September 16, 2020

My daughter Nikita tried this Fig and Walnut Focaccia Bread. She used the figs grown at home. Recipe from the book "Bread Baking" by Bonnie Ohara #yardtotable

September 15, 2020

Stuffed Tindora curry

Stuffed Tindora

 Ingredients:

Tindora - 20

Filling:
Besan - ½ cup
Peanuts roasted- ¼ cup
Red chilly powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Fennel seeds (Saumph) roasted- 1 tsp
Asafoetida - ½ tsp
Onion - 1 small finely chopped
Olive oil - 2tbsp
Salt to taste

Seasoning:
Oil - 4 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 strands
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 medium

Garnishing:
Cashew nuts - about 20 roasted in ghee
Cilantro chopped - 2 tbsp

Method:
1.      Roast the besan flour for a few minutes.
2.      Powder the peanuts & fennel seeds.
3.      Mix the besan flour, powdered peanuts, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, fennel seeds powder, asafetida, salt and finely chopped onions.
4.      Mix this with 2 tbsp of olive oil and little water to make a thick mixture.
5.      Wash and dry the tindoras.  Slit it in 4 keeping the base intact.
6.      Stuff the tindoras with the prepared filling.
7.      Steam the tindoras for 5 minutes.
8.      Heat 4 tbsp. of oil and make a seasoning of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dhal, asafoetida, and add the chopped onion and sauté.
9.      Add the steamed stuffed tindoras.
10.     Adjust salt if necessary and garnish with chopped cilantro and cashew nuts.

September 8, 2020

Fig & Dates Burfi

Made burfis with home grown figs
#yardtotable

Fig & Dates Burfi

Ingredients:
1 cup  - fresh figs chopped

1 cup – chopped dates

1-2tbs ghee

Chopped nuts:
Almonds, pista, cashew, walnut – 1 cup together
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp
Nutmeg- 1/2 tsp
Cardamom powdered -7 pods

Method:

Chop the nuts and set aside.
Roast poppy seeds set aside
Add ghee to a pan & add the chopped fig/date mixture.
Cook the fig and date mixture for a few minutes till it becomes a mush.
Add chopped nuts, cardamom powder, and nutmeg.
Keep stirring & add another spoon of ghee till the mixture comes together and leaves sides.
Spread the mixture on a greased plate.
Cut to desired shapes when it is cooled.


August 12, 2020

Dubai Burfi

My friend Uma is the sweetest person and an excellent cook. She is known for making all kinds of delicious desserts and savory dishes. One of her specialities is Dubai burfi. A few months back, when we visited her house, one of her guests asked her to give a demonstration making the burfi. She readily agreed and prepared it, with step by step instructions. My daughter and I daughter took some pictures and filmed the process, and I edited it together to make a full video of Uma's demonstration. Here it is!  


Dubai Burfi prepared by me following the video



Ingredients:

Almonds powdered - 1 cup
Cashew powdered - 1 cup
Walnuts powdered - ½ cup
Milk powder - 2½cups
Sugar - 3½ cups
Ghee - 2 cups
Water - 1½cups
Saffron - ½ tsp
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Method:
1.      Powder almonds, cashew and walnuts separately.  To this add the milk powder.
2.      Take a heavy bottom vessel and add sugar and water and let it dissolve.
3.      Add the powdered nuts and milk powder.
4.      Keep stirring continuously. 
5.      Add saffron and cardamom powder.
6.      Keep adding ghee throughout the process gradually.
7.      When the consistency is thick and brown and it leaves the sides of the pan it is ready.
8.      Pour the mixture on a greased plate and spread the mixture.
9.      Cut to desired shapes and store in a container.


July 5, 2020

Zucchini discs

 
Zucchini Discs
Ingredients:
Zucchini - 2
Salt - 1 tsp
Olive oil to brush
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Chopped basil - few leaves
Mozzarella cheese- 1/4 cup grated
Tomato sliced - 1

Method:
1.  Slice the zucchini to slightly thick slices.
2.  Brush with olive oil on both sides of the zucchini slices.
3.  Sprinkle salt and pepper powder.
4.  Preheat oven to 400 F.
5.  Roast the zucchini slices in the oven for 10 minutes till cooked.
6.  Top it with tomato and mozzarella cheese.
7.  Broil for 2 minutes till cheese melts golden.
8.  Garnish with basil leaves.




June 14, 2020

Nipat

Nipat

Ingredients:
Boiled rice - 1 cup
Urad dhal - 1 cup
Chopped green pepper/Chilly powder -3 or per desired spice level
Chopped curry leaves -6 strands
Roasted channa dhal - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Butter - 2 tbsp melted
Asafoetida - a pinch
Oil - to fry

Method:- 
1.  Soak boiled rice for 5-6 hours.
2.  Roast urad dhal little brown and powder it.
3.  Blend the boiled rice with less water.
4.  Add the urad dhal powder to the blend rice.
5.  Add green pepper/chilly powder, curry leaves, roasted channa dhal, asafoetida, butter, and salt.
6.  Make the dough to small balls and place greased plastic sheet and flatten to small discs.
7.  Deep fry till golden

May 31, 2020

Bread Pakora

Bread Pakora
Ingredients:
Bread slice - 3 slices cut into 4 pieces
Besan flour - 1/2 cup
Asafoetida - a big pinch
Red Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Rice flour - 1 tbsp
Kasuri methi - 2 tbsp
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Water to mix

Method:
1.  Mix besan flour, asafoetida, red chilly powder, rice flour, kasuri methi, olive oil with water to make a thick dough.
2.  Dip the bread slices and place on an aluminum foil in the air fryer at 350F for 5 minutes. 
3.  The dough will harden and now take off the aluminum foil and air fry for at 10 minutes at 350F till well done on both sides.
4.  Serve with ketchup.

