Mushrooms and Prawns Stuffed Long Buns

When we do anything with love, it happy us…. 

Even though I am unable to bake frequently … but when ever I bake, this gives me immense happiness… 

Had some mushrooms in the fridge.. hence used them in this recipe… but any type of stuffing can be used. 

Here is my recipe - 

For the Stuffing  

Ingredients 

1 packet of mushrooms sliced 

Few Prawns cleaned and chopped 

1 Onion sliced 

4 to 5 Garlic cloves finely chopped 

1 or 2 Green Chillies finely chopped 

1 pack of Knorr  Sweet Corn Veg Soup 

1/2 tsp Chilli flakes 

Salt to taste 

2 tsp Butter 

1 tbsp Olive Oil 

1/2 cup Milk 

Method 

Take 1/2 cup of Milk, empty the packet of the soup, stir and keep it aside. Take a pot, add 1 1/2 tsp butter, as the butter melts, add olive oil, add the chopped garlic, green chilli and sliced onion. Stir fry until translucent. Add the mushrooms, stir and cook for a minute, add chopped prawns, stir for few minutes, add the chilli flakes and salt. Pour the milk. Lower the flame and stir continuously until all the ingredients binds together. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp butter and stir. Switch off the flame and keep it aside.. 

For the Bread Dough 

Take 3 portions of Wheat Flour and one portion of All purpose flour, add a tsp of  sugar, salt to taste and mix all the ingredients together, add a tbsp of instant yeast, mix again, add Luke warm water little at a time and mix it together. Knead the dough well for 10 minutes… the dough should be soft and bit sticky, add a tsp of  oil and knead it again. Apply oil on the dough, cover the bowl and keep it aside and let it proof until it becomes double in size. Once double in size, punch the dough and knead the for few more minutes, if the dough is very sticky add little flour. Divide the dough into 6 portions. 

To Make the Stuffed Bread Roll

Stuffing 

Bread dough 

2 tbsp Olive oil

1 Egg beaten 

Method 

Take a portion of the dough, add 1/2 tsp oil, knead the dough for few seconds, press the dough with the help of the palm and spread the dough into a disc. Place some stuffing on the dough, fold in the dough to close the stuffing and make a bun. Place the rolls on a greased tray, or if you have a bun moulds, place the dough in the mould. Cover the bread buns with a cloth for 30 minutes, brush the roll with egg. Give some slits on the bread. Bake the bread roll in a pre heated oven for 20 minutes at 180 / 190 degrees celsius, once done, remove and cool the stuffed long buns, once cool completely enjoy.. 

Poee / Poi

This is a popular Goan flat bread eaten with curries or vegetable. It’s delicious. 

Ingredients 

2 cups Wheat flour 

2 cups All Purpose Flour (Optional) 

Can replace with whole wheat flour 

2 tsp Instant Yeast

Salt to taste 

2 tsp Sugar

1/4 cup or as required Wheat bran

Luke warm water as required 

1 tbsp Oil

Method 

Take a bowl, add both the flours, sugar, yeast and add little water at a time, and start to knead the dough. Take 1/2 tbsp oil and salt, add the ingredients to the dough and continue to knead the dough until the dough is soft and smooth. Apply the remaining oil, cover the dough and keep the dough to rise double in size. Once done take the dough and knead the dough once more for few seconds. Divide the dough into 10 portions. Keep the rolled ball aside covered for 10 minutes. Remove the center rack of oven and place it on the lowest rack. Preheat the oven at 250 degrees celsius. Take a portion of the dough, take the wheat bran on a plate,  apply the wheat bran on the dough, and either roll the dough out or pressure the dough with the help of your hand, make a thick disc about 5 inches. Repeat the process with other portions. Place the rolled dough on the baking tray. Cover and keep the disc aside for 45 minutes. Now bake the poi on the lower rack of the oven for 8 to 10 minutes at 250 degrees celsius, depending upon your oven temperature.  The poi will fluff up and turn brown in colour. Remove the poi from the baking tray and keep it on the cooling rack to cool it down further. Enjoy the poi with any kind of curries.. 

 

Ladi Pav

 Ladi Pav is one of the popular soft and fluffy bun bread from Mumbai. It’s eaten with various dishes and used in many street food. It’s is made with refine / all purpose flour.. but whole wheat flour can also be used for making the Pav.

