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

Spinach Handvo

Ingredients:

Handvo Batter:

Rice                                   - 1 cup
Lentil Mix                                 - 1/2 cup each ( arhar,chana daal )
Fenugreek Seeds           - 1 tspoon
Yogurt                                       - 2 tblspoon
Baking Soda                             - 1 tspoon
Green Chili Paste                     - 1 tspoon
Ginger  Paste                          - 1 tspoon
Garlic  Paste                            - 1 tspoon
Turmeric Powder                     - 1 tspoon
Red Chilli                  - 1/2 tspoon
Lemon Juice/Pickle Gravy      - 1 tspoon  (Optional)
Citric Acid                               - 1/4 tspoon
Baking Soda                            - 1 tspoon
Jaggery                                    - 1/2 cup
Salt                                          - 2 tspoon
Oil                         - 2 tspoon
Spinach                 - 1 cup finely cut and blanched

For Tempering / Sprinkle :
Oil                                           - 2 tblspoon
Red Chilli                                - 2-3 whole
Hing                                         - a pinch
Mustard Seed                           - 2 tspoon
Sesame Seeds/Til                     - 2 tblspoon + 1 tblspoon for sprinkle
Peanuts                                     - 1/4 cup
Fried Onions                             - 2 tblspoon

Method:

Making The batter:
Wash and Soak Rice and both lentils along with fenugreek seeds for overnight.
Now grind soaked rice, lentil and fenugreek seeds with the help of water.
Make a thick smooth paste, sprinkle water while grinding.
Do not mix a lot of water to make it a runny batter.

Making Handvo Mixture to Bake:
Mix the batter well.
Now add 2 tblspoon yogurt, 1 tspoon salt and mix well.

Keep it to ferment. If the weather at your place is hot or warm keep the batter for 4-5 hours and if it cold and chilli ferment it for 7-8 hours.

Once fermented add jaggery and mix well to get the jaggery melted very well.
Now we will add the spinach in the batter and mix well to avoid any lumps.
Now its time add the spices.
Add in the green chili, ginger, garlic, red chili, turmeric, salt, citric acid, baking soda, oil and also the pickle gravy or lemon juice.

Mix the batter very well to form lump free batter.
Taste it and adjust the Spices accordingly.

Pre-heat the oven to 190c and grease a 8"-10" pyrex tray.
Now we will prepare the tempering.

Warm the oil in a pan, add in the mustard seeds, sesame seeds, red chilli, hing, Peanuts and let them pop.
Now add the tempering to Handvo Batter and mix well.

Pour the batter into the greased tray.
Sprinkle some more sesame seeds and fried onions over it.

Now bake the Handvo for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool the handvo and cut into desired sized pieces.

Serve with assorted chutney or pickles.
This is a very good option as a breakfast, brunch or starter in a party.

Whole Wheat Sesame Seed Crackers

Since I have figured that baking is not "Complicated" , I've become a fan of baking. Cookies and crackers are another step towards my baking journey. I nowadays try to make new recipes of cookies and crackers. I choose to make them in little quantity, so that I get another chance of making new flavour of them.

I use to buy sesame seed cracker from shops, as I do LOVE them with my tea. So thought to try baking them myself and with wheat flour. Aim was to get right crunch and flavour. So tried my hands on this recipe and thankful to say that I got almost there.

I still feel it needs a bit of tweaking, which I need to figure out. I'll update the changes, once I'll perfect the taste I want. Kids and family was happy with the way I made them, as they liked the subtle flavour of black pepper and seeds.

Very easy and quick recipe for any teatime gathering. You can top them with different topping of cheese, condiments or dips. Try the recipe in your kitchen and leave your feedback in the comments below..............Until next time, Happy Cooking Friends, Saumya

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour                               - 1 cup
Baking Soda                               - 1/4 tspoon
Baking Powder                          - 1/2 tspoon
Salt                                             - 1 tspoon or to taste
Sesame Seeds                             - 2 tblspoon
Poppy Seeds                               - 1 tspoon
Black Pepper                              - 1 tspoon
Butter                                          - 2 tblspoon
Milk                                            - 4 tblspoon


Method:

In a deep bowl, Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl, then mix in the sesame seeds, poppy seeds and black pepper.

