Cheesy Puffy Cups

Ingredients:

Just Rol Puff Pastry Sheet                 - 1 Package
Mix Veggies                                      - 2 cups (Carrot,Peppers,Peas,Boiled Potato,Broccoli)
Grated Cheese                                   - 1 Cup (Filling and Sprinkling)
Frylight Oil Spray                             - few sprays
Pizza Sauce                                       - 4 tblspoon
Seasoning of your choice                  - 1 tspoon


Method:

Take out the puff pastry sheet out of the fridge and keep out on kitchen counter for 10-15 minutes.
Roll - out a little more thinner than the original thickness.
Cut out the roundels out of the sheet.
Grease the 12 cupcakes tray with few sprays of Frylight Oil Spray.
Put the Roundels of Puff Sheet inside the cupcake cavities.

Now we will prepare the filling for cups.
Mix the veggies, seasoning, pizza sauce and quarter of grated cheese in a mixing bowl.
Taste the filling and adjust the salt, pepper and chilli as per your taste. For us after mixing bruschetta seasoning  the filling was perfect. Pizza sauce also have salt and pepper, so more seasoing can make it over powering.

Both the components are ready now we will assemble the cups.
Fill up the puff pastry roundels, which we put into cupcake cavities just like the picture below.

Now sprinkle some more cheese, so that after melting it makes a kind of pastry cover on top of each cup.

Once all the cups are filled and sprinkled, bake these into preheated oven of 200c for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese on top melts and turns golden brown.
Once baked they will look like the picture below. The pastry will puff and the cheese on top will create a golden brown crust.

Let them cool and serve as a starter, brunch or after school snack to kids. These are vegetarian, healthy and perfect for quick fill of those little tummies.

Hope your kids will also love it like mine did. Until next time........Enjoy :) Saumya

Leftover Vegetable Pulao and Cheese Patties

I quite "not throw" but use the leftover food most of the time, especially the dinner leftovers. Most of the dinner leftovers make very good Breakfast Dishes. I always look for the "leftover Rice and Chapati" to use in making something delicious for breakfast.

For instance, from one of the dinner recently, I was left with 1 and 1/2 cup of Vegetable Pulao. I was thinking it's not even a full portion for someone. So thats going to be converted into something else. Kept it carefully in the fridge and next morning i was up with a recipe in mind for a tasty breakfast.

I gathered all the ingredients, in my mind for this breakfast treat. Mixed it all up along with the leftover Pulao, shallow fry that and we have yummy, tasty, delicious Patties to go with Buns, Cookies and morning drinks for breakfast.

Here's presenting Leftover Vegetable Pulao and Cheese Patties. Kids simply loved eating them with out any fussy morning face, Hubby asked me to make them again whenever we have any leftover pulao and me so happy to see them having something they liked.

Try this quick, simple and easy recipe in your kitchen and see your family members face lighting with joy and mouth singing praises for you. Let me know your feedback in the comments below.................... Until Next Time, Happy Cooking Friends, Saumya

Ingredients:

Leftover Vegetable Pulao                     - 1 - 1/2 cup
Gram Flour                                           - 3 tblspoon
Grated Cheese                                      - 2 tblspoon
Desiccated Coconut                             - 1 tblspoon
Salt                                                       - to taste / optional
Red Chili Flakes                                  - to taste / optional
Lemon Juice                                        - 1 tblspoon
Oil                                                       - 2 tblspoon to shallow fry

Method:

In a heavy bottom pan, dry roast the gram flour for 3-4 minutes.
Tip over the roasted gramflour into the Pulao bowl.
Now add cheese, salt, chili flakes, lemon juice and coconut into the same bowl.
Mix well with your hand to give it a texture of loose dough. Refer the picture.

Divide the Pulao dough into 8-9 equal pieces with greased hands.
Heat a heavy bottom pan on medium heat.
Grease your hands again and shape the dough balls into patties.
Shallow Fry the Patties , 4-5 at a time, giving them space to cook properly.
Fry them until golden from both sides, flipping carefully in between.
Once all of them are done, Patties are ready to be served, as a starter, light lunch with salad, tea-time snack or breakfast as we did.
You can also sandwich them with buns, baps or Pav with Chutneys, Condiments or sauces.
Enjoy the light, crunchy and filling patties.