Hope you enjoy the video and the recipe 💖

Ingredients 

2 cups Wheat Flour 

2 cups All Purpose flour 

1 tbsp Active Yeast

1 tbsp Sugar

Salt to taste

1/4 cup Lukewarm Milk 

Lukewarm Water as required 

2 tbsp Oil

Butter to brush on the Pav

Ingredients 

Take the wheat flour, all purpose flour and salt  mix all the ingredients. Take 1/4 cup of lukewarm milk, add sugar and yeast, stir and mix all the ingredients. Let the yeast rise. Add the yeast water and little more lukewarm water as per requirement to form a soft dough. Knead the dough well for 10 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp oil and continue to knead. Apply 1/2 tsp oil on the dough, cover the dough and leave the dough to rise. Divide the dough into equal parts. Take a portion, apply little oil and roll and shape the dough. Keep the dough on the greased tray. Continue with the other portions of the dough. Don’t leave gap while placing the dough portions on the tray.  Press the dough lightly with the fingers. Spray with water. Cover the dough and let the dough rise. Once done, spray with water once more,  bake the Pav in a preheated oven at 180 or 200 degrees celsius as per the oven temperature for 20 minutes. Once done, remove the Pav, apply butter, let it cool down, remove from the tray and leave the lad Pav to cool down on a cooling rack before eating. 

Gua Bao / Steamed Bao Buns stuffed with Sticky Chicken and Pickled Vegetables

 

Gua bao also known as Bao bun or Pork belly buns or lotus leaf buns are very popular all over China. It’s very popular street food of Taiwan.  It’s a complete meal, the soft fluffy buns are served usually with pork belly but it’s also served with chicken and pickled vegetables. 

For Steamed Bao Buns 

Ingredients 

2 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour 

1 tbsp Active Yeast

2 tbsp Sugar

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Baking Powder 

1/4 cup Lukewarm Water

1/2 cup Lukewarm Milk 

2 tbsp Oil

Method 

Take a cup, add the warm water, 1 tbsp sugar and active yeast. Stir and keep the yeast to rise. Add the milk and 1 tbsp oil in the yeast. Whisk the yeast. Take a bowl add flour, salt, baking powder and remaining sugar. Mix all the ingredients together. Add the liquid. Mix all the ingredients together and knead the dough for 10 minutes. If required add little more water, it should be a soft - stretchy dough. Apply the remaining oil on the dough, cover and keep it aside for 1 to 2 hours or until it rises doubled in size. Open the lid of the bowl, punch the dough and gently knead it for a minute. Roll out the dough into a disc, take a round cutter, and make medium size round disc. Remove the excess dough. Now fold the disc into half, and gently press the bun, with the roller. Repeat the process for other buns. Place the buns on a small butter paper, cover the buns and let the buns rest for 30 minutes. Take a steamer, add water and let the water boil. Place the buns into the steamer vessel along with the butter paper, keeping little distance between the 2 buns. Cover the steamer and let it steam for 10 minutes. Once done switch off the flame and open the lid, let the buns remain in the steamer for 2 minutes before removing the buns from the steamer. 

Pickled Vegetables 

Ingredients 

A small piece of Carrot cut into thin strips 

A small piece of Cucumber cut into thin strips 

A small piece of Capsicum cut into thin strips

A small piece of Red Cabbage sliced 

Few Coriander leaves 

2 tbsp White Vinegar 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Sugar

1/4 tsp Pepper powder 

Method 

Mix all the ingredients together and let it marinate for 2 to 3 hours 

Sticky Chicken 

Ingredients 

200 grams Boneless Chicken cut into pieces 

1 tsp Garlic minced

1/2 tsp Ginger minced 

1 tbsp Soya sauce 

2 tsp Red Chilli sauce 

1 tsp Tomato Ketchup 

1 tsp Fish Sauce 

1 tsp Vinegar 

2 tbsp Honey 

1 tbsp Sesame Oil 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

1/2 tsp 5 spice powder 

1 tsp Roasted Sesame seeds 

Method 

Take a bowl and mix all the above ingredients, together, except sesame seeds, keep it for an hour. Take a wok, add the marinated chicken, and cook the chicken until the chicken has become soft and the juices has dried up. Switch off the flame. Add the sesame seeds over the chicken. 

To Assemble - 

Take a bun, add a tbsp spoon of the chicken in the middle of the bun, add some pickled vegetables and some coriander leaves or spring onions. Serve the buns and enjoy! 

DescriptionParchment paper, and place it on a tray, cover the buns and let it rest for 30 minutes. Take a steamer, boil the water in the steamer. Place the buns along with the butter paper into the steamer. Cover the lid and steam the buns for 10 minutes. Once done, switch off the flame and open the lid and let it stand for 2 minutes before removing the buns from the steamer. 

Classic Bread Pudding

Classic Bread Pudding

It’s my childhood favourite dessert, It’s very nostalgic for me as my MA use to make this for me.  It’s made with bread, milk, egg, sugar, butter, raisins or dry fruits and flavoured with vanilla or nutmeg or cinnamon etc.  All the above ingredients are easily available in our kitchen pantry.  The bread is soaked in the liquids, it’s baked and served warm. It’s delicious. 

