar ( I powdered the regular granulated white sugar in the food processor until it is fine powder)
• 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 Tablespoon Honey
• 1/2 Cup buttermilk ( to get 1/2 cup buttermilk ->  add 1/2 Teaspoon distilled white vinegar to 1/2 cup milk and let it rest for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the milk will curdle and buttermilk is ready to be used.

        I had also tried this recipe with 1/2 cup thick curd/plain natural yogurt instead of 1/2 buttermilk. I find the cake with buttermilk more moist and soft when compared to the cake with curd(plain natural yogurt)

• 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 and 1/2 Cup Finely grated Carrots ( I used delhi carrots)
• 1/2 Cup chopped  walnuts ( You can use any nut of your choice)

Directions :

1. Preheat oven to 170 C. Grease and dust a 8 inch cake pan and set aside

2. In a bowl, add all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, salt and whisk until combined. Set aside

3. In a small bowl , add walnuts and toss them with 1 tablespoon of all purpose flour. This will prevent the nuts from settling down at the bottom of the cake while baking

4. In a large mixing bowl, add powdered granulated white sugar and oil and beat it on low speed for a minute using a hand mixture

5. Once the sugar is well combined with the oil, add honey and beat for 30 seconds

6. Then add buttermilk or yogurt and beat for a minute until the mixture is smooth

7. Add vanilla extract and orange zest to the wet ingredients and stir in

8. Now add the dry ingredients we have in the bowl ( prepared at step number 2) in to the wet ingredients in 3 additions beating the mixture on medium speed after each addition

9. Add walnuts coated with all purpose flour we prepared at step number 3 in the cake batter and gently fold them in using a spatula

10. Finally fold in finely grated carrots in to the cake batter

11. Pour the cake batter in the greased cake pan and bake at 170 C for 50 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. After 40 minutes of baking, check if the cake is done. Baking time differs in each oven

12. Once out of the oven, let the cake remain in the pan for 5 minutes

13. Then invert the cake on a cooling wire rack and cool completely

14. Slice the cake; Serve it simple and plain or serve it with classic cream cheese frosting

Bagara Khana / Bagara Chawal

Bagara Khana / Bagara Chawal - an easy rice delicacy from Hyderabad. A plain biryani rice flavored with sliced onions, garlic, mint and whole spices. Pairs beautifully with spicy gravies and korma.

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Long grain Rice / Basmati Rice
• 1 and 1/2 Cup water
• 1 Large red onion sliced finely
• 1 Tablespoon Oil       
• 1 Tablespoon Ghee
• 1 Green cardamom
• 2 Cloves
• a tiny piece of cinnamon stick
• 3 Crushed garlic cloves
• 5 whole black pepper
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• 5 mint leaves (optional)
• 1 Green Chilli slit in the middle
• Salt as required

Directions

1. Wash rice several times in tap water and soak in regular tap water for 15 minutes
2. In a pan, heat oil. When the oil is hot, reduce the flame to lowest setting and add Cumin seeds, whole black peppers, cinnamon stick , bay leaf, cloves, green cardamom                                    
3. Fry for few seconds. Then add crushed garlic and fry until garlic turns light golden color. Do not burn garlic, burnt garlic spoils the flavor
4. Now increase the flame to medium and add sliced red onions and fry until they are soft

                            
  
5. Drain rice and add it to the pan. Stir / mix everything together using a fork. Add 1 and 1/2 cups of water , 1 tablespoon ghee and mint leaves. Add salt to taste

                           

6. Reduce the flame to lowest setting and cover the pan with lid with the lid half closed. Let the rice for 15 to 20 minutes. If you are cooking in pressure cooker, cook for 2 whistles on low flame                       
                    
                   

 

7. Once the rice is cooked, mix gently with a fork. Do not over mix or break the rice

8. Serve hot with a spicy curry and raita

Potato Stir Fry

 

 

Ingredients

• 6 Medium sized Potatoes
• 5 Garlic cloves crushed and then chopped finely
• 1 Teaspoon Red chilli powder ( you can use paprika instead of red chilli powder)
• 1/4 Teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Pepper powder / freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 Teaspoon Italian seasoning ( Or a pinch of dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried oregano and red chilli flakes)
• 1/4 Teaspoon cumin powder
• 2 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter ( optional )
• 1/2 Teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 Teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 Teaspoon urad dal
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Wash potatoes, peel remove skin

2. Cut each potato into 4 quarters and then slice them ( slightly thicker; refer to the below picture)

3. In a pan, heat oil and butter

 ( Step number 4 and 5 are optional. If you do not have mustard seeds, cumin seeds and urad dal you can skip these steps and proceed to step number 6. I prefer cumin flavor with potatoes and nice crunch from the urad dal. )

4. When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. let them splutter
5. Then add cumin seeds and urad dal and fry until urad dal turns light golden
6. Add crushed , chopped garlic and fry for couple of seconds until its light golden

                                     
7. Now switch off the flame and remove the pan off from direct heat / stove.  And add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, pepper powder, Italian seasoning, salt and give it a quick stir
8. Immediately add sliced potatoes and mix everything together

                                    

9. Return the pan to stove and keep the flame medium

10. Add 1 cup of water and give it a stir. Check for seasoning and add more salt if required

                                  

11. Now let the potatoes cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are cooked through and water evaporates completely

12. Add more water if required to cook the potatoes

13. Switch off the flame. Potato stir fry is ready to be served