Notes:
You can also use Oats powder, but I was run out it so used gram flour.

You can replace Cheese with crumbled Paneer.

Coconut is totally optional.

Spices are also optional, if the Pulao is spiced and floured extremely hot.

Tofu,Veggie & Cheese Topped Bell Peppers

When it's the season for good vegetables and fruits, it makes me feel out of the world. I get many more different fruits and veggies for experiments in my Kitchen. I, even my family loves eating our veggies. I often make stuffed veggies and bake them.

My kids are also good with the veggies, it's just I need to make the veggies a bit attractive for them to enjoy. I enjoy feeding my kids home-made dishes, just to ease my heart and mind. Well, well, well, Who doesn't. Lets come to the Dish we are going to see in today's post.

Sometimes, in the season I buy Bells peppers in plenty, wash, deseed and cut them to freeze for making my job easy in the Kitchen. This time me and hubby both bought big packs of bell peppers and even after doing my regular freezing, there was a lot of them left.

If you guys remember, I made some tofu stuffed Buns few days back. I was left with half pack tofu in the fridge, which I needed to finish ASAP. So thats the oppertunity for me. I made "Tofu,Veggie & Cheese Topped Bell Peppers". My kids are a BIG BIG fan of dairy products and still don't know much difference between Indian Cottage Cheese (Paneer) and Tofu. They love eating both in same manner, they simply love both of these dairy products.

Very easy to assemble and healthy because of less oil and light cheese. Goodness of Tofu and Veggies, let your mind to peace as well. Try the recipe in your Kitchen, I'm sure your family will love them just as mine did.....................Until Next Time, happy cooking friends, Saumya

Ingredients:

Mix Bell Peppers         - 4 Wash, de-seeded and cut into half
Tofu                             - 1/2 cup crumbled
Mix Veggies                - 1/2 cup (par-boiled)
Grated Cheese             - 4 tblspaoon
Coriander                    - 2 tblspoon freshly chopped
Lemon Juice               - 1/2 tspoon
Red Chilli Powder      - 1/2 tspoon
Garlic Powder            - 1/4 tspoon
Salt                             - to taste
Oil/Butter                   - 1 tblspoon


Method:

Preheat the oven to 200c. Grease a roasting tray with cooking spray.
Wash, de-seed the bell peppers and Cut into half. I used 3 green peppers and 1 red pepper.
In a bowl, mix crumbled tofu, veggies, 2 tblspoon cheese, red chilli powder, garlic powder, salt, freshly chopped coriander and lemon juice. Mix well and keep aside.
Run a little butter in and out on each half of the peppers.
Spoon the filling into each greased bell peppers. I used 2 tblspoon of filling, because the bell peppers I used was relatively small in size.
Press the filling firmly into the bell peppers to avoid spilling it everywhere.
Place them all on the roasting tray.
Sprinkle rest of 3 tblspoon of grated cheese generously on each bell pepper.
Spray some cooking oil on to them. This step is totally optional.
Bake the peppers in preheated oven at 200c for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese on top starts to turn golden.

Once baked, Serve the bell peppers hot with Soup, Salad and Toasted bread.
My family loves to eat them this way, how does yours?????

Amritsari Kulcha / Stuffed Flat Bread

Kulche & Chole is a very popular breakfast, brunch or street food in the North of India. Be it Delhi, Punjab or now even UP, whole of north India loves this one plate food. I have never been to Punjab, but I'm always fascinated to go there and visit famous cities and their monuments, specially Golden temple. Punjabi food, as we all know is THE most delicious food in the world, spicy, tangy, full of ghee!! Yummy!!!!  This is a very famous street food around North India.