Ingredients 

2 cups of Bread cubes

1 1/2 cups of Milk 

 2 tbsp + 1/2 tsp Butter

2 Eggs Beaten

4 to 5 tbsp Sugar

1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence  

1 tbsp Raisins 

Method 

Take a sauce pan, add milk and sugar. Heat the milk until the sugar dissolves. Switch off the flame. Add 2 tbsp butter. Cool the milk down. Add the eggs and whisk the milk. Add vanilla essence and raisins. Grease a baking pan with 1/2 tsp butter, add the bread cubes. Pour the milk over the bread. Press the bread with the fork, so that the bread soaks up the milk. Bake at 180 degrees celsius for 30 minutes in a preheated oven. Insert a tooth pick and check, if the tooth pick comes out clean.. then remove the baking tray from the oven. Serve the bread Pudding warm. 

Creamy Cheesy Potato Bruschetta

Bruschetta is an Italian dish. There are many variations of toppings used for bruschetta, the common one is tomato, garlic, basil and olive oil... added on the grilled / toasted bread.. other vegetables, beans, cured meat and cheese are also used. Bruschetta is usually served as a snack or appetiser. 

Here I had few pieces of sourdough slices and 2 boiled potatoes left... to create this delicious dish for my starter. 

Ingredients 

8 Slices of Sourdough bread slices 

2 medium size Boiled Potatoes 

1/2 tsp Garlic finely chopped 

3 tbsp Cream Cheese 

2 tbsp grated Mozzarella cheese

3 tbsp Cream

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Pepper Powder 

1/2 tsp Fresh Parsley chopped or dried Parsley

2 tbsp Olive Oil 

Few pickled vegetables like cherry tomatoes and few olives sliced 

Some chilli flakes and dried parsley for sprinkle 

Method 

Take a bowl, mash the boiled potatoes, add the garlic, cream cheese, cream, mozzarella cheese, salt, pepper and parsley. Mix all the ingredients together. Take a baking tray, keep the bread slices and drizzle olive oil on both the sides of the bread. Toast the bread at 180 degrees celsius in a preheated for 5 minutes on one side, turn the bread and toast the bread for another 5 minutes. Take out the tray, cool the bread slices, spread the cheesy creamy potato spread on the bread. Add the sliced olives and cherry tomatoes and grill the bruschetta for another 5 minutes at 180 degrees celsius. Remove, sprinkle chilli flakes and dried parsley, serve hot. 

Discarded Sourdough Starter Whole Wheat Bread

We can create great dishes out of the discarded sourdough starter. So keep them and use them, instead of throwing them. 

Tried this Discarded Starter whole wheat bread.. it’s tasty.... do try them..

Those who want to start the sourdough starter, here is a link below-
Sourdough Yeast Starter

Ingredients 

2 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour

2 cups of Sourdough Discarded Starter 

1 tsp Pink Salt

2 tsp Honey 

1/2 cup Lukewarm Water

1 tbsp Oil

Method 

Take a mixing bowl, add the whole wheat flour and the discarded starter. Knead the ingredients together for 2 minutes. Add the honey, salt and lukewarm water. Continue to knead until all the ingredients comes together and forms a dough. Apply oil and cover the bowl and leave the dough to rise. It will take 2 to 4 hours.  Sprinkle some dry whole wheat flour and knead the dough by stretching and pushing for a minute. Roll and shape up the dough.  Sprinkle some flour into the basket the dough will be proofing. Put the dough and cover the basket with a cloth. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes to an hour. Meanwhile start the oven at 250 celsius and preheat for 15 minutes. Take a baking tray, put a parchment paper on the baking tray. Gently turn the dough on the paper from the basket. Take a new blade and score the bread as per the desire. Take a small bowl of water and keep it on the lower rack of the oven. Keep the baking tray in the middle rack, bake at 225 degrees celsius for 5 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 200 degrees celsius and bake for 15 minutes, reduce the temperature to further 175 degrees celsius and bake for 20 minutes. Switch off the oven, the bread stay for 5 minutes in the oven, keep the oven door slightly open. After 5 minutes open the oven and remove the baking tray. Keep the bread on a cooling rack until it cools down. After it cools down than you can slice it. 

The story of a Sourdough Starter - Lockdown Kumari

Sourdough Starter - Lockdown Kumari 

It’s truly phenomenal... from 2 simple ingredients, how a wild or natural yeast can be cultivated. It can be easily made at home... patience and time are the 2 key factors. 

It’s the best thing to engage your kids too. Do experiment... It’s an amazing experience to take care of the starter like your baby... Do name your sourdough starter baby... 

What should I name? 🤔 Lockdown Kumari....

