Aloo Manchurian - Spicy Indo Chinese Potato

Potatoes are misunderstood. Often thought of in the junk food bucket, they're surprisingly healthy if cooked in the right way! They are high in fibre, potassium and have no cholesterol as long as they're cooked without deep frying. So don't feel bad having some potato! 

Spicing up Potatoes are just so delicious and one of the best ways to enjoy this is by adding lots of flavours. This little indulgent dish is simply yum, without deep frying ofcourse!

Here it is, my version of ALOO MANCHURIAN:

Ingredients: 2 medium Potatoes cubed, 1 onion finely chopped, 2 tbsp cornflour, 2 tbsp tomato ketchup, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp garlic ginger paste (or crushed garlic ginger), chives/spring onions chopped finely, chillies as per taste, little bit of olive oil. 

Make: In a bowl toss together potato cubes with corn flour. In a wide pan, pan fry these coated potato cubes in a little oil until golden brown and crisp. Keep aside. In the same pan, add a little oil and saute onion, garlic ginger and chillies. Add tomato ketchup and soy sauce. Cover and let it simmer. Finally add the pan fried potato and toss together. Serve hot with a sprinkle of chives/spring onions. 

Pineapple Gojju - Tangy Spicy Pineapple Curry

Some tastes from your childhood stay with you always, even if you did not like it back then! This beautiful dish, popular in South Indian weddings and functions is one of those tastes. I never liked it much then, but now it is one of my favourites. 

Pineapple Gojju, a delicious curry that delicately balances the sweet tangy flavours of Pineapple with spicy tastes of chillies and roast spices. The best part for me, is using  my Mum's recipe to recreate the same taste that she made for us. 

Here it is, my version of PINEAPPLE GOJJU:

Ingredients - 2 small cups of chopped pineapple chunks (possible to use canned sweet pineapple too), 1/4 cup of coconut, 2 tbsp urid daal, 1 tbsp channa daal, 1 tsp fenugreek seeds, 4 to 5 dry red chillies, 2 tbsp jaggery/brown sugar, 1 tbsp tamarind paste, 1 tsp mustard seeds, handful curry leaves, salt to taste.

Make - Dry roast the urid daal, channa daal & fenugreek seeds until aromatic. Next dry roast the coconut slightly along with red chillies. Put all of these into the mixer, add in tamarind paste and a little bit of water and grind into a smooth paste. 

In a pan, saute mustard seeds in a little oil, add in curry leaves then pineapple chunks and roast nicely. Now add in the masala paste and jaggery. Add 1 to 2 cups of water and simmer with closed lid for about 10 minutes. 

Serve hot with rice or chapathi. Enjoy! 

Gulab Jamun - Sweet Dumplings

The most popular of traditional sweets are often the best and most loved. For a good reason - they're just so delicious! One of India's most known desserts are Gulab Jamuns, found on most Indian restaurant menus too. 

There are so many different recipes and methods to make these and many will find one that suits them best after trying a few different ways. My version, which I learnt from my Aunt is one that has always worked wonderfully.

Here it is, my version of GULAB JAMUN:

Ingredients: 1 cup full cream milk powder, 3/4 cup thick cream, 2 tablespoons plain powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda. For the sugar syrup, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, few saffron strands, 1 teaspoon cardamon powder. 

Make: To make the dough, mix the milk powder, plain flour, baking soda and cream together and form a soft dough. Use a little more plain flour if it gets too sticky or more cream if it's dry. Do not add any water but you might want to use a pinch of oil to smooth the dough while making small balls.

Make the sugar syrup by boiling the sugar with water then add saffron and cardamon powder.

To deep fry Jamuns, drop in the dough balls in medium heat oil and fry slowly on low heat until golden brown. Let it sit for a few minutes on serviette so oil gets soaked up then drop into the sugar syrup. 

Let it all cool and serve delicious soft juicy Gulab Jamuns either on their own or with ice cream!

Eggless Wheat Choc-Chip Cookies

When are sweet snacks not so unhealthy? When they're made with ingredients that are pure and whole! That's exactly why I love baking my own sweet treats. 

