Wednesday, May 30, 2012

HOW TO MAKE SOFT PHULKAS | ROTI(WITH VIDEO)

   Phulka| Chapathi| Soft rotis, fluffy unleavened Indian flat breads made with whole wheat. Phulkas or rotis are popular in almost every Indian cuisine. They can be had at breakfast, lunch or dinner. Filled with the wholesome goodness of wheat, they are extremely healthy and easy to digest even for the elderly. Ever since my in laws were diagnosed with diabetes, I started making phulkas regularly for dinner at home. Initially, getting perfectly round and soft rotis was a bit of a struggle. Like
for several other dishes, for phulkas too I got inspiration from my mom who is an expert at making them. With practice, you can get soft and round rotis used to be her mantra. After a few months of practice, I can confidently make soft and round phulkas/rotis. On request from a friend, I have posted a video of the recipe.
Check out the

phulkas
INGREDIENTS:
WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR 1 CUP
WATER AS NEEDED( APPROX 1/3 CUP)
SALT AS NEEDED
OIL 1 TSP
 ROTIS
METHOD:
  • In a wide bowl add the whole wheat flour( I used ashirvad atta) add salt and mix water slowly to make a pliable dough. Add a few drops of oil and cover the dough and keep it aside for 15 minutes to 1/2 an hour. 
  • The resting time will release more gluten from the dough and make it even soft.
  • While kneading the dough, do not press hard while kneading. Once it is fully done knead it hard by pressing it nicely.
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  • Keep a small amount of flour for dusting and make the dough into equal balls.
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  • Roll them into round rotis dusting in the flour when needed. Do not dust too much as this will turn the roti dry.
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  • Heat a non stick tawa and it should be in a medium low flame.
  • Place the rolled roti on the tawa on cook for few seconds and turn it on the other side.
  • Cook till you see small bubbles.
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  • Take out the tawa from the stove and place this roti on the direct flame and you can see the roti puffs up.
  • When done on one side flip it and cook on the other side. This step you can get fast once you start practicing.
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  • Repeat the same procedure for the rest of the roti dough balls.
  • Normally i use this type of tong to handle this hot phulkas.
  • Brush this with oil or ghee if you want, but without this also the rotis will stay soft.
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Here is the video of making puffed rotis. Kindly bear with the poor quality as it was taken early in the morning when i was making rotis for kids lunch box.
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  Video of how to roll phulkas

  • I served with paneer butter masala on that day. You can have with any SIDE DISH of your choice.
roti
Notes:
  1. While kneading the dough little milk can also be added as this will give very soft rotis.
  2. If using hot water for making dough, the rotis will be soft but you can not make soft rotis with the left over dough for the next day for making chapathi.
  3. While putting the rotis on direct flame be careful not to make any small tear roti else it won’t puff up.
  4. While putting the roti on direct flame flip it soon , if they get over cooked then it will be crispy as a papad.
  5. Some people will add a tblsp of yogurt while kneading the dough . As i haven’t personally tried this i don’t now how this will come out.
  6. The most important thing is making the dough in a right consistency.Ensure that it should be soft. If it is too watery also then you have to dust this too much and finally end up in making dry rotis.
  7. If it is hard then the rotis will become hard. With few times of practise you can get it right.
I am going on a break for 2 weeks and will be missing all the nice recipes around the blog sphere , i have scheduled few posts during this break time and see you back after a while.
Keep sending mails for any queries and keep visiting my space for new recipes

Monday, May 28, 2012

CHILLI CHEESE TOAST RECIPE

Recipe of chilli cheese toast with Video
Chilli cheese toast recipe is a quick snack recipe made in a jiffy.  I used to have this in Five star super market ( a chain of stores in Chennai)  when i was working in Chennai . Most of the Friday evenings and during long hours of work we used to go there in the evening and have their sandwich which used be Rs.5, and this chilli cheese toast was Rs.7. Last week when i bought cheese to try out a recipe my hubby reminded me about this chilli cheese toast which we used to have in office, i wanted to try it out. It turned out super yum and i recollected the memories associated with the chili cheese toast.



Chilli cheese toast

  Preparation Time : 5 mins | Cooking Time : 5 Mins |Serves: 2

     Bread slices   2
     Green chili  1
     Bell pepper | capsicum  1-2 tbslp
     Pepper powder   2 pinches
     Grated cheese     3 tblsp
     Salt  to taste
                               Video of How to make chilli cheese toast
                       
     


Chilli cheese toast

Method

  • In a bowl add the cheese, finely chopped green chilli.
  • Add finely chopped bell pepper, pepper powder and salt to taste.
  • Mix well.
  • Spread this mixture evenly onto the bread slices.
  • Preheat the oven at 160 degrees for 5 minutes and bake it till the cheese melts.
  • Serve with tomato ketchup.
  • This can be made in a sandwich maker also.
  • You can make this in Microwave too.
  • If making in microwave, toast the bread on tawa with little butter and then spread the cheese mixture onto the toasted bread and microwave for 2 minutes.
Chilli cheese toast

Note:
  1. Add chili according to your spice level.
  2. Deseeded tomatoes can be added to make this more colorful.
  3. If making in a pan, cover the bread slices with a lid and cook until the cheese melts. Do in a low flame to avoid the bread getting burnt.