I had taken a class on how to make sourdough bread in Singapore, I had got the starter from the sourdough bread class, when I travelled backed to India, I had the starter, but due to some problems I was not able to feed the starter and it eventually died.. it’s been 2 years .. Since I didn’t have the starter, I was unable to make the sourdough bread.. but now thanks to the lockdown, I thought of making my own starter. 

Any flour can be used whole wheat or all purpose flour or rye flour or bread flour etc... and liquid like water or fruit juice like pineapple juice or apple juice etc. 

Here we will use All Purpose Flour and Water. One of the feed I used Whole Wheat flour. 

Here I will share my journey of making the sourdough starter from the first day to the last day.. It’s all about my experience.. that I am going to share with we you. 

There are many way the starter can be prepared. All starter will differ from one another and the time that it has taken for the starter to mature.. there can be various reasons like the texture of the flour, the water, the temperature of the place and off course the care that you are taking.. it’s like a baby.... it will take 7 to 10 days.. so don’t give up... feeding the starter is very important... 

We need a clean glass jar like a jam or honey bottle... and the 2 ingredients flour and water. 

Thus the simple way..as we being we will see the changes in the starter... a good starter at the end should float in a glass of water and you will feel the lightness in the starter. 

The Start - 

 Time  - 11.30 pm - Started to cultivate the yeast.

 Preferably start it in the morning or night.. so it’s easy to maintain. Note down the time. Even though I began with 1/4 cup of All Purpose Flour and 1/4 cup of water and a tsp of sugar... we need 1/2 cup of water and 1/4 water.. that’s it.. so the proportion is 2:1.. no need of the sugar.. 

Add the flour and water in the glass jar, stir the ingredients. Incase if whole wheat flour is used, than a little more water might be required as whole flour absorbs more water. The batter should be like a thick cake batter. Place the lid on the glass jar, but don’t lock it. Keep it aside.

Day 1 - 

Time - 11.30 am - Bubbles started to form 

             11.30 pm - Fed the starter 

It many take 12 to 24 hours for the bubbles to show up. I fed the start in the night after 24 hours of the start. First whisk or stir the starter, then we need to discard 50 percent of the starter and then add 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup water, stir, put the lid and then keep it until the next feed... 

                                           

       

Day 2 - 

Time - 11.30 am - Fed the starter 

            11.30 pm - Fed the starter 

The starter may need food after 8 hours... I missed the feed, so there was this dark liquid natural alcohol formed called Hooch.. Don’t worry... this indicates that my baby was hungry or incase if the water contained was more in the yeast or if the temperature has increased then there can be a hooch formation.  This doesn’t harm, but discard the Hooch before whisking and feeding the yeast baby.  Incase the hooch formation is more, then increase the feeding frequency or move the starter to a cooler place. 

So the same process of feeding twice a day was followed. Whisked / Stirred the yeast. Discarded 50 percent of the yeast, and added 1/2 cup All purpose flour and 1/4 cup water, stir again. Close the lid and keep it aside .

                                         

Day 3 - 

Time  - 11.30 am - Fed the starter 

             12.30 am - Fed the starter 

Morning After whisking / Stirring and discarding 50 percent of the starter, I had added 1/2 Whole wheat flour and 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp Water and had stirred the ingredients together. Closed the lid and keep it aside. 

It’s ok to change flour. 

Night the same process repeated.. After stirring and discarding the starter, added 1/2 cup All purpose flour able 1/4 cup water. Stirred and closed the lid and kept it the jar aside.

                                          

Day 4 - 

Time -  12.30 pm - Fed the starter 

             Night - Didn’t Feed the starter 

Ideally we should be feeding every time the yeast feels hungry, may be in between 12 hours or just in time... but this time I missed the feed in the night. As you observe the starter... in between the feeds,  a good well fed starter will have bubbles and it’s active, when hungry the process of the activity will slow down and look dull. Sometimes the starter is still active and bubbly, then a feed can be skipped.. as over feeding can make the starter sluggish. 

Day 5 -

Time - 9.30 am - Fed the starter 

            10.30 pm - Fed the starter 

In the morning I whisked  and discarded 50 percent of the yeast.  Added 1/2 cup of All Purpose Flour and 1/4 cup water into the glass jar. Whisked well, close the lid and keep it aside until next feed. 

In the night I whisked the starter. Took 3/4 cup of yeast starter and added in a clear fresh jar.  Rest of the yeast I discarded it. Added 1/2 cup of All Purpose Flour and 1/4 cup Lukewarm water into the glass jar. Whisked well, close the lid. mark the yeast level with a marker, so that when the yeast rises you will see that it’s crossed the mark. Keep it aside until next feed.  

