Baked Diamond Cuts/Biscuits

Ingredients:

Whole wheat  flour	1 cup
All purpose flour	¼ cup
Oil	3 tblsp
Chilli powder	as needed
Salt	as needed
Cumin seeds	½  tsp

Method:

• Take both the flours in a bowl.Add the oil and mix well with your finger tips so that it coats the flour well.Once mixed it should be like bread crumbs.
• Add the salt,chilli powder and cumin seeds.Slowly add water little by little to form a stiff dough.Don't knead the dough too long.Cover and keep the dough aside for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 190 ºC .
• Now roll the dough to a big circle or oval shape. Make diamond shapes using a knife.
• Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil or parchment paper.
• Slightly grease with oil. Now keep the diamond pieces on the tray and bake for about 15 to 20 mins till the diamonds become light golden in colour.
• Remove from the oven and let it come to room temperature and serve.

Note:

• I have added little all purpose flour.You can make with full whole wheat flour too but there will be slight difference in texture.
• Mixing the oil well is important to get crunchy biscuits.
• You can use kasoori methi or ajwain(omam) instead of cumin seeds to get a different flavour and taste.

Corn Cheese balls

Corn cheese balls is a popular appetizer which is quick and easy to make.The cheese added gives a lovely flavour and taste to this recipe.Here is the recipe..

Ingredients:

Potato	2 medium
Cheddar cheese grated	½ cup
Sweet corn kernels	½ cup
Corn flour	1 tblsp
All purpose flour(maida)	1 tblsp
Green chilli finely chopped	1
Pizza seasoning(optional)	½ tsp
Salt	as needed
Oil	to deep fry

Method:

• Boil the potatoes and sweet corn kernels.
• In a wide bowl,add the boiled and mashed potatoes,sweet corn kernels,grated cheese,corn flour and all purpose flour,chopped green chilli,pizza seasoning(if using) and required salt. Mix well with your hands.The mixture should not be too mushy.if so adjust the consistency by adding little flour.
• Now divide the dough into lime sized balls.Take some corn flour in a plate and roll the prepared balls in the flour.Refrigerate the cheese balls for 30 mins before frying.
• Heat oil in a fry pan and once the oil is hot,gently drop the cheese balls and fry in medium flame till golden in colour.Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess oil.Serve with Tomato ketchup.

Note:

• I have used processed cheddar cheese.

Methi Mutter Malai

Methi Mutter Malai is a wonderful combination of Methi leaves and Green peas cooked in a fragrant masala gravy.I followed Tarla dalal's recipe with few changes. Lets see the recipe.

Ingredients:

Methi leaves	2 cups
Green peas	1 cup
Onion finely chopped	1 small
Tomato	2
Fresh cream	¼ cup
Cumin seeds	½ tsp
Oil	2 tblsp
Honey(see note below)	½ tsp
For the Masala paste
Onion	1
Ginger	1 small piece
Garlic cloves	2-3
Green chilli	1-2(depending on spice level)
Cashewnut	8
For the dry masala powder
Cinnamon	1 “ piece
Clove	4
Cardamom	2
Pepper	4
Cumin seeds	1 tsp

Method:

• Grind the ingredients given in 'masala paste' to a fine paste.
• Slightly roast the ingredients listed in " dry masala powder",powder it and keep aside.
• Blanch tomatoes in hot water and make tomato puree.
• Separate methi leaves from the stem and clean them thorougly in water to remove dirt.Chop them finely and transfer to a bowl.sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt and leave aside for 15 mins.squeeze excess water and discard it.
• Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and saute the methi leaves for 2 mins till they shrink in volume and transfer to a plate.Cook green peas seperately and keep it ready.
• Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds followed by the chopped onions and fry till they turn translucent.Add the ground masala paste and fry well in low flame till the raw smell of the onion goes off.
• Add the tomato puree and the freshly prepared dry masala powder and cook for 2-3 mins.
• Add the green peas,prepared methi leaves,salt,fresh cream and add little water to get the right consistency.Cook on low flame for 2-3 mins.
• Switch off the flame and after 5 mins add honey and mix well.Methi Mutter Malai is ready to serve.

Note:

• Honey is optional.If adding honey,add it only after turning off the heat.You can also add little sugar instead of honey which you can add while adding methi leaves to the gravy.

Dal Khichdi

Dal khichdi is a popular comfort food which is healthy and easy to make too.It is a combination of rice and dal cooked with flavourful spices.I googled and found many recipes some using moong dal,some toor dhal and some combination of dals and here is my version of Dal khichdi using Moong dal. 

