Avocado dressing cucumber salad

Creamy Avocado Dressing (for Cucumber Salad)

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 tbsp thick curd or Greek yogurt - for creaminess
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (or lime juice)
• small garlic clove (grated or minced) - Optional
• 1–2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• 1–2 tbsp water (to thin, if needed)
• Coriander leaves for a refreshing twist

Instructions:

• Cut and scoop out the avocado flesh into a blender or food processor.
• Add lemon juice, garlic, curd (if using), olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Blend until smooth. Add a little water if it’s too thick.
• Taste and adjust salt, lemon, or herbs as needed.

Preparation:

Just slice or dice cucumbers (you can add onion or tomatoes too if you like), and toss them with 1–2 tablespoons of this dressing.

Serve cold 🥰

Chickpea Sundal

Ingredients:

1/2 kg White Chickpeas, soaked in water overnight

1/4 teaspoon Mustard Seeds

1/2 teaspoon Urad Dal

1 Dry Red Chilli, halved

1 Green Chilli, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon Asafoetida

1 sprig Curry Leaves

1 teaspoon Lemon Juice

3 tablespoons grated Fresh Coconut

1 teaspoon Oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped Coriander Leaves

Salt to taste

Drain water from soaked chickpeas.

Pressure-cook them with 2 cups water, add salt in a 3-liter capacity steel/aluminium pressure cooker over medium flame for 4-whistles. 

Do not cook them for longer period otherwise they will turn mushy.

Allow it to cool until pressure comes down naturally. Open the lid and drain water.

Heat oil in a kadai over medium flame. Add mustard seeds; when they start to crackle, add urad dal and sauté until it turns light brown.

Add asafoetida, dry red chilli, green chilli, curry leaves and sauté, to be care full that it should not burn.

Add chickpeas and salt only if it is required, mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add lemon juice and grated fresh coconut.

Stir well until nicely mixed. Turn off the flame. 

Transfer chickpea Sundal to a serving bowl and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Tamatar Sev ki Sabji... (Rajasthani Style)

Tamatar Sev ki Sabji/Sev Tameta nu Shaak

This delicacy is served on the road side dhabas and is made with tomato with spicy sev in it. Sev Tamatar Ki Sabzi is the term used in Rajasthan and this curry is also very famous in Gujrat and they call it as Sev Tameta nu Shaak.

The cooking pattern in Gujrati and Rajasthani is almost same just slight difference in the taste. In Rajasthan it is made bit spicy but in Gujrat slight sugar is added to the dish to make it Sweet, Tangy and Spicy.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 Large Tomato (remove the peel and chop them fine)
• 1 green chilli
• 1/2 inch ginger grated
• 2 garlic grated
• 1 small onion

• Dhania Powder - 1 Tbsp
• Haldi Powder - 1 Tbsp
• Red Chilli Powder - 1Tbsp
• Nutmeg Powder - 1/2 Tbsp
• Jeera Powder - 1/2 Tbsp
• Salt as per taste
• Jeera (Cumin) 1/2 tbsp
• Mustard 1/2 tbsp
• Hing (asafoetida) 1 pinch
• oil 4-5 tbsp for cooking

Directions to Cook: Total Cooking Time 30 Minutes..

1. Heat 4-5 Tbsp oil in a Kadhai/Wok and add Mustard and Cumin seeds.
2. Once they crackle add asafoetida, grated ginger and garlic, green chilies and sauté them till garlic turn golden in colour, then add Onion and Sauté again till it turns translucent.
3. Now add the turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder and Nutmeg powder.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes mix it well and let them cook till they leave the oil from sides.
5. Add salt, Jeera powder  and let it cook for another 2 minutes.
6. Add 2 cups of water. Mix well and let it boil for 5- 6 minutes.
7. Turn off the heat and add 1 cup Sev and mix it gently.
8.  Its Ready and before serving Top it with 2 Tbsp Sev and Garnish it with chopped coriander.
9. Serve it hot with phulkas

NOTES: 

1. To make the dish Sattvik we can skip the onion-garlic and follow the same steps.
2. We can use Ratlami Sev or any kind of thick bhujia. I like it with Bikaneri Bhujia Sev.

Diwali Decorations - Floral Rangoli

Baingan in Curd recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 brinjals cut into semi circle (baingan / eggplant)
• 250 gms curds (dahi)
• 2 to 3 whole dry red chillies
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander (dhania) powder
• 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) powder
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 1 tbsp oil
• oil for shallow frying
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt to taste

Method For deep frying the brinjals

• In a nonstick pan or wok heat around 12-14 tsp of oil and let the brinjals cook till they are golden brown.
• This should take roughly around 18-20 minutes on medium high heat.

For the gravy

• In a nonstick pan or wok heat around 3 - 4 tsp of oil.
• Add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and fennel seeds and heat it up till they start crackling.
• Add the dried red chilli and let it heat up.
• Add a pinch of hing.
• Add haldi, jeera, dhania and red chilli and saute well for 2 minutes.
• Add curd and keep on stirring so that it docent turn watery and once it starts boiling then add salt and sugar boil it for a minute.
• Add the fried brinjal in the gravy and mix it well for 2 minutes.
• Garnish it with coriender leaves and fine chopped green chilli.