                                         

Day 6 

Time - 10.30 am - Fed the starter 

            10.30 pm - Fed the starter 

As the yeast begins to ripen we will observe the rise and fall of the yeast as we had marked the level of the yeast. It’s still not matured completely and when hungry the level will fall. 

Whisk and discarded 50 percent of the yeast.  Added 1/2 cup of All Purpose Flour and 1/4 cup lukewarm water into the glass jar. Whisked well, clean the jar with moist paper towel, close the lid and keep it aside until next feed.  

                                         

Day 7 

Time - 10.30 am - Fed the starter 

            10.30 pm - Fed the starter 

Now the yeast which has risen is able to hold as it’s a almost a mature yeast. You will see that it’s doubling in size too. 

Evening we did performed a test to check whether the starter is ready to make a bread. If the starter floating in water, it’s time, the yeast has matured. 

In the morning I whisked and discarded 50 percent of the yeast.  Added 1/2 cup of All Purpose Flour and 1/4 cup lukewarm water into the glass jar. Whisked well, clean the jar with moist paper towel, close the lid and keep it aside. 

Evening we did a float test and it was successful. Take a glass full of water, take a spoon of the starter and drop the starter in the water... it should float and able to hold itself in the water. It’s ready to be used for making a bread. Incase the starter is not ready, we have to continue the process until the starter floats... sometime the starter takes time to mature. 

                                         

To store the starter in a refrigerator - Whisk and take 1/3 cup of yeast, add the yeast into a fresh jar and discard the rest of the yeast. Added 1 cup of All Purpose Flour and 1/2cup lukewarm water into the glass jar. Whisk well, clean the jar with moist paper towel, close the lid, and keep it in the fridge, feed the starter twice a week.. in the same manner. Incase there is any hooch or water forming, discard the water. When we take a starter to make a bread, take the required quantity mentioned in the sourdough bread recipe and rest at least reserve 1/2 cup starter, feed and store it in the fridge. 

Points to take care - 

Check on the smell... it should give out a tangy smell and not a bad smell, otherwise we will have to start over again. 

Starter is not active - Take a bit extra care, feed well, may be needs extra feeds in between. 

Over feeding - Many a times a feed can be skipped as the starter is very active, over feeding can make the starter sluggish and make the process slow. 

Time - Some time due to the temperature changes, the process of the starter slows down and it takes time to mature. It may take a or 2 extra. 

Liquid on the starter - Due to various reasons, there are liquids called hooch formed on the starter. Just discard it and then feed the starter. Incase you see a frequent hooch formation than probably change the temperature, place the jar into a cooler environment and increase the feed. 

Discoloured starter - Incase you see any growth or colour change, immediately move out the top part and take the lower part of the starter, transfer it into a different glass jar and continue the process... maybe the starter can be saved. 

You are the best judge of your starter... 

Discarded Starter

It’s indeed such a waste, throwing out the discarded starter.m, but we need to do so, otherwise if we don’t discard the starter, the feeding quantity of the starter will increase, the process will slow down and the starter will weaken. As we keep feeding the quantity will keep increasing and so will the quantity of the ingredients.. so it’s best to discard some before adding. But I don’t really throw the discard starter out. Except for the first 2 days, I use the discard starter to make pizza, pancakes, breads etc. 

                                                                          Pizza -

Pizza Base with Discarded Sourdough Starter 

Whole Wheat Bread  - 

Discarded Sourdough Starter Whole Wheat Bread

Making the Bread - After keeping the starter in the fridge, the day you want to bake a bread, remove the required quantity of the starter, feed  the starter and keep it out for 6 to 8 hours to get a stronger starter. 

Happy  Sourdough Bread Baking 🤗

Healthy Whole Wheat Bread Loaf

Basic Healthy Bread can be made with ingredients that are easily available in your kitchen. One key ingredient Whole wheat flour is always there in your kitchen pantry. Yeast can be made at home too if time permits, or else dry yeast is easily available in shops. It’s more healthy when you bake a bread at home. Do try this recipe and enjoy this bread with jam or Chutney.

Ingredients

4 cups + 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 cup Oats

1 tsp + 1 tsp Mix Seeds (Sunflower, Watermelon, Flaxseed, Sesame, Pumpkin Seeds)