Amritsari Kulcha is the stuffed variety of regular Kulchas. Authentically these kulchas are rolled and stretched between your palms and fingers not with rolling pins. These are cooked in Clay ovens not in electronic ovens or griddles. They are accompanied by Spicy thick Chole, Yogurt Dip, runny onion chutney, Salad and Pickle.

I've had Chole Kulche, so so so many times in my life. I've tried them in many places, in my native, It's surrounding cities, Delhi, UK and so on....But everywhere the taste is different. But I love this combo a lot. I often make this combo and we go for seaside picnic. Warm sunny day, cold breeze from sea, lots of seaside water play and when you are hungry, you eat Chole Kulche. Thats is called day well spend. My hubby is also a big big fan of Punjabi food, He is a foodie basically, he loves tasty food, be it North Indian, South Indian or from anywhere else. The food should be awesomely tasty.

As it is Father's Day today, I thought to treat my hubby, who is an AMAZING father, with Chole Kulche in breakfast. He just loved when me and kids present this combo on breakfast. We all enjoyed the Kulchas together and now we are off to have some outside fun.........You also try making this combo and I'm sure everyone in your family will love it. Let me know your feedback on this recipe by dropping a comment............. Until next time, Happy Cooking Friends, Saumya

Ingredients:

For Kulcha:
Whole Wheat Flour               - 1 cup
Plain Flour                             - 2 cups
Sugar                                      - 1/2 tblspoon
Baking Soda                           - 1/4 tspoon
Oil                                           - 2 tspoon
Yogurt/Curd                            - 3/4 cup
Salt                                          - 1 tspoon / to taste
Water                                       - 1/4 to 1/3 cup for kneading of the dough

For Stuffing:
Potatoes                            - 4 medium size boiled and Mashed
Onion                                - 1 medium chopped finely (will give you around 4 tblspoon )
Paneer                               - 1/2 cup crumbled
Grated Cheese                  - 1/2 cup grated Mozzarella
Green Chillies                  - 3 finely chopped (gives you 1 full tspoon)
Red Chili Powder             - 1/4 tspoon + 1/4 tspoon
Amchoor                           - 1/4 tspoon + 1/4 tspoon
Coriander Powder             - 1/4 tspoon + 1/4 tspoon + 1/4 tspoon
Garam Masala                   - 1/4 tspoon + 1/4 tspoon + 1/4 tspoon
Salt                                    - to taste for all 3 stuffings
Coriander                          - 3 tblspoon freshly chopped ( 1 for each stuffing)


Method:

Making Kulcha Dough:
Take a deep mixing bowl, add whole wheat flour, plain flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Whisk well.

Now add yogurt and oil into it.
Start mixing your hands lightly.
With the help of little water at a time start to knead the dough. Adding water depends on the quality of flour as well, so add little at a time.

Take it out on lightly floured surface and knead with hands for few minutes.

Knead it to a smooth soft dough. cover the dough and keep aside for atleast 2 hours.

I used my stand mixer so threw everything together and mixed for 2 minute in low and 5 minutes in high speed with the dough hook on.

Making the Stuffing:
While the dough is resting we will make the stuffings. I made 3 types of stuffing for everyone's taste.

Potato Stuffing:
Mix Mashed Potato, 3/4 tspoon chopped green chillies, 2 tblspoon chopped onion, 1/4 tspoon Red chili powder, 1/4 Amchoor, 1/4 Coriander powder, 1/4 Garam masala, Salt and 1 tblspoon chopped coriander.
Mix everything well to make stuffing like a dough.

Paneer Stuffing:
Mix Crumbled Paneer, 1/4 tspoon chopped green chillies, 2 tblspoon chopped onion, 1/4 tspoon Red chili powder, 1/4 Amchoor, 1/4 Coriander powder, 1/4 Garam masala, Salt and 1 tblspoon chopped coriander.
Mix well with hands to incorporate everything together.

Cheese stuffing:
Mix Grated Cheese,  2 tblspoon chopped onion, 1/4 Amchoor, 1/4 Coriander powder, 1/4 Garam masala, Salt and 1 tblspoon chopped coriander.
Mix very well to combine everything.