Choc-chip cookies are so popular you can buy them anywhere but the joy is in making your own, especially since I Iove eggless baking. So here it is, my version of EGGLESS CHOC-CHIP COOKIES:

Ingredients (for about 14 cookies): 1/2 cup wholewheat flour, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1-2 tbsp raw sugar, 1/4 cup butter at room temperature, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract, pinch of salt, choc chips.

Make: Using an electric hand mixer, cream the butter to form soft peaks then add brown sugar and raw sugar. Mix well. Now add in the wheat flour bit by bit while mixing by hand. Also add the baking soda and vanilla extract. Bring the dough together so it's soft but not sticky. If sticky, add a little more flour. Put the dough in the fridge for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven and prepare baking tray with baking paper.

Take small golf ball sized portions and pat slightly on the baking paper. Poke in some choc chips. 

Bake for about 15 minutes at 170deg. 

Cool completely and enjoy your yummy cookies!

BAKED Badam Puri (Almond pastry soaked in sugar syrup)

Keeping with my current experiments of turning deep fried snacks into healthier baked versions, I thought of giving it a shot with one of my favourite Indian sweets, Badam Puri. 

I have previously posted the traditional deep fried version of Badam Puri, you might want to check that out also Badam Puri. How to describe this delicious, crispy yet soft, sweet, juicy sweet treat? Try it yourself to see!

Here it is, BAKED BADAM PURI:

Ingredients for about 12 Badam Puris: 1 cup fine semolina (chiroti rava), 1/2 cup plain flour (maida), pinch of salt, milk to mix the dough, 1/2 cup almond powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, few tablespoons melted butter/ghee, some cloves for holding puri in place. 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water for sugar syrup.

Make: In a bowl combine semolina, plain flour, almond powder, salt and mix into a soft dough with milk and butter as needed. Keep aside for about an hour. In a separate dish bring the sugar and water to boil to make your sugar syrup. Make small golf ball sized balls with the dough then using a rolling pin, roll out flat, around the size of your palm. Fold into triangles as shown in the photo, put in a clove to keep the shape during baking. Lay puris on a lined baking tray and bake at 170 deg for about 30 minutes or until crisp. 

Cool down the puris, drop into the sugar syrup to soak for about 5-10 minutes. Place on a serving plate and dust powdered sugar for a lovely presentation. 

Vegan Potato Gnocchi with Roast Pumpkin

Italian food has a way of spinning its magic on food lovers from everywhere! While pastas and pizzas are popular, their more gourmet friend Gnocchi has always been one I wanted to try making from scratch. Truth be told, it's not easy or quick but ohhhh so worth it...especially as I could make it eggless and vegan! Tasted just perfect with the light fluffy Gnocchi & delicious roast pumpkin and definitely will be made often.

Here it is, my VEGAN POTATO GNOCCHI with caramelised onion, roast pumpkin & chillies:

Ingredients for two plates: 5 medium sized potatoes boiled & skin peeled, 1 cup of wheat flour (or can use plain flour), 1.5 cup cubed pumpkin, 1 onion sliced thinly, 1 tablespoon garlic, few chillies as desired, handful of walnuts/pine nuts, parsley for garniush, olive oil for cooking, salt.

Make: To make the Gnocchi mash the boiled potatoes in a bowl completely so it is fully smooth. Add in a pinch of salt and the flour spoon by spoon while mixing with your hands into a soft dough. It should be a soft but non sticky dough (be careful not to use too much flour either). On baking paper roll with hands into strips as shown in the picture, then cut into small sections, use flour to shape nicely. Use a fork to imprint as shown. To cook the Gnocchi dough, drop one by one into boiling water. It should only take 3-4 minutes for them to cook, they will float up when cooked. Remove and keep aside.

In a pan, saute in olive oil, chillies, onion, garlic until onion is caramelised. Add in cubed pumpkin and roast till golden brown. Now add in salt and the cooked Gnocchi and pan fry all together. Sprinkle parsley and serve hot. Enjoy!