1/2 tsp Chia Seeds

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 cup Lukewarm Water

1 tbsp Dry Active Yeast

2 tsp Honey

1 cup of Water

2 tbsp Oil

1 tbsp Milk + 1/2 tsp Honey 

Method 

Take the honey and mix it with the lukewarm water, mix the yeast little at a time into the lukewarm water. Leave the yeast to rise. Mix all the dry ingredients together, except for 1 cup of whole wheat flour and 1 tsp of mix seeds. Add the yeast water, mix the ingredients well, add a cup of water, mix and knead the ingredients into a dough. At this point the dough is a bit sticky. Add a tbsp of oil and knead it. Cover the bowl and leave it aside for 2 hours. After 2 hours, open the lid. Add the remaining flour little at a time and knead the dough. Take the dough on to a flat surface. Add oil, knead and roll the dough into a long cylindrical shape. Place the cylindrical dough into the greased bread loaf mould. Cover and let it proof for an hour. Meanwhile preheat the oven at 190 degrees. Brush Milk + Honey on the bread and sprinkle some mix seeds on the bread. Bake the bread at 190’ degrees celsius for approximately 25 - 30 minutes. Every oven temperature differs, so please adjust the time accordingly. Once done, remove the bread. Let the bread cool down for 10 minutes, remove the bread and let it cool on a cooling rack. Slice the bread once completely cool. 

Bread Upma

This dish is ideal for breakfast or evening snacks. Upma is a common dish made in South India and Maharashtra. There are many ingredients that can be used to make Upma like Semolina, Vermicelli, Broken Wheat etc. Bread is another ingredient that can also be used to make Upma. If you have leftover bread pieces, you can use them. 

Ingredients 

5 to 6 pieces of Bread cut into small square pieces 

1 small Onion chopped 

1/4 of the Green Capsicum chopped 

1/4 of the Carrot chopped 

1/2 Tomato chopped 

Handful of Green Peas - I didn’t have 

1 Green Chilli chopped 

1 small piece of Ginger grated (optional) - I didn’t use

Few Coriander Leaves chopped 

Few Curry Leaves 

Juice of 1/2 Lime 

Handful of Peanuts or broken Cashews - I didn’t use 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Sugar 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder 

Pinch of Asafoetida 

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tbsp Fresh Coconut grated or Desiccated Coconut 

1 tbsp Oil

Method 

Take oil in a Kadai. Let it heat. Add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chilli and asafoetida. Sauté it for few seconds. If you are adding peanuts or broken cashews, then add it now and sauté it for another few seconds. Add the chopped vegetables and ginger. Continue to sauté the vegetables for a minute. Add the Salt, Sugar, Turmeric powder and Chilli powder. Stir and add 1/4 cup of water. Let it simmer for few seconds. Add the bread pieces and gently stir all the ingredients together. Switch off the flame. Drizzle the lime juice and stir it once. Garnish the dish with coriander leaves and coconut. Serve the dish immediately. 

Pişi / Hamur Kizartmas

It's a fried Turkish bread or dough and it's normally eaten for breakfast or snacks. The bread dough is stuffed with a stuffing and is then fried in oil. Normally the dough is stuffed with chopped parsley and feta cheese. I have substituted it with spinach and cottage cheese. There are no spices add to the stuffing, but if you wish you can add some chillies or pepper powder to make it spicy.

For the Stuffing

Ingredients

2 cups Spinach chopped

1 cup Cottage Cheese crumbled

3 Garlic Cloves minced

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Oil

Method

Heat the oil in a pan. Add the garlic and sauté it for a minute. Add the spinach and salt, stir well till the water dries up. Add the cottage cheese and stir again for another 2 minutes, remove it from the flame and keep it aside.

For the Pişi

Ingredients

2 cups of All Pourpose Flour

7 grams of Instant Yeast

1 tsp Sugar

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Curd

Stuffing

1 1/2 cup of Lukewarm Water

1 1/2 tbsp Oil for the Dough

Oil for frying

Method

Add the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and mix it. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast, sugar and half cup of lukewarm water, mix well and keep it aside till it rises. Add the beaten curd and a tbsp of oil. Begin to mix the flour, keep adding little water at a time to form a soft dough. Apply oil on the dough. Cover it and keep it aside to rise. Knead the dough for 2 minutes. Divide the dough into medium lime size portions. Roll out each portion into a disc, place a tbsp of the stuffing on one half of the disc and fold the other half over the stuffing. Seal the edges. Heat the oil in a wok. Fry the Pişis until golden brown from all the sides on a low flame. Serve it hot with a cup of tea.

Lasuni Palak Pav...

Baking bread at home is a more healthier option rather than buying it from the store. All of us are regularly kneading dough at home everyday to make rotis, chappaties or Paratha. But when it come to making bread with yeast we are a bit sceptical about it. Believe me, it's a very easy task. Only thing you have to keep in mind is that you have to give the dough time to rise. Proofing is very important. 

To make it more nutritious, you can add grated or chopped vegetables while kneading the dough. You can add spices as per your choice to make it more flavorful. Serve it as snacks or eat it during breakfast with chai - maska or enjoy it with any side dish like egg omelette, keema or vegetables. 

