Sweet side of Kuwait & Dubai!!!

Rahash Roll on left from Kuwait and Dates with stuffed nuts from Dubai on right. Very Delicious!!!

Eggless Chocolate Cake

For long I was looking for recipe for egg less cake. I had few with condensed milk in them, but they didn't turn out that well for me. When I stumbled upon this recipe on Baking Bites I immediately knew I wanted to try it. Foremost reason, its simplicity. I am a amateur baker..so anything intricate is not for me.Moreover no fancy ingredients needed.

I made it with few modifications and am happy with the results. Cake was light in texture and dark in color. It tastes good giving no hints that its eggless.As for modifications, I did not use Bundt pan but rather loaf pan for baking. Moreover ,I found it little too chocolaty for me so may be next time I would figure out a way to lessen the amount of cocoa powder. I did not have brown sugar, so I simply used sugar. Lastly no glaze for me!!

Instant Khaman Dokhla

This is one snack that few would dislike. Coming from Gujarat, dokhlas have always tempted people of all genre.Me and my family are no exception.Though in India nowadays khaman dokhlas are easily availabale on most of sweet shops and food joints but since this "Instant "version dosent call for too much preparation its fun to prepare it at home .

There are lot of variations of dokhlas as per the flour used(Semolina,chickpea),spices(sweet,sour,sweet n sour) and additives (plain ,chopped vegetables,curd,water).Traditionally they are made with flour and curd kept for fermentation overnight or at least for few long hours..but but..who has so much time these days..so in days of everything instant here goes the recipe of instant Khaman dokhla...

Ingredients:

Besan(Chickpea flour) 1 Cup
Water 3/4 Cup
Citric Acid 1/4 tsp (lime juice can also be used)
Sugar 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp
Salt To taste
Eno(fruit salt) 1 tsp
Oil 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds 1 tsp
Green Chillies 2 Finely sliced
Curry leaves 5-6
Coriander Finely Chopped

Method:

Add salt, sugar and citric acid with water.Now add this water slowly to beasn and mix it well so that there are no lumps. Add 1 tbsp oil to batter.

Before we go ahead we should prepare the vessel we will use to steam the dokhla. Take a big vessel with lid and pour about 2-3 cups of water. Put this vessel on stovetop and in the center put some wire mesh or ring, over which we can put the pan with dokhla batter. Flame should be somewhere between high and medium.When water starts boiling add the Eno to batter and mix it well.Batter will become light and fluffy.Pour it in the pan.As for the pan it can be one used for baking.I use a round aluminium pan.Make sure you grease it before using.

Cover the lid and let it cook for 15 -20 minutes.Ckeck it with toothpick or knife for doneness(should not stick to knife or toothpick).When done take off from the heat and let it rest for 2-4 mins.Be sure to remove the cover lid or water droplets from lid will ruin the dokhla.

Transfer the dokhla by inverting the pan.Cut it with knife when cool.Dokhlas are ready to be tempered.For tempering heat the 1 tbsp oil. When hot add mustard seeds,curry leaves, 1 tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp water.Let it boil for 1 min and then pour it over the dokhla, between the slits.
I garnish it with chopped coriander.Even grated coconut would taste good.

Serve it with mint coriander chutney.

Sooji uttapam

Back home in India,this Uttapam was one dish that my mother use to cook when I was throwing tantrums for not eating regular dal subji roti made by her(I miss her and her cooking so much now).

Apart from sweet memories I have attached to this uttapam,this one is easy and fast and good on taste. And ya light enough to be good on health also.So here is my take on sooji Uttapam.My husband nicknamed it "Desi Pizza".

Ingredients:
For Base:
2 Cup Sooji/Semolina
1 1/2 Cup Yogurt
1/2 tsp Salt
Oil for cooking

For Toppings:
2 medium Onions , Finely diced
2 medium Tomatoes , Finley diced
1 small Green Chilli, Finely chopped
Salt as per taste
Red Chilli powder as per taste

Method:
1. To begin with Mix Sooji and yogurt in smooth paste adding water.Its consistency should be little thick then Dosa batter.Keep it aside for 1 hr.If you are in hurry even 1/2 hr would give good results.

