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Chocolate Modak from Roasted Chana I tried making this Chocolate flavour Modak today with Roasted Chana.   This was my first experiment you can do variations in recipe as per your personal choice. A chocolate lover will definitely love this Modak and can also get the goodness of the roasted Chana. Ingredients: 1.5 cup roasted Chana powder (How to make this is mentioned below) 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon of milk ½ cup + 1 tablespoon of Drinking chocolate powder (The powder I used had sugar in it so I didn’t add any extra sugar. If you like your sweet a bit sweeter than do add 1 tablespoon of sugar)  If you don’t have drinking chocolate then you can take 50:50 ratio of cocoa powder and sugar 1.5 teaspoon of ghee Garnish it with drinking chocolate powder and few silver balls  Method: Take around 1 cup of roasted Chana without cover Chana is needed. Grind it to fine powder.  Now strain the Chana powder so you get very fine base for the Modak and als...

Paan Gulkand Modak for Ganpati Bappa -  With no condensed milk, no colour or no milk powder and no mould.. 100% natural ingredients Ganesh Chaturthi i s one of my most favourite festival ....lots of beautiful memories of visiting friends place for Bappa, Siddhivinayak temple darshan and used to visit Lalbaug ka Raja for a decade and those yummy modak, Ladoo and puranpoli brought more pleasures and chanting of Aarti and prayers was divine serene experience.  Try this flavourful Paan Gulkand Modak this Ganpati  Recipe:  Modak are made with homemade khoya .. below is the process: For home made khoya - Take 2 cups malai and 1 cup milk in a thick pan and keep stirring till it becomes thick which will take 30 mins. Once the soft khoya leave the sides of the pan it is ready  You can replace this with milk powder or mkt bought khoya For Modak: In a mixture jar take 4 Paan leaves, cut it, add 4 Teaspoon sugar, 2 teaspoon desiccated coconut and 1 tablespoon milk...

Coconut Kaju Modak for the Ganesha  Make this very beautiful, quick and easy  Coconut Kaju Pista Modak for the Ganesha this Wednesday  Ingredients:  1/2 cup dry coconut/desiccated coconut powder  8 to 9 cashew nuts 1/2 teaspoon of elaichi powder 1/2 cup of sugar  1/2 cup milk Ghee only to coat the modak moulds  Pista for garnish  Method:  In a mixture grinder add sugar, dry coconut powder and cashew  Make a fine powder  Heat the milk in a pan, give the milk one boil, add the coconut and cashew powder  Add elachi powder  Cook everything till it leaves the sides of the pan. Pour it in the plate  Apply ghee to the modak mould and put the mixture in the Modak mould and garnish the modak with pista 

Ragi flour Modak - Get set for Ganpati  Try this very easy and healthy modak for the Bappa  Ingredients: 1 and half cup of Ragi or Nachni flour  1/3rd cup of ghee 3/4th cup of jaggery powder 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder  Method: In a thick bottom pan add 1/2 cup of Ragi or Nachni flour.  . Roast till the colour changes and you get a nice aroma.  It will take around 6 to 8 mins Next add ghee in the flour, mix well and roast the flour for another 5 to 7 mins  Once the flour is well roasted with ghee it will darken its colour and now switch off the gas Add  1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder  and  add ¾ cup jaggery powder. Mix the jaggery well in the pan till the pan is hot. Ensure there are no lumps.  Remove the mixture in the plate and start making the modak. You can also use modak moulds. 

Rajgira Lauki Uttapam with mint flavour curd dip  A very easy and quick dish that can be enjoyed during Vrat/fasting time.  You can also enjoy it as a breakfast dish.  Ingredients: 1 cup Rajgira/ Amaranth    Atta  1/2 cup grated Lauki 1/2 cup samak/bhagar 1/2 cup curd  Salt to taste 1 teaspoon of ginger green chili paste Few drops of oil to make the Uttapam  Water to adjust the consistency  For the mint flavour dip 1/2 cup curd 1/2 teaspoon of sugar 1 teaspoon of chopped mint leaves  Water to adjust the consistency  Method:  In a big bowl add grated Lauki, samak or bhagar, Rajgira/ Amaranth  Atta, salt,  ginger green chili paste and curd Mix everything well and keep it for fermentation for 15 to 20 mins. Don't add water at this stage.  After fermenting check the consistency and then add water. It should be like a besan chila batter  Once the batter is ready, heat the Uttapam pan, add few drops of o...