Methi Matar Malai

Methi Matar Malai
Ingredients:

Fresh methi leaves - 2 cups chopped
Green peas fresh/frozen - 1
Onion - 1 medium
Ginger - 1 inch
Cashew nuts - a handful
Green chilies - 2
Red chilly powder - a tsp
Cinnamon powder - half tsp
Amchur powder - half tsp
Whipping cream - 1/4 cup
Olive oil to saute - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Method:
1.  Chop onion finely and saute in olive oil.
2.  Add the chopped methi leaves and saute.
3.  Steam peas with a pinch of salt.
4.  Blend green chilies, ginger, cashew nuts with minimum water.
5.  Add the steamed peas and blend paste to the sauteed onion and methi leaves.
6. Mix well add cinnamon powder, red chilly powder, amchur powder and salt to taste.
7. Finally add the whipping cream.
8. Serve with roti or paratha.

May 30, 2020

Air fried Aloo Gobi

Aloo Gobi

Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 1 head separated to florets
Onion - 1 medium sized chopped
Potatoes - 3 medium chopped 
Tomatoes- 1 medium finely chopped
Ginger - 1 inch grated
Green chilies - 2 to 3
Olive oil - 4 to 5 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a big pinch
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Cilantro chopped - 2 to 3 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Method:
1.  Toss the cauliflower in 2 tbsp of olive oil.  Set aside
2.  In the same container toss the potatoes with olive oil set aside.
3.  Finally add a tbsp of oil and add chopped onions and toss.
4.  Air fry cauliflower, onions, and potatoes, at 350F for 10-12 minutes.
5.  Take a pan and add a tbsp of olive oil add turmeric powder, asafoetida, green chilies,  grated ginger and chopped tomatoes and cook for about 3 minutes.
5.  Add the air fried cauliflower, potatoes, and onions and mix.  Add salt to taste, red chilly powder, and garam masala.  
6.  Finally add the chopped cilantro.

April 13, 2020

Beets Pulav


Beets Pulav

Ingredients:
Vegetables
Beet root-1 big chopped
Carrot - 1 medium chopped
Potato - 2 medium chopped
Peas - 1/2 cup
Tomato - 2 medium chopped
Onion - 1 medium chopped
Ginger grated - 1 inch
Green chilies - 3 or more per taste
Mint leaves - a handful chopped
Lemon juice - a tbsp
Cashew nuts - a handful for garnish
Cilantro - for garnish
Salt to taste

Spices:
Black pepper - 1 tsp
Cumin - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Bay leaf -1
Cloves -10
Cardamom - 4
Olive oil for sauteing

Basmati rice - 1&1/2 cup
Water - 1&1/2 cup


Method:
1.  Soak basmati rice in water for half an hour.
2.  Roast the spices in a tsp of olive oil.
3.  Saute onion, green chilies, ginger, and other vegetables in olive oil.
4.  Drain the rice and add to the vegetables, add chopped mint, salt and water.
5.  Cook in instant pot rice setting or pressure cooker/rice cooker.
6.  When the pulav is cooked add lemon juice, garnish with cilantro and cashews.

April 4, 2020

Dalgona Coffee

Dalgona Coffee

Ingredients:
Instant coffee powder - 2 tbsp
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Hot water - 2tbsp
Milk - 1/2 - 1 cup

Method:
1. Combine the instant coffee powder, sugar, and hot water in a mixing bowl
2. Use a hand whisk or an electric mixer with the wire whip attachment to whip the mixture until the  mixture is fluffy and stiff peaks form. The mixture should be lighter in color.
3. Spoon the whipped coffee over hot or cold milk to serve.

April 3, 2020

Air fried Crispy Poha (flattened rice)

Air fried crispy poha

Ingredients:
Thin variety Poha - 2 cups
Olive oil - 2tbsp
Salt - to taste
Chilly powder - t tsp or more as per taste
Peanuts - a handful

Seasoning:
Oil - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 4 sprigs
Red chilly -1 broken
Roasted channa dhal - 2 tbsp

Method:
1.  Take poha and peanuts in a bowl and and 2 tbsp of olive oil and mix it well so it is well coated.
2.  Keep in the air fryer in a steel colander and air fry for 8 to 10 minutes at 300F
3.  Add salt and chilly powder
4.  Add one tsp of oil and make a seasoning of mustard seeds, asafoetida, turmeric powder, curry leaves, red chillies, and roasted channa dhal.
5.  Pour the seasoning on the poha.
6.  Serve when it is room temperature.