Ingredients 

500 grams All Purpose Flour 

1 small bowl of Spinach 

4 Garlic Cloves 

2  Pickled Tomatoes or 2 Sun dried Tomatoes 

1 tsp Pickled Red Chilli slices or Red Fresh Chillies 

11 grams Dry Active Yeast 

10 grams Sugar

5 grams + 1/4 tsp Salt

240 ml of Water

50 ml Oil

Method

Chop the garlic, spinach, Tomato and chillies. Take a pan, add 1 tbsp oil. Heat it. Add the garlic, sauté it for few seconds. Add the spinach, pickled tomatoes, chillies and salt. Stir and sauté till the water from the spinach has dried up. 

Take 1/4 cup lukewarm water, add sugar and yeast. Stir it and let it rise. Add the rest of the salt to the flour and mix it. Add the yeast water and the remaining water to the flour. Add the spinach mix and start to knead it. After 5 minutes, add 1 tbsp of oil and knead for another 5 minutes. Add another 1/2 tsp of oil to the dough. Cover the dough and keep it to rise double in size.

Apply oil on the palm, punch the dough and knead the dough on a flat surface for 2 minutes. Divide the dough into equal  portions depending upon the size you want. I weigh the dough as it will be of the same size. Take a rectangular baking tray. Grease it with oil. Roll the dough and place it on the baking tray. The dough should be touching each other. Apply oil on your fingers and gently flatten the dough from top. Cover the dough and let it rise double in size. Spray water on the dough. Bake at 190 degrees celsius for 20 minutes or till brown in colour. Remove it from the oven. Brush the pav with butter. Let it cool completely before eating it. 

Aish El Saraya...

Eid Mubarak to all...

May you be blessed with joy, peace and happiness.

Aish El Saraya...

It means bread of the royal palace. It's a Lebanese dish. Aish El-Saraya is made on special occasions.

Sweet sugar syrup is drizzled over the toasted bread and covered with thick cream on top. It is garnished with chopped pistachios and rose petals. It is served chilled. 

With love from my kitchen....

For the Syrup

Ingredients

1/2 cup Sugar

1 tsp Lime juice

2 tsp Rosewater

Method

Add sugar, lime juice and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan. Stir and let it cook on low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring it to a boil and switch of the flame. Stir in rosewater. Cool for 10 minutes.

To make Aish El Saraya

Ingredients

8 slices White Bread,sides cut and toasted

1 1/2 cups of Milk

1/3 cup  Sugar

1 cup Fresh Cream

3 tbsp Cornflour

1 tsp Rosewater

Sugar Syrup

1/4 cup chopped Pistachios

Few dried Rose petals

Method

Take a baking dish. Place 4 slices of toasted bread slices into the dish in a way that no gap should remain. Pour 1/2 of the syrup on the bread. Top with remaining bread. Drizzle with remaining syrup. Keep it aside. Add milk, cream, sugar and cornflour in a  sauce pan. Stir it till the cornflour has mixed well. Cook, stirring it constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Switch of the flame. Stir in rosewater.Pour over the bread in the dish. Sprinkle with pistachio. Set aside to cool. Refrigerate until it sets. Serve.

Sweet Potato Cheesy Masala Bread ....

Since I had no time for the 2nd proofing and then baking the bread, I kept the dough in the fridge overnight and followed the rest of the process in the morning. The taste of the bread was good and the smell of the yeast was quite strong. 

Ingredients 

2 Sweet Potatoes boiled and mashed

2 cups Whole Wheat flour

2 cups All Purpose flour 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Curry powder

2 tbsp Sugar 

2 tbsp Dry Yeast 

1 cup grated Cheese 

1/2 cup + more Lukewarm water as required for kneading

2 tbsp Oil 

For brushing 2 tbsp Milk and 1 tbsp Butter

Method 

Mix yeast, sugar and 1/2 cup lukewarm water in a cup. Keep it aside to rise. Mix the flour, salt and curry powder together. Add the yeast water, cheese and mashed potato to the flour together and mix it. . Add remaining water little at a time and start kneading. Add a tbsp of oil and continue kneading for 10 minutes. Take a small portion of the dough and do a stretch test. Apply oil on the dough. Cover and keep the dough aside for an hour for it to rise and then in the fridge overnight. In the morning remove the dough from the fridge and keep it out till it comes back to the room temperature. Lightly sprinkle some flour on the platform. Take the dough and knead it for 2 minutes. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Take 2 bread tins and grease them with oil. Shape the dough and place the dough into the greased bread tin. Repeat the same with the other dough. Cover and keep the bread to rise. Brush with milk and butter mix. Bake it at 180 degrees celcius for 20 minutes in a preheated oven. In between the baking after 10 minutes remove the bread and brush it with remaining milk and butter and continue baking. 

Remove it from the oven and let it cool before unmoulding. Let it cool for some more time before slicing. 