Paneer Bhurji - No Onion No Garlic Version  Presenting the No Onion No Garlic Version of Paneer Bhurji. This also has goodness of few veggies and can be enjoyed with Roti, Kulcha, Paratha or even Pav Ingredients: 250 gms Paneer 2 Tomatoes 1/2 cup grated carrot  1/2 cup green peas  1 Capsicum (You can add more veggies of your choice like French beans, bell peppers)  2 tablespoons of chopped dhania leaves 1 teaspoon kasuri methi Salt to taste 2 to 3 tablespoons oil Pinch of hing  Spices - 1/2 teaspoon of jeera, 1/2 teaspoon of Haldi, 1 teaspoon of Kashmiri Chilli powder, 1.5 teaspoon of dhania jeera powder and 1 teaspoon of garam masala Method: Grate or crumble 250 gms of Paneer  Chop tomatoes, capsicum and grate carrot  In a thick bottom pan heat the oil, add jeera, let it get brown and then add pinch of hing  Add capsicum, grated carrot, 2 tomatoes, add haldi and mirchi and salt as per taste. Cover the lid and let all of these cook. Keep checking ...

Kaju Anjeer Roll -  Janmashtami  Special A sweet that will surely make Ladoo Gopal Happy on his birthday Ingredients: 2 cups milk 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup milk powder or unsweetened khoya 1/2 cup Kaju/Cashew powder 1/2 teaspoon elachi powder and few kesar strands 6-7 chopped Anjeer 1 teaspoon ghee Silver Varak Method: Boil 2 cups of milk till it becomes slightly thick Add sugar, kesar and elachi powder to the boiling milk. Mix well till the sugar melts and milk becomes thick. You can do this on high flame but keep stirring it continuously Add half cup of milk powder or khoya and cashew powder. Mix well till leaves the sides of the pan Finely chop the Anjeer. Pour the mixture in the plate...put 1 teaspoon of ghee and apply some on your hands. Make balls and fill it with Anjeer and decorate it

Vrat ki Tikki with curd cucumber dip Many will fast tomorrow for Krishna Janmashtami  so here is very yummy Vrat Ki Tikki with curd cucumber dip  Ingredients 2 big size grated boiled potatoes 1/2 cup boiled samak rice or bhagar 1 teaspoon ginger green chillies paste Salt to taste 1 teaspoon roasted jeera 2 tablespoon groundnut powder 1 tablespoon Sabudana Rajgira flour (u can also add Sabudana powder) 1-2 tablespoon ghee For the dip.. I have used half cup of curd, some water, salt,1/2 teaspoon of sugar, 1 cucumber cut into pieces and few pudina leaves Method: In a bowl add 2 big size grated boiled potatoes, 1/2 cup boiled samak rice or bhagar,  1 teaspoon of ginger green chillies paste, salt, 1 teaspoon of roasted jeera 2 tablespoon of groundnut powder and 1 tablespoon of Sabudana Rajgira flour (u can also add Sabudana powder). Mix well Now make round shape tikki, heat up the tava, put some ghee and put the tikki...initially keep the flame medium to high and after 2 mins ...

Mix Dal Uttapam  A simple and tasty Mix Dal Uttapam can be good breakfast or even main meal option. This is healthy dish with no soda or rice flour. You can make perfect soft and crispy mini Uttapam with goodness of all the Dals.  In the below pic it is served with leftover sabzi but you can enjoy it with chutney or ketchup  Ingredients:  1 cup tur/arhar dal 1/2 cup each of yellow moong dal, green moong dal, Chana dal and urad dal  Salt to taste 1/2 cup of dahi 3 green chillies 1 small piece of ginger 1 to 2 tablespoon of oil 2 pinch of haldi  1 teaspoon of Kashmiri chilli powder  Method: Soak  tur/arhar dal in a separate bowl and all the remaining dals mixed in another bowl for 5 to 6 hours. You can keep it over night as well In a mixture grinder put all the dal, green chillies, ginger, salt, haldi powder and dahi Make a fine paste and remove it in a bowl Heat the Uttapam pan, put few drops of oil and pour the batter, spr...