Friday, May 25, 2012

OREO COOKIE MILKSHAKE RECIPE

    Making milkshake with cookie is the one which i wanted to try and when i saw this recipe in the Krafts recipes I wanted to try it as my kids are a huge fan of oreo biscuits and always my pantry is filled with these oreo biscuits. I made this milkshake with ice cream but i tried without this without ice cream also. Both tasted so yum, my daughter Varsha loved this very much and it was quite filling too.

oroe milkshake

INGREDIENTS:(YIELDS 2 SERVINGS)

OREO BISCUITS 5 NO
CHILLED MILK 1 AND 1/2 CUP
VANILLA ICE CREAM 2 SCOOPS
SUGAR 1 TBLSP(OPTIONAL)
CHOCOLATE SYRUP 1 TBLSP(OPTIONAL)
 oreo milkshake

Method:

  • Place 4 biscuits along with milk, sugar, vanilla biscuits and blend in a mixer till frothy.
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  • Cut the remaining one biscuit into small pieces.

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  • If using chocolate syrup add 1 tblsp into the glass and pour in the milkshake. Top with chopped oreo cookies and serve immediately.

OREO MILKSHAKE

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

NUTELLA BROWNIES RECIPE | NO EGG NO BUTTER

   After a long time I wanted to bake something and i have a big box of nutella lying in my kitchen which my friend gave to me while shifting her house. I wanted to utilize this in one shot and i was searching for an eggless cup cakes with nutella and finally i landed up in this Eggless Nutella Brownies recipe which i adapted from Here .
nutella brownies
INGREDIENTS:
NUTELLA 1 CUP MINUS 2 Tblsp
MAIDA| ALL PURPOSE FLOUR 1 CUP
COCOA POWDER 1/4 CUP
YOGURT 1/2 CUP
OIL 1/3 CUP
MILK 1/2 CUP
SUGAR 3 TBLSP
VANILLA ESSENCE 1 TSP
WALNUTS/ HAZELNUTS/CASHEWNUTS/ALMONDS 1/3 CUP
BAKING POWDER 1 TSP
INSTANT COFFEE POWDER 1 TSP
NUTELLA BROWNIES
  • Sift the flour, baking powder, coffee powder and cocoa powder together for even mixing.
flour
  • Melt the nutella in microwave for 2 minutes.
  • I did it using double boiler method.
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  • In a wide bowl, add milk, yogurt, oil , vanilla essence and sugar and mix well.
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  • Add this to nutella and mix well.
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  • Pour this to the sifted flour mixture and fold gently and evenly.
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  • Add finely chopped nuts to this, i used cashew nuts and mix gently.
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  • Transfer this to a greased baking tin ( square tin) and bake in a 190 degree preheated oven for 30 mins.
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  • Mine took 25 minutes to bake. Bake at 170 degrees. Insert a tooth pick in the center and check whether it is done. If it comes out clean , take out from the oven and cool them for 15 minutes.
  • Cut them into squares and if you like to have it warm, just microwave this for 20 seconds and serve .
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  • I have cut them into big squares and this yielded 11 to 12 pieces.
nutella brownies

Monday, May 21, 2012

ONION TOMATO CHUTNEY RECIPE , SIDE DISH FOR IDLI DOSA

Onion tomato chutney recipe -with video  
Onion tomato chutney is the usual one which i make for idli or dosa.  This version i tasted long back in a birthday party and tried at home assuming the ingredients, but to my surprise the onion tomato chutney (without coconut) came out well and it tasted almost the same .Two days back i made this for dosa and my little one who doesn’t eat chutneys, enjoyed this a lot.Check out my full collection of chutney recipes.
Onion-tomato chutney



Onion tomato chutney

  Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 15 Mins |Serves: 3-4

     Onion  1
     Tomato  1
     Garlic   3 cloves (optional)
     Roasted gram | pottukadalai  1 tblsp
     Oil  1 tblsp + 1 tsp
     Salt  as needed
     Red chili  4
     Tamarind   a small piece
     Mustard seeds  1/4 tsp
     Curry leaves   few 
                                                   Video of Onion tomato chutney
                               
     
     
Onion-tomato chutney


Method:
  • Chop the onion and tomato finely and peel the skin of garlic.
  • In a pan add oil and throw in the red chilli,tamarind and garlic and roast them in a medium flame.
  • Now add the onions and saute till they turns slightly brown in color. Cook in a medium flame. Add salt to this while cooking to ensure even and fast cooking.
  • Now add the tomatoes to this.
  • Cook till the tomatoes become mushy.
  • Add roasted gram to this and switch off the flame.

  •  Grind this into a smooth paste adding little water.

  • Check for salt and temper with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
  • Dilute this by adding little water to reach your desired consistency.
Onion tomato- chutney

Note:
  • Instead of Roasted gram, urad dal or channa dal can also be added.
  • If using any of these dals, roast them nicely till golden brown and keep it aside.
  • Few tblsps of shredded coconut can also be added  while grinding.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

POMEGRANATE AND ORANGE JUICE RECIPE|SUMMER DRINK RECIPES

    During my recent visit to Little India i picked up these pomegranates and i have 2 oranges lying in my fruit basket for the past one week. I wanted to make a juice with the combo of pomegranate and orange and this turns out so yum and i can say this a perfect thirst quencher.

  I couldn’t take proper clicks as kids were waiting to have this after finishing their  cycling.

pome juice

INGREDIENTS:( YIELDS 5 GLASSES)

POMEGRANATE 2 NO
ORNAGE 2 –3 NO
SUGAR 1-2 TBLSP
WATER 1 CUP
GINGER A SMALL PIECE( OPTIONAL)
ICE CUBES FEW
POME JUICE

METHOD:

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  • Take out the pearls from the pomegranate.
  • Squeeze out the juice from the orange.
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  • Beat this in a mixture along with sugar and ginger( if using) in a mixer.
  • Once done, strain this using a strainer.
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  • Add water and serve with ice cubes.

pome juice