Fruit & Ice-cream-Trifle

This colorful and beautiful dessert is a sure crowd stunner. Trifle can be created in a number of different ways; using different ingredients every single time. I personally like the combination of fresh fruits and ice-cream so I tried this recipe with my favorite fruits and vanilla ice-cream with whipped cream, of course.

Ingredients:
For Fruit & Ice-cream-Trifle [approx. 12 servings]

Frozen whipped cream, thawed – 1 (12 ounce) tub
Vanilla Ice-cream – 1/2 gallon
Fresh Kiwis – 5 ( peeled and sliced)
Fresh strawberries -1 pint
Fresh Cantaloupe –  1 cut in bite size chunks
Pineapple chunks – 1 large can
Mixed Fruit Cocktail – 1 large can
Whipped cream – 1 (for garnish)
Maraschino cherries – 1 jar

Method: 

• Prepare all the ingredients as directed. Keep aside.
• In the trifle bowl, (you can also use any other large bowl too) layer the bottom of the bowl with cantaloupe chunks. Cover the layer with thawed whipped cream.
• Line the side of the trifle bowl with kiwi and strawberry slices. Inside keep layering fruit cocktail with ice-cream then pineapples with whipped cream and ice-cream till the bowl is almost full.
• On the top, garnish the layer with whipped cream. Decorate with cherries, kiwis and strawberries.
• Keep in the freezer till served.

Enjoy this fancy dessert with your friends and family after dinner.

Healthy Brunch: Dal ke Parathe

Healthy Brunch: Dal ke Parathe
Dal ka parathe is perfect for Sunday brunch. It is healthy and flavorful. You can use also leftover dal for this recipe.
Ingredients:
For Dal ke Parathe: [5  servings]
Wheat Flour – 2 cups
Moong dal [Split yellow lentil] – 1 cup
Onion -1 cup chopped finely
Fresh chopped Garlic -1/2 tbsp
Fresh chopped Ginger -1/2 tbsp
Green chilies- 1tsp finely chopped
Cilantro -1/4 cup finely chopped

Dry Spices:Cumin seeds (Jira) – 1 tsp
Fennel seeds (Saunf) – 1 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) powder -1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
Salt as per taste
Cooking oil for lightly shallow frying the parathas

Method:

• Wash Moong dal thoroughly. Boil washed moong dal using very little water and some salt or pressure cook it. When it is done, keep aside. For this recipe you can also use leftover dal for the parathas.
• Combine wheat flour, onions, ginger-garlic, green chilies and cilantro. Also add all the dry spices and finally cooked dal. Mix it all and knead well into dough. If necessary add very little water.
• Divide the dough into 10 equal portions and make even balls of it.
• Roll the dough balls into 8 inch diameter circles. Cook the parathas on hot griddle [tava] or a pan using very little oil on both the sides till it turns golden brown. Drain on the paper towel and keep aside.

Enjoy garma garam parathas with raita (yogurt) and achaar (pickle).

Fried Idli

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fried Idli
A simple yet flavorful snack. In my opinion, making fried idli is the best use of leftover idlies. It can be served in between meals or as a hearty breakfast.

Ingredients:For Fried Idlies [4 servings]
Cooked Idli – 8  [Leftovers are better]
Sweet Onion – 1/2 medium size, sliced
Capsicum (Green Bell pepper) – 1 cup, sliced
Mushrooms (any variety) -1/2 cup, sliced [Optional]
Cashew nuts -1/2 cups, halves
Ginger- 1 tsp minced
Garlic- 1 tsp minced
Honey -1 tbsp OR Brown Sugar – 1 tbsp
Stir fry Sauce- 1tbsp
Maggi Hot & Sweet Sauce – 1 tsp
Garlic chili sauce -1 tsp
Oil for stir frying -2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

• Prepare all the vegetables as directed.
• Cut cooked idlies into small bite size cubes and shallow fry it. Keep fried paneer aside.
• Heat the wok and add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the minced ginger and  garlic and stir-fry briefly until aromatic.
• Add onions first and stir fry on high heat for 30 seconds.
• Add green bell pepper with mushrooms and stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Add fried idli cubes to it. Add cashews.
• Stir in stir fry sauce, Maggi Hot & Sweet sauce, Garlic chili sauce, honey (or brown sugar) and salt. Cook for a few more seconds.

Serve hot anytime as snack or breakfast and Enjoy.
Note: You can increase or decrease the amount of sauces according to your taste.

Shahi Gutte ki Subzi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shahi Gutte ki Subzi

Gutte ki subzi originally comes from Rajasthani cuisine. It is a mild flavored yogurt based gravy with spicy dumplings in it. It can be prepared  as simple recipe without using onion -garlic or can be made I prefer, with onion, ginger, garlic and lots of flavorful spices as  Dries fenugreek leaves [kasoori methi], Fennel seeds [Saunf] and Carom seeds [ajwain]. here, I’m sharing with you my version of Gutte ki subzi.