2. Heat heavy griddle/non stick pan/Tava.Keep it on medium heat.

3. Add salt to Sooji batter,if its too thick add little water.

4. Sprinkle little oil on pan/tava.Now take big spoon ful of batter and put it on the greased pan.With the help of flat spoon spread it in about 6" round diameter.This circle should not be very thin.

5. Let it sit for 10 sec.Then sprinkle chopped tomatoes,onions,green chili on it.Then sprinkle salt and red chilli powder.With flat spoon press these toppings so that they settle inside the batter which is still uncooked on top.Now cover this with a lid which has little height.The steam will cook the top part.

6. Let it cook for 2-4 mins or when its brown from below and cooked from top.Remove the lid garnish with fresh coriander.

7. Its ready to be served.Serve it hot with coconut chutney/sambhar/Tomato ketchup/Green coriander mint chutney.

Tips: Chopped green pepper can be also added on top.

Update : Adding grated ginger to the sooji batter gives the uttapam nice taste.

Daal ki poori.

It was sunday and I really wanted to cook something that will fit for breakfast as well as lunch..right a brunch.My husband tries to stay away from fried stuff but once in a while he dosent mind indulging. So here I got a chance to make these delicious Kachoris. These kachoris part of traditional snacks in Northern India are more like stuffed poori unlike khasta kachori .Henceforth they are much lighter then khasta kachori.In Northern Indian state of UP(Uttar Pradesh) we can easily enjoy these kachoris freshly made at street side vendors daily in the morning as a breakfast item(surely will be a heavy breakfast for me).They are served with a spicy aloo ki subji.Though they are good enough to be eaten alone they can be complemented with coriander chutney also.

Here goes the recipe:

For Dough:

All-Purpose flour/Maida (2 Cups)

Refind Oil/Vegetable Shortening (1/4 Cup)

Ajwain(1 tsp)

Salt (1 tsp)

For Filling:

Urad dal (1 cup)(Skin removed,soaked for 2 hrs)

Green Chillies (1, Small)

Ginger (1 inch piece)

Spices:

Chilli Powder (1/2 Tsp)

Amchoor Powder (1 Tsp)

Salt (To Taste)

Garam Masala (1/4 tsp)

Heeng (pinch)

Zeera (1/2 tsp)

Fennel seeds(1 tsp ,crushed)

Oil(1 1/2 Tbsp)

Corinader(Finely chopped)

Method:
1. Start by making the dough or the crust for the kachori. Mix all the dry ingredients so that flour has the crumbly consistency.

2. Now knead a firm dough using little water.Knead it well for few minutes.
3. Keep the dough aside, covered with a plastic wrap or a wet cloth for about 15-20 mins.

For filling:

1. Strain water out of soaked dal.Add green chili and ginger to it and grind this mixture .Try to use minimal water adding little as needed. We dont want to grind it to paste.Keep it little coarse.

2. Now heat oil in heavy bottom pan. When oil is hot add heeng and then Zeera.When Zeera starts crackling add grinded dal.

3. Stir the dal. Add salt,red chili powder,amchoor,garam masala,crushed fennel seeds.Mix these well with dal and let it cook for about 5-10 mins with constant stirring till dal is cooked.

4. Add coriander and let it cool.

How to proceed :

1.Roll each part of the dough into the circle of 50 mm (2") diameter.Keep one part of the filling mixture in the centre of the rolled dough circle.Cover the filling mixture with the dough by slowly stretching it over the filling mixture.Close the ends tightly by pinching them together and if necessary, remove the excess dough.Roll each part into a circle of 62 mm. (2½") diameter. Also make sure that the filling does not spill out.Deep fry in a hot oil over a slow flame till they puff up and turns golden brown on both sides.

2. Serve hot with Coriander Chutney/ Aloo ki subji.

Recipe of Aloo Subji coming soon!