Preparing Kulchas:
After 2 hours, or when you are ready to make, knead the dough again to smooth it out.
Make medium size balls out of it, like a cricket ball. I made 11 kulchas out of this quantity.
Lightly flour the work surface/rolling board.
Place the dough ball of it and roll a 4 inch circle.

Place 2 tblspoon of stuffing on it.

Pinch the end edges together to make it a ball again.

Roll it gently between your palms.

Sprinkle some more flour on work surface/rolling board.
Now roll the stuffed ball, slowly / gently with a rolling pin, into a 7-8 inch circle / or your choice of size.

Heat a heavy bottomed Tawa/Griddle.
Place the rolled Kulcha on the tawa. Sprinkle few drops of water on it.

Cover it and let it cook for 1 minute.

It will start to form some puffs on the Kulcha.

Now flip it over and cover again for it to puff fully.

Once cook from both side, which is turned golden brown evenly from both side, take it out of the griddle and put it on cooling rack.
Spread generous amount of ghee/butter/clarified butter on it.
After cooking each Kulcha, wipe clean the Tawa/Griddle.
Use the same process with Paneer and Cheese stuffing as well.

For Cheese and Paneer Kulchas, I made them by baking in the oven. Preheated the oven on max temperature. Place the rolled Cheese and Paneer kulcha on non-stick baking mat/greased baking tray.

Bake until both sides are golden brown.

Once baked take them out on a cooling rack and Spread generous amount of ghee/butter/clarified butter on them.
Serve the Kulchas with Chole, Raita, Salad and Chutney.

Baguette Bites

Last few days were BUSY, super BUSY :D I know you must be thinking I sound crazy because each household is always busy, but believe me they were busy. With my daughter's 8th birthday, I was busy baking her cake and then planning where to take her for day out.

Sunday evenings are already very lazy and being on Friday and Saturday made it super Lazy. We went to ZSL London, where we walked almost 6 miles and shatter by the end of the day. So Sunday was like not wanting to get up from the bed.

Kids do not care about how tired you are, they need exciting and attractive food. Breakfast was a late affair this morning and I wanted to make something not so time and energy taking. Anyways I donot have much energy left.

There was half baguette, some cheese and some assorted veggies left in the fridge, so made these little bites for breakfast along with some Uttapams. Everyone enjoyed and satisfied their Tummy. Now everyone is off to the Park and I'm gonna catchup with my sleep.

We loved these bites and I'm sure you will too, as they are simple to make and light to your tummy as well. Don't forget to comment below Until next time.......Happy Cooking Friends, Saumya

Ingredients:

Baguette slices                               - 6 (I used Chili and Onion Baguette)
Grated Cheese                                - 1/4 cup
Pizza Sauce                                    - 2 tblspoon
Onion                                             - 1 small finely diced
Olives                                             - 2 tblspoon
Sweetcorn                                       - 2 tblspoon
Mushroom                                      - 3 big finely diced
Oregano                                          - 1/2 tspoon
Chili Flakes                                    - 1 tspoon (optional)
Salt                                                 - to taste (optional)
Butter                                             - 1 tblspoon

Method:

Preheat the oven on 200c.
Take 6 slices of any flavoured Baguette. Plain can also do, but flavoured add a twist to the taste.
Cut them to half. Roll each half of them with a rolling pin. Place all 12 rolled pieces in a 12 muffin pan.

Rub a little butter on each rolled slice.

In a bowl, Mix Pizza Sauce, Mushroom, Sweetcorn, Onion, Olives, Oregano, Salt, and Chili Flakes.

Spoon this mix on each slices, equally.

Sprinkle few strands of cheese on each slice.

Bake the slices on 200c for 10 minutes or until the cheese starts to turn golden. Take it out and let them cool in the tray as they will get Brown while cooling in the Pan.

Baguette Bites are ready to serve.
Serve them Warm with choice of dips and drinks in a Tea-Party or as a starter in a get-Together.
My Family had them on evening tea and they absolutely love these bites.