Ingredients: [ for 4-5 servings]

For making Gutte:

Besan [Gram flour] Regular – 1 cup
Ladu Besan [Gram flour] – 1/2 cup
Carom seeds [Ajwain] – ½ tsp
Fennel seeds [Saunf] – ½ tsp
Dried fenugreek leaves [Kasoori methi] -1 tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Cooking oil – 2 tbsp
Buttermilk or Yogurt – ½ cup [for kneading]
Salt as per taste

For making gravy:

Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Cooking oil – 2 tbsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Asafoetida – 1 pinch
Dried fenugreek leaves [Kasoori methi] -1 tsp OPTIONAL
Green chilies- 2
Yogurt – 1 cup
Onions – ½ medium [finely chopped]
Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tbsp
Salt as per taste

Method:

For making Gutte:

• Combine all the ingredients for making gutte in a large bowl and knead well. Dough should be little stiff not soft.
• Divide the dough into 8 parts and make thin cylindrical rolls of it.
• In a steamer, steam these long rolls for 20 minutes. Take them off the heat and let them cool. Cut them in small discs and keep aside. [If steamer is not available you can also boil them in water till they float on the water surface. Take long cylindrical strips out of water and pat them dry and cut into discs.]

For making gravy:

• In a bowl, add yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, salt, turmeric powder and a cup of water. Mix well and keep aside
• In a pan, heat oil and add cumin seeds, now add slit green chilies. Let it crackle for couple of minutes.
• Add finely chopped onions in the pan. saute for 4 minute till it becomes translucent. Now add the yogurt mixture in the pan. Mix well and let it simmer for 3 minutes on medium-low heat.
• Add kasoori methi [OPTIONAL] to the gravy and add cooked gutte to the gravy too. Add a cup of water and let it simmer for another 5 minutes .
• Gutte ki subzi is ready to serve.

Serving suggestions:

Enjoy this shahi gutte ki subzi with garma garam[hot] roti/paratha or fragrant steamed basmati rice.

Colorful Grilled Vegetables

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colorful Grilled Vegetables

This is one of the simpler and healthier recipes to eat all the vegetables of your choice. I make it for lunch and have it with a hot cup of tomato soup. You can substitute any vegetable with your own choice of veggie. It is not just the feast for your taste buds, but a feast for your eyes too!

Ingredients:

For Colorful Grilled Vegetables [4 servings]

Sweet Onion – 1 Medium, Sliced
Capsicum (Green Bell pepper) – 1 cup, cut into stripes
Carrot –1 cup, cut into stripes
Cauliflower – 1 cup cut into small florets
Red chili powder – 1 tsp [freshly grounded]
Chaat Masala – 1 tsp [available at all Indian grocery stores in spice section]
Lemon juice – 1 tsp OPTIONAL
Maggi hot & sweet ketchup – 1 tsp [available in all Indian grocery stores]
Olive oil – 1 tbsp

Method:

•  Preheat oven at 375 degrees.
•  Rinse and prepare all the vegetables as directed. Keep aside.
•  Line a baking tray with aluminum foil.
•  In a large bowl, add all the vegetables, red chili powder, lemon juice and salt. Mix well.
•  Arrange all the veggies with the spices on the lined baking tray. Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil.
•  Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Take out the vegetable tray from the oven. Move the vegetables around, to get evenly baked from all the sides, and put it back in the oven for further 10 minutes on 400 degrees.
•  Remove the tray from the oven and in a bowl add grilled vegetables, Maggie hot & sweet ketchup and chaat masala.

Colored grilled vegetable are ready to serve.

Tangy Tomato-Apple drink

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Super healthy, digestive, non-carbonated drink. Not only looks great but tastes good too! An easy way to consume your daily serving of fresh fruits and vegetables altogether.

Nutritional facts:
Tomatoes: Tomatoes are now eaten freely throughout the world, and their consumption is believed to benefit the heart among other things. They contain lycopene, one of the most powerful natural antioxidants. Tomato consumption has been associated with decreased risk of breast cancer,^[20] head and neck cancers^[21] and might be strongly protective against neurodegenerative diseases.^[22][23][24]
[Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomato]

Apples: This food is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber and Vitamin C.
[Source: http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1809/2]

Ginger: A variety of uses are suggested for ginger. Tea brewed from ginger is a folk remedy for colds. Three to four leaves of Tulsi taken along with a piece of ginger on an empty stomach is considered an effective cure for congestion, cough and cold. Ginger has been found effective in multiple studies for treating nausea caused by seasickness, morning sickness and chemotherapy.
[Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger]

Ingredients:
For Tangy tomato-apple gingerale [3-4 servings approx.]
Tomatoes – 2 medium
Apples – 2 [unpeeled]
Ginger root – ½ inch piece [unpeeled]
Sugar -1 tsp
Rock salt – ½ tsp
Freshly ground black pepper – ½ tsp
Mint leaves -6 [for garnishing] OPTIONAL
Crushed ice
Cocktail shaker

Method:
In the Juicer, extract fresh juice of apple and tomatoes with fresh ginger root. Mix freshly squeezed juice with ice, rock salt and sugar in the cocktail shaker and shake well. Serve chilled. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and fresh mint leaves. Enjoy.