Gavarfali in Curd and Besan - Kadhi

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup cluster beans (gavarfali)
2. 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
3. 1/2 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
4. a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
5. 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
6. 5 curry leaves (kadi patta)
7. 1 tbsp oil
8. salt to taste

For the Kadhi:

1. 1/2 cup curds (dahi)
2. 2 tsp coriander (dhania) powder
3. 2 tsp chilli powder
4. 1/4 tsp besan (Bengal gram flour)
5. salt to taste

Method 

1. String the gavarfali by removing the ends and edged fibre.
2. Pressure cook the gavarfali in 1 cup of water for 2 whistles. Keep aside.
3. Combine the curds, coriander powder, chilli powder, gram flour and salt and whisk well.
4. Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, asafoetida and fennel seeds.
5. Add the curd mixture, curry leaves, 2 tablespoons of water and salt and stir continuously.
6. Let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Add the gavarfali along with the water used to pressure cook it. and mix well.
8. Cook the subzi for a few minutes more.

Sindhi Kadhi - Amazing taste and Easy to cook.

Ingredients

1/2 cup gram flour (besan)
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (mathi)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/8 teaspoon asafetida (hing)
3 whole red chillies
Approx. 10 curry leaves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder adjust to taste
1 tablespoon grated ginger
Approx. 3 tablespoons tamarind pulp (imli)
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups of mixed vegetables (can use 8 okras slit into 2 vertically, 1/4 cup carrots sliced in rounds, 1 small potato cubed, 1/4 cup cut green beans about 1 inch longs)
Also need 1 tablespoon oil for stir-fry okra
5 cups of water

Method

Wash and dry the okra. Remove the top of the okra and stir-fry in 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat until they are tender. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a sauce pan over medium high heat, add fenugreek seed, and cumin seeds, as seeds crack add asafetida, red chilli whole, ginger, and curry leaves stir for few seconds.
Reduce the heat to medium and add besan. Roast the besan stirring continually till the besan has become golden brown and aromatic (about 4-5 minutes).
Add about 4 cups of water slowly, stirring continuously to avoid forming lumps.
Add turmeric, salt, potatoes, green beans and carrots.
After Kadhi comes to boil, lower the heat to low medium and cover the pan and let it simmer for about 8-10 minutes, until vegetables are tender. If needed add more water, this should be running consistency but not watery.
Add okra and tamarind pulp to Kadhi, after kadhi comes to boil, let it simmer for another 6-7minutes over medium low heat.
Serve hot. Sindhi kadhi taste great with rice or serve as a soup.

Corn Tikki

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked sweet corn kernels (makkai ke Daane)
• 2 boiled and mashed potatoes 
• 2 chopped green chillies
• 2 tsp finely chopped ginger (Adrak) 
• 1 cup chopped coriander 
• 1 tsp chaat masala
• 1 tbsp oil
• Salt to Taste

Method:

• Blend the corn into a coarse mixture.
• Add the potatoes, coriander, green chillies and ginger and mix well.
• Divide the mixture into equal portions and shape them into small round tikkis.
• Heat the oil in a pan and cook the tikkis till they turn golden brown and crisp from both the sides.
• Sprinkle chaat masala over the tikkis.
• Serve hot with ketchup and green chutney.

Dalia (Brokenwheat) Tikki:

Ingredients:

2 Cup Boiled Dalia
1/2 cup capsicum finely chopped
1/2 cup carrot finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped beetroot (Boiled in Vinegar water help beet from bleeding )
1 finely chopped chilli
1 pinch Hing
1 table spoon vegetable oil
1 table spoon wheat floor for binding the tikkis
1/2 Tbs Jeera
Salt to taste

Method:

Mix all the ingredients and make soft dough and make small round cutlets with that and stir fry on Non stick pan with little oil and serve hot.

Cabbage Pancake

Ingredients:

½ Cup Besan

1 Cup grated Cabbage

1 Onion finely chopped

2 green chilies chopped

1 tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp roasted cumin seeds crushed

2 tsp coriander

Salt to taste

Oil for cooking

Method:

Combine all the ingredients and make a thick batter using water.

Heat and grease a non-stick pan.

Spread a quarter of batter to make 2 mm thick pancake.

Cook on both the sides till golden brown.

Serve hot.

Cabbage and Paneer Sandwich

Ingredients:

Bread Slices

1 cup grated cabbage

¾ cup crumbled paneer (cottage cheese)

2 tbsp. coriander

2 green chillies finely chopped

Butter for grilling

¼ tbsp. pepper

Salt to taste

Method:

Combine the Cabbage, Paneer, Coriander, Green Chillies, Butter, Pepper and Salt.

Make the filling in between two bread slices.

Apply butter in the outer slides of bread and grill it.

Serve Hot.