Using your fingertips, rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Or in the Stand mixer use the paddle attachment and ad the but, now mix on low speed until it looks like crumbs.

Make a well in the centre, then add cold milk.
Now mix it with your hands to make it a smooth dough. Don’t overmix.

Chill the dough for 15 minutes in the fridge.
Meanwhile Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line 2 baking tray with parchment paper.
Roll the dough into 1-2mm thick circle. Prick it all over and cut the choice of shapes out of it.

Place them on the baking sheets. Repeat until all the dough is used.

Bake the crackers for 20-30 minutes or until lightly golden.
Once starts to turn golden take them out from oven and move on to a wire rack to cool down completely.

You can serve the crackers with various toppings or plain with your choice of Tea-Coffee.

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.

Chinese Chili Soya Mushroom

Chinese vegetarian food or say Indian style chinese food has always been my weakness. I LOVE eating Chinese food, Noodles, Fried rice, Manchurian, Chilli Paneer and what not. The smell of Garlic, Ginger, Onion fried with soy sauce and vinegar just makes me go crazy. On top if it has Capsicum and Mushroom, I just can't stop eating like manic.

Anyways, I can write a diary on my love of Chinese food :D So today was one of the day when try to meet everyone's demands for the dinner made me feel like eating something spicy, mushroomy and chinese. Son wanted Mango smoothie, Daughter wanted Biryani and I wanted Chinese food.

So here goes mum in the Kitchen with all the weapons (Kitchen gadgets and utensils) to satisfy the demands of the day. Soya & Vegetable Biryani, Mango Smoothie with tooti-frooti of top and most favorite of Mum "Chinese Chili Soya Mushroom".

I ate Chili Mushroom a lot of time in many many restaurants around London, especially the buffet restaurants.  Paneer Chili will cost a lot , I understand that, so the Mushroom Chili. Thats reason, I think makes the restaurateurs choose Mushroom Chili in the menu. BUT to be honest, I'm happy with this choice, First it's tasty, Second it's less fatty and Third I love it.

So here is my version of Chinese Chili Mushroom, with goodness of Soya Chunks and some gravy to help with Biryani. I can't recommend enough the dish to try into your Kitchen. You can make it dry for snack or tea time accompaniment. Simply use thin slices for Mushroom and fully drained soya chunks. I'm sure family and you will love eating this dish just like mine did......................Until Next Time, Happy Cooking Friends, Saumya

This recipe is also participating in Meat Free Monday round up at Tinned Tomatoes. Have a look there for more yummy and delicious vegetarian recipes from other bloggers.

Ingredients:

Mushroom                   - 6 medium cut into 4 pieces
Soya Chunks               - 1 cup Large Chunks
Capsicum                    - 2 cups Julienne mixed colour
Onion                          - 2 large Julienne
Spring onions              - 1/4 cup green part to garnish
Garlic                          - 5 cloves
Ginger                         - 1 inch
Soya Sauce                  - 2 tbsp
Rice Vinegar               - 1 tblspoon
Corn flour                    - 2 tbsp
Chili flakes                  - 1 tblspoon
Salt                              - to taste
Oil                               - 1 tblspoon

Method:

Wash and cut the Capsicums (Green, Orange, Yellow and Red) in Julienne, keep aside.
Wash and boil Soya Chunks or 5 minutes, drain and keep aside in a sieve to drain the water completely.
Wash and cut the mushrooms in 4 pieces, keep aside.
Cut the onions in thin julienne, make garlic and ginger paste, keep aside.
Heat the oil in pan, add Onions into it, fry until golden.
Add in the Ginger Garlic puree/paste into it. Fry until the raw smell goes away.
Add in the Mushroom and Soya chunks. Fry on high flame for few minutes to dry the moisture in the mushroom and soya chunks.
In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, cornflour, vinegar, salt and chilli flakes. Mix well with 1/4 cup of water.
Add this mixture in the pan, Cover it and let it cook for about 5-10 minutes.
Adjust the water for thin/thick gravy as per choice.
Now turn the flame to high and mix it well for few minutes.
Finally give it a good stir and garnish with spring onions, Onion slices or herbs.
Serve hot as a starter or as a side-dish in lunch or dinner menu.