Ingredients:

Rice(I have used ponni raw rice here)	½ cup
Yellow moong dal(Pasiparuppu)	¼ cup
Toor dal	1 tblsp
Tomato finely chopped	1 small
Onion  finely chopped	1 small
Carrot cut into small cubes	2 tblsp
Spinach finely chopped	¼ cup
Green chilli	1
Ginger	Small piece
Cumin seeds	1 tsp
Cinnamon	Small piece
Cardamom	1
Clove	1
Ghee	2 tsp
Oil	1 tsp
Turmeric powder	a pinch
Salt	as needed
Coriander leaves finely chopped	to garnish

Method:

• Rinse rice and dal well and soak them together in enough water for 15-20 mins.
• Finely chop the green chilli and ginger.
• Chop all the vegetables finely and keep aside.
• Heat ghee and oil in a pan,add the spices and cumin seeds and wait till they start browning and nice aroma comes.Add the green chilli,ginger and fry well followed by onion and fry till onion turns slight brown.
• Drain the water from the soaked rice+dal and add the rice and dal mixture to the pan and fry well for 2 mins.
• Now add the chopped carrots,spinach and tomatoes and just stir once.
• Add the required salt,pinch of turmeric powder and around 2 1/4 cups of water.
• Transfer this to another vessel and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles in medium flame.
• Once the pressure releases,gently open and mix the khichdi well.If needed add little water to get the right consistency.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with little ghee on top.I served it with Curd and Papad.

Note:

• You can make this directly in a pressure cooker too.In that case the frying part and cooking part can be done in the same.
• Carrot and spinach are optional.You can do without vegetables too.
• Don't skip ghee.It adds nice flavour and taste to the khichdi.

Navratan Korma

Navratan korma is a delicious dish where vegetables,dry fruits and fruits are cooked in a rich,creamy cashewnut based gravy.I followed the recipe from Vahchef.Lets see the recipe.

Ingredients:

Vegetables( I used carrot,Beans,peas and Potato) cubed	1 cup
Paneer cubes	10-12
Onion	2
Cashewnut	10
Ginger garlic paste	1 tsp
Green chilli	1
Bay leaf	1
Cinnamon	1 small piece
Cardamom	2
Cumin seeds	½ tsp
Oil	1 tblsp
Coriander powder	1 tsp
Cumin powder	½ tsp
Pepper powder	½ tsp
Cashew and almonds	2 tblsp
Raisins	1 tblsp
Fresh cream	¼ cup
Saffron(optional)	a pinch
Pomegranate (optional)	for garnishing

Method:

• Saute paneer cubes till light brown and keep aside.
• Chop the nuts and saute till golden and keep aside.soak saffron strands in little hot milk.
• Cook the vegetables and keep it ready.
• Heat little water in a pan and add the cashews and chopped onion.Boil till the cashews become soft. Allow to cool and grind to a fine paste.
• Heat oil in a pan,add the bayleaf,cinnamon,cardamom,clove,cumin seeds and ginger garlic paste followed by chopped green chilli and fry till the raw smell of the paste goes off.
• Now add the ground onion-cashew paste and fry in low flame till it becomes brown in colour stirring continuosly.Add the coriander and cumin powders,salt and fry well for a minute. 
• Now add 1 cup water and cook for 3-4 mins till the gravy thickens.
• Add the cooked vegetables,sauted paneer,nuts and raisins and add the pepper powder.
• Add the fresh cream and saffron soaked milk,cover and simmer for around 15 mins in low flame.Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve.

Note:

• If you want you can add few chopped pineapple pieces while adding raisins.I have not added any fruit in this recipe.I have used pomegranate in the photos just for garnishing.
• Saffron is optional.

Eggless Blueberry Boy Bait

This Blueberry Boy Bait cake is a soft,rich cake with a delicious crumb studded with blueberries and I tried this recipe from here.The cake tasted similar to the Eggless Raspberry coffee cake which I had made before.The only thing I would like to try next time is to cut down the butter used.Here is the recipe. 

Ingredients:

All purpose flour	1 cup
Baking powder	½ tblsp
Salt	½ tsp
Unsalted butter	100 gms( 1 stick)
Sugar	¾ cup minus 2 tblsp
Blueberries	½ cup
Milk	¼ cup
Yogurt	½ cup
Vanilla essence	1 tsp

Method:

• Preheat oven to 175 º C.
• Sift flour,baking powder and salt.Keep aside.
• Wash the berries thoroughly and pat them dry using kitchen towel.Sprinkle a tsp of flour on the berries and set aside.
• Beat butter(room temperature) and sugar till light and fluffy using an electric beater.Add vanilla,half of the yogurt and milk and beat well.
• Add flour to the butter mixture alternating with yogurt and milk in three additions starting and ending with flour.Don't use electric beater after adding flour.Just fold everything using a ladle and mix till everything is combined well.The batter will be thick dropping consistency.Gently fold half of the blueberries to the batter.
• Pour the batter to a greased and floured pan.Arrange the remaining blueberries on top of the batter and sprinkle granulated sugar (about 2-3  tblsp) evenly over the top of the berries.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 175 ºC for around 40 mins or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Once done,allow the cake to cool in the pan completely before slicing them.Otherwise it might crumble when taken immediately.

Note:

• I have used fresh blueberries in this recipe.If using frozen berries add them directly to the batter and don't thaw them.
• The milk quantity given is approximate,add little more if the batter is very dry.