Janmashtami Special -  Kaju/Cashew Kesar Peda  A very easy Peda made from Kaju or Cashew can be one of the offering to Shri Krishna on his birthday.   This recipe does not require khoya, milk powder or ghee.  The richness of cashews gives an amazing taste to the peda and will surely be enjoyed by Ladoo Gopal Ingredients: 1 cup of kaju/cashew 1 cup minus 1.5 tablespoon of sugar (If you like your sweets to be very sweet then add 1 cup sugar. I prefer less sweet) 1/2 cup of milk  1/2 teaspoon of elachi Few kesar strands  Pista for garnish  Method: In a mixture jar add 1 cup of cashew and make the fine powder.  In a thick bottom pan add milk, sugar, elachi powder and 5 kesar strands  Melt the sugar and give one boil to the milk  Now add cashew powder and keep mixing all the ingredients till it leave the sides of the pan  Once it leaves the sides of the pan, you can check if the mixture is getting rolled in the hands and not st...

Janmashtami Special -  Quick and Easy Mathura ka Peda Special offering to Shri Krishna on his birthday is Mathura ka Peda...this is easy and quick version compared to traditional method of making the khoya and caramelise  the sugar. This recipe will give you 5 peda. To make more double the below ingredients . Ingredients :  1.5 tablespoon desi ghee half cup Nestle milk powder 2 tablespoon milk 4 teaspoon powdered sugar Method:  In a pan take 1.5 tablespoon of desi ghee, add half cup Nestle milk powder and keep mixing the two on low flame...as u mix u will lumps forming but that's ok. When milk powder slightly becomes brown close the gas When you close the gas the milk powder will become more brown in colour as it continues to cook in a hot pan. Now first press those lumps of milk powder with spoon and add 2 tablespoon of milk to the mixture...start the gas and u will see ghee separating.. remove that ghee and add 3 Teaspoon of powdered sugar. Keep mixing this mixture...

Kela Methi Nu Shaak (Banana Methi Leaves Sabzi) This is a very easy and tasty sabzi made from ripe banana and methi leaves. Best part is that this sabzi can be made in just 10 mins. You can enjoy it with paratha, roti or even dal rice. Ingredients:  2 ripe banana  1/2 cup of chopped methi leaves  1.5 tablespoon of oil  Few mustard and jeera seeds  Few whole coriander seeds  Pinch of hing  Salt to taste Pinch of haldi 1/2 teaspoon of Kashmiri chilli powder 1 teaspoon of dhania jeera powder  1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice  Dhania for garnish  Method:  Chop the banana into big pieces In a pan heat the oil, add mustard seeds, jeera, let it crackle and add pinch of hing  Add methi leaves, add haldi powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, salt and sauté the methi leaves for 2-3 mins Once the methi leaves becomes soft add whole dhania, dhania jeera powder and chopped banana pieces  Mix everything well. Cook for 2 more mins. Close ...

Instant Rava Dosa in just 15 mins with Onion Sabzi and Spicy green Chutney In this long weekend enjoy a quick Rava Dosa which requires no long fermentation and long process to make the batter.  Easy to make batter which can be served with onion sabzi and spicy dhania chutney.  Ingredients:  For the Rava Dosa: 1 cup Rava 2 tablespoon of besan  2 tablespoon of wheat flour or rice flour  1 cup sour dahi Salt to taste 1/4th teaspoon of baking soda or  Eno 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice  1 cup water  For the Onion Sabzi 3 medium size onion slices  1 teaspoon of ginger green chilli paste 1.5 tablespoons of oil Few mustard seeds  Pinch of hing  2 pinch of haldi powder  1/2 teaspoon of Kashmiri chili powder 1 teaspoon of dhania jeera powder  Salt to taste  For the spicy green chutney  1 small bunch of dhania leaves  2 green chilli small piece of ginger  1 teaspoon of roasted jeera 2 tablespoon of gr...