This recipe is also participating in Meat Free Monday round up at Tinned Tomatoes. Have a look there for more yummy and delicious vegetarian recipes from other bloggers.

Baked Moong Daal Kachori / Baked Mung lentil Stuffed Bread

Kachoris are all time favourite item in my house. We can eat them in ay meal time, be it breakfast, lunch, brunch, teatime or dinner. We eat them with tea, shakes, make like chaat or as and how we want to eat them. At the same time I need to keep an eye on everyone's oil intake and health. Afterall healthy family is a happy family.

This time when everyone demanded for Kachori I baked them. To my surprise family loved them and ate them until only 2 left for me. I'm ok with that, just because they enjoyed it. How satisfy you feel, when you see your family smiling while eating.

I also made one batch to take them with us on our Caravan Holiday. Very handy snack, when you do not have extended kitchen gadgets just like your own kitchen. Made some muffins and cookies as well for that holiday. Will post the muffin recipe soon.

The recipe is also not very complicated, I would not say very easy but still easy to make. Baking will also reduce the work of frying and less heating of you kitchen in these hot summer days. So try this recipe and this time bake the Kachoris instead of frying. I'm sure you will love them. Let me know your feedback on these baked kachoris by commenting below........Until Next Time, Happy Cooking Friends, Saumya

This recipe will also represent the blog at this Month's Monthly Masala Party at WhitBit's Indian Kitchen. Visit the link and see more Indian recipes and spread the love.

Ingredients:

For the Dough:
Whole Wheat Flour                     - 1 cup
Plain Flour                                   - 1/2 cup
Semolina                                      - 1/2 cup
Cornflour                                     - 1 tblspoon
Amchoor                                     - 1/2 tspoon
Red Chili Powder                       - 1/2 tspoon
Salt                                             - to taste - 1 tspoon
Butter/Oil                                   - 2 tblspoon
Yogurt                                        - 1 tblspoon
Water                                         - as required

For The Stuffing:
Moon Daal/Mung Lentil          - 1 cup washed and soaked overnight
Carom Seeds/Ajwain               - 1 tspoon
Turmeric                                  - 1/4 tspoon
Coriander Powder                    - 2 tspoon
Amchoor                                  - 1/2 tspoon
Red Chilli Powder                   - 1/2 tspoon
Garam Masala                         - 1/2 tspoon
Salt                                          - to taste
Oil                                           - 2 tblspoon


Method:

Wash and soak the Moong Dal overnight.
Pressure cook the daal with just 1/2 cup of water for 2 whistles, just to soften it.
Take it out from the pressure cooker and keep aside.
Meanwhile lets prepare the dough for the Kachori.
Mix all the dry ingredients listed under "For the Dough" except water, in a deep mixing bowl/stand mixer.

Add Butter and Yogurt and Knead it to a stiff dough with the help of water.

Keep the dough aside, covered with a damp cloth.

Now in a pan/karahi, heat 1 tblspoon of oil, when warm ass carom seeds into it.
When seeds start to crackle, add the Cooked daal and all the dry spices, Turmeric, Coriander powder, Amchoor, Garam Masala, Red Chili powder and salt.

Start mixing the daal in the pan with spices and oil.

Keep mixing and pressing the Daal to make it in to the mushy texture. Keep mixing and roasting until it becomes dry and starts to leave the pan from all sides.

You can roast the Daal as much as you like to make it crispy or keep it soft.
Once roasted and mixed, take the daal out on a plate and let it cool down.
Pre heat the oven to 200c. Prepare a baking tray with nonstick paper/mat.
Divide the Dough into equal portion of 18-20 balls, and shape them into balls, depending on the size you like.
I made 18 dough balls out of this quantity.
Spread balls into round discs, place a portion of cooked daal mixture, pinch the edges together and seal into a round.
Brush the kachoris with oil and place them on the lined baking tray.
Put tray in the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
Do not over cook the Kachoris if the don't look very dark brown, as they will keep cooking with the heat inside them, just like other baking items.
Take the Kachoris out from oven once golden and keep them on cooling rack to let them cool a bit.
Serve the Kachoris with choice of Chutneys and Dips.

This recipe will also represent the blog at this Month's Monthly Masala Party at WhitBit's Indian Kitchen. Visit the link and see more Indian recipes and spread the love.