Mushroom Gravy

Mushroom Gravy – 15 minutes to cook

·         Fresh button mushrooms - 200 gms – into quarters pieces

·         Onion - 1 medium size – Finely Chopped

·         Crushed ginger garlic - 1 tbs ( 2 garlic cloves & 1 inch ginger)

·         Crushed pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

·         Green chillies - 1 or 2 according to taste

·         Corn flour - 1/2 tbs

·         Ajinomoto - 1/4 pinch (optional)

 

Method:

Heat a tbs of Olive oil in the pan. Add the chopped mushrooms; keep frying in high flame for 4-5 minutes

Transfer the fried mushrooms to a separate bowl.

Heat olive oil in the pan, add the chopped onions and fry for 2 minute in high flame. Add crushed ginger, garlic paste and pepper powder, add chopped green chillies also. Fry for 2 more minutes. Add ajinomoto salt.

Add the fried mushroom to the pan, add 1 cup of water. Add required amount of the salt to the gravy and allow to cook.

In the meanwhile, mix the corn flour with a 1/4 glass of water without any lumps.

Add the mixed corn flour mixture to the gravy and keep stirring. After adding the corn flour mixture , the gravy gives you a thick and shiny texture.

The gravy is done, you can transfer to a serving bowl. You can serve it now!!

Kabuli Chana Recipe (Chole)

Ingredients:

• 4-5 tbsp oil
• 2 Bay leaf
• Paste of 2 – 3 medium onions
• 3 peeled tomatoes paste/we can use 4 tbsp tomato puree available in market
• 1 tsp garlic paste and 1 tsp ginger Paste (we can use the ginger garlic paste available in the market)
• 2 green chillies, 
• ginger Juliennes
• 1/2 tea spoon Ajwain
• 1 table spoon Anardaana powder
• 2 Green Cardamom Crushed 
• Clove 4 to 5
• 1tsp red Chili powder (Kashmiri if not available then any good red coloured chilli powder)
• 2 tsp of Chole Masala
• 1 tsp of Jeera Powder
• 2 tsp Ground Coriander
• 1 tsp Whole Cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp Anardaana Powder 
• 200gm Chickpeas

Preparation:

Soak Chole in water overnight or for about 6 hr. and add salt while soaking.

Boil Chole in Pressure cooker, add dried India Gooseberry 1 to 2 (Gooseberry gives the color to the  Chole), 2 tea bags, salt to taste and enough water and pressure cooker it for about 20 minutes or till fully done.

once the chole are boiled remove the tea bags and gooseberries and reserve the drained water from boiled chickpea for cooking.

Take a Karhai/Wok pore oil about 4-5 tablespoon to heat add Bay leaf and whole Cumin once it starts crackling add Green Cardamom and Clove . 

Add Ginger Garlic paste and sauté till the paste is golden. 

Add 2 green chillies and Onions paste and once the mix leave the oil from sides add Anardaana powder and tomatoes paste and sauté it again for 10 minutes till the mix  leaves oil.

Add Red Chilli powder, 2 tsp of Chole Masala, Jeera Powder to the paste and little salt.

Add boiled chole, the reserved Water, salt and half of the coriander leaves. Simmer, uncovered until the liquid has been absorbed. 

Make Tempering with oil, Ajwain, Ginger  Juliennes and add to cooked Chole.

Serve it with Bhature or Rice.

Total Cooking time: 45- 60 minutes

Serves: 6 people

How to Make a Chocolate Bouquet

How to Make a Chocolate Bouquet

Mother's Day, birthdays, and holidays present great opportunities to create your own specially made bouquet of chocolates for the chocolate lover in your life. Here's how to please their sweet tooth as well as their eyes!

Things You'll Need

1) Ferrero Rocher Chocolates (as shown) or any other chocolates 

2) Colorful tissue paper depending on the holiday or occasion.

3) Cardboard box or basket.

4) Long thin sticks, lightweight skewers, or long toothpicks.

5) Scotch tape

6) Scissors

7) Colorful ribbon or any decoration

8) Oasis (a hard foam used by florists to hold flower stems in position)

Steps

1) Create a base for the arrangement. It could be a cardboard box or wicker basket. Put an oasis (a hard foam used by florists to hold flower stems in position) inside. 

2) Choose chocolates that fit the occasion, and are firm enough to support the insertion of skewers or long thin sticks.

3) Push a room temperature chocolate onto a skewer. 

4) Select a 20x20cm square of colorful, plain or printed tissue paper (also reflecting the occasion and matching with the theme of the bouquet) and push it onto the end of the skewer that is not holding the chocolate. Ideally, the skewer should pierce through the center of the tissue paper.

5) Pull the paper all to one end, making somewhat of a petal formation around the chocolate. Twist and secure it at the bottom with scotch tape. 

6) Randomly push the chocolate skewers into the box or basket. Note that the skewers in the image here do not have the tissue paper petals around the chocolates; this is just so that you can easily see the placement of the skewers. 

7) Gently push additional tissue paper skewers in between the chocolates.Finish the bouquet with a big colorful bow or decoration of your choice, depending on the occasion..

Diwali Decoration

Flower Rangoli Design - Diwali

Flower Rangoli