Rakhi and Narali Purnima Special - Coconut Malai Ladoo  Very easy and quick Ladoo made with few ingredients  which are easily available at home.  Ingredients: 1 cup fresh Malai  1 cup sugar  1 cup of dry coconut powder (desiccated coconut)  1/2 teaspoon of elachi powder  Few kesar strands Slice and finely chopped dry fruits like Almonds, pista  Method: In a thick bottom pan add 1 cup of fresh Malai. This is Malai that forms on the top of the milk. You can collect for a week and keep it in a separate cup in the fridge  Add elachi powder and kesar once the Malai starts boiling.  Now add sugar (you can powder the sugar or you can add directly as well)  Once the sugar melts add  dry coconut powder and cook it on low flame till the mixture leaves the side of the pan  Once done remove the mixture in a plate and roll the Ladoo and garnish it with dry fruits of your choice and kesar strands  Note: Please note we are...

Rakhi Special - Badam Barfi/Almond Flour Barfi Very easy barfi with the goodness of Almonds you can enjoy this Rakhi.  Ingredients: 1.5 cup almonds 1 cup milk in a pan 4-5 tablespoon sugar Half teaspoon of ghee Water to boil the almond Almond slices for garnish Method: Make the almond flour first - Take around 2 cups of water, boil it and put almonds in it for 5 mins Drain them put it on a cloth and remove its skin Now put it in pan and dry roast just for 5 mins don't change its colour Put it in a blender and make a fine powder. Strain it (if you want to make it smoother) and your Almond Flour is ready For the Barfi - Take one cup of milk in a pan, add 4 to 5 tablespoons of sugar and keep mixing Once the sugar melts add the almond flour to it slowly and 1/2 teaspoon of ghee...keep mixing till it leave the sides Grease the plate and spread the mixture and garnish it with almond and cut it into pieces. Barfi is ready

Lunch in less than 30 mins - Mini Bajra Thepla, Tomato Rasa and Aam ka Achar  We all are living a busy lifestyle and often don't have time to make elaborate lunch.  Given the multiple commitments in a day try this lunch option which can be made in less than 30 mins. Try and enjoy.  Mini Bajra Thepla: Ingredients  and method:  1) In a big bowl add 1.5 cup of bajra flour, add salt to taste, 3 tablespoon each of chopped methi leaves and dhania leaves, add 1 teaspoon of dhania jeera powder, pinch of hing, pinch of haldi, 1/2 teaspoon of Kashmiri chili powder and slight water.   You can also add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic paste. (optional)  2) Prepare the dough and now make small mini thepla. Roll the thepla either on your hand, take some water in between or put a butter paper and roll it on belan chakla. 3) Heat the tava pour 1 tablespoon of oil and put 4 to 5 mini thepla.  Cook on both sides and serve hot.   Tomato Rasa  Ingredients ...

Sukhadi recipe (Gur Papdi or Gol Papdi) This is authentic Gujarati sweet made with jaggery ( Gur ), ghee (clarified butter), and whole wheat flour).  This can be perfect sweet dish for the upcoming Rakhi and other festivals of  August moth.  Ingredients :  1 cup ghee  1 cup wheat flour 3/4 cup grated jaggery or powder jaggery (If you want to make it too sweet then add one cup.  I prefer adding 3/4th cup because I don't like too much sweetness in my sweet)  2 pinch of nutmeg powder (optional)  1 teaspoon poppy seeds (khus khus) Method:  First grease the plate with ghee and keep it ready as you have to quickly spread the dish in the plate In a kadai add 1 cup of ghee in a kadai add one cup wheat flour and keep roasting flour on low flame till flour turns dark brown in colour...it will take 15 mins Add 3/4th cup of grated jaggery...use powder jaggery and quickly close the gas and mix well.... Please don't stir it on gas post adding jaggery it wi...