Spicy Lasuni Papad Ka Paratha...

 Papad ka Paratha is an unique dish sold in Gali Paranthe Wali or Paranthe Wali Gali, a narrow street in Chandi Chowk of Purani Delhi; where different types of Parathas are sold. This paratha is made with Urid dal papad. The papad is fried and crushed and stuffed into a dough and then it rolled out into a disc and deep fried. 

I have made this paratha with a twist... 

I had some green garlic leaves growing in a pot. I ground the garlic leaves and used it in the stuffing along with the roasted crushed chilli papad and some more fresh garlic.  This gives a garlicy flavour to the dish. 

For the Suffing 

Ingredients 

4 roasted Chilli Papad 

4 Garlic cloves coarsely ground 

3 tbsp Green Garlic leaves paste 

1/2 tsp Chaat Masala 

1/2 tsp Dried Mango powder 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1/8 tsp Asafoetida powder 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

Method 

Take a mixing bowl , crush the roasted papad. Add rest of the above ingredients and mix it well. 

To make the Paratha 

Ingredients 

Semi hard Dough made with 3 cups of Whole Wheat Flour 

Stuffing 

Ghee to shallow fry the Paratha

Method 

Take a big lemon size portion of the dough. Roll it into a ball. With the help of your fingers and thumb; make a deep hole in the centre. Add 2 tsp of the stuffing in the centre. Close the edges of the dough. Press the dough. Apply little ghee on the dough and roll it out in to a round disc. Heat a skillet. Place the disc on the skillet. Cook the paratha by pressing it. Pour 1 tbsp of ghee and cook it for a minute. Turn the paratha. Add another tbsp of ghee and cook it till golden bubbles appear on both the sides. Remove and serve it hot. 

Desi Veggie Pizza Spoons.....

This is a delicious desi.. vedeshi.. bite size snack.. It can be served as starter too. The filling can be made with any vegetable like capsicum, onion, potato, mushroom, baby corn etc. Infact any type of filling can be added  like you can make cheesy pavbhaji spoon or keema spoon or dabeli spoon.. The choice is yours. I am sure children will love it.. Try it and you will love it too... 

For the Pizza Dough 

Ingredients 

500 grams Whole Wheat Flour

Salt to taste

1sachet Instant Yeast

1 tbsp Sugar

1 cup Lukewarm Water

2 tbsp Olive oil

Method

Take a mixing bowl. Mix flour, sugar and yeast. Add the salt. Mix it. Add water little at a time and knead the dough. Stop adding water as the soft dough is formed. Keep kneading the dough for 5 minutes. Add 1 tbsp oil and continue to knead for 5 minutes more. Stretch the dough and see. If the dough is stretchable then it is done. Take a bowl, add the dough and apply oil on it. Cover and let it rise. Meanwhile while make the filling. 

For Making the Desi Veggi Pizza Filling 

Ingredients 

1 Onion chopped 

3 Tomatoes chopped 

1 Capsicum chopped 

2 tbsp  Garlic cloves minced 

4 Mushrooms chopped 

1/4 cup Fresh Corns

( More vegetables like baby corn, red and yellow capsicum can be added )

1 tsp Sugar 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1 tsp Kitchen King Masala powder or Curry Powder 

1/2 tsp Dried Basil Leaves

3 tbsp Olive oil or any vegetable oil 

Method 

Take a pan, add oil. Let it heat. Add the garlic and onion. Sauté it till it is light brown in colour. Add the chopped capsicum and corn. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt, chilli powder, basil leaves, curry powder or kitchen king masala powder. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushroom. Stir and cook further for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup water. Stir, cover and cook for 5 minutes. The filling should not be liquid. It should be semi dry. Keep it to cool. 

For making the Pizza Spoon 

Ingredients 

Pizza Dough

Filling

1 cup Pizza Cheese grated or Mozzarella cheese and Cheddar cheese mix 

1 tbsp Olive oil 

Dried Oregano or Dry Italian Herbs to sprinkle 

Method 

Take the dough. Punch it and knead it for a minute. Make big lemon size balls. Grease the soup spoons. Take one dough ball. Roll it out in to long oval shape. Spread the dough out on the steel soup spoons. Press it well to aquire the desire shape of the spoon. Cut the excess dough out. Repeat it with the other remaining spoons. With the help of a fork, prick the dough. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Take some foil paper and make lime size balls out of it, place the foil balls below the handle of the spoon , this will give support to the spoons. Add a tbsp of the filling into each spoons. Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake it at 180 degrees celcius for 20 minutes or till the bread turns light brown in colour in a preheated oven. Remove it from the oven. Let it cool. Remove the edible spoons very gently and separate it from the steel spoons. Sprinkle dry oregano or Italian herbs and serve it hot.